Terminal Resource Management for Non-Connectivity Service Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile network technologies lack a method for the network side to select a proper terminal to provide non-connectivity services, such as sensing and computation capabilities, due to the mobility and dynamic nature of terminals.

Innovation Solution

Introduce a resource management method where a first network function determines suitable terminals based on request information from a second network function, managing terminal resources and statuses to provide non-connectivity services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If terminals are allowed to provide non-connectivity services (sensing, computation), then network capability is enhanced, but the network lacks a method to select and manage terminal resources due to terminal mobility and dynamic nature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork capabilityVSAvoidresource management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a resource management function (RMF) as an intermediary between the second network function and terminals. The RMF maintains terminal resource information, handles selection based on service requirements, and manages the dynamic allocation of terminals to network functions, thereby resolving the complexity of managing mobile terminals directly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The resource management function performs preliminary actions by pre-collecting and maintaining terminal resource information, capabilities, and status before actual service requests occur. This allows the network to quickly select appropriate terminals when non-connectivity services are needed, without dealing with terminal mobility issues at the moment of service delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If terminals are dynamically selected based on service requirements, then service quality is improved, but signaling overhead increases due to terminal mobility and status updates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice qualityVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts terminal resource management and information maintenance functions from the second network function and places them in a dedicated resource management function. This separation reduces the signaling burden on the second network function while maintaining reliable terminal selection based on service requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Terminals autonomously report their resource capabilities, status, and availability to the resource management function without requiring continuous network-initiated queries. This self-service approach reduces signaling overhead while keeping the network informed of terminal states for reliable service delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4701159A1Resource management method, apparatus, and system
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4701159A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4701159A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4701159A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

This application is applicable to the field of terminal technologies, and provides a resource management method, apparatus, and system. The method includes: A first network function receives a first message from a second network function. The first message is used to request the first network function to determine a terminal that executes traffic. The first network function determines at least one first terminal based on the first message, to provide a non-connectivity service corresponding to the traffic. The first network function sends information about the at least one first terminal or a request acknowledgment result of the first message to the second network function. In the solutions, in the non-connectivity service, the terminal may also serve as a service provider to provide the service for a network. Therefore, in this application, the first network function manages and invokes the terminal, and maintains a relationship between the terminal and the second network function, so that when the terminal serves as an execution node and is invoked by the network to provide the service, a network side selects an appropriate terminal to perform a corresponding non-connectivity service.