UAV RAN Notification Area Segmentation for Signaling Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communications systems face inefficiencies in managing communications with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) due to the need for widespread coverage and support of diverse data traffic profiles, particularly in RRC_INACTIVE state, where existing solutions require broadcasting signals to all infrastructure equipment in the notification area, leading to power and time overheads.

Innovation Solution

The system configures a Radio Access Network (RAN) notification area based on a UAV's pre-planned flight path, allowing for efficient transmission of tether signals, such as paging messages, directly to the UAV through identified infrastructure equipment along its route, using estimated speed and start time to determine the current location and disable periodic updates, thereby reducing unnecessary signaling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If tether signals are transmitted to all infrastructure equipment in the notification area, then the UAV can be reached regardless of location, but power consumption and signaling overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal delivery reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The notification area is segmented into multiple notification area codes (NACs), each associated with specific infrastructure equipment. Instead of broadcasting to all infrastructure equipment, the system segments the target set based on the UAV's current NAC, reducing the number of recipients while maintaining coverage reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by transmitting tether signals only to infrastructure equipment within the UAV's current notification area code, rather than uniformly to all infrastructure equipment. This localized approach reduces power consumption while ensuring the signal reaches the UAV through the appropriate local infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If tether signals are transmitted to all infrastructure equipment in the notification area, then the UAV can be reached regardless of location, but signaling overhead and time delay increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal delivery reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The notification area is segmented into multiple notification area codes (NACs), each associated with specific infrastructure equipment. Instead of broadcasting to all infrastructure equipment, the system segments the target set based on the UAV's current NAC, reducing the number of recipients while maintaining coverage reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transmits tether signals to a partial set of infrastructure equipment (only those in the current NAC) rather than all infrastructure equipment. This partial action is sufficient to reach the UAV while significantly reducing signaling overhead and processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the notification area is large to cover the entire flight path, then the UAV can be reached at any location, but the number of infrastructure equipment to monitor increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidinfrastructure equipment monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The notification area is segmented into multiple notification area codes (NACs), each associated with specific infrastructure equipment. Instead of broadcasting to all infrastructure equipment, the system segments the target set based on the UAV's current NAC, reducing the number of recipients while maintaining coverage reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the target infrastructure equipment based on the UAV's current location and active NAC. As the UAV moves between different NACs, the system dynamically updates which infrastructure equipment should receive tether signals, maintaining adaptability while reducing complexity at any given moment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11259270B2Wireless communications system, infrastructure equipment, communications device and methods

Publication Date: 2022.02.22 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

A wireless communications system includes a plurality of infrastructure equipment forming part of a radio access network of a wireless communications network, and a communications device configured to transmit signals via the wireless access interface to one or more of the infrastructure equipment and to receive signals transmitted from one or more of the infrastructure equipment via the wireless access interface. The communications device is configured, when in an inactive state, to receive, from one of the infrastructure equipment, information from which an indication of one or more of the infrastructure equipment representing a notification area of the radio access network can be derived, the one or more infrastructure equipment of the notification area being for use in transmitting tether signals to the communications device from the wireless communications network.