Self-Organizing Media Plane Architecture for Cloud Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cloud service providers face challenges in managing complex communication systems for multiple enterprise customers, as traditional architectures require numerous control and media plane nodes, increasing costs and maintenance complexity.

Innovation Solution

A self-organizing media plane architecture that removes centralized controller nodes, allowing nodes along the communication path to discover and configure media processing units, using methods like database media servers, multicast, or point-to-point configurations to interconnect media servers without relying on control plane modules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional layered architecture with multiple control plane nodes is used, then communication services can be delivered to multiple enterprise customers, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to serve multiple enterprise customersVSAvoidnumber of control plane nodes
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the control plane nodes (P-CSCF, I-CSCF, S-CSCF, MRFC, AS, SBC) from the traditional layered architecture, leaving only the media plane nodes. This extraction eliminates the complexity of managing multiple control plane nodes while preserving the ability to deliver communication services to multiple enterprise customers through the simplified media plane-only architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the traditional communication architecture into separate control plane and media plane components, then completely removes the control plane segment. This segmentation allows the media plane to operate independently with simplified node-to-node communication, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining multi-customer service capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple virtualized control and media plane nodes are run in datacenters, then communication services can be provided to multiple enterprises, but cost and maintenance difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to host communication services for multiple enterprisesVSAvoidcost of providing communication service
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the expensive control plane infrastructure from the deployment model. By removing the need to virtualize and manage control plane nodes (CSCFs, MRFCs, ASs, SBCs), the solution significantly reduces the cost of providing communication services to multiple enterprises, leaving only the media plane nodes that can be more efficiently deployed and managed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If centralized controller nodes are used to set up communication paths, then communication paths can be configured between end users, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to configure communication pathsVSAvoidnumber of centralized controller nodes
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling media plane nodes to autonomously discover each other and establish communication paths without requiring centralized controller nodes. The nodes perform self-configuration through direct peer-to-peer interaction, eliminating the need for complex centralized control infrastructure while maintaining the ability to configure communication paths between end users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the functions of centralized controller nodes into the media plane nodes themselves. Each media plane node gains the capability to discover, configure, and manage communication paths autonomously, combining what were previously separate control and media functions into a single simplified node type that operates independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3095229B1Method and nodes for configuring a communication path for a media service
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3095229B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3095229B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3095229B1 patent drawingFigure 7

AI summary

The disclosure presents a method 30 performed in a node 15, 16; 141, 142, 143, 144 for configuring a communication path for a media service. The communication path is configured in a cloud network 20, 21 comprising at least one media processing unit 141, 142, 143, 144 configured to handle media processing required by the media service. The node 15, 16; 141, 142, 143, 144 is located along the communication path, and the method 30 comprises: discovering 31 at least one media processing unit 141, 142, 143, 144 by obtaining location information for the at least one media processing unit 141, 142, 143, 144 and configuring 32 the communication path between end user communication devices 15, 16 of the media service by interconnecting.