Sensor Alarm Reporting via UE-to-UE Links During Cell Outages
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless networks face challenges in reliably transmitting critical sensor alarms during cell outages, with existing systems lacking components to log cell outage and sensor alarm locations, leading to potential communication disruptions and inefficiencies in UE-to-UE communication duration and technology selection.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an AI and ML entity at the UE side to predict potential network disruptions and trigger early sensor alarm notifications to the radio access network, which then manages UE-to-UE communication by halting network activities, tracking UE reachability, and activating appropriate communication technologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional communication channels are used for sensor alarm transmission, then network infrastructure is leveraged, but communication becomes unavailable during outages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces UE-to-UE communication as an intermediary channel that bypasses the traditional network infrastructure. When network outages occur, UEs can directly communicate with each other using peer-to-peer protocols, ensuring continuous alarm transmission without relying on the compromised network infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between traditional network-based communication and UE-to-UE communication based on network availability. The communication mode is not fixed but adapts in real-time according to network conditions, allowing seamless transition between reliable network channels and resilient direct channels.
2Reliability
If UE-to-UE communication is activated during outages, then communication continuity is maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of keeping UE-to-UE communication activated continuously, the system employs periodic activation. The communication channel is activated only when network outages are detected and deactivates when network service is restored, creating a periodic on/off pattern that maintains reliability when needed while conserving energy during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors network availability and uses this feedback information to control UE-to-UE communication activation. When network outages are detected through feedback mechanisms, the system activates direct communication; when network service is restored, it deactivates the energy-intensive direct channel, optimizing the balance between continuity and energy consumption.
3Reliability
If network activities are halted upon sensor alarm notification, then call performance is protected, but network productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system receives and processes sensor alarm notifications in advance, before actual call disruptions occur. By detecting alarms early and preemptively halting scheduled network activities, the system prevents call performance degradation rather than reacting after problems arise, thus protecting reliability while minimizing productivity impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The system selectively halts only the specific network activities that are scheduled to interfere with call performance, rather than stopping all network operations. This partial action approach protects critical call quality while maintaining other network functions and productivity during the alarm response period.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method (100) and a system (200) for reporting a sensor alarm and facilitating UE-to-UE communication in a radio access network (RAN). The method (100) includes the radio access network receiving (102) within a predefined margin, an early notification of the sensor alarm from a first user equipment (UE), terminating (104) one or more scheduled or ongoing network activities impacting call performance of a UE upon receipt of the early notification of the sensor alarm and initiating (106) tracking of reachability of the first UE by the RAN. Further, the method (100) includes continuing (108) tracking of reachability of the first UE by the RAN, where if the first UE remains reachable no further action is taken by the RAN, and if the first UE becomes unreachable send a command from the RAN to one or more surrounding UEs instructing them to activate UE-to-UE wireless communication.