Data management function and method for operation of network functions

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a method performed by a first network function (NF) and an apparatus for performing the method, the method comprising the steps of: determining a data proxy (DP) entity for a service utilizing a second NF; generating a service message not including partial data of the service; and transmitting a service message to the DP entity, in which a portion of data of the service is processed by the DP entity and transmitted to the second NF.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a data management function for operations of a network function (NF) and a method of operating the data management function. In addition, the present disclosure relates to a data management function for operating a stateless network function and a method of operating the data management function. Background Art

[0002] A review of the development of wireless communication from generation to generation shows that the development has mainly targeted technologies for human-oriented services such as voice-based services, multimedia services, and data services. It is expected that connected devices, which are expected to grow exponentially after the commercialization of the fifth-generation (5G) communication system, will be connected to a communication network. Examples of things connected to the network may include vehicles, robots, drones, home appliances, displays, smart sensors installed in various infrastructures, construction machinery, factory instruments, etc. It is expected that mobile devices will be developed into various form factors such as augmented reality glasses, virtual reality headsets, and hologram devices. In order to provide various services by connecting hundreds of billions of devices and things in the sixth-generation (6G) era, efforts have been made to develop an improved 6G communication system. For these reasons, the 6G communication system is called a "super 5G" system.

[0003] The 6G communication system, which is expected to be realized around 2030, will have a maximum transmission rate of tera (1,000 giga) -bps and a radio latency of 100 microseconds. That is, the 6G communication system will be 50 times faster than the 5G communication system and have 1 / 10 of the radio latency of the 5G communication system.

[0004] In order to achieve such a high data transmission rate and ultra-low latency, it has been considered to implement the 6G communication system in the terahertz band (e.g., 95 GHz to 3 THz band). It is expected that since path loss and atmospheric absorption in the terahertz band are more severe than those in the mmWave band introduced in 5G, technologies capable of ensuring a signal transmission distance (i.e., coverage) will become more critical. As a main technology for ensuring coverage, it is necessary to develop multi-antenna transmission technologies including radio frequency (RF) elements, antennas, novel waveforms with better coverage than OFDM, beamforming, and massive MIMO, full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, and massive antennas. In addition, new technologies for improving the coverage of terahertz band signals, such as metasurface-based lenses and antennas, orbital angular momentum (OAM), and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS), have been discussed.

[0005] In addition, in order to improve frequency efficiency and the system network, the following technologies have been developed for the 6G communication system: full-duplex technology that enables the uplink (UE transmission) and the downlink (Node B transmission) to simultaneously use the same frequency resources; network technology that integrally utilizes satellites, high-altitude platform stations (HAPS), etc.; network architecture innovation technology that supports mobile Node B, etc. and realizes network operation optimization and automation, etc.; dynamic spectrum sharing technology based on spectrum usage prediction through collision avoidance, communication technology based on artificial intelligence (AI) that realizes system optimization by using AI from the technology design step and internalizing the end-to-end AI support function; and next-generation distributed computing technology that realizes services with complexity exceeding the limits of UE computing power by using ultra-high-performance communication and computing resources (mobile edge computing (MEC), cloud, etc.). In addition, continuous attempts have been made to further enhance the connectivity between devices, further optimize the network, assist in the software implementation of network entities, and increase the openness of wireless communication by designing new protocols to be used in the 6G communication system, developing mechanisms for implementing a hardware-based security environment and secure data usage, and developing technologies for privacy maintenance methods.

[0006] It is expected that the research and development of the 6G communication system will achieve the next hyper-connection experience in a new dimension through the hyper-connection of the 6G communication system that covers both the connection between transactions and the connection between people. Specifically, it is expected that services such as truly immersive XR, high-fidelity mobile holograms, and digital replicas can be provided through the 6G communication system. In addition, in the case of enhanced security and reliability, services such as remote surgery, industrial automation, and emergency response will be provided through the 6G communication system, and thus these services will be applied to various fields including the industrial, medical, automotive, and household appliance sectors. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical Problem

[0008] The technical problem to be solved in the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide an efficient data management function for the operation of stateless network functions, and a method for operating the data management function.

[0009] In addition, another technical problem to be solved in the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a method for reducing the number of additional signaling occurrences for data-related operations such as data acquisition and storage in a core network environment including stateless NFs, and reducing the overhead and transmission delay caused by signaling.

[0010] In addition, another technical problem to be solved in the embodiments of the present disclosure is to support adding required data to service messages when mediating between service messages exchanged between NFs without performing separate signaling for data-related operations, or to support the function of storing data included in the messages in a storage device.

[0011] Technical solution

[0012] Embodiments of the present disclosure for solving the above problems may provide a method performed by a first network function (NF), the method including: determining a data proxy (DP) entity for a service using a second NF, generating a service message that does not include partial data of the service, and sending the service message to the DP entity, where the partial data of the service is processed by the DP entity and sent to the second NF.

[0013] In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a method performed by a data proxy (DP), the method including: receiving, from a first network function (NF), a service message that does not include partial data of a service for a second NF, processing the partial data for the second NF based on the type of data processing included in the service message, and sending the service message including the partial data to the second NF.

[0014] In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a first network function (NF) including a transceiver and a controller, where the controller is configured to determine a data proxy (DP) entity for a service using a second NF, generate a service message that does not include partial data of the service, and send the service message to the DP entity, where the partial data of the service is processed by the DP entity and sent to the second NF.

[0015] In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a data proxy (DP) entity including a transceiver and a controller, where the controller is configured to receive, from a first network function (NF), a service message that does not include partial data of a service for a second NF, process the partial data for the second NF based on the type of data processing included in the service message, and send the service message including the partial data to the second NF.

[0016] Beneficial effects obtainable from the present disclosure may not be limited to the above effects, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains may clearly understand other effects not mentioned through the following description.

[0017] Beneficial effects

[0018] According to the technical problems to be solved in the embodiments of the present disclosure, an efficient data management function for the operation of a stateless network function and a method for operating the data management function may be provided.

[0019] In addition, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, different from the prior art in which a stateless core NF needs to perform additional data-related signaling, if the data proxy (DP) proposed in the present disclosure is used, the data-related signaling can be included in the service-related signaling and the service-related signaling can be sent separately from the service-related signaling. Therefore, compared with the prior art, the same service process can be performed with significantly fewer signaling times. Therefore, the latency and transmission overhead caused by additional signaling can be reduced, and the complexity and dependency caused by each NF managing data can be reduced, and the DP entity is dedicated to performing data-related functions, and thus it is expected to have the possibility of providing specified data-related functions later. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 The system structure of a wireless communication system according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0021] Figure 2 A stateful NF and a stateless NF according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown.

