Shared Base Station Network Identification via Segmented User Codes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiocommunications infrastructure faces challenges in efficiently identifying and authenticating user terminals across multiple networks sharing a base station, particularly in low-population areas and professional mobile radiocommunications networks, due to limitations in the number of supported PLMNid identifiers, leading to increased infrastructure costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method that assigns a single network identifier to user terminals belonging to different organizations, allowing a shared base station to route user requests based on a unique identification code, which includes a first network identifier and a second user identification code, enabling pre-decoding to identify the host network and authenticate the user terminal, thereby reducing the number of necessary base stations and infrastructure costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple PLMNid identifiers are assigned to different organizations sharing a base station, then each organization can be uniquely identified and authenticated, but the number of base stations and infrastructure costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The user identification code is segmented into two distinct parts: a first network identifier code (common to all organizations sharing the base station) and a second user identification code (unique to each organization). This segmentation allows the system to maintain unique identification for authentication purposes while sharing the base station infrastructure, thereby reducing the number of base stations needed without compromising authentication accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple organizations simultaneously. By implementing a routing mechanism that can interpret and direct traffic for multiple different organization identifiers through a single base station, the system achieves universal service capability. This eliminates the need for separate base stations for each organization, reducing infrastructure complexity while maintaining reliable authentication for each organization.
2Device complexity
If a single network identifier is assigned to multiple organizations sharing a base station, then infrastructure costs are reduced, but the ability to uniquely identify and route user requests to the correct host network deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The user identification code is divided into two segments: the first network identifier code (shared among multiple organizations) and the second user identification code (unique to each organization). This segmentation preserves the necessary identification information for routing while allowing infrastructure sharing. The routing mechanism uses both segments to correctly identify and direct user requests to the appropriate host network, preventing loss of network identification information.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station acts as an intermediary that receives user requests containing the composite identification code and routes them to the correct host network. The base station's routing mechanism processes the second user identification code to determine the appropriate destination, thereby preserving network identification information and ensuring correct routing despite the shared infrastructure and single network identifier.
3Reliability
If multiple base stations are deployed to cover white areas with different organizations, then each organization has dedicated infrastructure, but the cost of installation and operation increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple organizations are merged into a single shared base station infrastructure in white areas. By combining the resources and capabilities of multiple organizations into one base station, the system achieves reliable network coverage without the need for each organization to deploy separate infrastructure. The merging is enabled by the composite identification code system that allows unique routing and authentication for each organization within the shared infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station is designed with universal functionality to serve multiple organizations simultaneously in white areas. The multi-functional design includes the ability to handle different organization identifiers, route traffic appropriately, and maintain authentication for each organization. This universality reduces the total quantity of infrastructure needed while ensuring reliable coverage for all participating organizations.
4Device complexity
If a base station supports a limited number of PLMNid identifiers, then device complexity is reduced, but the number of organizations that can share the same base station is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of assigning a unique PLMNid identifier to each organization (the traditional approach), the system inverts the approach by assigning a common first network identifier code to all organizations sharing a base station and using a second user identification code to differentiate organizations. This inversion allows the base station to support a larger number of organizations without increasing its complexity, as it only needs to manage one network identifier while using the second code for routing and authentication purposes.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention pertains to a method of identifying a radiocommunications network of host type of a user terminal (4a, 4b) from among at least two networks (1, 2) forming a radiocommunications infrastructure (20) comprising a base station (3) shared by the networks, and for each of said networks (1, 2) a network core (1A, 2A). The method (100) of the invention finds an interesting application in the field of professional radiocommunications networks.