# US 12,225,490 B2 · Network element registration method and system, and network function repository function

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- Number: US 12,225,490 B2
- Document ID: US12225490B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/632,354
- Filed: 2020-07-21
- Published: 2022-09-15
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-19
- Assignees: Zte Corporation
- Applicants: ZTE Corporation
- Inventors: Xingyou Zheng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12225490B2

## CPC

- H04L 67/51: Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
- H04L 65/1073: Registration or de-registration
- H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals}
- H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service
- H04W 60/00: Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
- 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

A network element registration method and system, and a Network Function Repository Function (NRF) are disclosed. The network element registration method may include: receiving, by a Network Function Repository Function (NRF), a registration request of a NRF extra-domain service provider network element, the registration request includes service identification information of the NRF extra-domain service provider network element; and allocating, in response to the registration request, a first network element instance ID for the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, the first network element instance ID is different from a second network element instance ID allocated by the NRF for a NRF intra-domain service provider network element.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A network element registration method, comprising:
receiving, by a Network Function Repository Function (NRF), a registration request of a NRF extra-domain service provider network element, wherein the registration request comprises service identification information of the NRF extra-domain service provider network element; and
allocating, in response to the registration request, a first network element instance ID for the NRF extra-domain service provider network element,
wherein the first network element instance ID is different from a second network element instance ID allocated by the NRF for a NRF intra-domain service provider network element, the NRF extra-domain service provider network element does not support a registration interface of the NRF, the NRF intra-domain service provider network element supports the registration interface and heartbeat/keep-alive interface of the NRF, the NRF is configured to set the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, identified by the first network element instance ID, to be in a permanent online state, and the NRF is configured to automatically register and subject to heartbeat/keep-alive detection the NRF intra-domain service provider network element, identified by the second network element instance ID.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the service identification information comprises at least one of the following information: type information of a network function entity, fully qualified domain name information, IP address information of the network function entity, name of a service supported by the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, service parameter supported by the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, permanent user identification range, universal public user identification range, or location information of the NRF service extra-domain provider network element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a service discovery request of a service user network element is received, the service discovery request being configured to discover the service identification information of the NRF extra-domain service provider network element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a subscription request of a service user network element is received, the subscription request being configured to subscribe to the service identification information of the NRF extra-domain service provider network element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a change of the service identification information, and sending a service identification information change notification to the service user network element.

### Claim 6

A Network Function Repository Function (NRF), wherein the NRF receives a registration request of a NRF extra-domain service provider network element, the registration request comprising service identification information of the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, and
the NRF is configured to allocate, in response to the registration request, a first network element instance ID for the NRF extra-domain service provider network element,
the first network element instance ID being different from a second network element instance ID allocated by the NRF for a NRF intra-domain service provider network element, wherein the NRF extra-domain service provider network element does not support a registration interface of the NRF, the NRF intra-domain service provider network element supports the registration interface and heartbeat/keep-alive interface of the NRF, the NRF is configured to set the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, identified by the first network element instance ID, to be in a permanent online state, and the NRF is configured to automatically register and subject to heartbeat/keep-alive detection the NRF intra-domain service provider network element, identified by the second network element instance ID.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The NRF of claim 6, wherein the service identification information comprises at least one of the following information: type information of a network function entity, fully qualified domain name information, IP address information of the network function entity, name of a service supported by the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, service parameter supported by the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, permanent user identification range, universal public user identification range, or location information of the NRF service extra-domain provider network element.

### Claim 8

A network element registration system, comprising a Network Function Repository Function (NRF), a NRF extra-domain service provider network element, and a NRF intra-domain service provider network element; wherein
the NRF is configured to receive a registration request of the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, the registration request comprising service identification information of the NRF extra-domain service provider network element; and
the NRF is configured to allocate, in response to the registration request, a first network element instance ID for the NRF extra-domain service provider network element,
the first network element instance ID being different from a second network element instance ID allocated by the NRF for the NRF intra-domain service provider network element;
wherein the NRF extra-domain service provider network element does not support a registration interface of the NRF, the NRF intra-domain service provider network element supports the registration interface and heartbeat/keep-alive interface of the NRF, the NRF is configured to set the NRF extra-domain service provider network element, identified by the first network element instance ID, to be in a permanent online state; and
the NRF is configured to automatically register and subject to heartbeat/keep-alive detection the NRF intra-domain service provider network element, identified by the second network element instance ID.