Wireless Access Node Selection via Network Slice Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless access nodes often fail to effectively serve certain wireless network slices, and user devices inefficiently attach to the nodes that support the required slices due to inadequate information exchange and node selection mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A method where user equipment receives slice information broadcast from a source wireless access node, selects an alternative access node based on wireless signal strength and slice support, and efficiently attaches to it for data exchange, using X2 signaling to update broadcast information and ensure optimal slice serving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user equipment attaches to wireless access nodes based on conventional signal strength alone, then attachment simplicity is maintained, but service effectiveness deteriorates because nodes may not support the required network slices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having wireless access nodes broadcast slice support information in advance before user equipment needs to attach. This allows user equipment to proactively identify and select compatible nodes based on the required network slice, ensuring service effectiveness without adding complex real-time decision mechanisms during attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses broadcast slice information as an intermediary that mediates between the wireless access nodes and user equipment. This intermediary information enables user equipment to make informed attachment decisions without requiring complex direct communication or negotiation mechanisms, thus improving reliability while maintaining simplicity.
2Productivity
If wireless access nodes broadcast comprehensive slice information, then user equipment can make informed node selection decisions, but information exchange overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential slice support information that user equipment needs for node selection, rather than broadcasting all possible network parameters. This selective information extraction improves node selection efficiency while minimizing the information overhead broadcast by access nodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the broadcast information to the specific needs of user equipment for slice-based node selection. Each access node broadcasts slice information relevant to its capabilities, allowing user equipment to efficiently identify suitable nodes without processing unnecessary information from all nodes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If user equipment selects access nodes based on real-time slice availability, then service matching improves, but attachment time increases due to additional evaluation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by performing the slice availability information gathering in advance through broadcasts before attachment is needed. User equipment can then quickly match its requirements with pre-published node capabilities, achieving accurate service matching without time-consuming real-time evaluation during the attachment process.
Data Source
AI summary
A User Equipment (UE) wirelessly receives slice information that was broadcast from a source wireless access node and that indicates wireless network slices that are served by other wireless network nodes. The UE executes a user application that uses one of the wireless network slices, and in response, selects one of the other wireless access nodes that serves the one of the wireless network slices based on wireless signal strength and the slice information. The UE wirelessly exchanges slice data for the user application with the selected one of the other wireless access nodes. The selected one of the other wireless access nodes exchanges the slice data with the one of the wireless network slices.