Terminal DRX Timer Control for Overlapping Cell Inactive Periods
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing peak to average power ratio (PAPR) in cellular communication networks leads to decreased efficiency of power amplifiers and elevated power consumption, necessitating energy-saving modes for network and terminal devices, particularly in managing discontinuous transmission configurations.
Innovation Solution
A communication method and apparatus that control sending/receiving behaviors of terminal devices by implementing first and second discontinuous transmission configurations, including cell DTX/DRX and C-DRX, to manage timers and inactive times, thereby optimizing power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If discontinuous transmission configuration is enabled for cells, then power consumption is reduced, but timer management complexity increases when multiple configurations overlap
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing timers to run independently and handling overlaps through complex coordination, the patent inverts the approach by stopping or suspending the second discontinuous transmission timer when the first configuration's inactive time coincides with the second configuration's active time. This reversal of normal timer operation eliminates the need for complex overlap resolution mechanisms while achieving power savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic discontinuous transmission configurations where timers are systematically started, stopped, or suspended based on periodic inactive and active time intervals. By aligning timer operations with these periodic cycles and stopping timers during overlapping inactive periods, the system reduces power consumption without requiring complex continuous coordination, leveraging the periodic nature of DRX cycles to simplify timer management.
2Use of energy by moving object
If multiple discontinuous transmission configurations are enabled simultaneously, then power efficiency is improved, but clarity of timer behavior deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves timer behavior ambiguity by inverting the typical approach: instead of having timers run concurrently and requiring complex rules to determine their interaction, it explicitly stops or suspends the second timer when the first configuration's inactive time overlaps with the second's active time. This inversion creates clear, unambiguous timer behavior while maintaining power efficiency benefits from multiple configurations.
3Productivity
If network transmission bandwidth is increased, then communication capacity is improved, but peak to average power ratio increases leading to reduced power amplifier efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic discontinuous transmission configurations that enable the system to transmit data at high bandwidth during active periods to maintain communication capacity, while entering inactive periods to allow the power amplifier to operate at lower power levels. This periodic switching between high and low power states improves overall power amplifier efficiency while preserving the necessary communication capacity through the configured active time intervals.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication method and apparatus are provided and relate to the field of wireless communication technologies. The method includes: A terminal device receives first indication information and second indication information that are sent by a network device, where the first indication information enables a first discontinuous transmission configuration for cells in a first cell set, and the second indication information enables a second discontinuous transmission configuration for cells in the first cell set. The terminal device determines that the cells that are in the first cell set and whose first discontinuous transmission configuration is enabled are all in inactive time in the first discontinuous transmission configuration, and stops or suspends a timer corresponding to the second discontinuous transmission configuration. According to the method, a sending/receiving behavior of the terminal device can be controlled if C-DRX and cell DTX/DRX are configured for the cells.