Conditional Handover Timing for Network Energy Saving Mode

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communications networks, transitioning network entities to a Network Energy Saving (NES) mode can result in radio link failures and resource wastage due to incomplete handovers of user equipments (UEs), leading to poor user experience and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

Implementing conditional handovers with staggered execution timers for UEs and delaying NES mode entry when necessary to avoid collisions and ensure complete handovers, thereby reducing resource wastage and maintaining service continuity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If network entities transition to NES mode immediately, then energy consumption is reduced, but radio link failures occur due to incomplete handovers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidradio link failure rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The network entity sends a trigger signal to the UE before transitioning to NES mode, initiating the handover process in advance. The UE performs measurements and prepares for handover to target cells, ensuring service continuity when the source cell enters sleep mode. This preliminary action prevents radio link failures by completing handovers before energy saving mode activation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If multiple UEs execute handover simultaneously, then handover process is efficient, but resource collisions occur leading to failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover efficiencyVSAvoidhandover success rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The handover execution is segmented into individual UE-specific processes triggered by separate trigger signals. Each UE executes handover independently based on its own measurements and timing, avoiding simultaneous resource access. This segmentation eliminates collisions between multiple UEs while maintaining efficient handover throughput.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If conditional handover configuration is provided to all UEs, then handover readiness is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover readinessVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The network entity pre-configures conditional handover parameters and candidate target cells for UEs before NES mode transition. This preliminary configuration enables UEs to quickly execute handovers when triggered, reducing the need for extensive signaling during the actual handover execution. The configuration is stored in UE memory and activated only when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12526717B2Techniques for improving a network energy savings mode

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for improving a network energy saving (NES) mode. An example method performed by a first user equipment (UE) includes receiving, from a first network entity associated with a source cell, configuration information indicating one or more conditions for executing a conditional handover from the first network entity associated with the source cell to a second network entity associated with a target cell, receiving, from the first network entity associated with the source cell, a trigger signal including a trigger command for the conditional handover, and taking one or more actions related to executing the conditional handover based on the trigger signal and the one or more conditions.