Group Type Signaling for Admissible 5G Traffic Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G network technologies lack the ability for network functions like SMF or PCF to determine whether a data path dedicated to 5G VN group communication is necessary for group members, leading to inefficient establishment of data paths and potential unnecessary optimizations in group communication scenarios.
Innovation Solution
Introduce an additional parameter indicating a group type that defines a set of admissible traffic routing types, allowing network functions to inhibit unnecessary 5G VN group communication mechanisms and enabling efficient communication within generic groups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If 5G VN group management principles are applied to generic groups, then group communication functionality is provided, but unnecessary data path optimizations are established and network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new parameter 'group type' that can be configured when creating a generic group. This parameter allows the network to distinguish between different group types (e.g., 5G VN groups requiring optimization vs. generic groups where optimization is unnecessary). By changing this parameter, the network can selectively apply or inhibit specific data path optimizations (N19-based traffic routing, local path switching) based on the group type, thereby avoiding unnecessary complexity while maintaining functionality where needed.
2Productivity
If 5G VN communication features are applied to all groups, then communication optimization is achieved, but network resources are wasted on groups that do not require such optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different data path optimization mechanisms to be applied selectively to different groups based on their specific requirements. Instead of uniformly applying 5G VN communication features to all groups, the network can identify which groups benefit from optimizations like N19-based traffic routing or local path switching and apply them only to those groups. This selective application ensures communication efficiency is improved where needed while avoiding waste on groups that do not require such optimizations.
3Ease of operation
If network functions automatically establish data paths for group communication, then communication is enabled, but unnecessary optimizations are established without UE impact awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where network functions (SMF, PCF) receive indication information about the intended group type before automatically establishing data paths. This feedback allows the network to verify whether the group actually requires optimized data path establishment. The network can use this information to adjust its automatic establishment behavior, ensuring that optimizations are only applied when necessary and that UE communication needs are properly considered, thereby avoiding unnecessary optimizations while maintaining ease of automatic setup.
Data Source
AI summary
Method comprising: monitoring whether a network function receives an indication of a group type of a group, wherein, for the group type, a set of one or more admissible types of traffic routing admitted for a communication within the group is stored; checking whether the set of one or more admissible types of traffic routing stored for the group type comprises a first type of traffic routing if the network function receives the indication; inhibiting the network function to instruct a user plane function to apply the first type of traffic routing to a communication between a first member of the group and a second member of the group if the set of the one or more admissible types of traffic routing does not comprise the first type of traffic routing.