System and method for managing policy data in a network

Abstract

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING POLICY DATA IN A NETWORK A system (102) and method (400) for managing policy data in a network (104) The method (400) includes determining a plurality of policy data associated with a User 5 Equipment (UE) (106) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR) (212). Further, the method (400) includes transmitting a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR (212). The request is a combined request (302) to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR (212). 10 Ref.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING POLICY DATA IN A 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 generally relates to the field of telecommunication networks. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for managing policy data in a network.DEFINITION

[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 to indicate otherwise.

[0004] The term “Policy Data”, as used herein, refers to categorized datasets stored within a Unified Data Repository (UDR) that contain rules, parameters, and policies governing specific network functions or services for a user or device. The policy data is retrieved by consumer NFs (e.g., policy control function (PCF), network exposure function (NEF)). Examples of policy data include session management policy data, access and mobility policy data, user equipment (UE) policy data, and so forth.

[0005] The term “Policy Control Function (PCF)”, as used herein, refers to a core network function in a fifth generation (5G) architecture responsible for providing policy rules to control network behavior and resource allocation. The PCF queries policy data from UDR and provides policy decisions to ensure optimized service delivery, user experience, and efficient network resource utilization.

[0006] The term “Network Exposure Function (NEF)”, as used herein, refers to a network function in a 5G architecture responsible for securely exposing network capabilities and events to external applications and third-party services via standardized application programming interfaces (APIs). The NEF plays a crucial role in collecting and consolidating information about the network and user context to support advanced service enablement and network slicing.

[0007] The term “Unified Data Repository (UDR)”, as used herein, refers to a centralized data storage function in 5G networks that stores subscription data, policydata, application state information, and other types of structured data required by various network functions. The UDR provides a unified interface for consumer NFs (e.g., PCF, NEF) to perform data access operations such as retrieval, update, creation, and deletion of data records.

[0008] The term “GET operation”, as used herein, refers to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) method used by a client to request and retrieve data from a server without modifying the resource. In the context of the present disclosure, the GET operation is used by the consumer NF (e.g., PCF, NEF) to retrieve multiple types of policy data in a single transaction from a UDR.

[0009] The term “Response payload”, as used herein, refers to the actual body / content of a response of requested policy data that is sent back from the UDR to the consumer NF (e.g., PCF). In the context of the present disclosure, the response payload includes the aggregated policy data (e.g., session management policy data, access and mobility policy data, UE policy set) that was requested by the consumer NF (PCF, NEF).

[0010] The term “Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI)”, as used herein, refers to a globally unique identifier assigned to a subscriber in a 5G system. It is used by network functions, such as the PCF, NEF, UDR, to uniquely identify the UE within the network.

[0011] The term “User Equipment Identifier (UEID)”, as used herein, represents one or more identifiers associated with the UE in a communication network. It may include different types of identifiers such as the SUPI, Generic Public Subscription Identifier (GPSI), Permanent Equipment Identifier (PEI), or an external group identifier. UEID enables network functions to uniquely identify and manage policy, session, and mobility-related procedures for the UE.

[0012] The term ‘Resource identifier (ID),’ as used herein, refers to an information element or parameter that identifies a corresponding resource at the UDR from which policy data is to be retrieved. The resource identifier may be included in a combined request to indicate one or more resources associated with policy data required by the consumer NF.BACKGROUND

[0013] 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.

[0014] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades. The first generation of wireless communication technology was analog, offering only voice services. Further, text messaging and data services became possiblewhen the second-generation (2G) technology was introduced. The 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 the wireless communication with faster data speeds, improved network coverage, and security. Currently, fifth generation (5G) technology is being deployed, offering significantly faster data speeds, lower latency, and the ability to connect many devices simultaneously. Further, Sixth Generation (6G) successor to 5G is expected to provide significantly high data speed with reduced latency, which may offer improved connectivity for a vast number of devices concurrently. The 6G technology promises to build upon these advancements, pushing the boundaries of wireless communication even further. While the 5G technology is still being rolled out globally, research and development into the 6G are rapidly progressing, with the aim of revolutionizing the way of connecting and interacting with technology.

[0015] In a Fifth Generation (5G) core network, policy-related information associated with a User Equipment (UE) may be maintained at the UDR and accessed through a data repository service. Such policy-related information may include, for example, Access and Mobility Policy data, UE Policy Set data, Session Management Policy data, Usage Monitoring Information, Operator-Specific data, and policy data for an individual UE. A consumer NF, such as the PCF or the NEF, may need to retrieve multiple categories of such policy data in order to support different services and policycontrol operations associated with the UE.

[0016] Existing mechanisms define separate procedures for fetching respective categories of policy data from the UDR. As a result, when the same consumer NF requires multiple types of policy data for a same UE or subscriber, the consumer NF is required to initiate multiple separate transactions toward the UDR. For example, when a single PCF instance supports multiple services, or where the same PCF instance is selected for handling multiple policy-control aspects associated with the UE.

[0017] Such use of multiple separate transactions introduces inefficiencies in the network. In particular, repeated request-and-response exchanges increase signaling overhead between the consumer NF and the UDR, increase processing burden at both ends, and may lead to unnecessary duplication of transaction handling for policy data that is required substantially at the same time. Further, the use of multiple independent retrieval procedures may increase latency in obtaining complete policy context for the UE, affecting timely policy enforcement and service handling.

