DESC:
FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING DATA REQUESTS IN A NETWORK

2. APPLICANT(S)
Name Nationality Address
JIO PLATFORMS LIMITED INDIAN Office - 101, Saffron, Nr. Centre Point, Panchwati 5 Rasta, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380006, Gujarat, India
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
[0001] 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 or its affiliates (hereinafter 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.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of communication systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for processing data requests in a network.
DEFINITION
[0003] 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.
[0004] The expression ‘User Plane Function (UPF)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a network function responsible for data routing and forwarding in 5G and 6G core networks.
[0005] The expression ‘Graphical User Interface (GUI)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a visual interface allowing users to interact with a system.
[0006] The expression ‘User Plane Function Graphical User Interface (UPF GUI)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a visual interface designed specifically for managing and monitoring UPF network elements. It provides a user-friendly way to interact with the UPF, allowing administrators to view performance metrics, configure settings, and troubleshoot issues.
[0007] The expression ‘UPF Node’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a specific instance or deployment of the UPF within a network.
[0008] The expression ‘Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a protocol for controlling packet forwarding between network elements in 5G and 6G networks.
[0009] The expression ‘Unified Cluster Manager (UCM)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a system or software component responsible for managing and coordinating multiple servers or nodes within a cluster.
[0010] The expression ‘server Internet Protocol (IP) address’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a unique numerical identifier assigned to a server on the network, used to locate and communicate with the server.
[0011] The expression ‘network identifier’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a unique identifier used to specify network-related elements such as the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) ID, cell ID, or node ID, which help distinguish various components or resources within a mobile or communication network.
[0012] The expression ‘geographical identifier’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to an identifier that represents a specific physical location or area within the network, such as a circle (region), site ID (network site), or cluster, used to manage and optimize network resources in a geographic area.
[0013] These definitions are in addition to those expressed in the art.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0014] 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.
[0015] User Plane Function (UPF) is one of the network functions (NFs) of the 5G and 6G core networks. The UPF is responsible for data routing and forwarding in the 5G and 6G architecture. The UPF is a distinct Virtual Network Function (VNF) that offers a high-performance forwarding engine capable of processing large volumes of user data traffic. Using Vector Packet Processing (VPP) technology, the UPF achieves ultra-fast data forwarding while retaining compatibility with all the user plane functionality. To meet the demands of large-scale data processing, multiple UPF instances are often organized into clusters. A UPF cluster is a group of UPF instances that work together to handle a specific set of network functions, such as user plane traffic. This approach provides enhanced scalability, redundancy, and fault tolerance. The UPF cluster is grouped by geographic region or specific network requirements such as circles, sites, or dedicated network clusters, enabling efficient load distribution, redundancy, and scaling capabilities. By clustering UPF instances, network providers can enhance overall system resilience and performance, efficiently balancing traffic loads across multiple network nodes and accommodating high demand across diverse locations.
[0016] However, managing the UPF cluster clusters brings certain challenges. When a user attempts to retrieve data through a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI must determine the appropriate server within the UPF cluster to handle the request. This requires comparing tags and metadata at the backend, often resulting in significant page load delays as the GUI evaluates and selects from multiple server options. As a result, this selection process can overwhelm the UPF GUI servers, especially as they receive a large volume of requests from multiple users, ultimately impacting the efficiency and user experience. This does not provide a better UI experience to the user.
[0017] There is, therefore, a need in the art to provide a system and a method that can overcome the shortcomings of the existing prior arts.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, a system for processing data requests in a network, the system comprising a memory configured to maintain an inventory of a plurality of server Internet Protocol (IP) addresses associated with a plurality of UPF nodes, a receiving unit configured to receive a data request from an external server, the data request comprising one or more request parameters provided by a user via a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the one or more request parameters comprise information related to at least one UPF node from amongst the plurality UPF nodes, a determining unit configured to determine, based on the one or more request parameters, the at least one UPF node to be contacted for retrieving data by selecting a corresponding server IP address associated with the at least one UPF node and retrieve the data pertaining to the one or more request parameters from the determined at least one UPF node using the selected corresponding server IP address and a communication unit to send the retrieved data to the external server for display on the GUI.
[0019] In some embodiments, the one or more request parameters comprise a combination of network identifiers and geographical identifiers.
[0020] In some embodiments, the one or more request parameters provided by the user include at least one of a circle, a site, and a cluster associated with the at least one UPF node.
[0021] In some embodiments, the GUI is a UPF GUI.
[0022] In some embodiments, the at least one UPF node include at least one of a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) proxy, Unified Cluster Manager (UCM) and a data plane.
