Selective Signaling for Wireless Coexistence During Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems, devices with multiple radios face coexistence interference issues during handovers, leading to significant signaling overhead due to the need to constantly report in-device coexistence information, especially in systems where this information must be sent during handovers.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for selectively signaling information regarding coexisting radios, determining if changes occur during handovers, and only reporting new information, allowing the target station to control the device based on received or previously reported information, thereby reducing unnecessary signaling overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a device with coexisting radios constantly reports in-device coexistence information during handovers, then the target station can make informed frequency allocation decisions to avoid interference, but significant signaling overhead is generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference avoidance reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential IDC information (interference indicators and affected frequencies) from the complete coexistence information set, transmitting only this critical subset during handover signaling. This selective extraction reduces signaling overhead while maintaining sufficient information for the target station to make interference avoidance decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The source station performs preliminary processing of IDC information before handover, pre-identifying and forwarding relevant interference data to the target station along with the handover command. This preliminary action ensures the target station receives necessary interference information in advance, enabling immediate interference avoidance without requiring additional post-handover signaling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If the device reports all in-device coexistence information during every handover, then complete interference information is available to the network, but unnecessary signaling overhead increases resource consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidsignaling energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the reporting behavior based on the specific handover context and device state. Instead of uniform complete reporting, the device reports IDC information selectively - providing detailed interference information only when actually affected by coexistence issues, and providing minimal or no reporting when interference is not present, thus optimizing energy consumption while maintaining information completeness where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by reporting only the necessary portion of IDC information rather than complete information sets. The device transmits partial IDC reports containing only the interference indicators and frequency information relevant to the current handover scenario, reducing signaling energy consumption while providing sufficient information for the target station to make appropriate frequency allocation decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Quantity of substance

If the device selectively reports only changed in-device coexistence information, then signaling overhead is reduced, but the target station must rely on previously reported information which may be outdated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignaling overheadVSAvoidinformation currency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the target station requests updated IDC information from the device or source station if the previously received information appears outdated or insufficient. This feedback loop ensures information currency by allowing the network to query for current interference status when needed, while maintaining reduced signaling overhead during normal operations where no such queries are required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The source station performs preliminary forwarding of current IDC information to the target station during the handover preparation phase. This preliminary action ensures the target station receives up-to-date interference information before the device actually connects, eliminating the need for the device to repeatedly report the same information and maintaining information currency without increasing device signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2695432B1Reporting in a communication system
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP2695432B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2695432B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2695432B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Methods and apparatuses for signalling and use of information regarding coexisting radios is disclosed. In the method is it determined whether there is a change in information regarding the coexisting radios because of a handover of the device, and selectively signaling information regarding the coexisting radios from the device based on the determination. A target station can selectively provide control on the device such that if the target station receives information regarding the coexisting radios from the device the control is provided based on said received information, and if the target station does not receive information regarding the coexisting radios from the device the control is provided based on information provided earlier by the device to a source station.