Methods and apparatus for using a data repository including ECN marking capability information to support low latency, low loss and scalable throughput (L4S) service
A database, e.g. a unified data repository (UDR) which can be accessed by a unified data management (UDM), stores residential gateway (RG) subscription information for each of plurality of RGs. The stored RG subscription information, corresponding to a RG includes information, e.g. 5G-RG L4S information, indicating whether or not the RG is allowed/capable to perform ECN marking. A session management function (SMF) retrieves, e.g., via a UDM, the RG information indicating whether or not the RG is allowed/capable to perform ECN marking and uses the retrieved information to decide whether or not to enable the RG to perform ECN marking for L4S and/or provide congestion information as part of QoS monitoring and/or to select resources including a policy control function (PCF) for supporting a PDU communications session.
1 . A communications method, the method comprising:
storing first subscription data including ECN marking capability information indicating whether or not a residential gateway (RG), to which the first subscription data corresponds, is allowed to perform ECN (explicit congestion notification) marking;
operating a session management function (SMF), assigned to provide session management services for a PDU session corresponding to a first protocol data unit (PDU) session request message sent by the RG, to retrieve stored subscription information corresponding to the RG, said retrieved information including the ECN marking capability information corresponding to the RG; and
operating the SMF to take an action based on the retrieved ECN marking capability information corresponding to the RG.
2 . The communications method of claim 1 , wherein the ECN marking capability information stored as part of the first subscription data is 5G-RG L4S information which indicates whether the RG is allowed to perform ECN marking when such marking is enabled by the SMF with respect to the RG.
3 . The communications method of claim 2 , wherein operating the SMF to take an action based on the retrieved ECN marking capability information corresponding to the RG includes operating the SMF to select, based on 5G-RG L4S information, a policy control function (PCF) to be used to support the PDU session to which the first PDU session request message relates.
4 . The communications method of claim 3 , wherein said SMF selects a PCF which supports L4S when the retrieved 5G-RG L4S information indicates the RG supports ECN marking and selects a PCF which does not support L4S when the retrieved 5G-RG LAS information indicates the RG does not support ECN marking.
5 . The communications method of claim 3 , wherein said first subscription data is stored in a database accessible to the SMF via a unified data management (UDM).
6 . The communications method of claim 1 , wherein the RG is a 5G-RG (5G Residential Gateway) that appears to a 5G network core including said SMF as a user equipment (UE).
7 . The communications method of claim 3 , wherein said database includes 5G-RG L4S information corresponding to a plurality of 5G-RGs, said RG being one of said plurality of 5G-RGs.
8 . The communications method of claim 1 , further comprising:
operating the SMF to decide whether or not to enable the RG to perform ECN marking for L4S based on the retrieved ECN marking capability information corresponding to the RG; and
wherein operating the SMF to take an action based on the retrieved ECN marking capability information corresponding to the RG includes:
operating the SMF to send a PDU session establishment accept message to the RG indicating the RG is enabled to perform ECN marking for L4S.
9 . The communications method of claim 8 , further comprising:
operating the SMF to decide whether or not to enable the RG to provide congestion information.
10 . The communications method of claim 9 , wherein operating the SMF to decide whether or not to enable the RG to provide congestion information includes operating the SMF to decide to enable the RG to provide congestion information in response to retrieved subscription information corresponding to the RG indicating that the RG is allowed to provide congestion information; and
wherein said PDU session establishment accept message to the RG further indicates that, in addition being enabled to peform ECN making for L4S, the RG is also to provide congestion information.
11 . A communications system, the system comprising:
a storage device storing first subscription data including ECN marking capability information indicating whether or not a residential gateway (RG) to which the first subscription data corresponds is allowed to perform ECN (explicit congestion notification) marking;
a session management function (SMF) including a first processor configured to:
operate the SMF, assigned to provide session management services for a PDU session corresponding to a first protocol data unit (PDU) session request message sent by the RG, to retrieve stored subscription information corresponding to the RG, said retrieved information including the ECN marking capability information corresponding to the RG; and
operate the SMF to take an action based on the retrieved ECN marking capability information corresponding to the RG.
12 . The communications system of claim 11 , wherein the ECN marking capability information stored as part of the first subscription data is 5G-RG L4S information which indicates whether the RG is allowed to perform ECN marking when such marking is enabled by the SMF with respect to the RG.
13 . The communications system of claim 12 , wherein said first processor is configured to:
operate the SMF to select, based on 5G-RG L4S information, a policy control function (PCF) to be used to support the PDU session to which the first PDU session request message relates, as part of being configured to operate the SMF to take an action based on the retrieved ECN marking capability information corresponding to the RG.
14 . The communications system of claim 13 , wherein said first processor is configured to operate the SMF to select a PCF which supports L4S when the retrieved 5G-RG L4S information indicates the RG supports ECN marking and to select a PCF which does not support L4S when the retrieved 5G-RG L4S information indicates the RG does not support ECN marking, as part of being configured to operate the SMF to select a PCF.
15 . The communications system of claim 13 , wherein said first subscription data stored in the storage device is stored in a database accessible to the SMF via a unified data management (UDM).
16 . The communications system of claim 11 , wherein the RG is a 5G-RG (5G Residential Gateway) that appears to a 5G network core including said SMF as a user equipment (UE).
17 . The communications system of claim 13 , wherein said database includes 5G-RG LAS information corresponding to a plurality of 5G-RGs, said RG being one of said plurality of 5G-RGs.
18 . The communications system of claim 11 , wherein said first processor is further configured to:
operate the SMF to decide whether or not to enable the RG to perform ECN marking for L4S based on the retrieved ECN marking capability information corresponding to the RG.
19 . The communications system of claim 11 , wherein said first processor is further configured to:
operate the SMF to decide whether or not to enable the RG to provide congestion information.
20 . The communications system of claim 19 , wherein said first processor is configured to:
operate the SMF to decide to enable the RG to provide congestion information in response to retrieved subscription information corresponding to the RG indicating that the RG is allowed to provide congestion information, as part of being configured to operate the SMF to decide whether or not to enable the RG to provide congestion information.