Terminal Device Measurement Gap Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communications networks face challenges in efficiently scheduling measurement gaps and hardware adjustments for terminal devices to optimize signal measurements across neighboring cells, leading to suboptimal coverage and mobility performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a terminal device and network node configuration that schedules measurement gaps and hardware adjustments, allowing for overlapping or disjointed processing periods and measurement windows, enabling independent scheduling of hardware adjustments relative to measurement windows, and transmitting capability information for optimized resource management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If measurement gaps are scheduled for terminal devices to perform measurements of neighboring cells, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to coordination of multiple processing periods and measurement windows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement process into distinct components: measurement gap windows for actual measurements, processing periods for signal processing, and hardware adjustment periods for RF tuning. Each segment is independently scheduled and managed, allowing the terminal device to handle multiple measurement tasks with different timing requirements separately, thereby reducing overall scheduling complexity while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic scheduling where the network node can independently adjust the timing and duration of hardware adjustment periods relative to measurement windows based on terminal device capabilities and network conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize measurement precision while managing complexity through flexible, capability-based scheduling rather than rigid fixed patterns
2Adaptability or versatility
If hardware adjustment periods are scheduled independently from measurement windows, then adaptability is improved, but loss of time increases due to potential overlapping and coordination overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent schedules hardware adjustment periods to occur before measurement windows when possible, allowing the terminal device to complete RF tuning and processing preparations in advance. This preliminary action ensures that the hardware is ready for measurement without requiring time-consuming adjustments during the actual measurement window, thereby maintaining adaptability while minimizing time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic measurement gap patterns where hardware adjustment periods and measurement windows are repeated at regular intervals. This periodic structure allows the terminal device to establish efficient timing patterns, reducing coordination overhead over time while maintaining the flexibility to adjust individual period timings based on capabilities and network conditions
3Productivity
If processing periods overlap with hardware adjustment periods, then productivity is improved, but reliability decreases due to potential interference and scheduling conflicts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates capability feedback mechanisms where the terminal device reports its timing capability information to the network node. The network node uses this feedback to make informed scheduling decisions about overlapping processing periods and hardware adjustment periods. This feedback loop ensures that overlaps are only scheduled when the terminal device can reliably handle them, maintaining both productivity and measurement reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows dynamic adjustment of timing parameters such as the offset and duration of hardware adjustment periods relative to measurement windows. By changing these parameters based on terminal device capabilities and network conditions, the system can optimize the degree of overlap between processing periods and hardware adjustment periods, achieving high productivity while maintaining reliability through parameter adaptation rather than fixed rigid scheduling
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments describe a terminal device comprising means for receiving first measurement configuration information scheduling a first measurement gap window for performing a first measurement. A first processing period precedes the first measurement window and a second processing period follows the first measurement gap window. The terminal device also comprises means for receiving second measurement configuration information scheduling a second measurement window for performing a second measurement. The terminal device also comprises means for performing the first and second measurements based on the first and second measurement configuration information respectively. The terminal device also comprises means for scheduling a first hardware adjustment period preceding the second measurement window and a second hardware adjustment period following the second measurement window. The first hardware adjustment period is scheduled to at least partially overlap with the first or second processing period, or the second hardware adjustment period is scheduled to at least partially overlap with the first or second processing period. Also described is a network node.