S-CSCF Routing for 5GC Network Slice Service Requests
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G networks, the existing technologies fail to effectively route terminated service requests to the correct P-CSCF device after user equipment accesses the IMS through different 5GC network slices, leading to service failures and instability in the communication system.
Innovation Solution
A method where the S-CSCF receives a terminated service request, determines the correct P-CSCF address based on the service information and user equipment identity, and sends the request to the corresponding P-CSCF, either by querying a local correspondence or a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), ensuring accurate routing and fault recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the S-CSCF routes terminated service requests to P-CSCFs based on existing technologies, then the routing process is simple, but the service requests are routed to wrong P-CSCF devices leading to service failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing correspondence relationships between service information and P-CSCF addresses during the registration phase. When UE registers with a P-CSCF, the S-CSCF stores the mapping between service information (such as network slice identifiers) and the P-CSCF address. This pre-established correspondence enables accurate routing of terminated service requests without complex real-time determination, resolving the contradiction between routing accuracy and system complexity.
2Productivity
If the S-CSCF queries local correspondence for P-CSCF address, then the routing efficiency is high, but the correspondence may be incomplete leading to routing failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism by implementing a fallback query to the HSS when local correspondence is incomplete or unavailable. The S-CSCF first attempts to route requests using locally stored correspondence for high efficiency, and only when this fails does it query the HSS as an intermediary authority. This two-layer approach balances routing efficiency with completeness, ensuring that requests are always routed correctly even when local information is insufficient.
3Reliability
If the S-CSCF stores correspondence for all P-CSCFs, then the routing accuracy is high, but the memory consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing a hierarchical storage strategy where the S-CSCF maintains detailed correspondence information locally for frequently accessed P-CSCFs and services, while less frequently used mappings are stored remotely in the HSS. This approach ensures high routing accuracy for common cases with minimal local memory consumption, while maintaining the ability to route less common requests by querying the HSS when needed.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the system supports multiple 5GC network slices, then the service versatility is improved, but the complexity of managing multiple P-CSCF registrations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a unified correspondence storage and query mechanism that handles multiple 5GC network slices through a common interface. The S-CSCF stores and retrieves P-CSCF address mappings using a standardized structure that works across all network slices, eliminating the need for separate management mechanisms for each slice. This universal approach enables multi-network slice support while keeping the registration management complexity manageable through consistent handling procedures.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments provide a service request processing method, a related device, and a communications system in an IMS network. In the embodiments, because 5GC network slices correspond to different services, P-CSCFs in the IMS also correspond to different service information. After receiving a terminated service request sent by an I-CSCF, a first S-CSCF can obtain an address of a corresponding P-CSCF based on terminated service information carried in the terminated service request. Then, the first S-CSCF sends the terminated service request to the P-CSCF corresponding to the address, and the P-CSCF processes the terminated service request. The embodiments resolve a technical problem of how an S-CSCF in the IMS sends a terminated service request for UE to a corresponding P-CSCF for processing after the UE accesses the IMS through different 5GC network slices.