5G Access Gateway Local Breakout With Dual-Path UPF Failover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current techniques for handling unreachable and/or inoperable User Plane Functions (UPFs) in 5G wireless wireline convergence result in significant traffic disruption, resource consumption, and inefficient multicast data delivery due to the reliance on network-level solutions that are slow and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A network device, such as an Access Gateway Function (AGF), enables local breakout for subscriber devices by creating dual paths - a primary path to a UPF and a secondary path directly to the data network, allowing selective traffic routing based on UPF availability, thereby reducing resource consumption and enhancing multicast data delivery efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network-level solutions are used to handle unreachable UPFs, then centralized control is maintained, but traffic disruption increases and failover speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the failover process into local decisions at the access gateway and distributed path selection. Instead of centralized control, each access gateway independently monitors UPF reachability and selects alternative paths locally, enabling faster failover without waiting for network-wide coordination. This segmentation reduces traffic disruption by immediately activating backup paths when primary UPFs become unreachable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing multiple paths (primary and secondary) to different UPFs before any failure occurs. The access gateway maintains readiness to switch paths instantly when the primary UPF becomes unreachable, eliminating detection and decision delays. This preliminary path preparation enables sub-second failover speeds while maintaining continuous service availability.
2Reliability
If network-level solutions are used to handle unreachable UPFs, then centralized management is maintained, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling access gateways to autonomously monitor UPF reachability and make failover decisions without requiring continuous centralized management. The access gateway independently detects unreachable UPFs, selects alternative paths from pre-configured options, and executes path switching locally. This self-service approach reduces the computational burden on centralized controllers and network management systems while maintaining service continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by making failover decisions and path selection specific to each access gateway's local conditions. Each gateway monitors its own UPF connectivity status and selects alternative paths based on local network topology and availability. This localized approach reduces the scope of resource-intensive network-wide processing and enables efficient, context-aware failover without consuming excessive centralized resources.
3Device complexity
If single path to UPF is used, then network simplicity is maintained, but multicast data delivery efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single multicast data path into multiple parallel paths to different UPFs. The access gateway can simultaneously establish primary and secondary paths, allowing multicast data to be delivered through multiple routes concurrently. This segmentation improves delivery efficiency by enabling load balancing, redundancy, and faster failover without requiring complex centralized coordination - each segment operates independently with simple local management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing multiple multicast data paths to different UPFs before any failure or optimization need arises. The access gateway maintains readiness to switch between paths instantly, enabling efficient multicast delivery through load balancing and redundancy. This preliminary multi-path setup improves productivity without adding operational complexity, as the paths are prepared in advance through simple configuration rather than dynamic complex management.
Data Source
AI summary
A network device may enable local breakout for a subscriber device, and may create, for the subscriber device, a primary path to a data network via a user plane function. The network device may create, for the subscriber device, a secondary path direct to the data network and based on the local breakout being enabled, and may determine whether a connection with the user plane function is available. The network device may selectively provide traffic between the subscriber device and the data network via the primary path based on determining that the connection with the user plane function is available, or may provide the traffic between the subscriber device and the data network via the secondary path based on determining that the connection with the user plane function is unavailable.