Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W24/00—Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
  • H04W24/02—Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W48/00—Access restriction; Network selection; Access point selection
  • H04W48/18—Selecting a network or a communication service

Definitions

• the invention is located in communications networks, and in particular in networks in which network slices are instantiated, making it possible to dedicate communications network equipment/functions/configurations for specific services and/or specific clients/users and/or specific terminals.
• the invention aims more particularly so that a terminal can be configured with a variable number of network slices according to the own capacities of the terminal and/or the requirements of the network while taking account of the subscription of the user.
• Some network architectures specified and deployed today are structured in network slices allowing a user terminal, depending on the customer's subscription (the terminal can be used by a user other than the customer who has taken out a subscription; the term user or customer will be used indifferently thereafter for simplification), to benefit from routing, processing, administration functions adapted to one or more criteria among the type of customer, the type of terminal, the type of application, the type of access, etc...
• each slice makes it possible to offer a level of quality of service and security in accordance with one or more criteria cited above.
• customers and terminals are on the one hand increasingly diversified (IoT (Internet of Things) terminals, smartphones, robots, residential gateways, variety of so-called communicating equipment, etc.) and on the other hand have quite different capacities and needs.
• IoT Internet of Things
• This development is also accompanied by the ability of at least some of these terminals to be able to simultaneously access a plurality of applications whose data is possibly routed on separate network sections.
• 5G fifth-generation
• a terminal locally stores the identifiers of S-NSSAI slices (Single-Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) to which the user has subscribed (Configured NS S AI containing the S-NS S AI subscribed) then among them, those to which the network authorizes it to register (Allowed NSSAI containing all or part of the S-NSSAI subscribed) as well as possibly the identifiers of slices which are prohibited to it (Rejected NSSAI).
• S-NSSAI slices Single-Network Slice Selection Assistance Information
• a terminal obtains from the network and locally stores the identifiers of authorized slices identified "Allowed NSSAI (in English Network Slice Selection Assistance Information)" and where appropriate, the identifiers of slices rejected “Rejected NSSAI” determined by the network among the identifiers of slices requested by a user terminal during its registration with the network.
• Allowed NSSAI in English Network Slice Selection Assistance Information
• a terminal also stores the subscribed slots in a “Configured NSSAI” parameter that the network can send to it in response to a registration request or by using the UE Configuration Update procedure.
• a network device stores the context of the user terminal “UE context” for this terminal with, among other things, the information of the identifiers of authorized slots (Allowed NSSAI).
• the 3GPP specifications in particular documents TS 23.501 vl 7.0.0, TS 23.502 vl7.0.0, TS 24.501 vl7.2.1 (March 2021), provide that the number of slices recorded simultaneously for a given user terminal for a type of access given may be limited, thus impacting the number of slots that a terminal can use simultaneously, the terminal only being authorized to use a slot if it has been previously recorded.
• a terminal can simultaneously record only 8 distinct slice identifiers for a given type of access.
• the terminal is thus only authorized to request a maximum of 8 slice identifiers in a recording request transmitted to a device of a communication network.
• the specifications include 8 slot identifiers, but the management in a communication network of a plurality of applications with different needs, for example in terms of quality of service or security, may require a greater number of slots to offer more services to the user while seeking to optimize the procedures in the operator's network.
• the present invention aims to provide improvements over the state of the art.
• the invention improves the situation with the aid of a method for configuring a terminal device, capable of transmitting and receiving data on a communications network organized into network slices, the method being implemented by an entity network administration capable of communicating with the terminal device via the network, and comprising following receipt from the terminal device of a request for recording or establishing a data session,
• the number of network slices that a terminal device can use is fixed, independently of the characteristics of the device, such as its capacities in terms of memory or storage, the type of subscription of its user or a limit of the contexts established by the device on the communication network to which the device attaches.
• the parameterization method makes it possible to adapt the number of slots that can be configured and used by a device according to various characteristics.
• the new and inventive method thus makes it possible to vary the number of slots authorised/rejected for a given terminal as a function of various parameters.
• the method therefore makes it possible to implement a setting or even a refusal of a registration or session establishment request according to a dynamic determination established by an administration entity such as an AMF device when receiving of a registration message or such as an AMF or SMF device during session establishment (for example session PDU activation).
• the configuration of the terminal device can take into account the intrinsic characteristics of the device, the subscription data but also the parameters of the communication network relating to the device in question or more general parameters linked to the policy of the operator as well as criteria linked to the situation of the terminal when it sends its request for recording or activating a data session.
• the method thus makes it possible to be able to adapt the number of network slices configured and therefore by extension, the number of simultaneous sessions to network slices according to characteristics of the terminal devices and of the communication network.
• the method possibly makes it possible to inform the terminal device of the number of slice identifiers that it can effectively configure both during the registration procedure and during session establishment, knowing that in the latter case, a prohibition to use the network slice that he may have requested in the session establishment message may be communicated to him.
• This information can be used by the terminal device to optimize, enrich or even limit its connectivity to the communication network.