[0018] There is, therefore, a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies of the prior arts.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0019] In an embodiment, a method for managing policy data in a network is described. The method includes determining a plurality of policy data associated with a UserEquipment (UE) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). Further, the method further include transmitting a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR. The request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR.

[0020] In an embodiment, the consumer NF is at least one of a Policy Control Function (PCF) and a Network Exposure Function (NEF).

[0021] In another embodiment, the method includes establishing a subscription with the UDR for the plurality of policy data in via combined request.

[0022] In another embodiment, the combined request includes one or more Information Elements (IES) including at least one of a subscriber identifier, a UE identifier, one or more resource identifiers identifying the plurality of policy data and supported-features information and, for each identified policy data, the combined request includes a corresponding set of one or more resource-specific IEs associated with retrieval of the policy data from the UDR.

[0023] In another embodiment, the UDR processes the combined request by retrieving the plurality of policy data identified in the combined request from the plurality of resources at the UDR.

[0024] In another embodiment, the method includes receiving a response including, for each identified policy data, at least one of a corresponding retrieved policy data and problem detail indicating a retrieval failure.

[0025] In another embodiment, the plurality of policy data includes an access and mobility policy data, a session management policy data, a UE policy data, a usage monitoring information, sponsor connectivity data, Bdt data, Individual Bdt data, Policy Data Subscriptions, Individual Policy Data Subscription, Plmn Ue Policy Set, Policy Data For Individual Ue, Slice Policy Control Data, MBS Session Policy Control Data, Pdtq Data, Individual Pdtq Data, Group Policy Control Data, and operatorspecific data.

[0026] In another embodiment, the method includes one of retaining the retrieved policy data based on one or more local policies of the consumer NF and removing the retrieved policy data based on the one or more local policies.

[0027] In another exemplary embodiment, a system for managing policy data in a network is described. The system includes a consumer Network Function (NF) configured to determine a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). The consumer NF is configured to transmit a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR. The request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR.

[0028] In another exemplary embodiment, a system for managing policy data in a network is described. The system includes a Unified Data Repository (UDR)configured to identify the plurality of policy data based on the combined request. The UDR is configured to retrieve each of the plurality of policy data from the plurality of resources. The UDR is configured to generate a response including each of the plurality of retrieved policy data corresponding to one or more of the plurality of resources. Further, the UDR is configured to transmit the response to the consumer NF.

[0029] In yet another embodiment, a computer program product including a non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to execute a method for managing policy data in a network is disclosed. The method includes determining a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). Further, the method includes transmitting a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR. The request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR.OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

[0030] Some of the objectives of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

[0031] An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method for managing multi-resource policy data retrieval by consolidating multiple data requests into a single transaction, thereby improving network efficiency and reducing resource consumption.

[0032] Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method for minimizing latency and optimizing the number of transactions required to fetch policy data from a producer network function (NF) (e.g., unified data repository (UDR)).

[0033] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method for lowering signaling overhead between consumer NFs (policy network function (PCF), network exposure function (NEF)) and a UDR by introducing a unified request for multiple policy data types.

[0034] Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method that supports scalable policy data retrieval for networks managing large volumes of subscribers and services, by consolidating multiple requests into fewer transactions.

[0035] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method that enables consumer NFs to efficiently handle, retain, or purge retrieved multi-resource policy data based on local policy rules.

[0036] Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method that allows a UDR to process combined policy data requests and return partial or full responses depending on a success or failure of individual procedures.

[0037] 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.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

[0038] 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. 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.

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture implementing a system for managing policy data in a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of the system for managing policy data in a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram illustrating an interaction flow for consolidated policy data retrieval between a consumer Network Function (NF) and a Unified Data Repository (UDR), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary flowchart of a method for managing the policy data in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computer system in which, or with which, the system and the method of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0044] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS100 - Network Architecture102 - System104 - Network106 - User Equipments (UEs)108 -User(s)200 - System architecture202 - Processor(s)204 - Memory206 - Interface(s)208 - Consumer Network Function (NF)210 - Database212 - Unified Data Repository (UDR)300 - Flow diagram400 - Method500 - Computer System510 - External Storage Device520 - Bus530 - Main Memory540 - Read Only Memory550 - Mass Storage Device560 - Communication Port570 - ProcessorDETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] As used herein, an “electronic device”, or “portable electronic device”, or “user device” or “communication device” or “user equipment” or “device” refers to any electrical, electronic, electromechanical, and computing device. The user device is capable of receiving and / or transmitting one or parameters, performing function / s, communicating with other user devices, and transmitting data to the other user devices. The user equipment may have a processor, a display, a memory, a battery, and an inputmeans such as a hard keypad and / or a soft keypad. The user equipment may be capable of operating on any radio access technology including but not limited to IP-enabled communication, Zig Bee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Near Field Communication, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, etc. For instance, the user equipment may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone, smartphone, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other device as may be obvious to a person skilled in the art for implementation of the features of the present disclosure.

[0053] Further, the user device may also comprise a “processor” or “processing unit” includes processing unit, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. The 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 Signalling 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 is a hardware processor.

