Carrier Aggregation Primary Secondary Role Swap

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems experience resource inefficiencies and transmission delays during handover processing when transitioning a UE from one carrier to another as primary carrier, leading to unnecessary consumption of network resources.

Innovation Solution

The system maintains an established radio-link-layer connection and re-configures carrier aggregation by swapping the primary and secondary carrier designations through radio-link control messages, allowing the UE to tune to a different carrier as the primary without detaching and re-attaching, thus avoiding handover processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If handover processing is performed when transitioning a UE from one carrier to another as primary carrier, then the UE can switch to a different carrier, but network resources are consumed and transmission delays occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier switching capabilityVSAvoidnetwork resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential function of carrier switching from the complete handover processing procedure. By separating the carrier role swapping from the full handover sequence (detach, reattach, reconfigure), the system achieves carrier transition without consuming the network resources required for complete handover processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of following the conventional approach of detaching and reattaching the UE to switch carriers, the patent inverts the logic by maintaining the existing attachment and simply swapping the carrier role designations through radio resource control messages. This reverse approach eliminates the resource consumption associated with detachment and reattachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Adaptability or versatility

If handover processing is performed when transitioning a UE from one carrier to another as primary carrier, then the UE can switch to a different carrier, but transmission delays occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier switching capabilityVSAvoidtransmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary configuration of the target carrier as a secondary carrier before transitioning it to primary carrier status. This preliminary action ensures that the target carrier is already prepared and configured, eliminating the configuration time that would otherwise occur during the handover process and thus reducing transmission delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent maintains continuous radio-link-layer connection throughout the carrier transition process. By avoiding detachment and reattachment, the useful action of maintaining the UE connection is continuous, eliminating the time loss associated with breaking and re-establishing the connection during handover.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Adaptability or versatility

If complete handover processing is performed for carrier transition, then carrier switching is achieved, but device complexity increases due to detach and reattach procedures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier switching capabilityVSAvoidhandover processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the carrier transition process from the complete handover procedure. By isolating the essential carrier role swapping operation from the surrounding detach, reattach, and reconfiguration procedures, the system reduces the complexity of the transition process while maintaining the ability to switch carriers effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10123339B1Transitioning a UE to a new PCell without handover processing

Publication Date: 2018.11.06 SPRINT SPECTRUM LP

AI summary

Disclosed is a method and system for managing carriers on which a wireless communication system serves a UE over an established radio-link-layer connection. As disclosed, a base station serves the UE with carrier aggregation service using (i) a first carrier as a primary carrier for the UE and (ii) a second carrier as a secondary carrier for the UE. While serving the UE, the system determines that the base station should serve the UE with the carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as the secondary carrier and (ii) the second carrier as the primary carrier. In response to the determination and while maintaining the established radio-link-layer connection with the UE, the system causes the base station to serve the UE with the carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as the secondary carrier and (ii) the second carrier as the primary carrier.