Service Continuity With QUIC Proxy IP Rewriting for 5G Edge Relocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 5G networks face challenges in providing seamless service continuity during edge relocation due to complexities in encryption mechanisms and the need for different application functionalities across various connectivity models, particularly in handling UE nomadicity between 3GPP and WIFI networks, leading to application degradation and security issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a QUIC proxy that tunnels client connections and re-writes source IP addresses, triggering transport layer notifications to manage service continuity, allowing applications to handle relocation agnostically across connectivity models, and supporting multi-path connections for enhanced service continuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional encryption mechanisms (IPsec, TLS) are used in 5G networks, then security is provided, but complexity increases and service continuity during edge relocation becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy function as an intermediary between the UE and the data network. This proxy handles encryption and decryption operations, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining security. The proxy receives encrypted packets from the UPF, decrypts them using stored security parameters, and forwards them to the application, thereby reducing the complexity of direct end-to-end encryption management during edge relocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the encryption functionality into separate components: the UPF handles packet forwarding and the proxy handles decryption. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component and simplifies the overall system during edge relocation, as the proxy can maintain security context while the UPF is relocated.
2Reliability
If different application functionalities are implemented for various connectivity models, then service continuity is maintained, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal proxy function that can handle multiple connectivity models (direct connectivity, indirect connectivity, edge relocation) through a single unified architecture. The proxy maintains security parameters and context that are applicable across different connectivity scenarios, eliminating the need for separate application functionalities for each model and simplifying implementation.
3Reliability
If IP address rewriting is performed at the UPF during edge relocation, then service continuity is enabled, but additional processing complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines IP address rewriting and packet forwarding functions within the UPF, and combines decryption and forwarding functions within the proxy. This merging reduces the number of separate processing steps and interfaces, thereby reducing overall processing complexity while maintaining service continuity during edge relocation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method in a wireless communication system for service continuity between a user equipment, UE, based client application and a server, the connection comprising an edge application server, the connection further comprising a first local user plane proxy function and a user plane tunnel connection between the UE based client and the first user plane proxy function, the user plane tunnel connection further comprising a first source internet protocol, IP, address, the method comprising: inserting (910) a second user plane function between the UE based client and the server, providing (920) a second source IP address for uplink, UL, data packets, wherein the second source IP address is different from the first source IP address; forwarding UL (930) data packets from the second user plane function to the first user plane proxy function, wherein the first source IP address is replaced with the second source IP address; initiating (940) a path change procedure between the UE based client and the first user plane proxy function in response to the change to the second source IP address.