MEC Application Hosting Across Distributed Edge Resources

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing MEC infrastructure faces challenges in managing resource allocation due to exponential growth in data usage, applications, and services, leading to limitations in simultaneous processing and potential inefficiencies in resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for managing MEC application hosting, utilizing an MEC controller to optimize storage and compute resources based on insights from MEC and application service providers, involving an MEC controller, analytics storage unit, MEC data engines, MEC hosts, and application analytic engine to coordinate application hosting and resource allocation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If MEC infrastructure processes all incoming data simultaneously, then data processing completeness is improved, but resource limitations make this impossible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata processing capacityVSAvoidavailable resources
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the MEC infrastructure into multiple distributed MEC hosts (first MEC host, second MEC host, third MEC host) that can independently process different portions of incoming data. This segmentation allows the system to handle larger data volumes by distributing processing across multiple nodes, effectively overcoming the resource limitations of a single MEC host while maintaining processing completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If MEC hosts are distributed across different locations, then service availability is improved, but data transmission distance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice availabilityVSAvoiddata transmission distance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by deploying MEC hosts at multiple geographic locations (first MEC host, second MEC host, third MEC host) to provide region-specific services. Each MEC host is optimized to serve its local area, reducing the average transmission distance for users in that region while maintaining overall service availability through the distributed architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If application hosting is centralized in one MEC host, then resource management is simplified, but resource utilization efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource management complexityVSAvoidresource utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource management through the MEC controller, which can dynamically allocate and migrate applications between different MEC hosts based on real-time resource availability and demand. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize resource utilization efficiency by moving workloads to appropriate hosts while maintaining manageable complexity through centralized control logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Productivity

If MEC controller manages multiple MEC hosts, then resource optimization is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource optimizationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universality by designing the MEC controller with multi-functional capabilities to manage diverse MEC hosts with different resource characteristics. The controller can perform multiple functions including application migration, resource allocation, performance monitoring, and load balancing across heterogeneous hosts, thereby achieving comprehensive resource optimization while managing system complexity through a unified control mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4094459B1Systems and methods for managing MEC application hosting
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP4094459B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4094459B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4094459B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a mobile edge computing (MEC) controller and from an application analytic engine, a registration request for an application. The registration request includes a request for MEC key performance indicators (KPIs). The method also includes communicating, by the MEC controller, MEC data associated with a first MEC host and a second MEC host to the application analytic engine. The method further includes receiving, by the MEC controller, MEC policies from the application analytic engine, determining to host the application in the first MEC host based on the MEC policies, and communicating the MEC policies to the first MEC host.