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US 12,745,071 B2Granted
Methods and apparatuses for network function discovery
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
InventorsYong Yang, Yunjie Lu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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., an I-SMF instance ID), wherein each candidate network entity ID included in the set of candidate network entity IDs identifies a candidate network entity.
Claims10
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 including at least:
- i) a first query parameter comprising a first candidate network entity identifier (ID) identifying a first candidate network entity and a second query parameter;
- the network entity transmitting the discovery request to a network repository entity (NRE);
- and
- the network entity receiving from the NRE a discovery response responsive to the discovery request, which discovery response comprises a SearchResult data object that comprises a profile for the first candidate network entity identified by the first candidate network entity ID included in the first query parameter, and a Boolean indicator that indicates that the profile for the first candidate network entity matches the first query parameter, wherein
- the first query parameter further comprises a second candidate network entity ID identifying a second candidate network entity,
- the SearchResult data object further comprises a profile for the second candidate network entity identified by the second candidate network entity ID included in the first query parameter,
- the Boolean indicator indicates that the profile for the second candidate network entity matches the first query parameter,
- the first candidate network entity ID identifies a session management function (SMF and
- the second candidate network entity ID identifies an intermediate SMF (I-SMF).
7 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 including at least:
- i) a first query parameter comprising a first candidate network entity identifier (ID) identifying a first candidate network entity and a second query parameter;
- and
- the NRE transmitting to the network entity a discovery response responding to the discovery request, the discovery response comprising a SearchResult data object that comprises a profile for the first candidate network entity identified by the first candidate network entity ID included in the first query parameter and a Boolean indicator that indicates that the profile for the first candidate network entity matches the first query parameter, wherein
- the first query parameter further comprises a second candidate network entity ID identifying a second candidate network entity,
- the SearchResult data object further comprises a profile for the second candidate network entity identified by the second candidate network entity ID included in the first query parameter,
- the Boolean indicator indicates that the profile for the second candidate network entity matches the first query parameter,
- the first candidate network entity ID identifies a session management function (SMF and
- the second candidate network entity ID identifies an intermediate SMF (I-SMF).
6 more elements
A network entity (NE), the network entity comprising:
- memory;
- and
- processing circuitry, wherein the network entity is configured to perform a method comprising:
- generating a discovery request, wherein the discovery request comprises a set of query parameters, the set of query parameters including at least:
- i) a first query parameter comprising a first candidate network entity identifier (ID) identifying a first candidate network entity and a second query parameter;
- transmitting the discovery request to a network repository entity (NRE);
- and
- receiving from the NRE a discovery response responsive to the discovery request, which discovery response comprises a SearchResult data object that comprises a profile for the first candidate network entity identified by the first candidate network entity ID included in the first query parameter, and a Boolean indicator that indicates that the profile for the first candidate network entity matches the first query parameter, wherein
- the first query parameter further comprises a second candidate network entity ID identifying a second candidate network entity,
- the SearchResult data object further comprises a profile for the second candidate network entity identified by the second candidate network entity ID included in the first query parameter,
- the Boolean indicator indicates that the profile for the second candidate network entity matches the first query parameter,
- the first candidate network entity ID identifies a session management function (SMF), and
- the second candidate network entity ID identifies an intermediate SMF (I-SMF).
10 more elements
A network repository entity (NRE), the NRE comprising:
- a receiving unit configured to employ a receiver to receive a discovery request transmitted by a network entity, wherein the received discovery request comprises a set of query parameters, the set of query parameters including at least:
- i) a first query parameter comprising a first candidate network entity identifier (ID) identifying a first candidate network entity and a second query parameter;
- and
- a transmitting unit configured to employ a transmitter to transmit to the network entity a discovery response responding to the discovery request, the discovery response comprising a SearchResult data object that comprises a profile for the first candidate network entity identified by the first candidate network entity ID included in the first query parameter and a Boolean indicator that indicates that the profile for the first candidate network entity matches the first query parameter, wherein
- the first query parameter further comprises a second candidate network entity ID identifying a second candidate network entity,
- the SearchResult data object further comprises a profile for the second candidate network entity identified by the second candidate network entity ID included in the first query parameter,
- the Boolean indicator indicates that the profile for the second candidate network entity matches the first query parameter,
- the first candidate network entity ID identifies a session management function (SMF), and
- the second candidate network entity ID identifies an intermediate SMF (I-SMF).
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.