Support for simultaneous edge application server (EAS) connectivity in application context relocation (ACR)
The present disclosure is related to support for simultaneous EAP connectivity in ACR. A method by an AC deployed at a UE for supporting simultaneous EAS connectivity in ACR includes: communicating with a T-EAS via a first connection established between the AC and the T-EAS before a second connection between the AC and an S-EAS is released, to trigger an ACT procedure between the T-EAS and the S-EAS.
1 . A method by an Application Client (AC) deployed at a User Equipment (UE) for supporting simultaneous Edge Application Server (EAS) connectivity in Application Context Relocation (ACR), the method comprising:
transmitting, to an Edge Enabler Client (EEC) associated with the AC, a first message comprising a first parameter indicating whether the simultaneous EAS connectivity in the ACR is needed by the AC or not; and
communicating with a target EAS (T-EAS) via a first connection established between the AC and the T-EAS before a second connection between the AC and a source EAS (S-EAS) is released, to trigger an Application Context Transfer (ACT) procedure between the T-EAS and the S-EAS.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein application traffic from the AC is received by at least one of the S-EAS and the T-EAS during the ACT procedure; and/or
wherein application traffic to the AC is transmitted by at least one of the S-EAS and the T-EAS during the ACT procedure.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following is true:
the application traffic from the AC is received by the T-EAS when the UE is located outside of the service area of the T-EAS;
the application traffic to the AC is transmitted by the T-EAS when the UE is located outside of the service area of the T-EAS;
the application traffic from the AC is received by the S-EAS when the UE is located outside of the service area of the S-EAS; and
the application traffic to the AC is transmitted by the S-EAS when the UE is located outside of the service area of the S-EAS.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message further comprises a second parameter indicating inactive time guidance for keeping connectivity towards the S-EAS when the first parameter indicates that the simultaneous EAS connectivity in the ACR is needed by the AC.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein before the step of communicating with the T-EAS, the method further comprises:
triggering the EEC to transmit, to an Edge Enabler Server (EES) deployed in a first network node, a second message requesting an ACR, wherein the second message comprises the first parameter and/or a second parameter.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message is an AC registration request for registering the AC with the EEC, and/or
wherein a second message is an ACR request for requesting an ACR from the S-EAS to the T-EAS for the AC.
7 . A method by an Edge Enabler Client (EEC) deployed at a user equipment (UE) for supporting simultaneous Edge Application Server (EAS) connectivity in Application Context Relocation (ACR), the method comprising:
transmitting, to a first network node, a second message requesting the ACR, wherein the second message comprises a first parameter indicating whether the simultaneous EAS connectivity in the ACR is needed by an Application Client (AC) associated with the EEC or not; and
receiving, from the first network node, a third message comprising a third parameter indicating whether the ACR is successfully launched or not.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein before the step of transmitting the second message, the method further comprises:
receiving, from the AC, a first message comprising the first parameter; and
storing, in an AC profile for the AC, the first parameter at least based on the first message.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein before the step of transmitting the second message, the method further comprises:
transmitting, to a target EES (T-EES) deployed in a second network node, a fourth message to query the second network node for one or more target EASs (T-EASs) for selection by the AC and/or the EEC,
wherein the fourth message comprises the first parameter, wherein the first parameter is determined at least based on a stored AC profile for the AC.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving, from the second network node, the one or more T-EASs that support the simultaneous EAS connectivity in the ACR for the AC when the first parameter indicates that the simultaneous EAS connectivity in the ACR is needed by the AC.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more T-EASs support the simultaneous EAS connectivity in the ACR for the AC by also functioning as a CAS that has no restriction or less restriction in its service area than an EAS.
12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein before the step of transmitting the second message, the method further comprises:
transmitting, to a T-EES deployed in a second network node, a fourth message to query the second network node for one or more T-EASs for selection by the AC and/or the EEC,
wherein the fourth message comprises a fourth parameter indicating whether an early T-EAS connection is needed by the AC or not, wherein the fourth parameter is determined at least based on a stored AC profile for the AC.
13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein before the step of transmitting the second message, the method further comprises:
transmitting, to a T-EES deployed in a second network node, a fourth message to query the second network node for one or more T-EASs for selection by the AC and/or the EEC,
wherein the fourth message comprises a fifth parameter indicating whether a T-EAS with Central Application Server (CAS) support is needed by the AC or not, wherein the fifth parameter is determined at least based on a stored AC profile for the AC.
14 . A user equipment (UE), comprising:
a processor;
a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
transmit, to a first network node, a second message requesting an Application Context Relocation (ACR), wherein the second message comprises a first parameter indicating whether simultaneous Edge Application Server (EAS) connectivity in the ACR is needed by an Application Client (AC) associated with an Edge Enabler Client (EEC) or not; and
receive, from the first network node, a third message comprising a third parameter indicating whether the ACR is successfully launched or not.
15 . The UE of claim 14 , wherein before the operation of transmit the second message, the operations further comprise:
receive, from the AC, a first message comprising the first parameter; and
store, in an AC profile for the AC, the first parameter at least based on the first message.
16 . The UE of claim 14 , wherein before the operation of transmit the second message, the operations further comprise:
transmit, to a target Edge Enabler Server (T-EES) deployed in a second network node, a fourth message to query the second network node for one or more target Edge Application Servers (T-EASs) for selection by the AC and/or the EEC,
wherein the fourth message comprises the first parameter, wherein the first parameter is determined at least based on a stored AC profile for the AC.
17 . The UE of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:
receive, from the second network node, the one or more T-EASs that support the simultaneous EAS connectivity in the ACR for the AC when the first parameter indicates that the simultaneous EAS connectivity in the ACR is needed by the AC.
18 . The UE of claim 17 , wherein the one or more T-EASs support the simultaneous EAS connectivity in the ACR for the AC by also functioning as a CAS that has no restriction or less restriction in its service area than an EAS.
19 . The UE of claim 14 , wherein before the operation of transmit the second message, the operations further comprise:
transmit, to a T-EES deployed in a second network node, a fourth message to query the second network node for one or more T-EASs for selection by the AC and/or the EEC,
wherein the fourth message comprises a fourth parameter indicating whether an early T-EAS connection is needed by the AC or not, wherein the fourth parameter is determined at least based on a stored AC profile for the AC.
20 . The UE of claim 14 , wherein before the operation of transmit the second message, the operations further comprise:
transmit, to a T-EES deployed in a second network node, a fourth message to query the second network node for one or more T-EASs for selection by the AC and/or the EEC,
wherein the fourth message comprises a fifth parameter indicating whether a T-EAS with Central Application Server (CAS) support is needed by the AC or not, wherein the fifth parameter is determined at least based on a stored AC profile for the AC.