Control Plane Policy Communication via NAS Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in managing policy updates and signaling congestion due to static and changing network conditions, leading to increased control signaling overhead.
Innovation Solution
The use of Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages for communicating policy information and requests between User Equipment (UE) and the core network via control plane signaling, allowing for efficient management and updating of policies across network entities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If policies are frequently exchanged between UE and network to adapt to changing network conditions, then policy adaptability is improved, but control signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network pre-provisions multiple policy sets to the UE before they are needed. When network conditions change, the UE can immediately switch to a pre-received policy set without waiting for new policy exchanges, thereby adapting to changing conditions while minimizing signaling overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
Policies are divided into multiple discrete policy sets, each optimized for specific network conditions. The UE receives and stores these segmented policy sets, then selects the appropriate one based on current conditions, avoiding the need for frequent complete policy re-exchanges.
2Quantity of substance
If control signaling is reduced by storing static policies locally, then signaling overhead is reduced, but policy update responsiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The network proactively pushes updated policy sets to the UE in advance, storing them locally before they are needed. This preliminary action ensures that when updates are required, the UE already has the new policies available, achieving both reduced signaling overhead and fast update responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the network monitors UE policy usage and network conditions, then triggers targeted policy updates only when necessary. This feedback-driven approach maintains low signaling overhead while ensuring timely policy updates when actually needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques are described herein to communicate policy information and policy information requests between user equipments (UEs) and a core network using control plane signaling. In some examples, non-access stratum (NAS) messages may be used to communicate policy information requests from a UE to the core network. Similarly, NAS messages may be used to communicate up-to-date policy information from the core network to the UE. In some examples, the core network may include number of functions to manage the communication of policy information with the UE. In some examples where the UE is roaming away from its home network, the core network may engage in additional signaling to pass policy information to the UE.