RAN-UP Paging Method for Inactive State Data Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 5G technology faces challenges in achieving efficient state transitions and data management for user equipment (UE) in inactive states, particularly in maintaining low power consumption and supporting diverse terminal and service requirements, while ensuring timely data delivery and flexible deployment architectures.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves a paging method and architecture where the RAN-UP entity receives data packets from the core network, transmits them to the RAN-CP entity through specific interfaces, and encapsulates service identification information for efficient data transmission and state management, allowing UE to maintain or transition between inactive and active states based on indication messages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If UE maintains inactive state to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but data delivery timeliness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddata delivery timeliness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The network side performs preliminary actions by establishing a bearer connection between RAN-CP and core network before UE enters inactive state, and pre-configures downlink data forwarding paths. When data arrives during inactive state, the RAN-UP can immediately forward it through the pre-established RAN-CP connection, avoiding state transition delays and ensuring timely data delivery while UE remains in low-power inactive state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If RAN control plane and user plane are separated into different anchor points, then deployment flexibility is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the RAN into separate control plane (RAN-CP) and user plane (RAN-UP) functions with independent anchor points. RAN-CP handles control signaling and maintains bearer connections with core network, while RAN-UP handles user data transmission. This segmentation enables flexible independent deployment of control and user plane functions, allowing gradual migration and diverse deployment scenarios without requiring monolithic architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The RAN-CP entity acts as an intermediary between the separated RAN-UP and core network control plane. It receives control messages from core network, manages bearer connections, and coordinates with RAN-UP for data forwarding during inactive states. This intermediary role simplifies the interaction between separated components and maintains system manageability despite architectural separation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of time

If UE transitions to active state for data transmission, then data delivery timeliness is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestate transition timeVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3477975B1Paging method, ran-up entity, ran-CP entity, and ue

Publication Date: 2021.05.12 ZTE CORP

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AI summary

Provided are a paging method, a residential access network user plane (RAN-UP) entity, a residential access network control plane (RAN-CP) entity and a user equipment (UE). The method includes that the RAN-UP entity receives a data package transmitted from a core network and transmits to the RAN-CP entity. The RAN-CP entity encapsulates the data packet in a paging message and transmits the paging message to UE. The paging message carries a first indication message for indicating the UE to maintain in an inactive state when receiving the paging message, and extract the data packet from the paging message. In another aspect, the RAN-UP entity receives the data package transmitted from the core network and transmits a data packet arrival indication or a paging indication to the RAN-CP entity. The RAN-CP entity encapsulates the paging message and transmits the paging message to the UE. The paging message carries a second indication message for indicating the UR to emigrate from the inactive state and enter into an active state, and receive the data packet transmitted by the RAN-UP entity when receiving the paging message.