System and method for hybrid routing in 5G networks

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system that enables hybrid routing with active and standby instances. At 702, a request from a site other than the Nagpur site is acquired, and at 706, a request from the Nagpur site is acquired. Then, at 704, it is checked whether any endpoint is active. If it is active, the request is sent to the primary cluster (710). However, if the endpoint is not active, at 708, it is checked whether the request is from Nagpur. If so, at 712, it is checked again whether any endpoint is active. However, at 708, if it is found that the request is not from Nagpur, the request is fed to the Nagpur DR cluster (720). Additionally, at 712, if any endpoint is active, the request is sent to the Nagpur active cluster (730), but if the endpoint is not active, the request is fed to the DR for Nagpur (740).

Description

Technology Field

[0001] Some of the disclosures in this patent document include, but are not limited to, copyrights, designs, trademarks, IC layout designs, and / or trade dress protections belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (hereinafter referred to as the Owner). The Owner does not object to any facsimile reproduction by any party of the patent document or patent disclosure as appearing in patent and trademark office patent files or records, but otherwise retains all rights. All rights to such intellectual property are exclusively reserved by the Owner. This patent document includes systems and methods defined in 3GPP Technical Specifications (TS) 3GPP TS 29.203, 3GPP TS 29.212, 3GPP TS 29.213, 3GPP TS 29.214, 3GPP TS 29.272, etc.

[0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of routing, and more specifically to next-generation network technologies that enable hybrid routing with active instances as well as some standby instances in next-generation networks such as 5G networks or hybrid / integrated systems including 4G, 5G and / or 6G. Background Technology

[0003] The following description of related technology is intended to provide background information within the field of the present disclosure. This section may include specific aspects of the technology that may be related to the various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that this section is intended only to enhance the reader's understanding of the present disclosure and does not constitute an acknowledgment of prior art.

[0004] The availability of fast and uninterrupted communication infrastructure has become essential in today's high-tech world. Many communication devices, such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets, are on the market to meet the requirements of fast and uninterrupted communication infrastructure. These communication devices can be connected via various wired and wireless network technologies.

[0005] However, the use and number of communication devices are increasing at an exponential rate day by day, resulting in increased complexity in existing networks. This can lead to inferior quality of service, security, and efficiency in current communication networks. In such scenarios, routers serve as a primary control point that helps mitigate the increasing complexity of networks, provides reliable quality of service and security, and facilitates the monitoring and improvement of efficiency and other attributes that enable networks to add value. Therefore, controlling routers allows for extensive control over the corresponding networks.

[0006] Generally, routing can be defined as a mechanism for selecting a specific path in a network, between multiple networks, or among multiple networks to rapidly transmit data between a first communication device and a second communication device that may be located remotely from each other. Routing can be performed on various networks, including, for example, computer networks such as the Internet, as well as circuit-switched networks such as, for example, the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

[0007] In the routing process, routing tables are often used to direct the delivery of data packets. Routing tables track paths to different network destinations. Routing tables can be generated using routing protocols, learned from network traffic, or provided by an administrator.

[0008] Generally, next-generation infrastructure architectures, such as 5G service-based architectures, are designed so that all network functions are closely interconnected. These network functions may possess the ability to discover peer nodes and transmit network information between nodes. This approach creates a "spaghetti" of interconnections between several user devices, such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets, connected through the network, which can disrupt data flow between these devices or lead to data loss. In certain scenarios, this can also lead to highly undesirable data misplacement.

[0009] Conventional systems and methods are configured within a network consisting of several nodes, each having distinct deployment scenarios, architectures, and functions. The routing algorithms of conventional systems and methods cannot manage the distinct deployment scenarios, architectures, and functions of each node. Consequently, the establishment of communication channels between nodes may be affected, which can ultimately have an adverse impact on the network's data flow.

[0010] Furthermore, current systems, methods, or routing technologies cannot process requests related to data transmission corresponding to down or unavailable nodes.

[0011] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a routing solution that can optimize the data path of information exchanged between user devices and resolve various network-related problems as mentioned above.

[0012] The object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method that facilitates the management of traffic regarding incoming requests by enabling effective and improved routing of traffic.

[0013] Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method that can be free from constraints on the implementation of the architecture, structure, functions, and network functions of each node.

[0014] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method that facilitates the implementation of SCPs that enable load balancing, routing, traffic monitoring, congestion control, service discovery, and other such functions in an effective manner.

[0015] The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method for facilitating uninterrupted data transmission traffic.

[0016] According to one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system that enables hybrid routing in a network. The system comprises a controller including one or more processors coupled to memory, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by one or more processors, wherein the controller communicates with one or more public land mobile network (PLMN) clusters, a plurality of source node devices, and a terminus node device associated with the network. Additionally, the controller is configured to collect a plurality of requests to be transmitted from a plurality of source node devices communicating with the controller to a terminus node device. Additionally, for each of the plurality of requests, the controller is configured to determine a source node device with a corresponding pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster among one or more PLMN clusters; and then determine the state of each endpoint of the pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster. When the state of each endpoint of the pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster is determined to be inactive, the controller is configured to route the request through the pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster to transmit the request to the terminus node device.

[0017] In one aspect, the proposed system is not constrained by the implementation of the architecture, structure, functions, and network functions of each node.

[0018] In another aspect, the proposed system can facilitate the implementation of SCPs that enable load balancing, routing, traffic monitoring, congestion control, service discovery, and these other functions in an effective manner.

[0019] In one embodiment, when it is determined that a request is received from a first source node device, the controller may further be configured to select a first PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request and to determine the status of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster, wherein the first PLMN cluster may be a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the first source node device. When it is determined that the status of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster is inactive, the controller may further be configured to select a second PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters and to route the request to the second PLMN cluster to transmit the request to an end node device. Additionally, the second PLMN cluster may be a secondary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device.

[0020] In another embodiment, if it is determined that the state of at least one endpoint of the first PLMN cluster is active, the controller may additionally be configured to transmit the request directly to the end node device through the first PLMN cluster. Additionally, if it is determined that the state of one or more endpoints of either the first PLMN cluster or the second PLMN cluster is active, the controller may be configured to proportionally distribute data traffic regarding requests among a plurality of requests associated with the first source node device among the active endpoints of the PLMN cluster in the network.

[0021] In one embodiment, if it is determined that a request is received from a source node device other than the first source node device, the controller may be configured to select a third PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request, wherein the third PLMN cluster may be a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device. Additionally, the controller may be configured to determine the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster, and if it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster is inactive, the controller may further be configured to select a fourth PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters and to route the request from the third PLMN cluster to the fourth PLMN cluster to transmit the request to the end node device, wherein the fourth PLMN cluster may be a secondary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device.

[0022] In one embodiment, when it is determined that the state of at least one endpoint among the endpoints of the third PLMN cluster is active, the controller may be configured to transmit the request directly to the end node device through the third PLMN cluster. Additionally, when it is determined that the state of one or more endpoints of either the third PLMN cluster or the fourth PLMN cluster is active, the controller may further be configured to proportionally distribute data traffic regarding requests among a plurality of requests associated with source node devices other than the first source node device among the active endpoints of the PLMN cluster in the network.

[0023] In another embodiment, the controller may be configured to divide a single PLMN cluster of one or more PLMN clusters into two sub-clusters, wherein one of the two sub-clusters acts as a third PLMN cluster and the other sub-cluster acts as a fourth PLMN cluster.

[0024] In another embodiment, the controller may be configured to facilitate the configuration of one or more PLMN clusters as either a primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster for multiple source node devices based on the mapping of routing tables.

[0025] In another embodiment, if it is determined that the status of all endpoints of the secondary PLMN cluster is inactive, the controller may be configured to trigger a negative response in response to the request.

[0026] According to another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for enabling hybrid routing in a network. The method first comprises, in a controller communicating with one or more airborne terrestrial mobile network (PLMN) clusters associated with the network, collecting a plurality of requests from a plurality of source node devices to be transmitted to an end node device. Additionally, the method comprises, in the controller, determining a source node device for each of the plurality of requests, along with a primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster correspondingly mapped among one or more PLMN clusters; and then, in the controller, determining the state of each endpoint of a pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster. Furthermore, the method comprises, when the state of each endpoint of a pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster is determined to be inactive, routing the request through a pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster to transmit the request to an end node device.

[0027] In one embodiment, when it is determined that a request is received from a first source node device, the present method may include the step of selecting a first PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request, and then determining the state of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster, wherein the first PLMN cluster may be a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the first source node device. When it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster is inactive, the present method may include the step of selecting a second PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters, and then routing the request from the first PLMN cluster to the second PLMN cluster to transmit the request to an end node device, wherein the second PLMN cluster may be a secondary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the first PLMN cluster.

[0028] In another embodiment, if it is determined that the state of at least one endpoint of the first PLMN cluster is active, the present method may include the step of directly transmitting the request to an end node device through the first PLMN cluster.

