Coverage Enhancement Level Determination via Enhanced Reporting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing random access channel and connection establishment failure reporting, particularly in self-organizing networks with a large number of machine-type communication devices, where existing methods lack precision in determining the starting coverage enhancement level, leading to ambiguity and suboptimal network performance.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for user equipment (UE) to receive an information request from a network node and send a message that allows the node to determine the starting coverage enhancement level of the random access procedure, incorporating enhanced reporting mechanisms to clarify the number of preambles used and CE levels traversed during successful or failed procedures, thereby disambiguating CE levels and improving network operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If existing reporting methods are used in self-organizing networks with large numbers of MTC devices, then network coverage can be maintained, but precision in determining the starting coverage enhancement level is insufficient, leading to ambiguity and suboptimal network performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetermination precision of starting coverage enhancement levelVSAvoidambiguity in CE level information
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The reporting mechanism is segmented into multiple components: a first field indicating the number of random access preambles and a second field indicating the number of message three transmissions. This segmentation allows the network to precisely determine the starting CE level by analyzing specific parts of the report rather than relying on ambiguous overall information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the UE reports detailed information about its random access procedure (number of preambles, number of message three transmissions, CE levels traversed) back to the network. The network uses this feedback to accurately determine the starting CE level and optimize network performance, creating a closed-loop system that eliminates information ambiguity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If detailed reporting of preambles and CE levels is implemented, then network performance and optimization are improved, but the complexity of the reporting mechanism increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork operation efficiencyVSAvoidreporting mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The enhanced reporting mechanism is designed to be universal and can be applied across different CE levels and random access scenarios. The same reporting structure (first field for preambles, second field for message three transmissions) works universally to determine starting CE levels regardless of the specific network conditions or UE capabilities, simplifying implementation despite the detailed information collected.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The UE performs preliminary counting and recording of random access preambles and message three transmissions during the random access procedure itself. This preliminary action ensures that when the report is generated, all necessary information is already prepared and organized, reducing the complexity of report generation and processing while maintaining high network operation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the number of random access preambles and message three transmissions are reported, then ambiguity in CE levels is resolved, but the amount of information to be processed increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of CE level determinationVSAvoidvolume of reporting information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the most critical information elements needed for determining the starting CE level: the number of random access preambles and the number of message three transmissions. By taking out and reporting only these essential parameters rather than all possible random access details, the mechanism achieves high accuracy in CE level determination while keeping the information volume manageable and processing efficient.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3656173B1Methods and apparatus for enhanced information reporting using coverage enhancement level
Publication Date: 2022.10.26 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3656173B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3656173B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3656173B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to communication systems, and more particularly, to enhanced reporting by user equipment (UE). An example method generally includes receiving an information request from a network node and in response, sending a message to the network node, wherein the message comprises information that allows the network node to determine a starting coverage enhancement (CE) level of the UE.