Partial Network Slice Registration Across Tracking Areas

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing 5G network slicing technologies restrict user equipment (UE) to registration areas where all network slices must be available, leading to inefficient registration area assignments and limited access to partially rejected network slices.

Innovation Solution

Implementing partial network slice registration capabilities in UE and core network systems, allowing devices to request and receive information on network slice availability across tracking areas within a registration area, enabling registration and use of partially rejected slices in supported tracking areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the network requires all network slices to be available across the entire registration area, then network slice selection reliability is improved, but the registration area size is restricted and network slice utilization efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork slice selection reliabilityVSAvoidregistration area size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the network slice availability information by tracking area, allowing different network slices to be available in different tracking areas within the same registration area. The AMF provides granular slice availability information per tracking area rather than requiring uniform availability across the entire registration area, enabling UEs to access partially rejected slices in specific tracking areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by allowing network slice availability to vary by tracking area location. Each tracking area can have its own slice availability profile, and the AMF provides location-specific slice information to UEs based on their current tracking area, enabling optimized slice selection tailored to local network conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If the network provides granular network slice availability information per tracking area, then network slice utilization efficiency is improved, but message complexity and information overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork slice utilization efficiencyVSAvoidmessage complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the AMF pre-calculate and store network slice availability information for each tracking area in advance. When a UE requests registration or updates its location, the AMF can immediately provide the pre-computed slice availability information for the UE's current tracking area without requiring real-time computation, reducing message complexity while maintaining granular information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the network allows partial network slice registration, then network slice access flexibility is improved, but registration management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork slice access flexibilityVSAvoidregistration management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by making network slice registration status dynamic and tracking-area-dependent. A network slice can be in different states (accepted, rejected, or partially accepted) depending on the UE's current tracking area. The AMF dynamically updates slice availability information as UEs move between tracking areas, allowing flexible slice access without requiring complex manual registration management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250220616A1Locally rejected and locally allowed network slice messaging and device configuration

Publication Date: 2025.07.03 LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD

AI summary

A method includes sending, by a user equipment (UE), a registration request message to a mobile communication network, the message including a core network capability indication that the UE supports partial registration of at least one network slice that is not available within all of the tracking areas in a registration area. The method includes, receiving, from the mobile communication network, a mobility management message having parameters for (i) one or more allowed network slices supported by each tracking area of the registration area, and (ii) a partial network slice registration identifying at least one local network slice that is supported in at least one, but not supported within all of the tracking areas. The method includes configuring the UE to use the local network slice of the partial network slice registration when the UE is located in the tracking area supporting the local network slice.