Asymmetrical Blanking for Multi-Connectivity Measurement Gaps
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, especially in dual connectivity scenarios, existing methods for acquiring system information from target cells using autonomous measurement gaps can lead to unpredictable impacts on other connections due to misaligned subframe boundaries and differing timing advances, resulting in inefficient and asymmetrical blanking across multi-connectivity connections.
Innovation Solution
A wireless device applies asymmetrical blanking to its multi-connectivity connections when acquiring system information for a target cell, allowing for differential acknowledgment/non-acknowledgment signaling, which can be triggered and configured by the network or the device itself, to account for timing misalignments and prioritize connections based on signal timing differences and service requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If autonomous measurement gaps are used for acquiring system information from target cells, then system information acquisition is enabled, but unpredictable impacts on other multi-connectivity connections occur due to misaligned subframe boundaries and differing timing advances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the multi-connectivity connections into different groups (first group and second group) with different blanking behaviors. The first group of connections is blanked during measurement gaps, while the second group continues transmission. This segmentation allows the system to acquire system information from target cells while maintaining stability in critical connections, resolving the contradiction between information acquisition and connection reliability.
2Device complexity
If symmetrical blanking is applied to all multi-connectivity connections during measurement gaps, then measurement simplicity is maintained, but inefficiency occurs due to unnecessary interruption of connections with aligned subframe boundaries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different blanking configurations to different groups of connections based on their specific characteristics. Connections with misaligned subframe boundaries (first group) are blanked, while connections with aligned boundaries (second group) are not blanked. This local differentiation optimizes throughput by avoiding unnecessary interruptions, while the grouping mechanism keeps the configuration complexity manageable.
3Reliability
If measurement gaps are extended to ensure complete system information acquisition, then measurement reliability is improved, but connection interruption duration increases reducing overall network throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial blanking to only the first group of connections that require interruption for measurement completeness, while the second group of connections continues without interruption. This partial action ensures that system information acquisition is completed reliably through the first group's blanking, while the second group maintains throughput, thereby reducing overall connection interruption duration.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect of the teachings herein, a wireless device operating in a multi-connectivity configuration with respect to an associated wireless communication network applies asymmetrical blanking to two or more of its multi-connectivity connections in conjunction with acquiring system information for a target cell during one or more measurement gaps. “Blanking” as used here implies an interruption in downlink reception, or an interruption in uplink transmission, or both, and arises as a consequence of the measurement gaps used by a wireless device to make measurements on target-cell signals. Asymmetrical blanking results in, for example, the wireless device sending more or less acknowledgment/non-acknowledgment, ACK/NACK, signaling on one of the connections relative to another one of the connections, when acquiring the target-cell system information. In some embodiments, asymmetrical blanking is triggered and/or configured by the network, while in other embodiments it is triggered and/or configured by the wireless device.