NRF UPF Selection for PDU Session Types
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless network cores inefficiently handle unsupported Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session types, leading to ineffective and inefficient handovers of wireless user devices to other Radio Access Networks (RANs).
Innovation Solution
A Network Repository Function (NRF) determines excessive UPF responses and initiates a request to a Management and Orchestration (MANO) system to instantiate a new User Plane Function (UPF) capable of serving the PDU session type, ensuring seamless service to User Equipment (UEs) over the RAN.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wireless network core requires wireless user devices to hand over to another RAN when PDU session type is not supported, then the PDU session can be established, but the handover process becomes inefficient and increases network latency
Solution Approach 1:
The NRF proactively determines when UPF responses are excessive and instantiates new UPFs before users experience service failures. This preliminary action prevents the need for reactive handovers, thereby reducing network latency and improving session establishment efficiency while maintaining reliability
2Loss of information
If the NRF transfers excessive UPF responses to indicate unsupported PDU session types, then complete information is provided to the network core, but network efficiency deteriorates due to excessive signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The NRF extracts and acts upon the essential information from excessive UPF responses to determine when new UPFs need instantiation. By separating the decision-making process from the full response transfer, the system maintains necessary information flow while eliminating excessive signaling overhead, thus improving network processing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The NRF monitors UPF response patterns and uses this feedback to intelligently determine when to instantiate new UPFs. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to changing network conditions and PDU session type requirements, maintaining information completeness while optimizing signaling efficiency
3Adaptability or versatility
If new UPFs are instantiated to support additional PDU session types, then network versatility improves, but device complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The MANO system implements a universal UPF instantiation process that can handle multiple PDU session types through a single standardized mechanism. This multi-functional approach allows the network to support diverse session types without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the same instantiation framework serves multiple purposes
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication network serves a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session type over a Radio Access Network (RAN). The wireless communication network comprises a Network Repository Function (NRF), Management and Orchestration (MANO) system, a User Plane Function (UPF), a RAN, and User Equipment (UEs). The NRF receives UPF requests for User Plane Functions (UPFs) that can serve the PDU session type over the RAN and responsively transfers UPF responses indicating other UPFs that cannot serve the PDU session type over the RAN. The NRF determines when the transfer of the UPF responses is excessive. In response, the NRF transfers an instantiation request to a Management and Orchestration (MANO) system to instantiate a new UPF that can serve the PDU session type over the RAN. The MANO system instantiates the new UPF. The new UPF serves the PDU session type to the UEs over the RAN.