Method and system for fetching information from a network repository function (NRF) node

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node [102]. The present disclosure encompasses receiving, by a receiving unit [302] at the NRF node [102], at least one request for fetching information from a network function (NF) node, wherein the at least one request comprises one or more event parameters. Then the present disclosure provides generating, by a processing unit [304] at the NRF node [102], at least one response based on processing of the at least one request. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides transmitting, by a transmitting unit [306] at the NRF node [102], the at least one response to the NF node, wherein the at least one response comprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FETCHING INFORMATION FROM A NETWORK REPOSITORY FUNCTION (NRF) NODEFIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to information exchange management. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node.BACKGROUND

[0002] The following description of the related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section is used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of the prior art.

[0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and advancements. The first generation of wireless communication technology was based on analog technology and offered only voice services. However, with the advent of the second-generation (2G) technology, digital communication and data services became possible, and text messaging was introduced. Third generation (3G) technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. The fourth generation (4G) technology revolutionized wireless communication with faster data speeds, better network coverage, and improved security. Currently, the fifth generation (5G) technology is being deployed, promising even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each generation, wireless communication technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and capable of delivering more services to its users.

[0004] A network consists of a multitude of Network Functions (NFs). Examples of network functions are, but not limited to, Policy Control Function (PCF) server, Binding Support Function (BSF) server, Charging Function (CHF) server, Network Repository Function (NRF) server, Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) server and Session Management Function(SMF) server. The NFs perform their roles in ensuring end to end transfer of data as well as controlling the access and availability of the network resources to a user.

[0005] It is essential for the multitude of NFs to become aware of each other for exchanging the required information needed to correctly provision network resources for the user. This responsibility is fulfilled by a Network Repository Function (NRF) which stores the profiles of all NFs and service communication proxy (SCP) servers. The NRF helps them in discovering other relevant NFs which are offering a specific service. The NRF also notifies any changes in the relevant NF to a subscribing NF. Further, upon receiving an access token request, the NRF generates an access token which can be used by NFs for validating the identity of each other for security. Once validation happens, the subscribing NF receives notifications from the NRF for any change in the relevant subscribed NF.

[0006] In conventional implementations of the network, there is no provision in the NF to send or receive information to-and-from the NF on demand. Such a provision is also required in case NRF is unable to communicate the relevant NF details to the subscribing NF during start-up of subscribing NF.

[0007] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art to provide a convenient way to send or receive information on demand to-and-from an NRF at any time, which the present disclosure aims to address.SUMMARY

[0008] This section is provided to introduce certain aspects of the present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0009] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node. The method comprises receiving, by a receiving unit at the NRF node, at least one request for fetching information from a network function (NF) node, wherein the at least one request comprises one or more event parameters. The method further comprises generating, by a processing unit at the NRF node, at least one response based on processing of the at least one request. Then, the method comprises transmitting, by a transmitting unit at the NRF node, the at least one response to the NF node, wherein the at least one responsecomprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.

[0010] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one request for fetching the information is received from a command line interface (CLI).

[0011] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one request comprises at least one of NRF subscribe request, NRF authorization request, NRF registration, NRF deregistration, NRF access token request, and NRF discovery request.

[0012] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the NF node comprises at least one of Policy Control Function (PCF), Binding Support Function (BSF), Charging Function (CHF), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), and Session Management Function (SMF).

[0013] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the one or more event parameters comprises service parameters and Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) parameters.

[0014] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one request is received at the NRF node after a successful authentication of a user via an authentication unit.

[0015] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one response comprises at least an error response based on the processing at least one request.

[0016] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the information comprises at least one of OAuth2 access token, JSON Web Token, NF Status Subscription, NF discovery, NF profile, and NF configurations.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a system for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node. The system comprising a receiving unit configured to receive, at the NRF node, at least one request to fetch information from a network function (NF) node. The at least one request comprises one or more event parameters. The system further comprises a processing unit connected at least to the receiving unit. The processing unit is configured to generate at least one response based on processing of the at least one request. The system also comprises a transmitting unit connected at least to the receiving unit. The transmitting unit is configured to transmit, at the NRF node, at least one response to the NF node. The at leastone response comprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.

