Neighbour Cell Frequency Measurement Using Coverage-Aware UE Triggers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In scenarios of overlapped deployment of non-terrestrial network (NTN) and terrestrial network (TN) with wide difference in cell range, existing protocols require all user equipments (UEs) in an NTN cell to measure on all possible neighbour cell frequencies, including those that are far away, leading to unnecessary measurements.
Innovation Solution
A UE and base station (BS) are configured to receive conditions for determining whether to measure on neighbour cell frequencies based on coverage and movement parameters, such as distance, latency, elevation and horizontal angles, beam identities, and zone locations, allowing UEs to selectively measure only on relevant frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all UEs in an NTN cell measure on all possible neighbour cell frequencies, then measurement coverage is complete, but power consumption increases and resource usage is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making measurement behavior location-dependent. UEs determine their geographic location and compare it with predefined measurement zones for different neighbor cell frequencies. Only UEs within specific zones perform measurements on corresponding frequencies, rather than all UEs measuring all frequencies uniformly. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining complete measurement coverage where needed while eliminating unnecessary measurements elsewhere, thereby reducing power consumption without sacrificing reliability.
2Reliability
If all UEs in an NTN cell measure on all possible neighbour cell frequencies, then mobility management is thorough, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the NTN cell coverage area into multiple measurement zones, each associated with specific neighbor cell frequencies. Instead of a single uniform measurement procedure, the system segments the measurement task based on geographic location. UEs determine which zone they are in and only measure frequencies relevant to that zone. This segmentation maintains thorough mobility management within each zone while reducing overall processing overhead by eliminating redundant measurements across the entire cell.
3Use of energy by moving object
If UEs suspend neighbour cell measurement to save power, then power consumption decreases, but measurement precision and mobility detection capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining measurement zones and associated frequency lists before UEs enter the cell. The network configures multiple measurement zones with different neighbor cell frequency assignments based on historical data, geographic information, or network planning. When a UE enters a zone, it immediately knows which frequencies to measure without needing to continuously evaluate all frequencies. This preliminary configuration enables the UE to suspend unnecessary measurements while maintaining precise mobility detection for relevant cells, resolving the contradiction between power saving and measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to methods and apparatuses for methods and apparatuses for reducing measurement on neighbour cell frequencies. An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a UE, comprising: a transceiver; and a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to: receive a message indicating one or more conditions for determining whether to measure on at least one frequency band associated with at least one neighbour cell, wherein the one or more conditions are associated with at least one of the following: at least one coverage parameter of a serving cell; at least one coverage parameter of at least one neighbour cell; or at least one movement parameter of the UE; and measure on the at least one frequency band in the case that neighbour cell measurement is triggered and at least one condition of the one or more conditions is fulfilled; or suspend a triggered neighbour cell measurement in the case that neighbour cell measurement is triggered and no condition of the one or more conditions is fulfilled.