Dynamic Cell Set Configuration for Stable Low-Overhead Handovers

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Solution Overview

Problem

The L1/L2 measurement-based handover in wireless communication systems experiences poor stability at cell edges, leading to frequent handovers that cause significant signaling overheads and communication delays due to inaccurate and unstable measurements.

Innovation Solution

A method for configuring a dynamic cell set (DCS) where network elements establish connections among candidate cell groups, reserving context information and selectively adding or removing cells based on signal quality to optimize handovers, thereby reducing signaling overheads and delays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If L1/L2 measurement-based handover is used, then handover speed is improved, but handover stability deteriorates due to inaccurate measurements at cell edges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover speedVSAvoidhandover stability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs L3 measurements in advance before handover decisions are made. The network configures the UE to perform L3 measurements on candidate cells and reports results to the network, which then uses these pre-collected measurements to make more reliable handover decisions, avoiding the instability of L1/L2 measurements at cell edges while maintaining fast handover execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If frequent handovers are performed to maintain connection quality, then connection reliability is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs L3 measurements and evaluates candidate cell quality in advance, before actual handover is triggered. By pre-assessing measurement results and only initiating handover when conditions are met, the system avoids unnecessary frequent handovers while maintaining connection reliability, thereby reducing signaling overhead associated with redundant handover procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the measurement parameter from L1/L2 to L3, which provides more stable and accurate measurements. This parameter change allows for more reliable handover decision-making, reducing the frequency of handovers while maintaining connection quality, thus lowering signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If L3 measurement-based handover is used, then handover stability is improved, but handover speed deteriorates due to slower measurement processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover stabilityVSAvoidhandover speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs L3 measurements in advance and maintains measurement results for use in handover decisions. By pre-collecting and storing L3 measurement data, the system has stable and accurate measurement information ready when handover is needed, combining the stability of L3 measurements with faster handover execution speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple candidate cells are configured in dynamic cell set, then handover flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover flexibilityVSAvoidnetwork configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent configures the dynamic cell set with multiple candidate cells in advance and performs L3 measurements on these cells beforehand. The network maintains configuration information for multiple candidate cells and their measurement results, enabling flexible handover selection while managing complexity through structured configuration and measurement management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4440201B1Method for configuring dynamic cell set, and communication apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4440201B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4440201B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4440201B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Embodiments of this application provide a method for configuring a dynamic cell set, and a communication apparatus. A first network element sends a first request message to a second network element. The first request message is used to request to establish a connection to the second network element. A first cell group managed by the first network element and a second cell group managed by the second network element belong to a candidate cell set of a dynamic cell set DCS. The first network element receives, from the second network element, a first response message in response to the first request message. Before a terminal is handed over, the first network element requests to establish the connection to the second network element to configure the dynamic cell set for the terminal. Therefore, when the terminal is handed over between the first cell group and the second cell group that are included in the dynamic cell set, a handover procedure does not need to be frequently performed, so that a problem of a large quantity of signaling overheads caused by frequent handovers and a problem of an excessively long communication delay caused by a large amount of signaling exchange can be avoided.