Relay UE Paging Management for Cellular Network Power Savings

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cellular communications networks, there is a need to efficiently deliver downlink data to a remote UE through a relay UE, even when the relay UE is in idle mode, while minimizing power consumption and maintaining connectivity for both the remote and relay UEs.

Innovation Solution

A method where a network node obtains information about potential relay UEs and uses this information to send requests to the serving node of the relay UE, allowing the relay UE to monitor its own paging occasions and forward paging messages to the remote UE, enabling the relay UE to enter idle mode without losing connectivity, thus conserving power.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the relay UE monitors all paging occasions for remote UEs, then connectivity for remote UEs is maintained, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveconnectivityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the paging monitoring responsibility by introducing a serving eNB that identifies and manages relay UE relationships. The network node (MME) obtains information about relay UEs and determines which eNB serves them, allowing paging to be directed specifically to the serving eNB rather than requiring the relay UE to monitor all paging occasions independently

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The serving eNB acts as an intermediary between the MME and the relay UE. The MME sends a request to the serving eNB to find the relay UE, and the serving eNB handles the paging process, freeing the relay UE from the burden of monitoring all paging occasions while maintaining connectivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by moving object

If the relay UE enters idle mode to save power, then power consumption decreases, but connectivity management becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidconnectivity management

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network performs preliminary actions by obtaining relay UE information in advance and determining the serving eNB before the relay UE enters idle mode. The MME stores and manages the relationship information between remote UEs and their relay UEs, so when the relay UE transitions to idle mode, the network already has the necessary information to manage connectivity without requiring complex UE-side processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the network tracks relay UE locations continuously, then connectivity is maintained, but signaling load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveconnectivityVSAvoidnetwork signaling load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous tracking, the system uses periodic action where the MME obtains relay UE information and determines serving eNBs on an as-needed basis. The network retrieves relay UE location and serving eNB information only when there is downlink data to deliver, rather than maintaining continuous real-time tracking, thereby reducing signaling load while maintaining connectivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11903085B2Mobility management for relaying

Publication Date: 2024.02.13 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

When a node in a cellular communications network is serving a first User Equipment, it obtains information about a second UE that may be used as a relay by the first UE. It obtains information in the event that there is data to be sent to the first UE, and sends a request to a node serving the second UE.