Dynamic Inactivity Timer for Call Control Connections
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication devices face challenges in efficiently managing connections with access networks, leading to unnecessary resource utilization and potential inadvertent release of air interface resources before all data flows become inactive.
Innovation Solution
The communication device dynamically adjusts the inactivity timer threshold for data flows used to transport call control messages, ensuring the connection remains active to satisfy minimum connection requirements, thereby reducing the time to release resources and minimizing premature disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the connection is released when no data is sent or received for a period exceeding the inactivity timer threshold, then bandwidth utilization is reduced, but the connection may be inadvertently released before all data flows become inactive
Solution Approach 1:
The inactivity timer threshold is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically adjusts the threshold based on the type of data flow and current network conditions. For call control messages, a longer threshold is applied, while for other data flows, a shorter threshold is used. This dynamic adjustment prevents premature connection release while optimizing bandwidth utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
Different inactivity timer thresholds are applied to different data flows based on their specific requirements. Call control message flows receive specialized treatment with extended thresholds, while other data flows use standard thresholds. This localized quality adjustment ensures that critical control functions are not disrupted while allowing non-critical flows to release connections promptly.
2Reliability
If the inactivity timer threshold is extended to prevent inadvertent release, then connection reliability improves, but air interface resource utilization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the inactivity timer threshold based on real-time conditions and data flow types. By making the threshold adaptive rather than uniformly extended, the system maintains connections only when necessary for specific protocols, thereby improving reliability where needed while minimizing overall air interface resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The inactivity timer threshold parameter is changed based on the data flow type and network conditions. For call control messages, the parameter is increased to prevent premature release, while for other flows, it remains at standard levels. This selective parameter adjustment achieves improved connection reliability without proportionally increasing resource utilization across all flows.
3Device complexity
If a fixed inactivity timer threshold is used for all data flows, then system complexity is reduced, but the connection may be released prematurely for certain protocols
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a single fixed timer threshold applied uniformly to all data flows, the system implements local quality by assigning different thresholds to different data flow types. Call control messages receive extended thresholds while other flows use standard thresholds. This approach increases reliability for protocol-specific requirements while maintaining manageable system complexity through classification-based management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments data flows into different categories (e.g., call control messages versus other data flows) and applies different inactivity timer thresholds to each segment. This segmentation allows the system to meet diverse protocol requirements without requiring a single complex adaptive mechanism for every flow, thus balancing reliability with acceptable system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, this disclosure is directed to establishment and release of a connection between a communication device and an access network. More specifically, the techniques of this disclosure are directed to determining when a data flow used for exchanging call control requests becomes inactive. For example, a communication device may dynamically adjust an inactivity timer threshold associated with the data flow used by applications to exchange call control messages when a new call control transaction starts or an existing call control transaction ends, e.g., by selecting a single inactivity timer threshold for the data flow to satisfy minimum connection requirements of existing call control transactions, recently ended call control transactions and the new call control transaction. The data flow is considered inactive when no applications send or receive messages via the data flow for a period of time that exceeds the adjusted inactivity timer threshold.