FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
NETWORK FUNCTIONS
APPLICANT
JIO PLATFORMS LIMITED
of Office-101, Saffron, Nr. Centre Point, Panchwati 5 Rasta, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380006, Gujarat, India; Nationality: India
The following specification particularly describes
the invention and the manner in which
it is to be performed

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
[001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material
which is subject to intellectual property rights such as, but are not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, integrated circuit (IC) layout design, and/or trade dress protection, belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (herein after referred as owner). The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the owner.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[002] The present disclosure relates to telecommunication networks, and
specifically to a system and a method for managing session overloading in one or more network functions.
DEFINITION
[003] As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are generally
intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used to indicate otherwise.
[004] The term Network Functions (NFs) as used herein, refers to a
functional building block within a network infrastructure, which has well-defined external interfaces and a well-defined functional behavior. The NFs are crucial nodes that communicate with each other, functioning as both clients and servers.
[005] The term “Session Management Function (SMF)” as used herein,
refers to a core network element responsible for managing sessions between user devices and a network.
[006] The term “Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW)” as used herein,
refers to an equipment in a 4G network which participates in the routing of data. It

constitutes a single-entry point between operator's IP network and the Internet. It therefore routes internet data to the terminal and conversely data from the terminal to the Internet. It also provides some security functions.
[007] The term “PCF” as used herein, refers to a Policy Control Function
that is a functional element for policy control decision and flows-based charging control functionalities. The PCF provides functions such as, Policy rules for application and service data flow detection, gating, Quality of Service (QoS), and flow-based charging to Session Management Function (SMF).
[008] The term “PCRF” as used herein, refers to a Policy and Charging
Rules Function that is a component of the network core in telecommunications networks, particularly in the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) of 4G LTE networks. It plays a central role in defining quality policy rules and ensuring the competent application of real-time charging for user data.
[009] The term “Access Point Name (APN)” as used herein, refers to a
name of a gateway between a mobile network (Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), 3G, 4G and 5G) and another computer network, frequently the public Internet.
[0010] The term “International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)” as used
herein, refers to a number that uniquely identifies every user of a cellular network.
[0011] The term “Radio Access Technology (RAT)” as used herein, refers
to an underlying physical connection method for a radio communication network. Many modern mobile phones support several RATs in one device such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GSM, or 5G New Radio (NR).
[0012] The term “Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)” as used herein,
refers to a combination of wireless communication services offered by a specific operator in a specific country. The PLMN typically consists of several cellular technologies like GSM/2G, Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service

(UMTS)/3G, NR/5G, offered by a single operator within a given country, often referred to as a cellular network.
[0013] The term “Internet Protocol (IP) address”, as used herein, refers to a
numerical label such as 192.0.2.1 that is assigned to a device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.
[0014] The term “overload detecting flag”, as used herein, refers to an
overload condition of an interface in the NF and unable to handle additional session requests.
[0015] The term “AMF” as used herein, refers to an Access and Mobility
Management Function that is one of a control plane (CP) network function (NFs) of the 5G core network. The AMF uses different interfaces to communicate with the other NFs or nodes.
[0016] The term “session threshold” as used herein, refers to a predefined
limit set for a number of concurrent sessions that a Network Function (NF) can handle at any given time.
[0017] The term “maximum session threshold” as used herein, refers to a
maximum number of sessions that the NF can handle before it starts rejecting new session requests.
[0018] The term “minimum session threshold” as used herein, refers to a
minimum number of sessions at which the NF will start accepting new session requests again after being in an overload condition.
BACKGROUND
[0019] The following description of related art is intended to provide
background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section be used only

to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of prior art.
[0020] In modern telecommunication networks, Network Functions (NFs)
play a crucial role in managing various network services, including session management for User Equipment (UE). As a demand for mobile data and services continues to grow, managing an increasing number of sessions efficiently becomes a critical challenge. An ability to handle a high volume of the sessions without degrading performance is essential to ensure reliable and high-quality network services.
[0021] Conventional session management systems in 4G and 5G networks
typically rely on static thresholds for managing session counts. These systems may use fixed limits to accept or reject new session requests, based on pre-configured maximum session counts. However, the systems with the static thresholds are inflexible and may not adapt well to fluctuating network conditions. This can lead to inefficient use of network resources, where some of the NFs might be underutilized while others are overloaded.
[0022] Further, some existing methods involve simple overload control
mechanisms, where the NF rejects all the new session requests once the pre-configured maximum session count is reached. However, these mechanisms do not dynamically adjust to changing network conditions or take into account multiple parameters for making decisions.
[0023] Thus, there is a need to provide an improved system and method that
provides a comprehensive solution for managing session overloads and handling requests efficiently.
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[0024] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one
embodiment herein satisfies are as listed herein below.

[0025] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a
method that enables session overload monitoring and efficient memory management.
[0026] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a
method that optimizes a utilization of cache memory, enables, or disables a creation of new sessions and processes requests without any delay or latency.
[0027] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a
method that monitors network sessions and minimizes a potential overload condition, resulting in an improved network performance.
[0028] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system and a
method that provides a robust network management mechanism, and a reliable network infrastructure with minimal disruptions.
SUMMARY
[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention discloses a
method for managing session overloading in one or more Network Functions (NFs). The method includes a step of configuring one or more parameters associated with a session management and a plurality of session thresholds for each of one or more interfaces individually and for the one or more interfaces collectively. The plurality of session thresholds includes a maximum session threshold and a minimum session threshold. The method includes a step of receiving at least one session request from a first NF by a second NF. The second NF includes the one or more interfaces. The method includes a step of receiving a selection of a criteria associated with the plurality of session thresholds. The method includes a step of determining a current session count on each of the one or more interfaces or all the one or more interfaces collectively of the second NF based on the selected criteria. The method includes a step of performing an action on the at least one received session request based on the determination of the current session count.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first NF is selected from one of, a Session
Management Function (SMF) or a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW).
[0031] In some embodiments, the second NF is selected from one of, a
Policy Control Function (PCF) or a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF).
[0032] In some embodiments, the one or more parameters are associated
with corresponding UEs. The one or more parameters are selected from a list comprising an Access Point Name (APN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) range, a Radio Access Technology (RAT)-Type, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), a User Equipment (UE) Internet Protocol (IP) address range, or a combination thereof.
[0033] In some embodiments, the plurality of session thresholds are
configured based on the one or more parameters associated with the session management.
[0034] In some embodiments, the action includes one of, accepting the at
least one session request or rejecting the at least one session request.
[0035] In some embodiments, the action of rejecting the at least one session
request is performed based on a status of an overload detecting flag.
[0036] In some embodiments, receiving the selection of the criteria includes
receiving the selection of a first criteria defining the plurality of session thresholds configured for each of the one or more interfaces individually.
[0037] In some embodiments, determining the current session count on each
of the one or more interfaces of the second NF based on the selected criteria includes comparing the current session count of each of the one or more interfaces with the maximum session threshold configured for the corresponding one or more interfaces based on the selected first criteria.

