Communication Of Configuration Parameters Of Radio Resources Of An Unlicensed Cell

What is this patent about?

’810 is related to the field of cellular communications , specifically addressing the deployment of Licensed-Assisted Access (LAA) cells utilizing unlicensed spectrum. The background involves the increasing demand for data traffic in cellular networks, leading operators to explore the use of unlicensed spectrum to complement licensed spectrum. LAA offers a way to leverage unlicensed spectrum while maintaining a single radio network, but requires careful coordination to avoid interference with other technologies and networks operating in the same spectrum.

The underlying idea behind ’810 is to enable efficient handover decisions by allowing base stations to share configuration information about their LAA cells. This shared information allows neighboring base stations to understand the characteristics of the LAA cells, such as frame structure, LBT parameters, and the presence of other technologies sharing the spectrum. This knowledge enables informed decisions regarding handover and dual connectivity, optimizing network performance and user experience.

The claims of ’810 focus on a method and system where a first base station receives cell configuration parameters from a second base station. These parameters include an identifier for a cell, an indication that the cell is an unlicensed cell, and configuration parameters for the radio resources of the unlicensed cell. Based on this information, the first base station sends a handover request message to the second base station for a wireless device.

In practice, this invention allows a base station to make intelligent decisions about handing off a user equipment (UE) to a neighboring base station's LAA cell. For example, if the configuration parameters indicate that the LAA cell is heavily congested or uses aggressive LBT parameters, the base station might avoid handing off a UE that requires a stable connection. Conversely, if the LAA cell is relatively uncongested and has favorable LBT settings, the base station might prefer to hand off a UE to that cell to improve overall network capacity.

This approach differentiates from prior solutions by enabling base stations to dynamically adapt their handover and dual connectivity strategies based on real-time information about the LAA cell environment. Instead of relying on static configurations or limited information, the base stations can make informed decisions that optimize network performance and user experience in the face of the dynamic and potentially congested nature of unlicensed spectrum. The sharing of LAA cell configuration is key to this improved decision-making process.