Base Station Message Type Mapping for Wireless Resource Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless carrier networks face inefficiencies when base stations, manufactured by certain OEMs, are unable to process unsupported message types sent by wireless communication devices, leading to increased air-interface resource consumption and communication interruptions due to the inability to maintain established resources like radio links.

Innovation Solution

Configuring base stations to transmit mappings that correlate unsupported message types with supported message types, allowing wireless communication devices to send supported message types in place of unsupported ones, thereby reducing the need for additional control messages and resource re-establishment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If base stations use standardized air interface protocols to enable wide device compatibility, then device connectivity is improved, but base stations manufactured by certain OEMs cannot process certain message types sent by advanced WCDs, leading to increased air-interface resource consumption and communication interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage type supportVSAvoidair-interface resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The base station transmits a mapping message in advance that correlates unsupported message types with supported message types. This preliminary action allows the WCD to proactively substitute unsupported message types with supported ones before transmission, preventing the need for retransmission and reducing air-interface resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mapping message acts as an intermediary mechanism between the base station and WCD. It provides a bridge that translates between the WCD's capability set and the base station's supported message types, enabling compatibility without requiring the base station to support all possible message types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If WCDs send unsupported message types to base stations, then the purpose of the original message can be accomplished through additional control messages, but this increases the time required to accomplish the original purpose

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage deliveryVSAvoidcommunication delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The base station provides the mapping information in advance, allowing the WCD to immediately substitute unsupported message types with supported ones. This eliminates the time delay associated with receiving reject messages and retransmitting alternative messages, as the substitution happens proactively before transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If base stations receive unsupported message types, then additional control messages must be exchanged to accomplish the original purpose, but this increases the complexity of control message processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage type compatibilityVSAvoidcontrol message processing

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the message type substitution logic from the complex interaction between WCD and base station and encapsulates it in a simple mapping table. This separates the compatibility handling from the main control message processing flow, reducing the complexity of the latter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mapping message serves as an intermediary that simplifies the interaction between WCD and base station. Instead of requiring complex real-time negotiation and error handling, the mapping provides a straightforward lookup mechanism that reduces processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If WCDs continuously resend unsupported message types before stopping and sending alternative messages, then the original message purpose may eventually be achieved, but this increases the quantity of control messages exchanged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage deliveryVSAvoidcontrol message volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

By providing the mapping in advance, the invention enables the WCD to determine the correct supported message type before transmission. This eliminates the need for continuous retransmission attempts and alternative message sending, significantly reducing the total quantity of control messages exchanged.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9019987B1System and method for avoiding the transmission of unsupported messages

Publication Date: 2015.04.28 SPRINT SPECTRUM LLC

AI summary

Disclosed herein are methods and systems to provide, to a wireless communication device (WCD), a mapping between a first unsupported message type and a first supported message type. One embodiment takes the form of a method that involves a base station transmitting in a coverage area, for receipt by a given WCD configured to send a first unsupported message type to the base station, a mapping that correlates the first unsupported message type with the first supported message type. As a result of transmitting the mapping, the base station receives, from the given WCD, a message of the first supported message type in the place of a message of the first unsupported message type.