Adapting RF Receiver Bandwidth for Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication devices are inefficient in power consumption due to the need to receive the entire system bandwidth, which is not necessary for all communication tasks, especially in the context of the upcoming 5G New Radio (NR) technology that supports a wide range of device types with varying bandwidth requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that allow a wireless communication device to adapt its radio frequency receiving bandwidth by obtaining information on respective bandwidths and center frequencies of different channels, determining the total receiving bandwidth needed at specific time instants, and adjusting the receiver bandwidth accordingly to only cover the necessary sub-bands for control channels, data channels, or mobility pilot signals, thereby reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wireless communication device receives the entire system bandwidth, then it can access all control channels and data channels, but the power consumption of the radio receiver increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system bandwidth is segmented into multiple sub-bands, with control channels and data channels distributed across different sub-bands. The UE is configured to receive only specific sub-bands containing its assigned channels rather than the entire system bandwidth, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining reliable channel access.
2Loss of information
If the wireless communication device monitors control channels over the entire system bandwidth, then it can detect all control information, but the processing complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different sub-bands are assigned different functions (control channels, data channels, mobility pilots). The UE is configured to monitor only the specific sub-bands relevant to its operations, applying local quality optimization by matching the receiver's monitoring scope to the actual information needs rather than uniformly monitoring the entire bandwidth.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the wireless communication device uses a fixed wide bandwidth for reception, then it can support all possible channel configurations, but it cannot adapt to scenarios where narrower bandwidth suffices, leading to wasted energy
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver bandwidth is made dynamic and configurable. The network can configure the UE to monitor different sub-bands and bandwidths depending on the specific channel allocation and UE requirements. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to use wide bandwidth when needed for versatility and narrow bandwidth when sufficient for energy efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication device and method therein for adapting radio frequency receiving bandwidth are disclosed. The wireless communication device is configured to obtain information on respective bandwidths and center frequencies of a first and a second channels. The wireless communication device is further configured to determine a total receiving bandwidth to use at a time instant based on the respective bandwidths and time instants for reception of the first and second channels and adapt the radio frequency receiving bandwidth in the wireless communication device based on the determined total receiving bandwidth.