IAB Handover Latency Reduction via Decision-Making Node
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Solution Overview
Problem
In IAB cellular communication systems, the indirect wireless interconnection between base stations increases handover latency due to multiple hops required for message transmission between source and target base stations that are not directly within radio coverage, leading to extended communication disruption during terminal mobility.
Innovation Solution
Introducing a decision-making node within the interconnection topology that intercepts and processes handover requests, eliminating multiple hops by identifying a common parent node to reduce latency, and temporarily storing core network data for seamless handover execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If indirect wireless interconnection is used between base stations in IAB systems, then system flexibility and dense deployment are enabled, but handover latency increases due to multiple hops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a donor base station as an intermediary node to relay handover messages between source and target base stations that are not directly connected. The donor base station receives the handover request from the source base station, processes it, and forwards the handover command to the target base station, thereby enabling handover in indirect wireless interconnection scenarios while managing the multiple-hop latency through centralized coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary actions by having the source base station perform measurements and report to the donor base station before the actual handover. The donor base station pre-processes handover requests and prepares handover commands in advance, reducing the critical path latency during the actual handover execution by anticipating and preparing necessary actions beforehand.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple hops are used for message transmission between base stations, then wireless backhaul flexibility is improved, but handover message transmission time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The donor base station serves as a central intermediary that consolidates multiple hops into a coordinated relay path. Instead of allowing messages to traverse multiple independent hops between base stations, the donor base station receives messages from the source base station, processes them centrally, and forwards them to the target base station, reducing the total transmission time by eliminating redundant intermediate forwarding steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple handover message transmissions into a single coordinated process through the donor base station. The donor base station combines the receipt of handover requests, the generation of handover commands, and the forwarding to target base stations into an integrated process, reducing the overall message transmission time by eliminating sequential delays between separate message exchanges.
3Area of stationary object
If handover requests are transmitted through multiple base stations, then network coverage is extended, but communication disruption during handover increases
Solution Approach 1:
The donor base station acts as a central intermediary that manages handover processes for extended network coverage areas. By centralizing handover coordination at the donor base station, the system can manage handovers across larger coverage areas more efficiently, reducing communication disruption through centralized control and faster decision-making compared to distributed multi-hop handover processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurements and handover preparations through the donor base station before actual handover execution. The source base station reports measurements to the donor base station, which prepares handover commands in advance, ensuring that when handover is needed in extended coverage areas, the process can be executed quickly with minimal communication disruption.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for handover between base stations of an access system for access to a core network including interconnections in a tree structure having wireless links and a single wired link. The wired link connects only one of the base stations, known as a donor node, to the core network. The interconnections between the base stations are solely wireless links. The method includes: transmitting, by a source base station of the access system, to which a terminal is attached, a handover request to a target base station of the access system, the source and target base stations being interconnected via at least one base station known as a decision-making node, which is different from the donor node; intercepting the handover request by the decision-making node; transmitting, by the decision-making node, an agreement message to the source base station; and transmitting a handover trigger message to the target base station.