Autonomous Duplex Mode Switching in User Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Link budget limited user equipment (UE) devices face challenges in wireless communication due to degraded RF sensitivity and inability to transmit continuously, as they are either permanently configured in full-duplex mode, which degrades TX and RX chains, or in half-duplex mode, which reduces bandwidth and fails to meet time-sensitive data requirements like VoLTE.
Innovation Solution
A UE device that can autonomously switch between full-duplex and half-duplex operations based on channel conditions, using software-controlled TX and RX paths with or without a duplexer, allowing it to optimize power usage and sensitivity without network coordination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the UE is permanently configured in full-duplex mode, then simultaneous TX and RX operation is enabled, but the TX and RX chains are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between full-duplex and half-duplex modes based on real-time channel conditions. The UE autonomously determines when to use full-duplex for high productivity versus half-duplex for improved reliability, resolving the contradiction through adaptability rather than fixed configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter (duplex mode) based on channel conditions. When channel conditions are poor, the UE switches to half-duplex mode to improve TX and RX chain performance; when conditions are good, it uses full-duplex mode for simultaneous operation.
2Reliability
If the UE is permanently configured in half-duplex mode, then the TX and RX chains have improved performance, but the bandwidth is reduced by 50%
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the duplex mode dynamic rather than fixed. The UE switches between half-duplex (for improved reliability) and full-duplex (for doubled bandwidth and transmission speed) based on real-time channel conditions, thus adapting the bandwidth utilization to actual needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the operational parameter between half-duplex and full-duplex modes. When channel conditions permit, it switches to full-duplex to restore 100% bandwidth utilization; when conditions are poor, it uses half-duplex to maintain chain performance.
3Productivity
If the UE uses full-duplex mode during poor channel conditions, then simultaneous TX and RX operation is maintained, but path loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of poor channel conditions into a beneficial decision to switch to half-duplex mode. The degraded channel conditions trigger a mode switch that actually improves the effective path loss by eliminating the duplexer's interference, turning a negative situation into a positive optimization opportunity.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE autonomously monitors its own channel conditions and self-determines when to switch between modes without network coordination. The device serves itself by making intelligent decisions about duplex mode based on real-time RF conditions, optimizing its own performance.
4Loss of energy
If the UE switches to half-duplex mode during time-critical communications, then path loss is reduced, but transmission time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adapts the duplex mode based on the communication requirements and channel conditions. For time-critical communications, the system maintains full-duplex mode to minimize transmission time, while switching to half-duplex mode only when channel conditions are poor and time sensitivity is not critical.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter (duplex mode) based on the urgency and channel conditions. Time-critical communications maintain full-duplex operation to preserve low transmission time, while non-critical traffic may use half-duplex mode to benefit from reduced path loss.
Data Source
AI summary
A user equipment (UE) comprises a radio having TX and RX paths that include a duplexer, thus facilitating a full-duplex mode. The radio may also have TX and RX paths that exclude the duplexer, and which thus facilitate a half-duplex mode. The UE may be configured to autonomously and opportunistically switch from the full-duplex mode (the paths that include the duplexer) to the half-duplex mode (the paths that exclude the duplexer) when the UE desires to avoid the path loss caused by the duplexer, e.g., to temporarily receive with greater sensitivity and/or transmit with more power, during poor channel conditions. At other times the UE may autonomously decide to remain in full-duplex mode to achieve reduced transmission time, e.g., during time-critical communications such as VoLTE. The UE may autonomously determine whether to use full or half-duplex mode, i.e., without requiring any coordination with network-side devices.