[0038] In some embodiments, performing the action on the at least one
session request based on the determination of the current session count includes rejecting the at least one session request when the current session count of at least one of the interfaces exceeds the maximum session threshold of a corresponding interface of the one or more interfaces.
[0039] In some embodiments, performing the action on the at least one
session request based on the determination of the current session count includes accepting the at least one session request when the current session count of each of the one or more interfaces is below the maximum session threshold of the corresponding one or more interfaces.
[0040] In some embodiments, receiving the selection of the criteria includes
receiving the selection of a second criteria defining the plurality of session thresholds configured for all the one or more interfaces collectively.
[0041] In some embodiments, determining the current session count on all
the one or more interfaces of the second NF based on the selected criteria includes comparing a current total session count of all the one or more interfaces with the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces collectively based on the selected second criteria.
[0042] In some embodiments, performing the action on the at least one
session request based on the determination of the current session count includes rejecting the at least one session request when the total current session count of all the one or more interfaces exceeds the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces collectively.
[0043] In some embodiments, performing the action on the at least one
session request based on the determination of the current session count includes accepting the at least one session request when the total current session count of all

the one or more interfaces is below the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces collectively.
[0044] In some embodiments, the at least one session request is one of, a
session delete request or a session initial request.
[0045] In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention discloses a
system for managing session overloading in one or more Network Functions (NFs). The system includes a receiving unit configured to configured to receive at least one session request from a User Equipment (UE) by a first NF. The system further includes a processing unit communicatively coupled to the receiving unit. The processing unit is configured to: configure one or more parameters associated with a session management and a plurality of session thresholds for each of one or more interfaces individually and for the one or more interfaces collectively. The plurality of session thresholds includes a maximum session threshold and a minimum session threshold. The processing unit is configured to: receive the at least one session request from the first NF by a second NF. The second NF includes the one or more interfaces. The processing unit is further configured to receive a selection of a criteria associated with the plurality of session thresholds. The processing unit is further configured to determine a current session count on each of the one or more interfaces or all the one or more interfaces of the second NF based on the selected criteria. The processing unit is further configured to perform an action on the at least one received session request based on the determination of the current session count.
[0046] In some embodiments, the first NF is selected from one of, a Session
Management Function (SMF) or a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW).
[0047] In some embodiments, the second NF is selected from one of, a
Policy Control Function (PCF) or a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF).
[0048] In some embodiments, the one or more parameters associated with
the corresponding UEs. The one or more parameters are selected from a list

comprising an Access Point Name (APN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) range, a Radio Access Technology (RAT)-Type, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), a User Equipment (UE) Internet Protocol (IP) address range, or a combination thereof.
[0049] In some embodiments, the plurality of session thresholds are
configured based on the one or more parameters associated with the session management.
[0050] In some embodiments, the action includes one of, accepting the at
least one session request or rejecting the at least one session request.
[0051] In some embodiments, the action of rejecting the at least one session
request is performed based on a status of an overload detecting flag.
[0052] In some embodiments, the selection of the criteria includes the
selection of a first criteria defining the plurality of session thresholds configured for each of the one or more interfaces individually.
[0053] In some embodiments, the processing unit is configured to compare
the current session count on each of the one or more interfaces with the maximum session threshold configured for the corresponding one or more interfaces based on the selected first criteria to determine the current session count on each of the one or more interfaces of the second NF.
[0054] In some embodiments, the processing unit is configured to perform
the action of rejecting the at least one session request when the current session count of at least one of the interfaces exceeds the maximum session threshold of a corresponding interface of the one or more interfaces.
[0055] In some embodiments, the processing unit is configured to perform
the action of accepting the at least one session request when the current session

count of each of the one or more interfaces is below the maximum session threshold of the corresponding one or more interfaces.
[0056] In some embodiments, the selection of the criteria includes the
selection of a second criteria defining the plurality of session thresholds configured for all the one or more interfaces collectively.
[0057] In some embodiments, the processing unit is configured to compare
a current total session count of all the one or more interfaces with the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces collectively based on the selected second criteria to determine the current session count on all the one or more interfaces collectively of the second NF.
[0058] In some embodiments, the processing unit is configured to perform
the action of rejecting the at least one session request when the total current session count of all the one or more interfaces exceeds the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces collectively.
[0059] In some embodiments, the processing unit is configured to perform
the action of accepting the at least one session request when the total current session count of all the one or more interfaces is below the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces collectively.
[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention discloses a user
equipment (UE) communicatively coupled with a network. The coupling includes steps of. receiving, by the network, a connection request from the UE; sending, by the network, an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE; and transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request. The network is configured for performing a method for managing session overloading in one or more Network Functions (NFs). The method includes a step of configuring one or more parameters associated with a session management and a plurality of session thresholds for each of one or more interfaces individually and for the one or more interfaces collectively. The plurality of session thresholds includes a

maximum session threshold and a minimum session threshold. The method includes a step of receiving at least one session request from a first NF by a second NF. The second NF includes the one or more interfaces. The method includes a step of receiving a selection of a criteria associated with the plurality of session thresholds. The method includes a step of determining a current session count on each of the one or more interfaces or all the one or more interfaces collectively of the second NF based on the selected criteria. The method includes a step of performing an action on the at least one received session request based on the determination of the current session count.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0061] In the figures, similar components and/or features may have the
same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label with a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.
[0062] The diagrams are for illustration only, which thus is not a limitation
of the present disclosure, and wherein:
[0063] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary network architecture in which or
with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.
[0064] FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system
depicting an interaction between one or more network functions, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
[0065] FIG. 1C illustrates an exemplary block diagram depicting
components of the system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a process depicting
a session overload management mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0067] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary computer system in which or with
which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.
[0068] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method for managing session
overloading in one or more Network Functions (NFs), in accordance with an embodiment of present disclosure.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
100 – Network architecture
102-1, 102-2…102-N – User Equipment
104-1, 104-2…104-N – Users
106 – System
108 –Network
110 – First Network Function (NF)
112- Second Network Function (NF)
114-1..114N – One or more Interfaces
116 – Session Overload Management Unit
118 – Session Cache
120 – Receiving Unit
122 – Memory
124 – Interfacing Unit
126 – Processing Unit
128 – Database
130 – Configuration Module
132 – Session Monitoring Module
134 – Session Overloading Management Module
200 – Process
300 – Computer system

