Conditional Radio Configuration Retention for UE Mobility Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing radio access networks face inefficiencies in managing user equipment mobility, particularly in dual connectivity scenarios, due to inefficient handling of conditional mobility configurations and resource utilization during handover events, leading to delays and unnecessary reconfigurations.

Innovation Solution

Implement mechanisms for selective retention and activation of conditional mobility configurations based on trigger conditions and measurement criteria, allowing user equipment to intelligently manage and communicate which configurations to retain or release, optimizing resource use and minimizing delays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all conditional mobility configurations are retained after handover, then mobility reliability is improved, but device complexity and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemobility reliabilityVSAvoidconfiguration management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the conditional mobility configurations into two categories: those to be retained and those to be released. The network node provides assistance information that helps the UE identify which specific configurations should be kept versus which can be discarded, thereby reducing overall complexity while maintaining necessary mobility reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a selective discarding mechanism where conditional mobility configurations that are no longer needed are released after handover, while essential ones are retained. This allows the system to recover resources by discarding unnecessary configurations while preserving those needed for future mobility events.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple conditional mobility configurations are retained, then mobility adaptability is improved, but loss of time for processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemobility adaptabilityVSAvoidconfiguration processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The network node performs preliminary action by providing assistance information in advance that indicates which configurations should be retained. This allows the UE to pre-identify and prepare the necessary configurations before handover occurs, reducing processing time during the actual mobility event while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the essential conditional mobility configurations that need to be retained, separating them from the unnecessary ones. By taking out only the required configurations for future mobility events, the system maintains adaptability while minimizing the time and resources needed for configuration management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Loss of energy

If conditional mobility configurations are released after handover, then resource efficiency is improved, but reliability of subsequent mobility events deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource efficiencyVSAvoidsubsequent mobility reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements selective discarding where only unnecessary conditional mobility configurations are released after handover, while essential ones are retained. This approach improves resource efficiency by discarding redundant configurations while preserving those needed for subsequent mobility events, thus maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The network node provides feedback in the form of assistance information that guides the UE on which configurations to retain. This feedback mechanism ensures that the UE makes informed decisions about configuration retention, releasing only those that are unnecessary while keeping those required for future mobility, thereby balancing resource efficiency with reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4548642B1Mobility support in a communication network
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4548642B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4548642B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

Various example aspects and embodiments relate to apparatus and methods to support mobility in a radio access network. One aspect provides user equipment comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment at least to: receive a radio configuration and a trigger condition to activate the radio configuration, the radio configuration being associated with a cell of a radio access network, the radio configuration allowing connection between the user equipment and the cell; receive an indication of which radio configuration associated with another cell is to be retained by the user equipment in the event that the trigger condition of the cell is met; determine when the trigger condition is met and activate the radio configuration; assess, based on the received indication, which radio configuration associated with another target cell to retain; and communicate which radio configuration associated with another cell has been retained to the radio access network.