KR20230057596A - The method and apparatus for controlling traffic load of a base station - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, disclosed is a method for allowing a device to control a load of a base station in a wireless communication system. In particular, the method receives first information about the load of the base station from an operation, administration, and maintenance (OAM) node, selects a specific terminal based on the first information about the load, updates a UE route selection policy (URSP) corresponding to the specific terminal, and transmits the USRP to the specific terminal.

Description

Method for controlling traffic load of station and apparatus therefor

The present invention relates to a method for controlling the traffic load of a base station and an apparatus therefor, and more particularly, to a method for controlling the load of a base station with traffic overload by analyzing a user's movement characteristics and the characteristics of a service used by the user. and an apparatus therefor.

3GPP TS23.288 defines technology for network automation. In such network automation, a function of analyzing the amount of traffic per base station for a specific network slice and specific service is included.

As described above, the function of analyzing the amount of traffic per base station may be performed by a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF). Specifically, when a NWDAF consumer who needs donation to analyze the amount of traffic per base station requests Dispersion analytics information to NWDAF, NWDAF provides Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF) Function), AF (Application Function), and UPF (User Plane Function) data can be collected.

In addition, NWDAF generates analysis information about which user generates how much traffic in which base station in units of service and network slice, and responds to the analysis information to the NWDAF consumer.

By using the analysis information by the NWDAF, a function capable of reducing the load of the base station while maintaining service quality can be developed, thereby improving the base station investment cost and providing the effect of guaranteeing service quality.

However, conventionally, when a specific base station is overloaded by checking the data usage characteristics of a user using a specific network slice or a specific application in a specific base station, a base station is added as a way to improve it. Installation, relocation of base stations, or methods of performing antenna optimization were used.

However, the method as described above requires considerable investment, such as base station installation costs and antenna adjustment costs for antenna optimization. Therefore, the conventional method required significant capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenditure (OPEX).

Accordingly, there is a need for a method capable of effectively distributing the overload of the base station while reducing CAPEX and OPEX.

That is, the present invention aims to improve base station investment cost for quality improvement by appropriately distributing traffic through a function of selecting an optimal network in consideration of customer characteristics and service characteristics.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0135867 (Name: Network data monitoring method and device, 2020.12.03)

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling the traffic load of a base station and an apparatus therefor.

The technical problems to be achieved in the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. You will be able to.

In a method for controlling a load of a base station by an apparatus in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention, first information about the load of the base station is obtained, and based on the first information about the load, a specific It may include selecting a terminal, updating a UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) corresponding to the specific terminal, and transmitting the USRP to the specific terminal.

In this case, the first information about the load may be received by an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node from a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) and delivered to the device.

In addition, the NWDAF may generate first information about the load according to a request of the OAM node.

In addition, the specific terminal may be one of a plurality of terminals within the coverage of the base station.

Also, the selection of the specific terminal may include selecting a terminal having a data usage equal to or greater than a threshold among a plurality of terminals as the specific terminal based on the first information on the load.

Also, the data usage amount may be data usage occurring through a specific application.

Further, the method may further include requesting an operation, administration, and maintenance (OAM) node to expand or optimize a base station based on the fact that there is no terminal whose data usage is equal to or greater than the threshold value among the plurality of terminals.

In addition, updating the URSP may be updating the URSP based on the existence of an access point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access.

In addition, the USRP may be updated so that the specific terminal routes to the AP.

Also, the AP may be for accessing a Wi-Fi network.

In addition, based on the fact that there is no access point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access, a request to install a new AP may be made to an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node.

In addition, after transmitting the URSP to the specific terminal, if second information about the load of the base station is obtained, and the second information about the load of the base station indicates that the base station is overloaded, OAM (Operation, Administration, and Maintenance) node may be requested to expand or optimize the base station.

In the apparatus for controlling the load of a base station according to the present invention, a communication unit for transmitting and receiving data with a specific terminal; a storage unit for storing data; and a control unit interlocking with the communication unit and the storage unit to control the operation of the device, wherein the control unit obtains first information about the load of the base station, and based on the first information about the load This may include selecting the specific terminal, updating a UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) corresponding to the specific terminal, and controlling transmission of the USRP to the specific terminal.

In this case, the first information about the load may be received by an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node from a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) and transmitted to the device.

In addition, the NWDAF may generate first information about the load according to a request of the OAM node.

In addition, the specific terminal may be one of a plurality of terminals within the coverage of the base station.

Also, the selection of the specific terminal may include selecting a terminal having a data usage equal to or greater than a threshold among a plurality of terminals as the specific terminal based on the first information on the load.

Also, the data usage amount may be data usage occurring through a specific application.

In addition, the control unit controls the communication unit to request an operation, administration, and maintenance (OAM) node to expand or optimize a base station based on the fact that there is no terminal among the plurality of terminals whose data usage is equal to or greater than the threshold. may include more.

In addition, updating the URSP may be updating the URSP based on the existence of an access point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access.

In addition, the USRP may be updated so that the specific terminal routes to the AP.

Also, the AP may be for accessing a Wi-Fi network.

In addition, the controller further controls the communication unit to request an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node to install a new AP based on the absence of an access point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access. can include

In addition, the control unit, after transmitting the URSP to the specific terminal, obtains second information about the load of the base station, and when the second information about the load of the base station indicates that the base station is overloaded, OAM ( Operation, Administration, and Maintenance) may further include controlling the communication unit to request extension or optimization of the base station to the node.

