Mavenir Networks, Inc.

Mavenir Systems, Inc.

Vipin Padlikar

Tamanna Jindal

Rohit Dev Gupta

Abhishek Mishra

Rohit Gupta

A Shared Cell (SC) Controller uses deployment information, radio resource utilization measurements, cell load measurements, signal quality measurement, operator's policies and radio capabilities to make decisions on system configuration, re-configuration, and channel allocation related to the Shared Cell groups. The SC Controller may also use artificial intelligence/machine learning to predict future system state when making decisions on system configuration and channel allocation. The SC Controller can be implemented in the context of using a CBRS system, the ORAN architecture, and the Shared Cell group of Radio Units (RUs). SC Controller can be implemented as part of the Non-Real Time Radio Intelligent Controller (Non-RT RIC). The SC Controller interfaces with the Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device (CBSD) Controller, and the SC Controller sends the Shared Cell group information to the O-RU Controller so that the O-RU Controller can configure the radio components.

Method and apparatus for route aggregation handling for control and user plane separation

There is provided a method for a session audit in a communication system having a first plane and a second plane. The method can be employed in a case in which the first plane is a control plane and the second plane is a user plane, or a case in which the first plane is a user plane and the second plane is a control plane. The first plane performs operations of (1) sending to the second plane, an association update request that contains a first vendor-specific information element (IE) having (a) a bit set to indicate a desire for a single control plane (CP) fully-qualified session identification (CP F-SEID), and (b) a CP F-SEID, and (2) receiving from the second plane, an association update response that contains a second vendor-specific IE having (a) the CP F-SEID, and (b) a mapped user plane (UP) fully-qualified session identification (UP F-SEID).

Method and apparatus for session audit for control and user plane separation

A User Plane Function (UPF) of 5G Core network performs a search for the next hop in the data path, using utilities (e.g., Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) trace route), and determines the capability of the next router and/or other hops in the path. The UPF updates (e.g., using the PATCH command) the Network Repository Function (NRF) with the gathered information. The UPF also updates the NRF the UPF's position in the current route, and the role(s) the UPF is playing at a given time, e.g., Branching Point (BP), Intermediate User Plane Function (I-UPF), and the like. The SMF is enabled to identify the UPF's capability for a given PDU Session. The selection of a given UPF for non-suitable roles can be prevented, and the UPF can be selected for those roles in which the UPF is more suitable at a given time.

Method and apparatus for user plane resource selection for 5G core

A combined User Plane (UP) node optimizes the UP data stream handling for 4G/5G network operation as follows. The combined UP node, which includes an access data plane node, an intermediate data plane node, an anchor data plane node, and a session handling process module. If the IP addresses or the namespaces of the access data plane node, the intermediate data plane node, and the anchor data plane node are different, then the downlink and uplink packet stream handling utilizes an intermediate interface path within the combined UP node. If the IP addresses or the namespaces of the access data plane node, the intermediate data plane node, and the anchor data plane node are same, then the downlink and uplink packet stream handling does not utilize an intermediate interface path within the combined UP node, but TEID of the unutilized intermediate interface path is used in PFCP response message.

Method and apparatus for user plane resource optimization

In a method and an apparatus for optimizing network function (NF) data path discovery for 5G Core network operation, each NF registers itself with the NRF and periodically updates the NRF about the NF's present load, thereby giving the NRF complete information regarding the network topology, the NFs' present load, and the relative capacities of the NFs, which information items can be used in determining the complete optimal path from the RAN to the PSA. When an SMF wants to insert an Intermediate UPF (I-UPF) into a data path, instead of querying the NRF for a UPF serving the present geographical area (e.g., of the User Equipment (UE)) and deciding on the UPF insertion locally based on the present geographical area, the SMF queries the NRF for the complete optimal path. The I-UPF load can be taken into consideration in calculating the optimal path between the RAN and the PSA.

Optimal network function data path discovery for 5G core

A method for time sensitive network (TSN) operation includes: in the case of data traffic stoppage in a communication channel of TSN due to at least one of down time of a user plane (UP) connection and a reset of the UP connection, performing the following: generating, by a user plane function (UPF), an audit report about the at least one of the down time and the reset; sending, by the UPF, the audit report to a first element in control plane (CP), without waiting for communication from the CP; and determining, by one of the first element or a second element in the CP, survival time of the communication channel. The audit report is sent along with a report type indicating the down time of the UP connection due to connection fluctuation or a switch-over of the UP connection from a primary UPF to a back-up UPF.

Method and apparatus for survival time handling for time sensitive connections

A User Plane Function (UPF) of 5G Core network performs a search for the next hop in the data path, using utilities (e.g., Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) traceroute), and determines the capability of the next router and/or other hops in the path. The UPF updates (e.g., using the PATCH command) the Network Repository Function (NRF) with the gathered information. The UPF also updates the NRF the UPF's position in the current route, and the role(s) the UPF is playing at a given time, e.g., Branching Point (BP), Intermediate User Plane Function (I-UPF), and the like. The SMF is enabled to identify the UPF's capability for a given PDU Session. The selection of a given UPF for non-suitable roles can be prevented, and the UPF can be selected for those roles in which the UPF is more suitable at a given time.

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Bengaluru, India

Vipin Padlikar