LTE Mobile Device Doppler Compensation for Handover Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

In communication networks, particularly in LTE technology, high-speed mobile devices such as aircraft experience significant Doppler shifts, leading to inaccurate signal power measurements from neighboring base stations, which can result in degraded service quality and communication disruptions during handover processes due to uncorrected frequency offsets.

Innovation Solution

A method that uses Cell-Specific Reference Signals (CRS) with Doppler compensation to accurately measure signal power from neighboring cells by applying correction factors based on the mobile device's velocity and position, allowing for precise power estimation and optimal handover decisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Doppler shift correction is applied with respect to the serving base station, then communication with the serving cell is maintained, but the ability to correctly measure signals from neighboring base stations is lost due to excessive relative Doppler shift

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliability with serving cellVSAvoidsignal power measurement accuracy from neighboring cells
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the reference parameter for Doppler correction from the serving base station frequency to each individual neighboring base station frequency. Instead of applying a single Doppler correction based on the serving cell, the system calculates separate Doppler shifts for each neighboring cell measurement and applies corresponding corrections, enabling accurate power measurements despite high mobile speeds

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary Doppler shift calculations for neighboring base stations before actual signal measurement. By pre-calculating the expected Doppler shifts based on mobile speed and direction, the system can apply appropriate corrections to reference signals from neighboring cells, ensuring accurate measurements are available when needed for handover decisions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If high-speed mobile communication is maintained without Doppler compensation, then device complexity is reduced, but service quality degrades due to frequency offset errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal processing complexityVSAvoidservice quality during handover
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile device performs self-service Doppler compensation by using its own speed and position information (from GPS or other location services) to calculate and apply corrections to received signals. The device autonomously determines Doppler shifts for both serving and neighboring cells and adjusts measurements accordingly, eliminating the need for complex network-side compensation mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the Doppler compensation process into separate calculations for the serving cell and each neighboring cell. Instead of a single unified correction, the system divides the problem into multiple independent Doppler shift calculations, each tailored to the specific geometry and frequency of a particular base station, improving overall measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach ensures accurate signal power measurement and improves handover processes by correcting Doppler shifts, maintaining service quality and reducing communication disruptions in high-speed scenarios.

Implementation Method 1

the signals received/transmitted by the mobile equipment from/to a base station are affected by Doppler shifts very much greater than what the LTE standard can tolerate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDoppler effect: Doppler Effect

Data Source

PatentEP3110203B1Measuring power in a communication device taking acount of doppler effect
Publication Date: 2020.08.26 THALES SA
  • EP3110203B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3110203B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3110203B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The object of the present invention relates to a method and a system using LTE technology for determining the power value of a signal received from each of the cells adjacent to a service cell while remaining connected to the latter. The implementation of the method relies in particular on the use of CRS signals transmitted downlink from the eNB base station to the mobile equipment, with appropriate Doppler compensation to allow the protocol stack of a mobile device to measure the signal level received from each adjacent cell with optimal accuracy.