Network slice discovery and selection

Abstract

This disclosure relates to network slice discovery and selection. The NR network slicing architecture can be used to facilitate network slice discovery and selection. The mechanism for discovering and selecting network slices can vary depending on whether the user equipment is in idle mode or connected mode. Furthermore, in various examples, network slice discovery and selection can be performed by the UE, the radio access network (RAN), or the core network (CN) based on various selection criteria.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application filed on June 15, 2017, with application number 201780049887.5 and entitled "Network Slice Discovery and Selection".

[0002] Cross-references to related applications

[0003] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 350,550, filed June 15, 2016; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 373,691, filed August 11, 2016; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 373,768, filed August 11, 2016; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 401,062, filed September 28, 2016, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Background Technology

[0004] Envisioning International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) in 2020 and beyond (e.g., IMT 2020) to expand and support a diverse range of use cases and applications that will continue to extend beyond current IMT. Furthermore, various capabilities can be tightly coupled with these different use cases. Example use cases include Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC), Massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC), and network operation. Example operating characteristics of eMBB may include macro and small cells, 1ms latency (air interface), and support for high mobility. Example operating characteristics of URLLC may include low to medium data rates (e.g., 50kbps-10Mbps), less than 1ms air interface latency, 99.999% reliability and availability, low connection establishment latency, and mobility from 0-500km / h. Example operating characteristics of mMTC may include low data rates (e.g., 1-100kbps), high-density devices (e.g., 200,000 / km²), variable latency, low power requirements (e.g., up to 15 years of battery life), and asynchronous access. Network operations address a variety of topics such as network slicing, routing, migration and interoperability, and energy saving.

[0005] In contrast to the new radio requirements, 3GPP TR 38.913 defines the scenarios and requirements for new radio (NR) technologies. Key performance indicators (KPIs) for URLLC and mMTC equipment are summarized in Table 1 below:

[0006] Table 1 – KPIs for URLLC and mMTC devices

[0007]

[0008] refer to Figure 1This section provides a high-level diagram illustrating network slicing. A network slice typically refers to a collection of logical network functions that support one or more communication service requirements. For example, based on a terminal's subscription or type, it can guide a terminal to a selected slice in a way that meets the needs of an operator or user. Network slicing primarily targets partitions of the core network, but it is not exclusive to the core network (CN), meaning the radio access network (RAN) may require specific functions to support multiple slices or to support resource allocation for different network slices.

[0009] System Information (SI) is information broadcast by the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN). This message needs to be acquired by the UE to enable it to access and operate within the network. SI is divided into Main Information Blocks (MIBs) and numerous System Information Blocks (SIBs). A high-level description of MIBs and SIBs is provided in 3GPP TS 36.300. A detailed description is available in 3GPP TS 36.331. Examples of SI are shown in Table 2 below.

[0010] Table 2 - System Information

[0011]

[0012]

[0013] Now let's turn to UE information state. After power-on, the UE can be in different states—such as... Figure 2 The states shown as "idle" or "packet communication" are fully managed through EPS Mobility Management (EMM), EPS Connection Management (ECM), and Radio Resource Control (RRC) functions. Summary of the Invention

[0014] The NR network slicing architecture can be used to facilitate network slice discovery and selection. The mechanism for discovering and selecting network slices can vary depending on whether the user equipment is in idle or connected mode. Furthermore, in various examples, network slice discovery and selection can be performed by the UE, the radio access network (RAN), or the core network (CN) based on various selection criteria.

[0015] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, some concepts further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to the limitations of addressing any or all of the shortcomings pointed out in any part of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0016] A more detailed understanding can be obtained from the following description, which is given as an example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 An example depicting a network slice;

[0018] Figure 2 This shows the status of the operation associated with the example user equipment (UE);

[0019] Figure 3 Describe an example of a network slice that enables a UE to obtain multiple services from the network;

[0020] Figure 4A-5B Describes a call flow for an unlicensed UL transmitted for an mMTC device according to an example embodiment;

[0021] Figures 6A-7B Another example call flow for unlicensed UL transmission for a URLLC device is described according to an example embodiment;

[0022] Figures 8A-9B An example process for unlicensed UL transmission for an mMTC device is described according to an example embodiment;

[0023] Figure 10A-11B A sample process for unlicensed UL transmission for a URLLC device is described according to an example embodiment;

[0024] Figure 12 The diagram illustrates an advanced network slicing architecture;

[0025] Figure 13 This is a call flow for initial network slice discovery and selection in idle mode for a UE according to an example embodiment;

[0026] Figure 14 This is a call flow for initial network slice discovery and selection in connected mode for a UE according to an example embodiment;

[0027] Figure 15 It is a call procedure for initial network slice discovery and selection based on the connection mode of the Radio Access Network (RAN);

[0028] Figure 16 This refers to the initial network slice discovery and selection based on the core network (CN) connection mode according to the example embodiment;

[0029] Figure 17 This is a call flow for UE-based connection mode supplemental network slice discovery and selection, according to an example embodiment;

[0030] Figure 18This is a call flow for RAN-based connection mode supplemental network slice discovery and selection according to an example embodiment;

[0031] Figure 19 This is a call flow for CN-based connection mode supplemental network slice discovery and selection according to an example embodiment;

[0032] Figure 20A and Figure 20B A sample call flow for registration and license-free setup is described according to an example embodiment;

[0033] Figure 21A and Figure 21B A sample call flow for unlicensed and licensed UL transmission for a URLLC device is described according to an example embodiment;

[0034] Figure 22A and Figure 22B An example call flow for unlicensed and licensed UL transmissions for an mMTC device is depicted according to an example embodiment;

[0035] Figure 23 This is a diagram of an example graphical user interface (GUI) for UE configuration according to an example embodiment;

[0036] Figure 24A The diagram illustrates one embodiment of an example communication system that specifically implements the methods and apparatus described and claimed herein;

[0037] Figure 24B This is a block diagram of an example apparatus or device configured for wireless communication according to embodiments illustrated herein;

[0038] Figure 24C This is a system diagram of an example radio access network (RAN) and core network according to an example embodiment;

[0039] Figure 24D This is another system diagram of the RAN and core network according to another embodiment;

[0040] Figure 24E This is another system diagram of the RAN and core network according to another embodiment; and

[0041] Figure 24F It can be implemented in practice. Figure 24A , Figure 24C , Figure 24D as well as Figure 24E A block diagram of an exemplary computing system 90 comprising one or more devices of a communication network illustrated in the figure. Detailed Implementation

[0042] As mentioned above, network slicing is a differentiator for new radio (NR) or 5G networks compared to previous networks. Network slicing allows a network to be virtually divided into several networks, so that each network can be designed to be optimized for a specific set of requirements corresponding to a particular service or application, and they can share similar characteristics with each other. Figure 3 The illustration shows an example use case for network slicing, which enables UE 302 to obtain multiple services 304a-c from network 306 simultaneously.

[0043] As illustrated in the usage scenario, UE 302 can be powered on and remain in idle mode to perform radio / cell search. Once a cell is selected, UE 302 can obtain a list of network slices provided by the cell, such as slices 308a-c, before accessing data network 310. In this example, UE 302 can select a default network slice, which may depend on the UE's device type (e.g., IoT device, smartphone, etc.). This default selection represents an example of idle mode network slice discovery and selection, which will be described further in this document.

[0044] According to this example, a video streaming player (APP 1) is launched in UE 302 and an initial service request is initiated. If the default slice selected in idle mode does not meet the requirements of the request, UE 302 can enter connected mode and begin connected mode network slice discovery and selection of the initial network slice request, as further described herein. As another example, following the launch of APP 1, a heartbeat monitoring application (APP 2) and a remote machinery application (APP 3) are launched in UE 302, which can lead to connected mode network slice discovery and selection for additional network slice requests, as further described herein. In the example, the heartbeat monitoring application can issue small packets infrequently, for example, when the user's health condition changes. Through yet another example, the remote machinery application can support remote control of heavy machinery (e.g., excavators in mines and woodworking machines in forests), allowing users to operate without being on-site.

[0045] From example use cases, it is understood that various embodiments for network slice discovery and selection can be applied to a variety of services requested by a given UE, and also to various types of devices (e.g., URLLC, eMBB, and mMTC). In an example embodiment, idle mode network slice discovery and selection is performed. In another example, connected mode network slice discovery and selection is performed for an initial network slice request. In yet another example, connected mode network slice discovery and selection is performed for an additional network slice request. In some cases, a user equipment can be in either idle mode or connected mode after being powered on, and therefore idle mode network slice discovery and selection refers to discovering and selecting network slices when the UE is in idle mode, and connected mode network slice discovery and selection refers to discovering and selecting network slices when the UE is in connected mode. Idle mode generally refers to a state where the UE is in a low-power mode and is not transmitting data. In idle mode, a given UE can listen for control services, such as paging notifications or system information messages. Connected mode generally refers to a state where the UE has exchanged context information with the radio access network to establish a connection. In connected mode, the UE can be in a high-power state and is ready to send data to and receive data from the RAN node, respectively.

