FWA URSP Tunneling for Slice-Aware Packet Forwarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Routers in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) devices are not designed to perform network slice-dependent functions, failing to identify and classify different slice traffic based on User Equipment (UE) Route Selection Policy (URSP), which is essential for efficient network slicing in 5G networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a mechanism in FWAs to use Media Access Control (MAC) addresses or tokens to identify network slices, utilizing a database or lookup table to map these identifiers with traffic descriptors (TDs) and apply URSP for packet forwarding, enabling URSP-based tunneling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If routers in FWA devices follow traditional telecommunications standards, then device compatibility and standard compliance are maintained, but network slice-dependent functions and traffic classification capabilities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the routing function into two parts: a standard router component that handles basic packet forwarding according to traditional telecommunications standards, and a separate URSP client component that handles network slice-dependent functions. This segmentation allows the router to maintain standard compliance while adding slice-aware capabilities through the URSP client, which receives URSP rules from the network and applies them to classify and forward traffic to appropriate network slices.
Solution Approach 2:
The URSP client component serves multiple functions: it receives URSP rules from the network, classifies traffic based on these rules, determines appropriate network slices, and forwards packets accordingly. This multi-functional component enables the router to handle both traditional routing tasks and modern network slicing requirements, increasing adaptability without requiring complete redesign of the router architecture.
2Loss of information
If FWA routers perform basic packet forwarding, then network compatibility is maintained, but traffic identification and classification based on URSP is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the URSP client receive and store URSP rules from the network in advance. These rules contain traffic descriptors and classification criteria that are prepared beforehand. When packets arrive, the URSP client can immediately classify them using the pre-loaded rules without needing to perform complex real-time analysis, thus preserving traffic descriptor information while limiting the increase in processing complexity to rule management rather than packet inspection.
3Productivity
If traditional routing protocols are used, then network interoperability is ensured, but network slicing efficiency and performance are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The URSP client acts as an intermediary between the network core (which provides URSP rules) and the traditional router (which performs packet forwarding). It translates network slicing requirements into classification rules that the router can apply, bridging the gap between modern network slicing needs and traditional routing infrastructure. This intermediary approach improves network slicing efficiency without requiring changes to the underlying routing protocols or complex manual configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A device comprises a memory and one or more processors. The memory stores a User Equipment Route Selection Policy (URSP). The one or more processors are configured to: receive a packet from a user device; determine a traffic descriptor associated with the packet; apply a URSP to the traffic descriptor to identify a network slice, within a network, to which the packet is to be forwarded; and forward the packet to the network slice over a wireless connection from the device to the network.