Detection of Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) Confusion During Secondary Node (SN) Change Procedures in Wireless Networks

Abstract

An embodiment of the present disclosure discloses a first secondary node element (203-1) for detecting physical cell identifier (PCI) confusion during a secondary node (SN) change procedure. The first secondary node element (203-1) receives secondary cell group (SCG) failure information from a UE (201) during handover from the first secondary node element (203-1) to a second secondary node element (203-2), indicating that the cause of the handover failure is a random access channel failure. The first secondary node element (203-1) recognizes, based on the cause, that the failure is due to PCI confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element (203-2) within a predetermined period of a timer configured in a primary node element (202) for maintaining the UE (201) context in the first secondary node element (203-1). The first secondary node element (203-1) performs a mitigation action during a subsequent handover from a secondary node element to a secondary node element for a UE in the wireless network when the PCI of one of the secondary node elements is the same as the recognized PCI.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of wireless communication networks. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to detecting Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) confusion during Secondary Node (SN) change procedures in a wireless network.

Background Art

[0002] Wireless communication networks such as Fifth Generation (5G) networks have a wide range of applications and services due to their various advantages such as faster speeds and reduced latency. 5G networks are constantly evolving, and new technologies are being implemented to provide 5G networks on the fly. One such technology is 5G New Radio Evolved-Universal Terrestrial Radio Access-New Radio (E-UTRAN) Dual Connectivity (5G NR EN-DC). 5G NR EN-DC enables a User Equipment (UE) to exchange data between itself and a 5G NR base station while being simultaneously connected to a Long Term Evolution (LTE) / Fourth Generation (4G) base station. Interworking between the LTE and 5G NR base stations is established. 5G NR EN-DC enables the UE to utilize the advantages of both technologies, such as higher speeds and increased bandwidth.

[0003] In 5G NR EN-DC, LTE node elements act as anchor / master node elements, and the UE performs initial registration with the master node element. 5G NR node elements act as secondary node elements associated with the master node element and communicate with the UE through the master node element. Therefore, the UE connects to both the master node element and the secondary node element to communicate across the network. Generally, it may be necessary to change the secondary node element for various reasons, such as insufficient network conditions for the current secondary node element. This is called a secondary node change procedure (SN change procedure), in which a handover is performed from the current secondary node element to another secondary node element in the network. However, various types of failures can occur during the SN change procedure. Therefore, in order to efficiently assist in handovers that improve the user experience, it is necessary to detect such failures and take the necessary actions.

[0004] The information contained in the background art section of this disclosure is intended solely to enhance the understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be construed as an endorsement or any suggestion of forming prior art already known to those skilled in the art. [Overview of the project]

[0005] One embodiment of the present disclosure discloses a first secondary node element. The first secondary node element comprises a processor and memory. The processor is configured to receive Secondary Cell Group (SCG) failure information from a user device (UE) via the primary node element during a UE handover from the first secondary node element to a second secondary node element. The SCG failure information indicates that the cause of the handover failure is a Random Access Channel (RACH) failure. Furthermore, the processor is configured to recognize, based on the cause, that the failure is due to a physical cell identifier (PCI) confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element. The processor recognizes that the failure is due to PCI confusion within a predetermined period related to a timer configured in the primary node element to maintain the context of the UE in the first secondary node element. The processor is then configured to perform a mitigation action for one of several UEs in the wireless network during a subsequent handover from a first secondary node element to one of the multiple secondary node elements, when one of the PCIs of several secondary node elements is the same as the recognized PCI.

[0006] One embodiment of the present disclosure discloses a primary node element. The primary node element comprises a processor and memory. The processor configures a timer to maintain the context of the user equipment (UE) in the first secondary node element for a predetermined period during a UE handover from a first secondary node element to a second secondary node element. Furthermore, the processor receives secondary cell group (SCG) failure information from the UE. The SCG failure information indicates that the cause of the handover failure is a random access channel (RACH) failure. Furthermore, the processor transmits the SCG failure information to the first secondary node element. The first secondary node element recognizes that the failure is due to physical cell identifier (PCI) confusion and uses the SCG failure information to perform mitigation actions during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element to one of the multiple secondary node elements for one of a plurality of UEs in the wireless network.

[0007] One embodiment of the present disclosure discloses a method. The method includes receiving secondary cell group (SCG) failure information from a user device (UE) via a primary node element during a UE handover from a first secondary node element to a second secondary node element. The SCG failure information indicates the cause of the handover failure as a random access channel (RACH) failure. The method further includes recognizing, based on the cause, that the failure is due to a physical cell identifier (PCI) confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element. The failure is recognized within a predetermined period related to a timer configured in the primary node element to maintain the context of the UE in the first secondary node element. The method then includes performing mitigation actions during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element to one of the multiple secondary node elements for one of a multiple UEs in a wireless network, when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements is the same as the recognized PCI.

[0008] One embodiment of the present disclosure discloses a non-transient computer-readable medium. The non-transient computer-readable medium includes instructions for performing operations, which include receiving secondary cell group (SCG) failure information from a user device (UE) via the primary node element during a handover of a UE from a first secondary node element to a second secondary node element. The SCG failure information indicates the cause of the handover failure as a random access channel (RACH) failure. Furthermore, the operations include, based on the cause, recognizing that the failure is due to a physical cell identifier (PCI) confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element. The failure is recognized within a predetermined period related to a timer configured in the primary node element to maintain the context of the UE in the first secondary node element. The operations then include performing mitigation operations during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element to one of the multiple secondary node elements for one of a multiple UEs in a wireless network, when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements is the same as the recognized PCI.

[0009] The above-described summary of the invention is illustrative and not intended to be limiting. In addition to the exemplary aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by referring to the drawings and the following detailed description.