[0029] In one embodiment, when it is determined that the status of one or more endpoints of either the first PLMN cluster and the second PLMN cluster is active, the method may include the step of proportionally distributing data traffic regarding requests among a plurality of requests associated with the first source node device among the active endpoints of the PLMN cluster in the network.

[0030] In one embodiment, when it is determined that a request is received from a source node device other than a first source node device, the present method may include the step of selecting a third PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request, and the step of determining the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster, wherein the third PLMN cluster may be a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device. When it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster is inactive, the present method may include the step of selecting a fourth PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters, and the step of routing the request from the third PLMN cluster to the fourth PLMN cluster to transmit the request to at least one end node device, wherein the fourth PLMN cluster may be a secondary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device.

[0031] In another embodiment, if it is determined that the status of at least one endpoint of the third PLMN cluster is active, the present method may include the step of transmitting the request directly to an end node device through the third PLMN cluster.

[0032] In another embodiment, if it is determined that the status of all endpoints of the secondary PLMN cluster is inactive, the method may include the step of triggering a negative response in response to the request.

[0033] In one embodiment, the method may include the step of dividing a single PLMN cluster into two sub-clusters, wherein one of the two sub-clusters may serve as the third PLMN cluster and the other sub-cluster may serve as the fourth PLMN cluster.

[0034] In another aspect, the present method may include the configuration of one or more PLMN clusters as either a primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster for a plurality of source node devices based on the mapping of routing tables. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0035] The accompanying drawings, incorporated herein and constituting part of the invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. The components of the drawings are not necessarily in scale, but instead focus on clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. Some drawings may use block diagrams to represent components and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention of these drawings includes the invention of electrical components, electronic components, or circuits commonly used to implement such components.

[0036] FIGS. 1a through 1d illustrate exemplary network architectures in which the proposed system can be implemented or can be implemented together to explain the operation in detail according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 2, referring to FIG. 1d, illustrates an exemplary drawing of an SCP implementation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 3a illustrates an exemplary representation of a flowchart illustrating indirect communication through a proposed system having delegated search according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 3b illustrates an exemplary representation of a flowchart illustrating indirect communication through a proposed system that does not have delegated search according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate exemplary representations of the system architecture of a service communication proxy (SCP) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary overview of SCPs based on 5G functions and SCPs deployed in independent deployment units according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary drawing showing hybrid specific traffic separation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 7a illustrates an exemplary flowchart illustrating a hybrid specific primary secondary routing technique according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] FIG. 7b, referring to FIG. 7a, illustrates the function of a hybrid specific primary secondary routing technology when some clusters are down according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary representation showing various clusters associated with hybrid routing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary representation illustrating an integrated implementation including various routing policies according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart showing the steps of a method proposed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary computer system in which embodiments of the present invention may be used or used together according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0049] The above-mentioned details will become more apparent from the following more detailed description of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0050] In the following description, various specific details are provided for the purpose of explanation and to provide a complete understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent that the embodiments of the present disclosure can be practiced without these specific details. Some features described below may be used independently of each other or in any combination of other features. Individual features may not solve all the problems discussed above or may solve only some of the problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above may not be completely solved by any of the features described herein.

[0051] The following description provides only exemplary embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, the following description of exemplary embodiments will provide a possible description for implementing the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that various changes may be made to the function and arrangement of the elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as presented.

[0052] Specific details are provided in the following description to provide a complete understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be illustrated as components in the form of block diagrams so as not to obscure the embodiments with unnecessary details. In other cases, known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and technologies may be illustrated without unnecessary details to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0053] Additionally, it should be noted that individual embodiments may be described as processes depicted as flowcharts, flow diagrams, data flow diagrams, structure diagrams, or block diagrams. While flowcharts may describe operations as a sequential process, many operations may be performed in parallel or simultaneously. Furthermore, the order of operations may be rearranged. A process terminates when operations are completed, but may have additional steps not included in the drawings. A process may correspond to a method, function, procedure, subroutine, subprogram, etc. If a process corresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to the return of that function to the calling function or the main function.

[0054] The words “exemplary” and / or “exemplary” are used herein to mean serving as examples, exemplars, or illustrations. To avoid any doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by these examples. Furthermore, any embodiment or design described herein as “exemplary” and / or “exemplary” is not to be interpreted as being more desirable or advantageous than other embodiments or designs, nor does it imply the exclusion of equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to a person skilled in the art. Additionally, to the extent that “include,” “have,” “contain,” and other similar words are used in the detailed description or claims, these terms are intended to be inclusive—in a manner similar to the term “including” as an open conjunction—without excluding any additional or other elements.

[0055] Throughout this specification, references to "one embodiment," "an example," "an example," or "one example" mean that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in relation to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, the appearance of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an example" at various locations throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Additionally, specific features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0056] The terms used herein are merely for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Singular expressions used herein are intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “comprising” specify the presence of the specified features, integers, steps, actions, elements and / or components as used herein, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, actions, elements, components and / or groups thereof. The term “and / or” used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0057] The present disclosure provides a system and method capable of overcoming the limitations mentioned above and facilitating effective and improved management of traffic routing regarding incoming requests. In exemplary embodiments, the system may include a Service Communication Proxy (SCP) implementation capable of facilitating the evaluation, identification, and / or configuration of pairs of endpoints of an active cluster and a DR cluster prior to routing. For example, this may be performed based on a pre-defined SCP policy, such as a hybrid routing policy or other associated consolidation policies. In exemplary embodiments, prior to routing, the system and method may enable the identification / configuration of pairs of endpoints in clusters, for example, regarding an active cluster and a disaster recovery (DR) cluster. The active cluster may include active endpoints to which requests can preferably be routed when the endpoints are available. The DR cluster may include DR endpoints, wherein the DR endpoints may be considered as alternative endpoints for routing requests when the corresponding active endpoint of the active cluster is unavailable or non-functional.

[0058] Identifying / configuring pairs of endpoints can enable determining active endpoints and corresponding DR endpoints available for routing before routing is performed, which can enable effective routing management of incoming requests. In an exemplary embodiment, depending on the hybrid technology / policy, each endpoint of an active cluster may be paired with a corresponding endpoint of a DR cluster to form a pair of endpoints. In an exemplary embodiment, the SCP may include an SCP controller that enables the identification / configuration / mapping of endpoints of a disaster recovery (DR) cluster to a set of corresponding active clusters. In an exemplary embodiment, if at least one endpoint of the pair is functional, a request may be routed to the identified / configured pair. For example, the SCP may evaluate when an endpoint of an active cluster, e.g., a first endpoint, is unavailable before routing a request and identify or configure a corresponding endpoint in the DR cluster. In another example, SCP can evaluate when an endpoint, e.g., a first endpoint of an active cluster, is unavailable, and also evaluate whether the corresponding DR endpoint (second endpoint) for the first endpoint is unavailable so that a request cannot be routed to either or both of the first or second endpoints of the pair.

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, a hybrid routing policy may be used at an entry node or an exit node of the SCP. In one embodiment, the hybrid routing policy endpoint details may be configured by pair so that only one endpoint of a pair can receive requests at any given time. In one example, the total received requests may be routed in a round-robin manner among pairs of endpoints.

[0060] Additionally, the system and method may not be bound by the architecture, structure, function, and implementation of network functions of each node. Additionally, the system and method may facilitate the implementation of SCPs capable of effectively enabling load balancing, routing, traffic monitoring, congestion control, service discovery, and these other functions. Various other related embodiments or advantages may be possible.

[0061] FIGS. 1a through 1d illustrate a network architecture in which a system proposed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented or can be implemented together.

[0062] Generally, a 5G network architecture can be designed in such a way that multiple nodes can be closely interconnected, and thus can become corresponding network functions. In one embodiment, some of the network functions of the 5G network architecture are as follows: o Access and Mobility Management function (AMF): The AMF can receive all connection and session-related information from a communication device (also referred to herein as user equipment or UE) and is responsible for handling connection and mobility management tasks. For example, the AMF can support, but is not limited to, termination of NAS (Non-Access Stratum) signaling, NAS encryption and integrity protection, and registration management, connection management, mobility management, access authentication and authorization, and security context management. o Session Management function (SMF)SMF can perform session management functions, such as session establishment, modification, and release. Additionally, SMF can handle user device (UE) IP address allocation and management, DHCP functions, termination of NAS signaling related to session management, DL data notification, and traffic steering configuration for user plane functions (UPF) for appropriate traffic routing. o User Plane Function (UPF): The UPF can connect actual data coming through the corresponding Radio Area Network (RAN) to the Internet. In an exemplary embodiment, the UPF can perform packet routing and forwarding, packet inspection, and handle Quality of Service (QoS). Additionally, the UPF can serve as an external PDU session point for interconnections to the Data Network (DN), and can also serve as an anchor point for mobility within a RAT as well as between RATs. o Policy Control Function (PCF): PCF provides an integrated policy framework and policy rules to CP functions, and allows UDR to access subscription information for policy decisions. o Authentication Server Function (AUSF): AUSF can act as an authentication server and perform the function of verifying the authenticity of flowing information. o Unified Data Management (UDM): UDM can generate Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) credentials, perform user identification processing, access permissions, and manage subscriptions. o Application Function (AF): AF can check the application impact on traffic routing, access NEF, and interact with the policy framework for policy control. o Network Exposure function (NEF): NEF can perform functions such as exposing capabilities and events, providing security for information from external applications to 3GPP networks, and translating internal / external information. o NF Repository Function (NRF): NRF can perform service discovery functions, maintain NF profiles, and identify available NF instances. o Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF): NSSF can support selecting network slice instances to serve UEs, determining allowed NSSAIs, and determining the set of AMFs to be used to serve UEs.

