System and method for home gateway (HGW) session recovery in a core network

Abstract

A system (102) and a method (400) for automatic session recovery in a network (104) is described. A user plane function (UPF) (214) receives at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element of a plurality of first network elements (202) connected to a second network element (206) after reestablishment of a session corresponding to the second network element. The UPF matches at least one determined IP address of the received UL data packet with a stored IP address of a session corresponding to the first network element to determine whether the session corresponding to the first network element is available at the network. Upon determining the session corresponding to the first network element is not available at the network, the UPF triggers a reconfigure procedure to reestablish the session of the first network element with the network.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HOME GATEWAY (HGW) SESSION RECOVERY IN A CORE NETWORKRESERVATION OF RIGHTS

[0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to intellectual property rights such as, but are not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, Integrated Circuit (IC) layout design, and / or trade dress protection, belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (hereinafter referred as owner). The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the owner.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of telecommunications. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for performing an automatic home gateway (HGW) session recovery in a core network.DEFINITIONS

[0003] As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are generally intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used indicates otherwise.

[0004] The term ‘Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)’ as used herein, refers to equipment located at the subscriber's premise that provides connectivity to a network. The CPE is installed in indoors or outdoors, depending on the network design andsignal requirements. It connects to multiple Home Gateways (HGWs) and facilitates communication between the HGWs and the core network.

[0005] The term “Home Gateway (HGW)” used hereinafter in the specification refers to a type of Residential Gateway (RG), which is a device configured to provide communication services such as voice, data, broadcast video, and video on demand to other devices within a home. The HGW acts as an interface between the Wide Area Network (WAN) and the Local Area Network (LAN) IP environment for a consumer broadband customer, capable of routing or bridging traffic depending on its configuration. In the context of the 5G Core Network, the HGW device may function as a User Equipment (UE) or communicate via the CPE, holding a secure element and exchanging Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signalling with the core network (e.g., 5G or 4G) to establish connectivity.

[0006] The term ‘User Plane Function (UPF)’ as used herein, refers to a fundamental component of a 5G core network that handles data traffic routing and forwarding, policy enforcement, and Quality of Service (QoS) management for user data packets.

[0007] The term ‘Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)’ as used herein, refers to a network management protocol used to dynamically assign internet protocol (IP) addresses and other network configuration parameters to devices on a network, enabling them to communicate effectively.

[0008] The term ‘Protocol Data Unit (PDU) Session’ as used herein, refers to a session established in a 5G network that provides a user with IP connectivity for data transfer. It involves the transmission of data packets between the CPE and the HGWs in the core network.

[0009] The term ‘SMF’ as used herein, refers to Session Management Function. The SMF is responsible for managing the session setup, modification, and releaseprocedures for user equipment (UE) accessing the network.

[0010] The term ‘AMF’ as used herein, refers to Access and Mobility Management Function. The AMF is responsible for managing network access and mobility for user equipment (UE) in 5G network.

[0011] The term ‘PCF’ as used herein, refers to Policy Control Function. The PCF is responsible for managing and enforcing policy decisions related to network resources, quality of service (QoS), and access control.

[0012] The term ‘CHF’ as used herein, refers to Charging Function. The CHF is responsible for handling charging and billing functions for subscriber services. The CHF supports service providers in implementing flexible billing models, enforcing charging policies, and maintaining transparency in subscriber billing and usage. The CHF is essential for operators to effectively monetize their services while providing customers with clear and reliable billing information.

[0013] The term ‘EoGRE’ as used herein, refers to Ethernet over Generic Routing Encapsulation. The EoGRE enables CPE devices to bridge the Ethernet traffic from HGW and encapsulate the traffic in a GRE tunnel (e.g., EoGRE tunnel). The GRE tunnel terminates on a service provider broadband network gateway, which then terminates the end host traffic and manages the subscriber session for the end host.

[0014] The term ‘PoE’ as used herein, refers to Power over Ethernet. The PoE is a technology for implementing wired Ethernet local area networks (LANs) that enables the electrical current necessary for operating each device to be carried by Ethernet data cables instead of standard electrical power cords and wiring.

[0015] The term ‘MDU as used herein, refers to Multiple Dwelling Unit. The MDU is a device or system deployed in a residential building or complex to facilitate network connectivity. The residential building or complex contains multiple separatehousing units, such as apartments, condominiums, or dormitories. The deployment of MDU may involve centralized or per-unit CPE, with shared access infrastructure like fiber splitters or Ethernet switches.

[0016] The term ‘5GCN’ as used herein, refers to a fifth generation (5G) core network. The 5GCN provides connectivity and services to end-users (such as mobile devices and loT devices). It is designed to support higher data rates, lower latency, and massive connectivity compared to previous generations (e.g., 4G / LTE).

[0017] The term ‘N4 session’ as used herein, is a bridge between the control plane and the user plane in a network. N4 session management procedures are used to control the functionality of the UPF. The SMF can create, update, and remove the N4 session context in the UPF.

[0018] The term ‘N7 session’ as used herein, refers to establishment and management of a communication session between the PCF and SMF. N7 session enables the PCF to exchange policy information, apply policy decisions based on realtime network conditions and subscriber profiles, and manage QoS parameters for data sessions.

[0019] The term ‘N40 session’ as used herein, refers to the communication and interaction that occurs between the SMF and the CHF via the N40 interface. This session enables the SMF to coordinate with the CHF to set up and manage data sessions, ensuring that data flows efficiently between UEs and external networks or services while maintaining Quality of Service (QoS) requirements.

[0020] The term ‘Ethernet session’ as used herein, refers to a period during which devices communicate over an Ethernet network, adhering to established protocols and transmitting data packets between connected devices. Ethernet is a widely used standard for connecting devices in a local area network (LAN).

[0021] These definitions are in addition to those expressed in the art.BACKGROUND

[0022] The following description of 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 be used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0023] As internet usage expanded and broadband services became more prevalent, there was a growing demand for efficient and reliable management of multiple home gateway (HGW) sessions in a network. The HGW is a device that connects a local home network to the internet. It typically serves as a central hub for various network services, including routing, firewall protection, and network address translation (NAT). The HGW allows multiple devices within a home, such as computers, smartphones, smart televisions (TVs), and internet of things (loT) devices, to access the internet through a single internet protocol (IP) address provided by the internet service provider (ISP). The HGW manages local network traffic and ensures secure and efficient communication between devices within the home network and external networks.

