MB-UPF Restart Recovery for Multicast/Broadcast Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in seamlessly restoring multicast/broadcast services upon failure or restart of network entities such as the multicast/broadcast user plane function (MB-UPF), leading to disrupted data delivery to end users.
Innovation Solution
The method involves the multicast/broadcast session management function (MB-SMF) detecting MB-UPF restart, re-creating PFCP sessions, and providing addressing information to the MB-UPF to allocate new or reuse existing tunnel endpoint identifiers, ensuring consistent packet forwarding control protocol sessions are restored.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the MB-UPF is restarted to restore multicast/broadcast service, then service continuity can be achieved, but address inconsistencies and session disruption occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the MB-SMF detect the MB-UPF restart event and proactively initiate session restoration procedures before service disruption propagates. The MB-SMF re-creates PFCP sessions and obtains updated addressing information in advance, ensuring that when the MB-UPF resumes operation, all session parameters including tunnel endpoint identifiers are already synchronized and consistent across the network.
2Reliability
If PFCP sessions are re-created after MB-UPF restart, then service restoration is achieved, but additional signaling overhead and time delay occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the MB-SMF continuously monitors the operational status of the MB-UPF and detects restart events in real-time. Upon detecting a restart, the MB-SMF immediately triggers the session restoration process by sending session establishment requests to the MB-UPF. The MB-UPF responds with current addressing information, enabling the MB-SMF to update session parameters and redirect data flows, thereby minimizing restoration time through rapid feedback-driven action.
3Loss of information
If tunnel endpoint identifiers are reallocated after restart, then address consistency is maintained, but session disruption and data delivery interruption occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the MB-SMF obtain updated tunnel endpoint identifiers from the MB-UPF as part of the session restoration process before data delivery is resumed. The MB-SMF stores this addressing information and uses it to update forwarder information and redirect data flows, ensuring that address consistency is established in advance before any data transmission occurs, thereby avoiding interruptions.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for restoration of multicast/broadcast service upon multicast/broadcast failure with restart are provided. For example, a method may include detecting a restart of a multicast/broadcast user plane function that was supporting a packet forwarding control protocol session for a multicast/broadcast session; . The method may also include re-creating a packet forwarding control protocol session for the multicast/broadcast session. The method may further include providing addressing information for the data delivery of the broadcast/multicast session to the multicast/broadcast user plane function and instructing the multicast/broadcast user plane function to use this addressing information for the broadcast/multicast session if possible.