Wireless Network Function Decoupling for Scalable Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communications networks face limitations in system performance due to the close coupling of multiple functions in devices like MME, SGW, and PGW, which restricts the ability to extend system capabilities freely when performance is insufficient.
Innovation Solution
Decoupling the control plane function and user plane function in each device, allowing for the deployment of user plane functions as function nodes controlled by a centralized network element, enabling flexible scaling and improving handover efficiency by minimizing function node switching during user equipment handovers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple functions are integrated in each device (MME, SGW, PGW), then device functionality is comprehensive, but system performance cannot be extended freely when insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network device functions into control plane functions and user plane functions. The control plane function module handles signaling and control, while the user plane function module handles data forwarding. This segmentation allows independent scaling of user plane resources without affecting control plane stability, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive functionality and system extension capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the user plane function from the integrated device and deploys it as a separate, independently scalable user plane function module. This extraction enables the user plane to be extended freely through additional function nodes while the control plane remains stable and manageable, directly addressing the limitation of unable to extend system performance when functions are closely coupled.
2Adaptability or versatility
If control plane and user plane functions are decoupled and deployed separately, then system flexibility and scalability improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal control plane function module that can manage multiple user plane function modules through a standardized interface. This multi-functionality allows a single control plane to handle numerous user plane instances, reducing the need for separate control logic for each user plane node and thereby limiting the increase in network architecture complexity despite the decoupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a standardized interface as an intermediary between the control plane function module and user plane function module. This intermediary abstracts the complexity of inter-module communication, providing a uniform method for the control plane to manage user plane resources without requiring complex point-to-point connections, thus limiting the overall architecture complexity.
3Productivity
If function nodes are increased to improve system performance, then handling capacity increases, but device mutual restrictions prevent free extension
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic user plane function module that can be independently instantiated, scaled, and managed based on traffic demands. The control plane can dynamically allocate user plane resources by adding or removing function nodes without being constrained by fixed device configurations, enabling free extension of handling capacity while maintaining adaptability through standardized management interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present application provide a switching control method, an apparatus, and a wireless communications network. The switching control method in the present application includes: receiving a path switching request sent by a radio node (RN), and obtaining information about user equipment (UE), an identifier of a source RN, and an identifier of a destination RN according to the path switching request; determining, according to the information about the UE, the identifier of the source RN, and the identifier of the destination RN, a function node (FN) that provides a service to the destination RN, and generating a path switching rule according to the FN; sending the path switching rule to an ingress network element. The embodiments of the present application resolve a problem that when system performance is insufficient, free extension cannot be performed due to mutual restriction between multiple functions.