[0063] It can be understood that the proposed system and architecture are not limited to 5G-based systems / solutions but can also be used in independent or hybrid / integrated solutions implemented based on any or a combination of 4G, 5G, and / or 6G networks.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the system can also improve network performance by continuously coordinating with other network functions. Additionally, the system architecture can utilize service-based interactions between NF service consumers and NF service creators directly or indirectly through a Service Communication Proxy (SCP).

[0065] Referring to FIG. 1a, as illustrated, the proposed system (100-1) can be used to implement a hybrid routing technique in a network having some active clusters as well as some inactive clusters. The system (100-1) may include a network device (102) (also referred to herein as a controller (102)) that can be configured to communicate with one or more airborne terrestrial mobile network (PLMN) clusters, such as cluster 1, cluster 2, cluster 3, cluster 4... cluster N associated with the network.

[0066] In one embodiment, the controller (102) can communicate with a plurality of node devices (108-1, 108-2, 108-3...108-N), wherein the plurality of node devices may consist of a plurality of source node devices and a terminal node device, so that the controller (102) can receive a plurality of requests to be transmitted from the plurality of source node devices (also collectively referred to herein as source node devices, and individually referred to as source node devices) to the terminal node device. In one embodiment, the request may be manually transmitted by a user through a specific source node device. In another embodiment, the request may be automatically generated through a specific source node device.

[0067] Additionally, for each of the multiple requests, the controller (102) can determine a source node device along with a primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster correspondingly mapped among one or more PLMN clusters. Then, the controller (102) can determine the status of each endpoint of the pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster.

[0068] In one embodiment, when the state of each endpoint of a pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster is determined to be inactive, the controller (102) may route the request through a pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster to send the request to an end node device.

[0069] According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1a, when it is determined that a request is received from a first source node device (108-1), the controller (102) may be configured to select a first PLMN cluster, i.e., cluster 1, from one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request to a terminal node device (108-N). The controller (102) may further determine the status of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster, i.e., cluster 1, wherein cluster 1 may be a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device (108-1). In one embodiment, when it is determined that the status of at least one endpoint of the endpoints of the first PLMN cluster is active, the system (100-1) may transmit the request directly to the terminal node device (108-N) through the first PLMN cluster.

[0070] In another exemplary embodiment, when the state of at least one endpoint of the primary PLMN cluster is determined to be active, the controller (102) may be configured to directly route a request from the source node device (108-1) to the end node device (108-N) through the endpoint of the primary PLMN cluster (cluster 1) via a first primary path (exemplified in FIG. 1a).

[0071] In another embodiment, when it is determined that the status of one or more endpoints of the first PLMN cluster (cluster 1) is active, the controller (102) can proportionally distribute data traffic regarding requests among a plurality of requests associated with the first source node device (108-1) among the active endpoints of cluster 1 in the network.

[0072] In another embodiment, when it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster, i.e., Cluster 1, is inactive, the controller (102) may be configured to select a second PLMN cluster, i.e., Cluster 3, from one or more PLMN clusters and to route the request to the second PLMN cluster, i.e., Cluster 3, in order to transmit the request to the end node device (108-N). The second PLMN cluster may be a pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster for the source node device (108-1). In an exemplary embodiment, the request may be routed from Cluster 1 to Cluster 3 using a Round Robin approach. In another exemplary embodiment, the controller (102) may be configured to route the request to Cluster 3 via a first secondary path (exemplified in FIG. 1a).

[0073] In one implementation, the system (100-1) can facilitate the configuration and mapping of one or more PLMN clusters as either a primary PLMN cluster or a secondary PLMN cluster based on the mapping of a routing table. In an exemplary embodiment, the primary PLMN cluster may correspond to an active cluster, while the secondary PLMN cluster may correspond to a DR cluster.

[0074] In one embodiment, when it is determined that the status of one or more endpoints of the second PLMN cluster (cluster 3) is active, the controller (102) may proportionally distribute data traffic regarding requests among a plurality of requests associated with the first source node device (108-1) among the active endpoints of cluster 3 in the network. In one embodiment, when traffic is separated between two clusters so that one cluster handles active traffic and the other cluster handles DR traffic, the PLMN list of the DR cluster may be replaced with the so-called PLMN list. In this embodiment, such configuration may be defined in the SCP controller and / or SCP proxy.

[0075] Additionally, if it is determined that the status of all endpoints of the secondary PLMN cluster (cluster 3) is inactive, the system (100-1) can trigger a negative response corresponding to the request through the controller (102).

[0076] According to another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1b, when it is determined that a request is received from a source node device other than the first source node device, i.e., source node device (108-2), the controller (102) may be configured to select a third PLMN cluster, i.e., cluster 2, from one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request. Additionally, the controller (102) may determine the status of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster (cluster 2), wherein the third PLMN cluster may be a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device (108-2).

[0077] In one embodiment, if it is determined that the status of at least one endpoint of the endpoints of the third PLMN cluster (cluster 2) is active, the system (100-2) can directly transmit the request to the end node device (108-N) through the third PLMN cluster (cluster 2).

[0078] In an exemplary embodiment, when the state of at least one endpoint of a primary PLMN cluster (cluster 3) is determined to be active, the controller (102) may be configured to directly route a request from a source node device (108-1) to an end node device (108-N) through said endpoint of the primary PLMN cluster (cluster 3) via a second primary path (exemplified in FIG. 1b).

[0079] In another embodiment, when it is determined that the status of one or more endpoints of the third PLMN cluster (cluster 2) is active, the controller (102) may be configured to proportionally distribute data traffic regarding requests among a plurality of requests associated with the source node device (108-2) among the active endpoints of the third PLMN cluster (cluster 2) in the network.

[0080] In one embodiment, when it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster (cluster 2) is inactive, the controller (102) may be configured to select a fourth PLMN cluster, i.e., cluster 4, from one or more PLMN clusters and to route the request from the third PLMN cluster (cluster 2) to the fourth PLMN cluster (cluster 4) via a round-robin approach, for example, to transmit the request to the end node device, wherein the fourth PLMN cluster (cluster 4) may be a pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster for the source node device.

[0081] In an exemplary embodiment, the request may be routed from the third PLMN cluster (cluster 2) to the fourth PLMN cluster (cluster 4) through a second secondary path (as illustrated in FIG. 1b).

[0082] In another embodiment, if it is determined that the status of all endpoints of the secondary PLMN cluster is inactive, the controller (102) may be configured to trigger a negative response corresponding to the request.

[0083] In an exemplary embodiment, a single PLMN cluster may be divided into two sub-clusters, wherein one of the two sub-clusters may serve as a third PLMN cluster and the other as a fourth PLMN cluster. In another exemplary embodiment, the controller (102) may facilitate the configuration and pre-mapping of one or more PLMN clusters as either a primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster for a plurality of source node devices based on the mapping of routing tables.

[0084] In one exemplary embodiment, the system (100-2) may be configured to map one primary PLMN cluster to more than one secondary PLMN cluster. In another exemplary embodiment, the system (100) may be configured to map one primary PLMN cluster to more than one secondary PLMN cluster.

[0085] In an exemplary embodiment, the system may also include a tertiary PLMN cluster, wherein all endpoints of the secondary routers are also inactive, the system (100-2) may route requests through the tertiary PLMN cluster.

[0086] In one embodiment, the number of endpoints of the primary PLMN cluster may be the same as the number of endpoints of the corresponding secondary PLMN cluster. In another embodiment, the number of endpoints of the primary PLMN cluster may be different from the number of endpoints of the corresponding secondary PLMN cluster.

[0087] As illustrated in FIG. 1c, the network device (102) can be coupled with a plurality of nodes including node 106-1, node 106-2...node 106-N and can be configured to facilitate secure communication between the plurality of nodes (hereinafter collectively referred to as nodes (106) and individually referred to as nodes (106)).

[0088] In one embodiment, each of the nodes may be configured to be coupled with a plurality of user devices (108-1, 108-2, 108-3, 108-4...108-(N-1), 108-N) (hereinafter collectively referred to as user devices or UE (108) and individually referred to as user device (108)). In one embodiment, the system (100-3) may establish secure communication between user devices associated with separate nodes. In another embodiment, the system (100-3) may establish secure communication between user devices associated with the same node.