• the maximum number of slots accessible by said terminal device is determined according to one or more of the following characteristics:
• the parameter setting method can advantageously take into account one or more parameters, including the storage capacity of the terminal device, thus making it possible to differentiate between terminals having very different storage characteristics, for example between an IoT terminal and a residential gateway.
• Subscription data corresponding for example to the type of subscription of the customer owning the terminal device can also be taken into account as well as data corresponding to an application or a type of application (for example URLLC, in English Ultra- Reliable Low Latency Communications or eMBB, in English enhanced Mobile Broadband).
• a subscribed tranche format For example, it is possible to differentiate in the subscribed tranche format, a subscribed tranche for a consumer market customer or a corporate customer using the same type of tranche (for example eMBB) but a different service descriptor (the format of subscribed slice can contain these 2 parameters: type of slice S ST and service descriptor SD).
• a capacity in terms of the number of contexts established for a terminal device allowing it, for example, to route data from various applications having different quality of service or security characteristics can also advantageously be considered.
• contexts for a user terminal are the registration context and the data session establishment context.
• the registration context is created during the registration procedure and stored in AMF;
• the data session establishment context is created during the session PDU activation procedure and stored in SMF and in AMF (in the UE context which contains in particular for each session PDU, the session PDU identifier and the slice identifier in which the session is established).
• the determination of a maximum number of slice identifiers comprises a transmission to the terminal device of a request message for a storage value and a reception from the terminal device of a response message comprising said value.
• the determination of the storage parameter advantageously takes advantage of an exchange of messages between the terminal device and the administration entity.
• These messages for example of the UE Configuration Update type, allow the administration entity to know dynamically the capacities of a device terminal, these may vary over time (for example depending on the uses and downloaded data as well as for example updates of the configuration of the terminal device).
• the determination of a maximum number of slice identifiers is relative to the type of the terminal device issuing the request for recording or establishing a data session and/or or the content of said request.
• the determination of a maximum number of slice identifiers is relative to the type of terminal device and/or to the access network to which the terminal device is attached when the recording request is sent. or data session establishment.
• the operator of the communication network can therefore set maximum slice values according to these different types of devices, depending on whether they are smartphones, IoT devices, residential gateways, devices for commercial services, etc. ...
• the administration entity can thus for example determine the type of device according to an IMEI identifier, an IP address used by the terminal device, or according to a service identifier according to the criterion used among those mentioned above. Information relating to the access network to which the terminal device is attached can also be used.
• information indicating that the device is connected to a type of fixed access or a type of mobile access with such or such other technology of access, that the device is attached to a network visited in a situation of roaming by using for example the PLMN ID parameter (in English Public Land Mobile Network Identifier) or the access information RAT (in English Radio Access Technologies) can be used to determine the maximum number of identifiers.
• PLMN ID parameter in English Public Land Mobile Network Identifier
• the access information RAT in English Radio Access Technologies
• the operator of the communication network can also set maximum slot values according to the type of customer and, for example, allow a greater number of slots to be recorded for a business market customer than for a general public customer.
• the operator of the communication network can also set maximum values of slots accessible by the terminal as a function of the type of slot, for example 3 slots of the eMBB type and one slot of the URLLC type.
• the request for recording or establishing a data session comprises at least one slice identifier.
• a terminal device can, according to one example, transmit data on a network slice only if this slice is previously registered for the terminal device by the administration entity.
• the parameterization process which allows the administration entity to limit the network slices accessible to a terminal, if it is implemented when registering the device, prevents the latter from attempting to establish a connecting to more slots than allowed and consuming communication network resources.
• the method also makes it possible, where appropriate, to indicate to the terminal device a rejection of the session establishment if the slice identifier required in this establishment request leads to an overrun of the number of slices authorized for this terminal device via this request.
• the at least one slot identifier associated with said terminal device is obtained by determining at least one authorized identifier from among at least one subscribed slot identifier.
• the administration entity can obtain the identifiers of slices specific to the subscription of the customer/user owning the terminal from a third party entity. managing, for example, customer profiles and associated capabilities.
• the administration entity for example of the AMF type, is able to determine the slices authorized/unauthorized to register among all the subscribed slices.
• the administration entity is also capable of determining the slices authorized/unauthorized to register among the slices received in the registration request and slices previously recorded during one or more previous recording procedures for a same type of access and check-in area.
• These examples are non-limiting and the parameterization method is valid regardless of the method used by the administration entity to determine the slices authorized/unauthorized to register.
• the at least one authorized identifier is determined from among at least one identifier included in the request for registration or data session establishment.
• the administration entity for example of the AMF type, is able to determine the slices authorized/unauthorized to register among the slices received in the registration request and taking into account the subscribed slices, the request received comprising all or part of the subscribed tranches.
• the response message to said received request comprises a list of slice identifiers
• this list is determined according to a priority criterion associated with said identifiers.
• the administration entity In the case where the administration entity returns a list of identifiers to the terminal device, it can select these identifiers according to priority criterion(ies), for example for its response to a registration request.
• the operator managing the administration entity can thus organize and allocate resources to the network slices in accordance with the priorities associated with the slices.
