Dual Connectivity RRC Configuration Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently handling carrier aggregation and dual connectivity, particularly in managing multiple carrier frequencies and base station connections for enhanced data transmission and reception.
Innovation Solution
A network architecture that enables a communication device to simultaneously connect to multiple base stations using dual connectivity, allowing for transmission and reception across different carrier frequencies, with specific configurations for radio bearers and RRC messages to manage resource allocation and handovers effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wireless terminal connects to multiple base stations using dual connectivity, then system capacity and coverage are improved, but device complexity and resource management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dual connectivity configuration into multiple independent RRC messages: one for master cell group configuration and separate messages for each secondary cell group. This segmentation allows the terminal to process and manage each cell group independently, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining improved system capacity and coverage through multiple base station connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary master base station that mediates between the terminal and multiple secondary base stations. The master base station receives and processes dual connectivity configuration requests, then generates and transmits coordinated RRC messages to the terminal. This intermediary approach simplifies terminal device complexity by centralizing configuration management while enabling the terminal to benefit from enhanced system capacity and coverage through dual connectivity.
2Productivity
If multiple carrier frequencies are used for carrier aggregation, then data transmission rate is improved, but resource allocation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments carrier aggregation configuration by assigning each secondary cell group to specific carrier frequencies independently. The master base station configures different carrier frequencies for different secondary cell groups through separate RRC messages, allowing the terminal to manage resource allocation on each carrier independently. This segmentation enables high data transmission rates across multiple carriers while reducing resource allocation complexity through structured, modular configuration management.
3Loss of information
If dual connectivity configuration is transmitted in a single RRC message, then signaling overhead is reduced, but configuration flexibility and error handling capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dual connectivity configuration into multiple separate RRC messages: one message for master cell group configuration and additional messages for each secondary cell group. While this increases the number of messages compared to a single message approach, it provides significant configuration flexibility by allowing independent modification, activation, or deactivation of secondary cell groups. Error handling is improved because failures in one secondary cell group configuration do not affect others. The signaling overhead increase is acceptable given the substantial gains in adaptability and error resilience.
Data Source
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AI summary
A network comprising a first base station (BS) and a second BS is configured to execute instructions of the first BS connecting to a communication device via a first cell of the first BS with a signaling radio bearer (SRB); the second BS as a secondary node (SN) connecting to the communication device via a second cell while the first BS as a master node (MN) connecting to the communication device; and the second BS transmitting a SN Modification Required message comprising a radio resource control (RRC) message to the first BS in response to the SN Modification Request message, wherein the RRC message comprises a new or modified configuration and a random access (RA) channel (RACH) configuration.