Wireless Access Congestion Control via Handover Information Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wireless communication systems face network congestion issues, particularly during handovers, leading to starvation and unfairness among users due to the lack of effective congestion control mechanisms that share resource allocation information between cells.

Innovation Solution

A method where congestion control information, including details on service priority levels and packet discard rates, is shared between source and target cells during handovers, allowing the target cell to perform congestion control and allocate resources fairly, thereby preventing starvation and unfairness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional RAN-based congestion control schemes are used, then network congestion can be controlled, but starvation problem occurs during handover

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecongestion control reliabilityVSAvoidservice continuity during handover
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The source cell prepares congestion control information about the UE before handover occurs and transmits it to the target cell in advance. This preliminary action ensures that the target cell already has the necessary congestion control context when the UE arrives, preventing service interruption and starvation during handover.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Congestion control information acts as an intermediary carrier that transfers the congestion control state from the source cell to the target cell. This information includes priority levels and service status, enabling the target cell to continue congestion control without restarting the process, thus maintaining service continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If differential support of specific users or services is implemented, then congestion control is possible, but unfairness and starvation occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecongestion control capabilityVSAvoidservice fairness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by transmitting congestion control information from the source cell to the target cell, which includes the current priority level and service status of the UE. The target cell uses this feedback to adjust resource allocation and maintain fair treatment of users during handover, preventing starvation of low-priority services.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The invention dynamically adjusts priority levels and service parameters based on the congestion control information received from the source cell. By changing these parameters appropriately during handover, the system maintains service fairness and prevents starvation while still implementing differential support for congestion control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If handover occurs in RAN, then user mobility is supported, but congestion control information is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser mobility supportVSAvoidcongestion control information
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The source cell transmits congestion control information to the target cell before the handover is completed. This preliminary transmission ensures that no information is lost during the handover process, as the target cell already possesses the necessary congestion control context when the UE switches cells.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention ensures continuous congestion control information availability by transmitting it from source to target cell during handover. This continuity allows the congestion control mechanism to operate seamlessly across cell boundaries, supporting user mobility without information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP3048836B1Method and apparatus for controlling wireless access congestion
Publication Date: 2020.11.04 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3048836B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3048836B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3048836B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and, more specifically, to a method and an apparatus for controlling wireless access congestion. A method by which a target cell supports a handover in a wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a step for receiving, from a source cell by the target cell, congestion control information for a terminal handed over from the source cell to the target cell; and a step for congestion controlling, by the target cell, the terminal on the basis of the congestion control information. The congestion control information includes whether a drop in service priority for the terminal occurs in the source cell.