[0024] In modern networking environments, multiple HGWs may be connected behind a single Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) IP Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session. The CPE refers to network equipment that is installed outside / inside the customer’s premise. The CPE is used to connect the customer network to the network infrastructure of the service provider. Multiple HGW sessions are created over the IP PDU session of the CPE. The HGW sessions are child sessions for the IP PDU session (i.e., parent session) of the OPCPE. Conventional systems and methods face significantchallenges in managing the termination and renewal of these sessions (i.e., HGW sessions). Specifically, the deletion of a parent CPE session typically results in the deletion of all associated child HGW sessions. This can cause substantial disruptions because the HGWs are not inherently aware of the CPE session status. Consequently, when the HGW continues to use an older session that no longer exists, it results in a session outage and subsequent service disruption as the HGW’s IP address is renewed. During this period, all network-dependent services become unavailable to the user, causing interruptions in internet access, streaming, voice calls, and other applications.

[0025] There is, therefore, a need in the art to provide a method and system that can effectively manage the deletion and renewal of HGW sessions in scenarios where multiple HGWs are connected behind a single CPE session.OBJECTS

[0026] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

[0027] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method that automatically triggers a Home Gateway (HGW) internet protocol (IP) address renewal procedure in an event of session unavailability at a network (e.g., core network).

[0028] Another object of the present disclosure is to ensure automatic network service restoration at the HGW level, thereby preventing any perceived service outage for the customer.

[0029] Another object of the present disclosure is to overcome the issue of service unavailability caused by the deletion of a parent outdoor customer premise equipment (CPE) session and subsequent usage of old session and IP address by the HGWs.

[0030] Another object of the present disclosure is to ensure that the HGW IPaddress renew procedure is triggered based on the detection of uplink packets from the HGWs for which no session is available at the network.

[0031] Another object of the present disclosure is to maintain connectivity and service availability in a multiple HGW Ethernet session scenario behind a single CPE IP protocol data unit (PDU) session.

[0032] Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.SUMMARY

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for performing automatic session recovery in a network is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by a user plane function (UPF), at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element of a plurality of first network elements connected to a second network element after reestablishment of a session corresponding to the second network element. The method comprises determining, by the UPF, at least one internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one received UL data packet. The method comprises matching, by the UPF, the at least one determined IP address with at least one stored IP address of a session corresponding to the at least one first network element to determine whether the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is available at the network. The method comprises upon determining the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is not available at the network, triggering, by the UPF, at least one reconfigure procedure. The method comprises reestablishing, by the UPF, the session of the at least one first network element with the network based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure.

[0034] In some embodiments, the plurality of first network elements is a plurality of home gateways (HGWs) and the second network element is an outdoor customerpremise equipment (CPE).

[0035] In some embodiments, the session corresponding to the second network element is an IP protocol data unit (PDU) session. The session corresponding to the second network element is a parent session.

[0036] In some embodiments, a plurality of Ethernet sessions created for the plurality of first network elements over the created IP PDU session of the second network element are one or more child sessions for the second network element.

[0037] In some embodiments, the UPF is configured to store IP addresses of the IP PDU session corresponding to the second network element and the plurality of Ethernet sessions corresponding to the plurality of first network elements in a database.

[0038] In some embodiments, the at least one reconfigure procedure comprises a dynamic host configuration protocol version 4 (DHCPv4) reconfigure procedure and a DHCP version 6 (DHCPv6) reconfigure procedure.

[0039] In some embodiments, the UPF is configured to trigger the at least one reconfigure procedure based on a version of the at least one determined IP address of the at least one received UL data packet.

[0040] In some embodiments, the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure comprises transmitting, by the UPF, at least one of a DHCPv4 message and a DHCPv6 message based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure towards the at least one first network element and receiving, by the UPF, a renew request message from at least one first network element. The procedure further comprises transmitting, by the UPF, a renew reject response towards the at least one first network element and receiving, by the UPF, at least one of a DHCPv4 discover message and a DHCPv6 solicit message from the at least one first network element.

[0041] In some embodiments, the method comprises reestablishing, by the UPF, the session of the at least one first network element with the network based on the at least one of the communicated DHCPv4 discover message and the communicated DHCPv6 solicit message. The at least one first network element is configured to receive a new IP address from the UPF.

[0042] In another exemplary embodiment, a system for performing automatic session recovery in a network is disclosed. The system comprises a communication unit configured to receive at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element of a plurality of first network elements connected to a second network element after reestablishment of a session corresponding to the second network element. A processing unit is configured to determine at least one internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one received UL data packet, match the at least one determined IP address with at least one stored IP address of a session corresponding to the at least one first network element to determine whether the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is available at the network. Upon determining the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is not available at the network, the processing unit is configured to trigger at least one reconfigure procedure and reestablish the session of the at least one first network element with the network based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure.

[0043] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to execute a method performing automatic session recovery in a network is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by a user plane function (UPF), at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element of a plurality of first network elements connected to a second network element after reestablishment of a session corresponding to the second network element. The method comprises determining, bythe UPF, at least one internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one received UL data packet. The method comprises matching, by the UPF, the at least one determined IP address with at least one stored IP address of a session corresponding to the at least one first network element to determine whether the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is available at the network. The method comprises upon determining the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is not available at the network, triggering, by the UPF, at least one reconfigure procedure. The method comprises reestablishing, by the UPF, the session of the at least one first network element with the network based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

[0044] 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 is instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components, electronic components, or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

[0045] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary network architecture of a system for performing an automatic session recovery in a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] FIG. IB illustrates an exemplary block diagram of the system for performing automatic session recovery in the network, in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary system architecture for performing automatic session recovery in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method for performing automatic session recovery in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] FIG. 4 illustrates another exemplary flow diagram of the method for performing automatic session recovery in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary computer system in which or with which the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0051] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS100A - Network Architecture102 - System104 - Network106 - Centralized Server108-1, 108-2... 108-N - User Equipments110-1, 110-2... 110-N - Users100B - Block diagram112 - Processor(s)114 - Memory116 - Interface(s)120 - Database122 - Communication Unit124 - Processing Unit200 - System Architecture202-1, 202-2, ... 202 -N - Home Gateways (HGWs)204 - Multiple Dwelling Unit (MDU)206 - Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)208 - Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)210 - Authentication Server Function (AUSF)212 - Unified Data Management (UDM)214 - User Plane Function (UPF)216 - Session Management Function (SMF)218 - Policy Control Function (PCF)219 - Internet220 - Charging Function (CHF)300 - Method Flow Diagram301 - Other Fifth generation (5G) core network (5GCN)400 - Method Flow Diagram500 - Computer System510 - External Storage Device520 - Bus530 - Main Memory540 - Read Only Memory550 - Mass Storage Device560 - Communication Port570 - ProcessorDETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] 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 can 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. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0055] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process that 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 can 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. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0056] 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 other aspects 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 like the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0057] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an instance” or “one instance” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0058] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be noted that the terms “mobile device”, “user equipment”, “user device”, “communication device”, “device” and similar terms are used interchangeably for the purpose of describing the invention. These terms are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or imply any specific functionality or limitations on the described embodiments. The use of these terms is solely for convenience and clarity of description. The invention is not limited to any particular type of device or equipment, and it should be understood that other equivalent terms or variations thereof may be used interchangeably without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.

