Handover Triggering Using Generic QoS Parameters
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Solution Overview
Problem
In heterogeneous wireless communication networks, seamless handovers between different radio access technologies (RATs) are challenging due to the complexity of comparing quality of service (QoS) parameters and the resulting high signaling load, which worsens scalability and delays handover processes.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses generic QoS parameters, determinable by both terminal devices and communication systems, to facilitate handovers by sending trigger signals, allowing for direct comparison and reduced signaling, enabling seamless vertical and horizontal handovers across various RATs like UMTS, GSM, WiMAX, and WLAN.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terminal devices send measurement results to communication systems for handover decisions, then handover quality can be ensured, but signaling load increases and scalability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the handover decision-making function from the communication system and relocates it to the terminal device. The terminal device autonomously determines handover decisions based on its own measurements and a stored decision algorithm, eliminating the need to send detailed measurement results to the network for processing. Only minimal trigger signals are exchanged, dramatically reducing signaling load while maintaining handover quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal device is empowered to serve itself by making autonomous handover decisions. It stores a decision algorithm in its memory and uses its own measurement capabilities to independently determine when and where to handover, without requiring continuous network intervention or complex signaling exchanges for decision-making.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex algorithms map measurement values between different RATs, then vertical handovers can be achieved, but processing time increases and seamless handovers become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the handover decision problem by changing the parameters used for comparison. Instead of mapping complex RAT-specific measurement values between different radio access technologies, the system uses a unified quality metric that can directly compare links across different RATs. This parameter transformation eliminates the need for complex mapping algorithms and reduces processing time significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the handover process into two independent parts: measurement collection (which remains RAT-specific) and decision-making (which uses RAT-agnostic quality metrics). The terminal device collects measurements according to RAT-specific protocols but processes them through a standardized decision algorithm that compares overall link quality independent of the underlying RAT, enabling fast vertical handovers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If more radio links are made available, then service diversity increases, but signaling load increases and scalability is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device autonomously manages handover decisions across multiple radio links without requiring network coordination for each decision. The device independently evaluates all available links using its stored algorithm and makes handover decisions locally, allowing the network to support many more simultaneous users and links without proportionally increasing signaling load, thus improving scalability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of triggering a decision of a wireless communication system on a handover and/or of triggering a handover by means of at least one trigger signal. Using a generic algorithm for triggering handover trigger signals. The algorithm uses generic parameters representing at least an aspect of the quality of service of a radio link. The method facilitates handovers in multi-RAT networks and decreases the signalling as part of the handover decision making is transferred to the terminal device.