Network Handover for Power Reduction in Single RAN
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Single Radio Access Networks (Single RAN), network-side communications devices consume excessive power due to continuous broadcast signaling, leading to increased energy waste and maintenance costs, as they maintain overlapping coverage across different radio access technologies.
Innovation Solution
A method where a network-side communications device monitors data service traffic and sends handover instructions to terminals to switch from a first network to a second network with higher average data transmission rates, disabling all common physical channels except the pilot channel in the second network, thereby reducing power consumption and unnecessary signaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the network-side communications device continuously transmits broadcast signaling to ensure coverage in Single RAN, then the coverage reliability is improved, but the power consumption increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by enabling the second network only when data service traffic reaches a threshold level. The network-side device monitors traffic continuously and activates the high-rate network periodically rather than maintaining it continuously, thus reducing power consumption while ensuring coverage reliability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the network configuration adaptive to traffic conditions. The second network's physical channels are dynamically enabled or disabled based on real-time data service traffic monitoring, allowing the system to adjust its state from low-power (disabled) to high-performance (enabled) as conditions change.
2Loss of energy
If all common physical channels are disabled in the second network to reduce power consumption, then energy waste is reduced, but the network cannot serve terminals directly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the second network with disabled physical channels but maintaining the capability to enable them. When a terminal needs service, the network-side device enables the necessary physical channels before handover, ensuring the network can serve terminals directly when required while maintaining energy-saving state during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing the second network to serve multiple functions: it can operate in a low-power state with disabled channels for energy saving, and switch to a full-service state with enabled channels when data traffic requires it. This multi-functional design allows the same network infrastructure to adapt to different service demands.
3Reliability
If the network maintains overlapping coverage with multiple networks to ensure service continuity, then service reliability is improved, but the network complexity and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the network coverage into two functional parts: the first network provides continuous coverage with enabled physical channels for basic service, while the second network provides enhanced data service capability when activated. This segmentation allows service continuity through the first network while adding high-rate capability through the second network only when needed, reducing overall complexity.
4Area of stationary object
If the network-side communications device transmits at maximum power to ensure coverage, then the coverage area is maintained, but unnecessary energy waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by enabling different physical channels in different networks based on local service requirements. The first network maintains enabled channels for coverage assurance, while the second network keeps channels disabled by default and enables them locally only when data service traffic in that specific network reaches the threshold, thus maintaining coverage area while reducing energy waste through localized activation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a communications method, device, and system. The method includes: monitoring whether a terminal in a first network has a service requirement of a second network, where the first network has a same coverage as the second network, an average data transmission rate of the second network is higher than an average data transmission rate of the first network, and all common physical channels or some common physical channels except a pilot channel in the second network are in disabled state; and sending a network handover instruction including configuration information of the second network to the terminal when the terminal has a service requirement of the second network, where the network handover instruction is used to instruct the terminal to hand over from the first network to the second network. The embodiments of the present invention reduce power consumption of a network-side communications device under the same coverage of inter-RAT networks, thereby reducing unnecessary power waste.