Wireless Device Beam Management in Disconnected Mode

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Solution Overview

Problem

Beam management in wireless communication devices operating in disconnected mode leads to significant power consumption due to the need for energy-costly beamsweeps and inefficient receiver operation.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where the wireless communication device inherits its beam configuration from the connected mode and uses it in disconnected mode, reducing the need for beamsweeps by monitoring signals with a stored receive beam configuration and adjusting the DRX cycle based on predefined events, such as changes in mobility or signal quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If beam management with beamsweeps is performed in disconnected mode, then reliable communication is achieved, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The beam configuration is determined during connected mode before transitioning to disconnected mode. This preliminary action allows the UE to reuse the established beam configuration in disconnected mode without performing energy-consuming beamsweeps, thereby maintaining communication reliability while reducing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The beam configuration from connected mode is copied and reused in disconnected mode. Instead of performing new beam management procedures in disconnected mode, the system replicates the use of the previously determined beam configuration, avoiding redundant measurements and reducing energy expenditure while maintaining reliable communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If receiver circuitry is kept active for beam management in disconnected mode, then signal monitoring is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal monitoring capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver circuitry operates in periodic cycles rather than continuously. During disconnected mode, the receiver activates only during specific monitoring occasions (such as paging occasions) using the pre-determined beam configuration, and remains inactive otherwise. This periodic operation maintains signal monitoring capability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous reception.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If beam configuration is re-determined in disconnected mode, then communication robustness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication robustnessVSAvoidbeam management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The beam management function is extracted from disconnected mode operations and relocated to connected mode. By determining the beam configuration during connected mode and storing it for later use, the system removes the complexity of beam management from disconnected mode while maintaining communication robustness through reuse of the established configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11963018B2Beam management in disconnected mode

Publication Date: 2024.04.16 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

A method of operating a wireless communication device (90) includes monitoring for signals from a communications network (100, 101, 109) in a connected mode (301) of the wireless communication device (90) with a receive beam configuration (401). The method also includes storing the receive beam configuration (401) and monitoring for further signals (4003-4005) from the communications network (100, 101, 109) in a disconnected mode (302, 303) of the wireless communication device (90) with the stored receive beam configuration (401).