Core Network Paging Synchronization for M2M Reliability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In M2M systems, user equipment (UE) often misses paging moments due to synchronization issues between base stations, leading to prolonged waiting times for UE to receive downlink data, especially during cell reselection, as different base stations may calculate the same paging super frame and occasion at different absolute times.

Innovation Solution

The core network device determines and sends reference frame information to base stations to synchronize radio frames, ensuring that at least radio frame numbers are synchronous, thereby minimizing time errors between cells and reducing the likelihood of UE missing paging moments during cell reselection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If base stations calculate paging super frame and occasion independently without synchronization, then each base station can operate autonomously, but time errors between cells cause UE to miss paging moments during cell reselection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaging message reception reliabilityVSAvoidbase station synchronization complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The core network device acts as an intermediary that generates and distributes reference frame information to multiple base stations. This mediator ensures all base stations use the same reference frame for calculating paging super frames and occasions, eliminating time errors between cells without requiring direct synchronization between base stations themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where base stations report their current frame numbers and timing information to the core network device. The core network device uses this feedback to generate accurate reference frame information that accounts for actual timing conditions, ensuring synchronized paging moments across all cells.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If UE waits for next eDRX cycle after missing paging moment, then UE can receive paging message, but waiting time becomes extremely long (up to one or more hours)

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaging message deliveryVSAvoidUE waiting time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The base station performs preliminary action by detecting when UE is likely to miss a paging moment (during cell reselection) and proactively preparing to re-send the paging message. The base station monitors UE status and timing, and before the next eDRX cycle begins, it re-sends the paging message to ensure UE receives it without waiting hours.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of waiting for the next eDRX cycle, the system skips the waiting period by re-sending the paging message immediately when UE is detected to be in cell reselection. This rushes through the time gap that would otherwise require UE to wait hours, delivering the paging message much faster.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Adaptability or versatility

If UE performs cell reselection during idle state, then UE can maintain connectivity while moving, but UE repeatedly fails to obtain paging moment and cannot receive paging message

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE mobility capabilityVSAvoidpaging message reception
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The core network device serves as a mediator that provides reference frame information to all base stations in the paging area. This ensures that even when UE moves between cells during reselection, all base stations calculate paging moments based on the same reference, so UE can successfully receive paging messages in either cell without the synchronization errors that previously caused repeated failures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3291616B1Paging method, UE, base station, and core network apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.04.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3291616B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3291616B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3291616B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a paging method, a core network device, a base station, and user equipment. The method includes: determining, by the core network device, reference frame information when the core network device determines that a synchronization occasion arrives, where the reference frame information includes a radio frame number; and sending, by the core network device, the reference frame information to a base station in a paging area, so that the base station synchronizes a radio frame in the base station according to the reference frame information. The embodiments of the present invention can reduce problems that UE cannot listen for a paging message.