[0023] In another exemplary embodiment, a method for processing data requests in a network, the method comprising receiving a data request from an external server, the data request comprising one or more request parameters provided by a user via a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the one or more request parameters comprise information related to a plurality of UPF nodes, determining, based on the one or more request parameters, at least one UPF node from amongst the plurality UPF nodes to be contacted for retrieving data by selecting a corresponding server IP address associated with the determined at least one UPF node, retrieving the data pertaining to the one or more request parameters from the determined at least one UPF node using the selected corresponding server IP address and sending the retrieved data to the external server for display on the GUI.
[0024] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a user equipment (UE) is described. The UE is communicatively coupled with a network, the coupling comprises steps of receiving, a data request from an external server, the data request comprising one or more request parameters provided by a user via a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the one or more request parameters comprise information related to a plurality of UPF nodes, determining, based on the one or more request parameters, at least one UPF node from amongst the plurality UPF nodes to be contacted for retrieving data by selecting a corresponding server IP address associated with the determined at least one UPF node, retrieving the data pertaining to the one or more request parameters from the determined at least one UPF node using the selected corresponding server IP address and sending the retrieved data to the external server for display on the GUI.
[0025] The foregoing general description of the illustrative embodiments and the following detailed description thereof are merely exemplary aspects of the teachings of this disclosure and are not restrictive.
OBJECTIVES OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0026] Some of the objectives of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein achieves, are as follows:
[0027] The objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for efficient data rendering using a user plane function graphical user interface (UPF GUI).
[0028] Another objective of the present disclosure is to manage and organize a comprehensive inventory of backend server Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
[0029] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for determining a server for data requests based on the specific details and requirements of the incoming data requests.
[0030] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is to accurately segregate data of each UPF node within a system according to its associated circle, site, and cluster. Thereby ensuring precise and efficient data management and retrieval.
[0031] Other objectives and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0032] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes the disclosure of electrical components, electronic components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.
[0033] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary network architecture implementing a system for processing data requests in a network, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0034] FIG. 1B illustrates a block diagram of the system for processing data requests in the network, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 1C illustrates an exemplary network architecture implementing the system for processing data requests in the network, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram describing the processing of data requests in the network, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates another exemplary flow diagram of a method for processing data requests in the network, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0038] FIG. 4 illustrates a computer system in which or with which the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.
[0039] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

100A – Network architecture
102-1, 102-2…102-N – User(s)
104-1, 104-2…104-N – User equipment(s)
106 – Network
108 – System
100B – Block Diagram
110 – One or more processor(s)
112 – Memory
114 – Plurality of interfaces
116 – Receiving Unit
117 – Determining Unit
118 – Communication Unit
120 – Database
100C – Example Architecture
122-1, 122-2, 122-3, 122-4 – User Plane Function Graphical User Interface (UPF GUI)
124 – External Server
126 – User Plane Function (UPF) backend server
130-1, 130-2, 130-3 – Plurality of servers/Plurality of UPF nodes
200 – Flow Diagram
300 – Flow Chart
400 – Computer System
410 – External Storage Device
420 – Bus
430 – Main Memory
440 – Read Only Memory
450 – Mass Storage Device
460 – Communication Port
470 – Processor
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0040] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding 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 independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any 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. Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings.
[0041] 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.
[0042] 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 unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
[0043] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process that 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 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 function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.
[0044] The word “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, 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 “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive like the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.
[0045] 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 in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
[0046] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context 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 or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be noted that the terms “mobile device”, “user equipment”, “user device”, “communication device”, “device” and similar terms are used interchangeably for the purpose of describing the present disclosure. These terms are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure or imply any specific functionality or limitations on the described embodiments. The use of these terms is solely for convenience and clarity of description. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular type of device or equipment, and it should be understood that other equivalent terms or variations thereof may be used interchangeably without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined herein.
[0047] As used herein, an “electronic device”, or “portable electronic device”, or “user device” or “communication device” or “user equipment” or “device” refers to any electrical, electronic, electromechanical and computing device. The user device is capable of receiving and/or transmitting one or parameters, performing function/s, communicating with other user devices and transmitting data to the other user devices. The user equipment may have a processor, a display, a memory, a battery and an input-means such as a hard keypad and/or a soft keypad. The user equipment may be capable of operating on any radio access technology including but not limited to IP-enabled communication, Zig Bee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Near Field Communication, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, etc. For instance, the user equipment may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone, smartphone, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other device as may be obvious to a person skilled in the art for implementation of the features of the present disclosure.