[0046] Now for reference Figures 4A to 5B An example system 2500 is shown, including an mMTC UE 2502, an NR node 2504, and a core network (CN) 2506. The NR node 2504 includes a RAN slice management function or device (node) 2508 and an mMTC slice 2510. The CN 2506 includes a CN slice management function or device (node) 2512 and an mMTC slice 2514. The mMTC 2514 may include a mobility management node or device 2516, a gateway 2518 (e.g., SWG, PGW), and a subscription management function or device (node) 2520 (e.g., HSS). It will be understood that the example system 2500 is simplified for the purpose of describing the disclosed subject matter and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In addition to, etc. Figures 4A to 5B The system illustrated in the diagram is outside or replaces systems such as Figures 4A to 5B The system illustrated in the figure may also be implemented using other devices, systems, and configurations, and all such embodiments are contemplated within the scope of this disclosure.

[0047] Special reference Figure 4AAt point 1, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 is powered on. After power-on, UE 2502 can perform cell search and synchronization, and then the UE can obtain system information, for example, from the MIB and SIB. At point 2, UE 2502 sends a radio connection request to NR node 2504. Specifically, the UE can send a radio connection request message to RAN slice management device 2508 (at point 2A) or mMTC slice 2510 (at point 2B). This request can be a request for access to RAN slice 2510 selected by the UE at NR node 2504. This request can include various contextual information associated with UE 2502. Context information may include, but is not limited to, the device type of UE 2502 (e.g., mMTC, URLLC), the service associated with UE 2502 (e.g., forest fire monitoring or traffic monitoring), latency requirements (e.g., ultra-low latency of 100ms or 0.5ms), data service context (e.g., data packet size or data rate), service type (e.g., non-IP or IP based); mobility context associated with UE 2502 (e.g., stationary, hiking, vehicle), planned scheduling of data transmission from UE 2502, and the type of access that can be performed by UE 2502 (e.g., licensed access, unlicensed access, or access switching between licensed and unlicensed). In some cases, operations 3, 4, and 5 are not performed when the UE selects slice 2510.

[0048] In some cases, such as when UE 2502 does not select a slice, RAN slice management 2508 selects slice 2510 as the UE's radio access slice at 3A, for example, based on the UE context in the request at 2A. Selection can also be based on RAN traffic load and resource allocation. At 4A, according to the illustrated example, RAN slice management 2508 sends a RAN slice connection request to the selected mMTC slice 2510. This request can also forward the context from all or some of the UEs at 2A, enabling the establishment of a radio connection between UE 2502 and mMTC slice 2510. At 5A, mMTC slice 2510 can send a RAN slice connection response to RAN slice management 2508. This response can indicate whether the slice connection request has been accepted. If the request is rejected, one or more reasons for the rejection can be included in the response message.

[0049] At point 6, as illustrated in the example, RAN slice management 2508 (at point 6A) or mMTC slice 2510 (at point 6B) sends a RAN slice connection response to UE 2502. In this message, RAN slice management 2508 or RAN mMTC slice 2510 can confirm whether the radio connection request has been accepted. If the request is rejected, one or more reasons for the rejection can also be included in the response message. In the illustrated example, UE 2502 receives confirmation that a successful radio connection has been established with mMTC slice 2510. At point 7, the UE can send a registration request to RAN slice management 2508 (at point 7A) or RAN mMTC slice 2510 (at point 7B). A registration request can be sent to establish a secure service connection with core network (CN) 2506.

[0050] Now for reference Figure 4B At point 8, a registration request is sent to CN slice management device 2512 (8C and 8C') or CN mMTC slice 2514 (8D and 8D'). This request can be sent by RAN slice management 2508 (8C and 8D) or mMTC slice 2510 (8C' and 8D'). The request may include context information associated with the UE and information associated with mMTC slice 2510, such as, for example, the slice ID. In some cases, operations 9 and 10 described now are skipped when NR node 2504 selects CN slice 2514. At point 9C, according to the illustrated example, CN slice management device 2512 selects mMTC IP service slice 2514, for example, based on UE context, RAN mMTC slice 2510, traffic load of CN 2506, available mMTC slices, etc. At point 10C, according to the illustrated example, CN slice management node 2512 sends a registration request to mobility management node 2516. The registration request may include the UE's context information and information associated with the RAN mMTC slice 2510.

[0051] Now for reference Figure 5AContinuing the illustrated example, at point 11, Mobility Management Node 2516 exchanges messages with Subscription Management Node 2520 to authenticate UE 2502 for service access. After authentication, at point 12, Mobility Management Node 2516 exchanges messages with UE 2502, enabling UE 2502 and Mobility Management Node 2516 to mutually authenticate each other and then establish a secure mode between them. At point 13, according to the illustrated example, Mobility Management Node 2516 can exchange messages with Subscription Management Node 2520 to update the location of UE 2502. Location Update: Mobility Management and Subscription Management exchange messages for location updates. At point 14, a non-IP or IP session can be established between RAN mMTC slice 2510 and CN mMTC slice 2514. A non-IP or IP session can also be established within CN mMTC slice 2514.

[0052] Continue to refer to Figure 5A As illustrated in the example, at point 15, no-license operation is configured. For example, NR node 2504, particularly RAN mMTC slice 2510, can exchange messages with UE 2502 to configure the no-license operation parameters described herein. Example parameters include, but are not limited to: contention access allocation parameters; unlicensed configuration parameters (e.g., DACTI, CTI, DCA, UAP, GLUCI, etc.); seeds or indices for orthogonal codes used for code domain multiple access; seeds or values ​​for random backoff to avoid contention access in case of priority conflicts; redundancy parameters for reliable transmission; timers in an inactive state (e.g., for listening to broadcast channels for paging or system information changes, for measuring radio link management, for updating states related to reachability and mobility, etc.); unlicensed power control values ​​(e.g., minimum and maximum UL transmit power levels and incremental adjustments, which can be calculated by NR node 2504 at least in part based on path loss and required received signal quality during message exchange between UE 2502 and NR node 2504 as described above); parameters related to the schedule for unlicensed UL transmission; coding rate; modulation scheme, etc.

[0053] At 16A, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 utilizes a higher layer to confirm the unlicensed configuration (assignment) as compared to the physical layer. Alternatively or additionally, UE 2502 can confirm the unlicensed setting together with NR node 2504, particularly RAN slice management node 2508 (at 16B) or mMTC slice 2510 (at 16C). Therefore, UE 2502 can receive a command to enter the "unlicensed" operating mode from a higher layer or from NR node 2504. At 17, UE 2502 enters an inactive state in the unlicensed operating mode. The inactive state can be pre-configured. In some cases, the inactive state can be triggered by a command from a higher layer or NR node to operate in unlicensed mode after registration. In some cases, UE 2502 can automatically enter the inactive state in unlicensed operating mode if configured to do so. At 18, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 receives the data it needs to transmit in UL transmission from a higher layer. Example data includes, but is not limited to, "survival" data, measurement data, and data associated with the reachability and mobility status of UE 2502. At point 19, UE 2502 may need to check system information on the broadcast channel. As another example, at point 19, UE 2502 may need to perform radio link measurements or select a new cell based on the results of system information or radio link measurements. At point 20, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 synchronizes with a reference signal or available synchronization pilot (e.g., a first available synchronization pilot) at the symbol timing boundary used to allocate the contention access area.

[0054] At 21, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 sends an unlicensed UL transmission to NR node 2504, specifically RAN mMTC slice 2510. In some cases, UE 2502 may engage in contention-based access for unlicensed UL transmission (without redundancy) at an initial UL transmission power, which may be defined during the unlicensed setup phase (at 15) or signaled by NR node 2504 via system information broadcast or RRC signaling. In some cases, UE 2502 may indicate whether an ACK is required for this transmission at the transmission power level. UE 2502 may also include radio link measurements, reachability or mobility status, or other information related to the UL data transmission at 21. At 22, UE 2502 may wait from mMTC slice 2510 for an ACK response to its UL transmission. If, for example, an ACK is required, UE 2502 may wait until the ACK timer expires. At 23, according to the example, UE 2502 retransmits the UL message. For example, if its unlicensed UL data needs to be reliably transmitted, UE 2502 can again contend for access. At 24, according to the illustrated example, NR node 2504, specifically mMTC slice 2510, sends an ACK message to UE 2502, indicating that the UL transmission from UE 2502 has been successfully received. The message at 24 may also include a power adjustment value for the UE's next unlicensed UL transmission, thereby providing quasi-closed-loop power control. At 25, UE 2502 can enter an inactive state of unlicensed operation mode. An inactive state generally refers to a state where the UE is not transmitting. The inactive state can be pre-configured or triggered by a higher-level command after an unlicensed UL transmission. The inactive state can also be triggered when UE 2502 receives an ACK from NR node 2502, for example, when transmission requires an ACK. In some cases, if, for example, UE 2502 is configured to do so, UE 2502 can automatically enter an inactive state after an unlicensed UL transmission.

