Local Breakout Service Data Transmission via Base Station Gateway Mapping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current user equipment does not support configuration of multiple Access Point Names (APNs), making it difficult to deploy Local Breakout (LBO) services as multiple APNs are required for different applications, leading to complex configurations and high deployment costs.

Innovation Solution

A data transmission method using a base station, a local breakout controller, and a gateway, where the LBO controller manages and configures the base station and gateway to establish a local tunnel, allowing LBO service deployment without additional APN configurations for user equipment, reducing deployment costs and complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple APNs are configured for different applications to enable LBO service, then service functionality is improved, but device complexity and configuration difficulty increase because current UE does not support multiple APN configurations

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLBO service functionalityVSAvoidAPN configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a Local Gateway (L-GW) as an intermediary network element between the base station and the core network. The L-GW handles multiple APN configurations and service routing, allowing the UE to access LBO services without needing to support multiple APNs natively. The L-GW acts as a mediator that translates and manages the complex APN requirements, enabling service functionality while keeping the UE configuration simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent moves the complexity from the device dimension (UE configuration) to the network dimension (L-GW configuration). Instead of requiring the UE to manage multiple APNs, the solution places the APN management capability in the network infrastructure. This dimensional shift allows LBO services to be deployed without modifying UE capabilities, resolving the contradiction between service functionality and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple APNs are configured for different applications to enable LBO service, then service functionality is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex configuration requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLBO service functionalityVSAvoidConfiguration simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The Local Gateway serves as an operational intermediary that abstracts away the complexity of multiple APN configurations from the end user. The L-GW pre-configures and manages multiple APNs for different applications, presenting a simplified interface to the UE. This mediator approach maintains full LBO service functionality while dramatically improving ease of operation by eliminating the need for users to manually configure multiple APNs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service through automated service discovery and configuration. When a UE requests an LBO service, the network automatically selects the appropriate APN and configures the data bearer without requiring manual user intervention. The L-GW autonomously manages the mapping between services and APNs, making the system easy to operate while maintaining versatile LBO functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If LBO service is deployed with multiple APNs and core network upgrades, then service capability is improved, but network deployment cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLBO service capabilityVSAvoidDeployment cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the LBO service deployment into modular components: a standalone Local Gateway that can be deployed independently without requiring core network upgrades. The L-GW handles all APN management and service routing functions locally, allowing LBO services to be deployed at the edge network level. This segmentation enables service capability improvement while avoiding the high costs associated with core network infrastructure upgrades.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The Local Gateway acts as a cost-effective intermediary that provides LBO service functionality without requiring expensive core network modifications. By placing the intelligence and APN management capability in the L-GW rather than in the core network, the solution achieves enhanced service capability while minimizing deployment costs. The L-GW mediates between the simple UE and the core network, enabling advanced services with minimal infrastructure investment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3573360B1Local breakout service data transmission method
Publication Date: 2022.11.30 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3573360B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3573360B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3573360B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

This application provides a data transmission method, a base station, a local breakout controller, a gateway, and a system. The data transmission method includes: receiving, by a base station, LBO service data sent by user equipment, where the LBO service data carries information about an IP address of a first server; receiving, by the base station, a first message sent by an LBO controller, where the first message includes information about a correspondence between the IP address of the first server and an IP address of a gateway, and the gateway is a gateway that forwards the LBO service data to the first server; and sending, by the base station, the LBO service data to the gateway. According to the method, an LBO service can be performed without performing an additional configuration for the UE, so that a problem that the LBO service cannot be performed because the user equipment does not support a configuration of a plurality of APNs is resolved, thereby flexibly deploying the LBO service without changing the existing 3GPP standard protocol. In addition, compared with costs of upgrading and reconstructing a central gateway CGW to support the LBO service and forward local traffic in the prior art, CGW deployment costs are reduced.