FWA URSP Tunneling for Precise 5G Network Slice Routing
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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 Quality-of-Service (QoS) indicators, which is essential for efficient network slicing in 5G networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a User Equipment (UE) Route Selection Policy (URSP)-based tunneling mechanism in FWAs, utilizing MAC addresses or tokens to identify and route packets to appropriate network slices, by mapping these identifiers to traffic descriptors (TDs) and applying URSP rules for packet forwarding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If routers in FWA devices are designed to perform network slice-dependent functions, then network slicing efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network slicing functionality by introducing a dedicated Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) that operates separately from the traditional router. The router handles basic packet forwarding while the NSSF specifically manages slice identification and selection based on URSP rules, dividing the complex task of slice-dependent routing into specialized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary NSSF component that mediates between the router and the network slices. This intermediary receives packets from the router, applies URSP-based tunneling rules to identify the appropriate network slice, and forwards packets to the correct slice, thereby enabling slice-dependent functionality without requiring the router itself to be complex.
2Measurement precision
If URSP-based tunneling mechanism is implemented in FWAs, then packet routing precision to network slices is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring URSP (User Route Selection Policy) rules in the NSSF before packet arrival. These rules establish the mapping between traffic descriptors and network slices in advance, allowing the system to quickly match incoming packets to appropriate slices without complex real-time analysis, thereby improving routing precision while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by transforming packet identification from traditional IP address-based routing to URSP-based tunneling using traffic descriptors and QoS indicators. This parameter transformation enables more precise packet routing to network slices by changing the classification parameters from basic addressing to sophisticated traffic characterization.
3Productivity
If network slice identification based on QoS indicators is implemented, then network performance is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by implementing selective QoS indicator analysis only for packets that require network slice identification, rather than processing every packet through the complete URSP evaluation framework. The NSSF efficiently determines when QoS-based slice identification is necessary, applying the full processing only to relevant traffic flows, thus improving network performance while minimizing processing time overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes a memory to store a User Equipment Route Selection Policy (URSP) and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to: obtain network traffic comprising first network traffic and second network traffic, wherein the second network traffic originates from one or more user equipment devices (UEs); apply the URSP to the network traffic; and in response to applying the URSP, forward protocol data units (PDUs) of the network traffic to either a first tunnel to a first network slice or a second tunnel to a second network slice. The first tunnel and the second tunnel are established from the device to the first network slice and the second network slice over communication paths that include at least a wireless communication link from the device to a radio access network (RAN).