Method, apparatus, and computer program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11811625-B2
Application number	US-201817267227-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2018
Priority date	Aug 10, 2018
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

Preference information is received at a network repository function from a first network function, the preference information indicating one or more optional preferences for a respective second network function or network function service. Information is provided to the first network function about one or more second network functions or network function services, the one or more second network functions or network function services being selected taking into account the preference information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code; wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:
receive, at a network repository function, a discovery request message including preference information from a first network function, said preference information comprising location information for a respective second network function or network function service; and
cause information to be provided to said first network function about one or more second network functions or network function services, said one or more second network functions or network function services being selected based on the location information in the received discovery request message, wherein in an instance no network functions are identified matching said preference information, the one or more second network functions or network function services are identified without limiting a search to second network functions or network function services that match the preference information.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a respective selected second network function or network function service optionally is provided with one or more of said optional preferences.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said location information comprises a preferred locality parameter, and wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to search for the one or more second network functions or network function services in response to the discovery request message without limiting the search to second network functions or network function services that match the preferred locality parameter.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said preference information is received with one or more query parameters; and
wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to cause information to be provided to said first network function about the second network functions or network function services that match the one or more query parameters when there is no match to said preference information.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to provide a candidate list of second network functions or network function services in dependence on said one or more query parameters, each of said second network functions or network function services of said candidate list satisfying said one or more query parameters.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to filter said candidate list of second network functions or network function services in dependence on said preference information.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to provide a priority or modify a priority of one or more second network functions or network function services in said candidate list of second network functions or network function services in dependence on said preference information.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said preference information comprises information indicating how said network repository function should select second network functions or network function services if no second network functions or network function services match the preference information.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to determine which of said second network functions or network function services is to be selected when there is no match to said preference information.

10. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code; wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to:
cause, at a first network function, a discovery request message including preference information to be provided to a network repository function, said preference information comprising location information for a respective second network function or network function service; and
receive information, from said network repository function, about one or more second network functions or network function services, said one or more second network functions or network function services being selected based on the location information in the discovery request message, wherein in an instance no network functions are identified matching said preference information, the one or more second network functions or network function services are identified without limiting a search to second network functions or network function services that match the preference information.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a respective selected second network function or network function service optionally is provided with one or more of said optional preferences.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said preference information is provided with one or more query parameters, and wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to receive information from said network repository function about the second network functions or network function services that match the one or more query parameters when there is no match to said preference information.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to receive a candidate list of second network functions or network function services in dependence on said one or more query parameters, each of said second network functions or network function services of said candidate list satisfying said one or more query parameters.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein one or more of said second network functions or network function services is said candidate list is provided with a priority in dependence on said preference information.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said preference information comprises information indicating how said network repository function should select second network functions or network function services if no second network functions or network function services match the preference information.

16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium and computer program code stored by the storage medium and adapted to, when the program is run on a processor, perform:
receiving, at a network repository function, a discovery request message including preference information from a first network function, said preference information comprising location information for a respective second network function or network function service; and
causing information to be provided to said first network function about one or more second network functions or network function services, said one or more second network functions or network function services being selected based on the preferenc

Assignees

• Nokia Solutions & Networks Oy

Inventors

• Lair Yannick
• Chandramouli Devaki
• Gkellas Georgios
• Landais Bruno

Classifications

• H04W60/00

  Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration · CPC title

• H04W48/00

  Access restriction (access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08); Network selection; Access point selection · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04L41/5051 Primary

  Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time · CPC title

• H04L41/0813

  characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings · CPC title