310 – External storage device 320 – Bus
330 – Main memory 340 – Read only memory 350 – Mass storage device 360 – Communication port(s) 370 – Processor 400 – Method
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0069] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various
specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used individually of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address all of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein.
[0070] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and
is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth.
[0071] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a
thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these

specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without 5 unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
[0072] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a
process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the
10 operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a
15 function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.
[0073] The word “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is used herein to
mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt,
20 the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms
25 “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive—in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word—without precluding any additional or other elements.
30 [0074] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an
embodiment” or “an instance” or “one instance” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included
15

in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” or “in some embodiments” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or 5 characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
[0075] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As
10 used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one
15 or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0076] The disclosed system and method introduce a session overload
20 management mechanism for session monitoring and efficient memory management. With this enhancement, a Network Function (NF) client may actively monitor sessions count. By efficient monitoring and managing sessions, an optimized utilization of a cache memory may be achieved. Through its advanced session monitoring capabilities, the disclosed system and method may effectively 25 minimize potential latency, leading to an overall enhanced network performance.
[0077] The disclosed system and method enable the NF to protect itself
from overloading using the session overload management mechanism that is based on different configurable parameters such as, but not limited to, an Access Point 30 Name (APN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) range, a Radio Access Technology (RAT)-Type, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and a User Equipment (UE) Internet Protocol (IP) address range. In addition, the
16

disclosed system and method may provide a session management support on all interfaces, and a session management support on each interface individually. For example, a distribution and a call model/traffic distribution for Narrow Band-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) devices and Wide Band-Internet of Things (WB-IoT) 5 devices are different. Hence, different session thresholds may be configured for the NB-IoT devices and the WB-IoT devices.
[0078] The disclosed session overload management mechanism that is
performed at a NF level facilitates to optimize the network performance, eliminate 10 the latency, and guarantee a high memory availability.
[0079] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be explained in
detail with reference to FIGs. 1 to 4.
15 [0080] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary network architecture (100) in
which or with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.
[0081] Referring to the FIG. 1A, the network architecture (100) may include
one or more computing devices or one or more User Equipment (UE) (102-1, 102-20 2…102-N) that may be associated with one or more users (104-1, 104-2…104-N) and a system (106) in an environment. In an embodiment, the one or more UE (102-1, 102-2…102-N) may be communicated to the system (106) through a network (108). A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the one or more UE (102-1, 102-2…102-N) may be individually referred to as the UE (102) and 25 collectively referred to as the UE (102). A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the terms “computing device(s)” and “UE” may be used interchangeably throughout the disclosure. Although three UE (102) are depicted in the FIG. 1A, however any number of the UE (102) may be included without departing from the scope of the ongoing description. Similarly, a person of ordinary 30 skill in the art will understand that the one or more users (104-1, 104-2…104-N) may be individually referred to as the user (104) and collectively referred to as the users (104).
17

[0082] In an embodiment, the UE (102) may include smart devices
operating in a smart environment, for example, an Internet of Things (IoT) system. In such embodiment, the UE (102) may include, but not limited to, smart phones, 5 smart watches, smart sensors (e.g., mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, etc.), networked appliances, networked peripheral devices, networked lighting system, communication devices, networked vehicle accessories, networked vehicular devices, smart accessories, tablets, Smart Television (TV), computers, a smart security system, a smart home system, other devices for monitoring or interacting 10 with or for the users (104) and/or entities, or any combination thereof. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (102) may include, but not limited to, an intelligent multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that can integrate seamlessly with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system or any other device that is network-connected.
15
[0083] In an embodiment, the UE (102) may include, but not limited to, a
handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart phone, a
phablet device, and so on), a wearable computer device (e.g., a head-mounted
display computer device, a head-mounted camera device, a wristwatch computer
20 device, and so on), a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a laptop, a tablet
computer, or another type of portable computer, a media playing device, a portable
gaming system, and/or any other type of computer device with wireless
communication capabilities, and the like.
25 [0084] In an embodiment, the UE (102) may include, but is not limited to,
any electrical, electronic, electro-mechanical, or an equipment, or a combination of one or more of the above devices such as Virtual Reality (VR) devices, Augmented Reality (AR) devices, a general-purpose computer, a desktop, a personal digital assistant, a mainframe computer, or any other computing device. In another
30 embodiment, the UE (102) may include one or more in-built or externally coupled accessories including, but not limited to, a visual aid device such as a camera, an audio aid, a microphone, a keyboard, and input devices for receiving input from the
18

user (104) or the entity such as a touch pad, a touch enabled screen, an electronic
pen, and the like. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE
(102) may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may
be used.
5
[0085] Further, the UE (102) may also include a processor (not shown) that
refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. The processor may be, but
not limited to, a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a
conventional processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a plurality of
10 microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with the DSP, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), Field Gate Programmable Array (FGPA) circuits, any other type of integrated circuits, and so forth. More specifically, the processor is a hardware processor. The processor may perform a signal coding data processing, an input/output processing,
15 and/or any other functionality that enables a working of the system (106), according to the present disclosure.
[0086] As portable electronic devices and wireless technologies continue to
improve and grow in popularity, advancing wireless technologies for data transfer
20 are also expected to evolve and replace older generations of technologies. In a field of wireless data communications, a dynamic advancement of various generations of cellular technology are also seen. Development, in this respect, has been incremental in an order of a Second Generation (2G), a Third Generation (3G), a Fourth Generation (4G), and now Fifth Generation (5G), and more such generations
25 are expected to continue in the forthcoming time.
[0087] In an embodiment, the UE (102) may utilize a Radio Access
Technology (RAT) to connect to a cellular network. It refers to specific protocols and standards that govern the way devices communicate with base stations, which 30 are responsible for providing a wireless connection. Further, each RAT has its own set of protocols and standards for communication, which define frequency bands, modulation techniques, and other parameters used for transmitting and receiving
19

data. Examples of the RATs include a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a Long-Term Evolution (LTE), and 5G. A choice of the RAT depends on a variety of factors, including a network 5 infrastructure, available spectrum, and capabilities of the UE (102). The UEs (102) often support multiple RATs, allowing them to connect to different types of networks and provide optimal performance based on the available network resources.
10 [0088] Referring to the FIG. 1A, the UE (102) may communicate with the
system (106) via a set of executable instructions residing on any operating system. The system (106) may be for example, the system (106) for managing session overloading in one or more NFs (hereinafter referred to as the NFs).
15 [0089] In an exemplary embodiment, the NFs may be, but not limited to,
Session Management Functions (SMFs), Policy Control Functions (PCFs), Policy and Charging Rule Functions (PCRFs), Charging Functions (CHFs) (204), Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW), Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMFs), and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include
20 or otherwise cover any type of the NFs including known related art and/or later developed NFs.
[0090] In an embodiment, the system (106) may be configured to allow for
configuration of one or more parameters such as, but not limited to, an Access Point
25 Name (APN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) range, a Radio Access Technology (RAT)-Type, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), a User Equipment (UE) (102) Internet Protocol (IP) address range, and so forth. The system (106) may also be configured to define session thresholds, monitors session counts in real-time and enables an overloading detecting flag when the session
30 thresholds are exceeded. In an exemplary embodiment, the system (106) may also be configured to perform actions on session requests, such as, accepting the session requests if a session count is below the session thresholds and rejecting the session
20

