RRC Inactive Small Data Transmission for Low-Power UE Paging

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently transmitting small data packets from user equipment (UE) in an inactive state, leading to increased signaling load and energy consumption, particularly for services like instant messaging and IoT devices.

Innovation Solution

Implementing small data transmission (SDT) methods that allow UE to transmit small data packets in an inactive state without transitioning to a connected state, using RRC_INACTIVE state protocols and enabling SDT communications to reduce power consumption and signaling overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If UE transmits small data packets in inactive state using existing methods, then data transmission is achieved, but signaling load and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transmission efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption of UE

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts small data transmission functionality from the traditional connected state protocol and creates a dedicated SDT mechanism that operates independently in inactive state, allowing small data packets to be transmitted without establishing a full RRC connection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the data transmission process into two distinct paths: traditional connected state transmission for large data, and the new SDT path for small data packets, allowing the system to select the appropriate path based on data size requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If UE transitions to connected state for small data transmission, then reliable data transmission is achieved, but network resource utilization decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork resource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different transmission quality levels to different data sizes: small data packets use the lightweight SDT mechanism with reduced signaling, while large data packets continue to use the full connected state protocol, optimizing resource usage for each data type

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Use of energy by moving object

If UE remains in inactive state for data transmission, then energy consumption is reduced, but transmission latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumption of UEVSAvoidtransmission latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent prepares the SDT mechanism in advance by pre-configuring the UE with SDT parameters and resources while in inactive state, so that when small data needs to be transmitted, the UE can immediately use the pre-configured resources without transitioning to connected state, thereby reducing latency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12568468B2Methods, devices, and systems for small data transmission

Publication Date: 2026.03.03 ZTE CORP

AI summary

Methods, system, and devices for configuring small data transmission in a telecommunication system are described. The method includes performing, by a first network node, a small data transmission (SDT) transmission to a user equipment (UE) by sending, by the first network node, a paging message to a second network node, the paging message configured to request the second network node to page the UE for the SDT transmission, wherein the paging message comprises SDT information, and the second network node pages the UE according to the SDT information.