UE Capability ID Mapping for Reduced Wireless Signaling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in managing UE capabilities due to the use of different capability IDs by UEs and networks, leading to unnecessary signaling and data size growth, particularly when manufacturer-assigned and network-specific IDs are not aligned.

Innovation Solution

A database manager entity in the wireless network is configured to receive a first capability ID from a UE, determine a subset of supported UE capabilities, and assign a second capability ID by the network operator, minimizing signaling by transmitting this subset and the associated ID to network nodes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the UE sends the complete set of UE capabilities to the wireless network, then the network becomes aware of all UE capabilities, but the data size and signaling overhead increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE capability information completenessVSAvoiddata size of UE capabilities
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The UE capabilities are segmented into two parts: a compact capability ID (first information) that identifies the capability set, and the actual capability details (second information) that are retrieved from the database. This segmentation allows the UE to transmit only the small capability ID rather than the entire capability set, dramatically reducing data size while preserving complete capability information through database lookup.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The network performs preliminary action by maintaining a database of UE capability profiles associated with capability IDs. When the UE sends its capability ID, the network can pre-retrieve the corresponding capability information from the database without waiting for the UE to transmit all capability details, thus reducing signaling overhead while ensuring complete capability awareness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the UE uses manufacturer-assigned capability ID, then the complete set of UE radio capabilities is defined, but the wireless network may not use all these capabilities leading to inefficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE capability coverageVSAvoidnetwork capability utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The solution applies local quality by allowing different parts of the capability management system to have different characteristics. The UE maintains its manufacturer-assigned capability ID that defines the complete capability set, while the network maintains a separate mapping in its database that associates this ID with the locally relevant subset of capabilities. This allows each entity to optimize for its specific needs while maintaining compatibility through the shared capability ID.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If the network uses network-specific capability ID, then the capabilities are optimized for the specific network, but the UE may have capabilities that are not relevant to this network

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork capability optimizationVSAvoidUE capability relevance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The capability ID serves as an intermediary that bridges the UE's manufacturer-assigned capability set and the network's locally optimized capability subset. The UE transmits the capability ID which acts as a key, allowing the network to retrieve the appropriate capability information from its database without the UE needing to know or transmit network-specific capability definitions. This intermediary mechanism enables both universal UE capability definition and network-specific optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4059245B1Method and apparatus for handling user equipment capabilities in a wireless network
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP4059245B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4059245B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4059245B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method for operating a database manager entity (130) in a wireless network (10) for handling capability information of a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising: receiving (510), from a network node (110), a first capability ID (51) identifying supported UE capabilities; - a set (52) of UE capabilities supported by the UE and the wireless network, which set forms a subset of a full (42,43) set of UE capabilities (41) supported by the UE; and - a second capability ID (53) associated with said set (52) of UE capabilities, based on the first capability ID, wherein the second capability ID (53) is assigned (PLMN_ID) by an operator of the wireless network; transmitting (520) the second capability ID and the set (52) of UE capabilities to the network node.