Network Slice Handover Using Partially Allowed Slice Information

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in handling network slices that are partially allowed but not supported in certain tracking areas during registration, leading to inefficiencies in handover processes.

Innovation Solution

A method for a base station to receive path switch requests with identifiers of partially allowed network slices and determine handovers to supporting base stations, sending handover requests based on this information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a wireless device is registered with network slice identifiers that are partially allowed but not supported in certain tracking areas, then the device can be registered in the network, but handover failures occur when the device moves to base stations that do not support the required network slices

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover success rateVSAvoidhandover decision complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The base station receives advance information about partially allowed network slice identifiers from the path switch acknowledge message before handover is needed. This preliminary information is stored and used to make informed handover decisions, preventing handover failures before they occur by selecting only base stations that support the required network slices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the path switch acknowledge message containing network slice identifier information to improve future handover decisions. The base station continuously updates its knowledge about which base stations support which network slices based on this feedback, progressively improving handover success rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the base station performs thorough checks of network slice support before handover, then handover failures are reduced, but the signaling overhead and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork slice compatibilityVSAvoidhandover preparation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Network slice compatibility information is obtained in advance through the path switch acknowledge message during the path switch procedure. This preliminary acquisition of compatibility information eliminates the need for time-consuming checks at the moment of handover, reducing handover preparation time while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The base station autonomously maintains and updates its own knowledge base about network slice support capabilities of different base stations using information from path switch acknowledge messages. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional centralized coordination or complex real-time queries, reducing processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the system maintains detailed information about which base stations support which network slices, then handover decisions become more accurate, but the information storage and management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover decision accuracyVSAvoidinformation management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each base station autonomously builds and maintains its own knowledge about network slice support capabilities through information received in path switch acknowledge messages. This distributed self-service approach eliminates the need for a centralized information management system, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining accurate handover decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the essential network slice identifier information from path switch acknowledge messages that is needed for handover decisions, rather than managing complete and detailed capability profiles of all base stations. This selective extraction reduces information management complexity while preserving handover decision accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4643583B1Network slice mobility management
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP4643583B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4643583B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP4643583B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A first base station receives a path switch acknowledge message indicating a partially allowed network slice for a wireless device.