WO2025235170A1

WO2025235170A1 - Identification and rectification of coverage holes using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques

Info

Publication number: WO2025235170A1
Application number: PCT/US2025/025060
Authority: WO
Inventors: Subramanya CHANDRASHEKAR; Manjari Chhawchharia
Original assignee: Rakuten Symphony Inc; Rakuten Symphony Usa LLC
Current assignee: Rakuten Symphony Inc; Rakuten Symphony Usa LLC
Priority date: 2024-05-09
Filing date: 2025-04-17
Publication date: 2025-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-09

Abstract

Disclosed herein a method is disclosed. The method includes obtaining, by a first network entity, a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell. The measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a second network entity. Further, the method includes determining non-reported SSB associated with the second network entity, which should have been reported. Furthermore, the method includes determining whether the UE is located at the edge of the current cell of the first network entity. Furthermore, the method includes detecting the presence of a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB of the first network entity.

Description

IDENTIFICATION AND RECTIFICATION OF COVERAGE HOLES USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUES

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[001] This application claims priority to India Provisional Application No. 202411036610, filed on May 09, 2024, and India Non-Provisional Application No. 202411036610, filed January 31, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

[002] The present disclosure relates to the identification and rectification of coverage holes using Artificial Intelligence (Al) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques.

BACKGROUND

[003] The information disclosed in this background section is only for an enhancement of understanding of the general background of the disclosure and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

[004] In general, cellular networks have areas or gaps where a signal strength or quality is insufficient, resulting in poor or no network connectivity for users. The gaps in coverage, known as “coverage holes’’, can be caused by physical obstructions (e.g., buildings, hills, etc.), radio interference, or limitations in one or more network infrastructures. The coverage holes can lead to dropped calls, slow data speeds, or complete loss of connectivity, negatively impacting the overall user experience. [005] FIG. 1 illustrates an example scenario where two neighboring cells (e.g., illustrations X and Y) are configured with different sets of beams to provide wireless coverage, according to prior art. In the example scenario, a cell A comprises a first base station (e.g., gNBl 10), and a cell B comprises a second base station (e.g., gNB2 20). Each base station is associated with a number of Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) beams, which are used to transmit critical network signals and enable multiple User Equipment (UEs) to identify and connect to the cell. The specific beam configurations in each cell are determined by an Operations and Maintenance (0AM) system. The 0AM system is responsible for configuring one or more beam parameters, such as their direction, width, and strength to optimize the coverage within each cell. However, there may be areas between the two neighboring cells where the coverage overlaps is insufficient, resulting in a coverage hole 30. The coverage holes may be referred to as regions where the signal strength or qualify from both cell A and cell B is too weak to provide reliable connectivity for the UEs.

[006] Further, in 3GPP Rel-17 of the 5^th Generation (5G) standard, a new feature known as “distributed Coverage and Capacity Optimization” (CCO) was introduced to address critical issues related to network coverage and cell-edge capacity. The CCO builds on principles established in Rel-12 for 4G LTE networks, with a focus on improving performance in areas with weak coverage, especially at the edges of cells. In this context, coverage gaps are identified when the UE is unable to reliably connect to the network due to insufficient signal strength, often caused by non-reported SSBs or overlapping coverage from neighboring cells.

[007] To resolve the coverage issues, the 5G network utilizes various observations such as UE radio measurements, Radio Link Failures (RLF), radio connection establishment failures, the observed throughput, and packet loss of UEs. When the CCO problem is detected, a Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) node can autonomously make dynamic adjustments to the coverage configuration, such as switching between pre-configured coverage states, to improve coverage and capacity at the cell edge. The NG-RAN node then communicates these configuration changes to neighboring nodes, which can similarly adjust their coverage to alleviate the CCO cause, whether related to coverage or cell edge capacity.

[008] In case of a split gNB architecture, where the base station is divided into a gNB- Centralized Unit (CU) and a gNB-Distributed Unit (DU), the CCO functionality resides within the gNB-CU. This coordination between units ensures that changes in coverage configuration are efficiently handled, and adjustments are made in real-time, enabling dynamic optimization across the network. Furthermore, the technique leverages Active Antenna Systems (AAS) to enhance radio coverage reconfigurability.

[009] The deployment of the distributed CCO feature is supported through signaling protocols like Xn Application Protocol (XnAP), which enables neighboring nodes to exchange information about changes in coverage configuration. This signaling ensures that when one gNB node detects a coverage issue, it can inform its neighbors, prompting them to adapt their configurations accordingly. Additionally, the Fl Application Protocol (F1AP) facilitates communication between the gNB-CU and gNB-DU, ensuring that any necessary' adjustments are applied at the cell and beam level.

[0010] As part of the ongoing development of network optimization techniques, the Rel-19 study provides artificial intelligence (Al) based enhancements for NG-RAN nodes which include objectives related to improving network slicing and further advancing CCO capabilities. Specifically, Al techniques are being explored to automate the detection and resolution of coverage gaps, including those at the cell edge, by leveraging real-time UE measurements and network performance data..

[0011] To address the aforementioned issues, there is a requirement to design the CCO techniques for identifying the coverage gaps.

