Beam Indication Field for 5G Handover Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G communication networks, the management of beams is primarily handled at physical and MAC layers, making it challenging for higher layers to determine which beam is currently serving a user equipment (UE), which can impact handover procedures, as they lack the necessary beam-level information for optimized mobility optimization.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves collecting and processing beam information during successful and failed handovers, allowing the network to tailor handover procedures by considering the source and target beams, and providing this information to higher layers for improved handover decision-making.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If beam management is handled at physical and MAC layers, then beam switching can be performed quickly, but higher layers lose the ability to determine which beam is serving the UE, impacting handover optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a beam indication field as an intermediary information carrier that bridges the gap between physical layer beam management and higher layer handover decisions. This field conveys beam-level information to the RRC layer without disrupting the fast physical layer beam switching operations, allowing both speed and information availability to coexist.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments beam information into different layers: physical layer handles beam switching operations while the RRC layer receives summarized beam indication information through the beam indication field. This segmentation allows each layer to operate independently at its optimal speed while maintaining necessary information flow.
2Reliability
If beam information is collected and processed during handovers, then handover performance can be optimized, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by collecting only the essential beam indication information rather than all possible beam parameters. This selective information collection optimizes handover reliability while minimizing the complexity increase, as only critical beam identification data is processed rather than complete beam configuration data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the network collects beam information during handovers and uses this feedback to optimize future handover decisions. The beam indication field provides feedback about successful beam selections, enabling the network to learn and improve handover performance over time without requiring complex real-time processing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If higher layers receive beam-level information, then handover decisions can be optimized, but the physical layer beam management becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary beam identification information from the complex physical layer beam management processes and places it in the beam indication field. This extraction allows higher layers to access beam-level information for optimization while keeping the physical layer design relatively simple and unchanged.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimensional layer (RRC layer with beam indication field) that carries beam information independently from the physical layer. This dimensional separation allows handover optimization capabilities to be added without increasing physical layer complexity, as the information is transmitted through a separate control dimension.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for use by a communication element or function configured to communicate in a communication network comprising a plurality of communication cells, the apparatus comprising at least one processing circuitry, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processing circuitry, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processing circuitry, cause the apparatus at least: to execute a handover procedure for changing a communication connection from a source cell currently serving the communication element or function to a target cell; to determine beam information indicating a communication beam of the source cell serving the communication element or function at the time when the handover procedure is executed; and to cause sending the beam information to a communication network control element or function to which the communication element is connected after the handover procedure is ended.