Suppressing SMSF Deregistration Messages During 5G to 4G Handovers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The frequent handovers between 5G and 4G networks result in increased signaling among core network nodes and instances of user equipment (UE) registration and authentication, leading to network performance degradation.
Innovation Solution
Implementing techniques that suppress deregistration and unsubscribe messages between the Small Message Service Function (SMSF) and the Unified Data Management (UDM) during handovers from 5G to 4G, allowing retention of SMSF session information in the Unified Data Repository (UDR).
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If handovers between 5G and 4G networks are supported, then network adaptability and service continuity are improved, but signaling burden and network performance degradation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and suppresses specific deregistration and unsubscribe messages between SMSF and UDM during handovers, removing only the redundant signaling elements while preserving the essential handover functionality. This selective extraction reduces signaling burden without compromising network adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a handover detection mechanism that identifies handover events before full deregistration procedures are executed. By detecting handovers preliminarily, the system can suppress subsequent redundant messages, reducing signaling burden while maintaining service continuity.
2Reliability
If frequent handovers are handled with full registration procedures, then network reliability is improved, but attach and response times increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by executing only necessary registration procedures during handovers while suppressing redundant deregistration and re-registration messages. This partial execution maintains sufficient network reliability for SMS delivery without incurring the full time cost of complete registration cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
By detecting handovers preliminarily and suppressing redundant messages in advance, the system avoids the time-consuming full registration procedures. The preliminary detection enables the network to maintain reliability while significantly reducing attach and response times during frequent handovers.
3Loss of information
If deregistration messages are sent during handovers, then network node information accuracy is improved, but messaging volume and signaling burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and identifies redundant deregistration messages that occur during handovers and suppresses them. By taking out only the unnecessary messages while preserving essential information flow, the system maintains information accuracy in critical nodes while reducing overall messaging volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary handover detection mechanism that mediates between the SMSF and UDM, preventing the transmission of redundant deregistration messages. This intermediary layer ensures that essential information is maintained while filtering out excessive messaging during handover events.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for optimizing messages in a telecommunications network are discussed herein. More particularly, an SMSF can be configured to refrain from sending deregistration and/or unsubscribe messages to a UDM in response to a handover from 5G to 4G, which can thereby reduce signaling in the network. Further, because of the suppressed messages, the network maintains SMSF session information, which indicates the delivery location for a SMS message. However, when a SMSC receives a SMS addressed to the UE, the HSS may query a UDR for SMSF session information, SMSF registration status, and/or AMF registration status. The HSS may determine a location for the SMS based on the active location of the UE, as determined by the AMF registration status. Thus, the techniques discussed herein represent network optimizations while allowing SMS messages to be correctly routed in a network.