Virtual Base Station for Mobile Handover Testing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for testing mobile handover operations are limited in their ability to simulate real-world radio wave environments, particularly in heterogeneous network settings, and do not effectively test handover processes on a mobile device as it moves between different base stations without interrupting service.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising virtual base stations, combiners for combining RF signals, and mobile gain controllers to control attenuation and gain based on the mobile's location, creating a simulated radio wave environment that mimics the actual base station conditions, allowing for testing of handover operations in both homogeneous and heterogeneous networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If preset attenuators are arranged for respective sectors to simulate soft handover test, then handover testing capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual base station that replicates the functionality of multiple physical base stations. Instead of arranging multiple preset attenuators for each sector, a single virtual base station copies and simulates the radio wave environments of multiple actual base stations, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining handover testing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual base station performs multiple functions: it simulates radio wave environments from multiple different base stations, supports both homogeneous and heterogeneous network handover testing, and replaces multiple sector-specific attenuators with a single multi-functional device
2Measurement precision
If multiple base stations are used to simulate radio wave environments, then testing accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual base station creates accurate copies of radio wave environments from multiple actual base stations. It receives signals from multiple base stations, processes them to simulate different propagation conditions, and transmits combined signals to the mobile device, achieving high testing accuracy without requiring multiple physical base station installations
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual base station acts as an intermediary between actual base stations and the mobile device under test. It receives uplink signals from the mobile, processes them according to simulated base station characteristics, and manages the handover testing process, simplifying the overall system architecture
3Reliability
If actual base stations are used for testing, then real-world condition simulation is improved, but adaptability to different network environments decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual base station is designed to support both homogeneous network handover (between same-type base stations) and heterogeneous network handover (between different-type base stations). It can simulate radio wave environments from multiple different base station types, making the testing system adaptable to various network scenarios without requiring separate physical base stations for each scenario
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual base station dynamically adjusts parameters such as signal strength, attenuation, and propagation characteristics to simulate different real-world radio wave environments. By changing these parameters, it can replicate various network conditions including urban, suburban, and rural environments, as well as different base station types
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a system for testing mobile handover which makes it possible to test a handover operation on a mobile side by providing an actual base station with a radio wave environment for causing mobile devices to move. The system is intended to test whether or not a handover operation of a mobile present in the service areas of at least three base stations is performed without interrupting service while the mobile moves from the service area of a currently connected base station to another spot.