Network Protective State for Failed Attach Operations

Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G and future mobility networks, aggressive device behavior, such as repeated failed network attachment attempts, can lead to unnecessary spectral noise, power consumption, and network overload, degrading performance and potentially causing network crashes due to the large number of connected devices.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a prophylactic state that prevents subsequent network attachment attempts for a determined period after a specified number of failed attempts, with adjustable time periods and counts, and allowing return to default values based on device states or location changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If repeated network attach attempts are allowed, then device connectivity is maintained, but network overload and performance degradation occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice connectivityVSAvoidnetwork performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by implementing a protective state that proactively blocks subsequent network attach attempts after detecting a threshold number of failed attempts. This preventive measure stops aggressive device behavior before it can cause network overload, while still allowing devices to retry after the protective period expires, thus maintaining connectivity reliability without sacrificing network performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Reliability

If repeated network attach attempts are allowed, then device can reconnect, but spectral noise and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice reconnect capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic action by introducing a protective time period during which subsequent network attach attempts are blocked. This creates a rhythm of allowed attempts followed by a cooling-off period, reducing the frequency of attach requests and thereby decreasing spectral noise and power consumption while still preserving the device's ability to reconnect after the protective period expires

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If repeated network attach attempts are allowed, then device connectivity is maintained, but network overload occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice connectivityVSAvoidnetwork load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by implementing a protective state that proactively blocks subsequent network attach attempts after detecting a threshold number of failed attempts. This preventive measure stops aggressive device behavior before it can cause network overload, while still allowing devices to retry after the protective period expires, thus maintaining connectivity reliability without sacrificing network performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS10887824B2Protective response to failed network attach operations

Publication Date: 2021.01.05 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Technology to protect a network, e.g., a 5G/NGC network, including standalone RAN option 2 or option 4 network architectures, from aggressive device behavior is disclosed. A protective state can be entered in response to a criterion being determined to satisfy a rule related to failed network attachment attempts. While in the protective state, subsequent attach attempts can be prevented or blocked to reduce a burden on resources of the network, resources of a device attempting to attach to the network, etc. The protective state can be exited in response to another criterion being determined to satisfy another rule related to revoking the protective state. The other criterion can be related to time, location, device movement, an override signal, attachment to another network, a change in device power state, a change in device radio power state, etc.