Network Slice Access Control via Dynamic Back-Off Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, existing congestion control methods based on mobility management entities often lead to rejected access requests from user equipment (UE), resulting in poor user service experience as UEs cannot access network services until a back-off period expires, causing inefficiencies and service disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method where network devices receive access requests from UEs, determine whether to reject them, and if so, send a rejection response with back-off condition information, allowing UEs to retry access after a specified time or event, ensuring network slice isolation and improved user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If congestion control is performed based on MME granularity by rejecting access requests, then network congestion is controlled, but user service experience deteriorates as UEs cannot access any network services during back-off period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network control at the network slice level rather than at the entire MME level. Each network slice can independently perform congestion control and admission management, allowing UEs to be rejected from specific congested slices while still permitting access to other non-congested slices. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling granular congestion control that preserves user service experience through alternative slice access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by implementing congestion control policies specific to each network slice based on its individual conditions. Different slices can have different congestion thresholds, back-off periods, and admission criteria tailored to their specific service requirements and current load states. This allows congested slices to be controlled locally without affecting the quality of service in other slices, thereby maintaining overall user service experience.
2Reliability
If UEs are rejected from network slice access during congestion, then network slice isolation is maintained, but service availability deteriorates as UEs cannot access alternative network services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling UEs to access multiple different network slices for different service types. When a UE is rejected from one congested slice, it can universally access other slices that are not congested, maintaining service availability. The network device supports multiple slice types (e.g., MBB, V2V, MTC, ICS, ITS) and can redirect UEs between slices based on congestion status, ensuring that service denial is avoided while maintaining slice isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The network device acts as an intermediary that mediates between congested network slices and UEs. When congestion is detected in a slice, the network device receives the access request, determines the congestion state, and either rejects the request or redirects the UE to an alternative slice. This intermediary function maintains slice isolation by preventing direct access to congested slices while preserving service availability through controlled redirection to alternative slices.
3Reliability
If back-off time period is enforced on rejected UEs, then network congestion is reduced, but access efficiency deteriorates as UEs must wait before retrying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the back-off period configurable and adaptable rather than fixed. The network device can dynamically adjust the back-off time period based on congestion severity, slice priority, and UE service requirements. For high-priority slices or less severe congestion, shorter back-off periods are applied, reducing access delay. For lower-priority slices or severe congestion, longer back-off periods maintain congestion reduction effectiveness. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between congestion control and access efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of back-off time period from a fixed value to a configurable parameter that can be adjusted based on network conditions and slice characteristics. Different network slices can have different back-off time parameters configured, allowing optimization of both congestion control and access efficiency for each slice type. This parameter flexibility enables the system to balance congestion reduction with minimal access delay by adjusting back-off durations according to actual network state.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications technologies, and provides an access control method. The access control method includes: receiving, by a network device, an access request message from user equipment UE; determining, by the network device based on the access request message, a network slice that the UE requests to access; and when the network device determines to reject an access request of the UE for accessing the network slice, returning, by the network device, a rejection response message to the UE, where the rejection response message includes back-off condition information, and the back-off condition information indicates a condition under which the UE requests again to access the network slice. The solution provided in embodiments may effectively resolve a network congestion problem and improve user service experience. The embodiments of the present invention further disclose a network device and user equipment.