Session Management for URLLC High Mobility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication networks face limitations in providing ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) services, especially in high mobility scenarios due to insufficient bandwidth and lack of support for high mobility and low latency, which is critical for mission-critical applications.
Innovation Solution
The system employs session management and user plane gateway (UPGW) redundancy to maintain session continuity as a mobile device moves, utilizing multiple access nodes and UPGWs with redundant links to ensure seamless handover and low latency, while also implementing network address translation and quality of service management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple redundant UPGWs and access nodes are deployed to support high mobility and URLLC, then session continuity and reliability are improved, but device complexity and network infrastructure requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The network is segmented into multiple access nodes (ANs) and user plane gateways (UPGWs) that work in coordination. Each AN/UPGW pair handles specific user equipment (UE) segments, allowing localized session management while maintaining overall session continuity through the segmented architecture. This segmentation enables the system to maintain reliability without requiring a single complex centralized infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a session management function (SMF) and control plane gateway (CPGW) as intermediary elements that coordinate between multiple UPGWs and access nodes. These intermediaries manage session state information and facilitate seamless handovers, reducing the complexity burden on individual network elements while maintaining overall session continuity and reliability.
2Loss of time
If session management maintains consistent IP address and session state during handover, then latency is reduced, but control plane signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The session management function performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing session state information and IP address bindings before handover occurs. The SMF maintains session state in advance and prepares the target UPGW with necessary session information, enabling seamless handover without requiring extensive signaling during the actual handover event. This preliminary preparation significantly reduces handover latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements session state copying mechanisms where the session management function replicates essential session information to multiple UPGWs and access nodes. Instead of transferring large amounts of data during handover, the system maintains copies of session state information at relevant network elements, enabling rapid handover with minimal signaling overhead. The IP address binding information is copied and maintained across the network infrastructure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If network address translation is implemented at UPGWs to support multiple local data networks, then adaptability to different network configurations is improved, but processing complexity and latency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by applying network address translation (NAT) selectively at specific UPGWs based on their local network configurations. Each UPGW performs NAT only for the local data networks it serves, rather than all UPGWs performing NAT for all networks. This localized approach maintains adaptability to different network configurations while minimizing processing latency by avoiding redundant NAT operations at multiple network elements.
4Reliability
If multiple redundant transmission paths are established for URLLC, then reliability is improved, but bandwidth requirements and network resource consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic path selection where multiple redundant transmission paths are established, but the system dynamically selects which paths to activate based on current network conditions, user equipment location, and service requirements. The session management function can dynamically add or remove UPGWs from the session and switch between redundant paths without requiring all paths to be simultaneously active, thereby maintaining high reliability while optimizing bandwidth consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments provide for session continuity while a mobile device moves. In some embodiments the UE is served by a serving cluster including a plurality of ANs with redundant links, with each redundant link including a UPGW. This allows a session to be maintained (for example, the UE can maintain the same IP address) as it moves, even though the ANs (and the corresponding UPGWs may change as the UE moves). A session manager (SM) can be utilized to establish a session and configure UPGWs as needed. In some embodiments a branching point can be utilized. In some embodiments the SM configures the branching point.