Terminal Signal Detection Using Unified Wake-Up and Keep-Alive Channels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication terminals face high power consumption and ambiguity in signal detection due to inconsistent cell coverage and the need to monitor multiple signals, leading to increased system complexity.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that utilize a single signal or channel with dual functions of keeping the terminal alive and waking it up, allowing the terminal to determine its operating state based on inherent measurement resources, reducing the need for separate wake-up and keep-alive signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a terminal monitors a wake-up signal and a keep-alive signal separately to determine operating state, then the terminal can accurately distinguish between no signal transmission and insufficient coverage, but the system complexity increases due to needing to detect two signals

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal detection accuracyVSAvoidsystem design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the wake-up signal and keep-alive signal into a single signal transmission mechanism. The network side transmits one signal that serves both purposes: indicating wake-up and maintaining keep-alive functionality. This merging eliminates the need for the terminal to monitor two separate signals, reducing system complexity while maintaining reliable signal detection through alternative mechanisms such as reference signals or downlink shared channel transmissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a universal signal that performs multiple functions simultaneously. The single transmitted signal serves as both a wake-up indicator and a keep-alive mechanism, allowing the terminal to determine its operating state without requiring separate dedicated signals for each function. This multi-functionality approach reduces the number of signals the terminal must monitor while preserving the ability to accurately distinguish between different transmission scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a terminal monitors multiple signals periodically to determine operating state, then the terminal can accurately determine when to wake up, but the power consumption increases due to continuous monitoring requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating state determination accuracyVSAvoidterminal power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the wake-up signal monitoring and keep-alive signal monitoring into a single monitoring operation. The terminal only needs to monitor one signal type periodically, which reduces the cumulative power consumption associated with monitoring multiple separate signals while maintaining the ability to accurately determine operating state through the combined functionality of the unified signal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs periodic monitoring of the unified signal at optimized intervals, allowing the terminal to remain in a low-power dormant state between monitoring periods. By consolidating the monitoring requirements into a single periodic check rather than multiple separate periodic checks, the terminal reduces its overall power consumption while still maintaining reliable detection capability when the signal is transmitted.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Power

If the specific signal transmission power is limited by network constraints, then the network can control resource allocation, but the signal may not be consistent with cell coverage causing detection ambiguity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal transmission powerVSAvoidsignal coverage consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces reference signals or downlink shared channel transmissions as intermediary signals that accompany or replace the specific wake-up/keep-alive signal. These intermediary signals have established coverage characteristics that are consistent with cell coverage, allowing the terminal to use them for reliable detection and coverage assessment. The intermediary acts as a mediator between the limited-power specific signal and the terminal's detection requirements, ensuring coverage consistency without requiring high transmission power.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4443797B1Detection method and apparatus, and terminal and storage medium
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 CHINA MOBILE COMM GRP CO LTD
  • EP4443797B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4443797B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4443797B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed in the present application are a detection method and apparatus, and a terminal and a storage medium. The method comprises: performing measurement on the signal quality or strength of a serving cell, wherein the measurement comprises measurement based on a first signal or channel, and measurement based on an inherent measurement resource, and at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel has a correspondence with at least one transmission signal or channel of the inherent measurement resource; when a detection result of at least one signal or channel in the at least one transmission signal or channel of the first signal or channel satisfies a first condition, selecting, from transmission signals or channels of the first signal or channel, a transmission signal or channel having the optimal signal quality or strength, and taking same as a detection target; and when the detection result of the at least one signal or channel of the first signal or channel does not satisfy the first condition, performing cell residence and/or selecting a target transmission signal or channel for the inherent measurement resource by means of measuring at least one transmission signal or channel for the inherent measurement resource.