Service Flow Steering Across Radio Access Networks for QoE
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G networks, terminal devices simultaneously performing multiple services with differing quality of experience (QoE) requirements face challenges in finding a target radio access network device that can meet all QoE demands during handover, as existing methods struggle to steer traffic at a service granularity.
Innovation Solution
A service traffic steering method that connects individual service flows to target radio access network devices capable of meeting specific QoE requirements, allowing simultaneous connection to multiple devices to ensure diverse service type communication needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terminal device performs handover to meet QoE requirements of one service type, then QoE of that specific service type is improved, but QoE of other service types may deteriorate due to inability to maintain connections with original serving device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the terminal device's service flows into multiple independent flows, each associated with different service types. Each service flow can be independently steered to different radio access network devices based on its specific QoE requirements, allowing the terminal to maintain connections with multiple serving devices simultaneously for different services.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of service flow-level granularity for handover management, moving from traditional terminal-level handover to service flow-level steering. This allows traffic to be routed through different network paths and access points based on service-specific requirements, adding flexibility to the network architecture.
2Reliability
If terminal device is handed over to target radio access network device to meet QoE requirements, then service quality for that device is improved, but device complexity increases due to difficulty in finding suitable target device for all services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a service flow steering function as an intermediary between the terminal device and radio access network devices. This intermediary entity manages the complex logic of selecting appropriate target devices for each service flow based on QoE requirements, relieving the terminal device of handover management complexity while maintaining service quality.
3Ease of operation
If single radio access network device serves all service flows, then device management is simplified, but ability to meet diverse QoE requirements of different service types deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different radio access network devices to different service flows based on their specific QoE requirements. Each service flow receives customized network resource allocation and access conditions tailored to its characteristics, such as latency-sensitive services receiving priority handling on specific devices while bandwidth-intensive services are routed to devices with higher capacity.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a service traffic steering method and an apparatus, to improve user experience. The method includes: A first network device determines at least one second terminal device, where first quality of experience corresponding to a first service flow of the second terminal device does not meet target quality of experience corresponding to the first service flow of the second terminal device. The first network device determines a target radio access network device, where the target radio access network device meets the target quality of experience corresponding to the first service flow of the at least one second terminal device. The first network device connects the first service flow of the at least one second terminal device to the target radio access network device.