Mobile Network Group Session Control for Large IoT Subscriber Sets
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to reduce signaling load and simplify subscriber management in mobile networks, particularly for large numbers of IoT devices with similar communication needs, as existing methods do not efficiently manage and control groups of user equipment.
Innovation Solution
Establishing a group session in a mobile network for subscribers associated with a group, where each group is identified by a unique group identifier, and network functions and policies are managed collectively for all members, reducing redundant signaling and management processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If individual connection sessions are established for each data connection in a mobile network, then each subscriber can have dedicated control and management, but the signaling load increases significantly especially when considering large numbers of IoT devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual connection sessions into a single group session that can serve multiple subscribers simultaneously. The network function establishes one group session identifier that is shared across multiple data connections, thereby reducing the number of individual signaling operations while maintaining the ability to manage each subscriber's traffic flows within the group context.
Solution Approach 2:
The group session identifier serves multiple functions: it identifies the group of subscribers, establishes a shared data connection context, and enables collective management of multiple data connections. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for separate individual session identifiers and management procedures for each subscriber in the group.
2Ease of operation
If individual connection sessions are established for each data connection, then dedicated management is possible, but the number of signaling operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual signaling operations for establishing and managing separate connection sessions are merged into a single group session establishment procedure. The network function processes one group session request that covers multiple subscribers, thereby reducing the total number of signaling operations while maintaining dedicated management capabilities through group-specific policies and controls.
3Ease of operation
If separate connection sessions are established for each subscriber, then individual control is maintained, but subscriber management becomes more complex especially for large groups
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines individual subscriber management into a unified group session framework. Each subscriber retains individual control through their own data connections and traffic flows, but these are managed collectively under a single group session identifier, simplifying the overall management architecture especially for large groups of IoT devices with similar communication needs.
4Ease of operation
If individual connection sessions are established for each data connection, then dedicated control is possible, but the control overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual control contexts into a single group session control context. The network function maintains one group session identifier that encapsulates the control state for multiple subscribers, thereby reducing control overhead while preserving dedicated control capabilities through group-level policy enforcement and individual traffic flow management within the group.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and apparatus for use in establishing a group session in a mobile network for subscribers associated with a group are described. In one illustrative example, an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity receives, from a user equipment (UE), a request for registration which includes network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI). The NSSAI includes a group identifier associated with a group of subscribers. The AMF entity sends, to a unified data management (UDM) entity, a request for subscriber data which includes the group identifier. The AMF entity receives, from the UDM, a response to the request for subscriber data which includes a plurality of subscriber identifiers corresponding to the subscribers of the group. For a group session, the AMF entity creates a context associated with the group identifier and stores the context locally.