Virtual Shared Mobile Grouping for MTC Signaling Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The growing number of Machine-Type Communication (MTC) devices in mobile networks leads to increased interference and signaling overhead, limiting the potential capacity of LTE networks, especially near cell edges, and necessitates efficient interference mitigation and cancellation techniques to support higher throughputs and spectral efficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a Virtual Shared Mobile (VSM) apparatus and method, which groups multiple MTC devices into a single virtual device, sharing the same wireless resources and using a single identifier, reducing the burden on the mobile network by managing devices through MTC application servers and optimizing communication protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple MTC devices are managed individually in LTE networks, then each device can be served with dedicated resources, but the control signaling volume increases and network capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple MTC devices into a single virtual device representation. Instead of managing each MTC device individually with separate identifiers and signaling, the system creates a virtual shared mobile device that aggregates multiple physical devices. This consolidation reduces control signaling volume while maintaining the ability to serve multiple devices through the shared virtual identity, directly resolving the contradiction between network capacity and signaling overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual shared mobile device as an intermediary between the network and multiple physical MTC devices. This virtual device acts as a mediator that represents multiple devices to the network, allowing the network to interact with a single entity rather than multiple individual devices. The intermediary structure reduces signaling complexity while enabling continued service to multiple underlying devices.
2Productivity
If frequency re-use of N=1 is deployed to increase throughput, then spectral efficiency improves, but interference increases especially near cell edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging at the device management level, consolidating multiple MTC devices into a virtual shared device. This consolidation reduces the number of active device identifiers and signaling messages in the network, thereby reducing interference from control signals and enabling more efficient use of frequency resources with N=1 re-use pattern.
3Productivity
If smaller cell sizes are deployed to increase throughput near cell edge, then capacity increases, but system complexity and deployment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple MTC devices into a single virtual device representation, reducing the number of individual device management instances. This virtual consolidation simplifies network management and reduces the complexity of deploying and managing small cells, as the virtual device structure provides a unified approach to serving multiple devices regardless of their physical distribution across cell edges.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure proposes a Virtual Shared Mobile (VSM) feature at eNodeB level, relay node, ore UE or device level that will allow multiple MTC devices to be grouped together and be presented to the rest of Mobile Network as one Virtual Shared Mobile (VSM). The MTC Application Servers will authenticate and manage individual MTC devices. This will decrease the number of devices that are managed by the mobile network and hence decreasing the control signalling volume. Devices belonging to the same Virtual Shared Mobile Group (VSMG) will use time division to share the same Radio Bearer (same IMSI) and hence decreasing the interference to the other UEs in the mobile network. Overall the disclosure will allow data gathering from a large number of MTC devices with limited impact on the Mobile Network. Disclosed herein are aspects of the VSM concept, including inter alia: (1) the VSM implemented in the eNB; (2) the VSM implemented in a relay node; and (3) the VSM implemented in a UE or device acting as a relay node in a device-to-device configuration.