Network Node Handover with Slice Info

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Solution Overview

Problem

During intersystem handover in radio communication systems, if the target system does not support network slicing, it cannot select an appropriate network, leading to suboptimal network usage and deteriorated user experience due to mismatched network characteristics.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a mechanism where the source network node transmits network slice-related information to the target network node during handover, enabling the target node to select a core network that matches the traffic requirements of the user equipment based on the provided information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If intersystem handover is performed without transmitting network slice related information, then the handover procedure is simple and fast, but the target system cannot select an appropriate network leading to deteriorated quality of experience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality of experienceVSAvoidhandover message complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The source network node performs preliminary action by obtaining and including network slice related information in the handover request message before the handover is executed. This allows the target network node to have the necessary information in advance to make appropriate network selection, ensuring quality of experience without adding complex processing during the actual handover execution phase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The network slice related information acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the source and target systems. By transmitting this information through the handover message, the target system can understand the network slice requirements without needing to implement complex negotiation protocols, thus improving reliability while keeping the message structure relatively simple

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If network slice related information is transmitted during handover, then appropriate network can be selected maintaining quality of experience, but the handover message size and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork selection adaptabilityVSAvoidinformation transmission overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts only the essential network slice related information needed for network selection and includes it in the handover message. This selective extraction approach provides the target system with sufficient adaptability to choose the appropriate network while minimizing the information overhead, avoiding transmission of unnecessary data that would increase message size and processing burden

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11595870B2Network node, communication method, program, and recording medium

Publication Date: 2023.02.28 NEC CORP

AI summary

In order to prevent deterioration of QoE of a user in intersystem handover, an apparatus according to the present invention includes: an information obtaining unit configured to obtain network slice related information related to a network slice used by a terminal apparatus in a first radio communication system; and a first communication processing unit configured to transmit, to a second network node of a second radio communication system, a message for intersystem handover of the terminal apparatus from the first radio communication system to the second radio communication system, the message including the network slice related information.