In the wireless communication system according to the present invention, in the network for controlling the load of the base station, first information about the load of the base station is generated according to the request of the OAM (Operation, Administration, and Maintenance) node, and transmitted to the OAM node a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) transmitting the first information; an OAM node requesting Dispersion Analytics related to the base station from the NWDAF, receiving the first information corresponding to the request from the NWDAF, and transmitting the first information to a device; and receiving the first information from the OAM node, and based on the first information, when a load of the base station is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, data usage among a plurality of terminals within the coverage of the base station is second. When a specific terminal that is equal to or greater than the threshold is selected and there is an Access Point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access, the UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) of the specific terminal is selected to route the specific terminal to the AP. and the device for updating and transmitting the URSP to the specific terminal.

According to the present invention, in order to improve the overload of a base station, instead of investing in additional base stations or relocation of base stations, the characteristics of users who generate overloads and the services used by the users are analyzed and transferred to other access networks such as Wi-Fi. By distributing the load, it is possible to ensure customer service quality and improve TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).

The effects obtainable in the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. will be.

1 is a diagram for explaining a network architecture of a 5G wireless communication system according to the present invention.
2 is a diagram showing the structure of a 5G wireless communication service according to the present invention.
3 is a diagram for explaining the function of NWDAF.
4 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment according to the present invention.
5 is a diagram for explaining the structure of NWDAF (Network Data Analytics Function) according to the present invention.

In order to clarify the characteristics and advantages of the problem solving means of the present invention, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to specific embodiments of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

However, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations that may obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted in the following description and accompanying drawings. In addition, it should be noted that the same components are indicated by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings as much as possible.

The terms or words used in the following description and drawings should not be construed as being limited to a common or dictionary meaning, and the inventor may appropriately define the concept of terms for explaining his/her invention in the best way. It should be interpreted as a meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that there is. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not represent all of the technical spirit of the present invention, so various alternatives can be made at the time of this application. It should be understood that there may be equivalents and variations.

In addition, terms including ordinal numbers, such as first and second, are used to describe various components, and are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from other components, and to limit the components. Not used. For example, a second element may be termed a first element, and similarly, a first element may be termed a second element, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In addition, terms used in this specification are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, terms such as "include" or "having" described in this specification are intended to designate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but one or the It should be understood that the above does not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

In addition, terms such as “unit”, “unit”, and “module” described in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may be implemented as hardware or software or a combination of hardware and software. Also, "a or an", "one", "the" and similar related words in the context of describing the invention (particularly in the context of the claims below) Unless indicated or otherwise clearly contradicted by context, both the singular and the plural can be used.

In addition to the above-mentioned terms, specific terms used in the following description are provided to aid understanding of the present invention, and the use of these specific terms may be changed in other forms without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention.

In addition, embodiments within the scope of the present invention include computer-readable media having or conveying computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer system. By way of example, such computer readable media may be in the form of RAM, ROM, EPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage, or computer executable instructions, computer readable instructions or data structures. physical storage media such as, but not limited to, any other medium that can be used to store or convey any program code means in a computer system and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer system. .

In addition, the present invention relates to personal computers, laptop computers, handheld devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile phones, PDAs, pagers It can be implemented in a network computing environment having various types of computer system configurations including (pager) and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed system environments where tasks are performed by both local and remote computer systems linked by wired data links, wireless data links, or a combination of wired and wireless data links through a network. In a distributed system environment, program modules may be located in local and remote memory storage devices.

Further, it will be appreciated that each block of the process flow diagrams and combinations of the flow diagrams may be performed by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be embodied in a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment are described in the flowchart block(s). It creates means to perform functions. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer usable or computer readable memory that can be directed to a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement functionality in a particular way, such that the computer usable or computer readable memory The instructions stored in are also capable of producing an article of manufacture containing instruction means that perform the functions described in the flowchart block(s). The computer program instructions can also be loaded on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, so that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a computer-executed process to generate computer or other programmable data processing equipment. Instructions for performing processing equipment may also provide steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s).

Additionally, each block may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations it is possible for the functions mentioned in the blocks to occur out of order. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order depending on their function.

In describing the embodiments of the present disclosure in detail, an example of a specific system will be the main target, but the main subject matter to be claimed in this specification extends the scope disclosed herein to other communication systems and services having a similar technical background. It can be applied within a range that does not deviate greatly, and this will be possible with the judgment of those skilled in the art.

Meanwhile, prior to a full-scale description of the present invention, 5G communication to which the present invention can be applied will be looked at.

As more and more communication devices require greater communication capacity, a need for improved mobile broadband communication compared to conventional radio access technology (RAT) has emerged. In addition, massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC), which provides various services anytime and anywhere by connecting multiple devices and objects, is also one of the major issues to be considered in next-generation communication. In addition, communication system design considering service/UE sensitive to reliability and latency is being discussed. In this way, introduction of a next-generation RAT considering eMBB (Enhanced mobile Broadband Communication), mMTC, URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communication), etc. is being discussed, and in this specification, the corresponding technology is referred to as NR for convenience. NR is an expression representing an example of 5G radio access technology (RAT).

A new RAT system including NR uses an OFDM transmission scheme or a transmission scheme similar thereto. The new RAT system may follow OFDM parameters different from those of LTE. Alternatively, the new RAT system may follow the numerology of the existing LTE/LTE-A as it is, but may have a larger system bandwidth (eg, 100 MHz). Alternatively, one cell may support a plurality of numerologies. That is, UEs operating with different numerologies can coexist in one cell.

Numerology corresponds to one subcarrier spacing in the frequency domain. Different numerologies can be defined by scaling the reference subcarrier spacing by an integer N.

5G can complement fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and cable-based broadband (or DOCSIS) as a means of delivering streams rated at hundreds of megabits per second to gigabits per second. These high speeds are required to deliver TV with resolutions above 4K (6K, 8K and beyond) as well as virtual and augmented reality. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications include mostly immersive sports competitions. Certain applications may require special network settings. For example, in the case of VR games, game companies may need to integrate their core servers with the network operator's edge network servers to minimize latency.

