Network Function Device Session Setup Latency Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In a 5G core network, the high quantity of identifier-based lookups by multiple network function devices during session setup or registration procedures leads to increased latency, which can result in session timeouts and reduced quality of service for user devices, often causing a fallback to LTE networks.

Innovation Solution

Only the first network function device performs a SUPI-based lookup with the NRF to discover UDR and UDM devices, providing their identifiers to other network functions, allowing them to directly request user data without repeating the lookup process, thereby reducing the number of lookups and latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple network function devices perform identifier-based lookups with the NRF device during session setup or registration, then each device can discover UDR and UDM devices independently, but the session setup latency and registration latency increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesession setup reliabilityVSAvoidsession setup latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The first network function device performs the identifier-based lookup with the NRF device in advance during the session setup procedure. The discovered UDR and UDM device identifiers are then provided to other network function devices, eliminating the need for them to perform separate lookups and thereby reducing overall session setup latency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple network function devices share the lookup results obtained by the first device. Instead of each device performing independent lookups, the system combines the discovery effort into a single operation whose results are distributed to all participating network function devices, reducing redundant operations and latency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If multiple network function devices perform identifier-based lookups with the NRF device, then complete user data can be obtained, but the registration latency increases by approximately 83%

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregistration reliabilityVSAvoidregistration latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The lookup for discovering UDR and UDM devices is performed preliminarily by the first network function device during the registration procedure. The results are cached and provided to other network function devices, preventing the approximately 83% increase in registration latency that would occur if each device performed independent lookups

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If each network function device performs independent SUPI-based lookups, then user data can be discovered accurately, but the number of lookups increases leading to timeouts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser data discovery accuracyVSAvoidsession setup speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the lookup operations into a single action performed by the first network function device. The discovered UDR and UDM device identifiers are shared with other network function devices, maintaining accurate user data discovery while eliminating redundant lookups that would slow down session setup and cause timeouts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20240205859A1Systems and methods for session setup or registration in a core network

Publication Date: 2024.06.20 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

In some implementations, a first network function device may transmit a request for discovery of a unified data management (UDM) device included in the core network. The first network function device may receive, based on the request, an indication of a UDM group identifier associated with the UDM device and a user data repository (UDR) group identifier associated with a UDR device that is associated with the UDM device. The first network function device may transmit, to one or more second network function devices included in the core network, an indication of at least one of the UDM group identifier or the UDR group identifier.