[0022] Figure 3 A system including a stateless NF according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a service processing procedure using the system are shown.

[0023] Figure 4 A system including a DP entity and a stateless NF according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a service processing procedure using the system are shown.

[0024] Figure 5 The process of a consumer NF and a producer NF of the present disclosure requesting data processing from a DP entity is shown.

[0025] Figure 6 The process of a consumer NF of the present disclosure requesting data processing from a DP entity and a producer NF not requesting data processing from the DP entity is shown.

[0026] Figure 7 The process of a consumer NF of the present disclosure not requesting data processing from a DP entity and a producer NF requesting data processing from the DP entity is shown.

[0027] Figure 8 The process of a consumer NF and a producer NF of the present disclosure requesting data processing using different DPs is shown.

[0028] Figure 9 The header of a service message stored and sent by an NF and a DP applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 10Shows the headers of service messages sent by NF and DP retrieval applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 11 Shows the headers of service messages sent by NF and DP queries applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 12 Shows the headers of service messages sent by NF and DP storage and update applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 13 Shows the headers of service messages sent by NF and DP deletion applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 14 Shows the structure of a network entity that performs network functions according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Description

[0034] When describing the embodiments in the specification, descriptions related to technical content that is well known in the art and not directly associated with the present disclosure will be omitted. The omission of such unnecessary descriptions is intended to prevent obscuring the main idea of the present disclosure and to more clearly convey the main idea.

[0035] For the same reason, in the drawings, some elements may be enlarged, omitted, or shown schematically. In addition, the size of each element does not exactly reflect the actual size. In each of the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are assigned the same reference numerals.

[0036] By referring to the embodiments described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the advantages and features of the present disclosure and the ways to implement them will be clear. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments set forth below, but can be implemented in various different forms. The following embodiments are provided only to fully disclose the present disclosure and to inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the appended claims. Throughout the specification, the same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar elements.

[0037] In this text, it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustration and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustration can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions executed via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus create means for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowchart blocks. These computer program instructions can also be stored in a computer-usable or computer-readable memory, which can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-usable or computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowchart blocks. The computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowchart blocks.

[0038] In addition, each block in the flowchart illustration can represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified one or more logical functions. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved.

[0039] As used in embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "unit" refers to a software element or a hardware element, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a "unit" can perform certain functions. However, the meaning of "unit" is not always limited to software or hardware. A "unit" can be constructed to be stored in an addressable storage medium or to execute on one or more processors. Thus, a "unit" includes, for example, software elements, object-oriented software elements, class elements or task elements, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, program code segments, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and parameters. The elements and functions provided by a "unit" can be combined into fewer elements or "units" or divided into more elements or "units". In addition, the elements and "units" can be implemented as one or more CPUs within a reproduction device or a secure multimedia card.

[0040] In the following description, for convenience of description, terms for identifying access nodes, terms for referring to network entities, terms for referring to messages, terms for referring to interfaces between network entities, terms for referring to various identification information, etc. are used illustratively. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited by the terms described below, and other terms referring to subjects having equivalent technical meanings may be used.

[0041] In the following description of the present disclosure, for convenience of description, terms and names defined in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) standard will be used. However, the present disclosure is not limited by these terms and names, and can be applied to systems compliant with other standards in the same manner. In the present disclosure, for convenience of description, the term "eNB" may be used interchangeably with the term "gNB". That is, a base station described as an "eNB" may refer to a "gNB". In the present disclosure, the term "terminal" may refer to a mobile phone, an NB-IoT device, a sensor, and various wireless communication devices.

[0042] In the following description, a base station is an entity that allocates resources to a terminal, and may be at least one of a gNode B, an eNode B, a Node B, a base station (BS), a radio access unit, a base station controller, and a node on the network. A terminal may include a user equipment (UE), a mobile station (MS), a cellular phone, a smart phone, a computer, or a multimedia system capable of performing communication functions. Of course, examples of base stations and terminals are not limited to those mentioned above.

[0043] Hereinafter, for convenience of description, for entities that exchange information to control access and manage states, the term NF (e.g., AMF, SMF, NSSF, etc.) is used. However, even in the case where an NF is actually implemented as an instance (e.g., an AMF instance, an SMF instance, an NSSF instance, etc.), embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied in the same way.

[0044] The present disclosure can be applied to 3GPP NR (5th generation wireless communication standard). In addition, the present disclosure can be applied to intelligent services based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology (e.g., smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or connected car, healthcare, digital education, retail business, security and safety-related services, etc.).

[0045] Wireless communication systems are evolving towards broadband wireless communication systems for providing high-speed and high-quality packet data services as well as typical voice-based services using communication standards such as 3GPP's High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), LTE (Long Term Evolution or Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA)), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), LTE-Pro, 3GPP2's High-Speed Packet Data (HRPD), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), IEEE 802.16e, etc.

[0046] As a typical example of a broadband wireless communication system, the LTE system adopts an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) scheme in the downlink (DL) and a Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) scheme in the uplink (UL). The uplink refers to the radio link through which a User Equipment (UE) or Mobile Station (MS) sends data or control signals to a Base Station (BS) or eNode B, and the downlink refers to the radio link through which the base station sends data or control signals to the UE. The above multiple access scheme separates the data or control information of each user by allocating and operating time-frequency resources for sending data or control information for each user to avoid overlapping with each other, that is, to establish orthogonality.

[0047] Since the 5G communication system, as a post-LTE communication system, must freely reflect various requirements of users, service providers, etc., it must support services that meet various requirements. Services considered in the 5G communication system include Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) communication, Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC), Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC), etc.

[0048] In addition, in the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the LTE, LTE-A, LTE-Pro or 5G (or NR, Next Generation Mobile Communication) system will be described by way of example, but the embodiments of the present disclosure can also be applied to other communication systems having a technical background or channel type similar to those of the embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, based on the determination of those skilled in the art, the present disclosure can also be applied to other communication systems with some modifications without significantly departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0049] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, a service message may refer to, but is not limited to, a service request message or a service response message.

[0050] In the following description of the present disclosure, in cases where it is determined that the description may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure, the detailed description of known functions or configurations incorporated herein will be omitted. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] Figure 1The system architecture of a wireless communication system (5GC) according to the present disclosure is shown. The 5GS may include a 5G core network, a base station 110, a UE 100, etc. The 5G core network may include an AMF 120, an SMF 135, a UPF 130, a PCF 140, a UDM 145, an NSSF 160, an NWDAF 165, an AF 170, an NSACF 180, an N3F, etc.

