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EP-4740438-A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING MESSAGES IN BINDING SUPPORT FUNCTION BSF UNIT OF COMMUNICATION NETWORK

EP4740438A1EP 4740438 A1EP4740438 A1EP 4740438A1EP-4740438-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and system for managing messages in a binding support function BSF of communication network, the method comprising receiving a network message from a network interface, the network message comprising set of attributes The method includes determining, the network interface through which the network message is received based on the set of attributes. The method includes selecting, rule engine based on the determined network interface, the rule engine comprising at least one of first rule engine and second rule engine. The method includes determining, set of rules based on the set of attributes. The method includes processing, the network message based on the determined set of rules. The method includes modifying, the network message based on at least one of set of pre-stored conditions and set of predefined stages. The method includes generating, an output message based on the processed and modified network message.

Inventors

  • Shetty, Mukta
  • BHATNAGAR, AAYUSH
  • BHASKAR, ALOK
  • GUPTA, ADITYA
  • Khamesra, Apoorva
  • Kalavadiya, Milankumar

Assignees

  • Jio Platforms Limited

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240611

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A method [400] for managing messages in a binding support function (BSF) unit [320] of a communication network, the method comprising: receiving [404], by a transceiver unit [302] at the BSF unit [320], a network message from a network interface, the network message comprising a set of attributes; determining [406], by a determining unit [304] at the BSF unit [320], the network interface through which the network message is received based on the set of attributes, the network interface comprising at least one of a first interface and a second interface; selecting [408], by a selecting unit [306] at the BSF unit [320], a rule engine based on the determined network interface, the rule engine comprising at least one of a first rule engine and a second rule engine; determining [410], by the rule engine at the BSF unit [320], a set of rules based on the set of attributes; processing [412], by a processing unit [308] at the BSF unit [320], the network message based on the determined set of rules; modifying [414], by a modification engine [310] at the BSF unit [320], the network message based on at least one of a set of pre-stored conditions and a set of predefined stages; and generating [416], by a generating unit [312] at the BSF unit [320], an output message based on the processed and modified network message.
  2. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of attributes comprises at least one of service operation, group public service identity (GPSI), subscriber permanent identifier (SUPI), internet protocol (IP), media access control (MAC), data network name (DNN), slice, policy control function fully qualified domain name (pcfFqdn), policy control function diameter host (PcfDiamHost), realm and bindingexists.
  3. 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first interface is an Rx interface between Proxy Call Session Control Function/ Diameter Routing Agent (P-CSCF/DRA) unit and a policy control function (PCF) unit; and the second interface is an Nbsf interface between the Binding Support Function (BSF) and a Network Exposure Function (NEF).
  4. 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first rule engine is configured to process Rx- based network message, and the second rule engine is configured to process Nbsf-based network message.
  5. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modification engine [310] comprising at least one of a first modification engine and a second modification engine, wherein: the first modification engine is configured to modify Rx-based network message; and the second modification engine is configured to modify Nbsf-based network message.
  6. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining further comprises matching, by the rule engine, the set of rules with the set of attributes utilizing a set of logical operators comprising at least one of AND, OR, and NOT, and wherein the set of attributes are further matched using relational operators including equals (=), not equals (!=), greater than (>), less than (<), and range specification.
  7. 7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network message is modified at least one stage of the set of predefined stages.
  8. 8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the modifying comprising at least one of adding, deleting, or altering attributes, headers, or attribute -value pair (A VP) elements.
  9. 9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first rule engine and the second rule engine are interdependent, such that the first rule engine is further configured to process Nbsf-based network message and the second rule engine is further configured to process Rx-based network message.
  10. 10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of predefined stages comprises at least one of upon entry into the BSF unit [320], during rule evaluation, prior to forwarding from the BSF unit [320], before sending a response, and after receiving a response.
  11. 11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of pre-stored conditions comprises conditions defined based on network policies, user profiles, and historical data analytics, each condition being associated with a modification action to optimize network performance and compliance with regulatory requirement.
  12. 12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of rules is at least one of: prioritized, such that a priority is allocated to each rule of the set of rules; marked as exclusive, such that if a rule marked as an exclusive rule is executed, the execution of the exclusive rule prevents subsequent execution of other rules of the set of rules; and action-terminating, such that if an action-terminating rule is executed, further evaluation of subsequent rules is halted, and only action of the action-terminating executed rule is enforced.
  13. 13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processed and modified network message is stored in a memory unit of the BSF unit [320],
  14. 14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the BSF [320] unit comprising at least one of a graphical user interface (GUI) and a command-line interface (CLI) enabling users to perform at least one of configure and modify the set of rules.
  15. 15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method comprising identifying, by an identifying unit [314] at the BSF unit [320], one or more actions to be performed based on the generated output message.
  16. 16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the one or more actions comprise at least one of an accept binding action, a reject binding action, an overwrite binding action, a send redirect action, an accept discovery action, a reject discovery action, an include custom attribute action, modify a binding allowed action, a modify binding not allowed action, and a modify attribute action.
  17. 17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method comprising: creating, by the processing unit [308] at the BSF unit [320], one or more routes based on policy configurations, wherein the BSF unit [320] is configured to: modify an incoming message from at least one of P-CSCF over a Diameter protocol and AF/NEF over the hypertext transfer protocol 2 (HTTP/2) protocol; and route at least one of the modified message and unmodified message to an appropriate PCF unit.
  18. 18. A system for managing messages in a binding support function (BSF) unit [320] of a communication network, the system comprising: the BSF unit [320] comprising: a transceiver unit [302] configured to receive a network message from a network interface, the network message comprising a set of attributes; a determining unit [304] connected to at least the transceiver unit [302], wherein the determining unit [304] configured to determine the network interface through which the network message is received based on the set of attributes, the network interface comprising at least one of a first interface and a second interface; a selecting unit [306] connected to at least the determining unit [304], wherein the selecting unit [306] configured to select, a rule engine based on the determined network interface, the rule engine comprising at least one of a first rule engine and a second rule engine; the rule engine connected to at least the selecting unit [306], wherein the rule engine is configured to determine a set of rules based on the set of attributes; a processing unit [308] connected to at least the rule engine, wherein the processing unit [308] configured to process the network message based on the determined set of rules; a modification engine [310] connected to at least the processing unit [308], wherein the modification engine [310] configured to modify the network message based on at least one of a set of pre-stored conditions and a set of predefined stages; and a generating unit [312] connected to at least the modification engine [310] wherein the generating unit [312] configured to generate an output message based on the processed and modified network message.
  19. 19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the set of attributes comprises at least one of service operation, group public service identity (GPSI), subscriber permanent identifier (SUPI), internet protocol (IP), media access control (MAC), data network name (DNN), slice, policy control function fully qualified domain name (pcfFqdn), policy control function diameter host (PcfDiamHost), realm and bindingexists.
  20. 20. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first interface is an Rx interface between Proxy Call Session Control Function/ Diameter Routing Agent (P-CSCF/DRA) unit and a policy control function (PCF) unit; and the second interface is an Nbsf interface between the Binding Support Function (BSF) and a Network Exposure Function (NEF).

