Small Cell eNB Management via MDT Reports in Dual Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The advent of dual connectivity in wireless networks poses challenges for network operators in monitoring and optimizing infrastructure elements, as existing minimization of drive tests (MDT) reports are inadequate for scenarios where user equipment (UE) is connected to both macro and small cell eNBs concurrently, requiring new measurements and information to manage small cell eNBs effectively.
Innovation Solution
Techniques are implemented to detect and qualify small cell eNBs as secondary cells, allowing UEs to maintain connections with both macro and small cell eNBs, with management entities receiving MDT reports to activate or deactivate small cell eNBs based on gathered measurements, optimizing network performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If small cells are deployed to serve user equipment in macro cells, then network capacity and coverage are improved, but network complexity and difficulty of monitoring/optimizing infrastructure elements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cellular network into macro cells and small cells (femtocells/picocells) that can operate independently or in coordination. This segmentation allows the network to handle different traffic types and user requirements separately, improving overall capacity while managing complexity through modular deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (MDT reporting system) that collects performance measurements from both macro and small cells and provides unified network-wide optimization data. This intermediary layer simplifies monitoring and management by aggregating information from heterogeneous network elements.
2Ease of operation
If existing MDT reports are used for dual connectivity scenarios, then reporting simplicity is maintained, but measurement accuracy and optimization effectiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adapts the MDT reporting mechanism to dual connectivity scenarios by introducing new measurement types and reporting formats that capture the specific characteristics of simultaneous macro and small cell connections. This dynamic extension maintains the simplicity of the existing MDT framework while achieving the measurement precision needed for dual connectivity optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples are disclosed for deploying small cells as secondary cells for user equipment (UE). The examples include an UE, one or more small cell evolved node B (eNBs) or a macro cell eNB gathering information and reporting the gathered information to a management entity for an evolved packet core. The gathered information may be associated with the one or more small cell eNBs serving as a secondary cell for the UE while the macro cell eNB may serve as a primary cell. In some examples, the gathered information may be reported in one or more minimization of drive tests (MDT) reports. The MDT reports may be sent to the management entity by the UE, small cell eNBs or macro cell eNBs for the management entity to manage deployment of the one or more small cell eNBs. Other examples are described and claimed.