Policy Control Function Inter-Communication for PDU Session Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication networks face challenges in ensuring consistent application of policies during both network access management and session management due to the lack of coordination between access management functions and session management functions, leading to inconsistent policy delivery.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an inter-policy control function (PCF) communication mechanism that allows for the sharing of policy decisions between access management and session management functions through a unified data repository, ensuring that access mobility policy decisions are shared with session management policy decisions during PDU session establishment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate access management and session management functionality are implemented, then network functionality and service capabilities are improved, but coordination between management functions becomes complex and policy consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a common data repository as an intermediary component that both access management function and session management function can access. This repository stores subscriber information, policy information, and access mobility policy decisions, serving as a centralized coordination mechanism that reduces the complexity of direct inter-function communication while maintaining policy consistency across different management functions.
2Productivity
If access mobility policy decisions are made independently, then access management efficiency is improved, but policy consistency across management phases deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the access management function makes access mobility policy decisions and stores them in the common data repository. The session management function then retrieves these stored decisions when establishing PDU sessions, ensuring that policy decisions are consistently applied across different management phases while maintaining independent operational efficiency.
3Reliability
If policy decisions are shared between management functions, then policy consistency is improved, but information loss and coordination overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by having the access management function store access mobility policy decisions in the common data repository before the session management function needs them. This advance preparation ensures that when PDU session establishment occurs, the necessary policy information is already available in the repository, eliminating information loss and reducing coordination overhead during the actual session setup process.
Data Source
AI summary
A network device may include a memory storing instructions and processor configured to execute the instructions to receive a request for a session management (SM) policy association in relation to establishment of a packet data unit (PDU) session for a particular user equipment (UE) device; sending, to a second network device, a request for an access and mobility (AM) policy decision pertaining to the UE device; receiving the AM policy decision from the second network device, and creating the SM policy association based on at least the received AM policy decision. The request for SM policy association includes an identifier associated with the second network device. The processor may be further configured to determine whether the network device is the same as another network device based on the identifier; and transmit a request to the second network device when it is determined that the first network device is not the same as the other network device.