[0059] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment, as well as other embodiments of the disclosure, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

[0060] The conventional methods fail to address technical challenges associated with managing multiple home gateway (HGW) sessions behind a single CustomerPremise Equipment (CPE) session. Specifically, they fail to consider the complexities involved in handling the termination and renewal of these sessions in scenarios where the parent CPE session is deleted, leading to the deletion of all associated child HGW sessions.

[0061] There is a need for a method and system that can effectively manage the deletion and renewal of HGW sessions in such scenarios to ensure automatic service recovery at the HGW level, thereby preventing service outages and enhancing overall network reliability.

[0062] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0063] The various embodiments throughout the disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 1 A- FIG. 5.

[0064] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary network architecture (100A) of a system (102) for performing automatic session recovery in a network (104), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0065] In an embodiment, the system (102) is configured to manage sessions (e.g., multiple HGW sessions) behind a single CPE internet protocol (IP) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session in the network (104).

[0066] In an embodiment, the system (102) is connected to the network (104), which is further connected to at least one user equipment (108-1, 108-2, ... 108-N) (collectively referred to as user equipment (108)) associated with one or more users (110-1, 110-2, ... 110-N) (collectively referred to as users (110)). The user equipment (108) may be personal computers, laptops, tablets, wristwatches, or any custom-built computing device integrated within a modern diagnostic machine that can connect to a network as an loT (Internet of Things) device. In an embodiment, the user equipment(108) may be referred to as User Equipment (UE) or user device. Accordingly, the terms “user equipment” and “User Equipment” may be used interchangeably throughout the disclosure. In an embodiment, each of the UE (108) may have a unique identifier attribute associated therewith. In an embodiment, the unique identifier attribute may be indicative of at least one of a Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN), International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a Subscriber Permanent Identifier (SUPI), and the like.

[0067] In an embodiment, the UE (108) may include smart devices operating in a smart environment, for example, an Internet of Things (loT) system. In such an embodiment, the UE (108) may include, but is not limited to, smart phones, smart watches, smart sensors (e.g., mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, etc.), networked appliances, networked peripheral devices, a networked lighting system, communication devices, networked vehicle accessories, networked vehicular devices, smart accessories, tablets, smart television (TV), computers, a smart security system, a smart home system, other devices for monitoring or interacting with or for the users (110) and / or entities, or any combination thereof. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (108) may include, but is not limited to, intelligent, multisensing, network-connected devices, that can integrate seamlessly with each other and / or with a central server or a cloud-computing system or any other device that is network-connected.

[0068] In an embodiment, the UE (108) may include, but is not limited to, a handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart phone, a phablet device, and so on), a wearable computer device (e.g., a head-mounted display computer device, a head-mounted camera device, a wristwatch computer device, and so on), a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or another type of portable computer, a media playing device, a portablegaming system, and / or any other type of computer device with a wireless communication capabilities, and the like. In an embodiment, the UE (108) may include, but is not limited to, any electrical, electronic, electro-mechanical, or an equipment, or a combination of one or more of the above devices such as virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, a laptop, a general-purpose computer, a desktop, a personal digital assistant, a tablet computer, a mainframe computer, or any other computing device. In addition, the UE (108) may include one or more in-built or externally coupled accessories including, but not limited to, a visual aid device such as a camera, an audio aid, a microphone, a keyboard, and input devices for receiving input from the user (110) or an entity such as touch pad, a touch enabled screen, an electronic pen, and the like. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (108) may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may be used.

[0069] As will be appreciated, the Home Gateway (HGW) may correspond to a UE. In an aspect, the users (110) are network operators or field engineers. Further, with each CPE, a set of HGW devices may be connected. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the terms “CPE” and “UE” may be used interchangeably throughout the disclosure. As will be appreciated, the CPE is a network device that may be installed outdoors and indoors at customer locations to facilitate connectivity and network services. In an embodiment, examples of the CPE include a Fifth Generation (5G) or a Fourth Generation (4G) outdoor customer premise equipment which can provide a high throughput broadband connectivity to end users. The CPE can also have a functionality to connect to the 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN). In this context the CPE is no more dedicated to a customer premises but the set of HGWs in individual customers premise (i.e., homes) connects to a single CPE using a Multiple Dwelling Unit (MDU). In that sense the CPE is shared across multiple homes and the CPE becomes a network element for an FWA deployment serving multiple subscribers. In an embodiment, the UE 104 may be deployed as a home gateway device (HGW) connected to a customer premise equipment (CPE) for use in a FWA environment. Inan example, the UE 104 may be statically located at a fixed customer premises and connected to the core network via a wireless access network.

[0070] Further, the network (104) can be configured with a centralized server (106) that stores compiled data. In an embodiment, the system (102) may receive at least one input data from the users (110) via the at least one UE (108). In an embodiment, the UE (108) may involve the collection, analysis, and sharing of data received from the system (102) via the network (104).

[0071] In FIG. 1A, the UE (108) may communicate with the system (102) via a network (104) for enabling the system (102) for performing an automatic Home Gateway (HGW) session recovery. In an embodiment, the network (104) may include at least one of a Fifth Generation (5G) network, a Sixth Generation (6G) network, or the like. The network (104) may enable the UEs (108) to communicate with other devices in the network architecture (100 A) and / or with the system (102). The network (104) may include a wireless card or some other transceiver connection to facilitate this communication. In another embodiment, the network (104) may be implemented as, or include any of a variety of different communication technologies such as a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless network, a mobile network, a Virtual Private Network (VPN), the Internet, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or the like. In an embodiment, the network (104) may include, by way of example but not limitation, at least a portion of one or more networks having one or more nodes that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or a combination thereof, etc. one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, some combination thereof, or so forth. In an embodiment, the network (104) may include a core network. In an embodiment, the UE (108) (i.e., CPE) may be communicatively coupled with the network (104). The system (102) may receive a connection request from the UE (108). The network (104) may send an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (108). The UE (108) may transmita plurality of signals in response to the connection request. The system is configured to perform automatic session recovery in the network (e.g., core network) (104) as explained in detail in FIG. IB.

[0072] Although FIG. 1A shows exemplary components of the network architecture (100A), in other embodiments, the network architecture (100 A) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 1A. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the network architecture (100 A) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the network architecture (100A).

[0073] FIG. IB illustrates an exemplary block diagram (100B) of the system (102) for performing automatic session recovery in the network (104), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] Referring to FIG. IB, the system (102) includes a communication unit (122) and a processing unit (124).

[0075] In an embodiment, the system (102) may include one or more processor(s) (112). The one or more processor(s) (112) may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and / or any devices that process data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the one or more processor(s) (112) may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (114) of the system (102). The memory (114) may be configured to store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a network service. The memory (114) may comprise any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as random-accessmemory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like.

