UE Statistics Collection in Emergency Areas

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication networks lack an efficient mechanism to accurately collect User Equipment (UE) statistics, including both connected and idle UE statistics, within an emergency area, which is crucial for effective disaster response and rescue operations.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced where a first core network node sends UE statistics request messages to base stations covering an emergency area, triggering idle UEs to establish RRC connections, allowing for the collection and reporting of UE statistics, including number, location, and type information, through specific or general RRC paging messages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the location reporting procedure is used to obtain UE location, then the location of a specific UE can be obtained, but it can only obtain the location of one specific UE each time, making the process inefficient for collecting statistics of multiple UEs

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE location accuracyVSAvoidUE statistics collection efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the UE population into two categories: connected UEs and idle UEs. Different collection methods are applied to each segment - connected UEs are collected through existing network mechanisms while idle UEs are collected through location reporting procedures. This segmentation allows efficient collection of connected UE statistics while obtaining idle UE location information, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enhances the location reporting procedure to serve multiple functions: it not only provides location information for rescue operations but also enables statistical collection of idle UE numbers. By making the location reporting mechanism multi-functional, the system efficiently obtains both location data and statistics data simultaneously, improving productivity without sacrificing measurement precision.

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

2Reliability

If the MME uses existing mechanisms to obtain UE statistics, then connected UE information can be obtained, but idle UE statistics cannot be obtained accurately

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveConnected UE statistics accuracyVSAvoidIdle UE statistics information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments UE statistics collection into two distinct approaches: one for connected UEs using existing MME mechanisms, and another for idle UEs using location reporting procedures. This segmentation ensures that connected UE statistics are obtained reliably through established methods while idle UE information is captured through the enhanced location reporting mechanism, preventing information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces the location reporting procedure as an intermediary mechanism to bridge the gap in obtaining idle UE statistics. Since idle UEs do not maintain active connections with the MME, the location reporting procedure acts as an intermediary that can still retrieve their location and statistical information, thereby preventing loss of idle UE data while maintaining reliable connected UE statistics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3100474B1UE statistics collection in an emergency area
Publication Date: 2019.06.05 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3100474B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3100474B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3100474B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Methods for collecting UE statistics in a specific area and the respective device and node are disclosed. The method in a first core network node comprises in response to receiving from a second core network node or an application functionality a command requesting UE statistics of idle UEs and connected UEs located in at least one base station covering at least a part of the specific area, transmitting at least one UE statistics request message to the at least one base station to trigger the base station to obtain UE statistics of idle UEs for the base station. The first core network node receives from the at least one base station, at least one UE statistics response message that includes the idle UE statistics, obtains UE statistics of connected UEs located in the at least one base station, and transmitting to, at least one of the second core network node or the application functionality, a report message including the UE statistics of the idle UEs and connected UEs located in the at least one base station.