Base Station Local Routing for Low-Latency IoT Device Clusters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3GPP mobile communication infrastructure causes latency and bandwidth issues for IoT devices, leading to reduced quality of service, as traffic between devices within the same gNB coverage is routed through the core network, which cannot be optimized for local routing and incurs additional concerns like charging and lawful intercept.
Innovation Solution
Implement RAN-based routing by introducing a machine-to-machine identifier (M2M_ID) at the base station level, enabling direct traffic routing between devices within the same gNB coverage area without involving the core network, using a new M2M_ID layer in the user plane protocol stack and managing local traffic through the base station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If traffic is routed through the core network using traditional 3GPP infrastructure, then devices can communicate across wide areas, but latency increases and bandwidth is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network routing function by introducing a local routing layer at the base station (gNB) that handles device-to-device traffic separately from core network traffic. This segmentation allows local traffic to bypass the core network path, reducing latency and improving transmission speed for local communications while maintaining core network connectivity for broader communications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a local routing function at the base station as an intermediary between devices and the core network. This intermediary captures and routes local traffic directly between devices without forwarding it to the core network, thereby reducing latency and bandwidth consumption on core network paths while maintaining the ability to access core network services when needed.
2Productivity
If traffic is routed through the core network, then centralized control and charging are simplified, but bandwidth constraints and latency issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic handling into local routing (at base station) and core network routing (at core network). By segmenting the routing path, local device-to-device traffic utilizes local bandwidth resources at the base station, freeing up core network bandwidth for other purposes and improving overall quality of service for local applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a local routing dimension to the traditional core network routing architecture. This creates a two-dimensional routing approach where traffic can be routed locally at the base station level or through the core network, providing additional bandwidth pathways and improving quality of service for latency-sensitive applications.
3Loss of time
If RAN-based routing is implemented, then latency is reduced and performance improves, but device complexity and routing management become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the local routing function from the core network and places it at the base station level. This extraction reduces the complexity burden on the core network by handling local routing decisions locally, while the base station gains enhanced routing capabilities. The complexity is distributed rather than centralized, improving performance without overwhelming a single network element.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service routing at the base station, where the base station autonomously makes routing decisions for local traffic based on device identifiers and routing rules. This self-service capability reduces the need for complex centralized routing management and signaling, simplifying overall routing management while achieving low-latency local routing.
Data Source
AI summary
A device may receive, from an application function, a first machine-to-machine identifier at a first mobile device being served by a base station. A device may add the first machine-to-machine identifier to a user plane protocol stack of the first mobile device. A device may identify a second machine-to-machine identifier of a second mobile device served by the base station. A device may transmit, in connection with traffic from the first mobile device to the second mobile device, the second machine-to-machine identifier to the base station to enable local traffic routing through the base station to the second mobile device. The base station can notify a network node of the local traffic routing for charging purposes.