UE APN-AMBR Context Transfer for 5G-to-4G Session Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in maintaining session continuity and managing quality of service requirements during inter-system changes between 5G and 4G networks, particularly in handling access point name aggregate maximum bit rates (APN-AMBR) to ensure seamless mobility and resource prioritization for diverse service data flows.
Innovation Solution
A method is provided where user equipment (UE) receives an APN-AMBR value during protocol data unit session establishment or modification, which is then set to maintain session continuity during inter-system changes, ensuring that the UE properly configures the APN-AMBR upon transitioning from 5G to 4G, using network nodes like SMF+PGW-C to facilitate mapping and enforcement of QoS parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If session context is maintained during inter-system change from 5G to 4G, then session continuity is improved, but device complexity increases due to protocol mapping requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The UE stores the APN-AMBR value received during 5G session establishment before the inter-system change occurs. This preliminary storage of QoS parameters enables seamless retrieval and application during the 4G session setup, avoiding the need for complex real-time protocol mapping during handover and simplifying the transition process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent copies the APN-AMBR parameter from the 5G session context to the 4G session context during inter-system change. This copying mechanism allows the QoS parameters to be transferred between different network systems without requiring complex transformation logic, thereby maintaining session continuity while reducing device complexity.
2Reliability
If APN-AMBR value is stored and transferred during inter-system change, then quality of service management is improved, but information management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stored APN-AMBR value serves multiple functions: it is used for QoS parameter management during 5G operation, transferred during inter-system change to 4G, and applied for session continuity maintenance. This multi-functionality of a single parameter storage mechanism improves QoS management without requiring separate information management systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE autonomously manages the APN-AMBR parameter by storing it during 5G session establishment and automatically retrieving and applying it during 4G session setup. This self-service approach to QoS parameter management eliminates the need for complex network-controlled information transfer mechanisms, reducing information management complexity while maintaining QoS.
3Productivity
If protocol data unit session establishment includes APN-AMBR reception, then resource prioritization capability is improved, but message overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The APN-AMBR value is received and stored during the initial 5G session establishment message exchange. This preliminary inclusion of QoS parameters in the setup phase enables resource prioritization to be configured in advance, avoiding the need for additional messaging during active data transmission or during inter-system changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE stores the APN-AMBR parameter received during 5G session establishment and recovers it during 4G session setup. This discard-and-recover approach allows the QoS parameter to be transmitted only once during initial setup rather than being repeatedly included in every subsequent message exchange, thereby reducing overall message overhead while maintaining resource prioritization capability.
Data Source
AI summary
In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes receiving, at a user equipment while being served by a first system and during protocol data unit session establishment or modification procedure, a message including an access point name aggregate maximum bit rate value; and when there is an inter-system change from the first system to the second system, setting, at the user equipment, the access point name aggregate maximum bit rate value of a session management context for the second system to the received access point name aggregate maximum bit rate value received while being served by the first system. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.