NEF Interface Function for Wireless Network API Translation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless user devices and Application Functions (AFs) do not effectively interact with Network Exposure Functions (NEFs), and wireless user devices and external Application Servers (AS) do not efficiently communicate with NEFs over wireless network slices, leading to suboptimal service delivery.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a Network Exposure Function (NEF) Interface Function (NIF) that receives NEF requests, correlates them with appropriate Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), selects the relevant NEFs, translates requests into API calls, and transfers these calls to perform network tasks, thereby enhancing interaction and communication efficiency between user equipment, AFs, and NEFs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wireless user devices and AFs directly interact with NEFs without NIF, then the system structure is simpler, but the interaction effectiveness and communication efficiency are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The NIF serves as an intermediary component between wireless user devices/AFs and NEFs. It receives NEF requests from external entities, correlates them with appropriate APIs, selects suitable NEFs, translates requests into standardized API calls, and transfers them to the target NEFs. This mediation layer improves interaction effectiveness and communication efficiency while maintaining a manageable system structure through standardized interfaces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple NEFs are used to handle different APIs, then the system can handle diverse network tasks, but the complexity of selecting and correlating requests increases
Solution Approach 1:
The NIF extracts and centralizes the complex logic of request correlation, API matching, and NEF selection into a dedicated intermediary component. This allows multiple NEFs to handle diverse network tasks through specialized APIs while the NIF manages the complexity of correlating incoming requests with the appropriate NEFs and APIs, reducing the burden on individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The NIF provides universal functionality by serving as a single entry point that handles multiple types of NEF requests, correlates them with various APIs, and routes them to different NEFs. This multi-functional component enables the system to handle diverse network tasks through a unified request management approach.
3Productivity
If direct communication between user devices and NEFs is implemented, then the communication path is shorter, but the service delivery efficiency over network slices is suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The NIF acts as a smart intermediary that, while extending the communication path physically, improves service delivery efficiency through intelligent request routing, correlation, and translation. It ensures that requests are properly formatted and directed to the appropriate NEFs handling specific network slices, optimizing the overall service delivery process despite the additional routing step.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication network to serve a User Equipment (UE) over Network Exposure Functions (NEFs) that have Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). In the wireless communication network, a NEF Interface Function (NIF) receives a NEF request from a network function. The NIF correlates the NEF request with one of the APIs. The NIF selects one of the NEFs based on the one of the APIs. The NIF translates the NEF request into an API call based on the one of the APIs. The NIF transfers the API call to the one of the NEFs. The one of the NEFs receive the API call and responsively performs a network task for the UE based on the API call.