[0076] In an embodiment, the system (102) may include an interface(s) (116). The interface(s) (116) may comprise a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices (I / O), storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) (116) may facilitate communication through the system (102). The interface(s) (116) may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the system (102). Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, the processing unit (124) and a database (120). Further, the processing unit (124) may include one or more engine(s) such as, but not limited to, an input / output engine, an identification engine, and an optimization engine.

[0077] In an embodiment, the processing unit (124) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming, for example, programmable instructions, to implement one or more functionalities of the processing unit (124). In examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processing unit (124) may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non- transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processing unit (124) may comprise a processing resource, for example, one or more processors, to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processing unit (124). In such examples, the system may comprise the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the system and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing unit (124) may be implemented by electronic circuitry.

[0078] In an embodiment, database (120) may comprise data that may be eitherstored or generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the processor (112) or the processing unit (124). In an embodiment, the database (120) may be separate from the system (102).

[0079] A layout of the system (102), described in detail with reference to FIGs. 2 and 3, for performing session recovery in the network (104) is described, as it may be implemented.

[0080] A customer premise equipment (CPE) (i.e., second network element) (i.e., CPE (206) as shown in FIG. 2) establishes an Internet Protocol (IP) protocol data unit (PDU) session in the network (e.g., 5G core network) (104). In an aspect, the CPE is a fixed wireless device installed outside / inside a customer's home or business to provide high-speed internet access using networks in fixed wireless access (FWA) deployments. In an aspect, the fixed wireless access (FWA) is a method of providing broadband internet to homes or businesses using wireless technology instead of physical cables (e.g., fiber or digital subscriber line (DSL)).

[0081] After the IP PDU session establishment, an IP address is assigned to the CPE. A plurality of home gateways (HGWs) (i.e., a plurality of first network elements) (i.e., HGWs (202) as shown in FIG. 2) is connected to the CPE (i.e., second network element). In an aspect, the home gateway is a network device located inside the home that acts as the central access point for all indoor user devices (e.g., phones, TVs, laptops, and internet of things (loT) systems), connecting the user devices to the internet.

[0082] A plurality of Ethernet sessions is created for the plurality of HGWs (i.e., first network elements) over the created IP PDU session of the CPE (i.e., second network element). The processing unit (124) is configured to assign IP addresses to the HGWs.

[0083] The IP PDU session corresponding to the CPE (i.e., second networkelement) is a parent session. A plurality of Ethernet sessions created for the plurality of first network elements (i.e., HGWs) are one or more child sessions for the second network element (i.e., CPE). In an embodiment, the CPE may be referred to as the second network element. Accordingly, the terms “CPE” and “Second network element” may be used interchangeably throughout the disclosure. Similarly, in an embodiment, the home gateway (HGW) may be referred to as the first network element. Accordingly, the terms “HGW” and “First network element” may be used interchangeably throughout the disclosure.

[0084] When the IP PDU session of the CPE gets deleted due to network issues such as radio link failure, core network failure, configuration errors, software or firmware updates, etc. The deletion of the IP PDU session of the CPE causes the deletion of all child sessions (i.e., Ethernet sessions) of the HGWs. Session outage is observed at the HGWs. After detecting the deletion of the IP PDU session, a session re-establishment of the CPE is initiated. After the session re-establishment, a new IP address is assigned to the CPE. The IP addresses of the HGWs are also renewed.

[0085] To avoid the session outage at the HGWs, the system (102) performs automatic session recovery in the network (104). In an aspect, the system (102) may be part of the user plane function (UPF). In another aspect, the UPF may comprise the system (102).

[0086] After the re-establishment of the session (i.e., IP PDU session) corresponding to the second network element (i.e., CPE), the communication unit (122) is configured to receive at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element (i.e., HGW) of a plurality of first network elements connected to the second network element (i.e., CPE).

[0087] The processing unit (124) is configured to store IP addresses of the IP PDU session corresponding to the second network element and the plurality of Ethernetsessions corresponding to the plurality of first network elements in the database (120).

[0088] Upon receiving the at least one received UL data packet, the processing unit (124) is configured to determine at least one IP address of the at least one received UL data packet. To determine the IP address of the received UL data packet, the processing unit (124) is configured to extract a header of the UL data packet. The header of the UL data packet is decoded. The IP address is extracted from the decoded header. In this way, the processing unit (124) determines the IP address of the received UL data packet.

[0089] The processing unit (124) is configured to match the at least one determined IP address with at least one stored IP address of the session corresponding to the at least one first network element to determine whether the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is available at the network. In an aspect, after determining the IP address of the received UL data packet, the processing unit (124) is configured to match the determined IP address with the stored IP address of the first network element (i.e., HGW). The database (120) stores the IP addresses of the plurality of first network elements and the second network element.

[0090] Upon re-establishment of the session, the new IP addresses are stored in the database (120), while the old IP addresses are removed from the database (120). If the session is not deleted, the IP addresses remain in the database (120). Conversely, if the session is deleted, the IP addresses are removed from the database (120). Removal of the IP addresses from the database (120) indicates that the session is deleted for the network elements. So, the processing unit (124) matches the determined IP address with the stored IP address in the database (120) to determine whether the session corresponding to the first network element (i.e., the first network element from which the UL data packet is received) is available at the network. If the determined IP address matches with the stored IP address in the database (120), then the session is available. If the determined IP address does not match with the stored IP address in the database(120), then the session is deleted.

[0091] Upon determining the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is not available at the network (104), the processing unit (124) is configured to trigger at least one reconfigure procedure. The reconfigure procedure is triggered to perform the session recovery.

[0092] In an embodiment, the at least one reconfigure procedure comprises a dynamic host configuration protocol version 4 (DHCPv4) reconfigure procedure or a DHCP version 6 (DHCPv6) reconfigure procedure.

[0093] In an aspect, the DHCP is a network management protocol used on IP networks to automatically assign IP addresses and other configuration parameters (e.g., domain name server (DNS), gateway, subnet mask) to devices (e.g., network elements) on the network (104), allowing the devices to communicate on the internet or private networks. There are two types of DHCP i.e., DHCPv4 and DHCPv6. In an aspect, the DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 are both dynamic host configuration protocols, but work with different versions of the IP. The DHCPv4 is for IPv4, while DHCPv6 is for IPv6. The DHCPv6 simplifies configuration, particularly with stateless address autoconfiguration (SLAAC). The DHCPv4 requires more explicit configuration and uses broadcasts for messages.

[0094] The processing unit (124) is configured to trigger the at least one reconfigure procedure based on a version of the at least one determined IP address of the at least one received UL data packet. For example, if the version of the determined IP address is version 4, then the DHCPv4 reconfigure procedure is triggered. Further, if the version of the determined IP address is version 6, then the DHCPv6 reconfigure procedure is triggered.

