UE Handover Timing Control via Signal Strength Comparison

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing handover procedure in wireless communication networks faces challenges such as high handover failure rates and increased data interruption times due to difficulties in real-time signal strength reporting and command transmission, especially in environments with multiple small cells, leading to reduced communication quality and significant signaling overhead.

Innovation Solution

A method where the User Equipment (UE) determines the timing of handover based on continuous signal strength measurements and sends a handover indication message to the serving base station, allowing for optimized cell selection and resource configuration, including the use of different notification methods and acknowledgement responses to ensure successful handover execution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the UE immediately performs handover upon receiving a handover command message, then the handover execution speed is improved, but the handover failure rate increases due to inability to determine optimal handover timing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover execution speedVSAvoidhandover success rate
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The base station performs preliminary actions by sending the handover command message in advance and the UE performs preliminary measurement of signal strengths. The UE then uses these pre-collected measurements to determine the optimal handover timing, rather than immediately executing handover. This allows the handover to occur at the most appropriate moment based on actual radio conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the UE continuously reports signal strength to the base station, then the handover timing accuracy is improved, but the signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover timing accuracyVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential measurement information needed for handover timing determination. Instead of continuous detailed signal strength reporting, the UE measures signal strengths of the serving base station and neighboring base stations, and the base station uses this extracted key information to determine handover timing, reducing unnecessary signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If small cells are deployed to increase radio capacity, then the network coverage density is improved, but the handover frequency increases leading to communication quality decline

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveradio capacityVSAvoidcommunication quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic handover timing determination based on real-time signal strength measurements. Instead of fixed or frequent handovers in small cell environments, the system dynamically adjusts handover timing based on actual radio conditions, allowing the UE to remain connected to the optimal base station longer and reducing unnecessary handovers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3713302A1Handover method and apparatus thereof
Publication Date: 2020.09.23 ELECTRONICS & TELECOMM RES INST
  • EP3713302A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3713302A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3713302A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A UE does not immediately perform handover after receiving a handover command from a serving base station, but instead backups that message and continuously compares the signal strength of a serving base station and the signal strength of a target base station and performs a handover to the target base station at the best timing when handover is required. Once the timing of handover is determined, the UE transmits a handover indication message to the serving base station, and thereafter the UE performs a handover to the target base station.