Method and apparatus for supporting edge application server discovery and selection in mobile edge computing system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system supporting a higher data transmission rate. According to an embodiment, a method performed by an edge enabled server (EES) in a mobile edge computing system includes sending a request message to an edge configuration server (ECS) for storing public edge application server (EAS) beam information. In an embodiment, the request message includes common EAS beam information, and the common EAS beam information includes at least one of an EAS beam identification (ID) of an EAS beam, a list of EAS IDs in the EAS beam, and a primary EAS ID in the EAS beam.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to mobile communication systems and edge computing systems, and more specifically, to methods and apparatus for supporting edge application discovery and selection via mobile edge computing systems. Background Technology

[0002] Fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication technology defines wide frequency bands to enable high-speed transmission rates and new services. This can be achieved not only in sub-6GHz bands such as 3.5GHz, but also in ultra-high frequency bands known as millimeter waves (mmWave) such as 28GHz and 39GHz ("above 6GHz"). Furthermore, 6G mobile communication technology, known as "super 5G," is being considered for implementation in terahertz bands (e.g., 95GHz to 3THz) to achieve transmission rates up to 50 times faster than 5G and ultra-low latency reduced by 1 / 10.

[0003] In the early stages of 5G mobile communication technology development, in order to meet the service requirements and performance requirements of enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC), relevant standardization work has been carried out, involving: beamforming and massive MIMO to alleviate propagation path loss and increase propagation distance in the UHF band; support for multiple parameter sets (such as multi-subcarrier spacing operation) and dynamic operation of time slot format for efficient utilization of UHF band resources; initial access technology to support multi-beam transmission and broadband; definition and operation of bandwidth portion (BWP); new channel coding (such as low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes for massive data transmission and polar codes for highly reliable transmission of control information); L2 preprocessing; and network slicing technology to provide dedicated networks for specific services.

[0004] Currently, considering the services that 5G mobile communication technology is intended to support, discussions are underway regarding improvements and performance enhancements to the initial 5G mobile communication technology. Physical layer standardization work is also progressing, involving technologies including: vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks that assist autonomous vehicles in making driving decisions and improve user convenience based on vehicle-transmitted location and status information; New Radio Unlicensed Bands (NR-U) designed to match system operation to various regulatory requirements; NR UE power saving technology; UE-satellite direct communication technology (non-terrestrial network (NTN)) that provides coverage for areas that cannot communicate with terrestrial networks; and positioning technology.

[0005] Meanwhile, in terms of air interface architecture / protocols, standardization efforts are underway for the following technologies: Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to support new services through integration with other industries; Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) to provide nodes for network service area extension by integrating wireless backhaul and access links; Mobility enhancements including conditional handover and dual active protocol stack (DAPS) handover; and two-step random access (RACH for NR) to simplify the random access process. In addition, in the system architecture / service domain, ongoing standardization efforts include 5G baseline architectures (e.g., service-based architectures or service-based interfaces) that combine Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies, as well as Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) based on UE location reception services.

[0006] With the commercialization of 5G mobile communication systems, a surge in connected devices will access communication networks, making enhanced functionality and performance of 5G mobile communication systems and integrated operation of connected devices essential. To this end, new research is expected in the following areas: extended reality (XR) for efficient support of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR); leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to improve 5G performance and reduce complexity; AI service support; metaverse service support; and drone communication.

[0007] Furthermore, the development of such 5G mobile communication systems can lay the foundation for the development of multi-antenna transmission technologies (such as new waveforms, full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, and massive MIMO) to ensure terahertz band coverage for 6G mobile communication, full-duplex technologies to improve the frequency efficiency of 6G mobile communication technologies and improve system networks, reconfigurable smart surfaces (RIS), high-dimensional spatial multiplexing utilizing orbital angular momentum (OAM), metamaterial-based lenses and antennas to enhance terahertz band signal coverage, AI-based communication technologies that embed end-to-end artificial intelligence (AI) support from the design stage and utilize satellites and AI to achieve system optimization, and next-generation distributed computing technologies that enable services with complexity exceeding the operational capabilities of UEs through ultra-high-performance communication and computing resources. Summary of the Invention

[0008] [Technical Solution]

[0009] This disclosure provides a method and apparatus for supporting edge application server discovery and selection through a mobile edge computing system.

[0010] This disclosure provides a method and apparatus for efficiently performing mobile communication core network interoperability with corresponding edge application servers.

[0011] In this disclosure, the service provided to an application client can be implemented through interoperability between multiple Edge Application Servers (EAS) (e.g., an EAS bundle). This disclosure provides a method and apparatus for users receiving services from the same EAS when multiple users interact with each other while using the service.

[0012] According to an embodiment, a method performed by an edge enabler (EES) in a mobile edge computing system includes sending a request message to an edge configuration server (ECS) for storing common edge application server (EAS) bundle information. In this embodiment, the request message includes common EAS bundle information, and the common EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: an EAS bundle identifier (ID) of the EAS bundle, a list of EAS IDs in the EAS bundle, and a primary EAS ID in the EAS bundle.

[0013] According to an embodiment, a method performed by an edge configuration server (ECS) in a mobile edge computing system includes: receiving a request message from an edge enable server (EES) for storing common edge application server (EAS) bundle information; and storing the common EAS bundle information. In an embodiment, the request message includes the common EAS bundle information, and the common EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: an EAS bundle identifier (ID) of the EAS bundle, a list of EAS IDs in the EAS bundle, and a primary EAS ID in the EAS bundle.

[0014] According to an embodiment, an edge-enabled server (EES) in a mobile edge computing system includes: a transceiver; and at least one processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor being configured to send a request message to an edge configuration server (ECS) for storing common edge application server (EAS) bundle information. In this embodiment, the request message includes common EAS bundle information, and the common EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: an EAS bundle identifier (ID) of the EAS bundle, a list of EAS IDs in the EAS bundle, and a primary EAS ID in the EAS bundle.

