Wireless Terminal Discontinuous Reception for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communications networks face inefficiencies in power consumption due to the need for devices to constantly monitor control channels for paging information, especially in scenarios with high probability of paging, leading to increased power consumption and resource overhead.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where wireless terminal devices are configured to wake at defined instances to monitor control channels, with network nodes transmitting indications of data availability, allowing devices to determine whether to monitor control channels or shared channels using pre-configured radio resources, thereby reducing unnecessary decoding and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If devices continuously monitor control channels for paging information, then paging reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements discontinuous reception mode where devices periodically wake from sleep mode to check for paging information at configured paging occasions, then return to sleep mode. This periodic monitoring approach maintains paging reliability by ensuring devices check for messages at regular intervals while dramatically reducing power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
2Reliability
If wake-up signal is transmitted for every paging event, then paging delivery is improved, but network resource overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a selective wake-up signal transmission mechanism where the network node transmits wake-up signals only when downlink data is actually available for the device. This partial action approach ensures reliable paging delivery when needed while avoiding unnecessary wake-up signal transmissions that would waste network resources, thus resolving the contradiction between paging delivery reliability and resource overhead.
3Measurement precision
If devices decode full control channels, then control message accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control channel monitoring process into two stages: first, devices decode a simplified wake-up signal to determine if paging is present; second, only if the wake-up signal indicates paging, devices proceed to decode the full control channel for accurate control messages. This segmentation reduces average decoding time by avoiding full control channel decoding when no paging is present, while maintaining control message accuracy when paging is actually delivered.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method in a wireless terminal device for a wireless communications network. The wireless terminal device is operable in a mode in which the wireless terminal device is configurable to wake at defined instances to monitor a control channel for control messages from the wireless communications network. The control messages indicate radio resources for a shared channel over which one or more further messages are to be transmitted. The method comprises, while operating in the mode, monitoring for receipt of an indication from a network node operable in the wireless communications network in a time window associated with a particular defined instance. The indication indicates that data is available at the wireless communications network for transmission to the wireless terminal device. The method further comprises, responsive to receipt of the indication, and based on a configuration received from the network node, determining whether to monitor the control channel during the particular defined instance for a control message indicating radio resources for the shared channel, or to monitor the shared channel for one or more further messages using pre-configured radio resources.