requests if the session count is above the session thresholds. Further, in an embodiment, the system (106) may also be configured to support interface-specific management, offering flexibility and ensuring efficient resource utilization, improved network performance and robust overload handling. In an embodiment, 5 components of the system (106) may be explained in detail in conjunction with FIG. 1B and 1C.
[0091] In an embodiment, the network (108) may include, at least one of a
4G network, a 5G network, a 6G network, or the like. The network (108) may
10 enable the UE (102) to communicate with other devices in the network architecture (100) and/or with the system (106). The network (108) may include a wireless card or some other transceiver connection to facilitate this communication. In another embodiment, the network (108) may be implemented as, or include any of a variety of different communication technologies such as a Wide Area Network (WAN), a
15 Local Area Network (LAN), a wireless network, a mobile network, a Virtual Private Network (VPN), the Internet, a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or the like.
[0092] Although the FIG. 1A shows exemplary components of the network
20 architecture (100); however, in other embodiments, the network architecture (100) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in the FIG. 1A. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the network architecture (100) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other 25 components of the network architecture (100).
[0093] FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary block diagram of the system (106)
depicting an interaction between the NFs, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
30
[0094] As shown in the FIG. 1B, the system (106) may include a first NF
(110) and a second NF (112). In an exemplary embodiment, the second NF (112)
may include one or more interfaces (114-1…114-N) (hereinafter collectively
21

referred to as the interfaces (114) and individually referred to as the interface (114)), a session overload management unit (116) and a session cache (118).
[0095] In an exemplary embodiment, the first NF (110) may be a consumer
5 NF that may send at least one session request (hereinafter referred to as the session request) to the second NF (112). In an exemplary embodiment, the session request may be one of a session initial request, a session delete request, a session update request, and so forth.
10 [0096] In an exemplary embodiment, the session initial request may be sent
to the second NF (112) to establish a new session. In another exemplary embodiment, the session update request may be sent to the second NF (112) to update an existing session. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the session delete request may be sent to the second NF (112) to delete the existing session. In an
15 exemplary embodiment, the first NF (110) may first receive the session request from the UE (102) (as shown in the FIG. 1A) and may further send the session request to the second NF (112). The user (104) (as shown in the FIG. 1A) may perform some action on the UE (102) to send the session request. In an exemplary embodiment, the action may be, starting a data session or a service that requires
20 network resources. In an exemplary embodiment, the session request may include the parameters associated with the UE (102). The parameters may be explained above in the FIG. 1A. In an exemplary embodiment, the first NF (110) may be, but not limited to, the SMF, the PGW, and so forth. In an exemplary embodiment, the first NF (110) may send the session request to the second NF (112) over an
25 appropriate interface (114). In an embodiment, the interface (114) may be, but not limited to, a Rx interface, a Gx interface, a Sd interface, a diameter interface, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol 2 (HTTP2) interface, and so forth. For example, in the 4G network, the first NF (110) may send a Credit Control Request (CCR) message to the second NF (112) over N7 interface. As used herein, the interface (114) may
30 refer to a point of interaction between different components or functions with the network (108).
22

[0097] Further, in an embodiment, the second NF (112) may receive the
session request from the first NF (110). In an exemplary embodiment, the second NF (112) may be, but not limited to, the PCF, the PCRF, and so forth. Upon receiving the session request, the second NF (112) may determine the session 5 thresholds that may be configured for each of the interfaces (114) individually and for all the interfaces (114) collectively. The session thresholds may include a maximum session threshold and a minimum session threshold.
[0098] In an example, the session thresholds for each of the interfaces (114)
10 individually may depict that each interface (114) may have its own maximum and minimum session thresholds. Similarly, the session thresholds for all the interfaces (114) collectively may depict that all the interfaces (114) may have a single maximum and minimum session threshold which may be a sum of threshold of each interface corresponding to the maximum and minimum session threshold. 15
[0099] In an exemplary embodiment, for each type of the UE (102), the
session thresholds and the parameters are configured in the session cache (118). In an exemplary embodiment, the type of the UE (102) may be NB-IoT devices that support NB-IoT technology or the WB-IoT devices that support NB-IoT 20 technology.
[00100] The session thresholds are configured based on the configured
parameters in the session cache (118). Therefore, the second NF (112) may determine the configured session thresholds based on the parameters received in the
25 session request. The session thresholds may vary depending on UE’s (102) expected network usage patterns and performance requirements. In an embodiment, a value of the session thresholds such as, the maximum session threshold and the minimum session threshold may be dynamic and varies for each type of the interface (114). In an embodiment, the session thresholds may be varied based on
30 the parameters of the UE (102).
23

[00101] In an exemplary embodiment, the second NF (112) may classify the
type of the UE (102) from which the session request is received, based on the parameters received in the session request and based on the classified type of the UE (102), the second NF (112) may determine the configured session thresholds. 5
[00102] For example, for the NB-IoT devices, the configured parameters that
may be stored in the session cache (118) and its corresponding values may be, APN: nbiot, IMSI range: 00101-00199, RAT type: NB-IoT, the maximum session threshold: 5000 and the minimum session threshold: 1000. Based on these
10 configured parameters, the second NF (112) may identify that the type of the UE (102) may be the NB-IoT device and accordingly utilize the corresponding maximum session threshold and the minimum session threshold from the session cache (118). As used herein, the term “NB-IoT devices” may refer to the UEs (102) that may support the NB-IoT technology. Similarly, for the WB-IoT devices, the
15 pre-configured parameters and its corresponding values may be, APN: wbiot, IMSI range: 00201-00299, RAT type: WB-IoT, the maximum session threshold: 2000 and the minimum session threshold: 500. Based on these pre-configured parameters, the second NF (112) may identify that the type of the UE (102) may be the WB-IoT and accordingly utilize the corresponding maximum session threshold
20 and the minimum session threshold from the session cache (118). As used herein, the term “WB-IoT devices” may refer to the UEs (102) that may support the WB-IoT technology.
[00103] Further, in an embodiment, the session overload management unit
25 (116) may be configured to monitor a current session count for the interfaces (114). For example, based on the monitoring, it is determined that the current session count for a first interface (114-1) is 6 (representing that 6 sessions are established through this interface (114-1)) and the maximum session threshold is 100 for the first interface (114-1), thereby it can be concluded that 94 sessions are still established 30 through the first interface (114-1). As used herein, the current session count may refer to as a number of active sessions that are currently established or ongoing.
24