[0052] The UE 100 may access the 5G core network through a radio access network (RAN) base station 110 (hereinafter referred to as the base station). The base station 110 may support 3GPP access network types (e.g., NR, E-UTRA, etc.) or non-3GPP access network types (e.g., Wi-Fi, etc.). The UE 100 may be connected to the AMF 120 through the base station 110 via the N2 interface and may be connected to the UPF 130 via the N3 interface. The base station 110 may be referred to by another term having a technical meaning equivalent to that of the base station, such as an access point (AP), an eNodeB (eNB), a fifth-generation node (5G node), and a gNodeB (gNB). The non-3GPP function (N3F) is an NF that terminates the operations of the N2 interface and the N3 interface towards the UE 100 accessing via a non-3GPP access network (e.g., Wi-Fi) not defined in 3GPP. The N3F may process N2 control plane signaling and N3 user plane packets.

[0053] The Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 120 is a network function (NF) for managing the wireless network access and mobility of a UE. The Session Management Function (SMF) 135 is an NF that manages the sessions of a UE, and the session information includes Quality of Service (QoS) information, charging information, and packet handling information. The User Plane Function (UPF) 130 is an NF that processes user traffic (e.g., user plane traffic) and is controlled by the SMF 135. The Policy Control Function (PCF) 140 is an NF that manages the operator policies for providing services in a wireless communication system. The User Data Management (UDM) 145 is an NF that stores and manages the subscription information of a UE (e.g., UE subscription). The Unified Data Repository (UDR) is an NF that stores and manages data. The UDR can store UE subscription information and provide the UE subscription information to the UDM 145. In addition, the UDR can store operator policy information and provide the operator policy information to the PCF 140. The Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) 165 is an NF that provides analysis information for the operation of a 5G system. The NWDAF 165 can collect data from other NFs or Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) that make up the 5GS, analyze the collected data, and provide the analysis results to other NFs. The Network Slice Admission Control Function (NSACF) 180 is an NF that monitors and controls the number of registered UEs and the number of sessions of a network slice that is the target of network slice admission control (NSAC). The NSACF 180 stores the configuration information regarding the maximum number of registered UEs and the maximum number of sessions for each network slice.

[0054] Hereinafter, for ease of description, entities that exchange information for access control and state management will be collectively referred to as NFs. However, even in the case where an NF is actually implemented by instances (e.g., an AMF instance, an SMF instance, an NSSF instance, etc.), the embodiments of the present disclosure can be similarly applied.

[0055] In the present disclosure, an instance may indicate that a specific NF exists in the form of software code and can be executed on a physical computing system (e.g., a specific computing system existing on a core network) to perform the functions of the NF by using physical and / or logical resources allocated from the computing system. Thus, an AMF instance, an SMF instance, and an NSSF instance may use the physical and / or logical resources allocated from a specific computing system existing on the core network for AMF operations, SMF operations, and NSSF operations, respectively. Accordingly, an AMF instance, an SMF instance, or an NSSF instance that uses the physical and / or logical resources allocated from a specific computing system existing on the network for AMF, SMF, or NSSF operations may perform the same operations as in the case where the AMF, SMF, or NSSF exists. Thus, the description using an NF (e.g., AMF, SMF, UPF, NSSF, NRF, SCP, etc.) or an NF device (e.g., AMF device, SMF device, UPF device, NSSF device, NRF device, SCP device, etc.) may be replaced with a description using an NF instance, or vice versa, the description using an NF instance may be replaced with a description using an NF (or NF device). Similarly, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the description using a network slice may be replaced with a description using a network slice instance, or vice versa, the description using a network slice instance may be replaced with a description using a network slice.

[0056] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in the 5GS defined by 3GPP, a network slice may be referred to as a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI). The S-NSSAI may include a slice / service type (SST) value and a slice differentiator (SD) value. The SST may indicate the characteristics of the service supported by the slice (e.g., eMBB, Internet of Things (IoT), URLLC, V2X, etc.). The SD may be a value used as an additional identifier for a specific service referred to as the SST.

[0057] The NSSAI may include one or more S-NSSAIs. Examples of the NSSAI may include, but are not limited to, a configured NSSAI stored in the UE, a requested NSSAI requested by the UE, a permitted NSSAI permitted for use by the UE and determined by an NE (e.g., AMF, NSSF, etc.) of the 5G core network, a subscribed NSSAI subscribed by the UE, etc.

[0058] The UE 100 can be connected to the base station 110 and registered in the 5G system simultaneously. Specifically, the UE 100 can be connected to the base station 110 to perform the UE registration process with the AMF 120. During the registration process, the AMF 120 can determine the allowed slices (e.g., allowed NSSAI) available to the UE connected to the base station 110 and allocate them to the UE 100. The UE can select a specific slice to establish a PDU session for communicating with an actual application server. One PDU session can include one or more QoS flows, and multiple QoS flows can be configured with different quality of service (QoS) parameters respectively to provide different transmission performances required for application services respectively.

[0059] Figure 2 A stateful NF and a stateless NF according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown.

[0060] The network function (NF) constituting the core network in the 5G mobile communication system can be implemented in a stateful or stateless scheme.

[0061] The stateful NF 210 is an NF in a form that has computing resources and storage resources, and data (including UE context or session context) managed by each NF is stored in the storage resources within the corresponding NF. For example, the UE context of a specific UE is stored in the access and mobility management function (AMF) supporting the corresponding UE, and the session context is stored in the session management function (SMF) supporting the corresponding UE. In this case, the corresponding UE only receives services from the NF having the context of the corresponding UE, and thus can have NF dependence. In the case where the AMF storing the UE context cannot provide services due to a situation such as overload, the UE cannot perform AMF handover until the corresponding AMF transfers the UE context to another AMF. To solve this problem, there is a need for the stateless NF 220.

[0062] The stateless NF 220 is an NF in a form that has the storage resources and computing resources separated from each other and data managed by the NF having only computing resources is stored in a separate remote storage device. In the case of the stateless NF 220, the NF does not store data, so in the case where a specific NF cannot provide services, another NF can provide the same services by obtaining data from the storage device. However, for the stateless NF 220, the process of accessing the storage device always requires providing or requesting services, which may cause overhead.

[0063] As an example of an NF used as a data store, the Unified Data Repository (UDR) and the Unstructured Data Storage Function (UDSF) are defined in the 5G standard. The NF can store unstructured data in the UDSF and can thus be a stateless NF. In addition, in the case where the NF is the Unified Data Management (UDM), the Policy Control Function (PCF), or the Network Exposure Function (NEF), the NF can store data in the UDR and can thus be a stateless NF. To enable a stateless NF to request or provide a service, the stateless NF can access the UDSF or UDR corresponding to the remote storage device in which the data is stored and obtain the data required for the corresponding service message, or a separate process is required to store the data obtained as a result of the operation in the remote storage device. In this case, the process of obtaining or storing data is defined in the form of a request for a service provided by the UDSF or UDR.

