User Plane Exposure for Cellular Traffic Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing 3GPP Exposure framework is control plane-based, making it difficult to correlate content provider application traffic with user plane traffic, especially with the increasing adoption of traffic encryption by content providers like HTTP/3 or QUIC, and many network operators do not support the complex Network Exposure Function (NEF) defined by 3GPP.
Innovation Solution
A user plane-based exposure mechanism is introduced, allowing content providers to directly inform the cellular network about policies for data packet flows through a service-based architecture, where the user plane entity acts as the entry point instead of the control plane, enabling efficient exchange of information between content providers and network operators without relying on the NEF.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If control plane-based exposure framework is used, then policy control functionality is provided, but correlation between content provider application traffic and user plane traffic becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a user plane function as an intermediary entity that receives policy information directly from the content provider and enforces it in the user plane. This intermediary bridges the gap between control plane policy decisions and user plane traffic, enabling direct traffic correlation without complex control plane signaling while maintaining policy control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent shifts the exposure mechanism from the control plane dimension to the user plane dimension. By enabling direct communication between content providers and user plane functions, it creates a parallel exposure path that operates independently from traditional control plane procedures, simplifying the overall architecture while improving traffic correlation capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If Network Exposure Function (NEF) is implemented according to 3GPP, then exposure functionality is provided, but device complexity and operator support requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential exposure functionality from the complex NEF architecture and implements it directly in the user plane function. By separating the core policy enforcement capability from the surrounding control plane complexity, it provides exposure functionality with reduced implementation complexity and lower operator support requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The user plane function is enhanced to directly receive and process policy information from content providers without requiring complex NEF mediation. This self-service capability allows the user plane to autonomously enforce policies while maintaining standard 3GPP exposure functionality, reducing the need for additional network elements.
3Reliability
If control plane procedures are used for policy enforcement, then policy control is maintained, but information exchange efficiency between content providers and network operators decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables policy information to be exchanged and prepared in advance through direct user plane communication channels. By establishing the exposure mechanism ahead of traffic flow through the user plane, the system maintains policy control reliability while significantly improving information exchange efficiency between content providers and network operators.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a user equipment (100) requesting a data packet flow from an application entity transmitted through a cellular network to the user equipment, comprising: —transmitting (S20) a first request to a translating entity (700) configured to translate a name of the application entity providing the data packet flow to an address of the application entity through which the application entity can be reached, the first request requesting an identification of a user plane entity (200) configured to handle the data packet flow in the cellular network, —receiving (S24) a response to the first request, the response comprising a user plane identifier identifying the user plane entity (200), —transmitting (S26) a policy request to the identified user plane entity (200), the policy request comprising a flow identifier allowing an identification of the data packet flow in the cellular network, and policy information indicating a policy to be applied to the data packet flow in the cellular network for a transmission of the data packet flow through the cellular network.