AMF-UPF Interface for Infrequent Small Data Transmission
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current telecommunication systems face challenges in efficiently supporting infrequent small data transmissions, particularly for low complexity and power-constrained Cellular Internet of Things (CIoT) devices in 5G systems, which require resource-efficient signaling and reduced power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced that involves encapsulating infrequent small data in Non-Access Stratum (NAS) packet data units (PDUs) and transmitting them through a new interface between the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and the User Plane Function (UPF), allowing for efficient data routing and tunnel establishment, thereby reducing system signaling load and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional data transmission methods are used for CIoT devices, then the data can be transmitted reliably, but the signaling load and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data transmission function from the traditional control plane signaling path and creates a direct user plane interface between AMF and UPF. This allows small data to be transmitted directly without going through multiple intermediate nodes (SMF, NGAP, etc.), thereby reducing signaling load and power consumption while maintaining reliable delivery through established tunneling mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a direct interface between AMF and UPF as an intermediary path for small data transmission. This new interface acts as a dedicated mediator that bypasses the complex traditional path, reducing the number of processing steps and intermediate transformations while ensuring reliable transmission through integrated security and tunneling management.
2Reliability
If traditional data transmission methods are used for CIoT devices, then the data can be transmitted securely, but the system complexity and signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the security management function from the traditional multi-node control plane and consolidates it into the direct AMF-UPF interface. By taking out the security establishment and tunneling management from the complex traditional path and placing it directly at the user plane interface, the system maintains strong security while reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If infrequent small data is transmitted using traditional methods, then the data delivery is reliable, but the resource efficiency and transmission speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a direct continuous path between AMF and UPF for small data transmission, eliminating the need to repeatedly establish and tear down complex control plane sessions for each small data transmission. This continuous direct interface maintains reliable data delivery while significantly improving resource efficiency by avoiding repeated setup overhead.
4Use of energy by moving object
If a direct interface between AMF and UPF is created for small data transmission, then the signaling load and power consumption are reduced, but the system architecture complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the direct AMF-UPF interface to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it handles small data transmission, manages security contexts, establishes GTP tunnels, and supports both uplink and downlink traffic. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated mechanisms for each function, thereby reducing overall system architecture complexity despite adding a new interface.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A method of performing communication in a telecommunication system including a user equipment (20), a radio access network (30), an access and mobility management function (40) and a user plane function (60), comprises the steps of: -at the access and mobility management function (40), receiving from the user equipment (20) a NAS packet data unit, PDU, carrying uplink data, wherein the uplink data includes infrequent small data; -at the access and mobility management function (40), after receiving the NAS message from the user equipment, transmitting the uplink data to the user plane function (60).