Zero-Energy Air Interface Using Passive RF Energy Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in power consumption and resource utilization due to the need for active components in RF front-ends, particularly in RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE states, leading to increased latency and network resource inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Implementing passive receivers or zero-energy (ZE) receivers that harvest energy from RF waveforms to operate, allowing near-zero power consumption for functions like cell selection, tracking area updates, and paging, with defined new operation states and signaling procedures for ZE air interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If active components (oscillator, low noise amplifier, A/D converters) are used in RF front-ends, then signal processing capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes active components (oscillator, low noise amplifier, A/D converters) from the RF front-end, retaining only passive components (antenna, filters, switches). This extraction eliminates the primary sources of power consumption while preserving basic signal reception and processing capabilities through passive circuitry alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces active electronic components with passive components, fundamentally substituting the mechanism of operation. Instead of using powered amplifiers and converters, the system relies on passive signal processing through impedance matching, filtering, and direct digital synthesis, eliminating the need for continuous power supply to these functions.
2Reliability
If devices perform cell selection, tracking area updates, and paging operations in RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE states, then network connectivity is maintained, but power consumption and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables devices to autonomously perform cell selection, tracking area updates, and paging operations using only passive RF components without requiring active power supply. The passive receiver can independently execute these network maintenance functions by harvesting minimal energy from received signals, eliminating the need for periodic active wake-ups and reducing latency associated with state transitions.
3Use of energy by moving object
If passive receiver components are used, then power consumption is reduced, but signal processing capability and operational functionality are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the passive receiver by implementing advanced signal processing techniques that operate within the constraints of passive components. This includes using direct digital synthesis, software-defined radio approaches, and optimized filtering algorithms that achieve adequate signal processing capability without requiring active amplification or conversion stages.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces power consumption significantly, enhances network resource efficiency, and minimizes latency by enabling devices to perform essential operations without active power supply, particularly in idle modes.
Implementation Method 1
such a device, e.g., a WTRU, may harvest energy from the received RF waveform to run the (e.g., necessary, RF) circuitry to process signals
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems, architectures and interfaces for method for energy harvesting (EH) performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) are provided. A method may include any of receiving information indicating EH receiver configuration information (EHRCI) including information indicating an EH priority of the WTRU; and on condition that the EH priority of the WTRU indicates that the WTRU is permitted to perform EH, performing the EH on signaling received via the EH receiver according to the EHRCI.