[0089] In an exemplary embodiment, the system (100-3) can effectively establish secure communication between a user device (108-1) and a user device (108-2), wherein both the user device (108-1) and the user device (108-2) are coupled to a node (106-1). In another exemplary embodiment, the system (100) can establish secure communication between a user device (108-2) and a user device (108-N) with the same effectiveness, wherein the user device (108-2) is coupled to a node (106-1) and the user device (108-N) is coupled to a node (106-N).

[0090] In an exemplary embodiment, the network device (102) (also referred to herein as the network (102)) may be configured as an application server and may operate to communicate, or may be integrated with the user device (108) through a network coupled with the server (104). In another exemplary embodiment, the user device (108) may be a wireless device. The wireless device may be a mobile device that may include, for example, cellular phones and other devices such as feature phones or smartphones. The user device (108) is not limited to the devices mentioned above and may include any type of device capable of providing wireless communication, such as cellular phones, tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal computers (PCs), laptop computers, media centers, workstations, and other such devices. The SCP implementation may be associated with an entry node and / or an exit node. In the case of an entry node implementation, the NF profile used for registration may include endpoints that are multiples of 2 in a correct sequence. In an exemplary embodiment, zero-based indexing may be used so that endpoint even indexes belong to the active cluster and odd indexes belong to the DR cluster.

[0091] In one embodiment, the proposed system (100-3) can not only solve problems introduced by next-generation service-based architectures but also optimize signaling controls. The system (100-3) can enable a service provider to obtain better visibility into a core network, where the core network can be defined as the backbone of a network architecture. For example, in the present disclosure, the core network may be associated with a 5G service-based architecture that can be configured to interconnect individual networks associated with the architecture. Thus, the core network can provide a path for information exchange between one or more networks and corresponding subnetworks. Additionally, as a backbone, the core network can group together various networks that may be located within the same building, in different buildings, in a campus environment, or remotely across a wide area, namely Local Area Networks (LANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs), Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs), etc. The system can also continuously coordinate with other network functions to improve network performance. According to one embodiment, a 5G system architecture can utilize service-based interactions between NF service consumers and NF service creators directly or indirectly through a Service Communication Proxy (SCP).

[0092] In an exemplary embodiment, the network may be associated with at least one of a wireless network, a wired network, or a combination thereof. It may be implemented as one of different types of networks, such as a network intranet, LAN, WAN, the Internet, etc. Additionally, the network may be a private network or a shared network. A shared network may represent an association of different types of networks capable of using various protocols, such as, for example, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ), etc. In one embodiment, the network is, for example, a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) network; It may be related to 5G networks that can be facilitated through phased or terrestrial wide-area access networks such as universal terrestrial radio networks (UTRAN), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) radio access networks (GERAN), evolved universal terrestrial radio access networks (E-UTRAN), WIFI or other LAN access networks or wireless microwave access (WIMAX) networks. Various other types of communication networks or services may be possible.

[0093] In one example, the network (102) may use different types of wireless interfaces, such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), or frequency division multiple access (FDMA) wireless interfaces and other implementations. In an exemplary embodiment, a wired user device may use wired access networks in combination with or exclusively with wireless access networks, including, for example, Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and other network technologies configured to carry Internet Protocol (IP) packets.

[0094] In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1d, the proposed system (100-4) can facilitate the interaction of SCP (112) with various distinct network components and corresponding network functions through which SCP (112) can be coupled communicably to all other equipment via a core network (114). In one embodiment, the core network (114) can facilitate communicable coupling between 5G-EIR (116) and SCP (112), wherein 5G-EIR can be defined as an independent network component that can help remote communication operators protect those networks. 5G-EIR can support network protection by providing a mechanism to restrict malicious user terminals in the network.

[0095] In another embodiment, the core network (114) can facilitate the communicable coupling of a network component supporting a network slice selection function (NSSF: Network Slice Selection Function (118)) (118) and an SCP (112), wherein the NSSF (118) can select network slice instances to serve to a user device (108), determine an allowed NSSAI, and determine an AMF set used to serve the user device (108).

[0096] In another embodiment, SCP (112) may be coupled with a network component that supports an Authentication Server Function (AUSF: Authentication Server Function (120)) (120), where the AUSF may serve as an authentication server and function to verify the authenticity of information flowing through it.

[0097] In another embodiment, SCP (112) may be coupled with network components that support Unified Data Management (UDM: 122) (122) and Unified Data Repository (UDR: 124) (124), wherein UDM (122) may facilitate a centralized technology for controlling network user data. For example, UDM (122) may generate Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) credentials, perform user identification processing, access permissions, and perform subscription management.

[0098] Additionally, the UDR (124) can serve as a centralized repository for information related to subscribers and can facilitate services for multiple network functions. For example, the 5G UDM (Unified Data Management) can use the UDR to store and retrieve data regarding subscriptions. Alternatively, the PCF (Policy Control Function) can use the UDR to store and retrieve policy-related data. Additionally, the Network Exposure Function (NEF) can also use the UDR to store subscriber-related data that is allowed to be exposed to third-party applications.

[0099] In one embodiment, SCP (112) may be coupled with a network component that supports a network exposure function (NEF (126)) (126), where the NEF can perform functions such as exposure of capabilities and events, secure provision of information from external applications to a 3GPP network, and translation of internal / external information.

[0100] In another embodiment, SCP (112) may be coupled with a network component that supports a 5G network data analytics function (NWDAF: network data analytics function (128)) (128), and NWDAF (128) may be configured to simplify and control how core network data is generated and consumed, and may provide insights and suggest actions to be taken to improve the end-user experience. In an exemplary embodiment, NWDAF may be configured to overcome market segmentation and proprietary solutions in the network analytics domain. Additionally, NWDAF may address three major standardization points. ● Data collection interface from network nodes ● Predefined analytical insights ● Data exposure interface for consumers

[0101] In one embodiment, SCP (112) may be coupled with network components that support session management functions (SMF (130)) (130), access and mobility management functions (AMF (132)) (132), policy control functions (PCF (134)) (134) and application functions (AF (136)) (136), wherein SMF (130) may perform session management-related functions such as session establishment, modification, and release. Additionally, SMF (130) may handle user device (UE) IP address allocation and management, DHCP functions, termination of NAS signaling related to session management, DL data notification, and traffic steering configuration for user plane functions (UPF) for appropriate traffic routing.

[0102] Additionally, the AMF (132) can receive all connection and session-related information from the communication device (also referred to herein as user equipment) and can be responsible for handling connection and mobility management tasks. Additionally, the PCF (134) can provide access to the integrated policy framework, policy rules for CP functions, and subscription information for policy decisions of the UDR. The AF (136) can check the application impact on traffic routing, access the NEF, and interact with the policy framework for policy control.

[0103] In one embodiment, SCP (112) can be coupled with network components that support a Short Message Service Function (SMSF (138)) (138), an NF storage function (140) (NRF (140)), a Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP (142)) (142), and a User Plane Function (UPF (144)) (144). The SMSF (138) can facilitate the transmission of SMS via NAS in a 5G architecture. Additionally, the SMSF (138) can perform relay functions between a user device (108) and a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) through interaction with the Core Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), as well as perform subscription verification.

[0104] Additionally, the NRF (140) can be configured to perform service discovery functions and maintain NF profiles, and can also identify available NF instances. Additionally, a BroadForward Security Edge Protection Proxy (BroadForward SEPP (142)) (142) can facilitate secure communication between one or more 5G networks. The SEPP (140) can also provide end-to-end confidentiality and / or integrity between the source network and the destination network for all 5G interconnect roaming messages.

[0105] Additionally, the UPF (144) can function to connect actual data coming in through the corresponding Radio Area Network (RAN) to the Internet. In an exemplary embodiment, the UPF (144) can perform packet routing and forwarding, packet inspection, and handle Quality of Service (QoS). Additionally, the UPF (144) can serve as an external PDU session point for the interconnect to the Data Network (DN) (146), and can also serve as an anchor point for mobility within a RAT as well as mobility between RATs.

[0106] It should be noted that the function of SCP (112) is independent of the distance between network functions. Additionally, SCP (112) can facilitate peer-to-peer communication between peer instances / nodes.

[0107] Additionally, the primary function of SCP (112) is to provide end-to-end connectivity between different nodes with distinct deployment scenarios, architectures, and functions while efficiently managing these architectures. The routing capability of the proposed system (100-4) is not constrained by the implementation of the architecture, structure, functions, and network functions of each node.

[0108] In one embodiment, the system and method may be applied as a technology based on an integrated or hybrid routing solution, including but not limited to any or combination of 4th generation (4G), 5th generation (5G), or 6th generation (6G) based architectures / implements. In an exemplary embodiment, the routing solution and algorithm may include a 4G-5G based interconnected routing scenario that includes interconnection. For example, this implementation may be obtained by converting protocols including but not limited to the following. ● HTTP2 to HTTP ● Other transformations may also be possible at the TCP / IP layer. For example, communication between NEF (5G node) and SCEF (4G node), HSS (4G), as well as UDM (5G). Various other protocols may be used within the scope of this disclosure.

