UAV Handover via Base Station Height Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LTE mobile networks are optimized for terrestrial communication, leading to challenges in managing communications for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) due to down-tilted base station antennas, which result in inefficient handovers among base stations when UAVs exceed height thresholds, causing ping-ponging effects.
Innovation Solution
A method is described to obtain measurement reports from target base stations with varying height thresholds, allowing for the selection of a suitable target base station for handover based on height thresholds, signal strength, and signal quality, ensuring stable communication for UAVs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a UAV triggers handover when exceeding the serving base station's height threshold, then the UAV can maintain communication coverage, but it may cause ping-ponging handovers among neighboring base stations with similar or lower height thresholds
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of neighboring base stations' height thresholds before executing handover. The serving base station collects measurement reports from neighboring base stations and compares their height thresholds in advance, selecting only those with higher thresholds as candidate targets, thereby preventing premature or inappropriate handovers
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanism by continuously monitoring the UAV's height and the handover status. When a handover is executed, the system tracks whether the UAV's height exceeds the new serving base station's threshold, and adjusts future handover decisions based on this feedback to avoid ping-ponging
2Reliability
If base stations use down-tilted antennas optimized for terrestrial communication, then terrestrial communication quality is improved, but communication efficiency with UAVs exceeding height thresholds deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the serving base station based on the UAV's height. When the UAV exceeds the current base station's height threshold, the system transitions to a different base station with a higher threshold, effectively adapting the communication infrastructure to the UAV's altitude without requiring physical antenna adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by selecting base stations with different height threshold parameters. Each base station has a configured height threshold parameter, and the system varies this parameter selection based on the UAV's current height, optimizing communication efficiency for aerial vehicles
3Loss of time
If the system performs handover based on height threshold alone, then handover decision speed is improved, but handover reliability deteriorates due to selection of unsuitable target base stations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary collection and evaluation of multiple neighboring base stations' measurement reports, including their height thresholds, before the handover is triggered. This pre-prepared information allows for rapid yet reliable handover decisions when the UAV exceeds the height threshold
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary evaluation layer between the height threshold trigger and the handover execution. The serving base station acts as an intermediary that evaluates multiple candidate base stations' suitability based on their height thresholds and signal conditions, selecting the most appropriate target rather than immediately handovering to the first available option
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, obtaining measurements reports of a group of target base stations. Each measurement report includes a target height threshold of a target base station from the group of target base stations. Further embodiments can include receiving a notification that an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) communicatively coupled to a serving base station has exceeded a serving height threshold of the serving base station, selecting a first target base station from the group of target base stations based on a first target height threshold of the first target base station, and providing instructions to the serving base station to perform a handover of the UAV from the serving base station to the target base station based on the selection. The serving base station performs the handover of the UAV to the target base station based on the instructions. Other embodiments are disclosed.