Sidelink DRX Timer Scheduling for PSCCH Power Saving

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Solution Overview

Problem

The continuous monitoring of the Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) by user equipment (UE) for Sidelink Control Information (SCI) results in significant power consumption, as the UE needs to constantly check for data transmission opportunities.

Innovation Solution

Implementing Discontinuous Reception (DRX) configurations that include timers and resource pool monitoring during specific periods, allowing the UE to monitor sidelink resource pools only during the running periods of these timers, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the UE continuously monitors the PSCCH channel to obtain SCI and data transmission, then the communication reliability is improved, but the power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements discontinuous reception (DRX) where the UE alternates between active monitoring periods and sleep periods. During active periods, the UE monitors the PSCCH channel for SCI; during sleep periods, the UE stops monitoring to save power. This periodic action resolves the contradiction by maintaining communication reliability during active periods while reducing power consumption during sleep periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic DRX configuration where the network can adjust DRX parameters (such as cycle length, active duration) based on communication conditions. The UE dynamically switches between different DRX modes depending on whether data transmission is active or inactive, allowing the system to adapt between high reliability mode and power saving mode to resolve the contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the UE monitors the sidelink resource pool all the time, then the data transmission efficiency is improved, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission efficiencyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic monitoring within DRX cycles where the UE monitors sidelink resource pools only during configured active periods rather than continuously. This maintains data transmission efficiency during active periods while significantly reducing power consumption during sleep periods when no monitoring occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the monitoring function from continuous operation and confines it to specific time windows defined by DRX cycles. By taking out the monitoring activity from a continuous process and placing it only in necessary periods, the system maintains transmission efficiency when needed while eliminating wasteful power consumption during unnecessary monitoring periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4106416B1Communication processing method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP4106416B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4106416B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4106416B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

Disclosed are a communication processing method and apparatus, and a storage medium. The communication processing method applied to a first user equipment (UE) comprises: receiving one or more sets of discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration information; and monitoring a direct link resource pool in the operation period of a timer of each set of DRX configuration information.