Mobile Device EPS Context Management During Core Network Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
In congested core networks, existing methods lead to unnecessary signaling and processing due to the rejection of non-emergency EPS contexts and the requirement for mobile devices to detach and reattach, increasing network load during back-off timer expiration.
Innovation Solution
A method that initiates a service request for an emergency bearer service while maintaining non-emergency EPS contexts and not deactivating them, and sends resource allocation requests to base stations for both emergency and non-emergency EPS contexts, reducing the need for devices to detach and reattach.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the MME rejects non-emergency EPS contexts during congestion control, then emergency services can be prioritized, but unnecessary signaling and processing occur when devices detach and reattach after back-off timer expiration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the EPS context state flexible rather than static. During congestion, non-emergency EPS contexts are transitioned to a suspended state rather than being fully rejected, allowing dynamic switching between suspended and active states based on network conditions. This resolves the contradiction by enabling emergency prioritization while avoiding complete context destruction that would trigger additional signaling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements discarding and recovering by temporarily suspending non-emergency EPS contexts during congestion rather than permanently rejecting them. When the back-off timer expires and network conditions improve, these contexts are recovered and reactivated without requiring full detach and reattach procedures. This reduces unnecessary signaling while maintaining emergency service priority during the congestion period.
2Ease of operation
If devices detach and reattach to恢复正常 service after back-off timer expiration, then they can re-establish normal service, but this increases network load and signaling during congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by maintaining non-emergency EPS contexts in a suspended state during congestion rather than allowing complete detachment. The contexts are preserved in advance with their configuration data, so when the back-off timer expires, the device can quickly reactivate service without performing full detach and reattach procedures. This preliminary preservation of context reduces the harmful network load that would otherwise occur during service restoration.
3Reliability
If the network assigns emergency bearer during service request procedure, then emergency calls can be established, but user plane radio bearers cannot be assigned for non-emergency EPS contexts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating emergency and non-emergency bearer contexts into distinct management categories. During congestion, the network independently manages emergency bearers (which are assigned high priority) and non-emergency bearers (which are suspended). This segmentation allows emergency calls to be established reliably while non-emergency contexts are preserved in a suspended state, avoiding the complexity of managing both types of bearers in a single queue and reducing the need for complete context reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of handling signaling in a congested core network for a mobile device is disclosed. The method comprises initiating a first service request procedure for an emergency bearer service when a back-off timer is running on the mobile device; and not deactivating non-emergency Evolved Packet System (EPS) context locally and keeping the non-emergency EPS context during the first service request procedure for the emergency bearer service, wherein the non-emergency EPS context corresponds to user plane radio bearers which was not established, locally or with signaling.