[0055] For further reference Figures 6A to 7BThe illustration shows an example of unlicensed UL transmission for a URLLC device. An example system 2700 is shown, including a URLLC UE 2702, an NR node 2704, and a core network (CN) 2706. The NR node 2704 includes a RAN slice management function or device (node) 2708 and a RAN URLLC slice 2710. The CN 2706 includes a CN slice management function or device (node) 2712 and a URLLC slice 2714. The URLLC slice 2714 may include a mobility management node or device 2716, one or more gateways 2718 (e.g., SWG, PGW), and a subscription management function or device (node) 2720 (e.g., HSS). It should be understood that the example system 2700 is simplified for the convenience of describing the disclosed subject matter and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In addition to, etc. Figures 6A to 7B The system illustrated in the diagram is outside or replaces systems such as Figures 6A to 7B The system illustrated in the figure may also be implemented using other devices, systems, and configurations, and all such embodiments are contemplated within the scope of this disclosure.

[0056] Figures 6A to 7B The example embodiment of the URLLC device illustrated in the figure may be similar to the example embodiment of the mMTC device described above, and therefore referenced. Figures 4A to 5B Similar operations are described. However, the context information associated with UE 2702, relative to the URLLC device, may include values ​​instructing UE 2702 to switch between licensed and unlicensed operation. Additionally, an eMBB / URLLC slice may be selected at NR node 2704 to optimize overall system resource utilization. In the example, URLLC slice 2714 is selected to meet short latency requirements across system (core network 2706) 2700. In some examples, UE 2702 utilizes redundancy for its unlicensed UL transmissions (e.g., transmitting multiple transmissions in the same or different unlicensed contention spaces on multiple contention blocks using the same or different redundancy schemes). In one example, at 24, UE 2702 switches from unlicensed operation mode to licensed operation mode after receiving a command from a higher layer. As an example, UE 2702 may include a traffic monitor that switches from unlicensed mode to licensed operation mode to upload images of a traffic accident to the network.

[0057] Now for reference Figures 8A to 8BThe illustration shows an example system 2500. In the illustrated example, unlicensed UL operation is performed for mMTC device 2502. According to the illustrated example, RAN slice management node 2508 and CN slice management node 2512 can be logical entities that perform common control functions in RAN and CN 2506, respectively. For example, RAN slice management node 2508 and CN slice management node 2512 can exchange service subscription and policy information, which can be used to verify requests for access slices. Such information can also be used to establish security settings, charging parameters, etc. RAN slice management node 2508 and CN slice management node 2512 can also exchange context information associated with UE 2502. Such context information can include, for example, mobility information, location information, transmission scheduling information, data service information, etc. Context information can allow the selection of appropriate (e.g., optimal) slices in RAN and CN 2506.

[0058] Mobility management node 2516 and subscription management node 2520 may represent common functions used for CN slices (slice public) associated with a service provider. In some cases, as shown, mobility management node 2516 and subscription management node may be part of CN slice management 2506, or may represent specific functions (slice specific) within a CN slice 2514 provided by a specific service provider.

[0059] Special reference Figure 8A and Figure 8BAt point 1, as illustrated in the example, UE 2502 is powered on. After power-on, UE 2502 can perform cell / TRP / slice search and synchronization. UE 2502 can also obtain system information from the MIB and SIB. At this time, in some cases, UE 2502 may be in a state similar to EMM-deregistration, ECM-idle, and RRC-idle as defined in current LTE systems. At point 2, UE 2502 can send a radio connection request to RAN slice management node 2508 (at point 2A) or mMTC slice 2510 (at point 2B). This request may include various contextual information associated with UE 2502, such as, but not limited to: device type (e.g., mMTC or URLLC), service (e.g., service for forest fire monitoring or traffic monitoring); latency requirements (e.g., 100ms or ultra-low latency of 0.5ms); context related to data services (e.g., data packet size and / or data rate and / or duty cycle); CN service type (e.g., non-IP or IP based); mobility context (e.g., static, walking, or vehicle, or low speed in a restricted area, etc.); location context (e.g., UE tracking area at the RAN); scheduling context (e.g., scheduling of data transmission); access context (e.g., permitted or unlicensed access, whether switching between permitted and unlicensed access is possible, access priority, etc.). In some cases, such as when UE 2502 selects RAN slice 2510, operations 4 and 5 are not performed.

[0060] At point 3A, RAN slice management node 2508 can select RAN slice 2510. Selection can be based at least in part on context information associated with UE 2502, traffic load and resource allocation across various RAN slices, relevant service profiles or subscriptions, charging policies, etc. This information can be stored at NR node 2504 or received from CN 2506 via CN slice management node 2512 and / or subscription management entity 2520. At point 3A, RAN slice management 2508 selects mMTC slice 2510 as the radio access slice for UE 2510. At point 3B, RAN slice 3510 can determine whether to accept a connection request from the UE to RAN-selected or UE-selected RAN slice 3510. At point 4A, RAN slice management 2508 can send a RAN slice connection request to mMTC slice 2510. This connection request can include context information associated with UE 2502, enabling the establishment of a radio connection between UE 2502 and slice 2510. At 5A, as illustrated in the example, mMTC slice 2510 sends a RAN slice connection response to RAN slice management 2508. This response can indicate whether the slice connection request has been accepted. If the request is rejected, the reason for the rejection can be included in the response message. If the request is accepted, the radio configuration parameters for the selected RAN slice 2510 (e.g., dedicated radio resource configurations similar to SRB1 and / or DBR for UE 2502) can be included in the response.

[0061] Still referencing Figure 8A and Figure 8BAt point 6, as illustrated in the example, RAN slice management 2508 (at point 6A) or mMTC slice 2510 (at point 6B) sends a radio connection response to UE 2502. This response may indicate that the radio connection was acknowledged by RAN slice management 2508 or RAN mMTC slice 2510. If the request for the selected RAN slice 2510 is rejected, the reason for the rejection may also be included in the response message. If the request is accepted, radio configuration parameters for the selected RAN slice 2510 (e.g., dedicated resource configurations for UE 2502, such as SRB1 and / or DRB) may be included in the response. In some cases, RAN slice management 2508 or the selected RAN slice 2510 may (e.g., within the response message) send dedicated SBR1 and / or DRB resources (e.g., SRB and / or DRB configurations) for UE 2502. Therefore, UE 2502 can be confirmed as having a successful radio connection with mMTC slice 2510, which can be a NAS connection with the selected RAN slice 2510. At point 7, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 can send a registration request to RAN slice management 2508 (at point 7A) or RAN mMTC slice 2510 (at point 7B). This registration request can be sent at the NAS layer and can be encapsulated in a radio connection completion message, which can also include radio configuration as indicated by the selected RAN slice 251. RAN slice management 2508 can send the registration request to CN slice management 2512 (at point 8A) or mobility management 2516 (at point 8D). Alternatively, RAN mMTC slice 2510 can send the registration request to mobility management 2516 (at point 8D'). When slice 2512 is selected by NR node 2510, the registration request can be sent to mobility management 2516. In some examples, when RAN slice 2510 is selected by UE 2502 (at 8B), a registration request can be sent to CN slice management 2512. The registration request may include context information associated with the UE, as well as slice information (e.g., ID) associated with mMTC slice 2510.

[0062] In some examples, NR node 2504 or CN 2506 may select CN slice 2514 based on various contextual information associated with UE 2502. For example, CN slice selection may be based at least in part on the UE ID assigned by RAN slice management 2508 or RAN slice 2510 in NR node 2508, the type of UE 2502 (e.g., mMTC or URLLC), the service performed by UE 2502 (e.g., forest fire surveillance or traffic surveillance), latency requirements (e.g., long latency of 100ms or ultra-low latency of 0.5ms for end-to-end latency of a session or stream); data services (e.g., data bit rate and / or traffic load for a session or stream); routing type (e.g., based on non-IP or IP), mobility (e.g., static, walking, or vehicle, or low speed in a restricted area); location (e.g., the tracking and / or routing area of ​​the UE in the network, such as TAI and ECGI in an LTE system); scheduling (e.g., scheduling of UL data transmission); billing (e.g., online or offline billing), etc.

