Intermediate SMF Selects Local DNAI for Cross-Region Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G network architecture, terminals often cannot access local data networks using local UPF network elements when they are outside the management area of a remote anchor SMF network element, due to limitations in the deployment of SMF and UPF network elements across administrative regions.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate session management network element determines a target local data network access identifier (DNAI) based on the terminal's location and available local DNAIs, selecting a local session management network element to manage a local UPF network element, allowing the terminal to access the local data network even outside the remote anchor SMF's management area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If SMF and UPF network elements are deployed based on administrative regions with one-to-one management, then network configuration complexity is reduced and topology hiding is achieved, but terminals cannot access local data networks when outside the remote anchor SMF's management area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the session management function into multiple SMF network elements distributed across different administrative regions. Each SMF manages local UPF elements in its region, creating regional management segments. This segmentation allows terminals to be served by local SMF elements in different regions rather than requiring a single remote anchor SMF, thereby enabling cross-region access while maintaining simplified local configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate SMF network elements as mediators between remote anchor SMF elements and local UPF elements. These intermediate SMF elements facilitate session management across administrative region boundaries, enabling terminals to access local data networks in regions outside their home SMF's management area while preserving the original one-to-one management structure within each region.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a remote anchor SMF manages UPF elements across multiple administrative regions, then terminal mobility is supported, but network topology becomes complex and configuration difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the session management architecture into multiple independent regional SMF-UPF management segments. Instead of one remote anchor SMF managing UPF elements across multiple regions, each region has its own SMF managing local UPF elements. This segmentation maintains terminal mobility support through local session management while avoiding the complexity of cross-region topology management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by enabling each regional SMF to independently manage its local UPF elements and serve local data networks. Each region operates with optimized local configuration rather than requiring complex global configuration. This local autonomy reduces overall network configuration complexity while maintaining mobility through seamless inter-region session management.
3Productivity
If local UPF elements are used for local data network access, then network resource utilization is optimized and latency is reduced, but session management becomes complex across administrative regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments session management into local regional SMF elements that independently manage local UPF elements. This allows local data network access through local UPF elements for optimized resource utilization and reduced latency, while each regional SMF handles session management independently to avoid cross-region complexity. The segmentation enables local optimization without global coordination overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate SMF elements as mediators that enable local UPF element usage for data access while simplifying session management. These intermediaries handle the coordination between regional SMFs and local UPF elements, allowing local data access efficiency without requiring complex end-to-end session management across administrative regions.
Data Source
AI summary
A session management method, device, and system, such that a terminal can access a local data network using a local user plane function (UPF) network element even when the terminal is out of a management area of a remote anchor session management function (SMF) network element. The method includes: receiving, by an intermediate session management network element, one or more local data network access identifiers (DNAIs); and determining, by the intermediate session management network element, a target DNAI based on current location information of a terminal and the one or more local DNAIs, where the target DNAI is used to select a local session management network element for the terminal.