Tunneling Entity for Handover Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communication systems face challenges in maintaining service continuity during handovers due to IP address changes, leading to potential service disruptions and increased costs from overloading in core networks.
Innovation Solution
A method is proposed that involves transmitting a PDU session creation request with a new IP address during handover, encapsulating packets with the existing IP address, and using a tunneling entity to maintain session continuity, allowing seamless handover without service disruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If IP address is changed during handover to target eNB, then handover can be completed, but service continuity is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tunneling entity as an intermediary between the UE and the network. This tunneling entity maintains a tunnel using the old IP address even after handover, allowing services to continue using the original IP address while the UE has obtained a new IP address from the target eNB. The tunneling entity acts as a mediator that bridges the old and new network paths, ensuring service continuity during the transition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by establishing a tunneling relationship before the old PDN connection is fully released. The tunneling entity is set up in advance to handle traffic that would otherwise be disrupted by the IP address change. This preliminary setup ensures that when the handover occurs, there is already a backup path in place to maintain service continuity.
2Reliability
If core network handles all handover traffic, then service continuity can be maintained, but core network becomes overloaded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the handover traffic handling by introducing a tunneling entity that separates the control plane (managed by the core network) from the user plane (handled by the tunneling entity). The tunneling entity takes over the user plane traffic for ongoing services, while the core network maintains only the control plane connections. This segmentation reduces the load on the core network while preserving service continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tunneling entity serves as an intermediary that offloads traffic handling from the core network. Instead of all handover traffic passing through the core network, the tunneling entity intercepts and manages the user plane traffic locally, reducing the burden on the core network infrastructure while maintaining service continuity for handover scenarios.
3Adaptability or versatility
If new PDN connection is established with target eNB, then new IP address is allocated, but existing service sessions are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The tunneling entity acts as an intermediary that allows the UE to adapt to the new network environment (obtaining new IP address from target eNB) while simultaneously preserving the old service sessions. The tunneling entity maintains the old IP address routing through the new eNB, enabling the network to adapt to handover while services continue uninterrupted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where the tunneling connection is embedded within the existing PDN connection framework. The tunneling entity creates a nested communication path that operates alongside the standard PDN connection, allowing the new IP address allocation to coexist with the existing service sessions through layered networking.
Data Source
AI summary
One disclosure of the present specification provides a method for supporting service continuity after a terminal performs a handover. The method may comprise: a step of transmitting, when re-assigned from a source user plane (UP) functional node to a target UP functional node in accordance with performing a handover to a target base station, a PDU session creation request message to create a new PDU session with the target UP functional node; a step of receiving a PDU session creation response message including a newly allocated second IP address; a step of transmitting a tunneling request message including information on the newly allocated second IP address and information on a service flow requiring service continuity; and a step of encapsulating a packet, which has been generated with an existing first IP address by an upper layer of the terminal, with a new second IP address by a lower layer of the terminal and transmitting the encapsulated packet to the tunneling entity.