UE Route Selection Policy Update via Extended PCO in EPS

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the interworking scenario between the evolved packet system (EPS) and the fifth generation (5G) system, user equipment (UE) faces challenges in updating the user equipment route selection policy (USRP) within the EPS network, leading to the use of outdated access point names (APN) and data network names (DNN), which affects mobility management and service quality.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an extended protocol configuration option (ePCO) to carry the latest USRP between the packet data network (PDN) gateway control (PGW-C) and the UE, enhancing the UE policy information control functionality in the policy and charging rules function (PCRF) and policy and charging function (PCF) to ensure timely updates of the USRP, even when the UE is in the EPS network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the UE relies on legacy EPS design for USRP provisioning, then the MME impact is minimized, but the UE cannot receive updated USRP when moving to EPS from 5G

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveUSRP update timelinessVSAvoidprotocol configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The PGW-C acts as an intermediary between the PCF/PCRF and the UE, receiving USRP updates from policy functions and forwarding them to the UE via ePCO in attach accept or PDN connectivity accept messages, enabling indirect USRP provisioning without direct PCF-UE signaling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The ePCO mechanism is designed to carry both initial USRP provisioning and subsequent USRP updates within the same protocol framework, allowing a single configuration mechanism to serve multiple purposes across different network access scenarios

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If the UE uses outdated URSP to derive DNN and APN, then the legacy EPS operations are maintained, but the service quality deteriorates due to wrong network selection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork selection accuracyVSAvoidUE policy update delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the PCF/PCRF continuously monitors network conditions and user context, triggering USRP updates when changes occur, and the PGW-C forwards these updates to the UE to ensure current policy information is always available

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The UE is pre-configured with USRP information during initial attach or PDN connectivity establishment, and the system proactively pushes updates before the UE needs to make network selection decisions, ensuring current policies are always available when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20230163984A1User equipment (UE) route selection policy (USRP) UE in an evolved packet system (EPS)

Publication Date: 2023.05.25 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for provisioning an updated user equipment (UE) route selection policy URSP to a UE in an evolved packet system (EPS). In order to minimize the impact to a mobility management entity (MME), some embodiments use a protocol configuration option (PCO) or extended PCO (ePCO) to carry the URSP between a packet data network (PDN) gateway-control (PGW-C) and the UE. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.