5G Gateway Session Management for Cross-Network Service Continuity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies fail to maintain service continuity when user equipment moves from a 2/3G network to a 4G network and then to a 5G network, resulting in service interruptions.

Innovation Solution

A service continuity implementation method that involves user equipment accessing a 2/3G network, then moving to a 4G network, and initiating a location update procedure. The method includes determining the user's 5G capability and subscription status, triggering a 4G network attach, and establishing a session with a 5G gateway to maintain service continuity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If user equipment moves from 2/3G network to 4G network and then to 5G network using conventional technology, then the user equipment can access different network generations, but service continuity is interrupted and services are disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork access capabilityVSAvoidservice continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mobility management device performs preliminary actions by determining the user's 5G capability and subscription status before the actual network handover occurs. This allows the system to prepare the appropriate 5G gateway and session context in advance, ensuring that when the user equipment moves to 5G network, the service continuity is maintained without interruption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mobility management device acts as an intermediary between the user equipment and the core network. It receives the location update request, determines 5G capability, and coordinates with the 5G gateway to establish sessions. This intermediary function ensures seamless service continuity by managing the transition process and maintaining session context across different network generations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If user equipment performs location update procedure when moving between networks, then the network can track user location, but service interruption occurs during the transition process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation tracking accuracyVSAvoidservice interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary determination of 5G capability and subscription status during the location update procedure, before the actual network handover. This allows the mobility management device to prepare the 5G session context in advance, minimizing service interruption time while ensuring accurate location tracking is maintained throughout the transition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the system determines user 5G capability and establishes 5G sessions, then service continuity is maintained, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice continuityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mobility management device performs multiple functions including location tracking, 5G capability determination, subscription status verification, and session management with 5G gateways. By consolidating these functions in a single device, the system maintains service continuity while managing complexity centrally rather than distributing it across multiple components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4319336B1Service continuity implementation method, related apparatus, and system
Publication Date: 2025.01.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4319336B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4319336B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4319336B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Embodiments of this application disclose a service continuity implementation method, a related device, and a system. In the method provided in the embodiments, a mobility management device may select a 5G gateway for 5G user equipment handed over to a 4G network, and establish a session with the 5G gateway. The 5G gateway may send a 5G-related parameter to the user equipment in advance. Therefore, after the user equipment moves from the 4G network to a 5G network, service continuity is maintained, that is, a service in the 4G network continues to be maintained in the 5G network.