SUMMARY

[0012] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the disclosure. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the present disclosure nor is it intended to determine the scope of the disclosure.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method is disclosed. The method includes obtaining, by a first network entity, a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell associated with the first network entity. The measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a plurality of SSBs associated with a cell of a second network entity. The method also includes determining at least one non-reported SSB associated with the second network entity, which should have been reported based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or UE positioning infonnation. Further, the method includes determining whether the UE is located at the edge of the current cell of the first netw ork entity using a UE positioning information or a predefined technique. Furthermore, the method includes detecting the presence of at least one coverage gap associated with the at least one non-reported SSB of the second netw ork entity in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB or cell of the first network entity. [0014] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a second network entity, a first measurement report from a first network entity. The first measurement report includes first information indicating a coverage gap, associated with corresponding Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) out of a plurality of SSBs associated with the second network entity reported by at least one first user equipment (UE) in the first network entity. The method also includes obtaining, by the second network entity, one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of an SSB indicated as non-reported SSB by the first network entity, associated with the second network entity. Further, the method includes obtaining, by the second network entity, at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB, the neighboring SSB belonging to the second network entity. Furthemiore, the method includes detecting a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity based on a correlation of the one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of anon-reported SSB with the at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may be implemented at a first network entity. The apparatus is configured to obtain a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell associated with the first network entity. The measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a plurality of SSBs associated with a cell of a second network entity⁷. The apparatus is configured to determine at least one non-reported SSB associated with the second network entity, that should have been reported based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or

UE positioning information. Further, the apparatus is configured to determine whether the UE is located at the edge of the current cell of the first network entity using a UE positioning information or a predefined orknown technique. Furthermore, the apparatus is configured to detect the presence of at least one coverage gap associated with the at least one non-reported SSB of the second network entity in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB of the first network entity.

[0016] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may be implemented at a second network entity. The apparatus is configured to receive a first measurement report from a first network entity. The first measurement report includes first information indicating a coverage gap, associated with corresponding Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) out of a plurality of SSBs associated with the second network entity reported by at least one first user equipment (UE) in the first network entity. The apparatus is configured to obtain one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of an SSB indicated as non-reported SSB by the first network entity, associated with the second network entity. Further, the apparatus is configured to, by the second network entity, obtain at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB, the neighbouring SSB belonging to the second network entity. Furthermore, the apparatus is configured to detect a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity based on a correlation of the one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of a non-reported SSB with the at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

[0017] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer- readable medium is disclosed. The non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions. The instructions comprise one or more instructions that are executed by a first network entity. The first network entity comprises one or more processors. The one or more instructions cause the one or more processors to obtain, a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell associated with the first network entity. The measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a plurality of SSBs associated with a cell of a second network entity’. The one or more instructions cause the one or more processors to determine at least one non-reported SSB associated with the second network entity’, which should have been reported based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or UE positioning information. Further, the one or more instructions cause the one or more processors to determine whether the UE is located at the edge of the current cell of the first network entity using a UE positioning information or a predefined technique. Furthermore, the one or more instructions cause the one or more processors to detect the presence of at least one coverage gap associated with the at least one non-reported SSB of the second network entity' in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB of the first network entity.

[0018] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a non-transitory' computer- readable medium is disclosed. The non-transitory’ computer-readable medium stores instructions. The instructions comprise one or more instructions that are executed by a second network entity’. The second network entity’ comprises one or more processors. The one or more instructions cause the one or more processors to receive a first measurement report from a first network entity. The first measurement report includes first information indicating a coverage gap, associated with corresponding Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) out of a plurality of SSBs associated with the second network entity reported by at least one first user equipment (UE) in the first network entity. The one or more instructions cause the one or more processors to obtain one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of an SSB indicated as non-reported SSB by the first network entity’, associated with the second network entity’. Further, the one or more instructions cause the one or more processors to obtain at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB. Furthermore, the one or more instructions cause the one or more processors to detect a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity based on a correlation of the one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of a non-reported SSB with the at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB. the neighbouring SSB belonging to the second network entity'.

[0019] To further clarify the advantages and features of the present disclosure, a more particular description of the disclosure will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting its scope. The disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity’ and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0020] Features, aspects, and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates an example scenario where two neighboring cells are configured with different sets of beams to provide a wireless coverage, according to prior art.

[0022] FIGs. 2A-2B illustrates an example scenario where two neighboring cells are configured with different sets of beams to provide the wireless coverage, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a sequence of operations among a user equipment (UE), a first base station (gNBl), and a second base station (gNB2), according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of an example method implemented by the gNBl, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of an example method implemented by the gNB2, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of an example device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following detailed description of example embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure provides illustrations and descriptions, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the present disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations. Further, one or more features or components of one embodiment may be incorporated into or combined with another embodiment (or one or more features of another embodiment). Additionally, the flow chart and description of operations provided below relate to at least one of the embodiments in the present disclosure. It should be noted that it is possible to make other embodiments that do not exactly match the flowchart and its description. It is understood that in other embodiments one or more operations may be omitted, one or more operations may be added, one or more operations may be perfonned simultaneously (at least in part).

[0028] It will be apparent that systems and/or methods described herein may be implemented in different forms of hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and/or methods should not limit their implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and/or methods are described herein without reference to specific software code. It is understood that software and hard are may be designed to implement the systems and/or methods based on the description herein.

[0029] Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, the particular combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of implementations. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Even if a dependent claim directly depends on only one claim, the present disclosure may indicate that the dependent claim is dependent on other claims in the claim set.

[0030] No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the articles “a” and “an” (in other words, nouns not mentioned in the plural) are intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with '‘one or more.” Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” “include,” “including,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, expressions such as “at least one of [A] and [B],” “[A] and/or [B].” or “at least one of [A] or [B]” are to be understood as including only A, only B, or both A and B. [0031] According to 3GPP TS 38.300. the New Radio (NR) Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO) function includes detecting CCO issues. However, the specific guidelines on the process of detection are not provided.

