Multicast PDU Session Tunnel Coordination During 5G Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 5G wireless communication systems lack efficient methods for managing and coordinating the setup, release, and management of GTP tunnels between multicast broadcast user plane functions (MB-UPF) and protocol data unit (PDU) sessions, particularly during mobility scenarios involving MBS supporting and non-supporting radio access networks, leading to uncertainties in packet delivery and resource management.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a protocol data unit (PDU) session-oriented and multicast broadcast service (MBS) session-oriented packet forwarding control protocol (PFCP) to manage the setup and tear down of resources for multicast packet delivery, including context creation and tunnel establishment between MB-UPF and PSA UPF, with coordination among Session Management Functions (SMFs) to ensure accurate configuration and de-configuration of PDU sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GTP tunnels are established between MB-UPF and PDU sessions for multicast packet delivery, then multicast service delivery is enabled, but coordination complexity during mobility scenarios increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a session management node as an intermediary between the user plane node and multicast broadcast service. This intermediary coordinates tunnel establishment and release operations, managing the complexity of GTP tunnel coordination between MB-UPF and PDU sessions while ensuring reliable multicast delivery during mobility scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the tunnel management process into distinct phases: tunnel establishment phase, active multicast delivery phase, and tunnel release phase. By dividing the complex mobility management into these segments, the system can handle each phase with specific procedures, reducing overall coordination complexity while maintaining delivery reliability
2Productivity
If multiple PDU sessions share the same GTP tunnel for multicast delivery, then resource utilization improves, but uncertainty in tunnel establishment and release increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the user plane node reports tunnel configuration status and session state to the session management node. This feedback loop provides certainty about tunnel establishment and release while allowing multiple PDU sessions to share resources efficiently, as the system maintains accurate knowledge of resource allocation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal tunnel management framework that handles both unicast and multicast traffic through the same GTP tunnel infrastructure. This multi-functional approach allows resource sharing between different session types while maintaining configuration certainty through unified management procedures
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for distributing multicast packets in individual protocol data unit (PDU) sessions are provided. One method may include receiving, at a user plane node, a request from a session management node, to receive packets for a multicast session and/or to send packets from the multicast session within a protocol data unit (PDU) session. The method may also include determining whether the user plane node was already configured to receive incoming packets for the multicast session, and informing the session management node as to whether the user plane node was already configured to receive the incoming packets for the multicast session.