NEF Registration with NRF for AF Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3GPP specifications do not allow for the discovery of Network Exposure Functions (NEFs) by Application Functions (AFs) based on specific application types or subscriber ranges, leading to inefficient resource allocation and inability to provide preferred treatment to certain AFs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating additional data during the registration of NEFs with the Network Function Repository (NRF), including supported application types and subscriber ranges, to enable AFs to discover and select NEFs that match their specific requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional data (application types and subscriber ranges) is incorporated during NEF registration with NRF, then AFs can discover and select NEFs matching their specific requirements, but the registration process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the NEF include application type and subscriber range information during the initial registration process with the NRF. This allows the discovery mechanism to be prepared in advance with all necessary filtering capabilities, so that when an AF needs to discover an NEF, the NRF can immediately provide matches based on the pre-stored information without requiring additional complex processing later.
2Productivity
If NEF registration includes detailed application type and subscriber range information, then resource allocation efficiency improves, but the information storage and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by storing specific, targeted information (application types and subscriber ranges) only where it is most needed and useful - in the NEF registration data at the NRF. This allows the system to have detailed information available exactly at the discovery and matching point without requiring comprehensive detailed information to be propagated throughout the entire network, thus improving resource allocation efficiency while limiting information storage to only what is necessary for the specific matching function.
3Measurement precision
If the discovery mechanism uses application type and subscriber range parameters, then the precision of NEF matching improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring these parameters increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by using the NRF as a mediator between the AF and NEF. The NRF stores the application type and subscriber range information during NEF registration, and when an AF needs to discover an NEF, the AF provides its requirements to the NRF. The NRF then uses these parameters to filter and match the appropriate NEF, returning it to the AF. This intermediary approach simplifies the process for both AF and NEF while achieving precise matching through the NRF's parameter-based filtering capability.
Data Source
AI summary
It is provided a method, comprising monitoring if a discovery request is received by a network resource function, wherein the discovery request comprises at least one of a type identifier of a type of an application function and a range indication of a range of one or more subscription identifiers; identifying, if the discovery request is received, an identity of a network exposure function based on the at least one of the type identifier and the range indication, wherein a registration of the network exposure function at the network resource function comprises the at least one of the type identifier and the range indication; providing the identity of the network exposure function in response to the discovery request.