[0095] To perform at least one triggered reconfigure procedure, the communication unit (122) is configured to transmit at least one of a DHCPv4 messageand a DHCPv6 message based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure towards the at least one first network element. In an aspect, when the reconfigure procedure is triggered, the communication unit (122) transmits the DHCP message (i.e., DHCP reconfigure message) to the first network element (i.e., HGW). For example, if the DHCPv4 reconfigure procedure is triggered, the communication unit (122) transmits the DHCPv4 message (i.e., DHCPv4 reconfigure message) to the HGW. Further, if the DHCPv6 reconfigure procedure is triggered, the communication unit (122) transmits the DHCPv6 message (e.g., DHCPv6 reconfigure procedure message) to the HGW.

[0096] The communication unit (122) is configured to receive a renew request message from the at least one first network element. In an aspect, upon receiving the DHCP message (i.e., DHCPv4 or DHCPv6 message), the first network element (i.e., HGW) sends the renew request message to the communication unit (122). The communication unit (122) initiates a message exchange with the HGW by sending the reconfigure message (i.e., DHCPv4 or DHCPv6 reconfigure message) to cause the HGWs to send the renew / rebind / informati on-request message to refresh configuration information as soon as the reconfigure message is received by the HGW. The communication unit (122) receives the renew request message from the HGW.

[0097] The communication unit (122) is configured to transmit a renew reject response towards the at least one first network element. In an aspect, upon receiving the renew request message, the communication unit (122) transmits the renew reject response towards the HGW. If the communication unit (122) wants to assign a new IP address to the HGW, then the communication unit (122) responds with the IP address renew reject response to the HGW.

[0098] The communication unit (122) is configured to receive at least one of a DHCPv4 discover message and a DHCPv6 solicit message from the at least one first network element. In an aspect, the DHCPv4 discover message is a message sent by theHGWs to the UPF to locate and request IPv4 configurations in the network. In an aspect, the DHCPv6 solicit message is a message sent by the HGWs to discover the CPE and request IPv6 configuration parameters. In an aspect, upon receiving the IP address renew reject request, the HGW goes back to an initial state and broadcasts the DHCPv4 discovery message or the DHCPv6 solicit message.

[0099] In an aspect, upon receiving the renew reject message from the communication unit (122), the HGW sends the DHCPv4 discover message to the UPF for the DHCPv4 reconfigure procedure. Further, the HGW sends the DHCPv6 solicit message to the UPF for DHCPv6 reconfigure procedure.

[0100] The processing unit (124) is configured to reestablish the session of the at least one first network element with the network (104) based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure. In an aspect, the processing unit (124) is configured to reestablish the session of the at least one first network element with the network based on the at least one of the communicated DHCPv4 discover message and the communicated DHCPv6 solicit message. The at least one first network element is configured to receive a new IP address from the UPF. The new IP address is stored in the database. In an aspect, the system (102) stores the information related to the session recovery procedure in the database, enabling efficient data management and retrieval.

[0101] In this way, based on the DHCPv4 discover message / DHCPv6 solicit message exchanged, the new session is created for the HGW with the network. This session recovery mechanism ensures the automatic restoration of HGW sessions in the event of the CPE session deletion, minimizing service interruptions and maintaining network reliability.

[0102] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary system architecture (200) for performing automatic session recovery in the network (104), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0103] The system architecture (200) includes multiple home gateways (HGWs) (202-1, 202-2, ... 202 -N), a multiple dwelling unit (MDU) (204), and an customer premise equipment (CPE) (206). The CPE (206) is mounted outdoors (e.g., rooftop or wall), equipped with high-gain antennas and designed for stationary, always-on broadband service. The HGWs (202-1, 202-2, ... 202-N) connect user devices (e.g., phones, TVs, laptops, and loT systems) to the internet.

[0104] In an aspect, the MDU refers to a network unit responsible for providing internet access to residents. The MDU is designed to accommodate multiple separate housing units, and wireless networks within the buildings aim to deliver secure and reliable connectivity to each unit.

[0105] In an embodiment, the HGWs (202-1, 202-2, ... 202-N) are connected to the MDU (204) using Power over Ethernet (PoE) cables. The MDU (204) aggregates the connections from multiple HGWs (202) and connects them to the CPE (206) using the PoE cable. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that multiple HGWs (202-1, 202-2, ... 202-N) may be collectively referred to as the HGWs (202) or the HGW (202). Although only four HGWs (202) are depicted in FIG. 2, however, any number of the HGWs (202) may be included without departing from the scope of the ongoing description.

[0106] The CPE (206) is connected to a 5G core network via a base station which includes various network functions, such as Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) (208), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) (210), a Unified Data Management (UDM) (212), a User Plane Function (UPF) (214), a Session Management Function (SMF) (216), Policy Control Function (PCF) (218), and Charging Function (CHF) (220). In an aspect, the AMF (208) is a network function responsible for managing access control and registration, mobility management, connection and session handling between devices (e.g., CPEs) and the network (e.g., core network). In an aspect, the AUST (210) is a network function responsible forhandling authentication procedures of the devices (e.g., CPEs). In an aspect, the UDM (212) is a network function responsible for managing subscription and network policies associated with the CPE. The UDM (212) serves as the primary database for user- related data. In an aspect, the UPF (214) is a network function responsible for handling data traffic (e.g., real-time charging, usage monitoring, etc.). In an aspect, the SMF (216) is a network function responsible for managing PDU sessions (data sessions), IP address assignment, selecting and controlling UPFs, enforcing quality of service (QoS) and session policies, and charging support. The PCF (218) is a network function responsible for traffic prioritization and enforcement of data plans and subscriberspecific policies. In an aspect, the CHF (220) is a network function responsible for accurate tracking of high data volumes and enforcement of data quotas, support for tiered billing, QoS-based pricing, or flat-rate plans.

[0107] These network functions are interconnected and enable communication between the CPE (206), the HGWs (202), and the internet (219).

[0108] In an embodiment, the system (102) supports both CPE and HGW sessions. Initially, an CPE IP Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session is created in the 5G network. Over this parent CPE IP PDU session, multiple child Ethernet sessions of HGWs (202) are created using separate Packet Detection Rule (PDR) IDs over the same N4 session between the UPF (214) and the Session Management Function (SMF) (216). This is achieved using Ethernet over generic routing encapsulation (GRE) (EoGRE) tunnels between the CPE (206) and the UPF (214). In an aspect, the EoGRE tunnel is a tunneling method that encapsulates Ethernet frames within GRE tunnels, enabling the transparent transmission of Ethernet traffic over the network (e.g., IP network). The EoGRE is useful for aggregating wireless traffic from hotspots to a central gateway (i.e., UPF) and can be used to connect the CPE to the network (104).

