SCEF Node Facilitating Non-IP UE-to-UE Communications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 3GPP specifications lack a procedure for non-IP User Equipment (UE) to UE communications, leading to increased complexity, latency, and security risks due to the need for non-IP data to be transferred through a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF) server, which introduces additional steps and limitations in designating the destination UE.

Innovation Solution

A method and node configuration for facilitating non-IP UE-to-UE communications by enabling direct communication between UEs through an SCEF node, which receives a Create SCEF Connection Request and transmits Mobile Terminated NIDD Submit Requests, allowing for efficient data transfer between source and destination UEs, including buffering data when the destination UE is not initially available.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If non-IP data is transferred through SCEF server, then data delivery can be achieved, but system complexity and latency increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata deliveryVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the destination UE identification capability from the SCEF server and assigns it to the source UE. The source UE directly includes the destination UE's external identifier in the NIDD configuration request, eliminating the need for SCEF to maintain and query destination UE mapping tables, thereby reducing server complexity while preserving data delivery functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by having the source UE prepare and include the destination UE's external identifier in advance during the NIDD configuration request. This pre-preparation eliminates the need for real-time lookup operations at the SCEF server during data delivery, reducing latency and simplifying the data transmission process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If non-IP data is transferred through SCEF server, then data delivery can be achieved, but communication latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata deliveryVSAvoidcommunication latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the destination UE identification step from the SCEF server's processing workflow. By having the source UE directly provide the destination external identifier, the patent eliminates the time-consuming lookup and verification operations that would otherwise occur at the SCEF server, thereby reducing communication latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The destination UE's external identifier is prepared and included in the NIDD configuration request at the source UE before data transmission begins. This preliminary inclusion of destination information eliminates the need for real-time destination resolution during data delivery, significantly reducing transmission latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If non-IP data is transferred through SCEF server, then data delivery can be achieved, but security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata deliveryVSAvoidsecurity risks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the destination UE identification function from the SCEF server and assigns it to the source UE. This redistribution eliminates the security risks associated with the SCEF server storing and processing destination UE identifiers, as the source UE directly provides this information without requiring server intervention or data storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If destination UE identifier is not included in NIDD configuration request, then backward compatibility is maintained, but data transfer efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackward compatibilityVSAvoiddata transfer efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by including only the necessary additional field (destination external identifier) in the NIDD configuration request without altering other existing parameters. This partial modification maintains backward compatibility with existing SCEF servers while introducing the efficiency benefits of direct destination identification, allowing gradual deployment without requiring complete protocol redesign.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3804407B1Methods and nodes for facilitating non-IP UE-to-UE communications

Publication Date: 2023.02.01 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

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AI summary

A method (400) in an SCEF node for facilitating non-IP UE-to-UE communications is provided. The method (400) includes: receiving (420) from a first MME/SGSN associated with a source UE a Create SCEF Connection Request containing an identity of the source UE and an identity of a destination UE; receiving (430) from the first MME/SGSN an MO NIDD Submit Request containing the identity of the source UE and a non-IP data from the source UE; and transmitting (440) an MT NIDD Submit Request containing the non-IP data to a second MME/SGSN associated with the destination UE.