[0018] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more instructions for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node, the one or more instructions include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system, causes a receiving unit of the system to receive, at the NRF node, at least one request to fetch information from a network function (NF) node, wherein the at least one request comprises one or more event parameters; a processing unit of the system to generate at least one response based on processing of the at least one request; and a transmitting unit of the system to transmit, at the NRF node, at least one response to the NF node, wherein the at least one response comprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0019] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment disclosed herein satisfies are listed herein below.

[0020] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a method for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node.

[0021] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide the system and the method for fetching information from NRF on demand through command line interface (CLI).

[0022] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that provides an easy and simple way to send and receive information to-and-from the NRF through the command line interface (CLI) bundled with an NF.

[0023] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a solution that is flexible and allows for automation and scaling into multiple clusters of NFs.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Also, the embodiments shown in the figures are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure, but the possible variants of the method and system according to the disclosure are illustrated herein to highlight the advantages of the disclosure. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a system architecture

[0100] for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node, in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow diagram for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node, in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary illustration of a method for fetching information from the NRF node as per an implementation of the present disclosure.

[0030] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter may each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the problems discussed above.

[0032] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth.

[0033] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail.

[0034] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", "primary", "secondary", "target" and the like, herein do not denote any order, ranking, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

[0035] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure.

[0036] The word “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over otheraspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive — in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word — without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0037] As used herein, a “processing unit” or “processor” or “operating processor” includes one or more processors, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. A processor may be a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, Field Programmable Gate Array circuits, any other type of integrated circuits, etc. The processor may perform signal coding data processing, input / output processing, and / or any other functionality that enables the working of the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the processor or processing unit is a hardware processor.

[0038] As used herein, “a user equipment”, “a user device”, “a smart-user-device”, “a smartdevice”, “an electronic device”, “a mobile device”, “a handheld device”, “a wireless communication device”, “a mobile communication device”, “a communication device” may be any electrical, electronic and / or computing device or equipment, capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. The user equipment / device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, smart phone, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, wearable device or any other computing device which is capable of implementing the features of the present disclosure. Also, the user device may contain at least one input means configured to receive an input from unit(s) which are required to implement the features of the present disclosure.

[0039] As used herein, “storage unit” or “memory unit” refers to a machine or computer-readable medium including any mechanism for storing information in a form readable by a computer or similar machine. For example, a computer-readable medium includes read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices or other types of machine-accessible storage media. The storage unit stores at least the data that may be required by one or more units of the system to perform their respective functions.

[0040] As used herein “interface” or “user interface refers to a shared boundary across which two or more separate components of a system exchange information or data. The interface may also be referred to a set of rules or protocols that define communication or interaction of one or more modules or one or more units with each other, which also includes the methods, functions, or procedures that may be called.

[0041] All modules, units, components used herein, unless explicitly excluded herein, may be software modules or hardware processors, the processors being a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array circuits (FPGA), any other type of integrated circuits, etc.

[0042] As used herein the transceiver unit include at least one receiver and at least one transmitter configured respectively for receiving and transmitting data, signals, information or a combination thereof between units / components within the system and / or connected with the system.

[0043] As discussed in the background section, the current known solutions have several shortcomings. The present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing a method and a system of fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node.

[0044] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block diagram representation of a system architecture

[0100] for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node

[0102] , in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 1, the system architecture

[0100] comprises a Network Repository Function (NRF)

[0102] , a Policy Control Function (PCF)

[0104] , an access and mobility management function (AMF)

[0106] , a Session Management Function (SMF)

[0108] , a Binding Support Function (BSF)

[0110] , and a Charging Function (CHF)

[0112] , The system architecture

[0100] also comprises a PCF Command Line Interface (CLI)

[0114] , an AMF CLI

[0116] , a SMF CLI

[0118] , a BSF CLI

[0120] , and a CHF CLI

[0122] , It may be noted that in the system architecture

[0100] , all the components may be assumed to be connected to each other in a manner as obvious to the person skilled in the art for implementing the features of the present disclosure.

[0045] Network Repository Function (NRF)

[0102] is a network function that acts as a central repository for information about available network functions and services. In addition, NRF

[0102] It facilitates the discovery and dynamic registration of network functions.

[0046] Policy Control Function (PCF)

[0104] is a network function responsible for policy control decisions, such as Quality of Service (QoS), charging, and access control, based on subscriber information and network policies.

[0047] Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)

[0106] is a 5G core network function responsible for managing access and mobility aspects, such as UE registration, connection, and reachability. Also, AMF

[0106] handles mobility management procedures like handovers and paging.

