Roaming UE Management via Geolocation-Triggered PLMN Search
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies cause delays in transferring cellular user equipment (UE) from non-terrestrial to terrestrial base stations, leading to inefficient use of network resources and increased battery consumption due to unnecessary attachments to non-terrestrial base stations when terrestrial coverage becomes available.
Innovation Solution
A terrestrial coverage heat map is generated by the mobile operator, which is shared with non-terrestrial base stations to track UE location and trigger a PLMN search when terrestrial coverage is available, allowing the UE to attach to a higher priority PLMN.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a roaming UE attached to a non-terrestrial base station remains in connected mode indefinitely, then the UE maintains continuous connectivity, but the UE delays transferring to a terrestrial base station even when terrestrial coverage becomes available
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the non-terrestrial base station continuously monitors UE location and cross-references it with terrestrial coverage heat map data. When the UE enters a geographic area with available terrestrial coverage, the system triggers a PLMN search to initiate transfer to a higher priority terrestrial PLMN, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining connectivity and enabling timely transfer.
2Reliability
If the UE attaches to a non-terrestrial base station when terrestrial coverage is available, then the UE ensures connectivity, but non-terrestrial network resources are consumed unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-generating and maintaining terrestrial coverage heat maps that predict where terrestrial coverage is available. The non-terrestrial base station proactively checks the UE's location against these heat maps before allowing attachment, and triggers PLMN searches in advance when terrestrial coverage is detected, preventing unnecessary non-terrestrial resource consumption while ensuring connectivity is maintained.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the UE remains attached to a non-terrestrial base station, then the UE maintains active PDU sessions, but battery consumption increases due to unnecessary attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from location tracking and terrestrial coverage heat map monitoring to dynamically control UE attachment behavior. When the UE is detected to be in an area with terrestrial coverage, the system triggers a PLMN search that leads to attachment to the lower-power terrestrial network, reducing battery consumption while maintaining PDU session continuity through proper handover procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for roaming user equipment (UE) management services for wireless communications networks are provided. In some embodiments, a roaming UE may be triggered to initiate a PLMN search based on leveraging geolocation based technology that determines when a roaming UE presently attached to a base station has entered a geographical area where coverage from a terrestrial base station may be available. The base station may track the location of the roaming UE, and correlate the location of the roaming UE to a coverage bin of the terrestrial coverage heat map. If the roaming UE is located within a coverage bin that is flagged as having terrestrial coverage available, the base station may perform one or more operations to trigger the UE to proceed to initiate a PLMN search, and perform an attach procedure to a base station having an identified higher priority PLMN.