HeNB Gateway MME Selection via Load Balancing Cause Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional load balancing procedures in wireless communication systems with radio base station gateways (RBS GWs) are ineffective, leading to suboptimal performance and increased load on core network control nodes, particularly in networks with Home eNodeB (HeNB) gateways, as they fail to correctly select Mobility Management Entities (MMEs) for off-loading, thereby counteracting the purpose of load balancing.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves explicitly indicating the load balancing establishment cause in S1AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE messages to enable the HeNB gateway to perform correct MME selection by maintaining counting devices for each MME, ensuring that overloaded MMEs are off-loaded and non-overloaded MMEs take on additional load, thus optimizing load balancing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional load balancing procedures are used in networks with RBS GWs, then the system maintains basic connectivity, but the load balancing becomes ineffective and core network control nodes experience increased load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the RBS explicitly indicate the load balancing establishment cause in the S1AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE before the MME selection occurs. This allows the RBS GW to prepare and select an appropriate MME in advance, preventing the ineffective conventional selection process from occurring and ensuring load balancing is achieved before the connection is fully established.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the RBS GW as an intermediary between the RBS and the MME pool. The RBS GW receives the S1AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE from the RBS, processes the load balancing establishment cause indication, and selectively forwards the message to an appropriate MME. This intermediary role enables the RBS GW to implement intelligent MME selection and achieve effective load balancing without requiring changes to the RBS or MMEs.
2Ease of operation
If the HeNB gateway uses conventional MME selection methods, then connection establishment is simple, but the gateway fails to correctly select MMEs for off-loading, counteracting load balancing purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having the RBS provide explicit load balancing establishment cause indications in the S1AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE to the RBS GW. This feedback mechanism allows the RBS GW to understand the current load situation and make informed MME selection decisions, thereby achieving both operational simplicity and selection accuracy simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter being monitored by introducing an explicit load balancing establishment cause indication in the S1AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE. This parameter change enables the RBS GW to distinguish between different types of connection requests and apply appropriate MME selection strategies, improving selection accuracy while maintaining procedural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system that enable a load balancing procedure in a network with HeNB GWs. The problem of the ineffective conventional load balancing procedure when used in a network with HeNB GWs, is addressed by a solution where the HeNB includes (510) an explicit indication of the reason for radio link establishment (load balancing establishment cause) in the S1AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE message (511) used to establish the S1 signaling connection associated with a user equipment to an MME, so that the HeNB GW (550) can perform an accurate MME selection based on the knowledge that the establishment is due to load balancing, i.e. an MME selection that realizes the required inter-MME load balancing.