User Equipment Route Selection Policy Updates with SIM-OTA Fallback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mechanisms for providing user equipment route selection policy (URSP) updates in network slicing consume excessive computing and networking resources due to the lack of an interface between the policy control function (PCF) and the subscriber identity module (SIM)-over-the-air (OTA) system, leading to poor user experiences and lost traffic handling.

Innovation Solution

Establishing an interface between the PCF and the SIM-OTA system to enable the PCF to provide updated URSP configurations to user equipment (UE) via NAS signaling when available, and through the SIM-OTA system when NAS signaling is unavailable, thereby conserving resources and improving user experiences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If URSP updates are provided through traditional NAS signaling only, then the interface between PCF and SIM-OTA system is not established, but resource consumption increases and URSP updates fail when NAS signaling is unavailable

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveURSP update delivery reliabilityVSAvoidcomputing and networking resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary interface between the PCF and SIM-OTA system that enables alternative URSP update delivery paths. When NAS signaling is unavailable, the PCF can transmit URSP configurations through the SIM-OTA system, ensuring reliable delivery without exhausting network resources. This intermediary connection resolves the contradiction by providing a fallback mechanism that maintains reliability while avoiding unnecessary resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically selects the appropriate URSP update delivery mechanism based on NAS signaling availability. The PCF monitors NAS signaling status and adaptively switches between NAS-based updates and SIM-OTA-based updates. This dynamic adaptation ensures that URSP updates are delivered reliably through the most efficient available path, preventing resource exhaustion while maintaining update success rates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If URSP updates are provided via SIM-OTA system interface, then URSP updates can be delivered when NAS signaling is unavailable, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveURSP update delivery flexibilityVSAvoidPCF-SIM-OTA interface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The PCF is designed with multi-functionality to support both NAS signaling-based URSP updates and SIM-OTA system-based URSP updates through a unified interface. This universal design allows the PCF to adapt to different delivery scenarios without requiring separate specialized systems, thereby achieving high adaptability while managing complexity through consolidation rather than proliferation of components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

A standardized intermediary interface is established between the PCF and SIM-OTA system that simplifies the integration complexity. This interface acts as a controlled connection point with defined protocols and data formats, allowing the system to gain versatility in URSP update delivery paths while containing complexity within the interface specification rather than propagating it throughout the entire system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If traditional URSP update mechanisms are used without SIM-OTA interface, then system complexity is lower, but user experience deteriorates when NAS signaling fails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser experience during URSP updatesVSAvoidinterface architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The intermediary interface between PCF and SIM-OTA system is designed to be transparent to end users, automatically handling failover between NAS signaling and SIM-OTA delivery mechanisms. Users experience seamless URSP updates regardless of which delivery path is used, as the interface abstracts away the complexity of multi-path delivery and presents a unified, reliable service.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements prior cushioning by pre-establishing the SIM-OTA interface as a backup delivery path before NAS signaling failures occur. This preparatory measure ensures that when NAS signaling becomes unavailable, the system can immediately switch to SIM-OTA-based URSP updates without service interruption, thereby maintaining ease of operation and user experience while managing complexity through advance planning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS12452765B2Systems and methods for providing over-the-air user equipment route selection policy configuration updates

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

A network device may determine a user equipment route selection policy (URSP) for a first network slice, and may provide the URSP to a user equipment (UE) via non-access stratum (NAS) signaling. The network device may determine an updated URSP for a second network slice that is different than the first network slice, and may determine that the NAS signaling is unavailable for the UE. The network device may provide, based on determining that the NAS signaling is unavailable, the updated URSP to a subscriber identity module (SIM) over-the-air (OTA) system to cause the SIM-OTA system to provide the updated URSP to the UE.