Group Wake-Up Signal Resource Allocation for 5G Paging Power Savings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in power consumption due to the excessive use of wake-up signals (WUS) and paging occasions (PO), particularly in 5G NR, which can be improved by implementing group wake-up signals (WUS) to reduce unnecessary transmissions.

Innovation Solution

A base station groups UEs into UE groups and transmits a group WUS to specific sets, allowing only identified UEs to wake up for POs, with each WUS having a limited duration and a gap period, and supports both grouped and ungrouped UEs with legacy and group-specific WUSs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wake-up signals are transmitted to all UEs, then all UEs can receive paging notifications, but power consumption increases due to excessive transmissions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaging notification deliveryVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the UE population into multiple UE groups, each monitored by a specific WUS. Instead of transmitting a single WUS to all UEs, the base station transmits targeted WUSs to specific UE groups only when they need to wake up for POs. This segmentation reduces unnecessary WUS transmissions and enables UEs to remain in sleep mode longer, directly addressing the power consumption issue while maintaining reliable paging delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of energy

If group WUS is implemented to reduce transmissions, then power consumption decreases, but system complexity increases due to UE grouping and resource allocation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal WUS resource pool that serves multiple UE groups simultaneously. Each WUS resource can be dynamically allocated to different UE groups based on their paging needs. This multi-functional WUS resource structure reduces the need for separate dedicated resources for each UE group, thereby reducing overall system complexity while still enabling targeted wake-up signaling to reduce power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of energy

If WUS duration is limited to conserve resources, then resource efficiency improves, but notification reliability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveWUS resource usageVSAvoidwake-up signal detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic WUS transmissions within the limited duration framework. Instead of extending a single WUS transmission, the system uses multiple periodic WUS opportunities within the allowed time window. This periodic approach ensures that UEs have multiple chances to detect the WUS reliably while keeping each individual transmission short, thus balancing resource efficiency with detection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP4216617B1Allocation of resources for a group wake up signal
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4216617B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4216617B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP4216617B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to transmitting and receiving a group wake-up signal (WUS) in conjunction with an ungrouped WUS. A base station may group one or more UEs in a UE group, while other UEs may not be assigned to a UE group. The configuration of WUS resources and WUS sequences for grouped UEs and other UEs is a challenge. The base station may transmit, to one or more UEs in the UE group, a resource allocation of a group WUS resource within a set of WUS resources associated with a paging occasion that is assigned to the one or more UEs in the UE group. A UE, after receiving the resource allocation, may determine a location of the group WUS resource within the set of WUS resources. The UE may monitor for a group WUS at the determined location in the resource allocation of the group WUS resource.