Hierarchical SFN Mobility for Low-Resource UE Paging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Directional beam-sweeping in wireless communication systems consumes excessive communication resources for transmitting synchronization and paging signals to user equipment (UE) in RRC inactive or idle states, particularly in millimeter-wave spectrum.
Innovation Solution
Implement hierarchical mobility procedures that utilize single-frequency networks (SFNs) to transmit synchronization and paging signals, allowing UEs to skip decoding system information blocks and reading system information in certain areas, thereby optimizing resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If directional beam-sweeping is used to transmit synchronization and paging signals, then coverage area is improved, but communication resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the coverage area into multiple SFN areas, each with its own synchronization signal and paging signal. Instead of using one comprehensive beam-sweeping pattern to cover the entire area, the system divides the large coverage area into smaller segments (SFN areas), allowing each segment to use simpler, less resource-intensive signaling. This segmentation reduces the overall communication resource consumption while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the mobility management system by creating multiple levels of SFN areas (e.g., first SFN area, second SFN area, etc.). This dimensional organization allows the system to manage synchronization and paging signals at different hierarchical levels, reducing the need for exhaustive beam-sweeping across the entire coverage area and thereby reducing communication resource consumption.
2Area of stationary object
If beam-sweeping pattern is used for signal transmission, then signal coverage is improved, but resource usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the signal transmission function across multiple SFN areas, where each area transmits its own synchronization and paging signals. This segmentation eliminates the need for a single resource-intensive beam-sweeping pattern to cover the entire area, as each SFN area can use simpler, localized signal transmission methods, thereby reducing overall resource usage while maintaining comprehensive signal coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the SFN area structure universal and multi-functional, where each SFN area can independently provide synchronization, paging, and mobility management functions. This universality allows the system to achieve comprehensive signal coverage through multiple independent, low-resource SFN areas rather than relying on a single high-resource beam-sweeping system.
3Productivity
If hierarchical mobility procedures are implemented, then resource efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mobility management system into hierarchical SFN areas with clear boundaries and roles. Each SFN area is a self-contained unit with its own synchronization and paging signals, making the overall system easier to manage despite the hierarchical structure. This segmentation approach improves resource efficiency while keeping the complexity manageable through modular organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial mobility procedures where UEs perform area reselection based on specific conditions (e.g., when moving between SFN areas) rather than continuously monitoring all possible areas. This partial action approach improves resource efficiency by reducing unnecessary signaling and processing, while the conditional nature of the procedures keeps the system complexity manageable.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Techniques are described herein for mobility procedures configured to maintain connectivity with a device, such as a user equipment (UE), when the UE moves between single-frequency network (SFN) areas. When the UE operates in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state or an RRC idle state, the UE may utilize hierarchical mobility. As the UE moves throughout the coverage area of the network, the UE may use mobility procedures for moving between a serving radio access network (RAN) notification area (RNA) and a neighboring RNA (e.g., inter-RNA procedures), and/or procedures for moving between SFN areas within the serving RNA (e.g., intra-RNA procedures), which may include procedures for moving between tracking areas (TAs). In some mobility procedures, the UE may skip decoding a system information block or reading the system information. An SFN area may be a radio access network area code (RAN-AC).