Height-Filtered Cell Reporting for Aerial UEs

The patent applies local quality by differentiating measurement reporting behavior based on UE altitude. Terrestrial UEs follow conventional reporting rules, while aerial UEs use height-filtered reporting. The network configures altitude thresholds that determine which cells should be reported, allowing optimized signaling characteristics for each operational context without affecting other UEs.

The patent changes the parameter of measurement reporting by introducing height-based filtering criteria. Instead of reporting all detected neighbor cells, aerial UEs filter reports based on whether the cell is suitable for their current altitude. This parameter change reduces the volume of measurement reports while maintaining coverage reliability.

The patent applies preliminary action by having the network pre-configure altitude thresholds and cell suitability criteria before the aerial UE begins measurement reporting. The network provides ahead-of-time information about which cells are suitable at different heights, allowing the UE to filter reports locally without requiring continuous network intervention or additional height-based measurement configurations.

The patent enables self-service by allowing the aerial UE to autonomously filter measurement reports based on pre-configured altitude thresholds. The UE independently determines which cells to report by comparing its current altitude with the configured thresholds, eliminating the need for the network to process and manage excluded/allowed cell lists dynamically.

The patent applies local quality by tailoring measurement reporting to the specific conditions of aerial UEs. Instead of using universal reporting rules, the system implements altitude-aware reporting where the UE determines cell suitability based on its height. This localized approach maintains accurate serving cell identification while reducing unnecessary reports that would contribute to uplink interference.

The patent converts the harmful effect of frequent measurement reporting into a benefit by using altitude information as a filtering criterion. The same altitude data that characterizes the aerial UE's unique propagation environment is used to suppress unnecessary reports, transforming what would be a source of interference into a mechanism for reducing it.