[0054] 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 tobe distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

[0055] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades. The first generation of wireless communication technology was analog, offering only voice services. Further, text messaging and data services became possible when the second-generation (2G) technology was introduced. The 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 the wireless communication with faster data speeds, improved network coverage, and security. Currently, fifth generation (5G) technology is being deployed, offering significantly faster data speeds, lower latency, and the ability to connect many devices simultaneously. Further, Sixth Generation (6G) successor to 5G is expected to provide significantly high data speed with reduced latency, which may offer improved connectivity for a vast number of devices concurrently. The capabilities of 6G enable new types of applications and services, such as advanced augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), holographic communications, and more immersive digital experiences. These advancements represent a significant leap forward from previous generations, enabling enhanced mobile broadband, improved Internet of Things (loT) connectivity, and more efficient use of network resources. The 6G technology promises to build upon these advancements, pushing the boundaries of wireless communication even further. While the 5G technology is still being rolled out globally, research and development into the 6G are rapidly progressing, with the aim of revolutionizing the way of connecting and interacting with technology.

[0056] Aspects of this disclosure are directed to a system and a method for managing multi-resource policy data transactions in mobile network infrastructures (e.g., 5G core network) by enabling consumer network functions (NFs) (e.g., policy control function (PCF), network exposure function (NEF)) to retrieve multiple types of policy data from Unified Data Repository (UDR) using a single transaction. Conventional approaches, rather than using the single transaction, rely on multiple separate transactions per resource for fetching or subscribing to the policy data through a service (e.g., Nudr_DataRepository service). Each policy data type (e.g., access and mobility policy data, session management policy data, user equipment (UE) policy set, usage monitoring information, operator-specific data, and others) requires separate application programming interface (API) calls and transactions, which results in multiple transactions for a single subscriber session, thereby increasing signaling overhead, latency, and computational resource consumption in a network.

[0057] The present disclosure introduces combined policy data resource for retrieval of policy data from multiple resources in a single transaction. The combined policy data resource may be exposed through a resource URI corresponding to a combinedpolicy data endpoint of the UDR. A request for the combined policy data resource may include one or more information elements comprising at least one of a subscriber identifier, a UE identifier, one or more resource identifiers identifying a plurality of resources to be queried and supported-features information. In an embodiment, based on the resources identified in the one or more resource identifiers, the request may further include, for each identified resource, a corresponding set of one or more resource-specific information elements defining query parameters for retrieval of policy data from that identified resource. The corresponding set of one or more resource-specific information elements may differ for different resources. For example, when session management policy data is identified, the corresponding set of one or more resource-specific information elements may include a slice identifier, a data network identifier, and one or more additional session-related query parameters. Similar corresponding information elements may be defined for other identified resources to support combined retrieval of policy data from multiple resources. Upon receiving the combined request, the UDR identifies the plurality of resources indicated in the request, applies the corresponding resource-specific information elements for respective identified resources, retrieves policy data from the plurality of resources, and formulates a consolidated response for transmission to the consumer NF. The consolidated response may include successfully retrieved policy data for one or more identified resources and problem details for one or more resources for which retrieval is unsuccessful.

[0058] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture (100) implementing a system (102) for managing policy data in a network (104), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the network architecture (100) may include one or more user equipments (UEs) (106-1, 106-2, .... 106-N) associated with one or more users (108-1, 108-2, ...., 108-N) in an environment. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more users (108-1, 108-2, ...108-N) may be individually referred to as the user (108) and collectively referred to as the users (108). Similarly, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more UEs (106-1, 106-2, ....106-N) may be individually referred to as the UE (106) and collectively referred to as the UEs (106). Although three UEs (106) are depicted in FIG. 1, however, any number of the UEs (106) may be included without departing from the scope of the ongoing description. In an embodiment, each UE (106) 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 internationalmobile subscriber identity (IMSI), a subscriber permanent identifier (SUPI), and the like.

[0061] In an embodiment, the UE (106) may include smart devices operating in a smart environment, such as an Internet of Things (loT) system. In such an embodiment, the UE (106) may include, but is not limited to, smartphones, smart watches, smart sensors (e.g., mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, etc.), networked appliances, networked peripheral devices, 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 (108) and / or entities, or any combination thereof. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (106) may include, but is not limited to, intelligent, multi-sensing, 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.

[0062] In an embodiment, the UE (106) may include, but is not limited to, a handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smartphone, 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 portable gaming system, and / or any other type of computer device with a wireless communication capabilities, and the like. In an embodiment, the UE (106) 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 (106) 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 (108) 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 (106) may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may be used.

[0063] In FIG. 1, the UE (106) may communicate with the system (102) via a network (104) In an embodiment, the network (104) may include at least one of a fifthgeneration (5G) network, a sixth-generation (6G) network, or the like. The network (104) may enable the UEs (106) to communicate with other devices in the network architecture (100) 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 avariety 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.

[0064] In an embodiment, the system (102) may include a consumer Network Function (NF) configured to determine a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). Further, the consumer NF may transmit a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR. The request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR. The system (102) may include a Unified Data Repository (UDR) (212) configured to receive a combined request from the consumer NF (208), identify a plurality of policy data to be retrieved based on one or more resource identifiers included in the combined request, retrieve each of the plurality of policy data from a plurality of corresponding resources maintained at the UDR (212), generate a response including retrieved policy data corresponding to one or more of the plurality of policy data, and transmit the consolidated response to the consumer NF (208). In an embodiment, the consolidated response may further include problem detail information for one or more policy data from which retrieval is unsuccessful.

