Split TNGF Architecture for 5G Non-3GPP Gateway Scaling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The monolithic TNGF architecture in existing 3GPP specifications leads to costly deployments, difficulty in scaling and evolving control-plane and user-plane functionalities independently, and lack of flexibility in deploying user-plane functionality near the UE and control-plane functionality in a centralized location.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a split TNGF architecture that separates TNGF into TNGF-Control Plane (TNGF-CP), TNGF-User Plane (TNGF-UP), and TNGF-Secure Gateway (TNGF-SG) functionalities, defining new interfaces and procedures for 5G registration and PDU session establishment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a monolithic TNGF architecture is used, then the system structure is simple, but deployment cost increases and scalability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The TNGF is divided into separate control-plane (TNGF-CP) and user-plane (TNGF-UP) functionalities, allowing independent deployment and scaling of each component. This segmentation enables flexible deployment strategies where the control plane can be centralized while user plane functions are distributed closer to UEs, reducing overall deployment costs and improving scalability.
2Device complexity
If control-plane and user-plane functionalities are combined, then the architecture is simpler, but flexibility in independent scaling and evolution is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The architecture separates control-plane and user-plane functionalities into distinct components (TNGF-CP and TNGF-UP), enabling each to be scaled and evolved independently based on specific network requirements without affecting the other plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The split architecture allows dynamic deployment configurations where control-plane functions can remain centralized while user-plane functions are dynamically distributed to edge locations closer to UEs, providing adaptability to changing network conditions and requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If TNGF is deployed as a single unit, then deployment is straightforward, but flexibility in locating control-plane and user-plane functions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting TNGF into control-plane and user-plane components, the system enables flexible deployment strategies where each component can be located optimally - control plane in centralized locations for management and user plane at edge locations near UEs for low-latency data transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The architecture allows user-plane functionality to be deployed locally near UEs in distributed access networks, while control-plane functionality remains in centralized network operations centers, optimizing each function's location based on its specific requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for a split TNGF. One apparatus 700 includes a processor 705 that receives 805 a request from the AMF. Here, the request is sent during registration of the remote unit with the mobile communication network via the apparatus 700, where the request contains a first security key. The processor 705 selects 810 a TNGF-SG and sends 815 a first message to the selected TNGF-SG that contains the first security key, an identity of the remote unit and a destination address and port indicating where the remote unit is to send signaling messages for the mobile communication network. The processor 705 receives 820 a second message from the selected TNGF-SG and establishes 825 a first connection with the remote unit via the selected TNGF-SG. The processor 705 completes 830 the registration of the remote unit with the mobile communication network.