Edge Dual Deployment Framework for MEC Interoperability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Multi-Access Edge Cloud (MEC) systems face challenges in integrating mobility and dynamically launched services, particularly in complex mobility settings, with limitations in orchestration, resource management, and security, especially when enabling edge applications to connect with both ETSI MEC and 3GPP Edge Enabler Server platforms and consume their respective APIs.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a framework for Edge Dual Deployment (EDD) that allows edge applications to be connected to both ETSI MEC and 3GPP platforms, enabling dual registration, update, and de-registration mechanisms, ensuring interoperability and single app registration across both standards, through specific reference points and data structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If edge applications are registered separately with both ETSI MEC and 3GPP platforms, then compatibility with both standards is achieved, but system complexity and deployment difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with both ETSI MEC and 3GPP standardsVSAvoidsystem complexity and deployment difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines two separate registration procedures (ETSI MEC and 3GPP) into a single unified registration process. The edge application registers once with the EES, which then handles synchronization with the MEC platform, eliminating the need for separate registrations and reducing system complexity while maintaining compatibility with both standards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The EES is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as both a 3GPP Edge Application Server and an ETSI MEC platform interface. This multi-functional design allows a single system to support both standards, reducing deployment complexity while maintaining broad adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If separate registration mechanisms are used for ETSI MEC and 3GPP platforms, then standard-specific requirements are met, but orchestration and resource management become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestandard compliance and requirement fulfillmentVSAvoidorchestration and resource management

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The EES serves as an intermediary between the edge application and the MEC platform. It receives registration requests from the edge application, processes them according to 3GPP requirements, and then synchronizes with the MEC platform to ensure ETSI compliance. This intermediary approach maintains reliability for both standards while simplifying orchestration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary synchronization between the EES and MEC platform during the registration phase. By establishing the preferred registration system and pre-synchronizing data structures beforehand, the system ensures both standard requirements are met while making subsequent resource management easier.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If dual deployment framework is implemented to enable single app registration, then market fragmentation is reduced and adoption costs decrease, but integration complexity between platforms increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadoption cost and market accessibilityVSAvoidintegration complexity between platforms

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the integration complexity by separating the registration logic into distinct modules: the EES handles 3GPP-specific processing while the MEC platform handles ETSI-specific processing. The segmentation is managed through standardized data structures and interfaces, reducing overall integration complexity while enabling single registration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses parameter changes in data structures to accommodate both standards. By modifying registration parameters and data formats dynamically based on the preferred registration system, the framework reduces integration complexity while maintaining compatibility with both ETSI MEC and 3GPP requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12184739B2Preferred app registration in MEC dual deployments

Publication Date: 2024.12.31 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Various approaches are provided for enabling Edge Dual Deployment (EDD). EDD includes Multi-access edge computing (MEC) Dual Deployments (MDD) initialization performed as a preliminary step before the actual registration, as a mechanism to allow the two platforms (EES and MEC platform) to communicate directly. MDD establishment is a dual registration mechanism of the edge application in the EDD environment. MDD update and closing are analogous registration update and de-registration processes, with both sub-cases.