User Equipment Energy Monitoring via Path Loss Estimation

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the network node receives energy consumption information from user equipment and uses this feedback to adjust transmission parameters. The UE reports energy counter values and path loss measurements to the network, which then optimizes scheduling decisions to balance communication performance with energy conservation, directly resolving the contradiction between maintaining productivity and reducing energy use.

The patent changes key transmission parameters dynamically based on energy conditions. The network node adjusts uplink grant allocations, modulation and coding schemes, and power control parameters according to reported energy consumption levels and path loss measurements. This allows the system to optimize the trade-off between communication productivity and energy consumption by adapting parameters to current battery status.

The user equipment performs self-measurement of transmission energy consumption using its own power headroom calculations and maintains local energy counters. This self-service approach allows the UE to autonomously track its energy usage without requiring complex external monitoring infrastructure, thereby improving energy management capability while minimizing the complexity burden on the network side.

The patent introduces simplified intermediary mechanisms for energy information exchange. Rather than direct complex monitoring, the UE uses standardized power headroom reporting and energy counter indications that act as intermediaries, translating detailed internal energy states into compact reportable formats that the network can process efficiently without requiring complex monitoring systems.

The network node performs preliminary path loss estimation using downlink reference signals before uplink transmission. This preliminary action provides an initial path loss value that can be used for power control and energy estimation, reducing the need for complex real-time measurements during uplink transmission and simplifying the measurement requirements while maintaining accuracy.

Instead of directly measuring uplink path loss which is difficult, the patent uses downlink path loss measurements (which are easier to obtain through reference signals) and inverts the relationship to estimate uplink conditions. This inversion approach leverages the fact that reciprocal path loss values provide reasonable estimates for the opposite direction, reducing measurement difficulty while maintaining sufficient accuracy for energy monitoring.