Method and system for performing handover in a wireless communication network

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for performing handover in a wireless communication network The disclosure encompasses identifying a first interface [305f] between a source base station [304s] and a target base station [304t]; transmitting a handover request for a user equipment (UE) based on a measurement report; receiving a handover response based on the handover request; detecting a failure of the handover; and performing the handover.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING HANDOVER IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKFIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to method and system for performing handover in a wireless communication network.BACKGROUND

[0002] The following description of the related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section is used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of the prior art.

[0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and advancements. The first generation of wireless communication technology was based on analog technology and offered only voice services. However, with the advent of the second generation (2G) technology, digital communication and data services became possible, and text messaging was introduced. The third generation (3G) technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. The fourth generation (4G) technology revolutionized wireless communication with faster data speeds, better network coverage, and improved security. Currently, the fifth generation (5G) technology is being deployed, promising even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each generation, wireless communication technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and capable of delivering more services to its users.

[0004] In wireless communication, handover occurs when a user equipment (UE) moves from its serving cell to a second cell during an ongoing voice or data transmission. The ongoing voice or data transmission is transferred from the channel of the serving cell to the channel of the second cell. Handover failure is a common problem that can result in degraded network performance and poor user experience. The root cause of handover failure can be complex and multifaceted,involving issues with hardware and software, network configuration, and radio access network (RAN) design.

[0005] Further, over the period of time various solutions have been developed to improve the performance of communication devices and to enhance the user experience in 5G network by intelligent handover mechanism. However, there are certain challenges with existing solutions. In the existing solutions, handover is done via Xn or Ng interface explicitly. The Xn or Ng interface are the interfaces between two adjacent gNBs in the 5G communication network. This interface facilitates the transfer of user data and control signalling during handover procedures, thereby allowing seamless mobility of the user devices between different cell sites served by adjacent gNBs. The Xn interface is responsible for enabling coordination and synchronization between gNBs to ensure uninterrupted connectivity and quality of service for mobile users undergoing handover situations. While the Ng interface plays a crucial role in facilitating communication between the radio access network (RAN) and the core network for the establishment, management, and optimization of user sessions in 5G networks.

[0006] There may be certain situations in which the Xn or Ng interface is established from the source base station / source / gNB (i.e., the gNB from which handover is to be done) but the interface is down from the target base station / target / gNB (i.e., the gNB to which handover is to be done). The existing solutions fail to provide quick handover to UE in a scenario where handover is getting stuck or failing due to such reasons, thus resulting in poor user experience.

[0007] Therefore, there exists an imperative need in the art to enhance the user experience in 5G by intelligent handover mechanism, which the present disclosure aims to address.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0008] This section is provided to introduce certain aspects of the present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0009] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for performing handover in a wireless communication network. The method comprises identifying, by an identification unit, a first interface between a source base station and a target base station. The method further comprises transmitting, by a transceiver unit, a handover request for a user equipment (UE) from the sourcebase station to the target base station based on a measurement report received at the source base station from the UE. The method further comprises, receiving, via the transceiver unit at the source base station, a handover response from the target base station based on the handover request for the UE. The method further comprises, detecting, by a handover manager unit, a failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station, via the first interface based on the handover response. And, the method further comprises, performing, by the handover manager unit, the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via a second interface based at least on the detection of failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via the first interface.

[0010] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in the disclosed method, the source base station is a source next-generation Node Base station (source gNB) from which the handover of the UE is to be done and the target base station is a target next-generation Node Base station (target gNB) to which the handover of the UE is to be done.

[0011] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in the disclosed method, the first interface is an Xn interface, and the second interface is a Ng interface.

[0012] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method further comprises, detecting, by the handover manager unit, a failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via the first interface and the second interface. The method further comprises blacklisting, by the handover manager unit, the target base station for a pre-defined time period, based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via the first interface and the second interface. And, the method further comprises stopping, by the handover manager unit, the handover of the UE and one or more other UEs to the target base station for the pre-defined time period based on the blacklisting.

[0013] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, performing, by the handover manager unit, the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via the second interface, is further based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via the first interface for more than a predefined number of times.

