Master UE and Companion Device Handover in Wireless Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, particularly 3GPP LTE, face challenges in supporting the mobility of wearable devices and IoT devices, as existing power saving modes and connectivity features do not adequately address the needs of delay-sensitive services and various applications, especially concerning handover procedures for devices connected through relayed connections.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to efficiently hand over a master UE and its companion device by transmitting a handover request message that includes the UE context of both the master UE and the companion UE, allowing the target eNodeB to identify and manage their relationship, ensuring service continuity during handovers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a wearable device is connected to the network through another UE by enhanced connectivity, then the device can support various applications and services, but mobility management becomes complex as handover procedures must account for both the master UE and companion device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the handover procedures for the master UE and companion device into a single unified process. The source eNodeB transmits a single handover request message containing the UE context of both devices to the target eNodeB, and receives a single handover request acknowledgment. This combining approach reduces the number of signaling messages and simplifies mobility management while maintaining support for various applications and services.
Solution Approach 2:
The handover request message is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it conveys the master UE's context, includes the companion device's context, establishes the relationship between the two devices, and enables the target eNodeB to prepare resources for both devices. This multi-functional message structure reduces overall system complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Ease of operation
If separate handover procedures are performed for master UE and companion device, then each device can be managed independently, but the handover process becomes time-consuming and service continuity may be disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The source eNodeB performs preliminary actions by preparing a single handover request message that contains the UE context of both the master UE and companion device before initiating the handover. The target eNodeB uses this pre-prepared information to efficiently allocate resources and prepare for receiving both devices, reducing the overall handover time while maintaining independent manageability.
3Reliability
If the handover request message includes UE context of both master UE and companion UE, then the target eNodeB can identify their relationship and manage them together, but the message size and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the companion device's UE context is embedded within the overall handover request message that also contains the master UE's context. The message includes an identifier indicating the relationship between the two devices, allowing the target eNodeB to parse and process the nested information efficiently. This nesting approach ensures service continuity while managing processing complexity through structured data organization.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for performing a handover procedure in a wireless communication system is provided. A source eNodeB (eNB) of the handover procedure transmits a handover request message including a user equipment (UE) context of a master UE and a UE context of a companion UE from a source eNB. A target eNB identifies relationship between the master UE and the companion UE according to the handover request message including the UE contexts of the master UE and the companion UE.