[0109] In another exemplary embodiment, the routing solution may be designed to address upcoming 6G routing. For example, this may be achieved by enabling grid routing, plugging in any protocol stack, or by implementing other aspects. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the routing solution may include artificial intelligence (AI)-based adaptive routing based on historical data availability. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the routing solution may include an adaptive circuit breaker mechanism capable of detecting critical events in the network and protecting network elements. Various other similar aspects / exemplars may be possible.

[0110] FIG. 2, referring to FIG. 1d, illustrates an exemplary drawing of an SCP implementation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure in 200. FIG. 2 depicts the present implementation for intelligent load balancing, routing, monitoring, and congestion control at the application layer of the open systems intercommunication (OSI) model, namely Layer 7, which can completely uncouple the service layer from the infrastructure layer. The SCP can provide better visibility into the core network by optimizing signaling controls as well as solving problems associated with next-generation infrastructure architectures, such as 5G service-based architectures, for example. The SCP (112) can also improve network performance through continuous coordination with other network functions.

[0111] In one embodiment, the system (100) performs interconnected functions in block 202, facilitates communication between peer nodes in block 204, and can generate a mesh based on discoveries / information transmitted by the peer nodes. In one embodiment, the proposed system includes closely interconnected network functions. The system has the ability to discover peer nodes and transmit network information. Additionally, the system (100) can facilitate expansion and contraction functions that can be provided with increased flexibility in block 206. Additionally, the system (100) can enable the utilization of the maximum potential of a service-based architecture in block 208. Also, in block 210, the system (100) can handle requests for a module with some central functions, thereby facilitating secure communication between the SCP (112) (of FIG. 1d) and the nodes (106). In one embodiment, the system optimizes the data path of information exchanged between network functions and solves problems including, but not limited to, congestion control, traffic prioritization, and overload control. For example, SCP (112) may be configured to control the flow of data / information between nodes by facilitating load balancing, routing, traffic monitoring, congestion control, and service discovery in a Layer 7 service mesh. In an exemplary embodiment, the system (100) may determine network function (NF) instances, and in response, SCP (112) may manage function specification service proxy instances. In another exemplary embodiment, NRF (140) may also provide facilities for registration, re-registration, and NF discovery.

[0112] In another exemplary embodiment, the system (100) may include NFs that can communicate with the NRF (140) through an SCP controller. For example, a PCF proxy running with 'x' NF services and 'y' instances can communicate with the NRF (140), which can act as a central repository and contain information about all NFs, through the SCP controller of the SCP (112). In another exemplary embodiment, the SCP controller may be trained to configure SCP proxies based on real-time conditions. Thus, pre-configuration of SCP proxies may not be required in the system (100).

[0113] FIG. 3a illustrates an exemplary representation of a flowchart illustrating indirect communication through a proposed system having delegated search according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3b illustrates an exemplary representation of a flowchart illustrating indirect communication through a proposed system without delegated search according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b, the system (100) implements SCP (112) (of FIG. 1d) to support both scenarios of indirect communication, i.e., indirect communication with or without delegated search, for the search of peer network functions. ● Indirect communication without delegated search:As illustrated in 300-1 of FIG. 3a, in this case, the consumer node or consumer NF (320) (consumer NF associated with the UE sending the request) may directly query the NRF (140) at 302 to obtain information regarding the NF profile of the provider node or provider NF (340) (destination node to which the request needs to be sent). Based on the search results, at 304, the NRF (140) may send the NF profiles to the consumer node (320). In an exemplary embodiment, based on the search results, the consumer NF (320) may select an NF instance from a set of NF service instances. At 306, the consumer NF (320) may send a request to the SCP (112) containing the address of the selected service creator pointing to the NF service instance or a set of NF service instances. In an exemplary embodiment, the SCP (112) may interact with the NRF (140) to obtain selection parameters such as location, capacity, and other such information. In 312, SCP (112) can route the request to a selected NF service provider instance or provider node (340). In 314, the provider NF (340) can generate a service response that can be further transmitted to the consumer NF (320) via SCP (112) in 316. Similarly, subsequent request(s) can be transmitted in 310, which can be further processed in the same manner. ● Indirect communication with delegated search:This communication mode may function even when the user does not perform any search or selection. As illustrated in 300-2 of FIG. 3b, in this case, the consumer node or consumer NF (320) (consumer NF associated with the UE sending the request) cannot directly query the NRF (140) to obtain information regarding the NF profile of the provider node or provider NF (340) (destination node to which the request needs to be sent) illustrated in FIG. 3a. In an exemplary embodiment, and as illustrated in FIG. 3b, at 322, the consumer node (320) may add any necessary search and selection parameters required to find the appropriate provider node (340) to the service request. In an exemplary embodiment, the SCP may perform a search to the NRF (140) and obtain the search results. The SCP (112) may use the request address and search selection parameters of the request message to route the request to the appropriate producer instance / provider node (340), as illustrated in step 328. The provider NF (340) can eventually generate a service response at 330 that can be further transmitted to the consumer NF (320) via SCP (112) at 324. Similarly, subsequent request(s) can be transmitted at 326 and can be further processed in the same way.

[0114] In an exemplary embodiment, the proposed SCP (112) may also be used for indirect communication between NFs and NF services within any or combination of public land mobile networks (PLMNs), such as, for example, a visiting public land mobile network (VPLMN) and a home public land mobile network (HPLMN).

[0115] According to one embodiment, in addition to acting as a proxy or routing agent among various network functions, SCP (112) may be configured to perform the following functions. ● Communication Security: The SCP platform can be configured so that only authorized consumer NFs can communicate with provider NFs. ● Load Balancing: Provider NFs can configure various load balancing techniques such as round-robin and weighted scheduling, where in round-robin load balancing, client requests can be periodically routed to available servers. Round-robin server load balancing can operate best when servers have approximately the same computing power and storage capacity. ● Security Support: SCP also supports security mechanisms between consumers and providers of network services. ● Traffic Monitoring: SCP can monitor the performance of provider NFs in terms of the number of service requests being processed. ● Traffic Prioritization: The SCP platform can be configured to prioritize requests from specific consumer NFs over any other consumer NFs. ● NF Search: SCP provides interfaces to identify the most appropriate instances of other network functions (e.g., AUSF, PCF) for a specific UE's SUPI, SUCI, or GPSI. ● Overload Control: SCP has the ability to set an upper limit on the number of authorizations for specific instances of provider NFs. This means that if the number of consumer applications reaches a critical limit, new consumer NFs are not authorized.

[0116] FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate exemplary representations (400-1 and 400-2) of the system architecture of a service communication proxy (SCP) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 4a, a point-of-delivery (POD) may be outlined with a dotted line, and next to it are the system boundaries of the service communication proxy (SCP) (112). All other systems / components may be 3GPP-defined 5G network functions that may include protocol interfaces with the SCP (112).

[0117] In one embodiment, the architecture of the service communication proxy (SCP) may include at least one of the following functions. ● Indirect communication ● Delegated Search ● Message delivery and routing to destination NF / NF services ● Communication security (e.g., permission for NF service consumers to access NF service creator APIs), load balancing, monitoring, overload control, etc. ● Optionally interact with UDR to resolve UDM Group ID / UDR Group ID / AUSF Group ID / PCF Group ID / CHF Group ID / HSS Group ID based on UE identity, e.g., SUPI or IMPI / IMPU.

[0118] In one embodiment, the proposed SCP (112) may include an SCP proxy together with an SCP controller (404). In one embodiment, the SCP proxy may be an incoming proxy or an outgoing proxy, where, ● Ingress Proxy: These proxy instances ensure that incoming traffic for the producer NF is round-robin based on the configured policy default. ● Outgoing Proxy: These proxy instances ensure the flow of consumer traffic out to the correct SCP incoming proxy and routing based on NF or SCP selection criteria. It can be understood that a hybrid deployment is possible where a single SCP instance can serve as both an incoming and outgoing proxy.

[0119] In one embodiment, the SCP (112) may include multiple SCP proxies as illustrated in FIG. 4a, which may be linked to the SCP controller (404) to communicate with NRF, EMS Plus, SMP, APIs, and various network functions via an HTTP module. Additionally, the SCP controller (404) may be configured to manage all SCP proxy instances and select appropriate proxy instances as exits or entrys for target NFs during the NF registration and discovery flow; to do this, the SCP controller (404) needs to be placed in front of NRF clusters serving multiple PLMNs or a single PLMN. In an exemplary embodiment, the SCP controller (404) may configure some instances of the PLMN to serve as disaster recovery (DR) endpoints for a corresponding set of corresponding active PLMN cluster endpoints.