[0063] In some cases, such as when NR node 2504 selects CN slice 2514, operations 9 and 10 are not performed. In other cases, at 9C, CN slice management 2512 selects an mMTC IP service slice (slice 2514) based on at least a portion of context information associated with the UE, RAN mMTC slice 2510, CN service load, or available mMTC slices. At 10C, CN slice management 2506 may send a registration request to mobility management node 2616. This registration request may include context information associated with UE 2502 and information related to RAN mMTC slice 2510. At 10C, in some cases, a connection is established between the NAS layer of UE 2502 and mobility management 2516 or CN slice 2514. The UE can then transition to various states, such as EMM-registered, ECM-connected, and RRC-connected states in an LTE system.

[0064] Now for reference Figure 9AAt point 11, according to the illustrated example, Mobility Management 2516 and Subscription Management 2520 exchange messages for authenticating UE 2502 using the requested service. The exchanged messages may include, but are not limited to, UE ID (such as IMSI and Serving Network ID) and context, RAN and CN slice information (such as RAN Slice ID and CN Slice ID), Serving Network ID, UE service profile or subscription and charging policy, assigned UE default IP address, etc. A security key can be generated for establishing a secure connection in CN 2506 and the RAN. At point 12, after authenticating with Subscription Management 2520, Mobility Management 2516 and UE 2502 may exchange messages for mutual authentication and then establish a secure mode between them for NAS signaling. At point 23, according to the illustrated example, Mobility Management 2516 and Subscription Management 2520 exchange messages to update the location associated with UE 2502. At point 14, according to the illustrated example, an IP or non-IP session is established within the CN mMTC slice 2514 on the radio bearer between the UE 2502 and the mobility management 2516 in CN 2506 via the interface between the RAN mMTC slice 2510 and the CN mMTC slice 2514 and the network connection in the core network 2506.

[0065] At point 15, no-license operation is configured. For example, NR node 2504, particularly RAN mMTC slice 2510, can exchange messages with UE 2502 to configure the no-license operation parameters described herein. Example parameters include, but are not limited to: contention access allocation parameters; access priority and / or contention priority; unlicensed configuration parameters (e.g., DACTI, CTI, DCA, UAP, GLUCI, etc.); seeds or indices for orthogonal codes used for code domain multiple access; seeds or values ​​for random backoff to avoid contention access in case of priority conflicts; redundancy parameters for reliable transmission; timers in an inactive state (e.g., for listening to broadcast channels for paging or system information changes, for measuring radio link management, for updating states related to reachability and mobility, etc.); unlicensed power control values ​​(e.g., minimum and maximum UL transmit power levels and incremental adjustments, which can be calculated by NR node 2504 at least in part based on path loss and required received signal quality during message exchange between UE 2502 and NR node 2504 as described above); parameters related to scheduling for unlicensed UL transmission; coding rate; modulation scheme, etc. At 16A, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 utilizes a higher layer of UE 2502 to confirm the unlicensed configuration (allocation) as compared to the physical layer. Alternatively or additionally, UE 2502 can confirm the no-license setting together with NR node 2504, particularly RAN slice management node 2508 (at 16B) or mMTC slice 2510 (at 16C). Therefore, UE 2502 can receive a command to enter the "no-license" operating mode from a higher layer or from NR node 2504.

[0066] Now for reference Figure 9BAt point 17, UE 2502 enters an inactive state in unlicensed operation mode. This inactive state can be pre-configured. In some cases, the inactive state can be triggered by commands from a higher layer or NR node to operate in unlicensed mode after registration. In some cases, UE 2502 can automatically enter an inactive state in unlicensed operation mode if configured to do so. At point 18, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 receives data it needs to transmit in UL transmission from a higher layer. Example data includes, but is not limited to, "liveness" small data, measurement data, data associated with UE 2502's reachability and mobility status, etc. At point 19, UE 2502 may need to check system information on the broadcast channel. As another example, at point 19, UE 2502 may need to perform radio link measurements or select a new cell based on the system information or the results of radio link measurements. At point 20, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 synchronizes with a reference signal or available synchronization pilot (e.g., the first available synchronization pilot) at the symbol timing boundary used for allocating contentionable access areas. UE 2502 can also estimate the time advance (TA) for unlicensed UL synchronization at 20 points. In addition, UE 2502 can estimate the transmit power (TP) level for UL transmission using the received DL reference signal.

[0067] At point 21, according to the illustrated example, UE 2502 sends an unlicensed UL transmission to NR node 2504, specifically RAN mMTC slice 2510. In some cases, UE 2502 may engage in contention-based access for unlicensed UL transmission (without redundancy) at an initial UL transmission power, which may be defined at the unlicensed setup phase (at point 15) or signaled by NR node 2504 via system information broadcast or RRC signaling. In some cases, UE 2502 may indicate whether an ACK is required for this transmission at the transmission power level. UE 2502 may also include radio link measurements, reachability or mobility status, or other information regarding the UL data transmission at point 21. At point 22, UE 2502 may wait from mMTC slice 2510 for an ACK response to its UL transmission. If, for example, an ACK is required, UE 2502 may wait until the ACK timer expires. At 23, according to the example, if reliable transmission is required, UE 2502 retransmits the UL message at an adjusted (e.g., increased) TP level. For example, if its unlicensed UL data requires reliable transmission, UE 2502 can again contend for access. At 24, according to the illustrated example, NR node 2504, specifically mMTC slice 2510, sends an ACK message to UE 2502, indicating that the UL transmission from UE 2502 has been successfully received. The message at 24 may also include a power adjustment value for the UE's next unlicensed UL transmission, thereby providing quasi-closed-loop power control. At 25, UE 2502 can enter an inactive state of unlicensed operation mode. An inactive state generally refers to a state where the UE is not transmitting. The inactive state can be pre-configured or triggered by a higher-level command after an unlicensed UL transmission. The inactive state can also be triggered when UE 2502 receives an ACK from NR node 2502, for example, when transmission requires an ACK. In some cases, if, for example, UE 2502 is configured to do so, UE 2502 can automatically enter an inactive state after unlicensed UL transmission.

[0068] Also refer to Figures 10A to 11B The illustration shows an example embodiment of a URLLC device, which may be similar to the example embodiment of the mMTC device described above, and therefore referenced. Figures 8A to 9BSimilar operations are described. However, regarding URLLC devices, the context information associated with UE 2702 may include values ​​instructing UE 2702 to switch between licensed and unlicensed operation. Additionally, at 3A or 2B, eMBB / URLLC slice 2710 may be selected at NR node 2704 to optimize overall system resource utilization. In the example, at 9C or 8D, URLLC slice 2714 is selected to meet short latency requirements across system (network) 2700. In some examples, UE 2702 utilizes redundancy (e.g., by using multiple competing blocks to transmit the same data) for its unlicensed UL transmission. In one example, at 24, UE 2702 switches from unlicensed operation mode to licensed operation mode after receiving a command from a higher layer. As an example, UE 2702 may include a traffic monitor that switches from unlicensed mode to licensed operation mode to upload images of a traffic accident to the network.

[0069] It is recognized here that in NR networks, different CN entities can belong to different operators, and therefore available network slices within one CN entity may not be visible to another CN entity. In some cases where the RAN lacks slice information from the UE to determine which CN entity can be selected, one or more default / common CN entities may exist for the RAN to select for a given UE, for example, based on various criteria (e.g., the UE's basic / default device / service type, load balancing algorithm, etc.). In some cases, once a default / common CN entity is assigned, this CN entity can be further assigned a special CN entity identifier (CN-ID) to the UE, which the RAN can use for subsequent routing of UE fragment requests.

[0070] Network slicing can be viewed as a network management tool that allows mobile network operators (MNOs) to efficiently allocate network resources to meet the service requirements of customers or applications. Each MNO can create a set of customized network slices to meet their business and service needs. In some cases, network slices can be pre-configured; in others, they can be dynamically configured or reconfigured to meet business requirements. Therefore, network slices can be specific to a particular MNO network at a specific location and point in time. For example, a pre-configured slice can refer to a slice configured only once or a slice dynamically reconfigured to meet business needs.

[0071] In some cases, network slice selection can consist of a RAN portion and a CN (PLMN) portion. In some examples, the RAN slice may be visible to the UE during the cell search / selection phase (e.g., SIB), while the CN slice may not be visible to the UE. Conversely, in some cases, a multidimensional descriptor can be provided to the UE, which can be used to select the appropriate network slice for differentiated services provided by the MNO. The provided descriptor (which may include application identifiers, service types, etc.) may have global importance (e.g., valid for all PLMNs) or local importance (e.g., valid for the currently connected PLMN). Determining the appropriate network slice can be a CN function that considers multiple factors, such as, but not limited to, the multidimensional descriptor, UE service profile, network topology, the UE's current location, time of day, current system load, MNO policy, etc. In some cases, the mapping from descriptor to network slice is a CN function. In other cases, the descriptor may include a slice identifier, which can be used by the RAN to identify pre-configured network slices.

