Conditional Handover Configuration Handling in Wireless Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conditional handovers in wireless communication networks face challenges due to configuration mismatches between User Equipment (UE) and target nodes, leading to potential handover failures and connection errors, especially when reconfigurations occur between the handover command and actual handover execution.

Innovation Solution

The method involves the UE or source node informing the target node about updated configurations at the time of handover execution, rather than earlier, to avoid updating all possible target nodes, thereby reducing Radio Resource Control (RRC) and network signaling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the target node updates its configuration when a reconfiguration occurs during conditional handover, then configuration accuracy is improved, but signaling overhead and network complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration accuracyVSAvoidnetwork complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The target node performs preliminary actions by storing the configuration state at the time of handover command reception. When reconfiguration occurs during the conditional handover period, the target node uses the stored preliminary configuration state to determine whether to apply the new configuration, thereby avoiding unnecessary signaling while maintaining configuration accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts configuration handling based on the timing of reconfiguration events. The target node monitors whether reconfiguration occurs before or after the handover execution threshold is met, and adapts its behavior accordingly - applying the new configuration only when appropriate, thus balancing accuracy with signaling overhead reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If the network sends configuration updates to all target nodes immediately upon reconfiguration, then configuration consistency is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration consistencyVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly updating all target nodes, the system applies local quality by determining whether each specific target node requires configuration update based on the handover condition status. The target node only processes and applies the new configuration if the handover condition has not been met yet, thereby reducing unnecessary signaling overhead while maintaining consistency where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial action by selectively applying configuration updates only to the extent necessary - i.e., only when the handover condition is not met. This avoids excessive action of updating all target nodes regardless of handover status, thereby reducing signaling overhead while maintaining sufficient configuration consistency for active handovers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the handover command is sent earlier when radio conditions are good, then handover success rate is improved, but configuration mismatch risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover success rateVSAvoidconfiguration mismatch risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The target node performs preliminary action by capturing and storing the configuration state at the time of handover command reception. This stored state serves as a reference to determine whether configuration changes occurred during the conditional handover period, enabling the system to maintain handover success rate while managing configuration mismatch risk through proper configuration application timing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11968571B2Target node, user equipment, source node and methods performed thereby for handling reconfigurations of the user equipment during a conditional handover

Publication Date: 2024.04.23 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A method performed by a target node (111) in a communications network (100). The method is for handling reconfigurations of a User Equipment (UE) (120) during a conditional handover. The target node (111) has received a conditional handover request for the UE (120) from a source node (110) and has sent a handover request acknowledgement to the source node (110) based on a current configuration of the UE (120). The target node (111) performs (401) synchronization and random access with the UE (120) based on the UE configuration used for the handover request acknowledgement. The target node (111) obtains (403), after performing (401) the synchronization, information regarding an updated configuration of the UE (120). The updated configuration has taken place since the handover request acknowledgement was sent to the source node (110). At least one of the following applies: i) the information is obtained from the UE (120) in a handover complete message, and ii) the information is obtained from the source node (110) at the time of the handover execution.