RRC Resume Signaling Without UE Context Fetch in Target gNBs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in managing UE context relocation during state transitions, particularly in scenarios where UEs move frequently or have minimal data to transmit, leading to network congestion and unnecessary context relocation.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism that allows UEs to resume connections in new gNBs without relocating the UE context, enabling communication through the gNB where the context is stored, and pre-populating potential target gNBs to speed up signaling transactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If UE context is relocated to target gNB during state transitions, then connection resume speed is improved, but network congestion increases and signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the UE context from the source gNB and keeps it at the target gNB where the UE is currently registered, rather than relocating it. This eliminates the need for context fetching and relocation signaling between gNBs, reducing network congestion while maintaining fast connection resume capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-storing the UE context at the target gNB before the UE actually needs to resume its connection. This is achieved through the suspend procedure where the source gNB provides the UE context to the target gNB in advance, so when the UE needs to resume, the context is already available locally without requiring real-time fetching.
2Ease of operation
If UE context is relocated to target gNB, then connection management is simplified, but signaling transactions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the context relocation step from the connection management process. Instead of relocating the UE context to the target gNB, the context is extracted and kept at the target gNB where it is needed, eliminating unnecessary signaling transactions between source and target gNBs.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE context is preliminarily transferred to the target gNB during the suspend procedure before the resume is needed. This preliminary action ensures that when the UE resumes its connection, the target gNB already has the context available locally, avoiding real-time signaling transactions and reducing latency.
3Quantity of substance
If UE context is maintained at source gNB, then network congestion is reduced, but connection resume requires additional context fetching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the target gNB as an intermediary that stores and manages the UE context locally. Instead of the UE directly fetching context from the source gNB or the source gNB relocating context to the target gNB, the target gNB acts as an intermediary that already has the context available, eliminating the need for additional context fetching operations.
Data Source
AI summary
According to certain embodiments, a target network node for communicating with a user equipment (UE) that was previously in communication with a source network node, comprises an interface operably coupled to processing circuitry. The interface is configured to receive a connection resume request from the user equipment, wherein the connection resume request comprises a resume identification associated with the source network node. The processing circuitry is configured to determine that the UE was previously in communication with the source network node. The interface is further configured to transmit the connection resume request to the source network node, receive a radio resource control (RRC) response from the source network node, and forward the RRC response to the UE.