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EP-4740426-A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A CONFIGURATION-BASED MANAGEMENT OF A PROCEDURE REQUEST

EP4740426A1EP 4740426 A1EP4740426 A1EP 4740426A1EP-4740426-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for a configuration-based management of a procedure request. The method includes reading, by a processing unit [302], a configuration file associated with the NF. The method further includes receiving, by a transceiver unit [304], the procedure request at the NF. Furthermore, the method includes fetching, by a retrieval unit [306], a set of data associated with the NF. The method further includes determining, by the processing unit [302], one of a presence and an absence of one or more procedures running for a UE [310] based on the fetched set of data. The method further includes processing, by the processing unit [302], the procedure request upon determining the absence of the one or more procedures running for the UE [310].

Inventors

  • BISHT, BIRENDRA
  • BHATNAGAR, AAYUSH
  • Singh, Harbinder Pal
  • LUTHRA, GAURAV
  • SINGH, SUMIT
  • JAISWAL, Rakesh Kumar
  • JAT, Saniya
  • KUMAR, RAHUL
  • GUPTA, ANSHUL

Assignees

  • Jio Platforms Limited

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240628

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A method for a configuration-based management of a procedure request at a network function (NF), the method comprising: reading, by a processing unit [302], a configuration file associated with the NF; receiving, by a transceiver unit [304], the procedure request at the NF, wherein the procedure request is associated with a user equipment (UE) [310]; fetching, by a retrieval unit [306], a set of data associated with the NF, wherein the set of data is fetched from a database [308] associated with the NF; determining, by the processing unit [302], one of a presence and an absence of one or more procedures running for the UE [310] based on the fetched set of data; and processing, by the processing unit [302], the procedure request upon determining the absence of the one or more procedures running for the UE [310],
  2. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the procedure request comprises at least one of a UE Initiated Registration, a protocol data unit (PDU) Establishment, a Deregistration, a radio access network (RAN) initiated Handover, a unified data management (UDM) Initiated Deregistration, a session management function (SMF) initiated PDU Session release, a policy control function (PCF) initiated policy update request.
  3. 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reading of the configuration file associated with the NF, is initiated by the processing unit [302] during initialisation of the NF.
  4. 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after reading of the configuration file, by the processing unit [302], the configuration file is stored in an in-memory associated with the NF.
  5. 5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the configuration file stored in the in-memory associated with the NF, comprises one or more key -value pair, wherein each key -value pair from the one or more key-value pair comprises a key, and a corresponding value, wherein the corresponding value further comprises a data value and an action.
  6. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises at least one of name of one or more running procedures for the UE, one or more procedures present in a pending queue for the UE, connection management (CM) state of the UE, one or more flags set for the UE, and name of an active timer running for the UE.
  7. 7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein, upon determining the presence of one or more procedures running for the UE, the method further comprises determining, by the processing unit [302], one of a presence and an absence of the at least one procedure in the pending queue for the NF.
  8. 8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein, upon determining the absence of the at least one procedure in the pending queue for the NF, the method further comprises, searching, by the processing unit [302], for one of a presence and an absence of a first matching key in the configuration file, for a set of first key-value pair associated with the set of data fetched from the database.
  9. 9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein upon determining the presence of the first matching key in the configuration file, for the set of first key -value pair, the method further comprises: fetching, by the processing unit [302], a corresponding data value and a corresponding action of the first matching key from the configuration file; determining, by the processing unit [302], whether the corresponding data value of the first key-value pair matches with the corresponding data value of the first matching key present in the configuration file; performing, by the processing unit [302], the corresponding action of the first matching key present in the configuration file, upon determining that the corresponding data value of the first key -value pair matches with the corresponding data value of the first matching key; and processing, by the processing unit [302], the procedure request based on at least a default handling mechanism associated with the NF, upon determining that the corresponding data value of the first key-value pair does not match with the corresponding data value of the first matching key.
  10. 10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein upon determining the absence of the first matching key in the configuration file, for the set of first key-value pair, the method comprises, processing, by the processing unit [302], the procedure request based on at least a default handling mechanism associated with the NF.
  11. 11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein upon determining the presence of the at least one procedure in the pending queue for the NF, the method comprises, searching, by the processing unit [302], one of a presence and an absence of a second matching key in the configuration file, for a set of second key -value pair associated with the set of data fetched from the database.
  12. 12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein upon determining the presence of the second matching key in the configuration file, for the set of second key-value pair, the method comprises: fetching, by the processing unit [302], a corresponding data and a corresponding action of the second matching key present in the configuration file; determining, by the processing unit [302], whether a data value of the second keyvalue pair matches with the corresponding data of the second matching key present in the configuration file; and performing, by the processing unit [302], the corresponding action of the second matching key present in the configuration file, upon determining that the data value of the second key-value pair matches with the corresponding data value of the second matching key.
  13. 13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein upon determining the absence of the second matching key in the configuration file, for the set of second key-value pair, the method, further comprises, searching, by the processing unit [302], one of a presence and an absence of a third matching key in the configuration file, for a set of third key -value pair associated with the set of data fetched from the database.