[0010] Novel features and characteristics of this disclosure are described in the appended claims. However, the disclosure itself, as well as its preferred uses, further purposes, and advantages, are best understood by referring to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the appended drawings. Hereinafter, one or more embodiments are described merely as examples with reference to the appended drawings in which the same reference numerals represent the same elements. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1A]This shows the 5G New Radio Evolved-Universal Terrestrial Radio Access-New Radio (E-UTRAN) Dual connectivity (5G NR EN-DC) architecture.

[0012] [Figure 1B] This shows the conventional procedure for changing secondary nodes (SNs).

[0013] [Figure 2] This disclosure provides an exemplary environment for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0014] [Figure 3] A detailed diagram of a first secondary node element for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, is shown.

[0015] [Figure 4A] The following is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 4B] The following is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0016] [Figure 5] The diagram shows a primary node element for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0017] [Figure 6A] An exemplary flowchart illustrating method steps for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, is shown.

[0018] [Figure 6B] An exemplary diagram for detecting PCI confusion during the SN change procedure in the network within the Centralized Unit (CU) is shown.

[0019] [Figure 7] A block diagram of a general - purpose computing system for detecting PCI confusion during the SN change procedure in a wireless network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] It should be recognized by those skilled in the art that any block diagram in this specification represents a conceptual diagram of an exemplary system embodying the principles of the present subject matter. Similarly, any flowchart, flow diagram, state - transition diagram, pseudocode, etc., also represents various processes that can be substantially represented on a computer - readable medium and executed by a computer or a processor, regardless of whether a computer or a processor is explicitly shown.

[0021] In this specification, the word "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration". None of the embodiments or implementations of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" should necessarily be construed as more preferable or advantageous than other embodiments.

[0022] The present disclosure can accept various modifications, changes, and alternative forms. However, its specific embodiments are shown in the drawings as examples and will be described in detail below. It is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the specific forms disclosed. On the contrary, it should be understood that the present disclosure encompasses all modifications, changes, equivalents, and alternatives (substitutions) within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0023] The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof are intended to be non-exclusive inclusions (which may include matters other than those listed), so that a setup, device, or method comprising a list of components or steps may include not only those components or steps but also other components or steps not expressly enumerated or specific to such setup, device, or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus following “comprises” does not, without further constraint, exclude the presence of other or additional elements in the system or apparatus.

[0024] Figure 1A shows the 5G New Radio Evolved-Universal Terrestrial Radio Access-New Radio (E-UTRAN) Dual connectivity (5G NR EN-DC) architecture. 5G NR EN-DC enables user equipment (UE) to exchange data between itself and 5G node elements, along with simultaneous connectivity with Long-Term Evolution (LTE) node elements. Interworking exists between LTE node elements and 5G node elements. As shown in Figure 1A, the 5G NR EN-DC architecture includes an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) or core network (shown as including a Mobility Management Entity (MME) / Serving Gateway (SGW)), multiple Evolved Node B (eNB) or LTE node elements, and multiple NR eNB (en-gNB) or 5G node elements. In 5G NR EN-DC, eNBs are also called master node elements. The master node element provides control plane connectivity to the core network; that is, the master node element communicates data and control information with the core network. The en-gNB is called a secondary node element. Secondary node elements do not have control plane connectivity to the core network. Secondary node elements provide additional resources required by the UE. The UE is connected to an eNB acting as a master node (MN) and an en-gNB acting as a secondary node (SN). The eNB is connected to the EPC via the S1 interface and to an en-gNB via the X2 interface. The en-gNB is connected to the EPC via the S1-U interface and to other en-gNBs via the X2-U interface.

[0025] Generally, the SN connected to the UE may need to be changed for various reasons, such as insufficient network conditions at the current SN. The procedure performed to change from the current SN to another SN in a wireless network is called a secondary node (SN) change procedure. A handover from the current SN to another SN is performed in the wireless network. Figure 1B shows a conventional SN change procedure. In Figure 1B, the current SN is shown as the source SN (S-SN), and the other SN that needs to be handovered is shown as the target SN (T-SN). The conventional SN change procedure can be briefly described as follows: In step 1, the S-SN determines whether an SN change is necessary based on the measurement report received from the UE. For example, the measurement report may indicate insufficient network conditions at the S-SN. The S-SN requests an SN change from the MN. The MN initiates the SN change procedure with the T-SN and performs Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration with the T-SN in steps 2-7. Next, the UE performs a random access procedure in step 8, after which the bearer is modified to connect the UE to the T-SN. The UE context stored in the S-SN is released to complete the handover from the S-SN to the T-SN. Conventional SN change procedures are well known in the art and will not be described in detail.

[0026] During the SN change procedure described above, handover failures from S-SN to T-SN can occur for various reasons. One reason may include confusion of new wireless physical cell identifiers (NR-PCI confusion) (also referred to as PCI confusion in this description). PCI confusion occurs when two adjacent cells of the same or different en-gNBs are associated with the same physical cell identifier (PCI). PCI is the identification information of a cell at the physical layer. Due to PCI confusion, the handover may be triggered toward the wrong en-gNB. For example, there may be one or more en-gNBs that have the same PCI as the en-gNB indicated by the UE to perform the handover. This leads to a handover failure. Conventional SN change procedures do not detect such PCI confusion. Therefore, the S-SN does not recognize that the failure is due to PCI confusion. Consequently, the S-SN cannot perform any mitigation actions to avoid such failures during future handovers from S-SN to T-SN. This disclosure provides a secondary node element that has the ability to detect that a failure is caused by PCI confusion and to perform mitigation actions to avoid such failures during future handovers of UEs in a wireless network.

