NRF Duplicate Notification Avoidance via Subscription Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G networks, the Network Function Repository Function (NRF) lacks the capability to identify and consolidate duplicate subscriptions, leading to the generation of duplicate notification messages when events match the subscription conditions of overlapping subscriptions.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for avoiding duplicate notifications at the NRF involve detecting events related to NFs, identifying subscriptions with matching conditions, generating a list of relevant subscriptions, identifying and removing overlapping subscriptions, and sending notification messages only to the remaining subscriptions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the NRF sends notification messages to all subscriptions matching an event, then all subscribing NFs receive notifications, but duplicate notifications are sent to the same consumer NF

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification delivery completenessVSAvoidnetwork traffic

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by checking for overlapping subscriptions and removing duplicates from the notification list before sending notifications. The NRF identifies subscriptions with the same nfStatusNotificationUri in advance, removes duplicates, and then sends notifications only to unique recipients, preventing duplicate notifications from being generated in the first place

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges duplicate subscription entries into a single notification recipient by identifying subscriptions with identical nfStatusNotificationUri values and consolidating them. This combining approach ensures that only one notification is sent per unique recipient, reducing redundant network traffic while maintaining complete notification delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If the NRF processes all matching subscriptions, then all NFs are notified, but processing load increases due to duplicate notifications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification coverageVSAvoidNRF processing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary processing by identifying and removing duplicate subscriptions from the notification list before the actual notification sending process. This pre-filtering approach reduces the number of notifications that need to be processed and sent, thereby improving NRF processing efficiency while ensuring all unique NFs are still notified

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts duplicate entries from the subscription list by identifying subscriptions with matching nfStatusNotificationUri values and removing redundant copies. This extraction process separates the essential unique notifications from the harmful duplicates, allowing the NRF to process only necessary notifications and improve overall processing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If the NRF does not implement duplicate detection, then the system is simpler, but duplicate notifications are generated

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveNRF subscription managementVSAvoidduplicate notifications

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a relatively simple duplicate detection mechanism that performs preliminary checking of subscription conditions, particularly the nfStatusNotificationUri field. This basic yet effective approach identifies overlapping subscriptions before notification generation, eliminating duplicate notifications without requiring complex system restructuring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary filtering step between subscription matching and notification sending. This intermediary process checks for duplicate nfStatusNotificationUri values and filters out redundant notifications, acting as a mediator that prevents harmful duplicate notifications from being generated while keeping the overall system architecture simple

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12245192B2Methods, systems, and computer readable media for avoiding sending of duplicate notifications for overlapping subscriptions at network function (NF) repository function (NRF)

Publication Date: 2025.03.04 ORACLE INT CORP

AI summary

A method for avoiding sending duplicate notifications for overlapping subscriptions includes, at a network function (NF) repository function (NRF), detecting an event relating to an NF. The method further includes identifying a plurality of subscriptions having a subscription condition corresponding to the event. The method further includes generating a list of the plurality of subscriptions having a subscription condition corresponding to the event. The method further includes iterating through the list of subscriptions and identifying overlapping subscriptions. The method further includes removing the overlapping subscriptions from the list. The method further includes sending notification messages to NFs corresponding to subscriptions remaining in the list.