MBS Base Station Switching Using Capability-Aware Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
The 5G network lacks a designed switching mechanism for multicast and broadcast services (MBS), which affects user equipment support during mobility, leading to potential interruptions and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for MBS switching that involves acquiring capability information of other base stations to determine if they support MBS, and initiating a switching request only to those that do, using enhanced ANR mechanisms and communication negotiation to optimize tunnel and broadcast modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If MBS switching is implemented without capability verification, then switching speed is improved, but service interruption and resource waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by acquiring and storing capability information of neighboring base stations before switching is needed. The serving base station collects MBS capability data from neighboring base stations in advance, so that when switching is required, the target base station can be immediately identified without verification delays, thus maintaining both high switching speed and service continuity
2Measurement precision
If capability information acquisition is performed for all base stations, then switching accuracy is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively acquiring capability information only from neighboring base stations that are relevant for potential switching targets, rather than all base stations in the network. The serving base station identifies and collects capability data only from locally adjacent base stations, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining sufficient switching accuracy for mobility scenarios
Data Source
AI summary
A multicast and broadcast service (MBS) switching method includes acquiring, by a base station serving a user equipment, capability information of other base stations for an MBS, the capability information indicating whether the MBS is supported by each of the other base stations. The method further includes determining, according to the capability information of the other base stations for the MBS, whether a first base station of the other base stations supports the MBS in response to a determination to switch the MBS of the user equipment to the first base station. The method further includes initiating an MBS switching request to the first base station in response to a determination that the first base station supports the MBS, the MBS switching request indicating to switch the MBS of the user equipment from the base station serving the user equipment to the first base station.