[0027] Figure 2 shows an exemplary environment 200 for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary environment 200 includes a user device (UE) 201, a primary node element 202, and a plurality of secondary node elements 203-1, 203-2, ..., 203-N (collectively referred to as the plurality of secondary node elements 203). UE 201 is configured to connect via a wireless network including the primary node element 202 and the plurality of secondary node elements 203. Examples of UE 201 include, but are not limited to, any device used by a user to communicate and / or access content. Any device may be, for example, a mobile phone, smartphone, laptop computer, wearable device, and IoT (Internet of Things) device. UE 201 connects to the primary node element 202. The primary node element 202 (also called an eNB) may be an LTE or fourth-generation (4G) node element. The primary node element 202 provides control plane connectivity to the core network; that is, the primary node element 202 communicates data and control information with the core network. The primary node element 202 is also called the master node element. Furthermore, the UE 201 is connected to one of a plurality of secondary node elements 203. Each of the plurality of secondary node elements 203 is a 5G node element. The plurality of secondary node elements 203 do not have control plane connectivity to the core network. The plurality of secondary node elements 203 provide additional resources required by the UE 201. The plurality of secondary node elements 203 form a secondary cell group (SCG) in the wireless network. In this disclosure, the secondary node element connected to the UE 201 is referred to as the first secondary node element 203-1. During the SN change procedure, the first secondary node element 203-1 and the UE 201 may communicate with each other via the primary node element 202.

[0028] In this disclosure, a first secondary node element 203-1 is configured to detect PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network. Connected to a UE201, the first secondary node element 203-1 may determine that an SN change is necessary based on measurement reports received from the UE201. Thus, the first secondary node element 203-1 may initiate an SN change procedure for a handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to another secondary node element (referred to herein as a second secondary node element 203-2). The first secondary node element 203-1 receives SCG failure information indicating a failure of the handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2. In this disclosure, the SCG failure information indicates the cause of the handover failure as a Random Access Channel (RACH) failure. This helps the first secondary node element 203-1 recognize that the failure may be due to PCI confusion. PCI confusion occurs when two adjacent cells or en-gNBs are associated with the same physical cell identifier (PCI). PCI is the identification information for a cell at the physical layer.

[0029] In this disclosure, a timer is configured in the primary node element 202. The first secondary node element 203-1 recognizes within a predetermined period associated with the timer that the failure is due to PCI confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-2. The timer ensures that the context of UE 201 is maintained until the first secondary node element 203-1 recognizes the failure. The first secondary node element 203-1 stores the PCI related to the PCI confusion, thereby enabling mitigation operations to be performed during subsequent handovers in the wireless network. Thus, this disclosure enables the first secondary node element 203-1 to perform mitigation operations during subsequent handovers from the first secondary node element (203-1) to one of the secondary node elements 203, for a UE in a wireless network, when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 is the same as the recognized PCI.

[0030] Figure 3 shows a detail diagram of a first secondary node element 203-1 for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The first secondary node element 203-1 may include an input / output (I / O) interface 301, a memory 302, and a central processing unit (also called a CPU or processor 303). In some embodiments, the memory 302 may be communicatively coupled (connected) to the processor 303. The memory 302 stores instructions that can be executed by the processor 303. The processor 303 may include at least one data processor for executing program components for performing requests generated by a user or system. The memory 302 may be communicatively coupled (connected) to the processor 303. The memory 302 stores instructions that can be executed by the processor 303, which, at runtime, cause the processor 303 to detect PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network. The I / O interface 301 is coupled (connected) to a processor 303 that communicates input signals and / or output signals. For example, SCG failure information may be received from the primary node element 202 via the I / O interface 301. In one embodiment, the first secondary node element 203-1 can be implemented in various computing systems such as servers, network servers, and cloud-based servers.

[0031] In one embodiment, the memory 302 may include one or more modules 305 and data 304. One or more modules 305 may be configured to use the data 304 to perform the steps of the disclosure in order to detect PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network. In one embodiment, each of the one or more modules 305 may be a hardware unit located outside the memory 302 and which can be coupled (connected) to a first secondary node element 203-1. As used herein, the term module 305 refers to an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Programmable System-on-Chip (PSoC), a combinational logic circuit, and / or other suitable component that provides the functionality described. When one or more modules 305 are configured to have the functionality described as defined herein, they result in novel hardware.

[0032] In one embodiment, module 305 may include, for example, an input module 310, a failure recognition module 311, a mitigation module 312, and other modules 313. Such aforementioned modules may be represented as a single module or a combination of different modules. In one embodiment, data 304 may include, for example, input data 306, failure data 307, mitigation data 308, and other data 309.

[0033] In one embodiment, the input module 310 may be configured to receive SCG failure information from the UE 201 via the primary node element 202. The input module 310 may receive SCG failure information when a handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2 fails. Here, initially, one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 may be identified by the UE 201 to perform the handover. The secondary node element may be identified based on one or more network parameters associated with each of the multiple secondary node elements 203. For example, the secondary node element with the highest signal strength among the multiple secondary elements 203 may be identified. The first secondary node element 203-1 may initiate a handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2.

[0034] A random access procedure may be performed by UE201 for a handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2, which may fail for various reasons. Next, input module 310 may receive SCG failure information from UE201. In this disclosure, input module 310 may receive SCG failure information indicating the cause of the failure as a RACH failure. A RACH failure indicates that the UE is unable to synchronize with the wireless network. Referring to Figure 4A, an SN change procedure according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. In steps 1 and 2, an SN change is initiated. In step 10, a random access failure is notified when the handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2 is performed, as shown in steps 3-9. In step 11, UE201 transmits SCG failure information indicating the cause of the failure as a RACH failure to the primary node element 202. In step 12, the input module 310 receives SCG failure information from the primary node element 202. Referring back to Figure 3, the SCG failure information indicating a RACH failure may be stored in memory 302 as input data 306. Embodiments of this disclosure enable the first secondary node element 203-1 to receive the SCG failure along with the cause of the failure as a RACH failure, which helps in detecting the failure.

