PFD Rule Delivery via UPF Subscription and Incremental Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing 5GC PFD management mechanism is inefficient in terms of signaling and number of hops between the producer (AF) and consumer (UPF), particularly due to large PFD rule sizes for applications like Facebook, which include thousands of server IP addresses, leading to increased signaling and processing impacts on SMF.
Innovation Solution
Optimized Nnef Southbound API for PFD Management, supporting UPF as a consumer, with notification push, pull, and combined push-pull procedures to manage PFD rules efficiently, reducing signaling and hops by allowing UPF to subscribe to NEF notifications and request PFD rules with partial updates based on a baseline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If PFD rules are conveyed from Content Provider to Network Operator through existing mechanism, then PFD rules are delivered, but signaling overhead and number of hops increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the PFD rule delivery process from the traditional multi-hop path (AF→SMF→UPF) and creates a direct delivery path to UPF through the PFD Management service. This allows PFD rules to be delivered directly to the User Plane Function without mandatory routing through Session Management Function, reducing the number of hops and signaling overhead while maintaining rule integrity and delivery reliability.
2Quantity of substance
If PFD rules with thousands of IP addresses are transmitted, then complete PFD rules are delivered, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the PFD rule delivery process into multiple phases: initial full PFD rule delivery, baseline establishment, and subsequent incremental updates. The PFD rules are divided into baseline version and update deltas, allowing the system to transmit only the necessary portions (incremental changes) rather than complete rule sets, thereby reducing signaling overhead while maintaining rule completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing a baseline PFD rule set before subsequent updates. The initial full PFD rules are delivered and stored as baseline, enabling future incremental updates to be applied efficiently. This preliminary setup prevents redundant transmission of unchanged rules and reduces ongoing signaling overhead.
3Ease of operation
If SMF processes all PFD rules, then PFD management is centralized, but processing impact on SMF increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the PFD Management service as an intermediary between AF and UPF for PFD rule delivery. This mediator handles the complex tasks of PFD rule reception, validation, storage, and incremental update management, freeing SMF from heavy PFD processing responsibilities. The intermediary maintains centralized management capabilities while reducing the processing burden on SMF.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables UPF to perform self-service by allowing it to subscribe to PFD rule notifications and receive incremental updates directly. The UPF can autonomously manage its own PFD rule set by applying received updates to its local baseline, reducing the need for SMF intervention in PFD management operations and improving overall system productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
The embodiments herein relate to optimized procedure for Packet Flow Description (PFD) management. In one embodiment, there proposes a method (800) for managing Packet Flow Description (PFD), comprising: receiving (S801) from a Session Management Function (SFM) (201) or a User Plane Function (UPF) (302) a demand message indicating the demand for at least one PFD rule for an application; detecting (S802) the at least one PFD rule for the application; and notifying (S803) information regarding the at least one PFD rule to the SMF (201) or the UPF (302). The embodiments herein may achieve an optimized procedure for PFD Management which optimizes the delivery of PFD rules, by reducing the amount of signaling and by reducing the number of hops between the producer (AF) and the consumer (UPF).