[0032] Additionally, as outlined in 3GPP TS 28.628, the primary indicators of CCO issues are as follows: a. Coverage Hole: A coverage hole corresponds to an area where the pilot signal strength falls below the threshold required for User Equipment (UEs) to access the network, or Signal-to- Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINRs) of both the serving and neighboring cells are below the levels necessary to sustain basic service. Coverage holes typically arise due to physical obstructions, such as new buildings, hills, or improper antenna configurations, or due to poor Radio Frequency (RF) planning. UEs located around a coverage hole may experience call drops and radio link failures. The typical manifestation of a coverage hole is frequent Hand Over (HO) failures that cannot be mitigated through HO parameter optimization or frequent call drops that cannot be resolved via Radio Resource Control (RRC) re-establishment. b. Weak Coverage: Weak coverage occurs when the pilot signal strength, Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), or Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) of the serving cell falls below the threshold required to meet planned performance criteria (e.g., cell edge bit rate). c. Pilot Pollution: In areas where the coverage from multiple cells significantly overlaps, interference levels and power levels can become elevated, leading to increased energy consumption and reduced cell performance. In such situations, UEs may experience high SNR from more than one cell, coupled with elevated interference levels. d. Overshoot Coverage: Overshoot occurs when a cell’s coverage extends beyond its intended boundaries. This may result in coverage areas located within another cell, potentially one that is not a direct neighbor. Overshoot can be caused by phenomena like reflections from buildings or across bodies of water, such as lakes. UEs in this area may experience call drops or high levels of interference. e. Downlink (DL) and Uplink (UL) Channel Coverage Mismatch: A common scenario of DL and UL channel coverage mismatch is when DL coverage exceeds UL coverage. In such cases, UEs moving into these mismatched areas may encounter UL-related issues.

[0033] In an embodiment, according to 3GPP TS 28. 628, in a real -world network, the primary indicators mentioned above may be tolerable to a certain extent. The primary indicators may only indicate a significant problem when combined with other factors, such as the frequency, duration, or the size of the affected user population.

[0034] There is a requirement for techniques to detect non-reported SSBs and coverage gaps at the edges of cells and propose corresponding corrective actions that can be implemented to optimize network coverage and capacity.

[0035] In the proposed disclosure, methods and apparatuses are presented that identify and address coverage gaps using one or more Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (Al / ML) based techniques. [0036] In an embodiment, the method includes identifying the CCO issue at the Next

Generation Radio Access Network Node (NG-RAN) (e.g., a base station, gNB), as illustrated in FIG. 2A. b. A corrective action with respect to the CCO issue identification is determined by an Operations and Maintenance (0AM) system having Al functionality and residing in the apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2B.

[0037] FIG. 2A illustrates an example scenario where two neighboring cells are configured with different sets of beams to provide a wireless coverage, according to an embodiment as disclosed herein.

[0038] In the example scenario, a cell A comprises a first base station or a first network entity (e.g., gNBl 100). and a cell B comprises a second base station or a second network entity (e.g., gNB2 200). To identify’ and rectify the one or more coverage holes, the disclosed methods and systems may perform several operations discussed in the following paragraphs.

[0039] In an embodiment, during an Xn interface setup between neighboring NG-RAN nodes, the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) Identities (IDs) of cells associated with each gNB (e.g., gNBl 100 and gNB2 200) and the overlapping or adjacent SSB/beam information with a neighboring node as configured by the 0AM system (as shown in FIG. 2B) are exchanged. The 0AM system is responsible for configuring one or more beam parameters, such as their direction, w idth, and strength to optimize the coverage within each cell. Further, the exchange allows each NG-RAN node to identify' the overlapping SSBs between the cells. Additionally, the overlapping or adjacent beam information, such as the mapping of SSB X4 of cell A (e.g., gNBl 100) to SSB Y4 of cell B (e.g., gNB2 200), is configured by the 0AM system and exchanged over the Xn interface (e.g. during the Xn setup). Further, the UE sends Layer 3 (L3) measurements which include neighboring gNB cells, the corresponding SSB IDs, to the serving gNB. For instance, the UE in SSB X4 of the cell A (e.g., gNBl 100) could measure SSB IDs

Y3, Y4, and Y5 of the neighboring cells (e.g., gNB2 200) and report them to the cell A (e.g., gNBl 100).

[0040] In an embodiment, in the example scenario, the serving gNB (e.g., gNBl 100) may identify if the UE is at a cell edge based on one or more existing methods. The gNBl 100 is aware of the SSBs with overlapping coverage between cells A and B, as this information was exchanged during the Xn setup. If the UE is at the cell edge of the serving gNB (e.g., gNBl 100), the UE does not report the overlapping or adjacent SSBs corresponding to the serving cell SSB of a given neighboring cell (or reports below a predefined threshold), and the adjacent SSBs of the current SSB in the gNBl 100 (e.g., X2 and X4 of cell A) have overlapping SSBs with the neighboring cell (e.g., gNB2 200), then there may be a coverage gap around the respective SSBs.

[0041] In an embodiment, the L3 measurements of neighboring cell(s) (e.g., gNB2 200) along with an indication of a suspected coverage hole in a given cell and SSB ID of second network entity are forwarded over the Xn interface and the Fl interface, if LI measurements are required at a gNB-Distributed Unit (gNB-DU), to the corresponding NG-RAN node (gNB). In the embodiment, the gNBl 100 sends the measurements of gNB2's SSBs/Cells, as reported by UEs at the gNBl 100, to the gNB2 200. Further, the gNB2 200 then verifies and correlates the measurement information with measurement reports of its UEs at the cell edge in the same SSB (as indicated by gNBl 100). Consequently, if there is a coverage hole (as predicted in the gNBl 100), the UEs in the gNB2 200 may report very low Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) for the identified/reported SSB, compared to the UE reporting RSRP of a neighboring SSB at a similar distance from the gNBl 100. [0042] In an embodiment, upon identifying the coverage hole, the owner gNB of the deficient beam (e.g., gNB2 200) may take one or more CCO corrective actions such as adjusting power levels, modifying beam configurations, or updating neighbor relations, and notifying the gNBl 100 for the CCO corrective action notification. The corrective action may also be delegated to one of the other NG-RAN nodes. The one or more corrective actions are taken in an incremental manner to avoid overcompensation, where the above steps are repeated, if required, until the coverage hole is rectified, and there are no limitations (e.g., additional interference).

