Cellular Neighbor Relation Prioritization for Irrelevant Link Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cellular communication networks face challenges in efficiently assessing and configuring neighbour relations, leading to inefficient resource usage and potential service degradation due to irrelevant neighbour relations.

Innovation Solution

A combined list of neighbour relations is used, incorporating priority indices from both the perspective of a first cell and its target cells, allowing for the removal of irrelevant relations while preserving important ones, thereby enhancing network efficiency and resource utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional neighbour relation assessment methods are used, then network configuration is maintained, but network efficiency deteriorates due to irrelevant neighbour relations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork efficiencyVSAvoidservice quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines neighbour relation assessments from multiple base stations into a unified evaluation. By merging the neighbour relation lists and priority indices from different base stations, the system creates a comprehensive view of neighbour relations, allowing identification of relations that are irrelevant from multiple perspectives and enabling more efficient network configuration while maintaining service quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If neighbour relations are optimized to remove irrelevant relations, then network performance improves, but network complexity increases due to dual-perspective assessment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork performanceVSAvoidassessment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary assessment of neighbour relations by collecting and evaluating priority indices from multiple base stations before making optimization decisions. This preliminary action includes generating combined neighbour relation lists and identifying irrelevant relations in advance, which simplifies the subsequent optimization process and reduces the complexity of real-time decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If dual-perspective neighbour relation assessment is implemented, then irrelevant relations are identified, but information processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation accuracyVSAvoiddata volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential information needed for neighbour relation assessment - specifically the priority indices from each base station's perspective. By taking out and focusing on these key parameters rather than processing all available neighbour relation data, the system reduces information processing requirements while maintaining accurate identification of relevant and irrelevant neighbour relations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4643569B1Neighbour relations in cellular communication networks
Publication Date: 2026.04.08 ELISA OYJ
  • EP4643569B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4643569B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4643569B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising determining a first cell and target cells of the first cell, wherein the target cells are neighbour cells of the first cell, determining a first list of neighbour relations, wherein the first list comprises priority indices of neighbour relations from the first cell to each of said target cells, determining a second list of neighbour relations, wherein the second list comprises priority indices of neighbour relations from each of said target cells to the first cell, determining a combined list of priorities of neighbour relations based at least on the first list and the second list, wherein the combined list comprises total priority indices of neighbour relations between each of said target cells and the first cell and configuring neighbour relations for the first cell based on the combined list.