The session overload management unit (116) may be configured to determine a type of the received session request. In an aspect, if the determined type is the session delete request, then the session overload management unit (116) may be configured to delete a corresponding session and update the session cache (118). In an example, 5 the session overload management unit (116) may be configured to decrease the session count by one in the session cache (118) after deleting the session.
[00104] In another aspect, if the determined type is the session initial request,
then the session overload management unit (116) may be configured to compare
10 the monitored current session count of the interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold of the corresponding interfaces (114) fetched from the session cache (118). If the monitored current session count is below the maximum session threshold, then the session overload management unit (116) may be configured to enable the second NF (112) to accept the session request and create the new session.
15 In an embodiment, the session overload management unit (116) may be configured
to increment the session count by one after establishing the new session in the
session cache (118). For example, if the current session count is 9 and after
establishing the new session, the session overload management unit (116) may
update the session count to 10.
20
[00105] If the monitored current session count exceeds the maximum session
threshold, then the session overload management unit (116) may be configured to
enable the overload detecting flag. Based on the overload detecting flag, the second
NF (112) may be configured to reject new session requests on the corresponding
25 interfaces (114) until the session count reaches below the minimum session
threshold.
[00106] In an exemplary embodiment, the session cache (118) may keep a
record of active sessions, deleted sessions and updates sessions, allowing the 30 second NF (112) to monitor the session counts in real-time. The session cache (118) may also store the configured parameters associated with different types of the UEs (102). Such parameters help the second NF (112) to apply the different session
25

thresholds tailored to the specific UEs (102). The session cache (118) may also store the configured session thresholds for each of the interfaces (114) individually and for all the interfaces (114) collectively.
5 [00107] FIG. 1C illustrates an exemplary block diagram depicting
components of the system (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the system (106) may include a receiving unit (120), a memory (122), an interfacing unit (124), a processing unit (126) and a database (128). In an embodiment, the processing unit (126) may include a configuration 10 module (130), a session monitoring module (132) and a session overloading management module (134).
[00108] In an embodiment, the receiving unit (120) may be configured to
receive the session request from the UE (102) (as shown in the FIG. 1A) by the first 15 NF (110) (as shown in the FIG. 1B). The UE (102) may initiate the data session through a user interface (not shown) by sending the session request to the first NF (110). In an embodiment, the session request may include the parameters associated with the UE (102) as explained above in the FIG. 1B.
20 [00109] The memory (122) may be configured to store computer-readable
instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. In an aspect, the memory (122) may be configured to store program instructions that may be executed to perform tasks associated with the system (106). The memory (122) may include any non-transitory storage device including, for example, but not
25 limited to, a volatile memory such as a Random-Access Memory (RAM), or a non¬volatile memory such as an Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), a flash memory, and the like. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise type of the memory (122) including known related art and/or later developed technologies.
30
[00110] In an embodiment, the interfacing unit (124) may comprise a variety
of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices (I/O), storage
26

devices, and the like. The interfacing unit (124) may facilitate communication through the system (106). The interfacing unit (124) may also provide a communication pathway for various other units/modules of the system (106).
5 [00111] In an embodiment, the database (128) may offer functionality to
manage, capture, storage, and retrieval of data. In an embodiment, the database (128) is configured for serving as a centralized repository for storing information associated with the system (106). The database (128) is designed to interact seamlessly with other components of the system (106), such as the configuration
10 module (130), the session monitoring module (132) and the session overloading management module (134), to support a functionality of the system (106) effectively. The database (128) may store the data that may be either stored or generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the processing unit (126). In an embodiment, the database (128) may be separate
15 from the system (106). In an embodiment, the database (128) may be the session cache (118) (as shown in the FIG. 1B).
[00112] The modules are controlled by the processing unit (126) which
execute the computer-readable instructions retrieved from the memory (122). The
20 processing unit (126) further interact with the interfacing unit (124) to facilitate a user interaction and to provide options for managing and configuring the system (106). The processing unit (126) may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that process data based
25 on operational instructions.
[00113] In an embodiment, the configuration module (130) may be
configured to receive an input from the user (104) (as shown in the FIG. 1A) to configure the parameters associated a session management and with the different 30 types of the UEs (102) in the NFs. Based on the input, the parameters may be configured in the NFs and stored in the session cache (118). Further, in an embodiment, the configuration module (130) may be configured to receive the input
27

from the user (104) to configure the session thresholds for each of the interfaces (114) (as shown in the FIG. 1B) individually and for all the interfaces (114) collectively in the NFs. Based on the input, the session thresholds may be configured in the NFs and stored in the session cache (118). In an embodiment, the 5 session thresholds may be configured based on each parameter. For example, a higher session threshold may be set for high-priority APNs or the IMSI ranges. As used herein, the term “configuring the parameters and the session thresholds” refers to a setting specific criteria and thresholds that guide how the network (108) (as shown in the FIG. 1A) manages and controls the sessions. In an embodiment, the 10 configuration module (130) may be configured to dynamically adjust the session thresholds based on real-time network conditions.
[00114] In an exemplary embodiment, the users (104) or network
administrators may utilize a network management tool to input the parameters and 15 the session thresholds into the system (106). As used herein, the term “network management tool” refers to a software application designed to monitor, control and manage the network resources and devices. Such tool may provide the users (104) with an ability to configure the parameters and the session thresholds.
20 [00115] The session monitoring module (132) may be configured to receive
the session request from the first NF (110) and transmits the session request to the second NF (112) (as shown in the FIG. 1B). The session monitoring module (132) may also be configured to receive a selection of one of a criteria associated with the session thresholds from the user (104) via the network management tool. In an
25 exemplary embodiment, the criteria may be a first criteria that may define the session thresholds that may be configured for each of the interfaces (114) individually. In another exemplary embodiment, the criteria may be a second criteria that may define the session thresholds configured for all the interfaces (114) collectively. Based on the selected criteria, the session monitoring module (132)
30 may be configured to determine the current session count on the interfaces (114) of the second NF (112). In an exemplary embodiment, the current session count on the interfaces (114) may be determined by using monitoring tools. The monitoring
28

