Network Slice-Specific Handover for Cellular Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current handover techniques in cellular networks, particularly in LTE Rel. 14, are inadequate for network slicing scenarios as they lack flexibility in supporting service-specific handover policies, leading to inefficient resource utilization and potential service interruptions during handovers.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a service/slice-specific indication mechanism during handover preparation, allowing the source cell to selectively support enhanced handover for specific services/slices based on resource availability and service characteristics, enabling flexible handover policies and efficient resource management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If make-before-break handover methods are used to reduce service interruption time, then service continuity is improved, but resource utilization efficiency deteriorates due to maintaining dual connections during handover
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating handover procedures across different network slices. Instead of uniformly applying make-before-break to all services, the system selectively enables enhanced handover only for specific slices requiring high service continuity, while using conventional handover for other slices. This slice-specific approach optimizes resource utilization by avoiding unnecessary dual connections for services that do not require them.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the handover process into slice-specific procedures. Each network slice can have its own handover policy configured independently, allowing the system to divide the overall handover mechanism into multiple specialized sub-procedures tailored to different service requirements, thereby improving both service continuity where needed and resource efficiency where not needed.
2Device complexity
If uniform handover policies are applied to all services, then system complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different service requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by introducing configurable handover parameters that can be dynamically adjusted per network slice. The system allows operators to configure different handover policies, interruption time requirements, and resource allocation parameters for each slice, enabling the handover mechanism to adapt its behavior based on specific service requirements while maintaining a unified underlying framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves universality by designing a multi-functional handover framework that can accommodate different handover policies for different services within a single system. The unified handover mechanism serves multiple functions: it supports both make-before-break and conventional handover methods, handles various service types with different continuity requirements, and provides a common configuration interface for diverse slice requirements.
3Loss of time
If enhanced handover is provided for all services, then service interruption is minimized, but resource allocation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by providing enhanced handover resources only to the extent necessary for each specific network slice. Instead of universally applying make-before-break with full dual connection resources to all services, the system selectively allocates enhanced handover capabilities only to slices that require minimal service interruption, while using standard handover procedures for other slices, thereby optimizing resource allocation efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for source cell to provide a service/slice indication to the target cell in the handover preparation. The source cell provides to a target cell a list of one or more service/slice specific indications for individual ones of one or more network slices in a request for enhanced handover from the source cell to the target cell in a handover preparation phase. The source cell receives from the target cell, indications in a handover request acknowledgement of one or more selected network slices to be handed over from the source cell to the target cell using enhanced handovers. Performs make-before-break handovers to hand over these selected network slices from the source cell to the target cell and performs normal handovers for the one or more other network slices.