GARP Message Handover Optimization in LTE Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing LTE communication networks experience communication breaks during handover procedures of mobile terminals from one radio site to another, leading to unnecessary processing loads and potential disruptions in service.

Innovation Solution

A method that optimizes the handover procedure by transmitting the GARP message after the initialization step and relocation information exchanges, ensuring seamless connectivity maintenance by re-establishing logical connections between the PDN-GW gateway and the mobile terminal, thereby minimizing connection outage time and allowing for clean rollback in case of failure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the GARP message is transmitted early during handover procedure, then connectivity is established faster, but connection outage time increases and reliability decreases due to potential failures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover speedVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by transmitting the GARP message after the handover preparation is complete but before the handover is fully executed. The target base station prepares the connectivity environment in advance by sending the GARP message to announce the mobile terminal's IP address to the PDN network, so that when the handover completes, connectivity is already established without interruption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by establishing a rollback mechanism. If the handover fails after the GARP message has been transmitted, the system can roll back to the source base station without affecting the PDN network, as the GARP message will be superseded by a new one from the source station during the rollback procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Loss of time

If the GARP message is transmitted after handover preparation, then connection outage time is minimized, but processing load on network nodes increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection outage timeVSAvoidnetwork processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the GARP message transmission from the traditional handover signaling path and places it in the data plane between the target base station and the PDN network. This separates the connectivity announcement function from the control plane signaling, reducing the processing burden on core network nodes like the MME while maintaining fast handover.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If standard LTE handover procedure is followed, then protocol compatibility is maintained, but traffic interruption occurs during handover

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLTE protocol compatibilityVSAvoidcommunication continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces the GARP message as an intermediary mechanism between the LTE handover procedure and the PDN network. This message acts as a mediator that announces the mobile terminal's presence and IP address to the PDN network, enabling seamless connectivity transition without requiring changes to the core LTE protocol stack.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3189688B1Method for improving the procedure for transferring a mobile user in a communications network
Publication Date: 2020.02.19 THALES SA
  • EP3189688B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3189688B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Method for optimizing the procedure for transferring or handover of a mobile terminal of a first radio site to a second radio site in a decentralized network comprising several radio sites (101s, 101f) to which the mobile user T may be affiliated, the radio sites being linked together by means of a connection network R, in which the message GARP (219) allowing the maintaining of the connectivity of the mobile terminal T with the connection network R when the mobile terminal changes from the first radio site to the second radio site is transmitted during the "handover" procedure, after the step of initialization of entry of the user into the network and after the handover preparation procedure.