Wake-Up Signal Network for Low-Power Cellular UE Paging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power saving techniques for user equipment face challenges in efficiently waking up cellular modems from a power saving state without causing interference or reducing spectrum efficiency in cellular networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a separate wake-up signal network with low-frequency wake-up signal nodes that operate independently of cellular networks, allowing user equipment to maintain two independent cell selection processes and activate the cellular receiver only when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cellular receiver is continuously activated to receive signals, then network connectivity is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the receiving function into two separate receivers: a wake-up signal receiver that remains active in low-power mode and a cellular receiver that is activated only when needed. This segmentation allows the system to maintain network connectivity through the wake-up signal receiver while avoiding continuous activation of the power-consuming cellular receiver, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by sending a wake-up signal to the user equipment before actual data transmission is needed. This preliminary wake-up signal allows the cellular receiver to be activated at the optimal moment, ensuring network connectivity is ready when required while minimizing the duration of high-power operation, thereby balancing reliability and power consumption.
2Reliability
If the cellular receiver is activated to wake up from power saving state, then signals can be received, but interference with cellular signals may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the signal reception function into two independent paths: one for wake-up signals and one for cellular signals. The wake-up signal receiver operates independently from the cellular receiver, allowing the system to maintain signal reception capability for wake-up purposes without causing interference to the cellular communication band, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and harmful interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The wake-up signal acts as an intermediary that triggers the activation of the cellular receiver without directly interfering with cellular signal reception. By using this intermediate wake-up mechanism, the system can prepare the cellular receiver for operation without the receiver being continuously active and potentially causing interference, thus balancing signal reception capability with interference reduction.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a separate wake-up signal network is implemented, then power efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the communication system into two independent parts: a wake-up signal network and a cellular network. This segmentation enables power efficiency by allowing the user equipment to operate in a low-power state monitored only by the wake-up signal receiver, while the cellular receiver remains dormant until activated. Although this increases device complexity by adding another receiver and network interface, the power savings achieved justify the architectural enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The wake-up signal receiver serves multiple functions: it monitors for wake-up signals, triggers cellular receiver activation, and maintains basic network connectivity awareness. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve improved power efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the wake-up signal receiver performs several critical tasks that would otherwise require additional components or continuous operation of the main cellular receiver.
Data Source
AI summary
A wake-up signal (WUS) network (separate from a cellular network) includes WUS nodes that broadcast WUSs targeting WUS receivers of user equipment (UE). The WUSs may have low frequencies, such as within a television whitespace spectrum. When the cellular network determines that a UE should enter a power saving mode, or when a cellular receiver of the UE enters an idle state, the cellular network may request resources for the UE from a WUS node and activate a WUS receiver of the UE. When the cellular network has data to send to the UE or a threshold time has expired, the cellular network may request a WUS from the WUS network, which broadcasts the WUS that may be received by the UE. If the UE has data to transmit to the cellular network, the cellular network may request that the WUS node stop providing resources to the UE.