Dynamic Tune-Away Control for Wireless Handover Delays
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Solution Overview
Problem
The handover process in wireless communication systems is delayed due to the need for UE to wait for scheduled tune-away times to obtain identifying information from neighboring base stations, which can lead to dropped or stalled communications and battery power issues when scanning for reference signals.
Innovation Solution
The UE dynamically controls when to tune away from its serving base station based on battery energy level and data buffered, allowing early tune-away if the battery energy is high and waiting until the next scheduled tune-away time if low, to balance communication disruption and battery conservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE waits for scheduled tune-away times to obtain identifying information from neighboring base stations, then the UE can conserve battery power by avoiding unnecessary scanning, but the handover process experiences delays that may lead to dropped or stalled communications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the tune-away timing flexible rather than fixed. The UE dynamically adjusts when to perform scanning based on real-time assessment of serving cell signal quality. When the serving cell signal falls below a threshold, the UE initiates early tune-away to scan for neighboring base stations, rather than waiting for the next scheduled tune-away time. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the scanning behavior to actual communication conditions, ensuring timely handovers when needed while avoiding unnecessary delays when signal quality is adequate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of tune-away timing from a fixed scheduled time to a condition-based time. The decision to tune away early is based on changing the parameter of serving cell signal strength threshold. When the signal strength parameter drops below a predetermined threshold, the UE changes its behavior to perform early scanning. This parameter change enables the system to balance between communication reliability and handover delay by responding to actual signal conditions rather than following a rigid schedule.
2Reliability
If the UE performs early tune-away to scan for neighboring base stations, then handover delays are reduced and communication reliability is improved, but battery power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes to control scanning behavior based on serving cell signal strength. The key parameter is the signal strength threshold that triggers early tune-away. By monitoring this parameter and comparing it against the threshold, the UE determines whether early scanning is necessary. This approach ensures that battery power is consumed only when communication reliability is at risk, rather than continuously or unnecessarily, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE performs self-assessment of its communication condition by monitoring serving cell signal strength and autonomously decides when early tune-away is needed. This self-service mechanism allows the UE to manage its own battery power consumption by making intelligent decisions based on actual communication needs, rather than following external scheduling that may not account for real-time conditions. The UE serves its own reliability needs while conserving energy through autonomous control.
3Speed
If the UE continuously monitors serving cell signal strength to determine optimal tune-away timing, then handover decisions can be made timely, but the UE's processing complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the monitoring complexity by focusing on a single critical parameter: serving cell signal strength. Rather than continuously analyzing multiple complex parameters, the UE monitors the signal strength parameter and compares it against a predetermined threshold. This parameter-based approach enables timely handover decisions while keeping the monitoring process simple and energy-efficient. The speed of handover is improved because the UE can quickly determine when to tune away based on this straightforward parameter comparison.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling tune-away of a UE from its serving base station during handover, where the UE is configured to tune away from its serving base station at scheduled tune-away times, is disclosed herein. The method includes, between a first scheduled tune-away time and a next, second scheduled tune-away time, (a) determining that the UE has threshold weak signal strength from the serving base station, and (b) responsive to determining that the UE has threshold weak signal strength from the serving base station, determining a remaining battery energy level of the UE. The method further includes, based at least in part on the determined remaining battery energy level of the UE, causing the UE to tune away from the serving base station before the second scheduled tune-away time to scan for target coverage.