[0065] In an embodiment, the UE (106) may be communicatively coupled with the network (104). The system (102) may receive a connection request from the UE (106). The system (102) may send an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (106). The UE (106) may transmit a plurality of signals in response to the connection request. Once the connection is established, the system (102) may manage the multiresource policy data transactions in the network (104). The UE (106) serves as a context entity in relation to which a plurality of categories of policy data may be required. The retrieval of such policy data, however, may be performed by a consumer Network Function (NF) of the system (102), such as a Policy Control Function (PCF) or a Network Exposure Function (NEF), through a combined request transmitted to the UDR for retrieving policy data from a plurality of resources in a single transaction. In some embodiments, the network (104) may be configured to select a same instance of the consumer NF for handling the plurality of services associated with the UE (106). A process of managing the multi-resource policy data transactions is explained in greater detail in conjunction with the FIGS. 2 - 5.

[0066] Although FIG. 1 shows exemplary components of the network architecture (100), in other embodiments, the network architecture (100) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 1. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the network architecture (100) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the network architecture (100).

[0067] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram (200) of the system (102) for managing policy data in a network (104), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0068] FIG. 2 with reference to FIG. 1, illustrating the system (102) that may include one or more processor(s) (202). The one or more processor(s) (202) 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) (202) may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (204) of the system (102). The memory (204) may be configured to store the 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 (204) may include any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as randomaccess memory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as erasable programmable readonly memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like.

[0069] In an embodiment, the system (102) may include an interface(s) (206). The interface(s) (206) may include a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices (I / O), storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) (206) may facilitate communication through the system (102). The interface(s) (206) 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, a consumer Network Function (NF) (208), a database (210), and the UDR (212).

[0070] In an embodiment, the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212). In the examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212) may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, and the hardware for the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212) may include a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may storeinstructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212). In such examples, the system (102) may include 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 (102) and the processing resource. In other examples, the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212) may be implemented by electronic circuitry or the one or more processor(s) (202).

[0071] In an embodiment, the database (210) may store data that may be generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the processor (202) or the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212). In an embodiment, the database (210) may be indicative of including, but not limited to, a relational database, a distributed database, a cloud-based database, or the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212) may include one or more units having functions that may include, but are not limited to, testing, storage, and peripheral functions, such as a wireless communication unit for remote operation and the like. In an embodiment, the database (210) may also represent an internal datastore of the UDR (212) configured to store various network-related data, including policy data, subscription data, or any other datasets required to support network functions.

[0072] In an embodiment, the consumer NF (208) may be configured to manage the policy data in the network (104). In an embodiment, managing the multi -resource policy data transactions refers to handling requests from the consumer NF (208) that require retrieving the multiple policy data from the UDR (212) efficiently. In an embodiment, the consumer NF (208) may be configured to determine a plurality of policy data associated with the UE (106) is required to retrieve from the UDR (212). The consumer NF is at least one of a Policy Control Function (PCF) and a Network Exposure Function (NEF). The plurality of policy data includes an access and mobility policy data, a session management policy data, a UE policy data, a usage monitoring information, sponsor connectivity data, Bdt data, Individual Bdt data, Policy Data Subscriptions, Individual Policy Data Subscription, Plmn Ue Policy Set, Policy Data for Individual Ue, Slice Policy Control Data, MBS Session Policy Control Data, Pdtq Data, Individual Pdtq Data, Group Policy Control Data, and operator-specific data.

[0073] In order to manage the policy data in the network (104), the consumer NF (208) may first assess the requirement to retrieve the multiple policy data from the UDR (212). In an embodiment, the requirement may be determined based on network conditions, such as whether the consumer NF (208) (e.g., a single PCF) supports multiple services for the UE (106), or if the network (104) is configured to consistently select a same instance of the consumer NF (208) for handling the multiple services. For example, when the PCF supports the multiple services (e.g., session management, mobility management, and UE policy provisioning) for the same UE (106), or whennetwork policies enforce a selection of a same PCF instance to handle the multiple services for the UE (106), it may become inefficient for the PCF to initiate multiple independent transactions towards the UDR (212), each targeting a different type of policy data. In such cases, the PCF may instead evaluate the requirement to retrieve the required policy data for the relevant services through the consolidated request sent to the UDR (212).

[0074] In an embodiment, the consumer NF (208) may be configured to transmit a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR. The request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR. The combined request includes one or more Information Elements (IES) including at least one of a subscriber identifier, a UE identifier, one or more resource identifiers identifying the plurality of policy data and supported-features information and, for each identified policy data, the combined request includes a corresponding set of one or more resource-specific IEs associated with retrieval of the policy data from the UDR (212). The consumer NF (208) may combine multiple independent policy data retrieval requests (i.e., retrieving session management policy data, retrieving access and mobility policy data, retrieving UE policy set data, retrieving usage monitoring information, retrieving operator specific data) into the combined request, reducing the signaling overhead and improving response efficiency. Further, the UDR (212) processes the combined request by retrieving the plurality of policy data identified in the combined request from the plurality of resources at the UDR (212).