[0015] According to an embodiment, an edge configuration server (ECS) in a mobile edge computing system includes: a transceiver; and at least one processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor being configured to receive a request message from a first edge enable server (EES) for storing common edge application server (EAS) bundle information, and to store the common EAS bundle information. In an embodiment, the request message includes the common EAS bundle information, and the common EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: an EAS bundle identifier (ID) of the EAS bundle, a list of EAS IDs in the EAS bundle, and a primary EAS ID in the EAS bundle.

[0016] This disclosure enables the discovery and selection of EAS bundles containing multiple EASs for a given user group. This allows services provided to users receiving the same service to be offered from the same EAS bundle, reducing unnecessary inter-server communication and improving service quality.

[0017] This disclosure can also efficiently perform interoperability with the mobile communication core network associated with the corresponding edge application server.

[0018] Before proceeding with the following detailed description, it may be advantageous to define certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “comprising” and “including” and their derivatives mean including but not limited to; the term “or” is inclusive, meaning and / or; the phrase “associated with” and its derivatives may mean including, being included in, interconnected with, containing, being contained within, connected to or connected to, coupled to or coupled with, able to communicate with, cooperate with, interleaved, juxtaposed, proximate, bound to or bound to, having, possessing the properties of, etc.; the term “controller” refers to any device, system, or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such device being implemented by hardware, firmware, or software, or at least a combination of both. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller can be centralized or distributed, whether local or remote.

[0019] Furthermore, the various functions described below can be implemented by one or more computer programs, each computer program being formed by computer-readable program code and embodied in a computer-readable medium. The terms "application" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, associated data, or portions thereof, suitable for implementation in appropriate computer-readable program code. The phrase "computer-readable program code" includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase "computer-readable medium" includes any type of computer-accessible medium, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard disk drive, optical disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of storage. "Non-transitory" computer-readable medium does not include wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transmit transient electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable medium includes media that permanently store data and media that store and subsequently rewrite data, such as rewritable optical discs or erasable storage devices.

[0020] Throughout this patent document, definitions of certain words and phrases are provided, and those skilled in the art will understand that, in many (if not most) cases, such definitions apply to the prior and future use of these defined words and phrases. Attached Figure Description

[0021] A more complete understanding of this disclosure and its many accompanying aspects will be readily obtained by referring to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This illustration shows the edge computing system architecture and core network interconnection architecture according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 The process of using ECS ​​to discover and select common EAS bundles according to embodiments of the present disclosure is illustrated; Figure 3 The process of discovering and selecting a common EAS bundle according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated; Figure 4 The AF request process for a public EAS is illustrated according to an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 5 This illustrates an AF request process for a public EAS according to an embodiment of this disclosure; and Figure 6 The structure of a network entity according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The following discussion Figures 1 to 6 The various embodiments used to describe the principles of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of this disclosure can be implemented in any suitably configured system or device.

[0023] The operating principles of this disclosure will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The terms described below are defined in consideration of their function in this disclosure. Since terms may vary depending on the intent or habit of the user or operator, their definitions should be determined within the context of the entire disclosure.

[0024] For the same reason, some elements may be exaggerated or shown schematically. The dimensions of each element do not necessarily reflect its actual dimensions. Throughout the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same elements.

[0025] Hereinafter, a base station (BS) is an entity that performs resource allocation for a UE and may include at least one of a gNode B, eNode B, Node B (or xNode B (where x is a letter character including g and e)), a radio access unit, a base station controller, a satellite, airborne equipment, or a node on a network. A user equipment (UE) may include a mobile station (MS), a vehicle, a satellite, airborne equipment, a cellular phone, a smartphone, a computer, or a multimedia system capable of performing communication functions. In this disclosure, a downlink (DL) refers to a radio transmission path from the base station to the terminal, and an uplink (UL) refers to a radio transmission path from the terminal to the base station. Additionally, there may be sidelinks (SL) that represent radio transmission paths from one UE to another.

[0026] Although the following description may use LTE, LTE-A, or 5G systems as examples, the embodiments can be applied to other communication systems with similar technical backgrounds or channel modes. For example, the embodiments may also cover 5G-advance, NR-advance, or sixth-generation mobile communication technology (6G) developed after 5G mobile communication technology (or New Radio, NR). The 5G referred to below can be a concept encompassing legacy LTE, LTE-A, and other similar services. Furthermore, modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without significantly departing from the scope of this disclosure, and such modifications can be applied to other communication systems.

[0027] It should be understood that each block in a flowchart, and combinations of flowcharts, can be implemented by computer program instructions. Since computer program instructions can be configured in the processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate means for implementing the functions described in the blocks of each flowchart. Since computer program instructions can be stored in a computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium that can direct the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to operate in a particular manner, the instructions stored in the computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium can generate an article of art containing instruction means for implementing the functions described in the blocks of each flowchart. Since computer program instructions can be configured in a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, a series of operational steps executed on the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus generate a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, provide steps for implementing the functions described in the blocks of each flowchart.

[0028] Furthermore, each block may represent a code module, code segment, or code section, containing one or more executable instructions for performing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions mentioned in a block may occur in a different order. For example, two blocks shown consecutively may actually execute substantially simultaneously, or they may execute in reverse order depending on their respective functions.

[0029] As used herein, the term "cell" refers to a software or hardware element such as a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). A cell performs a specific function. However, a "cell" is not limited to software or hardware. A "cell" may be configured in addressable storage media or configured to execute one or more processors. Thus, by way of example, a "cell" includes elements such as software elements, object-oriented software elements, class elements and task elements, procedures, functions, properties, processes, subroutines, program code segments, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data schemas, tables, arrays, and variables. The functionality provided within components and "cells" may be combined into fewer components and "cells," or further separated into additional components and "cells." Furthermore, components and "cells" may be implemented as one or more central processing units (CPUs) in an execution device or secure multimedia card. According to embodiments, "...cell" may include one or more processors.