[0048] Session Management Function (SMF)

[0108] is a 5G core network function responsible for managing session-related aspects, such as establishing, modifying, and releasing sessions. It coordinates with the User Plane Function (UPF) for data forwarding and handles IP address allocation and QoS enforcement.

[0049] Binding Support Function (BSF)

[0110] is a component responsible for storing the binding information for a certain protocol data unit (PDU) Session and discovering the binding information (e.g., the address information of the selected PCF). The BSF

[0110] allows NF service consumers (e.g. PCF

[0104] ) to register, update and remove the binding information, and allows NF service consumers (e.g. an application function (AF) or Network Exposure Function (NEF)) to discover the binding information (e.g. the address information of the selected PCF). The BSF

[0110] may be deployed standalone or may also be collocated with other network functions, such as PCF, UDR, NRF and SMF.

[0050] Charging Function (CHF)

[0112] is a component responsible for converged online and offline charging. The NFs with CTF may interact with CHF

[0112] using an Nchf interface. For example, the PCF

[0104] interacts with the CHF

[0112] for Spending Limit Control. It may be noted that Nchf interface may be a service-based interface for NF and the CHF

[0112] ,

[0051] Further, the aforementioned functions may be operated by using a command-line interface (CLI). As may be known, the CLI is a means of interacting with a computer program by inputting lines of text called command-lines. Such commands enable the network functions for performanceof various other functions. In the system architecture

[0100] , each of the network functions are provided with their own CLI. Accordingly, the PCF

[0104] has its CLI referred to as the PCF CLI

[0114] , the AMF

[0106] has its CLI referred to as the AMF CLI

[0116] , the SMF

[0108] has its CLI referred to as the SMF CLI

[0118] , the BSF

[0110] has its CLI referred to as the BSF CLI

[0120] , the CHF

[0112] has its CLI referred to as the CHF CLI

[0122] ,

[0052] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing device

[0200] upon which the features of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. In an implementation, the computing device

[0200] may also implement a method for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node

[0102] utilising the system

[0300] , In another implementation, the computing device

[0200] itself implements the method for fetching information from the NRF node

[0102] using one or more units configured within the computing device

[0200] , wherein said one or more units are capable of implementing the features as disclosed in the present disclosure.

[0053] The computing device

[0200] may include a bus

[0202] or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardware processor

[0204] coupled with the bus

[0202] for processing information. The hardware processor

[0204] may be, for example, a general-purpose microprocessor. The computing device

[0200] may also include a main memory

[0206] , such as a random-access memory (RAM), or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus

[0202] for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor

[0204] , The main memory

[0206] also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of the instructions to be executed by the processor

[0204] , Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media accessible to the processor

[0204] , render the computing device

[0200] into a special-purpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions. The computing device

[0200] further includes a read only memory (ROM)

[0208] or other static storage device coupled to the bus

[0202] for storing static information and instructions for the processor

[0204] ,

[0054] A storage device

[0210] , such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or solid-state drive is provided and coupled to the bus

[0202] for storing information and instructions. The computing device

[0200] may be coupled via the bus

[0202] to a display

[0212] , such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), Liquid crystal Display (LCD), Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, Organic LED (OLED) display, etc. for displaying information to a computer user. An input device

[0214] , including alphanumeric and other keys, touch screen input means, etc. may be coupled to the bus

[0202] for communicatinginformation and command selections to the processor

[0204] , Another type of user input device may be a cursor controller

[0216] , such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys, for communicating direction information and command selections to the processor

[0204] , and for controlling cursor movement on the display

[0212] , The input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allow the device to specify positions in a plane.

[0055] The computing device

[0200] may implement the techniques described herein using customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware and / or program logic which in combination with the computing device

[0200] causes or programs the computing device

[0200] to be a special-purpose machine. According to one implementation, the techniques herein are performed by the computing device

[0200] in response to the processor

[0204] executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in the main memory

[0206] , Such instructions may be read into the main memory

[0206] from another storage medium, such as the storage device

[0210] , Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in the main memory

[0206] causes the processor

[0204] to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative implementations of the present disclosure, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions.

