Cell Identifier Reassignment for Handover Failure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-optimal allocation of cell identifier codes in cellular communications networks leads to handover failures due to overlapping frequency-cell identifier code pairs, particularly in densely populated areas or near borders, causing unreliable handovers and reduced network performance.
Innovation Solution
An automated method to analyze handover failures and adjust cell identifier codes by removing erroneous neighbors and setting new codes for cells with excessive failures, using a predefined threshold to ensure systematic and infrequent changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cell identifier codes are allocated to cells in close proximity, then the network can serve more users in dense areas, but handover failures increase due to conflicts in frequency-cell identifier code pairs
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes cell identifier codes (PCI/SC) based on detected handover failure patterns. When conflicts are identified between neighboring cells, the system automatically reassigns different identifier codes to resolve the conflict, thereby maintaining network capacity while improving handover reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism that monitors handover failure rates between cell pairs. When the failure rate exceeds a threshold, the system triggers an analysis and reconfiguration process, then verifies the improvement after reassignment. This closed-loop feedback ensures that identifier code allocations continuously adapt to maintain optimal handover performance.
2Reliability
If cell identifier codes are frequently changed to resolve handover failures, then handover reliability improves, but network stability deteriorates due to unpredictable changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of handover failure patterns before making any changes. It collects statistical data over time, identifies persistent conflict patterns, and only then proceeds with identifier code reassignment. This preliminary action ensures that changes are made only when necessary and predictable, based on established failure patterns rather than random fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic identifier code assignment that adapts to changing network conditions. Rather than static allocations, the system continuously monitors handover performance and adjusts identifier codes in response to detected patterns, creating a dynamically stable configuration that maintains reliability while adapting to network evolution.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual analysis of handover failures is performed to identify erroneous neighbors, then allocation accuracy improves, but operation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically monitoring its own handover performance, identifying conflict patterns, and executing reconfiguration without external intervention. The network autonomously collects data, analyzes failure patterns, determines erroneous neighbor relationships, and implements corrections, eliminating the need for manual analysis while maintaining high allocation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical analysis processes with automated electronic monitoring and analysis. Instead of human operators manually examining handover logs and identifying conflicts, the system uses automated algorithms to process handover data, detect patterns, and determine erroneous neighbors, dramatically reducing the time required while improving accuracy through consistent algorithmic analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method for controlling a communications network. It is checked whether amount of handover failures from a first cell to a second cell exceeds a first threshold. Responsive to identifying that the amount of handover failures from the first cell to the second cell exceeds (301) the first threshold, a new cell identifier code is set (306) for the second cell in the communication network.