[0075] In an implementation, the consumer NF (208) may process policy-related requests received from the UE (106), identify a requirement to retrieve the multiple policy data, and formulate the combined request to be transmitted to the UDR (212). The consumer NF (208) minimizes a number of service-based interface transactions with the UDR (212), reducing network latency and optimizing resource utilization. The service-based interface transactions refer to communication exchanges between NFs within a service-based architecture (SBA). The service-based interface transactions include request-response message flows, where the consumer NF (208) invokes services provided by the UDR (212) over a common interface (e.g., HTTP / 2, representational state transfer application programming interface (RESTful) APIs).

[0076] In an embodiment, a resource structure may be defined using a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) path format. When the consumer NF (208) needs to retrieve the multiple policy data, the consumer NF (208) may generate the consolidated request by targeting the combined policy data through the specified URI path format. By addressing the unified resource, the consumer NF (208) may efficiently retrieve requested datasets in the single transaction, reducing the signaling overhead and improving overall system responsiveness. In an embodiment, the consolidated requestmay include a Java Script Object Notation (JSON) body including various Information Elements (IES) specifying details of the required policy data. The IES may include, but are not limited to, a Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI) array, a user equipment identifier (UEID) array, a Resource identifier (ID) array, supported features, and so forth.

[0077] In an embodiment, the SUPI array may represent an optional array that may include zero or more subscription permanent identifiers (SUPI) values. The SUPI array is included conditionally, depending on whether SUPI is needed to uniquely identify the UE(s) (106) for which policy data is being retrieved. Further, the UEID array may represent an optional array that may include zero or one UE identifiers (e.g., SUPI, generic public subscription identifier (GPSI), permanent equipment identifier (PEI), or external group ID) required to identify the UE(s) (106) for which the policy data is being requested. Further, the Resource ID array may represent a required array that includes at least one or more resource names, each specifying a policy data to be retrieved and included in the response.

[0078] The supported features may represent an optional parameter that may either be omitted or included once, specifying a set of features supported by the consumer NF (208) for handling the policy data request. In an embodiment, based on the resource names included in the resource ID array, corresponding sub-objects may be grouped into separate IEs for each resource-specific procedure. For example, if the session management policy data is included in the resource ID array, then optional IEs, such as single network slice selection assistance information (SNSSAI), a data network name (DNN), and other relevant fields, may be included as query parameters. In an embodiment, the resource-specific IEs may be defined for all other resources requiring combined resource retrieval support.

[0079] The consumer NF (208) may transmit the combined request to the UDR (212) to retrieve the multiple policy data in a unified manner by using the GET operation. Upon receiving the combined request from the consumer NF (208), the UDR (212) may parse the included IEs to extract details of the requested policy data. The UDR (212) may then identify the specific types of policy data indicated in the combined request, such as session management policy data, the access and mobility policy data, the UE-specific policy data and so forth. Following this identification, the UDR (212) may query the database (210) to retrieve the corresponding policy data. During the process, the UDR (212) may determine a retrieval status of each requested policy data. The retrieval status may include various checks, such as database availability checks to determine whether the required policy data is present in the database (210), integrity or validity checks to assess whether the retrieved policy data is complete and free from corruption, or if it is incomplete or corrupted, access control or permission checks to verify if the UDR (212) has necessary permissions to access and provide the requestedpolicy data to the consumer NF (208). Based on the retrieval status of each requested policy data, the UDR (212) may generate the response that includes the retrieved policy data for each resource with a successful retrieval HTTP status (e.g., 200 Ok), grouped under distinct fields within a unified response body. In an embodiment, if one or more requested policy data encounter issues (e.g., missing data or internal errors), the UDR (212) may include resource-specific problem details alongside the successfully retrieved policy data. In another embodiment, if all requested policy data result in retrieval failures, the UDR (212) may transmit an error response to the consumer NF (208), including an appropriate HTTP status code along with an aggregated problem report.

[0080] Further, the consumer NF (208) may be configured to receive a response including, for each identified policy data, at least one of a corresponding retrieved policy data and problem detail indicating a retrieval failure. The consumer NF (208) may evaluate the incoming combined request from the consumer NF (208) to generate the response. The UDR (212) may locally handle request parsing, resource evaluation, data aggregation, and error reporting, reducing the need for additional external processing layers and minimizing processing delays, optimizes database access, and facilitates a generation of a unified response containing the retrieved policy data and any associated error diagnostics.

[0081] In an embodiment, the consumer NF (208) may be configured to establish a subscription with the UDR (212) for the plurality of policy data in via combined request. When the consumer NF (208) requires not only current retrieval of policy data, but also subsequent update information associated with one or more identified resources, the consumer NF (208) may include subscription-enabling information in the combined request. Upon receiving the combined request, the UDR (212) may process the request to both retrieve the currently available policy data from the plurality of identified resources and establish the subscription for subsequent notifications or updates associated with one or more of the plurality of policy data. Thus, the same transaction may support immediate retrieval of policy data together with continuity of update handling, avoiding a separate follow-up transaction for subscription establishment. The UDR (212), after establishing the subscription, may maintain subscription context associated with one or more resources identified in the combined request and may subsequently provide update notifications to the consumer NF (208) when a change occurs in the subscribed policy data.

