Pre-sending Context Information to Reduce Idle Mode Switching Delay
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a significant delay when a terminal device switches from an inactive mode to a connected mode due to the need for network devices to obtain context information, which increases power consumption and network load.
Innovation Solution
A communication method where a first control plane functional entity obtains access network information and pre-sends context information of the terminal device to the access network device, allowing the terminal device to switch directly to connected mode without waiting for context information transmission, thereby reducing setup delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the terminal device switches from idle mode or inactive mode to connected mode, then the network device can obtain context information, but an additional delay is caused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the network device obtain and store context information of the terminal device before the terminal device actually needs to switch to connected mode. The core network device proactively retrieves context information when the terminal is in idle or inactive mode, so that when the transition to connected mode is needed, the information is already available, eliminating the delay that would otherwise occur during the transition.
2Reliability
If the terminal device remains in connected mode, then context information is readily available, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent allows the terminal device to switch to idle or inactive mode to save power, while the network device performs preliminary actions by proactively obtaining and storing the terminal's context information before it is needed. This way, the terminal can remain in low-power state without compromising the availability of context information when the terminal needs to reconnect.
Solution Approach 2:
The core network device acts as an intermediary that stores and manages the context information of the terminal device. When the terminal is in idle or inactive mode, the network device maintains the context information, serving as a mediator between the terminal's power-saving state and the network's need for immediate context availability during connection establishment.
3Productivity
If the terminal device switches from inactive mode to connected mode, then data transmission can resume, but the delay is more significant due to context information retrieval
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the core network device obtain context information in advance when the terminal is in inactive mode, before the terminal needs to resume data transmission. This proactive retrieval eliminates the time delay that would normally occur during the mode switching process, allowing faster resumption of data transmission.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide a communication method, including: when a terminal device is in an idle mode or an inactive mode, a first control plane functional entity obtains access network information of the terminal device, and the first control plane functional entity sends context information of the terminal device to an access network device corresponding to the access network information. Therefore, when the terminal device is in the idle mode or the inactive mode, in the embodiments of this application, the first control plane functional entity obtains the access network information of the terminal device, and pre-sends the context information of the terminal device to the access network device corresponding to the access network information. When the terminal device needs to transmit data, to be specific, the terminal device needs to be switched from the idle mode or the inactive mode to the connected mode, the terminal device does not need to wait for the process of transmitting the context information of the terminal device, thereby facilitating reducing a delay.