Method and apparatus for communication management
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide method and apparatus for communication management. A method performed by a communication management node may comprise: obtaining (S 101 ) arrangement information about at least one pair of cells in a communication system; wherein a pair of cells of the at least one pair of cells comprises a serving cell with a first coverage range, and an assistant cell with a second coverage range; wherein the first coverage range at least partially overlaps with the second coverage range; and transmitting (S 102 ) a configuration to a network node providing the serving cell; wherein the configuration indicates the network node to determine whether a terminal device is in an overlapped coverage range of the serving cell and the assistant cell, and indicates the net-sun work node to use the serving cell to serve the terminal device. The desired serving cell/beam may be used to serve the terminal device.
1 . A method performed by a network node, the method comprising:
receiving a measurement report from a terminal device;
making a decision as to whether or not to hand the terminal device over from a source cell to a target cell according to handover criteria, wherein the handover criteria comprises whether or not the measurement report includes measurement results for both the target cell and an assistant cell that is paired with the target cell, wherein according to the handover criteria, if the measurement report includes measurement results for the target cell but not for the assistant cell, the decision is to not hand the terminal device over to the target cell; and
instructing, or refraining from instructing, the terminal device to hand over from the source cell to the target cell according to the decision.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the handover criteria based on one or more factors, wherein the one or more factors include one or more of:
a type of the terminal device from which the measurement report is received;
an altitude of the terminal device from which the measurement report is received; or
whether or not the target cell is an aerial coverage cell.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the handover criteria comprises, based on the type of the terminal device being an aircraft and/or the altitude of the terminal device exceeding a threshold and/or the target cell being an aerial coverage cell, determining that the handover criteria is to comprise whether or not the measurement report includes measurement results for both the target cell and the assistant cell.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the measurement report includes measurement results for the target cell but not for the assistant cell, wherein the measurement results for the target cell indicate that the target cell has a signal strength that is stronger than any other neighbor cell whose measurement results are included in the measurement report, wherein the decision is to not hand the terminal device over to the target cell, despite the target cell having a signal strength that is stronger than any other neighbor cell whose measurement results are included in the measurement report, because the measurement report does not include measurement results for the assistant cell, and wherein said instructing or refraining from instructing comprises refraining from instructing the terminal device to hand over from the source cell to the target cell according to the decision.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the measurement report includes measurement results for both the target cell and for the assistant cell, wherein the decision is to hand the terminal device over to the target cell, and wherein said instructing or refraining from instructing comprises instructing the terminal device to hand over from the source cell to the target cell according to the decision.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is an aircraft, and wherein the handover criteria further includes whether or not the target cell is an aerial coverage cell.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a boresight direction of an antenna for the target cell and a boresight direction of an antenna for the assistant cell are the same.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the assistant cell is a mainlobe indicator cell paired with the target cell, wherein inclusion of measurement results for the assistant cell in the measurement report indicates that the terminal device is in coverage of a mainlobe of an antenna for the target cell and exclusion of measurement results for the assistant cell in the measurement report indicates that the terminal device is out of coverage of the mainlobe of the antenna for the target cell.
9 . A method performed by a communication management node for a communication network, the method comprising:
generating a configuration of a pairing between a first cell and a second cell, wherein one or more of:
the second cell is a mainlobe indicator cell for the first cell, wherein inclusion of measurement results for the second cell in a measurement report from a terminal device indicates that the terminal device is in coverage of a mainlobe of an antenna for the first cell;
a boresight direction of an antenna for the first cell and a boresight direction of an antenna for the second cell are the same; or
inclusion of measurement results for the second cell in a measurement report from a terminal device is a prerequisite for a terminal device to be handed over to the first cell; and
transmitting the configuration to a network node of the communication network.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first cell is an aerial coverage cell.
11 . A network node for a communication network, the network node comprising:
a processor; and
a memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the network node is configured to:
receive a measurement report from a terminal device;
make a decision as to whether or not to hand the terminal device over from a source cell to a target cell according to handover criteria, wherein the handover criteria comprises whether or not the measurement report includes measurement results for both the target cell and an assistant cell that is paired with the target cell, wherein according to the handover criteria, if the measurement report includes measurement results for the target cell but not for the assistant cell, the decision is to not hand the terminal device over to the target cell; and
instruct, or refrain from instructing, the terminal device to hand over from the source cell to the target cell according to the decision.
12 . The network node of claim 11 , the memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the network node is further configured to determine the handover criteria based on one or more factors, wherein the one or more factors include one or more of:
a type of the terminal device from which the measurement report is received;
an altitude of the terminal device from which the measurement report is received; or
whether or not the target cell is an aerial coverage cell.
13 . The network node of claim 12 , the memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the network node is configured to, based on the type of the terminal device being an aircraft and/or the altitude of the terminal device exceeding a threshold and/or the target cell being an aerial coverage cell, determine that the handover criteria is to comprise whether or not the measurement report includes measurement results for both the target cell and the assistant cell.
14 . The network node of claim 11 , wherein the measurement report includes measurement results for the target cell but not for the assistant cell, wherein the measurement results for the target cell indicate that the target cell has a signal strength that is stronger than any other neighbor cell whose measurement results are included in the measurement report, wherein the decision is to not hand the terminal device over to the target cell, despite the target cell having a signal strength that is stronger than any other neighbor cell whose measurement results are included in the measurement report, because the measurement report does not include measurement results for the assistant cell, and wherein the memory contains instructions executable by the processor whereby the network node is configured to refrain from instructing the terminal device to hand over from the source cell to the target cell according to the decision.
15 . The network node of claim 11 , wherein the measurement report includes measurement results for both the target cell and for the assistant cell, wherein the decision is to hand the terminal device over to the target cell, and wherein the memory contains instructions executable by the processor whereby the network node is configured to instruct the terminal device to hand over from the source cell to the target cell according to the decision.
16 . The network node of claim 11 , wherein the terminal device is an aircraft, and wherein the handover criteria further includes whether or not the target cell is an aerial coverage cell.
17 . The network node of claim 11 , wherein a boresight direction of an antenna for the target cell and a boresight direction of an antenna for the assistant cell are the same.
18 . The network node of claim 11 , wherein the assistant cell is a mainlobe indicator cell paired with the target cell, wherein inclusion of measurement results for the assistant cell in the measurement report indicates that the terminal device is in coverage of a mainlobe of an antenna for the target cell and exclusion of measurement results for the assistant cell in the measurement report indicates that the terminal device is out of coverage of the mainlobe of the antenna for the target cell.
19 . A communication management node for a communication network, the communication management node comprising:
a processor; and
a memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the communication management node is configured to:
generate a configuration of a pairing between a first cell and a second cell, wherein one or more of:
the second cell is a mainlobe indicator cell for the first cell, wherein inclusion of measurement results for the second cell in a measurement report from a terminal device indicates that the terminal device is in coverage of a mainlobe of an antenna for the first cell;
a boresight direction of an antenna for the first cell and a boresight direction of an antenna for the second cell are the same; or
inclusion of measurement results for the second cell in a measurement report from a terminal device is a prerequisite for a terminal device to be handed over to the first cell; and
transmit the configuration to a network node of the communication network.
20 . The communication management node of claim 19 , wherein the first cell is an aerial coverage cell.