Wireless Paging Signal Segmentation for Latency and Power Trade-off

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current paging techniques in wireless communication systems face a trade-off between fast response times and low power consumption, as infrequent paging message transmission to conserve battery life results in prolonged response times, which is undesirable for applications requiring quick alerts like push-to-talk and instant messaging.

Innovation Solution

A multi-step paging process involving a paging indicator, paging messages, and acknowledgements, where terminals are quickly notified of potential pages through a broadcast flash paging channel, allowing them to efficiently determine if they need to wake up and receive specific paging messages on a dedicated channel, thereby reducing power usage and latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If paging messages are sent at an infrequent rate to reduce power consumption, then battery life is extended, but paging response time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidpaging response time
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The paging process is segmented into two distinct stages: a first paging signal sent at infrequent intervals to wake terminals, and a second paging signal sent at more frequent intervals to provide actual paging information. This segmentation allows terminals to remain in low-power mode most of the time while still enabling fast paging response when needed, as the first signal can be received and processed with minimal power consumption before the terminal fully wakes up.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Duration of action of stationary object

If paging intervals are spaced far apart in time to reduce power consumption, then standby time between battery recharges is extended, but response time to page the terminal increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestandby timeVSAvoidpaging response time
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The first paging signal is sent in advance at infrequent intervals to preliminarily wake the terminal from sleep mode before the actual paging information is transmitted. This preliminary action allows the terminal to prepare its receiver and transition to active state in advance, ensuring that when the second paging signal arrives, the terminal is already ready to receive and process it quickly, thus maintaining fast response time despite long intervals between paging opportunities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2047708B1Method and apparatus for paging terminals in a wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2047708B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2047708B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2047708B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Techniques for paging terminals in a wireless (e.g., OFDMA) communication system to achieve both fast paging response and low power consumption for the terminals are described. A terminal receives paging indicator from a base station. If the paging indicator indicates that the terminal is potentially being paged, then the terminal receives at least one paging message from a paging channel. The terminal determines whether any one of the at least one paging message is for the terminal, e.g., based on identification information included in each paging message. If a paging message indicates that the terminal is paged, then the terminal sends an acknowledgement for the paging message. The base station may estimate the timing of the terminal based on the acknowledgement and may send timing adjustment to the terminal. The terminal may adjust its timing based on the timing adjustment and may be able to quickly access the system with no contention.