Transport Policy Requesting Node Context Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current communication systems lack flexibility in assigning transport policies to sessions, limiting the efficient utilization of communication resources due to limited context awareness and granularity in policy requests.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a Transport Policy Requesting Node (TPRN) that dynamically adjusts transport policies based on context parameters, such as user location, application requirements, and network conditions, allowing for more precise and adaptive resource allocation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If transport policies are assigned with fixed granularity levels, then policy assignment is simple, but flexibility and adaptability to context parameters are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in policy assignmentVSAvoidcomplexity of policy request handling
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments transport policies into multiple granularity levels (first granularity level and second granularity level) that can be independently selected and combined. This allows the system to handle policy requests by dividing them into manageable components, each with specific context parameter requirements, thereby achieving flexibility without overwhelming complexity in the policy request handling mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic selection of granularity levels based on the specific transport policy being requested. The system can adaptively choose between different granularity levels (first or second) depending on the policy requirements, enabling flexible policy assignment while maintaining manageable system complexity through dynamic rather than static handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple granularity levels of transport policies are implemented, then context-dependent adaptability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontext-dependent policy adjustmentVSAvoidcomplexity of policy selection mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-defines multiple granularity levels of transport policies with their respective context parameter requirements before actual policy assignment occurs. This preliminary structuring of policy options allows the system to handle context-dependent adjustments more efficiently, as the granularity levels are already prepared and documented, reducing the complexity of real-time policy selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent manages system complexity by clearly defining the parameter changes between different granularity levels. The first granularity level uses a set of context parameters while the second granularity level uses a different set, making the transitions between levels predictable and manageable. This structured approach to parameter changes enables context-dependent adaptability without creating unmanageable complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If transport policies are dynamically adjusted based on context parameters, then resource utilization efficiency is improved, but processing time and response delay increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilization efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing time for policy adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by selectively adjusting only the necessary granularity level of transport policies based on the specific context parameters required for each policy type. Rather than always performing the most comprehensive policy adjustment, the system uses the appropriate level of granularity (first or second) based on actual needs, thereby improving resource utilization efficiency while minimizing processing time and response delay.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2204011B1Method and apparatus for improving the efficiency of resource utilisation in a communications system
Publication Date: 2018.05.30 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2204011B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2204011B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2204011B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for requesting a transport policy for a bearer of a session in a communications system (100) A transport policy requesting node (500) according to the invention comprises an event handling mechanism (505) adapted to detect a triggering event triggering the selection of a transport policy for the bearer of a service; a transport policy selection mechanism (525) adapted to select a transport policy and transmit a policy request indicative of the transport policy to a policy decision function, and a context information handling mechanism (515, 520) adapted to receive information relating to a context relevant to the service. The context information can be used as a trigger for the selection of a transport policy, and/or as a basis for the selection of a transport policy.