[0056] The computing device

[0200] also may include a communication interface

[0218] coupled to the bus

[0202] , The communication interface

[0218] provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link

[0220] that is connected to a local network

[0222] , For example, the communication interface

[0218] may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, the communication interface

[0218] may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, the communication interface

[0218] sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

[0057] The computing device

[0200] can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), the network link

[0220] and the communication interface

[0218] , In the Internet example, a server

[0230] might transmit a requested code for an application program through the Internet

[0228] , the ISP

[0226] , the local network

[0222] , a host

[0224] and thecommunication interface

[0218] , The received code may be executed by the processor

[0204] as it is received, and / or stored in the storage device

[0210] , or other non-volatile storage for later execution.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary block diagram of a system

[0300] for fetching information from the Network Repository Function (NRF) node

[0102] , is shown, in accordance with the exemplary implementations of the present disclosure. The system

[0300] comprises at least one receiving unit

[0302] , at least one processing unit

[0304] , at least one transmitting unit

[0306] , and at least one authentication unit

[0308] , Also, all of the components / units of the system

[0300] are assumed to be connected to each other unless otherwise indicated below. As shown in Fig. 3, all units shown within the system

[0300] should also be assumed to be connected to each other. Also, in Fig. 3, only a few units are shown, however, the system

[0300] may comprise multiple such units or the system

[0300] may comprise any such numbers of said units, as required to implement the features of the present disclosure. Further, in an implementation, the system

[0300] may be present in a user device / user equipment to implement the features of the present disclosure. The system

[0300] may be a part of the user device / or may be independent of but in communication with the user device (may also referred herein as a UE). In another implementation, the system

[0300] may reside in a server or a network entity. In yet another implementation, the system

[0300] may reside partly in the server / network entity and partly in the user device.

[0059] The system

[0300] is configured for fetching information from the NRF node

[0102] , with the help of the interconnection between the components / units of the system

[0300] ,

[0060] Initially, a user may login into a platform with their credentials and input certain commands which are required to be performed by different network functions. For example, the user may login into the platform using a command line interface (CLI). Then, the user inputs the command on the CLI terminal for performing certain functionalities. In one implementation, the platform may relate to the CLI terminal.

[0061] Then, in an exemplary aspect, the permissions of the user may be validated, and it may be checked whether the user is authenticated for performing such functionalities. After checking the permissions, the CLI terminal may allow the user to perform the functionalities by sending a request from the network function to a network repository function (NRF) node

[0102] , It may be noted that the NRF node

[0102] may be a device or a component which may be responsible for performing the functions of the NRF node

[0102] and may be used interchangeably throughout the description for explaining the present disclosure and may be referenced as being similar.

[0062] Then, the receiving unit

[0302] receives, at the NRF node

[0102] , at least one request to fetch information from a network function (NF) node. The at least one request comprises one or more event parameters.

[0063] It may be noted that the at least one request may be a request message or a command which may be received from the NF node. In an implementation, the at least one request may be received from the command line interface (CLI) of the NF node. Further, it may be noted that by using the CLI, the present disclosure provides a convenient solution for sending different requests on demand i.e., as and when needed through the CLI used by the particular NF. In some examples, the at least one request may comprise at least one of NRF subscribe request, NRF authorization request, NRF registration, NRF deregistration, NRF access token request and NRF discovery request.

[0064] As may be known, NRF subscribe request herein may refer to a request that allows an NF instance to subscribe to changes on the status of other NF instances registered in NRF. The NRF registration request herein may refer to a request that allows an NF Instance to register its NF profile in the NRF and includes the registration of the general parameters of the NF Instance, together with the list of services exposed by the NF Instance. The NRF deregistration request herein may refer to a request that allows an NF Instance to deregister its NF profile in the NRF, including the services offered by the NF Instance.

[0065] The NRF authorisation request and the NF access token request herein may refer to the service operation used by an NF Service Consumer to request an OAuth2 access token from the authorization server (NRF). The NRF discovery request herein may refer to a request that provides the Internet Protocol (IP) address(es) or fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the NF Instance(s) or NF Service(s) matching certain input criteria to the NF service consumer.

[0066] Further, the one or more event parameters may refer to the parameters that may be used for validating the at least one request. In one implementation, the one or more event parameters comprises service parameters and Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) parameters. The service parameters herein may refer to the parameters associated with the type of services that may be requested by that particular NF. In other words, the service parameters may also refer to the query parameters which may be known in the art. The URI herein may refer to a unique sequence of characters that identifies an abstract or physical resource, and can represent various types ofresources, such as webpages, email addresses, phone numbers, books, real -world objects, and even abstract concepts, providing a standardized way to identify and reference these resources.

