Base Station Paging Method Using Cell-Level Assistance Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), existing paging methods transmit paging messages to all tracking areas, leading to a higher burden on base stations and waste of air interface resources, as the paging scope is defined per Tracking Area Identity (TAI), which may include multiple cells and base stations, resulting in inefficient terminal paging.
Innovation Solution
A paging method where a base station receives assistance data indicating a reduced paging scope and number of paging attempts, allowing it to transmit the paging message to specific cells or base stations where the target terminal lastly connected, and adjust the number of attempts based on coverage enhancement levels, thereby improving paging efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If paging messages are transmitted to all tracking areas, then the paging coverage is ensured, but the signaling burden on base stations increases and air interface resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the paging scope from the tracking area level down to the cell level. Instead of paging all cells in a tracking area, the MME determines and indicates specific target cells where the terminal is most likely located. This segmentation allows selective paging in specific cells rather than blanket paging across the entire tracking area, reducing signaling burden while maintaining reliable paging coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making the paging scope specific and localized to particular cells identified in the assistance data, rather than uniformly paging all cells in the tracking area. The MME provides cell-level location information, and the base station transmits paging messages only in those specific cells, optimizing resource usage while ensuring the terminal is reached.
2Ease of operation
If paging scope is defined per Tracking Area Identity (TAI), then the paging process is simple, but multiple cells and base stations are involved leading to inefficient terminal paging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the paging scope from tracking area level to cell level by utilizing assistance data that contains specific cell identifiers. The MME determines the target cell based on terminal location information and indicates it to the base station. This allows the paging process to remain simple in terms of message structure while dramatically improving efficiency by concentrating paging efforts in the specific cell where the terminal is most likely present.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the MME pre-determine and include target cell information in the assistance data before the base station transmits the paging message. This preliminary identification of the target cell allows the base station to immediately know where to page the terminal, eliminating the need to page multiple cells and improving paging efficiency without complicating the base station's operation.
3Reliability
If paging messages are transmitted to multiple base stations, then the paging coverage is expanded, but the resource waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the paging scope to identify and page only in the specific target cell where the terminal is most likely located, rather than paging across multiple base stations. The assistance data contains cell-level location information that enables this precise segmentation, reducing air interface resource waste while maintaining reliable paging coverage in the identified target cell.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating paging resources in the specific target cell identified through assistance data, rather than distributing paging messages across multiple base stations. This localized approach ensures energy-efficient resource usage by transmitting paging messages only where the terminal is most likely present, while still achieving reliable coverage through accurate location-based targeting.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed in the present application are a paging method and a base station. In the technical solution of the present application, the base station receives a paging message sent by a MME, the paging message carrying auxiliary information, the auxiliary information being used for indicating a paging range and/or paging times, and the paging range comprising a cell and/or base station recommended to a target terminal of the paging message; and the base station sends the paging message according to the auxiliary information.