Conditional Secondary Node Switching for Low-Latency NR Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems, particularly in NR technology, face challenges in efficiently managing handovers to secondary nodes (SNs) due to the increasing demand for mobile broadband access, requiring improved methods for seamless and efficient handover procedures.

Innovation Solution

Implementing conditional handover (CHO) procedures to identify and configure candidate cells as secondary nodes (SNs) based on execution criteria, allowing for conditional addition or change, and signaling this information to user equipment (UEs) for optimized handover management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional handover procedures are used in NR networks, then handover management is simpler, but service interruptions increase and latency requirements cannot be met

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover reliabilityVSAvoidhandover latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements conditional handover by pre-configuring multiple candidate target cells and their associated execution criteria before handover is needed. When the UE measures that criteria are met, the handover executes immediately using pre-prepared configuration, eliminating the need for real-time handover decision and configuration exchange, thus reducing handover latency while ensuring reliable connection transfer

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If conditional handover procedures are implemented to reduce service interruptions, then handover reliability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover reliabilityVSAvoidhandover management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the UE to autonomously evaluate execution criteria for multiple candidate cells using pre-configured measurement parameters and thresholds. The UE independently determines when to execute handover to the most suitable candidate without continuous network intervention, reducing network-side complexity while maintaining reliable handover through self-service measurement and decision-making at the UE

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12520210B2Conditional procedures for adding and/or changing a secondary node (SN)
Publication Date: 2026.01.06 QUALCOMM INC
  • US12520210B2 patent drawing
  • US12520210B2 patent drawing
  • US12520210B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to wireless communications, and more particularly, to procedures for supporting conditional new radio (NR) secondary node (SN) addition and change by reusing conditional handover (CHO) procedures. In some aspects, the procedures include a method for wireless communications by a master node (MN), comprising identifying a set of candidate cells for a conditional addition or change as an SN for a UE based on execution criteria, and signaling configuration information regarding the set of candidate cells to the UE.