X2 Proxy Activation for Relay Node Mobility in LTE
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless cellular communication, especially in LTE-Advanced and high-speed railway scenarios, the existing X2 proxy architecture faces challenges in maintaining effective X2 message transmission when a relay node or a Home evolved Node B moves out of the initial Donor eNB's coverage, leading to reduced communication quality and user experience due to the absence of direct X2 interfaces with adjacent eNBs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method and system where a next-hop node serves as an X2 proxy for a previous-hop node, enabling X2 message interaction through multiple proxies, including activation instructions in X2 connection establishment, handover, and eNB configuration updates to ensure continuous X2 message transmission even when direct interfaces are absent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a relay node moves out of the initial Donor eNB's coverage, then the relay node can continue to provide service to UEs, but direct X2 interface connection with adjacent eNBs is lost, causing X2 message transmission to fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an X2 proxy mechanism where the initial Donor eNB acts as an intermediary to forward X2 messages between the moved relay node and adjacent eNBs. When a relay node moves out of direct X2 interface range, the initial Donor eNB proxies the X2 signaling traffic, enabling continued message transmission without requiring direct physical interface connections. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability through indirect routing while supporting relay node mobility.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If multiple X2 proxies are deployed to support relay node mobility, then communication continuity is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional proxy nodes and message routing logic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes X2 proxy relationships in advance before relay nodes move. The initial Donor eNB is pre-configured as an X2 proxy for its served relay nodes, and adjacent eNBs are pre-registered in the proxy relationship database. This preliminary setup enables seamless message forwarding when mobility occurs, reducing the need for complex real-time discovery and negotiation protocols, thereby limiting system complexity while maintaining continuity.
3Reliability
If direct X2 interfaces are established between all relay nodes and adjacent eNBs, then X2 message transmission is reliable, but network infrastructure complexity and interface management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the initial Donor eNB multi-functional by enabling it to serve both as a normal eNB with direct X2 interfaces and as an X2 proxy for moved relay nodes. This universal capability allows the network to use direct interfaces when available (for reliability) while falling back to proxy-based indirect interfaces when needed (to reduce complexity), optimizing the trade-off between reliability and complexity dynamically without requiring separate dedicated proxy infrastructure.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are a method and system for implementing an X2 proxy. The method includes that a function of a next-hop node serving as an X2 proxy of a previous-hop node (300) is activated; and X2 message interaction between an initial node and a target node is implemented through more than one X2 proxy including the previous-hop node and the next-hop node (301).