Network Function Repository Service Discovery Caching

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Solution Overview

Problem

In a service-based architecture, there is no effective solution for how a Network Repository Function (NRF) manages network functions (NF) and assists NF requesters in obtaining desired NFs.

Innovation Solution

The method involves an NRF receiving a service discovery request from an NF requester, querying for the ID or service-related information of NF providers, and sending this information back to the requester, allowing the NF requester to directly access the appropriate NF provider.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the NF requester repeatedly queries the NRF for service information, then the service discovery can be performed, but the NRF becomes a bottleneck and service acquisition delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice discovery capabilityVSAvoidservice acquisition delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the NF requester obtain service-related information from the NRF in advance and store it locally. This allows the requester to perform service discovery using cached information without repeatedly querying the NRF, thus reducing service acquisition delay while maintaining reliable service discovery capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a local cache as an intermediary between the NF requester and the NRF. The cache stores service-related information and acts as a mediator that allows the requester to access service discovery information without direct repeated queries to the NRF, reducing the bottleneck effect and time delay.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the NF requester obtains detailed service-related information from the NRF, then the ability to determine service availability improves, but the network traffic and NRF load increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice availability determination accuracyVSAvoidnetwork traffic

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary service-related information (such as service ID lists and version information) from the complete NRF data and stores it locally in the NF requester. This extraction approach provides sufficient information for accurate service availability determination while minimizing network traffic and NRF load compared to obtaining all available service information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10924558B2Network function information interaction method and device, and computer storage medium

Publication Date: 2021.02.16 CHINA MOBILE COMM GRP CO LTD

AI summary

An NF information interaction method and device. The method comprises: a network function library NRF receiving a service discovery request sent by an NF requesting party, wherein the service discovery request at least comprises a service identifier requested to be provided by the NF requesting party; performing querying according to the service identifier, and determining an NF providing party of a service requested to be provided by the NF requesting party and service-related information about the NF providing party; and sending the service-related information about the NF providing party and the service-related information to the NF requesting party by means of a service discovery response.