Shared CU UP Address Management in 5G Multicast

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing multicast/broadcast sessions in 5G networks, particularly in determining when to deliver or terminate data to a shared centralized unit user plane (CU UP), leading to potential data loss and mismanagement of control plane distribution trees.

Innovation Solution

The system introduces mechanisms for a multicast/broadcast session management function to receive information from radio access networks (RAN) about the CU UP, determining whether to configure or terminate data delivery based on indications of involvement and requests from RAN nodes, and managing shared NG-U addresses to optimize data delivery and control plane registration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data delivery is continuously maintained towards a shared CU UP, then data loss is minimized, but unnecessary data transmission occurs when multiple RAN nodes share the same CU UP

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata delivery reliabilityVSAvoidunnecessary data transmission

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where RAN nodes report their involvement status with shared CU UP addresses to the core network. The core network uses this feedback information to dynamically adjust data delivery decisions, ensuring data is transmitted only when necessary while maintaining reliability when RAN nodes are actively involved in multicast/broadcast sessions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

RAN nodes autonomously monitor their own involvement status with shared CU UP addresses and self-report this information to the core network without requiring continuous polling or external inquiry, enabling the core network to make informed data delivery decisions based on current network state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If the core network requests delivery information from every RAN node, then accurate data delivery decisions are made, but signaling overhead and network complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata delivery decision accuracyVSAvoidcontrol plane distribution tree management

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential information (RAN node involvement status with shared CU UP addresses) from the complex control plane distribution tree management and reports it to the core network. This selective information extraction enables accurate data delivery decisions without requiring the core network to manage or process the entire control plane distribution tree structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary reporting mechanism where RAN nodes act as mediators between the control plane distribution tree and the core network's data delivery function. RAN nodes translate complex control plane state into simple involvement status indicators, reducing the complexity burden on the core network while maintaining decision accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If multiple RAN nodes share a CU UP address, then resource efficiency is improved, but determining when to terminate data delivery becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource efficiencyVSAvoiddata delivery termination condition

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the termination decision logic from individual RAN node management into a collective decision-making process. When multiple RAN nodes share a CU UP address, the core network aggregates involvement status information from all sharing nodes and makes a unified termination decision, ensuring data delivery is terminated only when all nodes have ceased involvement, thus resolving the complexity of determining termination conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20230319677A1Shared CU UP address management

Publication Date: 2023.10.05 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY

AI summary

There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising, at a multicast/broadcast session management function of a core network, means for receiving information related to a shared centralised unit user plane, CU UP for a multicast/broadcast session, from a radio access network, RAN, node or an access management function of the core network, means for determining, based on the information, whether to configure a user plane function of the core network to deliver data or to terminate delivery of data for the multicast/broadcast session towards the shared CU UP and means for, if so, configuring the user plane function to deliver data or to terminate delivery of data for the multicast/broadcast session towards the shared CU UP