# US 2025/0097104 A1 · Electronic device and method for upgrading virtualized network function in network function virtualization environment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0097104 A1 - Document ID: US20250097104A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/962,310 - Filed: 2024-11-27 - Published: 2025-03-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-27 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hyunyoung NAM - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250097104A1 ## CPC - H04L 41/082: the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality - H04L 41/342: between virtual entities, e.g. orchestrators, SDN or NFV entities - H04L 41/40: using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities - H04L 41/0895: Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method performed by a virtual network function manager (VNFM) of management and orchestration (MANO), according to various embodiments, may comprise: receiving an upgrade request of a virtual network function (VNF) from an operator via a network function virtualization orchestrator (NFVO); transmitting a request message for upgrading software (SW) to the VNF; receiving, from the VNF, a response message for upgrading the SW; transmitting, to the VNF, a task inquiry message for requesting a task type for upgrading the SW; receiving, from the VNF, a task response message including information on the task type; and performing a task according to the task type for upgrading the SW, based on the task response message. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method performed by a virtual network function manager (VNFM) of management and orchestration (MANO), comprising: receiving, from an operator through network function virtualization orchestrator (NFVO), an upgrade request of virtual network function; transmitting, to the VNF, a request message for a software (SW) upgrade; receiving, from the VNF, a response message for the SW upgrade; transmitting, to the VNF, a task query message requesting a task type for the SW upgrade; receiving, from the VNF, a task response message including information on the task type; and performing a task according to the task type for the SW upgrade based on the task response message. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the VNF, a task response message indicating a completion of the SW upgrade; and updating an identification (ID) of VNF descriptor (VNFD), in response to the completion of the SW upgrade. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: notifying the operator of the completion of the SW upgrade through the NFVO after updating the ID of the VNFD. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the upgrade request of the VNF includes information on the virtual network function descriptor (VNFD). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the response message for the SW upgrade includes job identification (ID), and wherein the job ID is used for the task query message and the task response message. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the task comprises: based on the task type of the task response message indicating a wait for the SW upgrade, waiting for an internal task of the VNF for a designated time, and wherein the task response message further includes information on the designated time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the task comprises: based on the task type of the task response message indicating a rebuild of the SW upgrade, transmitting a request of the rebuild to a virtualized infrastructure manager (VIM) of the MANO; and receiving a response to the request for the rebuild from the VIM. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the task response message includes a VNF component (VNFC) list, an identification (ID) of a source VNF descriptor (VNFD), and a target VNFD ID. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, to the VNF, a next task query message for requesting a next task for the SW upgrade, wherein the next task query message includes information on the task type and the information on a task result for the task type. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the task result is one of completed, failed, retry, rollback, rollback completed, or lifecycle end of the task corresponding to the task type. ### Claim 11 An electronic device configured to perform functions of a virtual network function manager (VNFM) of management and orchestration (MANO), comprising: at least one transceiver; at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, coupled to the at least one transceiver; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually and/or collectively, cause the electronic device to: receive, from an operator through network function virtualization orchestrator (NFVO), an upgrade request of virtual network function; transmit, to the VNF, a request message for a software (SW) upgrade; receive, from the VNF, a response message for the SW upgrade; transmit, to the VNF, a task query message requesting a task type for the SW upgrade; receive, from the VNF, a task response message including information on the task type; and perform a task according to the task type for the SW upgrade based on the task response message. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually and/or collectively, cause the electronic device to: receive, from the VNF, a task response message indicating a completion of the SW upgrade; and update an identification (ID) of VNF descriptor (VNFD), in response to the completion of the SW upgrade. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11 wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually and/or collectively, cause the electronic device to: notify the operator of the completion of the SW upgrade through the NFVO after updating the ID of the VNFD. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the upgrade request of the VNF includes information on the virtual network function descriptor (VNFD). ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the response message for the SW upgrade includes job identification (ID), and wherein the job ID is used for the task query message and the task response message. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein, to perform the task, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually and/or collectively, cause the electronic device to: based on the task type of the task response message indicating a wait for the SW upgrade, waiting for an internal task of the VNF for a designated time, and wherein the task response message further includes information on the designated time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein, to perform the task, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually and/or collectively, cause the electronic device to: based on the task type of the task response message indicating a rebuild of the SW upgrade, transmit a request of the rebuild to a virtualized infrastructure manager (VIM) of the MANO; and receive a response to the request for the rebuild from the VIM. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the task response message includes a VNF component (VNFC) list, an identification (ID) of a source VNF descriptor (VNFD), and a target VNFD ID. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein, to perform the task, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually and/or collectively, cause the electronic device to: transmit, to the VNF, a next task query message for requesting a next task for the SW upgrade, wherein the next task query message includes information on the task type and the information on a task result for the task type, and wherein the task result is one of completed, failed, retry, rollback, rollback completed, or lifecycle end of the task corresponding to the task type. ### Claim 20 An electronic device of a virtual network function (VNF), the electronic device comprising: at least one transceiver; and at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, coupled to the at least one transceiver; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually and/or collectively, cause the electronic device to: receive, from a virtual network function manager (VNFM) of management and orchestration (MANO), a request message for a software (SW) upgrade; transmit, to the VNFM, a response message for the SW upgrade; receive, from the VNFM, a task query message for requesting a task type for the SW upgrade; and transmit, to the VNFM, a task response message including information on the task type.