• the order of priority can for example be defined according to the last identifiers requested by the terminal device, according to the data sessions active on a slice, according to the type of slice or on a combination of these characteristics.
• the response message to said received request further comprises the determined maximum number.
• the administration entity can advantageously transmit a response message to the terminal device comprising the maximum number of network slices to which the latter can access, for example in the event of rejection of its data session activation request.
• the user can change terminal device to be able to benefit from more slices or even the user can subscribe to an offer allowing access to more slots or even the terminal device can update its configuration to limit the number of session establishment requests to the number received.
• obtaining at least one slice identifier associated with said terminal device further comprises obtaining a number of active sessions associated with said terminal device and wherein determining the maximum number of slots accessible by said terminal device further comprises determining a maximum number of sessions.
• the parameterization method can advantageously comprise a determination of a maximum number of sessions, per network slice or for a set of network slices, so as to be able to limit in the network too many active sessions in addition to or replacement of a control of the number of slices accessible for the terminal device, for example determined during recording.
• the determination of the maximum number of sessions is relative to the slice identifier received in the request.
• the parameterization method can advantageously comprise a determination of a maximum number of sessions per network slice, so as to be able to limit in the network too many active sessions for a given network slice whose identifier is included in the session establishment request, in addition to or replacing a control of the number of slots accessible for the terminal device.
• the determination of the maximum number of sessions relates to all of the slots subscribed for the terminal.
• the parameter setting method can advantageously comprise a determination of a maximum number of sessions, for a set of network slots subscribed for the terminal, so as to be able to limit in the network too many active sessions for a set of slots.
• the parameter setting method further comprises a step of comparing a maximum number of slots accessible by said terminal device with a number of slots subscribed for said terminal and in the case where the number of slots subscribed is greater than the maximum number of accessible slots, the response message includes a parameter indicating this overrun and/or the number of subscribed slots.
• the method can advantageously comprise a comparison of the number of slots accessible by the terminal, for example according to its capacity, and the number of slots actually subscribed by the customer or the user of the terminal and in the case where the number of slots subscribed is higher, it may be interesting to inform the user/customer so that he can adapt his subscription or even change the terminal, more suited to the number of subscribed installments.
• the invention also relates to a management method, implemented by a terminal device capable of transmitting and receiving data on a communications network organized into network slices and capable of communicating with the network administration entity by the intermediary of the network, and comprising following a transmission to the administration entity of a request for registration or establishment of a data session,
• the terminal device in the management method, also transmits to the administration entity a maximum value for storing slot identifiers.
• the terminal device in the case where it receives a response message indicating a rejection following the transmission of a session establishment request, terminates at least one active session, and also sends to the administration entity a new data session establishment request comprising an identifier of the requested slice.
• the invention also relates to a device for configuring a terminal device, said configuring device being capable of transmitting and receiving data on a communications network organized into network slices, the configuring device being implemented by a administration of the network capable of communicating with the terminal device via the network, and comprising:
• a receiver able to receive from the terminal device a request for recording or establishing a data session
• a determination module able to determine a maximum number of slices accessible by said terminal device and to compare the maximum number with the identifiers obtained
• a transmitter in the case where the maximum number of slices determined is less than the number of identifiers obtained, capable of transmitting, to the terminal device, a response message to said request received, said response message indicating a rejection of the request and/or a list of identifiers among the slice identifiers obtained.
• This device capable of implementing in all its embodiments the parameter setting method which has just been described, is intended to be implemented in an administration entity of a communications infrastructure, such as for example an AMF or SMF device, and can be instantiated in a virtualized infrastructure.
• a communications infrastructure such as for example an AMF or SMF device
• the invention also relates to a management device, implemented by a terminal device capable of transmitting and receiving data on a communications network organized into network slices, said management device being capable of communicating with an administration entity of the network through the network, and comprising: - a transmitter, capable of transmitting to the administration entity a request for registration or establishment of a data session,
• a receiver capable of receiving from the administration entity in the event that a maximum number of slices determined by the administration entity is less than a number of identifiers obtained, a response message to said request transmitted, said response message indicating a rejection of the request and/or a list of slice identifiers from among the identifiers obtained.
• This device capable of implementing in all its embodiments the management method which has just been described, is intended to be implemented in a terminal, capable of being attached to a fixed or mobile network, such as 'a smartphone or a residential access gateway, etc.
• This terminal includes the user terminal (user equipment specified by 3GPP) and can correspond, for example, to an IoT (Internet of Things) terminal, a smartphone, a robot , so-called communicating equipment, a residential gateway, accessing the network via any type of fixed or mobile access specified by 3GPP or not, the network being able to correspond to a public network called PLMN or non-public network called NPN (in English Non- Public Network, in particular an autonomous non-public network called SNPN, in English Stand-alone Non-Public Network).
• PLMN public network
• NPN non-public network
• the invention also relates to a system for configuring a terminal device, capable of transmitting and receiving data on a communications network organized into network slices, said system comprising
• the invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the steps of the parameter setting method which has just been described, when this program is executed by a processor and a recording medium readable by a settings on which the computer programs are stored.
