Cell Reselection Signaling for 5G Network Energy Saving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G networks lack efficient methods to turn off primary cells (PCells) for network energy saving, leading to increased energy consumption and unnecessary UE power consumption and delay due to unsupported cell reselection operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a network energy saving assistant information (NESAI) that includes a cell barred field or cell reservation field to differentiate between non-NES and NES-capable UEs, allowing NES-capable UEs to perform cell reselection based on NESAI, which includes indications for cell reactivation timing and stop paging monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If the network turns off base stations or cells for energy saving, then network energy consumption is reduced, but user equipment experiences increased power consumption and delay due to unsupported cell reselection operations
Solution Approach 1:
The network node provides assistance information to the UE in advance before turning off the cell. This assistance information includes indicators about the cell deactivation timing and neighboring cell information, allowing the UE to proactively prepare for cell reselection and avoid service interruption or excessive delay when the cell is deactivated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary assistance information message that mediates between the network's energy saving action and the UE's cell reselection need. This message carries critical timing and neighboring cell information, enabling the UE to perform efficient reselection without trial-and-error attempts, thus resolving the contradiction between network energy saving and UE performance.
2Productivity
If the network provides detailed assistance information for cell reselection, then UE can perform efficient cell reselection, but the complexity of the assistance information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The assistance information is segmented into distinct fields with specific functions: a first indicator field for cell deactivation timing, a second indicator field for neighboring cell information, and optional third and fourth fields for additional parameters. This segmentation allows the network to provide comprehensive information while maintaining structured, manageable complexity that can be selectively implemented.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter-based control where the network can adjust the level of assistance information provided based on conditions. Optional third and fourth indicator fields allow for additional parameters to be included only when needed, enabling the system to balance between providing sufficient reselection guidance and minimizing unnecessary information overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Various solutions for cell reselection for network energy saving with respect to user equipment and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. An apparatus may receive a network energy saving assistant information (NESAI) from a network node. The NESAI may comprise a cell barred field or a cell reservation field for network energy saving (NWES) configured to differentiate between non-NES user equipments (UEs) and NES-capable UEs. The apparatus may perform a cell reselection for a network energy saving (NES) cell based on the NESAI.