Mobile Terminal HeNB Discovery via Network-Assisted Probability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for mobile terminals to discover and connect to preferred femtocells in cellular networks are inefficient, leading to increased power consumption and potential disruptions in service due to constant measurements, especially when the femtocell operates on a different frequency or is not in range.
Innovation Solution
A method that estimates the probability of a mobile terminal being within range of a preferred cell based on its route and historical data, adjusting the frequency of additional measurements and actions accordingly to minimize resource usage and ensure timely connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE performs additional measurements to identify HeNB in range, then the discovery capability is improved, but power consumption increases and service disruption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs preliminary actions by providing assistance data containing HeNB geographic location information and coverage area data before the UE needs to discover HeNBs. This allows the UE to predict HeNB availability based on its estimated route without performing energy-consuming measurements, resolving the contradiction between discovery capability and power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The network acts as an intermediary by providing assistance data that mediates between the UE's discovery needs and power consumption constraints. The assistance data enables the UE to make informed decisions about HeNB availability without direct measurement interactions, reducing power usage while maintaining discovery effectiveness
2Reliability
If the UE performs additional measurements to identify HeNB in range, then the discovery capability is improved, but service disruption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The network provides HeNB location and coverage information in advance through assistance data, enabling the UE to predict HeNB availability along its estimated route. This eliminates the need for time-consuming measurements and handover interruptions, resolving the contradiction between discovery capability and service continuity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the UE's reported location and the network's HeNB coverage data to continuously update predictions of HeNB availability. This feedback mechanism allows the UE to anticipate HeNB entry without service disruption, maintaining both discovery effectiveness and service continuity
3Speed
If the UE constantly searches for higher priority layers, then the discovery speed is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs preliminary calculations to determine the UE's estimated route and predicts HeNB availability along this route using assistance data. This eliminates the need for constant UE searching, achieving fast discovery prediction without the energy cost of continuous measurements
Solution Approach 2:
The network autonomously performs the search function by calculating the UE's route and predicting HeNB availability based on assistance data. This self-service approach replaces the UE's energy-consuming constant search with a network-based prediction mechanism that achieves the same discovery goal with minimal UE power consumption
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides an improved method of operating a mobile terminal or user equipment in a cellular telecommunications network to efficiently discover preferred cells, in particular a HeNB, prior to connecting. Whilst constant searching for a preferred cell can ensure it is found as soon as it is within range, this has a significant impact on resources at the UE, such as battery power, and can disrupt any existing services that might be running. The proposed method determines the probability of the UE being within range of a preferred cell based on measurements already available to the UE or by the network. Additional measurements can then be made as required, and made with increasing frequency as the probability of being within range of the preferred cell increases.