AMF-UDM Messaging During 4G-5G Handover Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increased frequency of handovers between 4G and 5G networks leads to excessive signaling among core network nodes, including the unified data management node (UDM) and unified data repository (UDR), causing inefficiencies and loss of information.
Innovation Solution
The AMF and UDM are configured to refrain from sending certain messages during handovers and initial registrations, such as deregistration, get, and subscribe messages, while retaining necessary information, thereby optimizing messaging and reducing signaling burden.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If handovers between 4G and 5G networks are supported, then network adaptability and user experience are improved, but signaling frequency and network load increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates redundant signaling messages from the handover process. Specifically, it removes duplicate registration, update, and subscription messages that were being sent unnecessarily during 4G-5G handovers, keeping only the essential signaling required for network operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies discarding by eliminating messages that provide no additional value during handover scenarios. Information that can be retained or inferred from previous signaling is discarded in favor of more efficient message patterns, reducing overall signaling load while maintaining network functionality.
2Reliability
If comprehensive registration and update messages are sent during handovers, then information accuracy is improved, but message frequency and signaling burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by sending only the necessary subset of registration and update messages rather than all possible messages. During handovers, it selectively sends minimal required signaling to maintain information accuracy without the excessive messaging of traditional approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prevents information loss by pre-retaining necessary data in the network before handovers occur. This preliminary retention of subscriber information and context allows the network to maintain accuracy without requiring repeated comprehensive registration messages during each handover event.
3Reliability
If frequent registration and update messages are sent to UDM, then information freshness is improved, but network resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the messaging pattern from frequent periodic updates during handovers to more efficient event-triggered or less frequent periodic messaging. Information freshness is maintained by updating only when necessary rather than following rigid frequent intervals that consume excessive resources during mobile operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The network performs preliminary information retrieval and caching before handovers occur, so that information freshness is established in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for repeated urgent registration and update messages during handover events, reducing real-time signaling load while maintaining data currency.
Data Source
AI summary
An access and mobility management function (AMF) and a unified data management node (UDM) described herein are configured to refrain from sending messages between each other in the contexts of handovers between 4G (fourth generation) and 5G (fifth generation) technologies and of initial registration on 5G. During a handover from 5G to 4G, the UDM sets a 5G registration status to not active and refrains from sending a deregistration notification to the AMF. During a handover from 4G to 5G that is not an initial registration, the AMF refrains from sending get messages and subscribe messages to the UDM but receives updates to subscriber profile information from the UDM. Further, during an initial 5G registration, the AMF refrains from sending subscribe messages to the UDM but receives updates to subscriber profile information from the UDM.