UE–ICN Request Correlation for Reliable Cellular Content Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ICN/CCN mechanisms in cellular networks fail to deliver content objects to user equipment (UE) when the UE moves between access nodes or transitions to an inactive state, as they do not maintain a permanent data connection, leading to inefficiencies and delays.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a correlation between UE identifiers and pending ICN requests in the cellular network, allowing access nodes to manage UE connection states based on pending requests, ensuring delivery of content objects by maintaining or releasing the UE's connection as necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If ICN mechanisms are implemented in cellular networks without maintaining permanent data connections, then network resource usage is optimized and energy consumption is reduced, but content object delivery fails when UE moves between access nodes or transitions to inactive state

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidcontent object delivery

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary correlation mechanism that links UE identifiers with pending ICN requests at the access node. This intermediary structure enables the network to track and manage UE connection states without maintaining permanent data connections, allowing reliable content delivery while UEs can transition to inactive states or move between access nodes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by establishing the correlation between UE identifiers and pending ICN requests before the UE actually needs the content object. This allows the access node to proactively manage connection states and prepare for potential UE movement or state transitions, ensuring content delivery reliability without continuous connection maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If UE connection is maintained to ensure content object delivery, then content delivery reliability is improved, but network resource usage increases and signaling delays occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent object deliveryVSAvoidnetwork resource usage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by maintaining UE connections only when necessary - specifically when there are pending ICN requests. The correlation mechanism allows the access node to selectively maintain connections for UEs with pending content requests while releasing connections for UEs without pending requests, optimizing network resource usage while ensuring content delivery reliability when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If UE connection is released to optimize network resources, then network resource usage is improved, but content object delivery fails and signaling delays increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork resource usageVSAvoidsignaling delays

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback through the correlation mechanism that continuously tracks the relationship between UE identifiers and pending ICN requests. This feedback system allows the access node to make informed decisions about connection maintenance or release based on the current state of pending requests, preventing premature connection releases that would cause content delivery failures or signaling delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If correlation mechanism is implemented to track UE identifiers with pending requests, then content object delivery reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent object deliveryVSAvoidaccess node complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing the correlation mechanism to serve multiple functions simultaneously: tracking pending ICN requests, managing UE connection states, and enabling informed decisions about connection maintenance or release. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate complex systems while improving content delivery reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4106300B1Correlation of user equipment identity to information centric networking request

Publication Date: 2025.07.16 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

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Figure 3A~3B
Figure 3C~3D

AI summary

An access node (620) of the cellular network stores a correlation of an identifier of a user equipment (610) with an Information Centric Networking request from the user equipment (610). Based on the correlation, the access node (620) controls a connection of the user equipment (610) with the cellular network. This may involve deciding whether to release the user equipment (610) to idle mode or paging of the user equipment (610). Such correlation may also be stored at an Information Centric Networking Node (670).