NWDAF Analytics Serving Area Registration for 5G Instance Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G communication networks lack mechanisms for efficiently configuring and selecting Network Data Analytics Functions (NWDAF) that provide spatially relevant analytics data, leading to inefficient control plane rejection signaling and lack of automation in updating NWDAF spatial coverage in response to network changes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a network entity that provides registration information based on analytics serving area (ASA) and data collection profile (ADC) to enhance NWDAF configuration and selection, allowing automated discovery and maintenance of data sources, reducing the need for manual reconfiguration and minimizing control plane rejection signaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If current 3GPP specification mechanisms are used for NWDAF discovery and selection, then the system can obtain location information of NWDAF and analytics ID, but it cannot determine spatial responsibility coverage, leading to inefficient control plane rejection signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the NWDAF pre-register its analytics serving area (spatial responsibility coverage) with the NRF before any analytics data requests are made. This allows NF consumers to query the NRF for NWDAF instances that cover their areas of interest before subscribing, preventing rejection signaling. The registration information including spatial coverage is prepared in advance and stored in the NRF, enabling efficient matching without trial-and-error subscription attempts.
2Extent of automation
If manual configuration of NWDAF data collection sources is performed, then deployment flexibility is maintained, but automation of updating NWDAF spatial coverage in response to network changes is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the NWDAF subscribes to event notifications from data collection sources (such as NF instances) through the NRF. When network changes occur (new NFs deployed, existing NFs modified or removed), the sources notify the NWDAF automatically. The NWDAF then updates its analytics serving area registration information with the NRF, ensuring spatial coverage information remains current without manual intervention while maintaining deployment flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The NWDAF performs self-service by automatically discovering available data collection sources through NRF queries, subscribing to their events, and updating its own registration information based on the discovered sources and received notifications. This eliminates the need for manual configuration of data collection sources while maintaining adaptability to network changes.
3Productivity
If NF consumers subscribe to NWDAF without knowing spatial coverage, then registration process is simple, but unnecessary subscription attempts and rejections increase control plane signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables NF consumers to perform preliminary queries to the NRF to discover NWDAF instances whose analytics serving areas cover their areas of interest before attempting subscription. This preliminary discovery action uses the spatial coverage information that the NWDAF has pre-registered with the NRF, allowing consumers to identify suitable NWDAF instances in advance and subscribe only to appropriate ones, eliminating trial-and-error subscription attempts and reducing control plane signaling.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a first network entity for a mobile communication network. The first network entity is configured to: provide registration information to a second network entity of the mobile communication network, wherein the registration information is based on a scope of generated analytics, the scope of generated analytics defining the capability of the first entity to generate analytics information.