Smart Paging in MME Pool for LTE Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing LTE network's paging mechanism is inefficient, consuming excessive radio resources due to the large paging areas used, which results in low hit rates and resource wastage, as it often sends paging requests to non-geographical neighboring Tracking Areas, leading to unresponsive UE locations.
Innovation Solution
A method that smartly pages UE by initially targeting neighboring eNodeBs/TAs if the UE is not found in the last accessed eNodeB/TA, and progressively expands the search area by determining adjacent Tracking Areas or eNodeBs that have not been previously paged, thereby optimizing the paging load and resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the paging area is expanded to include all eNodeBs in a Tracking Area or TA list, then the probability of paging the UE successfully increases, but the radio resources consumed increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the paging process into multiple stages: first paging only the last accessed eNodeB, then expanding to the entire TA only if necessary. This segmentation allows the system to achieve reliable paging while minimizing radio resource consumption by avoiding unnecessary broad-area paging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of paging area based on UE mobility characteristics. The MME determines whether to page in the last accessed TA or expand to the entire TA list based on real-time assessment of UE mobility behavior, making the paging strategy adaptive rather than static.
2Loss of energy
If the paging area is narrowed to only the last accessed eNodeB, then radio resources are saved, but the UE may not be found if it has moved to another area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary paging in the last accessed eNodeB before expanding to broader areas. This preliminary action allows the system to save radio resources when the UE is likely to be in the same location, while having a prepared fallback mechanism to expand the paging area if the initial attempt fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback from the paging response (or lack thereof) to dynamically adjust the paging strategy. If the UE responds in the last accessed eNodeB, the process stops and resources are saved. If no response is received, the system feedback triggers expansion to the entire TA list, ensuring reliability while optimizing resource usage.
3Area of stationary object
If the TA list is used for paging expansion, then the paging coverage is increased, but the paging efficiency decreases due to low hit rates in non-adjacent TAs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between adjacent TAs (higher priority) and non-adjacent TAs (lower priority) in the paging expansion process. The system preferentially pages adjacent TAs first, recognizing that UE is more likely to be in geographically neighboring areas, thereby improving paging efficiency while maintaining adequate coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides a method for paging User equipment (UE) smartly in MME pool, comprising: transmitting a paging request to a first eNodeB the UE last accessed; if the UE is not paged, transmitting the paging request to all eNodeBs belonging to a first Tracking Area (TA) to which the first eNodeB belongs; and if the UE is not paged, determining, in a Tracking Area list assigned to the UE, a first group of Tracking Areas (TAs) adjacent to the first Tracking Area, and transmitting the paging request to all eNodeBs belonging to the first group of Tracking Areas. This disclosure also provides an apparatus for paging User equipment (UE) smartly in MME pool. This may largely decrease the paging load and save the radio resources without perceivable paging quality degradation.