Automotive is expected to be an important new driver for 5G, with many use cases for mobile communications on vehicles. For example, entertainment for passengers requires simultaneous high-capacity and high-mobility mobile broadband. The reason is that future users will continue to expect high-quality connections regardless of their location and speed. Another use case in the automotive sector is augmented reality dashboards. It identifies objects in the dark over what the driver sees through the front window, and overlays information that tells the driver about the object's distance and movement. In the future, wireless modules will enable communication between vehicles, exchange of information between vehicles and supporting infrastructure, and exchange of information between vehicles and other connected devices (eg devices carried by pedestrians). A safety system can help reduce the risk of an accident by guiding the driver through alternate courses of action to make driving safer. The next step will be remotely controlled or self-driven vehicles. This requires very reliable and very fast communication between different self-driving vehicles and between the vehicle and the infrastructure. In the future, self-driving vehicles will perform all driving activities, leaving drivers to focus only on traffic anomalies that the vehicle itself cannot identify. The technical requirements of self-driving vehicles require ultra-low latency and ultra-high reliability to increase traffic safety to levels that are unattainable by humans.

Smart cities and smart homes, referred to as smart society, will be embedded with high-density wireless sensor networks. A distributed network of intelligent sensors will identify conditions for cost and energy-efficient maintenance of a city or home. A similar setup can be done for each household. Temperature sensors, window and heating controllers, burglar alarms and appliances are all connected wirelessly. Many of these sensors are typically low data rates, low power and low cost. However, real-time HD video, for example, may be required in certain types of devices for surveillance.

The consumption and distribution of energy, including heat or gas, is highly decentralized, requiring automated control of distributed sensor networks. A smart grid interconnects these sensors using digital information and communication technologies to gather information and act on it. This information can include supplier and consumer behavior, allowing the smart grid to improve efficiency, reliability, affordability, sustainability of production and distribution of fuels such as electricity in an automated manner. The smart grid can also be viewed as another low-latency sensor network.

The health sector has many applications that can benefit from mobile communications. The communication system may support telemedicine, which provides clinical care at a remote location. This can help reduce barriers to distance and improve access to health services that are not consistently available in remote rural areas. It is also used to save lives in critical care and emergencies. A mobile communication based wireless sensor network can provide remote monitoring and sensors for parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure.

Wireless and mobile communications are becoming increasingly important in industrial applications. Wiring is expensive to install and maintain. Thus, the possibility of replacing cables with reconfigurable wireless links is an attractive opportunity in many industries. However, achieving this requires that wireless connections operate with cable-like latency, reliability and capacity, and that their management be simplified. Low latency and very low error probability are the new requirements that need to be connected with 5G.

Logistics and freight tracking are important use cases for mobile communications that use location-based information systems to enable tracking of inventory and packages from anywhere. Logistics and freight tracking use cases typically require low data rates, but wide range and reliable location information.

The three main requirement areas for 5G are (1) Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) area, (2) Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) area, and (3) Hyper-reliability and It includes the Ultra-reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) area.

Some use cases may require multiple areas for optimization, while other use cases may focus on just one key performance indicator (KPI). 5G supports these diverse use cases in a flexible and reliable way.

eMBB goes far beyond basic mobile internet access, and covers rich interactive work, media and entertainment applications in the cloud or augmented reality. Data is one of the key drivers of 5G, and we may not see dedicated voice services for the first time in the 5G era. In 5G, voice is expected to be handled as an application simply using the data connection provided by the communication system. The main causes for the increased traffic volume are the increase in content size and the increase in the number of applications requiring high data rates. Streaming services (audio and video), interactive video and mobile internet connections will become more widely used as more devices connect to the internet. Many of these applications require always-on connectivity to push real-time information and notifications to users. Cloud storage and applications are rapidly growing in mobile communication platforms, which can be applied to both work and entertainment. And, cloud storage is a special use case that drives the growth of uplink data transmission rate. 5G is also used for remote work in the cloud, requiring much lower end-to-end latency to maintain a good user experience when tactile interfaces are used. Entertainment Cloud gaming and video streaming, for example, are another key factor driving the demand for mobile broadband capabilities. Entertainment is essential on smartphones and tablets anywhere including in highly mobile environments such as trains, cars and airplanes. Another use case is augmented reality for entertainment and information retrieval. Here, augmented reality requires very low latency and instantaneous amount of data.

In addition, one of the most expected 5G use cases is the ability to seamlessly connect embedded sensors in all fields, i.e. mMTC. By 2020, potential IoT devices are predicted to reach 20.4 billion. Industrial IoT is one area where 5G is playing a key role enabling smart cities, asset tracking, smart utilities, agriculture and security infrastructure.

URLLC includes new services that will change the industry through ultra-reliable/available low-latency links such as remote control of critical infrastructure and self-driving vehicles. This level of reliability and latency is essential for smart grid control, industrial automation, robotics, and drone control and coordination.

1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of a network architecture in a 5G NR system.

The network of the NR system is largely composed of a next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) and a next generation core (NGC) network. NGC is also referred to as 5GC.

