UPF Offload via Configurable Routing Fabric
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G wireless networks, the processing of traffic by User Plane Function (UPF) at the network core leads to increased latency and resource usage due to the need to transport traffic for policy enforcement, which can be inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a routing component that can process traffic based on Quality of Service (QoS) policies and other criteria within the network, allowing it to handle established flows locally instead of forwarding them to the UPF for processing, thereby reducing the need for network resource utilization and latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traffic is forwarded to UPF for policy enforcement processing, then traffic policies can be properly enforced, but latency increases and network resource usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic handling into two paths: established flows are processed locally by routing components, while new flows are forwarded to UPF for policy enforcement. This segmentation allows critical time-sensitive traffic to be handled locally without UPF involvement, reducing latency while maintaining policy enforcement for new flows.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements flow establishment phase where routing components pre-process and establish flow rules before traffic needs to be forwarded. By performing preliminary actions during flow setup, the system prepares routing information in advance, enabling local processing of subsequent traffic without requiring UPF intervention for each packet, thus reducing latency.
2Reliability
If traffic is forwarded to UPF for processing, then policy enforcement is ensured, but network resource usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides traffic processing responsibilities between routing components and UPF. Routing components handle established flows locally, while UPF only processes new flows and control plane traffic. This segmentation reduces the volume of traffic requiring UPF processing, thereby decreasing network resource usage while maintaining policy enforcement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables routing components to self-service by making autonomous decisions about established flows using locally cached flow information. This self-service capability eliminates the need to forward every packet to UPF for processing, significantly reducing network resource consumption while maintaining reliable policy enforcement through preliminary configuration.
3Extent of automation
If all traffic is processed by UPF, then centralized control is maintained, but processing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments processing responsibilities between centralized UPF and distributed routing components. UPF maintains centralized control for flow establishment and policy definition, while routing components independently handle established flow processing. This segmentation enables parallel processing across multiple routing components, dramatically improving overall processing efficiency while preserving centralized control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary flow establishment phase where UPF configures routing components with flow rules and policies in advance. This preliminary action enables routing components to autonomously and efficiently process subsequent traffic without requiring continuous centralized intervention, thereby improving processing efficiency while maintaining centralized control over the overall system behavior.
Data Source
AI summary
A system described herein may provide for the separation of functions associated with a User Plane Function (“UPF”) in a wireless network (e.g., a Fifth Generation (“5G”) network), such that routing devices associated with the wireless network may perform functionality that would otherwise be performed by virtualized hosts or other configurable resources. For example, routing components which form a backhaul or other portion of the network may process traffic according to a suitable set of policies (e.g., Quality of Service (“QoS”) policies, content filtering policies, queueing policies, and/or other policies) instead of transmitting such traffic to a UPF associated with the network core for processing.