Ambiguous Small Cell Handover via Pre-configured Common Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing handover processes between macro and small cell networks, particularly in identifying and configuring appropriate small cell access points for seamless user equipment relocation, leading to sub-optimal usage of network resources and increased handover failures.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a method to determine and prepare potential target small cell access points by using geolocation information, neighbor lists, and Radio Environment Measurements, and manages physical channel configuration to optimize handover processes, ensuring efficient resource allocation and reduced handover failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system uses traditional handover methods with ambiguous small cell access points, then the handover process can be initiated, but handover failures increase and network resources are wasted due to inability to properly identify and configure target cells
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring common channels at potential target small cell access points before handover is initiated. The network device identifies multiple potential target cells in advance and prepares their channels to receive handover requests, ensuring that when handover occurs, the target cells are ready to accept the user equipment without failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The network device acts as an intermediary between the source macro radio and potential target small cell access points. It encodes target cell identities with source macro cell identifiers and sub-carrier identifiers, then distributes this information to appropriate small cells, enabling them to properly receive and process handover requests from user equipment.
2Measurement precision
If the system encodes target cell identity with source macro cell identifier and sub-carrier identifier, then proper target cell identification is achieved, but the complexity of managing and distributing this encoded information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The encoded target cell identity serves multiple functions simultaneously: it identifies the specific target small cell access point, links back to the source macro cell for context, and includes sub-carrier identifier for frequency coordination. This multi-functional encoding simplifies the overall information management by consolidating what would otherwise require separate data structures and management procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
An example method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request to relocate a user equipment (UE) from a source macro radio to an ambiguous small cell access point (AP), wherein the request includes a target cell identity (ID) encoded with a source macro cell identifier for the source macro radio and a target sub-carrier identifier for the ambiguous small cell AP; determining potential target small cell APs for relocation of the first UE using the using the first target cell ID, wherein each of the potential target small cell APs are within a coverage area of the source macro radio and operate using the target sub-carrier identifier; and preparing, for each of the potential target small cell APs, a common channel to receive relocation of the first UE. The first UE can relocate to a particular target small cell access point using the common channel.