Terrestrial-NTN Mobility Signaling for Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is limited support for service continuity when a radio device is handed over from a terrestrial 3GPP network to a non-terrestrial 3GPP network, leading to degraded end-user performance.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for supporting mobility between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks by receiving control messages from TN and NTN nodes, which provide information on available cells and assist in handovers, connection establishment, and signal strength measurements to ensure seamless transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a radio device is handed over from terrestrial network to non-terrestrial network, then network coverage is extended, but service continuity is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing assistance information to the radio device before handover occurs. The source base station sends control messages containing NTN cell information, frequency details, and other parameters in advance, allowing the radio device to prepare for the handover to non-terrestrial network, thereby maintaining service continuity while extending coverage.
2Ease of operation
If control messages are exchanged between TN and NTN nodes, then handover support is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing control messages that serve multiple functions simultaneously. The control messages from TN nodes contain both handover command information and NTN assistance information, allowing a single message to handle multiple aspects of the handover process, thereby improving ease of operation without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for supporting mobility (602; 602′) of a radio device (100; 800; 1091; 1092; 1130) between a terrestrial network, TN (210), and a non-terrestrial network, NTN (500), is described. As to a method aspect of the technique performed by the radio device (100; 800; 1091; 1092; 1130), a control message (520) is received from at least one TN node (200; 900; 1012a; 1012c; 1120) of the TN (210) at the radio device (100; 800; 1091; 1092; 1130). The control message (520) is indicative of at least one NTN cell (512) of the NTN (500) for supporting the mobility (602) of the radio device (100; 800; 1091; 1092; 1130) between the TN (210) and the NTN (500).