[0082] In some embodiments, the consumer NF (208) may be configured to either retain the retrieved policy data based on one or more local policies of the consumer NF (208) or remove the retrieved policy data based on the one or more local policies. In an embodiment, upon receiving the response from the UDR (212), the consumer NF (208) may process the retrieved policy data based on local policies. In an embodiment, theconsumer NF (208) may determine whether to retain the policy data for continued use or to discard the policy data, once the policy data is no longer relevant. For instance, in scenarios where the PCF manages multiple ongoing sessions for the UE (106), the PCF may select to cache the policy data for subsequent transactions to optimize performance and reduce repeated retrievals. In another scenario, if the PCF detects that the session currently being processed is a last active session of a subscriber, the PCF may decide to purge or clear the related policy data from the memory (204) upon session termination, conserving system resources.

[0083] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram (300) illustrating an interaction flow for consolidated policy data retrieval between the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the consumer NF (208) may be, but not limited to, PCF, NEF, and so forth. Embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the consumer NF (208), including known related art and / or later developed technologies. FIG. 3 is explained in conjunction with the FIGs. 1 and 2.

[0084] The consumer NF (208) may transmit a request (302) to the UDR (212) to retrieve multiple types of policy data using a GET operation by targeting a combined policy data. In an exemplary embodiment, the multiple types of policy data may be, but not limited to, access and mobility policy data, session management policy data, user equipment (UE) policy set, usage monitoring information, operator-specific data, and so forth. The GET operation is used by the consumer NF (208) to retrieve the multiple types of policy data in a single transaction from the UDR (212).

[0085] For example, the PCF needs to retrieve both session management policy data and access and mobility policy data for a specific UE (106). Instead of sending two separate GET requests (i.e., one request for session management and another request for access and mobility management) to the UDR (212), the PCF sends a GET consolidated request (302). The GET request (302) targets the combined policy data for retrieving both types of policy data together. The GET operation ensures that the operation is read-only, meaning no changes are made to the policy data on the UDR (212) as a result of the request (302).

[0086] Upon receiving the combined request (302), the UDR (212) processes the combined request (302) and retrieves necessary policy data from a database (208). The UDR (212), after processing the combined request, generates the response message to be transmitted to the consumer NF (208). For this purpose, the UDR (212) may correlate the plurality of requested resources with corresponding retrieval outcomes and may assemble resource-wise retrieval results into a single consolidated response. The response may include policy data retrieved from one or more requested resources and, for any resource for which retrieval is unsuccessful, corresponding problem detail information. The UDR (212) retrieves policy data from multiple resources in responseto the combined request and generates a unified response message representing retrieval outcomes for the plurality of requested resources. The UDR (212) may transmit a response (304) to the consumer NF (208) with a predefined status code (e.g., status code of 200 OK), indicating a successful execution of the consolidated request (302). The response (304) further includes aggregated policy data corresponding to each of the requested resources within a response payload. The streamlined interaction flow reduces the need for multiple independent API calls, lowering signaling overhead and improving overall network efficiency by optimizing processing loads on both the consumer NF (208) and the UDR (212).

[0087] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method (400) implemented by the system (102) for managing policy data in the network (104), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the method (400) enables a consumer Network Function (NF), such as a Policy Control Function (PCF) or a Network Exposure Function (NEF), to obtain multiple categories of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) from a Unified Data Repository (UDR) through a consolidated retrieval procedure, instead of invoking separate independent retrieval procedures for respective categories of policy data. FIG. 4 is explained in conjunction with the FIGs. 1, 2 and 3.

[0088] At step (402), the method (400) includes determining a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). The determination may arise when the consumer NF requires multiple categories of policy information for policy control, session handling, exposure-related processing, mobility handling, monitoring, or subscriber-specific service enforcement associated with the UE. The consumer NF is at least one of a Policy Control Function (PCF) and a Network Exposure Function (NEF). The plurality of policy data includes an access and mobility policy data, a session management policy data, a UE policy data, a usage monitoring information, sponsor connectivity data, Bdt data, Individual Bdt data, Policy Data Subscriptions, Individual Policy Data Subscription, Plmn Ue Policy Set, Policy Data For Individual Ue, Slice Policy Control Data, MBS Session Policy Control Data, Pdtq Data, Individual Pdtq Data, Group Policy Control Data, and operator-specific data.

[0089] In an exemplary embodiment, the consumer NF may require access and mobility policy data together with policy data for individual UE and operator-specific data associated with the UE. The consumer NF may identify the categories in the combined request, and the UDR may retrieve corresponding data from respective resources and return a consolidated response to the consumer NF. Further, the policy data belonging to different policy-control contexts may be obtained in a unified retrieval procedure.

[0090] In an embodiment, the determination may be performed by the consumer NF after selection or instantiation of the consumer NF for handling one or more policy-related procedures associated with a UE and before transmission of the combined request to the UDR. The consumer NF may determine that a plurality of policy data is to be retrieved when the consumer NF identifies that multiple policy-control functions or services associated with the UE are to be handled by the same consumer NF instance. By way of example, such determination may occur when a same PCF is selected for an individual subscriber, when same-PCF selection is enabled in the network for multiple procedures associated with the UE, and when a single PCF instance supports multiple services requiring different categories of policy data. Based on such determination, the consumer NF may generate and transmit a combined request for retrieving policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR.

