UE Group Context Management for 5G Signaling Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication networks face challenges in managing UE contexts and PDU session contexts, particularly in 5G networks with increased IoT device connectivity, leading to high network resource usage for storage and signaling.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of UE group contexts and shared PDU session contexts, where multiple UEs share a common context, allowing network functions to send a single control message for multiple UEs, reducing the need for individual messages and optimizing network resource usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If individual UE contexts and PDU session contexts are managed separately for each UE, then each UE receives dedicated service management, but network resource usage for storage and signaling increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice managementVSAvoidnetwork resource usage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple UE contexts and PDU session contexts into a shared group context. When multiple UEs share the same group ID, their contexts are consolidated into a single group context stored in the network, eliminating redundant storage of identical context data for each individual UE while maintaining the ability to manage services for each UE within the group.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The group context is designed to serve multiple UEs simultaneously. A single group context can be shared by multiple UEs with the same group ID, allowing the network to manage services for multiple UEs through one universal context structure, thereby reducing overall network resource consumption while maintaining individual service capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If control messages are sent individually to each UE for context management, then precise control is achieved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol precisionVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables control messages to be merged and sent to a group context instead of individual UE contexts. When multiple UEs share a group context, a single control message can update the shared context for all UEs in the group, significantly reducing signaling overhead while maintaining the ability to precisely control each UE's service through group-level management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If UE context information is stored in the MME, then faster bearer establishment is achieved, but storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebearer establishment speedVSAvoidstorage requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates context storage by creating a shared group context that serves multiple UEs. Instead of storing separate context data for each UE in the MME, the group context is stored once and shared by all UEs in the group, reducing total storage requirements while maintaining fast bearer establishment through local context availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4301047B1System and method for user equipment context and PDU session context management
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4301047B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4301047B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4301047B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided systems and methods for the grouping of UEs, such that UEs can share a UE group context or share a PDU session context or both. In this manner, network resource usage, with respect to UE context and PDU session context management, can be mitigated.