LTE Terminal Seamless Handover via Source Cell Continuity

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing handover process in LTE-A systems experiences a long interruption time due to the random access process, which negatively impacts the normal service of the terminal and user experience.

Innovation Solution

The terminal performs a handover process while maintaining data communication with the source cell until the handover to the target cell is successful, reducing and potentially eliminating the interruption time by keeping communication active until the random access process is completed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the terminal performs a random access process at the target cell during handover, then the handover can be completed successfully, but the data communication between the terminal and the network is interrupted for a long time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover completionVSAvoidhandover interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal performs the random access process to the target cell before completely releasing the connection with the source cell. This preliminary action allows the terminal to establish uplink synchronization with the target cell in advance, so that when the handover is completed, data communication can be immediately resumed without waiting for the random access process to finish, thus reducing the interruption time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal maintains the connection with the source cell during the random access process to the target cell, keeping the data communication channel active. This continuity ensures that even while switching cells, the terminal remains connected to the network, preventing complete service interruption and allowing seamless transition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP2503820B1Terminal and handover method
Publication Date: 2019.03.06 ZTE CORP
  • EP2503820B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2503820B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2503820B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention discloses a handover method and a terminal. The method comprises the following steps: a terminal receiving a handover command, wherein the handover command is used to indicate that the terminal should be handed over to a target cell; the terminal performing a handover process so that it is handed over to the target cell and keeping a data communication with a source cell until a success of the handover process is determined. The present invention can reduce and even eliminate the interruption time of the handover in the mobility management so as to achieve a seamless handover and improve the service experience for the users.