UE Context Transfer Between Edge and Cloud Service Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in maintaining service continuity when user equipment (UE) moves between edge and cloud data networks, leading to potential service disruptions and loss of application context due to unsupported application servers.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a method where the UE detects mobility events and communicates with an edge configuration server (ECS) to discover suitable cloud application servers (CAS), performs application context relocation (ACT) using existing mechanisms like DNS with FQDN queries, and triggers service provisioning procedures based on UE location and application client profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the UE moves from edge service area to cloud service area, then service coverage is maintained, but service continuity is disrupted due to lack of EAS support
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary service provisioning procedures before the UE actually moves to the cloud service area. The ECS receives location information in advance and pre-configures the appropriate CAS, ensuring that service context is ready for immediate transfer when mobility occurs, thus maintaining service continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The Edge Configuration Server (ECS) acts as an intermediary between the UE and the Cloud Application Servers. It receives mobility events, determines suitable CAS based on UE location and profile, and manages the service context transfer process, enabling seamless transition between edge and cloud service areas.
2Reliability
If application context transfer is performed between EAS and CAS, then service continuity is maintained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The service provisioning procedure is designed to be universal and multi-functional. It can handle both edge-to-edge and edge-to-cloud transitions using the same mechanism. The ECS can provision different types of application servers (EAS or CAS) based on UE location, eliminating the need for separate complex procedures for different transition scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system copies service context information from the source EAS to the target CAS during the transfer process. This copying mechanism allows the UE to seamlessly switch between service areas while maintaining application state, without requiring complex synchronization or state management protocols.
3Productivity
If the UE queries ECS for suitable EDNs, then service provisioning is optimized, but communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ECS performs preliminary determination of suitable application servers based on UE location and profile information before the UE actually needs to connect. This pre-computation reduces the amount of back-and-forth communication required during actual service transitions, as the ECS already has cached information about suitable CAS for different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE autonomously initiates the service provisioning query to the ECS when it detects a mobility event. The ECS then provides the necessary CAS information in a single response, allowing the UE to self-manage its service context transfer without requiring multiple rounds of negotiation or additional control plane signaling.
Data Source
AI summary
A user equipment (UE) can be configured to detect a mobility event of the UE in which the mobility event corresponds to the UE moving from a first service area which supports one or more edge application servers (EAS) to a second service area which supports one or more cloud application servers (CAS). The UE can then perform communications with an edge configuration server (ECS) regarding the second service area. Additionally, the UE can receive from the ECS, a response comprising an indication that one or more suitable edge data networks (EDNs) could not be found. The UE can discover a suitable CAS corresponding to the second service area and perform an application context transfer (ACT) from the EAS to the CAS.