[0072] Exemplary network slicing system 1200 Figure 12-19 As shown in the diagram. System 1200 may include UE 1202, RAN 1204 (e.g., 5G or NR RAN), one or more CN entities 1-y, and one or more data networks AM. RAN 1204 may include NR nodes (e.g., gNB) 1204a, TRP 1, and one or more RAN slices 1-x. RAN 1202 may provide public, default, or basic slices to UE 1202. CN entities may also provide basic slices. In this context, public, default, and basic slices may be used interchangeably without limitation unless otherwise stated. The functionality of the basic slice may vary as needed. CN may also include one or more CN slices 1-n. It will be understood that the example system 1200 is simplified for the purpose of describing the disclosed subject matter and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In addition to, etc. Figure 12-19 Outside the system illustrated in the figure, or instead of such as Figure 12-19 The systems illustrated herein may be implemented using other devices, systems, and configurations, and all such embodiments are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0073] Regarding common slices, in some cases, multiple network slices share common functions. These common network functions may include, for example, basic control plane (CP) network functions to support common operations within network slice instances (NSIs) within the RAN and core network. For example, authentication and authorization are common functions used to authenticate and authorize UEs, enabling UEs to attach to the operator's network. This function can also provide security and integrity protection for NAS signaling. In some cases, this function is only applicable to CN common slices. Mobility management functions may be responsible for UE registration (e.g., UE context storage) and UE mobility support (e.g., providing mobility functions when a UE moves between base stations within the operator's network). Routing functions can route UE NAS / AS messages to the correct network slice instance (NSI). An example network slice instance selection function can select the appropriate slice for a UE, for example, if the UE has not yet requested a specific slice. In some cases, common functions are not universal across all slices. For example, slice-specific authentication and authorization functions may be needed when each slice requires a different security level. Alternatively, some functions may be common to a set of slices.

[0074] In some examples, when a UE performs an initial attachment / connection to a network and does not specify a particular network slice to connect to, the UE can access one or more initial default slices. These default slices may include control plane (CP) functions, user plane (UP) functions, or a combination thereof, as needed. In some cases, redirection functionality enables the PLMN to direct the UE to different NSIs, for example, depending on the type of applications and services requested by the UE. Alternatively or additionally, the UE may be redirected at least in part based on changes in the UE's subscription, operator policies, etc. In some cases, redirection functionality may reside in each specific NSI, such that if the target NSI is known, the currently selected NSI can directly redirect the UE to another suitable NSI. Alternatively, redirection functionality may reside only in a common slice, allowing NSI selection and redirection to be managed from a central location.

[0075] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, NSI-ID refers to a network slice instance identifier, which can be used to reference a specific network slice within a specific MNO network, for example, at a specific location and at a specific point in time. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, CN-ID refers to a CN entity identifier, which can be used to reference a specific CN entity. By using this ID, the RAN can support the selection of a specified CN entity for routing NAS uplink messages. For example, the RAN can forward a UE's CN slice request message.

[0076] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, when a UE selects a network slice instance, the selection may be referred to as UE-based. Similarly, when the RAN selects a network slice instance and the CN selects a network slice instance, the slice selection may be referred to as RAN-based and CN-based, respectively.

[0077] In some cases, the UE is in idle mode when there are no active connections to the RAN and CN. Examples of UE-based network slice selection in idle mode are not discussed here. In these examples, the UE can obtain service characteristics from its upper layers and slice information from the network. Based on this information, the UE can determine which slice to access.

[0078] In the first example ( Figure 13 In Example 1), the UE can obtain slice information (e.g., supported service types, QoS parameters, etc.) before accessing the network. For example, the RAN can broadcast slice information via SIB messages and can allocate slice-specific access resources (e.g., slice-specific random access resources) to the UE. If multiple RAN / RAT / cells are available during the UE's cell search, the UE can select a suitable RAN / RAT / cell for connection. For example, the RAN / RAT / cell selected by the UE may have the lowest load or offer the most candidate network slices. In this example, network slices can be statically pre-configured.

[0079] In another example ( Figure 13 In Example 2), a given UE cannot obtain slice information before accessing the network, so the UE can establish a regular connection with the RAN (e.g., an RRC connection). After the connection is established, the UE can be configured with slice information by the RAN (e.g., RRC configuration). In this example, network slices can be dynamically adjusted or reconfigured to meet service requirements, and therefore a given network slice can be specific to a particular MNO network, for example, at a specific location and at a specific point in time.

[0080] In yet another example, a given UE is in idle mode due to being in a low-power mode (e.g., sleep), but the UE has saved slice information from previous network connections. Alternatively, the UE may have the slice information pre-configured, for example, by the user and / or the operator. The saved or pre-configured slice information can be valid, and therefore the idle UE can acquire the slice information without performing a cell search. In this example, the network slices may be statically pre-configured.

[0081] Now for reference Figure 13It will be understood that TRP 1 and NR node 1204a within RAN 1204 can be physical entities or devices, and slices can represent logical / virtual resources. In some cases, slices 1-x can cover physical resources from NR node 1204a and TRP 1. According to the illustrated example, slice 1 has its own authentication and authorization functions.

[0082] At point 1, as illustrated in the example, UE 1202 is powered on and not connected to any network. It remains in idle mode to perform cell search. During cell search, the UE is able to find and acquire synchronization with the selected / reselected cell, and then receive and decode broadcast SIB messages, which may contain slice information provided by RAN 1204. In one example, the slice format information may resemble a Multidimensional Descriptor (MDD) as defined in 3GPP TR 23.799. The MDD may contain one or more of the following vectors, presented as examples and not as a limitation: application ID, slice type (RAN or CN slice), validity periodicity (e.g., hour, day, etc.), service descriptor (e.g., eMBB service, CriC, mMTC), NSI-ID, etc. The NSI-ID can be standardized and shared between different CN entities / PLMNs, or it can be specific to each CN entity / PLMN. At point 2, the UE selects a RAN to establish a connection.

[0083] At point 3, as illustrated in Example 1, UE 1202 can obtain slice information from the RAN at operation 1 or 2 (e.g., via broadcast SIB or on-demand SIB). The UE can obtain its own specific information, such as, but not limited to, capabilities, service characteristics, service type, etc. Based on the slice information and UE-specific information, the UE makes a decision about which slice to access (e.g., the RAN slice or the CN slice or both).

[0084] In some cases, selection criteria can consist of multiple weighted factors. These include resource sharing / isolation models (e.g., static, dynamic, etc.), intra-slice contention level, CN entity loading (if multiple CN entities are available), achievable bandwidth, average latency, etc. Note that it is assumed that all candidate slices evaluated can meet the requirements of both the UE and the network; however, different slices still have different capabilities and attributes. For example, while all candidate slices may meet the 10ms latency requirement, some slices may even have an average latency of less than 5ms.

[0085] exist Figure 13 In Example 1, at operation 4, by determining the NSI-ID at point 3, UE 1202 can send an access request (e.g., an attachment request) with the NSI-ID to the selected RAN slice. Figure 13(slice 1 in the RAN 1202). UE 1202 may carry the RAN NSI-ID from the access request message to RAN 1204. RAN 1204 uses the NSI-ID to identify the requested RAN slice within the same RAN entity. In another example, if RAN 1204 provides slice-specific access resources (e.g., slice-specific random access resources), UE 1202 may not carry the RAN NSI-ID in the access request message.

[0086] At point 5 in Example 1, still refer to Figures 1 to 13 The RAN slice identifier check is performed to verify whether UE 1202 is authenticated and authorized to access the RAN slice. In some cases, this can be done via a public / default / basic slice or a selected slice. Once this authentication is successful, the RAN slice can check the mapping table to determine which CN entity (if specified by the CN NSI-ID given by the UE) will route a request message for a specific CN slice to. In one example, the CN NSI-ID included in the request at position 4 does not exist. In another example, the CN NSI-ID included in the request at position 4 exists, but RAN slice 1 does not know / find the corresponding slice in the mapping table (e.g., an entry indicating which CN entity has the CN slice indexed by the NSI-ID). For example, CN slices can be dynamically allocated, and in some cases, exist only for a specific duration, making it possible for a given CN NSI-ID to expire. Alternatively, the CN NSI-ID carried in the request may not be a normalized NSI-ID, and therefore the CN NSI referenced by the NSI-ID may have already been allocated by a previously accessed CN entity / PLMN. This CN NSI may be valid in a limited number of CN entities / PLMNs, and therefore not for all CN entities / PLMNs. In yet another example, there is a CN NSI-ID included in the request at point 4, and RAN slice 1 knows the corresponding slice. In this case, the access request can be routed to a specific CN network slice within a specific CN entity (CN 1), and the example procedure can continue to operation 6. For other examples where RAN 1204 does not know the location of the routed slice request (e.g., where the CN will go), the procedure can proceed to... Figure 13 Operation 3 in Example 2.

