Automatic Neighbor Reporting for Dynamic CBRS Frequency Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cellular networks face challenges in efficiently managing handovers and cell reselections due to the dynamic and unlicensed nature of CBRS spectrum, where frequency allocation is controlled by a Spectrum Access System (SAS), making it difficult to incorporate CBRS Absolute Radio-Frequency Channel Numbers (ARFCNs) into existing inter-frequency measurement lists.
Innovation Solution
The system enhances Automatic Neighbor Relation (ANR) functions by adjusting and supplementing UE scanning to include shared or unlicensed spectrum, such as CBRS, through measurement configuration messages, coordinating scanning among multiple UEs, and updating neighbor relations tables based on measurement information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the RAN uses existing inter-frequency measurement lists for scanning, then licensed spectrum scanning is effective, but CBRS frequency scanning becomes impossible due to slot exhaustion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement task by dividing CBRS frequency scanning into multiple measurement slots distributed across different UEs. Instead of requiring one UE to scan all CBRS frequencies, the system divides the frequency range and assigns different frequency subsets to different UEs, allowing comprehensive CBRS coverage without exhausting single-UE measurement slots.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes UEs serve multiple functions: they continue to perform licensed spectrum measurements as before while simultaneously performing CBRS frequency scans. The measurement configuration is designed to allow UEs to handle both licensed and unlicensed spectrum measurements, making the measurement system universally applicable to both spectrum types.
2Adaptability or versatility
If CBRS frequencies are added to the measurement list, then handover capability improves, but measurement slot availability is exhausted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the CBRS frequency scanning task across multiple measurement slots and multiple UEs. Each UE is assigned a subset of CBRS frequencies to scan during its available measurement slots, distributing the time loss across multiple devices rather than concentrating it in one UE, thereby maintaining overall system handover capability without exhausting any single UE's measurement capacity.
3Device complexity
If fixed measurement lists are used, then system complexity is low, but dynamic CBRS frequency allocation cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic measurement configuration where the network can update measurement lists with CBRS frequencies based on current SAS allocations. The measurement configuration is no longer static but can be dynamically adjusted to reflect changing CBRS frequency assignments, allowing the system to adapt to dynamic spectrum sharing while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where UEs report measurement results including detected CBRS frequencies and signal qualities back to the network. The network uses this feedback to update measurement configurations and neighbor relation tables, creating a closed-loop system that continuously adapts to changing CBRS frequency allocations based on actual measurements and network conditions.
4Reliability
If comprehensive CBRS frequency scanning is performed, then handover reliability improves, but measurement time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the comprehensive CBRS scanning task across multiple UEs, where each UE scans a subset of frequencies. This parallelization reduces the effective scanning time from the system perspective, as multiple frequencies are scanned simultaneously by different devices, while still achieving comprehensive coverage for reliable handover decisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements iterative scanning where UEs perform partial scans in initial measurement slots, report results, and then perform additional scans in subsequent slots based on network feedback. This staged approach allows the system to achieve reliable handover information progressively rather than requiring complete scanning before handover decisions can be made, reducing overall time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, transmitting, by a processing system including a processor, a measurement configuration message to a mobile communication device that identifies a first subset of frequencies of a group of frequencies in a shared spectrum for wireless communications, where the transmitting the measurement configuration message causes the mobile communication device to perform scanning of the first subset of frequencies without scanning a remainder of frequencies of the group of frequencies; receiving, by the processing system, measurement information from the mobile communication device based on the scanning; and updating, by the processing system, a neighbor relation table based on the measurement information. Other embodiments are disclosed.