Managing user plane entities at different locations in a PDU session

An access management entity, comprising:

• a memory storing executable instructions;
• a processor;
• and
• a transceiver;
• wherein the processor is configured to execute the executable instructions to:
• receiving, using the transceiver, a request to establish a protocol data unit (PDU) session of user equipment (UE);
• receive, using the transceiver, a message from a session management entity, wherein the message includes a local data network name (DNN);
• select a first intermediate session management entity for serving the PDU session based on UE location information and the local DNN, wherein the local DNN indicates a local data network (DN) for the UE to communicate with via a user plane entity in an area managed by the first intermediate session management entity, and wherein the first intermediate session management entity is connected to the session management entity and the user plane entity;
• and
• send, using the transceiver, the UE location information and the local DNN to the first intermediate session management entity, wherein the UE location information and the local DNN are for selecting the user plane entity for the PDU session.

A system, comprising:

• a session management entity;
• an access management entity comprising a processor, a memory, and a transceiver;
• and
• a plurality of intermediate session management entities,
• wherein the access management entity is configured to:
• receive a request to establish a protocol data unit (PDU) session of user equipment (UE);
• receive a message from the session management entity, wherein the message includes a local data network name (DNN);
• select a first intermediate session management entity from the plurality of intermediate session management entities for the PDU session based on UE location information and the local DNN, wherein the local DNN indicates a local data network (DN) for the UE to communicate with via a user plane entity in an area managed by the first intermediate session management entity, and wherein the first intermediate session management entity is connected to the session management entity and the user plane entity;
• and
• send the UE location information and the local DNN to the first intermediate session management entity, wherein the UE location information and the local DNN are for selecting the user plane entity for the PDU session;
• and
• wherein the first intermediate session management entity is configured to:
• receive, from the access management entity, the UE location information and the local DNN;
• and
• select the user plane entity for serving the PDU session of the UE.

A session management method, comprising:

• receiving, by an access management entity, a request to establish a protocol data unit (PDU) session of user equipment (UE),
• receiving, by the access management entity, a message from a session management entity, wherein the message includes a local data network name (DNN);
• selecting, by the access management entity, a first intermediate session management entity for serving the PDU session based on UE location information and the local DNN, wherein the local DNN indicates a local data network (DN) for the UE to communicate with via a user plane entity in an area managed by the first intermediate session management entity, and wherein the first intermediate session entity is connected to the session management entity and the user plane entity;
• sending, by the access management entity, the UE location information and the local DNN to the first intermediate session management entity, wherein the UE location information and the local DNN are for selecting the user plane entity for the PDU session;
• receiving, by the first intermediate session management entity, the UE location information and the local DNN;
• and
• selecting, by the first intermediate session management entity, the user plane entity for serving the PDU session of the UE.