Public-to-NPN Handover Requests With Prechecked Access Identities
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of supporting efficient mobility of communications devices between public and non-public network parts in wireless communications networks, particularly in scenarios where access restrictions apply, leading to potential handover delays and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method for requesting a handover of a communications device that involves transmitting a handover request message with access permission identities, allowing preliminary access control checks by infrastructure equipment and the communications device, and optionally involving core network checks to reduce latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If core network involvement is included in the handover preparation phase, then access control reliability is improved, but handover latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The source infrastructure equipment performs preliminary access control checks using stored identity information before initiating the handover process. This preliminary action allows the system to validate access permissions in advance, reducing the need for core network involvement during the actual handover execution and thereby reducing handover latency while maintaining access control reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The handover process is segmented into distinct phases: a preparation phase where access control checks are performed by the source infrastructure equipment using stored identities, and an execution phase where the actual handover occurs. This segmentation allows access control validation to occur independently before core network involvement is required, reducing overall handover latency
2Reliability
If access control checks are performed by core network, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The source infrastructure equipment acts as an intermediary that performs preliminary access control validation using stored identity information before forwarding handover requests to the core network. This intermediary role allows security checks to occur at the edge of the network, reducing the burden on the core network and simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining security
Solution Approach 2:
The access control validation function is extracted from the core network and implemented locally at the source infrastructure equipment. This extraction allows security checks to be performed using stored identity information without requiring continuous core network involvement, reducing network complexity while maintaining security
Data Source
AI summary
A method of requesting a handover of a communications device in a source cell by a source infrastructure equipment in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network comprising the source infrastructure equipment and a non public network (NPN) portion comprising a target infrastructure equipment providing a wireless access interface in a target cell, the method comprising: transmitting by the source infrastructure equipment to the target infrastructure equipment, via an interface connecting the source infrastructure equipment and the target infrastructure equipment, a handover request message requesting the handover of the communications device, the handover request comprising an indication of one or more identities associated with non-public cells which the communications device is permitted to access.