[0120] In one embodiment, and as illustrated in FIG. 4b, an exemplary architecture of SCP (112) is illustrated. SCP (112) can facilitate the routing of requests by a combination of hardware and software implementations. FIG. 4b illustrates an exemplary representation of SCP (112) of FIG. 1d according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. SCP (112) may include one or more processors or controllers (e.g., SCP controller (404) illustrated in FIG. 4a). One or more processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may be coupled with memory (410). Memory (410) may store instructions that cause SCP (112) to perform the steps described herein when executed by one or more processor(s) or controller(s) (404).

[0121] In one embodiment, processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may enable the routing of requests from a consumer node (regarding a user device sending a request) to a destination mode (or provider node). For example, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) of SCP (112) may identify / configure at least one endpoint or node before routing a request. In this example, identification of available endpoints in a cluster of endpoints may be performed, where the cluster may relate, for example, a primary / active cluster and a secondary / DR cluster. In an exemplary embodiment, a request may be routed to an identified / configured pair if at least one endpoint of the pair is functional. An active cluster may include active endpoints to which a request may preferably be routed if the endpoint is available. A DR cluster may include DR endpoints, which can be considered as alternative endpoints for routing requests when all endpoints of the primary cluster are unavailable or non-functional.

[0122] In an instance, the status / operational conditions of all endpoints of the active and DR clusters can be identified according to a hybrid policy. Configuration / identification can be performed prior to routing, which can enable effective management of incoming requests. This also allows for pre-planning direct routing to the DR endpoint (of the DR cluster) if none of the endpoints (of the active cluster) are available. In an alternative embodiment, multiple endpoints of the active cluster can be paired with a single DR endpoint.

[0123] In an exemplary embodiment, the identification / configuration of pairs of endpoints may be performed based on a pre-defined policy of SCP (112). For example, the pre-defined policy may relate to a specific primary and secondary implementation of the hybrid described herein. For example, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may evaluate when all endpoints of the active cluster are unavailable and may configure some endpoints in the corresponding DR cluster before routing the request. In another example, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may evaluate when none of the endpoints of the active cluster are available and may also evaluate whether all endpoints of the corresponding DR are unavailable so that the request is not routed at all. This can reduce unnecessary rerouting and also facilitate effective routing steps. In an exemplary embodiment, the identification / configuration of endpoints may be performed based on pre-defined criteria. For example, pre-defined criteria may relate to header routing criteria that enable, for example, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) of SCP (112) to determine which endpoints will be selected (prior to routing) based on availability. Various other examples are provided in the following sections, but the present disclosure may not be limited by these examples. In one example, header routing criteria may be pre-defined in 3GPP TS 29.500. For example, header routing criteria may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: a) 3gpp-sbi-search b) 3gpp-sbi-target-apiroot c) 3gpp-sbi-binding / 3gpp-sbi-routing-binding In an exemplary embodiment, where a plurality of pre-defined criteria or header routing criteria may be considered, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may prioritize the pre-defined criteria to enable appropriate selection / identification / configuration of endpoints before routing the request. Various other embodiments may be possible.

[0124] SCP implementations may be associated with incoming nodes and / or outgoing nodes. For an incoming node implementation, the NF profile used for registration may include endpoints that are multiples of 2 in a valid sequence. In an exemplary embodiment, zero-based indexing may be used such that endpoints at even indices belong to the active cluster and endpoints at odd indices belong to the DR cluster.

[0125] The processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may be implemented as any device that processes data based on one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuits and / or operation instructions. Among other capabilities, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory (410) of the SCP (112). The memory (410) may be configured to store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines in a non-transient computer-readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to generate or share data packets over a network service. The memory (410) may include any non-transient storage device, such as volatile memory like RAM, or non-volatile memory like EPROM, flash memory, etc.

[0126] In one embodiment, SCP (112) may include interface(s) (412). Interface(s) (412) may include various interfaces, for example, interfaces to data input and output devices, storage devices, etc., referred to as I / O devices. Interface(s) (412) may facilitate communication of SCP (112). Interface(s) (412) may also provide communication paths to one or more components of SCP (112). Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, processing engine(s) or modules (404-1) and a database (424).

[0127] Processing engine(s) or modules (404-1) may be implemented by a combination of hardware and programming (e.g., programmable instructions) to implement one or more functions of the processing engine(s) or modules (404-1). In the examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, programming for the processing engine(s) or modules (404-1) may be processor-executable instructions stored in a non-transient machine-readable storage medium, and hardware for the processing engine(s) or modules (404-1) may include processing resources (e.g., one or more processors) that execute these instructions. In the present example, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that implement the processing engine(s) or modules (404-1) when executed by the processing resources. In this example, SCP (112) may include a machine-readable storage medium for storing instructions and a processing resource for executing instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but have access to SCP (112) and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing engine(s) or modules (404-1) may be implemented by electronic circuits.

[0128] In one embodiment, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may be associated with an entry controller that enables processing / controlling one or more aspects of an incoming request received at an entry node (entry point) of SCP (112). In another embodiment, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may be associated with an exit controller that enables processing / controlling one or more aspects of a request being routed at an exit node (exit point) of SCP (112). In yet another embodiment, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may be associated with an integrated controller comprising both an entry and an exit controller that enables processing / controlling one or more aspects of an incoming request received at an entry node (entry point) of SCP (112) and processing / controlling one or more aspects of a request being routed at an exit node (exit point) of SCP (112).

[0129] The processing engine or modules (404-1) of SCP (112) may include one or more components, such as a receiving module (416), a proxy information module (418), a routing module (420), and other modules or components (422), as illustrated in FIG. 4b. In one embodiment, the receiving module (416) may receive incoming requests from consumer nodes via an incoming controller, and the routing module (420) may route requests to provider nodes via an outgoing controller. The proxy information module (418) may collect or store information regarding available proxies or endpoints associated with the active and / or DR cluster. Other modules or components (422) may include, but are not limited to, an incoming module (associated with the incoming node), an outgoing module (associated with the outgoing node), a load balancer, an edge router configuration module, a mapping module (mapping endpoints associated with the active and / or DR cluster), a request processing module, an error message generation module, and other modules or engines. Various other functions of the components may be possible. In one embodiment, the database (210) may include data that can be stored or generated as a result of functions implemented by any of the components of the processing engine(s) modules (404-1) of the SCP (112).

[0130] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary overview of SCP deployment based on 5G functions and SCPs deployed in independent deployment units according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 5, in 500, an overview of SCP deployment is illustrated, wherein the SCP deployment may be based on 5G functions and the SCPs may be deployed in independent deployment units. Additionally, the system (100) may be designed in a manner that can support the following. ● One SCP proxy instance for a single NF type considered for a single PLMN, ● One SCP proxy instance for multiple NF types considered for a single PLMN, ● A single SCP proxy instance for multiple NF types considered for multiple PLMNs, ● Multiple proxies of a single PLMN for multiple NF types, and ● A single SCP controller for multiple NRF instances considered for multiple PLMNs.

[0131] In one embodiment, the system (100) may be configured to provide different types of routing techniques for the SCP proxy, wherein the routing techniques may be implemented according to the requirements of different NF teams and their GR / DR processing. In one embodiment, incoming hybrid routing techniques may be used in the incoming proxy, while outgoing hybrid routing techniques may be used in the outgoing proxy. In these routing techniques, the GR or DR cluster may be defined based on the PLMN list. In one example, the proposed hybrid routing techniques may also be integrated with other policies, such as active-active routing policies, active standby routing policies, etc., which can ensure the use of all endpoints of the active cluster first.

[0132] Referring to FIG. 6, the system (100) can perform hybrid traffic separation through mapping network functions between a primary site (not shown) and a disaster recovery (DR) site (610), such that if the primary site goes down, requests including traffic from other sites can be routed to the DR-defined network functions. Additionally, the system (100) can separate traffic within a circle. Traffic for the same circle can be routed to one cluster at 604, and traffic from other circles received as DR traffic can be processed by different clusters at 602.

[0133] In one embodiment, to separate traffic between two clusters where one cluster in 608 handles active traffic and another cluster in 608 handles DR traffic, the system (100) may replace the PLMN list of the DR cluster with a predetermined so-called PLMN list. This configuration may be defined by an SCP controller as well as an SCP proxy.

[0134] FIG. 7a illustrates an exemplary flowchart representing a hybrid specific primary and secondary routing technique, wherein requests from specific sites, e.g., sites other than Nagpur, can be acquired at 702, and requests from the Nagpur site can be acquired at 706. Subsequently, at 704, it is checked whether any / at least one endpoint is active. If active, the acquired request can be transmitted and distributed in the primary cluster (710). However, if it is determined that none of the endpoints are active, at 708, it is checked whether the acquired request came from Nagpur. If so, at 712, it is checked again whether any / at least one endpoint is active.

[0135] In one embodiment, if a request obtained from 708 is found not to be from Nagpur, the request is supplied to the Nagpur DR cluster (720).

[0136] In one embodiment, if at least one endpoint in 712 is found to be active, the acquired request is transmitted and distributed to the Nagpur active cluster (730). However, if none of the endpoints in 712 are found to be active, the acquired request is supplied to the DR for Nagpur (740).