[0064] The Service Communication Proxy (SCP) defined in the 5G standard undertakes the role of delivering the service message transparently sent by the consumer NF to the producer NF. In the case where the consumer NF includes the information required to discover the producer NF or the address of the producer NF in the service request message and sends it to the SCP, the SCP performs the NR discovery of the message routing.

[0065] Figure 3 A system including a stateless NF and a service processing procedure using the system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0066] The NF (UDR or UDSF) used as a data store to support the stateless NF is defined, but the data exchange with the corresponding storage function is defined in the form of a service provided by the NF. Therefore, the stateless NF needs to generate a separate message for the process of obtaining or storing data and exchanging data. For example, before sending a service request message to the producer NF 320, the consumer NF 315 needs to first perform the process 301 of generating a service request message (e.g., a data query request message) for obtaining the data required to generate the service request message from the storage NF 330 and sending the service request message to the storage NF 330, and the storage NF 330 performs the process 302 of sending the data required to generate the service request message to the consumer NF 315 through a service response message (e.g., a data query response message). In addition, in the case of receiving a service request message (process 303) from the consumer NF 315, the producer NF 320 processes the received service request message and performs the process 304 of sending a service request message (e.g., a data query request message) for requesting data to the storage NF 340. The storage NF 340 needs to additionally perform the operation 305 of sending a service response message (e.g., a data query response message) including the requested data to the producer NF 320.

[0067] In addition, the producer NF may send a message to the storage NF 340 to request an update of information that has changed as an operation result based on the data obtained in operation 305 (operation 306), and may receive a message including the result of the update (e.g., a data update response message) from the storage NF 340 (operation 307).

[0068] The producer NF 320 may send a service response message to the consumer NF 315 based on the data obtained from the storage NF 340 (operation 308). The consumer NF 315 that has received the service response message may send a message to request an update (e.g., a data update request message) to the storage NF 330 (operation 309), and receive a message including the result of the update (e.g., a data update response message) from the storage NF 330 (operation 310).

[0069] In Figure 3 an embodiment, the SCP may perform routing functions for message and NF discovery between the consumer NF 315 and the producer NF 320. Figure 3 The SCP defined in the embodiment of

[0070] In Figure 3 an example, access to an external storage device corresponds to information exchange between separate entities, and there may be latency and overhead in data transmission. Therefore, a service call and data management technique for obtaining or processing required data by an NF and reducing overhead is needed.

[0071] The objectives of various embodiments of the present disclosure described below are to reduce the number of additional signaling occurrences for data-related operations such as data acquisition and storage in a core network environment including stateless NFs, and reduce the overhead and transmission latency caused by signaling. Without performing separate signaling for data-related operations, it supports adding required data to a message when mediating between service messages exchanged between NFs, or storing data included in the message in a storage device.

[0072] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the function of adding required data to a service message during mediation between service messages exchanged between NFs or storing data included in the message in a storage device is defined as the data proxy (DP) function. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the DP is a network entity capable of concurrently performing a data storage function and a proxy function. In the present disclosure, the data storage function generally refers to data-related functions such as receiving data from an NF and storing it, and transmitting the stored data to an NF. In the present disclosure, it is assumed that there are no restrictions on the type of NF that can access the DP entity and store / change data or obtain data, and on the type of data that can be stored in the DP entity. In the present disclosure, the proxy function refers to the function of using information such as the target network function (NF) address and service name sent by the source NF to call the service of the target NF on its behalf and relay the message. The DP entity can communicate with other core NFs by using service-based interfaces.

[0073] In the present disclosure, the DP supports the following data processing functions supported by the data storage device.

[0074] - Store: Receive new data from an NF and store it in the storage device

[0075] - Update: Receive data from an NF and modify the existing data stored in the storage device

[0076] - Query: Transmit the data stored in the storage device to an NF

[0077] - Delete: Delete the data stored in the storage device

[0078] In addition, in the present disclosure, a proxy function is added to the DP, and the DP can support the following data processing functions.

[0079] - Retrieve: Add the service message generated by the source NF and transmit it to the target NF

[0080] - Store / Update: Store or update the data included in the service message and transmitted from the source NF in the storage device, and then transmit the service message to the target NF

[0081] - Delete: Delete the data to be deleted included in the service message and transmitted from the source NF from the storage device, and then transmit the service message to the target NF

[0082] The various details of the DP entity described below apply to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0083] Figure 4Shows a system including a DP entity and a stateless NF according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as well as a service processing procedure using the system.

[0084] Referring Figure 4 , the system may include a consumer NF 410, a producer NF 420, and a DP entity 430. In Figure 4 embodiments, it is assumed that the consumer NF 410 and the producer NF 420 share the same DP entity 430. However, in various embodiments of the present disclosure, different NFs may use the same DP entity, and different DP entities may be used.

[0085] In operation 401, the consumer NF 410 may send a service request message to the DP entity 430. The service request message may include information about the data processing type (which may be defined as the data processing type, and the name of the type is not limited thereto). The data processing type is information about the data processing operation to be performed by the DP entity, and may include at least one of retrieval, storage, update, deletion, and query.

[0086] In operation 402, the DP entity 430 performs a data processing operation based on the service request message. The DP entity 430 may perform at least one of retrieval, storage, update, deletion, and query operations based on the data processing type in the service request message. For example, in the case where the data processing type is retrieval, the DP entity 430 may perform an operation of including the requested data in the service request message and transmitting the service request message in which the DP entity 430 includes the added data to the producer NF420 (operation 402).

[0087] In operation 403, the producer NF 420 may process the service request message received in operation 402 and, in response thereto, send a service response message to the DP entity 430. The service response message may include information about the data processing type. For example, in the case of a request for update, the producer NF 420 may process the update configuration data processing type and send the service response message to the DP entity 430. In addition, the service response message may include the data to be updated.

[0088] In operation 404, the DP entity 430 that has received the service response message may perform an operation corresponding to the data processing type included in the service response message. For example, in the case where the data processing type is update, the data is updated in the storage device of the DP entity 430. In addition, the DP entity 430 may send the service response message to the consumer NF 410.

[0089] Figure 5 Shows the process by which the consumer NF and the producer NF of the present disclosure request data processing from the DP entity.

