Abstract: A method for adjusting priorities of messages at a network function (NF) with multiple network slice support includes, at a first NF that supports multiple network slices, storing a database of rules specifying network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters. The method further includes receiving a message from a second NF. The method further includes determining that a congestion or overload condition exists, and, in response. determining network slice information associated with the message, determining, using the network slice information and the database of network-slice-based priority adjustment parameters, a network-slice-adjusted priority value for the message, and discarding or processing the message based on the network-slice-adjusted priority value for the message.

Abstract: A method for generating and processing bundled notification request messages includes, at a producer NF, receiving subscription request messages from consumer NFs via one or more SCPs. The method further includes obtaining and storing, from the subscription request messages validated by the producer NF, identities of SCPs within a last N hops of SCPs from the producer NF, N being an integer of at least one. The method further includes detecting an event requiring notifications to a plurality of the consumer NFs. The method further includes identifying, from the SCPs within the last N hops of SCPs from the producer NF, a group of SCPs for which the notifications can be bundled. The method further includes generating a bundled notification request message for the group of SCPs for which the notifications can be bundled. The method further includes transmitting the bundled notification request message to a first-hop SCP in the group of SCPs.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for processing binding requests in a telecommunications network. A method includes receiving, at a binding support function (BSF), a first request to create a first binding between a protocol data unit (PDU) session and a first policy and control function (PCF). The method includes creating, at the BSF, the first binding between the PDU session and the first PCF and storing, with the first binding, a first PCF session acceptance timestamp from a first header of the first request. The method includes receiving, at the BSF, a second request to create a second binding between the PDU session and a second PCF. The method includes determining, at the BSF, whether to accept or reject the second request based on a difference between the first PCF session acceptance timestamp and a second PCF session acceptance timestamp from a second header of the second request.

Abstract: A method for locality and serving scope set based network function (NF) profile prioritization and message routing includes, at an NF including at least one processor, receiving a service based interface (SBI) request including a preferred locality or a servingScope. The method further includes identifying an NF profile of a producer NF with an NF profile level locality or servingScope attribute that does not match the preferred locality or servingScope attribute in the SBI request and with a localitySet or servingScopeSet having a locality attribute or servingScopeSet attribute that matches the preferred locality or servingScope attribute in the SBI request. The method further includes setting an NF profile level priority of the NF profile based on a priority specified for the matching locality attribute in the localitySet or the servingScope attribute in the servingScopeSet.

Abstract: A method for supporting configurable producer network function (NF) Internet protocol (IP) address mappings includes, at an NF repository function (NRF), receiving, from a requesting node, a request message for network address and/or service information of a producer NF. The method further includes determining, from the request message, at least one consumer NF parameter. The method further includes using the at least one consumer NF parameter, a producer NF IP address mapping rule. The method further includes, in response to locating the producer NF IP address mapping rule, determining, using the producer NF IP address mapping rule, an IP address to return to the requesting node. The method further includes generating a response message including the IP address and transmitting the response message to the requesting node.

Abstract: A method for optimized multi-domain service communication proxy (SCP) routing includes receiving, at a first SCP, a service based interface (SBI) request for requesting service provided by a producer NF. The method further includes performing, by the first SCP, a reverse lookup to determine producer NF identification information. The method further includes modifying the SBI request to include the producer NF identification information. The method further includes determining an SCP domain of the producer NF. The method further includes routing the SBI request to a second SCP in a path for reaching the SCP domain of the producer NF.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for reporting a reserved load to a network function in a communications network are disclosed. One method includes determining, by a NF service producer, a current compute load metric value for the NF service producer operating in a communications network and detecting a number of active sessions supported at the NF service producer. The method further includes deriving a reserved compute load metric value corresponding to a predicted number of subsequent service requests at the NF service producer based on the number of active sessions and a predictive reserved load percentage value and calculating an adjusted reported compute load metric value amounting to a sum of the current compute load metric value and the reserved compute load metric value.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for synchronization of policy data between network functions in telecommunications networks. A method includes receiving, at a first network function in a telecommunications network, a subscription request from a second network function. The subscription request specifies a subscription for updates to policy data objects maintained by the first network function. The method includes sending a notification response to the second network function. The notification response includes, for each policy data object, a custom header including a respective entity tag for the policy data object. The method includes receiving a resource request from the second network function. The resource request specifies a first policy data object and includes a first entity tag for the first policy data object. The method includes sending a synchronization result to the second network function specifying whether or not the entity tag match.

Abstract: A method for updating network function profiles in a telecommunications network includes registering, by a producer network function, a network function profile with a network function repository function (NRF), the network function profile specifying at least one serving scope or discoverable parameters by consumer NFs. The method includes determining that a load level of the producer network function has exceeded a first threshold. The method includes, in response to determining that the load level of the producer network function has exceeded the first threshold, updating the network function profile at the NRF to reduce the serving scope.

Abstract: A method for generating and processing bundled notification request messages includes, at a producer NF, receiving subscription request messages from consumer NFs via one or more SCPs. The method further includes obtaining and storing, from the subscription request messages validated by the producer NF, identities of SCPs within a last N hops of SCPs from the producer NF, N being an integer of at least one. The method further includes detecting an event requiring notifications to a plurality of the consumer NFs. The method further includes identifying, from the SCPs within the last N hops of SCPs from the producer NF, a group of SCPs for which the notifications can be bundled. The method further includes generating a bundled notification request message for the group of SCPs for which the notifications can be bundled. The method further includes transmitting the bundled notification request message to a first-hop SCP in the group of SCPs.