• the invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the steps of the management method which has just been described, when this program is executed by a processor and a recording medium readable by a management on which computer programs are stored.
• These programs may use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.
• the invention also relates to an information medium readable by a computer, and comprising instructions for computer programs as mentioned above.
• the information medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the programs.
• the medium may comprise a storage medium, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or even a magnetic recording medium, for example on a hard disk.
• the information medium can be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which can be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means.
• the programs according to the invention can in particular be downloaded from an Internet-type network.
• the information carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the programs are incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the methods in question.
• FIG 1 presents a communications architecture in which the parameterization method and the management method are implemented, according to one aspect of the invention
• FIG 2 presents an overview of the process for configuring a terminal device and of the management process according to one aspect of the invention
• FIG 3 presents an overview of the parameter setting method of a terminal device and of the management method according to another aspect of the invention
• FIG 4 presents an example of the structure of a setting device according to one aspect of the invention
• FIG 5 presents an example of the structure of a management device according to one aspect of the invention.
• inventions of the invention are presented in a communication infrastructure.
• This infrastructure can be implemented to route communication data intended for fixed or mobile terminals and the invention can be implemented in a virtualized type architecture, the infrastructure being able to be used for the routing and/or the processing of residential and/or business customer data.
• FIG 1 presents a communications architecture in which the parameterization method is implemented, according to one aspect of the invention.
• Three terminals 10, 11, 12 are connected to a communications network 60. These three terminals 10, 11, 12 communicate with each other via the network 60 or with servers installed in data centers 15, 25, 35 installed in the communications network 60 or in networks separate from the communications network 60.
• the three terminals 10, 11, 12 are fixed or mobile terminals.
• the terminal 10 is for example an IoT (Internet of Things) communication terminal
• the terminal 11 is a local network access terminal also called a residential gateway or box
• the terminal 12 is a smartphone-type terminal.
• These three terminals 10, 11, 12 communicate using the resources of the communications network 60 and more precisely the resources of the slices TRI, TR2 and TRn of the communications network 60.
• the slices TRI, TR2, TRn are implemented in the communications network 60 and rely on hardware and/or software resources providing capacities and performance in terms of data routing adapted to the data flows of the activated applications. on the terminals 10, 11, 12.
• the slice TRI is suitable for real-time data streams
• the slice TR2 for less critical video data streams in terms of latency, etc.
• the terminals 10, 11, 12 are assigned a maximum of 8 slot identifiers for access to the communications network 60.
• a terminal attached to the communications network 60 needs a different number of network slices.
• An IoT (Internet Of Things) device could have a maximum number of slices less than 8 whereas a box could be configured with a number of slices greater than 8 slices.
• a terminal may need to use the resources of more than 8 slots for its applications (subscription to services or applications requiring more than 8 slots).
• the terminal 11 communicates with servers using the resources of the slices TRI, TR2, TRn which can be greater than 8.
• the terminal 10 must be limited to a lower number of slices, for example only the slices TRI and TR2 due to its storage capacity and/or subscription data.
• the parameter setting method and the management method thus make it possible to adapt the configuration of the terminal to the needs and intrinsic or subscription characteristics, knowing that in addition it is possible to adapt the number of data sessions established (for example PDU sessions in 5 G) for a terminal for a slice or a set of slices.
• the terminal 10 can also be dynamically configured so that it does not set up more than 6 simultaneous PDU sessions on the 2 slices TRI and TR2 and/or so that it does not set up more than 2 simultaneous PDU sessions on the slice TRI for example.
• the number of slices accessible for a given terminal can be linked to the type of terminal, according to an alternative.
• the terminal 10 can be restricted to accessing 2 slots TRI and TR2 because it is an IoT terminal.
• the maximum number of slices determined during recording may be different from the maximum number of slices determined during data session activation.
• the terminal can be registered for example simultaneously on 8 slots among the 10 subscribed slots but can only activate data sessions simultaneously on 3 slots and/or be limited to a total number of sessions or a specific number of sessions, each may be different for each slice.
• the method may consist in considering as a priority the number of sessions for the slice considered and not the number of slices allowed which is limited to the slice requested in the data session establishment request.
• the parameter setting process may consist in limiting the number of authorized slots and also in limiting the number of sessions for a slot or for a set of subscribed slots.
• the administration entity receives a registration request for 5 slices including a URLLC slice and it determines a maximum number of 4 slices then, it can determine that the URLLC slice has priority over the other types of slices to save: if the 5 slices are authorized, then one of the 4 others will be rejected in the response to the terminal.
• the network equipment receives a new recording request (for the same type of access and same recording area) for 2 new slots TR4 and TR5 distinct from the first three slots, it can determine that the last two slots requested have priority and therefore prioritize their recording as soon as they are authorized: assuming cumulative recording , the last two slices TR4 and TR5 requested will be present among the slices authorized in the response to the terminal while one of the first three slices (TR3) will be among the slices rejected in this response.
