Uplink Timing Advance Retention for Changing Candidate Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of managing uplink timing advance (TA) for candidate cells or cell groups in a 5G network, particularly when cell configurations change, leading to inconsistencies in network and terminal understanding of timing maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for a terminal to keep or discard TA corresponding to a target candidate cell when its configuration becomes unavailable, based on network configuration or protocol agreements, ensuring consistent uplink timing maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the terminal changes candidate cell configuration according to L1 or L2 activation signaling or pre-configured trigger event, then the terminal can adapt to changing network conditions, but the uplink timing advance status becomes inconsistent between network and terminal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the network side device sends indication information to the terminal about whether to keep or discard TA when candidate cell configuration changes. This feedback loop ensures both network and terminal have consistent understanding of TA maintenance status, resolving the inconsistency problem while maintaining configuration adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces indication information as an intermediary element that mediates between the network side device and terminal regarding TA maintenance decisions. This intermediary carries the network's intent about TA handling, ensuring consistent understanding without requiring complex direct coordination
2Reliability
If the terminal keeps TA when candidate cell configuration becomes unavailable, then uplink timing consistency is maintained, but network resources may be wasted due to unnecessary timing maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes TA maintenance dynamic by allowing the network side device to flexibly indicate whether to keep or discard TA based on current network conditions and cell availability. This dynamic approach prevents unnecessary TA maintenance when cells are unavailable, avoiding network resource waste while maintaining consistency when needed
3Loss of energy
If the terminal discards TA when candidate cell configuration becomes unavailable, then network resources are conserved, but uplink timing consistency is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback mechanism ensures the terminal only discards TA when the network explicitly indicates so, maintaining consistency in the decision-making process. The network provides feedback about TA handling based on actual resource availability, preventing premature TA discarding that would cause inconsistency
4Reliability
If the network provides detailed configuration for TA maintenance, then timing consistency is ensured, but signaling overhead and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential TA maintenance decision from complex configuration details into a simple indication information element. This extracted indication carries the critical decision about TA handling without requiring detailed configuration parameters, reducing complexity while ensuring consistency
Data Source
AI summary
An uplink timing advance (TA) processing method is performed by a terminal. The method incudes: in response to determining that a target candidate cell configuration used by the terminal is changed to unavailable, keeping or discarding a TA corresponding to a target candidate cell.