Abstract: A method for integrity protection for subscribe/notify and NF discovery transactions between an NF and an NRF includes receiving, from the NF, a subscribe or discovery request message, determining that the subscribe or discovery request message includes at least one indicator requesting NRF communications integrity protection, and computing an integrity check value of at least a portion of the subscribe or discovery request message and comparing the computed integrity check value to an integrity check value included in the subscribe or discovery request message. The method further includes determining that the computed integrity check value matches the integrity check value included in the subscribe or discovery request message, and formulating a response to the subscribe or discovery request message, generating and adding at least one digital signature to the response message, and transmitting the response message to the NF.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for service communication proxy (SCP) routing are disclosed. One example method for SCP routing comprises: at a first SCP associated with a first domain, the first SCP including at least one processor: receiving a first request destined for a network function; determining that the first request lacks routing path information for the first request; generating, using SCP domain routing information obtained from a network function repository function (NRF), a sequence of domains usable for routing the first request to the network function; adding, to the first request, the routing path information indicating the sequence of domains; determining, using the routing path information or the sequence of domains, a second SCP for routing the first request; and sending the first request comprising the routing path information to the second SCP.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for processing binding requests in a telecommunications network. A method includes receiving, at a binding support function (BSF), a first request to create a first binding between a protocol data unit (PDU) session and a first policy and control function (PCF). The method includes creating, at the BSF, the first binding between the PDU session and the first PCF and storing, with the first binding, a first PCF session acceptance timestamp from a first header of the first request. The method includes receiving, at the BSF, a second request to create a second binding between the PDU session and a second PCF. The method includes determining, at the BSF, whether to accept or reject the second request based on a difference between the first PCF session acceptance timestamp and a second PCF session acceptance timestamp from a second header of the second request.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for registering application functions (AFs) using common application programming interface (API) framework (CAPIF) are disclosed. One example method for registering AFs using CAPIF comprises: at a CAPIF node comprising at least one processor: receiving, from an AF, a registration trigger message comprising information about the AF; determining that the registration trigger message is valid; generating a custom NF registration message using the information about the AF; and sending the custom NF registration message to an NF repository function (NRF).

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for supporting mobile originated data multicasting in a communications network are disclosed. One method includes receiving, from a consumer network function (NF) in a communications network, a deliver request message containing mobile originated (MO) data corresponding to a protocol data unit (PDU) session, wherein NIDD context information stored at NEF and referred by a context identifier in the deliver request message includes a subscriber identifier and a data network identifier associated with a user device requesting the PDU session and determining that a rule entry belonging to a plurality of rule entries contained in a multicasting ruleset matches at least one of the subscriber identifier and the data network identifier included in the NIDD context information that is stored at the NEF and referred by the context identifier in the deliver request message.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for notification delivery are disclosed. One example method for notification delivery comprises: at a network function including at least one processor: receiving a first message indicating that first notification data is available for a first notification receiver; determining, during an overload or congestion condition, that a computed priority value for a first notification message associated with the first message indicates an acceptable priority value for delivery during the overload or congestion condition, wherein the computed priority value is computed using a first priority value associated with the first notification message and a minimum priority value and a maximum priority value associated with the first notification receiver and/or a first service type; and sending the first notification message to the first notification receiver.

Abstract: A method for supporting configurable producer network function (NF) Internet protocol (IP) address mappings includes, at an NF repository function (NRF), receiving, from a requesting node, a request message for network address and/or service information of a producer NF. The method further includes determining, from the request message, at least one consumer NF parameter. The method further includes using the at least one consumer NF parameter, a producer NF IP address mapping rule. The method further includes, in response to locating the producer NF IP address mapping rule, determining, using the producer NF IP address mapping rule, an IP address to return to the requesting node. The method further includes generating a response message including the IP address and transmitting the response message to the requesting node.

Abstract: A method for handling hacker intrusion in NF profile management at an NRF includes receiving, at the NRF and from a consumer NF, an NF register request message including an NF profile of the consumer NF, setting and storing an NF profile version number for the NF profile, and communicating the NF profile version number to the consumer NF. The consumer NF stores the NF profile version number and transmits a request for initiating an NF update or NF heart-beat service operation to the NRF. The NRF receives the request for initiating the NF update or NF heart-beat service operation, increments the NF profile version number, and communicates the incremented NF profile version number to the consumer NF. The consumer NF receives the incremented NF profile version number, determines that an NF profile version mismatch has occurred, and, in response, initiates an NF profile corrective action with the NRF.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for health checking involving common application programming interface (API) framework (CAPIF) are disclosed. One example method for health checking using CAPIF comprises: at a CAPIF node including at least one processor: receiving, from a sender, a CAPIF request message including health check information usable in checking the health of an endpoint associated with the sender, wherein the health check information includes a uniform resource identifier (URI) associated with the endpoint and an acceptable response value for indicating that the endpoint is active; and determining, periodically or aperiodically, a health status of the endpoint by performing a health check procedure using the URI and the acceptable response value.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for health checking involving common application programming interface (API) framework (CAPIF) are disclosed. One example method for health checking using CAPIF comprises: at a CAPIF node including at least one processor: receiving, from a sender, a CAPIF request message including health check information usable in checking the health of an endpoint associated with the sender, wherein the health check information includes a uniform resource identifier (URI) associated with the endpoint and an acceptable response value for indicating that the endpoint is active; and determining, periodically or aperiodically, a health status of the endpoint by performing a health check procedure using the URI and the acceptable response value.