Remote UE Category 99 for Relay Network Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3GPP standards lack a mechanism for User Equipment (UE) to notify the network whether it is directly attached or used as a remote UE in User Equipment-to-Network Relay scenarios, leading to misleading performance capability indications and inefficient communication.
Innovation Solution
Introducing a new UE Category type, such as '99', for remote UEs that indicate their operational mode, allowing them to notify the network when operating as a remote UE, thereby distinguishing between direct and indirect attachment scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the existing UE Category type is used for remote UEs, then the UE can directly attach to the network using standard mechanisms, but the UE Category type becomes misleading because it no longer accurately reflects the UE's performance capability when used as a remote UE
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new UE Category type (e.g., Category 99) specifically for remote UEs, changing the parameter space of UE Category types to accommodate different operational modes. This allows the network to distinguish between directly attached UEs and remote UEs, resolving the information loss problem while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the UE Category type space into different categories: existing categories for directly attached UEs and a new Category 99 for remote UEs. This segmentation allows each category to have its specific characteristics and performance parameters, eliminating the misleading information problem.
2Loss of information
If a new UE Category type is introduced for remote UEs, then the network can accurately identify remote UE operations, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The new UE Category type mechanism serves multiple functions: it identifies remote UE operations, enables proper network handling, and maintains backward compatibility with existing UE categories. By making the category system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate identification mechanisms, thereby limiting complexity increase.
3Device complexity
If the remote UE uses existing UE Category type for network communication, then the communication protocol remains simple, but the network cannot properly configure parameters for relayed communication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the remote UE indicate its relayed operation status in advance (e.g., in the initial attachment request or capability information). This early indication allows the network to prepare appropriate configuration parameters before the actual communication begins, ensuring reliable configuration without complicating the overall protocol.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device comprising: a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: determining that the device will be communicating as a remote user equipment (UE) with a wireless access point of a network via a relay UE, wherein the relay UE is configured to forward first communications from the device when the device is operating as the remote UE to the wireless access point, and wherein the relay UE is configured to forward second communications from the wireless access point to the device when the device is operating as the remote UE; creating a message indicative of the device operating as the remote UE, the message conforming to a communication protocol; and transmitting the message to the relay UE. Other embodiments are disclosed.