NF Registration With Locality Priority for Faster 5G Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional 5G network function (NF) registration and discovery methods require NF producers to register multiple profiles with the Network Repository Function (NRF) due to the 3GPP constraint of a single locality per profile, leading to complexity and increased latency, especially with high-availability and geo-redundancy requirements.
Innovation Solution
Introduce an optional parameter, localityPriority, as an array data type in NF profiles to allow NF producers to register multiple localities and priorities in a single profile, enabling smart registration and optimized discovery without the need for multiple registrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If NF producers register multiple profiles with the NRF to support multiple localities, then high-availability and geo-redundancy requirements are met, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple locality information into a single NF profile by introducing the localityPriority parameter as an array, allowing NF producers to register once with multiple localities instead of registering multiple profiles. This reduces the number of profiles the NRF must manage while maintaining support for multiple localities and priorities.
Solution Approach 2:
The NF profile is enhanced to become multi-functional by incorporating the localityPriority array, which enables a single profile to serve multiple localities and priorities simultaneously. This universal profile structure eliminates the need for separate profiles for each locality combination.
2Adaptability or versatility
If NF producers register multiple profiles with the NRF, then multiple localities are supported, but latency increases due to additional processing
Solution Approach 1:
By consolidating multiple locality entries into a single profile with the localityPriority array, the patent reduces the number of profiles the NRF must process during service discovery. This merging operation decreases processing time and latency while maintaining the ability to support multiple localities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structure of the locality parameter from a single value to an array of values (localityPriority), allowing the system to represent multiple localities within a single profile. This parameter transformation enables efficient storage and retrieval without requiring multiple separate profiles.
3Device complexity
If the 3GPP constraint of single locality per profile is enforced, then profile simplicity is maintained, but network management flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic flexibility into the previously static single-locality profile structure by adding the localityPriority array. This allows the profile to adapt to multiple localities while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure, balancing simplicity with flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the locality parameter from a single-dimensional value to a multi-dimensional array structure (localityPriority array containing multiple locality-priority pairs). This dimensional expansion enables multiple localities to be represented within a single profile without fundamentally complicating the profile structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for the implementation of a locality-priority parameter that can specify a plurality of locality-priority preferences regarding locality-based satisfaction of a service request set forth by a network function (NF) consumer. NF producers may register profiles with a Network Repository Function (NRF). An NF consumer may perform discovery to identity NF producers that are capable of satisfying the service request, the NRF sending registered profiles of capable NF producers based on the locality-priority parameter.