Unified Data Repository APIs to Eliminate 5G Segment Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In segmented wireless networks, the use of unmodified Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) forces Network Functions (NFs) to access UE-specific data from one UDR and non-UE-specific data from another, necessitating costly and inefficient synchronization across segments, leading to increased network latency and operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
Implementing modified APIs that allow Unified Data Repositories (UDRs) to store both UE-specific and non-UE-specific data, enabling NFs to retrieve this data without the need for synchronization across segments, thus optimizing network efficiency and reducing latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unmodified APIs are used in segmented networks, then Network Functions can access UE-specific data from one UDR and non-UE-specific data from another UDR, but this necessitates costly and inefficient synchronization across segments, leading to increased network latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges UE-specific data and non-UE-specific data into a single Unified Data Repository (UDR), eliminating the need for multiple separate UDRs and the synchronization overhead between them. This consolidation allows Network Functions to access all required data from one repository, reducing latency while maintaining data consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal UDR that serves multiple purposes by storing both UE-specific data and non-UE-specific data. This multi-functional repository replaces the need for separate specialized repositories, enabling efficient data access without synchronization requirements while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate UDRs are used for UE-specific and non-UE-specific data, then data can be organized by type, but synchronization across segments becomes costly and operationally challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate UDRs for UE-specific and non-UE-specific data into a single Unified Data Repository, eliminating the complex synchronization infrastructure required to maintain consistency across multiple repositories while preserving logical data organization through unified data models and access patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the synchronization requirement from the system by consolidating data into a single UDR, removing the need for inter-segment synchronization mechanisms and their associated complexity while maintaining data organization through internal repository structure.
3Reliability
If multiple standalone UDR instances are deployed across segments, then network segmentation and resilience are improved, but the need for synchronization between instances increases operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains network segmentation by allowing the Unified Data Repository to be deployed as multiple instances across different network segments, each serving local Network Functions. The segmentation provides resilience and isolation, while the unified data model and API ensure operational simplicity by eliminating cross-segment synchronization requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a unified data model and standardized API as an intermediary layer that abstracts the complexity of distributed data storage. This intermediary enables multiple UDR instances to operate independently across segments without requiring direct synchronization, simplifying operations while maintaining resilience.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a Network Repository Function in a segment of a Fifth Generation (5G) network. The NRF is configured to receive a registration request from a Unified Data Repository (UDR). The request indicates that the UDR includes both UE-specific data and non-UE specific data. The NRF is further configured to: store registration information provided in the registration request; receive a request from a network function within the segment and send a response to the request based on the registration information.