User Equipment Detach Indication for Network Congestion Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face network congestion issues due to UEs being unable to detach from the network effectively, leading to maintained context information and wasted paging resources when UEs are not registered or have detached locally, causing congestion and inefficient resource usage.

Innovation Solution

A method allowing UEs to transmit a detach indication to the network entity when in the ATTEMPTING TO UPDATE state and with a running T3246 timer, enabling the UE to locally detach and remove its context information, thus reducing network congestion by preventing unnecessary context maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the network entity maintains context information of the UE after local detach, then the UE can be paged for mobile terminated operations, but paging resources are wasted and network congestion increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemobile terminated operation deliveryVSAvoidnetwork resource efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The network entity sends an area update reject message with an indication (N1 bit set) before the UE actually detaches, preliminarily informing the UE that detach is not allowed. This prevents the UE from performing local detach and maintains context information at the network entity, ensuring reliable MT operation delivery while avoiding wasted paging resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The area update reject message provides feedback to the UE about the network's congestion state and detach policy. The N1 indication bit in the reject message feeds back the network's requirement to the UE, enabling the UE to adjust its detach behavior accordingly, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Use of energy by moving object

If the UE performs local detach without informing the network entity, then the UE can save resources, but the network entity continues to maintain context information leading to congestion

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE resource consumptionVSAvoidnetwork congestion
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The network entity provides feedback through the area update reject message with N1 indication, informing the UE that local detach should not be performed. This feedback mechanism ensures the UE understands the network's resource constraints and adjusts its behavior to avoid contributing to network congestion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The network entity preemptively sends the area update reject message with N1 indication to prevent the UE from performing local detach. This preliminary anti-action stops the harmful behavior (local detach that causes congestion) before it occurs, balancing UE resource savings with network health.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Productivity

If the network entity sends area update reject message with extended wait time indication, then congestion is managed, but the UE cannot detach even when needed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecongestion managementVSAvoidUE detach flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The detach control mechanism is segmented into two independent indicators: the extended wait time indication (T3246 timer) for congestion management, and the N1 indication bit for detach permission. This segmentation allows the network to independently control congestion timing while providing separate detach authorization, resolving the contradiction between congestion management and detach flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different quality attributes are applied to different aspects of the reject message: extended wait time controls the timing aspect for congestion management, while the N1 indication bit controls the permission aspect for detach flexibility. This local quality approach allows simultaneous optimization of both contradiction sides.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3684115B1Method for allowing user equipment to detach from network entity
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3684115B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3684115B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3684115B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A method for allowing a user equipment (UE) to detach from a network entity is provided. The method includes detecting that the UE is not registered with the network entity while the UE is in an area previously registered with the network entity. Further, the method includes sending a detach indication to the network entity to detach a service to the UE.