# US 12,010,738 B2 · Method and apparatus for enhancing reliability in wireless communication systems

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- Number: US 12,010,738 B2
- Document ID: US12010738B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/444,823
- Filed: 2021-08-10
- Published: 2022-02-10
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2020-08-10
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Sangsoo Jeong; Taesung Jung; Varini Gupta
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010738B2

## CPC

- H04L 41/0816: the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
- H04W 76/10: Connection setup
- H04L 41/0893: Assignment of logical groups to network elements
- H04L 41/0895: Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
- H04L 67/306: User profiles
- H04W 76/38: triggered by timers
- H04W 24/04: Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
- 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

Provided is a method and apparatus for enhancing the reliability in a wireless communication system. An operating method of a user plane function (UPF) in a wireless communication system includes: receiving network function (NF) set related information changed through an association procedure with respect to an NF; changing a profile of the NF, based on the received NF set related information; and performing an operation related to the NF, based on the changed profile.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of a user plane function (UPF) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a network function (NF), a packet forwarding control protocol (PFCP) association setup request;
receiving, from the NF, a PFCP association setup response including session management function (SMF) set related information corresponding to the association setup request; and
performing an operation related to a PFCP session with the NF based on the SMF set related information.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:
transmitting, to the NF, a PFCP association update request; and
receiving, from the NF, a PFCP association update response corresponding to the association update request.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:
receiving, from the NF, a PFCP association update request including changed SMF set related information; and
transmitting, to the NF, a PFCP association update response corresponding to the association update request.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the SMF set related information comprises an SMF set identification (ID).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein an SMF instance for the SMF set ID is determined based on at least one of slice information of the SMF instance and network name of the SMF instance.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the NF comprises at least one of an access and mobility management function (AMF) or a session management function (SMF).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting to the NF, the PFCP association setup request comprises:
identifying a condition for transmitting the PFCP association setup request, and
wherein the condition includes at least one of creation of a UPF, restart of a UPF, change of configuration related to the NF, and release of existing PFCP association.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:
identifying an existing PFCP association with the NF is available; and
in case that the existing PFCP association is not available:
transmitting, to the NF, a PFCP association release request; and
receiving, from the NF, a PFCP association release response.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:
selecting an SMF instance included in an SMF set based on the SMF set related information.

### Claim 10

A user plane function (UPF) in a wireless communication system, the UPF comprising:
a transceiver;
memory; and
a processor operably connected to the transceiver and the memory, the processor configured to:
transmit, to a network function (NF), a packet forwarding control protocol (PFCP) association setup request;
receive, from the NF, a PFCP association setup response including session management function (SMF) set related information corresponding to the association setup request; and
perform an operation related to a PFCP session with the NF based on the SMF set related information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The UPF of claim 10, wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
transmit, to the NF, a PFCP association update request, and
receive, from the NF, a PFCP association update response corresponding to the association update request.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The UPF of claim 10, wherein:
the transceiver is further configured to:
receive, from the NF, a PFCP association update request including changed SMF NF set related information, and
transmit, to the NF, a PFCP association update response corresponding to the association update request.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The UPF of claim 10, wherein the SMF set related information comprises an SMF set identification (ID).

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The UPF of claim 13, wherein an SMF instance for the SMF set ID is determined based on at least one of slice information of the SMF instance and network name of the SMF instance.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The UPF of claim 10, wherein the NF comprises at least one of an access and mobility management function (AMF) or a session management function (SMF).

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The UPF of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify a condition for transmitting the PFCP association setup request, and
wherein the condition includes at least one of creation of a UPF, restart of a UPF, change of configuration related to the NF, and release of existing PFCP association.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The UPF of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify an existing PFCP association with the NF is available, and
in case that the existing PFCP association is not available, the transceiver is further configured to:
transmit, to the NF, a PFCP association release request; and
receive, from the NF, a PFCP association release response.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The UPF of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:
select an SMF instance included in an SMF set based on the SMF set related information.