[0035] In one embodiment, the failure recognition module 311 may be configured to receive input data 306 from the input module 310. Furthermore, the failure recognition module 311 may be configured to recognize that the failure is due to PCI confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-1. The failure recognition module 311 may determine that the SCG failure information indicates the cause of the failure as a RACH failure. The cause of the failure as a RACH failure provides the failure recognition module 311 with the instruction (information) that the failure is due to PCI confusion. Thus, based on the cause, the failure recognition module 311 may recognize that the failure is due to PCI confusion. In one embodiment, the failure recognition module 311 may be configured to recognize that the failure is due to PCI confusion within a predetermined period related to a timer. The timer may be configured in the primary node element 202 to maintain the context of UE201. In one embodiment, the timer may be configured when the SgNB reconfiguration process is completed. In conventional SN change procedures, the context of UE201 is released before the random access procedure by UE201 is completed. This disclosure enables the configuration of a timer on the primary node element 202 for holding the context of UE201. The failure recognition module 311 may be configured to recognize failures within a predetermined period to ensure that failures are recognized before the context of UE201 is released. In one example, the predetermined period may be in the range of 100ms to 5000ms.

[0036] In one embodiment, the failure recognition module 311 may be configured to record PCI confusion for the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-2 in the Neighbor Relation Table (NRT) of the first secondary node element 203-1. The NRT maintains a list of neighboring cells along with identifiers such as the PCI and Cell Global Identifier (CGI) of the neighboring cells. Referring back to Figure 4A, the failure recognition module 311 updates the NRT (SCG Failure PCI Information List) with the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-2. In steps 14 and 15, the SgNB release procedure and UE context release are performed after the failure is recognized. Referring back to Figure 3, in one example, we assume that the UE generates a measurement report and indicates gNB1, which has PCI as "2", as the target secondary node element. However, due to PCI confusion, gNB3 may be associated with the same PCI, i.e., "2". In such a case, the first secondary node element 203-1 may identify gNB3 as the second secondary node element 203-2, resulting in a failure. The failure recognition module 311 may record in the NRT that the two PCIs are related to PCI confusion. Data relating to the failure recognition may be stored in memory 302 as failure data 307. Embodiments of the present disclosure enable the recognition that a failure is caused by PCI confusion, which helps to avoid such failures for future handovers. Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure enable the configuration of a timer in the primary node element 202 to ensure that the failure is recognized as PCI confusion before the context of UE201 is released. Embodiments of the present disclosure also ensure that such PCIs are recorded in the NRT so that necessary actions can be taken when PCIs related to PCI confusion are seen during a future handover.

[0037] In one embodiment, the mitigation module 312 may be configured to receive failure data 307 from the failure recognition module 311. Furthermore, the mitigation module 312 may be configured to perform mitigation operations during a subsequent handover from a first secondary node element 203-1 to one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 for one of a plurality of UEs in a wireless network. When a request for a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to one or more secondary node elements 203 is received, the mitigation module 312 may determine (determine) the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements 203. The mitigation module 312 may determine (determine) that the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 is the same as the recognized PCI.

[0038] In such a case, the mitigation module 312 may request a Cell Global Identifier (CGI) from one of the multiple UEs to perform a subsequent handover because the PCI is related to PCI confusion. Typically, CGIs are used to globally identify cells in a network. The mitigation module 312 may receive the CGI from one of the multiple UEs via the primary node element 202. Furthermore, once the mitigation module 312 receives a response from one of the multiple UEs, it may compare the received CGI with the CGI associated with the suspected PCI. If the received CGI is different from the CGI associated with the suspected PCI, the mitigation module 312 may detect that the failure is due to PCI confusion. Referring to Figure 4B, the handover is initiated in step 401, indicated by the code 401. The failure is recognized, and in step 402, indicated by the code 402, the same PCI associated with the suspected or confirmed PCI is recorded. The failure is detected as PCI confusion by receiving a CGI from UE201 in step 403, indicated using reference numeral 403. Embodiments of the present disclosure enable the detection of PCI confusion by receiving a CGI from one of a plurality of UEs. This improves the performance of the wireless network because the detection of PCI confusion allows mitigation actions to be taken to avoid failures during future handovers. As a result, this improves the quality of service to end users.

[0039] Referring back to Figure 3, in one embodiment, the mitigation module 312 may be configured to perform mitigation operations during a subsequent handover of one of the multiple UEs. Here, the mitigation module 312 may request a CGI from one of the multiple UEs via the primary node element 202 to perform the subsequent handover. Next, the mitigation module 312 may identify the secondary node element corresponding to the CGI from among the multiple secondary node elements 203. Furthermore, the mitigation module 312 may perform the subsequent handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the secondary node element. Thus, in this disclosure, when a future handover request related to a recognized PCI is received, the CGI is received from one of the multiple UEs to directly identify the actual secondary node element, since the PCI is related to PCI confusion.

[0040] Other data 309 may store data including temporary data and temporary files generated by one or more modules 305 for performing various functions of the first secondary node element 203-1. Other data 309 may be stored in memory 302. One or more modules 305 may also include other modules 313 for performing various diverse functions of the first secondary node element 203-1.

[0041] Figure 5 shows a diagram of a primary node element 202 for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The primary node element 202 may include an input / output (I / O) interface 501, a memory 502, and a central processing unit (also called a CPU or processor 503). In some embodiments, the memory 502 may be communicatively coupled (connected) to the processor 503. The memory 502 stores instructions that can be executed by the processor 503. The processor 503 may include at least one data processor for executing program components to perform requests generated by a user or system. The memory 502 may be communicatively coupled (connected) to the processor 503. The memory 502 stores instructions that can be executed by the processor 503. When executed, these instructions can cause the processor 503 to detect PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network. The I / O interface 501 is coupled (connected) to the processor 503 for communicating input signals and / or output signals. For example, SCG failure information may be transmitted to the first secondary node element 203-1 via the I / O interface 501. In one embodiment, the primary node element 202 may be implemented in various computing systems such as servers, network servers, and cloud-based servers.

[0042] In one embodiment, the primary node element 202 may configure a timer to retain the context of UE201 in the first secondary node element 203-1 for a predetermined period during the handover of UE201 from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2. In one embodiment, the timer may be configured when the SgNB reconfiguration process is complete. In conventional SN change procedures, the context of UE201 is released before the random access procedure by UE201 is completed. This disclosure enables the configuration of a timer in the primary node element 202 to retain the context of UE201 in the first secondary node element 203-1 in order to recognize and avoid failures during future handovers.

