USER EQUIPMENT HANDOVER IN RADIO CELLS
Systems and methods for user handover in Fifth Generation-New Radio (5G-NR) are disclosed. In one aspect, in a wireless communication system (WCS) that has a hybrid Fourth generation (4G) core subsystem and one or more 5G-NR radio access network (RAN) subsystems, user equipment handover may be controlled by a 4G master evolved NodeB (MeNB). To assist the MeNB in this process, user equipment (UE) may provide B1 reports when signal strength from proximate radio cells exceeds a threshold or falls below a threshold. Based on these B1 reports, a control circuit within the MeNB may select a cell and initiate a handover. Moving the handover decision to the MeNB in such a hybrid WCS may improve the user experience by providing more reliable connections between the user equipment and the most efficient cell.
1 . An enhanced NodeB (eNB) comprising:
a first interface configured to communicate with user equipment (UE); and
a control circuit coupled to the first interface, the control circuit configured to:
receive B1 reports from UE;
determine that a handover between cells is appropriate based on the B1 reports; and
initiate handover of the user equipment from a first cell to a second cell.
2 . The eNB of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to communicate with an originating gNB as part of the handover.
3 . The eNB of claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to communicate with a target gNB as part of the handover.
4 . The eNB of claim 3 , wherein the originating gNB is the target gNB.
5 . The eNB of claim 3 , wherein the originating gNB is different than the target gNB.
6 . The eNB of claim 1 , where the control circuit is configured to configure the user equipment to provide B1 reports.
7 . The eNB of claim 6 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to set a threshold for the UE, wherein the threshold is used by the UE to determine whether to generate a B1 report.
8 . The eNB of claim 1 , further comprising a second interface configured to communicate with a core subsystem.
9 . The eNB of claim 8 , wherein the second interface is configured to operate according to a 4G cellular protocol.
10 . The eNB of claim 1 , wherein the B1 report contains a signal strength indication.
11 . A method of controlling handovers, comprising:
at an enhanced nodeB (eNB), receiving B1 reports from user equipment (UE);
determining, at the eNB, that a handover between cells is appropriate based on the B1 reports; and
initiating handover of the UE from a first cell to a second cell.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring B1 thresholds for the UE.
13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring the UE to report B1 readings to the eNB.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving B1 reports comprises receiving signal strength indications in the B1 reports.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein initiating handover comprises communicating with an originating gNB.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein initiating handover further comprises communicating with a target gNB.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the originating gNB is the target gNB.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the originating gNB and the target gNB are different devices.