PDCCH Candidate Ordering for UE Power Savings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reduced capability user equipment (UEs) in new radio (NR) networks face high power consumption while monitoring the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) search space, particularly in scenarios like industrial sensors and wearables, due to frequent and prolonged blind decoding attempts, which existing methods like reducing monitoring periodicity or number of candidates do not adequately address.
Innovation Solution
The method involves a UE receiving an indication for determining PDCCH candidate ordering, sequentially examining candidates based on this ordering, and switching to alternative candidates if the downlink control information (DCI) is not found, thereby optimizing the search process to reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If monitoring period and frequency are increased to support low latency URLLC or XR services, then service quality is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-determining and signaling the PDCCH candidate ordering to the UE before the actual monitoring process. The network configures the ordering based on expected DCI characteristics, allowing the UE to efficiently search through candidates in the optimal sequence without real-time decision-making, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining service quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of candidate ordering from a fixed or random sequence to a dynamically configurable sequence based on DCI characteristics. By adjusting the ordering parameters according to service requirements (URLLC, XR, etc.), the system optimizes the balance between monitoring efficiency and power consumption for different service scenarios
2Reliability
If the number of blind decoding attempts is increased to ensure DCI detection, then detection reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs preliminary analysis of DCI characteristics and pre-determines the optimal candidate ordering before transmission. This allows the UE to focus blind decoding attempts on the most likely candidates first, achieving high detection reliability with fewer total attempts and reduced power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the UE to autonomously follow the pre-signalized candidate ordering without requiring complex real-time decisions. The UE simply executes the predetermined search sequence, reducing processing overhead and power consumption while maintaining reliable detection
3Use of energy by moving object
If PDCCH candidate ordering is optimized to reduce search time, then power consumption is reduced, but detection speed may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
By pre-determining the candidate ordering based on DCI characteristics before transmission, the system ensures that the UE searches through candidates in the optimal sequence. This preliminary action guarantees both fast detection speed and reduced power consumption, as the search order is optimized in advance rather than determined during real-time monitoring
Data Source
AI summary
Example methods and apparatus for reducing power consumption of user equipment (UE) are described. One example method includes receiving an indication by the UE for determining physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidate ordering for a plurality of PDCCH candidates in a PDCCH search space. The UE determines a first PDCCH candidate from among the plurality of PDCCH candidates based on the indication. In response to determining that downlink control information (DCI) for the UE is not found in the first PDCCH candidate, the UE determines a second PDCCH candidate from among the plurality of PDCCH candidates based on the indication. In response to determining that the DCI for the UE is found in the second PDCCH candidate, the UE processes the DCI.