Implicit PSCell Activation for 5G NR Latency Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless networks, particularly in 5G New Radio (NR) systems, the latency associated with configuring and activating secondary serving cells (SCells) is high due to the unpredictability of beam validity and signal quality fluctuations at higher frequency ranges, which hampers system performance and efficiency in utilizing PSCells for offloading.
Innovation Solution
A method where user equipment (UE) autonomously detects and requests a cell on a PSCell carrier to become a secondary serving cell, reducing the need for explicit network configuration and measurement reporting, and the network acknowledges this request through a random access procedure, thereby reducing signaling overhead and configuration time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If explicit network configuration and measurement reporting procedures are used for SCell activation, then network control and reliability are improved, but configuration latency and signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The UE autonomously identifies suitable cells on PSCell carriers and initiates requests to activate them as secondary cells without waiting for explicit network configuration. The UE performs self-service by independently determining cell suitability based on signal quality measurements and autonomously triggering the activation process, thereby reducing configuration latency while maintaining network control through subsequent acknowledgment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The network pre-configures the UE with a list of PSCell carriers and their associated cell identities before the UE needs to activate secondary cells. This preliminary configuration enables the UE to quickly identify and request activation of suitable cells without undergoing lengthy measurement reporting and configuration procedures at the time of activation, thus reducing latency.
2Reliability
If traditional SCell activation procedures are used, then network control is maintained, but signaling overhead and configuration complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cell identification and suitability assessment functions from the network side and transfers them to the UE side. The UE independently identifies suitable cells on PSCell carriers based on pre-configured carrier information and signal quality measurements, removing the need for complex network-controlled measurement reporting and cell selection procedures, thereby simplifying the overall configuration process while maintaining network control through acknowledgment mechanisms.
3Reliability
If beam validity checks are performed at higher frequency ranges, then connection reliability is improved, but predictability of cell readiness deteriorates due to signal quality fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the approach by having the UE continuously monitor signal quality parameters (RSRP, RSRQ) on PSCell carriers and use these parameter variations to dynamically determine when to request cell activation. Instead of relying on fixed beam validity periods, the system adapts to signal quality fluctuations by triggering activation requests based on real-time parameter thresholds, improving both reliability and predictability of cell readiness.
Data Source
AI summary
A UE in a wireless network determines whether it has been configured with carrier(s) to be used for secondary serving cell carriers in the wireless network. The UE performs, using a selected one of the carrier(s) as a selected secondary serving cell carrier, a request for a cell on the selected secondary serving cell carrier to become a secondary serving cell for the user equipment. The UE receives a response from the cell that the request to have the cell become the secondary serving cell for the user equipment was successful. The request is received on the carrier at a cell in the wireless network to have the cell become the secondary cell for the user equipment. The cell indicates to the UE that the request to have the cell become a secondary cell for the user equipment was successful.