UPF Selection Using Subscriber Attributes and Application Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless communication networks inefficiently select User Plane Functions (UPFs) based on load, leading to misalignment between UPF capabilities and user device service requirements, which degrades the overall user experience.
Innovation Solution
The Session Management Function (SMF) initiates policy association with the Policy Control Function (PCF) to determine application IDs based on user device subscription, correlating these IDs to appropriate UPFs that match the device's service requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If UPF selection is based on load distribution, then traffic is distributed across network elements, but misalignment occurs between UPF capabilities and user device service requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the selection parameter from load-based metrics to capability-based parameters. The SMF retrieves subscriber attributes (service type, QoS requirements, latency tolerance) from the PCF and uses these parameters to select UPFs whose capabilities match the user device requirements, rather than simply distributing traffic based on current load.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-configuring UPF capability information in the PCF and pre-establishing the mapping between service requirements and suitable UPFs. When a PDU session is established, the SMF queries the PCF for the appropriate UPF based on already-available subscriber attributes, avoiding real-time capability matching during session establishment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple UPFs with varying capabilities are deployed, then service diversity is supported, but complexity increases in selecting the appropriate UPF for each user device
Solution Approach 1:
The PCF acts as an intermediary between the SMF and the multiple UPFs. Instead of the SMF directly evaluating UPF capabilities against service requirements, the SMF queries the PCF which maintains knowledge of UPF capabilities and subscriber attributes. The PCF returns the appropriate UPF ID, simplifying the SMF's selection process while supporting diverse service types.
Solution Approach 2:
The PCF serves multiple functions: it stores subscriber attribute information, maintains UPF capability profiles, performs matching between requirements and capabilities, and provides UPF selection recommendations. This multi-functional approach consolidates the complexity in one element rather than distributing it across multiple components.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments include a system that comprises Session Management Function (SMF). The SMF transfers a policy create request to a Policy Control Function (PCF) in response to receiving a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session create request for a user device from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF). The SMF receives a policy create response for the policy create request from the PCF. The SMF parses the policy create response to determine an application Identifier (ID) for the user device. The SMF maps the application ID to a User Plane Function (UPF) ID. The SMF selects a UPF to serve the user device based on the mapping. The SMF transfers a session request to the UPF to establish a PDU session for the user device.