Staggered Frame Configuration for Wireless Handover Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, the longer wait time between handover measurements in IEEE 802.16m networks compared to IEEE 802.16e networks leads to increased handover measurement times and potential call drops due to delayed connection establishment, resulting in inaccurate handover decisions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a staggered frame configuration across multiple cells, where each cell's radio frames are offset in time, allowing for more efficient handover measurements by reducing the wait time between measurements of neighboring base stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If superframe configuration is used in IEEE 802.16m networks, then overhead is reduced and system efficiency is improved, but handover measurement time increases and call drops occur due to delayed connection establishment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the handover measurement process into two distinct phases: a first handover measurement performed during the active period of the first base station, and a second handover measurement performed during the active period of the second base station. This segmentation allows measurements to be distributed across different time periods when different base stations are active, avoiding the need to wait for the next superframe cycle and thereby reducing handover measurement time while maintaining system efficiency.
2Productivity
If superframe configuration is used in IEEE 802.16m networks, then overhead is reduced, but connection establishment is delayed leading to inaccurate handover decisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides handover measurements into multiple segments performed at different times when different base stations are active. By performing the first measurement when the first base station is active and the second measurement when the second base station is active, the system gathers more comprehensive and timely signal quality data from both base stations, enabling more accurate handover decisions without sacrificing the overhead reduction benefits of superframe configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the first handover measurement in advance during the active period of the first base station, before the handover is actually executed. This preliminary measurement provides early information about the signal quality of the target base station, allowing the system to make more informed handover decisions and reducing the risk of delayed or inaccurate handover execution.
3Ease of operation
If frame timing is aligned across all network interface devices, then synchronization is simplified, but handover measurements cannot be performed efficiently during overlapping active periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic frame timing offset between different base stations, where the second base station's frame timing is offset relative to the first base station. This dynamic timing arrangement creates overlapping active periods that allow user terminals to perform handover measurements efficiently during these overlaps, while each base station maintains its own synchronized frame structure, thus balancing synchronization simplicity with measurement efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication network includes a plurality of network interface devices each covering a respective one of a plurality of cells. Each of the plurality of network interface devices communicates with communication entities in the respective cell using radio frames of the respective cell. The radio frames of a first one of the plurality of cells are shifted in time with respect to the radio frames of a second one of the plurality of cells.