[0014] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for performing handover in a wireless communication network. The system comprises an identification unit configured toidentify a first interface between a source base station and a target base station. The system further comprises a transceiver unit connected at least to the identification unit. The transceiver unit is configured to transmit, a handover request for a user equipment (UE) from the source base station to the target base station based on a measurement report received at the source base station from the UE. The transceiver unit is configured to receive, at the source base station, a handover response from the target base station based on the handover request for the UE. The system further comprises a handover manager unit connected at least to the transceiver unit and the identification unit. The handover manager unit is configured to detect a failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station, via the first interface based on the handover response. The handover manger unit is further configured to perform the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via a second interface based at least on the detection of failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via the first interface.

[0015] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for performing handover in a wireless communication network, the instructions include executable code which, when executed by a one or more units of a system, causes: an identification unit to identify a first interface between a source base station and a target base station; a transceiver unit to transmit, a handover request for a user equipment (UE) from the source base station to the target base station based on a measurement report received at the source base station from the UE, and to receive, at the source base station, a handover response from the target base station based on the handover request for the UE; a handover manager unit configured to detect a failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station, via the first interface based on the handover response, and to perform the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via a second interface based at least on the detection of failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via the first interface.

[0016] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communication network. The UE comprises a transceiver unit which is configured to send a request to a system for performing the handover from a source base station to a target base station. The transceiver unit is further configured to transmit a measurement report to the source base station. The UE is then handed off to the target base station based on a handover response received from the system. It is to be noted that the handoff between the source base station and the target base station happens via at least one of an Xn interface and a Ng interface.OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0017] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.

[0018] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for performing intelligent handover for improving the user experience in 5G.

[0019] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that performs reliable handover procedure when Xn interface is down at any end on either side of gNB.

[0020] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution to perform quick handover whenever required after triggering the measurement configuration.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Also, the embodiments shown in the figures are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure, but the possible variants of the method and system according to the disclosure are illustrated herein to highlight the advantages of the disclosure. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

[0022] FIG. l illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of 5th generation core (5GC) network architecture with multiple interfaces for performing handover, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system for performing handover in a wireless communication network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow diagram for performing handover in a wireless communication network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG.5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram indicating the process for performing intelligent handover for enhancing the user experience during mobility, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG.6 illustrates an exemplary method flow diagram indicating the process for performing intelligent handover for enhancing the user experience during mobility, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter may each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the problems discussed above.

[0030] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth.

[0031] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail.

[0032] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure.

[0033] The word “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive — in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word — without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0034] As used herein, a “processing unit” or “processor” or “operating processor” includes one or more processors, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. A processor may be a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a (Digital Signal Processing) DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, Field Programmable Gate Array circuits, any other type of integrated circuits, etc. The processor may perform signal coding data processing, input / output processing, and / or any other functionality that enables the working of the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the processor or processing unit is a hardware processor.

[0035] As used herein, “a user equipment”, “a user device”, “a smart-user-device”, “a smartdevice”, “an electronic device”, “a mobile device”, “a handheld device”, “a wirelesscommunication device”, “a mobile communication device”, “a communication device” may be any electrical, electronic and / or computing device or equipment, capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. The user equipment / device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, smart phone, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, wearable device or any other computing device which is capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. Also, the user device may contain at least one input means configured to receive an input from at least one of a transceiver unit, a processing unit, a storage unit, a detection unit and any other such unit(s) which are required to implement the features of the present disclosure.

[0036] As used herein, “storage unit” or “memory unit” refers to a machine or computer-readable medium including any mechanism for storing information in a form readable by a computer or similar machine. For example, a computer-readable medium includes read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices or other types of machine-accessible storage media. The storage unit stores at least the data that may be required by one or more units of the system to perform their respective functions.

[0037] As used herein “interface” or “user interface refers to a shared boundary across which two or more separate components of a system exchange information or data. The interface may also be referred to a set of rules or protocols that define communication or interaction of one or more modules or one or more units with each other, which also includes the methods, functions, or procedures that may be called.

[0038] All modules, units, components used herein, unless explicitly excluded herein, may be software modules or hardware processors, the processors being a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array circuits (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuits, etc.

