T-mobile Innovations LLC

Sprint Communications Comapny L.p.

Laurent Alexandre Laporte

Lyle Thomas Bertz

Tracy Lee Nelson

Galip Murat Karabulut

Lyle W Paczkowski

Robert Keith Butler

Marouane Balmakhtar

Joao Teixeira

William Alexander James

Milind Gunjan

Brandt D Sanders

A method of establishing an application layer connection between a user equipment (UE) and an application executing on an edge computing node via a communication network. The method comprises receiving an application service availability message by the UE that identifies a plurality of networks that provide access to an identified application executing on an edge computing node within the network; for each network identified in the application service availability message, receiving by the UE an application service figure-of-merit determined by that network associated with a prospective application layer connection between the UE and an edge computing node executing the identified application that is located in that network; based on evaluating the figure-of-merit associated with each network establishing an application layer connection by the UE via the selected network to the application executing on the edge computing node in the selected network.

Edge computing network topology hiding

Systems and methods for ambient noise mitigation as a network service are provided. In some embodiments, an ambient noise mitigation server establishes at least one low latency network slice for at least one UE coupled to a radio access network. The ambient noise mitigation server generates a cancelation signal based on ambient sound mitigation data received by the radio access network, the ambient sound mitigation data including acoustic sensor data representing an ambient sound signal. The cancelation signal is generated to comprise a phase shift with respect to the ambient sound signal computed at least in part as a function of a location of the at least one UE, and causes at least one acoustic emitter to emit an acoustic cancelation signal based on the cancelation signal. In some embodiments, the phase shift may be adjusted by controlling a latency characteristic of the low latency network slice.

Systems and methods for ambient noise mitigation as a network service

A Service Communication Proxy (SCP) serves network topology data. The SCP comprises communication circuitry and Application Programming Interface (API) circuitry. The communication circuitry receives Network Function (NF) messages from sending NFs for delivery to an NF type. The communication circuitry routes the NF messages to receiving NFs of the NF type. The communication circuitry maintains network topology data responsive to the routing of the NF messages from the sending NFs to the receiving NFs. The API circuitry receives an API call for the network topology data. The API circuitry retrieves the network topology data from the communication circuitry. The API circuitry transfers an API response having the network topology data.

Service communication proxy (SCP) that serves network topology data

A wireless communication system serves user functions to a wireless user device. The wireless communication system serves selects the user functions for the wireless user device. The wireless communication system selects User Plane Functions (UPFs) to serve the selected user functions. The wireless communication system selects data routes between the selected UPFs. At least one of the selected UPFs receives user data for the wireless user device. At least some of the selected UPFs route the user data among the selected UPFs based on the selected data routes. The selected UPFs serve the selected user functions to the user data for the wireless user device. At least one of the selected UPFs transfers at least some of user data to one or more external data systems. The user functions may comprise deep packet inspection, network border security, low-latency data transfer, high-throughput data transfer, data cryptography, and/or another data service.

Wireless communication network to serve a user equipment (UE) over a user plane function group (UPFG)

A wireless communication network serves a User Equipment (UE) over multiple User Plane Function Groups (UPFGs). In the wireless communication network, a Session Management Function (SMF) receives UPFG performance metrics from the wireless communication network. The SMF identifies a Packet Data Flow Group (PDFG) for the UE. The SMF responsively selects one of the UPFGs for the PDFG based on the UPFG performance metrics. The selected UPFG comprises at least three User Plane Functions (UPFs) and the PDFG comprises at least two Packet Data Flows (PDFs). The SMF transfers network signaling to the selected UPFG to deliver the PDFG to the UE. The selected UPFG receives the network signaling and responsively exchanges user data for the UE to deliver the PDFG.

In a wireless communication network, a provisioning system transfers a Session Management Function (SMF) Application Programming Interface (API) call for a User Plane Function (UPF) metric to an SMF. The SMF transfers a UPF API call for the UPF metric to the UPF over signaling. The UPF transfers a UPF API response indicating the UPF metric to the SMF over signaling. The SMF transfers an SMF API response indicating the UPF metric to the provisioning system. The provisioning system may obtain UE metrics through the SMF or an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) in a like manner. The provisioning system may obtain Radio Access Network (RAN) metrics through the SMF or AMF in a like manner.

Network function provisioning over third generation partnership project (3GPP) links

A wireless communication network serves a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session type over a Radio Access Network (RAN). The wireless communication network comprises a Network Repository Function (NRF), Management and Orchestration (MANO) system, a User Plane Function (UPF), a RAN, and User Equipment (UEs). The NRF receives UPF requests for User Plane Functions (UPFs) that can serve the PDU session type over the RAN and responsively transfers UPF responses indicating other UPFs that cannot serve the PDU session type over the RAN. The NRF determines when the transfer of the UPF responses is excessive. In response, the NRF transfers an instantiation request to a Management and Orchestration (MANO) system to instantiate a new UPF that can serve the PDU session type over the RAN. The MANO system instantiates the new UPF. The new UPF serves the PDU session type to the UEs over the RAN.

Wireless communication network to serve a protocol data unit (PDU) session type over a radio access network (RAN)

A method for maintaining server computers. The method comprises capturing a signature of one of a plurality of server computers by an augmented user interface (AUI) maintenance client application executing on a mobile communication device, transmitting the signature by the AUI maintenance client application to an AUI maintenance server application executing on a computer, looking up information on the server computer associated with the signature by the AUI maintenance server application based on the signature, wherein the information identifies a process executing on the server computer, identifies an alarm active on the server computer, and identifies a recommended maintenance action, transmitting the looked up information by the AUI maintenance server to the AUI maintenance client application, and presenting the information on a display of the mobile communication device, whereby maintenance of the server computer is assisted.

Augmented reality electronic equipment maintenance user interface

A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Management and Orchestration (MANO) data system supports an Application Layer Traffic Offload (ALTO) system for a Network Service (NS). An orchestrator exchanges network data with a Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) to support the NS. The orchestrator exchanges function data with a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) to support the NS. The VIM exchanges the network data with NFV Infrastructures (NFVIs) to execute Virtual Machines (VMs) that instantiate Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) to support the NS. The VNFM exchanges the function data with the VNFs to support the NS. The NFV MANO orchestrator indexes some of the network data and the function data to generate NFV ALTO topology data that associates individual ALTO Provider Identifiers (PIDs) with individual ones of the NFVIs and with individual ones of the NFV VNFs.

Growing community of inventors

Spring Hill, KS, United States of America

Laurent Alexandre Laporte