HS-DPCCH Feedback Signaling for Multi-Cell Handover Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) systems face challenges in maintaining continuous cellular communication during handovers due to delays in RRC handover message transmission, leading to increased dropped calls and suboptimal performance from UEs designed to receive data from multiple cells, as existing feedback signaling is limited to a single cell.

Innovation Solution

Implementing feedback signaling using a high-speed dedicated physical control channel (HS-DPCCH) to enable simultaneous transmission of ACK/NACK signals to both the source and target cells, allowing for dual or multi-cell operation and improving handover reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the RRC handover message is transmitted via the source Node B over the high speed shared channel, then the handover procedure can be executed, but transmission delay occurs leading to handover failure and increased dropped calls

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover reliabilityVSAvoidhandover execution time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a new feedback signaling mechanism as an intermediary channel between the UE and the network during handover. This feedback channel allows the UE to confirm receipt of the handover command and provides acknowledgment information, enabling the network to verify successful handover execution and reduce handover failures without increasing transmission delay.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If feedback signaling is limited to a single cell, then the existing system structure is maintained, but UEs designed for multi-cell reception perform suboptimally and handover reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE data reception efficiencyVSAvoidhandover reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal feedback signaling mechanism that can operate in both single-cell and multi-cell scenarios. The feedback channel is designed to be cell-agnostic, allowing UEs to send acknowledgment and channel quality information regardless of whether they are in handover mode or normal operation, thereby enabling multi-cell UEs to perform optimally while maintaining compatibility with existing single-cell systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The feedback signaling mechanism is made dynamic by allowing the UE to adaptively adjust feedback content and timing based on whether it is in a handover scenario or normal operation. During handover, the feedback includes specific handover confirmation information; during normal operation, it includes standard channel quality indicators, enabling optimal performance across different operational states.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If the UE monitors the high speed shared channel in a single serving cell, then the system operation is simplified, but service interruption occurs during handover transitions

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE monitoring complexityVSAvoidservice interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the UE sends acknowledgment information back to the network regarding handover command reception and execution status. This feedback allows the network to detect handover failures early and initiate corrective actions, thereby reducing service interruption time during handover transitions while maintaining relatively simple UE monitoring requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2266346B1Method and apparatus of feedback signaling
Publication Date: 2017.09.06 INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS INC
  • EP2266346B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2266346B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2266346B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method and apparatus of feedback signaling using a high speed dedicated physical control channel (HS-DPCCH) includes transmitting to a first cell a first uplink feedback signal that includes channel quality information (CQI) associated with the first cell. A second uplink feedback signal that includes CQI information associated with a second cell is transmitted to the second cell.