UE Cell Selection White List for 5G PLMN Optimization

Solution Overview

Problem

In next-generation wireless communication systems like 5G NR, the existing cell selection and reselection mechanisms are inefficient, particularly on unlicensed spectra, leading to unnecessary power consumption and time wastage due to the lack of specific procedures for selecting cells belonging to registered Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs), resulting in suboptimal network performance.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for performing cell selection or reselection using a white list, where a user equipment (UE) receives a white list from a serving cell containing cell identities on intra-frequency and inter-frequency, allowing it to perform measurements and select or reselect cells only from those listed, thereby ensuring selection of cells belonging to allowed PLMNs and optimizing network operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the UE performs measurements on all available cells without a white list, then the cell selection coverage is comprehensive, but the power consumption increases and measurement time is wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcell selection efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The network provides the white list to the UE in advance before the UE performs cell measurements. This preliminary action allows the UE to pre-know which cells are worth measuring, avoiding wasted power and time on cells that will not lead to valid PLMN selections. The white list is configured by the network based on anticipated cell conditions and UE mobility patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The white list extracts only the relevant cell identities from the complete set of available cells. Instead of measuring all cells, the UE measures only those cell identities that are included in the white list, which are specifically selected to belong to allowed PLMNs. This extraction principle significantly reduces the measurement set while ensuring valid selections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If the UE measures all cells in the frequency, then the selection accuracy is high, but the time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecell selection accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The white list extracts only the relevant cell identities from the complete set of available cells. Instead of measuring all cells, the UE measures only those cell identities that are included in the white list, which are specifically selected to belong to allowed PLMNs. This extraction principle significantly reduces the measurement set while ensuring valid selections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The network provides the white list to the UE in advance before the UE performs cell measurements. This preliminary action allows the UE to pre-know which cells are worth measuring, avoiding wasted power and time on cells that will not lead to valid PLMN selections. The white list is configured by the network based on anticipated cell conditions and UE mobility patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the UE performs comprehensive cell measurements, then the network performance is optimized, but the power consumption and time wastage increase due to unnecessary measurements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork performanceVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The white list extracts only the relevant cell identities from the complete set of available cells. Instead of measuring all cells, the UE measures only those cell identities that are included in the white list, which are specifically selected to belong to allowed PLMNs. This extraction principle significantly reduces the measurement set while ensuring valid selections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The network provides the white list to the UE in advance before the UE performs cell measurements. This preliminary action allows the UE to pre-know which cells are worth measuring, avoiding wasted power and time on cells that will not lead to valid PLMN selections. The white list is configured by the network based on anticipated cell conditions and UE mobility patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11477674B2Method of performing cell selection or reselection and related device

Publication Date: 2022.10.18 HANNIBAL IP LLC

AI summary

A method of performing cell selection or reselection by a user equipment (UE) in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode or an RRC inactive mode is disclosed. The method comprises determining whether a white list is received from a serving cell, wherein the white list includes at least one cell identity, each of the at least one cell identity identifying a cell on at least one of an intra-frequency and an inter-frequency corresponding to a frequency that the serving cell is on, in response to the UE determining that the white list is received from the serving cell, performing a measurement on at least one cell associated with the at least one cell identity according to the white list, and selecting or reselecting a cell according to the measurement, the cell indicated only by the at least one cell identity in the white list.