[0043] FIG. 2B illustrates another example scenario where two neighboring cells are configured with different sets of beams to provide the wireless coverage, according to an embodiment as disclosed herein. In the example scenario, the cell A comprises the first base station (e.g., gNBl 100), and the cell B comprises the second base station (e.g., gNB2 200). The disclosed methods and systems may perform several operations as explained in forthcoming paragraphs to identify and rectify the one or more coverage holes.

[0044] In an embodiment, the 0AM system 202 having Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (Al) capabilities/functionalities, may receive the L3 measurements from each NG- RAN node. In an example, the 0AM system 202 may reside in a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), or theNG-RAN node (e.g., gNBl 100, gNB2200, etc.) as an apparatus further explained in the description of FIG. 6. Further, the L3 measurements, originally collected from the UEs, provide the 0AM system 202 with a comprehensive view of the network’s coverage landscape. As detailed in Fig. 2A, the 0AM system 202 may identify potential coverage holes using the method described above, consequently pinpointing one or more specific cell(s) and SSBs that require corrective action. [0045] Thus, the OAM system 202 may request additional measurements from the involved

NG-RAN nodes (e.g., gNBl 100, gNB2 200, etc.) for the identified cells/SSBs to verily the findings and ensure the effectiveness of the corrective actions. The cross-verification or cross- validation process confirms the presence of the coverage hole and also checks for any unintended side effects that may arise from the corrective measures. Once the coverage issue is validated, the OAM system 202 may coordinate one or more appropriate CCO actions to be taken by the owning NG-RAN node(s) (e.g., gNB2 200), in an iterative manner, until the coverage gap is resolved without introducing new problems.

[0046] In an embodiment, the OAM system 202 may remain the same for both alternatives, which may relate to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B.

[0047] In an embodiment, the OAM system 202 is described as a use-case involving two cells belonging to two different NG-RAN nodes (e.g., gNBl 100, gNB2 200, etc.). In practice, it could involve more than two cells belonging to distinct NG-RAN nodes as well.

[0048] FIG. 3 illustrates a sequence of operations among the UE 302, the first base station (gNBl 100), and the second base station (gNB2 200), according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] At operation 304, the UE 302 located within a cell served by the gNBl 100, sends a measurement report to gNBl 100 along with an indication of a suspected coverage hole in a given cell and SSB ID of the second network entity. The measurement report includes the first information associated with the measured SSB identifiers (IDs) associated with a plurality of SSBs from a neighboring cell associated with the gNB2 200.

[0050] In an embodiment, the measured SSB IDs may refer to unique identifiers of Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs) that are detected and measured by the UE 302 during its operation in a cellular network. The SSBs are transmitted periodically by a base station (e.g. gNBl 100) and help the UE 302 discover the network, establish synchronization, and perform initial access. The measured SSB IDs in the measurement report represent the specific SSBs detected by the UE from the neighboring cells (e.g., the gNB2 200). The SSB IDs allow the network to determine the overlapping or adjacent neighboring SSBs received by the UE 302. Further, the SSB IDs allow the network to determine the signal quality for each of the SSB IDs. [0051] Further, in an advantageous aspect, receiving the measurement report by the gNBl assists in analyzing the signal environment as perceived by the UE 302. Consequently, the measurement report is crucial for identifying coverage inconsistencies, as the measurement report provides the SSBs detected by the UE 302 and thereby provides network conditions at its location.

[0052] At operation 306, the gNB2 200 transmits second information to the gNBl 100. The second information includes the SSB IDs of neighboring SSBs associated with gNB2 200. In an embodiment, the second infonnation is obtained during the Xn interface setup between the gNBl 100 and the gNB2200. Consequently, based on transmitting the second information, the gNB2 200 equips the gNBl 100 with an insight into its surrounding SSBs. In an advantageous aspect, transmitting the second information enables a comparison between the SSBs reported by the UE 302 and the expected SSBs known to the gNB2 200. Accordingly, the comparison is involved in identifying discrepancies, such as non-reported SSBs.

[0053] At operation 308, the gNBl 100 receives UE positioning information directly from the UE 302. The positioning information is critical for spatial analysis and allows the gNBl 100 to determine the UE’s 302 exact location relative to its serving cell boundaries. In an advantageous aspect, using the UE positioning information, the gNBl 100 may assess whether the UE 302 is near the edge of the current cell, which is often where coverage gaps or signal degradations are more likely to occur. The UE could be configured to report positioning information to enable prediction of coverage holes and also to verify a coverage hole when UE location is predicted based on predefined or known methods.

[0054] At operation 310, the gNBl 100 identifies the non-reported SSB associated with the gNB2 200.

[0055] In an embodiment, the gNB 1 100 compares the first information from the measurement report with the second information i.e.. the SSB IDs of neighboring SSBs provided by the gNB2 200. Further, the gNBl 100 determines whether the reported SSBs correspond to adjacent SSBs and identifies the non-reported SSBs that should have been detected and reported based on the UE’s 302 location and the neighbor cell configuration. Furthermore, the gNBl 100 uses the UE’s positioning information or predefined techniques to detemiine whether the UE 302 is at the edge of the current cell.

[0056] In an embodiment, the non-reported SSB refers to the SSB that is expected to be detected and reported by the UE 302 based on its location and network configuration but is missing from the measurement report. Thus, the non-reported SSB may indicate potential issues like weak signal strength, interference, or the coverage gap. The determination of non-reported SSBs provides accurate identification of overlapping or adjacent SSBs. The overlapping SSBs are SSBs from the neighboring cells or beams that have some overlap and is adjacent to the coverage area of the current serving cell. In an advantageous aspect, the determination of the non-reported SSB helps in the determination of the overlapping SSBs that are not reported, and accordingly, the network can locate areas where expected signals are not reaching the UE 302 or are too weak to be measured. Thus, this ensures that all potential issues related to signal overlap and interference are accounted for, reducing the risk of undiagnosed coverage problems.

