US-12621889-B2 - Apparatus, methods, and computer programs

US12621889B2US 12621889 B2US12621889 B2US 12621889B2US-12621889-B2

Abstract

There is provided a method for an apparatus for a network function, the apparatus for the network function, and a computer program for the apparatus, that causes the apparatus to: receive an indication that a first user equipment and/or a first user plane function configured to transmit first user traffic is associated with a first replication handling function, the first replication handling function being configurable to coordinate at least one replication-based redundancy mechanism performed on at least part of said first user traffic; determine a first set of replication rules for use by the first replication handling function determining when the at least one replication-based redundancy mechanism is performed on at least part of said first user traffic; and cause the first set of replication rules to be provided to the first replication handling function.

Inventors

Lazaros GKATZIKIS
Devaki Chandramouli
Laurent Thiebaut
Rainer Liebhart
Mu He
Georgios GKELLAS

Assignees

NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230213
Priority Date: 20220215

Claims (11)

1 . An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform operations, the operations comprising: receiving, from a user equipment, an indication indicating that the user equipment that is configured to transmit user traffic is associated with a first replication handling function, the first replication handling function being configured to coordinate replication of at least part of said user traffic; determining, before establishment of a first data session between the user equipment and a user plane entity of a network, a first set of replication rules for use by the first replication handling function, the first set of replication rules comprising a bundling identifier that indicates that at least one data session of the user equipment is to be linked to at least one other data session, wherein the determining the first set of replication rules comprises determining a first replication rule of the first set of replication rules that indicates when the replication of the at least part of said user traffic is to be performed; providing the first set of replication rules to the first replication handling function; identifying a second replication handling function associated with the user plane entity, wherein the user plane function is configured to receive the at least part of said user traffic; determining, before establishment of a second data session between the user equipment and the user plane entity, a second set of replication rules for use by the second replication handling function, wherein the determining the second set of replication rules comprises determining a replication rule of the second set of replication rules that indicates when to discard the at least part of user traffic that is replicated; and providing the second set of replication rules to the second replication handling function.
2 . A user equipment (UE) comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the UE at least to perform operations, the operations comprising: signalling, to a network, an indication that the UE is associated with a replication handling function, the replication handling function being configured to coordinate the UE to perform replication of at least part of user traffic; receiving, from the network in response to said signalling, a set of replication rules for use by the replication handling function, the set of replication rules comprising a first replication rule indicating when replication of the at least part of said user traffic is to be performed; and providing the set of replication rules to the replication handling function; sending, to the network, a first request to establish a first data session for the UE; receiving, from the network, a first response to the first request, the first response including session bundling information that indicates the first data session is to be part of a bundle of data sessions, wherein the session bundling information comprises a bundle identifier and information about a user plane entity of the network that is selected for the first data session; sending, towards the network, a second request to establish, for the UE, a second data session, the second request comprising the session bundling information; receiving, from the network, a second response to the second request, the second response indicating that the second data session has been established between the UE and the user plane entity; receiving, from a replication handling function associated with the UE, user data of the UE and a replicate of the user data of the UE; sending the user data towards the user plane entity over the first data session; and sending the replicate of the user data towards the user plane entity over the second data session.
3 . The UE as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the signalling comprises signaling, to the network, said indication in a capability indication during registration of the UE with the network.
4 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first set of replication rules further comprises at least one of: a second replication rule indicating a traffic descriptor, a third replication rule indicating an application identifier, a fourth replication rule indicating an access technology type signalling for said user traffic, a fifth replication rule indicating a number of links for forwarding said user traffic, or a sixth replication rule indicating network identifier for forwarding said user traffic.
5 . A method comprising: receiving, from a first user equipment, an indication indicating that the user equipment that is configured to transmit user traffic is associated with a first replication handling function, the first replication handling function being configured to coordinate replication of at least part of said user traffic; determining, before establishment of a first data session between the user equipment and a user plane entity of a network, a first set of replication rules for use by the first replication handling function, the first set of replication rules comprising a bundling identifier that indicates that at least one data session of the user equipment is to be linked to at least one other data session, wherein the determining the first set of replication rules comprises determining a first replication rule of the first set of replication rules that indicates when the replication of the at least part of said user plane traffic is to be performed; providing the first set of replication rules to the first replication handling function; identifying a second replication handling function associated with the user plane entity, wherein the user plane function is configured to receive the at least part of said user traffic; determining, before establishment of a second data session between the user equipment and the user plane entity, a second set of replication rules for use by the second replication handling function, wherein the determining the second set of replication rules comprises determining a replication rule of the second set of replication rules that indicates when to discard the at least part of user traffic that is replicated; and providing the second set of replication rules to the second replication handling function.
