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EP-4742771-A1 - METHOD FOR USING A USER EQUIPMENT WITH A MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK AND/OR FOR AN ENERGY-SAVING OPERATION OF THE USER EQUIPMENT WITH THE MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK, USER EQUIPMENT, SYSTEM OR MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK, PROGRAM AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM

EP4742771A1EP 4742771 A1EP4742771 A1EP 4742771A1EP-4742771-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for using a user equipment with a mobile communication network and/or for an energy-saving operation of the mobile communication network, wherein the mobile communication network comprises a radio access network comprising a plurality of base station entities, wherein a specific base station entity is operated, in a first point in time, in an energy-saving mode and wherein the specific base station entity is activated, in a subsequent second point in time, from the energy-saving mode by means of a predefined uplink radiofrequency signal transmitted by the user equipment, wherein, in the energy-saving mode, the specific base station entity refrains from transmitting system information block 1 and starts to transmit system information block 1 at least once after having been activated from the energy-saving mode, wherein the predetermined uplink radiofrequency signal corresponds to a specific uplink random access channel signal being assigned to the specific base station entity, wherein, in order to operate the mobile communication network, at least partly, in an energy-saving operation, the method comprises the following steps: -- in a first step, the user equipment receives, from the specific base station entity and/or from a different base station entity, activation configuration information, the activation configuration information comprising at least a first piece of assignment information and a second piece of assignment information, wherein each piece of assignment information indicates at least one specific uplink random access channel signal and wherein each piece of assignment information and/or each specific uplink random access channel signal is associated to, or related to, at least one piece of validity time indication, -- in a second step, the user equipment transmits, based on the content of the activation configuration information and based on a determination of a current point in time, one of the specific uplink random access channel signals in order to activate the specific base station entity from the energy-saving mode.

Inventors

  • KLATT, AXEL

Assignees

  • Deutsche Telekom AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241107

Claims (11)

