Subscriber Trace Buffering for Complete Data Collection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile and wireless telecommunication systems, such as 5G and LTE, face inefficiencies in subscriber tracing due to incomplete data collection, particularly in the initial phase of network acquisition, leading to missing crucial trace data for troubleshooting and increased bandwidth and storage consumption.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an apparatus with a processor and memory configured to buffer information prior to trace activation, allowing for complete trace data collection by correlating buffered and real-time trace information, thereby providing comprehensive troubleshooting data without the need for extensive cell-wide tracing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If cell-wide tracing is performed to ensure complete trace data collection, then trace data completeness is improved, but bandwidth consumption and storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrace data completenessVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the tracing function into two parts: (1) buffering of essential trace information at the access node before trace activation, and (2) selective forwarding of buffered data when tracing is activated. This segmentation allows complete subscriber-specific trace data to be collected without requiring continuous cell-wide tracing, thereby reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining data completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary buffering of trace-relevant information (such as radio resource control messages, system information, and measurement reports) at the access node before the trace activation command is received. This preliminary action ensures that when tracing is activated, all necessary data is already available locally, eliminating the need for retrospective data collection and reducing the bandwidth required for real-time trace data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If cell-wide tracing is performed to ensure complete trace data collection, then trace data completeness is improved, but storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrace data completenessVSAvoidstorage requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the storage function by maintaining buffers only at the access node for subscriber-specific information rather than storing all cell-wide trace data. This segmentation reduces storage requirements by focusing only on relevant subscriber data while still enabling complete trace analysis when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The access node performs preliminary buffering of trace-critical information such as radio resource control messages, system information blocks, and measurement reports. This preliminary storage action ensures that when a subscriber trace is activated, all necessary data is already available in the buffer, eliminating the need for extensive storage of historical cell-wide tracing data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Quantity of substance

If trace activation occurs after network acquisition to reduce data collection overhead, then resource consumption is reduced, but trace data completeness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata collection overheadVSAvoidtrace data completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary buffering of trace-relevant information at the access node before the trace activation command is received. This includes buffering radio resource control messages, system information, and measurement reports that occur during the network acquisition phase. By performing this preliminary action, the system can activate tracing later without losing early-phase trace data, thus maintaining completeness while reducing overall data collection overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Loss of information

If buffering of information is performed prior to trace activation, then trace data completeness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrace data completenessVSAvoidbuffering mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and buffers only the essential trace-relevant information (radio resource control messages, system information blocks, measurement reports) at the access node, rather than buffering all possible data. This selective extraction approach improves trace data completeness while minimizing the complexity of the buffering mechanism by focusing only on critical data elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4216598A1Buffering of layer three messages for subscriber tracing
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4216598A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4216598A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4216598A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for buffering of messages for more complete subscriber or user equipment tracing are provided. For example, a method can include buffering information needed for an individual trace prior to an activation opportunity of the individual trace. The method may also include providing the buffering information to a trace collection entity conditioned on the individual trace being activated.