[0057] In another advantageous aspect, the determination of the non-reported SSB ensures that any non-reported overlapping SSBs are identified accurately, providing a foundation for further diagnostics and detecting the coverage gap.

[0058] At operation 312, upon identifying the non-reported SSBs. the gNBl 100 detects the presence of the coverage gap in the neighboring cell associated with the gNB2 200.

[0059] In an embodiment, detecting the presence of the coverage gap is based on the determination of the UE’s 302 location at the edge of the current cell.

[0060] In an embodiment, detecting the presence of the coverage gap is based on verifying the reporting of neighboring SSBs corresponding to adjacent SSBs.

[0061] In an embodiment, detecting the presence of the coverage gap is based on the determination of the non-reporting of specific neighboring SSBs (e.g., the overlapping or adjacent SSB) associated with the gNB2 200.

[0062] In an embodiment, detecting the presence of the coverage gap utilizes the UE’s spatial context and the signal reporting pattern to determine potential areas where coverage is insufficient i.e., the coverage gap. The coverage gap often corresponds to locations where UEs fail to detect expected SSB signals, thereby degrading perfomiance or service interruptions.

[0063] At operation 314, once the coverage gap is detected, the gNBl 100 compiles a first measurement report and sends it to the gNB2 200.

[0064] In an embodiment, the first message includes measurement report by the UE 302 and the first information indicating the coverage gap and the associated cell and SSB IDs flagged as problematic. In an advantageous aspect, this transmission of the first message ensures that the gNB2 200 is informed of potential issues within its coverage area, enabling further investigation and corrective action.

[0065] At operation 316, the gNB2 200, after receiving the first message, collects additional measurement data to validate and localize the coverage gap.

[0066] In an embodiment, the gNB2 obtains the measurement reports from UEs positioned at the edge of the identified non-reported SSBs. These measurement reports may include Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP) values, which reflect the signal strength at these critical locations. Further, the gNB2 obtains the measurement reports from UEs located at the edge of the neighboring SSBs adjacent to the non-reported SSB. such that the neighboring SSB belongs to the second network entity. The measurement reports thus serve as a baseline for comparison. In an advantageous aspect, thus, the gNB2 200 performs a correlation analysis to detect the coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the gNB2 200. The coverage gap is confirmed if the RSRP values at the non-reported SSB are significantly low er than those at the adjacent SSBs.

[0067] At operation 318, the gNB2 200 initiates predefined Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO) corrective actions upon confirming the coverage gap.

[0068] In an embodiment, the corrective actions are carried out incrementally and may include adjusting power levels, modifying beam configurations, or updating neighbor relations.

[0069] In an embodiment, the decision to identify the gNB2 200 as the responsible entity for the coverage gap rectification is made by a central Al-based network entity (e.g. the 0AM system 202), which consolidates the measurement reports from multiple network entities to make an informed decision. [0070] At operation 320, the gNB2 200 in response to rectifying the coverage gap, notifies the gNBl 100 of the resolution or the corrective action. In an advantageous aspect, the notification ensures coordination between the two network entities and provides feedback for further network optimization efforts.

[0071] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of an example method implemented by the gNBl 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] At step 402, the gNBl 100 obtains the measurement report from the UE 302 located in the cell associated with the gNBl 100.

[0073] In an embodiment, the measurement report includes the first information associated with measured SSB IDs of the plurality of SSBs associated with the cell of the gNB2 200.

[0074] At step 404, the gNBl 100 determines the non-reported SSB associated with the gNB2 200, which should have been reported based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or the UE positioning information.

[0075] In an embodiment, to determine the non-reported SSB, the gNB2 200 compares the first information in the measurement report with the second information associated with the SSB IDs of the neighboring SSBs associated with the gNB2 200.

[0076] In an embodiment, the second information is obtained during the Xn setup between the gNBl 100 and the gNB2200. Further, the gNBl 100 determines, based on the comparison, the reporting of overlapping SSBs associated with the gNB2 200 corresponding to adjacent SSBs of the current SSB and non-reporting of the overlapping SSB associated with gNB2 200 corresponding to the current SSB. Consequently, the gNBl 100 determines the non-reported overlapping SSB associated with the gNB2 200 corresponding to the current SSB as the nonreported SSB. [0077] At step 406, the gNBl 100 determines whether the UE 302 is located at the edge of the current cell of the gNBl 100 using the UE positioning information or the predefined technique. [0078] At step 408, the gNBl 100 detects the presence of the coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the gNB2 200 in response to the determination of the location of the UE 302 at the edge of the SSB of the gNBl 100.

[0079] In an embodiment, the gNBl 100 detects the presence of the coverage gap based on determining the location of the UE 302 at the edge of the current SSB or cell.

[0080] In an embodiment, the gNBl 100 detects the presence of the coverage gap based on determining the reporting of neighboring SSBs corresponding to adjacent SSBs.

[0081] In an embodiment, the gNBl 100 detects the presence of the coverage gap based on determining the non-reporting of the neighboring SSB of the gNB2 200, corresponding to the current SSB of the serving cell.

[0082] In an embodiment, the gNBl 100 sends the measurement report to the gNB2 200.

[0083] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of an example method implemented by the gNB2 200, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0084] At step 502, the gNB2 200 receives the first measurement report from the gNBl 100.

[0085] In an embodiment, the first message includes measurement report and the first infonnation indicating the coverage gap, associated with the corresponding cell ID and/or SSB IDs among the plurality of SSBs associated with the gNB2 200 reported by the UE 302 in the gNBl 100.

[0086] At step 504, the gNB2 200 obtains the measurement reports from the one or more UEs located at the edge of the SSB indicated as the non-reported SSB by the gNBl 100. [0087] At step 506, the gNB2 200 obtains the second measurement report from a second UE located at the edge of the neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

[0088] In an embodiment, the measurement reports include corresponding Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP) received by each of the one or more UEs at the edge of a non-reported SSB.

