Group Area Management in LTE Trunking via MME and MBMS

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current LTE-based trunking communication systems lack effective group area management methods, particularly for group paging, call notification, resource allocation, and handover, which are essential for implementing trunking communications.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that encapsulate a multicast address and area list into a multimedia broadcast multicast service session initiation request message, sent to a multi-cell/multicast coordination entity, allowing it to identify participating base stations and facilitate communication, enabling group area management and trunking communications by determining the scope of base stations involved.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If trunking communications are implemented in LTE system, then modern communication capability is improved, but group area management capability is lacking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrunking communications capabilityVSAvoidgroup area management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The MME is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it not only manages general LTE mobility but also handles trunking-specific group area management by maintaining area lists and determining base station participation in group calls, consolidating management capabilities in a single entity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The MME acts as an intermediary between the trunking management system and the LTE access network, translating trunking group management requirements into LTE-compatible signaling through MBMS session initiation requests to MCEs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If fixed area restriction is applied to group calls, then resource allocation is simplified, but user mobility is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation simplicityVSAvoiduser mobility flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The area list associated with each group is dynamic rather than static; it is automatically determined and updated by the MME based on real-time locations of group members, allowing the service area to expand or contract as members move between cells

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The MME proactively determines the area list and prepares MBMS session initiation requests before group calls begin, pre-configuring the service area based on member locations to enable seamless call establishment without real-time coordination overhead

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If mobile area is allowed for group members, then user flexibility is improved, but base station identification complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser mobility flexibilityVSAvoidbase station identification difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors group member locations through LTE positioning mechanisms and feeds this information back to the MME, which uses the location feedback to dynamically update area lists and identify relevant base stations for group calls

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The MME creates a virtual representation of the group service area through the area list, which is a simplified data structure containing base station identifiers derived from actual member locations, making base station identification straightforward without complex real-time calculations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

4Productivity

If group area management is implemented, then communication organization is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication organization efficiencyVSAvoidsignaling message quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines group area management functions with existing LTE MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service) signaling procedures, reusing established message formats and protocols to avoid creating separate signaling overhead for trunking management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The MME leverages its existing role in LTE mobility management to also handle trunking group area management, using the same signaling interfaces and message structures it already employs for standard LTE operations, thereby avoiding additional dedicated signaling channels

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2894934B1Group area management method, device and system

Publication Date: 2017.08.09 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

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AI summary

This application discloses a group area management method, device, and system. The method includes the following steps: receiving a multicast address generated by a multimedia broadcast multicast service gateway; encapsulating the multicast address and an area list into a multimedia broadcast multicast service session initiation request message; and sending the multimedia broadcast multicast service session initiation request message to an MCE, so that the MCE finds a corresponding base station according to the area list and sends the multicast address to the corresponding base station, and the base station is able to join the multicast address, thereby implementing group area management.