Master Base Station Trace Coordination in Dual Connectivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current LTE mechanisms lack a solution for tracing user equipment (UE) by secondary base stations in dual connectivity (DC) scenarios, hindering timely fault detection and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The method involves the master base station transmitting trace parameters to the secondary base station to initiate tracing, allowing both stations to monitor and report the UE's service status, enabling simultaneous tracing and fault localization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If only master base station traces UE in DC scenario, then signaling connection complexity is reduced, but fault detection capability is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault detection capabilityVSAvoidsignaling connection complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The master base station acts as an intermediary that receives trace activation instructions from the core network device and forwards trace parameters to the secondary base station. This mediator approach enables the secondary base station to perform tracing without requiring direct signaling connection to the core network, thus improving fault detection capability while avoiding increased signaling connection complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The tracing function is segmented between master and secondary base stations. The master base station handles trace activation and parameter management, while the secondary base station executes actual tracing operations. This segmentation allows each base station to have specialized responsibilities, improving overall system reliability without requiring both stations to have full signaling connections to the core network

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If secondary base station traces UE independently, then monitoring coverage is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring coverageVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The existing signaling interface between master and secondary base stations is extended to carry trace parameters, making this interface serve dual purposes: regular coordination and trace parameter transmission. This multi-functionality approach enables secondary base station tracing without adding dedicated signaling paths, thus improving monitoring coverage while avoiding increased system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The secondary base station uses the trace parameters received from the master base station to autonomously perform tracing operations and generate reports. This self-service capability allows the secondary base station to independently contribute to UE monitoring without requiring continuous control from the master base station, improving monitoring coverage while maintaining simple system architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3684086B1Method and device for tracking user equipment
Publication Date: 2023.05.10 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3684086B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3684086B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3684086B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

This application relates to the field of wireless communications technologies, and provides a user equipment tracing method and a device, to implement joint trace for user equipment by two devices. The user equipment tracing method includes: receiving, by a master base station, a request message sent by a core network device, where the request message is used to request the master base station to initiate trace for user equipment UE; and sending, by the master base station, a first message to a secondary base station, where the first message carries first instruction information, and the first instruction information is used to instruct the secondary base station to trace the UE. The method provided in embodiments of the present invention is applicable to a dual connectivity scenario.