Network Node Offloading Plan Exchange for Cost-Based UE Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current specifications do not support offloading plan exchange between network nodes before executing handover procedures in AI/ML energy saving and load balancing use cases in 5G networks, leading to inefficiencies in network performance and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism for offloading plan preparation and exchange is introduced between network nodes, allowing for the determination of cost metrics and predicted costs to identify the optimal node for user equipment offloading, optimizing energy efficiency and load balancing by minimizing costs or maximizing rewards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If offloading plan exchange is implemented between network nodes, then energy efficiency and load balancing are improved, but device complexity and system overhead increase due to additional cost metric calculations and inter-node signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs cost metric calculations and offloading plan exchanges before actual handover execution. Network nodes pre-calculate cost metrics for potential target nodes and exchange offloading plans in advance, allowing the network to identify optimal offloading opportunities before they are needed, thereby reducing real-time processing complexity and energy consumption during actual handover events
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cost metrics as an intermediary parameter that mediates the offloading decision-making process between source and target network nodes. These cost metrics serve as a standardized communication language that simplifies the complexity of inter-node signaling by reducing multiple performance parameters into a single comparable value that guides offloading decisions
2Measurement precision
If cost metrics are calculated for multiple network nodes, then offloading decisions are optimized, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent calculates cost metrics locally at each network node independently based on local resource availability and load conditions. Each node computes cost metrics for itself and exchanges these pre-calculated values with neighboring nodes, avoiding the need for centralized computation across all nodes simultaneously. This localizes the computational burden and reduces overall processing time while maintaining decision accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs cost metric calculations in advance before handover events occur. Network nodes pre-compute their cost metrics and make them available to neighboring nodes through signaling exchanges, so that when a handover event occurs, the source node can immediately query pre-calculated cost metrics from target nodes without performing time-consuming calculations in real-time
Data Source
AI summary
A method may include determining, by a first network node, a need for offloading at the first network node. A first request may be transmitted to a second network node for a cost metric associated with one or more user equipment connected to the first network node that is to be offloaded. The cost metric may be received along with a list of the one or more user equipment. A second request may be transmitted and the list of the one or more user equipment to a third network node for a predicted cost metric associated with the one or more user equipment in the list. The predicted cost metric may be received in response to the second request. Offloading of the one or more user equipment in the list may be offloaded to the second or third network node based on whichever node has the lowest cost metric.