[0087] Still referencing Figure 13 At point 6 in Example 1, RAN slice 1 sends an access request (e.g., an attachment request originating from UE 1202) to CN slice 1 in CN entity 1 (CN 1) after checking the mapping table in operation 5, where a valid CN-ID and CN NSI-ID pair is found. Figure 13In Example 1 at point 7, CN slice 1 performs a UE identity check, for example, by verifying the UE's subscription, operator policies, etc., to determine whether the UE is allowed to access CN slice 1. At point 8, according to... Figure 13 In Example 1 illustrated, CN slice 1 sends an access response message to RAN slice 1. At point 9, RAN slice 1 forwards the access response message to UE 1202. At point 10, the response message can indicate acceptance or rejection of the request message initiated in operation 4. If the request is accepted, UE 1202 can establish a user plane connection with the assigned / selected RAN slice (RAN slice 1) and CN slice (CN slice). If the request is not accepted, in this example, operations 4 through 9 can be repeated after the retransmission timer expires. Alternatively, in another example, operations 3 through 9 can be repeated to initiate an access request to another selected slice after the delayed timer expires. Alternatively, UE 1202 can exit and present an error message to the user.

[0088] about Figure 13 Example 2: TRP1 (or a network entity with a direct radio link to UE 1202) can collect specific information from UE 1202. This specific information may include, for example, but is not limited to: slice selection assistance information, such as UE capabilities (e.g., antenna, frequency, etc.), service type associated with UE 1202 (e.g., eMBB, mMTC), service characteristics associated with UE 1202 (e.g., real-time video, heartbeat monitoring, etc.), QoS parameters required by UE 1202 (e.g., throughput, packet loss rate, jitter latency, etc.), slice licensing agreements, etc. Slice selection assistance information may also include a new radio or 5G Globally Unique Temporary Identifier (NGUTI), which may point to the NG CN NF in use, and may be common to the NSI that allows the UE to use. For example, when the NGI is unavailable, the slice assistance information may also include a preferred PLMN, or an identifier associated with the UE (UE identifier). At point 4, according to... Figure 13 In Example 2, TRP 1 interacts with gNB / NR node 1204a and one or more CN entities, and based on the collected UE-specific information, obtains a list of available network slice instances (RAN and / or CN) that meet the UE's requirements, as well as the requirements of the CN / PLMN and the operator. In this example, if the list contains only one network slice (one RAN slice or one CN slice), this UE-based selection can be changed to a network-based selection (based on RAN or CN). At point 5 in Example 2, once available slice information is received from the CN, TRP 1 can update the mapping table so that a new record for the pair of CN-IDs and the matching CN NSI-ID is appended to the table. In some cases, the updated mapping table can be used for future routing.

[0089] Still referencing Figure 13 In Example 2, at point 6, UE 1202 is configured with a list of available network slice instances, as described above. For example, UE 1202 can be configured in a format similar to the Multidimensional Descriptor (MDD) defined in 3GPP TR 23.799. The MDD can contain various vectors, such as, but not limited to: application ID, slice type (RAN or CN slice), validity periodicity (e.g., hour, day, etc.), service descriptor (e.g., eMBB service, CriC, mMTC), NSI-ID, etc. The NSI-ID can be standardized and shared between different CN entities / PLMNs, or it can be per-CN entity / PLMN specific. At point 7, the above reference can be performed. Figure 13 Example 1 describes operations 3 to 10.

[0090] We now turn to UE connected mode network slice discovery and selection. When the UE is in connected mode, it has an active connection to the network. If the UE is not yet associated with or connected to a network, it can perform initial network slice discovery and selection, as now described in detail according to various embodiments.

[0091] refer to Figure 14 As illustrated in the example, UE 1202 does not have a pre-configured or saved set of valid available slice information. Therefore, the UE (at point 1) sends an access request to the RAN public / default / basic slice to obtain slice information. This slice can be known to UE 1202 in advance. In the example, if TRP 1 does not send a request on behalf of UE 1202, UE 1202 can send the request for slice information itself. For example, UE 1202 can send an explicit slice information request, or the request can be piggybacked on the initial attach response, etc. UE-specific information, such as those referenced above... Figure 13 The information described in Example 2 can be included in the request. In some cases, such as if UE 1202 has a pre-configured or saved set of valid available slice information, the process can proceed to Operation 7. Furthermore, in the example, if UE 1202 is reattaching to network 1204 and wants to reuse a previously selected NSI, the process can proceed to Operation 8 using the cached NSI-ID.

[0092] Still referencing Figure 14At point 2, following the illustrated example, a RAN slice identification check is performed to verify whether UE 1202 is authenticated and authorized to access this RAN public / default / basic slice. At point 3, the RAN public / default / basic slice performs RAN selection of the CN entity. In some cases, RAN 1204 may select a default CN entity or a specific CN entity by following predefined rules / functions or load balancing algorithms. RAN 1204 can then forward the request to one or more public / default / basic slices of the selected CN entity. At point 4, by obtaining the UE's subscription profile and other slice selection aids (e.g., billing, operator policies, etc.), the CN public / default / basic slice can verify whether UE 1202 is authorized to access the network slice in that CN entity (CN 1). Based on the slice selection aids carried in the request (e.g., the UE's service type and QoS requirements, etc.) and the availability and attributes associated with the slice, which can be provided by RAN 1204 and CN entity 1, a set of one or more candidate network slices can be determined for UE 1202. In some cases, new slices can be created / assigned, or one or more existing slices can be reconfigured to meet various requirements. If CN 1 accepts the request, CN 1 can send a response to RAN 1204 including information on available slices. If the response is not accepted, a NACK or other rejection message can be sent back as a response. At point 6, the response from operation 5 is forwarded to UE 1202. At point 7, UE 1202 can evaluate the candidate slice information carried in the received access response at operation 6, as described above, and select one or more slices based on that information. UE 1202 can select one or more RAN slices and one or more CN slices. UE 1202 can use various selection criteria that can be weighted to select one or more slices. Example selection criteria may include, for example, but are not limited to: resource sharing / isolation model (e.g., static, dynamic, etc.), intra-slice contention level, CN entity loading, achievable bandwidth, average latency, etc. For example, multiple candidate slices, such as all candidate slices being evaluated, can meet the requirements of both the UE and the network. In these cases, different slices may have different capabilities and attributes, and therefore selection can be based on these differences. For example, the latency across all candidate slices might meet the 10ms requirement, but some slices might even have an average latency of less than 5ms, while others might not. At point 8, based on the illustrated example, execution from... Figure 13 Examples 1, operations 4 through 10.

[0093] In the various UE-based examples described above, one or more candidate available network slice instances are provided to the UE via the network, and the UE determines which slice to access. In the various RAN- and CN-based selection examples, a Network Slice Instance Selection Function (NSISF) not residing in the UE can perform slice determination. In some cases, the NSISF can be provided by either the RAN or the CN. In the RAN-based slice selection example, the UE now knows the network slice information. The RAN can obtain service characteristics from the UE's reports, or the UE can explicitly send this information to the RAN. For example, the RAN can instruct the UE to report its service characteristics when accessing the network. The RAN can obtain CN slice instances from the CN node or from the operating and managing CN entity. If the initial access slice is not for the UE, the RAN redirects / switches the UE to another target slice instance. In some cases, the RAN can make a decision on behalf of the UE to select the appropriate slice instance.

[0094] In some cases, as described in the illustrated example, the NSISF may be included in a common / default / basic slice of the RAN or CN. Alternatively, the NSISF may be a standalone node in the RAN or CN (not co-located with any network slice).

[0095] Now for reference Figure 15 Based on the example shown, the following can be executed: Figure 14 Operations 0 through 5 involve UE 1202 sending a slice request to the RAN public / default / basic slice, performing slice authentication and authorization, the RAN selecting a CN entity and forwarding the access request, and preparing candidate slice information. At point 2, as illustrated in the example, the NSISF in the public / default / basic slice selects an appropriate slice for the UE from the set of candidate slice information carried in the access response, based on slice assistance information provided by the UE and the CN. The information provided by the CN can be carried in the access response, or cached or pre-configured in the RAN. At point 3, the access response can be sent to UE 1202. As illustrated in the example, the access response may include a network slice instance corresponding to the NSI selected in operation 2. In some cases, the RAN and CN slices are considered as a single complete network slice instance. (Still referencing...) Figure 15At point 3, UE 1202 sends an access request (e.g., an attachment request) using the NSI-ID of the selected RAN slice. UE 1202 may carry the RAN NSI-ID in the request message to RAN 1204. RAN 1204 can use the NSI-ID to identify the requested RAN slice within the same RAN entity. In another case, if RAN 1204 provides slice-specific access resources (e.g., slice-specific random access resources), UE 1202 may not carry the RAN NSI-ID in the access request message. At point 5, a RAN slice identification check is performed to check if the UE is authenticated and allowed to access the RAN slice. Once this authentication is successful, for example, the RAN slice may check a mapping table to determine which CN entity a request message that will route a specific CN slice (e.g., if specified by the CN NSI-ID given by the UE) will be routed to. In the example (subcase a), the CN NSI-ID included in the request at point 4 is not present. In another example (sub-case b), a CN NSI-ID is included in the request at point 4, but RAN slice 1 cannot identify the corresponding slice in the mapping table (e.g., the recorded entry indicating which CN entity has a CN slice indexed by the NSI-ID). For example, CN slices can be dynamically assigned and exist only for a specific duration, making a given CN NSI-ID potentially expire. Alternatively, by another example, the CN NSI-ID carried in the request might not be a normalized NSI-ID, such that the CN NSI referenced by the NSI-ID is assigned by a previously visited CN entity / PLMN and is valid across a limited number of CN entities / PLMNs. In yet another example (sub-case c), a CN NSI-ID is included in the request at point 4, and RAN slice 1 knows the corresponding slice.

