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US 12,015,679 B2Granted
Methods and apparatuses for network function discovery
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
InventorsYong Yang, Yunjie Lu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A network entity generates a discovery request and transmit the discovery request to a network repository entity, NRE, wherein, advantageously, the discovery request includes a set of query parameters, the set of query parameters comprising a set of candidate network entity identifiers (IDs) comprising at least a first candidate network entity ID (e.g., an1-SMF instance ID), wherein each candidate network entity ID included in the set of candidate network entity IDs identifies a candidate network entity.
Claims18
A method performed by a network entity, the method comprising:
- the network entity generating a discovery request, wherein the discovery request comprises a set of query parameters, the set of query parameters comprising a first candidate network entity identifier (ID) that identifies a first candidate network entity and a set of search parameters for use by a network repository entity (NRE) to determine network entities that match one or more of the search parameters, where the first candidate network entity ID is not one of the search parameters and the set of search parameters comprises a first search parameter;
- the network entity transmitting the discovery request to the NRE;
- and
- the network entity receiving from the NRE a discovery response responsive to the discovery request, wherein the discovery response comprises a SearchResult data object that comprises:
- i) a first information element comprising an array of one or more network function (NF) profiles, wherein each NF profile in the array matches at least one of the search parameters and ii) a second information element comprising a match indicator information element comprising a Boolean indicator that indicates whether or not at least one of the one or more NF profiles in the array matches the first search parameter.
2 more elements
A method performed by a network repository entity (NRE), the method comprising:
- the NRE receiving a discovery request transmitted by a network entity, wherein the received discovery request comprises a set of query parameters, the set of query parameters comprising a first candidate network entity identifier (ID) that identifies a first candidate network entity and a set of search parameters for use by a network repository entity (NRE) to determine network entities that match one or more of the search parameters, where the first candidate network entity ID is not one of the search parameters and the set of search parameters comprises a first search parameter;
- and
- the NRE transmitting to the network entity a discovery response responding to the discovery request, wherein the discovery response comprises a SearchResult data object that comprises:
- i) a first information element comprising an array of one or more network function (NF) profiles, wherein each NF profile in the array matches at least one of the search parameters and ii) a second information element comprising a match indicator information element comprising a Boolean indicator that indicates whether or not at least one of the one or more NF profiles in the array matches the first search parameter.
1 more element
A network entity (NE), the network entity comprising:
- processing circuitry configured to generate a discovery request, wherein the discovery request comprises a set of query parameters, the set of query parameters comprising a first candidate network entity identifier (ID) that identifies a first candidate network entity and a set of search parameters for use by a network repository entity (NRE) to determine network entities that match one or more of the search parameters, where the first candidate network entity ID is not one of the search parameters and the set of search parameters comprises a first search parameter;
- a transmitter for transmitting the discovery request to the NRE;
- and
- a receiver for receiving a response to the discovery request, wherein the response to the discovery request comprises a SearchResult data object that comprises:
- i) a first information element comprising an array of one or more network function (NF) profiles, wherein each NF profile in the array matches at least one of the search parameters and ii) a second information element comprising a match indicator information element comprising a Boolean indicator that indicates whether or not at least one of the one or more NF profiles in the array matches the first search parameter.
2 more elements
A network repository entity (NRE), the NRE comprising:
- a receiver for receiving a discovery request transmitted by a network entity (NE), wherein the received discovery request comprises a set of query parameters, the set of query parameters comprising a first candidate network entity identifier (ID) that identifies a first candidate network entity and a set of search parameters for use by a network repository entity (NRE) to determine network entities that match one or more of the search parameters, where the first candidate network entity ID is not one of the search parameters and the set of search parameters comprises a first search parameter;
- and
- a transmitter for transmitting a discovery response responding to the discovery request wherein the discovery response comprises a SearchResult data object that comprises:
- i) a first information element comprising an array of one or more network function (NF) profiles, wherein each NF profile in the array matches at least one of the search parameters and ii) a second information element comprising a match indicator information element comprising a Boolean indicator that indicates whether or not at least one of the one or more NF profiles in the array matches the first search parameter.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.