Group Context Negotiation for 5G UE Clock Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 5G-and-beyond systems face challenges in providing accurate clock synchronization across a group of User Equipments (UEs) to minimize timing errors, which is crucial for deterministic packet transfer services, especially in industrial automation applications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a network node that determines context information for a group of UEs based on service-related information, sends this information to base stations, and negotiates timing synchronization requirements for distributing time information to each UE, optimizing synchronization performance across the communication network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional clock synchronization methods are used in 5G networks, then basic communication functionality is maintained, but timing errors increase and deterministic packet transfer cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the synchronization process by introducing group-specific context information for different UE groups, allowing separate negotiation and optimization of synchronization parameters for each group. This enables deterministic communication for specific groups while maintaining basic functionality for others, resolving the contradiction between synchronization accuracy and reliable deterministic transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary negotiation of timing synchronization requirements before actual time information distribution. By determining context information and negotiating synchronization parameters in advance, the system ensures that deterministic communication requirements are met before data transfer begins, eliminating timing errors and ensuring reliability.
2Measurement precision
If individual UE synchronization is optimized, then timing accuracy for that UE improves, but network complexity and negotiation overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges synchronization negotiations at the group level by introducing group context information that represents multiple UEs. Instead of individual negotiations for each UE, the network node negotiates once per group, reducing network complexity and signaling overhead while maintaining timing synchronization accuracy for all UEs in the group through shared context information.
3Reliability
If context information negotiation is performed for all UEs, then synchronization requirements are met, but signaling overhead and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments UEs into groups and performs context information negotiation at the group level rather than for each individual UE. This segmentation reduces the number of negotiations required, decreasing signaling overhead and processing time while still ensuring that synchronization requirements are met for all UEs through group-specific context information.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with example embodiments of the invention there is at least a method and apparatus to perform determining, by a network node, context information of a group of more than one user equipment, wherein the context information is based on at least service related information associated with the more than one user equipment; sending information comprising the context information towards at least one base station of a communication network; and based on the context information, negotiating with the at least one base station timing synchronization requirements for distribution to each user equipment of the group. Further, there is at least a method and an apparatus to perform receiving from a network node, by a network device of a communication network, information comprising context information associated with a group of more than one user equipment, wherein the context information is based on at least service related information associated with the more than one user equipment; based on the information, negotiating with the network node timing synchronization requirements for distribution to each user equipment of the group; and in response to the negotiating, selecting at least one network device of the communication network for the distribution by the at least one network device of the timing synchronization requirements to each user equipment of the group of more than one user equipment.