T-mobile Usa, Inc.

Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ)

Other

Suliman Albasheir

Muhammad Waqar Afzal

Rahul Pal

Karunakalage Viraj Rakitha Silva

Suresh Thanneeru

Salvador Mendoza

Jad El-Najjar

Christopher Harvey Joul

Boris Antsev

Rushabhkumar Patel

Muhammad Adnan Farooq

Nader Nabil Farouk Riad

Swetha Gopisetti

Aziz Motiwala

Karunakalage Silva

A solution for establishing a data traffic session for a user equipment (UE) on a network (e.g., a 4G or 5G cellular network) includes: receiving, by a session management node, from the UE, a request to set up the data traffic session; establishing the data traffic session with a first packet routing node; receiving, by the session management node, from a network repository or the first packet routing node, an indication of unavailability of the first packet routing node to handle UE data traffic; and based on at least a status of the first packet routing node changing from available to handle UE data traffic to unavailable to handle UE data traffic, moving the data traffic session to the available alternate packet routing node.

Status registration of packet routing nodes

An orchestration tool determines optimal user plane function (UPF) positioning by using edge nodes as proxy for UPF performance prediction. A disclosed solution includes: using a plurality of edge nodes as proxies to predict performance of a UPF, which has not yet been built, for routing data packets to a proxy-call session control function (P-CSCF) from locations of each of the plurality of edge nodes; selecting, by an orchestrator, a first edge node location; and generating, by the orchestrator, an alert indicating selection of the first edge node location. A first UPF will be built at the first edge node location although, in some examples, upon further monitoring, the orchestrator may determine that the second edge node location will outperform the first edge node location, resulting in the UPF moving to the second edge node location. In some examples, performance criteria depend on traffic type (e.g., real-time gaming).

Using edge nodes as proxies to select UPF positioning

Bandwidth-dependent selection of a packet routing node (e.g., user plane function (UPF) for 5G, packet data network gateway user plane function (PGW-U) for 4G) includes determining, for each of a plurality of packet routing nodes, a bandwidth capacity to an access network (e.g., a radio access node); receiving a request for a data traffic session; determining whether the data traffic session comprises a bandwidth priority; identifying a subset of the plurality of packet routing nodes having a higher bandwidth capacity than others of the plurality (e.g., the packet routing node having the highest capacity, or the top percentage); based on at least determining that the data traffic session comprises a bandwidth priority data traffic session, selecting a packet routing node for the data traffic session from the subset; and establishing the data traffic session through the selected packet routing node.

Bandwidth-dependent selection of a packet routing node

Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to user plane system selection based on latency in mobile networks. In particular, the systems, devices, and techniques can be implemented in fifth generation (5G) mobile networks to provide selection of a user plane function (UPF) based on latency. The UPF can measure a latency toward an access network and provide an indication of the latency to a policy control function (PCF). The PCF can select the UPF based on the indication and can request the UPF to provide services to a user equipment (UE) originating a priority request. In response, the UPF can provide services to the UE.

User plane system selection based on latency

A solution for initiating a network session (e.g., a voice call) for a user equipment (UE) on a network includes: receiving a session initiation message at a first network node; appending, to the session initiation message, an identification of a policy node; passing the appended session initiation message to a session management node; selecting, by the session management node, the identified policy node; and based at least upon selecting the identified policy node, initiating the network session for the UE. This improves call setup reliability by reducing the risk that an error in the subscriber information at the session management node (e.g., proxy-call session control function (P-CSCF)) indicates the incorrect policy node (e.g., policy and charging rule function (PCRF) or policy charging function (PCF)). In some examples, the session initiation message may comprise a session initiation protocol (SIP) message.

Dynamic PCRF/PCF selection

Systems and methods for registering and selecting a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) are described herein. The systems and methods described herein use a Network Repository Function (NRF) to receive status updates of P-CSCFs available to be selected. The status updates include information such as, but not limited to, whether or not the P-CSCF is active or above or below a predetermined loading threshold. The NRF provides the information to a Session Management Function (SMF) that selects which P-CSCF is to be utilized for a Session Initiation Protocol. The SMF can also use loading levels of the P-CSCFs to perform load balancing.

Systems and methods for call session control function registration

Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to interception of data traffic that is traversing a network at a relatively high throughput rate. In some examples, a request to initiate interception is received from a server. In response to receiving the request to initiate interception, an instruction to forward user plane data to the server can be transmitted to a User Plane Function (UPF). The UPF may be transferring the user plane data in a data flow. The instruction may cause the UPF to forward the user plane data to the server in multiple streams. In addition, control plane data associated with the data flow can be transmitted to the server.

