DCN-ID Mapping for Wireless Service Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cellular wireless networks, base stations (NBs) face challenges in quickly and conveniently accessing information about a user equipment (UE)'s subscribed service plan, leading to delays in setting up services according to the plan, especially when UEs are configured for dual connectivity like EN-DC, which requires concurrent 4G and 5G connections.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a DCN identity (DCN-ID) parameter stored in the UE and transmitted to the base station during attachment, allowing the network to map this ID to specific service configuration details, enabling the base station to configure services accordingly, including the number of additional NBs and application-layer services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the base station queries the core network for service plan information during UE attachment, then the service configuration can be accurate according to the subscriber's plan, but the service setup time increases due to additional signaling delays
Solution Approach 1:
The DCN-ID is pre-configured in the UE during subscription activation, and the base station has pre-established mapping tables correlating DCN-IDs with service configurations. During attachment, the base station can directly map the received DCN-ID to the appropriate service configuration without querying the core network, thus performing the configuration lookup action in advance and eliminating signaling delays.
2Productivity
If the base station stores detailed service plan information for all subscribers, then service configuration can be performed rapidly without core network queries, but the device complexity and memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of storing complete service plan details for all subscribers, the base station extracts only the essential mapping relationship between DCN-ID and service configuration parameters. This extracted mapping table contains only the critical information needed for rapid configuration lookup, significantly reducing memory requirements while maintaining fast service setup capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The DCN-ID serves multiple functions: it uniquely identifies the subscriber's service plan, enables rapid configuration lookup through mapping tables, and works across different base stations and core networks. This universal identifier eliminates the need for base stations to store subscriber-specific details, as the mapping relationship is universally applicable throughout the network.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the network supports multiple air interface protocols concurrently for dual connectivity, then service versatility and user capability are enhanced, but the complexity of service configuration and management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping tables are configured locally at each base station with air interface protocol-specific service configuration parameters. When a UE attaches, the base station uses the DCN-ID to retrieve the appropriate protocol-specific configuration from its local mapping table, enabling tailored configuration for each air interface protocol (4G, 5G, etc.) without centralized complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and system for use of DCN-ID data as a basis for service configuration and differentiation. A UE may be provisioned with a DCN-ID that correlates with a service plan to which the UE subscribes, and the UE may include the DCN-ID in an attach request that the UE sends to a NB. The NB may then map the included DCN-ID to a service configuration for the UE and take action to configure service for the UE accordingly. In an example implementation, the service configuration could include a quantity of secondary NBs to be added for concurrent service of the UE, a set of one or more DCNs in which the UE should be connected, and a set of one or more application-layer services to be provided for the UE.