• the rejected slot can be chosen as a priority from among the first three slots (TRI, TR2, TR3) which have no active data session, in order to avoid interrupting data sessions for lack of to be able to save these slices (in the example where a slice can only be used if it is previously saved and otherwise, the administration entity interrupts any data sessions in progress; if the terminal has one or more sessions in progress for a slice, he must request this slice again during a new recording for other slices).
• the network equipment can prioritize the slices having active sessions then the most recently requested slices: the response to the terminal will contain the TRI slices,
• TR2, TR4, TR5 as authorized slices and TR3 slice as rejected slice.
• a terminal device 10 registers with a management device 30 such as an AMF (Access and Mobility Function) type device of a network via an access node 20, which can be an access node of a wired or wireless network, during a step 100.
• AMF Access and Mobility Function
• the registration phase presented in the form of request-response and in this [Fig 2] as well as in [Fig 3 ] is a simplified view of a user equipment registration, for example described in the document 3GPP TS 23.502 version 17.0.0 of March 2021 or according to other end device registration techniques.
• the format of the recording request transmitted during step 100 comprises zero or one or more slot identifiers such as an S-NSSAI (Single-Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) identifier.
• S-NSSAI Single-Network Slice Selection Assistance Information
• the administration entity 30 obtains a list of slice identifiers associated with said terminal device 10.
• the list of identifiers is obtained by determining among the identifier(s) contained (s) in the registration request received from the terminal device 10 during step 100, the person(s) whom the administration entity authorizes to register.
• this list of identifiers is obtained by determining among the identifier(s) of subscribed slices, the one/those that the administration entity authorizes to register without taking into account any identifier possibly present in the request for 'registration.
• the tranche identifiers to which the user/customer of the device 10 has subscribed are stored in the administration entity 30 or in a storage entity (for example a subscription database of the UDR type (in English Unified Data Repository) or UDM (in English Unified Data Management) in 5 G) not shown in [Fig 2] and able to communicate with the administration entity 30.
• this list of identifiers is obtained by determining among the identifier(s) received in the registration request and being added to the identifiers stored in the administration entity 30 or the storage entity, the one/those that the administration entity 30 authorizes to be registered (registration called cumulative in this document).
• the administration entity 30 determines a maximum of network slots accessible for the terminal device 100.
• This maximum of slots can be determined by various means. This limit can depend on the storage capacity of the terminal device 10.
• the storage capacity of the terminal device can be obtained by sending a request message for a storage value to the terminal device 10 and by response to this request message, the sending by the terminal device 10 of a storage value thus informing the management equipment 30 of a maximum number of slots that the terminal device 10 can configure. For example, this can be the case during a procedure for updating the configuration of the terminal device 10 prior to registration, this procedure taking place during subscription and at each configuration update. This procedure can for example take place as follows:
• the administration entity 30 sends the UE Configuration Update Command command (not shown in [Fig 2]) requesting a response from the terminal device 10, for example by inserting a “Configuration Update indication” parameter with a value corresponding to a request agreement (in English “acknowledgment requested”) or advantageously with a new parameter to request the maximum number of slots supported by the terminal device 10, this new parameter possibly being for example information “acknowledgment requested with limit storage number”.
• the terminal device 10 sends the response UE Configuration Update Completed (not shown in [Fig 2]) and this response may contain the storage limit information of the parameters AllowedNSSAI, RejectedNSSAI (see other parameters such as the parameter Pending NS S AI for slices that require authentication before being authorized) either a common limit for all parameters and/or a limit for each parameter.
• a single limit is proposed here on the Allowed NS S AI parameter or a common limit at least for the Allowed NS S AI, Rejected NS S AI parameters, represented for example by the parameter “UE SNSSAI storage limit ".
• the Configuration Update Complete message thus includes an optional “UE SNSSAI storage limit” parameter in the form of an integer indicating the limit number of slices that the terminal device 10 can store.
• the terminal device 10 can also include this storage limit in the message in the recording request, transmitted during step 100.
• the limit of a maximum number of network slices accessible for the terminal device 10 can also depend on subscription data of the user of the terminal device 10. According to one example, the limit is thus stored in the subscription information of the terminal device 10 and the administration entity 30 becomes aware of it during the registration procedure.
• the maximum number of slots can be determined according to a maximum capacity of contexts associated with the terminal device 10 in the network, typically an average capacity per terminal, or a capacity per terminal established according to one or more criteria according to operator policy.
• the administration entity 30 can store a limit on the number of slices that it can record per terminal device, typically in the form of a dedicated parameter in the format of an integer, by various means, for example:
• Option#l local configuration at the level of the administration entity 30 The operator configures this limit locally in the management entities (AMF) of its network.
• AMF management entities
• Option #2 configuration among structured data or unstructured data
• UDR Unified Data Repository
• UDSF Unstructured Data Storage Function
• the administration entity 30 can retrieve this information by exchanges, for example via a PCF (in English Policy Control Function) not shown in [Fig 2].
• PCF in English Policy Control Function
• Option#3 configuration among the QoS policy and billing
• PCC Policy Control and Charging
• the administration entity 30 can retrieve this information via the exchanges during the registration procedure, i.e. after having received the registration request from the terminal device 10 during step 100.
