Conditional Handover Using Preconfigured Candidate Cells

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in performing handovers efficiently, particularly in environments with network slicing, where real-time signal measurement delivery and target cell signal strength can lead to handover failures, and there is a need for methods to manage handovers in UEs and base stations supporting network slicing.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for performing conditional handovers (CHO) in wireless communication systems supporting network slicing, involving receiving measurement configuration, transmitting measurement reports, and performing handovers based on network slice information, with mechanisms for selecting appropriate network slices and handling unsupported slices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional handover procedures are used in network slicing environments, then handover execution is simplified, but handover failures occur due to non-real-time signal measurement delivery and insufficient target cell signal strength

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover success rateVSAvoidhandover execution delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple candidate target cells and their associated network slice information before handover is needed. The UE receives and stores measurement configurations and candidate cell information in advance, so when handover conditions are met, the UE can immediately execute handover to an appropriate target cell without waiting for real-time measurement reporting and target cell selection, thus reducing handover execution delay while maintaining high success rate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by enabling the UE to dynamically select among multiple pre-configured candidate target cells based on real-time signal measurements and network slice requirements. The handover target is not fixed but can be adaptively chosen from multiple candidates, allowing the system to respond flexibly to changing radio conditions while ensuring reliable handover execution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple neighboring cells are monitored for handover, then handover options increase, but measurement and reporting complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover target selection flexibilityVSAvoidmeasurement and reporting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network performs preliminary action by pre-identifying and configuring multiple candidate target cells with their measurement thresholds and network slice information before the UE needs to handover. This reduces the UE's measurement and reporting complexity because the UE only needs to monitor whether measurements meet the pre-configured thresholds rather than continuously reporting detailed measurements for all neighboring cells

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the handover measurement process into distinct segments: the network configures separate measurement thresholds and criteria for each candidate target cell, and the UE independently evaluates each cell against its specific threshold. This segmented approach simplifies the overall measurement and reporting complexity by breaking down the complex multi-cell evaluation into independent, manageable segments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If network slice information is included in handover commands, then slice-specific handover accuracy improves, but message size and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveslice-specific handover accuracyVSAvoidcontrol message overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the taking out principle by extracting and separately managing network slice information from the general handover command. The network slice information is pre-configured and identified in advance, allowing the handover command to include only essential slice identification data rather than complete slice configuration details. This reduces control message overhead while maintaining slice-specific handover accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The network performs preliminary action by pre-configuring network slice information for candidate target cells before handover execution. This allows the handover command to reference pre-validated slice configurations rather than transmitting complete slice setup data, reducing message overhead while ensuring accurate slice-specific handover execution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250301373A1Method and apparatus for performing conditional handover

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 UUCOM CO LTD

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for performing conditional handover. This specification discloses a method for performing conditional handover, comprising the steps of: receiving, from a source base station, a measurement configuration message including a threshold for triggering a measurement report message; transmitting, to the source base station, the measurement report message according to a measurement event criterion being satisfied based on the threshold; receiving, from the source base station, a conditional handover command message including information about at least one network slice provided by a neighboring base station; and transmitting, to the source base station, a response message to the conditional handover command message.