NTN Cell Selection Balancing Signal Quality and Coverage Duration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In satellite-based non-terrestrial networks (NTN), conventional cell selection methods that consider only signal power lead to increased signaling overheads due to frequent reselections, as terminals often choose cells with optimal signal quality but short coverage duration, and single-parameter measurements fail to meet diverse user and scenario requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method for cell selection in NTN that incorporates beam coverage duration alongside signal quality, using a criterion that balances these factors with customizable weighting coefficients based on service type or duration, reducing unnecessary reselections and optimizing cell choice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If cell selection is based only on signal power, then signal quality is optimized, but beam coverage duration is ignored leading to frequent reselections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the selection criteria from a single parameter (signal power) to multiple parameters by introducing beam coverage duration as an additional dimension. The terminal device calculates both signal quality metrics and beam coverage duration, then uses a composite criterion that balances both factors with configurable weighting coefficients, transforming the decision-making process from one-dimensional to multi-dimensional parameter evaluation.
2Reliability
If terminal selects cell with optimal signal quality, then communication quality is improved, but reselection frequency increases leading to signaling overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability through configurable weighting coefficients that allow the system to adjust the balance between signal quality and beam coverage duration based on different service types and scenarios. This dynamic criterion enables the terminal to adapt its cell selection behavior to specific communication requirements, reducing unnecessary reselections while maintaining appropriate communication quality.
3Device complexity
If single parameter measurement is used, then measurement complexity is reduced, but diverse user and scenario requirements cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cell selection criterion into distinct components: signal quality measurement, beam coverage duration calculation, and a composite evaluation function with configurable weights. This segmentation allows the system to maintain clear, manageable measurement processes while achieving high adaptability through the configurable weighting coefficients that can be adjusted for different service types and user requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a method for selecting a cell in a non-terrestrial network (non-terrestrial network, NTN) and an apparatus. The method includes: User equipment queries whether there is first prestored information, and determines a frequency for preferential searching based on the first prestored information; determines a value of a first decision factor and a value of a second decision factor in a first decision criterion; determines a value of a first weighting coefficient and a value of a second weighting coefficient in the first decision criterion; searches for a cell according to the determined first decision criterion; and selects a cell whose value of the first decision criterion is largest to camp on regardless of whether a value of the first decision criterion of a candidate cell meets a camping threshold requirement of a cell. According to the method provided in this application, more types of parameters that need to be evaluated during cell selection are used, and a more appropriate cell selection criterion can be obtained by configuring different weighting factors and comprehensively considering impact of a plurality of factors.