Geographic Policy Pre-loading for 5G QoS Messaging Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network systems experience high messaging traffic volumes due to frequent transitions between 4G and 5G coverage areas, leading to inefficiencies in Quality of Service (QoS) policy rule updates and MEC data center selection in wireless networks.
Innovation Solution
Pre-loading geographic-based policy rules onto Session Management Function (SMF) or Packet Data Network (PGW) components, allowing them to automatically apply rules based on user equipment (UE) location without needing messages from the Policy Control Function (PCF), thereby reducing messaging traffic and improving QoS and MEC selection efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the PCF continuously updates QoS policy rules and MEC selection based on UE location changes, then the network can adapt to UE movement and maintain service quality, but the messaging traffic volume between PCF and SMF/PGW increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-loads geographic-based policy rules onto the SMF or PGW components before the UE actually moves to different locations. This allows the network to prepare policy decisions in advance, so when the UE transitions between 4G and 5G coverage areas, the pre-loaded rules can be immediately applied without requiring real-time messaging between PCF and SMF/PGW, thus reducing messaging traffic while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements location-specific policy rules that are tailored to different geographic areas (4G-only zones, 5G-only zones, edge zones). Each location has its own pre-configured policy set, allowing the SMF/PGW to locally determine the appropriate policy based on UE location without needing to communicate with the PCF, thereby reducing messaging overhead while maintaining location-adaptive QoS
2Productivity
If the network frequently updates policy rules during UE transitions between 4G and 5G coverage areas, then the QoS can be optimized for current network conditions, but the messaging overhead and processing latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
Policy rules are pre-loaded onto SMF/PGW in advance, so when UE transitions occur, the appropriate rules are already available locally and can be immediately applied without waiting for PCF messaging, thus eliminating messaging delay while maintaining QoS optimization
Solution Approach 2:
The SMF or PGW is empowered to autonomously determine and apply the appropriate QoS policy based on pre-loaded geographic rules and current UE location information, without requiring continuous consultation with the PCF. This self-service capability eliminates messaging delays while maintaining optimized QoS decisions
3Reliability
If the PCF maintains centralized control for all policy decisions, then policy consistency is ensured, but the messaging traffic and network complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the policy control function by separating policy decision-making into two parts: centralized policy rule definition at the PCF, and localized policy application at the SMF/PGW. The PCF defines the geographic-based policy rules once, which are then distributed to and executed locally by SMF/PGW, reducing the need for continuous centralized control messaging while maintaining policy consistency through the pre-defined rules
Data Source
AI summary
A network device receives, from a policy control function (PCF), at least one set of multiple user equipment device (UE)-location based conditional policy rules. The network device selects a first one of the multiple UE-location based conditional policy rules based on a first geographic location of a first UE, and controls data traffic associated with the first UE using the selected first one of the plurality of UE-location based conditional policy rules.