Roaming Resource Prediction for Federated Network Slices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for handling 5G roaming subscribers in federated slicing fail to predict network slice resource requirements accurately, leading to potential overprovisioning or underutilization, and do not account for dynamic traffic patterns, resulting in service disruptions and inefficient resource allocation.

Innovation Solution

A method where a first node in the home network predicts the required network resources for roaming subscribers by analyzing historical and current data, including roaming patterns and OTT service usage, and provides indications to a second node in the visited network to optimize resource allocation, ensuring compliance with service agreements and reducing latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If roaming information is stored locally in the mobile device, then access speed is improved, but device complexity and memory requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroaming information access speedVSAvoiddevice structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a home location register (HLR) as an intermediary server that stores roaming information centrally. Instead of requiring each mobile device to maintain local roaming databases, the HLR acts as a mediator that provides roaming information on-demand to mobile devices and service control points, thereby improving device simplicity while maintaining fast access through centralized storage and retrieval mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If roaming information is stored locally in the mobile device, then roaming service availability is improved, but memory capacity requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroaming service availabilityVSAvoidmemory capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the roaming information storage function from the mobile device and relocates it to the home location register (HLR) server. The HLR stores comprehensive roaming information including visited location registers and service parameters, while mobile devices only maintain minimal identification data. This extraction ensures roaming service availability through centralized reliable storage while dramatically reducing memory requirements in mobile devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Loss of information

If comprehensive roaming information is stored centrally, then information completeness is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroaming information completenessVSAvoidsystem structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal home location register (HLR) system that serves multiple functions: storing roaming information for multiple mobile devices, managing visited location registers, providing authentication services, and coordinating with service control points. This multi-functional centralized system achieves information completeness through a single comprehensive repository while reducing overall system complexity by eliminating the need for each device to maintain separate roaming information databases

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3892020B1First node, second node and methods performed thereby for handling roaming information
Publication Date: 2026.04.29 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3892020B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3892020B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3892020B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method, performed by a first node (111) is described, the method being for handling roaming information. The first node (111) operates in a first communications network (101). The first node (111) determines (202) a set of network resources predicted to be required by a group of subscribers (151) while roaming in a second communications network (102), The first node (111) then initiates (203) providing an indication of the determined set of resources to a second node (112) in the second communications network (102). The second node (112) receives (301) the indication and determines (302) whether or not an allocation of the set of resources meets a criterion. The second node (112) then initiates (303) performing an operation based on the determination. A third node (113) determines (401) data regarding a roaming behavior of the group of subscribers (151) and provides (402) information based on the determined data, to the first node (111).