MME Paging Status Feedback for CS Fallback Call Reliability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In the CS fallback solution, users face delays in confirming voice calls due to manual interaction, leading to increased waiting times for MSCs, which can result in mistaken call failures and termination, affecting voice service quality.

Innovation Solution

The method involves the MME sending a paging notification message to the UE and returning a called-UE paging status message to the MSC, indicating receipt of the notification without waiting for a service request, thereby improving the success ratio of paging operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the MSC waits for user confirmation of CS fallback operation, then the user can make an informed decision about interrupting data service, but the waiting time exceeds 10 seconds causing the MSC to mistakenly believe paging failed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaging success rateVSAvoidwaiting time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The MME sends a paging status message to the MSC in advance, indicating that the UE has received the paging notification and is processing it. This preliminary action allows the MSC to know that paging is in progress before the user confirmation is complete, preventing the MSC from mistakenly timing out and terminating the call prematurely.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces a feedback mechanism where the MME continuously updates the MSC about the paging status. The paging status message provides real-time feedback to the MSC, allowing it to adjust its waiting behavior based on the actual state of the UE, thereby resolving the contradiction between waiting for user confirmation and avoiding false timeout errors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the MSC terminates the call after long waiting time, then the system avoids indefinite waiting, but it causes incorrect call termination when the UE is actually processing the paging notification

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecall setup efficiencyVSAvoidcall completion accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The paging status message serves as a feedback mechanism that informs the MSC whether the UE has successfully received and is processing the paging notification. This feedback allows the MSC to distinguish between genuine paging failures and normal processing delays, preventing incorrect call termination while maintaining efficient call setup.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

By sending the paging status message before the user confirmation is complete, the system performs a preliminary action that prevents the MSC from making hasty termination decisions. This ensures that call termination only occurs when truly necessary, improving call completion accuracy without significantly impacting call setup efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the calling party waits for ring back tone, then they know the call is being processed, but the long waiting time causes them to terminate the call actively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecall connection reliabilityVSAvoidring back tone waiting time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The MME sends the paging status message to the MSC in advance, enabling the MSC to provide earlier feedback to the calling party about call processing status. This preliminary information allows the calling party to understand that the call is being handled, reducing unnecessary call terminations while maintaining reasonable waiting times.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2934042B1Method, apparatus and system for paging processing and information displaying
Publication Date: 2022.04.13 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2934042B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2934042B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2934042B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method, an apparatus, and a system for paging processing and information displaying are disclosed. The paging processing method includes: receiving a paging request message from a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) which a called User Equipment (UE) registers to; and when the called UE is connected, sending a paging notification message to the called UE, and returning a called-UE paging status message to the MSC. In the embodiments of the present invention, after the Mobility Management Entity (MME) receives the paging request message from the MSC, if the called UE is connected, the MME not only sends a Circuit-Switched (CS) paging notification message to the called UE, but also returns a paging status message to the MSC, indicating that the called UE has received the paging notification message.