Application Context Migration with Direct EES Coordination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing application relocation methods through third parties cause service delays or interruptions, particularly for applications with high service continuity requirements, due to the inability of source and target application instances in different edge data networks to directly communicate.

Innovation Solution

Implementing direct interaction between source and target edge enabler servers (EES) to facilitate application relocation, reducing delays by synchronizing the process and determining suitable target instances based on capability and requirement information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If application context is relocated through a third party (application client), then communication between source and target application instances is enabled, but service delay increases and service continuity is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice continuityVSAvoidrelocation delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an edge enabler server as a mediator that enables direct communication between source and target application instances. The edge enabler server receives relocation requests from the source application instance, selects appropriate target instances, and facilitates direct context transfer without requiring the application client as an intermediary, thereby reducing delay while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The edge enabler server performs preliminary actions by pre-selecting candidate target application instances based on capability and requirement information before the actual relocation occurs. This preliminary selection and preparation of target instances enables faster, synchronous relocation execution, reducing the overall relocation delay while ensuring service continuity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If source and target application instances in different edge data networks interact directly, then relocation efficiency is improved, but complex communication protocols are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverelocation efficiencyVSAvoidcommunication protocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the relocation process into distinct phases: capability information exchange, requirement information exchange, and actual context relocation. The edge enabler server handles each phase separately, managing communication complexity through structured segmentation while maintaining high relocation efficiency through direct instance interaction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the edge enabler server receives capability information from candidate target instances and requirement information from the source application instance, then uses this feedback to make informed selection decisions. This feedback loop enables efficient direct interaction while managing protocol complexity through iterative communication

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3993347B1Application migration
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3993347B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3993347B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3993347B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

This application discloses an application relocation method and apparatus, to reduce an application context relocation delay. The method is: A source edge enabler server EES sends a first message to a target EES, where the first message is used to request to relocate an application of a terminal apparatus, and the first message includes an identifier of the terminal apparatus and an identifier of the application; and the source EES receives a second message from the target EES, where the second message is a response message of the first message, and the second message is used to indicate whether relocation of the application of the terminal apparatus is allowed.