Secondary Cell Activation Using Temporary Reference Signals

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Maintaining secondary cells in wireless communication systems leads to power drain at user equipment (UE), necessitating a balance between performance benefits and power consumption through efficient SCell activation and deactivation schemes.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a Medium Access Control (MAC) control element (CE) that triggers both SCell activation and temporary aperiodic reference signals, such as tracking reference signals (TRS) and CSI-RS, to facilitate fast SCell activation and deactivation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If SCell is maintained in activated state to provide data transmission capability, then data rate performance is improved, but power consumption at UE increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata rateVSAvoidpower consumption at UE

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic SCell activation and deactivation based on data transmission requirements. The MAC CE mechanism enables the network to quickly transition SCells between activated and deactivated states, allowing the system to adapt power consumption to actual data rate needs rather than maintaining a static activated state

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs preliminary configuration of SCell parameters and resources before actual activation. The network pre-configures SCell settings including reference signal resources, so that when activation is needed, the SCell can be quickly activated without extensive setup time, thus balancing performance benefits with power savings

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of time

If SCell activation procedure is simplified to reduce latency, then activation speed is improved, but synchronization precision may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveactivation latencyVSAvoidsynchronization precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary configuration of reference signal resources and synchronization parameters before SCell activation. The network pre-sets TRS and SSB resources, measurement configurations, and QCL relationships, so that when activation occurs via MAC CE, the UE can immediately use these pre-configured resources for rapid synchronization without extensive setup

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses aperiodic reference signals (TRS, SSB) as intermediary elements to facilitate fast SCell activation. These reference signals serve as intermediaries that carry synchronization and channel state information, enabling the UE to quickly acquire SCell parameters and achieve synchronization without complex signaling exchanges

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250393052A1Fast Secondary Cell Activation With Temporary Reference Signals

Publication Date: 2025.12.25 APPLE INC

AI summary

A user equipment (UE) configured to receive secondary cell (SCell) activation configuration information from a first cell, receive a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) from the first cell, wherein the MAC CE indicates that a SCell state is to be changed from a deactivated state to an activated state and receive aperiodic reference signals from a secondary cell (SCell), wherein the reception of the aperiodic reference signals is triggered by the MAC CE.