Distributed Unit MIMO Configuration for Secondary Cell Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cellular systems, particularly with 5G or New Radio technology, the central unit of a base station may fail to correctly select and configure secondary cells for user equipment to achieve optimum throughput due to a lack of knowledge about the MIMO configuration at the distributed unit's cells, leading to suboptimal performance in carrier aggregation.
Innovation Solution
The distributed unit provides MIMO configuration information to the central unit, including the number of MIMO layers for each cell, allowing the central unit to make informed decisions on adding or removing secondary cells to maximize throughput, by extending served cell information in setup and configuration messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the central unit configures secondary cells without MIMO configuration information from the distributed unit, then the system operation is simpler, but the throughput and data rate performance deteriorates due to suboptimal cell selection
Solution Approach 1:
The distributed unit provides feedback to the central unit about the actual MIMO configuration of served cells. This feedback mechanism enables the central unit to make informed decisions about secondary cell configuration, resolving the information asymmetry that previously caused suboptimal throughput performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication channel between the distributed unit and central unit to transfer MIMO configuration information. This intermediary mechanism allows the central unit to access previously unavailable configuration data without fundamentally changing the architectural roles of the components.
2Measurement precision
If the central unit requests and processes MIMO configuration information from the distributed unit, then secondary cell selection accuracy improves, but the signaling overhead and message complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the MIMO configuration information transfer with existing setup and configuration messages already used for secondary cell configuration. By combining multiple information types into existing signaling frameworks, the patent avoids creating entirely new message protocols and reduces overall signaling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The signaling messages are designed to serve multiple functions: they simultaneously configure secondary cells and convey MIMO configuration information. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of messages required and simplifies the overall signaling protocol structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes receiving served cell information comprising a multiple input multiple output configuration for each of one or more cells served by a distributed unit of a base station; determining at least one of the one or more cells based at least in part on the multiple input multiple output configuration, the determined at least one of the one or more cells relating to at least one of a secondary cell addition or a secondary cell removal for a user equipment at the distributed unit of the base station; and sending a user equipment dedicated message comprising a request of adding or removing each of the determined at least one of the one or more cells to or from a secondary cell list for the user equipment at the distributed unit of the base station. Related apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable medium are also disclosed.