[0030] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), responsible for standardizing cellular mobile communications, has named its new core network architecture 5G Core Network (5GC) and standardized it to facilitate the evolution from 4G LTE systems to 5G systems. Compared to the Evolved Packet Core Network (EPC), which serves as the 4G core network, 5GC supports the following differentiated features.

[0031] The terms used herein to refer to network entities and objects of edge computing systems, to messages, and to identification information are provided for ease of description only. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to these terms, and such terms may be replaced with other terms representing objects with equivalent technical concepts.

[0032] Although the terminology and names defined in the 5G system standard are used in this document for ease of description, the embodiments are not limited thereto and can also be applied to systems that conform to other standards.

[0033] This disclosure relates to a method for enabling a group of users receiving a service to access the same EAS in an edge computing system. Specifically, this disclosure relates to a method for enabling a corresponding group of users to receive the service from the same EAS bundle when the corresponding service is provided through an EAS bundle containing multiple EASs.

[0034] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the edge computing system architecture and core network interconnection architecture according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0035] An edge computing system may include an edge enabling server (EES), an edge configuration server (ECS), and an edge enabling client (EEC). The edge enabling server (EES) establishes an edge hosting environment (or edge computing platform) and is aware of information about the edge application servers (EAS) running in that edge hosting environment.

[0036] The edge enabling server negotiates with the UE to connect the UE's application client to the edge application server (EAS) in the edge-hosted environment. The UE, which supports an edge computing system, may embed an edge enabling client (EEC), and this negotiation can be performed through interoperability between the edge enabling client (EEC) and the edge enabling server (EES). The layer that performs interoperability between the edge enabling client and the edge enabler, such as the negotiation described above, may be referred to as the edge enabling layer. The UE mentioned in this disclosure may include IoT devices and vehicles, as well as smartphones.

[0037] The Edge Configuration Server (ECS) is aware of deployment information about the Edge Enabled Server (EES) and performs the function of transmitting configuration information to the UE for using edge computing services. Configuration information may include, for example, edge data network connection information (e.g., Data Network Name (DNN), Single Network Slice Selection Auxiliary Information (S-NSSAI), etc.), edge data network service area information (e.g., cell list, tracking area list, Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identifier (ID), edge enabled server connection information (e.g., Uniform Resource Identifier (URI)), etc.). The edge data network service area can be an area available to the edge enabled server (EES) as set by the edge enabled server (EES). Based on this, the UE can receive information about edge enabled servers (EES) that are accessible at a specific location. If the Edge Configuration Server is aware of information about edge application servers (EAS) running in the edge-hosted environment of a specific edge enabled server (EES), the UE can also obtain the corresponding information through the edge enabled client (EE). Edge Configuration Servers (ECS) may support repository functionality, depending on the implementation, to store and manage information related to another Edge Configuration Server (ECS) or Edge Application Server (EAS).

[0038] Edge application servers (EAS) refer to third-party application servers that operate within edge computing systems. They are third-party application servers powered by infrastructure provided by edge-hosted environments and are able to provide services close to the user appliance (UE), thus offering ultra-low latency services.

[0039] Within a UE, there may be application clients, edge-enabled clients (EECs) that enable interoperability between the application clients and edge computing services, and mobile terminals (MTs) accessing the mobile communication system. Applications within the UE are third-party provided applications, referring to client applications driven within the UE for specific application services. Multiple applications can be driven within the UE. At least one application can use multi-access edge computing (MEC) services.

[0040] An Edge Enabled Client (EEC) in a UE refers to a client within the UE that performs the operations required to use edge computing services. This includes determining which applications can use edge computing services and connecting to the network interface to enable data transmission from the UE application client to the Edge Application Server (EAS) providing the edge computing services. Operations for establishing data connections for using edge computing services are performed via the 3GPP communication layer through the mobile terminal. The 3GPP communication layer refers to the layer that performs modem operations for using the mobile communication system, establishing radio connections for data communication, registering the UE in the mobile communication system, establishing connections for data transmission within the mobile communication system, and sending and receiving data.

[0041] Figure 2 The present disclosure illustrates a process for discovering and selecting public EAS bundles using an edge configuration server (ECS) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] refer to Figure 2 The discovery and selection process for public EAS bundles can be performed between the EEC, the declaring EES, the ECS, the receiving EES, and the ECS. In this disclosure, the declaring EES may be referred to as the first EES, and the receiving EES may be referred to as the second EES.

[0043] Before performing step 1, the EEC may send a service provision request to the ECS. This request includes at least one of the following: AC profile (such as AC identifier, AC type, list of preferred edge computing service providers (ECSP), EAS ID, and information on AC service continuity support); application group profile (application group ID, EAS ID, and expected group geographic service area); and public EAS bundle information (including multiple EAS information, bundle type, public bundle ID, primary EAS ID, or information required by the public EAS bundle). The EEC may also receive information from the ECS regarding the EES, on which the EAS bundle (multiple EASs) constituting the public EAS bundle is registered. According to embodiments, the public EAS bundle information may be included and provided in the AC profile or application group profile. For example, when a request message received from the EEC includes both the application group profile and the public EAS bundle information, the ECS can use the corresponding application group profile and UE location information to select EES and EDNs that can be registered and managed by the EAS selected as part of the public EAS bundle. The ECS may select multiple EES and EDNs for the received public EAS bundle information. The EEC can use the EES information received from the ECS to send an EAS discovery request as follows.

