RRC Connection Suspension for Wireless Resource Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication systems face inefficiencies due to frequent establishment and release of connections, leading to significant system resource and control overheads, especially when handling 'bursty' or sporadic data traffic, which can result in high power consumption and inefficient use of resources.
Innovation Solution
The method involves suspending the Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection between a user equipment (UE) and a Radio Access Network (RAN), allowing the UE to store RRC connection data for later reactivation, enabling efficient power management and reduced signaling loads by maintaining connectivity without continuous resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If connections are frequently established and released to handle sporadic data traffic, then network resource allocation is optimized, but system control overhead and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The network pre-allocates resources and establishes connections before data traffic arrives, keeping connections in a suspended state rather than fully establishing and releasing them. This preliminary action reduces the overhead of frequent connection establishment while maintaining readiness for data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection state is made dynamic, allowing transitions between suspended and active states based on data traffic conditions. This dynamic state management enables the system to optimize between resource allocation efficiency and power consumption by adjusting connection status in real-time.
2Loss of time
If connections are maintained continuously to reduce signaling overhead, then connection reactivation is faster, but system resources are used inefficiently during idle periods
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining full connection resources continuously, the system applies partial action by keeping connections in a suspended state with minimal resource allocation. This allows faster reactivation compared to full connection release while consuming fewer resources during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection state parameters are changed from binary (established/released) to multi-state (suspended/active). This parameter change enables the system to optimize resource usage while maintaining quick reactivation capability by adjusting the connection state based on traffic conditions.
3Loss of energy
If RRC connections are suspended rather than released, then power consumption is reduced, but connection data must be stored and managed
Solution Approach 1:
The suspended connection state acts as an intermediary between full connection establishment and complete release. This intermediate state reduces power consumption while managing connection data more efficiently than maintaining full connections, serving as a mediator that balances energy savings with data management requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method, mobile device (101) and radio access network RAN (102) are disclosed for suspending and re-establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection. In some examples, the mobile device (101) indicates a preference to have the RRC connection either suspended or released. In other examples, RAN (102) sends to the mobile device (101) a connection suspend command message instructing the mobile device to suspend a RRC connection with the RAN (102). The mobile device (101), in response to the connection suspend command message, suspends the RRC connection. When the RRC connection is suspended the mobile device (101) cannot transmit or receive user plane data to the RAN (102) and performs functions the same as or similar to idle mode functions. On suspension, RRC connection information is stored and can be used to re-establish the suspended RRC connection. The RRC connection information can be stored at the UE and/or the RAN node or some other network element. In order to re-establish the RRC connection, the mobile device (101) in one example sends a connection re-establishment request message to the RAN (102) to have the suspended RRC connection re-established. The RAN node may need to attempt to retrieve the RRC connection data (either from memory or if from another network element if stored elsewhere / if the RRC connection was suspended by another RAN node) and verifies whether the RRC connection is valid. When verified, the mobile device (101) receives, in response to the connection re-establishment request message, a connection re-establishment command message from the RAN (102). In response to the connection re-establishment command message, the mobile device (101) re-establishes the RRC connection with the RAN (102), using the stored RRC connection information, and sends a connection re-establishment complete message to the RAN (102). The mobile device (101) and RAN (102) may then resume user plane data communication with each other.