• step 120 of determination can also be used concurrently between a storage capacity limit of the terminal device 10 and a storage capacity per terminal device 10 in a network device (AMF, PCF , UDR).
• AMF network device
• PCF network device
• UDR network device
• the administration entity 30, when it is aware of a limit of the storage capacity of the terminal device 10, is able to detect whether this limit is lower than the number of subscribed slots (because the subscription data contain the subscribed tranches and that the administration entity 30 obtains, during registration, the subscription data relating to the registration).
• Several options are considered to inform the terminal device 10 of this case of error, so that the user knows that he will not be able, with this terminal device 10, to use all the subscribed slots as described below.
• the administration entity 30 transmits during a step 130 a response message to the recording request received, intended for the terminal device 10 via the access node 20.
• This message indicates a rejection of the request and/or a list of identifiers among the slot identifiers obtained which the terminal device 10 can actually access or not.
• steps 110 and 120 can be reversed in another exemplary embodiment.
• the administration entity can also compare the number of slots accessible by the terminal device 10, for example if it has obtained a capacity from the terminal device 10 to record a number of tranches, with the number of tranches actually subscribed. In the event that the number of subscribed slots is greater than the maximum number of slots that the terminal device 10 can record, then the administration entity can inform the terminal device 10 of this by sending an error message and/or the number of slices subscribed for example in the message transmitted during step 130. Upon receipt of this message, the user can for example change device terminal to be able to effectively benefit from all the subscribed installments and/or change its type of subscription.
• the administration entity 30 rejects the registration request, for example with a REGISTRATION REJECT response.
• An error code for example entitled "number of subscribed slots greater than the storage capacity" is possibly contained in the response message sent during step 130 in the event that the administration entity 30 has detected for example that the storage capacity of the terminal 10 is less than the number of slots subscribed by the user of the terminal 10.
• the administration entity 30 adds information in the acceptance response, for example of the REGISTRATION ACCEPT type to the terminal device 10, with optionally a new specific value in the “5GS registration results” parameter, of the optional boolean type and whose value at 1 would indicate that the terminal device 10 will not be able to use all the slices obtained during step 110 due to its storage limit.
• An alternative or complement would be an integer indicating the number of tranches subscribed.
• the response message transmitted during step 130 comprises a list of identifiers among the identifiers obtained during step 110, offering the possibility to the terminal device 10 of using the network slices whose identifiers are transmitted in the response message as soon as they are authorized.
• the terminal device 10 is constrained by the identifiers transmitted by the administration entity 30.
• the slice identifiers transmitted in the response message are selected by the administration entity 30 in accordance with an order of priority specific to the administration entity 30.
• the administration entity 30 can thus base itself on several options, in addition to the type of slice itself, for example the URLLC type slice in first priority, to select and prioritize the identifiers that will be transmitted in the response message, these identifiers corresponding for example to authorized NS S AI.
• the order in which the administration entity selects the identifiers to be transmitted from among the identifiers obtained is relative to the last identifiers of slices requested by the terminal device 10.
• the administration entity 30 prioritizes the last slices requested by the terminal device 10 (ie the value of the Requested NS S AI of the last request(s) for registration).
• the administration entity 30 selects one or more identifiers to be transmitted which have actually been requested by the terminal 10 in the registration request.
• the order of priority is based on the slices having one or more PDU (in English Protocol Data Unit) active sessions.
• the administration entity 30 selects as a priority the identifiers of slots for which there already exist one or more active PDU sessions for the terminal device 10: this makes it possible to process a case of error (where the terminal device 10 does not request the recording of these slices) and avoid the end of recording of these slices and therefore the deletion of the PDU sessions for these slices.
• the administration entity 30 is able to detect whether PDU sessions are active for a slot because the context of the terminal device 10 stored in the administration entity 30 contains a “PDU Session level context” part containing for each PDU session activates the associated S-NSSAI(s) (used as slice identifier).
• the order of priority is defined according to the slots with active sessions PDU sessions then on the last slots requested by the terminal device 10.
• This third option is a combination of the previous options.
• the priority rule is mainly used in the case where the operator cannot record all the slices during the recording procedure, i.e. the number of slices authorized and/or rejected being limited.
• the terminal device 10 also called UE (in English User Equipment) registers with an administration entity 30 (also called AMF or MME (in English Mobility Management Entity).
• an administration entity 30 also called AMF or MME (in English Mobility Management Entity).
• AMF English Mobility Management Entity
• the setup process can indeed be performed during the registration procedure, as described in [Fig 2] and/or in a session establishment procedure as described below.
• the UE (terminal device) 10 sends a session establishment request to an SMF (Session Management Function) entity 50 via the AMF 30.
• the administration entity implementing the parameterization process during session activation can be the AMF entity 30 (as said previously AMF knows the session PDU context “PDU Session level context” for each session PDU of the UE 10) or the SMF entity 50.
• the administration entity is, according to this example, the SMF entity 50.
• the session establishment procedure is simplified here compared to a session establishment according to known techniques to concentrate on aspects relating to the invention.