[0043] Furthermore, the primary node element 202 may be configured to receive SCG failure information from UE201. The SCG failure information indicates the cause of the handover failure as a Random Access Channel (RACH) failure. Embodiments of this disclosure enable the first secondary node element 203-1 to receive the SCG failure along with the cause of the failure as a RACH failure, which helps in detecting the failure.

[0044] Next, the primary node element 202 may transmit SCG failure information to the first secondary node element 203-1. The first secondary node element 203-1 uses the SCG failure information to recognize, within a predetermined period, that the failure is due to PCI confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element (203-2). Furthermore, when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 is the same as the recognized PCI, the first secondary node element 203-1 performs mitigation actions during the subsequent handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to one of the multiple secondary node elements 203. Embodiments of this disclosure ensure that failures are detected and avoided in a timely manner during the SN change procedure, which improves the user experience.

[0045] In one embodiment, the primary node element 202 is configured to send a request to one of several UEs for a Cell Global Identifier (CGI) received from the first secondary node element 203-1. In this disclosure, the CGI is received from UE 201 to help detect that the failure is due to PCI confusion and to perform a subsequent handover.

[0046] In one embodiment, the primary node element 202 is configured to send a message to the first secondary node element 203-1 indicating (instructing) to release the context of UE201 after a predetermined period of time. Embodiments of this disclosure allow for delaying the message sent from the primary node element 202 to the first secondary node element 203-1 over a predetermined period of time related to a timer, in order to enable recognition that the failure is due to PCI confusion.

[0047] Figure 6A shows an exemplary flowchart illustrating method steps for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 6A, Method 600 may comprise one or more steps. Method 600 can be described in the general context of computer executable instructions. Generally, computer executable instructions may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, procedures, modules, and functions that perform a particular function or implement a particular abstract data type.

[0048] The order in which Method 600 is described is not intended to be construed as limiting, and any number of described Method blocks can be combined in any order to carry out the Method. Furthermore, individual blocks may be removed from the Method as long as they do not deviate from the scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, the Method can be carried out (implemented) with any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof.

[0049] In step 601, SCG failure information may be received from UE201 via primary node element 202. SCG failure information may be received when the handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2 fails. UE201 may perform a random access procedure for the handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2, which may fail for various reasons. Next, SCG failure information may be received from UE201. The SCG failure information may indicate the cause of the failure as a RACH failure.

[0050] In step 602, a failure due to PCI confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-1 may be recognized. The failure may be recognized based on the cause of the failure as the RACH failure. The cause of the failure as the RACH failure provides an indication (information) that the failure is due to PCI confusion. In one embodiment, the failure may be recognized within a predetermined period related to a timer. In one embodiment, the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-2 may be recorded in the NRT of the first secondary node element 203-1 for PCI confusion.

[0051] In step 603, mitigation operations may be performed during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 for one of the multiple UEs in the wireless network. When a subsequent handover request is made from the first secondary node element 203-1 to one or more secondary node elements 203, the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 may be determined to be the same as the recognized PCI. Next, a request for a CGI may be sent to one of the multiple UEs. Upon receiving a response from one of the multiple UEs, the CGI associated with the recognized PCI may be compared to the received CGI. If the received CGI is different from the CGI associated with the recognized PCI, the failure may be detected as being due to PCI confusion. Also, the secondary node element corresponding to the CGI may be identified from among the multiple secondary node elements 203. Furthermore, a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to another secondary node element may be performed.

[0052] Figure 6B shows an illustrative diagram for detecting PCI confusion during an SN change procedure in a centralized unit (CU) network. As illustrated, the S-SN recognizes that the failure is due to PCI confusion and therefore records the PCI so that mitigation actions can be performed during a future handover.

[0053] Computer system Figure 7 shows a block diagram of an exemplary computer system 700 for carrying out embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the computer system 700 may be used to implement a first secondary node element 203-1. In one embodiment, the computer system 700 may receive SCG failure information from a primary node element 202 via a communication network 709. The computer system 700 may comprise a central processing unit 702 (also called a CPU or processor). The processor 702 may comprise at least one data processor. The processor 702 may include specialized processing units such as an integrated system (bus) controller, a memory management control unit, a floating-point unit, a graphics processing unit, and a digital signal processing unit.

[0054] The processor 702 may be configured to communicate with one or more input / output (I / O) devices (not shown) via the I / O interface 701. The I / O interface 701 can use communication protocols / methods such as audio, analog, digital, mono, RCA, stereo, IEEE 1394, serial bus, universal serial bus (USB), infrared, PS / 2, BNC, coaxial, component, composite, digital visual interface (DVI), high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI®), radio frequency (RF) antenna, S-video, VGA, IEEE 802.n / b / g / n / x, Bluetooth, and cellular (e.g., code-division multiple access (CDMA), high-speed packet access (HSPA+), global system for mobile communications (GSM), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), or WiMAX, etc.), but is not limited to these.

[0055] Using the I / O interface 701, the computer system 700 can communicate with one or more I / O devices. For example, input devices 710 may include antennas, keyboards, mice, joysticks, (infrared) remote controls, cameras, card readers, fax machines, dongles, biometric readers, microphones, touchscreens, touchpads, trackballs, styluses, scanners, storage devices, transceivers, video devices / sources, sensors, etc. Output devices 711 may include printers, fax machines, video displays (e.g., cathode ray tubes (CRTs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), plasma displays, plasma display panels (PDPs), or organic light-emitting diode displays (OLEDs), etc.), audio speakers, etc.