[0089] In an embodiment, the second measurement report includes corresponding RSRP received by the second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the nonreported SSB.

[0090] In an embodiment, prior to obtaining the measurement reports the gNB2 200 compares the first infonnation in the first message with the second information associated with SSB IDs of the overlapping SSBs of the gNb2 200. Further, the gNB2 200 determines the reporting of the neighboring SSBs associated with the gNB2 200 and the non-reporting of the neighboring SSB associated with the gNB2 200 based on the comparison. Furthermore, the gNB2 200 determines the non-reported neighboring SSB associated with the gNB2 200 as the nonreported SSB causing the coverage gap.

[0091] At step 508, the gNB2 200 detects the coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the gNB2200 based on the correlation of the measurement reports from the UEs located at the edge of the non-reported SSB with the second measurement report from the second UE located at the edge of the neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

[0092] In an embodiment, to detect the coverage gap the gNB2200 correlates the corresponding RSRPs received by the UEs at the edge of the non-reported SSB with the corresponding RSRP received by the second UE located at the edge of the neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB. Further, the gNB2 200 detects the coverage gap when corresponding RSRPs at the non- reported SSB are lower than the corresponding RSRP of the neighbouring SSB of the nonreported SSB.

[0093] In an embodiment, the gNB2 200 rectifies the coverage gap by initiating the predefined coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) corrective action in an incremental manner in response to the identification of gNB2 200 as a responsible entity for rectification of the coverage gap.

[0094] In an embodiment, the identification of the gNB2 200 as the responsible entity is performed by the central network entity based on the corresponding measurement reports obtained from the network entities associated with the central network entity. The central network entity may be an artificial intelligence (Al) based network entity such as the 0AM system 202.

[0095] In an embodiment, the gNB2 200 notifies the gNBl 100 in response to the rectification of the coverage gap.

[0096] FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of an example device or an apparatus 600, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 6, the apparatus 600 includes a processor 610, a memory 620, a storage component 630, an input component 640, an output component 650, a communication interface 660, and a bus 670. The apparatus 600 may be associated with the UE 302, the gNBl 100, the gNB2 200, and the 0AM system 202.

[0097] In one embodiment, the apparatus 600 may correspond to a device implemented at the gNBl 100 or the gNb2 200. The one or more components of the apparatus 600 may be configured to implement one or more operations/functionalities of the present disclosure as discussed above. [0098] The processor 610, as used herein, means any type of computational circuit that may comprise hardware elements and software elements. The processor 610 may be embodied as a multi-core processor, a single core processor, or a combination of one or more multi-core processors and/or one or more single core processors, a distributed processing system, or the like. The processor 610 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an accelerated processing unit (APU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or another type of processing component.

[0099] The memory 620 includes a non-transitory computer readable medium. The memory 620 includes a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory’ (ROM), and/or another type of dynamic or static storage device (e.g., a flash memory, a magnetic memory, and/or an optical memory’) that stores information and/or instructions for use by the processor 610. The memory 620 comprises machine-readable instructions which are executable by the processor 610. These machine-readable instructions when executed by the processor 610 cause the processor 610 to perform one or more method steps of one or more embodiments described above.

[00100] The storage component 630 stores information and/or software related to the operation and use of the device 600. For example, the storage component 630 may include a hard disk (e.g., a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optic disk, and/or a solid-state disk), a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a floppy disk, a cartridge, a magnetic tape, and/or another ty pe of non-transitory’ computer-readable medium, along with a corresponding drive. [00101] The input component 640 is configured to receive information, such as user input. For example, the input component 640 may include, but not be limited to, a touch screen display, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a button, a switch, and/or a microphone. Additionally, or alternatively, the input component 640 may include a sensor for sensing information (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and/or an actuator).

[00102] The output component 650 is configured to provide output information from the device 600. For example, the output component 650 may be, but not limited to. a display, a speaker, an instruction device to an external device, and/or one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

[00103] The communication interface 660 is an interface that provides a communication connection to other devices, such as external devices and internal devices. The connection by the communication interface 660 can be a wired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination of wired and wireless connections, and can be a direct connection or an indirect connection via a communication network that exists between the device 600 and other devices. In other words, the standard of the communication interface 660 is not limited.

[00104] The bus 670 acts as an interconnect between the processor 610, the memory 620, the storage component 630, the input component 640, the output component 650. and the communication interface 660 of the device 600. The bus 670 may include a wired interconnection or a wireless interconnection.

[00105] The number and arrangement of components shown in FIG. 6 are provided as an example. In practice, device 600 may include additional components, fewer components, different components, or differently arranged components than those shown in FIG. 8. Additionally, or alternatively, a set of components (e.g., one or more components) of the device 600 may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another set of components of the device 600. Further, one or more method steps described in any of the embodiments may be performed utilizing a plurality of devices 600 in communication with one another. [00106] Examples of the techniques and apparatus described herein include, but are not limited to, the following enumerated embodiments:

[1] A method comprising: obtaining, by a first network entity, a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell associated with the first network entity, wherein the measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a plurality of SSBs associated with a cell of a second network entity; determining, based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or UE positioning information, at least one non-reported SSB associated with the second network entity, that should have been reported; determining whether the UE is located at the edge of the current cell of the first network entity using the UE positioning infonnation or a predefined technique; and detecting presence of at least one coverage gap associated with the at least one non-reported SSB of the second network entity in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB of the first network entity.

[2] The method as described in [1]. wherein determining the at least one non-reported SSB comprises: comparing, by the first network entity, the first information in the measurement report with second infonnation associated with SSB IDs of neighboring SSBs of the second network entity⁷, wherein the second information is obtained during Xn setup between the first and the second network entity⁷; determining, by the first network entity, based on the comparison, reporting of overlapping SSBs associated with the second network entity corresponding to adjacent SSBs of the current SSB and non-reporting of at least one overlapping SSB associated with the second network entity corresponding to the current SSB; and determining the non-reported at least one overlapping SSB associated with the second network entity corresponding to the current SSB as the at least one non-reported SSB.