[0091] At step (404), the method (400) includes transmitting a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR. The request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR. The combined request includes one or more Information Elements (IES) including at least one of a subscriber identifier, a UE identifier, one or more resource identifiers identifying the plurality of policy data and supported-features information and, for each identified policy data, the combined request includes a corresponding set of one or more resource-specific IEs associated with retrieval of the policy data from the UDR. Further, the UDR processes the combined request by retrieving the plurality of policy data identified in the combined request from the plurality of resources at the UDR. For example, where session management policy data is requested, the corresponding resource-specific IEs may include session-related query parameters such as slice information, data network information, or other parameters relevant to that category of policy data. Thus, the combined request not only identifies multiple policy-data types to be retrieved but also preserves individual retrieval context for each requested policy-data type.

[0092] Upon receiving the combined request, the UDR processes the request by identifying the plurality of resources indicated therein and retrieving the corresponding plurality of policy data from the plurality of resources at the UDR. Further, the UDR performs a consolidated retrieval operation based on a single received transaction from the consumer NF, rather than requiring separate independent requests for each category of policy data. Further, the consumer NF may receive a response including, for each identified policy data, at least one of a corresponding retrieved policy data and problem detail indicating a retrieval failure.

[0093] In another embodiment, upon receiving the combined request, the UDR identifies the plurality of policy data to be retrieved based on the one or more resource identifiers and any corresponding resource-specific information elements included inthe combined request. The UDR then retrieves each of the plurality of policy data from a plurality of corresponding resources maintained at the UDR. After retrieval, the UDR generates a response including retrieved policy data corresponding to one or more of the plurality of resources and transmits the response to the consumer NF. In an embodiment, for any resource for which retrieval is unsuccessful, the response may further include corresponding problem detail information

[0094] In an embodiment, the method (400) further includes establishing a subscription with the UDR for the plurality of policy data in via combined request. The subscription may be useful where the consumer NF requires not only current policydata retrieval, but also subsequent updates or notifications associated with one or more of the requested policy-data categories. The same combined procedure may support both immediate retrieval and continuity of policy-data update handling. In an exemplary embodiment, the PCF may require session management policy data and usage monitoring information associated with a UE (106). The PCF may transmit a combined request to the UDR (212) for retrieving both categories of policy data and may, in the same transaction, establish a subscription for subsequent updates associated with one or more of the categories of policy data. Accordingly, if the session management policy data or the usage monitoring information is changed after initial retrieval, the UDR (212) may notify the PCF based on the established subscription.

[0095] In some embodiments, the method (400) includes retaining the retrieved policy data based on one or more local policies of the consumer NF or removing the retrieved policy data based on the one or more local policies. For example, the consumer NF may retain the retrieved policy data for subsequent policy-control decisions, reuse during an active session, or continuity of service handling. Conversely, the consumer NF may remove or purge the retrieved policy data when the policy data is no longer required, when a relevant session is terminated, or when local storage and lifecycle policies indicate that the retrieved policy data should be discarded.

[0096] In an embodiment, the consumer NF may, upon receipt of policy data retrieved from the plurality of resources, apply one or more local policies to determine whether the retrieved policy data is to be retained or removed. The one or more local policies may correspond to cache-control policies, session-lifecycle policies, service continuity policies, memory-management policies, update-replacement policies, or validity conditions maintained at the consumer NF. Accordingly, the consumer NF may retain the retrieved policy data for reuse during an ongoing session, for subsequent policy decisions associated with the UE, or for avoiding repeated retrieval of policy data from the UDR. Further, the consumer NF may remove or purge the retrieved policy data when the policy data becomes irrelevant to an active procedure, when a last active session associated with the UE is terminated, when the retained policy data issuperseded by newly retrieved policy data, or when local policy indicates expiry or deletion of the retained policy data.

[0097] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary computer system (500) in which or with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. 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 (560), and a processor (570). A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system (500) may include more than one processor (570) and communication ports (560). Processor (570) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0098] In an embodiment, the communication port (560) may be any of an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based 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 port (560) may be chosen depending on a network (104), such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system (500) connects.

[0099] In an embodiment, the memory (530) may be Random Access Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. Read-only memory (540) may be any static storage device(s) e.g., but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static information e.g., start-up or Basic Input / Output System (BIOS) instructions for the processor (570).

[0100] In an embodiment, the mass storage device (550) may be any current or future mass storage solution, which may be used to store information and / or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and / or Firewire interfaces), one or more optical discs, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage, e.g., an array of disks (e.g., SATA arrays).

[0101] In an embodiment, the bus (520) communicatively couples 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).

[0102] Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, joystick, and a 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 may be provided through network connections connectedthrough the communication port (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.

[0103] In an embodiment, a method for managing policy data in a network is described. The method includes determining a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). Further, the method further includes transmitting a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR. The request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR.

[0104] In another embodiment, a system for managing policy data in a network is described. The system includes a consumer Network Function (NF) configured to determine a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). The consumer NF is configured to transmit a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR. The request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR.

[0105] In yet another embodiment, a computer program product including a non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to execute a method for managing policy data in a network is disclosed. The method includes determining a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). Further, the method includes transmitting a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR. The request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR.

[0106] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is determined by the claims that follow. The present disclosure 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 present disclosure when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

[0107] The method and system of the present disclosure may be implemented in a number of ways. For example, the methods and systems of the present disclosure may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order for the steps of the method is for illustration only, and the steps of the method of the present disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above unless specifically stated otherwise. Further,in some embodiments, the present disclosure may also be embodied as programs recorded in a recording medium, the programs including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure also covers a recording medium storing a program for executing the method according to the present disclosure.

