Network Function Communication Architecture Simplification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional mobile communication systems face challenges in flexibility, particularly in supporting new communication scenarios like people-to-things and things-to-things communication, due to static configuration links and complex interfaces between virtualized network functions on cloud platforms.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a communication domain architecture where network functions and interface functions use the same address encoding and addressing mode, allowing direct communication within a domain and interworking between domains through a standardized interface protocol, decoupling network functions from interfaces and simplifying design and deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional static configuration links or DNS query mode are used for communication between network elements, then the communication mechanism is simple and stable, but it cannot adapt to the frequent creation and deletion of virtualized network functions on cloud platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic communication mechanism where network functions can be created, deleted, and moved freely on the cloud platform. The communication system automatically adapts to these changes through dynamic service request routing, eliminating the need for static configuration links. This allows the system to maintain adaptability while managing complexity through automated service function chain management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a service communication mechanism that acts as an intermediary between network functions and traditional communication infrastructure. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of dynamic function creation and deletion by providing standardized service requests and responses, thereby simplifying the overall communication mechanism while maintaining high adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network functions deal with complex interfaces of traditional network to enable interworking, then interworking capability is achieved, but the network functions become very complicated and difficult to be developed and deployed quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network function architecture into modular service functions that can be independently developed, deployed, and managed. Each service function handles specific interworking tasks through standardized interfaces, reducing the complexity of individual components while maintaining comprehensive interworking capability. This modular approach enables faster development and deployment of network functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universal service function chains that can handle multiple types of network interworking scenarios through a single standardized framework. The service communication mechanism provides multi-functional capabilities, allowing the same infrastructure to support various traditional network interfaces and protocols, thereby simplifying development and deployment while maintaining broad interworking capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If virtualized network functions are deployed on cloud platform with frequent creation and deletion, then system flexibility and resource sharing are improved, but traditional static DNS and configuration cannot solve the communication problem
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based service communication mechanism that continuously monitors the state of virtualized network functions on the cloud platform. When functions are created, deleted, or moved, the system receives feedback and automatically updates service function chains and routing configurations. This feedback loop maintains communication reliability while supporting the flexibility and resource sharing benefits of virtualized deployments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary setup of service communication frameworks and standardized interfaces before network functions are deployed. This preliminary action establishes a robust communication foundation that can automatically adapt to frequent function creation and deletion, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling system flexibility and efficient resource sharing on the cloud platform.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an architecture, method and apparatus for realizing communication between network functions, including: an interface function or a network function registering to a function management module after being instantiated, so that the function management module saves information corresponding to the interface function or the network function. Network functions in the same communication domain directly interwork with each other to realize communication. The network function establishes interworking with other communication domains via the interface function. An interworking interface between a network function and a selected interface function is identical to an interworking interface between the network function and a destination network function. With the architecture for realizing network function communication provided by the embodiments, the network function and the interface function are decoupled. The interworking between network functions within the communication domain and the interworking between the network function within the communication domain and the network function outside the communication domain are achieved by using only one type of interworking interface, so that the logic of the network functions becomes simple, thereby simplifying the design of the network functions and greatly reducing the development and deployment difficulties of the network functions.