Network Node Carrier Allocation for Group Mobility

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cellular networks, when many user equipments move as a group, simultaneous handovers between cells lead to high signaling peaks, causing dropped calls and reduced data rates due to the complexity of managing moving relay cells within the 3GPP architecture.

Innovation Solution

A network node method that allocates user equipments to different frequency carriers with distinct geographic handover regions, spreading them among carriers to stagger handovers and prevent simultaneous signaling peaks, thereby improving the handling of groups of user equipments in motion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If many user equipments perform simultaneous handovers between cells, then handover completion is achieved, but signaling peaks occur causing dropped calls and reduced data rates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover completionVSAvoidsignaling peaks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the group of user equipments performing handover by assigning different mobility patterns to different subsets. This divides the simultaneous handover event into staggered handover events across time, preventing signaling peaks while ensuring all user equipments complete their handovers successfully.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If mobile relay cells are introduced to handle moving user equipments, then group mobility is supported, but system complexity increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegroup mobility supportVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of introducing mobile relay cells to follow user equipments (adding complexity), the patent inverts the approach by making user equipments adapt to different mobility patterns assigned by the network. This eliminates the need for mobile relay infrastructure while still supporting group mobility scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If all user equipments in a group use the same mobility pattern, then simplified management is achieved, but simultaneous handovers cause signaling peaks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemobility managementVSAvoidsignaling peaks

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different mobility patterns to different subsets of user equipments based on their specific conditions or network state. This allows tailored mobility management for different user equipments while maintaining overall system coordination, preventing simultaneous handovers without requiring complex centralized control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9609570B2Method and network node for handling handover

Publication Date: 2017.03.28 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A method in a network node for allocating to user equipments a respective carrier is provided. The carrier is a frequency carrier for wireless communication. The network node is comprised in a cellular network. The network node identifies (202) a set of carriers. The carriers in the set of carriers each are associated with a respective geographic handover region for handover between cells. The geographic handover regions of the carriers differ from each other more than a threshold. When the network node has identified (203) a group of user group of user equipments with correlated mobility pattern, it allocates (204) to at least two of the user equipments within the group of user equipments a respective carrier. The allocation is performed such that the at least two user equipments in the group are spread among the carriers in the set of carriers.