Early Timing Advance Resource Release for Low-Latency Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently acquiring early timing advance (ETA) for seamless handover and mobility management, particularly in heterogeneous networks with varying cell sizes and radio environments, leading to latency and connectivity issues.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a mechanism for early timing advance acquisition by releasing resources dynamically based on network conditions and device capabilities, utilizing signaling and protocol adjustments to optimize handover processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If resources are allocated for early timing advance acquisition, then handover efficiency is improved, but network resource overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork resource overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by allocating timing advance resources in advance during RRC setup or handover preparation phases, before actual handover execution. This allows the UE to pre-synchronize with the target cell, reducing handover latency and improving efficiency without requiring excessive resources during the critical handover moment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where timing advance resources are flexibly assigned based on network conditions, UE capabilities, and handover requirements. The gNB can dynamically configure and release these resources, optimizing the balance between handover efficiency and resource overhead rather than using static allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If timing advance resources are maintained continuously, then connection reliability is improved, but resource waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidresource waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic action by releasing timing advance resources after they serve their intended purpose during handover or mobility procedures. Instead of continuous maintenance, resources are allocated temporarily when needed and then released, creating a periodic allocate-release pattern that ensures connection reliability during critical phases while avoiding resource waste during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Loss of time

If early timing advance acquisition is enabled, then latency is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover latencyVSAvoidprotocol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing the early timing advance acquisition mechanism to work across multiple scenarios including initial access, handover, and inter-cell mobility. The same resource allocation and signaling framework is reused across different procedures, reducing the need for separate complex mechanisms for each scenario while achieving latency reduction in all cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20260067765A1Release of Resource for Early Timing Advance Acquisition

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 OFINNO LLC

AI summary

A first unit of a base station receives, from a second unit of the base station, a message indicating to either release a resource, of a candidate cell, for early timing advance acquisition (ETA), or to cancel ETA of the candidate cell.