Mobile Device Cell Map for Proactive Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices do not retain information about available cells at previously visited locations, leading to repeated and resource-intensive scans when returning to the same geographical area, which can result in degraded performance due to missed synchronization windows.
Innovation Solution
Building a 'cell map' by mobile devices that stores and updates cell information, including identifiers, frequencies, and signal strengths, which can be accessed locally or through a remote system, allowing proactive scanning and reduced resource consumption by recalling previously observed cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mobile devices perform repeated scans for available cells every time they return to a geographical location, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but resource consumption (power, processing, networking) increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device performs cell scans in advance and stores the results in a cell map before being requested to provide measurement reports. This preliminary action allows the device to recall previously scanned cell information instead of performing repeated scans, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device creates a copy of cell information (cell map) that is stored locally and can be reused multiple times. Instead of repeatedly scanning and measuring cells, the device uses the stored copy of cell information to respond to serving cell requests, reducing the need for repeated resource-intensive operations.
2Reliability
If mobile devices perform comprehensive cell scans upon returning to geographical locations, then reliability of network connection is improved, but time consumption increases causing missed synchronization windows
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device performs cell scans and builds the cell map in advance, before synchronization windows occur. This allows the device to have cell information ready when needed, ensuring reliable network connection without missing synchronization windows due to time-consuming scans.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device maintains its own cell map locally, enabling it to quickly retrieve cell information without needing to perform time-consuming scans or wait for network assistance. This self-service approach ensures the device can meet synchronization requirements while maintaining connection reliability.
3Loss of information
If mobile devices scan for available cells frequently, then up-to-date cell information is obtained, but processing resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device performs cell scans in advance and stores results in a cell map, updating the information before it is needed. This preliminary action ensures cell information is current without requiring frequent processing-intensive scans, as the device can reuse stored information until updates are necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device maintains a cell map that can be updated selectively rather than continuously. When cell information becomes outdated or changes, the device performs scans to recover updated information, discarding the need for continuous frequent scanning and reducing overall processing resource consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A knowledge base of cell information can be built and made available to one or more mobile devices. A mobile device with access to this cell information may proactively perform a radio signal scan at a frequency of an expected cell(s) that is/are indicated in the cell information (e.g., if the expected cell is associated with a serving cell and/or with a geolocation that corresponds to the current Global Positioning System (GPS) location of the mobile device). After performing the radio signal scan, the mobile device may store measurement information (e.g., signal strength) about the expected cell(s) in local memory of the mobile device, and, upon receiving an instruction from the serving cell, the mobile device may access the stored measurement information from its local memory, and may send the measurement information to the requesting serving cell.