[0137] Figure 7b, referring to Figure 7a, illustrates the functionality of a hybrid-specific primary and secondary routing technology when the Nagpur active cluster goes down.

[0138] In one embodiment, hybrid routing protocols may use distance vectors for more accurate metrics to determine the best path to destination networks and may report routing information only when there is a change in the topology of the network. Hybrid routing may also allow for fast convergence but requires less processing power and memory compared to link-state routing. Additionally, the proposed system (100) is not limited to congestion control, traffic prioritization, and overload control, but can address such problems, thereby optimizing the data path of information exchanged between various network functions, and thereby avoiding cases of data interference, data loss, and data misplacement.

[0139] In one embodiment, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may be associated with an entry controller that enables processing / controlling one or more aspects of an incoming request received at an entry node (entry point) of SCP (112). In another embodiment, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may be associated with an exit controller that enables processing / controlling one or more aspects of a request being routed at an exit node (exit point) of SCP (112). In yet another embodiment, the processor(s) or controller(s) (404) may be associated with an integrated controller comprising both entry and exit controllers that enables processing / controlling one or more aspects of an incoming request received at an entry node (entry point) of SCP (112) and processing / controlling one or more aspects of a request being routed at an exit node (exit point) of SCP (112).

[0140] In one embodiment, the system (100) may be configured to provide different types of routing techniques to the SCP proxy (402), wherein the routing techniques may be implemented according to the requirements of different NF teams and their GR / DR processing. In one embodiment, incoming hybrid routing techniques may be used in the incoming proxy, while outgoing hybrid routing techniques may be used in the outgoing proxy. In these routing techniques, the GR or DR cluster may be defined based on the PLMN list. In one example, the proposed hybrid routing techniques may also be integrated with other policies, which may ensure the use of all endpoints of the active cluster first.

[0141] Therefore, the proposed system (100) is not limited to congestion control, traffic prioritization, and overload control, but can solve such problems, and thereby can optimize the data path of information exchanged between various network functions, thus avoiding cases of data interference, data loss, and data misplacement.

[0142] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary representation of primary and secondary hybrid routing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, three clusters, namely cluster a, cluster B, and cluster C, may be configured as primary or secondary clusters based on the illustrated hybrid-specific primary and secondary hybrid routing table. In an instance, cluster B may serve as an active cluster independently, as well as a DR cluster for either cluster A or cluster C or both.

[0143] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary representation illustrating an integrated implementation including various routing policies according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0144] As illustrated in FIG. 9, for a consumer node, the system or SCP (112) may enable an integrated implementation that includes various routing policies that can be used to determine the specific routing of a request. For example, the table represents routing based on the SCP’s hybrid routing policy, which includes routing between endpoints configured as an active cluster and a DR cluster based on the active and standby modes described above. In another example, the table represents routing based on the SCP’s active-active routing policy, which includes routing between endpoints within the active cluster to ensure that all endpoints of the active cluster can be effectively utilized. In another example, the table represents routing based on the SCP’s active-standby routing policy, which includes routing between endpoints within the primary cluster and the secondary cluster, wherein the endpoints of the active cluster may be paired with the endpoints of the DR cluster so that if one endpoint of the active cluster is unavailable, the request is routed to the corresponding paired endpoint of the DR cluster. In another example, the table represents routing based on SCP's primary-secondary routing policy, which includes routing between endpoints within the primary cluster and the secondary cluster.

[0145] FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary representation of a flowchart representing a proposed method (1000) for implementing a hybrid routing technique in a network. The method (1000) may include, in step 1002, a controller communicating with one or more airborne terrestrial mobile network (PLMN) clusters associated with the network, collecting a plurality of requests to be transmitted to an end node device from a plurality of source node devices.

[0146] In one embodiment, the method (1000) may include, in step 1004, the step of determining a source node device with a primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster correspondingly mapped among one or more PLMN clusters for each of the plurality of requests collected in step 1002 at a controller.

[0147] In another embodiment, the method (1000) may include, at step 1006, determining the status of each endpoint of a pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster in a controller. Additionally, the method (1000) may include, at step 1008, routing a request through a pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster to transmit the request to an end node device when the status of each endpoint of a pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster is determined to be inactive at step 1006.

[0148] In one embodiment, when it is determined that a request is received from a first source node device, the method (1000) may include the step of selecting a first PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request, and then the step of determining the state of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster, wherein the first PLMN cluster may be a pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster for the first source node device.

[0149] In another embodiment, when it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster is inactive, the method (1000) may include the step of selecting a second PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters, and then the step of routing the request from the first PLMN cluster to the second PLMN cluster to transmit the request to an end node device, wherein the second PLMN cluster may be a pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster for the first source node device.

[0150] In one embodiment, if it is determined that the state of at least one endpoint of the first PLMN cluster is active, the method (1000) may include the step of directly transmitting the request to an end node device through the first PLMN cluster.

[0151] In another embodiment, when it is determined that the status of one or more endpoints of either the first and second PLMN clusters is active, the method (1000) may include the step of proportionally distributing data traffic regarding requests among a plurality of requests associated with the first source node device among the active endpoints of the PLMN clusters in the network.

[0152] According to another embodiment, when it is determined that a request is received from a source node device other than a first source node device, the method (1000) may include the steps of selecting a third PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request, and determining the status of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster, wherein the third PLMN cluster may be a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device.

[0153] Additionally, when it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster is inactive, the method (1000) may include the steps of selecting a fourth PLMN cluster from one or more PLMN clusters and routing the request from the third PLMN cluster to the fourth PLMN cluster to transmit the request to an end node device, wherein the fourth PLMN cluster may be a pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster for the source node device.

[0154] In one embodiment, if it is determined that the status of at least one endpoint of the third PLMN cluster is active, the method (1000) may include the step of directly transmitting the request to an end node device through the third PLMN cluster.

[0155] In one embodiment, the method (1000) may include the step of dividing a single PLMN cluster into two sub-clusters, wherein one of the two sub-clusters may serve as a third PLMN cluster and the other as a fourth PLMN cluster.

[0156] In one embodiment, when it is determined that the status of one or more endpoints of any one of the third and fourth PLMN clusters is active, the method (1000) may include the step of proportionally distributing data traffic regarding requests among a plurality of requests associated with a source node device other than the first source node device among the active endpoints of the PLMN cluster in the network.

[0157] In another embodiment, the present method (1000) can facilitate the configuration of one or more PLMN clusters as either a primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster for a plurality of source node devices based on the mapping of routing tables.

[0158] In another embodiment, if it is determined that the status of all endpoints of the secondary PLMN cluster is inactive, the method (1000) may include the step of triggering a negative response corresponding to the request.

[0159] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary computer system in which embodiments of the present invention may be used or used together according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0160] As illustrated in FIG. 11, the computer system (1100) may include an external storage device (1110), a bus (1120), a main memory (1130), a read-only memory (1140), a mass storage device (1150), a communication port (1160), and a processor (1170). A person skilled in the art will understand that the computer system may include more than one processor and communication ports. The processor (1170) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present invention. The communication port (1160) may be any of an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dial-up connection, a 10 / 100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or other existing or future ports. The communication port (1160) may be selected according to the network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system is connected. The memory (1130) may be Random Access Memory (RAM) or any other dynamic storage device generally known in the art. The read-only memory (1140) may be any static storage device(s), not limited to Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static information, for example, startup or BIOS instructions for the processor (1170). The mass storage (1150) may be any current or future mass storage solution that can be used to store information and / or instructions.

[0161] The bus (1120) couples the processor(s) (1170) to communicate with other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus (1120) may be, for example, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) / PCI-X (Extended) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), USB, etc., for connecting other buses to a software system, such as the front side bus (FSB) connected to the processor (1170), as well as expansion cards, drives, and other subsystems.

[0162] Optionally, operator and management interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, and cursor control device, may also be coupled to the bus (1120) to support direct operator interaction with the computer system. Other operator and management interfaces may be provided via network connections connected through the communication port (1160). The components described above are merely illustrative of various possibilities. The exemplary computer system mentioned above should in no way limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0163] Although the embodiments of the present invention are described with respect to network devices, it will be understood that the proposed system and method may be implemented on any computing device or external device without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0164] Although substantial emphasis has been placed herein on preferred embodiments, it will be understood that many embodiments may be made and many modifications to the preferred embodiments may be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Such modifications and other modifications to the preferred embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure thereof, and it should be clearly understood that the foregoing descriptions made thereby are merely illustrative of the invention and are not limiting.

[0165] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, other embodiments and additional embodiments of the present invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is determined by the following claims. The present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions, or examples included so that a person skilled in the art can make and use the present invention when combined with information and knowledge available to a person skilled in the art. Advantages of the present disclosure

[0166] The present disclosure provides a system and method that facilitates the management of traffic regarding incoming requests by enabling effective and improved routing of traffic.

