5G UE Context Relocation at RAN Notification Area Edge

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G wireless communication systems, user equipment (UE) context retrieval failures occur frequently when crossing the radio access network (RAN) notification area (RNA) border, leading to increased latency, signaling overhead, and power consumption due to the need to establish a new RRC connection from scratch.

Innovation Solution

The method involves a target network node acquiring and providing assistance information to an anchor network node to determine whether context relocation is necessary, based on its location within the UE's configured RNA, thereby minimizing unnecessary relocation events and signaling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If UE context is relocated to anchor network node, then context retrieval reliability is improved, but signaling overhead and latency increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontext retrieval reliabilityVSAvoidlatency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The target network node performs preliminary determination of whether to relocate UE context based on RNA edge detection before actual context retrieval. This preliminary action filters out unnecessary relocation operations, reducing latency while maintaining reliability for cases where relocation is indeed needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanism where target network node provides assistance information about RNA configuration to anchor network node, enabling informed decision-making about context relocation. This feedback loop optimizes the balance between retrieval reliability and signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If UE context relocation is performed frequently, then context retrieval success rate is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontext retrieval success rateVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by detecting whether the target network node is specifically located at the RNA edge (a local condition) rather than uniformly treating all cases. This localized detection enables selective context relocation only when necessary, reducing overall signaling overhead while maintaining success rate for critical cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial action by relocating context only when the target node is at RNA edge, rather than performing complete relocation for all cases. This partial approach reduces excessive signaling overhead while maintaining adequate success rate for the subset of cases where relocation is needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If RNA coverage is expanded, then UE mobility flexibility is improved, but context retrieval complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveUE mobility flexibilityVSAvoidcontext retrieval complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the RNA into different regions (edge vs. interior) based on network node location. This segmentation enables simplified retrieval logic by applying different handling strategies for different segments, reducing overall complexity while maintaining flexibility for expanded RNA coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11716779B2User equipment context relocation at radio access network notification area edge

Publication Date: 2023.08.01 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

AI summary

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for user equipment context relocation at radio access network notification area edge are provided.