Heterogeneous Network Slice Deployment in Cellular Registration Areas

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 5G network slicing technologies are limited in their ability to deploy network slices in areas smaller than a Registration Area (RA), leading to inefficiencies and high registration loads, especially in scenarios like stadiums or factories.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution allows for heterogeneous slice deployment within a Registration Area by configuring Tracking Areas (TAs) to match the exact area covered by a network slice, enabling support for specific slices in limited areas without requiring the entire RA to be dedicated to that slice.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If network slices are deployed using traditional homogeneous methods across entire Registration Areas, then slice availability is uniformly provided, but the ability to serve specialized use cases in limited areas is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveslice deployment flexibilityVSAvoidnetwork configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by enabling heterogeneous slice deployment where different network slices are available in different Tracking Areas within a Registration Area. Each TA can be configured with specific slice support based on local requirements, allowing specialized services in limited areas while maintaining uniform slice availability elsewhere. This resolves the contradiction by providing area-specific slice configurations without requiring complex overall network redesign.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the Registration Area into multiple Tracking Areas, each of which can independently configure slice availability. This segmentation allows the network to provide different slices in different TAs based on local needs, enabling flexible specialized deployment while maintaining manageable configuration through standardized TA-level policies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If small RAs are deployed to support localized network slices, then slice availability can be precisely controlled, but registration load increases due to frequent area changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveslice availability controlVSAvoidregistration load

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a new dimension of control by allowing slice configuration at the Tracking Area level within a Registration Area, rather than only at the RA or TA level. This intermediate granularity enables precise slice control for localized deployments without creating numerous small RAs, thereby avoiding excessive registration loads while maintaining accurate slice availability management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If heterogeneous slice deployment is implemented within a Registration Area, then specialized use cases can be served in limited areas, but network node configuration complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheterogeneous slice supportVSAvoidnetwork node configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves universality by enabling network nodes to handle multiple slice configurations through a unified mechanism. The same registration and slice selection procedures work for both homogeneous and heterogeneous slice deployments, allowing network nodes to serve multiple functions without requiring separate configuration procedures for each deployment scenario.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Device complexity

If uniform slice availability is provided across entire Registration Areas, then network simplicity is maintained, but the ability to support specialized use cases is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork configuration simplicityVSAvoidspecialized use case support

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250081093A1Heterogeneous slice deployment within a registration area of a cellular communications network

Publication Date: 2025.03.06 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

Systems and methods for heterogeneous slice deployment within a registration area are provided. In some embodiments, a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) for accessing a network slice includes: during registration with a network node, requesting network slice assistance; receiving network slice assistance from the network node indicating access to a first network slice in a first Tracking Area (TA) but not in an entire Registration Area (RA); and accessing the first network slice in the first TA. Some embodiments enable deploying slices in very small geographical areas to suit special use cases without necessarily having to deploy small RAs. Some of the potentially realizable use cases are in stadiums, factory slices, etc. The ability to deploy small slices within a large RA mitigates problems, such as high registration load, that one might deal with when the RA is too small.