MME APN Congestion Control via Selective Request Rejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communication systems face network congestion due to continuous state changes in user equipment, leading to increased signaling overhead and revenue loss, as they struggle to differentiate and manage IMS-related voice communication flows from data communication flows effectively.
Innovation Solution
A congestion control method for Mobility Management Entity (MME) in mobile communication systems that checks the congestion state of Access Point Names (APN) and selectively rejects mobility management requests, prioritizing IMS-related flows while blocking data communication-related flows to manage network congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If user equipment continuously switches between idle and active states to transmit small data amounts, then data communication flexibility is improved, but signaling overhead increases dramatically causing network congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the network traffic into different APN types (IMS-related for voice communication and data communication-related). By checking the APN type in mobility management requests, the system can differentiate between revenue-generating voice traffic and non-revenue-generating data traffic, allowing selective handling during congestion conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different quality of service policies to different APN types locally. When congestion is detected, the system selectively rejects mobility management requests based on the specific APN type involved, rather than applying a uniform rejection policy to all traffic. This allows voice communication flows to be sustained while data communication flows are blocked.
2Quantity of substance
If network congestion control blocks all mobility management requests, then network congestion is reduced, but revenue-generating voice communication flows are also disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments network traffic into distinct APN categories (IMS-related versus data communication-related). This segmentation enables the congestion control mechanism to identify and prioritize revenue-generating voice communication flows while selectively blocking non-revenue-generating data flows, thus reducing congestion without disrupting essential voice services.
Solution Approach 2:
The congestion control policy is applied locally based on APN type rather than globally to all traffic. When congestion is detected, the system checks the specific APN in each mobility management request and applies rejection only to data communication-related APNs while allowing IMS-related APNs to proceed, ensuring voice service reliability is maintained.
3Reliability
If APN-based congestion control selectively rejects data communication flows, then network operator revenue is protected, but data communication service availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments traffic into IMS-related APNs (voice communication) and data communication-related APNs. This segmentation allows the system to protect revenue-generating voice services by sustaining those flows while selectively blocking data communication flows during congestion, thereby maintaining revenue stability even though data service availability is reduced.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a congestion control method for a Mobility Management Entity (MME) in a mobile communication system. The method includes: receiving a mobility management request signal from a user equipment (UE) having Packet Data Network (PDN) connections for at least one Access Point Name (APN); checking whether the APN is in a congested state; and rejecting, when a specific APN is in a congested state, the mobility management request.