Base Station Edge Offloading Using User Plane Instance Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deployment of UPF sink solutions for 5G wireless technology in toB industry applications is hindered by high deployment costs, complex resource acquisition processes, and incompatibility with existing 5GC systems due to decoupling issues.
Innovation Solution
A local edge offloading method and system that utilizes an offloading service apparatus and base station to establish user plane instances based on bearer information, perform tunnel encapsulation and de-encapsulation, and match data packages with offloading rules to forward them to either a core network or local server, reducing the need for additional hardware and simplifying resource acquisition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UPF sink solution is deployed with independent hardware, then local edge offloading function is achieved, but deployment costs increase and resource acquisition process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the UPF sink solution with existing base station infrastructure, merging the edge offloading function into the base station's existing hardware and software architecture. This eliminates the need for separate independent hardware deployment while achieving the same local edge offloading capability, thereby reducing deployment complexity and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station is designed to perform multiple functions including both traditional core network connectivity and local edge offloading. By making the base station universal and multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for dedicated UPF hardware, allowing the same infrastructure to serve multiple purposes and reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If UPF sink solution is deployed with independent hardware, then local edge offloading function is achieved, but deployment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the UPF sink solution with existing base station infrastructure, combining edge offloading capabilities with already-deployed hardware. This eliminates the need to purchase and deploy separate independent hardware, directly reducing deployment costs while maintaining the local edge offloading function.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of deploying physical UPF hardware, the patent uses virtualization to create a virtual copy of the UPF function within the base station's existing hardware environment. This virtual instantiation eliminates the need for additional physical hardware purchases, significantly reducing deployment costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If UPF from other manufacturers is deployed, then service coverage is expanded, but compatibility with 5GC is lost due to decoupling issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the UPF function directly into the base station architecture, eliminating the separate UPF component that causes manufacturer-specific compatibility issues. By combining these functions at the base station level, the system achieves vendor-agnostic compatibility with 5GC while maintaining expanded service coverage capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a local edge offloading method and system, and an offloading service apparatus and a base station. The local edge offloading method includes: an offloading service receiving user plane bearer information sent from a base station, and establishing an offloading user plane instance according to the user plane bearer information; upon reception of an uplink data service package sent from the base station, the offloading service determining whether there is a corresponding offloading user plane instance for the uplink data service package; and in a case where there is a corresponding offloading user plane instance in the uplink data service package, matching the uplink data service package with an offloading matching rule, and determining to forward the uplink data service package to a core network or a local server.