Network-Controlled Repeater Paging for Cell-Edge UE Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, user equipment (UE) at the cell edge or in low power/idle mode faces challenges with low-quality direct links and high power consumption due to monitoring paging messages, leading to increased latency and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing network-controlled repeaters (NCRs) to repeat paging messages via indirect links, allowing simultaneous reception and decoding of multiple messages, and buffering messages to reduce latency and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UE monitors paging messages via direct link at cell edge, then paging message delivery is attempted, but link quality is poor leading to high latency and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a repeater as an intermediary node between the network entity and the UE. The repeater receives paging messages from the network entity via a first link, stores them in its buffer, and retransmits them to the UE via a second link. This mediator approach allows the UE to receive paging messages through a relay path that bypasses the poor-quality direct link, thereby improving delivery reliability while reducing the UE's power consumption since it doesn't need to continuously monitor weak direct link signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The repeater performs preliminary action by buffering paging messages before the UE needs to receive them. The repeater stores incoming paging messages in its buffer during periods when the UE is in idle mode or cannot receive directly, then delivers these pre-buffered messages when the UE is ready to receive. This preliminary buffering action eliminates the need for the UE to continuously monitor the network for paging messages, significantly reducing power consumption while ensuring reliable message delivery.
2Loss of time
If UE continuously monitors paging messages to reduce latency, then message reception speed improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The repeater acts as a mediator that maintains a buffer of paging messages, allowing the UE to wake up at predetermined intervals and quickly receive messages without continuous monitoring. The repeater's buffer ensures that messages are already available when the UE becomes active, eliminating the trade-off between continuous monitoring and power saving.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic action by having the UE wake up at predetermined intervals to check for buffered paging messages at the repeater. Instead of continuous monitoring, the UE periodically activates to receive messages, which significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining low latency since messages are pre-buffered and ready for immediate transmission when the UE wakes up.
3Use of energy by moving object
If repeater buffers paging messages, then latency and power consumption are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The repeater, as an intermediary with network control, incorporates buffering capability that would be too complex for a simple relay device but is manageable as a network-controlled entity. The network entity manages the repeater's buffer operations through control messages, distributing the complexity management burden to the network side rather than requiring complex UE-side implementation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Simultaneous message reception and reduced power consumption are achieved by using NCRs, decreasing latency and power usage in wireless communication systems.
Implementation Method 1
Each repeater may perform a frequency translation on the corresponding paging message and may transmit the paging message to the UE via a different frequency band than a frequency band associated with a direct link to the UE
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. The described techniques may enable a network entity to use one or more repeaters to repeat messages to a user equipment (UE). For example, the network entity may configure a set of repeaters to repeat a set of paging messages to the UE via a corresponding set of indirect links between the UE and the network entity. Each repeater may perform a frequency translation on the corresponding paging message. The UE may accordingly receive each paging message via the direct link or via the set of indirect links and may select a link via which to perform a random access channel (RACH) procedure. The repeater may transmit the corresponding paging message via a same time resource as a paging message transmitted via the direct link or via a different time resource.