5G Network Slice Access Failure Reduction via Cell Broadcast
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G data networks, user equipment often experiences difficulties in connecting to the appropriate network slices due to lack of awareness about available slices from different access cells, leading to slice access failures.
Innovation Solution
Broadcasting slice identification and offset information from each cell allows user equipment to identify and connect to the appropriate slices, enabling selective access to multiple available slices and reducing slice access failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user equipment searches for network slices without knowing available slices from different cells, then devices can attempt to access any slice, but this leads to slice access failures and poor connectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs preliminary action by broadcasting slice availability information before the user equipment needs to select a cell. Each cell broadcasts its supported slice identifiers and slice offsets in system information, so that when UE performs cell selection, it already has the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about which cells support the required slices, preventing access failures before they occur
2Adaptability or versatility
If network operators provide dedicated logical networks with customer specific functionality through RAN slicing, then service customization is improved, but device complexity increases due to need to handle multiple slices
Solution Approach 1:
The network provides feedback to the user equipment by broadcasting slice availability information in cell system information. This feedback mechanism includes slice identifiers and slice offsets that tell the UE which slices are available at each cell. The UE uses this feedback to automatically determine suitable cells for its required slices, simplifying the device complexity while maintaining service customization capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters available to UE during cell selection by introducing slice identifier and slice offset parameters in the broadcasted system information. Instead of UE needing to understand complex slice configuration details, the network transforms this information into simple selectable parameters (slice ID and offset) that UE can directly use for cell selection, reducing device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and automated processes for user equipment (UE) to access network slices at cell sites. An example process includes receiving a registration request from the UE. The registration request includes a list of network slices for access at network cells within range of the UE. The UE is authenticated to the network to identify subscription information of the UE. A list of slice identifications (IDs) available to the UE is transmitted to the UE. A slice-specific authentication of the UE is initiated for a slice identified as available based on the subscription information. The UE is allowed to access the slice in response to the slice-specific authentication.