Neighbor Cell Information Reporting for Signaling Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

The manual management of neighbor cells in conventional mobile networks is challenging, especially with the integration of multiple radio access technologies, leading to increased signaling load and battery consumption during inter-RAT cell reselection processes.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that control a mobile communications device to determine if neighbor information from a prior cell is new to the current cell, only reporting it if it is not already included in the current cell's list, thereby reducing unnecessary signaling and battery consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the mobile terminal reports all stored ANR information regarding prior cells to the current cell, then the current cell's neighbor list is updated comprehensively, but the network signaling load increases and battery consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of neighbor list updateVSAvoidbattery consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by having the mobile terminal selectively report only those ANR information entries that are actually needed (i.e., not already present in the current cell's neighbor list), rather than reporting all stored information. This reduces unnecessary signaling and battery consumption while maintaining the completeness of the neighbor list update.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by having the current cell provide system information to the mobile terminal that indicates which neighbor cells are already known. The mobile terminal uses this feedback to determine which ANR information to report, avoiding duplication and reducing signaling load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the mobile terminal reports all stored ANR information regarding prior cells to the current cell, then the current cell's neighbor list is updated comprehensively, but the network signaling load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of neighbor list updateVSAvoidnetwork signaling efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by having the mobile terminal selectively report only those ANR information entries that are actually needed (i.e., not already present in the current cell's neighbor list), rather than reporting all stored information. This reduces unnecessary signaling and battery consumption while maintaining the completeness of the neighbor list update.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by having the current cell provide system information to the mobile terminal that indicates which neighbor cells are already known. The mobile terminal uses this feedback to determine which ANR information to report, avoiding duplication and reducing signaling load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the mobile terminal continuously monitors and reports neighbor information, then the neighbor list remains up-to-date, but the processing complexity and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneighbor list currencyVSAvoidmobile terminal processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the mobile terminal store ANR information in advance during prior cell connections. This pre-stored information is then selectively reported only when needed and only if not already known to the current cell, reducing real-time processing complexity while maintaining neighbor list currency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2635070B1Method and apparatus for communicating neighbor cells

Publication Date: 2014.10.22 BROADCOM INC

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AI summary

A method, apparatus and computer readable medium are provided for supplying information regarding a neighbor cell following cell reselection in a manner that reduces the signaling load on the network and conserves battery consumption by a mobile terminal. In this regard, the method, apparatus and computer readable medium do not blindly provide information regarding a neighbor cell that the current cell has already collected, but, instead, first determine if the neighbor information regarding a prior cell is different than that already available to the current cell and therefore will add to the information regarding neighbor cells that is already maintained by the current cell. In particular, the information regarding neighbor cells of the current cell comprises a listing of cells that are disallowed by the current cell. After making such a determination a mobile terminal may signal the current cell as to the availability of neighbor information regarding a prior cell.