Low power discontinuous reception with a second receiver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016128128-A1
Application number	US-201514815520-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 31, 2015
Priority date	Nov 4, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques and apparatus for efficient support of connected discontinuous reception (C-DRX) by using a wireless device (e.g., a user equipment (UE)) with a second receiver. A wireless device with two receivers may place one receiver in a low power mode and take the receiver out of the low power mode in response to a signal received from a serving base station (BS) of the wireless device. A BS may direct a wireless device to enter a low power DRX (LP-DRX) mode or enhanced DRX mode having longer low power cycles than a non-enhanced DRX mode, and the wireless device may place a primary receiver in a low power mode in response to the directive from the BS. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for wireless communications performed by a wireless device, comprising:
placing a first receiver in a low power state when the wireless device is in an enhanced discontinuous reception (DRX) mode having longer low power cycles than a non-enhanced DRX mode; and monitoring with a second receiver, while the first receiver is in the low power state, for signaling from a base station (BS) directing the wireless device to take the first receiver out of the low power state.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first signaling comprises a page indicator; and the first receiver receives a page message after the wireless device takes the first receiver out of the low power state.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first signaling comprises a data indicator; and the first receiver receives a data packet after the wireless device takes the first receiver out of the low power state.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second receiver comprises a lower-power receiver than the first receiver.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
deciding which of the first or second receivers to use when in the enhanced DRX mode, wherein the decision is based on at least one of: sensitivity of the first or second receivers, a current coverage condition of the wireless device, presence of radio frequency (RF) interference which impairs performance of at least one of the first or second receivers, a need to save power by the wireless device, latency needs of one or more applications, traffic pattern learning, and/or a combination thereof.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting an indication that the wireless device supports the enhanced DRX mode to the base station.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
transmitting a request to the BS for the wireless device to enter the enhanced DRX mode; and receiving a response from the BS acknowledging that the BS has accepted the request.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving a request from the BS for the wireless device to enter the enhanced DRX mode; and transmitting a response to the BS acknowledging that the wireless device has accepted the request.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signaling is conveyed via a waveform that the first receiver can demodulate.

10 . A method for wireless communications performed by a base station (BS), comprising:
signaling a set of discontinuous reception (DRX) parameters to a wireless device, wherein the DRX parameters define a DRX ON duration during which a first receiver is active and a DRX OFF duration during which the first receiver is in a low power state; and transmitting first signaling to the wireless device during the DRX OFF duration for detection by a second receiver, when the wireless device is in an enhanced DRX mode having longer low power cycles than a non-enhanced DRX mode, the first signaling directing the wireless device to take the first receiver out of the low power state.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the first signaling comprises a page indicator; and the BS transmits a page message after the wireless device takes the first receiver out of the low power state.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the first signaling comprises a data indicator; and the BS transmits a data packet after the wireless device takes the first receiver out of the low power state.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein transmitting the first signaling comprises:
transmitting the first signaling during only a portion of the DRX OFF duration, based on a determined duty cycle.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving an indication that the wireless device supports the enhanced DRX mode from the wireless device.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting a request to the wireless device for the wireless device to enter the enhanced DRX mode; and receiving a response from the wireless device acknowledging that the wireless device has accepted the request.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a request from the wireless device for the wireless device to enter the enhanced DRX mode; and transmitting a response to the wireless device acknowledging that the BS has accepted the request.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first signaling is conveyed via a waveform that the first receiver can demodulate.

18 . An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:
a processor configured to:
place a first receiver of the apparatus in a low power state when the apparatus is in an enhanced discontinuous reception (DRX) mode having longer low power cycles than a non-enhanced DRX mode; and
monitor with a second receiver of the apparatus, while the first receiver is in the low power state, for first signaling from a base station (BS) directing the apparatus to take the first receiver out of the low power state; and
a memory coupled with the processor.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein:
the first signaling comprises a page indicator; and the processor is further configured to receive a page message with the first receiver after the apparatus takes the first receiver out of the low power state.

20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein:
the first signaling comprises a data indicator; and the processor is further configured to receive a data packet with the first receiver after the apparatus takes the first receiver out of the low power state.

21 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
decide which of the first or second receivers to use when in the enhanced DRX mode, wherein the decision is based on at least one of: sensitivity of the first or second receivers, a current coverage condition of the apparatus, presence of radio frequency (RF) interference which impairs performance of at least one of the first or second receivers, a need to save power by the apparatus, latency needs of one or more applications, or traffic pattern learning.

22 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
transmit an indication that the apparatus supports the enhanced DRX mode to the base station.

23 . An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:
a processor configured to:
signal a set of discontinuous reception (DRX) parameters to a wireless device, wherein the DRX parameters define a DRX ON duration during which a first receiver of the wireless device is active and a DRX OFF duration during which the first receiver is in a low power state; and
transmit first signaling to the wireless device during the DRX OFF duration for detection by a second receiver of the wireless device, when the wireless device is in an enhanced DRX mode having longer low power cycles than a non-enhanced DRX mode, the first signaling directing the wireless device to take the first receiver out of the low power state; and
a memory coupled with the processor.

24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein:
the first signaling comprises a page indicator; and the processor is further configured to transmit a page message to the wireless device after transmitting the first signaling.

25 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein:
the first signaling comprises a data indicator; and the processor is further configured to transmit a data packet to the wireles

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Ang Peter Pui Lok
• Ji Tingfang
• Burke Joseph Patrick
• Soriaga Joesph Binamira
• Shellhammer Stephen Jay
• Mukkavilli Krishna Kiran
• Smee John Edward

Classifications

• H04W52/0235

  where the received signal is a power saving command · CPC title

• H04W76/28 Primary

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

• H04W76/16

  Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer · CPC title

• H04W52/0222

  in packet switched networks · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title