Multi Access Packet/Protocol Data Unit Session
Patent No. US12120775 (titled "Multi Access Packet/Protocol Data Unit Session") was filed by Peninsula Technologies Llc on Nov 1, 2021.
What is this patent about?
’775 is related to the field of 5G wireless communication systems, specifically addressing the challenges of multi-access PDU (MA PDU) sessions . In modern 5G networks, user equipment (UE) can simultaneously connect through different access networks (e.g., 3GPP and non-3GPP like WiFi) to a single PDU session anchor. Managing these multiple connections efficiently and reliably is a key challenge.
The underlying idea behind ’775 is to enable a more intelligent and responsive management of user plane resources in MA PDU sessions. When a user plane function (UPF) detects downlink data for a UE, it notifies the session management function (SMF). The SMF then selectively requests the activation of user plane resources for a specific access network type, rather than blindly activating all available connections.
The claims of ’775 focus on a session management function (SMF) receiving a data notification from a user plane function (UPF) regarding a multi-access (MA) packet data unit (PDU) session. The SMF then sends a request to an access and mobility management function (AMF) to activate user plane resources. Critically, this request includes an indication of a specific access network type to be activated, chosen from the multiple access network types associated with the MA PDU session.
In practice, this means that the SMF can make informed decisions about which access network to utilize based on factors like network conditions, user preferences, or application requirements. For example, if a UE is connected via both a cellular network and WiFi, and the SMF determines that WiFi offers better performance for a particular application, it can specifically request the AMF to activate user plane resources only for the WiFi connection.
This approach differs from prior solutions that might activate all available access networks indiscriminately, leading to inefficient resource utilization and potential interference. By selectively activating user plane resources based on the access network type, ’775 enables a more granular and optimized management of MA PDU sessions, improving overall network performance and user experience.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2010s when ’775 was filed, at a time when 5G systems were being developed, systems commonly relied on specific network functions within the core network architecture to manage user sessions and mobility. Hardware or software constraints made efficient handling of multi-access packet data unit (PDU) sessions non-trivial, especially when dealing with multiple tunnels across different access network types.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the cited prior art, including Lu (US 20200245383 A1), failed to fully disclose all the claimed features, either individually or in combination. Specifically, Lu discloses communication between the Session Management Function (SMF) and Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) involving multi-access PDU sessions, but it does not explicitly disclose a method that includes receiving a data notification message by the SMF from a User Plane Function (UPF) for a multi-access PDU session, and then sending a request from the SMF to the AMF to activate user plane resources with an indication of the access network type.
Claims
This patent contains 20 claims, of which claims 1, 13, and 20 are independent. The independent claims are directed to a method, a session management function (SMF), and a system, respectively, all generally focused on managing multi-access packet data unit (MA PDU) sessions across multiple network types. The dependent claims elaborate on the independent claims by adding further details and features to the method, SMF, and system.
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Date
Description
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US12120775
- Application Number
- US17516252
- Filing Date
- Nov 1, 2021
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Mar 2, 2040
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents