5G Roaming NF Selection Using PLMN-Specific SMF and UPF Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G roaming architectures face challenges in selecting Session Management Functions (SMFs) and User Plane Functions (UPFs) that are specific to a particular Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), leading to concerns about reliability and latency, especially in Home Routed (HR) architectures.
Innovation Solution
Enhancements are introduced to include PLMN-specific information in SMF and UPF profiles registered with the Network Repository Function (NRF), allowing for the selection of topologically closest H-UPFs and dedicated SMFs based on PLMN support, using enhanced attributes like PlmnRangeList and UpfLocality to ensure optimized network function selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Home Routed (HR) architecture is used for 5G roaming, then control and monitoring of data traffic is maintained, but latency increases due to routing through home network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network function selection by creating separate SMF and UPF profiles for different PLMNs. This segmentation allows the system to maintain control through home network routing for some traffic while enabling direct local breakout for other traffic, thus reducing latency for time-sensitive applications while preserving control for other traffic types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by enabling Local Breakout (LBO) architecture where UPFs are deployed locally in visited networks. This allows data traffic to be routed directly through local UPFs without returning to the home network, providing low-latency access for local services while maintaining HR architecture for traffic that requires home network control and monitoring.
2Loss of time
If Local Breakout (LBO) architecture is used for 5G roaming, then latency is reduced by direct local access, but reliability concerns arise from loss of home network control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic architecture selection by introducing PLMN-specific SMF and UPF profiles that enable the system to dynamically choose between HR and LBO architectures based on traffic requirements, service type, and network conditions. This dynamic approach allows low-latency LBO for appropriate traffic while maintaining controlled HR for traffic requiring home network oversight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal NF selection mechanism that can handle both HR and LBO architectures through a unified profile-based selection framework. The enhanced SMF and UPF profiles with PLMN support information allow the same selection infrastructure to serve multiple architectural approaches, providing both low-latency direct access and controlled routing through a single system.
3Productivity
If PLMN-specific SMF and UPF selection is implemented, then network function selection is optimized, but system complexity increases due to enhanced profiles and attributes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring SMF and UPF profiles with PLMN support information, supported PLMN lists, and locality data before NF selection is needed. This advance preparation enables rapid NF selection during roaming by simply matching the visited PLMN against pre-stored profile information, avoiding complex real-time analysis and reducing selection latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the Network Repository Function (NRF) as an intermediary that manages the enhanced SMF and UPF profiles. The NRF stores and provides NF profiles containing PLMN-specific information to the NF selector, which then performs simplified matching based on visited PLMN. This intermediary approach centralizes the complexity of profile management while keeping the selection logic itself relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium provide an optimized network function (NF) selection service for roaming. A first network device in a home network receives, from a second network device, a first discovery message, the first discovery message including a visited network identifier for a roaming session. The first network device matches the visited network identifier to a network identifier in a Session Management Function (SMF) profile. The first network device sends, to the second network device, a first identifier for a home SMF for the roaming session based on the visited network identifier.