Inter-site Carrier Aggregation Capability Signaling

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing LTE method lacks a mechanism for mobile stations to inform radio base stations about their capability to correct timing differences between asynchronous component carriers, leading to potential misinstruction for inter-site carrier aggregation.

Innovation Solution

A mobile station is configured to transmit 'UE Capability Information' to the radio base station, indicating its ability to perform inter-site carrier aggregation in asynchronous states, allowing the radio base station to determine whether to enable this functionality based on the mobile station's capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If inter-site carrier aggregation is enabled using CCs under different radio base stations in asynchronous state, then broadband communication capability is improved, but timing synchronization accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebroadband communication capabilityVSAvoidtiming synchronization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces capability information parameters that indicate whether a mobile station can correct timing differences between asynchronous component carriers. The radio base station uses these parameters to determine appropriate scheduling configurations, changing operational parameters based on the mobile station's capability to handle timing synchronization in inter-site carrier aggregation scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the radio base station instructs the mobile station to perform inter-site carrier aggregation without capability verification, then network flexibility is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork flexibilityVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary capability verification by having the mobile station transmit capability information indicating whether it can correct timing differences before the radio base station instructs inter-site carrier aggregation. This preliminary action ensures that only mobile stations with the necessary capability are assigned asynchronous inter-site carrier aggregation, preventing communication failures while maintaining network flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile station provides feedback in the form of capability information to the radio base station regarding its ability to handle asynchronous inter-site carrier aggregation. The radio base station uses this feedback to make informed decisions about scheduling and resource allocation, ensuring reliable communication by matching network instructions with mobile station capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2941031B1Mobile station and radio base station

Publication Date: 2020.05.06 NTT DOCOMO INC

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Figure 5(a)~5(b)

AI summary

"Inter-site CA" using CCs under different radio base stations eNB in an asynchronous state can be performed appropriately. A mobile station UE of the present invention comprises a transmission unit 12 configured to transmit "UE Capability Information" to a radio base station eNB, the "UE Capability Information" indicating whether the mobile station UE is capable of performing "Inter-site CA" using CCs under different radio base stations eNB in the asynchronous state.