Methods providing anchor change for ethernet PDU sessions and related network entities/nodes
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
InventorGyörgy Miklós
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of operating a session management function SMF entity of a wireless communication network may be provided. An Ethernet context for a wireless terminal may be received from a first user plane function UPF entity, wherein the Ethernet context is provided for an Ethernet Protocol Data Unit PDU Session for the wireless terminal using the first UPF entity, and wherein the Ethernet context includes a Medium Access Control MAC address for the wireless terminal. The Ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal may be transmitted to a second UPF entity. Related methods of operating user plane function UPF entities of a wireless communication network may also be provided.
Claims10
A method of operating a session management function (SMF) entity of a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
- receiving an Ethernet context for a wireless terminal from a first user plane function(UPF) entity, wherein the Ethernet context is provided for an Ethernet Protocol Data Unit, PDU, Session for the wireless terminal using the first UPF entity, wherein the first UPF entity acts as a first PDU Session Anchor (PSA) for the Ethernet PDU Session for the wireless terminal using the Ethernet context including a Medium Access Control (MAC) address for the wireless terminal, and wherein the Ethernet context includes the MAC address for the wireless terminal;
- selecting a second UPF entity to act as a second PSA for the Ethernet PDU Session for the wireless terminal using the Ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal;
- and responsive to selecting the second UPF entity, transmitting the Ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal to the second UPF entity, wherein transmitting the ethernet context comprises transmitting the ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal to the second UPF to change from the first PSA of the PDU Session to the second PSA of the PDU Session using the Ethernet context without releasing the PDU Session.
A session management function (SMF) entity of a wireless communication network, wherein the SMF entity is adapted to:
- receive an Ethernet context for a wireless terminal from a first user plane function (UPF) entity, wherein the Ethernet context is provided for an Ethernet Protocol Data Unit (PDU) Session for the wireless terminal using the first UPF entity, wherein the first UPF entity acts as a first PDU Session Anchor, PSA, for the Ethernet PDU Session for the wireless terminal using the Ethernet context including a Medium Access Control (MAC) address for the wireless terminal, and wherein the Ethernet context includes the MAC address for the wireless terminal;
- select a second UPF entity to act as a second PSA for the Ethernet PDU Session for the wireless terminal using the Ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal;
- and responsive to selecting the second UPF entity, transmit the Ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal to the second UPF entity, wherein transmitting the ethernet context comprises transmitting the ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal to the second UPF to change from the first PSA of the PDU Session to the second PSA of the PDU Session using the Ethernet context without releasing the PDU Session.
A session management function (SMF) entity of a wireless communication network, the SMF entity comprising:
- a processor;
- and memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
- receive an Ethernet context for a wireless terminal from a first user plane function (UPF) entity, wherein the Ethernet context is provided for an Ethernet Protocol Data Unit (PDU) Session for the wireless terminal using the first UPF entity, wherein the first UPF entity acts as a first PDU Session Anchor, PSA, for the Ethernet PDU Session for the wireless terminal using the Ethernet context including a Medium Access Control (MAC) address for the wireless terminal, and wherein the Ethernet context includes the MAC address for the wireless terminal;
- select a second UPF entity to act as a second PSA for the Ethernet PDU Session for the wireless terminal using the Ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal;
- and responsive to selecting the second UPF entity, transmit the Ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal to the second UPF entity, wherein transmitting the ethernet context comprises transmitting the ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal to the second UPF to change from the first PSA of the PDU Session to the second PSA of the PDU Session using the Ethernet context without releasing the PDU Session.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.