UE Handover Control for Small Cell Signaling Overhead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional handover techniques in wireless communication systems are inadequate for managing frequent handovers in small cells, leading to increased signaling overhead, power drain, and reduced data rate and reliability for user equipment (UE).
Innovation Solution
The described techniques enable user equipment (UE) to avoid frequent handovers in small cells by triggering a handover to a macro cell, even if the macro cell provides inferior communication coverage compared to the small cell. The UE identifies the macro cell through multiple handovers, determines the number of handovers within a time period, and omits reporting signal measurements of small cells in a measurement report to initiate a handover to the macro cell.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional handover techniques are used in small cells, then the UE can maintain connection with the serving cell, but frequent handovers occur leading to increased signaling overhead and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the handover decision parameters by introducing a frequency threshold parameter. When handover frequency exceeds the threshold within a monitoring period, the UE switches to reporting only macro cell measurements instead of small cell measurements, thereby reducing handover frequency and power consumption while maintaining connection stability
2Reliability
If conventional handover techniques are used in small cells, then the UE can access small cells with better coverage, but frequent handovers increase signaling overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the measurement reporting behavior by changing the parameter of which cells to monitor. When handover frequency exceeds the threshold, the UE changes from reporting small cell measurements to reporting only macro cell measurements, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining communication coverage through the macro cell
3Measurement precision
If the UE continues to perform handovers to small cells, then the UE can maintain optimal signal quality, but data transfer stability decreases due to frequent handovers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the handover triggering parameter by suppressing small cell measurement reports when handover frequency exceeds the threshold. This reduces the frequency of handover events and associated interruptions, thereby improving data transfer stability while maintaining acceptable signal quality through macro cell connection
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may avoid frequent handover in small cells by triggering handover to a macro cell. The UE may determine that the UE performs a number of handovers within a time period. The UE may determine to trigger a handover to the macro cell. The UE may identify the macro cell based on measuring the macro cell during multiple handovers. The UE may determine to refrain from indicating signal measurements of small cells in a measurement report. Accordingly, a measurement report may include a signal measurement of the macro cell and omit the signal measurements of the small cells. The UE may transmit the measurement report to the small cell acting as a serving cell for the UE. Based the measurement report, the UE may receive a message initiating a handover procedure with the macro cell.