Terminal Capability Storage in 5G Policy Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G networks, when a terminal moves, the change in policy control network elements leads to inefficiencies as new elements cannot obtain capability information from the original ones due to the lack of interfaces between different policy control network elements within the same public land mobile network, resulting in reduced communication efficiency and resource wastage.

Innovation Solution

A method where a data management network element receives capability information from a second policy control network element and stores it, allowing the current serving policy control network element to retrieve this information efficiently, thereby improving communication efficiency and saving resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a new policy control network element is selected to serve a mobile terminal, then the terminal can continue accessing the network, but the new element cannot obtain capability information from the original policy control network element due to lack of interfaces, resulting in resource wastage and reduced communication efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork access continuityVSAvoidresource wastage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a data management network element as an intermediary that stores capability information of terminals. When a terminal moves to a new policy control network element, the new element can query the data management network element to obtain the stored capability information, eliminating the need for direct interfaces between policy control network elements while ensuring information continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The data management network element stores capability information in advance when the terminal is initially served by a policy control network element. This preliminary storage action ensures that when the terminal moves to a different policy control network element, the information is already available, avoiding the need for redundant data collection and reducing resource wastage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the new policy control network element requests all policies from the terminal, then it can ensure complete policy information, but communication efficiency is reduced and resources are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolicy information completenessVSAvoidcommunication efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary capability information from the terminal and stores it in the data management network element. When the terminal moves, the new policy control network element retrieves only this specific capability information rather than requesting all policies, thereby maintaining policy information completeness while significantly improving communication efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The data management network element creates a copy of the terminal's capability information and stores it centrally. This copy can be efficiently replicated and distributed to any policy control network element that needs to serve the terminal, avoiding repeated requests for the same information and reducing overall network traffic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3860176B1Method, apparatus, and system for obtaining capability information of terminal
Publication Date: 2023.03.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3860176B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP3860176B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3860176B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

This application provides a method for obtaining capability information of a terminal, an apparatus, and a system. The method includes: A second policy control network element sends capability information of a terminal to a data management network element in advance for storage, so that a first policy control network element may obtain the capability information of the terminal from the data management network element. This improves communication efficiency and saves resources.