IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,628,241
Granted Patent B2
US 12,628,241 · App. 18/278,882 · Granted May 12, 2026

Terminal device, network node, and methods therein for DRX configuration

Inventors: Min Wang (Luleå, SE); Antonino Orsino (Kirkkonummi, FI); Zhang Zhang (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
H04W76/28H04W76/10H04W92/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,628,241
App. No.
18/278,882
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method ( 300 ) in a first terminal device. The method ( 300 ) includes: transmitting ( 310 ), to a second terminal device, a first sidelink message containing a first Discontinuous Reception, DRX, configuration; receiving ( 320 ), from the second terminal device, a second sidelink message containing a second DRX configuration; and delaying ( 330 ) transmission of a second response to the second sidelink message to the second terminal device until a first response to the first sidelink message is received from the second terminal device, or until a timer expires.

Claims (54)

1 . A method in a first terminal device, comprising:

transmitting, to a second terminal device, a first sidelink message containing a first Discontinuous Reception (DRX) configuration;

receiving, from the second terminal device, a second sidelink message containing a second DRX configuration; and

delaying transmission of a second response to the second sidelink message to the second terminal device until a first response to the first sidelink message is received from the second terminal device, or until a timer expires.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first response contains a suggested change to the first DRX configuration, and the method further comprises:

updating the first DRX configuration based on the suggested change to the first DRX configuration.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein

the updated first DRX configuration and the second DRX configuration contain respective on-duration timers and/or inactivity timers that are configured separately, and one or more DRX parameters that are configured to be common to the updated first DRX configuration and the second DRX configuration.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more DRX parameters comprise a slot offset, a retransmission timer, a long cycle start offset, a short cycle, a short cycle timer, and/or a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Round-Trip Time timer.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

transmitting the second response to the second terminal device, the second response containing a suggested change to the second DRX configuration.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the suggested change to the second DRX configuration is determined based on the updated first DRX configuration.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the timer is set to a different value from a corresponding timer provided at the second terminal device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

each of the first DRX configuration and the second DRX configuration is for a bidirectional link between the first terminal device and the second terminal device, or

the first DRX configuration is for a unidirectional link from the first terminal device to the second terminal device, and the second DRX configuration is for a unidirectional link from the second terminal device to the first terminal device.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sidelink message is for sidelink unicast establishment or Sidelink Radio Bearer (SLRB) setup for a unidirectional link from the first terminal device to the second terminal device, and the second sidelink message is for sidelink unicast establishment or SLRB setup for a unidirectional link from the second terminal device to the first terminal device.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sidelink message and the second sidelink message are associated with a same type of service or with different types of services.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from a network node or another terminal device controlling the first terminal device and/or the second terminal device, a configuration for the delaying.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the network node is a next generation Node B, a Session Management Function node, or a Policy Control Function node.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein

the configuration is received from the gNB via:

Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling,

Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE), or

Layer 1 (L1) signaling;

the configuration is received from the SMF node or the PCF node via:

Non-Access Stratum (NAS) RRC signaling; or

the configuration is received from the other terminal device via:

PC5-RRC signaling,

PC5-Signaling,

discovery signaling,

MAC CE, or

L1 signaling.

14 . A first terminal device, comprising a transceiver, a processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions executable by the processor wherein the first terminal device is operative to:

transmit, to a second terminal device, a first sidelink message containing a first Discontinuous Reception (DRX) configuration;

receive, from the second terminal device, a second sidelink message containing a second DRX configuration; and

delay transmission of a second response to the second sidelink message to the second terminal device until a first response to the first sidelink message is received from the second terminal device, or until a timer expires.

15 . A method in a first terminal device, comprising:

transmitting, to a second terminal device, a first sidelink message for sidelink unicast establishment or Sidelink Radio Bearer (SLRB) setup for a unidirectional link from the first terminal device to the second terminal device;

receiving, from the second terminal device, a second sidelink message for sidelink unicast establishment or SLRB setup for a unidirectional link from the second terminal device to the first terminal device; and

determining which of the first sidelink message and the second sidelink message is to be prioritized.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first sidelink message contains a first timestamp and the second sidelink message contains a second timestamp, and wherein said determining comprises determining to prioritize the first sidelink message when the first timestamp is earlier than the second timestamp, or to prioritize the second sidelink message when the second timestamp is earlier than the first timestamp.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said determining comprises determining to prioritize the first sidelink message or the second sidelink message based on a first weight or priority associated with the first terminal device and a second weight or priority associated with the second terminal device.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first weight or priority is a first fixed value configured for the first terminal device, and the second weight or priority is a second fixed value configured for the second terminal device.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first fixed value is a User Equipment, UE, ID of the first terminal device, and the second fixed value is a UE ID of the second terminal device.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first weight or priority or the second weight or priority is dependent on one or more of the following associated with the first or second terminal device:

a User Equipment (UE) category,

a UE capability,

a battery life,

a type of a current service,

a priority of the current service,

a Quality of Service (QoS) requirement for the current service, or

a geographical location.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2023
From: WANG, MIN; ZHANG, ZHANG
To: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
Reel/Frame 064877/0209 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2023
From: ORSINO, ANTONINO
To: OY L M ERICSSON AB
Reel/Frame 064877/0316 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2023
From: OY L M ERICSSON AB
To: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
Reel/Frame 064877/0379 →
Priority Claims (1)
WO PCT/CN2021/078250 · Feb 26, 2021 · international
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240064857A1 · Feb 22, 2024
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