[0044] In step 1, the EEC may send an EAS discovery request message to the EES (hereinafter referred to as the "Declaring EES"). The corresponding EAS discovery request may include at least one of the following: EEC ID, UE ID, AC profile, application group profile (application group ID, EAS ID, expected group service area), public EAS bundle information, or UE location information. The EAS discovery request may include public EAS bundle information. Public EAS bundle information may include at least one of the following: multiple EAS information, bundle type, public bundle ID, primary EAS ID, public EAS bundle requirements, etc. Public EAS bundle information may mean that for an EAS bundle identified by given information, the same EAS bundle as other UEs (e.g., UEs identifiable through application group profiles, UE group information elements (IE), or UE ID lists) can be selected.

[0045] According to an embodiment, public EAS bundle information may be included in the AC profile, in the application group profile information, or in the EAS bundle requirements to be provided to the declaring party EES. For example, as shown in Table 1 below, public EAS bundle information may be added to the application group profile and provided to the EES by the EEC.

[0046] Table 1

[0047] Application group configuration files containing public EAS bundle information

[0048] In addition, as shown in Table 2 below, information related to the public EAS bundle can be included in the EAS bundle requirements and provided to the declaring party, EES.

[0049] Table 2

[0050] EAS beam requirements

[0051] In step 2, the declaring EES performs an authorization operation on the EEC's EAS discovery request. This identifies whether public EAS bundle discovery and selection are permitted for either the UE or the EEC.

[0052] In step 3, after successfully performing authorization, the declaring EES can determine the common EAS bundle by considering the AC profile, UE location, common EAS bundle information, and EAS profile (information received from the EAS). It can then provide the corresponding information to the EEC via an EAS discovery response message. The information about the common EAS bundle determined by the declaring EES and provided to the EEC may include at least one of the following: a list of multiple EAS profiles (each EAS profile includes EAS address information), information indicating that the corresponding EAS is a bundle, EAS bundle requirements, or master EAS information about the selected common EAS bundle.

[0053] In step 4, the declaring EES may send a request to the ECS that supports the central repository function to store the corresponding public EAS bundle information. The information provided by the declaring EES to the ECS may include the EAS ID, EAS address information, public bundle ID, public bundle type, UE group ID, UE ID list, application group configuration file, EES information where the EAS constituting the public EAS bundle is registered (the EES where the primary EAS is registered may be indicated as the primary EES, and may include address and identification information about the primary EES), and EDN information (DNAI or DNN information). The declaring EES can know whether it supports the central repository through previously configured information, or from the ECS's response to the EES registration request. According to an embodiment, when providing EES registration response information to the declaring EES, the ECS may provide information on the central repository functions supported by the ECS.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the ECS can configure the EES information requesting the storage of public EAS bundle information to declare the EES of the public EAS bundle (or the EES information storing the public EAS bundle information), and store it together with the public EAS bundle information.

[0055] According to the embodiment, the declaring party EES may store AF request information related to the public EAS bundle in the ECS, and the corresponding information may include at least one of the following: traffic association indication, EAS association indication for UE accessing the public EAS bundle, N6 information for the public EAS bundle, executed AF request indication (indicator indicating that the AF request has been executed), and DNAI, DNN, and S-NSSAI information for the public EAS bundle.

[0056] In step 5, the ECS may store public EAS bundle-related information received from the EES and provide this information to the EES (hereinafter referred to as the receiving EES) capable of utilizing the corresponding public EAS bundle information. According to an embodiment, the ECS may send a notification of the public EAS bundle information to the receiving EES that previously sent a public EAS bundle information subscription request. The receiving EES may send a public EAS bundle information subscription request message to the ECS in advance. The public EAS bundle information subscription request message may include EAS profile, UE ID, EDN information, etc. The corresponding notification message may include at least one of the following: public EAS bundle information, notification event ID, EAS ID, EAS address information, public bundle ID, public bundle type, UE group ID, UE ID list, application group profile, EES information where the EAS constituting the public EAS bundle is registered (the EES where the primary EAS is registered may be indicated as the primary EES, and may include address and identification information about the primary EES), EDN information, and the EES that announces the public EAS bundle (or EES information storing the public EAS bundle information). According to an embodiment, the ECS may send a notification message to the receiving EES regarding public EAS bundle information, which includes AF request information related to the public EAS bundle.

[0057] In step 6, the receiving EES that receives the public EAS bundle information notification from the ECS can store the corresponding information, and when it receives a request related to public EAS bundle discovery, it can provide information about the EAS bundle in the public EAS bundle information to a second EEC that can utilize the corresponding public EAS bundle information. According to an embodiment, the receiving EES can send the public EAS bundle information notification to the EEC that previously sent the public EAS bundle information subscription request.

[0058] In step 7, the receiving EES may send an acknowledgment of the notification to the ECS.

[0059] In step 8, the receiving EES may request and obtain AF request-related information for the public EAS bundle from the declaring EES. The AF request information related to the public EAS bundle may include at least one of the following: traffic association indication, EAS association indication for the UE accessing the public EAS bundle, N6 information for the public EAS bundle, executed AF request indication (an indicator indicating that the AF request has been executed), and DNAI, DNN, or S-NSSAI information for the public EAS bundle.

[0060] Figure 3 The process of discovering and selecting a common EAS bundle according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0061] refer to Figure 3 The process of discovering and selecting a public EAS bundle can be performed between the EEC, the declaring EES, the ECS, and the receiving EES. In this disclosure, the declaring EES may be referred to as the first EES, and the receiving EES may be referred to as the second EES.

