Wireless Network Signaling for Data Context Limits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless devices often attempt to establish more data contexts than are supported, leading to wasteful signaling due to a lack of knowledge about the maximum number of data contexts they can handle, resulting in unnecessary message exchanges and resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where a wireless network determines if establishing a data context would reach the maximum number of data contexts supported for a device and sends a session management information element to indicate this limit, allowing the device to avoid requesting further data contexts once the limit is reached.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the wireless device attempts to establish more data contexts beyond the supported maximum, then the device can potentially access more data services, but this results in wasteful signaling and unnecessary message exchanges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata context establishment capabilityVSAvoidsignaling resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The network performs preliminary action by determining the maximum number of supported data contexts before the device attempts to establish them. The network sends an indication of this maximum number to the device in advance, allowing the device to proactively avoid attempting to establish beyond the supported limit, thereby preventing wasteful signaling from the outset

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The network provides feedback to the device by transmitting an indication of the maximum number of data contexts that can be supported. This feedback mechanism enables the device to adjust its behavior accordingly, avoiding unnecessary attempts to establish additional data contexts that would result in rejected requests and wasted signaling resources

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If the wireless device sends requests for additional data contexts without knowing the maximum limit, then the device can explore available services, but this leads to unnecessary message exchanges and resource utilization

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice exploration capabilityVSAvoidnetwork message volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The network sends an indication of the maximum number of supported data contexts to the device before the device begins attempting to establish data contexts. This preliminary information allows the device to plan its service exploration within known boundaries, avoiding unnecessary message exchanges that would occur if the device attempted to establish beyond the supported limit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of allowing the device to attempt excessive data context establishment and then reject those attempts, the invention provides the maximum number information in advance, enabling the device to perform exactly the right number of actions needed for service exploration without going beyond what the network can support

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Ease of operation

If the wireless network does not provide information about the maximum data context limit, then the device can autonomously manage its contexts, but this results in the device lacking knowledge of the supported maximum

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice autonomyVSAvoidmaximum data context knowledge
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The network provides feedback to the device by transmitting an indication of the maximum number of data contexts that can be supported. This information feedback enables the device to autonomously manage its data contexts with full knowledge of the network's capabilities, making informed decisions about when to establish additional contexts without exceeding the limit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2946580B1System and method for reporting that a maximum number of data contexts is reached
Publication Date: 2018.07.04 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2946580B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2946580B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2946580B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

If a wireless device does not know how many data contexts can be supported, then the wireless device might attempt to establish more data contexts than are supported. Such attempt would normally be rejected. However, the signalling involved in the attempt to establish another data context and the rejection of that attempt is considered wasteful. Embodiments of the present disclosure allow such waste to be reduced or avoided by signalling to the wireless device when the maximum number of data contexts is reached or when it is about to be reached. Such signalling can occur before any attempt to establish more data contexts than are supported. Thus, wasteful signaling involved with attempting to establish more data contexts can be avoided.