Network-Controlled Measurement Bandwidth for E-UTRAN Neighbor Cells

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Solution Overview

Problem

In E-UTRAN systems, existing methods for neighbor cell measurements across cells with different bandwidths lead to inconsistent reports, which can result in inappropriate handover or cell reselection decisions, especially in heterogeneous bandwidth deployment scenarios.

Innovation Solution

The network signals a consistent measurement bandwidth to the User Equipment (UE) for performing neighbor cell measurements, allowing the UE to report measurements over a standardized bandwidth without needing to read system information from neighbor cells, thereby ensuring consistent reports across cells with varying bandwidths.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the UE performs neighbor cell measurements on cells with different bandwidths using existing methods, then measurements can be performed on all neighbor cells, but the measurement reports become inconsistent leading to inappropriate handover decisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover decision accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement report consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the measurement bandwidth parameter from cell-specific to network-controlled. The network signals a common measurement bandwidth to the UE, which then uses this standardized bandwidth for measuring all neighbor cells regardless of their actual transmission bandwidths. This parameter change ensures consistent measurement conditions across heterogeneous bandwidth deployments, resolving the inconsistency in measurement reports while maintaining reliable handover decisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the UE reads system information from each neighbor cell to determine measurement bandwidth, then measurements can be adapted to each cell's bandwidth, but UE complexity and measurement reporting delay increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement adaptability to cell bandwidthVSAvoidUE implementation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network provides the measurement bandwidth information proactively through signaling, allowing the UE to perform measurements without needing to read system information from each neighbor cell. The UE simply uses the network-specified bandwidth for all measurements, which eliminates the complexity of reading and processing system information from multiple cells while still enabling appropriate measurement configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The network signals the measurement bandwidth configuration to the UE in advance, before the UE needs to perform neighbor cell measurements. This preliminary provision of measurement parameters eliminates the need for the UE to read system information from neighbor cells during the measurement process, reducing both UE complexity and measurement delay.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the network allows flexible measurement bandwidths based on deployment scenarios, then network control and optimization are improved, but measurement consistency across different bandwidths becomes difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork control flexibilityVSAvoidmeasurement consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The network signals a universal measurement bandwidth that applies to all neighbor cells regardless of their individual bandwidths. This single standardized bandwidth configuration enables the network to maintain measurement consistency across heterogeneous bandwidth deployments while still allowing flexible selection of the measurement bandwidth based on the overall deployment scenario and network optimization requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20230011833A1Network-Controlled E-UTRAN Neighbor Cell Measurements

Publication Date: 2023.01.12 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method is disclosed in a user equipment (UE) for performing downlink measurements on a plurality of cells according to a received measurement configuration. The UE receives measurement configuration information from a radio base station supporting a serving cell of a wireless communications network, the measurement configuration information including an indication of a variably sized measurement bandwidth over which measurements are to be performed on the serving cell and one or more neighbor cells. The UE performs measurements on each of the serving cell and the one or more neighbor cells over the measurement bandwidth, and reports the measurements to the network.