[0062] Before performing step 1, the EEC may send a service provision request to the ECS. This request includes at least one of the following: an AC profile (such as AC identifier, AC type, a list of preferred edge computing service providers (ECSPs), EAS ID, and information on AC service continuity support); an application group profile (application group ID, EAS ID, and the expected group geographic service area); and public EAS bundle information (including multiple EAS information, bundle type, public bundle ID, primary EAS ID, or public EAS bundle requirements, etc.). The EEC may also receive information from the ECS regarding the EES in which the EAS bundle (multiple EASs) constituting the public EAS bundle is registered. According to embodiments, the public EAS bundle information may be included and provided in the AC profile or the application group profile. For example, when a request message received from the EEC includes both the application group profile and the public EAS bundle information, the ECS can use the corresponding application group profile and UE location information to select the EES and EDN in which the EAS that can be selected as the public EAS bundle is registered and managed. The ECS may select multiple EES and EDNs for the received public EAS bundle information. The EEC can use the EES information received from the ECS to send an EAS discovery request as follows.

[0063] In step 1, the EEC (or the first EEC) may send an EAS discovery request message to the declaring EES. The corresponding EAS discovery request may include at least one of the following: EEC ID, UE ID, AC profile, application group profile (application group ID, EAS ID, expected group service area), public EAS bundle information, or UE location information. In this embodiment, the corresponding EAS discovery request may include public EAS bundle information. Public EAS bundle information may include at least one of the following: multiple EAS information entries, bundle type, public bundle ID, primary EAS ID, public EAS bundle requirements, etc. Public EAS bundle information may mean that for an EAS bundle identified by given information, the same EAS bundle as other UEs (e.g., UEs identifiable through application group profiles, UE group IEs, or UE ID lists) can be selected.

[0064] According to embodiments, public EAS bundle information can be included in the AC configuration file, in the application group configuration file information, or in the EAS bundle request, and the corresponding EAS discovery request can be provided to the declaring party EES. For example, as shown in the table below, it can be added to the application group configuration file, and the EEC can provide this information to the declaring party EES. Furthermore, as... Figure 2 As shown in Table 1 provided, information related to the public EAS bundle can be included in the EAS bundle requirements and provided to the declaring party, EES.

[0065] In step 2, the declaring EES performs an authorization operation on the EEC's EAS discovery request. It can be determined whether public EAS bundle discovery and selection are allowed for the corresponding UE or EEC.

[0066] In step 3, after successfully performing authorization, the declaring EES can determine the common EAS bundle by considering the AC profile, UE location, common EAS bundle information, and EAS profile (information received from the EAS). It can then provide the corresponding information to the EEC via an EAS discovery response message. The information about the common EAS bundle determined by the declaring EES and provided to the EEC may include at least one of the following: a list of multiple EAS profiles (each EAS profile includes EAS address information), information indicating that the corresponding EAS is a bundle, EAS bundle requirements, or the primary EAS information of the selected common EAS bundle.

[0067] In step 4A, the declaring EES may select the target EES (receiving EES) by considering the common EAS bundle information and EDN information. For example, the EES may select an EES located in the same EDN and send the common EAS bundle information, or it may determine to send the common EAS bundle information to an EES in a specific area.

[0068] In step 4b, the declaring EES may send a corresponding public EAS bundle information notification message to the selected neighboring EES (receiving EES) to perform the public EAS bundle declaration operation. In an embodiment, the information provided by the declaring EES to the other EES (receiving EES) may include at least one of the following: EAS ID, EAS address information, public bundle ID, public bundle type, UE group ID, UE ID list, application group configuration file, EES information where the EAS constituting the public EAS bundle is registered (the EES where the primary EAS is registered may be indicated as the primary EES, and may include address and identification information about the primary EES), and EDN information (DNAI or DNN information). Furthermore, the information provided by the declaring EES to the other EES (receiving EES) may further include public EAS bundle-related AF request information. The AF request information related to the public EAS bundle may include at least one of the following: traffic association indication, EAS association indication for a UE accessing the public EAS bundle, N6 information for the public EAS bundle, executed AF request indication (an indicator indicating that the AF request has been executed), and DNAI, DNN, or S-NSSAI information for the public EAS bundle.

[0069] According to an embodiment, the receiving EES can configure the declaring EES information that performs the public EAS bundle information declaration to declare the public EAS bundle EES (or store the public EAS bundle information), and store it in correspondence with the public EAS bundle information.

[0070] In step 5, the receiving EES can store the public EAS bundle-related information received from the declaring EES and provide this information to a second EEC capable of utilizing the corresponding public EAS bundle information. According to an embodiment, the receiving EES can send a notification of the public EAS bundle information to the EEC that previously sent a public EAS bundle information subscription request. The second EEC can send a public EAS bundle information subscription request message to the receiving EES in advance. The public EAS bundle information subscription request message may include EAS profile, UE ID, EDN information, etc. The corresponding notification message may include public EAS bundle information, notification event ID, EAS ID, EAS address information, public bundle ID, public bundle type, UE group ID, UE ID list, application group profile, EES information where the EAS constituting the public EAS bundle is registered (the EES where the primary EAS is registered may be indicated as the primary EES and may include address and identification information about the primary EES), EDN information, and the EES declaring the public EAS bundle (or EES information storing the public EAS bundle information).

[0071] In step 6, the receiving EES may send a response message to the declaring EES indicating that it has successfully received and stored the public EAS bundle information.

[0072] In an embodiment, the receiving EES that receives the public EAS bundle information notification from the declaring EES can store the corresponding information, and when it receives a public EAS bundle discovery related EAS discovery request from the second EEC, it provides the second EEC with information about the EAS bundle in the public EAS bundle information.

[0073] Figure 4 An AF request flow for a public EAS is illustrated according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0074] refer to Figure 4 The AF request process for a public EAS bundle can be executed among the EEC, the declaring EES, the ECS, the receiving EES, and the 5GC network function (NF) (such as the Network Open Function (NEF) or the Policy Control Function (PCF)). In this disclosure, the declaring EES may be referred to as the first EES, and the receiving EES may be referred to as the second EES.

