Control Plane IoT Downlink Caching for Idle Device Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, network functions repeatedly attempt to transfer control plane downlink data to user devices that are idle or disconnected, wasting network resources and reducing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Unified Data Storage Function (UDSF) to cache downlink data for user devices that are unresponsive, delivering it in bulk when they become active, thereby reducing redundant communication operations and optimizing resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network functions repeatedly attempt to transfer downlink data to idle user devices, then data delivery reliability is improved, but network resource waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing downlink data in the UDSF before the user device is ready to receive it. When data arrives for an idle device, instead of repeatedly attempting transmission, the system pre-stores the data in the UDSF with the device's identifier, and will automatically deliver it when the device becomes active, thus ensuring delivery reliability while avoiding repeated transmission attempts and resource waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The UDSF acts as an intermediary between the network function and the idle user device. It receives and stores downlink data intended for idle devices, manages the data temporarily, and delivers it when the device becomes available. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for repeated direct transmission attempts to idle devices, resolving the contradiction between ensuring delivery and avoiding resource waste.
2Reliability
If multiple network functions coordinate to deliver downlink data, then delivery completeness is improved, but communication operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the data storage and delivery coordination functions into a single UDSF component. Instead of having multiple network functions independently coordinate and track idle device data, all downlink data for idle devices is centralized in the UDSF, which single-handedly manages storage, retrieval, and delivery. This consolidation maintains delivery completeness while significantly reducing the complexity of inter-function coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The UDSF is designed as a universal function that handles multiple tasks: storing downlink data for idle devices, managing data retrieval, coordinating delivery timing, and interfacing with various network functions. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for specialized coordination mechanisms between multiple functions, reducing overall system complexity while ensuring complete data delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprises a memory and a processor communicatively coupled to one another. The processor is configured to communicate a request to deliver control plane downlink data to one or more user devices in one or more communication operations and associate the request to deliver the control plane downlink data with a first network function hosted in one or more first network components. The first network function is integrated with a unified data storage function (UDSF). Further, the processor is configured to maintain a communication link in response to determining that the one or more user devices are unresponsive to receive the control plane downlink data, inhibit one or more second network components hosting a second network function from caching the control plane downlink data, and cache the control plane downlink data in the UDSF.