Access Selection Rule Conflict Resolution in Multi-Access Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack a method to resolve conflicts between access selection rules in multi-access systems, leading to inefficient access selection and discovery, particularly in scenarios with multiple stakeholders and simultaneous applications, where rules from different sources may conflict or have overlapping applicability conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for determining a set of active rules, combining preference values based on priority and weighting to derive a new rule that optimally selects an access for use by a user entity, ensuring conflict resolution and nuanced evaluation of available accesses, even in scenarios with simultaneous applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple access selection rules from different sources are applied simultaneously, then access selection flexibility and adaptability are improved, but rule conflicts and overlapping applicability conditions lead to selection inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a conflict resolution mechanism that acts as an intermediary between multiple access selection rules. This mechanism processes rules from different sources (network side and terminal side), identifies conflicts through applicability condition analysis, and derives a unified access selection result. The conflict resolution function mediates the interaction between competing rules, eliminating overlapping applicability conditions and producing a consistent selection decision that maintains flexibility while improving efficiency.
2Reliability
If continuous scanning for all accesses is performed to ensure comprehensive access discovery, then access discovery completeness is improved, but battery resources are consumed excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the network side provide access selection rules in advance before the terminal needs to make access selection decisions. The rules include pre-defined applicability conditions and preference information that guide the terminal's access discovery process. This allows the terminal to scan for accesses more efficiently by focusing on relevant access types indicated by the rules, rather than continuously scanning all possible accesses, thereby reducing battery consumption while maintaining discovery completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the terminal reports access selection results and network conditions back to the network side. This feedback loop allows the network to adjust and optimize access selection rules dynamically based on actual usage patterns and network state. The feedback mechanism enables more intelligent rule generation that better guides terminal behavior, improving access discovery efficiency and reducing unnecessary scanning operations that would consume battery resources.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for use in a communications network in which a plurality of accesses are available to a user entity for accessing a network resource, comprising: determining a set of active rules, each rule specifying respective preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses, with potential for conflict between the rules of the set concerning which access is most preferred; deriving from the set of active rules a new rule specifying respective preferences, at least relatively, for at least some of the plurality of accesses; and selecting an access for use by the user entity based on the new rule.