Referring to FIG. 1, the NG-RAN terminates user plane protocols (eg SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC, PHY) and control plane protocols (eg RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC, PHY) for the UE. It consists of gNBs that provide The gNBs are interconnected through the Xn interface. The gNB is connected to the NGC through the NG interface. For example, the gNB is a core network node having an Access and Mobility Management function (AMF) through interface N2, which is one of the interfaces between the gNB and NGC, and N3, which is another one of interfaces between the gNB and NGC. The interface is connected to a core network node with a user plane function (UPF). AMF and UPF may be implemented by different core network devices or by one core network device. Transmission/reception of signals between a BS and a UE in a RAN is performed through an air interface. For example, transmission/reception of a signal between a BS and a UE in a RAN is performed through a physical resource (eg, radio frequency (RF)). In contrast, transmission/reception of signals between gNBs and network functions (eg, AMF, UPF) in the core network is not a wireless interface, but a physical connection (eg, optical cable) between core network nodes or a logical connection between core network functions. can be performed through

A radio protocol stack in a 3GPP system is largely divided into a protocol stack for a user plane and a protocol stack for a control plane. The user plane is also called the data plane and is used to carry user traffic (i.e. user data). The user plane processes user data such as voice and data. In contrast, the control plane processes control signaling rather than user data between UEs or between UEs and network nodes. In the LTE system, the protocol stack for the user plane in the NR system includes PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY, and the protocol stack for the user plane in the NR system includes SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY. The protocol stack for the control plane in the LTE system and the NR system includes PDCP, RLC, and MAC terminated in the BS at the network level, and in addition, radio resource control (RRC), which is an upper layer of PDCP, and The upper layer of RRC includes a non-access stratum (NAS) control protocol. The NAS protocol is terminated in the access and mobility management function (AMF) of the core network at the network level, and performs mobility management and bearer management. RRC supports delivery of NAS signaling, and performs efficient management of radio resources and required functions. For example, RRC supports the following functions: broadcasting of system information; Establishment, maintenance and release of the RRC connection between the UE and the BS; establishment, establishment, maintenance and release of radio bearers; control of UE measurement reporting and reporting; detection and recovery of radio link failure; NAS message transfer to/from the NAS of the UE.

In this specification, an RRC message/signaling by or from a BS is an RRC message/signaling that the RRC layer of the BS sends to the RRC layer of the UE. The UE is configured or operated based on an information element (IE) that is a set of parameter (s) or parameter (s) included in the RRC message / signaling from the BS.

2 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of a structure of a 5G NR communication system according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a user plane function (UPF), and a network slicing selection function (NSSF) will be described.

AMF can perform a network function that manages mobility through NAS (Non Access Stratum) 　signal message　processing and terminal 　location registration for network access of terminals in the 5th generation (5G) core network.

AMF can configure a 5G Core (5GC) network together with Session Management Function (SMF) and User Plane Function (UPF).

For reference, in the 4th generation (4G), the MME (Mobility Management Entity) was in charge of both the mobility management function and the session management function, but in 5G, the AMF is in charge of the mobility management function, and the SMF is in charge of the session management function. .

As the mobility management function and the session management function are separated, the capacity of AMF and SMF can be used as needed for various terminal environments, such as not only mobile terminals but also fixed terminals with limited mobility or specific IoT terminals that do not require data sessions.

Meanwhile, the main functions of AMF are as follows.

The AMF provides an N2 interface with "gNB" or ng-eNB constituting a next-generation radio access network (NG-RAN), and provides an N1 interface with a terminal. AMF has the function of exchanging 　NAS (Non-Access Stratum)　signal messages with the terminal, the security function for 　NAS　signal messages, the security control function for AS (access stratum), and the 3GPP　wireless access　signal message exchange function between core network nodes when moving terminals between networks , user authentication function, paging function for terminals in idle mode, 　registration area management function for 　location registration, and network slicing function are provided.

In addition, when a terminal accesses the network, it provides functions such as 'SMF' selection function, 'lawful interception' function, and 'SM (Session Management)' message transmission function between the terminal and 'SMF'.

In addition, the AMF provides a function of transferring information (Location Service Message) necessary for a location service between a terminal and a Location Management Function (LMF) or between a RAN and an LMF. AMF provides Namf, SBI (Service Based Interface), as another certified NF (Network Function) according to the introduction of 5G service and infrastructure, enabling AMF service to be utilized.

The SMF can perform a network function of processing a control plane (CP: Control Plane) for a session between a terminal and a data network in a 5th generation (5G) core network (5GC: 5G Core). SMF together with AMF (Access Management Function) and UPF (User Plane Function) constitutes the 5G core network. In addition, the SMF can take charge of both the session management function of the existing 4G MME and the user plane control function of the S-GW and P-GW.

The main functions of SMF are as follows.

The SMF allocates an IP address to the terminal to provide a connection between the terminal and an external data network, and at this time, it may receive an IP (Internet Protocol) address from the UPF or external data network and provide it to the terminal. SMF uses GTP (General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol) tunneling on the NG-U interface between the base station and UPF to create a PDU (PDU) session tunnel, and creates/changes PDU (Protocol Data Unit) sessions between the terminal and the data network / can perform the release function.

The SMF selects the UPF to be used by the terminal, configures routing of the UPF so that the UPF can deliver packets to the destination, and interfaces with PCF (Policy, Control, Function) to receive operator policy for QoS (Quality of Service) control. can have

In addition, the SMF provides a control function for UPF billing data collection and supports an interface for collecting billing data from the UPF and transmitting the billing data to the billing server.

The SMF decides how to provide continuity of sessions and services according to the downlink data notification performed by the UPF notification that packet data on the downlink has been received and the terminal movement, and legal interception of session management events. (Lawful Interception) is also supported.

SMF, like AMF, provides Nsmf, SBI (Service Based Interface), to other certified NFs (Network Functions) according to the introduction of 5G services and infrastructure so that they can utilize "SMF" services.

UPF can perform a network function that processes a user plane (UP: 　 User Plane) in a 5G (5G) core network (5GC). UPF provides a function of routing and transmitting user packets between a base station and a data network (DN: Data Network) and connectivity between a terminal and a DN.

UPF together with AMF (Access Management Function) and SMF (Session Management Function) constitutes the 5G core network. UPF is a node that connects a terminal and an external data network (DN) through a PDU-session, and provides a function of routing and transmitting packets between a terminal and an external data network.

