# US 11,452,122 B1 · Systems and methods for regional assignment of multi-access edge computing resources > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,452,122 B1 - Document ID: US11452122B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/223,516 - Filed: 2021-04-06 - Published: 2022-10-06 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-06 - Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. - Applicants: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. - Inventors: John F. Macias - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11452122B1 ## CPC - H04L 67/289: Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network - H04W 72/1263: Mapping of traffic onto schedule, e.g. scheduled allocation or multiplexing of flows - H04W 48/14: using user query {or user detection} - H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management - H04W 72/20: Control channels or signalling for resource management - H04W 72/52: based on load - H04W 72/535: {based on resource usage policies} - H04W 76/10: Connection setup - H04W 84/00: Network topologies - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A MEC relocation service automatically directs user equipment (UE) away from a “home” multi-access edge computing (MEC) cluster to a different MEC cluster when the home MEC cluster cannot support service while the UE is outside a regional area. A MEC cluster may receive an application service request for MEC services from a UE device outside a regional service area of the MEC cluster. The MEC cluster may determine if service level requirements for the application service request can be met by the MEC cluster. When the service level requirements cannot be met by the network device, the MEC cluster may submit, to a network device, a query for a different MEC cluster in another regional service area. The MEC cluster may establish a direct connection with the different MEC cluster to transfer customer data for the application service request. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multi-access edge computing (MEC) cluster, comprising: one or more processors configured to: receive an application service request for MEC services, wherein the application service request is directed to the MEC cluster from a user equipment (UE) device outside a regional service area of the MEC cluster; determine if service level requirements for the application service request can be met by the MEC cluster, wherein the determining includes dynamically updating available resources of the MEC cluster; submit, to a network device in a network, a query for a different MEC cluster in another regional service area when the service level requirements for the application service request cannot be met by the MEC cluster; receive, from the network device, transfer instructions to direct the application service request to the different MEC cluster; establish a connection with the different MEC cluster to transfer data; and transfer, to the different MEC cluster, customer data to support the application service request, based on the transfer instructions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The MEC cluster of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: solicit, from the UE device and after receiving the transfer instructions, user authorization to transfer resources to the different MEC cluster. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The MEC cluster of claim 2, wherein, when soliciting the user authorization, the one or more processors are further configured to: solicit a redundancy duration for customer data to be maintained. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The MEC cluster of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: direct the UE device to send a new application service request to the different MEC cluster. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The MEC cluster of claim 1, wherein, when submitting the query for the different MEC cluster, the one or more processors are further configured to: submit the query to a MEC orchestration device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The MEC cluster of claim 1, wherein, when determining if service level requirements for the application service request can be met, the one or more processors are further configured to: compare the available resources and capabilities of the MEC cluster against parameters of an application policy for the MEC services. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The MEC cluster of claim 6, wherein the parameters of the application policy include a minimum round-trip delay time (RTT) and a guaranteed minimum throughput. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The MEC cluster of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: maintain redundancy with the MEC cluster and the different MEC cluster for a period based on MEC usage patterns of the UE device. ### Claim 9 A method, comprising: receiving, by a network device in multi-access edge computing (MEC) cluster, an application service request for MEC services, wherein the application service request is directed to the MEC cluster from a user equipment (UE) device outside a regional service area of the MEC cluster; determining, by the network device, if service level requirements for the application service request can be met by the MEC cluster, wherein the determining includes dynamically updating available resources of the MEC cluster; submitting, by the network device and to a network, a query for a different MEC cluster in another regional service area when the service level requirements for the application service request cannot be met by the MEC cluster; receiving, by the network device and from the network, transfer instructions to direct the application service request to the different MEC cluster; establishing, by the network device, a connection with the different MEC cluster to transfer data; and transferring, by the network device and to the different MEC cluster, customer data to support the application service request. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: soliciting, from the UE device and after receiving the transfer instructions, user authorization to transfer resources to the different MEC cluster. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein soliciting the user authorization further comprises: soliciting a redundancy duration for customer data to be maintained. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: directing the UE device to send a new application service request to the different MEC cluster. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein submitting the query for the different MEC cluster further comprises: submitting the query to a MEC orchestration device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein determining if service level requirements for the application service request can be met further comprises: comparing available resources and capabilities of the MEC cluster against parameters of an application policy for the MEC services. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the parameters of the application policy include a minimum round-trip delay time (RTT) or a guaranteed minimum throughput. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: maintaining redundancy with the MEC cluster and the different MEC cluster for a period being on MEC usage patterns of the UE device. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by at least one processor, the computer-readable medium comprising the instructions for: receiving, by a network device in multi-access edge computing (MEC) cluster, an application service request for MEC services, wherein the application service request is directed to the MEC cluster from a user equipment (UE) device outside a regional service area of the MEC cluster; determining, by the network device, if service level requirements for the application service request can be met by the MEC cluster, wherein the determining includes dynamically updating available resources of the MEC cluster; submitting, by the network device and to a network, a query for a different MEC cluster in another regional service area when the service level requirements for the application service request cannot be met by the MEC cluster; receiving, by the network device and from the network, transfer instructions to direct the application service request to the different MEC cluster; establishing, by the network device, a connection with the different MEC cluster to transfer data; and transferring, by the network device and to the different MEC cluster, customer data to support the application service request. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 17, further comprising instructions for: soliciting, from the UE device and after receiving the transfer instructions, user authorization to transfer resources to the different MEC cluster. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 17, further comprising instructions for: directing the UE device to send a new application service request to the different MEC cluster. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the instructions for determining if service level requirements for the application service request can be met, further comprise instructions for: comparing the available resources and capabilities of the MEC cluster against parameters of an application policy for the MEC services.