[3] The method as described in [1], wherein the detecting presence of at least one coverage gap comprises: detecting presence of the at least one coverage gap based on the determination of: the location of the UE at the edge of the cunent SSB or cell; the reporting of neighboring SSBs corresponding to adjacent SSBs; and the non-reporting of at least one neighboring SSB of the second network entity, corresponding to the current SSB of the serving cell.

[4] The method as described in [1], further comprising: sending, by the first network entity, the measurement report to the second network entity.

[5] A method comprising: receiving, by a second network entity, a first measurement report from a first network entity, wherein the first measurement report includes first information indicating a coverage gap, associated with corresponding Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) out of a plurality of SSBs associated with the second network entity reported by at least one first user equipment (UE) in the first network entity: obtaining, by the second network entity, one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of an SSB indicated as non-reported SSB by the first network entity, associated with the second network entity; obtaining, by the second network entity, at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB; and detecting a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity based on a correlation of the one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of a non-reported SSB with the at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB. wherein the neighbouring SSB belongs to the second network entity’.

[6] The method as described in [5], wherein prior to obtaining one or more measurement reports, the method comprises: comparing, by the second network entity, the first information in the first measurement report with second information associated with SSB IDs of overlapping and adjacent SSBs of the second network entity; determining, by the second network entity, based on the comparison, reporting of neighboring SSBs associated with the second network entity and non-reporting of at least one neighboring SSB associated with the second network entity; and determining the non-reported at least one neighboring SSB associated with the second network entity as the at least one non-reported SSB causing the coverage gap.

[7] The method as described in [5], wherein the one or more measurement reports includes corresponding Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP) received by each of the one or more UEs at the edge of a non-reported SSB; and wherein the at least one second measurement report includes corresponding RSRP received by the at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB. [8] The method as described in [5], wherein detecting the coverage gap comprises: correlating, by the second network entity, the corresponding RSRPs received by each of the one or more UEs at the edge of the indicated non-reported SSB with the corresponding RSRP received by the at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB; and detecting, by the second network entity, the coverage gap when corresponding RSRPs at the non-reported SSB are lower than the corresponding RSRP of the at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

[9] The method as described in [5], further comprising: rectifying, by the second network entity, the coverage gap by initiating a predefined coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) corrective action in an incremental manner; and notifying, by the second network entity, the first network entity in response to rectification of the coverage gap.

[10] The method as claimed in 5, further comprising: rectifying, by the second network entity, the coverage gap by initiating a predefined coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) corrective action in an incremental manner in response to identification of the second network entity as a responsible entity for rectification of the coverage gap, wherein the identification of the second network entity as the responsible entity is performed by a central network entity based on one or more corresponding measurement reports obtained from one or more network entities associated with the central network entity, and wherein the central network entity⁷ is an artificial intelligence (Al) based network entity.

[11] An apparatus configured to: obtain a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell associated with the first network entity, wherein the measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a plurality of SSBs associated with a cell of a second network entity; determine, based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or UE positioning information, at least one non-reported SSB associated with the second network entity, that should have been reported; determine whether the UE is located at the edge of the current cell of the first network entity using a UE positioning information or a predefined technique; and detect presence of at least one coverage gap associated with the at least one non-reported SSB of the second network entity in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB of the first network entity.

[12] An apparatus configured to: receive a first measurement report from a first network entity, wherein the first measurement report includes first information indicating a coverage gap, associated with corresponding Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) out of a plurality of SSBs associated with the second network entity reported by at least one first user equipment (UE) in the first network entity; obtain one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of an SSB indicated as non-reported SSB by the first network entity, associated with the second network entity⁷; obtain at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB; and detect a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity based on a correlation of the one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of a non-reported SSB with the at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

[13] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by a first network entity, the first network entity comprising one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: obtain a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell associated with the first network entity, wherein the measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a plurality’ of SSBs associated with a cell of a second network entity; determine, based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or UE positioning information, at least one non-reported SSB associated with the second netw ork entity, that should have been reported; determine whether the UE is located at the edge of the current cell of the first network entity using a UE positioning information or a predefined technique; and detect presence of at least one coverage gap associated with the at least one non-reported SSB of the second network entity in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB of the first network entity.

[14] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by a second network entity, the first network entity comprising one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive a first measurement report from a first network entity, wherein the first measurement report includes first information indicating a coverage gap, associated with corresponding Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) out of a plurality of SSBs associated with the second network entity reported by at least one first user equipment (UE) in the first network entity; obtain one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of an SSB indicated as non-reported SSB by the first network entity, associated with the second network entity; obtain at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB; and detect a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity based on a correlation of the one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of a non-reported SSB with the at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

[00107] The embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented through at least one software program running on at least one hardware device and performing network management functions to control the elements. The elements can be at least one of a hardware device or a combination of hardware devices and software modules. The UE and the gNB may include respective processors, communication units, and storage units (e.g., memory). The communication units may perform functions for transmitting and receiving signals. The storage units may include executable instructions that, when executed by the corresponding processors, cause the corresponding UE and gNB to perform the functions as described above with reference to Figure 2 A- Figure 5. [00108] While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.

[00109] The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein.

[00110] Moreover, the actions of any flow diagram need not be implemented in the order shown; nor do all of the acts necessarily need to be performed. Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performed in parallel with the other acts. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope of embodiments is at least as broad as given by the following claims.

