Multi-connectivity Data Volume Reporting in 5G Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G networks lack an effective method to accurately count and report data volumes passing through multiple access network nodes for multi-connectivity terminal devices, which is essential for precise network traffic charging.
Innovation Solution
A multi-connectivity data volume reporting method that involves network devices obtaining and sending data volume reports, including QoS flow identifiers, PDU session identifiers, and data volumes, from secondary nodes to master nodes and eventually to the 5GC node, allowing for accurate charging based on different granularities such as QoS flow, QoS flow group, PDU session, and network slice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multi-connectivity is implemented to support higher data rates and reliability, then network performance and service quality are improved, but accurately counting and reporting data volumes across multiple access network nodes becomes complex and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data volume reporting by QoS flow identifiers, dividing the overall data volume into measurable portions associated with specific QoS flows. This allows the master node to accurately measure and report data volumes for different service types while managing multi-connectivity, resolving the measurement difficulty without compromising reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The master node acts as an intermediary that consolidates data volume information from multiple secondary nodes. It receives data volume reports from each secondary node, aggregates them by QoS flow, and submits a unified report to the core network, simplifying the measurement process while maintaining accuracy across multiple access nodes
2Measurement precision
If data volume reporting is implemented at fine granularity (QoS flow level) for accurate charging, then charging precision is improved, but the complexity and volume of reporting data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses QoS flow identifiers to segment data volume measurements into manageable units. Each QoS flow's data volume is measured and reported separately, enabling precise charging at the fine granularity level while organizing the reporting structure to reduce overall system complexity through systematic categorization
Solution Approach 2:
The data volume reporting mechanism is designed to work universally across multiple secondary nodes and QoS flows using a standardized format with QoS flow identifiers. This multi-functional approach allows the same reporting structure to handle diverse service types and multiple access nodes simultaneously, reducing complexity through standardization
Data Source
AI summary
This patent application provides a multi-connectivity data reporting method, including: obtaining, by a first network device, a first data volume report, where the first data volume report is used to indicate a volume of data that are of a terminal device and that pass through a second network device; and sending, by the first network device, the first data volume report to a third network device. The first data volume report includes one or more of QoS flow identifiers (QFIs) of one or more quality of service QoS flows, identifiers of one or more protocol data unit (PDU) sessions to which the one or more QoS flows belong, or data volumes of the one or more QoS flows.