[0067] For example, the NF node sends a discovery request to the NRF node The discovery request comprises query parameters in the http2 request, such as requester nf type (which contains the value of nftype of the NF consumer itself), target nf type (value of nftype which is targeted by the NF consumer), and service parameter (the services the NF consumer is targeting). It is noted that requester nf type and target nf type are mandatory parameters (in absence of these, NRF sends an error response), whereas service parameter is not mandatory.

[0068] The term “information” herein may refer to the data related to the other NF instances which may be used by an NF instance for exchanging required information among each other. The information may be needed for correct provisioning of certain services to the user. In some implementations, the information may comprise at least one of OAuth2 access token, JSON Web Token, NF Status Subscription, NF discovery, NF profile, and NF configurations.

[0069] The OAuth2 access token herein may refer to credentials used to access protected resources. In one example, OAuth2 access token may be a string representing an authorization issued to the client. Further, JSON Web Token may refer to a token format used for securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object and may be verified and trusted because it is digitally signed.

[0070] The NF status subscription herein may refer to an information associated with changes on the status of NF Instances registered in the NRF. The NF discovery herein may refer to discovery function of the network functions. Further, the NF profile herein may refer to the NF profile of a given NF instance. The NF configuration herein may refer to the information associated with the configuration of the NRF. The information may include allocated slices, settings, set behaviours, and the like.

[0071] In an implementation, the NF node may be at least one of Policy Control Function (PCF)

[0104] , Binding Support Function (BSF)

[0110] , Charging Function (CHF)

[0112] , Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)

[0106] , and Session Management Function (SMF)

[0108] ,

[0072] On receiving the request, the processing unit

[0304] generates at least one response based on processing of the at least one request.

[0073] The at least one response may refer to a response to the at least one request which may be sent to the particular NF node based on the at least one request that was received. Further, the at least one response may comprise information associated with the requirements provided in the request. The request may be sent for fetching information from the NRF node

[0102] , Accordingly, the information that is requested may also be present within the response. Further, the processing of the at least one request may refer to checking the authorization or a verification of the at least one request. The processing may be done in order to check whether the query received in the at least one request is capable of being fulfilled or not. For example, checking availability of information, checking availability of other NF s, etc.

[0074] The processing results in generation of the at least one response. In an implementation, the at least one response may include either a success response or an error response. It may be noted that in an implementation of the present disclosure, the processing may be done by matching the one or more event parameters. In some examples, the success response may include an HTML status code 200, and the error response may include an HTML status code 300, status code 400, status code 500, and the like.

[0075] For example, HTML status code 200 represents that the request is processed successfully and the at least one response is retrieved correctly. Further, HTML status code 400 represents a client-side error (e.g., request is not fulfilled due to bad syntax). Furthermore, HTML status code 500 represents a server-side error (e.g., failure of database connection during a server operation).

[0076] In case the at least one response is the success response, then in such case, the success response may also comprise the information that was requested by the NF node. Further, the success response may comprise the HTML status code. For example, in case, the at least one request is NRF discovery request, then in such case, certain profiles of NF instances may be comprised within the at least one response. Further, the NRF may check whether the queried services in form of the at least one request are received in the at least one response and that the same is populated by the instances of NF nodes.

[0077] In another example, in case of NRF Authorization request, the information associated with OAuth2 access token which may be in the format of a Java Script Object Notation Web Token may be sent along with the at least one response. Similarly, in case the at least one request is related toNRF subscribe request, then in such case, the at least response may comprise notifications of all changes in the NF instances that were discovered by the NRF for the particular NF node.

[0078] In one implementation, the at least one response may be at least an error response based on the processing of the at least one request. The error response may denote that the at least one request cannot be processed at that period of time, which may be due to certain errors that were provided by the NRF node

[0102] at that instance. For example, the error response includes status codes, such as status code 400 denoting bad request error.

[0079] After the at least one response is generated, the transmitting unit

[0306] transmits, at the NRF node

[0102] , the at least one response to the NF node. It may be noted that the at least one response comprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.

