PCF-Mediated Application Identification for Accurate ATSSS Rules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G networks face inefficiencies in managing Access Traffic Steering, Switching, and Splitting (ATSSS) rules due to the lack of direct availability of operating system (OS) and application identifiers (OSId, OSAppId) at the Session Management Function (SMF), leading to inefficient processing and potential over-provisioning of UE resources.
Innovation Solution
Centralize the AppId to OSAppId mapping in the Policy Control Function (PCF), enabling accurate determination and provisioning of UE application descriptors, which are then sent to the SMF and ultimately the UE, ensuring appropriate resource allocation and reducing the need for SMF to maintain up-to-date mapping tables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the SMF maintains mapping tables for AppId to OSAppId conversion, then the network can provide ATSSS rules, but the device complexity and processing demands increase
Solution Approach 1:
The PCF acts as an intermediary between the network and SMF, centralizing the AppId to OSAppId mapping functionality. The PCF receives AppId from the SDF template, resolves it to OSApp_id using its own mapping tables, and provides the resolved OSApp_id to the SMF. This eliminates the need for SMF to maintain and update its own mapping tables, reducing SMF complexity while ensuring accurate ATSSS rule generation.
2Measurement precision
If the network provides comprehensive ATSSS rules with OS identifiers, then resource allocation accuracy improves, but the quantity of configuration information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the OS identifier resolution logic from the SMF and places it in the PCF. The PCF receives the AppId from the SDF template, performs the resolution to OSApp_id using its centralized mapping tables, and only passes the resolved OSApp_id to the SMF. This extraction reduces the quantity of configuration information that needs to be maintained at the SMF while preserving accurate resource allocation through the provided OSApp_id.
3Speed
If the SMF processes AppId to OSAppId mapping locally, then response time is reduced, but the processing energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the AppId to OSApp_id mapping functionality with the PCF's existing policy control functions. The PCF centralizes the mapping logic and resolves AppId to OSApp_id before providing rules to the SMF. This consolidation reduces the processing energy consumption at the SMF by eliminating the need for local mapping table maintenance and resolution operations, while the PCF's centralized processing can be optimized for efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments include methods for a policy control function (PCF) of a communication network. Such methods include, during establishment of a packet data unit, PDU, session for a user equipment, UE, determining one or more UE application descriptors that correspond to a network application identifier (AppId) of a service data flow (SDF) template for the PDU session. Each UE application descriptor includes a first identifier (OSId) of a UE-supported operating system (OS) and a second identifier (OSAppId) of an application for the UE-supported OS identified by the first identifier. Such methods include sending policy rules for the PDU session to a session management function (SMF) of the communication network. The policy rules include the UE application descriptors. Other embodiments include complementary methods for an SMF, as well as PCFs and SMFs configured to perform such methods.