LTE Anchor Gateway Connection Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing LTE/EPC networks experience service continuity breaks when anchor gateways become non-optimal due to mobility or network changes, requiring disconnection and reconnection, which interrupts ongoing communication sessions.

Innovation Solution

A method where the mobile terminal independently manages connections by analyzing state changes and user instructions, allowing it to maintain or establish new connections without central disconnection, using 'preferred' and 'obsolete' status values to optimize anchor gateway usage and ensure continuous service.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the network management device disconnects the terminal from the current anchor gateway and forces reconnection to a new anchor gateway, then the terminal can use an optimal anchor gateway, but the communication sessions are interrupted and service continuity is broken

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanchor gateway optimizationVSAvoidservice continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal proactively establishes a new PDN connection to the optimized anchor gateway before the current connection is released. The network management device provides assistance information including the new anchor gateway's address and a new default bearer identifier in advance, allowing the terminal to prepare the new connection path while the old one remains active, thus avoiding service interruption during the transition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the terminal maintains connection to the current anchor gateway after mobility, then service continuity is preserved, but the anchor gateway becomes suboptimal and network performance degrades

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice continuityVSAvoidnetwork performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically transitions from a static anchor gateway assignment to a flexible multi-gateway architecture. The terminal can simultaneously maintain connections to multiple anchor gateways through multiple default bearers, allowing dynamic selection of the optimal gateway based on current network conditions while preserving service continuity through the existing connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the network forces reconnection to a new anchor gateway, then the terminal uses the optimal gateway, but the terminal loses its current IP address and must reinitialize sessions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegateway reassignmentVSAvoidreconnection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal maintains continuous data transmission by establishing a new default bearer to the new anchor gateway while the old default bearer remains active. The network management device provides assistance information including the new anchor gateway's address and a new default bearer identifier, allowing seamless transition without interrupting ongoing communication sessions or requiring IP address reassignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Reliability

If the terminal independently manages connection changes using preferred and obsolete status, then service continuity is maintained, but the terminal must process and analyze state change messages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice continuityVSAvoidterminal processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal autonomously manages its own PDN connections by independently processing state change messages from the network management device. The terminal analyzes the messages, determines the need for new connections based on its own criteria, and executes connection establishment or release actions without requiring centralized control, thereby maintaining service continuity while using its own processing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2724564B1Mechanism for managing pdn connections in lte/epc networks
Publication Date: 2017.09.06 ORANGE SA
  • EP2724564B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2724564B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2724564B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for managing at least one connection, a connection being established between a mobile terminal (UE) and an anchor gateway (P-GW1, P-GW2) located between a mobile network and a packet-switching network, and being capable of conducting at least one communication session with the packet-switching network, characterised in that it includes the following steps: receiving a management message from a device (MME) suitable for managing said at least one connection (P-CN1), said message including at least one piece of information relating to a change in the state of a connection (P-CN1) of the mobile terminal (UE), and an identifier relating to the connection (P-CN1); determining the need for a new connection by analysing said at least one current connection (P-CN1) at least according to the received information; once it has been determined that the need for a new connection exists, triggering the transmission of a request to establish a new connection (P-CN2) between the mobile terminal (UE) and a new anchor gateway (P-GW2) according to the analysis.