PGW-C Presence Reporting Area Signaling Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 4G and 5G interoperable systems, the presence reporting area (PRA) is sent by both the Charging Function (CHF) and Policy Control Function (PCF) simultaneously, leading to duplicate transmissions and increased signaling overhead, which prolongs message transmission processes and does not guarantee successful interactions between network elements.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for sending PRA, where a first message is sent to the Mobility Management Entity (MME) with a reporting action to start the PRA, and a second message is sent when a subsequent PRA is identical, indicating an update, thereby ensuring timely, accurate, and reliable delivery of PRA, reducing signaling overheads and improving network performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If both CHF and PCF send PRA simultaneously, then PRA can be transmitted from multiple network elements, but duplicate transmissions occur and signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePRA transmission capabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the PRA transmission processes from CHF and PCF into a unified handling mechanism at PGW-C. By comparing PRA information from both network elements and consolidating duplicate transmissions, the system maintains the versatility of receiving PRA from multiple sources while eliminating redundant signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes duplicate PRA transmissions from the signaling process. By identifying when PRA information is identical across multiple sources and excluding redundant copies, the system reduces signaling overhead while preserving the essential PRA data from valid sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If PGW-C processes reporting action STOP and START, then message transmission is completed, but processing time increases and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage transmission reliabilityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-comparing PRA information from multiple network elements before sending to MME. The PGW-C identifies and handles duplicate PRA transmissions in advance, eliminating the need for subsequent STOP/START processing sequences and reducing overall processing time while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of duplicate PRA transmissions into a beneficial filtering mechanism. By using the duplicate comparisons to identify and remove redundant transmissions, the system transforms what was originally a source of processing delays into a mechanism for optimizing message transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Adaptability or versatility

If duplicate PRA transmissions occur, then PRA can be sent from multiple sources, but network performance consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePRA source diversityVSAvoidnetwork performance consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the PRA handling logic for multiple network elements into a single optimized processing path. By consolidating duplicate PRA transmissions and sending only unique PRA information to the MME, the system maintains the ability to receive from diverse sources while reducing network performance consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent discards duplicate PRA transmissions that provide no additional value, while recovering and utilizing the unique PRA information from valid sources. This selective filtering maintains network adaptability from multiple sources while minimizing unnecessary network performance consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS20250016723A1Method and device for sending presence reporting area, electronic equipment and storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.01.09 ZTE CORP

AI summary

Embodiments of the present application relate to a method and a device for sending a presence reporting area, an electronic equipment, and a storage medium. The method for sending a presence reporting area (PRA) includes: after receiving a first PRA sent by a first network element, sending a first message to a mobility management entity (MME) network element, where the first message carries the first PRA and a reporting action, and the reporting action is configured to instruct starting the PRA; and after receiving a second PRA sent by a second network element, sending a second message to the MME when the second PRA is the same as the first PRA, where the second message carries the second PRA and a reporting action, and the reporting action is configured to indicate updating the PRA.