[0075] In step 1, the EEC may send an EAS discovery request message to the declaring EES. The corresponding EAS discovery request may include at least one of the following: EEC ID, UE ID, AC profile, application group profile (application group ID, EAS ID, expected group service area), common EAS bundle information, or UE location information. The EAS discovery request may include common EAS bundle information. Common EAS bundle information may include multiple EAS information entries, bundle type, common bundle ID, primary EAS ID, common EAS bundle requirements, etc. Common EAS bundle information can mean that for an EAS bundle identified by given information, the same EAS bundle as other UEs (e.g., UEs identifiable through application group profiles, UE group IEs, or UE ID lists) can be selected.

[0076] In step 2, the declaring EES can perform an authorization operation on the EEC's EAS discovery request. In an embodiment, the declaring EES can identify whether public EAS bundle discovery and selection are allowed for the corresponding UE or EEC.

[0077] In addition, when an application group ID is received, the declaring party EES may allow the corresponding application group ID to be mapped or converted and stored with information such as UE external group ID or UE internal group ID, UE ID list or subscriber category, and may use the group ID to send AF requests to 5G core network functions (such as NEF or PCF).

[0078] In step 3a, after successfully performing authorization, the declaring EES may determine the common EAS bundle by considering the AC profile, UE location, common EAS bundle information, and EAS profile (information received from the EAS). It may then provide the common EAS bundle information to the EEC via an EAS discovery response message. The common EAS bundle information determined by the declaring EES and provided to the EEC may include at least one of the following: a list of multiple EAS profiles (each EAS profile includes EAS address information), information indicating the corresponding EAS as a bundle, EAS bundle requirements, or master EAS information regarding the selected common EAS bundle.

[0079] Furthermore, in step 3b, the declaring EES may send an AF request for public EAS bundle information to the 5G core network function (e.g., NEF or PCF). This AF request for public EAS bundle information may include at least one of the UE external group ID or UE internal group ID converted in step 2, a list of UE IDs, or a subscriber category, and may determine the target UE range. It may also additionally include, for example, a traffic association indication or an EAS association indication, to indicate that it is a request for a public EAS bundle. Furthermore, the corresponding AF request may include at least one of the public EAS bundle information (EAS address, DNN, S-NSSAI, DNAI, and N6 routing information). In an embodiment, step 3b may be performed before step 3a.

[0080] In step 4, the declaring EES may select another EES (the receiving EES) and perform a public EAS bundle information declaration. The declaring EES's selection of the receiving EES may include... Figure 3 Step 4a of the operation. The public EAS bundle information announcement message may include Figure 3 The information described in step 4b. According to an embodiment, the declaring EES may provide the receiving EES with public EAS bundle-related subscription / notification information (e.g., notification association ID or subscription association ID) executed on the 5G core network function as a result of executing an AF request. This corresponding subscription / notification information can be used by the receiving EES to request modification of the corresponding subscription. In an embodiment, the declaring EES may perform a public EAS bundle information declaration to the receiving EES, including a traffic association indication and an EAS association indication for UEs accessing the public EAS bundle.

[0081] In step 5, the receiving EES may send a response message to the declaring EES in response to step 4.

[0082] In an embodiment, when the receiving EES receives an indicator from the declaring EES indicating that an AF request for the common EAS bundle has been executed, no additional duplicate AF requests may be executed.

[0083] Figure 5An AF request flow for a public EAS is illustrated according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0084] refer to Figure 5 The AF request process for a public EAS bundle can be executed among the EEC, the declaring EES, the ECS, the receiving EES, and the 5GC network function (NF) (such as the Network Exposure Function (NEF) or the Policy Control Function (PCF)). In this disclosure, the declaring EES may be referred to as the first EES, and the receiving EES may be referred to as the second EES.

[0085] In steps 1 and 2, the EEC and the declaring party EES can perform... Figure 2 The operations in steps 1 and 2.

[0086] In step 3, the declaring EES can send an AF request for public EAS bundle information to the 5G core network function (e.g., NEF or PCF). This AF request for public EAS bundle information may include the UE external group ID or UE internal group ID converted in step 2, a list of UE IDs or subscriber categories, and determine the target UE range. It may also additionally include, for example, a traffic association indication or an EAS association indication, to indicate that it is a request for a public EAS bundle. Furthermore, the corresponding AF request may include public EAS bundle information (EAS address, DNN, S-NSSAI, DNAI, and N6 routing information).

[0087] In step 4, after successfully performing the authorization, the declaring party EES can, as follows: Figure 2 In step 3, information related to the public EAS bundle is provided to the EEC.

[0088] In step 5, as Figure 2 As in step 4, the declaring EES may request the ECS supporting the central repository to store public EAS bundle information. According to an embodiment, the declaring EES may store information related to executed AF requests associated with the public EAS bundle in the ECS. The public EAS bundle-related AF request information that the declaring EES may store in the ECS may include target UE range-related information (such as UE external group ID or UE internal group ID, UE ID list or subscriber category), traffic association indication, EAS association indication, and at least one of the following: address, DNN, S-NSSAI, DNAI, or N6 routing information of the EAS included in the public EAS bundle. Furthermore, when the declaring EES executes a traffic routing-related subscription / notification on the core network due to an AF request, it may provide the ECS with information that can be used to identify and modify the corresponding subscription (e.g., information related to the subscription association ID or notification association ID). Additionally, the declaring EES may provide the ECS with an indicator indicating that a public EAS bundle-related AF request has been executed.

[0089] In step 6, the ECS can use the public EAS bundle information received from the declaring party EES to send an AF request to the core network function (such as NEF or PCF).

