Automatic Neighbor Cell List Configuration in Cellular Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for configuring neighbor cell lists (NCL) in cellular wireless networks are manual, inefficient, and inflexible, requiring significant resources and becoming more burdensome with smaller cell sizes and dynamic network changes.
Innovation Solution
A method that automatically configures NCL by receiving measurement reports from mobile stations, grouping them by associated neighbor cells, and selecting cells based on signal quality thresholds to optimize handover performance and adapt to network changes, using a statistics module to collect and order reports for calculating the optimal NCL.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual configuration of NCL is used, then configuration can be performed with existing tools, but the process becomes burdensome and inefficient especially with smaller cell sizes and dynamic network changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by allowing mobile stations to autonomously discover neighboring cells and automatically generate NCL configurations based on their measurements. The base station collects measurement reports from multiple mobile stations and uses these reports to automatically configure the NCL, eliminating the need for manual field measurements and configuration by network engineers.
2Reliability
If NCL contains more neighboring cells to ensure handover coverage, then handover success rate improves, but scanning time and battery consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by collecting measurement reports from mobile stations about signal qualities of neighboring cells. Based on this feedback information, the base station intelligently determines which neighboring cells to include in the NCL, ensuring that the NCL contains sufficient cells for handover coverage while excluding cells that would unnecessarily increase scanning overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual NCL configuration is performed, then initial setup can be completed, but the system cannot adapt to dynamic network changes such as new base station deployments
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamics by enabling continuous adaptation of the NCL configuration based on real-time network conditions and mobile station measurements. When network changes occur such as new base station deployments, mobile stations automatically discover the new cells and report measurements, which are then used to update the NCL without requiring manual reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automatically configuring a neighbor cell list, NCL, for a base station in a cellular wireless network, comprises receiving measurement reports for neighbor cells from a plurality of mobile stations. The reports are grouped by the neighbor cell with which each is associated. Neighbor cells are selected for inclusion in the NCL depending on the number of reports in their respective group.