Secondary Cell Dormancy Control During DRX-BWP Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G wireless communications networks, the overlap of Discontinue Reception (DRX) cycles with active times of bandwidth parts (BWP) can prevent User Equipment (UE) from decoding wake-up indications, leading to inefficient power management and potential communication disruptions.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining overlap occurrences between DRX cycles and BWP active times, and in such cases, activating serving cells to ensure continuous data communication, even if wake-up indications cannot be decoded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the UE enters DRX mode to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but wake-up indications may be missed during overlap occurrences with BWP active times
Solution Approach 1:
The network node pre-configures the UE with multiple BWPs including a first BWP for power-saving operations and a second BWP for data communication. The UE proactively switches to the second BWP upon detecting overlap occurrences between DRX cycles and BWP active times, before missing wake-up indications, thereby maintaining communication reliability while preserving power-saving benefits during non-overlap periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE dynamically adjusts its BWP configuration based on the detection of overlap occurrences between DRX cycles and BWP active times. During overlap occurrences, the UE switches from the first power-saving BWP to the second data communication BWP, and returns to the first BWP when overlap conditions cease. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system state contingent on the temporal relationship between DRX and BWP cycles.
2Reliability
If the UE monitors PDCCH continuously to ensure reliable wake-up indication reception, then communication reliability is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The downlink bandwidth is segmented into multiple BWPs with distinct functional roles: the first BWP is dedicated to power-saving operations with relaxed monitoring requirements, while the second BWP handles data communication with full monitoring capability. This segmentation allows the UE to apply different monitoring strategies to different bandwidth segments, achieving reliable wake-up indication reception only when necessary while maintaining low power consumption during non-critical periods.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the UE switches BWP to avoid overlap occurrences, then power saving is optimized, but data communication may be disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The network node pre-configures the UE with a second BWP specifically prepared for data communication operations. When overlap occurrences are detected, the UE immediately switches to this pre-configured second BWP, ensuring that data communication can continue without disruption. The pre-preparation of the second BWP eliminates any communication gap that might occur during BWP switching, thereby maintaining productivity while optimizing power saving during non-overlap periods.
Data Source
AI summary
The method includes receiving first configuration information from a network node, the first configuration information including information on a discontinue reception (DRX) cycle and a notification to monitor a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmission carrying a wake-up indication, receiving second configuration information from the network node, the second configuration information including configuration information for secondary cells (SCells) that are associated with the network node, first determining an overlap occurrence using the DRX cycle, the overlap occurrence occurring due to one or more time occurrences overlapping with at least one first bandwidth part (BWP) active-time of an active bandwidth part (BWP) of the PDCCH, activating one more serving cells, following the determining of the overlap occurrence, and conducting an operation of data communications with the network node using the one or more serving cells that are activated. A network node is configured to perform the method.