[0056] The processor 702 may be configured to communicate with the communication network 709 via the network interface 703. The network interface 703 may communicate with the communication network 709. The network interface 703 may use connection protocols including, but not limited to, direct connection, Ethernet (e.g., twisted-pair 10 / 100 / 1000-base-T), transmission control protocol / internet protocol (TCP / IP), token ring, IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / x, etc. The communication network 709 may include, but is not limited to, direct interconnection, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), wireless network (e.g., using wireless application protocols), the internet, etc. The network interface 703 can use connection protocols including, but not limited to, direct connection, Ethernet (e.g., twisted-pair 10 / 100 / 1000-base T), Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Token Ring, IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / x, Bluetooth mesh, and Zigbee.

[0057] The communication network 709 includes, but is not limited to, direct interconnects, e-commerce networks, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), wireless networks (e.g., using wireless application protocols), the Internet, and Wi-Fi. The first and second networks may be either dedicated or shared networks representing a federation of different types of networks communicating with each other using various protocols, such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), and Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). Furthermore, the first and second networks may include various network devices, such as routers, bridges, servers, computing devices, and storage devices.

[0058] In some embodiments, the processor 702 may be configured to communicate with memory 705 (e.g., RAM, ROM, etc., not shown in Figure 7) via a storage interface 704. The storage interface 704 may connect to memory 705, including but not limited to memory drives, removable disk drives, etc., using connection protocols such as serial advanced technology attachment (SATA), Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE), IEEE 1394, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Fibre Channel, and Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI). The memory drive may further include drums, magnetic disk drives, magneto-optical drives, optical drives, Redundant Array of Independent Discs (RAID), solid-state memory devices, solid-state drives, etc.

[0059] Memory 705 may store a set of program or database components, including but not limited to a user interface 706, an operating system 707, and a web browser 708. In some embodiments, the computer system 700 may store user / application data, such as data, variables, and records, as described in this disclosure. Such a database may be implemented as a fault-tolerant, relational, scalable, and secure database, such as Oracle® or Sybase®.

[0060] Operating System 707 can assist in the resource management and operation of Computer System 700. Examples of operating systems include, but are not limited to, APPLE MACINTOSH® OS X, UNIX®, UNIX-like system distributions (e.g., BERKELEY SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION® (BSD), FREEBSD®, NETBSD®, OPENBSD®, etc.), LINUX DISTRIBUTIONS® (e.g., RED HAT®, UBUNTU®, KUBUNTU®, etc.), IBM® OS / 2, MICROSOFT® WINDOWS® (XP®, VIST® / 7 / 8, 10, etc.), APPLE® IOS®, GOOGLE® ANDROID®, or BLACKBERRY® OS.

[0061] In some embodiments, the computer system 700 may implement a stored program component, the web browser 708. The web browser 708 may implement hypertext browsing applications, such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer® and Google® Chrome. TM0This may include MOZILLA® FIREFOX®, APPLE® SAFARI®, etc. Secure web browsing may be provided using Secure Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTPS), Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), etc. The web browser 708 may utilize functions such as AJAX®, DHTML®, ADOBE® FLASH®, JAVASCRIPT®, JAVA®, and Application Programming Interface (API). In some embodiments, the computer system 700 may implement a stored program component of a mail server (not shown). The mail server may be an Internet mail server such as Microsoft Exchange. The mail server may utilize functions such as ASP(trademark), ACTIVEX(trademark), ANSI(trademark) C++ / C#, MICROSOFT(registered trademark) .NET(trademark), CGI SCRIPTS(trademark), JAVA(trademark), JAVASCRIPPT(trademark), PERL(trademark), PHP(trademark), PYTHON(registered trademark), and WEBOBJECTS(trademark). The mail server may utilize communication protocols such as Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI), MICROSOFT(registered trademark) exchange, Post Office Protocol (POP), or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). In some embodiments, the computer system 700 may implement program components stored by the mail client.The email client (not shown) may be an email viewing application such as APPLE® MAIL®, MICROSOFT® ENTOURAGE®, MICROSOFT® OUTLOOK®, or MOZILLA® THUNDERBIRD®.

[0062] Furthermore, one or more computer-readable storage media may be used when carrying out embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Computer-readable storage media refers to any type of physical memory in which information or data readable by a processor can be stored. Thus, computer-readable storage media may store instructions for execution by one or more processors, including instructions for causing a processor to perform steps or stages consistent with the embodiments described herein. The term “computer-readable media” should be understood to include tangible articles and exclude carrier waves and transient signals, i.e., non-transient. Examples include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), volatile memory, non-volatile memory, hard drives, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital video discs (DVD), flash drives, disks, and any other known physical storage media.

[0063] Furthermore, one or more computer-readable storage media may be used when carrying out embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. Computer-readable storage media refers to any type of physical memory in which information or data readable by a processor can be stored. Thus, computer-readable storage media may store instructions for execution by one or more processors, including instructions for causing a processor to perform steps or stages consistent with the embodiments described herein. The term “computer-readable media” should be understood to include tangible articles and exclude carrier waves and transient signals, i.e., non-transient. Examples include random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), volatile memory, non-volatile memory, hard drives, CD (Compact Disc) ROMs, DVDs, flash drives, disks, and any other known physical storage media.

[0064] In one embodiment, a first secondary node element 203-1 is disclosed. The first secondary node element 203-1 comprises a processor 303 and memory 302. The processor is configured to receive SCG failure information from UE201 via the primary node element 202 during the handover of UE201 from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2. The SCG failure information indicates the cause of the handover failure as a RACH failure. Furthermore, the first secondary node element 203-1 recognizes, based on the cause, that the failure is due to PCI confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-2, within a predetermined period related to a timer configured in the primary node element 202 to maintain the context of UE201 in the first secondary node element 203-1. Subsequently, the first secondary node element 203-1 performs mitigation operations during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to one of the secondary node elements 203 for one of the multiple secondary node elements 203, when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 is the same as the recognized PCI.

