TRS-Based Secondary Cell Activation to Reduce Activation Delay
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Solution Overview
Problem
The long SSB transmission periodicity in carrier aggregation causes a significant delay in activating secondary cells, affecting user experience and increasing terminal device power consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a cell activation method using temporary reference signals (TRS) with dedicated time-frequency resources, allowing for individualized configuration of periodicity and transmission time, reducing the activation delay by replacing the conventional SSB-based method.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If a long SSB transmission periodicity is configured to reduce network power consumption and system overheads, then network power consumption and system overheads are reduced, but cell activation delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cell activation process into two parts: initial cell identification using SSB (which can have long periodicity) and subsequent cell activation using TRS (which has flexible, shorter periodicity). This allows the system to maintain low power consumption during idle periods while enabling fast activation when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary cell identification and synchronization using SSB before actual cell activation. The TRS is then used specifically for the activation phase, allowing the system to prepare in advance with low-power SSB transmissions and switch to faster TRS-based activation only when required.
2Device complexity
If a long SSB transmission periodicity is configured to reduce system overheads, then system overheads are reduced, but cell activation delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the reference signal functionality into two segments: SSB for initial cell search and system information broadcast (low overhead, long periodicity) and TRS for cell activation and channel estimation (flexible periodicity, dedicated resources). This segmentation allows each signal type to be optimized for its specific purpose.
Solution Approach 2:
The TRS acts as an intermediary signal between the long-periodicity SSB and the actual data transmission. It bridges the gap by providing frequent, dedicated reference signals specifically for activation purposes without requiring the system to maintain high-frequency SSB transmissions.
3Reliability
If SSB-based cell activation method is used, then cell activation can be performed, but activation delay is significant and terminal device power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The TRS serves as an intermediary reference signal that mediates between the low-frequency SSB transmissions and the requirement for fast cell activation. It provides the necessary reference signals for activation at a higher frequency without replacing the SSB's core functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The TRS is configured with dedicated time-frequency resources specifically for cell activation purposes, allowing the system to self-serve the activation function without relying on the general-purpose SSB. This dedicated resource allocation enables faster activation while keeping SSB transmissions at lower frequencies.
4Reliability
If SSB-based cell activation method is used, then cell activation can be performed, but terminal device power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the terminal device's receiving operations into two modes: low-power SSB reception for initial cell identification and higher-power TRS reception only when activation is required. This segmentation allows the terminal to spend most time in low-power mode while maintaining the capability for fast activation when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal performs preliminary cell identification and synchronization using low-power SSB reception. Only after detecting the need for activation does the terminal switch to the higher-power TRS reception mode, minimizing the duration and frequency of high-power operations.
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a cell activation method and related communication apparatus, applicable to scenarios such as carrier aggregation and activation of a high-frequency secondary cell. The method includes receiving first configuration information from a network device via a first cell, where the first configuration information indicates N time-frequency resources that are in one-to-one correspondence with N temporary reference signals TRSs. The method further includes receiving K of the N TRSs on K of the N time-frequency resources and activating a second cell based on the K TRSs. Compared with the method of activating a cell for a terminal device using a physical broadcast channel block (SSB), configuring a dedicated TRS for a terminal device can reduce the delay in activating a secondary cell.