[0096] For example subcases a and b, the RAN may not know where to route the slice request (e.g., to which CN entity), and therefore the process can proceed to 5a through 5d. For example, in subcase c, the access request can be routed to a specific CN network slice within a specific CN entity, and the process can continue to operation 6.

[0097] In 5a, it can be executed Figure 13 Example 2, operation 3, where TRP 1 collects specific information about UE 1202. At 5a, communication can occur between RAN slice 1 and UE 1202 instead of between TRP 1 and UE 1202. At 5b, the following can be performed: Figure 13Example 2, operation 4, where TRP 1 interacts with gNB / NR node 1204a and the CN entity based on the collected UE-specific information and obtains a list of available network slice instances. At 5b, communication can occur between RAN slice 1 and UE 1202 instead of between TRP 1, gNB / NR 1204a, and UE 1202. At 5c, the following can be performed: Figure 14 In Example 2, operation 5, TRP 1 updates the mapping table such that a new record is appended with a pair of CN-IDs and a matching CN NSI-ID. At 5c, RAN slice 1 can update the mapping table instead of TRP 1. At 6, the operation from... Figure 13 Example 1, operations 6 to 10.

[0098] Now go to Figure 16 This describes a CN-based example selection. At point 1, execution from... Figure 14 Operations 0 through 3. At point 2, following the illustrated example, CN slice authentication and authorization are performed, and the NSISF performs slice selection. In the example, the NSISF can select a single network slice instance for UE 1202. The selection criteria used by the NSISF can be similar to or the same as those described above. At point 3, the selected NSI is sent back to RAN 1204. At point 4, operations can be performed... Figure 15 Operation 5c. At point 5, the following can be executed. Figure 15 Operations 3 to 6.

[0099] Now, turning to additional slice requests, in some examples, the UE may subsequently request additional services leading to the discovery and selection of additional slices. In one example scenario (Example 1), the UE directly sends a new service request to the NSISF, where a new slice is discovered and selected. The NSISF can reside in the UE, RAN, or CN, enabling UE-based, RAN-based, or CN-based network slice discovery and selection. In another example (Example 2), the UE sends a new service request to the current serving slice, where the request is accepted (the requirements of the new service can be met, etc.). In yet another example scenario (Example 3), the UE sends a new service request to the current serving slice, where the request is not accepted (e.g., the requirements of the new service cannot be met, or it does not comply with the UE's subscription or operator policies, etc.). In response, the serving slice can reply with a rejection message or redirect the request to the NSISF, where an alternative slice can be assigned and selected.

[0100] Now for reference Figure 17 In Example 1, at point 1, UE 1202 sends the new service request directly to the public / default / basic slice where the NSISF resides. At point 2 in Example 1, it can be executed... Figure 14Operations 2 through 8. Because the UE already has a selected and assigned active network slice, the authentication and authorization process can be optimized or skipped. For example, the UE context / identity and subscription profile can still be saved / cached in the RAN or / or CN public / default / basic slice, making the authentication process simpler and faster without obtaining information from, for example, a database / repository. Alternatively, the UE 1202 can reuse security credentials and / or identity that can be carried in a new service request, allowing authentication and authorization to be skipped.

[0101] In Examples 2 and 3, such as Figure 17 As shown, at point 1, UE 1202 sends a new service request directly to the currently used RAN slice 1. At point 2, RAN slice 1 performs an evaluation to determine whether it is capable of serving the new service. During the evaluation, RAN slice 1 may weight various parameters, such as, but not limited to, UE capabilities (e.g., antenna, frequency, etc.), the type of service associated with the UE (e.g., eMBB, mMTC), service characteristics associated with the UE (e.g., real-time video, heartbeat monitoring, etc.), QoS parameters (e.g., throughput, packet loss rate, jitter latency, etc.). In some cases, RAN slice 1 also checks to determine whether UE 1202 is permitted to use RAN slice 1 for this new service. RAN slice may check, for example, but not limited to, UE subscriptions, slice licensing agreements, operator policies, billing requirements, etc. At point 3, if the request fails the evaluation and / or authorization check at point 2, the process may proceed to point 3a, where a rejection response is sent back to UE 1202, and then the process proceeds to point 4a. If both checks pass, the process can proceed to 3b, where a new service request initiated by the UE can be forwarded to the appropriate CN slice. Figure 17 In the CN slice 1), the process can then proceed to 4b. At 4a, operation 8 of Example 3 is performed, and specifically, the following is executed: Figure 17 Examples 1 and 2 are described. At 4b, CN slice evaluation and authorization are performed, as described in Operation 2. At 5, a response message is sent back to RAN slice 1 from CN slice 1. At 6, the response message is forwarded back to the UE via RAN slice 1. At 7, if the message received by UE 1202 at 6 includes an acceptance indication, the procedure proceeds to Operation 8 of Example 2. If UE 1202 receives a rejection response, the procedure may proceed to Operation 8 of Example 3. At Operation 8 of Example 2, the current network slice is able to serve the new service, therefore user plane settings for the new service are established (e.g., service session establishment, QoS management, transport layer connection establishment, etc.).

[0102] Now for reference Figure 18The exemplary RAN-based additional slice discovery and selection described in Example 1, at point 1, UE 1202 sends a new service request directly to the public / default / basic slice where the NSISF resides. At point 2, it is possible to perform actions from... Figure 14 Operations 2 through 5. At point 3 in Example 1, the following can be executed. Figure 15 Operations 2 through 6 involve the RAN determining the selected slices and how the UE performs subsequent access to those selected slices. Operations may also include optimized authentication and authorization. See still... Figure 18 Regarding Examples 2 and 3, at point 1, execution Figure 17 Examples 2 and 3 in the text refer to operations 1 through 8.

[0103] Now for reference Figure 19 The example depicted is based on CN-based additional slice discovery and selection. Regarding Example 1, at point 1, UE1202 sends the new service request directly to the public / default / basic slice where the NSISF resides. At point 2, [the following is executed / implemented]. Figure 14 Operations 2 and 3. Can be used with... Figure 17 Authentication and authorization are optimized in a similar way to operation 2 in Example 1. At point 3, execution... Figure 16 Operations 2 through 5. Regarding examples 2 and 3, at point 1, the following can be performed. Figure 17 Examples 2 and 3 show operations 1 through 8.

[0104] Now let's move on to examples of unlicensed and licensed UL transfers, such as... Figure 20A and 20B As shown, the UE can be pre-configured to register with the subscription management node in the core network. Alternatively, the UE can be registered via an "attach" procedure. After registration (if applicable), the UE can set unlicensed parameters, which are often referred to as its unlicensed configuration. In some cases, the UE pre-configured for registration may also be pre-configured with unlicensed parameters. Figure 21A and 21B An example of unlicensed and licensed operation for a URLLC device is depicted, in which the UE (URLLC device) transitions between unlicensed and licensed states according to the instructions of the NR node. Figure 22A and 22B An example of unlicensed and licensed operation for an mMTC device is depicted, where the UE (mMTC device) transitions between unlicensed and licensed states commanded by a higher layer (compared to the physical layer).

[0105] Interfaces such as graphical user interfaces (GUIs) can be used to assist users in controlling and / or configuring functions related to network slice discovery and selection. (Reference) Figure 23This is an example graphical user interface (GUI) for configuring a UE to discover and select slices. Specifically, using GUI 2302, a user can configure the UE to discover and select slices. Alternatively, using GUI 2302, a user can configure the UE so that it cannot discover and select slices. It will be understood that the GUI can be adapted to display or configure additional or alternative parameters as needed. Furthermore, the GUI can display parameters in various visual depictions as needed. It will also be understood that various displays can be used to generate interface 2302, such as those described below. Figure 24B and 24F Those shown.