[0039] As used herein the transceiver unit includes at least one receiver and at least one transmitter configured respectively for receiving and transmitting data, signals, information or a combination thereof between units / components within the system and / or connected with the system.

[0040] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions for performing handover using Xn interface have several shortcomings. The handover fails if the Xn interface is down at the target base station when the source base station tries to establish the interface. The present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing method and system of performing handover in a wireless communication network.

[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of 5th generation core (5GC) network architecture, in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the 5GC network architecture

[0100] includes a user equipment (UE)

[0102] , a radio access network (RAN)

[0104] , an access and mobility management function (AMF)

[0106] , a Session Management Function (SMF)

[0108] , a Service Communication Proxy (SCP)

[0110] , an Authentication Server Function (AUSF)

[0112] , a Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF)

[0114] , a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF)

[0116] , a Network Exposure Function (NEF)

[0118] , a Network Repository Function (NRF)

[0120] , a Policy Control Function (PCF)

[0122] , a Unified Data Management (UDM)

[0124] , an application function (AF)

[0126] , a User Plane Function (UPF)

[0128] , a data network (DN)

[0130] , wherein all the components are assumed to be connected to each other in a manner as obvious to the person skilled in the art for implementing features of the present disclosure.

[0042] Radio Access Network (RAN)

[0104] is the part of a mobile telecommunications system that connects user equipment (UE)

[0102] to the core network (CN) and provides access to different types of networks (e.g., 5G network). It consists of radio base stations such as but not limited to RAN 1 and RAN 2 which represent source base station (source gNB) and target base station (target gNB) respectively, connected to the AMF

[0106] via the N2 / Ng interface which supports control plane signalling between RANI, RAN2 and 5G core for UE context management. It is to be noted that N2 or Ng interface have been used interchangeably and bear the same meaning when it comes to carrying out the present disclosure in the exemplary embodiment. It is further noted that the handover of the UE

[0102] from RAN 1 (the source base station) to RAN 2 (the target base station) via the Ng interface (second interface) is based on the detection of failure of the handover of the UE

[0102] between the source base station and the target base station via the Xn interface (first interface).

[0043] It is further noted that the description for rest of the components of the 5GC network architecture as shown in FIG. 1, such as AMF

[0106] , SMF

[0108] , SCP

[0110] , AUSF

[0112] ,NSSAAF

[0114] , NSSF

[0116] , NEF

[0118] , NRF

[0120] , PCF

[0122] , UDM

[0124] , AF

[0126] , UPF

[0128] , DN

[0130] of a conventional 5G network architecture are obvious to a person skilled in the art.

[0044] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device

[0200] (also referred to herein as a computer system

[0200] ) upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. In an implementation, the computing device

[0200] may also implement a method for performing handover in a wireless communication network utilising the system. In another implementation, the computing device

[0200] itself implements the method for performing handover in a wireless communication network using one or more units configured within the computing device

[0200] , wherein said one or more units are capable of implementing the features as disclosed in the present disclosure.

[0045] The computing device

[0200] may include a bus

[0202] or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardware processor

[0204] coupled with bus

[0202] for processing information. The hardware processor

[0204] may be, for example, a general-purpose microprocessor. The computing device

[0200] may also include a main memory

[0206] , such as a random-access memory (RAM), or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus

[0202] for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor

[0204] , The main memory

[0206] also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of the instructions to be executed by the processor

[0204] , Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media accessible to the processor

[0204] , render the computing device

[0200] into a special-purpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions. The computing device

[0200] further includes a read only memory (ROM)

[0208] or other static storage device coupled to the bus

[0202] for storing static information and instructions for the processor

[0204] ,

[0046] A storage device

[0210] , such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or solid-state drive is provided and coupled to the bus

[0202] for storing information and instructions. The computing device

[0200] may be coupled via the bus

[0202] to a display

[0212] , such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), Liquid crystal Display (LCD), Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, Organic LED (OLED) display, etc. for displaying information to a computer user. An input device

[0214] , including alphanumeric and other keys, touch screen input means, etc. may be coupled to the bus

[0202] for communicating information and command selections to the processor

[0204] , Another type of userinput device may be a cursor controller

[0216] , such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys, for communicating direction information and command selections to the processor

[0204] , and for controlling cursor movement on the display

[0212] , This input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allow the device to specify positions in a plane.

