Timing Difference Transmission With Frequency-Aware Cell Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

In dual-connectivity communication scenarios, the secondary station struggles to accurately identify cells corresponding to timing differences due to the reuse of physical cell identifiers across different frequencies, leading to incorrect cell identification.

Innovation Solution

The master node transmits timing differences along with additional identification information, such as physical cell identifiers and frequency or global cell identifiers, to enable the secondary node to accurately identify cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the master station sends timing difference and physical cell identifier to the secondary station using existing method, then the transmission format is simple, but the secondary station cannot correctly identify the cell corresponding to each timing difference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell identification accuracyVSAvoidinformation transmission complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds frequency information as an additional dimension to the cell identification process. Since physical cell identifiers are reused across different frequencies, adding frequency information creates a multi-dimensional identification space (PCI + frequency) that uniquely identifies cells, resolving the ambiguity in cell identification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces frequency information as an intermediary element that mediates between the physical cell identifier and the cell identification. This intermediary helps distinguish between cells with the same PCI by providing additional contextual information about the frequency band.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the master station sends timing difference and physical cell identifier to the secondary station, then the signaling overhead is low, but the secondary station may incorrectly match timing differences with wrong cells

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetiming difference measurement reliabilityVSAvoidcell identification information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cell identification process into two parts: physical cell identifier and frequency information. This segmentation allows each component to serve a specific function - PCI provides basic cell identification while frequency information disambiguates between cells with the same PCI, together forming a complete identification mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the identification parameters from solely relying on physical cell identifier to a combination of physical cell identifier and frequency information. This parameter change transforms the identification system from one-dimensional to two-dimensional, improving reliability without excessive information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4013105B1Method and apparatus for transmitting timing deviation
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4013105B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4013105B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4013105B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

This application provides a method and an apparatus for transmitting a timing difference. The method includes: A master node obtains a measurement value of a timing difference between a first cell and a second cell; and the master node sends the measurement value of the timing difference and identification information of the second cell to a secondary node, where the first cell is a primary cell of the master node, and the second cell is a primary secondary cell of the secondary node, or the second cell is another cell; and the identification information of the second cell includes a physical cell identifier and frequency information of the second cell, or the identification information of the second cell includes a cell global identifier of the second cell. The master node sends the timing difference between the cells and identification information of a cell corresponding to the timing difference to the secondary node, so that the secondary node can accurately identify the cell corresponding to the timing difference to some extent.