Terminal Device DRS Measurement for Base Station Stop State Reconnection

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Solution Overview

Problem

When a base station device is switched to a stop state, the transmission of synchronization and reference signals is halted, making it difficult for terminal devices to reconnect, leading to prolonged preparation times and reduced transmission efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves configuring terminal devices to perform communication through multiple cells using techniques like carrier aggregation and dual connectivity, allowing them to detect and reconnect to base stations in a stop state by utilizing specific reference signals and measurement configurations, such as the Discovery Reference Signal (DRS), which are designed to maintain connectivity and reduce inter-cell interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the base station device is switched to the stop state to reduce power consumption and inter-cell interference, then power consumption and interference are reduced, but the terminal device cannot detect the base station and reconnection time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidreconnection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The base station device transmits the discovery reference signal before actually stopping operation, allowing the terminal device to detect and prepare for reconnection in advance. This preliminary transmission of synchronization and reference signals enables the terminal to maintain connection readiness while the base station reduces power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The discovery reference signal acts as an intermediary signal that allows the terminal device to detect the base station's presence and obtain synchronization information without requiring the base station to be in full operational mode. This intermediary signal bridges the gap between the stopped base station and the terminal device needing to reconnect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the base station device stops transmitting synchronization and reference signals to reduce inter-cell interference, then inter-cell interference is reduced, but the terminal device cannot perform channel estimation and reconnection is hindered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinter-cell interferenceVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The base station device transmits the discovery reference signal before stopping operation, providing the terminal device with advance synchronization and channel estimation capabilities. This preliminary action ensures the terminal can reliably detect and connect to the base station even after the base station transitions to the stop state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The discovery reference signal is transmitted with specific local characteristics (different from conventional reference signals) that enable the terminal to detect the base station's presence and obtain necessary synchronization information without requiring the base station to be in full operational mode, thus reducing overall transmission power and interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3122108B1Terminal device and base station device
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 SHARP KK
  • EP3122108B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3122108B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3122108B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A terminal device includes a reception unit which performs first measurement when a predetermined cell is in a first state and second measurement when the predetermined cell is in a second state, and a higher layer processing unit which reports the first measurement or the second measurement to a base station device. Based on information indicating the first state/the second state of the predetermined cell, the first measurement and the second measurement are switched.