Edge Application Server Discovery via DNS Processing

The patent introduces an Edge Application Server Discovery Function (EASDF) as an intermediary component that mediates between the UE's DNS request and the edge application servers. The EASDF receives DNS requests from UEs, determines the appropriate edge computing area based on UE location, and resolves domain names to return addresses of local EASs. This intermediary solves the information loss problem by adding position-aware DNS resolution capability without requiring complex changes to the existing 3GPP system architecture.

The patent implements local quality by enabling UEs to connect to edge application servers located in the same edge computing area as the UE, rather than always connecting to remote central servers. The EASDF determines the UE's current edge computing area and resolves domain names to local EAS addresses when available. This ensures services are delivered with locally optimized quality (lower latency, higher efficiency) while maintaining service availability through fallback to remote servers when needed.

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the network into distinct edge computing areas with local EASs and central DNS servers. The EASDF segments DNS resolution into two paths: local resolution for edge services (reducing latency) and central resolution for non-edge services. This segmentation enables local network activation for edge computing with reduced latency while managing complexity through clear functional separation and standardized interfaces.