UE Autonomous Mobility Mode for Signaling Overhead Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication networks face high signaling overhead and power consumption due to infrequent small data transfers in Machine Type Communication (MTC) devices and smartphones, particularly in scenarios where traffic bursts occur at varying intervals, leading to increased state transition signaling.

Innovation Solution

Implementing User Equipment (UE) controlled mobility mode, where the UE transitions into a UE controlled mobility mode based on predefined triggers like timers or explicit signaling, allowing the UE to autonomously manage its mobility and maintain context information, reducing signaling overhead by optimizing paging procedures and eliminating unnecessary connection setup processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If traditional network-controlled mobility procedures are used, then connection management is reliable, but signaling overhead and power consumption increase due to frequent state transitions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The UE autonomously performs mobility functions (cell selection, reselection, and connection management) without requiring continuous network control signaling. The UE maintains RRC connected state and independently manages its mobility behavior, thereby eliminating the need for frequent network-UE signaling exchanges and reducing power consumption associated with state transitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The UE is pre-configured with mobility parameters and thresholds by the network before autonomous mobility begins. This preliminary configuration allows the UE to autonomously make mobility decisions without real-time network intervention, reducing subsequent signaling overhead while maintaining reliable connection management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If UE autonomously manages mobility, then signaling overhead is reduced, but network synchronization and context management become more challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignaling overheadVSAvoidnetwork synchronization

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The UE provides periodic feedback to the network about its mobility state, current cell information, and connection status. This feedback mechanism allows the network to maintain synchronization with the UE's autonomous mobility actions without requiring frequent control signaling, thereby resolving the synchronization challenge while keeping signaling overhead low.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The network pre-configures the UE with mobility parameters, measurement thresholds, and behavior rules before autonomous mobility begins. This preliminary configuration ensures that the UE's autonomous actions align with network expectations, maintaining synchronization without continuous network intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If frequent state transitions occur for small data transfers, then data transmission is reliable, but signaling overhead increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidstate transition signaling

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The UE maintains RRC connected state continuously during small data transfers instead of transitioning to idle state between transfers. This continuous connection state eliminates the need for repeated connection setup and state transition signaling, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining reliable data transmission through the persistent connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Reliability

If connection setup procedures are performed for each data transfer, then connection quality is maintained, but power consumption and latency increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection qualityVSAvoidconnection setup latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The UE maintains an active RRC connection during autonomous mobility operations, allowing data transfers to occur without repeated connection setup procedures. This continuous connection state preserves connection quality through ongoing network management while eliminating the latency and power consumption associated with repeated connection establishment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS10187860B2User equipment context handling with user equipment autonomous mobility

Publication Date: 2019.01.22 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

AI summary

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for UE context handling with UE autonomous mobility are provided. One method includes transitioning, by a user equipment associated with a network, into a user equipment controlled mobility mode based on a predefined trigger. The method may further include synchronizing with at least one network node serving the user equipment so that the at least one network node is informed of the transitioning of the user equipment into the user equipment controlled mobility mode. The evolved node B (eNB) may inform a core network node about the user equipment operational mode, and the core network node takes into account the user equipment operational mode during a following transaction with the user equipment.