Detecting Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) confusion during Secondary Node (SN) change procedure in wireless networks

A primary node element, comprising:

• a memory configured to store instructions executable by a processor;
• and
• the processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory and thereby causes the primary node element to:
• configure a timer to hold context of a User Equipment (UE) at the first secondary node element for a pre-determined time period, during a handover of the UE from a first secondary node element to a second secondary node element;
• receive Secondary Cell group (SCG) failure information from the UE, the SCG failure information indicating a cause of a failure of the handover as a Random Access Channel (RACH) failure;
• and
• transmit the SCG failure information to the first secondary node element, wherein the first secondary node element uses the SCG failure information to suspect that the failure is due to a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) confusion associated with a PCI of the second secondary node element within the pre-determined time period, and perform a mitigation action during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element to one of a plurality of secondary node elements, for one of a plurality of UEs in a wireless network, when a PCI of the one of the plurality of secondary node elements is same as the PCI of the second secondary node element.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by the first secondary node element, Secondary Cell Group (SCG) failure information from a User Equipment (UE) via a primary node element, during a handover of the UE from the first secondary node element to a second secondary node element, the SCG failure information indicating a cause of a failure of the handover as a Random Access Channel (RACH) failure;
• suspecting, by the first secondary node element, that the failure is due to a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) confusion associated with a PCI of the second secondary node element, based on the cause, within a pre-determined time period associated with a timer configured at the primary node element for holding context of the UE at the first secondary node element;
• and
• performing, by the first secondary node element, a mitigation action during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element to one of a plurality of secondary node elements, for one of a plurality of UEs in a wireless network, when a PCI of the one of the plurality of secondary node elements is same as the PCI of the second secondary node element,
• wherein the primary node element, the first secondary node element, and the second secondary node element are in a dual connectivity environment.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions for performing operations comprising:

• receiving Secondary Cell Group (SCG) failure information from a User Equipment (UE) via the primary node element, during a handover of the UE from a first secondary node element to a second secondary node element, the SCG failure information indicating a cause of a failure of the handover as a Random Access Channel (RACH) failure;
• suspecting that the failure is due to a Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) confusion associated with a PCI of the second secondary node element, based on the cause, within a pre-determined time period associated with a timer configured at the primary node element for holding context of the UE at the first secondary node element;
• and
• performing a mitigation action during a subsequent handover from the first secondary node element to one of a plurality of secondary node elements, for one of a plurality of UEs in a wireless network, when a PCI of the one of the plurality of secondary node elements is same as the PCI of the second secondary node element,
• wherein the primary node element, the first secondary node element, and the second secondary node element are in a dual connectivity environment.