Terminal Device Wake-Up Receiver Segmentation for Power Saving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Terminal devices in wireless communication networks face challenges in power saving, particularly in cellular networks like LTE and 5G, where limited battery life necessitates efficient power management to extend usage without compromising performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a terminal device with a first radio entity for communication and a second radio entity, such as a Wake Up Receiver, which allows the device to monitor wake-up signals efficiently, keeping the main radio in a power-saving state and waking it only when necessary, thereby reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the terminal device uses a single radio entity for both communication and wake-up signal monitoring, then the device complexity is reduced, but the power consumption increases because the radio entity cannot remain in power-saving state
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device is divided into two separate radio entities: a first radio entity for communication and a second radio entity for wake-up signal monitoring. This segmentation allows the first radio entity to enter power-saving state while the second radio entity remains active for monitoring wake-up signals, thereby reducing overall power consumption without significantly increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The second radio entity acts as an intermediary between the network and the first radio entity. It monitors wake-up signals from the network and triggers the first radio entity to wake up only when necessary, serving as a mediator that enables power-saving operation while maintaining communication capability
2Reliability
If the terminal device continuously monitors the radio channel for wake-up signals, then the responsiveness to network signals is improved, but the power consumption increases due to continuous monitoring activity
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the radio functionality into two separate entities, the second radio entity can continuously monitor wake-up signals while the first radio entity remains in power-saving state. This segmentation enables continuous monitoring for responsiveness without the power consumption penalty of continuous operation of the main radio
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic wake-up cycles where the second radio entity monitors for wake-up signals periodically rather than continuously. When a wake-up signal is detected, the first radio entity is triggered to wake up. This periodic monitoring maintains responsiveness while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous monitoring
3Use of energy by moving object
If the terminal device uses extended Discontinuous Reception (eDRX) for power saving, then the power consumption is reduced, but the latency increases due to longer sleep intervals
Solution Approach 1:
The segmentation into two radio entities allows the first radio entity to use eDRX for power saving while the second radio entity provides dedicated wake-up signal monitoring. This segmentation enables the system to achieve both low power consumption through eDRX and low latency through dedicated monitoring of wake-up signals
Solution Approach 2:
The second radio entity serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap between eDRX power saving and low latency requirements. It continuously monitors for wake-up signals and can immediately trigger the first radio entity to wake up when needed, reducing the effective latency while maintaining eDRX power saving benefits
Data Source
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AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory comprising a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the terminal device to obtain, via a first radio entity in the terminal device, a configuration for receiving a wake-up signal from a wireless network node and monitor, via a second radio entity in the terminal device, the wake-up signal from the wireless network node based on at least one of a configuration or an indication from the first radio entity, wherein the first and second radio entities are different.