Master UE Grouping for Network Handover Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current networking architectures face challenges in managing service hand-outs for user equipment (UE) due to delays in determining the best cell radio for service handovers, leading to potential service failures and degraded network performance, especially in complex communication environments like small cell ad-hoc networks.

Innovation Solution

The system groups user equipment served by a serving cell radio into clusters based on their location and proximity, selects a master UE for each group to perform inter-frequency and inter-RAT measurements, and uses this information to facilitate service hand-outs without requiring each UE to perform individual measurements, thereby reducing delays and improving handover efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If individual user equipment performs inter-frequency and inter-RAT measurements for service hand-outs, then measurement accuracy is improved, but measurement time and system overhead increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines measurement functions by having a first user equipment perform measurements on behalf of multiple second user equipments. The measurement reports from the first user equipment are shared among multiple user equipments, eliminating redundant measurements and significantly reducing total measurement time while maintaining accuracy for all user equipments in the group.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The first user equipment serves multiple functions: it performs measurements for itself, performs measurements for other second user equipments in the group, and shares measurement reports with all member user equipments. This multi-functional approach reduces overall system overhead and measurement time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If service hand-out target cell radio is determined through comprehensive measurements, then service hand-out reliability is improved, but hand-out delay increases causing potential service failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice hand-out reliabilityVSAvoidhand-out delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs measurements in advance by having the first user equipment conduct inter-frequency and inter-RAT measurements before service hand-out is actually needed. These pre-performed measurements are stored and can be immediately used when a second user equipment requires service hand-out, eliminating measurement delay and ensuring timely and reliable hand-outs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses measurement reports from the first user equipment as feedback information to determine service hand-out targets for second user equipments. This feedback mechanism allows the network to make informed hand-out decisions based on actual measurement data without requiring real-time measurements for each individual hand-out request.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If each user equipment performs individual measurements for service hand-outs, then measurement completeness is improved, but network overhead and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement completenessVSAvoidnetwork overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges measurement tasks by consolidating multiple individual measurement processes into a single measurement execution. The first user equipment performs measurements once and shares the results with multiple second user equipments, reducing the total number of measurement reports generated and minimizing network overhead while maintaining measurement completeness for all user equipments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9629033B2System and method to facilitate service hand-outs using user equipment groups in a network environment

Publication Date: 2017.04.18 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include grouping a plurality of user equipment served by a serving cell radio into one or more groups based on an approximate location of each of the plurality of user equipment and a proximity of each of the plurality of user equipment in relation to each other; selecting a master user equipment for each group; receiving inter-frequency measurement information or inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) measurement information associated with one or more neighboring cell radios; receiving a first service request for a first user equipment of a particular group; and selecting a particular neighboring cell radio for a service hand-out of the first user equipment based, at least in part, on the first service request and inter-frequency measurement information or inter-RAT measurement information received from a particular master user equipment for the particular group.