UE TDD Configuration via DRX PDCCH Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems, user equipment (UE) may lose synchronization with the base station due to missed reception of dynamic TDD reconfiguration updates during discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles, leading to incorrect TDD UL-DL configurations and impaired communication efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The method involves the UE receiving system information blocks (SIB) and monitoring PDCCH during active DRX periods to obtain DCI for determining TDD configurations, ensuring continuous reception and synchronization, even during transitions from inactive to active DRX periods.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the UE uses discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles to save battery power, then energy consumption is reduced, but the UE may miss dynamic TDD reconfiguration updates and lose synchronization with the base station

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery power consumptionVSAvoidsynchronization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The UE determines the TDD configuration applicable for a current radio frame before the DRX cycle ends by monitoring PDCCH during active DRX periods. This preliminary determination ensures that the UE has the correct TDD configuration information before transitioning to inactive state, preventing synchronization loss while still allowing DRX operation for power saving.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The base station provides feedback to the UE through PDCCH messages containing TDD configuration updates. The UE monitors these feedback messages during active DRX periods and applies the received configurations to maintain synchronization. This feedback mechanism ensures that the UE receives timely configuration updates without requiring continuous reception.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the UE continuously monitors PDCCH to ensure timely TDD configuration updates, then synchronization accuracy is maintained, but battery power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization accuracyVSAvoidbattery power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The UE adopts periodic monitoring of PDCCH during active DRX periods rather than continuous monitoring. The monitoring occurs at specific intervals defined by the DRX cycle, allowing the UE to catch TDD configuration updates when transmitted while consuming significantly less power than continuous monitoring would require.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The UE performs partial monitoring by only monitoring PDCCH during active DRX periods rather than continuously. This partial action is sufficient to capture TDD configuration updates since the base station transmits configuration information during periods when the UE is expected to be active, achieving synchronization maintenance with reduced power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of time

If the UE transitions quickly from inactive to active DRX periods to capture configuration updates, then configuration timeliness is improved, but the complexity of DRX cycle management increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration update delayVSAvoidDRX cycle management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The DRX cycle parameters (active period duration, inactive period duration, monitoring timing) are dynamically adjusted based on traffic conditions and configuration update requirements. The UE can transition between different DRX configurations to optimize the balance between timely configuration reception and power consumption, managing complexity through adaptive rather than static parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11838980B2Method and apparatus for determining TDD UL-DL configuration applicable for radio frames

Publication Date: 2023.12.05 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Methods and apparatuses are provided in which a user equipment (UE) receives a system information block (SIB) from a network. The UE identifies at least one downlink (DL) period based on a first uplink (UL)/DL configuration included in the SIB. The UE monitors a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) during the at least one DL period using a discontinuous reception (DRX) operation. The UE obtains downlink control information (DCI) for indicating at least one second UL/DL configuration as a format for one or more time intervals from the monitored PDCCH. The UE determines the format for the one or more time intervals based on the obtained DCI. The monitoring of the PDCCH includes monitoring the PDCCH in an active time of a DRX cycle. The active time includes a time when the UE performs continuous reception.