  1. Method for using a user equipment (20) with a mobile communication network (100) and/or for an energy-saving operation of the mobile communication network (100), wherein the mobile communication network (100) comprises a radio access network (110) comprising a plurality of base station entities (111, 112), wherein a specific base station entity (111) is operated, in a first point in time, in an energy-saving mode and wherein the specific base station entity (111) is activated, in a subsequent second point in time, from the energy-saving mode by means of a predefined uplink radiofrequency signal (201) transmitted by the user equipment (20), wherein, in the energy-saving mode, the specific base station entity (111) refrains from transmitting system information block 1 (SIB1) and starts to transmit system information block 1 (SIB1) at least once after having been activated from the energy-saving mode, wherein the predetermined uplink radiofrequency signal (201) corresponds to a specific uplink random access channel signal being assigned to the specific base station entity (111), wherein, in order to operate the mobile communication network (100), at least partly, in an energy-saving operation, the method comprises the following steps: -- in a first step, the user equipment (20) receives, from the specific base station entity (111) and/or from a different base station entity (112), activation configuration information (210), the activation configuration information (210) comprising at least a first piece of assignment information (221) and a second piece of assignment information (222), wherein each piece of assignment information (221, 222) indicates at least one specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) and wherein each piece of assignment information (221, 222) and/or each specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) is associated to, or related to, at least one piece of validity time indication (2211', 2221'), -- in a second step, the user equipment (20) transmits, based on the content of the activation configuration information (210) and based on a determination of a current point in time (250), one of the specific uplink random access channel signals (2211, 2221) in order to activate the specific base station entity (111) from the energy-saving mode.
  2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) - being used, in the second step, to activate the specific base station entity (111) from the energy-saving mode - is associated to, or related to, a piece of validity time indication (2211', 2221') indicating, or corresponding to, the current point in time (250), wherein especially, the user equipment (20) selects the specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) based on the current point in time (250) as well as based on the piece of validity time indication (2211', 2221') associated or related to the specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221).
  3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the piece of validity time indication (2211', 2221') indicates, or defines, a specific point in time, wherein the specific point in time defines a point in time -- until which the respective associated or related specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) is valid and after which it is invalid, or -- after which the respective associated or related specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) is valid and until which it is invalid.
  4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the piece of validity time indication (2211', 2221') indicates, or defines, a specific time interval, especially being defined by a first point in time and a second point in time, wherein the specific time interval especially defines the time interval -- during which the respective associated or related specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) is valid and outside of which it is invalid, or -- during which the respective associated or related specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) is invalid and outside of which it is valid.
  5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the piece of validity time indication (2211', 2221') indicates, or defines, the specific point in time or the specific time interval, especially the first and second point in time, by means of using an absolute validity time reference, especially an absolute validity time reference referring to the number of seconds or milliseconds after 0 am on first January 1900 according to the Gregorian calender, corresponding to midnight between Sunday, 31 December 1899, and Monday, first January 1900.
  6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the user equipment (20) receives the activation configuration information (210) -- from the specific base station entity (111), using control plane signaling or system information signaling, especially transmitted via broadcast transmission and/or via dedicated transmission, and/or -- from a different base station entity (112) using control plane signaling or system information signaling, especially transmitted via broadcast transmission and/or via dedicated transmission, wherein especially such system information signaling indicates the specific base station entity (111), or a group of base station entities comprising the specific base station entity (111), and/or -- from the specific base station entity (111) or from a different base station entity (112) using dedicated non-access stratum signaling or access stratum signaling, especially at registration of the user equipment (20) and/or at location update of the user equipment (20), and/or using any radio resource control procedure during normal operation of the user equipment (20).
  7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined uplink radiofrequency signal (201) corresponds to -- a random access channel, RACH, signal, especially a specific random access channel preamble, or to -- a physical random access channel, PRACH, signal, especially a specific physical random access channel preamble, wherein especially each such preamble corresponds to being transmitted, by the user equipment (20), at a specific point in time, especially a regularly repeating point in time, and to transmitting, by the user equipment (20), a radiofrequency signal being coded using a specific transmission parameter, especially a specific cyclic shift value.
  8. User equipment (20) for being used with a mobile communication network (100) and/or being configured for an energy-saving operation of the mobile communication network (100), wherein the user equipment (20) is configured to communicate with the mobile communication network (100) via a radio access network (110) of the mobile communication network (100) that comprises a plurality of base station entities (111, 112), a specific base station entity (111) being operated in an energy-saving mode and the specific base station entity (111) being activated from the energy-saving mode by means of the user equipment (20) transmitting a predefined uplink radiofrequency signal (201), wherein, in the energy-saving mode of the specific base station entity (111), the user equipment (20) fails to receive system information block 1 (SIB1) therefrom, and the user equipment (20) receives system information block 1 (SIB1) while the specific base station entity (111) being activated from the energy-saving mode, wherein the user equipment (20) is configured such that a predetermined uplink radiofrequency signal (201) corresponds to a specific uplink random access channel signal (2011) assigned to the specific base station entity (111), wherein the user equipment (20) is configured such that: -- the user equipment (20) receives, from the specific base station entity (111) and/or from a different base station entity (112), activation configuration information (210), the activation configuration information (210) comprising at least a first piece of assignment information (221) and a second piece of assignment information (222), wherein each piece of assignment information (221, 222) indicates at least one specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) and wherein each piece of assignment information (221, 222) and/or each specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) is associated to, or related to, at least one piece of validity time indication (2211', 2221'), -- the user equipment (20) transmits, based on the content of the activation configuration information (210) and based on a determination of a current point in time (250), one of the specific uplink random access channel signals (2211, 2221) in order to activate the specific base station entity (111) from the energy-saving mode.
  9. System or mobile communication network (100) for using a user equipment (20) with the mobile communication network (100) and/or for an energy-saving operation of the mobile communication network (100), wherein the mobile communication network (100) comprises a radio access network (110) comprising a plurality of base station entities (111, 112), wherein a specific base station entity (111) is operated, in a first point in time, in an energy-saving mode and wherein the specific base station entity (111) is activated, in a subsequent second point in time, from the energy-saving mode by means of a predefined uplink radiofrequency signal (201) transmitted by the user equipment (20), wherein, in the energy-saving mode, the specific base station entity (111) refrains from transmitting system information block 1 (SIB1) and starts to transmit system information block 1 (SIB1) at least once after having been activated from the energy-saving mode, wherein the predetermined uplink radiofrequency signal (201) corresponds to a specific uplink random access channel signal being assigned to the specific base station entity (111), wherein, in order to operate the mobile communication network (100), at least partly, in an energy-saving operation, the system or mobile communication network (100) is configured such that: -- the user equipment (20) receives, from the specific base station entity (111) and/or from a different base station entity (112), activation configuration information (210), the activation configuration information (210) comprising at least a first piece of assignment information (221) and a second piece of assignment information (222), wherein each piece of assignment information (221, 222) indicates at least one specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) and wherein each piece of assignment information (221, 222) and/or each specific uplink random access channel signal (2211, 2221) is associated to, or related to, at least one piece of validity time indication (2211', 2221'), -- the user equipment (20) transmits, based on the content of the activation configuration information (210) and based on a determination of a current point in time (250), one of the specific uplink random access channel signals (2211, 2221) in order to activate the specific base station entity (111) from the energy-saving mode.
  10. Program comprising a computer readable program code, which, when executed on a computer and/or on a user equipment (20) and/or on a network node of a mobile communication network (100), especially a base station entity (111, 112), or in part on a user equipment (20) and/or in part on the network node of the mobile communication network (100), especially a base station entity (111, 112), causes the computer and/or the user equipment (20) and/or the network node of the mobile communication network (100), especially the base station entity (111, 112), to perform a method according to one of claims 1 to 7.
  11. Computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed on a computer and/or on a user equipment (20) and/or on a network node of a mobile communication network (100), especially a base station entity (111, 112), or in part on a user equipment (20) and/or in part on the network node of the mobile communication network (100), especially a base station entity (111, 112), causes the computer and/or the user equipment (20) and/or the network node of the mobile communication network (100), especially the base station entity (111, 112), to perform a method according to one of claims 1 to 7.

