Network data analytics in a communications network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11051192-B2
Application number	US-201816637463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2018
Priority date	Aug 11, 2017
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A network data analytics function, which may be implemented as a service, is disclosed which provides a new and improved network data analytics capability in 5G core networks.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A network apparatus connected to a mobile network, the network apparatus comprising one or more processors and memory, the memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the process, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
sending, using one of a request/response model or a subscription model, a request to a plurality of other network apparatuses in the mobile network to provide mobile network status data maintained or monitored by each of the plurality of other network apparatuses;
receiving one of a response or notification from each of the plurality of other network apparatuses, each response or notification comprising the mobile network status data requested from the other network apparatus;
generating, based on the received mobile network status data, network statistics; and
sending, to a network repository function (NRF) of the mobile network, a request to register with the NRF, the request indicating to the NRF a network data analytics capability of the network apparatus and identifying one or more types of network statistics generated by the network apparatus.

2. The network apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to send the generated network statistics to one of an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a user plane function (UPF), or a policy control function (PCF).

3. The network apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
storing, at a data storage function (DSF) of the mobile network, at least a portion of the generated network statistics;
obtaining an identifier (ID) associated with the at least a portion of the generated network statistics stored at the DSF;
receiving, from another network apparatus of the mobile network, a request for the at least a portion of the generated network statistics; and
returning, to the requesting network apparatus, the identifier associated with the requested at least a portion of the generated network statistics, whereby the requesting network apparatus may use the identifier to obtain the at least a portion of the generated network statistics directly from the DSF.

4. The network apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the requested mobile network status data comprises one more of: (1) information indicating that a total number, or rate, of rejected or failed connection attempts meets or exceeds a threshold; (2) information indicating QoS provisioning parameters at a session management function (SMF); (3) information indicating that a utilization of memory allocated for downlink data buffering at the SMF meets or exceeds a threshold; (4) information indicating that a number of network slices that an access and mobility management function (AMF) is serving as a common network function (NF) meets or exceeds a threshold; (5) information indicating a number of non-3GPP access nodes connected to the AMF or a user plane function (UPF); (6) information indicating an amount of traffic that is denied due to policy rule enforcement at the UPF; and (7) communication pattern, traffic pattern and mobility pattern information from a Service Capability Server or Application Server (SCS/AS).

5. The network apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the generated network statistics comprise one or more of: (1) a number of different levels of mobility under an access and mobility management function (AMF) or a network slice; (2) an average number of network slices that an AMF is serving as a common network function (NF); (3) a percentage of packet data unit (PDU) sessions that are of a non-IP type; (4) a number of PDU sessions that are through an AMF-network exposure function (NEF) path; (5) a percentage of PDU sessions that apply a reflective QoS scheme; and (6) a percentage of PDU sessions that have a UL classifier or a branch point.

6. The network apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the generated network statistics are generated per user equipment (UE), per UE group, per network slice, per packet data unit (PDU) connection, per application server (AS), or per area.

7. The network apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mobile network status data received by the network apparatus is received per user equipment (UE), per UE group, per network slice, per packet data unit (PDU) connection, per application server (AS), or per area.

8. The network apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to generate, based on the received mobile network status data, network operation guidance and rules.

9. The network apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to send the generated network operation guidance and rules to one of an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a user plane function (UPF), or a policy control function (PCF).

10. The network apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to send, using one of the request/response model or the subscription model, a second request to a Network Repository Function (NRF) of the mobile network to be notified when one or more network functions (NF) of the mobile network connect to a network slice associated with the mobile network, wherein the second request comprises information indicating at least one of a network function type or an analytics information type.

11. The network apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the other network apparatuses comprises a Session Management Function (SMF), and wherein the request comprises a request to be notified when there is a PDU Session or QoS Flow related event associated with the SMF.

12. A method, comprising:
sending, using one of a request/response model or a subscription model, a request to a plurality of other network apparatuses in a mobile network to provide mobile network status data maintained or monitored by each of the plurality of other network apparatuses;
receiving one of a response or notification from each of the plurality of other network apparatuses, each response or notification comprising the mobile network status data requested from the other network apparatus;
generating, based on the received mobile network status data, network statistics; and
sending, to a network repository function (NRF) of the mobile network, a request to register with the NRF, the request indicating to the NRF a network data analytics capability and identifying one or more types of the generated network statistics.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising sending the generated network statistics to one of an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a user place function (UPF), or a policy control function (PCF).

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
storing, at a data storage function (DSF) of the mobile network, at least a portion of the generated network statistics;
obtaining an identifier (ID) associated with the at least a portion of the generated network statistics stored at the DSF;
receiving, from another network apparatus of the mobile network, a request for the at least a portion of the generated network statistics; and
returning, to the requesting network apparatus, the identifier associated with the requested at least a portion of the generated network statistics, whereby the requesting network apparatus may use the identifier to obtain the at least a portion of the generated network statistics directly from the DSF.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the requested mobile network status data comprises one more of: (1) information in

Assignees

• Convida Wireless LLC

Inventors

• Li Hongkun
• Starsinic Michael F
• Di Girolamo Rocco
• Mladin Catalina Mihaela

Classifications

• H04L41/14

  Network analysis or design · CPC title

• H04L41/5009

  Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF] · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• G06Q20/4016

  involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing · CPC title

• G06Q20/382

  insuring higher security of transaction · CPC title