Shared User Plane Tunnel Routing for Faster 5G Path Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G networks experience significant overhead signaling during frequent path switches due to UE mobility or unstable wireless channels, particularly in user plane path switches, which are managed by control plane functions, leading to inefficient communication.
Innovation Solution
Implement a method for routing data packets using a shared user plane tunnel, where user plane entities select connections based on traffic differentiation information in the tunnel header, reducing the need for extensive control plane signaling and minimizing tunnel configuration overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control plane functions manage user plane path switches, then path switching can be achieved, but network overhead signaling increases significantly during frequent handovers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a service gateway as an intermediary device that manages user plane path switches independently from control plane functions. The service gateway receives data packets from the mobile switching center, determines routing paths based on destination addresses, and forwards packets accordingly. This intermediary structure enables path switching without requiring control plane involvement, thereby reducing signaling overhead during frequent handovers while maintaining reliable path switching capability.
2Reliability
If dedicated user plane tunnels are established for each communication session, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity and tunnel configuration overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a shared user plane tunnel mechanism where a single tunnel can serve multiple communication sessions simultaneously. The service gateway differentiates between different data flows within the shared tunnel by examining destination addresses and applying appropriate routing rules. This universal tunnel approach maintains communication reliability through proper flow separation while significantly reducing the complexity of tunnel configuration and management compared to dedicated tunnels for each session.
3Reliability
If frequent path switches are performed to maintain connection quality, then communication quality is improved, but handover time and signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The service gateway pre-establishes routing rules and maintains a mapping between destination addresses and user plane paths in advance. When path switches are needed due to frequent handovers, the gateway can immediately apply pre-configured routing rules without requiring time-consuming control plane signaling or complex path computation. This preliminary preparation of routing information enables rapid path switching that maintains connection quality while minimizing handover time.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides systems and methods and apparatuses for user plane handling. An aspect of the disclosure provides a method of user plane handling. Such a method includes sending, by a first user plane entity, to a second user plane entity, a trigger message for changing the user plane handling for a protocol data unit (PDU) session. Another aspect of the disclosure provides a method of using a shared tunnel. Such a method includes receiving from a reception tunnel by a first user plane entity a tunnel packet including a tunnel header and a data packet. Such a method further includes routing, by the first user plane entity to a second tunnel using information in the tunnel header without processing the data packet.