Base Station Selection via UL DL Signal Quality Offsets

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Solution Overview

Problem

In LTE and LTE-Advanced systems, user equipment (UE) faces challenges in selecting the optimal base station for transmission and reception due to factors like traffic loading, which existing methods do not adequately address by considering signal quality offsets.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) signal quality offsets for base stations, allowing communication devices to select the best base stations based on these offsets and signal qualities for improved throughput.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If UE selects base station based only on signal quality, then signal quality is improved, but throughput deteriorates due to traffic loading constraints

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal quality measurementVSAvoidthroughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the selection parameter from pure signal quality to a composite metric that includes both signal quality and traffic loading conditions. The network controller adjusts the offset parameter dynamically based on traffic conditions, transforming the base station selection criterion to balance signal quality with network capacity constraints, thereby resolving the contradiction between measuring signal quality accurately and maintaining high throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If network controller adjusts offset frequently to match traffic conditions, then throughput is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The network controller implements periodic adjustment of the offset parameter based on traffic condition changes rather than continuous adjustment. This periodic action allows the system to maintain high throughput by responding to significant traffic variations while reducing signaling overhead by avoiding unnecessary frequent updates during stable traffic conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Productivity

If UE considers multiple factors for base station selection, then throughput is improved, but selection complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidbase station selection complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network controller acts as an intermediary that pre-processes multiple selection factors (signal quality, traffic loading, QoS requirements) and transforms them into a simplified offset parameter. The UE only needs to compare this single offset-adjusted metric across base stations, which maintains throughput optimization while significantly reducing the complexity of the selection process at the UE side.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2775763B1Method of handling selections of base stations
Publication Date: 2018.07.11 ACER INC
  • EP2775763B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2775763B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2775763B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of handling selections of base stations for a network comprises the steps of determining an uplink (UL) offset of a UL signal quality for a UL base station of the network, for a communication device to select the UL base station from a plurality of base stations of the network according to the UL offset and the UL signal quality for performing a transmission to the UL base station; determining a downlink (DL) offset of a DL signal quality for a DL base station of the network, for the communication device to select the DL base station from the plurality of base stations according to the DL offset and the DL signal quality for performing a reception from the DL base station; and transmitting the UL offset and the DL offset to the communication device.