5G network having an external multi-path transport protocol proxy node

A system for a 5G network, the system comprising:

• a session management function (SMF) node;
• a user plane function (UPF) node connected to the SMF node;
• and
• a multi-path transport protocol (MPTP) proxy node, wherein:
• the MPTP proxy node is external to the UPF node;
• the SMF node is configured to provide address information of the external MPTP proxy node to a user equipment (UE) node of the 5G network;
• the SMF node is configured to distribute access traffic steering, switching, and splitting (ATSSS)-related rules to the UE node, to the UPF node via an SMF-UPF interface, and to the external MPTP proxy node either (i) directly, from the SMF node to the external MPTP proxy node via an SMF-proxy interface, or (ii) indirectly, from the SMF node to UPF node via the SMF-UPF interface and then from the UPF node to the MPTP proxy node via a UPF-proxy interface;
• at least one of:
• the SMF node is configured to distribute the ATSSS-related rules directly to the external MPTP proxy node, and the SMF node is configured to perform an MPTP proxy selection function to select the external MPTP proxy node;
• and
• the SMF node is configured to distribute the ATSSS-related rules indirectly to the external MPTP proxy node, and the UPF node is configured to perform the MPTP proxy selection function to select the external MPTP proxy node;
• the external MPTP proxy node is configured to (a) receive, from the UPF node via the UPF-proxy interface, (i) 3GPP uplink data transmitted by the UE node via a 3GPP radio access network (RAN) and (ii) non-3GPP uplink data transmitted by the UE node via a non-3GPP access network, (b) combine the 3GPP and non-3GPP uplink data to form network uplink data, and (c) provide the network uplink data to a data network;
• and
• the external MPTP proxy node is configured to (a) receive network downlink data either (i) directly, from the data network via a network-proxy interface, or (ii) indirectly, from the data network to the UPF node via a network-UPF interface and then from the UPF node to the external MPTP proxy node via the UPF-proxy interface, (b) divide the network downlink data into (i) 3GPP downlink data and (ii) non-3GPP downlink data, and (c) provide the 3GPP and non-3GPP downlink data to the UPF node via the UPF-proxy interface for transmission to the UE node via the 3GPP RAN and the non-3GPP access network, respectively.