UPF Capability Registration for Handover Data Forwarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
In modern telecommunications networks, identifying a User Plane Function (UPF) dedicated for data forwarding during handover procedures is challenging, as current 3GPP standards lack efficient methods for the Session Management Function (SMF) to discover or identify suitable UPFs with data forwarding capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A method and system are introduced to facilitate data forwarding by enabling network elements to exchange messages with indicators and responses, allowing network elements like the Network Repository Function (NRF), UPF, and SMF to register and query for data forwarding functions, and provide lists of network elements supporting these functions, including UPF instances and target areas for IP connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If current 3GPP standards are used for handover procedures, then basic data forwarding can be performed, but the Session Management Function cannot efficiently identify or discover suitable User Plane Functions with data forwarding capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Network Repository Function (NRF) as an intermediary between the Session Management Function (SMF) and User Plane Functions (UPFs). The NRF maintains a repository of network function information including UPF capabilities, and provides discovery services that enable the SMF to efficiently identify suitable UPFs with data forwarding capabilities through standardized interface calls, eliminating the difficulty of direct UPF identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the NRF continuously maintains and updates information about UPF capabilities in its repository. When UPFs register or update their capabilities, this information is fed back to the SMF through the NRF's discovery service, ensuring the SMF always has current information about which UPFs support data forwarding functions.
2Reliability
If a dedicated UPF is identified for data forwarding, then data loss and jitter are minimized during handover, but the complexity of network element registration and query increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the NRF serve multiple functions: it acts as both a registration point for network functions to declare their capabilities and as a discovery service that provides capability information to requesting functions. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise be separate mechanisms into a single universal platform, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of network element information from static configuration to dynamic parameters that can be registered, updated, and queried. By treating UPF capabilities as registrable parameters in the NRF repository rather than fixed configurations, the system achieves flexibility and reliability without proportionally increasing complexity, as the same infrastructure handles both registration and discovery.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure proposes network elements (NEs), methods at NEs for facilitating data forwarding, and a telecommunications system comprising the NEs. The method at a first network element for facilitating data forwarding may comprise: receiving, from a second network element, a first message comprising a first indicator indicating that a data forwarding function is supported by the second network element. Further, the first message may be a first request message which requests registering, at the first network element, one or more functions of the second network element comprising the data forwarding function. Further, the method may further comprise transmitting, to the second network element, a first response message comprising a second indicator indicating success of the registration.