For reference, the 4th generation (4G) has a two-tier structure in which the user plane (UP) is separated into S-GW and P-GW, so traffic has disadvantages in delay time and network resource separation. However, since 5G provides a user plane through one UPF, the structure is simplified, and traffic delay can be reduced by using a direct tunnel between the NB and UPF. In addition, by separating the control plane and the user plane, it is easy to separate network resources for each service.

The main functions of UPF are as follows.

The UPF filters packets in units of users in order to transfer packets received from the terminal to the data network or to transfer packets received from the data network to the terminal. UPF serves as a mobility anchor point when a terminal moves within a 5G system or to another system. An 'End Marker' is transmitted to the original base station to notify that packets are no longer received through the corresponding path. The UPF may allocate an IP address to the terminal at the request of the SMF.

UPF provides Packet Inspection function based on SDF (Service Data 　 Flow) Template, so it is possible to detect 　Application.

It performs traffic gating, 　Redirection, or Steering according to policy, and provides 　Lawful Intercept (LI) function through user packet collection. UPF provides “transmission rate” control for “uplink” and “downlink” to provide “QoS” and “Packet Marking” such as DSCP (Differentiated Services Code Point) and “Packet Marking” for “Downlink” to provide “Reflective” QoS. Marking is also provided. When the UPF receives a packet to be delivered to a terminal in an idle state, the AMF performs a paging operation for terminal reception through the SMF.

If the terminal accesses the network after paging, the UPF may transmit the stored packet to the terminal. The UPF can also perform a function of collecting billing information through the control of the SMF.

A network slicing selection function (NSSF) may be used by an access and mobility management function (AMF) to assist in selecting a network slice instance related to a service to be provided to a terminal. In other words, NSSF may determine NSSAI (Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) to be provided to the terminal. In addition, NSSF can be used to reallocate an appropriate AMF when the currently allocated AMF cannot support all network slice instances for the UE.

Unified Data Management (UDM) is related to the 3GPP 5G architecture. It supports Authentication Credential Repository and Processing Function (ARPF) and can store long-term security credentials used for AKA authentication. In addition, billing information and/or subscription information may be stored.

PCF (Policy Control Function) is one of the control plane network functions (NFs) of the 5G core network (5GC). In 5G networks, PCF has the following features and functions.

First, it supports 5G QoS policy and charging control functions and related 5G signaling interfaces. Second, it provides policy rules for control plane functions including network slicing, roaming and mobility management. It also collects subscriber metrics in the context of network, usage, and application. Operators can analyze the collected information to determine policies to optimize resources and segment users.

In addition, PCF can provide real-time management of subscribers, applications and network resources based on business rules for the service provider. You can also use the ConfD CLI to accelerate and simplify deployments and upgrades, and adopt a cloud-native implementation to increase speed and efficiency and reduce latency. In addition, it can be made to collaborate with other NFs through the NRF, which provides a unified communication platform for NFs to interact with each other.

Now, with reference to FIG. 3 , a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) will be reviewed.

Referring to FIG. 3 , an analytics consumer (eg, NF, OAM, or AF) may request analytics data from NWDAF. That is, NWDAF may receive a request for a specific NW analytics ID. Upon receiving a request for specific analysis data, the NWDAF may collect data from the data source by requesting data collection from a data source (eg, NF, OAM, or AF) to generate corresponding analysis data. In addition, NWDAF learns the collected data through an appropriate algorithm, develops a model for analysis, and generates model-based analysis data, and transmits the analysis data to the requested analysis consumer.

On the other hand, here, OAM may mean that defects, abnormalities, failures, etc. that may occur in operation in a mobile communication network can be identified in real time and notified to the operator so that they can cope with communication failures.

[Table 1] and [Table 2] are intended to explain the function of NWDAF's Dispersion Analytics.

[Table 1] shows the data format received when collecting data from the data source.

Information Source Description UE ID AMF SUPI Type Allocation code Terminal model and vendor info UE location UE location > UE location Area of interest > Time stamp Time the UE entered the area > Transaction The number of transactions of the UE or UE group in the corresponding period and region UE IP address SMF UE IP address UE ID SUPI > Time stamp Time the UE entered the area > Transaction The number of transactions of the UE or UE group in the corresponding period and region UE ID AF SUPI time stamp information collection time > Data Volume UL/DL Sum of data volume exchanged in AF during the period UE IP address AF UE IP address IP 5 tuple AF IP 5 tuple Timestamp AF information collection time Application ID AF Application identification ID in AF Location of Application AF/NEF Location of applications by DNAI list. NEF may map AF service ID information to a DNAI list. Data Volume UL/DL AF Sum of data volume exchanged per app during the period Application duration AF Duration for the application UE IP address UPF Timestamp information collection time Data Volume UL/DL Sum of data volume exchanged per app during the period

[Table 2] shows examples of analysis data that NWDAF creates based on collected data.

Information Description UE Group ID or UE ID Internal group ID or SUPI Time slot entry List of time slots > Time slot start Start time >Duration Duration > UE location (1..max) observed location statistics >> UE location Cells or TAs of UE >> Application ID (1…max) app classification for UE >> Data classification Data mobility classification >> Data ranking Data Usage Rank in Your Region >> Data percentile ranking Percentile ranking in that position >> Ratio In the case of a UE group, the ratio of the UE group

Now, a method for improving overload of a base station using data analysis of NWDAF according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

An embodiment of the present invention, when an overloaded cell occurs, through traffic analysis in the cell, when a specific user uses heavy traffic through a specific service in a fixed location and causes base station overload, the specific service This is a method of improving base station overload by performing offloading to another access point (AP) network such as a Wi-Fi network.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in order to determine whether heavy traffic is generated from fixed subscribers in a specific cell, an OAM (Operation, Administration, and Maintenance) node uses NWDAF to perform “variance analysis” of a specific base station. (Dispersion Analytics)” information is requested, and NWDAF generates data about it and transmits it to the OAM node.