[0080] In one implementation, the authentication unit

[0308] is configured to authenticate the user. After authentication, the transmitting unit

[0306] transmits the at least one request only after successful authentication of the user. In order to authenticate the user, certain credentials and permissions are checked with existing data available within the system

[0300] , It may be noted that the successful authentication may refer to an event in which the user is determined to have correct credentials and permissions for providing the command for executing the at least one request, that is determined based on the matching with the existing data. The present disclosure allows only authenticated users and groups having credentials and appropriate permissions to run the commands to trigger the at least one request.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary method flow diagram

[0400] for fetching information from the NRF node

[0102] , in accordance with exemplary implementations of the present disclosure is shown. In an implementation, the method

[0400] is performed by the system

[0300] , Further, in an implementation, the system

[0300] may be present in a server device to implement the features of the present disclosure. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, the method

[0400] starts at step

[0402] ,

[0082] At step

[0404] , the method

[0400] includes receiving, by a receiving unit

[0302] at the NRF node

[0102] , at least one request for fetching information from a network function (NF) node. The at least one request comprises one or more event parameters.

[0083] In an implementation, the at least one request may be received from a command line interface (CLI) of the NF node.

[0084] In some implementations, the at least one request may comprise at least one of NRF subscribe request, NRF authorization request, NRF registration, NRF deregistration, NRF access token request and NRF discovery request.

[0085] In some implementations, the information comprises at least one of OAuth2 access token, JSON Web Token, NF Status Subscription, NF discovery, NF profile, and NF configurations.

[0086] The NF node may be at least one of Policy Control Function (PCF)

[0104] , Binding Support Function (BSF)

[0110] , Charging Function (CHF)

[0112] , Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)

[0106] , and Session Management Function (SMF)

[0108] ,

[0087] In some implementations, the one or more event parameters comprises service parameters and Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) parameters.

[0088] After the at least one request is received, at step

[0406] , the method

[0400] includes generating, by the processing unit

[0304] at the NRF node

[0102] , at least one response based on processing of the at least one request.

[0089] Further, at step

[0408] , the method

[0400] includes transmitting, by the transmitting unit

[0306] at the NRF node

[0102] , the at least one response to the NF node. The at least one response comprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.

[0090] In an implementation, the at least one request is received at the NRF node

[0102] after a successful authentication of the user via the authentication unit

[0308] ,

[0091] In addition, the at least one response comprises at least an error response based on the processing at least one request.

[0092] Thereafter, at step

[0410] , the method

[0400] is terminated.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary illustration of a method

[0500] for fetching information from the NRF node

[0102] as per an implementation of the present disclosure is provided. At step

[0502] , a user performs a login into the CLI terminal with their credentials and issues certain commands which are required to be performed by different network functions. The commands issued can be NRFDiscovery Request / NRF Authorization / NRFSubscribe at the NF end.

[0094] Thereafter, at step

[0504] , the NF sends the request to the NRF node

[0102] for performing the command. Then, at step

[0506] , the NRF node

[0102] processes the received request and accordingly generate a response to be sent back to the NF. Once the processing is completed, then at step

[0508] , the NRF node

[0102] sends the appropriate response back to the NF. The response may be either success response or error response.

[0095] Accordingly, at step

[0510] , in case the response is success, then the NF may revert to the NRF node

[0102] with appropriate further instructions. Further, in case, the response is failure, then in such case, the NF may send instructions to retry the processing.

[0096] In an exemplary aspect, the permissions of the user may be validated and it may be checked whether the user has the permissions for performing such functionalities that are input based on the commands from the user. After checking the permissions, then the CLI terminal may be used for performing the functionalities by sending the at least one request from the network function to the network repository function (NRF) node

[0102] , It may be noted that the NRF node

[0102] may be a device or a component which may be responsible for performing the functions of the NRF

[0102] and may be used interchangeably throughout the description for explaining the present disclosure and may be referenced as being similar.

[0097] The present disclosure further discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more instructions for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node

[0102] , the one or more instructions include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system

[0300] , causes the one or more units to perform certain functions. The one or more instructions when executed causes a receiving unit

[0302] of the system

[0300] to receive at the NRF node

[0102] , at least one request to fetch information from a network function (NF) node, wherein the at least one request comprises one or more event parameters. The one or more instructions when executed further causes a processing unit

[0304] of the system

[0300] to generate at least one response based on processing of the at least one request. The one or more instructions when executed further causes a transmitting unit

[0306] of the system

[0300] to transmitat the NRF node

[0102] , at least one response to the NF node, wherein the at least one response comprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.

