URSP Usage Data Collection via PCF Mediator and NAS Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack an efficient process for collecting data from User Equipment (UE) about the usage of User Equipment Route Selection Policy (URSP) rules, particularly in mapping applications into PDU sessions, and existing approaches face difficulties in direct UE communication with Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) over Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling.
Innovation Solution
A method is provided for data collection from UE through NAS signaling with URSP, by extending the existing mechanism for UE Policy delivery protocol (UPDP) between the Policy Control Function (PCF) and the UE, allowing the PCF to request and collect URSP usage reports from UEs and expose this data to NWDAF through new events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If direct UE communication with NWDAF over NAS signaling is implemented, then data collection capability is improved, but device complexity and protocol difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the PCF as an intermediary between the UE and NWDAF. The PCF collects URSP usage data from the UE through extended UPDP protocol and then exposes this data to the NWDAF through event exposure mechanisms. This mediator approach avoids the need for direct complex NAS signaling between UE and NWDAF while achieving the same data collection goal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the existing UPDP protocol between PCF and UE to serve dual purposes: both delivering URSP policies to the UE and collecting usage data from the UE. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated protocols and simplifies the overall system architecture.
2Ease of operation
If existing UPDP protocol is extended for data collection, then ease of operation is improved, but protocol complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The existing UPDP protocol is extended to perform both URSP policy delivery and usage data collection functions. By making the protocol multi-functional, the patent avoids creating entirely new protocols while still achieving comprehensive data collection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the policy delivery and data collection processes into a single unified protocol framework (UPDP). This merging reduces the number of separate protocols needed and simplifies implementation by using a single protocol for multiple purposes.
3Productivity
If URSP usage data is collected from UE, then analytics generation capability is improved, but information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the specific URSP usage data that is relevant for analytics generation from the UE. Rather than collecting all possible UE data, the system selectively extracts only the portion of data needed for URSP analytics, reducing overall data processing requirements while maintaining analytics quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A method performed by a first network node (401, 1108, 1300, 1500) for collection from a user equipment, UE, of UE data about UE route selection policy, URSP, usage is provided. The method includes requesting (803) from the UE the UE data about URSP usage via a URSP rule between the first network node and the UE. The method further includes initiating (805) a UE policy update to update the URSP rule provided to the UE; and receiving (809) from the UE the UE data about URSP usage based on a UE policy delivery protocol that allows the UE to send the UE data about URSP usage via non-access stratum, NAS, signaling.