[0047] The computing device

[0200] may implement the techniques described herein using customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware and / or program logic which in combination with the computing device

[0200] causes or programs the computing device

[0200] to be a special-purpose machine. According to one implementation, the techniques herein are performed by the computing device

[0200] in response to the processor

[0204] executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in the main memory

[0206] , Such instructions may be read into the main memory

[0206] from another storage medium, such as the storage device

[0210] , Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in the main memory

[0206] causes the processor

[0204] to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative implementations of the present disclosure, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions.

[0048] The computing device

[0200] also may include a communication interface

[0218] coupled to the bus

[0202] , The communication interface

[0218] provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link

[0220] that is connected to a local network

[0222] , For example, the communication interface

[0218] may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, the communication interface

[0218] may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, the communication interface

[0218] sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

[0049] The computing device

[0200] can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), the network link

[0220] and the communication interface

[0218] , In the Internet example, a server

[0230] might transmit a requested code for an application program through the Internet

[0228] , the ISP

[0226] , the host

[0224] the local network

[0222] and the communication interface

[0218] , The received code may be executed by the processor

[0204] as it is received, and / or stored in the storage device

[0210] , or other non-volatile storage for later execution.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of a system

[0300] for performing handover in a wireless communication network, is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The system

[0300] comprises at least one identification unit

[0302] , at least one first interface [305f], at least one second interface [305s], at least one transceiver unit

[0306] and at least one handover manager unit

[0307] , Also, all the components / units of the system

[0300] are assumed to be connected to each other unless otherwise indicated below. As shown in the FIG. 3, all units shown within the system should also be assumed to be connected to each other. Also, in FIG. 3 only a few units are shown, however, the system

[0300] may comprise multiple such units or the system

[0300] may comprise any such numbers of said units, as required to implement the features of the present disclosure. Further, in an implementation, the system

[0300] may be present in a user device to implement the features of the present disclosure. The system

[0300] may be a part of the user device / or may be independent of but in communication with the user device [(may also referred herein as a user equipment (UE)

[0303] , In another implementation, the system

[0300] may reside in a source base station [304s], In another implementation, the system

[0300] may reside in a target base station [304t], In another implementation, the system

[0300] may reside in a server or a network entity. In yet another implementation, the system

[0300] may reside partly in the server / network entity and partly in the user equipment

[0303] ,

[0051] Further, in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be acknowledged that the functionality described for the various the components / units can be implemented interchangeably. While specific embodiments may disclose a particular functionality of these units for clarity, it is recognized that various configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the disclosure. The functionality of specific units as disclosed in the disclosure should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Consequently, alternative arrangements and substitutions of units, provided they achieve the intended functionality described herein, are considered to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0052] The system

[0300] is configured for performing handover in a wireless communication network, with the help of the interconnection between the components / units of the system

[0300] , In another implementation of the present disclosure, the system

[0300] is configured for enhancing the user experience during mobility of the UE

[0303] ,

[0053] The identification unit

[0302] is configured to identify, the first interface [305f between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t],

[0054] The transceiver unit

[0306] connected to at least the identification unit

[0302] , the transceiver unit

[0306] is configured to transmit, a handover request for the UE

[0303] from the source base station [304s] to the target base station [304t] based on a measurement report received at the source base station [304s] from the UE

[0303] , The transceiver unit

[0306] is further configured to receive, at the source base station [304s], a handover response from the target base station [304t] based on the handover request for the UE

[0303] ,

[0055] The handover manager unit

[0307] connected to at least the transceiver unit

[0306] and the identification unit

[0302] , the handover manager unit

[0307] is configured to detect a failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f based on the handover response. The handover manger unit

[0307] is further configured to perform the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via a second interface [305s] based at least on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] .