• the UE has constructed the data session establishment message by including a slot identifier in the request. This slice identifier can be selected by the UE 10 according to its configuration and/or application information for example.
• the data session establishment request includes several slice identifiers.
• the SMF entity 50 obtains the slice identifiers associated with the UE 10. Among these slice identifiers obtained, according to the examples described in [Fig 2], appears the slice identifier present in the data session establishment request as well as the slice identifiers for data sessions established prior to the transmission of the request of step 230 if applicable. Indeed, the SMF creates an “SMF context” for each session PDU of the terminal when activating the session PDU and this SM context contains the slice identifier (3GPP TS 23.502).
• the SMF entity 50 determines the maximum number of slots accessible by the UE 10 during a step 250.
• This number of accessible slots can be determined analogously (using analogous parameters) to the options indicated in the description of the [Fig 2] namely in summary: for the limit on the user terminal side: o by sending in the request, here the session establishment request; o by sending in a response message to a request from the network, for example with the UE Configuration Update procedure; for the network side limit: o by storing subscription data for the user terminal retrieved by the administration entity here the SMF during the session activation procedure; o by storing data according to the operator's policy, stored in the administration entity or retrieved by the administration entity (3 options).
• the SMF 50 when the SMF 50 receives the session establishment request during step 230, it determines whether the number of active sessions for the requested slot or for all of the subscribed slots has reached the number of slots and possibly the number of sessions to be established for example in accordance with the two variants described above, that is to say specifically for the network slice whose identifier is received in the session establishment request and/or independently of the slice requested but respecting a maximum number of sessions for all the slices subscribed for the UE 10.
• the SMF 50 implements the requested session and transmits during a step 260 a acceptance message to the UE 10 via the AMF equipment for the requested session and for the slice identifier present in the request sent during step 230.
• the SMF 50 has further determined that the maximum number of sessions for the TRI slice has not been reached and the acceptance message is transmitted if the maximum number of sessions for the TRI slice is not reached. is not exceeded.
• Te UE 10 requests the activation of a second PDU2 ID session for the TRI slice.
• the SMF50 obtains during step 240 a list of slot identifiers, here the TRI slot then determines a maximum number of sessions for the TRI, here 2 and can therefore accept the session activation request (it adjusts a session for TRI) during step 280.
• TUE 10 can establish as many sessions relating to network slices as long as it does not reach a maximum of slices and possibly a maximum number of sessions for one or more of these slices. According to this example, UE 10 has established sessions PDU1 ID and PDU2 ID for the TRI slice.
• a step 290 the UE 10 sends to the SMF 50 a request to establish a new session PDU3 ID for the TRI slot to the SMF 50 and this SMF entity 50 determines during the steps 240 then 250 , corresponding to the aforementioned steps, that the maximum number of slots, corresponding to one, is not exceeded but that the number of sessions for this TRI slot has been reached and that it can no longer accept new sessions for this TRI slot. It therefore rejects during step 300 the session establishment request transmitted by the UE 10 during step 290.
• the maximum number of slots accessible for the UE 10 determined during step 250 therefore also includes information on a maximum number of sessions that the UE 10 can activate and this limit can be, according to a first variant, individual for the UE 10 according to its subscription and/or according to a second variant corresponding to a value common to all the UEs according to the policy of the operator.
• the addition of parameters in the subscription data for the UE 10 is carried out.
• Several options can be considered: - an overall limit for the UE 10 for the use of all the subscribed slices allowing to have a maximum number of sessions for all the subscribed slices; and/or a limit applicable per tranche which could be identical or different for each tranche subscribed.
• a maximum number of sessions would thus be recorded in the subscription data per network slice as described above for the TRI slice.
• the maximum number of slices is equal to 1, for example for the TRI slice, the number of data sessions (2 in the example) is preponderant in the decision of the SMF 50 to accept the establishment of a new session or not.
• the parameter NS S AI represents the set of slots subscribed and contains a collection of slots represented with the defaultSingleNssai and SingleNssai parameters: a parameter would be defined, for example a parameter entitled nbPDUSessionsMAX attached directly to the NSSAI parameter to define a limit number of session PDUs for the UE for all the subscribed slots (optional parameter of integer type).
• nbPDUSessionsLimit of integer type designating the maximum number of simultaneously active PDU sessions for this slice.
• the maximum number of sessions for the entire subscription corresponds to a maximum of 2 sessions per slice and a maximum of 3 sessions for the subscription (set of slices subscribed): It is considered that the UE 10 has requested during steps not represented in [FIG 3] the activation of a first PDU4 ID session for the TR2 slot, that the SMF entity 50 during the step 240 has obtained a list of slot identifiers, for example the slots TRI, TR2 then determined a maximum number of sessions for the requested slot, corresponding to 2 according to the example and a maximum number for all of the slots (TRI and TR2), here corresponding to 3 and has therefore accepted the session activation request (for the PDU4 ID session on the TR2 slice) knowing that it already has 2 sessions accepted for the TRI slice and that the UE 10 had not reached either the maximum number of sessions for a slice (TR2) or the maximum for a set of subscribed slices (TRI and TR2).
