NTN Hyper Cell Mobility Management for Low-Overhead Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
In non-terrestrial networks like satellite communication, frequent cell changes due to satellite or terminal device movement lead to high interruption time and signaling overheads in mobility management procedures such as cell handover and registration updates.
Innovation Solution
A two-layer network architecture is implemented, where hyper cells are associated with multiple cells, allowing terminal devices to determine mobility management within or between hyper cells based on received information, reducing the need for updating configuration information and minimizing signaling overheads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If frequent cell changes are performed due to satellite or terminal device movement, then global coverage and long-distance transmission are achieved, but interruption time and signaling overheads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple cells into a hyper cell group, allowing terminal devices to perform mobility management at the hyper cell level rather than individual cell level. This consolidation reduces the frequency of mobility management events and associated interruptions while maintaining comprehensive coverage through the grouped cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The hyper cell group serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides wide area coverage like traditional cells, enables efficient mobility management by grouping cells, and reduces signaling overhead by allowing terminal devices to report measurements for multiple cells in one hyper cell group rather than individually for each cell.
2Area of stationary object
If frequent cell changes are performed due to satellite or terminal device movement, then global coverage and long-distance transmission are achieved, but signaling overheads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple cells into ahyper cell group, allowing terminal devices to perform mobility management at thehyper cell level rather than individual cell level. This consolidation reduces the frequency of mobility management events and associated interruptions while maintaining comprehensive coverage through the grouped cells.
Solution Approach 2:
Thehyper cell group serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides wide area coverage like traditional cells, enables efficient mobility management by grouping cells, and reduces signaling overhead by allowing terminal devices to report measurements for multiple cells in onehyper cell group rather than individually for each cell.
3Measurement precision
If traditional cell-level mobility management is used, then precise cell tracking is achieved, but handover efficiency decreases due to frequent updates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mobility management function into two levels: hyper cell level for macroscopic mobility decisions and cell level for precise tracking. This segmentation allows terminal devices to make handover decisions based onhyper cell measurements while maintaining precise cell-level tracking within eachhyper cell group, thereby reducing unnecessary handovers and improving efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of mobility management by adding thehyper cell group concept above the traditional cell level. This creates a two-tiered management structure where terminal devices first evaluatehyper cell group conditions and then perform cell-specific measurements, adding a strategic layer to the traditional tactical cell-level management and reducing overall handover frequency.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides an NTN communication method and a communication apparatus. The method includes: A terminal device may determine, within a first hyper cell based on an indication of a first satellite, to perform mobility management within the first hyper cell, or to perform mobility management between the first hyper cell and a second hyper cell. Configuration overheads of a common part for mobility management do not need to be updated in the mobility management within the hyper cell, and some dedicated configuration overheads are saved in the mobility management between the hyper cells. This reduces interruption time caused by the mobility management, and avoids a case in which a complete set of configuration information needs to be updated due to frequent cell handovers, thereby improving handover efficiency, and reducing signaling overheads.