Interception of high-throughput data traffic

A method for selecting a user plane function when a user equipment (UE) attaches to a wireless communication network may include determining a data throughput limit associated with the UE, identifying a first user plane function having a first data throughput capacity, and identifying a second user plane function having a second data throughput capacity, wherein the first throughput capacity is higher than the second throughput capacity. The method may further include selecting the first user plane function if the data throughput limit of the UE is above a predetermined threshold, selecting the second user plane function if the data throughput limit of the UE is below the predetermined threshold, and sending a session request to the selected first or second user plane function.

Methods and systems for selecting a user plane function in a wireless communication network

A method and system for content filtering. A network repository function unit registers a session management function unit. The session management function unit initiates a session in response to a session request from a user equipment. The session management function unit accesses a subscriber profile stored by a data management unit, and the subscriber profile includes one or more content filtering settings. In response to the session being established, the session management function unit is configured to determine data packets for the user equipment to be filtered based on the one or more content filtering settings. Absent triggering an instruction to be sent via a Gx interface, an access and mobility management function (AMF) unit is configured to select the session management function unit in compliance with the one or more content filtering settings for filtering the data packets for the user equipment.

Content filtering for packet data network gateway (PGW) and session management function (SMF) selection

Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to migrating a communication session from a path including a stressed user plane function (UPF) to a path including a replacement UPF. A communication session may traverse a first path including the first UPF. After establishing the communication session, the first UPF may be determined to be stressed. In response, the communication session can be proactively migrated to a second path including a second UPF. According to various implementations, the existing communication session can be maintained during the migration, thereby substantially eliminating interruptions caused by the stressed first UPF.

Transparent session migration between user plane functions

In a cellular system having both 4-Generation (4G) and 5-Generation (5G) cellular networks, cellular device sends a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) INVITE message to initiate a voice call. The message is received and acted upon by a Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Cellular devices that support 5G services are configured to include an information element (IE) in the SIP INVITE message to indicate support for 5G services. When responding to a SIP INVITE message, the P-CSCF determines whether the SIP INVITE message includes such an IE. If the SIP INVITE message contains an IE indicating 5G support, the P-CSCF sends an Authorization Authentication Request (AAR) message to a 5G Policy Control Function (PCF) to initiate a 5G dedicated bearer. Otherwise, the P-CSCF sends the AAR to a 4G Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) to initiate a 4G dedicated bearer.

Capabilities-based network selection for cellular devices

A core network device of a telecommunications network can receive a first request from a consumer network function (NF) and forward the first request to a first provider NF. The device can subsequently detect a violation by the first provider NF of a response criterion. The device can receive a second request and forward the second request to a second, different provider NF in response to the violation. In some examples, the device can later detect that the first provider NF has satisfied the response criterion with respect to a third request. The device can modify load data to increase the proportion of subsequent requests for which the first provider NF is selected. The device can select provider NFs based on the load data. In some examples, a system can include a network registry device that selects NFs based on violation indications received from the core network device.

Network-function monitoring and control

Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to prioritizing access by first user equipment (UEs) connected to a first radio access technology (RAT) type over access by second UEs connected to a second RAT type responsive to a failure of a core network node. A node of the core network, such as a session management node, may determine that another node of the core network has failed based on a negative response or no response from that other node. The node may then prioritize access based on RAT types of requesting UEs.

Handling radio access technologies based on core network failures

Selecting local gateways for VoWiFi and/or ViWiFi calls (voice traffic sessions) for a user equipment (UE) includes: receiving, by an evolved packet data gateway (ePDG), a request to initiate the voice traffic session from a WiFi router outside a cellular network that is communicatively coupled with the UE; based on at least an internet protocol (IP) address of the WiFi router or the UE, determining a geographical location of the UE; based on at least the geographical location of the UE, determining a tracking area code; based on at least the tracking area code, determining an IP address of a network gateway proximate to the UE, wherein the network gateway comprises a user plane function (UPF) and a session management function (SMF) or a packet data gateway (PGW) user plane function (PGW-U) and a PGW control plane function (PGW-C); and establishing the voice traffic session using the network gateway.

Growing community of inventors

Issaquah, WA, United States of America

Suliman Albasheir