[0048] Further, the user device may also comprise a “processor” or “processing unit” includes processing unit, wherein processor refers to any logic circuitry for processing instructions. The processor may be a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a digital signal processing (DSP) core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, Field Programmable Gate Array circuits, any other type of integrated circuits, etc. The processor may perform signal coding data processing, input/output processing, and/or any other functionality that enables the working of the system according to the present disclosure. More specifically, the processor is a hardware processor.
[0049] As portable electronic devices and wireless technologies continue to improve and grow in popularity, the advancing wireless technologies for data transfer are also expected to evolve and replace the older generations of technologies. In the field of wireless data communications, the dynamic advancement of various generations of cellular technology are also seen. The development, in this respect, has been incremental in the order of Second Generation (2G), Third Generation (3G), Fourth Generation (4G), Fifth Generation (5G), and Sixth Generation (6G), and more such generations are expected to continue in the forthcoming time.
[0050] Radio Access Technology (RAT) refers to the technology used by mobile devices/ user equipment (UE) to connect to a cellular network. It refers to the specific protocol and standards that govern the way devices communicate with base stations, which are responsible for providing the wireless connection. Further, each RAT has its own set of protocols and standards for communication, which define the frequency bands, modulation techniques, and other parameters used for transmitting and receiving data. Examples of RATs include Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), 5G, and 6G. The choice of RAT depends on various factors, including the network infrastructure, the available spectrum, and the mobile device's/device's capabilities. Mobile devices often support multiple RATs, allowing the mobile devices to connect to different types of networks and provide optimal performance based on the available network resources.
[0051] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of 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 embodiment as well as other 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 interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.
[0052] User Plane Function (UPF) is one of the network functions (NFs) of the 5G and 6G core networks. The UPF is responsible for data routing and forwarding in the 5G and 6G architecture. The UPF is a distinct Virtual Network Function (VNF) that offers a high-performance forwarding engine for the user data traffic. Using Vector Packet Processing (VPP) technology, the UPF achieves ultra-fast data forwarding while retaining compatibility with all the user plane functionality. Currently, a user has to directly request server data through a graphical user interface (GUI). To get data from the server, tags must be compared at the back end. As the UI has to decide on server selection, the page load time slows down. This does not provide a better UI experience to the user. Further, due to the vast amount of data, the UPF GUI servers are exhausted as many requests may be received.
[0053] Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods for managing data requests in a network.
[0054] The present disclosure aims to overcome the above-mentioned and other existing problems in this field of technology by providing a system and a method for processing data requests in a network.
[0055] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings
[0056] The various embodiments throughout the disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 1A- FIG. 4.
[0057] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary network architecture (100A) for implementing a system (108) for managing a data request in a network (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0058] As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the network architecture (100A) may include one or more user equipments (UEs) (104-1, 104-2…104-N) associated with one or more users (102-1, 102-2…102-N) in an environment. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more users (102-1, 102-2…102-N) may be collectively referred to as the users (102). Similarly, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more UEs (104-1, 104-2…104-N) may be collectively referred to as the UE (104). Although only three UEs (104) are depicted in FIG. 1A, however, any number of the UE (104) may be included without departing from the scope of the ongoing description.
[0059] In an embodiment, the UE (104) may include smart devices operating in a smart environment, for example, an Internet of Things (IoT) system. In such an embodiment, the UE (104) may include, but are not limited to, smartphones, 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, smart security system, smart home system, other devices for monitoring or interacting with or for the users (102) and/or entities, or any combination thereof. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (104) may include, but not limited to, intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, which may integrate seamlessly with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system or any other device that is network-connected.
[0060] Additionally, in some embodiments, the UE (104) may include, but not limited to, a handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smartphone, 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 device, and so on), a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a laptop computer, 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. In an embodiment, the UE (104) may include, but are not limited to, any electrical, electronic, electromechanical, or equipment, or a combination of one or more of the above devices, such as virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other computing device, wherein the UE (104) 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 user (102) or the entity such as touchpad, touch-enabled screen, electronic pen, and the like. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (104) may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may be used.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 1A, the UE (104) may communicate with the system (108) through the network (106) for sending or receiving various types of data. In an embodiment, the network (106) may include at least one of a 5G network, 6G network, or the like. The network (106) may enable the UE (104) to communicate with other devices in the network architecture (100A) and/or with the system (108). The network (106) may include a wireless card or some other transceiver connection to facilitate this communication. In another embodiment, the network (106) may be implemented as, or include any of a variety of different communication technologies such as a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless network, a mobile network, a Virtual Private Network (VPN), the Internet, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or the like.