[0098] As is evident from the above, the present disclosure provides a technically advanced solution for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node. The present solution provides an easier way to send NRF Subscribe request, NRF Discovery request and NRF authorization requests to the NRF through the bundled CLI for the NF server. Further, the present disclosure allows only authenticated users and groups, having credentials and appropriate permissions, can run the commands to trigger these requests. Further, the present disclosure utilises the CLI commands that are very simple and can be easily run by the team managing the NF server. Further, as per the present disclosure, the NF server receives the triggers from the CLI, which is a very flexible approach and allows for automation and potential scaling into multiple clusters.

[0099] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the disclosed implementations, it will be appreciated that many implementations can be made and that many changes can be made to the implementations without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. These and other changes in the implementations of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, whereby it is to be understood that the foregoing descriptive matter to be implemented is illustrative and non-limiting.

[0100] Further, in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be acknowledged that the functionality described for the various components / units can be implemented interchangeably. While specific embodiments may disclose a particular functionality of these units for clarity, it is recognized that various configurations and combinations thereof are within the scope of the disclosure. The functionality of specific units as disclosed in the disclosure should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Consequently, alternative arrangements and substitutions of units, provided they achieve the intended functionality described herein, are considered to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method for fetching information from aNetwork Repository Function (NRF) node [102], the method comprising: receiving, by a receiving unit [302] at the NRF node [102], at least one request for fetching information from a network function (NF) node, wherein the at least one request comprises one or more event parameters; generating, by a processing unit [304] at the NRF node [102], at least one response based on processing of the at least one request; and transmitting, by a transmitting unit [306] at the NRF node [102], the at least one response to the NF node, wherein the at least one response comprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one request for fetching the information is received from a command line interface (CLI).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one request comprises at least one of NRF subscribe request, NRF authorization request, NRF registration, NRF deregistration, NRF access token request, and NRF discovery request.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the NF node comprises at least one of Policy Control Function (PCF) [104], Binding Support Function (BSF) [110], Charging Function (CHF) [112], Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) [106], and Session Management Function (SMF) [108],5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more event parameters comprising service parameters and Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) parameters.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one request is received at the NRF node [102] after a successful authentication of a user via an authentication unit [308],7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one response comprises at least an error response based on the processing at least one request.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information comprises at least one of OAuth2 access token, JSON Web Token, NF Status Subscription, NF discovery, NF profile, and NF configurations.

9. A system [300] for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node [102], the system [300] comprising: a receiving unit [302] configured to receive at the NRF node [102], at least one request to fetch information from a network function (NF) node, wherein the at least one request comprises one or more event parameters; a processing unit [304] connected at least to the receiving unit [302], the processing unit [304] configured to generate at least one response based on processing of the at least one request; and a transmitting unit [306] connected at least to the receiving unit [302], the transmitting unit [306] configured to transmit at the NRF node [102], at least one response to the NF node, wherein the at least one response comprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.

10. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one request to fetch the information is received from a command line interface (CLI).

11. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one request comprises at least one of NRF subscribe request, NRF authorization request, NRF registration, NRF deregistration, NRF access token request and NRF discovery request.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the NF node comprises at least one of Policy Control Function (PCF) [104], Binding Support Function (BSF) [110], Charging Function (CHF) [112], Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) [106], and Session Management Function (SMF) [108],13. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one or more event parameters comprises service parameters and Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) parameters.

14. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system [300] further comprises an authentication unit [308] configured to authenticate the user, and the transmitting unit [306]is further configured to transmit the at least one request after a successful authentication of the user.

15. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one response comprises at least an error response based on the processing of the at least one request.

16. The system [300] as claimed in claim 9, wherein the information comprises at least one of OAuth2 access token, JSON Web Token, NF Status Subscription, NF discovery, NF profile, and NF configurations.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more instructions for fetching information from a Network Repository Function (NRF) node [102], the one or more instructions include executable code which, when executed by one or more units of a system [300], causes: a receiving unit [302] of the system [300] to receive at the NRF node [102], at least one request to fetch information from a network function (NF) node, wherein the at least one request comprises one or more event parameters; a processing unit [304] of the system [300] to generate at least one response based on processing of the at least one request; and a transmitting unit [306] of the system [300] to transmit at the NRF node [102], at least one response to the NF node, wherein the at least one response comprises at least a success response comprising the information based on the one or more event parameters in the at least one request.

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