[0065] In one embodiment, the processor 303 is configured to request a CGI from one of the multiple UEs to perform a subsequent handover when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 is the same as the recognized PCI. Furthermore, upon receiving a response from one of the multiple UEs, the processor 303 is configured to compare the received CGI with the CGI associated with the recognized PCI. Furthermore, the processor 303 is configured to detect, based on the comparison, that the failure is due to PCI confusion.

[0066] In one embodiment, the processor 303 is configured to perform mitigation operations during a subsequent handover of one of the multiple UEs by requesting a CGI from one of the multiple UEs via the primary node element 202. Furthermore, the processor 303 is configured to identify the secondary node element corresponding to the CGI from among the multiple secondary node elements 203. Furthermore, the processor 303 is configured to perform a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the secondary node element.

[0067] In one embodiment, when the processor 303 recognizes that the failure is due to PCI confusion, it is configured to record the PCI confusion for the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-2 to the NRT of the first secondary node element 203-1.

[0068] In one embodiment, a primary node element 202 is disclosed. The primary node element comprises a processor 503 and memory 502. The processor configures a timer to maintain the context of UE201 in the first secondary node element 203-1 for a predetermined period during the handover of UE201 from the first secondary node element 203-1 to the second secondary node element 203-2. Furthermore, the processor is configured to receive SCG failure information from UE201. The SCG failure information indicates the cause of the handover failure as a Random Access Channel (RACH) failure. Furthermore, the processor is configured to transmit the SCG failure information to the first secondary node element 203-1. The first secondary node element 203-1 recognizes within a predetermined period that the failure is due to PCI confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-2, and uses the SCG failure information to perform mitigation actions during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to one of the secondary node elements 203 for one of the multiple UEs in the wireless network, when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements 203 is the same as the recognized PCI.

[0069] In one embodiment, a method is disclosed. The method includes receiving SCG failure information from UE201 via the primary node element 202 during a handover of UE201 from a first secondary node element 203-1 to a second secondary node element 203-2. The SCG failure information indicates the cause of the handover failure as a RACH failure. Furthermore, the method includes recognizing, based on the cause, that the failure is due to PCI confusion related to the PCI of the second secondary node element 203-2, within a predetermined period related to a timer configured in the primary node element 202 to maintain the context of UE201 in the first secondary node element 203-1. Furthermore, the method includes performing mitigation operations during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element 203-1 to one of the secondary node elements 203 for one of a plurality of UEs in a wireless network, when the PCI of one of the plurality of secondary node elements 203 is the same as the recognized PCI.

[0070] The terms “an embodiment,” “embodiment,” “embodiments,” “the embodiment,” “the embodiments,” “one or more embodiments,” “some embodiments,” and “one embodiment” mean “one or more embodiments of the present invention (but not all).”

[0071] The terms “including,” “equipped with,” and “having,” and their variations, mean “including, but not limited to,” unless otherwise specified.

[0072] A list of things does not imply that any one or all of them are mutually exclusive unless otherwise specified. The terms "a," "an," and "the" mean "one or more" unless otherwise specified.

[0073] The description of embodiments having several components that communicate with one another does not imply that all such components are necessary. Rather, various optional components are described in order to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present invention.

[0074] When a single device or article is described herein, it is readily apparent that one or more devices / articles (whether they work together or not) may be used instead of the single device / article. Similarly, when one or more devices or articles are described herein (whether they work together or not), it is readily apparent that a single device / article may be used instead of the one or more devices or articles, or a different number of devices / articles may be used instead of the number of devices or programs shown. The functions and / or features of a device may, alternatively, be embodied by one or more other devices not expressly described as having such functions / features. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention do not necessarily have to include the device itself.

[0075] The operations illustrated in Figure 6 illustrate specific events occurring in a particular order. In alternative embodiments, the specific operations may be performed in a different order, modified, or omitted. Furthermore, additional steps may be added to the logic (methods, operations, steps) described above, and in this case too, the embodiments described above can be adapted. Moreover, the operations described herein may be performed sequentially, or specific operations may be processed in parallel. Furthermore, the operations may be performed by a single processing unit or a distributed processing unit.

[0076] Finally, the language used herein has been selected primarily for readability and teaching purposes and may not be selected to describe or limit the subject matter of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is intended to be limited not by this detailed description but by the claims filed pursuant to this specification. Accordingly, the disclosure of embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative of, and not limiting, the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

[0077] While various aspects and embodiments are disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting, and the true scope is indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. The first secondary node element (203-1), A memory (302) configured to store instructions that can be executed by the processor (303), The system comprises the processor (303), the processor (303) executing the instructions stored in the memory (302), and thereby the first secondary node element (203-1), During the handover of user equipment (UE) (201) from the first secondary node element (203-1) to the second secondary node element (203-2), secondary cell group (SCG) failure information is received from the UE (201) via the primary node element (202), and the SCG failure information indicates that the cause of the handover failure is a random access channel (RACH) failure. Within a predetermined period related to a timer configured in the primary node element (202) to maintain the context of the UE (201) in the first secondary node element (203-1), based on the cause, it is recognized that the failure is due to confusion of physical cell identifiers (PCI) related to the PCI of the second secondary node element (203-2), When the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements (203) is the same as the recognized PCI, a mitigation operation is performed for one of the multiple UEs in the wireless network during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element (203-1) to one of the multiple secondary node elements (203). It is configured in such a way. The first secondary node element (203-1).

2. The processor (303) when the PCI of one of the plurality of secondary node elements (203) is the same as the recognized PCI, The primary node element (202) requests a cell global identifier (CGI) from one of the multiple UEs to perform the subsequent handover. Upon receiving a response from one of the aforementioned multiple UEs, compare the CGI associated with the recognized PCI with the received CGI. Based on the above comparison, it is detected that the failure is due to the PCI confusion. A first secondary node element (203-1) according to claim 1, configured as described above.

