Statistics-Assisted Secondary Cell Selection in Carrier Aggregation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing secondary cell selection process in carrier aggregation schemes for wireless devices incurs throughput loss and increased battery consumption due to the need for measurement gaps and the requirement to disable s-Measure, which are not desirable for User Equipment (UEs).

Innovation Solution

A statistics-assisted sCell selection process is implemented, where network nodes collect statistics on the correlation between source cells and successful/successful sCells to select carrier frequencies and candidate sCells without obtaining signal quality measurements, thereby avoiding measurement gaps and reducing battery consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If inter-frequency measurements are performed for sCell selection, then sCell coverage can be determined, but throughput loss occurs due to measurement gaps

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesCell coverage determinationVSAvoidthroughput
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The network node performs preliminary actions by collecting statistics on sCell selection successes and failures in advance, building a correlation database between source cells and candidate sCells. This pre-collected statistical information enables subsequent sCell selections to be made without performing time-consuming inter-frequency measurements, thus avoiding measurement gaps and maintaining throughput while ensuring reliable sCell coverage determination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If s-Measure parameter is disabled to perform measurements on candidate sCells, then measurement accuracy improves, but battery consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidbattery consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The network node utilizes feedback in the form of collected statistics from previous sCell selection outcomes. By analyzing historical measurement results, success rates, and correlation data between source cells and candidate sCells, the system can make informed sCell selections without requiring the wireless device to perform new measurements. This feedback mechanism maintains measurement precision through pre-collected accurate data while eliminating the need for the wireless device to consume battery power during measurement activities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If blind sCell selection is performed without measurements, then throughput is maintained, but selection accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidsCell selection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the parameter basis for sCell selection from real-time signal quality measurements to pre-collected statistical parameters including success rates, failure rates, and correlation coefficients between source cells and candidate sCells. By transforming the selection criterion from physical measurement values to processed statistical parameters, the system maintains throughput (by avoiding measurement gaps) while improving selection accuracy through data-driven decision making based on historical performance patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3167653B1Statistics-assisted scell selection
Publication Date: 2019.02.27 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3167653B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3167653B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3167653B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and methods for Secondary Cell (sCell) selection for wireless devices operating according to a carrier aggregation scheme in a cellular communications network are disclosed. More specifically, in some embodiments, a statistics-assisted sCell selection process is utilized for sCell selection. This statistics-assisted sCell selection process improves the efficiency of sCell selection, particularly where there are multiple candidate sCells on multiple carrier frequencies.