Unified Mobility Coordinator for Edge Application Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile network architectures face challenges in coordinating the movement of user equipment (UE) and edge applications, leading to difficulties in updating routing configurations and ensuring optimal routing between the two, especially in distributed gateway-based architectures.

Innovation Solution

A mobile collaborative communication method and apparatus that utilizes a unified mobility coordinator (UMC) to receive and process motion events from both UE and edge applications, determining optimal paths and configuring routing between them by mapping IP addresses to user plane gateways, ensuring seamless service connectivity and optimal routing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the gateway is deployed closer to users in a distributed manner to shorten transmission latency, then the transmission latency is reduced, but the complexity of coordinating UE and edge application movements increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission latencyVSAvoidrouting coordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the gateway into control plane gateway (CGW) and user plane gateway (UGW), allowing independent management of control functions and data forwarding. This segmentation enables the UGW to be distributed closer to users for low latency while the CGW maintains centralized control for coordinated routing management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a unified mobility coordinator (UMC) as an intermediary that receives motion events from both UE and edge applications, determines optimal paths, and configures routing between them. This mediator coordinates the movements of multiple objects, solving the complexity of managing distributed gateway routing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the gateway is deployed in a distributed manner to follow UE movement, then service optimization is improved, but the difficulty of guiding routing configuration between UE and edge application increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice optimizationVSAvoidrouting configuration difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the UMC receives motion event information from UE and edge applications, processes this information to determine optimal paths, and sends routing configuration instructions back to the network elements. This closed-loop feedback system enables adaptive routing configuration that responds to movement events.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary routing configuration by the UMC before UE and edge application movements occur. The UMC receives motion event information in advance, determines optimal paths, and pre-configures routing rules, enabling seamless service continuity when movements occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If a unified mobility coordinator is introduced to coordinate movements, then routing optimization is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverouting configuration efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The unified mobility coordinator (UMC) performs multiple functions: receiving motion events from UE and edge applications, determining optimal paths, configuring routing rules, and coordinating gateway selections. This multi-functional design consolidates multiple coordination tasks into a single entity, improving efficiency while managing complexity through functional integration.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3432619B1Mobile collaborative communication method and device
Publication Date: 2020.12.09 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3432619B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3432619B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3432619B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present invention relates to mobile communications technologies, and in particular, to a mobile collaborative communication method and apparatus. In the method, a unified mobility coordinator UMC unit receives application motion event information of an application, where the application is located at a network edge and is used to provide an application service for user equipment UE; the UMC unit receives UE motion event information of the UE; and the UMC unit determines a path between the UE and the application based on the application motion event information and the UE motion event information. Embodiments of the present invention can implement routing configuration between UE and an edge application.