[0109] The SMF (216) creates distinct N7 and N40 sessions with the PCF (218) and the CHF (220) for the CPE (206) and each child HGW (202) session.

[0110] Conventionally, in the event that the CPE (206) session is deleted, all associated HGW (202) sessions are also deleted. When the CPE (206) reattaches, the CPE (206) service is restored, but the HGWs (202) continue using the old session and IP address, leading to service unavailability at the HGW (202) end. Uplink (UL) packets are subsequently dropped at the UPF (214) end.

[0111] To address this service outage issue, the present disclosure discloses, if a UL packet from an HGW (202) is received at the UPF (214) and the HGW (202) Ethernet session is not available, the UPF (214) triggers a DHCPv4 or DHCPv6 reconfigure procedure (based on the UL packet’s IP version) to recreate the HGW (202) session without end-user intervention.

[0112] In the operation of the system, the UPF (214) first receives UL data packet from the HGW (202) that is connected to the CPE (206). Upon receiving this UL data packet, the UPF (214) determines at least one Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the received UL packet. The UPF (214) then matches the determined IP address with at least one stored IP address in its database for which Ethernet session details are already created and available locally. If the determined IP address does not match any of the stored IP addresses, the UPF (214) triggers a reconfigure procedure. As part of this procedure, the UPF (214) communicates either a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol version 4 (DHCPv4) message or a DHCP version 6 (DHCPv6) reconfigure message towards the HGW (202), depending on the IP version of the UL data packet. In response to this, the HGW (202) sends a renew request message back to the UPF (214) for renewing the old IP address only for which session is not available at UPF end.

[0113] In certain cases, the UPF (214) may respond with a renew reject message to the HGW (202). Following this, the HGW (202) sends a DHCPv4 discover message or a DHCPv6 solicit message to the UPF (214). Based on the exchange of these DHCPv4 / DHCPv6 stateful IP assignment messages, a new session is established forthe HGW (202) with the network (104). This session recovery mechanism ensures the automatic restoration of sessions, thereby minimizing service disruptions and maintaining continuous service for the end users.

[0114] The system (102) described in FIG. 2 illustrates how the 5G core network supports the seamless management and recovery of multiple HGW (202) sessions, ensuring automatic service restoration and minimizing service outages for end users.

[0115] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method (300) for performing the automatic session recovery in the network (104), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0116] The sequence involves several components, including the HGW (202), the CPE (206), the AMF (208), the UPF (214), the SMF (216), the PCF (218), and other components of the 5G Core Network (5GCN) (301). In an aspect, the 5GCN is a core network architecture for the fifth generation (5G) of cellular technology, designed to support a wide range of services with diverse performance.

[0117] In an embodiment, the HGW (202) is connected to the CPE (206) using power over Ethernet (PoE) cables, and the CPE (206) is connected to the network (104) (i.e., core network).

[0118] At step (302), an CPE IP Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session is established in the network (104) using an Ethernet over GRE (EoGRE) tunnel between the CPE (206) and the UPF (214). The EoGRE is an unencrypted stateless layer 2 tunneling. In other words, the EoGRE is atunneling protocol that allows an encapsulation of Ethernet frames within GRE tunnels, enabling a transmission of Ethernet headers across Internet Protocol (IP) networks

[0119] At step (304), the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol version 4 (DHCPv4) discovery message or a DHCP version 6 (DHCPv6) solicit message iscommunicated from the HGW (202) to the UPF (214). In an aspect, in order to establish session over the established IP PDU session, the HGW (202) sends the DHCPv4 discovery message / DHCPv6 solicit message to the UPF (214).

[0120] At step (306), a session report request and HGW identifier (ID) are exchanged between the UPF (214) and the SMF (216). In an aspect, the session report request is used to request details corresponding to the established IP PDU session from the SMF (216). The HGW ID is provided to the SMF (216) to perform authorization of the HGW (202) from the PCF (218).

[0121] At step (308), a HGW authorization request is sent from the SMF (216) to the PCF (218) over N7 interface. In an aspect, the SMF (216) sends HGW authorization request comprising the HGW ID to the PCF (218) to perform authorization of the HGWs (202).

[0122] At step (310), the PCF (218) returns a HGW authorization response to the SMF (216). In an aspect, the PCF (218) processes the HGW authorization request. Based on the processing, the PCF (218) performs the authorization of the HGW using the HGW ID. After performing the authorization, the PCF (218) sends the HGW authorization response to the SMF (216), including rules and permissions for the HGW sessions, if the HGW (202) is authorized successfully. If the HGW (202) is not authorized, then the PCF (218) sends the HGW authorization response indicating that authorization of the HGW (202) is unsuccessful.

[0123] At step (312), session report response messages are exchanged between the UPF (214) and the SMF (216). The session report response messages exchanged between the UPF (214) and the SMF (216) indicate authorization of HGWs in the network (104).

[0124] At step (314), the session modification procedure is performed between the SMF (216) and the UPF (214) for establishment of the HGW session in the network(e.g., core network) (104).

[0125] At step (316), the DHCPv4 offer, request, acknowledgment messages for the DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 advertise, request, and reply messages for the DHCPv6 are exchanged between the UPF (214) and the HGW (202) for assigning IPv4 address and IPv6 address, respectively.

[0126] At step (318), upon assigning the IP addresses by the UPF (214), the HGW Ethernet session is established in the network (104).

[0127] If the CPE (206) session is deleted in the network (104), it causes the deletion of all associated HGW sessions in the network (104).

[0128] At step (320), when the IP PDU session of the CPE (206) is re-established in the network (104), a new EoGRE tunnel is created between the CPE (206) and UPF (214). The session recovery process begins with the re-establishment of the IP PDU session for the CPE (206).

[0129] At step (322), UL packet from the HGW (202) with an old / expired IP address is received by the UPF (214).

[0130] At step (324), upon receiving the UL packets from the HGW (202) after the re-establishment of the IP PDU session for the CPE (206), the UPF (214) triggers the DHCPv4 or DHCPv6 reconfigure procedure based on the IP version of the received UL packet. The reconfigure procedure involves sending a DHCPv4 or DHCPv6 reconfigure message from the UPF (214) to the HGW (202).

[0131] At step (326), the HGW (202) sends an IP address renew request to the UPF (214). In an aspect, upon receiving the DHCPv4 or DHCPv6 reconfigure message from the UPF (214), the HGW (202) sends the IP address renew request to the UPF (214). The UPF (214) initiates a message exchange with the HGW (202) by sendingthe reconfigure message (i.e., DHCPv4 or DHCPv6 reconfigure message) to cause the HGWs to send the renew / rebind / informati on-request message to refresh configuration information as soon as the reconfigure message is received by the HGW (202).