Meanwhile, the apparatus for determining and controlling the overload of the base station according to the present invention may control the overload of the base station according to the following procedure based on information received by the OA M node from the NWDAF.

At this time, the device may be mounted in the OAM node and operate integrally with the OAM node. That is, the device may be included in the OAM node and may operate under the control of the OAM node. In other words, the device may be an OAM node.

Meanwhile, the corresponding device may be mounted in the PCF and operate integrally with the PCF. That is, the device may be included in the PCF and may operate under the control of the PCF. In other words, the device may be a PCF.

In addition, the corresponding device may be an individual function configured separately from the OAM node and PCF. That is, the corresponding device may be a communication node different from the OAM node and the PCF, and may be individually implemented.

Meanwhile, analysis data transmitted by NWDAF is received from the OAM node, and based on the analysis data, subscribers using applications causing data overload among fixed subscribers and corresponding applications can be searched.

The device checks whether another AP network, such as a Wi-Fi AP accessible to the subscriber, is within a certain radius of the subscriber, and uses a URSP (UE) to offload the corresponding application (or network slice) of the subscriber to another AP network. Route Selection Policy). In addition, the device may transmit the corresponding URSP to the terminal of the corresponding subscriber through PCF and/or AMF.

In addition, the above-described update of URSP can be performed through PCF. That is, when the device instructs the PCF to offload to another AP network, the PCF can update the corresponding URSP and transmit it to the terminal.

Upon receiving the new URSP, the UE routes the corresponding application to another AP network such as Wi-Fi, thereby reducing the overload of the corresponding base station.

If there is no other AP available within a certain radius of the corresponding terminal, the device may request the OAM node to install another AP. In addition, if there is no characteristic of excessive traffic use by fixed subscribers, general base station expansion and optimization procedures can be followed. That is, a general base station expansion and optimization procedure may be requested from the OAM node.

The above-described embodiment of the present invention will be examined in more detail with reference to FIG. 4 . 4 is for explaining an operation of controlling an overload of a base station by a device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the device may obtain analysis data generated by NWDAF and transmitted to the OAM node. Based on the obtained analysis data, the device may determine whether an overload occurs in a base station or cell corresponding to the analysis data. For example, when it is determined based on the analysis data that data traffic occurring in the corresponding base station or cell exceeds the first threshold, the device may determine that overload has occurred in the corresponding base station or cell (S405).

If it is determined that overload has occurred in the base station or cell, the device analyzes traffic in the base station or cell based on the analysis data. For example, the apparatus may analyze data traffic transmitted/received by each of a plurality of terminals located within the coverage of the base station or cell based on the analysis data (S410).

Based on the result of analyzing the traffic, the device can determine whether a subscriber terminal generating excessive traffic, which is a stationary subscriber terminal, exists among a plurality of terminals. In this case, the terminal of the fixed subscriber may mean a terminal whose moving speed is less than the second threshold and/or whose moving range is within the first radius.

Also, the subscriber's terminal generating excessive traffic may mean a terminal whose traffic generated through the subscriber's terminal exceeds the third threshold. In addition, among the applications used by the subscriber's terminal that generates excessive traffic, the traffic generated through the corresponding application exceeds the fourth threshold or the application that accounts for a certain percentage or more of the total traffic generated through the subscriber's terminal Later, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an application to be routed to another AP network such as Wi-Fi may be selected (S415).

If a subscriber's terminal or a fixed subscriber's terminal generating excessive traffic does not exist among a plurality of terminals, the device may request the OAM node to expand and/or optimize the base station (S420).

If a terminal of a fixed subscriber generating excessive traffic exists among a plurality of terminals, the device determines whether another AP network (eg, Wi-Fi) to which the terminal can access exists within the second radius range of the terminal. It can be judged (S425).

If there is no other accessable AP network, the device may request the OAM node to install another AP network within a second radius range from the corresponding terminal (S430).

If there is another accessable AP network, the device may update the URSP of the corresponding terminal so that the corresponding terminal can access the other AP network. At this time, if the traffic of some of the applications used by the terminal is offloaded to another AP network, if the overload of the base station or cell is resolved, only the traffic of some applications can be offloaded to the other AP network. It is also possible to update the URSP of the terminal so that However, it is also possible to update the URSP to offload traffic of all applications to another AP network (S435).

Meanwhile, updating the URSP of the terminal may be performed through the PCF. Accordingly, although the device may directly update the URSP, the device may request the PCF to update the URSP as in step S435 described above. That is, the device may request the PCF to perform step S435 by the PCF.

Upon updating the URSP, the device and / or PCF transmits the updated URSP to the corresponding terminal, and the terminal can route traffic to another AP network (eg, Wi-Fi) based on the updated URSP. In this case, as described above, the terminal may route only traffic generated for some applications to another AP network, or may route traffic generated through all applications to other AP networks.

After the terminal routes the traffic to another AP network, the device may request the NWDAF to analyze the traffic within the corresponding base station or cell again through the OAM node. NAWDAF may generate new analysis data and transmit the new analysis data to the device through OAM.

The device may determine whether the overload of the corresponding base station or cell is resolved based on the new analysis data. For example, based on the new analysis data, it may be determined whether data traffic occurring in a corresponding base station or cell is equal to or less than a first threshold (S440).

If the traffic of the base station or cell still exceeds the first threshold, the device may request the OAM node to expand and/or optimize the base station (S420).

If the traffic of the base station or cell is equal to or less than the first threshold, it is determined that the overload of the base station or cell is resolved, and the current state can be maintained.

