Handover Verification for Local Offloading in 3GPP Networks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In private 3GPP networks, there is a challenge in efficiently handing over sessions of terminals from one access network element to another, as existing methods do not ensure that the target network element can process the session, leading to errors and reduced handover success rates.
Innovation Solution
A communication method where a first network element obtains session information and determines if the target access network element supports local offloading of the service type, ensuring that the session is only processed or handed over if the target element can handle it, by updating session information and managing IP addresses accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the target access network element processes the session without verification, then the handover speed is improved, but the handover success rate deteriorates due to errors when the target cannot process the session
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by checking whether the target access network element supports local offloading for the service type before executing the handover. The source access network element obtains service type information of the terminal's session, queries the target's capability, and only then proceeds with handover if supported. This advance verification ensures handover success while maintaining efficient processing speed.
2Reliability
If the target access network element processes the session with verification, then the handover success rate is improved, but the handover latency increases due to additional checking steps
Solution Approach 1:
The capability check is performed as a preliminary action before handover execution. The source access network element obtains the target's service type support information in advance, so that when handover is needed, the decision can be made quickly without extensive verification during the critical handover moment, thus minimizing latency while ensuring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by having the target access network element provide information about its support for local offloading of different service types. This feedback mechanism allows the source network element to make informed handover decisions without requiring complex verification procedures, balancing reliability with low latency.
3Device complexity
If all sessions are routed through the core network element, then the network management is simplified, but the end-to-end latency increases and network pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by enabling the target access network element to process sessions locally when it supports local offloading for the specific service type. Instead of all sessions being uniformly routed through the core network element, sessions are handled locally at the access network element where possible, reducing end-to-end latency and core network pressure while maintaining manageable complexity through service-type-based routing decisions.
4Loss of time
If sessions are offloaded to the access network element, then the end-to-end latency is reduced and network pressure is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to capability verification requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by allowing access network elements to process sessions locally based on their service type capabilities. The complexity of capability verification is managed by checking service type information, which is a relatively simple parameter to verify compared to full session processing complexity. This approach achieves low latency and reduced network pressure while keeping verification complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes by basing the handover decision on service type information rather than complex session analysis. The source access network element changes the routing parameter based on whether the target supports local offloading for the specific service type, simplifying the verification process while enabling efficient local processing where supported.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication method may be applied to a scenario in which a terminal is handed over from a source access network element to a target access network element, and the method includes: obtaining session information of a first session of the terminal, where the session information includes first service type information; obtaining first information, where the first information indicates service type information of local offloading supported by the target access network element; and if the target access network element supports local offloading of a service corresponding to the first service type information, determining that the target access network element processes the first session.