Virtualized Mobility Management for Multi-RAT Paging
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Solution Overview
Problem
In traditional cellular networks, mobility management entities (MMEs) typically manage mobile devices using a single radio access technology (RAT), making it challenging to page devices that may be camped on multiple RATs, especially when they are in idle mode, as the MME may not know which RAT the device is using, leading to inefficiencies in signaling and service setup.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a virtualized mobility management function within a software-defined network (SDN) that abstracts device attachment, allowing paging across multiple RATs through an adaptation function that translates generic page indications into RAN-specific formats, enabling 'flood paging' or 'cross-paging' to locate and communicate with devices across different radio access technologies like 3GPP LTE and 5G.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional MME manages mobile devices using a single RAT, then the mobility management is simple and well-defined, but the system cannot page devices that may be camped on multiple RATs, leading to loss of information about device location
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the mobility management function into a virtualized MME that maintains a generic list of candidate RATs separately from the RAT-specific paging functions. This segmentation allows the MME to track multiple RATs without being coupled to any single RAT, resolving the contradiction between multi-RAT support and information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the adaptation function and generic paging message format) that translates between the MME's RAT-agnostic device location information and the RAT-specific paging requirements. This intermediary enables the MME to page devices across multiple RATs without needing to know the current RAT, resolving the information loss problem.
2Reliability
If the MME pages the device on all candidate RATs, then the device can be located regardless of which RAT it is using, but the signaling overhead increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by paging only on a subset of candidate RATs rather than all possible RATs. The MME maintains a prioritized list of candidate RATs and pages on the most likely ones first, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining high reliability through selective rather than exhaustive paging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where the network monitors paging responses and updates the candidate RAT list based on device responses. This feedback allows the system to learn which RATs are most effective for reaching specific devices and adjust future paging strategies accordingly, reducing unnecessary signaling while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a virtualized mobility management function is implemented to support multiple RATs, then the system can page devices across different RATs, but the device complexity and adaptation function requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal adaptation function that handles multiple RATs through a single standardized interface. This adaptation function translates generic paging messages into RAT-specific formats, providing multi-functionality without proportionally increasing complexity. The same adaptation function serves all candidate RATs, reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate paging mechanisms for each RAT.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for paging a user equipment (UE) includes receiving a generic page indication for the UE, the generic page indication including a list of radio access networks (RANs), selecting a subset of the list of RANs, sending a RAN-specific page indication for each RAN in the subset of the list of RANs, receiving a first RAN-specific page response associated with the UE, and sending a generic page response corresponding to the first RAN-specific page response.