[0132] At step (328), the UPF (214) sends an IP address renew reject response to the HGW (202). In an aspect, in the DHCPv4 or DHCPv6 reconfigure procedure, if the UPF (214) wants to assign a new IP address to the HGW (202), then the UPF (214) responds with the IP address renew reject response to the HGW (202).

[0133] At step (330), the HGW (202) then communicates a DHCPv4 discovery message or a DHCPv6 solicit message to the UPF (214). In an aspect, upon receiving the IP address renew reject request, the HGW (202) goes back to an initial state and broadcasts the DHCPv4 discovery message or the DHCPv6 solicit message.

[0134] At step (332), a HGW session establishment procedure (i.e., step 306 - step 318 are performed again for HGW session establishment) begins based on the DHCPv4 discovery message or DHCPv6 solicit message. The HGW session is re-established in the network. After the session is re-established for the HGW (202), the HGW (202) receives a new IP address, ensuring continuous and uninterrupted service.

[0135] FIG. 4 illustrates another exemplary flow diagram of the method (400) for performing automatic session recovery in the network (104), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0136] At step (402), the method (400) includes receiving, by the UPF (214), at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element of a plurality of first network elements (202) connected to a second network element (206) after reestablishment of a session corresponding to the second network element (206). The plurality of first network elements (202) is a plurality of home gateways (HGWs), and the second network element (206) is an customer premise equipment (CPE). The session corresponding to the second network element (206) is an IP protocol data unit(PDU) session. The session corresponding to the second network element (206) is a parent session. A plurality of Ethernet sessions created for the plurality of first network elements (202) over the created IP PDU session of the second network element (206) are one or more child sessions for the second network element. The UPF (214) is configured to store IP addresses of the IP PDU session corresponding to the second network element (206) and the plurality of Ethernet sessions corresponding to the plurality of first network elements (202) in the database (120).

[0137] In an aspect, the IP PDU session of the second network element (206) is deleted due to some network issues. Deletion of the IP PDU session causes the deletion of the Ethernet sessions of the plurality of first network elements (202). But the plurality of first network elements (202) is unaware of the deletion of the IP PDU session. After the re-establishment of the IP PDU session for the second network element (206), the plurality of first network elements (202) still sends the uplink data packets over the old session of the second network element (206). Upon receiving the UL packet from the HGW (202) after the re-establishment of the IP PDU session, the UPF (214) performs the steps (404 - 410) for the session recovery of the HGW (202).

[0138] At step (404), the method (400) includes determining, by the UPF (214), at least one internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one received UL data packet. The UPF (214) determines the IP address of the received UL data packet to identify the source of the data packet within the network (104) (i.e., whether it is coming from the old session of the second network element (206)).

[0139] At step (406), the method (400) includes matching, by the UPF (214), the at least one determined IP address with at least one stored IP address of a session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) to determine whether the session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) is available at the network. Matching the determined IP address with the stored IP address in the database (120) ensures that the received data packet corresponds to a known session in thenetwork (104).

[0140] At step (408), the method (400) includes upon determining the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is not available at the network (104), triggering, by the UPF (214), at least one reconfigure procedure. In an aspect, when the determined IP address does not match with the stored IP address in the database (120) indicates the session corresponding to the first network element (202) is not available at the network (104) (i.e., the received UL data packet corresponds to the old session of the second network element (206)). Hence, the UPF (214) triggers the reconfigure procedure. The at least one reconfigure procedure comprises a dynamic host configuration protocol version 4 (DHCPv4) reconfigure procedure and a DHCP version 6 (DHCPv6) reconfigure procedure. The UPF (214) is configured to trigger the at least one reconfigure procedure based on a version of the at least one determined IP address of the at least one received UL data packet. Triggering the reconfigure procedure is necessary to update the session information and resolve any discrepancies.

[0141] At step (410), the method (400) includes reestablishing, by the UPF (214), the session of the at least one first network element (202) with the network based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure. This step establishes a new session for the first network element (i.e., HGW (202)), ensuring continuous and reliable network connectivity. The UPF (214) establishes the session of the at least one first network element (202) with the network based on the at least one of the communicated DHCPv4 discover message and the communicated DHCPv6 solicit message from the first network element (202). The at least one first network element (202) is configured to receive a new IP address from the UPF (214).

[0142] In an embodiment, a method of automatic session (i.e., Home Gateway (HGW) session) recovery. An Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) IP PDU session is created with the network (e.g., 5G core network). Multiple child Ethernet sessions of HGW s are created over the IP PDU session. Upon CPE session deletion, all child HGWsessions will be deleted, which cannot be restored when CPE establishes a new session. When the HGW(s) transmit packets to the UPF (214) using the old session and IP address, the UPF (214) triggers a DHCPv4 / v6 reconfigure procedure. The DHCPv4 / v6 reconfigure procedure (DHCPv4 discover / DHCPv6 solicit) is used to recreate the HGW session without end-user intervention.

[0143] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary computer system (500) in which or with which the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 5, the computer system (500) may include an external storage device (510), a bus (520), a main memory (530), a read-only memory (540), a mass storage device (550), a communication port(s) (560), and a processor (570). A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system (500) may include more than one processor and communication ports. The processor (570) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure. The communication port(s) (560) may be any of an RS-232 port for use with a modembased dialup 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 ports(s) (560) may be chosen depending on a network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system (500) connects.

[0145] In an embodiment, the main memory (530) may be Random Access Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. The read-only memory (540) may be any static storage device(s) e.g., but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chip for storing static information e.g., start-up or basic input / output system (BIOS) instructions for the processor (570). The mass storage device (550) may be any current or future mass storage solution, which can be used to store information and / or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PAT A) orSerial Advanced Technology Atachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and / or Firewire interfaces).

[0146] In an embodiment, the bus (520) may communicatively couple the processor(s) (570) with the other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus (520) may be, e.g. a Peripheral Component Interconnect PCI) / PCI Extended (PCI- X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives, and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects the processor (570) to the computer system (500).

[0147] In another embodiment, operator, and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, and cursor control device may also be coupled to the bus (520) to support direct operator interaction with the computer system (500). Other operator and administrative interfaces can be provided through network connections connected through the communication port(s) (560). Components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system (500) limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0148] The exemplary computer system (500) is configured to execute a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for performing automatic session recovery in a network is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by a user plane function (UPF), at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element of a plurality of first network elements connected to a second network element after reestablishment of a session corresponding to the second network element and determining, by the UPF, at least one internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one received UE data packet. The method comprises matching, by the UPF, the at least one determined IP addresswith at least one stored IP address of a session corresponding to the at least one first network element to determine whether the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is available at the network. The method comprises upon determining the session corresponding to the at least one first network element is not available at the network, triggering, by the UPF, at least one reconfigure procedure and reestablishing, by the UPF, the session of the at least one first network element with the network based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure.

