Edge aware distributed network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12526345-B2
Application number	US-202418597613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2024
Priority date	Dec 31, 2019
Publication date	Jan 13, 2026
Grant date	Jan 13, 2026

Abstract

System and methods that improve the use of network functions on edge data networks are disclosed. A mechanism that supports edge-assisted UE context and trigger collection is described herein, where a UE can actively send its context information and/or any trigger (e.g. a request for a network function/service to be deployed in edge data networks, etc.) to an edge enabler server, which processes the received context and triggers from its UEs. The edge enabler server may also forward UE context and triggers to 5G core network (5GC) upon receiving a solicitation request from the 5GC, or if the 5GC has already made a subscription for getting notification on UE context and triggers. A network repository function is provided as a new network function collect, store, and manage edge data network information.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . An apparatus for an edge network repository function, the apparatus comprising circuitry configured to:
receive a first request from a first edge network controller to register to the edge network repository function, wherein the first request comprises an identifier of the first edge network controller and identifiers of available edge servers in a first edge network associated with the first edge network controller; store the identifiers of the first edge network controller and the available edge servers in the first edge network; send a response to the first edge network controller indicating registration results; receive a second request from a second edge network controller to register to the edge network repository function, wherein the second request comprises an identifier of the second edge network controller and identifiers of available edge servers in a second edge network associated with the second edge network controller; store the identifiers of the second edge network controller and the available edge servers in the second edge network; send a response to the second edge network controller indicating the registration results; receive from a third edge network controller, associated with a third edge network, a request to discover other edge networks, wherein the request comprises a discovery filter specifying one or more edge server identifiers; determine, based on the discovery filter, that at least the first edge network or the second edge network has at least one edge server matching the edge server identifiers specified in the discovery filter; and send a discovery response to the third edge network controller comprising an identifier of at least the first edge network controller or the second edge network controller.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first request or the second request comprises an edge network identifier.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first request or the second request comprises an edge network name.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first request or the second request comprises network addresses of edge servers in the first or second edge networks.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the discovery filter comprises a required location of edge networks to be discovered.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the discovery filter comprises a type of application or service which the edge networks or edge servers provide.

7 . A method for an edge network repository function, the method comprising:
receiving a first request from a first edge network controller to register to the edge network repository function, wherein the first request comprises an identifier of the first edge network controller and identifiers of available edge servers in a first edge network associated with the first edge network controller; storing the identifiers of the first edge network controller and the available edge servers in the first edge network; sending a response to the first edge network controller indicating the registration results; receiving a second request from a second edge network controller to register to the edge network repository function, wherein the second request comprises an identifier of the second edge network controller and identifiers of available edge servers in a second edge network associated with the second edge network controller; storing the identifiers of the second edge network controller and the available edge servers in the second edge network; sending a response to the second edge network controller indicating the registration results; receiving from a third edge network controller, associated with a third edge network, a request to discover other edge networks, wherein the request comprises a discovery filter specifying one or more edge server identifiers; determining, based on the discovery filter, that at least the first edge network or the second edge network has at least one edge server matching the edge server identifiers specified in the discovery filter; and sending a discovery response to the third edge network controller comprising an identifier of at least the first edge network controller or the second edge network controller.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first request or the second request comprises an edge network identifier.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first request or the second request comprises an edge network name.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first request or the second request comprises network addresses of edge servers in the first or second edge networks.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the discovery filter comprises a required location of edge networks to be discovered.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the discovery filter comprises a type of application or service which the edge networks or edge servers provide.

Assignees

• Convida Wireless LLC

Inventors

• Wang Chonggang
• Seed Dale
• Li Xu
• Liu Lu
• Starsinic Michael
• Li Hongkun

Classifications

• H04W84/042

  Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems · CPC title

• H04L63/166

  at the transport layer · CPC title

• H04W24/10

  Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports} · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04L67/60 Primary

  Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources (admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70) · CPC title