Small Cell Discovery Signal Detection in Off-State Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In next-generation mobile communication systems, the deployment of small cells with high density leads to increased interference, making it difficult for user equipment (UE) to detect small cells that are temporarily turned off, which hinders fast reconnection when they are turned back on.
Innovation Solution
A method where small cells can transmit a discovery signal, and the serving cell reports information about these signals to the UE, including details such as transmission timing, physical resource block mapping, and cell loading, allowing the UE to detect small cells even when they are in an off state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If small cells are deployed with high density to improve network capacity, then network coverage and capacity are improved, but interference increases and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The serving cell reports discovery signal information about neighbor small cells to the UE in advance, before the UE needs to detect them. This preliminary provision of information enables the UE to quickly detect small cells when they turn on, reducing detection time and improving the ability to handle high-density small cell deployments while managing interference through selective detection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If small cells are temporarily turned off to reduce interference, then interference is reduced, but detection capability is lost and reconnection time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Discovery signal information is reported to the UE in advance while the small cell is in the off state or before it turns on. This allows the UE to have the necessary detection information ready, so when the small cell turns on again, the UE can immediately detect it without waiting for signal propagation and processing time, thus reducing reconnection time while maintaining the ability to reduce interference through temporary shutdown.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If small cells transmit discovery signals continuously to improve detection, then detection capability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous transmission, discovery signals are transmitted periodically or only when the small cell turns on. The serving cell reports information about these periodic discovery signals to the UE, allowing the UE to know when to expect and detect them. This periodic approach maintains detection capability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment of the present invention, provided is a method by which a terminal detects a small cell. The small cell detection method can comprise the steps of: receiving, from a serving cell, information on discovery signals of one or a plurality neighboring small cells; and detecting a discovery signal from a small cell in an off state from the one or plurality of neighboring small cells on the basis of the information on the discovery signals. The information on the discovery signals can include information on whether the small cells independently set the discovery signals or identically set the discovery signals by cluster unit.