CS/PS Operator Coordination in Shared RAN Handovers
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Solution Overview
Problem
In shared wireless communication networks, there is a lack of effective CS/PS coordination, leading to inconsistent operator selection between the Circuit Switched (CS) and Packet Switched (PS) domains during device handovers, especially in non-supporting devices and target shared networks with common PLMN broadcasting, resulting in synchronization issues.
Innovation Solution
A method in a Radio Access Network (RAN) node that requests and determines the identity of a device across both registered and non-registered domains within a target shared network, ensuring the same serving operator is used for both CS and PS domains by transmitting requests and receiving responses to maintain operator consistency during handovers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a device is handed over to a target shared network with common PLMN broadcasting, then the device can access the shared network, but inconsistent operator selection occurs between CS and PS domains
Solution Approach 1:
The RAN node performs preliminary actions by determining the device identity in the non-registered domain before finalizing the handover. It proactively queries the registered domain for the serving operator information and pre-establishes the operator mapping relationship, ensuring consistent operator selection is prepared in advance rather than reacting to inconsistency after it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by having the RAN node query the registered domain (CN nodes) to obtain the serving operator information that was previously established. This feedback loop allows the system to retrieve the original operator selection decision and apply it consistently to both CS and PS domains in the target shared network.
2Reliability
If the RAN node queries multiple CN nodes to determine serving operator, then operator consistency is achieved, but signaling overhead and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary information (device identity and serving operator mapping) from the registered domain CN nodes, rather than transferring complete device profiles or establishing full communication channels. This selective extraction minimizes the data volume exchanged and reduces processing time while ensuring operator consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The determined serving operator information serves multiple functions simultaneously: it identifies the operator for PS domain services, determines the operator for CS domain services, and ensures coordination between domains. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate queries and information exchanges for each domain.
3Productivity
If network sharing is implemented to allow multiple operators to use shared RAN, then resource utilization improves, but CS/PS coordination becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The RAN node acts as an intermediary that coordinates between the non-registered domain and registered domain CN nodes. It receives the device in the non-registered domain, determines its identity, queries the registered domain for serving operator information, and applies this information to ensure consistent operator selection across both CS and PS domains, simplifying the overall coordination complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the network into registered and non-registered domains with clear functional boundaries. The RAN node handles the non-registered domain operations, while CN nodes manage registered domain operations. This segmentation allows each component to focus on specific tasks, reducing overall system complexity despite multiple operators sharing the RAN.
Data Source
AI summary
The embodiments herein relate to a method in a RAN node for determining which operator that should serve a device when it has been handed over from a source network to a target shared network. When the device has been handed over to the target shared network, the RAN node transmits, to a non-registered CN node in a non-registered domain, a request for an identity of the device. The RAN node transmits a request, to CN nodes in a registered domain, for a serving operator which has registered the device. The RAN node receives information indicating the serving operator. The RAN node determines that the same serving operator which served the identified device in the registered domain should also serve the device in the non-registered domain.