Capability Identity Exchange During Network Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge of efficiently exchanging capability information between terminal devices and network devices in communication systems, particularly during frequent handovers between network devices with different filters, leads to excessive signaling load and inefficiencies due to the inability to identify and manage capability identities effectively.

Innovation Solution

A method where the source network device transmits not only the current but also previously used capability information of a terminal device during handover, allowing the target network device to determine the terminal's capabilities without unnecessary requests, thereby reducing signaling load and improving efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the terminal device reports capability information to each network device during handover, then the target network device can identify the terminal's capabilities, but the signaling load increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapability identification accuracyVSAvoidsignaling load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The source network device performs preliminary action by obtaining and forwarding the terminal's capability information to the target network device before the terminal actually hands over. This allows the target network device to have the capability information ready in advance, eliminating the need for the terminal to report capabilities after handover, thus reducing signaling load while ensuring accurate capability identification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the terminal device frequently switches between network devices with different filters, then the terminal can access different network resources, but the capability information exchange procedure becomes inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork switching capabilityVSAvoidcapability exchange efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The source network device acts as an intermediary by obtaining the terminal's capability information and forwarding it to the target network device. This intermediary action eliminates the need for the terminal to repeatedly report its capabilities when switching between network devices with different filters, thus maintaining high network switching adaptability while significantly improving capability exchange efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If the network device requests capability information from the terminal during handover, then the target network device ensures it has accurate capability data, but the handover procedure time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapability information accuracyVSAvoidhandover procedure time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The capability information is obtained and forwarded in advance by the source network device before the handover is completed. This preliminary action ensures the target network device has accurate capability data ready before the terminal needs to use it, eliminating the need for post-handover capability requests and thus reducing handover procedure time while maintaining capability information accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3963864B1Exchanging capability information
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP3963864B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3963864B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3963864B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to exchanging capability information. A device obtains at least one capability identity, each capability identity representing a capability of a terminal device, the at least one capability identity being used by the terminal device previously. The device transmits capability information of the terminal device to a further device, the capability information comprising the at least one capability identity. In this way, the unnecessary transmission of the capability information can be avoided.