User Equipment Frequency Search Using Regional Location Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cellular radio systems, multi-mode user equipment (UEs) face significant power consumption and increased search delays due to the need to constantly scan multiple frequency bands when roaming or losing coverage, as they must cater for worst-case scenarios and regional variations in frequency band usage.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining the physical location using GPS or A-GNSS and transmitting regional frequency information to the UE, allowing it to focus on relevant frequency bands used in that location, reducing unnecessary searches and optimizing power consumption by considering travel itinerary and history.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE constantly searches for all supported bands when roaming or losing coverage, then the UE can ensure connectivity and support multiple modes, but the power consumption increases and search delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network node performs preliminary actions by determining the UE's physical location using GPS or A-GNSS and proactively providing regional frequency information before the UE needs to search. This allows the UE to skip unnecessary frequency band searches and directly search only the relevant bands for its current location, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining connectivity assurance.
2Reliability
If the UE constantly searches for all supported bands when roaming or losing coverage, then the UE can ensure connectivity and support multiple modes, but the average search delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network node performs preliminary actions by determining the UE's physical location using GPS or A-GNSS and proactively providing regional frequency information before the UE needs to search. This allows the UE to skip unnecessary frequency band searches and directly search only the relevant bands for its current location, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining connectivity assurance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the UE hardware is designed to cater for worst case scenario, then the UE can support all frequency bands and modes, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the frequency search capability location-dependent. Instead of uniformly searching all bands regardless of location, the UE receives regional frequency information specific to its physical location and searches only those bands. This reduces the effective complexity of the frequency search function while maintaining the hardware's ability to support multiple modes when needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
In a User Equipment, frequency search is performed using the physical location (e.g. GPS position) and using information about the allocation of frequency bands and the radio access technologies used in these bands in different regions or countries. Hereby, frequency searching can be reduced to those bands and to the corresponding radio access technologies which are used in a current physical location. In order to ensure that UE is configured with the latest and most relevant regional frequency information, regional frequency information is transmitted to the UE over the air interface. In addition, information related to user's travel itinerary and user's travel history can be taken into account. By only frequency searching relevant frequency bands for the radio access technologies used in these bands battery power consumption can be reduced and frequency search speed can be improved.