Network Identifier Reservation for Seamless Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cellular wireless communication systems, handovers between different radio access networks (RANs) or frequency bands often result in network identifier changes for user equipment (UE), leading to excess network signaling and congestion as external entities may not recognize the new identifier, causing a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
The network reserves the UE's network identifier during an inter-RAN or inter-band handover instead of releasing it, allowing for reassignment upon successful handover, thereby maintaining continuous communication without the need for additional signaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the network releases the network identifier back into the pool of available identifiers upon tear-down of an active connection, then the network can efficiently manage and reuse network identifiers, but the UE may be assigned a different network identifier after handover, causing external entities to not recognize the UE and requiring additional signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs preliminary actions by reserving the network identifier before the handover is complete. When the network determines that a handover will occur, it proactively retains the identifier in a reserved state rather than immediately releasing it to the pool. This preliminary retention ensures that when the UE reestablishes the connection after handover, the same identifier can be reassigned, maintaining continuity and preventing the need for additional signaling to external entities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the network assigns a new network identifier from the pool after handover, then the UE can establish a fresh connection, but external entities may not recognize the UE, leading to excess network signaling and congestion
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding the network identifier into the general pool after connection tear-down, the network recovers and preserves it in a reserved state. This modified approach to identifier management allows the network to discard the identifier from active use temporarily while maintaining it in a protected reserved pool, ready for recovery and reassignment to the same UE after handover. This prevents the harmful effect of identifier changes that would otherwise cause signaling congestion.
3Reliability
If the network reserves the network identifier for reassignment after handover, then the UE maintains continuous communication without additional signaling, but the identifier is not available for other connections during the reservation period
Solution Approach 1:
The network introduces an intermediary reserved pool as a buffer between the active connection identifiers and the general available identifier pool. When an identifier needs to be reserved for handover continuity, it is moved to this intermediary reserved state rather than being completely removed from circulation. This intermediary mechanism allows the identifier to be temporarily unavailable for general allocation while ensuring its preservation for the specific UE that needs it, balancing reliability and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed to help keep a UE's network identifier available for reassignment to that UE even after that UE engages in a particular type of handover. In accordance with the method, a network may make a determination that a UE should engage in a particular type of handover. In response to making this determination, the network may terminate the UE's active connection. However, based on the particular type of handover in which the network determined that the UE should engage, the network may also reserve the network identifier assigned for the UE's active connection.