Super Cell Handover Signaling Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-density cell deployment scenarios, frequent handovers in 5G networks lead to significant waste of network signaling and air interface resources due to the existing handover methods.
Innovation Solution
A super-cell handover method and apparatus that reduces signaling overheads and air interface resource consumption by using a network architecture with super cells, where each super cell includes multiple transmission points (TPs) and logical entities (LEs), allowing for efficient handover decision-making based on measurement reports and preset conditions to minimize resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional cell handover methods are used in high-density cell deployment, then UE mobility is supported, but network signaling overhead and air interface resource consumption increase tremendously
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cells are merged into a single super cell, where multiple transmission points (TPs) cooperate to serve UE within the same cell identity. This consolidation reduces the frequency of handover operations while maintaining UE mobility support, as TPs within the super cell can coordinate serving the same UE without triggering handover procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
A cell group concept is introduced as an intermediary layer between individual cells and the core network. The cell group manages multiple TPs and coordinates their joint serving of UE, reducing the need for frequent handover signaling while maintaining mobility support through coordinated multi-point transmission within the cell group.
2Reliability
If frequent handovers are performed between cells in high-density deployment, then UE connectivity is maintained, but air interface resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cells are merged into a super cell with unified cell identity, allowing TPs to jointly serve UE without triggering handover. This maintains reliable UE connectivity through coordinated transmission while eliminating the resource waste associated with frequent handover signaling and air interface reconfiguration.
3Ease of operation
If traditional handover procedures are used, then UE can be handed over between cells, but tremendous waste of network signaling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cells are merged into a super cell where TPs cooperate to serve UE within the same cell identity. This eliminates the need for frequent handover signaling between cells while maintaining UE handover capability at the super cell level, significantly reducing network signaling overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The cell group acts as an intermediary that manages multiple TPs and coordinates their joint serving of UE. This intermediary layer enables seamless UE mobility management within the super cell without triggering traditional handover procedures, reducing signaling between the radio access network and the core network.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application discloses a super-cell handover method and apparatus, so as to reduce signaling overheads caused when UE is handed over between cells, and reduce air interface resource consumption. The method is applied to an NCS, the NCS includes at least two super cells, and each super cell includes a TP and one LE. The method includes: receiving, by a first LE, measurement reports sent by a plurality of first TPs, where the measurement reports are measurement reports determined by the plurality of first TPs based on a reference signal sent by target UE in a second super cell, the first LE is an LE in a first super cell, the plurality of first TPs are TPs in the first super cell, and the second super cell is a super cell adjacent to the first super cell; determining, by the first LE, a first handover policy based on a first preset condition and the measurement reports, where the first handover policy is used to indicate whether the first LE allows to hand over the UE from the second super cell to the first super cell; and sending, by the first LE, indication information of the first handover policy to a second LE, where the second LE is an LE in the second super cell.