NSAG-Aware Cell Reselection for Network Slice Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network slicing technologies do not effectively account for network slice group availability during radio resource management and cell reselection, leading to inefficient UE camping on cells that do not support high-priority network slices, resulting in unavailable services.
Innovation Solution
Modify system information to include serving cell NSAG availability for each NSAG-frequency pair, allowing UEs to prioritize frequencies based on NSAG priority information, and dynamically reassign serving frequency priorities when the highest priority NSAG is not supported.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UEs perform cell reselection based on traditional frequency priority without NSAG awareness, then cell reselection process is simple, but UEs may camp on cells that do not support required network slices
Solution Approach 1:
The network pre-configures NSAG-frequency priority information in system information blocks before UE performs cell reselection. This allows UEs to have advance knowledge of which frequencies support which network slices, enabling them to make informed camping decisions without complex real-time analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the network broadcasts NSAG availability information for different frequencies, and UEs use this feedback to adjust their frequency selection. The network can also dynamically update priority information based on slice deployment status, creating a closed-loop system that improves service availability
2Reliability
If UEs always measure and evaluate all available frequencies for cell reselection, then service availability is maximized, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of treating all frequencies equally, the system applies different measurement and evaluation strategies based on local conditions - specifically, the NSAG support status of each frequency. UEs prioritize measuring frequencies that support their required NSAGs, while reducing or skipping measurements on frequencies that do not support required slices, thereby conserving power without compromising service availability
Solution Approach 2:
The network provides preliminary information about which frequencies support which NSAGs through system information broadcasting. This allows UEs to pre-determine their measurement priorities based on their required network slices, avoiding unnecessary measurements on frequencies that cannot support their services
3Reliability
If the network broadcasts detailed NSAG availability information for all cells, then UE can make informed reselection decisions, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential NSAG-frequency priority information needed for cell reselection decisions and broadcasts it through efficient system information blocks. Rather than transmitting complete NSAG configuration data for all cells, the system extracts and communicates only the priority relationships that UEs need to make reselection decisions, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and circuitries are provided for network slice based prioritization. In one example a UE receives, from a serving cell, a non-access stratum (NAS) message indicating network slicing AS group (NSAG) priority information. The UE receives system information that indicates NSAG-frequency priority information including, for each of one or more NSAG-frequency pairs, a NSAG-frequency priority for the NSAG-frequency pair, which neighbor cells support the NSAG-frequency pair, and whether the serving cell supports the NSAG-frequency pair. The UE prioritizes frequencies based on the NSAG priority information and the NSAG-frequency priority information and performs radio resource management (RRM) measurements or cell reselection based on the prioritized frequencies.