Parallel Frequency Layer Reselection for Slice-Aware RRC Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, user equipment (UE) experiences increased power consumption when monitoring separate radio carriers to establish a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection on a different cell supporting a specific network slice, and existing solutions fail to ensure efficient cell selection/reselection without relying on UE NAS registration procedures or providing accurate slice/frequency mapping.
Innovation Solution
The UE is configured to camp on a first frequency layer supporting a prioritized set of network slices and iteratively perform cell search on a second frequency layer while maintaining the second frequency layer in parallel, using a persistence check value to selectively stop cell reselection, and initiate an RRC connection on the second frequency layer when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the UE monitors separate radio carriers for different network slices, then the RRC connection establishment delay is reduced, but the power consumption at the UE increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UE performs cell search and maintains information about multiple frequency layers in advance while in RRC idle state. This preliminary action ensures that when a service request is initiated, the UE already has pre-acquired information about available frequency layers supporting different network slices, enabling rapid RRC connection establishment without continuous monitoring, thus reducing both delay and power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuously monitoring multiple radio carriers, the UE performs cell search and frequency layer information acquisition periodically or on-demand based on service requirements. The UE iteratively performs cell search on the second frequency layer while camped on the first frequency layer, maintaining parallel frequency layer information without continuous active monitoring, which reduces power consumption while still enabling timely connection establishment
2Measurement precision
If the UE performs cell search on multiple frequency layers, then the network slice selection accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UE segments the frequency layer monitoring into distinct, manageable layers - maintaining one frequency layer for camping while iteratively performing cell search on another frequency layer. This segmentation allows the UE to handle multiple frequency layers through separate, independent cell search procedures rather than simultaneously managing all layers as a single complex task, reducing device complexity while maintaining slice selection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a time dimension to the cell search process by iteratively performing cell search on the second frequency layer while remaining camped on the first frequency layer. This dimensional approach allows the UE to gather information about multiple frequency layers sequentially over time rather than requiring simultaneous complex multi-layer monitoring, thereby reducing device complexity while improving network slice selection accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for performing cell selection/reselection on a radio frequency associated with a network slice. One apparatus includes a processor and a transceiver that camps on a first frequency layer of a RAN while in a RRC idle state, the first frequency layer supporting a first set of network slices, where the first set of network slices is prioritized for use with a first frequency. The processor iteratively performs cell search on a second frequency layer while the apparatus is camped on the first frequency layer, the second frequency layer supporting a second set of network slices, where the second set of network slices is prioritized for use with a second frequency. The processor maintains in parallel the second frequency layer while in the RRC idle state.