IoT Base Station Coverage Level Update via Intra-Cell Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Communication interruptions occur due to inconsistent coverage levels between terminals and base stations in the Internet of Things, leading to poor user experience when the base station fails to sense and update the coverage level in a timely manner.

Innovation Solution

A method where the base station receives feedback from the terminal to determine if the coverage level has changed, initiates an intra-cell handover process, and reallocates physical resources such as narrowband positions and repetition times of channels to maintain consistent coverage levels, ensuring uninterrupted communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the base station fails to sense and update the coverage level in time, then the device complexity is reduced, but communication reliability deteriorates due to coverage level inconsistency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidbase station complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal sends coverage level information feedback to the base station through signaling messages. The base station receives this feedback and updates its coverage level record accordingly, ensuring both sides maintain consistent coverage level information without requiring complex active sensing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal autonomously determines its own coverage level based on signal strength measurements and reports this information to the base station. This self-service approach eliminates the need for the base station to continuously and actively sense the terminal's coverage level, reducing base station complexity while maintaining communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the base station continuously monitors and updates coverage level, then communication reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to frequent updates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidupdate time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The base station updates the coverage level periodically based on predetermined time intervals or triggering events rather than continuously monitoring. This periodic update mechanism maintains communication reliability by keeping coverage level information current while minimizing the time consumed by updates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal initiates coverage level updates by sending feedback signals when it detects changes in its coverage level. This event-driven feedback mechanism ensures the base station updates coverage level information only when necessary, reducing unnecessary update time while maintaining communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If different physical layer technologies are adopted for terminals at different coverage levels, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple technology support

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage level adaptabilityVSAvoidterminal complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal dynamically adjusts its physical layer parameters such as transmission power and modulation scheme based on its current coverage level. This dynamic adaptation allows the terminal to optimize its communication performance for different coverage conditions without requiring multiple dedicated physical layer technologies, thereby improving adaptability while controlling complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of switching between different physical layer technologies, the system adapts to different coverage levels by changing parameters such as transmission power, repetition times, and modulation schemes. This parameter-based adaptation achieves coverage level versatility while avoiding the complexity of supporting multiple distinct physical layer technologies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3783943B1Coverage level updating method, base station, terminal, and readable storage medium
Publication Date: 2023.02.15 ZTE CORP
  • EP3783943B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3783943B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3783943B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Disclosed are a coverage level updating method, a device, a base station, a terminal, and a readable storage medium. The method comprises: when a terminal successfully access a base station, determining whether a coverage level of the terminal changes, and reporting the determination result to the base station. When receiving a feedback message of a change in the coverage level of the terminal, the base station initiates an intra-cell handover process on the terminal and updates the coverage level of the terminal. When receiving an instruction for intra-cell handover from the base station, the terminal executes a handover process according to physical resources reconfigured in the instruction for intra-cell handover and randomly accesses a current cell.