Terminal Configuration Updates Without IMS Service Interruption

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G and future communications systems, the configuration update procedure for terminals with IMS-based services causes service interruptions due to signaling connection release procedures.

Innovation Solution

The mobility management network element suspends configuration updates for terminals with critical services, ensuring service continuity by determining the presence of target services and delaying updates until they are completed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the mobility management network element initiates a terminal configuration update procedure, then the configuration update is completed, but the service continuity is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration update accuracyVSAvoidservice continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mobility management network element performs preliminary detection to determine whether the terminal has IMS-based services before initiating the configuration update procedure. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare appropriate handling measures in advance, avoiding service interruption by delaying or modifying the configuration update when IMS services are detected.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the signaling connection release procedure is triggered, then the configuration update procedure is completed, but the IMS-based service is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration update efficiencyVSAvoidservice continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mobility management network element uses feedback from the terminal's service status information to control the configuration update process. When feedback indicates the presence of IMS-based services, the system adjusts its actions to maintain service continuity while still completing the configuration update, thereby resolving the contradiction between update efficiency and service reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3761710B1Method and device for updating configuration
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3761710B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3761710B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3761710B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides a configuration update method and apparatus. The method includes: if determining that a configuration of a terminal needs to be updated, first determining, by a mobility management network element, whether the terminal has a target service; and if determining that the terminal has the target service, sending, by the mobility management network element, a configuration update message to the terminal, and forgoing, by the mobility management network element, triggering a signaling connection release procedure. This helps avoid interrupting execution of the target service, because the signaling connection release procedure is not triggered.