tools may collect and analyze real-time data about the active sessions handled by each interface (114). The monitoring tools may be, but not limited to, built-in monitoring tools, network management protocols, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and so forth. In an embodiment, the built-in monitoring tools may 5 be accessed via a Command Line Interface (CLI), a Graphical User Interface (GUI), and so forth. Further, the network management protocols may be, but not limited to, a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), and so forth. In an exemplary embodiment, by using the SNMP, the user (104) may query the NFs to retrieve information about the session counts of the corresponding interfaces (114). The 10 APIs may be, but not limited to, Restful APIs, streaming APIs, cloud storage APIs, and so forth.
[00116] In an embodiment, the determined session count of the interfaces
(114) may be stored in the session cache (118) and the session monitoring module 15 (132) may be configured to fetch the session count of the interfaces (114) from the session cache (118) for determining the current session count.
[00117] In an exemplary embodiment, the session monitoring module (132)
may be configured to determine the session count on each of the interfaces (114) or
20 all the interfaces (114) collectively of the second NF (112) by using the monitoring tools as explained earlier. The session monitoring module (132) may be configured to compare the current session count on each of the interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold configured for the corresponding interfaces (114) when the first criteria is received as the selection from the user (104). The maximum
25 session threshold may be fetched from the session cache (118) based on the parameters received in the session request, as the parameters are used to identify the type of the UE (102) from which the session request is received.
[00118] In another exemplary embodiment, the session monitoring module
30 (132) may be configured to compare a current total session count of all the
interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold configured collectively for all
29

the interfaces (114) when the second criteria is received as the selection from the user (104).
[00119] Further, in an embodiment, the session monitoring module (132)
5 may be configured to transmit the current session count that may be determined using the first criteria and the second criteria to the session overloading management module (134).
[00120] In an embodiment, the session overloading management module
10 (134) may be configured to perform an action on the received session request based on the session count received from the session monitoring module (132). The action may be, rejecting the session request or accepting the session request. In an embodiment, the action of rejecting the session request is performed based on a status of the overload detecting flag. The status of the overload detecting flag may 15 be enabled or disabled. In an exemplary embodiment, enabling the overload detecting flag defines setting a value of the overload detecting flag as a true value. In an exemplary embodiment, disabling the overload detecting flag defines setting the value of the overload detecting flag as a false value.
20 [00121] In an embodiment, considering the first criteria, the session
overloading management module (134) may be configured to reject the session request when the current session count of at least one of the interfaces (114) exceeds the maximum session threshold of a corresponding interface of the interfaces (114). In such embodiment, the session overloading management module (134) may be
25 configured to enable the overload detecting flag before rejecting the session request such that the overload detecting flag indicates that the interface (114) of the second NF (112) may be in an overload condition and unable to handle additional session requests.
30 [00122] In an embodiment, upon enabling the overload detecting flag in the
first criteria, the session overloading management module (134) may be configured to continue rejecting the session requests until the current session count on all the interfaces (114) goes below the minimum session threshold of the corresponding
30

interfaces (114). In an exemplary embodiment, the session overloading management module (134) may be configured to enable the session monitoring module (132) to continue comparing the current session count of each of the interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold until the current session count 5 of all the interfaces (114) goes below the minimum session threshold of the corresponding interfaces (114). Once the current session count of all the interfaces (114) goes below the minimum session threshold of the corresponding interfaces (114), then the session monitoring module (132) may be configured to generate and transmit a flag disable signal to the session overloading management module (134). 10 The session overloading management module (134) may be configured to disable the overload detecting flag and accepts the new session requests based on the received flag disable signal.
[00123] In another embodiment, the session overloading management
15 module (134) may be configured to accept the session request when the current session count of each of the interfaces (114) is below the maximum session threshold of the corresponding interfaces (114).
[00124] In an embodiment, considering the second criteria, the session
20 overloading management module (134) may be configured to reject the session
request when the total current session count of all the interfaces (114) exceeds the
maximum session threshold configured for all the interfaces (114) collectively. In
such embodiment, the session overloading management module (134) may be
configured to enable the overload detecting flag before rejecting the session request.
25
[00125] In an embodiment, upon enabling the overload detecting flag in the
second criteria, the session overloading management module (134) may be
configured to continue rejecting the session requests until the total current session
count of all the interfaces (114) goes below the minimum session threshold. In an
30 exemplary embodiment, the session overloading management module (134) may
be configured to enable the session monitoring module (132) to continue comparing
the total current session count of all the interfaces (114) with the maximum session
31

threshold until the total current session count of all the interfaces (114) goes below the minimum session threshold. Once the total current session count of all the interfaces (114) goes below the minimum session threshold, then the session monitoring module (132) may be configured to generate and transmit the flag 5 disable signal to the session overloading management module (134).
[00126] In another embodiment, the session overloading management
module (134) may be configured to accept the session request when the total current session count of all the interfaces (114) is below the maximum session threshold 10 configured for all the interfaces (114) collectively.
[00127] Although the FIG. 1C shows an exemplary block diagram of the
system (106); however, in other embodiments, the system (106) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional 15 functional components than depicted in the FIG. 1C. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the system (106) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the system (106).
[00128] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a process (200)
20 depicting a session overload management mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
[00129] At step (202), the process (200) includes configuring the parameters
such as, the APN, the IMSI range, the RAT-Type, the PLMN and the UE (102) IP 25 address range by the user (104).
[00130] At step (204), the process (200) includes configuring the maximum
session threshold and the minimum session threshold for all the interfaces (114)
collectively and for each interface (114) individually by the user (104).
30
[00131] At step (206), the process (200) includes receiving the session delete
request by the second NF (112) from the first NF (110) such as, a Proxy Call Session
Control Function (P-CSCF) (110).
32

[00132] At step (208), the process (200) includes deleting the session based
on the received session delete request from the session cache (118).
5 [00133] At step (210), the process (200) includes receiving the session initial
request by the second NF (112) from the first NF (110) such as, the PGW (110).
[00134] At step (212), the process (200) includes comparing the current
session count with the maximum session threshold to determine if the current 10 session count exceeds the maximum session threshold or not. The process (200) may proceed to a step (214), if the current session count exceeds the maximum session threshold. Otherwise, the process (200) may proceed to a step (218).
[00135] At the step (214), the process (200) includes enabling the overload
15 detecting flag when the current session count exceeds the maximum session threshold.
[00136] At step (216), the process (200) includes rejecting the session request
upon enabling of the overload detecting flag.
20
[00137] At the step (218), the process (200) includes determining if the
overload detecting flag is disabled or the overload detecting flag is enabled with the
current session count below the minimum session threshold. The process (200) may
proceed to a step (220) if one of, the condition is satisfied. Otherwise, the process
25 (200) returns to the step (216).
[00138] At the step (220), the process (200) includes creating and storing the
new session in the session cache (118).
30 [00139] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary computer system (300) in which or
with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. As shown in the FIG. 3, the computer system (300) may include an external storage device (310), a bus (320), a main memory (330), a read only memory (340), a mass storage device (350), a communication port (360), and a processor (370). A person skilled
33

