Terminal Core Network Selection Signaling for Shared 4G/5G Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods fail to efficiently establish connections between terminals and core networks in environments where 4G and 5G mobile networks share the same base station, leading to ambiguity in network access.

Innovation Solution

Terminals determine the target core network type and send signaling to base stations indicating the desired network type, enabling the base stations to establish the correct connection based on the received information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a base station supports both 4G and 5G core networks, then network versatility is improved, but connection establishment accuracy deteriorates due to ambiguity in determining which core network to access

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork versatilityVSAvoidconnection establishment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a signaling message as an intermediary carrier to transmit core network type information from the terminal to the base station. This signaling mechanism resolves the ambiguity by providing a dedicated communication channel that clearly indicates which core network (4G or 5G) the terminal intends to access, thereby maintaining connection establishment accuracy while supporting multiple network types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the state parameter of the terminal by introducing a core network type indication parameter through signaling. This parameter explicitly specifies the target core network type, allowing the base station to distinguish between 4G and 5G access requests even when both networks are supported, thus resolving the connection establishment ambiguity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the base station establishes connections without receiving explicit core network type information, then the access process is simplified, but connection reliability deteriorates due to incorrect network matching

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess process simplicityVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the terminal determine and indicate its target core network type before the base station establishes the connection. The terminal prepares the signaling message with core network type information in advance, allowing the base station to make an informed connection decision without complex real-time judgment, thus maintaining both simplicity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the terminal sends signaling indicating core network type, then connection accuracy is improved, but communication overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection establishment accuracyVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential information (core network type indication) into a dedicated signaling message, separating it from other communication data. This extraction approach transmits only the necessary parameter for connection establishment without redundant information, thereby improving connection accuracy while minimizing the increase in communication overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3751951B1Method, apparatus and system for establishing connection between terminal and core network to be accessed
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3751951B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3751951B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3751951B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

Disclosed are a method, apparatus and system for establishing a connection between a terminal and a core network to be accessed, which fall within the technical field of wireless communications. The method comprises: receiving signaling sent by a terminal, wherein the signaling includes information indicating that a core network type corresponding to a core network to be accessed by the terminal is a target type; determining the target type indicated by the information; and establishing a connection between the terminal and the core network corresponding to the target type, wherein the core network corresponding to the target type is the core network to be accessed by the terminal. By means of the present disclosure, a connection can be established between a terminal and a core network to be accessed.