6 . A method of a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: signalling, to a network, an indication of association of the UE with a replication handling function, the replication handling function being configured to coordinate the UE to perform replication of at least part of user traffic; receiving, from the network in response to said signalling, a set of replication rules for use by the replication handling function, the set of replication rules comprising a first replication rule indicating when replication of the least part of the user traffic is to be performed; providing the set of replication rules to the replication handling function; sending, to the network, a first request to establish a first data session for the UE; receiving, from the network, a first response to the first request, the first response including session bundling information that indicates the first data session is to be part of a bundle of data sessions, wherein the session bundling information comprises a bundle identifier and information about a user plane entity of the network that is selected for the first data session; sending, towards the network, a second request to establish, for the UE, a second data session, the second request comprising the session bundling information; receiving, from the network, a second response to the second request, the second response indicating that the second data session has been established between the UE and the user plane entity; receiving, from a replication handling function associated with the UE, user data of the UE and a replicate of the user data of the UE; sending the user data towards the user plane entity over the first data session; and sending the replicate of the user data towards the user plane entity over the second data session.
7 . The UE as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the set of replication rules further comprises at least one of: a second replication rule indicating a traffic descriptor, a third replication rule indicating an application identifier, a fourth replication rule indicating an access technology type signalling for said user traffic, a fifth replication rule indicating a number of links for forwarding said user traffic, or a sixth replication rule indicating network identifier for forwarding said user traffic.
8 . The UE as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the information about the user plane entity of the network that is selected for the first data session comprises an identifier of the user plane entity or an address of the user plane entity.
9 . The UE as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the session bundling information further comprises a session identifier for an interface between a session management function (SMF) and the user plane entity.
10 . The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the information about the user plane entity of the network that is selected for the first data session comprises an identifier of the user plane entity or an address of the user plane entity.
11 . The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the session bundling information further comprises a session identifier for an interface between a session management function (SMF) and the user plane entity.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 22156879.3, filed Feb. 15, 2022. The entire content of the above-referenced application is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD Various examples described herein generally relate to apparatus, methods, and computer programs, and more particularly (but not exclusively) to apparatus, methods and computer programs for network apparatuses. BACKGROUND In general, a communication system can be seen as a facility that enables communication sessions between two or more entities such as user terminals, access nodes and/or other nodes by providing carriers between the various entities involved in the communications path. A communication system can be provided, for example, by means of a communication network and one or more compatible communication devices. The communication sessions may comprise, for example, communication of data for carrying communications such as voice, electronic mail (email), text message, multimedia and/or content data and so on. Content may be multicast or uni-cast to communication devices. A user can access the communication system by means of an appropriate communication device or terminal. A communication device of a user is often referred to as user equipment (UE) or user device. The communication device may access a carrier provided by an access node and transmit and/or receive communications on the carrier. The communication system and associated devices typically operate in accordance with a required standard or specification which sets out what the various entities associated with the system are permitted to do and how that should be achieved. Communication protocols and/or parameters which shall be used for the connection are also typically defined. One example of a communications system is UTRAN (3G radio). Another example of an architecture is the long-term evolution (LTE) or the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) radio-access technology. Another example communication system is so called 5G system that allows user equipment (UE) or user device to contact a 5G core via e.g. new radio (NR) access technology or via other access technology such as Untrusted access to 5GC or wireline access technology. There is a need to provide control systems which enable a communications service provider (CSP) to control and optimise a complex network of communications system elements. One of current approaches being employed is closed-loop automation and machine learning which can be built into self-organizing networks (SON) enabling an operator to automatically optimize every cell in the radio access network. SUMMARY According to a first aspect, there is provided an apparatus for a network function, the apparatus comprising means for: receiving an indication that a first user equipment and/or a first user plane function configured to transmit first user traffic is associated with a first replication handling function, the first replication handling function being configurable to coordinate at least one replication-based redundancy mechanism performed on at least part of said first user traffic; determining a first set of replication rules for use by the first replication handling function determining when the at least one replication-based redundancy mechanism is performed on at least part of said first user traffic; and causing the first set of replication rules to be provided to the first replication handling function. The means for determining the set of replication rules may comprise means for determining the first set of replication rules using a rule selection policy that is common to said network function and another network function. The apparatus may comprise means for: identifying a second replication handling function associated with at least one user plane function configured to receive at least part of said first user traffic and/or to transmit second user traffic to the first user equipment and/or to the first user plane function; determining a second set of replication rules for use by the second replication handling function when determining when to perform at least one replication-based redundancy mechanism on at least part of said second user traffic; and causing the second set of replication rules to be provided to the second replication handling function. The apparatus may comprise means for determining that the first user equipment is comprised in a same apparatus as a second user equipment and/or that the first user plane function is comprised in a same apparatus as a second user plane function. The first set of replication rules may relate to how to establish the replication-based redundancy mechanism for selected user traffic, and may comprise at least one of: a traffic descriptor, and/or an application identifier, and/or an access technology type signalling for user traffic, and/or a number of links for forwarding user traffic, and/or a network ide