in the art will appreciate that the computer system (300) may include more than one processor (370) and the communication ports (360). The processor (370) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure.
5 [00140] In an embodiment, the external storage device (310) may be any
device that is commonly known in the art such as, but not limited to, a memory card, a memory stick, a solid-state drive, a hard disk drive (HDD), and so forth.
[00141] In an embodiment, the bus (320) may be communicatively coupled
10 with the processor(s) (370) with the other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus (320) may be, e.g., a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)/PCI Extended (PCI-X) bus, a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects the 15 processor (370) to the computer system (300).
[00142] In an embodiment, the main memory (330) may be a Random-
Access Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. The Read-only memory (340) may be any static storage device(s) e.g., but 20 not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static information e.g., start-up or Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) instructions for the processor (370).
[00143] In an embodiment, the mass storage device (350) may be any current
25 or future mass storage solution, which may be used to store information and/or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, a Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and/or Firewire interfaces), one 30 or more optical discs, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage, e.g., an array of disks (e.g., SATA arrays).
34

[00144] Further, the communication port (360) may be any of an RS-232 port
for use with a modem-based dialup connection, a 10/100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or other existing or future ports. The communication port (360) may be chosen depending 5 on the network (108), such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system (300) connects.
[00145] Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, a
keyboard, a joystick, and a cursor control device, may also be coupled to the bus
10 (320) to support a direct operator interaction with the computer system (300). Other operator and administrative interfaces may be provided through network connections connected through the communication port (360). Components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system (300) limit the scope of the present
15 disclosure.
[00146] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method (400) for managing session
overloading in one or more NFs, in accordance with an embodiment of present
disclosure.
20
[00147] At step (402), the method (400) includes a step of configuring one
or more parameters associated with corresponding UEs (102) and a plurality of
session thresholds for each of one or more interfaces (114) individually and for the
one or more interfaces (114) collectively. The plurality of session thresholds
25 includes a maximum session threshold and a minimum session threshold. The parameters and the session thresholds may be configured by a processing unit (126) upon receiving an input from a user (104). Further, the configured parameters and the session thresholds may be stored in a session cache (118). In an embodiment, the session thresholds may be configured based on each parameter. The one or more
30 parameters may be, but not limited to, an Access Point Name (APN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) range, a Radio Access Technology
35

(RAT)-Type, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), a User Equipment (UE) (102) Internet Protocol (IP) address range, and so forth.
[00148] At step (404), the method (400) includes a step of receiving at least
5 one session request from a first NF (110) by a second NF (112). The second NF (112) includes the one or more interfaces (114). The session request may be one of, a session delete request or a session initial request. The first NF (110) may be SMF or PGW and the second NF (112) may be a PCF or a PCRF. The processing unit (126) may enable the second NF (112) to receive the session request from the first 10 NF (110) via the interface (114).
[00149] At step (406), the method (400) includes a step of receiving a
selection of one of a criteria associated with the session thresholds. The selection of criteria may be received from the user (104) by the processing unit (126). The 15 criteria may be a first criteria that may define the session thresholds that may be configured for each of the interfaces (114) individually. The criteria may be a second criteria that may define the session thresholds configured for all the interfaces (114) collectively.
20 [00150] At step (408), the method (400) includes a step of determining a
current session count on the one or more interfaces (114) of the second NF (112) based on the selected criteria. In case of the first criteria, the current session count may be determined by the processing unit (126) by comparing the current session count on each of the interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold
25 configured for the corresponding interfaces (114) when the first criteria is received as the selection from the user (104). The maximum session threshold may be fetched from the session cache (118) based on the one or more parameters received in the at least one session request. In case of the second criteria, the current session count on the interfaces (114) of the second NF (112) may be determined by
30 comparing a current total session count of all the interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold configured collectively for all the interfaces (114) when the second criteria is received as the selection from the user (104).
36

[00151] At step (410), the method (400) includes a step of performing an
action on the at least one received session request based on the determination of the current session count. The action may be, rejecting the session request or accepting the session request. In case of the first criteria, the action of rejecting the session request is performed when the current session count of at least one of the interfaces (114) exceeds the maximum session threshold of a corresponding interface of the interfaces (114). In the same first criteria, the action of accepting the session request is performed when the current session count of each of the interfaces (114) is below the maximum session threshold of the corresponding interfaces (114).
[00152] In case of the second criteria, the action of rejecting the session
request is performed when the total current session count of all the interfaces (114) exceeds the maximum session threshold configured for all the interfaces (114) collectively. In the same second criteria, the action of accepting the session request is performed when the total current session count of all the interfaces (114) is below the maximum session threshold configured for all the interfaces (114) collectively. The action of rejecting the session request is performed based on a status of an overload detecting flag. The status of the overload detecting flag may be enabled or disabled.
[00153] In an embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a User
Equipment (UE) communicatively coupled with a network. The coupling including a step of receiving, by the network, a connection request from the UE. The coupling including a step of sending, by the network, an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE. The coupling including a step of transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request. The network is configured for implementing the method for managing session overloading in one or more Network Functions (NFs).
[00154] The present disclosure provides technical advancement related to
field of network function management in 4G and 5G networks. This advancement

addresses the limitations of existing solutions by introducing configurable session management parameters and dynamic threshold-based overload detection. The disclosure involves configuration of the parameters and dynamically enables or disables an overload detecting flag based on real-time session counts, which offer significant improvements in performance by preventing overload conditions, enhancing reliability and ensuring optimal resource utilization. By implementing the invention, the disclosed solution enhances network stability and efficiency, resulting in more robust and responsive network infrastructure.
[00155] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the present
disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is determined by the claims that follow. The present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the present disclosure when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.
[00156] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the preferred
embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be implemented merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.
ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[00157] The present disclosure provides a system and a method that enables
session overload monitoring and efficient memory management.

[00158] The present invention provides a system and method that optimizes
a utilization of cache memory, enables, or disables a creation of new sessions and processes requests without any delay or latency.
[00159] The present invention provides a system and a method that monitors
network sessions and minimizes a potential overload condition, resulting in an improved network performance.
[00160] The present invention provides a system and a method that provides
a robust network management mechanism, and a reliable network infrastructure with minimal disruptions.