[0090] Reference Figure 5 In operation 551, the consumer NF 510 can determine whether the DP entity 530 needs to be used. The consumer NF 510 can determine whether the service request of the producer NF 520 requires DP usage through a DP usage determination. In addition, the consumer NF 510 can identify whether there is a DP entity that can be shared with the producer NF 520. In the case where there is a DP entity that can be shared with the producer NF 520, the consumer NF 510 can use the DP entity that can be shared relative to the service request and service response between the consumer NF 510 and the producer NF 520. Operation 551 can be omitted. For example, it may have been determined whether to use the DP entity 530, or operation 551 can be omitted in a pre-configured case.

[0091] In the case where it is determined to use the DP entity 530, in operation 553, the consumer NF 510 can send a service request message to the DP entity 530. The service request message can include information about the type of data processing. The type of data processing is information about the data processing operation to be performed by the DP entity and can include at least one of retrieval, storage, update, deletion, and query. For example, in Figure 5 the embodiment of, the type of data processing can be included or configured as retrieval.

[0092] In operation 555, the DP entity 530 can perform a data processing operation. The DP entity 530 can perform the data processing operation based on the type of data processing. In Figure 5 , assuming that retrieval is included in the service request message, the DP entity 530 can perform the data processing operation corresponding to retrieval. The DP entity 530 can search for the requested data in the storage device and add the requested data to the service request message. The data processing operation performed by the DP entity 530 can be different depending on whether the DP entity is an active DP or a passive DP. In the case of an active DP, the DP entity can actively perform data processing, and in the case of a passive DP, the DP entity can only perform data processing on the details requested from the NF. Active DP and passive DP are described separately below. In operation 557, the DP entity 530 can send a service request message to add the requested data to the producer NF 520.

[0093] In operation 559, the producer NF 520 may determine whether to use the DP entity 530. The producer NF 520 may determine whether the DP usage of the service response of the consumer NF 510 is required through the DP usage determination. Operation 559 may be omitted. For example, if it has been determined or pre-configured whether to use the DP entity 530, operation 559 may be omitted.

[0094] In the case of determining to use the DP entity 530, in operation 561, the producer NF 520 may send a service response message to the DP entity 530. The service response message may include information about the type of data processing. For example, in Figure 5 the embodiment of, the type of data processing may be included or configured as retrieval.

[0095] In operation 563, the DP entity 530 may perform a data processing operation. The DP entity 530 may perform the data processing operation based on the type of data processing included in the service response message. In Figure 5 assuming that retrieval is included in the service request message, the DP entity 530 may perform a data processing operation corresponding to the retrieval. The DP entity 530 may search for the requested data in the storage device and add the requested data to the service response message. In operation 565, the DP entity 530 may send the service response message to which the requested data has been added to the consumer NF 510.

[0096] Figure 6 The process of a consumer NF requesting data processing from a DP entity and a producer NF not requesting data processing from the DP entity according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0097] Refer to Figure 6 In operation 651, the consumer NF 610 may determine whether to use the DP entity 630. For detailed operations, refer to operation 551.

[0098] In the case of determining to use the DP entity 630, in operation 653, the consumer NF 610 may send a service request message to the DP entity 630. The service request message may include information about the type of data processing. For detailed operations, refer to operation 553.

[0099] In operation 655, the DP entity 630 may perform a data processing operation. The DP entity 630 may perform the data processing operation based on the type of data processing. For detailed operations, refer to operation 555. In operation 657, the DP entity 630 may send the service request message to which the requested data has been added to the producer NF 620.

[0100] In operation 659, the producer NF 620 may determine whether a DP entity 630 is required. The producer NF 620 may determine whether DP usage is required for the service response for the consumer NF 610 through DP usage determination. For a detailed description, refer to operation 559.

[0101] In the case where it is determined that the DP entity 630 is not used, in operation 661, the producer NF 610 may send a service response message to the consumer NF610. The service response message may be sent directly from the producer NF 620 to the consumer NF 610 and may be sent via the DP entity 630. In the case of sending the service response message through the DP entity 630, the DP entity 630 may act as an agent without performing additional data processing.

[0102] Figure 7 A process is shown in which a consumer NF does not request data processing from a DP entity and a producer NF requests data processing from the DP entity according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0103] Refer to Figure 7 , in operation 751, the consumer NF 710 may determine whether it is necessary to use the DP entity 730. For detailed operations, refer to operation 551.

[0104] In the case where it is determined that the DP entity 730 is not used, in operation 753, the consumer NF 710 may send a service request message to the producer NF720. The service request message may be sent directly to the producer NF 720 and may be sent through the DP entity 730. When the service request message is sent through the DP entity 730, the DP entity 730 may act as an agent without performing additional data processing.

[0105] In operation 759, the producer NF 720 may determine whether it is necessary to use the DP entity 730. The producer NF 720 may determine whether DP usage is required for the service response for the consumer NF 710 through DP usage determination. For detailed operations, refer to operation 559.

[0106] In the case where it is determined that the DP entity 730 is used, in operation 761, the producer NF 720 may send a service response message to the DP entity 730. The service response message may include information about the type of data processing.

[0107] In operation 763, the DP entity 730 may perform a data processing operation. The DP entity 730 may perform a data processing operation based on the type of data processing included in the service response message. For detailed operations, refer to operation 563. In operation 765, the DP entity 730 may send the service response message to which the requested data is added to the consumer NF 710.

[0108] Figure 8 shows a process in which a consumer NF and a producer NF according to an embodiment of the present disclosure request data processing using different DPs.

[0109] Reference Figure 8 , in operation 851, the consumer NF 810 may determine whether to use the DP entity 830. The consumer NF 810 may determine whether the service request of the producer NF 820 requires DP usage through DP usage determination. In addition, the consumer NF 810 may identify whether there is a DP entity that can be shared with the producer NF 820. In the case where it is identified that there is no DP entity that can be shared between the consumer NF 810 and the producer NF 820, the DP entity 830 for the consumer NF 810 may be identified and the DP entity 830 may be used. Operation 851 may be omitted. For example, in the case where it has been determined or pre-configured whether to use the DP entity 830, operation 851 may be omitted.

[0110] In operation 853, the consumer NF 810 may send a query request message to the DP entity 830. The query request message may be a message for requesting data required for the consumer NF 810 to send a service request message to the producer NF 820.

[0111] In operation 855, the consumer NF 810 may receive a query response message from the DP entity 830. The query response message may include the data required for the query request message.

[0112] In operation 857, the consumer NF 810 may send a service request message to the producer NF 820. The service request message may be generated based on the data obtained through the query response message. For example, the service request message may include the information obtained through the query response message.

[0113] In operation 859, the producer NF 820 may determine whether to use the DP entity 840. The producer NF 820 may determine whether the service response for the consumer NF 810 requires DP usage through DP usage determination. In addition, the producer NF 820 may identify whether there is a DP entity that can be shared with the consumer NF 810. In the case where it is identified that there is no DP entity that can be shared between the consumer NF 810 and the producer NF 820, the DP entity 840 for the producer NF 820 may be identified and the DP entity 840 may be used. Operation 859 may be omitted. For example, in the case where it has been determined or pre-configured whether to use the DP entity 830, operation 859 may be omitted.

