Edge Network Management Server Discovery via Location-Aware DNS

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing edge computing systems face challenges in efficiently discovering and routing services due to decentralized deployment, leading to inconsistent latency and performance for end-users, which conventional DNS mechanisms struggle to address.

Innovation Solution

A method for edge application server discovery using a DNS mechanism that reuses existing DNS infrastructure without additional impacts on user equipment, enabling efficient service discovery and routing in edge networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional DNS mechanisms are used for service discovery in edge computing, then existing DNS infrastructure can be leveraged, but service latency becomes inconsistent and performance degrades due to decentralized deployment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice discovery reliabilityVSAvoidservice latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making DNS resolution behavior location-aware. Different DNS resolution strategies are applied based on the client's geographic location and network context. Edge server addresses are resolved with higher priority for locally-deployed services, while centralized cloud services use standard DNS resolution. This resolves the contradiction by optimizing service discovery latency locally without compromising overall system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic DNS resolution where the resolution strategy adapts based on real-time conditions. The system dynamically determines whether to resolve edge server addresses or cloud service addresses based on service type, client location, and network status. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliability across decentralized deployments while minimizing latency by selecting optimal resolution paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Speed

If services are deployed in a decentralized way at the edge, then low latency and high performance can be achieved, but existing DNS mechanisms struggle to provide consistent service discovery

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice access speedVSAvoidservice discovery complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism that sits between the client and the decentralized edge services. This intermediary handles the complexity of service discovery by intercepting DNS requests, determining the appropriate resolution strategy based on service type and location, and returning optimized addresses. This mediator approach maintains simple client-side operations while managing the complexity of decentralized service discovery centrally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments service discovery into different categories: edge services requiring low-latency local resolution and cloud services using standard DNS. By segmenting the service discovery process, the system can apply optimized resolution strategies to edge services (improving speed) while maintaining compatibility with standard DNS for cloud services (managing complexity).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If standard DNS resolution is used for all services, then implementation is simple, but edge services cannot achieve optimized latency performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimplementation simplicityVSAvoidservice latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the DNS resolution system multi-functional by enabling it to handle both standard cloud service resolution and optimized edge service resolution through a unified interface. The same DNS infrastructure performs different resolution strategies based on service type, maintaining implementation simplicity while achieving optimized latency for edge services. This universal approach avoids the need for separate resolution mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4128724B1Methods, apparatus, and systems for discovery of edge network management servers
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS INC
  • EP4128724B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4128724B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4128724B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

Methods, apparatus, systems, architectures and interfaces for a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) for discovery of available edge network (EN) management (ENM) servers associated with any of EN services and EN applications. A method may include: transmitting, to a core network entity, a first message including information indicating a request for discovery of ENM servers; receiving, from the core network entity, a second message responsive to the request for discovery of ENM servers, the second message including ENM server information indicating: (1) any number of available ENM servers, and (2) respective available ENM server end-point information; and performing communications with one or more of the available ENM servers.