Abstract: A method, system and computer readable medium for providing support for CUPS PFCP Session at UE Level for Serving Gateway are presented. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session at a User Equipment (UE) level for a Serving Gateway (SGW); anchoring, by the SGW, the UE session; handling, by the SGW, buffering of Idle UE and UE Active-to-Idle transitions; using, by the SGW, a same PFCP session for all Packet Data Networks (PDNs); and using, by the SGW, a same Buffering Action Rule (BAR) for all PDNs.

Abstract: With the current mechanism there is no way to enforce policy based on events that occur at near-RT RIC and that could provide better control over enforcing certain policies that are meant to come into effect only under certain conditions/event. Accordingly, this disclosure discloses methods and systems for provisioning event-trigger based policies and enforcement thereof at Near-RT-RIC based on policy information sent from non-RT RIC to near-RT RIC. In some embodiments, the near-RT RIC is configured to send a list of event triggers to the non-RT RIC when the non-RT RIC sends a query policy type, and the near-RT RIC is configured to associate a trigger from the list of event triggers with a policy to be enforced at the near-RT RIC.

Abstract: A method, system and computer readable medium for providing support for CUPS PFCP Session at UE Level for Serving Gateway are presented. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session at a User Equipment (UE) level for a Serving Gateway (SGW); anchoring, by the SGW, the UE session; handling, by the SGW, buffering of Idle UE and UE Active-to-Idle transitions; using, by the SGW, a same PFCP session for all Packet Data Networks (PDNs); and using, by the SGW, a same Buffering Action Rule (BAR) for all PDNs.

Abstract: A method, computer readable media, and system are described for providing updating policy capabilities between Near-Real Time (RT) Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (MC) and Non-Real Time RIC. In one embodiment a method includes sending a policy update notification message from a near-RT RIC to a non-RT MC with a list of policy types that are supported whenever the node identifies that there is a change in currently exchanged policy types; and updating policy to reflect the update notification.

Abstract: A method, system and computer readable media for reducing Packet Gateway (PGW) initiated signaling with a Serving Gateway (SGW) is presented. In one example embodiment a method for reducing Packet Gateway (PGW) initiated signaling with a Serving Gateway (SGW), includes determining by the PGW that a Packet Data Network (PDN) is undergoing S1-handover with the SGW-relocation; buffering, by the PGW, bearer procedure messages and starting a guard timer; and re-attempting the buffered messages until a condition has been met.

Abstract: A method and computer readable media are disclosed to supply values for either/both of volume/time for usage-monitoring from/to PCRF for a particular usage monitoring key. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying a monitoring key AVP used by a PCRF to provide at least one of a volume usage threshold level for a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) and a time of usage threshold level for a PCEF; wherein the monitoring key includes at least one of a volume threshold total for the monitoring key; a volume quota uplink threshold for the monitoring key; a volume quota downlink threshold for the monitoring key; and a time threshold for the monitoring key; and supplying values for at least one of volume for usage-monitoring for a PCRF for a particular usage monitoring key; and time for usage-monitoring for a PCRF for a particular usage monitoring key.

Abstract: A method for linking Packet Detection Rules (PDRs) for optimizing throughput of combined Serving Gateway (SGW)/Packet Gateway (PGW) architecture is disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes, determining a SGW and a PGW are co-located on a system and when the SGW and PGW are co-located on a same system then performing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session lookup for an uplink packet at the SGW; determining which PDR to use for sending the uplink traffic; using the PDR to remove any tunneling protocol header; checking the PDR to determine if the next hop is local; when the next hop is local, then finding the PGW PDRs for this FTEID; identifying a PGW PDR matching with the current packet; performing any packet encapsulation; and after performing any optional header checksum calculations, sending the packet.

Abstract: Methods and computer readable medium are disclosed for providing an outer header for a packet. In one embodiment a method includes receiving an outer header creation IE type encoded and containing instructions to create an outer header, an outer header creation description field taking a form of a bitmask, each bit indicating the outer header to be created in the outgoing packet; wherein when the outer header creation packet creation IE requests creation of an IP header, a source IP address is included in an IP header of an outgoing packet; and sending the outgoing packet including a source IP in the newly added outer IP header.

Abstract: Methods, computer-readable medium and a system are described for handling data traffic during Dedicated Bearer creation at a Packet Gate Way (PGW). In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a PGW user plane from a PGW control plane, a PFCP session modify request; creating a PDR-id (P1); sending, from the user plane to the control plane, a PFCP session modify response; receiving, at the control plane, downlink data matching PDR(P1); and performing at least one of allowing data since FAR(Fx) has a forwarding parameter, and sending data to peer node as per FAR (F1) forwarding parameters.

Abstract: A method, system and computer readable medium for providing support for CUPS PFCP Session at UE Level for Serving Gateway are presented. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session at a User Equipment (UE) level for a Serving Gateway (SGW); anchoring, by the SGW, the UE session; handling, by the SGW, buffering of Idle UE and UE Active-to-Idle transitions; using, by the SGW, a same PFCP session for all Packet Data Networks (PDNs); and using, by the SGW, a same Buffering Action Rule (BAR) for all PDNs.

Abstract: A method for linking Packet Detection Rules (PDRs) for optimizing throughput of combined Serving Gateway (SGW)/Packet Gateway (PGW) architecture is disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes, determining a SGW and a PGW are co-located on a system and when the SGW and PGW are co-located on a same system then performing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session lookup for an uplink packet at the SGW; determining which PDR to use for sending the uplink traffic; using the PDR to remove any tunneling protocol header; checking the PDR to determine if the next hop is local; when the next hop is local, then finding the PGW PDRs for this FTEID; identifying a PGW PDR matching with the current packet; performing any packet encapsulation; and after performing any optional header checksum calculations, sending the packet.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, comprising: in a general packet radio services (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) message to update a GTP tunnel with a traffic flow template (TFT), sending a first opcode in a header of a TFT message; sending a second opcode in a packet filter field of the TFT message; interpreting the first opcode to initiate at least two of creation, deletion, and updating of traffic flow templates (TFTs); and interpreting the second opcode to identify an existing packet filter for adding, replacing, and deleting a packet filter.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, comprising: in a general packet radio services (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) message to update a GTP tunnel with a traffic flow template (TFT), sending a first opcode in a header of a TFT message; sending a second opcode in a packet filter field of the TFT message; interpreting the first opcode to initiate at least two of creation, deletion, and updating of traffic flow templates (TFTs); and interpreting the second opcode to identify an existing packet filter for adding, replacing, and deleting a packet filter.