Random Access Method for Operator Mismatch Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

In shared wireless cellular networks, terminals often experience access failures due to compatibility issues when accessing base stations owned by non-home operators, leading to prolonged service unavailability and poor user experience.

Innovation Solution

A random access method where base stations indicate their operator through the order relationship of PLMN identities in system messages, allowing terminals to determine the operator and prevent futile retry attempts by stopping access when operators mismatch, thus improving access efficiency and user experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If terminals repeatedly attempt random access to a shared base station of a non-home operator, then the terminal persistence and access retry mechanism are maintained, but the terminal experiences prolonged service unavailability and poor user experience due to compatibility issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess success rateVSAvoidservice unavailability duration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal performs preliminary detection of operator identity information from the base station before attempting random access. By checking whether the base station belongs to the same operator in advance, the terminal can avoid futile repeated access attempts and identify compatible base stations proactively, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining access persistence and reducing service unavailability time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If base stations share infrastructure among multiple operators, then network coverage and resource utilization are improved, but compatibility issues arise causing access failures for terminals from different operators

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork resource utilizationVSAvoidoperator compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The base station broadcasts operator identity information locally in system messages, allowing terminals to identify and filter base stations according to their operator affiliation. This local identification mechanism enables terminals to adapt to the specific operator context of each base station, resolving the contradiction between resource sharing and operator compatibility by making compatibility information locally available at the point of access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If terminals perform multiple repeated access attempts to overcome access failures, then access persistence is maintained, but communication resources are wasted and access efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess persistenceVSAvoidaccess efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal uses feedback from detecting operator identity information to intelligently control access retry behavior. When the terminal detects that a base station belongs to a different operator, it stops retry attempts; when operators match, it continues access attempts. This feedback-driven adaptive retry mechanism resolves the contradiction between maintaining access persistence and improving access efficiency by making retry decisions based on actual operator compatibility feedback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4009729B1Random access method and apparatus, and method and apparatus for sending PLMN identity
Publication Date: 2024.07.17 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP4009729B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4009729B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP4009729B1 patent drawingFigure 7

AI summary

A random access method for a terminal includes: receiving a system message broadcasted by a target base station and initiating random access to the target base station; in response to a failure of the random access, determining a first operator to which the target base station belongs based on a first PLMN identity in the plurality of PLMN identities; and in response to a second operator, to which the terminal belongs, being different from the first operator, stopping a random access retry to the target base station and initiating random access to another base station different from the target base station. The system message includes a plurality of public land mobile network (PLMN) identities with an order relationship.