Controlling Node Handover Evaluation in Wireless Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile telecommunications systems face challenges in mobility management due to high power consumption, complex equipment requirements, and high control signaling overhead, particularly in handling handovers between network nodes, especially for devices with varying data traffic profiles and fast movement.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves a new RAT wireless telecommunications system where terminal devices transmit reference signaling that can be measured by radio access nodes, allowing controlling nodes to determine the most appropriate distributed units for communication, reducing the need for terminal device measurements and optimizing handover procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If terminal devices perform measurements over a range of different radio frequencies to support handover procedures, then handover capability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover capabilityVSAvoidequipment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a controlling node as an intermediary that performs measurements on behalf of terminal devices. The controlling node receives measurement configurations from a donor node, performs the actual measurements of downlink signals from target network nodes, and reports results back. This eliminates the need for terminal devices to have complex multi-frequency measurement capabilities while maintaining handover functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If terminal devices perform extensive measurements and handover evaluations, then handover accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover evaluation accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The controlling node acts as an intermediary that performs power-intensive measurement operations. Instead of terminal devices consuming battery power to measure multiple frequencies and evaluate handover options, the controlling node performs these measurements using network resources, thereby preserving terminal device battery life while maintaining measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If existing handover procedures are used with multiple measurement and signaling messages, then handover decision accuracy is improved, but control signaling overhead and handover failure risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover decision accuracyVSAvoidcontrol signaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the measurement function from terminal devices and relocates it to the controlling node. This eliminates the need for terminal devices to send measurement reports and for the network to send extensive measurement configurations, thereby reducing control signaling overhead while maintaining handover decision accuracy through the controlling node's measurements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3497973B1Telecommunications apparatus and methods for triggering handover evaluation procedure
Publication Date: 2023.09.13 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3497973B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3497973B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3497973B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for triggering an aspect of a handover evaluation procedure in a wireless telecommunications system for determining whether to handover a terminal device from communicating with a first network infrastructure element associated with a first communication cell to communicating with a second network infrastructure element associated with a second communication cell, wherein the first communication cell comprises a group of intermediate nodes distributed through the first communication cell and wherein communications between the first network infrastructure element and the terminal device are made through a subset of the intermediate nodes comprising one or more of the intermediate nodes selected as active intermediate nodes for the terminal device based on a location of the terminal device within the cell, and wherein the method comprises: determining if the subset of active intermediate nodes for the terminal device includes one or more predefined intermediate nodes; and if so initiating an aspect of the handover evaluation procedure.