Data Store Timer Management for Stateless Network Functions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems lack an efficient mechanism for managing timers associated with stateless or state-efficient consumer network functions, leading to inefficiencies in timer expiration notifications and resource management within unstructured data storage functions.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a data store apparatus and method that allows for the explicit storage, monitoring, and notification of timers, including autonomous and record-attached timers, within a unified resource structure, enabling efficient timer management and notifications upon expiration or change.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If periodic polling is used to check timer status, then timer monitoring can be performed, but network efficiency deteriorates due to unnecessary periodic requests
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the consumer network function periodically polling the data store apparatus to check timer status, the system inverts the notification direction by having the data store apparatus actively notify the consumer network function when timer triggers occur. This eliminates unnecessary periodic polling requests while ensuring timely timer status updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the data store apparatus monitors timer status and automatically sends notifications to the consumer network function when predefined trigger conditions are met. This feedback loop ensures reliable timer monitoring without requiring continuous polling, thereby improving network efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If timer management is distributed across multiple network functions, then network function autonomy is maintained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts timer management functionality from the consumer network function and centralizes it in the data store apparatus. The consumer network function only needs to store timer parameters and receive notifications, while the data store apparatus handles timer monitoring and trigger detection. This separation reduces system complexity while maintaining network function autonomy through standardized interfaces.
3Measurement precision
If timer notifications are sent immediately upon trigger, then timer accuracy is improved, but network traffic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing timer subscriptions and trigger conditions in advance. The data store apparatus monitors timer status proactively and only generates notifications when predefined trigger conditions are met, rather than continuously querying or sending unnecessary updates. This approach ensures accurate timer notifications while minimizing network traffic.
Data Source
AI summary
A data store apparatus comprises means for: storing in one or more timer stores of the data store apparatus one or more timers, said timers being associated with data used by a stateless or state efficient consumer network function; monitoring said one or more timers; and in response to a trigger associated with a first timer of the one or more timers causing a notification to be sent to a consumer network function of the first timer.