Emergency Message Transmission in Non-Terrestrial Networks

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems, particularly in 5G NR, face challenges in efficiently transmitting emergency messages over non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) due to high power consumption, longer signal propagation delays, and increased complexity in time/frequency synchronization and beam management operations.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for user equipment (UE) to generate and transmit messages, including GPS coordinates, timestamps, UE IDs, personal IDs, emergency levels, or types, while in RRC idle or inactive modes, using dedicated resources and simplified synchronization procedures to improve power efficiency and reduce complexity in NTN communications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If UE establishes full RRC connection to transmit emergency messages, then message transmission reliability is improved, but power consumption increases and transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage transmission reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by enabling UE to transmit emergency messages using only the necessary minimum connection establishment steps rather than completing full RRC connection procedures. The network can configure dedicated resources and parameters in advance, allowing message transmission with reduced signaling overhead and shorter transmission time, thus lowering power consumption while maintaining sufficient reliability for emergency scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The network performs preliminary configuration by pre-configuring dedicated physical uplink resources, message formats, and transmission parameters for emergency scenarios before actual emergency messages need to be sent. This advance preparation eliminates the need for lengthy connection establishment and resource allocation procedures at the moment of emergency, reducing both delay and power consumption while ensuring reliable transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If UE establishes full RRC connection to transmit emergency messages, then message transmission reliability is improved, but transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage transmission reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by enabling UE to transmit emergency messages using only the necessary minimum connection establishment steps rather than completing full RRC connection procedures. The network can configure dedicated resources and parameters in advance, allowing message transmission with reduced signaling overhead and shorter transmission time, thus lowering delay while maintaining sufficient reliability for emergency scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Use of energy by moving object

If UE uses simplified message transmission procedure, then power consumption is reduced and transmission delay is reduced, but synchronization complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsynchronization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network acts as an intermediary by providing pre-configured synchronization parameters, timing advance values, and frequency correction information that the UE can use directly for simplified message transmission. This intermediary approach allows the UE to avoid complex synchronization procedures while maintaining accurate timing and frequency alignment, thus reducing power consumption without significantly increasing UE-side complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The network performs preliminary configuration by providing synchronization parameters, timing advance, and frequency correction information in advance. This pre-provisioning of synchronization data eliminates the need for complex real-time synchronization procedures during emergency message transmission, reducing both power consumption and operational complexity at the UE side.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Loss of time

If UE uses simplified message transmission procedure, then transmission delay is reduced, but synchronization complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission delayVSAvoidsynchronization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network acts as an intermediary by providing pre-configured synchronization parameters, timing advance values, and frequency correction information that the UE can use directly for simplified message transmission. This intermediary approach allows the UE to avoid complex synchronization procedures while maintaining accurate timing and frequency alignment, thus reducing delay without significantly increasing UE-side complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20240064851A1Message transmission via non-terrestrial network

Publication Date: 2024.02.22 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

A UE in one of an RRC idle mode or an RRC inactive mode may generate an emergency message including one or more of GPS coordinates, a timestamp, a UE ID, a personal ID of a user of the UE, an emergency level, or an emergency type, and transmit the emergency message to an NR-NTN. The emergency message may be transmitted in a dedicated time or frequency resource. The base station may receive the emergency message from the UE and forward the UE information to a network.