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US-20260129561-A1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SESSION MANAGEMENT

US20260129561A1US 20260129561 A1US20260129561 A1US 20260129561A1US-20260129561-A1

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide method and apparatus for session management. A method performed by a first network node comprises receiving a first event exposure notify message from a second network node. The first event exposure notify message comprises a user equipment (UE) Internet protocol (IP) address and an IP domain of the UE IP address.

Inventors

  • HONGTAO LI
  • Jingrui TAO

Assignees

  • TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20230927
Priority Date
20220930

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A method performed by a first network node, comprising: receiving first event exposure notify message from a second network node, wherein the first event exposure notify message comprises a user equipment (UE) Internet protocol (IP) address and an IP domain of the UE IP address.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: sending a first event exposure subscribe request for protocol data unit (PDU) session status to the second network node; and receiving a first event exposure subscribe response from the second network node.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first event exposure subscribe request comprises an indication of IP domain needed.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: sending an application function (AF) session with quality of service (QoS) create request to the second network node, wherein the AF session with QoS create request comprises the UE IP address, the IP domain of the UE IP address, and an application function IP address.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network node comprises an application function (AF) and/or an edge enabler server (EES), and/or the second network node comprises a network exposure function.
  6. 6 . (canceled)
  7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the UE IP address comprises an IP private address, and/or a same IP address can be allocated to two or more PDU sessions in different IP address domains.
  8. 8 . (canceled)
  9. 9 . A method performed by a second network node, comprising: receiving a second event exposure notify message from a third network node; and sending a first event exposure notify message to a first network node, wherein the second event exposure notify message comprises a user equipment (UE) Internet protocol (IP) address and an IP domain of the UE IP address, and the first event exposure notify message comprises the UE IP address and the IP domain of the UE IP address.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising: receiving a first event exposure subscribe request for protocol data unit (PDU) session status from the first network node; sending a second event exposure subscribe request for the PDU session status to a fourth network node; receiving a second event exposure subscribe response from the fourth network node; and sending a first event exposure subscribe response to the first network node.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first event exposure subscribe request comprises an indication of IP domain needed, and/or the second event exposure subscribe request comprises an indication of IP domain needed.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising: receiving an application function (AF) session with quality of service (QoS) create request from the first network node; and sending a policy authorization create request to a policy control function, wherein the AF session with QoS create request comprises the UE IP address, the IP domain of the UE IP address, and an application function IP address, and the policy authorization create request comprises the UE IP address, the IP domain of the UE IP address, and an application function IP address.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first network node comprises an application function (AF) and/or an edge enabler server (EES), the second network node comprises a network exposure function, the third network node comprises a session management function, and/or the fourth network node comprises a unified data management (UDM).
  14. 14 - 16 . (canceled)
  15. 17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the UE IP address comprises an IP private address, and/or a same IP address can be allocated to two or more PDU sessions in different IP address domains.
  16. 18 . (canceled)
  17. 19 . A method performed by a fourth network node, comprising: receiving a second event exposure subscribe request for the PDU session status from a second network node; and sending a second event exposure subscribe response to the second network node, wherein the second event exposure subscribe request comprises an indication of IP domain needed.
  18. 20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising: sending a third event exposure subscribe request for the PDU session status to a third network node; and receiving third event exposure subscribe response from the third network node, wherein the third event exposure subscribe request comprises an indication of IP domain needed.
  19. 21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the third network node comprises a session management function.
  20. 22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the second network node comprises a network exposure function, and/or the fourth network node comprises a unified data management (UDM).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The non-limiting and exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the technical field of communications, and specifically to methods and apparatuses for session management. BACKGROUND This section introduces aspects that may facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is in the prior art or what is not in the prior art. Clause 4.2.2.2 of 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) TS 29.514 V17.2.0, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes same Internet protocol (IP) address can be allocated to user equipment (UE) protocol data unit (PDU) sessions served by SMF(Session Management Function)/UPF(s)(User plane Function) in different address domains. Within a network slice, there may be several separate IP address domains, with SMF/UPF(s) that allocate Ipv4 (IP version 4) IP addresses out of the same private address range to UE PDU Sessions. The same IP address can thus be allocated to UE PDU sessions served by SMF/UPF(s) in different address domains. If a Policy Control Function (PCF) controls several SMF/UPF(s) in different IP address domains, the UE IP address is thus not sufficient for the session binding. A network function (NF) service consumer can serve UEs in different IP address domains, either by having direct IP interfaces to those domains, or by having interconnections via Network Address Translations (NATs) in the user plane between the UPF and the network function (NF) service consumer. If a NAT is used, the NF service consumer obtains the IP address allocated to the UE PDU session via application level signaling and supplies it for the session binding to the PCF in the “ueIpv4” attribute. The NF service consumer supplies an “ipDomain” attribute denoting the IP address domain behind the NAT in addition. The NF service consumer can derive the appropriate value from the source address (allocated by the NAT) of incoming user plane packets. The value provided in the “ipDomain” attribute is operator configurable. Edge computing is a concept that enables services to be hosted close to the service consumers and provides benefits such as efficient service delivery with significant reduction in end-to-end latency and decreased load on the transport network. The benefits of edge computing will strengthen the promise of 5G (fifth generation) and expand the prospects for several new and enhanced use cases—including virtual and augmented reality, Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial IoT, autonomous driving, real-time multiplayer gaming, etc. 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) TS 23.558 V17.4.0, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, specifies application layer architecture, procedures and information flows necessary for enabling edge applications over 3GPP networks. It includes architectural requirements for enabling edge applications, application layer architecture fulfilling the architecture requirements and procedures to enable the deployment of edge applications. FIG. 1a shows a reference point representation of architecture for edge enabling applications according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1a is same as FIG. 6.2-4 of 3GPP TS 23.558 V17.4.0. The Edge Data Network (EDN) is a local Data Network. Edge Application Server(s) and the Edge Enabler Server are contained within the EDN. The Edge Configuration Server provides configurations related to the EES, including details of the Edge Data Network hosting the (edge enabler server). The UE contains Application Client(s) (ACs) and the Edge Enabler Client (EEC). The Edge Application Server(s), the Edge Enabler Server and the Edge Configuration Server may interact with the 3GPP core network. The functional entities include: Edge Enabler Server (EES): EES provides supporting functions needed for EASs and EEC, e.g., EEC registration, EAS discovery and network APIs for EAS and service continuity support. Edge Enabler Client (EEC): EEC provides supporting functions needed for AC(s), e.g., retrieval and provisioning of configuration information to enable application data traffic, and EAS discovery. Edge Configuration Server (ECS): ECS provides supporting functions needed for the EEC to connect with an EES, e.g., provisioning of Edge configuration information to the EEC, and EES discovery. Application Client (AC): AC is the application resident in the UE performing the client function. Edge Application Server (EAS): EAS is the application server resident in the EDN, performing the server functions. The AC connects to the EAS in order to avail the services of the application with the benefits of Edge Computing. Note: EDGE reference point explanation can be found in clause 6.5 of 3GPP TS 23.558 V17.4.0. As described in clause 8.6.6 of 3GPP TS 23.558 V17.4.0, the EES exposes the Session with q