3GPP TSG RAN Meeting #88-e RP-200912

E-meeting, 29th June – 3rd July, 2020

Agenda Item: 9.3.6

Source: CATT
Title: Summary of UE Power Saving in NR
WI code(s): NR_UE_pow_sav_CORE
Leading WG: RAN WG1
Release: Rel-16

1 Introduction
UE battery life is an important aspect of the user’s experience. The RAN1 study of the Rel-16 UE power saving
had shown substantial power saving gain comparing to considered Rel-15 NR features such as DRX operation, with
UE adaptation in frequency domain, time domain, antenna domain, tight control of DRX operations, and reducing
PDCCH monitoring with different traffic types.
The work item of UE power saving in NR includes the power saving techniques, such as DRX adaptation, cross-slot
scheduling, and maximum MIMO layer adaptation in CONNECTED state, fast transition out of CONNECTED
state, and reduced RRM measurements in idle/inactive states. The UE assistance information is part of the work to
enable the UE to feedback its preferred configuration to achieve desired power saving.

2 UE Power Saving features in Rel-16

The UE power saving work in Rel-16 focuses on the power saving techniques in CONNECTED state, which
includes DRX adaptation, cross-slot scheduling, maximum MIMO layer adaptation, and fast transition out of
CONNECTED state. The RRM measurement reductions are the power saving techniques specified in idle/inactive
states. UE assistance information is supported for the UE to feedback its preferred configuration of the specific
power saving technique.
1
2
2.1 Power Saving Techniques in CONNECTED state
The power saving techniques are dynamically triggered by L1 signaling indicated from PDCCH-based power
saving signal/channel or semi-statically configured by RRC signaling. The PDCCH-based power saving
signal/channel reuses the existing PDCCH search space and CORESET configurations with dynamic TCI states
with DCI field indicating the adaptation to achieve UE power saving, such as UE wakeup in the DRX operation,
cross-slot scheduling, and maximum MIMO layer adaptation through BWP switching.

 DRX adaptation
The DRX adaptation power saving technique is to configure the PDCCH-based power saving signal/channel at the
active BWP before the beginning of DRX ON for UE monitoring with the indication of UE wakeup or not
depending on whether there is data for UE to receive. A new DCI format 2_6 is introduced with CRC scrambled
by PS-RNTI (DCP) which contains the wakeup indication as well as SCell dormancy indication if configured. A
PS-offset is semi-statically configured before DRX ON defining the start of the interval for the DCP monitor
occasion as shown in Figure 1. More than one monitoring occasions could be configured for DCP on PCell for CA
and SpCell for DC based on the search space and CORESET configurations. Minimum time gap is specified as the
UE processing time as shown in Figure 1. UE is not required to monitor DCP at the interval of minimum time gap
and within Active Time.

Figure 1: DCP Monitoring occasion for DRX adaptation

When DCP monitoring occasion collides with other procedures with higher priority in PDCCH monitoring, the
monitoring occasion is considered invalid. UE follows legacy behavior when all the configured monitoring
occasions are invalid. UE is configured by RRC to wake up or not when no DCP is detected with valid monitoring
occasions. One DCP can be configured to control PDCCH monitoring during on-duration for one or more UEs
independently. UE is also configured by RRC whether to report periodic L1-RSRP or periodic CSI/L1-SINR when
UE is not indicated to wake up at the DRX ON.
 Cross slot scheduling
Power saving technique with cross-slot scheduling facilitates UE to achieve power saving with the assumption that
it won’t be scheduled to receive PDSCH, triggered to receive A-CSI or transmit a PUSCH at the scheduling slot
within Active Time. A 1-bit minimum scheduling offset in DCI format 1_1 and 0_1 enables dynamic switching of
DL and UL minimum scheduling offset values.
 Maximum MIMO Layer Adaptation
UE power saving techniques with the adaptation to the DL maximum number of MIMO layers could be achieved
by dynamic switching of BWPs, which the DL maximum number of MIMO layers are configured to be different.
 Fast transition out of CONNECTED state
UE can feed back the assistance information of its preference to be released/suspended for gNB to get
UE transitioning out of CONNECTED state quickly when there is no further data arrival.

2.2 Power Saving Techniques in idle/inactive state

 Reduced RRM measurements in idle/inactive state

Power saving in RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE can also be achieved by UE relaxing neighbour cells RRM
measurements when it meets the criteria determining it is in low mobility and/or not at cell edge.

2.3 UE assistance information

UE assistance information allows the UE to feedback its preferred configuration, such as c-DRX configuration,
aggregated bandwidth, SCell configuration, MIMO configuration, RRC state, minimum scheduling offset values in
order for network to assist UE achieving power saving gain.

References
[1] RP-200494, “WID: UE power saving in NR”, CATT, CAICT
[2] TR 38.840 v15.0.0. CATT
[3] R1-1913657, 38.202CR0014 Introduction of UE power savings, Qualcomm
[4] R1-1913658, 38.212CR0028 Introduction of UE power savings in 38.212, Huawei
[5] R1-1913659, 38.213CR0076 Introduction of UE power savings, Samsung
[6] R1-1913660, 38.214CR0056 Introduction of UE power savings, Nokia
[7] R2-2002369, 38.300 CR0193 Introduction of UE Power Saving in NR, CATT
[8] R2-2005949, 38.304 CR 0158, CR on 38.304 for UE Power saving in NR, vivo
[9] R2-2005869, 38.321CR0719 MAC CR for Rel-16 UE power savings, Huawei, HiSilicon, Nokia, Nokia
Shanghai Bell
[10] R2-2004943, 38.331 CR1540 CR for 38.331 for power savings. MediaTek
[11] R2-2004944, 36.331 CR4245 CR for 36.331 for power savings, MediaTek
[12] R2-2005856, 38.306CR0134 UE capabilities for Rel-16 Power Saving WI, Intel
[13] R2-2005857, 38.331CR1618 UE capabilities for Rel-16 Power Saving WI, Intel
[14] R2-2005866, 37.340CR0189 SRB3 for reporting UAI for power saving, OPPO, MediaTek
[15] R4-2009133  38.133CR0854 Measurement requirements for UEs under power saving mode Ericsson
[16] R4-2009244  38.133CR0635 CR on minimum requirement at transition period for UE power saving CATT
[17] R4-2007440  38.133 CR0736 CR for maximum MIMO layer adaptation vivo, CATT