We Claim:
1. A method (400) for managing session overloading in one or more Network
Functions (NFs), wherein the method (400) comprising steps of:
configuring (402) one or more parameters associated with a session management and a plurality of session thresholds for each of one or more interfaces (114) and for all the one or more interfaces (114), wherein the plurality of session thresholds comprises a maximum session threshold and a minimum session threshold;
receiving (404) at least one session request from a first NF (110) by a second NF (112), wherein the second NF (112) comprises the one or more interfaces (114);
receiving (406) a selection of a criteria associated with the plurality of session thresholds;
determining (408) a current session count on each of the one or more interfaces or all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively of the second NF (112) based on the selected criteria; and
performing (410) an action on the at least one received session request based on the determination of the current session count.
2. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first NF (110) is selected from one of, a Session Management Function (SMF) or a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW).
3. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second NF (112) is selected from one of, a Policy Control Function (PCF) or a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF).
4. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters are associated with corresponding UEs (102), wherein the one or more parameters are selected from a list comprising an Access Point Name (APN),

an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) range, a Radio Access Technology (RAT)-Type, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), a User Equipment (UE) (102) Internet Protocol (IP) address range, or a combination thereof.
5. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of session thresholds are configured based on the one or more parameters associated with the session management.
6. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the action comprises one of, accepting the at least one session request or rejecting the at least one session request.
7. The method (400) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the action of rejecting the at least one session request is performed based on a status of an overload detecting flag.
8. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the criteria comprises receiving the selection of a first criteria defining the plurality of session thresholds configured for each of the one or more interfaces (114) individually.
9. The method (400) as claimed in claim 8, wherein determining the current session count on each of the one or more interfaces (114) of the second NF (112) based on the selected criteria comprises comparing the current session count of each of the one or more interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold configured for the corresponding one or more interfaces (114) based on the selected first criteria.
10. The method (400) as claimed in claim 9, wherein performing the action on the at least one session request based on the determination of the current session count comprises rejecting the at least one session request when the current session count of at least one of the interfaces (114) exceeds the maximum

session threshold of a corresponding interface of the one or more interfaces (114).
11. The method (400) as claimed in claim 9, wherein performing the action on the at least one session request based on the determination of the current session count comprises accepting the at least one session request when the current session count of each of the one or more interfaces (114) is below the maximum session threshold of the corresponding one or more interfaces (114).
12. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the criteria comprises receiving the selection of a second criteria defining the plurality of session thresholds configured for all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively.
13. The method (400) as claimed in claim 12, wherein determining the current session count on all the one or more interfaces (114) of the second NF (112) based on the selected criteria comprises comparing a current total session count of all the one or more interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively based on the selected second criteria.
14. The method (400) as claimed in claim 13, wherein performing the action on the at least one session request based on the determination of the current session count comprises rejecting the at least one session request when the total current session count of all the one or more interfaces (114) exceeds the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively.
15. The method (400) as claimed in claim 13, wherein performing the action on the at least one session request based on the determination of the current session count comprises accepting the at least one session request when the total current session count of all the one or more interfaces (114) is below the

maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively.
16. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one session
request is one of, a session delete request or a session initial request.
17. A system (106) for managing session overloading in one or more Network
Functions (NFs), wherein the system (106) comprising:
a receiving unit (120) configured to receive at least one session request from a User Equipment (UE) (102) by a first NF (110); and
a processing unit (126) communicatively coupled to the receiving unit (120), wherein the processing unit (126) is configured to:
configure one or more parameters associated with a session management and a plurality of session thresholds for each of one or more interfaces (114) individually and for all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively, wherein the plurality of session thresholds comprises a maximum session threshold and a minimum session threshold;
receive the at least one session request from the first NF (110) by a second NF (112), wherein the second NF (112) comprises the one or more interfaces (114);
receive a selection of a criteria associated with the plurality of session thresholds;
determine a current session count on each of the one or more interfaces or all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively of the second NF (112) based on the selected criteria; and
perform an action on the at least one received session request based on the determination of the current session count.
18. The system (106) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first NF (110) is selected
from one of, a Session Management Function (SMF) or a Packet Data Network
Gateway (PGW).

19. The system (106) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second NF (112) is selected from one of, a Policy Control Function (PCF) or a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF).
20. The system (106) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the one or more parameters associated with the corresponding UEs (102), wherein the one or more parameters are selected from a list comprising an Access Point Name (APN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) range, a Radio Access Technology (RAT)-Type, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), a User Equipment (UE) (102) Internet Protocol (IP) address range, or a combination thereof.
21. The system (106) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of session thresholds are configured based on the one or more parameters associated with the session management.
22. The system (106) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the action comprises one of, accepting the at least one session request or rejecting the at least one session request.
23. The system (106) as claimed in claim 22, wherein the action of rejecting the at least one session request is performed based on a status of an overload detecting flag.
24. The system (106) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the selection of the criteria comprises the selection of a first criteria defining the plurality of session thresholds configured for each of the one or more interfaces (114) individually.
25. The system (106) as claimed in claim 24, wherein the processing unit (126) is configured to compare the current session count of each of the one or more interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold configured for the corresponding one or more interfaces (114) based on the selected first criteria

to determine the current session count on each of the one or more interfaces (114) of the second NF (112).
26. The system (106) as claimed in claim 25, wherein the processing unit (126) is configured to perform the action of rejecting the at least one session request when the current session count of at least one of the interfaces (114) exceeds the maximum session threshold of a corresponding interface of the one or more interfaces (114).
27. The system (106) as claimed in claim 25, wherein the processing unit (126) is configured to perform the action of accepting the at least one session request when the current session count of each of the one or more interfaces (114) is below the maximum session threshold of the corresponding one or more interfaces (114).
28. The system (106) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the selection of the criteria comprises the selection of a second criteria defining the plurality of session thresholds configured for all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively.
29. The system (106) as claimed in claim 28, wherein the processing unit (126) is configured to compare a current total session count of all the one or more interfaces (114) with the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively based on the selected second criteria to determine the current session count on all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively of the second NF (112).
30. The system (106) as claimed in claim 29, wherein the processing unit (126) is configured to perform the action of rejecting the at least one session request when the total current session count of all the one or more interfaces (114) exceeds the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively.

31. The system (106) as claimed in claim 29, wherein the processing unit (126) is configured to perform the action of accepting the at least one session request when the total current session count of all the one or more interfaces (114) is below the maximum session threshold configured for all the one or more interfaces (114) collectively.
32. The system (106) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the at least one session request is one of, a session delete request or a session initial request.
33. A User Equipment (UE) (102) communicatively coupled with a network (108), the coupling comprises steps of:
receiving, by the network (108), a connection request from the UE (102);
sending, by the network (108), an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (102); and
transmitting a plurality of signals in response to the connection request, wherein the network (108) is configured for performing a method (400) for managing session overloading in one or more Network Functions (NFs) as claimed in claim 1.