Small Cell Discontinued Transmission for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 3GPP networks, small cells continuously broadcasting information lead to significant power consumption and signal interference, necessitating improved methods to reduce these issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a discontinued transmission (DTX) mode for small cells and a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode for mobile devices, where small cells transmit common reference signals only during specific time slots and mobile devices monitor for downlink control information, maintaining synchronization and AGC levels without continuous broadcasting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If small cells continuously broadcast information on Cell Broadcast channels, then mobile devices can maintain synchronization and receive downlink control information, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic transmission of common reference signals at specific time slots rather than continuous broadcasting. The small cell transmits reference signals periodically to maintain synchronization while allowing silence during other periods, thereby reducing power consumption while preserving the reliability of synchronization maintenance.
2Reliability
If small cells continuously broadcast common channels and signals, then mobile devices can maintain automatic gain control levels, but signal interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic transmission of common reference signals only in designated time slots rather than continuous broadcasting. This approach maintains AGC level stability for mobile devices during active periods while eliminating harmful signal interference during silent periods, achieving both reliability and interference reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and separates the essential function of reference signal transmission from the continuous broadcast process. By isolating reference signal transmission to specific time slots, the system removes unnecessary continuous transmission that causes interference while preserving the core function of maintaining AGC levels.
3Reliability
If small cells transmit common reference signals continuously, then mobile devices can synchronize in time and frequency, but power consumption and interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic transmission of common reference signals at specific time slots rather than continuous transmission. This maintains time and frequency synchronization reliability while significantly reducing energy consumption during periods when reference signals are not transmitted.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for operating a small cell in a discontinued reception (DRX) mode include maintaining the small cell in a discontinuous transmission (DTX) mode during a first time period having a plurality of first time slots. The methods include transmitting common reference signals in a predetermined number of second time slots prior to the first time slots and in a predetermined number of third time slots following commencement of the first time slots. The methods include discontinuing transmission of the common reference signals and common channel signals if mobile devices are in a discontinuous reception mode during the first time period. The methods include discontinuing transmission of the common reference signals during a predetermined number of fourth time slots following commencement of the first time period if there is no dedicated common transmission to the mobile devices.