[0149] The present disclosure provides technical advancements related to session recovery in the network. The advancement addresses the limitations of existing solutions by facilitating the automatic restoration of HGW sessions following the deletion of an Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) session. The automatic restoration ensures that customers do not perceive any service outages, thereby enhancing the user experience. The seamless recovery of HGW sessions maintains uninterrupted access to the internet and network services, which is critical for applications requiring high availability and reliability.

[0150] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

[0151] The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of the system and the method that:Facilitates the automatic restoration of HGW sessions following the deletion of an Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) session. This automation minimizes service interruptions and ensures continuous connectivity for end-users without requiring manual intervention.Utilizes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) reconfigure procedure to dynamically reassign IP addresses to HGWs, ensuring that IP conflicts and outdated session information do not disrupt service. This improves overall network reliability and performance.Ensures that customers do not perceive any service outages, thereby enhancing the user experience. The seamless recovery of HGW sessions maintains uninterrupted access to the internet and network services, which is critical for applications requiring high availability and reliability.Efficiently manages the establishment and recovery of multiple HGW sessions over a single CPE IP Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session, optimizing the use of network resources. This reduces the overhead and complexity associated with session management in a 5G core network environment.Handles multiple HGW sessions simultaneously, making it suitable for residential and enterprise environments. The flexibility of the system allows it to adapt to various network configurations and requirements.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method (400) for performing automatic session recovery in a network (104), the method (400) comprising: receiving (402), by a user plane function (UPF) (214), at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element of a plurality of first network elements (202) connected to a second network element (206) after reestablishment of a session corresponding to the second network element (206); determining (404), by the UPF (214), at least one internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one received UL data packet; matching (406), by the UPF (214), the at least one determined IP address with at least one stored IP address of a session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) to determine whether the session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) is available at the network (104); upon determining the session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) is not available at the network (104), triggering (408), by the UPF (214), at least one reconfigure procedure; and reestablishing (410), by the UPF (214), the session of the at least one first network element with the network (104) based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure.

2. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first network elements (202) is a plurality of home gateways (HGWs) and the second network element (206) is an customer premise equipment (CPE).

3. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the session corresponding to the second network element (206) is an IP protocol data unit (PDU) session, and wherein the session corresponding to the second network element (206) is a parent session.

4. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of Ethernet sessions created for the plurality of first network elements (202) over the created IP PDU session of the second network element (206) are one or more child sessions for the second network element (206).

5. The method (400) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the UPF (214) is configured to store IP addresses of the IP PDU session corresponding to the second network element (206) and the plurality of Ethernet sessions corresponding to the plurality of first network elements (202) in a database (120).

6. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one reconfigure procedure comprises a dynamic host configuration protocol version 4 (DHCPv4) reconfigure procedure and a DHCP version 6 (DHCPv6) reconfigure procedure.

7. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UPF (214) is configured to trigger the at least one reconfigure procedure based on a version of the at least one determined IP address of the at least one received UL data packet.

8. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure comprising: transmitting, by the UPF (214), at least one of a DHCPv4 message and a DHCPv6 message based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure towards the at least one first network element (202);receiving, by the UPF (214), a renew request message from at least one first network element (202); transmitting, by the UPF (214), a renew reject response towards the at least one first network element (202); and receiving, by the UPF (214), at least one of a DHCPv4 discover message and a DHCPv6 solicit message from the at least one first network element (202).

9. The method (400) as claimed in claim 8, comprising: reestablishing, by the UPF (214), the session of the at least one first network element (202) with the network (104) based on the at least one of the communicated DHCPv4 discover message and the communicated DHCPv6 solicit message, wherein the at least one first network element (202) is configured to receive a new IP address from the UPF (214).

10. A system (102) for performing automatic session recovery in a network (104), the system (102) comprising: a communication unit (122) configured to receive at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element (202) of a plurality of first network elements connected to a second network element (206) after reestablishment of a session corresponding to the second network element (206); a processing unit (124) configured to: determine at least one internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one received UL data packet;match the at least one determined IP address with at least one stored IP address of a session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) to determine whether the session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) is available at the network (104); upon determining the session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) is not available at the network (104), trigger at least one reconfigure procedure; and reestablish the session of the at least one first network element (202) with the network (104) based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure.

11. The system (102) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plurality of first network elements (202) is a plurality of home gateways (HGWs) and the second network element (206) is an customer premise equipment (CPE).

12. The system (102) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the session corresponding to the second network element (206) is an IP protocol data unit (PDU) session, and wherein the session corresponding to the second network element (206) is a parent session.

13. The system (102) as claimed in claim 10, wherein a plurality of Ethernet sessions created for the plurality of first network elements (202) over the created IP PDU session of the second network element (206) are one or more child sessions for the second network element (206).

14. The system (102) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processing unit (124) is configured to store IP addresses of the IP PDU session corresponding to the second network element (206) and the plurality of Ethernet sessionscorresponding to the plurality of first network elements (202) in a database (120).

15. The system (102) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one reconfigure procedure comprises a dynamic host configuration protocol version 4 (DHCPv4) reconfigure procedure and a DHCP version 6 (DHCPv6) reconfigure procedure.

16. The system (102) as claimed in claim 10, the processing unit (124) is configured to trigger the at least one reconfigure procedure based on a version of the at least one determined IP address of the at least one received UL data packet.

17. The system (102) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure comprises: the communication unit (122) configured to: transmit at least one of a DHCPv4 message and a DHCPv6 message based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure towards the at least one first network element (202); receive a renew request message from the at least one first network element (202); transmit a renew reject response towards the at least one first network element (202); and receive at least one of a DHCPv4 discover message and a DHCPv6 solicit message from the at least one first network element (202).

18. The system (102) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the processing unit (124) is configured to reestablish the session of the at least one first network element (202) with the network (104) based on the at least one of the communicated DHCPv4 discover message and the communicated DHCPv6 solicit message, wherein the at least one first network element (202) is configured to receive a new IP address from the UPF (214).

19. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to execute a method (400) for performing automatic session recovery in a network (104), the method (400) comprising: receiving (402), by a user plane function (UPF) (214), at least one uplink (UL) data packet from at least one first network element of a plurality of first network elements (202) connected to a second network element (206) after reestablishment of a session corresponding to the second network element (206); determining (404), by the UPF (214), at least one internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one received UL data packet; matching (406), by the UPF (214), the at least one determined IP address with at least one stored IP address of a session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) to determine whether the session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) is available at the network (104); upon determining the session corresponding to the at least one first network element (202) is not available at the network (104), triggering (408), by the UPF (214), at least one reconfigure procedure; andreestablishing (410), by the UPF (214), the session of the at least one first network element with the network (104) based on the at least one triggered reconfigure procedure.

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