Satellite Coverage Loss Alerts Using RRC Time-to-Live Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrating satellite RANs with cellular networks results in high traffic load and latency due to intermittent satellite coverage, especially in areas beyond terrestrial coverage, leading to inefficient resource usage and user experience degradation.
Innovation Solution
Generating a message with a time to live parameter in spare fields to trigger user device actions, such as initiating timers or alerts, to manage satellite service duration and reduce unnecessary scanning, thereby optimizing resource usage and improving communication reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If satellite RANs are integrated with cellular networks to provide coverage beyond terrestrial areas, then coverage area is improved, but traffic load and latency increase due to intermittent coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by notifying the user device in advance about the upcoming loss of satellite coverage. The network entity sends a notification message containing information about the future coverage interruption, allowing the user device to proactively initiate handover procedures or prepare alternative communication paths before the actual coverage loss occurs, thereby reducing latency and maintaining continuous service.
2Area of stationary object
If satellite RANs are integrated with cellular networks to provide coverage beyond terrestrial areas, then coverage area is improved, but resource usage efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The network entity performs preliminary actions by calculating and communicating the future loss of coverage information to the user device in advance. This allows the system to optimize resource allocation by preparing handover procedures beforehand, reducing the need for repeated scanning and resource allocation attempts during actual coverage transitions, thereby improving overall resource usage efficiency.
3Reliability
If user devices continuously scan for satellite coverage in areas beyond terrestrial coverage, then coverage reliability is improved, but battery consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by providing the user device with network-calculated information about upcoming coverage loss. Instead of continuously scanning, the user device receives feedback from the network entity about when and where coverage will be lost, allowing the device to adjust its scanning behavior accordingly - reducing or stopping scans when coverage is guaranteed and resuming when coverage loss is anticipated, thereby significantly reducing battery consumption while maintaining coverage reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
The technology disclosed herein relates to enhancing satellite coverage and improving user device experiences. For example, the technology discussed herein can include establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection between a satellite and a user device (e.g., an active or idle RRC connection). Based on the RRC connection, the satellite can generate a message (e.g., an RRC connection release message) that includes a time to live parameter within a spare field of the message. Based on the satellite transmitting the time to live parameter to the user device, the user device can initiate one or more user device actions. For example, the user device can initiate a timer corresponding to scanning for a frequency band.