NF Service Discovery Using Client-Type Filtering in 5GC

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Solution Overview

Problem

The current 5GC architecture lacks the ability for Network Function (NF) service producers to register and consumers to query specific service types and client types, leading to inefficient service discovery and selection.

Innovation Solution

Introduce an indication of serving type and client type during service registration and discovery procedures, allowing NF service producers to register their dedicated service capabilities and consumers to query for specific types, ensuring accurate service matching and relay.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If NF service producers register their NF profile into NRF without service type indication, then the registration process is simple, but service discovery accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice registration simplicityVSAvoidservice discovery accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces new parameters (servingType and clientType) into the existing NF profile registration and discovery process. These parameters are added to the NFService and NFInstance structures, allowing NF service producers to indicate their specialized service capabilities during registration. The NRF uses these parameters to filter and match service consumers with appropriate NF instances, thereby improving service discovery accuracy without fundamentally changing the registration mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If NF service consumers query all NF service producers from NRF, then service discovery is comprehensive, but query efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice discovery comprehensivenessVSAvoidquery efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary filtering of NF service producers based on servingType and clientType parameters before returning results to service consumers. The NRF performs this filtering action in advance during the query processing, so service consumers receive only the relevant subset of NF instances that match their requirements. This preliminary action maintains comprehensiveness by considering all registered NFs while improving efficiency by eliminating irrelevant matches from the result set.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If SCP forwards service requests without client type information, then the forwarding process is simple, but service matching accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverequest forwarding simplicityVSAvoidservice matching accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enhances the SCP's role as an intermediary by introducing clientType information exchange between the service consumer and SCP, and between SCP and NF service producer. The service consumer includes clientType in the service request to SCP, which then forwards this information to the NF service producer. This intermediary mechanism allows the SCP to facilitate accurate service matching while maintaining its forwarding function, bridging the information gap without significantly complicating the forwarding process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250386284A1Method and apparatus for network function service discovery

Publication Date: 2025.12.18 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

Methods and apparatuses for network function service discovery. A method at a network function (NF) service consumer comprises sending a service request to a service discovery entity. The method further comprises receiving a service response from the service discovery entity. The service request includes a parameter indicating a client type that one or more candidate target NFs can serve.