[0062] In an embodiment, the network (106) may include, by way of example but not limitation, at least a portion of one or more networks having at least one node that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or a combination thereof, etc. one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, some combination thereof, or so forth. The network (106) may also include, by way of example but not limitation, one or more of a radio access network (RAN), a wireless network, a wired network, an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet-switched network, a circuit-switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, or some combination thereof.
[0063] In an embodiment, the UE (104) is communicatively coupled with the network (106). The network (106) may receive a connection request from the UE (104). The network (106) may send an acknowledgment of the connection request to the UE (104). The UE (104) may transmit a plurality of signals in response to the connection request.
[0064] Although FIG. 1A shows exemplary components of the network architecture (100A), in other embodiments, the network architecture (100) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 1A. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the network architecture (100A) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the network architecture (100A).
[0065] FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary block diagram (100B) of the system (108) for managing the data request in the network (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0066] Referring to FIG. 1B, in an embodiment, the system (108) may include one or more processor(s) (110), a memory (112), a plurality of interface(s) (114), a receiving unit (116), a determining unit (117), a communication unit (118) and a database (120). In an embodiment, the memory (112), the plurality of interface(s) (114), the receiving unit (116), the determining unit (117), the communication unit (118) are coupled to the one or more processor(s) (110). The one or more processor(s) (110) 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 on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the one or more processor(s) (110) may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory (112) of the system (108). In an embodiment, the memory (112) is configured to maintain an inventory of server IP addresses associated with at least one UPF node. The memory (112) is also configured to store a plurality of instructions. The program instructions include a program that implements a method for processing data requests in the network (106) in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure and may implement other embodiments described in this specification. The memory (112) may include any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as random-access memory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like.
[0067] The one or more processor(s) (110) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the one or more processor(s) (110). In the examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the one or more processor(s) (110) may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the one or more processor(s) (110) may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the one or more processor(s) (110). In such examples, the system may comprise the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the system and the processing resource. In other examples, the one or more processor(s) (110) may be implemented by electronic circuitry. In an embodiment, the database (120) includes data that may be either stored or generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the one or more processor(s) (110).
[0068] In an embodiment, the interface(s) (114) may include a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices (I/O), storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) (114) may facilitate communication through the system (108). The interface(s) (114) may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the system (108). Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, a one or more processor(s) (110) and the database (120).
[0069] In an embodiment, a receiving unit (116) is configured to receive a data request from an external server. The data request includes one or more request parameters provided by a user (102) via a graphical user interface (GUI). The one or more request parameters include information related to a plurality of User Plane Function (UPF) nodes. The data request may include user-specified criteria such as circles, sites, clusters, or specific nodes of the UPF. Examples of the at least one UPF node may include a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP), Unified Cluster Manager (UCM), and a data plane. In an example, the external server is a web server that is configured to handle high concurrency and high traffic sites. The external server acts as an intermediary that receives data requests and communicates them to the system (108). The external server provides the input parameters by a GUI, which the system (108) processes to retrieve and return relevant data. Thus, the external server initiates the request, which is then processed by the system (108), and subsequently receives and displays the requested data on the GUI. The one or more request parameters may include information such as network identifiers, geographical identifiers, or details related to the at least one UPF node, which routes and forwards data within the network (106). In examples, the one or more request parameters include a combination of network identifiers and geographical identifiers. The receiving unit (116) initiates the request-handling process, ensuring that the system (108) can begin the necessary operations to process the incoming data requests.
[0070] In an embodiment, the determining unit (117) analyzes incoming data request to determine the at least one UPF node from amongst the plurality of UPF nodes to be contacted for retrieving the requested data by selecting a corresponding server IP address associated with the at least one UPF node. The determining unit (117) processes one or more request parameters received through the GUI to select a corresponding server IP address associated with the at least one UPF node. In an embodiment, the determining unit (117) is configured to query the memory (112) to retrieve server IP information based on the specified criteria. The memory (112) stores server Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the plurality of servers categorized by circles, sites, clusters, and of the at least one UPF node. The determining unit (117) selects the appropriate IP address of the server, which corresponds to the at least one UPF node. By conducting this analysis, the determining unit (117) ensures that data is fetched from the correct source, minimizing unnecessary overhead and optimizing system performance, especially where multiple servers manage different data sets. In an implementation, the determining unit (117) may retrieve the data pertaining to the one or more request parameters from the determined server using the selected server IP address. The determining unit (117) ensures that the system (108) operates efficiently since only the correct data is retrieved based on the input request parameters.
