UE PScell Relocation for SCG Radio Link Failure Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

In dual connectivity scenarios, especially in LTE and NR systems, radio link failures (RLF) in Secondary Cell Groups (SCG) lead to prolonged service interruptions and increased signaling load due to reliance on the Master eNB for SCG re-establishment, which is time-consuming and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

The user equipment (UE) initiates a PScell relocation procedure directly with the SCgNB upon detecting SCG RLF, attempting recovery over the air interface and triggering a random access procedure to select a new suitable cell within the SCG, thereby minimizing service disruption and signaling latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the UE relies on the Master eNB for SCG re-establishment, then the re-establishment procedure is centralized and controlled, but the service interruption time is prolonged and signaling load is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSCG re-establishment reliabilityVSAvoidservice interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the SCG re-establishment procedure by allowing the UE to independently initiate recovery procedures directly with the SCgNB, separating this function from the Master eNB-controlled process. This segmentation enables parallel processing paths where the UE can autonomously attempt recovery while the Master eNB maintains overall coordination, thereby reducing service interruption time while preserving re-establishment reliability through multiple recovery pathways

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary random access procedure as a mediator between the UE and SCgNB for direct communication during SCG re-establishment. This intermediary mechanism enables the UE to directly establish connectivity with the SCgNB without requiring full Master eNB involvement in the initial recovery phase, reducing signaling load and service interruption while maintaining controlled re-establishment through the structured random access protocol

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the UE relies on the Master eNB for SCG re-establishment, then the re-establishment process is coordinated centrally, but the signaling load is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSCG re-establishment reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the direct communication function from the Master eNB-controlled re-establishment process, allowing the UE to independently initiate and complete random access procedures with the SCgNB. This extraction removes unnecessary signaling through the Master eNB for routine SCG recovery operations, significantly reducing signaling load while maintaining re-establishment reliability through the preserved RRC connection and direct UE-SCgNB communication channel

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables the UE to perform self-service during SCG re-establishment by autonomously initiating random access procedures and directly communicating with the SCgNB without requiring Master eNB mediation for each signaling exchange. This self-service capability reduces the quantity of signaling messages required while maintaining reliable re-establishment through the UE's ability to independently manage the recovery process within the dual connectivity framework

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3649828B1Handling a radio link problem of a secondary cell in dual connectivity
Publication Date: 2024.05.15 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP3649828B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3649828B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3649828B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

A method comprises monitoring for a radio link failure associated with a secondary cell of a secondary base station. This may be a PScell. A user device may select a second secondary cell as a target secondary cell. The user device initiates a relocation procedure with the target secondary cell.