Zero Event Notification for 5G SBI Message Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G telecommunications networks, subscription-related messaging over the SBI interface is unreliable due to issues like incorrect callback URIs and transport failures, leading to excessive delays in processing as consumer NFs must discover and recreate subscriptions to receive notifications.
Innovation Solution
Implementing zero event notification messaging, where a consumer NF sends an SBI message indicating intent to use zero event notifications, and the producer NF confirms the callback URI and connectivity through a zero event notification request message, allowing for verification before successful subscription creation or updates, thereby ensuring reliable SBI message transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional subscribe/notify communications are used over SBI interface, then subscription creation is simple, but message transport reliability deteriorates due to incorrect callback URIs and transport failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a test notification message transmission before establishing the actual subscription. The producer NF sends a test notification to verify the callback URI and connectivity in advance, preventing future delivery failures without requiring complex retry logic or subscription recreation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies self-service by having the producer NF automatically verify callback URI validity and connectivity through test notifications. This self-verification mechanism eliminates the need for external validation services or manual configuration checks, improving reliability while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Loss of time
If notification messages are sent with incorrect callback URIs or transport failures, then subscription creation is initially successful, but processing delays worsen due to required subscription recreation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the verification action in advance by sending test notification messages before actual subscriptions are established. This preliminary connectivity check prevents future delivery failures and eliminates the time loss associated with subscription recreation, directly addressing the processing delay issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using the response to test notification messages to determine whether to proceed with subscription creation. If the test notification fails, the system receives feedback indicating connectivity issues and prevents problematic subscription establishment, avoiding future delivery failures and associated delays.
3Reliability
If test notification messages are sent to verify callback URIs, then message transport reliability improves, but network traffic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the verification function from the main notification flow by separating test notifications from actual event-driven notifications. This allows the system to perform necessary connectivity checks while minimizing unnecessary message traffic, as test notifications are only sent when subscription creation or update is attempted.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by sending test notifications only when necessary - specifically during subscription creation and callback URI update scenarios. This selective verification approach provides sufficient reliability improvement without generating excessive network traffic from continuous or unnecessary test messages.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing for reliable service based interface (SBI) message transport using zero event notifications includes, at a consumer NF, sending an SBI message to a producer NF indicating an intent to use zero event notification messaging. The method further includes, at the producer NF, receiving the SBI message indicating the intent to use zero event notification messaging, and, transmitting a zero event notification request message to the consumer NF using a callback URI from the SBI message to confirm the callback URI and connectivity from the producer NF to the consumer NF. The method further includes, at the consumer NF, receiving the zero event notification request message and, in response, sending a zero event notification response message to the producer NF. The method further includes, at the producer NF, receiving the zero event notification response message, and, in response, continuing SBI subscription messaging with the consumer NF.