5 MTC communication aspects
22.3683GPPRelease 17Service requirements for Machine-Type Communications (MTC)Stage 1TS
5.1 MTC communication scenarios
5.1.1 Introduction
For MTC communication the following communication scenarios can be identified:
- MTC Devices communicating with one or more MTC Server;
- MTC Devices communicating with each other.
5.1.2 MTC devices communicating with one or more MTC servers
The network operator provides network connectivity to MTC Server(s). This applies to MTC Server(s) controlled by the network operator (refer to figure 5-1) or to MTC Server(s) not controlled by the network operator (refer to figure 5-2.)
Operator domain
MTC Server
MTC User
MTC Device
MTC Device
MTC Device
MTC Device
Figure 5-1: Communication scenario with MTC devices communicating with MTC server.
MTC server is located in the operator domain.
Operator domain
MTC Device
MTC Device
MTC Device
MTC Device
MTC Server
MTC User
Figure 5-2: Communication scenario with MTC devices communicating with MTC server.
MTC server is located outside the operator domain.
The MTC Device and the MTC Server it is communicating with may implement a service enablement framework (e.g. as specified in [4] and [5]) to provide generic functionality for applications. The MTC Device may implement multiple instances of service enablement frameworks, each communicating with a different MTC Server.
Note 1: the standardization of service enablement frameworks is out of scope of 3GPP.
Note 2: as an example, a device can have two (or more) service enablement frameworks, both compliant to the same specific standard or belonging to the same proprietary implementation. Each one has to be peered to a different MTC server.
5.1.3 MTC devices communicating with each other
The communication scenario where the MTC Devices communicate directly without intermediate MTC Server (refer to figure 5-3) is not considered in this release of the specification.
MTC Device
MTC Device
MTC Device
MTC Device
Operator domain A
Operator domain B
MTC Device
MTC Device
MTC Device
MTC Device
Figure 5-3: MTC Devices communicating directly with each other without intermediate MTC server