UE Frequency Layer Monitoring via Segmented PCIM

Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing number of frequency layers that user equipment (UE) must monitor in LTE networks, as per RAN4 release 12, leads to increased measurement and reporting delays, power consumption, and throughput loss, especially in scenarios with high mobility, due to the need for more frequent and accurate measurements across multiple carriers.

Innovation Solution

The Prioritized Cell Identification and Measurement (PCIM) method classifies frequency layers into high- and reduced-performance groups, optimizing measurement gaps and repetition periods to minimize overall measurement delay while ensuring backward compatible performance, allowing UE to efficiently manage the increased number of monitored frequency layers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the number of frequency layers to be monitored is increased to meet RAN4 release 12 requirements, then measurement precision and network coverage are improved, but measurement delay and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the frequency layers into two distinct groups: a first group of frequency layers monitored at a first rate and a second group of frequency layers monitored at a second rate. This segmentation allows the UE to prioritize monitoring of certain frequency layers while reducing monitoring intensity for others, thereby meeting the increased measurement precision requirements for critical layers while reducing overall measurement delay and power consumption across the entire set of monitored layers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the number of frequency layers to be monitored is increased to meet RAN4 release 12 requirements, then network coverage and reliability are improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the frequency layers into two distinct groups: a first group of frequency layers monitored at a first rate and a second group of frequency layers monitored at a second rate. This segmentation allows the UE to prioritize monitoring of certain frequency layers while reducing monitoring intensity for others, thereby meeting the increased measurement precision requirements for critical layers while reducing overall measurement delay and power consumption across the entire set of monitored layers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If the number of frequency layers to be monitored is increased to meet RAN4 release 12 requirements, then measurement accuracy is improved, but throughput loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidthroughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the frequency layers into two distinct groups: a first group of frequency layers monitored at a first rate and a second group of frequency layers monitored at a second rate. This segmentation allows the UE to prioritize monitoring of certain frequency layers while reducing monitoring intensity for others, thereby meeting the increased measurement precision requirements for critical layers while reducing overall measurement delay and power consumption across the entire set of monitored layers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3684095B1User equipment applying performance requirements for increased frequency layer monitoring and backward compatibility with LTE

Publication Date: 2024.02.28 APPLE INC

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

An apparatus of an user equipment, UE, to operate in an evolved universal mobile telecommunication system terrestrial radio access, EUTRAN, radio access technology, RAT, comprising: a communication module configured to perform a configured measurement type on an increased number of frequency layers assigned to a group having normal performance, wherein the increased number, Nfreq_g1, of frequency layers is identical to a total number, Nfreq, of frequency layers to be measured by the UE, and wherein the frequency layers comprise an inter-frequency layer and/or an inter-RAT frequency layer.