Network Controller NAS Protocol Multi-RAT Interface Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication networks face challenges in connecting user equipment (UE) to a core network across different radio interfaces and managing state transitions effectively, especially with the increasing demand for high-speed data traffic and the integration of diverse radio access technologies.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to establish connections between UE and a core network using a network controller via the NAS protocol, allowing for configuration storage and seamless switching between different radio interfaces, such as cellular and Wi-Fi, through the implementation of a radio entity (RE) that manages both cellular and WLAN access points, enabling common radio connection management (CRCM) and evolved mobility management (EMM) state transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a UE connects to the core network through a first radio interface using a first radio protocol, then the connection is established with specific configuration information, but when the UE switches to a second radio interface using a second radio protocol, the connection management becomes complex and may lose the stored configuration information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a radio entity (RE) as an intermediary component within the network controller that mediates between multiple radio interfaces (cellular and WLAN) and the core network. The RE maintains a unified configuration information storage area that persists across radio interface switches, eliminating the complexity of managing separate configurations for each RAT while preserving multi-RAT access capability.
2Reliability
If the network controller manages state transitions for each radio interface separately, then each interface can be optimized independently, but the overall mobility management efficiency decreases and state synchronization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the state management functions for cellular and WLAN interfaces into a unified evolved mobility management (EMM) state machine within the radio entity. This single EMM state machine tracks the UE's connection state across all radio interfaces simultaneously, ensuring state synchronization and improving mobility management efficiency while maintaining connection stability through centralized control.
3Ease of operation
If configuration information is stored for each radio interface separately, then interface-specific optimizations can be applied, but memory usage increases and configuration retrieval becomes inefficient when switching interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal configuration information storage area within the radio entity that serves all radio interfaces (cellular and WLAN) through a single unified structure. This multi-functional storage mechanism allows the same configuration data to be reused across different RATs, reducing memory usage while enabling efficient configuration retrieval during interface transitions through a centralized access interface.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a network controller within a core network in a radio communication system, and a method for forming an interface with a terminal. In the network controller, if a terminal requests a predetermined radio node for a connection between the terminal and a core network through a first radio interface by a first radio protocol, a connection to the terminal by a NAS protocol is established and configuration information for the connection to the terminal is stored, and if the terminal requests the radio node for a connection between the terminal and the core network through a second radio interface by a second radio protocol, a connection to the terminal by the NAS protocol may be established using the configuration information.