Partial Radio Block Polling for Wireless Power Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems require mobile stations to continuously monitor all assigned radio blocks for data, leading to increased power consumption and inefficient resource allocation, as they must decode every radio block to determine if it contains information intended for them, and existing systems do not allow for flexible or partial resource assignments.

Innovation Solution

Implementing partial packet assignments that allow networks to allocate non-consecutive radio blocks to mobile stations, enabling them to only decode and process assigned blocks, reducing unnecessary monitoring and power consumption, and allowing resource address reuse among different stations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If mobile stations continuously monitor all assigned radio blocks to ensure reliable data reception, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata reception reliabilityVSAvoidmobile station power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the continuous monitoring requirement into discrete polling events. Instead of monitoring every radio block, the network sends periodic polling messages that selectively query specific mobile stations about their data reception status. This segmentation allows mobile stations to transition between active monitoring and low-power states, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining reliable data transfer through targeted polling interactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If mobile stations decode every radio block to determine if it contains their data, then data detection accuracy is improved, but processing time and energy increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata detection accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action through network-side polling before mobile stations decode radio blocks. The network sends polling messages that contain advance information about which mobile stations have data available. This preliminary notification allows mobile stations to skip decoding radio blocks that don't contain their data, maintaining detection accuracy while significantly reducing processing time and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If networks allocate resources to all mobile stations in each radio block period, then resource availability is improved, but resource allocation efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation flexibilityVSAvoidresource allocation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation through periodic polling mechanisms. Instead of static allocation where all mobile stations receive resources in every radio block period, the network dynamically adjusts resource allocation based on actual data transfer needs. The polling messages selectively activate resources for specific mobile stations that have data to send or receive, improving overall resource allocation efficiency while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to changing traffic conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2596668B1Methods and apparatus to poll in wireless communications
Publication Date: 2019.04.24 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2596668B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2596668B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2596668B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Example methods and apparatus to poll in wireless communications are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves receiving a poll from a network during a first radio block period and identifying a resource for use in sending requested information to the network in response to the poll. The resource occurs during a subsequent radio block period, and the identifying of the resource is based on receipt of an uplink allocation indicator. The example method also involves transmitting a response to the poll.