GCI Reporting via Access Sequences for Wireless Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

In heterogeneous wireless network deployments, neighboring access points often have similar physical cell identifiers (PCIs), leading to confusion and conflicts during handover procedures, as mobile devices struggle to distinguish between them.

Innovation Solution

Mobile devices report global cell identifiers (GCIs) instead of PCIs by using a specific access sequence during system access requests, allowing target access points to allocate additional resources for clear communication, thereby mitigating PCI confusion during handovers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If mobile devices use physical cell identifiers (PCIs) for access sequences, then the access procedure is simple, but confusion and conflicts occur during handover when neighboring access points have similar PCIs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess procedure simplicityVSAvoidhandover accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from using only physical cell identifiers (PCI) to incorporating global cell identifiers (GCI) as an additional dimension of identification. By adding the GCI dimension to the access sequence, the system can uniquely identify access points across heterogeneous networks without confusion, resolving the PCI collision issue while maintaining procedural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces the GCI as an intermediary identifier that mediates between the source access point and target access point during handover. The GCI serves as a universal reference that both access points can understand, enabling reliable communication and context transfer without relying on potentially conflicting PCI values.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If access sequences are used to indicate GCI reporting, then additional resources can be allocated for GCI transmission, but the access sequence selection becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation for GCIVSAvoidaccess sequence selection

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the GCI reporting indication functionality directly into the existing access sequence structure. By combining the access sequence selection with the GCI reporting flag, the system achieves efficient resource allocation without adding separate complex selection mechanisms - the access sequence itself carries both the identification and reporting indication information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9049581B2Utilizing system access sequences to request resources for GCI reporting in wireless networks

Publication Date: 2015.06.02 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate indicating global cell identifier (GCI) reporting in wireless communication to mitigate confusion caused by physical cell identifier (PCI) reporting in heterogeneous deployments. In particular, mobile devices can report GCI of access points to disparate access points to facilitate communication therebetween, such as during handover. Mobile devices can indicate GCI reporting during a system access request by selecting an access sequence corresponding to subsequent GCI reporting. Based on the access sequence, an access point can grant additional resources to receive the GCI, and the mobile device can communicate GCI over the resources. Using the GCI, the access point can communicate with a disparate access point related to the GCI.