Mobile Terminal Dual Attachment via Shared Risk Group Diversity

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cellular networks, existing methods for increasing service availability through dual attachment of mobile terminals to multiple access points fail to ensure that the attachments do not share common risks, leading to potential connectivity losses due to shared resources.

Innovation Solution

A method where mobile terminals receive and compare Shared Risk Group (GRP) identifiers broadcast by access points to select a second attachment point that does not share the same risk factors as the first, ensuring diversity in resource usage and minimizing the impact of resource malfunctions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a mobile terminal makes dual attachment to two access points to increase service availability, then the service availability is improved, but the two attachments may share common risks through shared network resources (fibers, ducts, base stations) causing both connections to fail simultaneously

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidshared risk exposure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The network resources are segmented into distinct Shared Risk Groups (SRGs), where each SRG represents a set of resources that share a common risk factor. The terminal selects access points from different SRGs, effectively segmenting the risk exposure so that a failure in one SRG does not affect connections in other SRGs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by making the risk diversity property specific to each attachment connection. The terminal evaluates and selects access points based on their SRG membership, ensuring that each attachment has the quality attribute of risk independence from the other attachments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If a terminal uses two SIM cards for dual attachment to benefit from multiple services, then service versatility is improved, but the terminal has no visibility into network resource diversity and cannot ensure risk independence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice versatilityVSAvoidnetwork resource visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The network introduces an intermediary mechanism by broadcasting SRG identification information through system information blocks. This intermediary information layer allows the terminal to infer network resource diversity without directly observing the physical infrastructure, bridging the information gap between the terminal and network resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by providing the terminal with SRG identification information from which the terminal can deduce the diversity of network resources. This feedback loop enables the terminal to make informed attachment decisions based on risk diversity without requiring direct visibility into network infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the technician designs connections with independent physical infrastructures for wired terminal installations, then reliability is improved, but this method is not adaptable to cellular networks where attachment points change dynamically

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal performs self-service by autonomously selecting access points based on SRG information broadcast by the network. The terminal independently evaluates available access points and makes attachment decisions without requiring manual technician intervention, adapting dynamically to changing network conditions while maintaining risk diversity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamics by enabling the terminal to continuously monitor and adapt its attachments based on real-time SRG information from available access points. The attachment configuration is no longer static but dynamically adjusted as the terminal moves and as network conditions change, while always maintaining risk diversity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3777346B1Methods and devices for multiple attachment of a mobile terminal to access points in shared risk groups
Publication Date: 2023.10.04 ORANGE SA
  • EP3777346B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3777346B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3777346B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for multiple attachment of a mobile terminal (T1) to access points (S1, S5) of a plurality of access points (S1-S6) to at least one cellular network, said method being implemented by the terminal and comprising the following steps: reception of messages diffused by access points of the plurality of access points, comprising an identifier relating to the pertaining of a resource (OF1-OF3) used by the respective access point, called a GRP identifier, to a shared risk group; first attachment of the terminal to a first access point (S1) of the plurality of access points; and second attachment of the terminal to a second access point (S5) of the plurality of access points, selected according to the GRP identifier thereof and the GRP identifier of the first access point.