5G NRF Discovery Response With Criterion-Aware NF Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network technologies for handling service discovery requests in 5G networks are inadequate, as the initiating node is unaware of whether the received discovery response takes into account specified criteria, leading to the selection of unsuitable or suboptimal NF nodes for service provision, which can result in inefficiencies such as increased latency and signaling issues.
Innovation Solution
The NRF node provides additional information in the discovery response to the initiating node, indicating whether identified NF nodes are based on specified criteria, allowing for a more informed selection process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the NRF node provides only basic NF node identification information in the discovery response, then the response message size remains small and transmission is efficient, but the initiating node cannot determine whether the identified NF nodes meet specified criteria, leading to potential selection of suboptimal nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The discovery response is segmented into distinct information elements: a first indication information field containing NF node identification, and a second indication information field containing criterion satisfaction status. This segmentation allows the initiating node to separately process node selection and criterion verification, resolving the contradiction by organizing complex information into manageable, structured components.
Solution Approach 2:
The NRF node performs preliminary evaluation of whether identified NF nodes satisfy specified criteria before generating the discovery response. The criterion satisfaction status is pre-calculated and included in the response, allowing the initiating node to make informed decisions without performing additional evaluation steps, thus reducing information loss while maintaining response efficiency.
2Reliability
If the initiating node performs additional verification to ensure NF nodes meet criteria, then service quality improves, but latency increases due to extended discovery and verification time
Solution Approach 1:
The NRF node performs the time-consuming criterion verification in advance during the discovery process, before the initiating node receives the response. By pre-evaluating whether NF nodes satisfy specified criteria and including this assessment in the discovery response, the system eliminates the need for additional verification steps by the initiating node, thus maintaining high service quality while minimizing latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The discovery response includes feedback information (second indication information) about criterion satisfaction status, enabling the initiating node to immediately determine whether selected NF nodes meet requirements without performing additional verification. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable service quality while avoiding time-consuming re-evaluation cycles.
3Ease of operation
If the discovery response includes detailed criterion satisfaction information, then the initiating node can make better-informed selections, but the signaling overhead and message size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The discovery response is segmented into compact indication fields rather than detailed explanatory text. The second indication information provides essential criterion satisfaction status in a condensed format, enabling accurate NF node selection while minimizing signaling overhead and message size, thus resolving the contradiction between selection accuracy and energy consumption.
4Manufacturing precision
If the NRF node evaluates multiple criteria for NF node selection, then the quality of selected NF nodes improves, but the processing complexity and time required for discovery increases
Solution Approach 1:
The NRF node performs comprehensive multi-criteria evaluation as a preliminary step during the discovery process, before generating the response. By pre-processing multiple criteria and consolidating the results into a single criterion satisfaction indication, the system achieves high selection precision while preventing the complexity from propagating to the initiating node, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1D
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AI summary
There is provided a method performed by a network repository function (NRF) node (60). In response to receiving a request (400), transmission of a response (402) is initiated towards a network node (10, 20) that initiated transmission of the request (400). The network node (10, 20) is a first network function (NF) node (20) of a service consumer or a first service communication proxy (SCP) node (10) that is configured to operate as an SCP between the first NF node (20) and second NF nodes (30) of at least one service producer. The response (402) comprises first information indicative of any second NF nodes (30) identified for providing a service (40) requested by the first NF node (20), and second information indicative of whether any second NF nodes (30) identified for providing the service are identified based on a criterion, and/or if a plurality of second NF nodes (30) are identified, third information indicative of whether the plurality of second NF nodes (30) are prioritised according to the criterion.