Relay and Remote UE Handover Coordination in LTE Wearable Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the LTE-W protocol, there is a lack of clear methods for handover of relay UE and remote UE between different eNBs in wearable scenarios, leading to inefficiencies in network management and data transmission.

Innovation Solution

A handover method is introduced where the source eNB determines, based on a measurement report of the relay UE, to hand over both the relay UE and remote UE to a target eNB, with specific messages and contexts being sent to manage the handover process, including identifier information and mobility management contexts, ensuring seamless transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the remote UE communicates with the network side by using relay UE, then power consumption is reduced, but handover management becomes complex and unclear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidhandover management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the handover management into distinct phases and message exchanges. The handover process is divided into: (1) source eNB determining handover based on measurement reports, (2) source eNB sending handover required messages to MMEs, (3) MMEs coordinating handover, and (4) target eNB executing handover. This segmentation makes the complex handover management tractable and clear.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The MME (Mobility Management Entity) acts as an intermediary between the eNBs and UEs during handover. The source eNB sends handover required messages to the source MME, which then coordinates with the target MME to manage the handover of both relay UE and remote UE. This intermediary simplifies the complexity by providing a centralized coordination point.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If handover methods for relay UE and remote UE are not clearly defined, then network management efficiency decreases, but implementing separate handover procedures increases signaling overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork management efficiencyVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the handover procedures for relay UE and remote UE into a unified process. The source eNB sends a single handover required message that includes identifier information of both the relay UE and the remote UE. The MME coordinates the handover of both UEs together, and the target eNB receives both UEs in one handover execution phase. This merging improves network management efficiency by avoiding duplicate signaling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The handover message structure is designed with universality to handle both relay UE and remote UE simultaneously. The handover required message includes fields for both UEs' identifier information, allowing a single message type to serve multiple functions - managing handover for the relay UE and its associated remote UE without requiring separate specialized message formats.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the source eNB sends handover messages to both source MME of relay UE and source MME of remote UE, then handover coordination improves, but message transmission time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover coordinationVSAvoidmessage transmission time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The source eNB performs preliminary actions by determining handover based on measurement reports before initiating the handover message exchange. The source eNB prepares the handover required message with all necessary identifier information of both relay UE and remote UE in advance, so that when the message is sent to the MME, the coordination can proceed efficiently without additional back-and-forth signaling to gather this information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11483743B2Handover method, apparatus, and system

Publication Date: 2022.10.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

This application discloses a handover method to hand over relay UE and remote UE between different eNBs. The handover method includes: a source eNB determines based on a measurement report of the relay UE, to hand over the relay UE to a target eNB; sends a first handover required message to a source MME of the relay UE and sends a second handover required message to a source MME of the remote UE; the source MME sends a mobility management context of the remote UE and a mobility management context of the relay UE to a target MME to which the target eNB belongs; the target MME receives a redirection request message from the source MME; and sends information about the remote UE and information about the relay UE to the target eNB.