Methods of UE power saving with multiple receivers

1. A method implemented by a wireless communication device for reducing power consumption, comprising:

receiving, from a network node in a wireless communication network, configuration information that configures an extent to which the wireless communication device autonomously adapts a number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses under different conditions at the wireless communication device, subject to minimum receiver component requirements respectively specified for the different conditions, wherein each of the different conditions is associated with a different correlation of propagation channels, each propagation channel comprising a wireless communication channel between an antenna of the network node and an antenna of the wireless communication device;

correlating the propagation channels to determine the correlation of the propagation channels; and

autonomously adapting the number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses in accordance with the configuration information and the correlation;

wherein autonomously adapting the number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses further comprises:

detecting that a given one of the different conditions at the wireless communication device is met;

identifying a minimum number of receiver components that the wireless communication device must use under the detected condition;

evaluating one or more criteria to identify a wireless communication device-preferred number of receiver components to use; and

subject to the wireless communication device using at least said minimum number of receiver components, adjusting the number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses towards the wireless communication device-preferred number; and

wherein detecting that a given one of the different possible conditions at the wireless communication device is met comprises:

evaluating the correlation to calculate different degrees of correlation between the propagation channels received at the wireless communication device; and

comparing the different degrees of correlation to one or more correlation thresholds.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different conditions are associated with different degrees of correlation between the propagation channels.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the different degrees of correlation are defined by one or more correlation thresholds.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprises sending feedback to the network node indicating whether one or more of the different conditions at the wireless communication device are currently met.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending feedback to the network node indicating the number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device actually used under one or more of the different conditions.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information indicates, for each of one or more different conditions at the wireless communication device, whether the wireless communication device is allowed to autonomously adapt the number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses under that condition.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information specifies the minimum receiver component requirements for the different conditions.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information indicates, for each of one or more of the different conditions, a value of each of one or more parameters that govern whether or not the condition is deemed to have been met.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information indicates a length of a time period between which the wireless communication device is allowed or required to adapt the number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses.

10. A wireless communication device for reducing power consumption, comprising:

a processor and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the wireless communication device is configured to:

receive, from a network node in a wireless communication network, configuration information that configures an extent to which the wireless communication device autonomously adapts a number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses under different conditions at the wireless communication device, subject to minimum receiver component requirements respectively specified for the different conditions;

correlate propagation channels to determine a correlation of the propagation channels, each propagation channel comprising a wireless communication channel between an antenna of the network node and an antenna of the wireless communication device; and

autonomously adapt the number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses in accordance with the configuration information and the correlation;

wherein autonomously adapting the number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses further comprises:

detecting that a given one of the different conditions at the wireless communication device is met;

identifying a minimum number of receiver components that the wireless communication device must use under the detected condition;

evaluating one or more criteria to identify a wireless communication device-preferred number of receiver components to use; and

subject to the wireless communication device using at least said minimum number of receiver components, adjusting the number of different receiver components that the wireless communication device uses towards the wireless communication device-preferred number; and

wherein detecting that a given one of the different possible conditions at the wireless communication device is met comprises:

evaluating the correlation to calculate different degrees of correlation between the propagation channels received at the wireless communication device; and

comparing the different degrees of correlation to one or more correlation thresholds.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the wireless communication device is a user equipment (UE).