Wireless UE State Machine for Always-On Connectivity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Maintaining always-on connections in wireless communications systems while minimizing energy consumption and reducing communications overhead and latency, especially for User Equipments (UEs) operating non-session based applications.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a state machine with two states: ACTIVE and ECO, where UEs in the ECO state conserve energy by allowing grant-free transmission and semi-persistent scheduling, eliminating the need for state transitions, and using unique identifiers to facilitate data transmission and reception, thereby reducing messaging overhead and increasing system efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UEs maintain always-on connections for background applications, then connectivity and low latency are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic state machine with multiple operating states (ACTIVE, ECO, OFF) that allows UEs to transition between different connectivity and power consumption modes. The state machine enables the system to adapt its behavior based on traffic conditions, maintaining always-on capability when needed while switching to energy-saving modes during idle periods, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous connectivity and energy conservation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes key operating parameters including state transitions (ACTIVE↔ECO↔OFF), scheduling modes (dynamic↔semi-persistent↔grant-free), and resource allocation strategies. By adjusting these parameters based on application requirements and traffic patterns, the system achieves always-on connectivity for critical applications while minimizing energy consumption during low-activity periods
2Use of energy by moving object
If UEs switch between active and eco states to manage energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but communications overhead and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements semi-persistent scheduling where resources are pre-allocated and configured in advance for future transmissions. This preliminary action allows UEs to remain in ECO state without needing to switch to ACTIVE for each transmission, as the scheduling parameters are already determined. This reduces both the frequency of state transitions and the associated latency, resolving the contradiction between energy saving and communication efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous connection and resource allocation even when UEs are in ECO state, allowing background applications to transmit data without interrupting the connection. The semi-persistent scheduling ensures that resources are continuously available and configured, eliminating the need for repeated connection setup and state transitions, thus maintaining low latency while conserving energy
3Reliability
If UEs use traditional state transitions for background traffic, then connectivity is maintained, but messaging overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and separates the control signaling overhead from the data transmission by implementing grant-free access and semi-persistent scheduling. Background applications can transmit data using pre-configured resources without requiring continuous exchange of scheduling requests and grants. This extraction of essential connectivity functions from the full state transition mechanism reduces messaging overhead while maintaining connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables UEs to autonomously determine when to transmit background traffic and select appropriate resources without requiring network controller intervention for each transmission. The UE independently manages its state transitions and resource selection based on pre-configured parameters, eliminating the need for extensive signaling exchanges and reducing messaging overhead while maintaining connectivity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a user equipment (UE) includes determining a first operating state in accordance with a first message traffic generated by a non-session based application executing in the UE, setting a state machine in the UE to the first operating state, and transmitting a first message in accordance with the state machine.