Selective Handover Using Signal Strength Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile networks experience high rates of handover failures and network congestion due to the assumption that transitioning to a cell with superior signal strength is always beneficial, which is not true at low signal strengths, leading to risky and often unsuccessful handovers.
Innovation Solution
A modified handover procedure that includes a predefined signal strength threshold value, in addition to the traditional offset value, to determine whether to initiate a handover, ensuring that the target cell's signal strength is significantly better than the originating cell's before transitioning, thereby reducing the risk of handover failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If handover is initiated based on traditional offset value comparison, then handover responsiveness is improved, but handover failure rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new parameter (signal strength threshold) in addition to the traditional offset value. This changes the handover decision parameters from a single differential comparison to a dual-condition evaluation, where both the offset threshold and absolute signal strength threshold must be satisfied. This parameter expansion resolves the contradiction by adding a reliability filter without removing the responsiveness trigger.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary evaluation of the target cell's signal strength against the threshold before committing to handover. This preliminary check prevents premature or risky handovers by ensuring the target cell meets minimum signal quality requirements before the handover process is initiated, thereby reducing handover failure rates while maintaining responsive handover capability.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If handover is performed to maintain connection, then connection continuity is improved, but network congestion increases
Solution Approach 1:
By adding the signal strength threshold parameter to the handover decision criteria, the system filters out low-quality handover candidates. This prevents unnecessary handovers to cells with insufficient signal strength, reducing redundant handover traffic and network signaling congestion while still maintaining connections through valid handovers.
3Reliability
If signal strength threshold is added to handover decision, then handover reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds one additional parameter (signal strength threshold) to the existing handover decision framework. This minimal parameter expansion improves reliability without fundamentally redesigning the handover logic, as it builds upon the traditional offset-based comparison by adding a simple threshold check.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a selective handover of a mobile device connection between first and second transceivers of a wireless communication network. While a wireless communication module of the mobile device is communicatively coupled to the first transceiver, measurements of signal reliability between the wireless communication module and each of the first and second transceivers are obtained. The communicative coupling is then selectively transitioned to the second transceiver based on a comparison of a predefined offset value and a difference between the second signal reliability value and the first signal reliability value, and also based on a comparison of a predefined threshold value and the second signal reliability value. The disclosed selective handover has reduced risk of handover failure and handover drop, without perceivable decrease in signal strength or quality, among other advantages.