[0090] In step 7, the ECS can be as follows: Figure 2 In step 5, the information received in step 5 is sent to another EES (receiving EES).

[0091] In step 8, the receiving EES that receives public EAS bundle information from the ECS can store the relevant information and provide it to a second EEC capable of utilizing the corresponding public EAS bundle information. According to an embodiment, the receiving EES can send a notification of the public EAS bundle information to the EEC that previously sent a public EAS bundle information subscription request. In an embodiment, when the public EAS bundle information received from the ECS includes AF request-related information, the receiving EES can determine not to execute a duplicate AF request. Furthermore, according to an embodiment, the receiving EES can use the subscription ID received from the ECS to send an AF request to a core network function (e.g., NEF or PCF) to modify an AF request already executed by the declaring EES.

[0092] In step 9, the receiving EES can send an acknowledgment message to the ECS indicating that it has successfully received and stored the public EAS bundle information.

[0093] according to Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As described, the EEC can provide the EES with information such as AC profiles, application group profiles (application group ID, EAS ID, expected group service area), or public EAS bundle information. The EEC can obtain such information from the AC. For example, when the AC sends messages such as AC registration requests, EAS discovery requests, or EEC service subscription requests via the EDGE-5 interface, it can include and send the AC profile, application group profile, and public EAS bundle to the EEC.

[0094] according to Figure 4 and Figure 5The description already outlines the operation of performing an AF request for a common EAS bundle on a network function in the core network during the EAS discovery process. However, this AF request for a common EAS bundle can be performed before the EAS discovery process. For example, when an EAS in the EAS bundle that constitutes the common EAS bundle sends an EAS registration request to the EES, it may include common EAS bundle information or application group profile information in the EAS registration request message and provide it to the EES. When the EES receives an EAS registration request containing common EAS bundle or application group profile information from the EAS, it can use the corresponding information to generate an AF request message and send the AF request to a network function in the core network (e.g., NEF).

[0095] According to the embodiments, the EES may allow the application group ID contained in the application group configuration file received from the EAS to correspond with information in the mobile communication system such as UE external group ID or UE internal group ID, UE ID list or subscriber category, or convert the application group ID into information in the mobile communication system such as UE external group ID or UE internal group ID, UE ID list or subscriber category, and include it in the AF request message. Furthermore, it may include EAS address information, EDN DNN or S-NSSAI information, public EAS related DNAI information and N6 routing information that can be specified by public EAS bundle information in the AF request message.

[0096] EES can send AF requests to core network functions (such as NEF), which include at least one of the following: UE-related information available in the mobile communication system (UE external group ID, UE ID list or subscriber category information), EAS address information, EDNDNN or S-NSSAI, public EAS-related DNAI information and N6 routing information, to configure traffic routing for public EAS bundles.

[0097] Figure 6 The structure of a network entity according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0098] Figure 6 The network entities shown may include those mentioned in this disclosure, such as application clients (AC), edge-enabled clients (EEC), edge configuration servers (ECS), and edge-enabled servers (EES).

[0099] According to an embodiment, the network entity may include a processor 620 for controlling the overall operation of the network entity, a transceiver 600 including a transmitter and a receiver, and a memory 610. Not limited thereto, the network entity may include... Figure 6 More or fewer components are shown in the image.

[0100] According to an embodiment, transceiver 600 can send / receive signals to / from a network entity or other network node. Signals sent / received with the network entity may include control information and data. Transceiver 600 can receive signals via a wireless channel and output them to processor 620, and can also transmit signals output from processor 620 via a wireless channel.

[0101] According to an embodiment, the processor 620 can control the receiving of an Edge Application Server (EAS) discovery request from a first Edge Enabled Client (EEC), the EAS discovery request including application group profile information and first common EAS bundle information about a group of user equipment (UE) containing the first EEC, control the determination of a common EAS bundle for the group of UEs containing the first EEC based on the application group profile information and the first common EAS bundle information, and control the sending of an EAS discovery response to the first EEC containing second common EAS bundle information related to the determined common EAS bundle.

[0102] In an embodiment, the application group profile information may include at least one of the following: application group identifier (ID), EAS ID, and expected group service area. In an embodiment, first public EAS bundle information may be included in either the application group profile information or the EAS bundle request information. In an embodiment, the first public EAS bundle information may include at least one of multiple EAS information entries, public bundle type, public bundle ID, primary EAS ID, and public EAS bundle requirement, and the first public EAS bundle information may indicate the determination of a public EAS bundle for at least one second UE determined based on the application group profile information. In an embodiment, second public EAS bundle information may include at least one of the following: indicating multiple EAS profile lists (including address information about multiple EASs) and information indicating multiple EAS as bundles, EAS bundle requirements, and primary EAS information about the selected public EAS bundle.

[0103] According to an embodiment, the processor 620 may control the sending of an Application Function (AF) request for the second public EAS bundle information to a network entity included in the core network. In an embodiment, the AF request may include at least one of the following: UE external group identifier (ID), UE internal group ID, UE ID list, subscriber category, traffic association indication, and EAS association indication.

[0104] According to an embodiment, processor 620 may control a request edge configuration server (ECS) to store the second public EAS bundle information. In another embodiment, the second public EAS bundle information may be sent to a second EES that receives a public EAS discovery request from a second EEC associated with a group containing a first UE.

[0105] According to an embodiment, processor 620 may determine a third EES to which the public EAS bundle information should be notified based on public EAS bundle information and edge data network (EDN) information. Processor 620 may notify the third EES of the public EAS bundle information.

[0106] The methods of the embodiments described in the specification or claims of this disclosure may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0107] When implemented in software, a computer-readable storage medium may be provided to store one or more programs (software modules). The one or more programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium are configured to be executed by one or more processors in an electronic device. The one or more programs include instructions to cause the electronic device to perform methods of embodiments described in the specification or claims of this disclosure.