[0108] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on 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 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 implemented merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

[0109] The present disclosure provides a system and a method for managing multiresource policy data transactions in a network. By consolidating multiple policy data requests into a single transaction using a combined policy data, the system reduces signaling overhead on service-based interfaces between a consumer NF (PCF, NEF) and the UDR.

[0110] The present disclosure provides a system and a method for optimizing the overall number of transactions initiated by the consumer NF towards the UDR for retrieving policy data, thereby improving network efficiency and reducing a processing burden on both the consumer NF and the UDR.

[0111] The present disclosure enhances operational efficiency by enabling a consumer NF to retrieve multiple types of policy data (e.g., mobility, session management) through a single request, instead of issuing multiple independent transactions. This minimizes latency, simplifies processing for both the consumer NF and UDR, and enhances resource utilization.

[0112] The present disclosure improves scalability and fault tolerance by delivering available policy data despite partial errors, reducing transaction failures and enhancing reliability for large-scale networks.

Claims

CLAIMSWe Claim:

1. A method (400) for managing policy data in a network (104), the method (400) comprising:determining (402), by a consumer Network Function (NF) (208), a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) (106) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR) (212); andtransmitting (404), by the consumer NF (208), a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR (212), wherein the request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR (212).

2. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the consumer NF (208) is at least one of a Policy Control Function (PCF) and a Network Exposure Function (NEF).

3. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:establishing, by the consumer NF (208), a subscription with the UDR (212) for the plurality of policy data in via combined request.

4. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the combined request comprises one or more Information Elements (IES) comprising at least one of a subscriber identifier, a UE identifier, one or more resource identifiers identifying the plurality of policy data and supported features information, and wherein, for each identified policy data, the combined request comprises a corresponding set of one or more resourcespecific IEs associated with retrieval of the policy data from the UDR (212).

5. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UDR (212) processes the combined request by retrieving the plurality of policy data identified in the combined request from the plurality of resources at the UDR (212).

6. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:receiving, by the consumer NF (208), a response comprising, for each identified policy data, at least one of a corresponding retrieved policy data and problem detail indicating a retrieval failure.

7. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of policy data comprises an access and mobility policy data, a session management policy data, a UE (106) policy data, a usage monitoring information, sponsor connectivity data, Bdt data,Individual Bdt data, Policy Data Subscriptions, Individual Policy Data Subscription, Plmn Ue Policy Set, Policy Data For Individual Ue, Slice Policy Control Data, MBS Session Policy Control Data, Pdtq Data, Individual Pdtq Data, Group Policy Control Data, and operator-specific data.

8. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, at least one of:retaining, by the consumer NF (208), the retrieved policy data based on one or more local policies of the consumer NF (208); andremoving, by the consumer NF (208), the retrieved policy data based on the one or more local policies.

9. A system (102) for managing policy data in a network (104), the system (104) comprising:a consumer Network Function (NF) (208) configured to:determine a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) (106) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR) (212); andtransmit a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR (212), wherein the request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR (212).

10. A system (102) for managing policy data in a network (104), the system (102) comprising:a Unified Data Repository (UDR) (212) configured to:identify the plurality of policy data based on the combined request; retrieve each of the plurality of policy data from the plurality of resources;generate a response comprising each of the plurality of retrieved policy data corresponding to one or more of the plurality of resources; and transmit the response to the consumer NF (212).

11. The system (102) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the consumer NF (212) is at least one of a Policy Control Function (PCF) and a Network Exposure Function (NEF).

12. The system (102) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the consumer NF (212) is configured to establish a subscription with the UDR (212) for the plurality of policy data in the same transaction as the combined request.

13. The system (102) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the combined request comprises one or more Information Elements (IES) comprising at least one of a subscriber identifier, a UE identifier, one or more resource identifiers identifying the plurality of policy data and supported-features information, and wherein, for each identified policy data, the combined request comprises a corresponding set of one or more resourcespecific IEs associated with retrieval of the policy data from the UDR (212).

14. The system (102) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the UDR (212) processes the combined request by retrieving the plurality of policy data identified in the combined request from the plurality of resources.

15. The system (102) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the consumer NF (208) is configured to receive a response comprising, for each identified policy data, at least one of a corresponding retrieved policy data and problem detail indicating a retrieval failure.

16. The system (102) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of policy data comprises an access and mobility policy data, a session management policy data, a UE policy data, a usage monitoring information, sponsor connectivity data, Bdt data, Individual Bdt data, Policy Data Subscriptions, Individual Policy Data Subscription, Plmn Ue Policy Set, Policy Data For Individual Ue, Slice Policy Control Data, MBS Session Policy Control Data, Pdtq Data, Individual Pdtq Data, Group Policy Control Data, and operator-specific data.

17. The system (102) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the consumer NF (208) is configured to, at least one of:retain the retrieved policy data based on one or more local policies of the consumer NF (208); andremove the retrieved policy data based on the one or more local policies.

18. 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 managing policy data in a network (104), the method (400) comprising:determining (402), by a consumer Network Function (NF) (208), a plurality of policy data associated with a User Equipment (UE) (106) is required to retrieve from a Unified Data Repository (UDR) (212); andtransmitting (404), by the consumer NF (208), a request for retrieving the plurality of policy data in a single transaction to the UDR (212), wherein the request is a combined request to receive the plurality of policy data from a plurality of resources at the UDR (212).

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