Access Capability Indication for Mobile Network Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile network solutions experience delays and increased signaling load when handling access capability information, particularly during idle mode mobility between LTE and 2G/3G networks, leading to unsuccessful call terminations and battery drain due to inefficient management of access capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A method where a control node determines the access capability of user equipment in the currently used access network and provides an indication to a subscriber database, which then transmits this information to a server to control connection terminations, ensuring accurate domain selection and reducing unnecessary signaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If access capability information is frequently updated and communicated between network elements, then the accuracy of domain selection is improved, but the signaling load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts access capability information from frequent update cycles and communicates it only when necessary. The control node determines access capability and communicates it to the subscriber database only when the capability changes or is requested, rather than continuously updating. This reduces signaling load while maintaining accuracy when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The control node determines access capability information in advance and stores it in the subscriber database before it is needed for call termination. This preliminary determination allows the server to quickly retrieve accurate information without triggering frequent real-time signaling exchanges during call setup.
2Reliability
If access capability information is stored and transmitted between multiple network elements, then successful call terminations are improved, but the complexity of information management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The subscriber database acts as an intermediary that centralizes the storage and management of access capability information. Instead of multiple network elements directly exchanging and managing this information, they all interact through the subscriber database, which simplifies the information management architecture while ensuring reliable access capability data is available for call termination decisions.
3Loss of information
If the UE performs frequent access capability updates during idle mode mobility, then the network awareness of current access capability is improved, but the battery consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control node autonomously determines the access capability of the UE based on network-side observations and subscriber database information, rather than requiring the UE to actively report or update its access capability during idle mode mobility. This self-service approach at the network side maintains accurate network awareness without burdening the UE with frequent updates, thereby reducing battery consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
In a mobile network with a plurality of access networks, a control node controls access of a user equipment to that one of the access networks which is currently used by the user equipment. The control node determines an access capability of the user equipment in the access network. The access capability includes whether an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) voice over Packet Switched (PS) session is supported. The control node provides an indication of the determined access capability to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) associated with the user equipment. The indication may then be retrieved from the HSS and used to control termination of a connection to the user equipment.