3. The processor (303) is configured to perform the mitigation operation during the subsequent handover of one of the plurality of UEs, and the mitigation operation is To request a CGI for executing the subsequent handover from one of the multiple UEs via the primary node element (202), From among the plurality of secondary node elements (203), identify the secondary node element corresponding to the CGI, and Performing the subsequent handover from the first secondary node element (203-1) to the secondary node element, The first secondary node element (203-1) according to claim 1, which is performed by the following:

4. The first secondary node element (203-1) according to claim 1, wherein the processor (303) is configured to record the PCI confusion of the second secondary node element (203-2) to the PCI in the adjacency relation table (NRT) of the first secondary node element (203-1) when it recognizes that the failure is due to the PCI confusion.

5. The primary node element (202) is, A memory (502) configured to store instructions that can be executed by the processor (503), The system comprises the processor (503), the processor (503) executes the instructions stored in the memory (502), and thereby the primary node element (202), During the handover of a user device (UE) (201) from a first secondary node element (203-1) to a second secondary node element (203-2), a timer is configured to maintain the context of the UE (201) in the first secondary node element (203-1) for a predetermined period of time. The UE (201) receives secondary cell group (SCG) failure information, and the SCG failure information indicates that the cause of the handover failure is a random access channel (RACH) failure. The system is configured to transmit the SCG failure information to the first secondary node element (203-1), The first secondary node element (203-1) uses the SCG failure information to recognize within the predetermined period that the failure is due to confusion of physical cell identifiers (PCIs) related to the PCI of the second secondary node element (203-2), and further uses the SCG failure information to perform mitigation actions during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element (203-1) to the second secondary node element (203) for one of the multiple secondary node elements (203) when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements (203) is the same as the recognized PCI. Primary node element (202).

6. The primary node element (202) according to claim 5, wherein the processor (503) is configured to send a request for a cell global identifier (CGI) received from the first secondary node element (203-1) to one of the plurality of UEs.

7. The primary node element (202) according to claim 5, wherein the processor (503) is configured to send a message to the first secondary node element (203-1) indicating that the context of the UE (201) should be released after a predetermined period of time.

8. It is a method, The first secondary node element (203-1) includes the step of receiving secondary cell group (SCG) failure information from the UE (201) via the primary node element (202) during the handover of the user equipment (UE) (201) from the first secondary node element (203-1) to the second secondary node element (203-2), wherein the SCG failure information indicates that the cause of the handover failure is a random access channel (RACH) failure. The aforementioned method, The first secondary node element (203-1) recognizes, within a predetermined period related to a timer configured in the primary node element (202) to maintain the context of the UE (201) in the first secondary node element (203-1), that the failure is due to confusion of physical cell identifiers (PCI) related to the PCI of the second secondary node element (203-2), based on the cause. The steps include: performing a mitigation operation during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element (203-1) to one of the multiple secondary node elements (203) for one of the multiple UEs in the wireless network, when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements (203) is the same as the recognized PCI; A method that includes this.

9. When the PCI of one of the plurality of secondary node elements (203) is the same as the recognized PCI, the method The steps include requesting a cell global identifier (CGI) for performing the subsequent handover from one of the plurality of UEs via the primary node element (202), Upon receiving a response from one of the aforementioned multiple UEs, the steps include comparing the CGI associated with the recognized PCI with the received CGI, Based on the above comparison, the step of detecting that the failure is caused by the PCI confusion, The method according to claim 8, including the method described in claim 8.

10. The step of performing the mitigation operation during the subsequent handover of one of the plurality of UEs is: The steps include requesting a CGI from one of the plurality of UEs to perform the subsequent handover via the primary node element (202), The steps include identifying the secondary node element corresponding to the CGI from among the plurality of secondary node elements (203), The steps include performing the subsequent handover from the first secondary node element (203-1) to the secondary node element, The method according to claim 8, including the method described in claim 8.

11. If the method recognizes that the failure is caused by PCI confusion, The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of recording the PCI confusion of the second secondary node element (203-2) with respect to the PCI in the adjacency relation table (NRT) of the first secondary node element (203-1).

12. A non-temporary computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing an action, wherein the action is: The process includes the step of receiving secondary cell group (SCG) failure information from the UE (201) via the primary node element (202) during the handover of a user device (UE) (201) from a first secondary node element (203-1) to a second secondary node element (203-2), wherein the SCG failure information indicates that the cause of the handover failure is a random access channel (RACH) failure. The aforementioned operation is, Steps include: within a predetermined period of time related to a timer configured in the primary node element (202) to maintain the context of the UE (201) in the first secondary node element (203-1), recognizing, based on the cause, that the failure is due to confusion of physical cell identifiers (PCI) related to the PCI of the second secondary node element (203-2); The steps include performing a mitigation operation during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element (203-1) to one of the multiple secondary node elements (203) for one of the multiple UEs in the wireless network, when the PCI of one of the multiple secondary node elements (203) is the same as the recognized PCI, Non-temporary computer-readable media, including [specific examples of such media].

13. When the PCI of one of the plurality of secondary node elements (203) is the same as the recognized PCI, The steps include requesting a cell global identifier (CGI) for performing the subsequent handover from one of the plurality of UEs via the primary node element (202), Upon receiving a response from one of the aforementioned multiple UEs, the steps include comparing the CGI associated with the recognized PCI with the received CGI, Based on the above comparison, the step of detecting that the failure is caused by the PCI confusion, The medium according to claim 12, including the following:

14. The step of performing the mitigation operation during the subsequent handover of one of the plurality of UEs is: The steps include requesting a CGI from one of the plurality of UEs to perform the subsequent handover via the primary node element (202), The steps include identifying the secondary node element corresponding to the CGI from among the plurality of secondary node elements (203), The steps include performing the subsequent handover from the first secondary node element (203-1) to the secondary node element, The medium according to claim 12, including the following:

15. If it is determined that the aforementioned failure was caused by the PCI confusion, The medium according to claim 12, comprising the step of recording the PCI confusion of the second secondary node element (203-2) with respect to the PCI in the adjacency relation table (NRT) of the first secondary node element (203-1).

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