[0108] The program (software module or software) may be stored in random access memory, non-volatile memory including flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk storage devices, optical disc ROM, digital versatile optical disc (DVD), or other types of optical storage devices or magnetic tape. Alternatively, the program may be stored in a memory consisting of all or some of the above. Each constituent memory may include multiple such memories.

[0109] The program may be stored in an attachable storage device accessible via a communication network (such as the Internet, intranet, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or storage area network (SAN), or a combination thereof). The storage device may be connected to the device executing the embodiment via an external port. A separate storage device on the communication network may be connected to the device executing the embodiment.

[0110] In the specific embodiments described above, the components included in this disclosure are represented in singular or plural form according to the provided specific embodiments. However, the singular or plural forms are chosen for ease of description and are suitable for the suggested context, and this disclosure is not limited to singular or plural components. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is intended to also include the plural form.

[0111] Although specific embodiments have been described above, various changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the above embodiments, but should be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

[0112] Although this disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments, various changes and modifications will be made to those skilled in the art. This disclosure is intended to cover such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method performed by an edge-enabled server (EES) in a mobile edge computing system, the method comprising: Send a request message to the Edge Configuration Server (ECS) to store information about the common Edge Application Server (EAS) bundle. The request message includes public EAS bundle information, and The public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: the EAS bundle identifier ID of the EAS bundle, the list of EAS IDs in the EAS bundle, and the main EAS ID in the EAS bundle.

2. The method according to claim 1, in, The public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the EAS bundle types of the EAS bundle, and The request message includes at least one of the following: an EES ID associated with the EAS bundle and edge data network (EDN) information.

3. The method according to claim 1, in, The ECS supports repository functionality, and the EES is registered in the ECS that supports the repository functionality. The public EAS bundle information is stored in the ECS.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Receives an EAS discovery request from the first edge-enabled client (EEC), the EAS discovery request including first public EAS bundle information; Based on the first common EAS beam information, a common EAS beam is determined for the group of user equipment (UE) containing the first EEC; and An EAS discovery response is sent to the first EEC, the EAS discovery response including information about a second common EAS bundle associated with the identified common EAS bundle. The first public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: multiple EAS information, public bundle type information, public bundle ID, master EAS ID, or at least one public EAS bundle requirement.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Send Application Function (AF) requests for the public EAS bundle information to network entities included in the core network. The AF request includes at least one of the following: UE external group ID, UE internal group ID, UE ID list, subscriber category, traffic association indication, or EAS association indication.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The public EAS bundle information is sent to the second EES, which receives a public EAS discovery request from a second EEC associated with the group of the first UE that includes the first EEC.

7. A method performed by an edge configuration server (ECS) in a mobile edge computing system, the method comprising: Receive a request message from the Edge Enabler Server (EES) for storing information about the public Edge Application Server (EAS) bundle. as well as Store public EAS bundle information. The request message includes the public EAS bundle information, and The public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: the EAS bundle identifier ID of the EAS bundle, the list of EAS IDs in the EAS bundle, and the main EAS ID in the EAS bundle.

8. The method according to claim 7, in, The public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the EAS bundle types. The request message includes at least one of the following: an EES ID associated with the EAS bundle and edge data network (EDN) information. The ECS supports repository functionality, and the EES is registered in the ECS that supports the repository functionality.

9. An edge-enabled server (EES) in a mobile edge computing system, the EES comprising: transceiver; as well as At least one processor, coupled to the transceiver and configured to: Send a request message to the Edge Configuration Server (ECS) to store information about the common Edge Application Server (EAS) bundle. The request message includes public EAS bundle information, and The public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: the EAS bundle identifier ID of the EAS bundle, the list of EAS IDs in the EAS bundle, and the main EAS ID in the EAS bundle.

10. The EES according to claim 9, in, The public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the EAS bundle types of the EAS bundle, and The request message includes at least one of the following: an EES ID associated with the EAS bundle and edge data network (EDN) information.

11. The EES according to claim 9, in, The ECS supports repository functionality, and the EES is registered in the ECS that supports the repository functionality. The public EAS bundle information is stored in the ECS.

12. The EES according to claim 9, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: The first edge-enabled client (EEC) receives an EAS discovery request, which includes information about the first common EAS bundle. Based on the first common EAS bundle information, a common EAS bundle is determined for the group of user equipment (UE) containing the first EEC, and Send an EAS discovery response to the first EEC, the EAS discovery response including second common EAS bundle information related to the identified common EAS bundle, and The first public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: multiple EAS information, public bundle type information, public bundle ID, master EAS ID, or at least one public EAS bundle requirement.

13. The EES according to claim 9, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: Send Application Function (AF) requests for the public EAS bundle information to network entities included in the core network. The AF request includes at least one of the following: UE external group ID, UE internal group ID, UE ID list, subscriber category, traffic association indication, or EAS association indication. The public EAS bundle information is sent to the second EES, which receives a public EAS discovery request from the second EEC associated with the group containing the first UE of the first EEC.

14. An edge configuration server (ECS) in a mobile edge computing system, the ECS comprising: transceiver; as well as At least one processor, coupled to the transceiver and configured to: Receives a request message from the first edge enable server (EES) for storing information about the common edge application server (EAS) bundle, and Store public EAS bundle information. The request message includes the public EAS bundle information, and The public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the following: the EAS bundle identifier ID of the EAS bundle, the list of EAS IDs in the EAS bundle, and the main EAS ID in the EAS bundle.

15. The ECS according to claim 14, in, The public EAS bundle information includes at least one of the EAS bundle types. The request message includes at least one of the following: an EES ID associated with the EAS bundle and edge data network (EDN) information. The ECS supports repository functionality, and the EES is registered in the ECS that supports the repository functionality.

Images