Methods and Systems for Compact Core Registration and Session Management with a Secure Connection to a Central Core Network System

A method implemented in a communication network between a compact core system and a central core network system for registration and session management, wherein the method comprises:

• transmitting, by a compact access and mobility management function (AMF) at the compact core system, a registration request to the central core network system, wherein the registration request comprises data associated with the compact core system, wherein the data comprises an identifier of the compact core system, a location of the compact core system, and one or more capabilities of the compact core system;
• completing, by a central AMF at the central core network system, a registration of the compact core system by adding the data associated with the compact core system at a registration data store in the central core network system;
• establishing, using a user plane function (UPF) at the compact core system, a connection between the compact AMF and a central AMF at the central core network system over a network slice;
• transmitting, by the compact AMF to the central AMF over the network slice using the UPF, an update to a registration data store at the central core network system, wherein the update comprises the data associated with the compact core system;
• establishing, by the compact AMF and a compact session management function (SMF) at the compact core system, a session with a user equipment (UE);
• obtaining, by the compact AMF, data associated with the UE;
• and
• transmitting, by the compact AMF to the central AMF over the network slice using the UPF, the data associated with the UE based on a rule governing the transmission of the data to the central core network.

A method, comprising:

• determining, by a compact access and mobility management function (AMF) at a compact core system, that a user equipment (UE) has moved out of a coverage area of the compact core system after a session is established with the UE under management of the compact core system;
• transmitting, by the compact AMF over a network slice using a first user plane function (UPF) at the compact core system, a handover request to a central AMF at a central core network system;
• transmitting, by the central AMF over the network slice using a second UPF, a response to the compact AMF to confirm initiation of a handover from the compact core system to the central core network system;
• transmitting, by the compact AMF, a first instruction to a serving cell site to execute the handover by terminating a first connection with the UE;
• and
• transmitting, by the central AMF, a second instruction to a target cell site to execute the handover by initiating a second connection with the UE to continue the session under management of the central core network system.