RRC Suspend Mode for Wireless Terminal Context Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless telecommunications systems face significant signalling overhead when terminal devices transition between RRC idle and connected modes, particularly due to the need to re-establish context information upon reconnecting to a base station, which consumes power and radio resources.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a modified RRC idle mode, known as RRC Suspend mode, where the base station retains terminal device context information, and using a variable Resume ID format depending on whether the terminal device reconnects to the same or a different base station, allowing for context retrieval without re-exchanging all information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terminal devices re-establish context information upon reconnecting to a base station, then connection reliability is improved, but signalling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base station retains context information about the terminal device before the device disconnects. When the device reconnects, this pre-retained context is reused, eliminating the need to re-exchange all context information and reducing signalling overhead while maintaining connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and separates the context information retention function from the connection establishment process. The base station independently maintains context information in a suspended state, which can be quickly restored without full re-negotiation, thereby reducing the signalling burden while ensuring reliable reconnection
2Use of energy by moving object
If terminal devices use traditional RRC idle mode, then power consumption is reduced, but connection re-establishment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic RRC suspended mode that adapts between idle and connected states. The base station dynamically retains context information during suspension, enabling faster reconnection when needed while maintaining power-saving characteristics during idle periods, thus balancing power consumption and re-establishment time
Solution Approach 2:
Context information is preliminarily retained by the base station during the suspended mode, so when the terminal device needs to reconnect, the context is already prepared and available, significantly reducing the time required for connection re-establishment while the device remains in a low-power state
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a terminal device in a wireless telecommunications network comprising the terminal device and a plurality of base stations arranged into groups of one or more base stations supporting communications over different areas. The method including establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection with an initially selected base station and entering an RRC connected mode of operation with respect to the initially selected base station and suspending the RRC connection with the initially selected base station and entering an RRC suspended mode of operation. The method includes subsequently transmitting a message to request a resumed RRC connection to a subsequently selected base station, wherein the subsequently selected base station is selected in accordance with a cell (re)selection procedure for the terminal device performed while in the RRC suspended mode of operation.