[0114] In operation 861, the producer NF 820 may send a query request message to the DP entity 840. The query request message may be a message for requesting data required for the producer NF 820 to send a service response message to the consumer NF 810.

[0115] In operation 863, the producer NF 820 may receive a query response message from the DP entity 840. The query response message may include the data requested by the query request message.

[0116] In operation 865, the producer NF 820 may send a service response message to the consumer NF 810. The service response message may be generated based on the data obtained through the query response message. For example, the service response message may include the information obtained through the query response message.

[0117] In the above description, Figures 4 to 8 the embodiments are only classified for ease of description, and it should be noted that some configurations may be combined and implemented within the scope not conflicting with the present disclosure.

[0118] Hereinafter, additional configurations that can be commonly applied to various embodiments of the present disclosure are described.

[0119] - Concepts of source, target, and DP messages

[0120] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, a service request message and a service response message are defined between the consumer NF and the producer NF, and the service request message and the service response message received by the DP entity may be referred to as DP request messages, and the service request message and the service response message sent by the DP entity may be defined as DP response messages. In addition, in various embodiments of the present disclosure, the NF that sends a message to the DP entity may be defined as the source NF, and the NF that receives a message from the DP entity may be defined as the target NF.

[0121] - Concept of DP entity discovery

[0122] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, DP entity discovery can be applied. In the case where the source NF and the target NF of a service message share the same DP entity, the DP entity may require the maximum gain compared to the prior art. For this purpose, a process for the NF to be able to identify the NF whose data is stored in the DP entity (DP entity discovery) needs to be supported. When a DP entity is generated, if a process of registering in the Network Repository Function (NRF) by including the currently supported NF information in the DP entity profile is performed, the NF can discover an appropriate DP entity through the NRF. In addition, information on the DP entity to be used can be pre-configured for each NF. For example, in the case where a business operator installs a DP entity and an NF, the relationship between the DP entity and the NF can be pre-configured. In the case of determining the DP entity to be used by the corresponding NF, the NF can store its own data in the corresponding DP entity. The DP entity can update its profile to the NRF and notify other NFs supported by the DP entity of the information of the new NF. Through this process, the NF can identify whether there is a DP entity that supports the NF or can be used by the NF, whether there is a DP entity that can be shared with another NF, etc.

[0123] - Concepts of active DP and passive DP

[0124] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the DP entity can be classified into a passive DP and an active DP according to whether the entity that determines whether data-related operations are required is an NF entity or a DP entity. In the case where the NF sends a service message to the DP entity, the scenario where the DP entity identifies the target NF type, service name, etc. from the corresponding service message to determine the data required for the corresponding message, then adds the required information and sends it to the target NF is defined as an active DP. That is, in the case of receiving a service message, the active DP can actively perform data processing for processing the service message. On the contrary, the scenario where the NF determines whether the corresponding service message requires a DP, specifies the type of required data, and sends the service message to the DP entity and the DP entity only passively performs a specific operation on the requested data is defined as a passive DP.

[0125] - Service message

[0126] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, before the source NF sends a service message to the target NF, the source NF may perform a process of determining whether there is data to be included in the corresponding service message and determining whether the DP function needs to be used. In the case of determining that DP is required, the source NF includes at least one piece of information of the required data processing type and the required data type in the corresponding service message in addition to the target NF address and the service name, and sends the service message to the DP entity. The DP entity may identify the data processing type and the data type from the received service message, perform the requested processing, and then send the service message to the target NF. In the case of a passive DP entity, clearer information for data processing can be transmitted by the above method.

[0127] - Processing of service messages according to degrees of freedom

[0128] The DP entity that has received the service message may process the service message according to the degree of freedom. In the case of passive DP, the degree of freedom is low, so only the requested data processing can be performed. On the other hand, in the case of active DP, the DP entity has a higher degree of freedom and modifies or updates the service message. Therefore, in the case of active DP, there is no restriction on the area that the DP entity can utilize in the service message. The active DP entity can access the entire service message and can perform modifications, such as adding data to both the header and the body. Since active DP can access both the header and the body and modify the message, in the case where there is data required for processing the service message, operations such as adding data to the service message and modifying or updating the service message can be performed. In the case of passive DP, the DP entity only performs the specified operation on the data specified by the NF, so the DP entity cannot access the body of the service message specified by the NF and performs the operation of adding data only by utilizing the header, etc.

[0129] In the case of passive DP, the following new HTTP custom header can be defined to support the operations of DP. In addition, the following concepts also apply to active DP. That is, the following information also applies to active DP, and the active DP performs the requested operation by default, but can actively perform additional data processing operations.

[0130] - 3gpp-Sbi-DP-ProcessingType

[0131] ■ A header with the type of data processing requested by the NF as the value

[0132] ■ Value examples: retrieve, query, store, update, and delete

[0133] ■ 3gpp-Sbi-DP-UEID

[0134] ■Identifier for differentiating the UE corresponding to the data

[0135] ■Value examples: SUPI (Subscription Permanent Identifier), 5G - GUTI (Global Unique Temporary Identifier), etc.

[0136] -3gpp - Sbi - DP - DataName

[0137] ■Header having the name of the data corresponding to the processing target of the DP as the value

[0138] ■The data can be included in various units such as data sets, data subsets, and individual data

[0139] ■Value examples: ueContext, policyData, pdusessionId, etc.

[0140] -3gpp - Sbi - DP - DataID

[0141] ■3gpp - Sbi - DP - UEID and 3gpp - Sbi - DP - DataName can be integrated to represent the same content as one header

[0142] ■Value examples: {SUPI, ueContext}

[0143] -3gpp - Sbi - DP - Data - *

[0144] ■Header having the data to be stored in the DP by the NF or to be sent from the DP to the NF as the value

[0145] ■For the header name, use the same string as included in the 3gpp - Sbi - DP - DataName header. 3gpp - Sbi - DP - Data - <DataName value>

[0146] ■Includes the data corresponding to the header name as the value

[0147] ■Header examples

[0148] >3gpp - Sbi - DP - Data - ueContext

[0149] >3gpp - Sbi - DP - Data - subscriptionData

[0150] The DP entity can identify the processing type, UE, and data, and perform corresponding operations by using the above - mentioned structure.

[0151] Hereinafter, specific examples of processing service messages applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure are described.

