Terminal Wake-Up Subgrouping for Low-Power Paging Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems, terminals in RRC idle or inactive mode continuously monitor paging occasions, leading to high power consumption due to unnecessary paging message decoding.

Innovation Solution

Implement a two-level wake-up mechanism using first and second wake-up signals to subgroup terminals based on terminal identification, determining their respective membership, utilizing terminal identifier-based or network device-controlled subgrouping to reduce unnecessary monitoring and false alarms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the terminal continuously monitors paging occasions, then the terminal can receive paging messages in time, but the power consumption of the terminal increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaging message reception reliabilityVSAvoidterminal power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides terminals into different subgroups based on terminal identification information (such as IMSI or 5G-S-TMSI). Each subgroup is assigned specific paging occasions to monitor. The network device sends wake-up signals indicating which subgroups should monitor paging in current cycles, allowing terminals to selectively monitor only when their subgroup is indicated, thus reducing continuous monitoring while ensuring reliable reception when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic paging monitoring based on paging cycles and paging occasions. Terminals monitor paging occasions periodically according to their assigned patterns rather than continuously. The wake-up signal mechanism further refines this by indicating specific subgroups to monitor in each paging cycle, creating a periodic monitoring schedule that balances reliability with power consumption reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If the terminal monitors all paging occasions, then no paging messages are missed, but unnecessary paging message decoding increases power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaging message detection completenessVSAvoidenergy wasted on unnecessary decoding
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the terminal population into multiple subgroups using terminal identification information. Each terminal is assigned to a specific subgroup, and only monitors paging occasions relevant to its subgroup. The wake-up signal contains subgroup identification that indicates which subgroups should monitor in the current paging cycle, allowing terminals to skip monitoring when their subgroup is not indicated, thereby eliminating unnecessary decoding while maintaining complete detection for their assigned subgroups.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary subgrouping of terminals based on their identification information before paging occurs. The network device prepares wake-up signals in advance that indicate which subgroups should monitor paging in upcoming cycles. This preliminary classification and indication mechanism allows terminals to proactively determine whether to monitor, avoiding the energy waste of decoding paging messages that are not intended for them.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the network device sends paging to all terminals, then all terminals receive paging, but false alarms increase for terminals not intended to be paged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaging delivery coverageVSAvoidfalse alarm rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments terminals into distinct subgroups based on terminal identification information such as IMSI or 5G-S-TMSI. The network device sends wake-up signals that contain subgroup identification information, indicating which specific subgroups should monitor paging in the current cycle. This segmentation approach ensures that paging is effectively delivered to the intended subgroups while preventing false alarms at terminals belonging to other subgroups, as they will not monitor when their subgroup is not indicated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces wake-up signals as an intermediary mechanism between the network device and terminal paging. The wake-up signal contains subgroup identification information that acts as a mediator to selectively activate monitoring for specific subgroups. This intermediary layer filters out false alarms by ensuring that only terminals whose subgroups are indicated in the wake-up signal will monitor and potentially receive paging, while other terminals remain inactive.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4708977A1Communication method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4708977A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4708977A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4708977A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

This application provides a communication method and apparatus, to reduce power consumption of a terminal. The terminal receives a first wake-up signal. The first wake-up signal includes first indication information, the first indication information indicates that at least one first target terminal subgroup is to be woken up, and the at least one first target terminal subgroup includes a first terminal subgroup to which the terminal belongs. The terminal determines, based on the first indication information, that the terminal is to be woken up. After the terminal determines, based on the first wake-up signal, that the first terminal subgroup to which the terminal belongs is a terminal subgroup that needs to be woken up, the terminal is woken up. In a paging process, the terminal does not need to continuously monitor a paging occasion, but monitors an associated paging occasion after being woken up. This effectively reduces power consumption of the terminal.