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the source base station [304s] is a source next-generation Node Base station (source gNB) from which the handover of the UE

[0303] is to be done and the target base station [304t] is a target next-generation Node Base station (target gNB) to which the handover of the UE

[0303] is to be done.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first interface [305f] is an Xn interface, and the second interface [305s] is a Ng interface.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the handover manager unit

[0307] is further configured to detect, a failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f] and the second interface [305s], It is to be noted that the failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] may include but not limited to network congestion, interference, inaccurate configuration parameters, or the user equipment issues. In an embodiment, it may include the first interface (preferably Xn interface) being available, but the connection for performing the handover between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] is still not correctly established. The handover managerunit

[0307] is further configured to blacklist, the target base station [304t] for a pre-defined time period based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f] and the second interface [305s],

[0059] In one such exemplary embodiment, the handover manager unit

[0307] may associate the target base station [304t] with a first timer, where, when the first timer expires, the target base station [304t] which was blacklisted, may now be available for a handover process. In such exemplary embodiment, at the first timer expiration, the handover manager unit

[0307] may reset the first timer.

[0060] In another exemplary embodiment, the first timer may have a timer value of two (2) minutes, although the first timer value is purely implementation dependent (other implementations may have different time values, and / or dynamically assign timer values based on certain prevailing UE

[0303] and / or network conditions, applications in use, etc.)

[0061] In another exemplary embodiment, the first timer may be a configurable timer, which can be configured by a service provider.

[0062] Therefore, based on the blacklisting of the target base station [304t], the handover manager unit

[0307] is further configured to stop, the handover of the UE

[0303] and one or more other UEs

[0303] to the target base station [304t] for the pre-defined time period.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the handover manager unit

[0307] is configured to perform the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the second interface [305s], based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f for more than a predefined number of times.

[0064] In one such exemplary embodiment, the handover manager unit

[0307] may associate a second timer with each failed attempt of handover to the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] . When the second timer reaches a pre-defined threshold for the number of failed attempts of handover of the UE to the target base station [304t], the handover manager unit

[0307] performs the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target basestation [304t] via the second interface [305s], In such exemplary embodiment, at the second timer expiration, the handover manager unit

[0307] may reset the second timer.

[0065] In another exemplary embodiment, the second timer may have a pre-defined threshold of four (4) failed attempts, although the threshold value is purely implementation dependent (other implementations may have different threshold values, and / or dynamically assign timer values based on certain prevailing UE

[0303] and / or network conditions, applications in use, etc.)

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the system

[0300] is configured to perform successful handover via Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) through another interface Ng, when there is any issue observed with Xn interface between gNBs i.e., the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t],

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, during the handover when Xn interface is established from the source base station [304s] but down from the target base station [304t], causing failure in handover, then the system

[0300] allows the UE

[0303] to perform handover via the Ng interface when there is any informalities in Xn interface connection.

[0068] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the system

[0300] allows the UE

[0303] to do handover via the Ng interface when the first handover via the Xn interface fails due to any cause like cell not available.

[0069] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, if the handover failure persists on both the Ng and Xn interfaces, then the system

[0300] automatically blacklists the target base station for certain duration and does not allow any handover attempts on the impacted target base station.

[0070] It is pertinent to note that the system

[0300] is capable of implementing the features that are obvious to a person skilled in the art in light of the disclosure as disclosed above and the implementation of the system

[0300] is not limited to the above disclosure.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram

[0400] for performing handover in a wireless communication network, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation the method

[0400] is performed by the system

[0300] , Further, in an implementation, the system

[0300] may be present in a server device to implementthe features of the present disclosure. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the method

[0400] starts at step

[0402] ,

[0072] At step

[0404] , the method

[0400] comprises identifying, by an identification unit

[0302] , a first interface [305f] between a source base station [304s] and a target base station [304t], In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in the method, the source base station [304s] is a source next-generation Node Base station (source gNB) from which the handover of the UE

[0303] is to be done and the target base station [304t] is a target next-generation Node Base station (target gNB) to which the handover of a user equipment (UE)

[0303] is to be done.

