Early Timing Advance Control for Low-Latency Cell Handover

The patent applies preliminary action by acquiring timing advance information before the actual handover execution. The UE receives and stores ETA (Early Timing Advance) information in advance during the handover preparation phase, so that when handover is triggered, the UE can immediately apply the pre-acquired timing advance without additional delay. This resolves the contradiction by performing the timing advance acquisition early, reducing handover latency while managing device complexity through efficient resource usage.

The patent segments the handover process into distinct phases: preparation phase where ETA is acquired and stored, and execution phase where the pre-acquired ETA is applied. This segmentation allows timing advance acquisition to occur independently during preparation without blocking the handover execution flow, thereby reducing overall handover latency while distributing device complexity across different operational stages.

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where ETA resources are allocated and activated only when needed for specific handover scenarios. The network can dynamically configure and activate ETA resources based on actual handover requirements, UE capabilities, and network conditions. This dynamic approach ensures timing advance management reliability when handovers occur while avoiding continuous resource allocation, thus improving network resource efficiency and reducing energy waste.

The patent changes the parameter of resource allocation from static/continuous to dynamic/on-demand. By introducing configurable parameters such as ETA resource activation indicators and conditional resource allocation, the system adapts resource allocation to actual needs. This allows the network to maintain timing advance management reliability by allocating resources when required while minimizing resource waste by not continuously allocating them during idle periods.

The patent leverages existing multi-functional signaling structures to carry ETA information. The ETA is transmitted using existing handover command message formats and signaling procedures already defined in the system, rather than introducing entirely new dedicated signaling mechanisms. This allows the same signaling infrastructure to serve multiple purposes: standard handover control and early timing advance acquisition, thereby improving handover performance while minimizing additional control signaling overhead.

The patent reuses existing message structures and formatting from standard handover procedures to convey ETA information. By copying and adapting proven signaling formats rather than creating new ones, the system efficiently transmits timing advance information using minimal additional overhead. The ETA is embedded within existing handover command structures, allowing handover performance improvement without proportionally increasing control signaling burden.