Cell-Type-Specific Measurement Criteria for LTE Handover Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

In LTE-Advanced systems, the introduction of DL New Carrier Type (NCT) as a secondary carrier leads to uneven distribution of radio terminals capable and incapable of using NTCC, causing handover and traffic concentration issues due to inappropriate configuration of Legacy PCell and NTCC PCell ratios, which are difficult to manage due to varying user capabilities and locations.

Innovation Solution

The radio terminal is instructed to perform terminal measurement reports considering the type of cell or carrier, using specific measurement report criteria such as offset values, decision thresholds, and trigger periods to appropriately distribute handover targets and secondary cells, allowing the radio base station to manage cell usage effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If DL New Carrier Type (NCT) is introduced as a secondary carrier to improve downlink throughput and cell capacity, then radio resources for transmitting downlink user data are increased, but handover and traffic concentration occurs on specific cells due to uneven distribution of radio terminals capable of using NTCC

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedownlink throughputVSAvoidhandover distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the measurement report criteria parameters (offset values, decision thresholds, trigger periods) based on the cell type (Legacy or NTCC) to control handover behavior. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system achieves both high downlink throughput through NTCC usage and balanced handover distribution across cell types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies different measurement report criteria to different cell types (Legacy PCell vs. NTCC PCell). Each cell type has customized offset values, decision thresholds, and trigger periods tailored to its characteristics, enabling localized optimization of handover distribution while maintaining overall system productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If measurement report criteria are configured without considering cell type to simplify network management, then configuration complexity is reduced, but handover targets and secondary cells become concentrated on specific cell types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration managementVSAvoidhandover distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces cell-type-specific parameter sets for measurement report criteria. The base station configures different offset values, decision thresholds, and trigger periods based on whether the cell is Legacy or NTCC type. This parameter differentiation enables effective handover distribution without requiring complex manual configuration management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If ratio of Legacy PCell and NTCC PCell is adjusted to balance handover distribution, then handover concentration is reduced, but the ratio becomes difficult to manage due to varying user capabilities and locations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover distributionVSAvoidcell ratio management
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of manually adjusting cell ratios, the invention changes the measurement report criteria parameters (offset values, decision thresholds, trigger periods) to indirectly control handover distribution. This parameter-based approach achieves balanced handover distribution across different cell types without requiring complex ratio management, as the parameters automatically adapt to user capabilities and locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2871881B1Wireless communication system, wireless terminal, wireless station, and communication control method
Publication Date: 2021.10.13 NEC CORP
  • EP2871881B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2871881B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2871881B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention is a radio communication system in which a radio station and a radio terminal communicate with each other. The radio communication system has a control means with which at least one of the radio stations controls a plurality of types of cells by using one radio access technology, a recognition means with which the radio terminal recognizes the types of the cells, and a measurement report means with which the radio terminal performs a report of measurement results based on measurement report criteria according to the types of the cells.