[0071] In an embodiment, the communication unit (118) may send or transmit the retrieved data to the external server for display on the GUI. Once the determining unit (117) has identified the determined at least one UPF node and the relevant data has been gathered, the communication unit (118) sends this data to the external server. The external server then utilizes the data to display the necessary information through the GUI to the user (102). The data may be presented in a clear and visually appealing manner to facilitate user understanding and analysis. The communication unit (118) plays a crucial role in ensuring that data is reliably and efficiently transmitted between the system (108) and other units, thereby completing the data request processing cycle and delivering the requested information to the user (102).
[0072] In an embodiment, the system (108) is configured to broadcast circle, site, and cluster mapping data across the GUI to ensure consistent visibility. This eliminates the need for the user (102) to repeatedly select these criteria when navigating different pages or sections of the GUI.
[0073] As described above, the memory (112) is configured to store the inventory of the IP addresses associated with the at least one UPF node. The memory (112) plays a key role in maintaining the mapping between the server IP addresses and the at least one UPF node, ensuring that when a data request is processed, the determining unit (117) can quickly and efficiently reference this inventory to select the determined at least one UPF node. By enabling fast lookup operations, the memory (112) allows the system (108) to retrieve data from the determined at least one UPF node based on one or more request parameters.
[0074] FIG. 1C illustrates an example architecture (100C) of a system (108) for processing data requests in the network (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0075] The system (108) includes a plurality of clients User Plane Function Graphical User Interface (UPF GUI) (122(1-N)) also referred to a Graphical User Interface (GUI) (122), an external server (124), a UPF backend server (126), a UPF database (120) (i.e., the database (120)), and the at least one UPF node (130-1, 130-2, 130-3) or a plurality of nodes (130). The plurality of nodes (130) may interchangeably be referred to as at least one server (130-1, 130-2, 130-3) throughout the description. Further, the at least one server (130-1, 130-2, 130-3) may collectively be referred to as a plurality of servers (130). A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more users (102-1, 102-2…102-N) may be collectively referred to as the users (102). Within the plurality of UPF nodes (130), the plurality of servers (130) may be deployed to handle specialized tasks to ensure efficient data handling and scalability across the network (106). In an implementation, the UPF backend server (126) may be implemented within the system (108). In some implementations, the UPF backend server (126) may be the system (108).
[0076] The plurality of client UPF GUI (122(1-N)) includes Client 1 UPF GUI 1 (122-1), Client 2 UPF GUI 2 (122-2), Client 3 UPF GUI 3 (122-3), and Client 4 UPF GUI 4 (122-4). The at least one server (1-3) includes server 1 (130-1), server 2 (130-2), and server 3 (130-3). The server 1 (130-1) may be the Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) Proxy, the server 2 (130-2) may be the Unified Cluster Manager (UCM) and the server 3 (130-3) may be data plane. The PFCP Proxy is a control plane function responsible for managing user plane sessions. The PFCP Proxy interacts with the Session Management Function (SMF) to receive policies related to user traffic processing. The PFCP Proxy also sends usage information and traffic reports to the SMF. On the other end, the PFCP Proxy communicates with the data plane service, transferring policy and traffic information obtained from the SMF to ensure proper data handling at the data plane. The Data Plane is responsible for the actual forwarding of user data packets. The data plane is an application positioned in-line with the user data traffic flow between the User Equipment (UE) (104) and the data network. The data plane involves processing packets and enforcing predefined policies in both the uplink and downlink. The Data Plane ensures efficient and policy-compliant data transfer, facilitating seamless communication across the network. The UCM oversees the overall health and management of a UPF cluster. The UCM interacts with the Network Management System (NMS) to report alarms, counters, and system configurations. Additionally, the UCM maintains a persistent storage component, known as UCM-DN, for storing configurations and FCAPs (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security) data.
[0077] A user (102) may select detail(s)/requirement(s) (such as circles, sites, clusters from the plurality of servers (130) such as PFCP Proxy, UCM, or data plane) in the UPF GUI (122). The UPF GUI (122) may uniquely broadcast circle, site, and cluster mapping data across the UPF GUI (122) to ensure consistent mapping visibility. This eliminates the need for the user (102) to re-select options when switching pages. The external server (124) may receive data requests from the plurality of client UPF GUI (122). The external server (124) may send the received data requests to the UPF backend server (126). In an example, the external server (124) is configured to handle high concurrency and high traffic sites. The external server (124) acts as an intermediary that receives data requests and communicates them to the system (108). The external server (124) provides the input parameters by the UPF GUI (122), which the system (108) processes to retrieve and return relevant data. Thus, the external server (124) initiates the request, which is then processed by the system (108), and subsequently receives and displays the requested data on the UPF GUI (122). The UPF backend server (126) may communicate with the database (120). The UPF backend server (126) may manage and organize the plurality of server Internet Protocol (IP) addresses in the database (120). The UPF backend server (126) may store the plurality of server IP addresses in the memory (112).
