UE Ping-Pong Detection Across AMFs Using Mobility Event Analytics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cellular network systems struggle to detect and manage user equipment (UE) ping ponging between different access and mobility management functions (AMFs), leading to unnecessary signaling overhead and inefficient network resource allocation.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a network data analytics function (NWDAF) to subscribe to events indicative of frequent UE mobility between AMFs, using event IDs to identify UE ping ponging behavior by monitoring short duration stays and threshold configurations, and notifying other network functions for corrective actions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the network monitors and detects UE ping ponging between different AMFs, then network resource allocation is optimized and signaling overhead is reduced, but the system complexity and detection mechanisms increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork resource allocation efficiencyVSAvoiddetection system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The NWDAF acts as an intermediary function that subscribes to mobility events from AMFs and analyzes UE behavior patterns. This mediator collects mobility data, detects ping ponging conditions based on configured thresholds, and triggers notifications to appropriate network functions, thereby centralizing the detection logic and reducing complexity at individual AMFs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the NWDAF continuously monitors mobility events, compares them against threshold configurations, and provides feedback through notifications when ping ponging is detected. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment and optimization of network resource allocation based on real-time UE behavior analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If event exposure service is used to subscribe and notify mobility events, then real-time detection capability is improved, but the signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time detection capabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses partial action by selectively subscribing to specific mobility events only when needed. The NWDAF subscribes to events with configurable thresholds and only triggers notifications when ping ponging conditions are met, rather than continuously monitoring all mobility events. This reduces signaling overhead while maintaining real-time detection capability for abnormal patterns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by introducing configurable thresholds for mobility event detection. By adjusting parameters such as the number of mobility events within a time window, the system can optimize the balance between real-time detection accuracy and signaling overhead, triggering notifications only when significant ping ponging behavior is detected

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12464442B2Detecting UE ping-ponging between different network nodes

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

AI summary

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for ping pong detection. In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes subscribing to an event at one or more access and mobility management functions, the event indicative of a frequent mobility of a user equipment between different access and mobility management functions; and receiving, from an access and mobility management function, a notification of the subscribed event. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.