NR-U Mobility Logging With LBT Parameters for SON and MDT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current specifications for mobility measurements and reporting in self-organizing networks (SON) and minimization of drive tests (MDT) do not include information related to listen-before-talk (LBT) procedures for NR-U cells, which are essential for unlicensed channel access.
Innovation Solution
The UE is configured to perform and log mobility measurements on NR-U cells, including LBT-related parameters, and report this information to the network, enhancing SON and MDT configurations to incorporate NR-U specifics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If current specifications for mobility measurements and reporting in SON and MDT are used, then the existing measurement framework is maintained, but NR-U specific information such as LBT parameters cannot be captured or reported
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement and reporting framework is segmented into generic mobility measurement components and NR-U specific components. The patent introduces separate information elements (IEs) for LBT parameters, channel access mode, and other NR-U specific measurements, allowing the system to maintain existing generic measurements while adding specialized NR-U measurement capabilities without disrupting the overall architecture
Solution Approach 2:
NR-U specific measurement parameters such as LBT procedure information, channel access mode, and clear channel assessment results are extracted as distinct information elements from the general mobility measurement framework. This extraction allows these critical NR-U parameters to be captured and reported separately, ensuring they are not lost while maintaining compatibility with existing measurement structures
2Measurement precision
If mobility measurements on NR-U cells are performed without LBT parameters, then the measurement process remains simple, but the reported information is incomplete for network optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The network configures the UE with NR-U specific measurement parameters and information element templates in advance, before actual measurements are performed. This preliminary configuration includes defining which LBT parameters and channel access modes should be measured, allowing the UE to automatically collect comprehensive NR-U measurement data without requiring complex real-time processing or manual intervention during the measurement phase
Solution Approach 2:
Structured information elements (IEs) serve as intermediaries between the raw measurement data collected by the UE and the network optimization processes. These IEs encapsulate LBT parameters, channel access mode, and other NR-U specific measurements in a standardized format, making the complex measurement data easily processable by network optimization algorithms without requiring complex parsing or interpretation logic
3Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive NR-U information including LBT parameters is reported, then network optimization for unlicensed channels is improved, but the reporting data size and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reporting mechanism is designed to include NR-U specific information elements only when relevant measurements are actually performed on NR-U cells. The patent enables conditional reporting where LBT parameters and channel access mode information are included in mobility reports only for NR-U cells, while legacy cells continue to use standard reporting formats. This local adaptation ensures comprehensive optimization capability for NR-U without unnecessarily increasing data volume for all cell types
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements selective reporting of NR-U specific parameters based on measurement relevance and network configuration. Not all LBT parameters and channel access modes are reported for every measurement - only those that are configured and relevant to the specific measurement scenario. This partial action approach provides sufficient information for network optimization while avoiding the overhead of reporting all possible parameters in all situations
Data Source
AI summary
A user equipment (UE) configured to decode, from signals received from a network, a configuration to perform mobility measurements and log mobility information for reporting to a network in a self-organizing network (SON) or minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration, perform the mobility measurements on a cell operating on unlicensed channels, log the mobility information for the cell, wherein the mobility information for the cell operating on the unlicensed channels includes parameters related to a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure performed by the UE to access the unlicensed channels, decode, from signals received from the network, a request to report the logged mobility information and configure transceiver circuitry to transmit the logged mobility information including the parameters related to the LBT procedure performed by the UE to access the unlicensed channels of the cell.