Mobility Management Function Tracking Area List Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3GPP specifications lack a detailed mechanism for updating mobility policies when a user equipment (UE) moves to a new area, particularly in scenarios involving different radio technologies, leading to inefficiencies in network discovery and selection.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a Mobility Management Function (MMF) and Mobility Policy Function (MPF) that facilitate the allocation and updating of Tracking Area Lists and mobility policies based on network topology and user location, enabling precise network selection by identifying special Tracking Areas and triggering policy updates when the UE enters new areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the UE uses conventional mobility management with default policies, then the network operation is simple, but the network discovery and selection accuracy deteriorates when moving between different radio technology areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into special TAs (covered by multiple radio technologies) and non-special TAs (covered by single radio technology). The MMF is segmented into multiple components including special TA determination module, TA List allocation module, and policy update module. This segmentation allows precise network selection in special areas while maintaining simple default operation in regular areas, resolving the contradiction between accuracy and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of MMF, MPF (Mobility Policy Function), and SPP (Service Provisioning Platform) that acts as a mediator between the UE and the core network. This intermediary handles the complex tasks of policy determination, TA List allocation, and mobility management, allowing the UE to operate simply while achieving accurate network discovery and selection through the intermediary's intelligent processing.
2Measurement precision
If the UE frequently updates mobility policies when moving between TAs, then the network selection accuracy improves, but the signaling overhead and network load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-determining which TAs are special TAs and pre-calculating the appropriate TA Lists before the UE actually moves to those areas. The MMF pre-allocates optimized TA Lists that include only necessary TAs, avoiding unnecessary policy updates. This preliminary preparation reduces signaling overhead while maintaining accurate network selection when the UE does move to special areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by updating mobility policies only when the UE enters special TAs (partial updates) rather than updating policies for every TA change (excessive updates). The system selectively triggers policy updates based on the specific conditions of entering special areas covered by multiple radio technologies, reducing unnecessary signaling while ensuring accurate network selection when needed.
3Measurement precision
If the network provides detailed mobility policies for all TAs, then the network selection precision improves, but the information management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing detailed mobility policies and TA Lists specifically for special TAs (local areas with multiple radio technologies) while using default simple policies for non-special TAs. The MMF identifies special TAs and allocates customized TA Lists only where needed, rather than managing complex information for all TAs uniformly. This localized approach improves network selection precision in critical areas without increasing overall information management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by providing detailed mobility information only for special TAs that require precise network selection, rather than providing comprehensive detailed policies for all TAs. The system selectively manages complex information only where necessary (in special areas covered by multiple radio technologies), reducing overall information management complexity while maintaining high selection precision where it matters most.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for improving Network Discovery and Selection suitable for a UE which is moving into a new TA, which comprises: receiving, by a MMF, a TAU request including the new TA from the UE; allocating, by the MMF, a new TA List according to the new TA in the TAU request; sending, by the MMF, the new TA List to the UE; sending, by the MMF, a TA information to a Mobility Policy Function, MPF, for updating mobility policy of the UE if the new TA is a special TA covered by different networks.