User Equipment Ping-Pong Handover Detection and Offset Application
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication systems, particularly in 5G NR, face challenges with ping-pong handovers, which lead to increased dropped calls, quality degradation, and reduced throughput due to repeated handovers between neighboring cells and serving cells.
Innovation Solution
A method where user equipment (UE) stores target cell information in a database and detects ping-pong handovers based on a threshold number of handover instances within a specified time. The UE receives a list of ping-pong cell candidates from the base station and applies an offset to the measurement of the target cell to avoid or reduce handovers to identified ping-pong cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If handover is performed between neighboring cells and serving cells, then network coverage and connectivity are improved, but ping-pong handovers occur causing dropped calls and quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The network node performs preliminary identification of cells that are candidates for ping-pong handover based on historical handover data and statistics before the actual handover occurs. By pre-marking these candidate cells and configuring their identification information to the UE, the system prepares in advance to avoid triggering handovers to these problematic cells, thus preventing ping-pong effects before they happen.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the network node acts as a mediator between the UE and target cells. The network node collects handover statistics, identifies ping-pong candidate cells, and communicates this information to the UE. This intermediary layer enables intelligent handover control by filtering out problematic target cells based on historical data, thus preventing harmful ping-pong handovers while maintaining necessary connectivity.
2Area of stationary object
If repeated handovers are performed to maintain connectivity, then network coverage is improved, but throughput and quality of service deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the network node continuously collects handover statistics from the UE, analyzes the data to identify cells causing ping-pong handovers, and feeds back this information to the UE in the form of candidate cell lists. This feedback loop enables the UE to make informed handover decisions by avoiding identified problematic cells, thus maintaining coverage while preventing throughput degradation from repeated handovers.
Solution Approach 2:
The network node performs preliminary analysis of handover statistics and identifies candidate cells that are likely to cause ping-pong effects before the UE attempts handover to these cells. By pre-configuring the UE with lists of candidate cells and their identification information, the system proactively prevents handovers to cells that would degrade throughput, thus maintaining both coverage and service quality.
3Speed
If handover decisions are made based on real-time measurements, then response speed is improved, but accuracy deteriorates due to measurement fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The network node performs preliminary processing of handover measurements by collecting statistics over multiple handover instances and identifying cells that consistently cause ping-pong effects. This preliminary analysis creates a historical database of problematic cells that can be quickly referenced during real-time handover decisions, thus maintaining fast response speed while improving accuracy by filtering out measurement fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between real-time measurements and handover decisions. The network node acts as this intermediary by processing raw measurements, identifying patterns of ping-pong behavior, and providing filtered, more accurate handover recommendations to the UE. This intermediary processing step filters out transient measurement fluctuations while maintaining the speed of real-time decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
The UE may store target cell information to a database based on performing a handover to the target cell and detecting the ping-pong handover based on a number of handover instances in the database of the target cell to which the UE has performed the handover being greater than or equal to a threshold number of the handover instances within a period of time. The UE may receive, from a base station a list of ping-pong cell candidates and configure the number of handover instances of the target cell and/or the period of time based on the list of ping-pong cell candidates. The UE may avoid or reduce the handover to the identified ping-pong cell based on the detected ping-pong handover by applying an offset to the measurement of the target cell.