Common Uplink Bearer Setup for Wireless Network Resource Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, each User Equipment (UE) independently maintains its own uplink bearer, leading to unnecessary resource waste due to excessive memory and state management requirements in network nodes like the Serving GateWay (S-GW) and Packet Data Network (PDN) GateWay (P-GW).
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to set up a common uplink bearer shared by multiple UEs, where a group identifier is used to manage and control bearers, reducing the number of bearers and resources needed in the S-GW and P-GW by sending create bearer request and response messages between the Mobility Management Entity (MME), S-GW, and P-GW.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each UE independently maintains its own uplink bearer, then individual UE data transmission is ensured, but memory and state management resources in network nodes are excessively consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual UE uplink bearers into a single common bearer at the S-GW and P-GW level. Instead of maintaining separate bearers for each UE, the network nodes establish one shared bearer that carries data from multiple UEs, thereby reducing resource consumption while maintaining individual data transmission capability through logical separation at the eNB level.
Solution Approach 2:
The common bearer is designed to serve multiple UEs simultaneously, making it a universal resource that performs the function of multiple individual bearers. This multi-functional bearer reduces the total number of bearers needed in the network while ensuring that each UE's data can be transmitted independently through appropriate identification and routing mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If separate bearers are established for each UE, then individual bearer control is maintained, but bearer management overhead in network nodes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating bearer management into two levels: a common bearer is established at the S-GW/P-GW for resource efficiency, while individual UE bearer control is maintained at the eNB level through logical bearer contexts. This segmentation allows centralized resource management while preserving distributed control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The eNB acts as an intermediary between the common bearer in the core network and individual UE data flows. It maintains separate bearer contexts for each UE and performs the necessary mapping and routing to ensure individual bearer control is preserved even though a common bearer is used in the S-GW/P-GW.
3Reliability
If multiple UEs use individual bearers, then data transmission isolation is ensured, but resource efficiency in network nodes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple UE data flows are merged into a single common bearer in the S-GW and P-GW, improving resource efficiency by reducing the number of bearer contexts and associated overhead. Data transmission isolation is maintained through unique identification mechanisms (such as TEIDs or bearer IDs) that allow the network to distinguish and separately manage each UE's data within the shared bearer.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for setting up an UpLink common bearer shared by a plurality of User Equipments (UEs) in a wireless communication network is provided. The apparatus includes a Serving GateWay (S-GW) for receiving a group identifier of a UE from a Mobility Management Entity (MME), sending a create bearer request message including the group identifier to a Packet Data Network (PDN) GateWay (P-GW), receiving a create bearer response message including UL common S5 bearer information (UL common S5 info) for a group corresponding to the group identifier from the P-GW, and sending a create bearer response message including UL common S1 bearer information (UL common S1 info) to the MME, and the P-GW for receiving the create bearer request message from the S-GW, and generating and sending the create bearer response message including the UL common S5 info.