5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of an apparatus for implementing an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the device according to the present invention may include a control unit 110, a communication unit 120 and a storage unit 130.

The communication unit 120 is a component for transmitting and receiving data to and from the OAM node. OAM nodes and devices can be connected through specific interfaces. For example, it is connected through SBI (Service Based Interface) and can transmit/receive signals. SBI is a term that refers to API-based communication that can occur between two Virtualized Network Functions (VFNs) within the Service Based Architecture (SBA) of 5G communication. That is, the VNF can utilize API calls through SBI to invoke specific services or service operations.

However, it is not limited to SBI, and the OAM node and the communication unit 120 of the device may transmit and receive signals through various interfaces.

If the device is implemented in a form mounted in the OAM node, information and data necessary for the device can be transmitted and received under the control of the OAM node through the communication unit 120 of the device without going through a separate interface.

The storage unit 130 is a component for storing data, includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device, and stores application programs necessary for the functional operation of the device. The storage unit 130 may largely include a program area and a data area. Here, when activating each function in response to a specific request, the device may provide each function by executing corresponding application programs under the control of the controller 110 .

The control unit 110 may be a processor that drives an operating system (OS) and each component.

That is, the controller 110 may control the overall operation process of the device. If the device is implemented in a form mounted in the OAM node, the control unit 110 may be a control unit of the OAM node.

Specifically, a function of the controller 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be reviewed.

The control unit 110 may obtain analysis data generated by the NWDAF and transmitted to the OAM node. The controller 110 may determine whether an overload occurs in a base station or cell corresponding to the analyzed data based on the obtained analysis data. For example, when it is determined based on the analysis data that data traffic generated in the base station or cell exceeds the first threshold, the controller 100 may determine that the base station or cell is overloaded.

If it is determined that overload has occurred in the base station or cell, the controller 110 analyzes the traffic in the base station or cell based on the analysis data. For example, the controller 110 may analyze data traffic transmitted/received by each of a plurality of terminals located within coverage of a base station or cell based on the analysis data.

Based on the traffic analysis result, the control unit 110 may determine whether a subscriber terminal generating excessive traffic while being a fixed subscriber terminal exists among a plurality of terminals. In this case, the terminal of the fixed subscriber may mean a terminal whose moving speed is less than the second threshold and/or whose moving range is within the first radius.

Also, the subscriber's terminal generating excessive traffic may mean a terminal whose traffic generated through the subscriber's terminal exceeds the third threshold. In addition, among the applications used by the subscriber's terminal that generates excessive traffic, the traffic generated through the corresponding application exceeds the fourth threshold or the application that accounts for a certain percentage or more of the total traffic generated through the subscriber's terminal Later, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an application to be routed to another AP network such as Wi-Fi may be selected.

If a subscriber terminal or a fixed subscriber terminal generating excessive traffic does not exist among a plurality of terminals, the controller 110 controls the communication unit 120 to request the OAM node to expand and/or optimize the base station. can

If a terminal of a fixed subscriber generating excessive traffic exists among a plurality of terminals, the controller 110 determines another AP network (eg, Wi-Fi) to which the corresponding terminal can access within the second radius range of the corresponding terminal. can determine if exists.

If there is no other accessable AP network, the controller 110 may control the communication unit 120 to request the OAM node to install another AP network within a second radius range from the corresponding terminal.

If there is another accessable AP network, the controller 110 can update the URSP of the corresponding terminal so that the corresponding terminal can access the other AP network. At this time, if the traffic of some of the applications used by the terminal is offloaded to another AP network, if the overload of the base station or cell is resolved, only the traffic of some applications can be offloaded to the other AP network. It is also possible to update the URSP of the terminal so that However, it is also possible to update the URSP to offload the traffic of all applications to another AP network.

Meanwhile, updating the URSP of the terminal may be performed through the PCF. Accordingly, although the control unit 110 may directly update the URSP, the control unit 110 may request the PCF to update the URSP through the above-described process through the communication unit 120. That is, the control unit 110 may request the PCF through the communication unit 120 to perform the above-described URSP update process by the PCF.

Upon updating the URSP, the controller 110 may control the communication unit 120 to transmit the updated URSP to the corresponding terminal. In this case, the terminal may route traffic to another AP network (eg, Wi-Fi) based on the updated URSP. In this case, as described above, the terminal may route only traffic generated for some applications to another AP network, or may route traffic generated through all applications to other AP networks.

After the terminal routes the traffic to another AP network, the control unit 110 may request the NWDAF to analyze the traffic within the corresponding base station or cell again through the OAM node. NAWDAF may generate new analysis data and transmit the new analysis data to the device through OAM.

The controller 110 may determine whether the overload of the corresponding base station or cell is resolved based on the new analysis data. For example, based on new analysis data, it may be determined whether data traffic occurring in a corresponding base station or cell is equal to or less than a first threshold value.

If the traffic of the corresponding base station or cell still exceeds the first threshold, the control unit 110 may request the OAM node to expand and/or optimize the base station.

If the traffic of the base station or cell is equal to or less than the first threshold, it is determined that the overload of the base station or cell is resolved, and the current state can be maintained.

As set forth above, while this specification contains many specific implementation details, they should not be construed as limiting as to the scope of any invention or claimables, but rather as may be specific to a particular embodiment of a particular invention. It should be understood as a description of the features. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments individually or in any suitable subcombination. Further, while features may operate in particular combinations and are initially depicted as such claimed, one or more features from a claimed combination may in some cases be excluded from that combination, and the claimed combination is a subcombination. or sub-combination variations.

Similarly, while actions are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, it should not be construed as requiring that those actions be performed in the specific order shown or in the sequential order, or that all depicted actions must be performed to obtain desired results. In certain cases, multitasking and parallel processing can be advantageous. Further, the separation of various system components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and the program components and systems described may generally be integrated together into a single software product or packaged into multiple software products. You have to understand that you can.

