Mobile Communication System Dedicated Network Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
User equipment (UE) compatible with 3GPP releases earlier than Release 10 cannot attach to a dedicated network using the Low Access Priority Indicator (LAPI), limiting network management and resource allocation for M2M-compatible devices.
Innovation Solution
A mobile communication system and method that acquires subscriber information from a subscriber server to determine dedicated network availability and sends selection instructions to network nodes, allowing UE to attach to a dedicated network regardless of LAPI support, using a first network node to forward attachment requests to a second network node which determines the dedicated network node for attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If LAPI is used to identify M2M-compatible UE, then dedicated network attachment is enabled for Release 10 and later UE, but UE compatible with releases earlier than Release 10 cannot attach to dedicated network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network-side intermediary mechanism (MME/SGW) that mediates between the UE's attachment request and the dedicated network. The MME determines whether to forward the attachment request to the dedicated network based on subscriber information, acting as an intermediary that enables dedicated network access for older UE releases without requiring LAPI support from the UE side.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from UE-based parameter (LAPI) to network-based parameter (subscriber information stored in HSS/AAA server). Instead of relying on the UE to indicate its M2M capability through LAPI, the network stores subscriber information that indicates dedicated network availability, and the MME uses this parameter to determine routing decisions.
2Ease of operation
If LAPI is set to RRC signal, then M2M-compatible UE can be identified and routed to dedicated network, but the mechanism is not backward compatible with releases earlier than Release 10
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the subscriber information acquisition and routing decision mechanism universal across different releases. The MME's function of acquiring subscriber information from HSS/AAA server and determining dedicated network routing is performed consistently in both Release 8/9 and Release 10+, making the mechanism applicable to all UE releases without requiring release-specific features.
3Reliability
If dedicated network nodes are installed for M2M-compatible UE, then network resources can be optimized and congestion eliminated, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into dedicated network nodes for M2M traffic and ordinary network nodes for general traffic. The MME is configured with information indicating which network nodes constitute the dedicated network, enabling segmentation of traffic paths while maintaining a relatively simple configuration mechanism through pre-stored subscriber information.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a mobile communication system, a network node, and a mobile communication method, which can cause user equipment of a particular type to attach to a dedicated network regardless of whether or not the user equipment supports a low access priority indicator (LAPI). An MME (60) acquires subscriber information on UE (10) from an HSS (70) based on an attachment request from the UE (10) forwarded by an eNB (50), the subscriber information including availability for the UE (10) to use the dedicated network, and sends the eNB (50) a selection instruction to select the dedicated network based on the acquired subscriber information. When the eNB (50) receives the selection instruction from the MME (60), the eNB (50) determines a dedicated MME (60D) constituting the dedicated network, and transmits the attachment request from the UE (10) to the determined dedicated MME (60D).