[0073] At step

[0406] , the method

[0400] comprises transmitting, by a transceiver unit

[0306] , a handover request for the UE

[0303] from the source base station [304s] to the target base station [304t] based on a measurement report received at the source base station [304s] from the UE

[0303] ,

[0074] At step

[0408] , the method

[0400] comprises receiving, via the transceiver unit

[0306] at the source base station [304s], a handover response from the target base station [304t] based on the handover request for the UE

[0303] ,

[0075] At step

[0410] , the method

[0400] comprises detecting, by a handover manager unit

[0307] , a failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f] based on the handover response. It is to be noted that the failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] may include but not limited to network congestion, interference, inaccurate configuration parameters, or the user equipment issues. In an embodiment, it may include the first interface (preferably Xn interface) being available, but the connection for performing the handover between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] is still not correctly established.

[0076] At step

[0412] , the method

[0400] comprises performing, by the handover manager unit

[0307] , the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via a second interface [305s] based at least on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] .

[0077] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the method

[0400] also comprises detecting, by the handover manager unit

[0307] , the failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] betweenthe source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f and the second interface [305s], The method

[0400] also comprises blacklisting, by the handover manager unit

[0307] , the target base station [304t] for a pre-defined time period based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] and the second interface [305s],

[0078] In one such exemplary embodiment, the handover manager unit

[0307] may associate the target base station [304t] with a first timer, where, when the first timer expires, the target base station [304t] which was blacklisted, may now be available for a handover process. In such exemplary embodiment, at the first timer expiration, the handover manager unit

[0307] may reset the first timer.

[0079] In another exemplary embodiment, the first timer may have a timer value of two (2) minutes, although the first timer value is purely implementation dependent (other implementations may have different time values, and / or dynamically assign timer values based on certain prevailing UE

[0303] and / or network conditions, applications in use, etc.

[0080] In another exemplary embodiment, the first timer may be a configurable timer, which can be configured by a service provider.

[0081] And, the method

[0400] also comprises stopping, by the handover manager unit

[0307] , the handover of the UE

[0303] and one or more other UEs

[0303] to the target base station [304t] for the pre-defined time period based on the blacklisting.

[0082] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in the method

[0400] , the performing, by the handover manager unit

[0307] , the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the second interface [305s], is further based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] for more than a predefined number of times.

[0083] In one such exemplary embodiment, the handover manager unit

[0307] may associate a second timer with each failed attempt of handover to the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] . When the second timer reaches a pre-defined threshold for the number of failed attempts of handover of the UE to the target base station [304t], the handover manager unit

[0307] performs the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the second interface [305s], In such exemplary embodiment, at the second timer expiration, the handover manager unit

[0307] may reset the second timer.

[0084] In another exemplary embodiment, the second timer may have a pre-defined threshold of four (4) failed attempts, although the threshold value is purely implementation dependent (other implementations may have different threshold values, and / or dynamically assign timer values based on certain prevailing UE

[0303] and / or network conditions, applications in use, etc.

[0085] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, in the method, the first interface [305f] is an Xn interface, and the second interface [305s] is a Ng interface.

[0086] Thereafter, the method

[0400] terminates at step

[0414] ,

[0087] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary flow diagram

[0500] , for performing intelligent handover for enhancing the user experience during mobility, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0088] As shown in flow diagram

[0500] , at step

[0502] , a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection is established between a user equipment (UE) and the SgNB (i.e., the source gNB / source base station from where handover is to occur).

[0089] At step

[0504] , the Xn interface is established between the SgNB and the TgNB (i.e., the target gNB / target base station).

[0090] At steps

[0506] and

[0508] , the UE prepares the measurement report, and the handover request is sent from SgNB to TgNB. Thereafter, at step

[0510] , the SgNB receives the handover response from the TgNB.

[0091] At step

[0512] the Xn interface is used for establishing the connection for handover from the one end of the SgNB to the TgNB. But the Xn interface being down from another end i.e., the TgNB, the present disclosure performs the intelligent handover via an AMF with the help of the Ng / N2 interface. The SgNB then uses the Ng / N2 interface via the AMF.

[0092] At step

[0514] , the AMF establishes the connection with the TgNB with the help of another Ng / N2 interface i.e., the interface between the AMF and the TgNB.

[0093] At step

[0516] , the TgNB establishes the connection with the AMF which confirms the passage for handover to the SgNB.