[0167] The present disclosure provides a system and method that can be free from constraints on the implementation of the architecture, structure, functions, and network functions of each node.

[0168] The present disclosure provides a system and method that facilitates the implementation of SCP, which enables load balancing, routing, traffic monitoring, congestion control, service discovery, and other such functions in an effective manner. Abbreviation table abbreviation Overall form PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network PLMN Air and land mobile networks SCP Service communication proxy DR Disaster recovery AMF Access and mobility management features NAS Non-access layer SMF Session management function UE User equipment UPF User Plane Function RAN wireless area network QoS Service quality DN data network PCF Policy control function ASF Authentication server function UDM Integrated Data Management AF Application Features NEF Network exposure feature NF Network functions NRF NF storage function NSSF Network slice selection feature UDR Integrated Data Storage AKA Authentication and Key Agreement NWDAF Network data analysis function SMSF Short Message Service function SEPP Secure Edge Protection Proxy SMSC Short Message Service Center VPLMN Visit air-land mobile network HPLMN Home Air Land Mobile Network

Claims

Claim 1 A system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network comprises one or more public land mobile network (PLMN) clusters, a plurality of source node devices, and a controller (102) communicating with a terminal node device associated with said network, wherein the controller (102) comprises one or more processors coupled to a memory, said memory stores commands executable by said one or more processors, said controller (102) collects a plurality of requests to be transmitted from a plurality of source node devices communicating with said controller to the terminal node device; for each of said plurality of requests, determines a source node device with a corresponding pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster among said one or more PLMN clusters; and determines the state of each endpoint of said pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster; A system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network, configured to route the request through the pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster to transmit the request to the end node device when the state of each endpoint of the pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster is determined to be inactive. Claim 2 A system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network, wherein, in claim 1, when it is determined that a request is received from a first source node device (108-1), the controller (102) is further configured to select a first PLMN cluster from the one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request and to determine the state of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster, the first PLMN cluster being a pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster for the first source node device (108-1); and when it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster is inactive, the controller (102) is configured to select a second PLMN cluster from the one or more PLMN clusters and to route the request to the second PLMN cluster to transmit the request to the end node device (108-N), the second PLMN cluster being a pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster for the source node device (108-1). Claim 3 In claim 2, when it is determined that the state of at least one endpoint among the endpoints of the first PLMN cluster is active, the controller (102) is further configured to directly transmit the request to the end node device (108-N) through the first PLMN cluster, a system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 4 In claim 2, when it is determined that the state of one or more endpoints of any one of the first PLMN cluster and the second PLMN cluster is active, the controller (102) is further configured to proportionally distribute data traffic regarding requests among the plurality of requests associated with the first source node device (108-1) among the active endpoints of the PLMN cluster in the network, a system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 5 In claim 4, the controller (102) is configured to replace the second PLMN cluster with another PLMN cluster when the second PLMN cluster handles disaster recovery traffic, and the configuration is defined in a service communication proxy (SCP) controller and / or SCP proxy, a system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 6 In claim 2, when it is determined that a request is received from a source node device other than the first source node device (108-2), the controller (102) is further configured to select a third PLMN cluster from the one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request and to determine the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster, wherein the third PLMN cluster is a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped for the source node device (108-2), and when it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster is inactive, the controller (102) is further configured to select a fourth PLMN cluster from the one or more PLMN clusters and to route the request from the third PLMN cluster to the fourth PLMN cluster to transmit the request to the end node device, wherein the fourth PLMN cluster is a secondary PLMN cluster pre-mapped for the source node device (108-2), a system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 7 In claim 5, when it is determined that the state of at least one endpoint among the endpoints of the third PLMN cluster is active, the controller (102) is further configured to transmit the request directly to the end node device through the third PLMN cluster, a system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 8 In claim 6, the controller (102) is configured to divide a single PLMN cluster of the one or more PLMN clusters into two sub-clusters, and one of the two sub-clusters acts as the third PLMN cluster and the other sub-cluster acts as the fourth PLMN cluster, a system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 9 In claim 6, when it is determined that the state of one or more endpoints of any one of the third PLMN cluster and the fourth PLMN cluster is active, the controller (102) is further configured to proportionally distribute data traffic regarding requests among the plurality of requests associated with source node devices other than the first source node device (108-2) among the active endpoints of the PLMN cluster in the network, a system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 10 In claim 5, the controller (102) is further configured to facilitate the configuration of one or more PLMN clusters as either the primary PLMN cluster and the secondary PLMN cluster for a plurality of source node devices based on the mapping of routing tables, for a system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 11 In claim 5, if the state of all endpoints of the secondary PLMN cluster is determined to be inactive, the controller (102) is further configured to trigger a negative response corresponding to the request, a system (100) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 12 A method (1000) for enabling hybrid routing in a network, comprising: a step (1002) of collecting a plurality of requests from a plurality of source node devices to be transmitted to an end node device, wherein the controller communicates with one or more airborne and terrestrial mobile network (PLMN) clusters associated with the network; a step (1004) wherein the controller determines, for each of the plurality of requests, a source node device together with a corresponding pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster among the one or more PLMN clusters; a step (1006) wherein the controller determines the state of each endpoint of the pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster; and a step (1008) of routing the request through the pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster to transmit the request to at least one of the one or more end node devices when the state of each endpoint of the pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster is determined to be inactive. Claim 13 A method (1000) for enabling hybrid routing in a network, wherein, when it is determined that a request is received from a first source node device, the method (1000) comprises the step of selecting a first PLMN cluster from the one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request, and then determining the state of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster, wherein the first PLMN cluster is a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the first source node device; and when it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the first PLMN cluster is inactive, the method (1000) comprises the step of selecting a second PLMN cluster from the one or more PLMN clusters, and then routing the request from the first PLMN cluster to the second PLMN cluster to transmit the request to the end node device, wherein the second PLMN cluster is a secondary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the first PLMN cluster. Claim 14 In claim 13, if the state of at least one endpoint among the endpoints of the first PLMN cluster is determined to be active, the method (1000) further comprises the step of transmitting the request directly to the end node device through the first PLMN cluster, a method (1000) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 15 In claim 13, when the state of one or more endpoints of any one of the first PLMN cluster and the second PLMN cluster is determined to be active, the method (1000) comprises the step of proportionally distributing data traffic regarding requests among the plurality of requests associated with the first source node device among the active endpoints of the PLMN cluster in the network, for enabling hybrid routing in a network (1000). Claim 16 A method (1000) for enabling hybrid routing in a network, wherein, when it is determined that a request is received from a source node device other than the first source node device, the method (1000) comprises the steps of selecting a third PLMN cluster from the one or more PLMN clusters to transmit the request, and determining the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster, wherein the third PLMN cluster is a primary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device, and when it is determined that the state of all endpoints of the third PLMN cluster is inactive, the method (1000) comprises the steps of selecting a fourth PLMN cluster from the one or more PLMN clusters, and routing the request from the third PLMN cluster to the fourth PLMN cluster to transmit the request to the end node device, wherein the fourth PLMN cluster is a secondary PLMN cluster pre-mapped to the source node device. Claim 17 In claim 16, if the state of at least one endpoint among the endpoints of the third PLMN cluster is determined to be active, the method (1000) comprises the step of transmitting the request directly to the end node device through the third PLMN cluster, for enabling hybrid routing in a network (1000). Claim 18 In claim 16, the method (1000) comprises the step of dividing a single PLMN cluster into two sub-clusters, wherein one of the two sub-clusters acts as the third PLMN cluster and the other sub-cluster acts as the fourth PLMN cluster, a method (1000) for enabling hybrid routing in a network. Claim 19 In claim 16, when the state of one or more endpoints of any one of the third PLMN cluster and the fourth PLMN cluster is determined to be active, the method (1000) comprises the step of proportionally distributing data traffic regarding requests among the plurality of requests associated with source node devices other than the first source node device among the active endpoints of the PLMN cluster in the network, for enabling hybrid routing in a network (1000). Claim 20 In claim 15, the method (1000) is a method (1000) for enabling hybrid routing in a network, which facilitates the configuration of one or more PLMN clusters as either the primary PLMN cluster and the secondary PLMN cluster for a plurality of source node devices based on the mapping of routing tables. Claim 21 In claim 15, when the state of all endpoints of the secondary PLMN cluster is determined to be inactive, the method (1000) comprises the step of triggering a negative response corresponding to the request, for enabling hybrid routing in a network (1000). Claim 22 A non-transient computer-readable medium comprising machine-executable instructions, wherein the machine-executable instructions are executable by a processor to collect a plurality of requests to be transmitted from a plurality of source node devices communicating with a controller to an end node device; for each of the plurality of requests, determine a source node device with a corresponding pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster and a secondary PLMN cluster among one or more PLMN clusters; determine the state of each endpoint of the pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster; and route the request through the pre-mapped secondary PLMN cluster to transmit the request to the end node device when the state of each endpoint of the pre-mapped primary PLMN cluster is determined to be inactive.

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