Low power scheduling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016127997-A1
Application number	US-201514927174-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 29, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure relates in some aspects to an energy-aware architecture that supports a low power scheduling mode. For example, a media access control (MAC) architecture for a base station (e.g., an enhanced Node B) and associated access terminals (e.g., UEs) can take the power needs of the access terminals into account when scheduling the access terminals. In some aspects, an access terminal may support a particular frame structure for a low power mode. Accordingly, scheduling of the access terminal may include use of the particular frame structure during low power mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of communication, comprising:
sending an indication of a frame structure supported by an access terminal for a first power mode of a plurality of power modes; communicating a request for the access terminal to switch to the first power mode; and transitioning to the first power mode as a result of the communication of the request.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of power modes comprise a low power mode and a normal power mode where the low power mode is associated with lower power consumption than the normal power mode; and the first power mode is the low power mode.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the access terminal supports another frame structure for a second power mode of the plurality of power modes; and the frame structure supported by the access terminal for the first power mode specifies a first bandwidth allocation that is smaller than a second bandwidth allocation specified by the other frame structure.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the access terminal supports another frame structure for a second power mode of the plurality of power modes; and the frame structure supported by the access terminal for the first power mode specifies a first transmission time interval (TTI) that is shorter than a second TTI specified by the other frame structure.

5 . The method of claim 1 , where the frame structure supported by the access terminal for the first power mode supports dynamic bandwidth switching for control and data multiplexing.

6 . The method of claim 1 , where the frame structure supported by the access terminal for the first power mode supports narrowband control and data transmission.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending an indication that the access terminal further supports selection of frame structure for different ones of the plurality of power modes.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending an indication that the access terminal further supports selection of modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for different ones of the plurality of power modes.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending an indication that the access terminal further supports selection of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) transmission mode for different ones of the plurality of power modes.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending an indication that the access terminal further supports selection of carrier aggregation level for different ones of the plurality of power modes.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending an indication that the access terminal further supports, for different ones of the plurality of power modes, at least one of:
different convolutional coding schemes; different antenna selections; dynamic switching between reduced hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) signaling and normal H-ARQ signaling; dynamic switching between low power discontinuous reception (DRX) and normal DRX; or enhanced microsleep.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication of the request comprises sending the request.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving an acknowledgement to the request, wherein the transition to the first power mode is triggered as a result of the receipt of the acknowledgement.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication of the request comprises receipt of the request.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising sending an acknowledgement in response to the receipt of the request, wherein the transition to the first power mode is triggered as a result of the sending of the acknowledgement.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
communicating at least one indication of a plurality of power saving features; and selecting at least one of the power saving features for the first power mode.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the selection is based on power saving effectiveness.

18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
communicating at least one indication of a plurality of power saving features and at least one indication of potential power saving associated with the power saving features; and prioritizing the power saving features based on the at least one indication of potential power saving.

19 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
communicating another request for the access terminal to switch from the first power mode to a second power mode; and transitioning to the second power mode as a result of the communication of the other request.

20 . An apparatus for communication, comprising:
a memory device; a processing circuit coupled to the memory device and configured to:
send an indication of a frame structure supported by an access terminal for a first power mode of a plurality of power modes;
communicate a request for the access terminal to switch to the first power mode; and
transition to the first power mode as a result of the communication of the request.

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein:
the access terminal supports another frame structure for a second power mode of the plurality of power modes; and the frame structure supported by the access terminal for the first power mode specifies at least one of: a first bandwidth allocation that is smaller than a second bandwidth allocation specified by the other frame structure, or a first transmission time interval (TTI) that is shorter than a second TTI specified by the other frame structure.

22 . The apparatus of claim 20 , where the frame structure supported by the access terminal for the first power mode supports at least one of:
dynamic bandwidth switching for control and data multiplexing; or narrowband control and data transmission.

23 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to send an indication that the access terminal further supports, for different ones of the plurality of power modes, at least one of: selection of frame structure or selection of modulation and coding scheme (MCS).

24 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
communicate at least one indication of a plurality of power saving features; and select at least one of the power saving features for the first power mode.

25 . An apparatus for communication, comprising:
means for transmitting an indication of a frame structure supported by an access terminal for a first power mode of a plurality of power modes; means for communicating a request for the access terminal to switch to the first power mode; and means for transitioning to the first power mode as a result of the communication of the request.

26 . The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein:
the communication of the request comprises sending the request; the means for communicating is configured to receive an acknowledgement to the request; and the transition to the first power mode is triggered as a result of the receipt of the acknowledgement.

27 . The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein:
the communication of the request comprises receipt of the request; the means for communicating is configured to send an acknowledgement in response to the receipt of the request; and the transition to the first power mode is triggered as a result of the acknowledgement being sent.

28

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Ang Peter Pui Lok
• Ji Tingfang
• Jiang Jing
• Mukkavilli Krishna Kiran
• Soriaga Joseph Binamira
• Smee John Edward
• Bhushan Naga

Classifications

• H04W76/28

  Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX] · CPC title

• H04W52/0216 Primary

  using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame · CPC title

• H04B7/0413

  MIMO systems · CPC title

• H04L1/1812

  Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ] · CPC title

• H04W52/0229

  where the received signal is a wanted signal · CPC title