Access Control Buffering for MEC Handover Packet Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

In mobile edge computing, packet loss occurs during the handover of a terminal from a source application server to a target application server, particularly in the uplink direction.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an access control apparatus and a user plane apparatus with buffer units that store data until the application context is transferred from the source to the target server, ensuring that packets are not lost during the handover process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the terminal switches from source application server to target application server during handover, then the terminal can maintain connectivity and access services, but packet loss occurs in the uplink direction due to timing mismatch between data transmission and context transfer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket loss preventionVSAvoidhandover delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The target application server performs preliminary actions by allocating resources and preparing context reception before the actual handover completes. The buffer unit is pre-configured to receive and store uplink packets, ensuring that when the terminal switches servers, no packet loss occurs due to timing mismatch between data transmission and context transfer completion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A buffer unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the target application server and the terminal. This buffer temporarily stores uplink packets during the handover transition, mediating the timing discrepancy between continuous data transmission and the discrete context transfer process, thereby preventing packet loss without significantly increasing handover delay.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the application context is transferred during handover, then the target application server can service the terminal, but data transmitted during the transfer window may be lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice continuityVSAvoiddata loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The buffer unit provides a cushioning mechanism that absorbs data transmission during the vulnerable handover window. By storing incoming uplink packets temporarily, the buffer cushions against the risk of data loss that would otherwise occur when the terminal switches servers before context transfer completes, ensuring service continuity without information loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentEP4040851B1Access control apparatus and user plane apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.12.03 NTT DOCOMO INC

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AI summary

An access control apparatus including: a reception unit; and a control unit configured to store, in a buffer, data transmitted from a terminal from when the reception unit receives a first message indicating that an application server is to be switched until when the reception unit receives a second message indicating move completion of an application context.