[0078] In an implementation, the external server (124) may include information related to Application Programming Interface (API) paths and UPF backend information. The API call may be a software intermediary that allows two applications to communicate with each other. The APIs are used to extract and share data. In angular applications, the API call is made to connect the application with server-side resources, enabling the applications to interact with the back-end services.
[0079] In an aspect, the UPF backend server (126) may function as an intermediary layer interacting with the plurality of servers (130) to manage data requests efficiently. The UPF backend server (126) may accept the data request from the UPF GUI (122) via the external server (124). The UPF backend server (126) may process the request to make a tailored request based on the initial requirement. The UPF backend server (126) may gather necessary data from the at least one server (e.g., PFCP Proxy, UCM, data plane) and assemble the collated data into a cohesive format. The UPF backend (126) may pass the collated data to the external server (124). Then, the external server (124) forwards the data to the UPF GUI (122). The UPF GUI (122) may subsequently render the data for display to the user (102) in a browser.
[0080] In an implementation, the UPF backend server (126) may play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency of the UPF GUI (122). The UPF backend server (126) may determine the appropriate servers from the at least one server (130) to contact for data collection based on circle, site, and cluster criteria. As the UPF backend server (126) determines the server from a plurality of servers (130), the number of calls between the UPF GUI (122) and the UPF backend server (126) can be significantly reduced. This optimization leads to a noticeable improvement in page load times.
[0081] According to an aspect, the UPF backend server (126) may manage and organize a comprehensive inventory of server internet protocol (IP) addresses in the memory (112). The IP addresses are categorized based on various criteria, including circles, sites, and clusters. Thereby ensuring precise and efficient data management and retrieval.
[0082] In one aspect, the UPF backend server (126) may determine the plurality of servers (130) to contact according to the data request based on the specific details and requirements of the incoming data requests from the client UPF GUI (122).
[0083] In an implementation, the UPF GUI (122) may request the data from the at least one server (130) via the UPF backend server (126). The UPF backend server (126) may decide the at least one server (130) to be contacted for each data request. The UPF backend server (126) selects the at least one server (130) from the plurality of servers (130) for each data request. The UPF backend server (126) gets the data from the appropriate server from the plurality of servers (130) and collates the data. The UPF backend server (126) forwards the data to the UPF GUI (122) through the external server (124). In this way, the UPF GUI (122) does not directly retrieve data from the plurality of servers (130). Accordingly, the UPF GUI (122) page load time is significantly reduced.
[0084] FIG. 2 illustrates an example flow diagram (200) describing the processing data requests in the network (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0085] At step (202) of the flow diagram (200), a user (102) may load a User Plane Function (UPF) page in a browser and input detail(s)/requirement(s) (for example, circles, sites, clusters combination, the at least one UPF node (130-1, 130-2, 130-3) such as Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) Proxy, Unified Cluster Manager (UCM), data plane) in a User Plane Function Graphical User Interface (UPF GUI) (122). A UPF page load request may be sent to an API call for data.
[0086] At step (204) of the flow diagram (200), an application programming interface (API) call (angular) for data may be made to the external server (124). The API call may be a software intermediary that allows two applications to communicate with each other. The APIs are used to extract and share data.
[0087] At step (206) of the flow diagram (200), the external server (124) may forward the UPF page load request with circle, site, and cluster information to the UPF backend server (126).
[0088] The UPF backend server (126) may manage and organize server IP addresses. The UPF backend server (126) may store the server IP addresses in the database (120). The server IP addresses are categorized based on various criteria, including circles, sites, clusters, and the at least one UPF node, such as PFCP Proxy, UCM, and data plane. The UPF backend server (126) may retrieve the IP address of the at least one UPF node (130) from the plurality of UPF nodes (130) to make the request. The UPF backend server (126) may select the at least one UPF node (130) from the plurality of nodes (130) by checking the circle, site, cluster information, and the type of request.
[0089] The UPF backend server (126) may perform one of the following steps (from step 208 - step 212) to select the at least one UPF node (130) from the plurality of servers (130).
[0090] At step (208) of the flow diagram (200), the UPF backend server (126) may select a PFCP proxy by sending a GET request to obtain the data for the received UPF page load request.
[0091] At step (210) of the flow diagram (200), the UPF backend server (126) may select the UCM by sending the GET request to obtain the data for the received UPF page load request.
