Satellite Link Switch Information for Radio Measurement Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In satellite-based wireless communication networks, the rapid movement of satellites creates challenges for paging and handoffs due to the lack of fixed correspondence between ground cells and satellite beams, leading to issues with link changes and radio resource management measurements.
Innovation Solution
A network node provides switch information to User Equipment (UE) to adapt radio measurements in response to forthcoming link changes caused by satellite movement, reducing signaling, battery consumption, and mitigating spurious measurements through automation of measurement configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the network continuously monitors and updates radio measurements in satellite-based networks with moving satellites, then connection reliability is maintained, but signaling overhead and battery consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The network node provides switch information to the UE in advance before the satellite beam switch occurs. This allows the UE to prepare measurement configurations proactively, performing measurements only when necessary rather than continuously, thereby reducing battery consumption while maintaining connection reliability during the satellite handoff.
2Measurement precision
If the UE performs continuous radio resource management measurements to track satellite beam changes, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network node provides switch information to the UE in advance, enabling the UE to configure measurements only when a satellite beam switch is imminent. This selective measurement approach maintains measurement accuracy for critical events while avoiding continuous measurements that would generate excessive signaling overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement configuration is dynamically adjusted based on the provided switch information. The UE changes measurement parameters such as measurement bandwidth, reporting intervals, and target frequencies only during periods when satellite beam switches are expected, rather than maintaining fixed high-precision measurements continuously, thereby reducing signaling overhead while preserving measurement accuracy when needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual configuration of measurement parameters is used during satellite handoffs, then measurement adaptability is achieved, but system complexity and operation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The UE autonomously configures its own measurement parameters based on the switch information provided by the network node. Instead of requiring manual network configuration of measurement parameters during satellite handoffs, the UE uses the timing and beam identification information to automatically adjust measurement configurations, thereby maintaining measurement adaptability while significantly reducing system complexity and operational difficulty.
Data Source
AI summary
A network node of a wireless communication network provides information to a User Equipment (UE) that allows the UE to adapt it radio measurements with respect to the network, to account for “link changes.” Link changes are service-link and/or feeder-link changes arising from motion by the satellite(s) included in the Radio Access Network (RAN) portion of the network. The UE uses the provided information to adapt its radio measurements in conjunction with the link changes. Among the several advantages of accounting for satellite link changes in the manner contemplated are any one or more of reduced signaling going between the UE and the network, reduced battery consumption at the UE, mitigation of the effects of the link changes on the radio measurements, avoidance of spurious measurements, and an effective “automation” of the timed changeover by the UE to new measurement configurations, coincident with the occurrence of link changes.