Timing Advance Signalling for IoT Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communications, particularly in low-power applications like IoT, timing advance updates are needed frequently to compensate for propagation delays caused by device movement, but this can increase overhead and power consumption, especially in non-terrestrial networks where propagation delays vary rapidly.
Innovation Solution
A client device and network node device system that receives and applies timing advance configuration messages with validity times, allowing for efficient compensation of timing drift during consecutive uplink transmissions, using narrowband physical channels for improved compatibility and power management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If timing advance is updated frequently to compensate for rapid propagation delay changes, then timing accuracy is improved, but overhead and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network node device predicts future timing advance values based on current propagation delay and movement information before they are actually needed. This allows the client device to receive multiple timing advance commands in advance and store them, applying the appropriate command at the correct future time without requiring continuous real-time updates, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining timing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the timing advance update frequency and prediction horizon based on the current movement speed and propagation delay characteristics. When movement is rapid, more frequent updates are provided; when movement is slow, fewer updates are needed. This dynamic adaptation optimizes the balance between timing accuracy and power consumption.
2Measurement precision
If timing advance is updated frequently to compensate for rapid propagation delay changes, then timing accuracy is improved, but signalling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network node device predicts future timing advance values based on current propagation delay and movement information before they are actually needed. This allows the client device to receive multiple timing advance commands in advance and store them, applying the appropriate command at the correct future time without requiring continuous real-time updates, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining timing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple timing advance commands for different future time points are combined into a single signalling message transmitted by the network node device. The client device receives this bundled message, stores the multiple commands, and applies them at the appropriate future times. This merging approach reduces the total number of separate signalling transactions while maintaining the benefits of frequent timing updates.
3Measurement precision
If multiple timing advance commands are provided for consecutive uplink transmissions, then timing accuracy during transmissions is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network node device predicts future timing advance values based on current propagation delay and movement information before they are actually needed. This allows the client device to receive multiple timing advance commands in advance and store them, applying the appropriate command at the correct future time without requiring continuous real-time updates, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining timing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The client device autonomously manages the timing advance commands by storing received commands and automatically selecting and applying the appropriate command based on the current transmission time. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex real-time processing and decision-making at the client device, reducing device complexity while maintaining timing accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A client device, a network node device, methods and computer programs are disclosed. A client device may comprise at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the client device to receive a timing advance configuration message from a network node device, wherein the timing advance configuration message comprises a plurality of timing advance commands; perform a plurality of consecutive uplink transmissions to the network node device; and apply the plurality of timing advance commands between the plurality of consecutive uplink transmissions.