Description

BACKGROUND The present invention relates a method for using a user equipment with a mobile communication network and/or for an energy-saving operation of the mobile communication network , wherein the mobile communication network comprises a radio access network comprising a plurality of base station entities, wherein a specific base station entity is operated, in a first point in time, in an energy-saving mode and wherein the specific base station entity is activated, in a subsequent second point in time, from the energy-saving mode by means of a predefined uplink radiofrequency signal transmitted by the user equipment, wherein, in the energy-saving mode, the specific base station entity refrains from transmitting system information block 1 and starts to transmit system information block 1 at least once after having been activated from the energy-saving mode. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a user equipment for being used with a mobile communication network and/or being configured for an energy-saving operation of the mobile communication network, wherein the user equipment is configured to communicate with the mobile communication network via a radio access network of the mobile communication network that comprises a plurality of base station entities, a specific base station entity being operated in an energy-saving mode and the specific base station entity being activated from the energy-saving mode by means of the user equipment transmitting a predefined uplink radiofrequency signal, wherein, in the energy-saving mode of the specific base station entity, the user equipment fails to receive system information block 1 therefrom, and the user equipment receives system information block 1 while the specific base station entity being activated from the energy-saving mode. Additionally, the present invention relates to a system or mobile communication network for using a user equipment with the mobile communication network and/or for an energy-saving operation of the mobile communication network, wherein the mobile communication network comprises a radio access network comprising a plurality of base station entities, wherein a specific base station entity is operated, in a first point in time, in an energy-saving mode and wherein the specific base station entity is activated, in a subsequent second point in time, from the energy-saving mode by means of a predefined uplink radiofrequency signal transmitted by the user equipment, wherein, in the energy-saving mode, the specific base station entity refrains from transmitting system information block 1 and starts to transmit system information block 1 at least once after having been activated from the energy-saving mode. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a program and to a computer-readable medium for using a user equipment with a mobile communication network and/or for an energy-saving operation of the user equipment with the mobile communication network according to the inventive method. Mobile communication networks such as public land mobile networks are typically realized as cellular mobile communication networks, i.e. comprising (or using or being associated or assigned to a radio access network comprising) radio cells. Such cellular systems are known conforming to different mobile communication standards or radio access technologies, like 2G/3G/4G/5G/6G radio access technologies (referring to the different generations of radio access technologies) and typically comprise (or consist of) cells (or radio cells) of one or a plurality of the respective radio access technology/radio access technologies. Such mobile communication networks that are purely or predominantly based on terrestrial infrastructures of the radio access network are typically organized throughout a country (or a part of or a region within a country) in a repeating pattern of typically stationary (radio) cells (and associated base station entities) which typically belong to (or are used by or associated or assigned to) a mobile network operator (MNO). Especially during periods of low usage of the mobile communication network, the situation exists that base station entities are not used at all, i.e. in at least one network cell or some network cells of the typically cellular mobile communication network, there are no mobile devices present at all that request a communication service from the mobile communication network. It would be desirable to reduce the power consumption of especially those base stations or base station entities in periods of low usage of the mobile communication network. Presently, it is possible to monitor the network usage, e.g. by means of an operations and maintenance/management center (OMC) controlling the mobile communication network. In case that low network usage (or absence of network usage) is detected in one network cell or in a plurality of network cells, it would be possible to switch off at least partly the corresponding network eq