Network Node Handover for Continuous Traffic Tracing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in maintaining continuous traffic tracing across different Radio Access Technologies (RATs) during handovers, leading to inefficiencies and disruptions in network performance, particularly for UE Fraction and Subscriber tracing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where network nodes in one RAT system send parameters to nodes in another RAT system to ensure seamless continuation of traffic tracing during handovers, using transparent containers like CTR-PDU or UETR-PDU to maintain tracing data integrity and priority across RAT systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traffic tracing is maintained during handover between different RAT systems, then tracing continuity is improved, but signaling complexity and data loss risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The source network node includes tracing parameters in the handover request message before the handover occurs, so that the target network node is pre-configured with the necessary tracing information. This preliminary action ensures tracing continuity without requiring additional signaling after handover, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and signaling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The handover request message acts as an intermediary carrier that transports tracing parameters from the source network node to the target network node. This intermediary mechanism enables seamless tracing handover without direct complex interaction between tracing systems of different RATs, reducing signaling complexity while maintaining tracing continuity.
2Loss of information
If tracing parameters are transferred during handover, then data loss is reduced, but message size and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential tracing parameters (such as trace activation status, trace ID, and tracing type) from the complete tracing context and includes them in the handover request message. This selective extraction minimizes message size while preventing critical tracing data loss, resolving the contradiction between information loss and message quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by including only the necessary tracing parameters in the handover message rather than the complete tracing context. This partial inclusion is sufficient to maintain tracing continuity while keeping the message size manageable, thus resolving the contradiction between preventing data loss and controlling message quantity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method in a first network node for handling traffic tracing of a user equipment. The first network node is comprised in a first Radio Access Technology, RAT, system. The first network node starts a handover procedure to handover the user equipment from the first RAT system to a second RAT system. The user equipment has an active traffic tracing ongoing in the first RAT system. The traffic tracing relates to tracing associated with communication between the user equipment and the first RAT system. The first network node sends a message to a second network node in the second RAT system. The message is sent directly to the second network node or via one or more intermediate network nodes. The message comprises one or more parameters relating to the ongoing traffic tracing of the user equipment. The parameters define when the traffic tracing is to continue in the second RAT system.