UE UCI Multiplexing During DRX Non-Active Periods

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Solution Overview

Problem

In communication systems, particularly in 5G NR, there is a challenge in efficiently managing the transmission of uplink control information (UCI) during discontinuous reception (DRX) configurations, leading to potential power consumption and processing load issues.

Innovation Solution

A user equipment (UE) is configured with circuitry that determines whether to multiplex UCI with other UCI or on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and decides whether to omit certain UCI or the multiplexed signal based on timing relationships with DRX non-active periods, thereby optimizing transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If UCI is transmitted during DRX non-active periods, then network control information is delivered, but power consumption increases and processing load rises

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork control information deliveryVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by determining in advance whether UCI transmission is necessary before the actual transmission occurs. The UE checks timing relationships between UCI resources and DRX non-active periods, and decides whether to multiplex or omit UCI beforehand, avoiding unnecessary power consumption during non-active periods while ensuring critical control information is delivered during active periods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by making the UCI transmission behavior adaptive based on DRX configuration and timing relationships. The UE dynamically adjusts its transmission strategy - multiplexing UCI with other signals when timing allows, or omitting UCI when it would fall in non-active periods - thereby optimizing power consumption while maintaining reliable control information delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If UCI is multiplexed with other UCI or on PUSCH, then transmission efficiency is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing determination of multiplexing necessity before actual signal processing. The UE checks timing relationships and decides whether to multiplex UCI with other UCI or on PUSCH in advance, which simplifies the processing complexity by avoiding unnecessary multiplexing operations while maintaining transmission efficiency when multiplexing is beneficial

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If UCI transmission is omitted during non-active periods, then power consumption is reduced, but control information may be lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcontrol information loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies merging by combining UCI with other signals (other UCI or PUSCH) when timing relationships allow, so that control information is transmitted together with other uplink signals during active periods. This approach reduces power consumption by avoiding separate UCI transmissions during non-active periods while preventing control information loss through multiplexing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the UE monitors DRX configuration and timing relationships, and adjusts UCI transmission strategy accordingly. The determination process provides feedback on whether to transmit, multiplex, or omit UCI based on current DRX state, ensuring control information is delivered without unnecessary power consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4550710A1User equipment and method for user equipment
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA
  • EP4550710A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4550710A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4550710A1 patent drawingFigure 6~7b

AI summary

Provided are a user equipment, UE, comprising a transceiver and circuitry. The circuitry, in operation, when the UE is configured with at least one discontinuous reception, DRX, including non-active periods, performs a first determination as to whether a first uplink control information, UCI, is to be multiplexed with at least one second UCI and/or on a physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, to form a multiplexed signal. Depending on a result of the first determination, the circuitry performs a second determination as to whether the first UCI is to be omitted before multiplexing, or as to whether transmission of the multiplexed signal is to be omitted, based on at least one of a timing relationship between resources dedicated to a transmission of the first UCI before multiplexing and the non-active periods, and a timing relationship between resources dedicated to a transmission of the multiplexed signal and the non-active periods. The circuitry further performs the multiplexing to form the multiplexed signal according to results of the first determination and the second determination, and causes the transceiver to transmit the multiplexed signal according to the result of the second determination.