[0094] At step

[0518] , the SgNB receives alternative path for performing handover to the TgNB with the help of the AMF via the Ng / N2 interface and therefore attempts to perform handover.

[0095] At step

[0520] , the handover from the SgNB to the TgNB takes place.

[0096] The present disclosure also encompasses, automatically blacklisting the target base station for a certain duration and not allow any hand over attempts on impacted target base station if the hand over failure persists for a pre-defined number of times on its interface during processing of handover request.

[0097] This way, the present disclosure performs intelligent handover process to evaluate the failure and the cause of failure and makes intelligent decision to perform successful handover.

[0098] Referring to FIG. 6, an exemplary method flow diagram

[0600] , for blacklisting a target base station when the handover fails on both the interfaces, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation, the method

[0600] is performed by the system

[0300] , As shown in Fig. 6, the method

[0600] starts at step

[0602] ,

[0099] At step

[0604] , the method

[0600] as disclosed by the present disclosure comprises detecting a failure of the handover of the UE between the source base station and the target base station via both the Xn and the Ng interfaces.

[0100] Next, at step

[0606] , the method

[0600] as disclosed by the present disclosure, comprises blacklisting the target base station for a pre-defined duration and not allow any handover attempts to the impacted target base station for the pre-defined duration. The duration for which the target base station is blacklisted is configurable and may be set by the administrator user of the system

[0300] ,

[0101] Thereafter, the method terminates at step

[0608] ,

[0102] The present disclosure further discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for performing handover in a wireless communication network, the instructions include executable code which, when executed by a one or more units of a system, causes: an identification unit

[0302] to identify, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection between a user equipment (UE)

[0303] and a source base station [304s] and to identify, a first interface [305f] between the source base station [304s] and a target base station [304t]; a transceiver unit

[0306] to transmit, a handover request for the UE

[0303] from the source base station [304s] to the target base station [304t] based on a measurement report received at the source base station [304s] from the UE

[0303] , and to receive, at the source base station [304s], a handover response from the target base station [304t] based on the handover request for the UE

[0303] ; a handover manager unit

[0307] configured to detect a failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f] based on the handover response, and to perform the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via a second interface [305s] based at least on the detection of failure of the handover of the UE

[0303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] .

[0103] The present disclosure further discloses a User Equipment (UE)

[0303] in a wireless communication network. The UE

[0303] comprises a transceiver unit

[0306] which is configured to send a request to the system

[0300] for performing the handover from a source base station [304s] to a target base station [304t], The transceiver unit

[0306] is further configured to transmit a measurement report to the source base station [304s], The UE

[0303] is then handed off to the target base station [304t] based on a handover response received from the system

[0300] , It is to be noted that the handoff between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] happens via at least one of an Xn interface and a Ng interface.

[0104] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically advanced solution for performing handover in a wireless communication network. The present solution thus enhances user experience during mobility. The present disclosure performs reliable handover procedure when Xn interface is down at any end on either side of gNB. Furthermore, the present disclosure performs quick handover whenever required after triggering the measurement configuration for enhancing the user experience by handling the mobility scenario efficiently. This helps the UE

[0303] to perform quick handover in the scenario where handover is getting stuck or fails due to some uncertain reasons.

[0105] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed implementations, it will be appreciated that many implementations can be made and that many changes can be made to the implementations without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. These and other changes in the implementations of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, whereby it is to be understood that the foregoing descriptive matter to be implemented is illustrative and non-limiting.

[0106] Further, in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be acknowledged that the functionality described for the various components / units can be implemented interchangeably.While specific embodiments may disclose a particular functionality of these units for clarity, it is recognized that various configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the disclosure. The functionality of specific units as disclosed in the disclosure should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Consequently, alternative arrangements and substitutions of units, provided they achieve the intended functionality described herein, are considered to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method [400] for performing handover in a wireless communication network, the method [400] comprising: identifying, by an identification unit [302], a first interface [305f] between a source base station [304s] and a target base station [304t]; transmitting, by a transceiver unit [306], a handover request for a user equipment (UE) [303] from the source base station [304s] to the target base station [304t] based on a measurement report received at the source base station [304s] from the UE [303]; receiving, via the transceiver unit [306] at the source base station [304s], a handover response from the target base station [304t] based on the handover request for the UE [303]; detecting, by a handover manager unit [307], a failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f based on the handover response; and performing, by the handover manager unit [307], the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via a second interface [305 s] based at least on the detection of failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f],2. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source base station [304s] is a source next-generation Node Base station (source gNB) from which the handover of the UE [303] is to be done and the target base station [304t] is a target next-generation Node Base station (target gNB) to which the handover of the UE [303] is to be done.

3. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of: the first interface [305f] is an Xn interface, and the second interface [305s] is a Ng interface.

4. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1, the method [400] further comprises: detecting, by the handover manager unit [307], a failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] and the second interface [305s], blacklisting, by the handover manager unit [307], the target base station [304t] for a pre-defined time period based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] and the second interface [305s], andstopping, by the handover manager unit [307], the handover of the UE [303] and one or more other UEs [303] to the target base station [304t] for the pre-defined time period based on the blacklisting.

5. The method [400] as claimed in claim 1 wherein the performing, by the handover manager unit [307], the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the second interface [305s], is further based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] for more than a predefined number of times.

6. A system [300] for performing handover in a wireless communication network, the system [300] comprising: an identification unit [302], configured to: o identify, a first interface [305f] between a source base station [304s] and a target base station [304t]; a transceiver unit [306] connected at least to the identification unit [302], the transceiver unit [306] configured to: o transmit, a handover request for a user equipment (UE) [303] from the source base station [304s] to the target base station [304t] based on a measurement report received at the source base station [304s] from the UE [303], and o receive, at the source base station [304s], a handover response from the target base station [304t] based on the handover request for the UE [303]; and a handover manager unit [307] connected at least to the transceiver unit [306] and the identification unit [302], the handover manager unit [307] configured to: o detect a failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f based on the handover response, and o perform the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via a second interface [305s] based at least on the detection of failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] .

7. The system [300] as claimed in claim 6, wherein the source base station [304s] is a source next-generation Node B (source gNB) from which the handover of the UE [303] is to be done and the target base station [304t] is a target next-generation Node B (target gNB) to which the handover of the UE [303] is to be done.

8. The system [300] as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first interface [305f] is an Xn interface, and the second interface [305s] is a Ng interface.

9. The system [300] as claimed in claim 6, wherein the handover manager unit [307] is further configured to: detect, a failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f] and the second interface [305s], blacklist, the target base station [304t] for a pre-defined time period based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f] and the second interface [305s], and stop, the handover of the UE [303] and one or more other UEs [303] to the target base station [304t] for the pre-defined time period based on the blacklisting.

10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 6 wherein the handover manager unit [307] is configured to perform the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the second interface [305s], is further based on the detection of the failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] for more than a predefined number of times.

11. A User Equipment (UE) [303] in a wireless communication network, the UE [303] comprising: a transceiver unit [306], wherein the transceiver unit [306] is configured to: o send a request to a system [300] for performing handover from a source base station [304s] to a target base station [304t], and o transmit a measurement report to the source base station [304s], wherein the UE [303] is handed off to the target base station [304t] based on a handover response received from the system [300], wherein the handoff between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] happens via at least one of an Xn interface and a Ng interface.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instruction for performing handover in a wireless communication network, the storage medium comprising executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system [300], causes: an identification unit [302] to: o identify, a first interface [305f] between a source base station [304s] and a target base station [304t]; a transceiver unit [306] connected at least to the identification unit [302], to:o transmit, a handover request for a user equipment (UE) [303] from the source base station [304s] to the target base station [304t] based on a measurement report received at the source base station [304s] from the UE [303], and o receive, at the source base station [304s], a handover response from the target base station [304t] based on the handover request for the UE [303]; and a handover manager unit [307] connected at least to the transceiver unit [306] and the identification unit [302], to: o detect a failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t], via the first interface [305f based on the handover response, and o perform the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via a second interface [305s] based at least on the detection of failure of the handover of the UE [303] between the source base station [304s] and the target base station [304t] via the first interface [305f] .

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