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING MESSAGES IN BINDING SUPPORT FUNCTION BSF UNIT OF COMMUNICATION NETWORK FIEED OF DISCEOSURE [0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to network performance management systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to managing messages in binding support function BSF unit of communication network. 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. The third- generation (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] In the 5G communication system, there is provided a plurality of network functions (NFs), for example an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), session management function (SMF), Policy control function (PCF), Network Repository Function (NRF), Binding Support Function (BSF) and the like. One or more of the aforementioned NFs communicates with each other, to implement multiple activities on the 5G communication system. For example, for data transfer, the AMF communicates with SMF, to initiate the communication. Binding Support Function (BSF) allows Policy Control Function (PCF) to register, update, and remove the binding information from it, and allows Network Function (NF) consumers to discover the selected Policy Control Function (PCF). Accordingly, one or more connections are established between two peer NFs, to allow communication therebetween, and thus enable such activities there between. [0005] In 5G communication system, BSF stores the binding information for a certain PDU sessions and discovers the selected PCF according to the binding information. The BSF also acts as diameter proxy agent or diameter redirect agent to Rx requests targeting an IP address of a UE to the selected Policy Control Function. The BSF provides a PDU session binding functionality, which ensures that an Application Function (AF) request for a certain PDU session reaches the relevant PCF holding the PDU session information. Preferably, BSF is one of key 5G Core Network Function (NF) with key functionality including storing the binding information for PDU Session/ UE, discovery of binding information and acting as proxy and/or redirect agent for Rx interface between Proxy Call Session Control Function/ Diameter Routing Agent (P-CSCF/DRA) and PCF. However, in conventional known solution, there is no sufficient support for binding information and error messages handling during process, certain attributes, original host information, IP ranges, SUPI ranges and values has no efficient operational procedures for processing. Further, in conventional known solution, there is no support or mechanism for providing customization and flexibility for future additional use cases which may require ability to accept, reject, overwrite, discard binding or Rx messages or discovery requests based on business requirements. [0006] Thus, there exists an imperative need in the art to provide an efficient system and method for providing the enhancement at BSF which allows user to define the rules using customized rule engine which helps in not only supersede the default behaviour wherever needed but also provides more flexibility and customization to BSF for future business cases. SUMMARY [0007] This section is provided to introduce certain aspects of the present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter. [0008] An aspect of the present disclosure may relate to a method for managing messages in a binding support function (B