Resource Management Node IP Allocation for Seamless User Plane Failover

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Solution Overview

Problem

In next-generation mobile communications networks, user service data transmission is interrupted when a user plane network element fails, as existing methods require re-establishing a data connection, leading to service interruptions and affected user experiences.

Innovation Solution

A resource management node dynamically manages user equipment IP addresses and tunnel endpoint identifiers, allowing seamless service data forwarding to a new user plane network element without re-establishing connections, simplifying configuration and enabling plug-and-play functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If user equipment re-establishes a data connection when a user plane network element fails, then service data transmission can be restored, but service interruption occurs during the re-establishment process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice data transmission reliabilityVSAvoidservice interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-establishes multiple user plane network elements and their corresponding forwarding paths before failure occurs. When a failure is detected, the system can immediately switch to a pre-configured backup path without requiring re-establishment procedures, thereby eliminating service interruption time while maintaining transmission reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a control plane network element as an intermediary that manages multiple user plane network elements. This intermediary coordinates the switching between primary and backup forwarding paths, enabling seamless failover that restores service immediately without requiring end-to-end connection re-establishment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a new user plane network element is selected to establish a data connection, then service continuity is ensured, but configuration complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice continuityVSAvoidnetwork configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs user plane network elements with universal interfaces and standardized protocols that allow any available user plane element to handle service data forwarding. This multi-functionality enables automatic failover without complex configuration, as the system can interchangeably use any user plane element through standard mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The control plane network element automatically selects and configures backup user plane network elements based on real-time network status without requiring manual intervention. The system self-manages the complexity of maintaining multiple forwarding paths through automated resource allocation and path selection algorithms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3512300B1Service transmission based on correspondence among tunnel endpoint identifier index, user equipment IP address segment and user plane network element
Publication Date: 2021.04.28 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3512300B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3512300B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3512300B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to the field of communications technologies, and provides a service transmission method, a device, and a system, to resolve a problem that a service of user equipment is interrupted when a user plane network element is faulty. The method includes: obtaining, by a resource management node, an IP address pool; dividing the IP address pool into at least one IP address segment, and determining at least one tunnel endpoint identifier index based on the at least one IP address segment; and allocating the at least one IP address segment and the at least one tunnel endpoint identifier index to at least one user plane network element.