[0152] Figure 9 Shows the headers of service messages sent and stored by NF and DP applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0153] Reference numeral 910 indicates a header including a UE ID and a data name. This refers to 3gpp-Sbi-DP-UEID and 3gpp-Sbi-DP-DataName described above. The same explanation applies to Figures 10 to 13 .

[0154] Reference numeral 920 indicates a data ID header including a data ID. This refers to the description of 3gpp-Sbi-DP-DataID above. The same explanation applies to Figures 10 to 13 .

[0155] Reference numeral 930 indicates a Data-* header. This refers to the description of 3gpp-Sbi-DP-Data-* above. The same explanation applies to Figures 10 to 13 .

[0156] In the case of receiving a service message including headers as shown by reference numerals 910, 920, and 930, data processing as shown by reference numeral 940 can be performed in the DP storage. The DP entity can process data requested by each UE classified by the NF with a UE identifier (e.g., SUPI). For example, reference numeral 940 indicates that the DP entity performs a storage function based on the data processing type. The DP entity can store the data stored for each UE in a storage device.

[0157] Figure 10 Shows the headers of service messages retrieved and sent by NF and DP applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0158] Reference numeral 1010 indicates a DP request message. The DP request message corresponds to a service message received by the DP entity from the NF. The service message can be a service request message received by the DP entity or can be a service response message. The DP request message can include fields for a processing type, a target NF, a UE ID, and a data name.

[0159] A DP entity that has received a DP request message can perform data processing operations to generate a DP response message, as shown by reference numeral 1020. The DP response message corresponds to a service message sent by the DP entity to the NF. The service message can be a request message and a service response message sent by the DP entity. The data processing type of reference numeral 1010 is retrieval. Therefore, the DP entity can perform operations of retrieving the requested data, adding it to the service message, and transmitting the service message to the target NF. The DP entity can retrieve data corresponding to the UE ID and the data name and add the retrieved data to the Data-(data-) field. The DP entity can transmit the DP response message to which the data has been added to the target NF. For example, the DP entity can retrieve data A of the UE corresponding to SUPI1 and add the data (xxx) corresponding to data A to the service message. In addition, the DP entity can retrieve data B of the UE corresponding to SUPI 2 and add the data (yyy) corresponding to data B to the service message.

[0160] Therefore, the DP entity can perform data processing operations corresponding to the DP request message required by the source NF and can send the DP response message obtained by applying the data processing to the target NF.

[0161] Figure 11 Shows the headers of service messages sent by the NF and the DP query applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0162] Reference numeral 1110 indicates a DP request message. The DP request message corresponds to a service message received by the DP entity from the NF. The service message can be a service request message and a service response message received by the DP entity. The DP request message can include fields for the processing type, the target NF, the UEID, and the data name. Figure 11 Shows the case where the data processing type is a query. In the case where the data processing type is a query, the DP entity retrieves the requested data and transmits the retrieved data to the NF that has sent the DP request message. For example, it can be assumed that NF_A has sent a DP request message to the DP entity for requesting data A of the UE corresponding to SUPI 1 and data B of the UE corresponding to SUPI 2.

[0163] The DP entity that has received the DP request message can perform data processing operations to generate a DP response message, as shown by reference numeral 1120. The DP response message corresponds to the service message sent by the DP entity to the NF. The service message can be a request message and a service response message sent by the DP entity. The DP entity can retrieve the requested data, add the retrieved data to the DP response message as shown in 1120, and send the DP response message to which the requested data has been added to NF_A. The DP entity can retrieve the data corresponding to the UE ID and the data name, add the retrieved data to the data-field, and transmit the data response message to which the retrieved data has been added to the target NF. For example, referring to the DP response message, it can be identified that data A (xxx) has been added for the UE corresponding to SUPI 1, and data B (yyy) has been added for the UE corresponding to SUPI 2.

[0164] Through the above method, the NF can obtain the required data from the DP entity.

[0165] Figure 12 Shows the headers of service messages sent and updated by the NF and the DP applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0166] Reference numeral 1210 indicates the DP request message. The DP request message corresponds to the service message received by the DP entity from the NF. The service message can be a service request message received by the DP entity and can be a service response message. The DP request message can include fields for the processing type, the target NF, the UE ID, and the data name. In Figure 12 it shows the case where the data processing type is update or storage.

[0167] The NF can indicate the data to be stored or updated in the DP entity through the DP request message. For example, for the data name A of the UE corresponding to SUPI1, the NF can indicate to update or store the data (xxx), and for the data name B of the UE corresponding to SUPI 2, the NF can indicate to update or store the data (yyy). Information about the target NF can be optionally included. In the case where the data needs not only to be updated or stored in the DP entity but also to be transmitted to the target NF, information about the target NF and the service can also be included. The DP entity that has received the DP request message can perform the indicated data processing operations.

[0168] In the case of storage, the DP entity can identify or generate data corresponding to the UE ID and the data name, and store the information corresponding to the data. In addition, for the source NF, the data storage result can be reported. In the case of update, the DP entity can retrieve the data corresponding to the UE ID and the data name, update the retrieved data, and store the updated data. In addition, for the source NF, the result of the data update can be reported.

[0169] In the case where it needs to be sent to the target NF, as shown by reference numeral 1220, a DP response message can be generated and sent to the target NF. The DP response message can include the information about the UE ID, the data name, and the data received through the DP request message. The DP response message corresponds to the service message sent by the DP entity to the NF. The service message can be a request message sent by the DP entity, or can be a service response message.

[0170] Through the above method, the NF can store or update the required data in the DP entity, and can simultaneously send it to the target NF.

[0171] Figure 13 Illustrated is the header of the service message sent and deleted by the NF and the DP applicable to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0172] Reference numeral 1310 indicates a DP request message. The DP request message corresponds to the service message received by the DP entity from the NF. The service message can be a service request message received by the DP entity, and can be a service response message. The DP request message can include fields for the processing type, the target NF, the UE ID, and the data name. In Figure 13 it, the case where the data processing type is deletion is described.

[0173] The NF can indicate deletion to the DP entity through the DP request message. For example, the NF can indicate or request to delete the data corresponding to the data name A of the UE corresponding to SUPI 1, and delete the data corresponding to the data name B of the UE corresponding to SUPI 2. Information about the target NF can be optionally included in the DP request message. In the case where this information needs to be not only deleted from the DP entity but also sent to the target NF, information about the target NF and the service can also be included. The DP entity that has received the DP request message can perform the indicated data processing operation.

[0174] The DP entity can retrieve the data corresponding to the UE ID and the data name, and delete the data. In addition, if necessary, the result of the data deletion can be reported to the source NF.

