17593297. SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING COMMUNICATION WITH AN IAB MEC simplified abstract (Apple Inc.)

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING COMMUNICATION WITH AN IAB MEC

Organization Name

Apple Inc.

Inventor(s)

Sudeep Manithara Vamanan of Munich, Bavaria-Bayern (DE)

Sarma V. Vangala of Cupertino CA (US)

Fangli Xu of Beijing (CN)

Haijing Hu of Cupertino CA (US)

Krisztian Kiss of Cupertino CA (US)

Mona Agnel of Greater London (GB)

Naveen Kumar R Palle Venkata of San Diego CA (US)

Ralf Rossbach of Neubiberg, Bavaria-Bayern (DE)

Sethuraman Gurumoorthy of Cupertino CA (US)

Yuqin Chen of Beijing (CN)

Zhibin Wu of Cupertino CA (US)

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING COMMUNICATION WITH AN IAB MEC - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17593297 titled 'SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING COMMUNICATION WITH AN IAB MEC

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a system and method for using integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes to provide multi-access edge computing (MEC) functionality. Here is a simplified explanation of the patent:

• An IAB node is configured to provide MEC functionality, which includes an application designed for MEC.
• A user equipment (UE) connects to the network through an access link with the IAB node and establishes a PDU session for the application's traffic with a core network (CN).
• The CN determines that the traffic corresponds to the application and that an instance of the application is present on the IAB node.
• The CN instructs the IAB donor to instantiate a remote packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer and, in some cases, a remote service data application (SDAP) layer.
• The PDCP and SDAP layers are configured to route the traffic from the UE for the application to the instance of the application on the IAB node.

Potential applications of this technology:

• Improved edge computing capabilities: The integration of MEC functionality into IAB nodes allows for efficient processing and storage of data at the network edge, enabling low-latency and high-bandwidth applications.
• Enhanced user experience: By offloading processing tasks to the MEC-enabled IAB nodes, applications can run faster and provide a better user experience.
• Scalability: The use of IAB nodes with MEC functionality allows for the deployment of edge computing capabilities in a scalable manner, accommodating the increasing demand for edge services.

Problems solved by this technology:

• Limited computing resources at the network edge: By integrating MEC functionality into IAB nodes, computing resources can be efficiently utilized at the network edge, reducing the burden on the core network and improving overall system performance.
• Latency and bandwidth limitations: By processing data at the network edge, latency can be significantly reduced, enabling real-time applications. Additionally, offloading traffic to the IAB nodes can alleviate bandwidth constraints in the core network.

Benefits of this technology:

• Improved performance: By leveraging MEC functionality in IAB nodes, applications can benefit from reduced latency, increased bandwidth, and improved overall performance.
• Cost-efficiency: Offloading processing tasks to the network edge can reduce the need for expensive infrastructure upgrades in the core network, resulting in cost savings.
• Flexibility and scalability: The integration of MEC functionality into IAB nodes allows for flexible and scalable deployment of edge computing capabilities, accommodating varying network demands and requirements.

Original Abstract Submitted

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for using integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes configured to provide multi-access edge computing (MEC) functionality. An IAB node may include a MEC functionality that includes an instance of an application configured for MEC. A UE using the application connects to the network through an access link with the IAB node and establishes a PDU session for traffic of the application with a core network (CN). The CN may determine that the traffic corresponds to the application, and that an instance of the application is present on the IAB node. Accordingly, the CN may instruct the IAB donor to instantiate a remote packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer and, in some cases, a remote service data application (SDAP) layer that are configured to route the traffic from the UE for the application to the instance of the application on the IAB node.