5 Application layer architecture
23.5453GPPApplication layer support for Factories of the Future (FF)Release 18TS
Illustrate the application layer architecture, its elements and its reference points in clauses under this clause.
5.1 General
5.2 Architecture
This clause describes the architecture for enabling FF applications in the following representations:
– A service-based representation of the functional model for FF services with SEAL functions specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5] and CAPIF core function specified in 3GPP TS 23.222 [6]; and
– A service-based representation of the functional model for FF services invoked by FF UE; and
– A reference point representation for FF application layer functional model.
FF application layer functions shown in the service-based representation of the FF architecture shall only use service-based interfaces for their interactions.
Figure 5.2-1 illustrates the service based representation of architecture for FF applications with SEAL and CAPIF.
Figure 5.2-1: FF application layer architecture – service-based representation
The service-based interface for FAE server is representation as Sfae.
Figure 5.2-2 illustrates the service based representation of architecture for FF applications invoked by FF UE.
Figure 5.2-3 illustrates the reference point representation of the architecture for FF application layer.
Figure 5.2-3: FF application layer architecture – reference point representation
The FF application server consists of the FAE server, the SEAL servers and the FF application specific server. The FAE server provides the FF application layer support functions to the FF application specific server over FAE-S reference point. The SEAL server(s) provide the SEAL services to the FF application specific server over SEAL‑S reference point.
The FF UE consist of the FAE client, the SEAL clients and the FF application specific client. The FAE client provides the FF application layer support functions to the FF application specific client over FAE-C reference point. The SEAL client(s) provide the SEAL services to the FF application specific client over SEAL‑C reference point.
Editor’s note: The FF UE1 can have different roles, such as gateway/controller UE, basic UE. These roles need to define.
NOTE 1: In some deployments, the client and server entities of SEAL can be part of FAE client and FAE server respectively.
The FAE client/ FF application specific client acts as a VAL client for its interaction with the SEAL clients as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5]. The FAE server/ FF application specific server acts as a VAL server for its interaction with the SEAL servers as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5].
The FAE client communicates with the FAE server over FAE-1 reference point. The FF application specific client communicates with FF application specific server over FFA-1 reference point.
NOTE 2: The FFA-1 reference point is out of scope of the present document.
In the FAE layer, the FAE client of FF UE2 communicates with FAE client of FF UE1 over FAE-2 reference point. In the FF application specific layer, the FF application specific client of FF UE2 communicates with FF application specific client of FF UE1 over FFA-2 reference point.
NOTE 3: The FFA-2 reference point is out of scope of the present document. The following SEAL services for FF applications are supported:
– Location management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Group management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Configuration management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Identity management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Key management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Network resource management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5] and;
– Network slice capability management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5].
The FAE client interacts with SEAL clients over the SEAL-C reference point specified for each SEAL service. The FAE server interacts with SEAL servers over the SEAL-S reference point specified for each SEAL service. The interaction between the SEAL clients is supported by SEAL-PC5 reference point specified for each SEAL service. The interaction between a SEAL client and the corresponding SEAL server is supported by SEAL-UU reference point specified for each SEAL service.
NOTE 4: The SEAL-C, SEAL-S, SEAL-PC5, SEAL-UU reference points for each SEAL service is specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5].
To support distributed FAE server deployments, the FAE server interacts with another FAE server over FAE-E reference point.
FF UE1 can also act as a UE-to-network relay,
– to enable FAE client on FF UE2 to access FAE server over FAE-1 reference point; and
– to enable FF application specific client on FF UE2 to access FF application specific server over FFA-1 reference point; and
– to enable SEAL client on FF UE2 to access SEAL servers over SEAL-UU reference point.
5.3 Functional entities
5.3.1 General
Each subclause is a description of a functional entity corresponding to FF application layer and does not imply a physical entity.
5.3.2 FF application specific client
The FF application specific client provides the client side functionalities corresponding to the FF applications (e.g. motion control, control-to-control communication, mobile robots, process automation – process monitoring, mobile control panels, remote access and maintenance). The FF application specific client utilizes the FAE client for the FF application layer support functions.
NOTE: The details of the FF application specific client is out of scope of the present document.
