Network Slice Priority Adjustment for NF Congestion Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
5G networks lack a flexible and consistent mechanism for prioritizing messages related to different network slices at producer NFs, leading to difficulties in determining message priorities during congestion, especially when consumer NFs set priorities based on local policies or when network slice information is absent in messages.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for adjusting message priorities at network functions (NFs) with multiple slice support by storing network-slice-based priority adjustment rules, determining network slice information, and calculating network-slice-adjusted priorities using equations, allowing for message handling during congestion or overload conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If consumer NFs set priorities based on local policies, then flexibility in priority assignment is improved, but consistency and reliability of message prioritization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a service communication proxy (SCP) as an intermediary between consumer NFs and producer NFs. The SCP receives service requests from consumer NFs, determines the appropriate network slice based on slice information in the request, and sets the message priority according to pre-configured slice priority rules. This mediator ensures consistent priority assignment across different consumer NFs while maintaining the flexibility of local policy configuration, as the SCP centralizes the priority determination logic based on network slice identifiers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If producer NFs support multiple network slices, then versatility of the network function is improved, but difficulty in determining message priorities during congestion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring priority rules for each network slice at the producer NF or SCP before congestion occurs. When a service request arrives, the system extracts the network slice identifier from the request and immediately applies the pre-determined priority rule for that slice. This eliminates the need for complex real-time priority calculations during congestion, as the priority mapping from slice identifier to priority value has already been established in advance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If consumer NFs use complete range of priorities, then adaptability is improved, but ability to determine actual priority during overload deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for priority determination from the raw priority value (which can be any value in the 0-31 range) to the network slice identifier. By mapping multiple priority values to a single network slice identifier, the system transforms the priority parameter from a continuous range to a discrete category. This allows the producer NF to determine the actual priority during overload by looking up the pre-configured priority rule for the identified network slice, ensuring precise priority determination regardless of how consumer NFs utilize the priority range.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for adjusting priorities of messages at a network function (NF) with multiple network slice support includes, at a first NF that supports multiple network slices, storing a database of rules specifying network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters. The method further includes receiving a message from a second NF. The method further includes determining that a congestion or overload condition exists, and, in response. determining network slice information associated with the message, determining, using the network slice information and the database of network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters, a network-slice-adjusted priority value for the message, and discarding or processing the message based on the network-slice-adjusted priority value for the message.