SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USER PLANE PATH SELECTION, RESELECTION, AND NOTIFICATION OF USER PLANE CHANGES

• US 20170367026A1
• Filed: 06/19/2017
• Published: 12/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: LI, Xu, DAO, Ngoc Dung, Rao, Jaya
• Granted Patent: US 11,184,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/048 mobile agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/08 Load balancing or load distribution transferring a connection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/088 among core entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/34 Modification of an existing route

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing User Plane (UP) path selection or reselection over a communications network with a 3^rd party entity, and for notifying network entities of UP changes in a communications network, are disclosed. The method includes: receiving an application program interface based request for UP path selection from the 3^rd party entity; performing a validation and authorization procedure with the request; transmitting a UP path selection configuration request to a Control Plane Function that maintains configuration data; obtaining a reference number confirming the UP path selection configuration request; and installing the UP path selection according to the reference number.

Claims

1. A method for performing User Plane (UP) path selection or reselection over a communications network with a 3^rd party entity, the method comprising:

receiving, by a network capability exposure function (NCEF), UP path selection or reselection information from the 3^rd party entity; and

transmitting, by the NCEF, a UP path selection policy request to a control plane function that maintains UP path configuration data, the UP path selection policy request generated in accordance with the UP path selection or reselection information and for triggering installation of the UP path selection or reselection information.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing, by the NCEF, a validation and authorization procedure regarding the UP path selection or reselection information, wherein the transmitting occurs upon successful completion of the validation and authorization procedure determining the UP path selection or reselection information is valid and authorized.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising transmitting, by the NCEF, a UP path selection response to the 3^rd party entity, the UP path selection response including an identifier associated with a UP path selection policy.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the NCEF, a UP path selection policy control response, the UP path selection policy control response including an identifier associated with a UP path selection policy.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the UP path selection or reselection information includes data indicative of one or more of UE filter information, UP landmarks and a temporal validity condition relative to a period when a requested UP path selection or reselection is to apply.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the UP landmark is a data network access identifier.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the UP path selection or reselection information includes an application identifier indicative of an application to which the UP path selection or reselection information is to apply.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the UP path selection policy request includes data indicative of one or more of a policy number, UE filter information, UP landmarks and a temporal validity condition relative to a period when UP path selection or reselection information is to apply.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the UP path selection policy request includes an application identifier indicative of an application for which the UP path selection or reselection information is to apply.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the UP path selection policy request includes data indicative of one or more of application system locations suitable for selection and application system locations unsuitable for selection.

31. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control plane function is a policy control function.

11. A network node for performing User Plane (UP) path selection or reselection over a communication network with a 3^rd party entity, the network node comprising:

a processor; and

machine readable memory storing machine executable instructions which when executed by the processor configure the network node to;

receive UP path selection or reselection information from the 3^rd party entity; and

transmit a UP path selection policy request to a control plane function that maintains UP path configuration data, the UP path selection policy request generated in accordance with the UP path selection or reselection information and to trigger installation of the UP path selection or reselection information.

32. The network node of claim 11, wherein the control plane function is a policy control function.

12. A method for performing User Plane (UP) path selection or reselection over a communications network from a 3^rd party entity, the method comprising:

receiving, by a policy control function (PCF), a UP path selection policy request configured to trigger installation of a UP path selection policy generated in accordance with UP path selection or reselection information received from a 3^rd party entity; and

enforcing, by the PCF, the UP path selection policy, wherein enforcing includes providing UP path selection policy details.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising transmitting, by the PCF, the UP path selection policy control response, the UP path selection policy control response including a policy number.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the UP path selection policy request includes data further indicative of one or more of UE filter information, UP landmarks and a temporal validity condition relative to a period when UP path selection or reselection information is to apply.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the UP path selection policy request includes an application identifier indicative of an application for which the UP path selection or reselection information is to apply.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the UP path selection policy request includes data indicative of one or more of application system locations suitable for selection and application system locations unsuitable for selection.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the UP path selection policy details includes a policy number.

18. A network node for performing User Plane (UP) path selection or reselection over a communication network from a 3^rd party entity, the network node comprising:

a processor; and

machine readable memory storing machine executable instructions which when executed by the processor configure the network node to;

receive a UP path selection policy request configured to trigger installation of a UP path selection policy generated in accordance with UP path selection or reselection information received from a 3^rd party entity; and

enforce the UP path selection policy, wherein enforcing includes providing the UP path selection policy details.

19. A method for performing User Plane (UP) path selection over a communications network with a 3^rd party entity, the method comprising:

enforcing, by a session management function (SMF), a UP path selection policy, wherein enforcing includes obtaining UP path selection policy details.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein enforcing further includes applying the UP path selection policy.

21. A method for influencing traffic routing over a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a network exposure function (NEF), a traffic steering request from an application function, the traffic steering request indicative of a request to influence routing decisions for UP traffic of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions; and

transmitting by the NEF, data indicative of the traffic steering request to a policy control function that maintains communication configuration data, thereby influencing traffic routing over the communication network.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising performing, by the NEF, authentication and authorization of the traffic steering request.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising transmitting, by the NEF, a traffic steering response to the application function.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the traffic steering request includes data indicative of one or more of UE filter information, UP landmarks and temporal validity condition relative to period when the requested traffic steering is to apply.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the UP landmark is a data network access identifier.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the traffic steering request includes data indicative of one or more of UE filter information and a temporal validity condition relative to generation of a UP change notification.

27. A method for influencing traffic routing over a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a policy control function (PCF), data indicative of a traffic steering request from a network exposure function, the traffic steering request indicative of a request to influence routing decisions for UP traffic of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions; and

enforcing, by the PCF, the traffic steering request, wherein enforcing includes sending rules indicative of the traffic steering request, thereby influencing traffic routing over the communication network.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the traffic steering request includes data indicative of one or more of UE filter information, UP landmarks and temporal validity condition relative to period when the requested traffic steering is to apply.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the UP landmark is a data network access identifier.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein the traffic steering request includes data indicative of one or more of UE filter information and a temporal validity condition relative to generation of a UP change notification.