Base Station Neighbour Identification via User Equipment Intermediary

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cellular systems lack the ability for a base station to identify and directly contact neighboring base stations with overlapping radio coverage, which is essential for handover measurements in dynamic cell environments where downlink reference signals are insufficient.

Innovation Solution

A method where a base station sends a request to a user equipment to send an identification requesting message to a neighboring base station, allowing the base station to receive a neighboring base station identifier and establish direct communication for handover measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional handover measurements based on downlink pilot signals are used, then user equipment can measure signal strength and quality, but the base station cannot identify or directly contact neighboring base stations for handover measurements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover measurement capabilityVSAvoidbase station identification mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The user equipment acts as an intermediary to enable base station identification. The serving base station sends a request to the user equipment, which then forwards an identification requesting message to the neighboring base station. This intermediary approach allows the serving base station to discover neighboring base stations without requiring direct broadcast mechanisms or complex identification systems at the base station level.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If base stations continuously broadcast their identifiers, then neighboring base stations can be identified, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneighboring base station identifier availabilityVSAvoidbase station energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous broadcasting, base stations respond to identification requests periodically or on-demand. The serving base station initiates identification by sending a request through the user equipment, and the neighboring base station responds when queried. This periodic, event-driven approach maintains information availability while significantly reducing continuous energy consumption compared to constant broadcasting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses existing user equipment communications for identification purposes. The user equipment, already engaged in serving users, inadvertently facilitates base station identification by forwarding messages between base stations. This self-service mechanism leverages existing infrastructure and traffic patterns to achieve identification without requiring dedicated identification infrastructure or continuous base station broadcasting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If downlink reference signals are used for handover measurements, then user equipment can perform measurements, but dynamic cell environments require additional uplink measurements from neighboring base stations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover measurement flexibilityVSAvoidmeasurement system configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The serving base station performs preliminary identification of neighboring base stations by sending identification requests through user equipment before handover measurements are needed. This preliminary action establishes the identification mechanism in advance, allowing the system to transition smoothly to uplink measurement mode without requiring complex real-time configuration changes when handover becomes necessary.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9992720B2Methods and arrangements for identifying a neighbouring base station

Publication Date: 2018.06.05 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A method in a base station (110) for enabling the base station (110) to identify a neighboring base station (120) is provided. A request is being sent (303) to a user equipment (130), commanding it to send an identification requesting message to the neighboring base station (120). In response to reception of the sent identification requesting message, a neighboring base station identifier that is associated with and identifies the neighboring base station (120), is received (303). Thereby the base station (110) is enabled to identify the neighboring base station (120). By receipt of the neighboring base station identifier, the base station becomes aware of and is enabled to contact, or connect with, the neighboring base station more directly, without the need of doing it through the user equipment. This can be done at some later point in time, for example in order to request the neighboring base station to perform handover measurements with regard to the same or another user equipment.