[0092] At step (212) of the flow diagram (200), the UPF backend server (126) may select the data plane by sending the GET request to obtain the data for the received UPF page load request.
[0093] At step (214) of the flow diagram (200), the UPF backend server (126) may select a cloud shell (220) by sending the GET request to obtain data for the received UPF page load request.
[0094] At step (216) of the flow diagram (200), the UPF backend server (126) may get the data from the determined at least one UPF node (130) from the plurality of servers (130) and send the data as a response to the external server (124).
[0095] At step (218) of the flow diagram (200), the external server (124) may forward the response to the API.
[0096] At step (220) of the flow diagram (200), the API may forward the response to the UPF GUI (122). The UPF GUI (122) may render the data on the browser.
[0097] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flowchart of a method (300) for processing data requests in a network (106), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0098] At step 302, the method (300) is configured to receive a data request from an external server (124). The data request includes user-specified criteria such as circles, sites, clusters of the at least one UPF node (130-1, 130-2, 130-3). The data request comprises one or more request parameters provided by a user (102) via a graphical user interface (GUI) (122). The one or more request parameters include information related to a plurality of user plane function (UPF) nodes.
[0099] At step 304, the method (300) is configured to determine at least one UPF node (130) from among the plurality of UPF nodes (130) to be contacted for retrieving data. The selection is based on the one or more request parameters provided by the user (102) via the graphical user interface (GUI) (122). The server IP address associated with the at least one UPF node (130) is selected. The system (108) maintains an inventory of server IP addresses linked to the at least one UPF node (130). This inventory is stored in the database (120) and is essential for the method (300) to make quick and accurate decisions. The determining process involves selecting the correct server IP address from this inventory, ensuring that the system contacts the at least one UPF node (130) out of the plurality of the UPF nodes (130).
[00100] At step 306, the method (300) is configured to retrieve data pertaining to the one or more request parameters from the determined at least one UPF node (130) using the selected server IP address. The system may use network communication protocols to fetch the required data. After determining at least one UPF node (130), the system (108) establishes a connection with the determined at least one node (130) using the selected server IP address. The system (108) then sends a data retrieval request to the external server (124), based on the request parameters provided by the user (102). The external server (124) processes the request and sends the relevant data back to the system (108).
[00101] At step 308, the method (300) is configured to send the retrieved data to the external server (124) for display on the UPF GUI (122). Once the data has been retrieved from the determining unit (117), the system (108) prepares the data for transmission. The communication unit (118) may ensure that the retrieved data is sent reliably and on time to the external server (124), which is responsible for interacting with the UPF GUI (122). The retrieved data is presented to the user (102) in a visually understandable format.
[00102] FIG. 4 illustrates a computer system (400) in which or with which the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.
[00103] As shown in FIG. 4, the computer system (400) may include an external storage device (410), a bus (420), a main memory (430), a read-only memory (440), a mass storage device (450), communication port(s) (460), and a processor (470). A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system may include more than one processor and communication ports. The processor (470) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure. The communication port(s) (460) 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(s) (460) may be chosen depending on a network (106), such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system connects.
[00104] The main memory (430) may be random access memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. The read-only memory (440) may be any static storage device(s) e.g., but 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 (470). The mass storage device (450) may be any current or future mass storage solution which can be used to store information and/or instructions. Exemplary mass storage device (450) includes, but is not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or 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 or more optical discs, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage, e.g., an array of disks.
[00105] The bus (420) communicatively couples the processor (470) with the other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus (420) may be, e.g., a Peripheral Component Interconnect / Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), 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 processor (470) to the computer system.
[00106] Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, joystick, and a cursor control device, may also be coupled to the bus (420) to support direct operator interaction with the computer system. Other operator and administrative interfaces can be provided through network connections connected through the communication port(s) (460). The components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system limit the scope of the present disclosure.
[00107] The method and system of the present disclosure may be implemented in a number of ways. For example, the methods and systems of the present disclosure may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order for the steps of the method is for illustration only, and the steps of the method of the present disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above unless specifically stated otherwise. Further, in some embodiments, the present disclosure may also be embodied as programs recorded in a recording medium, the programs including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure also covers a recording medium storing a program for executing the method according to the present disclosure.
[00108] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a user equipment (UE) communicatively coupled with a network. The coupling includes steps of steps of receiving, by the network, a connection request from the UE, receiving a data request from an external server, the data request comprising one or more request parameters provided by a user via a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the one or more request parameters comprise information related to a plurality of UPF nodes, determining, based on the one or more request parameters, at least one UPF node from amongst the plurality of UPF nodes to be contacted for retrieving data by selecting a corresponding server IP address associated with the at least one UPF node, retrieving the data pertaining to the one or more request parameters from the determined server using the selected server IP address and sending the retrieved data to the external server for display on the GUI.
