Network Slice Support Verification in Base Station Handover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication methods in network slicing technologies face challenges in improving handover success probability due to the inability to determine whether a target base station supports the necessary network slice, especially when there is no communications interface between base stations.

Innovation Solution

A communication method where a source base station sends a handover request to a core network device, which responds with indication information about whether the target base station supports the network slice, allowing the source base station to determine handover feasibility and improve success probability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a base station performs handover without checking network slice support capability, then handover process is simple and fast, but handover success probability decreases due to inability to determine target base station compatibility

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

Solution Approach 1:

The core network device performs preliminary action by determining in advance whether the target base station supports the required network slice before the handover execution. This preliminary capability check is performed during the handover preparation phase, allowing the source base station to make informed handover decisions without executing complex real-time verification procedures during actual handover.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The core network device acts as an intermediary between the source base station and target base station. Instead of requiring direct communication or complex coordination between base stations, the core network device mediates the network slice capability verification process, providing the source base station with the necessary information about target base station support capability through standardized handover signaling messages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the source base station queries network slice support information from the core network device, then handover decision accuracy improves, but signaling overhead and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandover feasibility determination accuracyVSAvoidhandover preparation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The network slice capability verification is merged with the existing handover preparation procedure. The core network device incorporates the capability determination function into its existing handover processing logic, so that both the handover decision and the network slice support verification are performed in a single integrated process rather than as separate sequential operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The core network device performs multiple functions simultaneously during the handover preparation phase: it processes the handover request, determines network slice support capability, and prepares the handover response. This multi-functional approach allows the system to obtain accurate capability information without requiring additional separate query processes that would increase time overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4054238A1Communication method, access network device, and core network device
Publication Date: 2022.09.07 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4054238A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4054238A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4054238A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a communication method, an access network device, and a core network device. The method includes: sending, by a source base station, a first handover request to a core network device, where the first handover request is used to request to hand over a current session of a terminal from the source base station to any one of at least one base station, and the first handover request includes information about the at least one base station; and receiving, by the source base station, a first handover response message from the core network device, where the first handover response message includes indication information, and the indication information is used to indicate whether a first base station of the at least one base station supports a network slice corresponding to the current session of the terminal device. According to this application, a handover success probability can be improved.