Parallel AS and NAS Signaling for Connection Setup

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Solution Overview

Problem

In mobile communication systems, particularly in E-UTRAN, the variation in message size and link quality during connection setup leads to difficulties in transmitting large messages, causing potential collisions and making it challenging to estimate suitable uplink quality for all users, which hampers reliable connection establishment and resource allocation.

Innovation Solution

Implementing rules in user equipment to determine if the uplink transmission grant is sufficient for parallel execution of connection setup messages, allowing single or separate transmissions based on grant size, and providing a fallback mechanism for reliable transmission, with network nodes autonomously determining grant sizes dynamically or statically based on cell and system parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If parallel execution of RRC Connection Request and NAS signaling is implemented, then connection setup speed is improved, but message transmission reliability deteriorates due to potential collisions and unresolved contention

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection setup speedVSAvoidmessage transmission reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the connection setup messages into two transmission phases: urgent small messages are transmitted immediately in parallel during random access, while large messages are transmitted separately after contention resolution. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both fast initial connection establishment and reliable delivery of large messages without collision issues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary transmission of small connection setup messages before contention resolution is complete. By sending these urgent messages in advance during the random access phase, the system achieves fast initial setup while planning for subsequent reliable transmission of large messages after contention is resolved.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If large messages are transmitted during connection establishment, then information completeness is improved, but transmission reliability deteriorates due to unresolved contention and difficult quality estimation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage information volumeVSAvoidtransmission reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides message transmission into two stages: small urgent messages are sent immediately in parallel, while large messages are transmitted separately after contention resolution. This ensures that critical connection setup information is delivered quickly, while comprehensive large messages are sent reliably after the channel is confirmed available.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary transmission of essential small messages before contention resolution, then follows up with large messages after contention is resolved. This preliminary action ensures that time-critical connection information is delivered without waiting for full contention resolution, while large messages are sent under confirmed reliable conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2811787B1Conditional parallel execution of access stratum (AS) and non-access stratum (NAS) signaling
Publication Date: 2017.04.26 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2811787B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP2811787B1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP2811787B1 patent drawingFigure 2a

AI summary

The present invention relates to methods and arrangements for facilitating an efficient connection setup. The present invention specifies rules for defining the signaling of connection setup messages from user equipments such as to apply one single transmission if an assigned uplink transmission grant for transmitting the connection setup messages is sufficiently large while applying separate transmissions if the size indicated in said uplink transmission grant is not sufficient. Thus, a sufficiently large grant allows a parallel execution of the connection setup messages.