Radio Network Node HRSI Mapping for NPN Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication networks face challenges in efficiently handling communication and network selection for user equipment (UE) accessing non-public networks (NPNs) using external credentials, particularly in scenarios involving multiple subscriptions and service providers, where UE onboarding and authentication are complex due to lack of clear identifiers and interfaces for network selection and authentication.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a Human Readable Service Information (HRSI) mapping mechanism, which configures UE with a mapping of name indications to Group IDs (GIDs) and service types, allowing users to select networks based on service characteristics such as pricing and payment options, and broadcasts this information in system messages, enabling efficient network selection and authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple NPNs and PLMNs share RAN resources, then network coverage and connectivity options are improved, but network selection complexity and UE configuration requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network identification by introducing separate lists for NPNs (npn-IdentityInfoList) and PLMNs (plmn-IdentityList) within the broadcast message. This allows UEs to selectively process only the relevant network lists based on their subscriptions, reducing processing complexity while maintaining comprehensive network coverage information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mapping mechanism as an intermediary between network identifiers and service information. This mapping allows the network to provide detailed service characteristics (pricing, payment options) without exposing the full complexity of the underlying network architecture to UEs, simplifying the UE's network selection process.
2Productivity
If detailed service information is broadcast for each network, then UE onboarding efficiency is improved, but system information message size and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring UEs with subscriptions to specific NPNs and PLMNs before network selection. The UE uses this pre-configured subscription information to filter and select only the relevant network lists from the broadcast message, avoiding processing of unrelated service information and reducing the effective processing overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs partial action by providing service information selectively - the network broadcasts comprehensive service details for all supported networks, but UEs only process the partial subset relevant to their subscriptions. This ensures complete information availability while minimizing actual processing requirements through UE-side filtering based on subscriptions.
3Measurement precision
If manual network selection is enabled with HRSI, then user awareness and service selection accuracy are improved, but selection time and user effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling UEs to automatically filter and select networks based on their pre-configured subscriptions and the broadcast service information. The UE autonomously processes the mapping between HRSI and network identifiers without requiring manual user intervention, achieving both accurate service selection and minimal selection time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method performed by a radio network node (12) for handling communication in a wireless communications network. The radio network node (12) configures a UE (10) with a mapping, wherein the mapping maps a name indication to a GID, and/or a type indication of a type of service offered by one or more networks identified by the GID.