IP Address Mapping Management via UPF Control Message Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G wireless communication systems face network congestion and UE battery consumption due to the need for keepalive messages transmitted from Application Function (AF) to User Equipment (UE) for maintaining IP address mapping information, which is inefficient and causes resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus are introduced to manage IP address mapping information using a User Plane-based service, allowing the AF to extend or reset timers without transmitting keepalive messages to the UE, thereby reducing network congestion and UE battery consumption through the use of a UPF control message protocol (UCMP) that includes service name, operation, and semantic fields within IP datagrams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If keepalive messages are transmitted from AF to UE to maintain IP address mapping information, then the IP address mapping is maintained reliably, but network congestion increases and UE battery consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the keepalive message transmission function from the traditional AF-UE path and relocates it to the UPF network entity. The UPF now manages IP address mapping information and sends operation indication messages to extend or reset timers without involving the UE, thereby eliminating unnecessary battery consumption while maintaining mapping reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The UPF acts as an intermediary between the AF and the IP address mapping management process. Instead of direct AF-UE communication for keepalive messages, the UPF receives service requests from AF, manages the timer operations, and handles IP address mapping independently, reducing network traffic and UE energy usage.
2Reliability
If keepalive messages are transmitted from AF to UE to maintain IP address mapping information, then the IP address mapping is maintained reliably, but network congestion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the keepalive message transmission function from the traditional AF-UE path and relocates it to the UPF network entity. The UPF now manages IP address mapping information and sends operation indication messages to extend or reset timers without involving the UE, thereby eliminating unnecessary battery consumption while maintaining mapping reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The UPF acts as an intermediary between the AF and the IP address mapping management process. Instead of direct AF-UE communication for keepalive messages, the UPF receives service requests from AF, manages the timer operations, and handles IP address mapping independently, reducing network traffic and UE energy usage.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional keepalive message protocol is used, then simple implementation is achieved, but inefficient resource utilization occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the system by introducing a new UCMP protocol with specific service name, operation, and semantic fields. This protocol enables the UPF to manage IP address mapping timers through structured messages, improving resource efficiency while maintaining implementation feasibility through standardized field definitions.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate. Disclosed is a method of operation by a first network entity in a wireless communication system. The method includes transmitting a first request message for a list of services which can be provided to the first network entity and type information of network address translation (NAT) to a second network entity having an NAT function, receiving a first response message including the list of the services which can be provided to the first network entity and the type information of the NAT from the second network entity, transmitting an operation indication message related to a timer of IP address mapping information managed by the NAT to the second network entity, and receiving a response message to the operation indication message from the second network entity.