Specific embodiments of the subject matter described herein have been described. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. For example, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. As an example, the processes depicted in the accompanying drawings do not necessarily require the specific depicted order or sequential order in order to obtain desirable results. In certain implementations, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

The present description presents the best mode of the invention and provides examples to illustrate the invention and to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The specification thus prepared does not limit the invention to the specific terms presented. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above-described examples, a person skilled in the art may make alterations, changes, and modifications to the present examples without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be determined by the described embodiments, but by the claims.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling the traffic load of a base station and an apparatus therefor, and more particularly, to a method for controlling the load of a base station with traffic overload by analyzing a user's movement characteristics and the characteristics of a service used by the user. and an apparatus therefor.

According to the present invention, in order to improve the overload of a base station, instead of investing in additional base stations or relocation of base stations, the characteristics of users who generate overloads and the services used by the users are analyzed and transferred to other access networks such as Wi-Fi. By distributing the load, it is possible to ensure customer service quality and improve TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).

Therefore, the present invention can contribute to the development of the overall communication industry through a method for controlling the traffic load of a base station and an apparatus therefor, and is not only sufficiently commercially available or commercially viable, but also industrially usable because it can be clearly implemented in reality. There is a possibility.

110: control unit of the device 120: communication unit of the device 130: storage unit of the device

Claims (25)

In a wireless communication system, a method for controlling a load of a base station by an apparatus,
Obtaining first information about the load of the base station;
Selecting a specific terminal based on the first information about the load,
Updating a UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) corresponding to the specific terminal;
Including transmitting the USRP to the specific terminal,
load control method. According to claim 1,
The first information about the load is received by an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node from a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) and transmitted to the device,
load control method. According to claim 2,
The NWDAF generates first information about the load according to a request of the OAM node,
load control method. According to claim 1,
The specific terminal is one of a plurality of terminals within the coverage of the base station,
load control method. According to claim 1,
Selecting the specific terminal,
Based on the first information about the load, selecting a terminal having a data usage equal to or greater than a threshold among a plurality of terminals as the specific terminal,
load control method. According to claim 5,
The data usage is
Data usage generated through a specific application,
load control method. According to claim 5,
Requesting an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node to expand or optimize a base station based on the fact that there is no terminal whose data usage is higher than the threshold among the plurality of terminals,
load control method. According to claim 1,
Updating the URSP,
Updating the URSP based on the existence of an access point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access,
load control method. According to claim 8,
The USRP is
The specific terminal is updated to route to the AP,
load control method. According to claim 8,
The AP is for accessing a Wi-Fi network,
load control method. According to claim 1,
Requesting an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node to install a new AP based on the absence of an access point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access,
load control method. According to claim 1,
After transmitting the URSP to the specific terminal, obtaining second information about the load of the base station,
When the second information about the load of the base station indicates that the base station is overloaded, requesting an OAM (Operation, Administration, and Maintenance) node to expand or optimize the base station,
load control method. In the apparatus for controlling the load of the base station,
Communication unit for transmitting and receiving data with a specific terminal;
a storage unit for storing data; and
A control unit interlocked with the communication unit and the storage unit to control the operation of the device;
The control unit,
Obtaining first information about the load of the base station;
Based on the first information about the load, selecting the specific terminal,
Updating a UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) corresponding to the specific terminal;
Including controlling to transmit the USRP to the specific terminal,
Device. According to claim 13,
The first information about the load is received by an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node from a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) and transmitted to the device,
Device. 15. The method of claim 14,
The NWDAF generates first information about the load according to a request of the OAM node,
Device. According to claim 13,
The specific terminal is one of a plurality of terminals within the coverage of the base station,
Device. According to claim 13,
Selecting the specific terminal,
Based on the first information about the load, selecting a terminal having a data usage equal to or greater than a threshold among a plurality of terminals as the specific terminal,
Device. 18. The method of claim 17,
The data usage is
Data usage generated through a specific application,
Device. 18. The method of claim 17,
The control unit,
Further comprising controlling the communication unit to request an OAM (Operation, Administration, and Maintenance) node to expand or optimize a base station based on the absence of a terminal having a data usage of more than a threshold value among the plurality of terminals.
Device. According to claim 13,
Updating the URSP,
Updating the URSP based on the existence of an access point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access,
Device. 21. The method of claim 20,
The USRP is
The specific terminal is updated to route to the AP,
Device. 21. The method of claim 20,
The AP is for accessing a Wi-Fi network,
Device. According to claim 13,
The control unit,
Further comprising controlling the communication unit to request an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node to install a new AP based on the absence of an access point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access,
Device. According to claim 13,
The control unit,
After transmitting the URSP to the specific terminal, obtaining second information about the load of the base station,
When the second information about the load of the base station indicates that the base station is overloaded, controlling the communication unit to request an operation, administration, and maintenance (OAM) node to expand or optimize the base station Further comprising,
Device. In a network for controlling the load of a base station in a wireless communication system,
a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) generating first information about the load of the base station according to a request of an Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) node, and transmitting the first information to the OAM node;
an OAM node requesting Dispersion Analytics related to the base station from the NWDAF, receiving the first information corresponding to the request from the NWDAF, and transmitting the first information to a device; and
When the first information is received from the OAM node, and the load of the base station is greater than or equal to a first threshold value based on the first information, data usage among a plurality of terminals within the coverage of the base station is a second threshold value. Select a specific terminal that is greater than or equal to the value, and if there is an Access Point (AP) to which the specific terminal can access, update the UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) of the specific terminal to route the specific terminal to the AP And the device for transmitting the URSP to the specific terminal; including,
network.

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