MME Paging Mechanism for Cellular IoT Using UE Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3GPP CIoT systems face inefficiencies in paging mechanisms, leading to increased signaling overhead and battery consumption due to the lack of precise location-based paging, which results in resource wastage and inefficient communication with traditional UEs, especially in scenarios involving low mobility or immobile devices like smart meters.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an optimized paging procedure that utilizes a UE location reporting monitoring event to determine the precise location of CIoT devices, allowing for targeted paging messages to be sent only to the specific cell containing the device, reducing the need for broader area broadcasts and conserving network resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional paging mechanisms are used in 3GPP CIoT systems, then all UEs in a tracking area are paged, but this causes increased signaling overhead and battery consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating paging approaches based on UE mobility characteristics. Immovable UEs receive location-optimized paging at specific cells, while mobile UEs continue to receive traditional tracking area paging. This localized optimization reduces unnecessary paging transmissions to immovable UEs, thereby reducing signaling overhead and battery consumption while maintaining reliable delivery for all UE types
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the UE population into mobile and immovable categories based on mobility characteristics. This segmentation enables the network to apply different paging strategies: traditional tracking area-based paging for mobile UEs and location-optimized cell-based paging for immovable UEs. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing energy-efficient paging for the immovable segment while preserving reliable coverage for the mobile segment
2Loss of energy
If location-optimized paging is implemented for CIoT devices, then signaling overhead is reduced, but this requires precise location information that may not be available for all UEs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability by allowing the paging mechanism to automatically adjust based on UE mobility characteristics and available location information. The network determines whether a UE is mobile or immovable and selects the appropriate paging strategy accordingly. This dynamic approach ensures the system adapts to different UE types and location information availability, resolving the contradiction between signaling efficiency and mechanism versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal paging framework that can handle both traditional tracking area paging and location-optimized cell-based paging. The system maintains compatibility with existing paging mechanisms while adding location-optimized capabilities for immovable UEs. This multi-functionality ensures the paging mechanism can serve diverse UE types and scenarios, resolving the contradiction between optimization benefits and system adaptability
3Reliability
If paging messages are sent to all cells in a tracking area, then no UE is missed, but this results in resource wastage when UEs are stationary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by optimizing paging transmission location based on UE characteristics. For immovable UEs with known locations, paging is transmitted only at the specific cell where the UE is located rather than broadcasting to all cells in the tracking area. This localized approach maintains reliable delivery for the specific UE while significantly reducing network resource consumption compared to area-wide paging
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the paging approach by UE mobility type, applying different paging strategies to different segments. Immovable UEs receive targeted cell-based paging, while mobile UEs receive traditional tracking area paging. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by ensuring reliable coverage for mobile UEs through area paging while conserving resources for immovable UEs through precise location-based paging
Data Source
AI summary
Technology for a mobility management entity (MME) operable to facilitate paging message transmissions using a user equipment (UE) location is disclosed. The MME can process data received for a user equipment (UE) from a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF). The downlink data can include a public land mobile network (PLMN) UE location associated with the UE location. The MME can compare at least one of a time stamp and a granularity level of the PLMN UE location to existing location area information for the UE. The MME can determine to overwrite the existing location area information for the UE with the PLMN UE location. The UE can generate a paging message for transmission only to an eNodeB associated with the PLMN UE location, and the eNodeB can be configured to forward the paging message to the UE.