EPS Bearer Setup for Inter-Site Carrier Aggregation

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Solution Overview

Problem

User Equipment (UE) experiences reduced throughput and coverage of high-frequency carriers at the cell margin due to the need to aggregate carriers from different sites, such as a macro base station and a relay node, which limits data transmission efficiency.

Innovation Solution

Establishing two EPS bearers, one between the UE and a macro base station (DeNB) and another between the UE and a relay node (RN), allowing the UE to aggregate carriers from different sites, thereby improving data transmission throughput and coverage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If relay nodes are added to enlarge the coverage of high-frequency carriers, then the coverage of high-frequency carriers is improved, but the device complexity and network structure become more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidnetwork structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the network into donor eNodeBs and relay nodes, where each relay node is configured with a specific frequency band (either low-frequency or high-frequency carrier). This segmentation allows the network to provide both wide coverage through low-frequency carriers at relay nodes and high data rates through high-frequency carriers at donor eNodeBs, resolving the contradiction between coverage area and network complexity by creating a hierarchical structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If UE aggregates carriers from different sites (inter-site CA), then the data transmission throughput is improved, but the difficulty of carrier aggregation and network coordination increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission throughputVSAvoidcarrier aggregation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a frequency band indication field in the RRC connection reconfiguration message that acts as an intermediary mechanism. This field explicitly indicates whether the relay node is configured with a low-frequency or high-frequency carrier, guiding the UE to perform carrier aggregation according to the indicated configuration. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the carrier aggregation process by providing clear configuration instructions, reducing the complexity of inter-site carrier aggregation while maintaining high data transmission throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Area of stationary object

If UE is at the margin of the cell, then the coverage area is extended, but the data transmission throughput of high-frequency carriers deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoiddata transmission throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by configuring relay nodes at different locations with different frequency band characteristics. Relay nodes deployed at cell margins are configured with low-frequency carriers to provide wide coverage, while donor eNodeBs at central locations are configured with high-frequency carriers to provide high data rates. This local differentiation of frequency band characteristics allows the network to simultaneously achieve both extended coverage at margins and high throughput at central locations, resolving the contradiction between coverage area and data transmission throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3579485B1Method for establishing evolved packet system bearer and base station
Publication Date: 2022.07.27 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3579485B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3579485B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3579485B1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

A method and a device for establishing an evolved packet system EPS bearer are disclosed. The method includes establishing, by a first base station to which UE belongs, a first EPS bearer based on a first CC for the UE, wherein the first EPS bearer is an EPS bearer between the first base station and the UE; and instructing, by the first base station, a second base station to establish a second EPS bearer based on a second CC for the UE, wherein the second EPS bearer is an EPS bearer between the second base station and the UE. The present invention enables the UE to aggregate carriers of different frequency ranges from the first base station to which the UE belongs and the second base station to which the UE belongs to transmit data, thus improving the throughput of the data transmitted by the UE.