QoE-Based Cell Selection for Peak-Hour Network Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Network access experiences, such as network stalling, occur frequently in terminal devices during peak hours due to high demand, affecting user experience, and existing cell selection methods do not adequately address this issue.

Innovation Solution

A cell selection method for terminal devices that considers historical Quality of Experience (QoE) to suppress or enhance measurement results, allowing selection of cells with better network performance, thereby avoiding poor network access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If terminal devices use traditional cell selection based on direct measurement results (RSRP/RSRQ), then the selection process is simple and fast, but network access experience deteriorates due to accessing cells with poor network performance during peak hours

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork access experienceVSAvoidcell selection process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal device performs preliminary actions by obtaining historical QoE information about cells before actually selecting a cell for access. This historical data is collected and stored in advance, allowing the terminal to make more informed cell selection decisions without adding complexity to the real-time selection process itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention implements feedback mechanisms where the terminal device uses historical QoE information (which reflects past network performance experiences) to influence current cell selection decisions. This feedback loop allows the terminal to learn from past experiences and avoid cells that previously provided poor network access, thereby improving reliability without significantly complicating the selection process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If terminal devices obtain and process historical QoE information for multiple cells, then network access experience improves by avoiding poor network cells, but measurement and processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork access smoothnessVSAvoidcell selection time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Historical QoE information is obtained and processed in advance before the actual cell selection decision is needed. This preliminary gathering of data allows the terminal to make faster, more informed decisions at the moment of selection, as the heavy lifting of data collection and analysis has already been completed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal device obtains historical QoE information for N cells, where N may be all detected cells or a subset based on priority. This partial or comprehensive approach allows the terminal to balance between processing time and selection accuracy, avoiding the need to process every possible cell's historical data while still making reliable selection decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If terminal devices suppress or enhance measurement results based on historical QoE, then cell selection accuracy improves, but measurement result processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell selection accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement result processing
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the parameters used for cell selection by introducing historical QoE information as an additional weighting factor. Instead of relying solely on raw measurement results (RSRP/RSRQ), the terminal adjusts the effective measurement values based on historical performance data, thereby improving selection accuracy without fundamentally changing the measurement process itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Historical QoE information acts as an intermediary factor that mediates between raw measurement results and final cell selection decisions. This intermediary layer allows the terminal to refine and adjust measurement values based on past experiences, improving accuracy while keeping the overall processing architecture relatively simple and modular.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4138454B1Cell selection method and terminal device
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4138454B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4138454B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4138454B1 patent drawingFigure 4A

AI summary

Embodiments of this application provide a cell selection method and a terminal device. The method may be applied to related fields such as artificial intelligence (artificial intelligence, AI) and machine learning. The method includes: A terminal device detects a plurality of cells. The terminal device obtains historical quality of experience QoE of each of N cells. The N cells are all or some of the plurality of cells, N is a positive integer, and the historical QoE is used to represent historical network use experience of the terminal device in each cell. The terminal device selects a first cell from the plurality of cells based on the historical QoE. The terminal device camps on the first cell. In this way, the terminal device can access a cell with relatively good quality of experience QoE, to improve network use experience.