  14. 14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein upon determining the presence of the third matching key in the configuration file, for the set of third key-value pair, the method comprises: fetching, by the processing unit [302], a corresponding data value and a corresponding action of the third matching key present in the configuration file; determining, by the processing unit [302], whether a data value of the third keyvalue pair matches with the corresponding data value of the third matching key present in the configuration file; performing, by the processing unit [302], the corresponding action of the third matching key present in the configuration file, upon determining that the data value of the third key -value pair matches with the corresponding data value of the third matching key; and processing, by the processing unit [302], the procedure request, based on at least a default handling mechanism associated with the NF, upon determining that the data value of the third key -value pair does not match with the corresponding data value of the third matching key.
  15. 15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein upon determining the absence of the third matching key in the configuration file, for the set of third key-value pair, the method comprises, processing, by the processing unit [302], the procedure request based on at least a default handling mechanism associated with the NF.
  16. 16. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the configuration file associated with the NF, is updated, by the processing unit [302], based on a change in the one or more key-value pair stored in the configuration file.
  17. 17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the change in the one or more key -value pair stored in the configuration file, is performed through a command line interface (CLI) at the NF.
  18. 18. A system for a configuration-based management of a procedure request at a network function (NF), the system comprising: a processing unit [302], configured to read, a configuration file associated with the NF; a transceiver unit [304], configured to receive, the procedure request at the NF, wherein the procedure request is associated with a user equipment (UE) [310]; a retrieval unit [306], configured to fetch, a set of data associated with the NF, wherein the set of data is fetched from a database [308] associated with the NF; the processing unit [302], configured to determine, one of a presence and an absence of one or more procedures running for the UE, based on the fetched set of data; and the processing unit [302], configured to, process the procedure request upon determination the absence of the one or more procedures running for the UE [310],
  19. 19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the procedure request comprises at least one of a UE Initiated Registration, a protocol data unit (PDU) Establishment, a Deregistration, a radio access network (RAN) initiated Handover, a unified data management (UDM) Initiated Deregistration, a session management function (SMF) initiated PDU Session release, a policy control function (PCF) initiated policy update request.
  20. 20. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the reading of the configuration file associated with the NF, is initiated by the processing unit [302] during initialisation of the NF.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A CONFIGURATION-BASED MANAGEMENT OF A PROCEDURE REQUEST TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to network performance management systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a configuration-based management of a procedure request at a network function (NF). BACKGROUND [0002] The following description of the related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section is used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of the prior art. [0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and advancements. The first generation of wireless communication technology was based on analog technology and offered only voice services. However, with the advent of the second generation (2G) technology, digital communication and data services became possible, and text messaging was introduced. 3G technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. The fourth generation (4G) technology revolutionized wireless communication with faster data speeds, better network coverage, and improved security. Currently, the fifth generation (5G) technology is being deployed, promising even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each generation, wireless communication technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and capable of delivering more services to its users. [0004] Moreover, the 5G core networks are based on service-based architecture (SBA) that is centered around network function (NF) services. Each NF can register itself and its supported services to a Network Repository Function (NRF), which is used by other NFs for the discovery of NF instances and their services. The NRF therefore supports functions related to 1) maintaining the profiles of the available network function (NF) instances and their supported services in the 5G core network, 2) allowing NF instances to discover other NF instances in the 5G core network, and 3) allowing the NF instances to track the status of other NF instances. Also, certain NF related details are captured at the NRF whenever an NF comes up with a planned event or first-time commissioning. [0005] Also, in 5G network or in fact in any network, any network node handles multiple procedures. For instance, for the AMF node, there are procedures like UE Initiated Registration, UE initiated PDU Establishment, UE Initiated Deregistration, RAN initiated Handover, AN Release, UDM Initiated Deregistration, SMF initiated PDU Session release, PCF initiated policy update request, NWDAF initiated Subscription request, GMLC initiated Location Service request and many more. These procedures are not only initiated by one network node, but these can be initiated by many network nodes. E.g., at AMF, many network nodes can initiate procedures like UDM, NG-RAN, MME, SMF, PCF, UE, NWDAF, GMLC, Peer AMF, etc. Moreover, due to some error condition or due to some failure, these procedures can be initiated in sequential order or parallel order, or in many permutations and combinations. In production environment there is no fix order in which procedures can land at any node, there is no fix number of parallelism means how many procedures can be initiated in parallel, there is no fix wait time for any procedure to get finished means a procedure can take seconds also to get completed. Practically there are so many variables in the network so it cannot be predicted what kind of permutation or combination will happen in network for procedures at any node. So, the limitation is any node can initiate a solution to handle some permutations and combinations, but it is not possible to cover everything in said solution. And some combinations are not possible now, but they can be realistic in future. That is a very problematic thing to handle in the network. Further, when these type of issues or anomalies arise, then there is a requirement to handle those cases and provide a solution for them. Also, some of these kinds of anomalies are not explained in the standard. [0006] Moreover, if these types of issues come at any network node, and if network node is not aware about the new kind of collision and/or precedence resolution then some procedures may fail and due to these failures end-users of the network have a bad experience. E.g., in AMF, due to these failures, may be a user is not able to register on the network again, or the user might not be able to establish a new PDU session or user voice call can get disconnected, etc. Also, most importantly may