5G Remote PLMN Capability Sharing for Delegated NF Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 5G communication networks face challenges in service discovery and routing during roaming scenarios due to mismatched deployment models between visitor and home networks, leading to delayed service requests and failures, as well as the need for home networks to maintain deployment secrecy and apply consistent policies across domains.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for delegating service discovery and routing from a first PLMN to a second PLMN, involving capability detail requests, negotiation of deployment models, and utilizing a delegation and routing module to perform service discovery and routing within the home network, ensuring consistent policies and hiding sensitive information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If service discovery and routing are handled internally at the visitor network, then service requests can be processed without revealing home network deployment information, but routing delays increase and service response times are slower
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Service Communications Proxy (SCP) as an intermediary component that mediates between the visitor network and home network. The SCP receives service requests from visitor network functions, performs service discovery and routing decisions, and forwards requests to appropriate home network functions. This intermediary architecture allows the visitor network to handle service discovery internally without directly exposing home network deployment details, while the SCP's intelligent routing capabilities reduce delays by making optimized routing decisions rather than relying on slower traditional routing methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary service discovery and capability negotiation between networks before actual service requests are processed. The SCP and home network functions exchange capability information and establish routing policies in advance. This preliminary action allows the system to have pre-configured routing paths and service mappings ready, so when service requests arrive, they can be quickly routed without real-time discovery delays, thus reducing service response time while maintaining security
2Adaptability or versatility
If the home network performs discovery and selection of producer NFs, then consistent policies can be applied across all domains and deployment information remains secret, but the system complexity increases due to inter-network capability negotiation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of capability negotiation by standardizing the information exchange format and scope. Instead of complex, ad-hoc negotiations for each service request, the system uses predefined capability parameters that networks exchange once during initialization or registration. The SCP and home network functions negotiate specific parameters such as supported service types, deployment model indicators, and routing capabilities. This parameter-based approach reduces the overall system complexity while enabling the home network to maintain consistent discovery and selection policies across all visitor networks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal capability negotiation framework that can handle multiple service types and deployment scenarios through a single standardized interface. The SCP is designed with multi-functional capabilities to work with different home network deployment models (centralized, distributed, hybrid) without requiring separate negotiation mechanisms for each. This universal approach allows the home network to apply consistent discovery and selection policies across all domains while reducing the complexity of implementing multiple specialized negotiation protocols
3Speed
If alternate NF selection and rerouting are performed in the visitor network only, then routing decisions can be made quickly, but routing failures occur when deployment models mismatch between networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the SCP monitors routing outcomes and communicates with home network functions to learn from successful and failed routing attempts. When the SCP encounters a routing failure due to deployment model mismatch, it receives feedback from the home network about the actual deployment capabilities. This feedback is used to update routing tables and adjust routing strategies, enabling the SCP to make faster and more reliable routing decisions in the future. The feedback loop continuously improves routing accuracy while maintaining fast decision-making speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic routing capabilities where the SCP can adapt its routing behavior based on real-time network conditions and deployment model compatibility. Instead of static routing rules, the system dynamically adjusts routing paths by evaluating deployment model indicators exchanged between networks. When a mismatch is detected, the SCP dynamically selects alternative routing strategies or modifies service requests to be compatible with the target network's deployment model. This dynamic approach maintains fast routing speeds while significantly improving routing success rates by avoiding incompatible paths
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to systems and methods for remote mobile network capability sharing, and delegation of service discovery and selection to the remote mobile network, such as from a visited or roaming network to a home network. A first public land mobile network (PLMN) system may send, via a local network repository function (NRF), a request for capability details of a second PLMN, the capability details including an ability of the second PLMN to handle delegated service discovery and selection. The first PLMN may receive the capability details, and send, from the first PLMN to the second PLMN, a delegated discovery and network function (NF) selection request directing a service communications proxy (SCP) of the second PLMN to determine a producer NF of the second PLMN to process a service request from a consumer NF of the first PLMN.