IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,477,444
Granted Patent B2
US 12,477,444 · App. 18/329,672 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Service-based network function selection for roaming scenarios involving multiple home core networks

Inventors: Ravi Shekhar (Maharashtra, IN); Vimal Srivastava (Karnataka, IN); Irfan Ali (San Francisco, CA); Ravi Kiran Guntupalli (Cumming, GA)
Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
H04W48/16H04W60/04H04W84/042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,477,444
App. No.
18/329,672
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided herein are techniques to facilitate service-based network function (NF) selection for roaming scenarios involving multiple home core networks. In one instance, a method may include obtaining, by a visited public land mobile network (PLMN) from a home PLMN that is to provide a first service for a wireless device, service hosting information that identifies a service hosting data network name and a service hosting PLMN that is to provide a second service for the wireless device in which the service hosting information is obtained by the visited PLMN through registration of the wireless device with the home PLMN. Upon determining that a session for the second service is to be established for the wireless device, the method may include performing a NF query to the service hosting PLMN identified from the service hosting information obtained through the registration in order to identify a NF to facilitate the session.

Claims (36)

1 . A method comprising:

obtaining, by a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN) from a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) that is to provide a first service for a wireless device, service hosting information that identifies a service hosting data network name (DNN) and a service hosting public land mobile network (PLMN) that is to provide a second service for the wireless device, wherein the service hosting information is obtained by the VPLMN through registration of the wireless device with the HPLMN and the service hosting PLMN is different than the HPLMN; and

upon determining that a session for the second service is to be established for the wireless device, performing a network function query to the service hosting PLMN identified from the service hosting information obtained through the registration in order to identify a network function of the service hosting PLMN that is to facilitate the session for the second service that is to be provided for the wireless device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the service hosting information is stored within access and mobility subscription information maintained for the wireless device within a Unified Data Management (UDM) or a Unified Data Repository (UDR) entity of the HPLMN.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the service hosting PLMN is identified within a PLMN identifier field of a data structure that identifies the service hosting DNN that is stored for the wireless device within the UDM or the UDR of the HPLMN.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining is performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF) of the VPLMN.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the service hosting information is included a registration response message that is obtained by the AMF of the VPLMN from a Unified Data Management (UDM) entity or a Unified Data Repository (UDR) of the HPLMN during registration of the wireless device with the HPLMN.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein performing the network function query to the service hosting PLMN includes:

identifying, by the AMF of the VPLMN, the service hosting PLMN identified for the service hosting DNN within the service hosting information; and

initiating, by the AMF of the VPLMN, the network function query towards a Network Repository Function (NRF) of the VPLMN that includes the service hosting DNN and the service hosting PLMN, wherein the NRF of the VPLMN performs the network function query to a NRF of the service hosting PLMN in order to identify the network function of the service hosting PLMN that is to facilitate the session for the second service that is to be provided for the wireless device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the service hosting DNN is included in a first field of the service hosting information and the service hosting PLMN is included in a second field of the service hosting information.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the service hosting DNN and the service hosting PLMN are both included in a single field of the service hosting information and the service hosting PLMN and the service hosting DNN are separated by a delineating character.

9 . One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:

obtaining, by a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN) from a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) that is to provide a first service for a wireless device, service hosting information that identifies a service hosting data network name (DNN) and a service hosting public land mobile network (PLMN) that is to provide a second service for the wireless device, wherein the service hosting information is obtained by the VPLMN through registration of the wireless device with the HPLMN and the service hosting PLMN is different than the HPLMN; and

upon determining that a session for the second service is to be established for the wireless device, performing a network function query to the service hosting PLMN identified from the service hosting information obtained through the registration in order to identify a network function of the service hosting PLMN that is to facilitate the session for the second service that is to be provided for the wireless device.

10 . The media of claim 9 , wherein the service hosting information is stored within access and mobility subscription information maintained for the wireless device within a Unified Data Management (UDM) or a Unified Data Repository (UDR) entity of the HPLMN.

11 . The media of claim 10 , wherein the service hosting PLMN is identified within a PLMN identifier field of a data structure that identifies the service hosting DNN that is stored for the wireless device within the UDM or the UDR of the HPLMN.

12 . The media of claim 9 , wherein the obtaining is performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF) of the VPLMN and the service hosting information is included a registration response message that is obtained by the AMF of the VPLMN from a Unified Data Management (UDM) entity or a Unified Data Repository (UDR) of the HPLMN during registration of the wireless device with the HPLMN.

13 . The media of claim 12 , wherein performing the network function query to the service hosting PLMN includes:

identifying, by the AMF of the VPLMN, the service hosting PLMN identified for the service hosting DNN within the service hosting information; and

initiating, by the AMF of the VPLMN, the network function query towards a Network Repository Function (NRF) of the VPLMN that includes the service hosting DNN and the service hosting PLMN, wherein the NRF of the VPLMN performs the network function query to a NRF of the service hosting PLMN in order to identify the network function of the service hosting PLMN that is to facilitate the session for the second service that is to be provided for the wireless device.

14 . The media of claim 9 , wherein one of:

the service hosting DNN is included in a first field of the service hosting information and the service hosting PLMN is included in a second field of the service hosting information; or

the service hosting DNN and the service hosting PLMN are both included in a single field of the service hosting information and the service hosting PLMN and the service hosting DNN are separated by a delineating character.

15 . A system comprising:

at least one memory element for storing data; and

at least one processor for executing instructions associated with the data, wherein executing the instructions causes the system to perform operations, comprising:

obtaining, by a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN) from a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) that is to provide a first service for a wireless device, service hosting information that identifies a service hosting data network name (DNN) and a service hosting public land mobile network (PLMN) that is to provide a second service for the wireless device, wherein the service hosting information is obtained by the VPLMN through registration of the wireless device with the HPLMN and the service hosting PLMN is different than the HPLMN; and

upon determining that a session for the second service is to be established for the wireless device, performing a network function query to the service hosting PLMN identified from the service hosting information obtained through the registration in order to identify a network function of the service hosting PLMN that is to facilitate the session for the second service that is to be provided for the wireless device.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the obtaining is performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF) of the VPLMN.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the service hosting information is included a registration response message that is obtained by the AMF of the VPLMN from a Unified Data Management (UDM) entity or a Unified Data Repository (UDR) of the HPLMN during registration of the wireless device with the HPLMN.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein performing the network function query to the service hosting PLMN includes:

identifying, by the AMF of the VPLMN, the service hosting PLMN identified for the service hosting DNN within the service hosting information; and

initiating, by the AMF of the VPLMN, the network function query towards a Network Repository Function (NRF) of the VPLMN that includes the service hosting DNN and the service hosting PLMN, wherein the NRF of the VPLMN performs the network function query to a NRF of the service hosting PLMN in order to identify the network function of the service hosting PLMN that is to facilitate the session for the second service that is to be provided for the wireless device.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the service hosting DNN is included in a first field of the service hosting information and the service hosting PLMN is included in a second field of the service hosting information.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the service hosting DNN and the service hosting PLMN are both included in a single field of the service hosting information and the service hosting PLMN and the service hosting DNN are separated by a delineating character.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 6, 2023
From: SHEKHAR, RAVI; SRIVASTAVA, VIMAL; ALI, IRFAN; GUNTUPALLI, RAVI KIRAN
To: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 063863/0799 →
Priority Claims (1)
IN 202341034370 · May 16, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240389002A1 · Nov 21, 2024
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