[00111] Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any component(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or component of any or all the claims. [00112] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and. therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of at least one embodiment, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method comprising: obtaining, by a first network entity, a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell associated with the first network entity, wherein the measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a plurality of SSBs associated with a cell of a second network entity; determining, based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or UE positioning information, at least one non-reported SSB associated with the second network entity, that should have been reported; determining whether the UE is located at the edge of the current cell of the first network entity using the UE positioning information or a predefined technique; and detecting presence of at least one coverage gap associated with the at least one non-reported SSB of the second network entity in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB of the first network entity.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein detennining the at least one non-reported SSB comprises: comparing, by the first network entity, the first information in the measurement report with second information associated with SSB IDs of neighboring SSBs of the second network entity, wherein the second infonnation is obtained during Xn setup between the first and the second network entity; determining, by the first network entity, based on the comparison, reporting of overlapping SSBs associated with the second network entity corresponding to adjacent SSBs of the current SSB and non-reporting of at least one overlapping SSB associated with the second network entity corresponding to the current SSB; and determining the non-reported at least one overlapping SSB associated with the second network entity corresponding to the current SSB as the at least one non-reported SSB.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detecting presence of at least one coverage gap comprises: detecting presence of the at least one coverage gap based on the determination of: the location of the UE at the edge of the current SSB or cell; the reporting of neighboring SSBs corresponding to adjacent SSBs; and the non-reporting of at least one neighboring SSB of the second network entity, corresponding to the current SSB of the serving cell.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the first network entity', the measurement report to the second network entity.

5. A method comprising: receiving, by a second network entity, a first measurement report from a first network entity, wherein the first measurement report includes first information indicating a coverage gap, associated with corresponding Synchronization Signal Block

(SSB) identifiers (IDs) out of a plurality of SSBs associated with the second network entity reported by at least one first user equipment (UE) in the first network entity; obtaining, by the second network entity, one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of an SSB indicated as non-reported SSB by the first network entity, associated with the second network entity; obtaining, by the second network entity, at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbounng SSB of the non-reported SSB; and detecting a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity based on a correlation of the one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of a non-reported SSB with the at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB. wherein the neighbouring SSB belongs to the second network entity.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein prior to obtaining one or more measurement reports, the method comprises: comparing, by the second network entity, the first information in the first measurement report with second information associated with SSB IDs of overlapping and/or adjacent SSBs of the second network entity; determining, by the second network entity, based on the comparison, reporting of neighboring SSBs associated with the second network entity and non-reporting of at least one neighboring SSB associated with the second network entity; and determining the non-reported at least one neighboring SSB associated with the second network entity as the at least one non-reported SSB causing the coverage gap.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the one or more measurement reports includes corresponding Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP) received by each of the one or more UEs at the edge of a non-reported SSB; and wherein the at least one second measurement report includes corresponding RSRP received by the at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein detecting the coverage gap comprises: correlating, by the second network entity, the corresponding RSRPs received by each of the one or more UEs at the edge of the indicated non-reported SSB with the corresponding RSRP received by the at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB; and detecting, by the second network entity, the coverage gap when corresponding RSRPs at the non-reported SSB are lower than the corresponding RSRP of the at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

9. The method as claimed in 5, further comprising: rectifying, by the second network entity, the coverage gap by initiating a predefined coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) corrective action in an incremental manner; and notifying, by the second network entity, the first network entity in response to rectification of the coverage gap.

10. The method as claimed in 5, further comprising: rectifying, by the second network entity, the coverage gap by initiating a predefined coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) corrective action in an incremental manner in response to identification of the second network entity as a responsible entity for rectification of the coverage gap, wherein the identification of the second network entity as the responsible entity is performed by a central network entity based on one or more corresponding measurement reports obtained from one or more network entities associated with the central network entity, and wherein the central network entity is an artificial intelligence (Al) based network entity’.

11. An apparatus configured to: obtain a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell associated with the first network entity, wherein the measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a plurality of SSBs associated with a cell of a second network entity; determine, based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or UE positioning information, at least one non-reported SSB associated with the second network entity, that should have been reported; determine whether the UE is located at the edge of the cunent cell of the first network entity using a UE positioning information or a predefined technique; and detect presence of at least one coverage gap associated with the at least one nonreported SSB of the second network entity in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB of the first network entity.

12. An apparatus configured to: receive a first measurement report from a first network entity, wherein the first measurement report includes first information indicating a coverage gap, associated with corresponding Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) out of a plurality of SSBs associated with the second network entity reported by at least one first user equipment (UE) in the first network entity; obtain one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of an SSB indicated as non-reported SSB by the first network entity, associated with the second network entity; obtain at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB; and detect a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity based on a correlation of the one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of a non-reported SSB with the at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by a first network entity, the first network entity comprising one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: obtain a measurement report from at least one user equipment (UE) located in a cell associated with the first network entity, wherein the measurement report includes first information associated with measured Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) of a plurality of SSBs associated with a cell of a second network entity; determine, based on the measurement report and/or the neighbor cell/beam configuration and/or UE positioning information, at least one non-reported SSB associated with the second network entity, that should have been reported; determine whether the UE is located at the edge of the cunent cell of the first network entity using a UE positioning information or a predefined technique; and detect presence of at least one coverage gap associated with the at least one nonreported SSB of the second network entity in response to the determination of the location of the UE at the edge of the SSB of the first network entity.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by a second network entity. the first network entity comprising one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive a first measurement report from a first network entity, wherein the first measurement report includes first information indicating a coverage gap, associated with corresponding Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) identifiers (IDs) out of a plurality of SSBs associated with the second network entity reported by at least one first user equipment (UE) in the first network entity; obtain one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of an SSB indicated as non-reported SSB by the first network entity, associated with the second network entity; obtain at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB; and detect a coverage gap associated with the non-reported SSB of the second network entity based on a correlation of the one or more measurement reports from one or more UEs located at the edge of a non-reported SSB with the at least one second measurement report from at least one second UE located at the edge of at least one neighbouring SSB of the non-reported SSB.