Network Component Service Set Mapping for Handover Continuity

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Solution Overview

Problem

In mobile communication networks, determining the appropriate service set for service provision is challenging due to compatibility issues between different service instances, which can lead to service disruptions during handovers or registrations for mobility.

Innovation Solution

A mobile communication network component is designed with a determiner to map and select a compatible service set for service provision, using a database or repository function to ensure compatibility between service consumer and producer instances, and a transmitter to route service requests accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If service instances from different service sets are used, then service variety and flexibility are improved, but compatibility issues arise leading to service disruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice varietyVSAvoidservice continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a service set identifier mapping mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the service consumer and service producer. The mapping stores correspondence relationships between service set identifiers of different service sets, enabling the service consumer to correctly identify and select compatible service producer instances through the mapping information, thereby ensuring service continuity while supporting multiple service sets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes service set identifier mappings in advance before service requests are made. The mapping information is pre-configured to define compatibility relationships between different service sets, allowing the service consumer to quickly determine the appropriate service producer instance without real-time compatibility checking, thus preventing service disruptions while maintaining flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If service set selection is performed manually or without automation, then compatibility control is improved, but operation complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility assuranceVSAvoidservice request time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the service consumer to automatically determine the appropriate service set identifier for the service request by querying the pre-configured mapping information. The system performs self-service compatibility checking without requiring manual intervention, automatically selecting the correct service producer instance based on the mapping between service set identifiers, thus reducing both operation complexity and time consumption while ensuring compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple service sets are supported, then system versatility is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice set compatibilityVSAvoidmapping management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complexity of managing multiple service set compatibilities into a separate mapping structure. Instead of embedding complex compatibility logic within each service consumer or service producer instance, the system uses a dedicated service set identifier mapping that stores pre-defined compatibility relationships, thereby simplifying the core service components while still supporting multiple service sets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Speed

If service requests are routed without mapping information, then routing speed is improved, but service disruption risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverequest routing speedVSAvoidservice delivery reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs the compatibility determination action in advance by pre-configuring service set identifier mappings. When a service request is made, the service consumer can quickly query the pre-established mapping to immediately identify the correct service producer instance, avoiding real-time compatibility analysis while ensuring reliable service delivery through pre-validated compatibility relationships.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3720193B1Mobile communication network component and method for requesting a service
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 NTT DOCOMO INC
  • EP3720193B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3720193B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3720193B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to one embodiment, a mobile communication network component is described comprising a determiner configured to determine, for a first network function service set of a first network function, a second network function service set of a second network function to provide a service to a first network function service instance within the first network function service set and a transmitter configured to transmit a service request to the determined second network function service set.