IMS Bearer Selection for Stable Cellular Service Establishment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

User equipment devices in cellular networks face issues with establishing Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) services due to the radio access network failing to configure dedicated data radio bearers or appropriate quality of service (QoS), leading to no-sound issues and service drops.

Innovation Solution

The UE device selectively transmits service packets over either a dedicated or default data radio bearer based on preconditions, including QoS configurations, and manages timers to prevent service release when preconditions are not met, enabling continued IMS service operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the RAN configures a dedicated data radio bearer for IMS service, then QoS requirements are met, but device complexity and configuration overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQoS requirement satisfactionVSAvoidbearer configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The UE autonomously determines whether to use a dedicated DRB or default DRB for IMS service packets based on receiving a bearer indication message from the network. This self-service approach allows the UE to adapt to network configurations without requiring complex manual configuration, resolving the contradiction by enabling reliable QoS satisfaction through automated bearer selection while keeping configuration complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The network sends a bearer indication message to the UE in advance before the UE initiates IMS service packet transmission. This preliminary action informs the UE about the appropriate bearer type (dedicated or default) to use, allowing the UE to prepare the correct transmission path beforehand. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring QoS requirements are met through advance bearer specification while avoiding complex real-time configuration decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the RAN fails to configure appropriate QoS for IMS service, then service establishment is simpler, but service reliability deteriorates causing no-sound issues and service drops

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice establishment simplicityVSAvoidIMS service continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The UE autonomously adapts to the network's bearer configuration by determining whether to use a dedicated DRB or default DRB based on the bearer indication message received. This self-service mechanism allows the service establishment process to remain simple from the network side while the UE automatically adjusts its transmission behavior to ensure service reliability, preventing no-sound issues and service drops without requiring complex network configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the UE waits for dedicated bearer configuration before transmitting IMS packets, then QoS is ensured, but service establishment time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQoS configuration accuracyVSAvoidservice establishment time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The network performs the bearer indication action in advance by sending a bearer indication message to the UE before the UE initiates IMS service packet transmission. This preliminary action provides the UE with the necessary bearer type information upfront, eliminating the need for the UE to wait for dedicated bearer configuration while still ensuring QoS requirements are met. The contradiction is resolved by shifting the bearer determination action to occur earlier in the process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If the UE uses a default data radio bearer for IMS service packets, then service establishment is faster, but QoS requirements may not be met

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice establishment speedVSAvoidQoS requirement satisfaction
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The UE dynamically selects between using a dedicated DRB or a default DRB for transmitting IMS service packets based on the bearer indication message received from the network. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize for speed by using default bearers when appropriate while ensuring QoS requirements are met by switching to dedicated bearers when needed. The contradiction is resolved by making the bearer selection flexible and context-dependent rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4285568B1Establishing internet protocol multimedia subsystem services in a cellular network
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP4285568B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4285568B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4285568B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A user equipment (UE) device (102) of a wireless communication system (100) is configured to establish an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service (706). The UE device (102) initiates an IMS service (706) with an IMS network (126). Responsive to initiating the IMS service (126), the UE device (102) sends a message to the IMS network (126) specifying one or more preconditions for establishing the IMS service (706). The UE device (102) selectively transmits one or more service packets (728) for the IMS service (706) over either a dedicated data radio bearer (730) configured for the IMS service (706) or a default data radio bearer (708) based 10 on whether at least one of the one or more preconditions has not been satisfied.