5.3.3 FF application specific server
The FF application specific server provides the server side functionalities corresponding to the FF applications (e.g. motion control, control-to-control communication, mobile robots, process automation – process monitoring, mobile control panels, remote access and maintenance). The FF application specific server utilizes the FAE server for the FF application layer support functions. If CAPIF is supported, the FF application specific server acts as CAPIF’s API invoker as specified in 3GPP TS 23.222 [6].
NOTE: The details of the FF application specific server is out of scope of the present document.
5.3.4 FAE client
The FAE client provides the UE side FF application layer support functions and supports interactions with the FF application specific client(s).
5.3.5 FAE server
The FAE server provides the server side FF application layer support functions and supports interactions with FF applications specific server(s).
The FAE server also support interactions with other FAE server(s).
5.3.6 SEAL client
The following SEAL clients for FF applications are supported:
– Location management client as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Group management client as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Configuration management client as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Identity management client as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Key management client as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Network resource management client as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Network slice capability enablement client as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Notification management client as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5].
5.3.7 SEAL server
The following SEAL servers for FF applications are supported:
– Location management server as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Group management server as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Configuration management server as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Identity management server as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Key management server as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Network resource management server as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Network slice capability enablement server as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– Notification management client as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5].
5.4 Service-based interfaces
5.5 Reference Points
5.5.1 General
The reference points for the FF application layer are described in the following subclauses.
5.5.2 FAE-1
The interactions related to FF application layer support functions between FAE client and FAE server are supported by FAE-1 reference point.
5.5.3 FFA-1
The interactions related to FF application layer support functions between FF application specific client and FF application specific server are supported by FFA-1 reference point. The details of FFA-1 reference point is out of scope of the present document.
5.5.4 FAE-2
The interactions related to FF application layer support functions between the FAE clients are supported by FAE-2 reference point.
5.5.5 FFA-2
The interactions related to FF applications between FF application specific clients are supported by FFA-2 reference point. The details of FFA-2 reference point is out of scope of the present document.
5.5.6 FAE-S
The interactions related to FF application layer support functions between FF application specific server and FAE server are supported by FAE-S reference point. If CAPIF is supported, this reference point is an instance of CAPIF-2/2e reference point as specified in 3GPP TS 23.222 [6].
5.5.7 FAE-C
The interactions related to FF application layer support functions between FF application specific client and FAE client are supported by FAE-C.
5.5.8 SEAL-C
The following SEAL-C reference points for FF applications are supported:
– LM-C reference point for location management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– GM-C reference point for group management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– CM-C reference point for configuration management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– IM-C reference point for identity management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– KM-C reference point for key management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– NRM-C reference point for network resource management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5]; and
– NSCE-C reference point for network slice capability enablement as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– NM-C reference point for notification management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5].
5.5.9 SEAL-S
The following SEAL-S reference points for FF applications are supported:
– LM-S reference point for location management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– GM-S reference point for group management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– CM-S reference point for configuration management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– IM-S reference point for identity management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– KM-S reference point for key management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– NRM-S reference point for network resource management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5]; and
– NSCE-S reference point for network slice capability enablement as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– NM-S reference point for notification management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5].
5.5.10 SEAL-PC5
The following SEAL-PC5 reference points for FF applications are supported:
– LM-PC5 reference point for location management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– GM-PC5 reference point for group management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– CM-PC5 reference point for configuration management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– IM-PC5 reference point for identity management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– KM-PC5 reference point for key management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5]; and
– NRM-PC5 reference point for network resource management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5].
5.5.11 SEAL-UU
The following SEAL-UU reference points for FF applications are supported:
– LM-UU reference point for location management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– GM-UU reference point for group management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– CM-UU reference point for configuration management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– IM-UU reference point for identity management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– KM-UU reference point for key management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– NRM-UU reference point for network resource management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5]; and
– NSCE-UU reference point for network slice capability enablement as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5];
– NM-UU reference point for notification management as specified in 3GPP TS 23.434 [5].
5.5.12 FAE-E
The interactions related to FF application supports functions between the FAE servers in a distributed deployment are supported by FAE-E reference point. If CAPIF is supported, this reference point is an instance of CAPIF-2/2e reference point as specified in 3GPP TS 23.222 [6].