Abstraction and Forwarding Function for 5G-Legacy Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication networks face challenges in supporting end-to-end communication services across 3GPP 5G and legacy subnetworks, as well as non-3GPP systems, due to the need for modularization, interaction, and coordination between different management systems, which is essential for efficient service management and cost reduction in transitioning to 5G technology.
Innovation Solution
A network function, referred to as the Abstraction and Forwarding Function (AFF), is introduced to enable modularized 3GPP 5G management systems to interact and coordinate with 3GPP legacy and non-3GPP systems, providing abstraction and forwarding functionalities to support end-to-end communication services with or without network slices, by selecting and forwarding service requests based on load balancing, latency, and quality of service requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If modularized 3GPP 5G management systems are deployed to support end-to-end communication services, then service management efficiency and adaptability are improved, but system complexity and coordination difficulty increase due to interaction requirements between multiple management systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Network Function as an intermediary component that mediates between the modularized 3GPP 5G management system and legacy/non-3GPP systems. This Network Function handles the interaction protocols, translation, and coordination between different management systems, thereby reducing the coordination complexity for the core 5G system while maintaining adaptability across heterogeneous networks.
2Ease of manufacture
If legacy 3GPP systems are reused to reduce capital expenditure, then cost efficiency is improved, but integration complexity and operational difficulty increase when interacting with modularized 5G systems
Solution Approach 1:
The Network Function serves as a bridge between legacy systems and modularized 5G systems, handling protocol translation, interface management, and operational coordination. This intermediary approach allows legacy systems to be reused for cost efficiency while the Network Function absorbs the integration complexity, presenting a unified interface to operational systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the management system into modularized 5G management functions and legacy systems, with the Network Function acting as a separate coordination layer. This segmentation allows legacy systems to be reused independently while the modularized 5G system maintains its flexibility, and the Network Function handles the integration overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple management systems are coordinated to support end-to-end services across heterogeneous networks, then service coverage and versatility are improved, but communication overhead and coordination time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The Network Function acts as a pre-configured intermediary that maintains established communication protocols and coordination mechanisms with multiple management systems. By caching coordination information and maintaining stateful connections, the Network Function reduces real-time coordination overhead while preserving comprehensive service coverage across heterogeneous networks.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a network function (401) for supporting end-to-end communication services with and/or without network slices in a communication network (400), wherein the communication network (400) comprises a first management system (403) for managing a 3 GPP 5G subnetwork of the communication network (400) and a second management system (405) for managing a 3 GPP legacy subnetwork and/or a non-3 GPP subnetwork of the communication network (400), wherein the network function (401) is configured to provide an interface between the first management system (403) and the second management system (405), wherein the first management system (403) and/or the second management system (405) comprises a plurality of network management functions and/or network management function instances and wherein the network function (401) is configured to select one or more of the plurality of network management functions and/or network management function instances in response to a service request on the basis of a load balancing requirement, a minimum latency requirement defined by the service request and/or a quality of service requirement defined by the service request.