Sidelink DRX Coordination for 5G NR Power Saving

The patent applies periodic action by implementing discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles where the UE alternates between active monitoring periods and sleep periods. During DRX on-duration, the UE monitors sidelink control information, and during DRX off-duration, the UE enters sleep mode to conserve power. This periodic operation pattern enables the system to maintain communication reliability during active periods while significantly reducing power consumption during sleep periods, directly resolving the contradiction between always-on reliability and power savings.

The patent applies partial action by implementing partial sensing where the UE performs sensing only during specific DRX on-duration periods rather than continuously. The UE monitors resource pools and performs partial sensing procedures during active DRX intervals, which provides sufficient information to select resources with reduced collision probability while avoiding the excessive power consumption of continuous full sensing. This partial sensing approach balances resource selection reliability with power efficiency.

The patent applies merging by integrating SL DRX and partial sensing into a unified coordinated operation framework. The DRX configuration parameters (cycle length, on-duration, offset) are aligned with partial sensing intervals, and the UE performs sensing operations only during DRX on-duration periods. This merging of two separate mechanisms into a coordinated system achieves significant power savings by eliminating redundant operations while managing complexity through standardized configuration procedures and unified timing relationships.