Reducing UE Capability Message Size in 5G Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of frequency bands supported by user equipment (UE) leads to larger information elements (IE) messages, causing resource inefficiencies and increased connection setup times, particularly in 5G communication networks, where not all band combinations are utilized, resulting in dropped combinations and segment-driven approaches that complicate network operations.
Innovation Solution
Transmitting a subset of capabilities supported by the UE and network resources, allowing for efficient provisioning of communication services by identifying and utilizing only supported frequency bands, thereby reducing message size and complexity during connection setups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the UE includes all supported band combinations in the IE message, then the network can utilize maximum device capabilities, but the message size increases causing resource inefficiencies and connection setup delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary band combination information from the complete UE capability set. The network requests specific band combinations it supports, and the UE responds only with matching combinations, rather than transmitting all possible band combinations. This extraction principle reduces message size while maintaining the ability to utilize supported capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The network performs preliminary action by broadcasting its supported band combinations before the UE responds with its capabilities. This allows the UE to pre-filter its response to include only relevant band combinations, reducing the information exchange required during connection setup and minimizing connection setup time.
2Reliability
If the IE message includes all band combinations to adhere to standards, then complete capability information is provided, but resource efficiency decreases due to unnecessary data transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the IE message content context-dependent. Instead of uniformly including all band combinations regardless of network support, the message includes only the locally relevant band combinations that match both UE capabilities and network support. This reduces power consumption while maintaining reliability for the specific connection scenario.
3Quantity of substance
If the segment-driven approach is used to reduce message size, then bandwidth efficiency improves, but device and network complexity increases during connection setup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by having the network initiate the capability exchange with a broadcast of its supported band combinations. This reverses the conventional model where the UE would broadcast all capabilities and the network would filter them. The inversion simplifies the UE's task to merely matching and responding, reducing device complexity while maintaining message size efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, transmitting a first message that identifies a first plurality of capabilities supported by the device, based on the transmitting of the first message, obtaining a second message from a user equipment that identifies a second plurality of capabilities supported by the user equipment, wherein the second plurality of capabilities is a subset of the first plurality of capabilities, and provisioning a first communication service to the user equipment in accordance with at least one capability included in the second plurality of capabilities. Other embodiments are disclosed.