• the SMF entity 50 during step 240 obtains a list of slot identifiers, here the slices TRI, TR2 then determines a maximum number of sessions for the slice requested, here corresponding to 2 and a maximum number for all the slices, here corresponding to 3 and therefore refuses during step 320 the activation request since it has 2 accepted sessions (PDU1 ID, PDU2 ID) for the TRI slot and 1 session (PDU4 ID) for the TR2 slot.
• PDU1 ID, PDU2 ID 2 accepted sessions
• PDU4 ID 1 session
• the SMF entity 50 can consider either the number of slots required and/or the single number of sessions for a required slot and/or the number of sessions for the set of subscribed slots in order to accept or not the establishing a new session.
• the SMF 50 has obtained the subscription data from the UE 10 and these data contain the limit to be applied.
• the SMF 50 can obtain the limit, namely the maximum number of sessions, according to several options as shown below.
• the SMF administration entity 50 can store a limit on the number of slots that it can accept for the UE 10, typically in the form of a parameter dedicated to the format of an integer, by different means, for example:
• Option# 1 local configuration at SMF 50 level
• the operator configures this limit in the UDR database (respectively UDSF) considered as the storage entity for data whose format is defined (respectively not defined) by the 3GPP organization.
• UDR database (respectively UDSF) considered as the storage entity for data whose format is defined (respectively not defined) by the 3GPP organization.
• the SMF 50 can retrieve this information via exchanges via the PCF during the PDU session session activation procedure.
• Option #3 configuration among the QoS policy and billing
• the communication network operator configures this limit in the PCF (considered as the storage entity).
• a new parameter is created for this purpose.
• the SMF 50 can retrieve this information during the session PDU activation procedure.
• the SMF 50 transmits to the UE 10 a response message to the session establishment request, this response message indicating a rejection of the request.
• this rejection includes specific error information indicating that the quota of slices and possibly that the quota of sessions is reached.
• One type of error can be specific in case the number of slices is reached and another type of error in case the maximum number of sessions is reached.
• the UE 10 may not have reached the maximum number of slots but the number of sessions may have been reached, in which case an error message will be returned during step 310.
• the UE 10 may have reached the maximum number of slots in which case an error message will be transmitted, this message also possibly comprising an error type if the maximum number of sessions (for the requested slot or for all of the slots subscribed is reached).
• the UE 10 will have to identify the reason for rejection of the session PDU establishment, which will give rise according to alternatives: either to maintain the existing session PDU sessions and in this case the UE 10 would not request the activation of a session PDU for the new desired slot; or at the end of an active session PDU session to be able to request the activation of a PDU session for a new slot.
• the parameterization device 80 implements the parameterization method, of which different embodiments have just been described.
• Such a device 80 can be implemented in an administration entity of a communications infrastructure, such as for example a virtualized infrastructure, and can for example be instantiated in equipment of the AMF or SMF type.
• the device 80 comprises a processing unit 830, equipped for example with an mR microprocessor, and controlled by a computer program 810, stored in a memory 820 and implementing the determination method according to the invention.
• a computer program 810 stored in a memory 820 and implementing the determination method according to the invention.
• the code instructions of the computer program 810 are for example loaded into a RAM memory, before being executed by the processor of the processing unit 830.
• Such a setting device 80 comprises:
• a receiver 802 able to receive from the terminal device a request Req for recording or establishing a data session
• a determination module 804 able to determine a maximum number of slices accessible by said terminal device and to compare the maximum number with the identifiers obtained,
• a transmitter 801 capable of transmitting, in the event that the maximum number of slices determined is less than the number of identifiers obtained, to the terminal device a message Rep in response to said request received, said response message indicating a rejection of the request and/or a list of identifiers among the slice identifiers obtained.
• Device 90 implements the management method, various embodiments of which have just been described.
• Such a device 90 can be implemented in a terminal, capable of attaching to a fixed or mobile network, such as a smartphone or a residential access gateway.
• the device 90 comprises a processing unit 930, equipped for example with an mR microprocessor, and controlled by a computer program 910, stored in a memory 920 and implementing the charging method according to the invention.
• the code instructions of the computer program 910 are for example loaded into a RAM memory, before being executed by the processor of the processing unit 930.
• Such a management device 90 comprises:
• a transmitter 901 capable of transmitting to the administration entity a request Req for registration or establishment of a data session
• a receiver 902 able to receive from the administration entity in the case where a maximum number of slots determined by the administration entity is less than a number of identifiers obtained, a response message Rep to said request transmitted, said response message indicating a rejection of the request and/or a list of slice identifiers from among the identifiers obtained.

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• 2021
  • 2021-05-03 FR FR2104649A patent/FR3122544A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2022
  • 2022-04-27 EP EP22726482.7A patent/EP4335144A1/de active Pending
  • 2022-04-27 CN CN202280032947.3A patent/CN117242815A/zh active Pending
  • 2022-04-27 WO PCT/FR2022/050803 patent/WO2022234218A1/fr active Application Filing

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