Conditional Handover Using Predicted Future QoS

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current stochastic channel models in radio communication, particularly in cellular handover technology, fail to accurately predict Quality of Service (QoS) variations over time and space, leading to service interruptions and management overhead due to unpredictable channel degradation during handovers.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves receiving conditional handover execution conditions, determining future QoS using machine-trained models, and evaluating handover conditions to anticipate and prepare for potential handovers, thereby reducing service interruptions and management overhead by transmitting pre-trigger indications and reevaluation requests.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If periodic channel monitoring is performed to assess channel quality, then channel quality assessment accuracy is improved, but service interruption time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel quality assessment accuracyVSAvoidservice interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary channel quality assessment and predicts future QoS conditions before handover is actually needed. By using machine-trained models to forecast channel degradation, the system prepares handover conditions in advance, allowing the handover to be executed smoothly without service interruption when the predicted degradation occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of time

If conditional handover execution conditions are set to reduce handover actions, then service interruptions are reduced, but handover decision accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice interruption timeVSAvoidhandover decision accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from machine-trained models that continuously learn from actual channel behavior patterns. The predicted future QoS values are compared with actual measurements, and the model parameters are adjusted accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that handover decisions remain accurate even when using predictive conditions, as the model adapts to real-world channel characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If multiple candidate cells are prepared for handover to increase robustness, then handover reliability is improved, but resource allocation overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover reliabilityVSAvoidresource allocation overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly preparing multiple candidate cells for all handover scenarios, the system uses machine-trained models to predict which specific candidate cells are most likely to be suitable based on local channel conditions and historical patterns. Resources are allocated selectively to the most promising candidates identified by the prediction model, rather than preparing all possible candidates, thus reducing overhead while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4185007A1Methods and apparatuses for conditional handover based on predicted future quality of service
Publication Date: 2023.05.24 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP4185007A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4185007A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4185007A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a method for radio communication that comprises: receiving (102) at least one conditional handover execution condition for conducting a conditional handover; determining (104) at least one future QoS that characterizes a quality of at least one radio channel between a radio terminal and a radio access node for at least one future time instant; and evaluating (106) the at least one handover condition based at least on the at least one future QoS.