Preconfigured Uplink Resources Timing Advance Timer Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The implementation of Preconfigured Uplink Resources (PUR) in wireless communication networks faces challenges due to the expiration of Timing Advance (TA) timers, leading to unnecessary reconfiguration of resources, which undermines the expected reductions in signaling overhead, especially for devices like Machine Type Communication (MTC) and Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) devices.
Innovation Solution
A method where wireless communication devices and radio network nodes maintain matching timers for assessing TA validity, with the device refreshing its timer upon receiving a TA update via Downlink Control Information (DCI), allowing continuous use of PUR without reconfiguration until the timer expires or reaches a defined limit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If PUR resources are allocated for MTC and NB-IoT devices to reduce signaling overhead, then signaling overhead is reduced, but TA timer expiration causes unnecessary reconfiguration that undermines this benefit
Solution Approach 1:
The network pre-configures PUR resources and associated TA timers for MTC and NB-IoT devices before they need to transmit uplink data. This preliminary configuration allows devices to autonomously use PUR resources within the timer validity period without requiring real-time network signaling, thereby reducing signaling overhead while ensuring TA validity through the pre-established timer mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The network monitors the TA timer status of devices using PUR and provides feedback through network-controlled timer management. When the timer is approaching expiration or TA validity changes, the network can send signaling to update the TA and reset the timer, ensuring continuous TA validity while minimizing reconfiguration events by only acting when necessary
2Measurement precision
If TA validity is strictly enforced with timer expiration to ensure uplink timing accuracy, then uplink timing accuracy is improved, but unnecessary PUR reconfiguration occurs increasing signaling overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The TA timer duration is made dynamic rather than fixed, allowing the network to adjust the timer value based on device mobility patterns, channel conditions, and historical TA stability. This dynamic adjustment optimizes the balance between maintaining sufficient TA validity period to avoid reconfiguration and ensuring timely TA updates when timing accuracy becomes critical, thereby reducing unnecessary reconfiguration events while preserving uplink timing accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication device (12) conditions its use of Preconfigured Uplink Resources (PUR), as preconfigured by a wireless communication network (16), on assessing the validity of a Timing Advance (TA) value used by the device (12) for controlling its uplink transmission timing. The device (12) maintains a timer (37) and deems the TA value to be invalid upon expiration of the timer (37). In an example case, a device (12) operating in idle mode performs a PUR-based transmission in dependence on the timer (37) not being expired. A radio network node (10) of the network (16) maintains a like timer (57), to maintain an awareness of TA validity at the device (12) and, for example, sends an updated TA for the device (12) upon receiving a PUR-based transmission from the device (12). The device (12) and the node (10) may refresh their respective timers, in association with the TA update.