[00109] The present disclosure provides technical advancement related to network management and optimization. This advancement addresses the limitations of existing solutions by efficiently managing data requests between the UPF GUI and backend servers. The present disclosure involves server selection based on user-specified criteria, data retrieval optimization, and efficient data formatting, significantly improving performance and user experience. By implementing these features, the present disclosure enhances the efficiency of data retrieval. It reduces the load on UPF GUI servers, resulting in faster page load times and improved overall system performance.
[00110] 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 to be implemented merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as limitation.
TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[00111] The present disclosure provides a system and a method for:
• Efficient Data Retrieval: The backend servers are selected based on user-specified criteria, optimizing data retrieval processes.
• Reduced Server Load: By offloading data processing tasks, the UPF GUI servers are protected from excessive load.
• Faster Page Load Times: The optimized data retrieval leads to faster page load times, improving the user experience.
• Enhanced Scalability: The system is designed to handle increasing workloads and data volumes.
• Improved Overall Performance: The combination of above factors significantly improves overall system performance. ,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
We Claim:
1. A system (108) for processing data requests in a network (106), the system (108) comprising:
a memory (112) configured to maintain an inventory of a plurality of server Internet Protocol (IP) addresses associated with a plurality of UPF nodes (130);
a receiving unit (116) configured to receive a data request from an external server (124), the data request comprising one or more request parameters provided by a user (102) via a graphical user interface (GUI) (122), wherein the one or more request parameters comprise information related to at least one UPF node (130) from amongst the plurality UPF nodes (130);
a determining unit (117) configured to:
determine, based on the one or more request parameters, the at least one UPF node (130) to be contacted for retrieving data by selecting a corresponding server IP address associated with the determined at least one UPF node (130);
retrieve the data pertaining to the one or more request parameters from the determined at least one UPF node (130) using the selected corresponding server IP address; and
a communication unit (118) to send the retrieved data to the external server (124) for display on the GUI (122).

2. The system (108) claimed as in claim 1, wherein the one or more request parameters comprise a combination of network identifiers and geographical identifiers.

3. The system (108) claimed as in claim 1, wherein the one or more request parameters provided by the user (102) include at least one of a circle, a site, and a cluster associated with the at least one UPF node (130).

4. The system (108) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the GUI (122) is a UPF GUI.

5. The system (108) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one UPF node (130) includes at least one of a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) proxy, a Unified Cluster Manager (UCM) and a data plane.

6. A method (300) for processing data requests in a network (106), the method (300) comprising:
receiving (302) a data request from an external server (124), the data request comprising one or more request parameters provided by a user (102) via a graphical user interface (GUI) (122), wherein the one or more request parameters comprise information related toa plurality of UPF nodes (130);
determining (304), based on the one or more request parameters, at least one UPF node (130) from amongst the plurality UPF nodes (130) to be contacted for retrieving data by selecting a corresponding server IP address associated with the determined at least one UPF node (130);
retrieving (306) the data pertaining to the one or more request parameters from the determined at least one UPF node (130) using the selected corresponding server IP address; and
sending (308) the retrieved data to the external server (124) for display on the GUI (122).

7. The method (300) claimed as in claim 6, wherein the one or more request parameters comprise a combination of network identifiers and geographical identifiers.

8. The method (300) claimed as in claim 6, wherein the one or more request parameters provided by the user include at least one of a circle, a site, and a cluster associated with the at least UPF node (130).

9. The method (300) claimed as in claim 6, wherein the GUI (122) is a UPF GUI.

10. The method (300) claimed as in claim 6, wherein the at least one UPF node (130) include at least one of a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) proxy, Unified Cluster Manager (UCM) and a data plane.

11. A user equipment (UE) (104) communicatively coupled with a network (106), the coupling comprises of:
receiving (302) a data request from an external server (124), the data request comprising one or more request parameters provided by a user (102) via a graphical user interface (GUI) (122), wherein the one or more request parameters comprise information related toa plurality of UPF nodes (130);
determining (304), based on the one or more request parameters, at least one UPF node (130) from amongst the plurality UPF nodes (130) to be contacted for retrieving data by selecting a corresponding server IP address associated with the determined at least one UPF node (130);
retrieving (306) the data pertaining to the one or more request parameters from the determined at least one UPF node (130) using the selected corresponding server IP address; and
sending (308) the retrieved data to the external server (124) for display on the GUI (122).