Roaming UE Handover Using Terrestrial Coverage Heat Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies cause delays in transferring cellular user equipment (UE) from non-terrestrial to terrestrial base stations, leading to inefficient use of network resources and increased battery consumption due to unnecessary attachments to non-terrestrial base stations when terrestrial coverage becomes available.
Innovation Solution
A terrestrial coverage heat map is generated by the mobile operator, which is shared with non-terrestrial base stations to track UE location and trigger a PLMN search when terrestrial coverage is available, allowing the UE to attach to a higher priority PLMN.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a roaming UE attached to a non-terrestrial base station in connected mode remains attached indefinitely, then the UE maintains continuous connectivity, but network resources are wasted and battery consumption increases when terrestrial coverage is available
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by generating a terrestrial coverage heat map in advance and sharing it with non-terrestrial base stations. This allows the network to proactively identify when terrestrial coverage is available and trigger PLMN searches before the UE would naturally attempt to reattach, preventing unnecessary battery consumption while maintaining connectivity reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the non-terrestrial base station monitors UE location and correlates it with the terrestrial coverage heat map. When terrestrial coverage is detected in the UE's location area, the system provides feedback by triggering a PLMN search, creating a closed-loop control that optimizes battery usage while ensuring connectivity is maintained when needed
2Reliability
If a roaming UE periodically searches for HPLMN base stations in idle mode, then the UE can reattach to higher priority networks, but this process causes delays when in connected mode on non-terrestrial base stations
Solution Approach 1:
The terrestrial coverage heat map is generated and shared in advance, allowing the system to know beforehand when terrestrial coverage becomes available. This preliminary information enables the network to trigger PLMN searches proactively rather than waiting for periodic idle mode checks, significantly reducing transfer delays while maintaining proper network attachment priority
Solution Approach 2:
The terrestrial coverage heat map acts as an intermediary information source that bridges the gap between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. By sharing this coverage information with non-terrestrial base stations, the system enables intelligent decision-making about when to trigger PLMN searches, eliminating the need for delayed periodic searches while ensuring correct network priority attachment
3Reliability
If non-terrestrial base stations continue to serve UEs when terrestrial coverage is available, then service continuity is maintained, but resource efficiency decreases and interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The terrestrial coverage heat map is prepared in advance and shared with non-terrestrial base stations, enabling them to proactively identify when terrestrial coverage is available. This allows the system to trigger PLMN searches and transfer UEs to terrestrial networks before resources are wasted, improving resource efficiency while maintaining service continuity through planned transitions
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by monitoring UE location against the terrestrial coverage heat map. When terrestrial coverage is detected, the non-terrestrial base station receives feedback information and triggers appropriate actions to transfer the UE, creating a self-regulating mechanism that optimizes resource efficiency while ensuring service continuity is maintained through controlled handovers
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for roaming user equipment (UE) management services for wireless communications networks are provided. In some embodiments, a roaming UE may be triggered to initiate a PLMN search based on leveraging geolocation based technology that determines when a roaming UE presently attached to a base station has entered a geographical area where coverage from a terrestrial base station may be available. The base station may track the location of the roaming UE, and correlate the location of the roaming UE to a coverage bin of the terrestrial coverage heat map. If the roaming UE is located within a coverage bin that is flagged as having terrestrial coverage available, the base station may perform one or more operations to trigger the UE to proceed to initiate a PLMN search, and perform an attach procedure to a base station having an identified higher priority PLMN.