Coordinating Wireless Device for Handover Signaling Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

High signaling overhead during handover processes in wireless networks, such as LTE and UTRAN, leads to increased resource consumption and potential dropped connections due to high processing loads and priority given to RRC signaling over data traffic.

Innovation Solution

Grouping wireless devices by radio channel quality and selecting a coordinating device to report measurements, reducing the need for individual measurements from all devices and enabling joint handover decisions, thus minimizing signaling overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If individual measurement reports are requested from all wireless devices during handover, then measurement precision is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the measurement reporting function for multiple wireless devices into a single coordinating device. The serving base station identifies a coordinating wireless device among multiple devices and requests measurement reports only from this single device, combining the measurement function to reduce signaling overhead while maintaining handover decision quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The coordinating wireless device performs measurements on behalf of the entire group of wireless devices. This device self-services the measurement reporting function for the group, eliminating the need for individual measurement reports from each device while still providing comprehensive measurement data for handover decisions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If frequent handover signaling messages are transmitted, then handover performance is improved, but resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover performanceVSAvoidresource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple handover signaling operations into a single coordinated process. By merging the measurement reporting and handover decision functions into the coordinating device, the system reduces the number of signaling messages required while maintaining reliable handover performance through centralized measurement data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Speed

If RRC state changes occur frequently, then network responsiveness is improved, but signaling load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork responsivenessVSAvoidsignaling load
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The coordinating wireless device self-services the measurement reporting function for the entire group, performing measurements and reporting results on behalf of multiple devices. This reduces the frequency and volume of RRC state changes and signaling messages while maintaining network responsiveness through the centralized measurement capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2923517B1Method and node for reducing handover signaling
Publication Date: 2020.02.05 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2923517B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2923517B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2923517B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for supporting handover in a first radio network node of a wireless network. The first radio network node serves wireless devices of a serving cell. The method comprises grouping (710) a plurality of wireless devices in the serving cell into a group, and selecting (720) one of the plurality of wireless devices as a coordinating wireless device for the group. The method also comprises requesting(730) a measurement report from the coordinating wireless device for the group, wherein the measurement report is to support a joint handover decision for the plurality of wireless devices of the group.