Network Slice Aware Handover in Non-Uniform Tracking Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing network slices, particularly in scenarios where network slices are non-uniformly supported across tracking areas, leading to service disruptions during handovers and increased signaling overhead due to unnecessary paging of cells that do not support the required slices.
Innovation Solution
The system obtains cell information about neighboring cells, identifies target cells that support the network slices used by user equipment, and triggers a redirection procedure to ensure seamless handovers and optimized paging by only involving cells that support the required network slices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If network slices are non-uniformly supported across tracking areas, then network flexibility and resource optimization are improved, but service continuity during handovers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gNB obtains cell information about neighboring cells before handover occurs, including details about network slice support in those cells. This preliminary gathering of information allows the system to proactively identify suitable target cells that support the required network slices, preventing service disruption before it happens rather than reacting after disruption occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where the gNB receives cell information from network management functions or neighboring gNBs about which cells support specific network slices. This feedback loop enables the gNB to make informed handover decisions by knowing the slice support capabilities of neighboring cells, ensuring continuous service while maintaining network flexibility.
2Reliability
If all neighboring cells are paged to ensure delivery, then message delivery reliability is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and filters only the relevant information about network slice support from the comprehensive cell information. Instead of paging all neighboring cells regardless of slice support, the system identifies and pages only those cells that actually support the required network slices, eliminating unnecessary signaling while maintaining reliable delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different paging strategies to different cells based on their local characteristics - specifically, whether they support the required network slices. Cells that support the slices are paged, while cells that don't support the slices are excluded from the paging procedure, optimizing the balance between delivery reliability and signaling overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an apparatus in a first network access node, the apparatus comprising means configured to perform: obtaining cell information comprising a list of network slices supported by at least one neighbour cell neighbouring a serving cell, wherein the network slices in the list are non-uniformly supported in a tracking area associated with the at least one neighbour cell. The means further configured to perform: identifying, using the obtained cell information, a target cell from the at least one neighbour cell that supports a network slice currently used by a user equipment, for performing a change from the serving cell to the target cell.