Dynamic Application Group Membership in 5G Policy Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The 5G mobile communication system lacks a mechanism for the Policy Control Function (PCF) to be aware of dynamic changes in user equipment (UE) group membership, leading to inadequate handling of update policies and service procedures related to UE subscriptions in application groups.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)/Session Management Function (SMF) reporting changes in group identifiers to the PCF and the PCF subscribing to Unified Data Repository (UDR) for notifications, along with the Application Function (AF) indicating group membership through Northbound APIs, allowing the Network Exposure Function (NEF) to determine control between itself and Unified Data Management (UDM) for group management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the PCF does not implement a mechanism to be aware of dynamic UE group membership changes, then the system architecture remains simple, but the policy control functionality becomes inadequate and cannot properly handle update policies for UEs in application groups
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the PCF subscribes to group membership information from the UDR and receives notifications when UE group membership changes. This allows the PCF to dynamically update its policy control decisions based on current group membership status, resolving the contradiction by enabling reliable policy control through structured feedback loops without fundamentally altering the core architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The PCF proactively subscribes to group membership information in advance from the UDR before any changes occur. This preliminary action ensures that when UEs join or leave application groups, the PCF already has the subscription in place and can immediately receive notifications and update policies, eliminating the need for complex event-driven architecture while maintaining reliable policy control
2Reliability
If the PCF subscribes to UDR for group membership notifications and AMF/SMF report changes to PCF, then the PCF can apply updated policies to UEs in application groups, but the complexity of inter-function communication and coordination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages existing multi-functional network elements: the PCF serves both as a policy decision point and a subscriber to group membership changes; the UDR serves both as a data repository and a notification source; the AMF/SMF serve both as session managers and as reporters of group changes. This universal usage of existing elements enables reliable policy updates without adding dedicated communication infrastructure, thus avoiding excessive complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If the AF indicates group membership through Northbound APIs with NEF determining control, then the AF can fully control UE membership in application groups, but the complexity of group management and control determination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the NEF as an intermediary between the AF and the group management functions. The NEF receives group membership indications from the AF through Northbound APIs, determines whether the AF or network should control the group, and coordinates the appropriate actions. This intermediary approach enables full AF control capability while avoiding direct complex interactions between AF and multiple network functions, as the NEF centralizes the control determination logic
Data Source
AI summary
The embodiments herein relate to methods, network functions, and computer readable medium for handling dynamic group membership for an application group in a mobile communication system. In one embodiment, there proposes a method performed by a network function implementing a policy control function, comprising: receiving, from a network function implementing a terminal management function and/or a network function implementing a data repository function, a notification message indicating one or more changed application groups, wherein the notification message comprises one or more internal group identifiers each of which identifies respective one of the one or more changed application groups. With embodiments herein, it enables the PCF to properly handle all the service procedures that are related to the UE subscription to respective application groups.