Master Cell Group Configuration Retention During PSCell Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
In New Radio-Dual Connectivity (NR-DC) systems, managing Master Cell Group (MCG) configurations during Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) changes is challenging, as existing technologies often require unnecessary remapping of MCG configurations and bearers, leading to interruptions and increased signaling.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a User Equipment (UE) that receives preparation configurations from a Master Node (MN) for multiple candidate target PSCells, sharing the same MCG configuration. The UE performs PSCell changes without altering the MCG configuration, retaining the preparation configurations to enable seamless transitions between PSCells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If MCG configuration remapping is performed during PSCell change, then configuration adaptability is improved, but signaling overhead and interruptions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network pre-configures multiple candidate PSCells with their respective MCG configurations before the PSCell change occurs. The UE receives and stores these configurations in advance, so when a PSCell change is triggered, the UE can immediately apply the pre-configured MCG configuration without requiring additional signaling or remapping operations during the actual handover.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates and stores copies of MCG configurations for multiple candidate PSCells in advance. These configuration copies are maintained in the UE's memory, allowing rapid switching between different PSCell configurations without needing to retrieve or reconstruct them during the handover process, thereby eliminating the need for real-time configuration remapping and reducing signaling overhead.
2Adaptability or versatility
If MCG configuration remapping is performed during PSCell change, then configuration adaptability is improved, but handover interruption time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network pre-configures multiple candidate PSCells with their respective MCG configurations before the PSCell change occurs. The UE receives and stores these configurations in advance, so when a PSCell change is triggered, the UE can immediately apply the pre-configured MCG configuration without requiring additional signaling or remapping operations during the actual handover.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic switching between pre-configured MCG configurations based on the selected target PSCell. The UE maintains multiple configuration sets in memory and can rapidly switch between them without reconstruction, allowing the system to adapt dynamically to different PSCell scenarios while maintaining operational continuity and minimizing interruption time.
3Reliability
If full MCG configuration is transmitted for each candidate PSCell, then configuration completeness is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the configuration management approach by separating the MCG configuration into a common reference configuration and PSCell-specific configuration parameters. The network transmits a reference MCG configuration that applies to multiple candidate PSCells, along with individual configuration parameters for each candidate. This segmentation allows the UE to reconstruct complete configurations without receiving redundant full configuration sets for every candidate PSCell, thereby reducing signaling overhead while maintaining configuration completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal reference MCG configuration that can be applied to multiple candidate PSCells. This reference configuration contains the common elements that are shared across different PSCells, and the UE combines this universal configuration with PSCell-specific parameters to generate complete configurations for each candidate. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need to transmit separate full configurations for each PSCell, significantly reducing signaling overhead while ensuring configuration completeness.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of the disclosure relate to managing Master Cell Group (MCG) configurations during PSCell (Primary Secondary Cell) changes. In examples of the disclosure a User Equipment comprises means for receiving, from a master node, preparation configurations for at least a first candidate target PSCell and a second candidate target PSCell, wherein same MCG configuration is shared among at least the first candidate target PSCell and the second candidate target PSCell. The User Equipment also comprises means for performing a PSCell change from a source PSCell to the first candidate target PSCell and retaining the preparation configurations after the PSCell change. The PSCell change is performed without a PCell change.