[0175] In the case where the information needs to be transmitted to the target NF, a DP response message can be generated and transmitted to the target NF, as shown by reference numeral 1320. The DP response message corresponds to a service message sent by the DP entity to the NF. The service message can be a request message sent by the DP entity and can be a service response message.

[0176] By the above method, the NF can delete data from the DP entity and can simultaneously transmit the service message to the target NF.

[0177] By Figures 9 to 13 , data processing according to the header and service type is described, but it is classified for ease of description, and the header can be implemented in various ways. For example, some details of Figures 9 to 13 can be combined and implemented. For example, in the case where the operations of retrieval of Figure 10 and deletion of Figure 13 are performed together, it can also be considered that the header is configured to include both information for retrieval and information for deletion, and the configured DP request message is used.

[0178] Figure 14 shows the structure of a network entity that performs network functions according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0179] Figure 14 The network entity of

[0180] can be one of the RAN, AMF, SMF, IPF, PCF, UDM, NSSF, NWDAF, DN, NSACF, and DP entities described by the embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 14 Referring to

[0181] The network entity that performs network functions can include a transceiver 1410, a controller 1420, and a storage device 1430. The controller in the present disclosure can be defined as a circuit, an application-specific integrated circuit, or at least one processor.

[0182] The transceiver 1410 can send a signal to another network entity or receive a signal from another network entity. For example, the transceiver 1410 can send a signal or message to the AMF or receive a signal or message from the AMF, where the AMF corresponds to a network entity that manages access and mobility to the access network of the UE.

[0183] The storage device 1430 can store at least one of the information sent or received through the transceiver 1410 and the information generated through the controller 1420.

[0184] The methods disclosed in the claims and / or the methods according to the embodiments described in the specification of the present disclosure may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0185] In the case where the method is implemented by software, a computer-readable storage medium for storing one or more programs (software modules) may be provided. The one or more programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium may be configured to be executed by one or more processors within the electronic device. At least one program includes instructions that cause the electronic device to execute the methods according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure defined by the appended claims and / or disclosed herein.

[0186] The programs (software modules or software) may be stored in non-volatile memories, including random access memories and flash memories, read-only memories (ROMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), magnetic disk storage devices, compact disc-ROMs (CD-ROMs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), or other types of optical storage devices, or magnetic tape cartridges. Alternatively, any combination of some or all of them may form the memory in which the programs are stored. In addition, a plurality of such memories may be included in the electronic device.

[0187] In addition, the programs may be stored in attachable storage devices that can access the electronic device through a communication network such as the Internet, intranet, local area network (LAN), wide area LAN (WLAN), and storage area network (SAN), or a combination thereof. Such storage devices may access the electronic device via an external port. In addition, a separate storage device on the communication network may access the portable electronic device.

[0188] In the above detailed embodiments of the present disclosure, according to the presented detailed embodiments, the elements included in the present disclosure are expressed in singular or plural forms. However, for ease of description, the singular or plural form is appropriately selected for the presented situation, and the present disclosure is not limited by the elements expressed in singular or plural. Therefore, elements expressed in plural may also include a single element, or elements expressed in singular may also include a plurality of elements.

[0189] Although specific embodiments have been described in the detailed description of the present disclosure, it is clear that various modifications and changes can be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the embodiments, but should be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. That is to say, it is clear to those skilled in the art that other variations based on the technical idea of the present disclosure can be achieved. In addition, the above-described various embodiments can be used in combination as needed. For example, the methods proposed in the present disclosure can be partially combined with each other to operate network entities and terminals. In addition, although the above embodiments have been described based on the FDD LTE system, other variations based on the technical idea of the embodiments can also be implemented in other communication systems such as TDD LTE, and 5G, or NR systems.

[0190] The embodiments of the present disclosure described and illustrated in the specification and the drawings are only specific examples presented to easily explain the technical content of the embodiments of the present disclosure and to help understand the embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure. That is to say, it is clear to those skilled in the art that other variations based on the technical idea of the present disclosure can be achieved.

Claims

1. A method performed by a first network function NF, the method comprising: Determining a data proxy DP entity for a service utilizing a second NF; Generating a service message excluding partial data of the service; And Sending the service message to the DP entity, Wherein the partial data of the service is processed by the DP entity and sent to the second NF.

2. The method according to claim 1, Among them, The service message includes a data processing type, a terminal identifier for data processing, a data name, and information about the second NF.

3. The method according to claim 2, Among them, The DP entity identifies data based on the terminal identifier and the data name, and Wherein, the service message including the data is sent from the DP entity to the second NF based on the data processing type.

4. The method according to claim 1, Among them, Performing a DP discovery operation for a network repository function NRF to identify a DP supporting the first NF.

5. A method performed by a data proxy DP entity, the method comprising: Receiving from a first network function NF a service message excluding partial data of a service for a second NF; Processing the partial data for the second NF based on the data processing type included in the service message; And Sending the service message including the partial data to the second NF.

6. The method according to claim 5, Among them, The service message includes the data processing type, a terminal identifier for data processing, a data name, and information about the second NF.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising: Identifying the partial data based on the terminal identifier and the data name, Wherein, the service message is sent from the DP entity to the second NF based on the data processing type and the information about the second NF.

8. The method according to claim 5, Among them, In the case where the DP entity is an active DP, access to information about the header and body of the service message received from the first NF is performed, and Wherein, in the case where the DP entity is a passive DP, only access to the header of the service message received from the first NF is performed.

9. A first network function NF, comprising: A transceiver; And A controller, Wherein, the controller is configured to: Determine a data proxy DP entity for a service utilizing a second NF; Generate a service message excluding partial data of the service; and Send the service message to the DP entity; Wherein, the partial data of the service is processed by the DP entity and sent to the second NF.

10. The first NF according to claim 9, Among them, The service message includes a data processing type, a terminal identifier for data processing, a data name, and information about the second NF.

11. The first NF according to claim 10, Among them, The DP entity identifies data based on the terminal identifier and the data name; And Wherein, the service message including the data is sent from the DP entity to the second NF based on the data processing type.

12. The first NF according to claim 9, Among them, performs a DP discovery operation on the Network Repository Function NRF to identify the DP that supports the first NF.

13. A Data Proxy DP entity, comprising: a transceiver; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to: receive a service message from a first Network Function NF that does not include partial data for a service of a second NF; process the partial data for the second NF based on the data processing type included in the service message; and send a service message including the partial data to the second NF.

14. The DP entity according to claim 13, Among them, wherein the service message includes the data processing type, a terminal identifier for data processing, a data name, and information about the second NF.

15. The DP entity according to claim 14, Among them, wherein the controller is configured to control the identification of the partial data based on the terminal identifier and the data name, and wherein the service message is sent from the DP entity to the second NF based on the data processing type and the information about the second NF.

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