RRC Connection Release Delay for Coverage Enhancement

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Solution Overview

Problem

User equipment (UE) may not have sufficient time to transmit an acknowledgement of a RRCConnectionRelease message to a base station (BS), leading to inefficient communication as the BS is unsure if the message was received, particularly when the UE is in CE mode.

Innovation Solution

The base station configures RRC connections with communication devices and transmits RRCConnectionRelease messages, determining the duration for the UE to leave connected mode based on CE mode status, allowing sufficient time for acknowledgement, thereby preventing unnecessary retransmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the base station uses a fixed short duration to determine UE leaves connected mode, then the base station can quickly release resources, but the UE in CE mode does not have sufficient time to transmit acknowledgement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource release speedVSAvoidacknowledgement transmission reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The base station dynamically adjusts the duration for determining that the UE has left connected mode based on the UE's operational mode. When the UE is in CE mode, the base station uses a first (longer) duration; when not in CE mode, it uses a second (shorter) duration. This dynamic adjustment ensures that UEs in CE mode have sufficient time to transmit acknowledgements while allowing faster resource release for other UEs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The base station changes the time parameter for determining connection release based on the UE's CE mode status. By adjusting this parameter (duration) according to different operational conditions, the system ensures reliable acknowledgement transmission for CE mode UEs while maintaining efficient resource management for non-CE mode UEs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the base station waits for acknowledgement from UE in CE mode, then communication reliability improves, but communication efficiency decreases due to longer waiting time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidwaiting time for acknowledgement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The base station applies different waiting durations specifically for UEs in CE mode versus other UEs. This localized quality adjustment ensures that only CE mode UEs receive the extended waiting time needed for reliable acknowledgement transmission, while other UEs benefit from faster resource release without unnecessary delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts the acknowledgement waiting time based on the UE's operational mode. This dynamic approach ensures that the base station waits appropriately long for CE mode UEs to maintain reliability, while avoiding unnecessary waiting time for non-CE mode UEs, thus optimizing both reliability and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the base station retransmits RRCConnectionRelease message due to timeout, then message delivery reliability improves, but communication efficiency worsens due to unnecessary retransmissions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage delivery reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The base station preliminarily determines an appropriate duration for expecting acknowledgement based on the UE's CE mode status before the acknowledgement timeout occurs. By setting this duration in advance (longer for CE mode, shorter for others), the base station prevents unnecessary retransmissions while ensuring reliable message delivery, thus improving communication efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the UE's operational mode status to adjust the base station's waiting behavior. By monitoring whether the UE is in CE mode and adjusting the acknowledgement expectation duration accordingly, the system avoids unnecessary retransmissions for non-CE mode UEs while ensuring reliable delivery for CE mode UEs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3541140B1Delayed acknowledgment of RRC connection release in coverage enhancement mode
Publication Date: 2020.10.07 HTC CORP
  • EP3541140B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3541140B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3541140B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A communication device of handling communication with a base station (BS) comprises instructions of being configured a radio resource control (RRC) connection with the BS by the BS; receiving an RRCConnectionRelease message via the RRC connection from the BS; and delaying at least one operation for a first duration, when receiving the RRCConnectionRelease message, wherein the first duration is from a first time instant at which the RRCConnectionRelease message is received, and the first duration is a first value or a smaller one of the first value and a second value, wherein the first value is predefined as more than 60 ms and the second value is from the first time instant to a second time instant at which the communication device successfully acknowledges a reception of the RRCConnectionRelease message to the BS.