Network Slice Feasibility Assessment for Roaming Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanisms fail to ensure service continuity and SLA compliance for roaming users across multiple networks due to interoperability issues, inadequate resource availability, and inappropriate allocation of network slices, leading to service quality maintenance problems.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that assess the target network's capability to accommodate a roaming user by negotiating SLAs based on user category, network slices, and services, configuring the network for seamless handover, and monitoring service continuity post-transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network slicing support is provided in roaming scenarios with slice-orchestrators exchanging SLA information, then service continuity is improved, but interoperability issues and security restrictions between source and target networks worsen the complexity of information sharing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network slice feasibility assessment mechanism that acts as an intermediary between source and target networks. The target network assesses its capability to accommodate roaming users by evaluating resource availability, network slice compatibility, and SLA compliance before allowing handover, thereby mediating the interoperability complexity while ensuring service continuity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary capability assessment and SLA verification before the actual handover process. The target network evaluates whether it can support the roaming user's network slice requirements in advance, preventing incompatible handovers and reducing interoperability issues during the roaming process
2Reliability
If network slicing is implemented to support roaming users, then service quality maintenance is improved, but resource availability and appropriate slice determination worsen due to insufficient resources in target network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic resource assessment where the target network evaluates its current resource availability and network slice capacity in real-time before accepting roaming users. This dynamic evaluation ensures that service quality is maintained by only admitting users when sufficient resources are available, rather than using static resource allocation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where the target network provides information about its resource availability and slice capability back to the source network. This feedback loop enables the source network to make informed decisions about handover requests, ensuring that users are only transferred to networks that can adequately support their service requirements
3Reliability
If SLA information is exchanged between slice-orchestrators in home and visited networks, then service continuity is improved, but the complexity of determining appropriate user class, service category, and slice matching worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the complex multi-dimensional slice matching problem into a simplified feasibility assessment by evaluating key parameters such as network slice compatibility, resource availability, and SLA compliance. This parameter-based approach converts the complex determination process into a structured evaluation that maintains service continuity while reducing complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for maintaining service continuity of a roaming user across multiple networks is disclosed. The method includes receiving a request for handover of the roaming user from a source network to a target network. The method includes assessing a capability of the target network to accommodate the roaming user arriving from the source network. The method includes performing a Service Level Agreement (SLA) fulfilment negotiation by the target network with the source network. The method further includes configuring the target network to facilitate the handover of the roaming user from the source network to the target network. The method includes transferring the roaming user from the source network to the target network along with the plurality of services. The method includes monitoring efficacy of the service continuity for the transferred roaming user after movement of the roaming user from the source network to the target network.