NWDAF Association Mapping for Low-Load 5G Analytics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechanisms for pre-data collection in NWDAF for generating analytics information in 5G networks are inefficient, leading to high load and incomplete mapping of network entities, particularly for user plane and network slice associations, which are essential for generating analytics IDs like Service Experience and User data congestion.
Innovation Solution
Implement network entities that obtain and provide network slice association (NSA) and user plane association (UPA) information through direct configuration or subscription from management plane entities and network functions, reducing signaling load and enhancing pre-data collection efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the NWDAF uses existing pre-data collection mechanisms to determine control plane NFs serving UEs, then the NF discovery function is achieved, but the network load increases significantly and the data collection remains incomplete for user plane associations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary network entity (such as an NF Information Repository or enhanced NRF) that stores and provides association information between NFs, UEs, and user plane entities. This intermediary consolidates data that would otherwise require multiple separate queries to existing NFs, reducing network load while completing the data collection picture by including user plane associations that previous mechanisms missed.
2Loss of information
If the NWDAF subscribes to multiple NF services for pre-data collection, then more complete NF information is obtained, but the signaling overhead and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple scattered association information sources into a single consolidated repository or enhanced NF profile structure. Instead of the NWDAF subscribing to and processing information from multiple separate NF services (AMF, SMF, UPF individually), the system combines all relevant association data (control plane NFs, user plane NFs, UE relationships) into one unified query interface, reducing signaling overhead and processing complexity while maintaining information completeness.
3Measurement precision
If the network collects detailed user plane association information for analytics generation, then analytics accuracy improves, but the network load and data collection complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-establishing and storing comprehensive association information between NFs, UEs, and user plane entities in a centralized repository or enhanced NF profiles before analytics generation is needed. This pre-collection and organization of detailed user plane association data means that when analytics generation requires this information, it is already available in a structured, query-ready format, improving analytics accuracy without the overhead of real-time data collection complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the generation of analytics information in a mobile network. To this end, the invention proposes network entities and corresponding methods that support the analytics generation. In particular, the network entities and methods facilitate the gathering of information required for the analytics generation. In particular, a network entity for analytics generation is configured to obtain network slice association (NSA information and/or user plane association (UPA) information from one or more other network entities, wherein the NSA information indicates a relation between an Access Network (AN) property and a Core Network (CN) property, and the UPA information indicates a network entity configured to transmit data traffic to and/or from a user equipment in the network. Further, the network entity is configured to provide analytics information, the analytics information being based on the obtained NSA information and/or UPA information.