UE Cell Reselection Prioritization for MCG and SCG Resumption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in cell reselection procedures for user equipment (UE) transitioning from an inactive state to an active state, particularly when prioritizing master cell group (MCG) and secondary cell group (SCG) cells over neighboring cells, leading to increased resource utilization and signaling overhead.

Innovation Solution

The UE receives cell reselection priorities from a base station, prioritizing MCG and SCG cells over neighboring cells, with different evaluation thresholds and periodicities, allowing efficient cell reselection without full reestablishment procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the UE follows network-configured cell reselection priorities and selects neighboring cells with higher priority, then the UE can connect to cells with better signal quality or network preference, but this increases signaling overhead and resource utilization when full connection reestablishment is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The UE performs preliminary evaluation of MCG and SCG cells during the inactive state, checking their suitability for connection before transitioning to active state. This preliminary action allows the UE to prioritize cells with existing configurations, avoiding the need for full connection reestablishment and thereby reducing signaling overhead while maintaining connection reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the UE performs full connection reestablishment procedures when transitioning from inactive to active state, then the connection can be properly established with the new cell, but this increases resource utilization and processing time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection establishmentVSAvoidstate transition efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The UE performs preliminary checks of MCG and SCG cell configurations while in the inactive state, evaluating signal quality and configuration availability before state transition. This allows the UE to identify suitable cells that can support direct connection resumption, thereby improving state transition efficiency while ensuring reliable connection establishment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of following the traditional approach where the UE always performs full connection reestablishment after state transition, the patent inverts the logic by first checking whether configuration resumption is possible. The UE evaluates existing MCG/SCG configurations and only performs full reestablishment when necessary, thereby improving productivity while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If the UE evaluates all candidate cells with equal priority during reselection, then the selection process is simple and fast, but this may result in selecting cells that require full reestablishment, increasing overall resource usage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell selection simplicityVSAvoidresource utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different evaluation criteria to different cell types. MCG and SCG cells are evaluated with special consideration for their configuration availability and suitability for direct resumption, while other neighboring cells follow traditional evaluation. This local differentiation allows the UE to make more informed selections, reducing the need for energy-consuming full reestablishment procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4214959B1Prioritization at cell reselection by UE of MCG and SCG cells over neighbor cells configured with higher priority by the network
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4214959B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4214959B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4214959B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. Implementations described herein support prioritization of cells that are configured at the UE over neighboring cells (e.g., that are unconfigured) for cell reselection while the UE is in an inactive state. The UE may receive system information that indicates a cell reselection priority for evaluating a plurality of cells. The system information may indicate that the neighboring cell is assigned a higher priority than a cell of a master cell group or a cell of the secondary cell group that are configured at the UE. The UE may perform a cell reselection procedure that prioritizes reselection of the master cell group cell, the secondary group cell, or both over the neighboring cell and establish a connection with one of the plurality of cells based on a result of the cell reselection procedure.