Near-RT RIC xApp Paging Control for Tracking Area Traffic Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current paging mechanisms in 5G networks result in excessive air interface resource waste and delays due to the broadcasting of paging messages across entire tracking areas, leading to inefficiencies and potential record drops in the Distributed Unit (DU).
Innovation Solution
Establish an E2 connection between the GNB Central Unit Control Plane (GNB-CUCP) and a Near-Real Time (Near-RT) RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) hosting an xApp, which maintains a record of UE cell locations, allowing the GNB-CUCP to page the UE in a subset of cells within a tracking area based on this information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If paging messages are broadcast across entire tracking areas, then all UEs in the TA can be reached, but air interface resources are wasted and DU load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tracking area into multiple paging areas based on cell groups. Instead of paging all UEs across the entire tracking area, the system divides the TA into smaller paging areas (e.g., paging area 1, paging area 2, etc.) and pages UEs only in their specific paging area. This segmentation reduces the scope of paging messages from 256 cells to a subset of cells, thereby reducing air interface resource consumption while maintaining reliable delivery to the target UE.
2Reliability
If paging messages are sent in all cells of a tracking area, then no UE is missed, but delays occur and record drops happen in the DU
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring UEs with cell group information and paging area identifiers before paging is needed. When a UE enters idle mode, the network stores the UE's cell group information in the AMF and UDM. This preliminary storage of location information enables the network to quickly determine the appropriate paging area without having to scan all cells, thus reducing paging delays and preventing DU record drops while ensuring the UE is still reliably reached.
3Reliability
If the GNB pages a UE in 256 cells, then the UE is guaranteed to be reached, but the number of paging messages increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making paging messages targeted rather than universal. Each paging message is locally optimized for a specific paging area based on the UE's stored cell group information. Instead of sending identical paging messages to all 256 cells in the tracking area, the system sends paging messages only to the specific cells in the UE's assigned paging area. This reduces the quantity of paging messages from potentially 256 transmissions to a manageable subset, while maintaining the UE's reachability through precise local targeting.
Data Source
AI summary
An Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) communication system includes a GNB Central Unit Control Plane (GNB-CUCP) to establish a connection with a Near-RT RIC via an E2 interface; a User Equipment (UE); a plurality of cells in a Tracking Area (TA) of the GNB-CUCP; and an O-RAN Near-Real Time (Near-RT) RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) to host an xApp and initiate a subscription procedure with the UE. The GNB-CUCP sends cell location information of the UE to the Near-RT RIC upon a UE context release procedure, the Near-RT RIC creates and maintains a record of the cell location information received from the GNB-CUCP via the xApp, and the GNB-CUCP pages the UE in a subset of cells from the plurality of cells in the TA, the subset of cells corresponding to the record of cell location information created and maintained by via the xApp.