Wireless Handover Slice Remapping for Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handover procedures in wireless communication networks fail to ensure service continuity when different network slices are supported in the source and target cells, leading to potential service disruptions due to unsupported slices in the target cell.
Innovation Solution
Implementing slice remapping assistance information to facilitate handover procedures, where network nodes exchange and utilize indicators and information elements to remap network slices, ensuring compatibility and continuity during handovers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing handover procedures are used without slice remapping, then the handover process is simple, but service continuity cannot be ensured when network slices differ between source and target cells
Solution Approach 1:
The target network node performs preliminary actions by determining supported network slices before handover execution. The source network node also preliminarily determines remapped network slices based on target node's capabilities. This advance preparation ensures service continuity is maintained without disrupting the actual handover execution, resolving the contradiction between reliability improvement and procedure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces network slice remapping as an intermediary mechanism between the source and target network nodes. Instead of directly transferring all slice information, the system uses remapped slice identifiers as intermediaries that bridge the difference between source cell slices and target cell slices, enabling seamless handover while maintaining simplicity in the overall procedure.
2Reliability
If slice remapping is implemented to ensure service continuity, then service disruption is prevented, but network node processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making slice remapping optional and localized. Network nodes only perform remapping operations when necessary (when source and target slices differ), and only for specific PDU sessions that require it. This selective approach ensures service continuity where needed while avoiding unnecessary processing complexity in scenarios where slices are already compatible.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of network slice identification by introducing remapped network slice identifiers. Instead of using fixed slice IDs, the system dynamically remaps slice parameters based on target node capabilities. This parameter transformation enables service continuity without requiring fundamental changes to the overall network architecture or node processing logic.
3Adaptability or versatility
If network slice remapping is performed, then compatibility between source and target cells is improved, but handover time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The target network node determines its supported network slices in advance before handover execution. The source network node also preliminarily identifies which slices need remapping. By performing these compatibility determinations beforehand, the actual handover execution can proceed quickly without time-consuming slice compatibility checks, thus reducing overall handover time while maintaining compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a streamlined remapping process that skips unnecessary processing steps. When source and target slices are compatible, the system skips the remapping operation entirely and proceeds directly to handover execution. When remapping is needed, the system uses efficient one-to-one or one-to-many remapping mechanisms that minimize processing time, thus reducing overall handover delay while ensuring compatibility.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to methods, systems, and devices related to digital wireless communication, and more specifically, to techniques related to supporting service continuity during a network handover. In one exemplary aspect, a method for wireless communication is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first message from a second network node, the first message including slice remapping assistance information. The method also includes handing over, based on a handover procedure, a network service for a terminal from the first network node to a target network node using the slice remapping assistance information or initiate a terminal context retrieve procedure using the slice remapping assistance information.