Discontinuous Reception Timer Management for NTN Data Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of satellite communications with terrestrial communications in Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) poses challenges, particularly in managing propagation delay and power consumption, due to the need to adjust 5G NR protocols, and the HARQ mechanism's inefficiency in NTN environments.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that start or restart a discontinuous reception downlink retransmission timer in a downlink reception process when the HARQ feedback is disabled, optimizing data transmission by reducing unnecessary monitoring and power consumption in NTN terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the HARQ mechanism is used in NTN environments, then data transmission reliability is improved, but propagation delay increases and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles where the terminal periodically monitors downlink control channels instead of continuously monitoring. The terminal wakes up at specific DRX cycle boundaries to check for scheduling information and enters sleep mode otherwise. This periodic monitoring reduces the time spent in active reception state, thereby reducing the impact of propagation delay and lowering power consumption while maintaining reliable data transmission through the HARQ mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the DRX cycle length and monitoring timing based on downlink data arrival patterns and HARQ process states. When downlink data is detected or HARQ retransmission is expected, the terminal extends its active monitoring period; otherwise, it returns to sleep mode. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize between maintaining transmission reliability and reducing propagation delay impact.
2Reliability
If continuous downlink monitoring is performed, then data transmission reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles where the terminal periodically monitors downlink control channels instead of continuously monitoring. The terminal wakes up at specific DRX cycle boundaries to check for scheduling information and enters sleep mode otherwise. This periodic monitoring reduces the time spent in active reception state, thereby reducing the impact of propagation delay and lowering power consumption while maintaining reliable data transmission through the HARQ mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses HARQ feedback mechanisms where the terminal sends acknowledgment (ACK) or negative acknowledgment (NACK) signals based on downlink data reception status. This feedback allows the network to adjust transmissions and enables the terminal to enter sleep mode with confidence that missed data can be recovered through retransmission, thereby reducing continuous monitoring requirements and power consumption.
3Productivity
If the number of HARQ processes is increased, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the HARQ process management into multiple independent HARQ entities, each handling specific data radio bearers or logical channels. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple HARQ processes without requiring a single complex management structure. Each HARQ entity maintains its own process state and timing, enabling efficient data transmission through parallelism while keeping individual entity complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal HARQ entity structure that can handle multiple data radio bearers and logical channels through a common framework. The HARQ entity is designed to be multi-functional, supporting both uplink and downlink HARQ processes, and adapting to different QoS requirements through configuration parameters. This universal design achieves high data transmission efficiency across multiple services without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the field of wireless communication, and disclosed thereby are a method, apparatus, and system for data transmission. The method comprises: when discontinuous reception HARQ feedback is in a disabled state, starting up or restarting a discontinuous reception downlink retransmission timer in a downlink reception process. Thus, discontinuous reception is implemented after a HARQ mechanism in NTN technology is disabled.