[0106] Therefore, as described above, the device can, before establishing a connection with the network, operate in idle mode to discover information associated with multiple slices (slice information) of the network. Based at least in part on one or more slice selection criteria and the information associated with the multiple slices, the device can select one slice from the multiple slices of the network and access the selected slice. In an example, the device discovers slice information by receiving and decoding a system information block message broadcast from a radio access node of the network. The system information block message may include information associated with multiple slices of the network, and this information may include an identifier for the selected slice. In an example, the selected slice is accessed by sending an access request to a slice management entity for slice selection. The access request may include context information associated with the device, enabling slice selection based on context information associated with a user equipment and information associated with the multiple slices. In another example, the device may send an access request to the selected slice including the identifier of the selected slice. The information associated with the multiple slices may include the validity period associated with each slice, the application identifier of each slice application, the service of each slice application, the type associated with each slice, etc. Selection criteria may include the latency associated with each slice, the bandwidth achievable by each slice, the resource model associated with each slice, etc. In another example, the device discovers slice information by retrieving a portion of the slice information stored at the device. This portion of information can be stored from a previous network connection.

[0107] As described above, the apparatus can receive slice access requests. A slice access request may include a network slice identifier corresponding to the slice that the user equipment is requesting access to. Using the network slice identifier, the apparatus can determine whether to allow the user equipment to access the slice. If the user equipment is allowed to access the slice, the apparatus can send a response to the user equipment, enabling the user equipment to establish a user plane connection with the slice. In this example, the apparatus uses the network slice identifier to determine whether to allow the user equipment to access the slice to identify the core network entity associated with the slice. In another example, the apparatus determines whether to allow the user equipment to access the slice by collecting and evaluating information from the user equipment via a direct radio link with the user equipment, where this information pertains to the user equipment. For example, this information may include the user equipment's capabilities, the type of service associated with the user equipment, the service characteristics associated with the user equipment, the user equipment's quality of service requirements, etc. Based on the information about the user equipment, the apparatus can obtain a list of one or more network slice instances that the user equipment is allowed to use, where the slice is one of one or more network slice instances. Furthermore, the apparatus can update a mapping table to include one or more slice instances for future routing use.

[0108] The various techniques described herein can be implemented in combination with hardware, firmware, software, or, where appropriate, a combination thereof. Such hardware, firmware, and software can reside in devices located at various nodes of a communication network. Devices can operate individually or in combination with each other to influence the methods described herein. As used herein, the terms “device,” “network device,” “node,” “entity,” “function,” “equipment,” and “network node” are used interchangeably without limitation unless otherwise specified.

[0109] It should be understood that execution, for example, in Figures 4A to 22B The nodes in the steps illustrated can be logical entities, which can be stored in a device configured for wireless and / or network communication, or such as in Figure 24B The logical entities implemented in the form of software (i.e., computer-executable instructions) that reside in the memory of the computer system and execute on the processor, as illustrated in Figure F. That is, Figures 4A to 22B The illustrated method can be stored in, for example, Figure 24B The software (i.e., computer-executable instructions) in the memory of the device or computer system illustrated in Figure F is implemented in the form of the device, and when the computer-readable instructions are executed by the processor of the device, they are executed in... Figures 4A to 22B The steps are illustrated. It is important to understand that... Figures 4A to 22B Any of the sending and receiving steps illustrated herein may be performed by the communication circuitry of the device under the control of the device's processor and the computer-executable instructions (e.g., software) executed thereon.

[0110] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) develops technical standards for cellular telecommunications network technologies, including radio access, core transport networks, and service capabilities—including work on codecs, security, and quality of service. Recent Radio Access Technology (RAT) standards include WCDMA (commonly referred to as 3G), LTE (commonly referred to as 4G), and LTE-Advanced. 3GPP has begun working on the standardization of next-generation cellular technologies (called New Radio (NR), also known as "5G"). 3GPP NR standard development is expected to include the definition of next-generation radio access technologies (New RATs), which are expected to include the provision of new flexible radio access below 6 GHz and new ultra-mobile broadband radio access above 6 GHz. Flexible radio access is expected to consist of new non-backward-compatible radio access in the new spectrum below 6 GHz and is expected to include different operating modes that can be multiplexed together in the same spectrum to address a wide range of 3GPP NR use cases with divergent requirements. Ultra-mobile broadband is expected to include centimeter-wave and millimeter-wave spectrum, which will provide opportunities for ultra-mobile broadband access for applications such as indoor spaces and hotspots. In particular, Ultra Mobile Broadband is expected to share a common design framework with flexible radio access below 6 GHz, while featuring specific design optimizations for both centimeter and millimeter waves.

[0111] It will be understood that, for different RAN architectures, the aforementioned unlicensed UL control and management can be performed at NR nodes, Transmit and Receive Points (TRPs), Remote Radio Headers (RRHs), and control functions in the central controller or RAN slice within the RAN. The embodiments described herein can also be applied to TRPs, RRHs, central controllers, and control functions in different RAN architectures.

[0112] 3GPP has identified a variety of use cases that NR is expected to support, resulting in diverse user experience requirements regarding data rates, latency, and mobility. These use cases fall into the following general categories: enhanced mobile broadband (e.g., broadband access in dense areas, ultra-high-bandwidth indoor access, broadband access in crowds, 50+ Mbps everywhere, ultra-low-cost broadband access, vehicular mobile broadband), critical communications, massive machine-type communications, network operations (e.g., network slicing, routing, migration and interoperability, energy saving), and enhanced vehicle-to-everything (eV2X) communications. Specific services and applications within these categories include, for example, surveillance and sensor networks, remote device control, two-way remote control, personal cloud computing, video streaming, wireless cloud-based offices, first responder connectivity, automotive electronic calling, disaster alerts, real-time gaming, multi-person video calling, autonomous driving, augmented reality, haptic internet, and virtual reality, among others. All of these use cases, and others, are envisioned in this document.

[0113] Figure 24AThe illustration illustrates one embodiment of an example communication system 100 that embodies the methods and apparatus described and claimed herein. As shown, the example communication system 100 may include wireless transceiver units (WTRUs) 102a, 102b, 102c and / or 102d (which may generally or collectively be referred to as WTRU 102), radio access networks (RANs) 103 / 104 / 105 / 103b / 104b / 105b, core networks 106 / 107 / 109, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 108, the Internet 110, and other networks 112. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments contemplate any number of WTRUs, base stations, networks, and / or network elements. Each of the WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, and 102e may be any type of apparatus or device configured to operate and / or communicate in a wireless environment. Although each WTRU 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, 102e is in Figures 24A-24E While described as a handheld wireless communication device, it should be understood that each WTRU can include or be specifically implemented in any type of device or apparatus configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals, utilizing various use cases envisioned for 5G wireless communication. Such devices or apparatuses, by way of example only, include user equipment (UE), mobile stations, fixed or mobile subscriber units, pagers, cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, laptops, tablets, netbooks, notebook computers, personal computers, wireless sensors, consumer electronics, wearable devices such as smartwatches or smart clothing, medical or e-health devices, robots, industrial equipment, drones, vehicles such as cars, trucks, trains, or airplanes, etc.

[0114] The communication system 100 may also include base stations 114a and 114b. Base station 114a may be any type of device configured to wirelessly interface with at least one of WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c to facilitate access to one or more communication networks (such as core networks 106 / 107 / 109, the Internet 110, and / or other networks 112). Base station 114b may be any type of device configured to wired and / or wirelessly interface with at least one of RRHs (Remote Radio Headers) 118a, 118b and / or TRPs (Transmit and Receive Points) 119a, 119b to facilitate access to one or more communication networks (such as core networks 106 / 107 / 109, the Internet 110, and / or other networks 112). RRH 118a, 118b can be any type of device configured to wirelessly interface with at least one of WTRU 102c for easy access to one or more communication networks (such as core networks 106 / 107 / 109, the Internet 110, and / or other networks 112). TRP 119a, 119b can be any type of device configured to wirelessly interface with at least one of WTRU 102d for easy access to one or more communication networks (such as core networks 106 / 107 / 109, the Internet 110, and / or other networks 112). As an example, base stations 114a, 114b can be base transceiver stations (BTS), node-B, e-node B, home node B, home e-node B, site controllers, access points (APs), wireless routers, etc. Although base stations 114a, 114b are each depicted as a single element, it should be understood that base stations 114a, 114b can include any number of interconnected base stations and / or network elements.

[0115] Base station 114a may be part of RAN 103 / 104 / 105, which may also include other base stations and / or network elements (not shown), such as base station controllers (BSCs), radio network controllers (RNCs), relay nodes, etc. Base station 114b may be part of RAN 103b / 104b / 105b, which may also include other base stations and / or network elements (not shown), such as base station controllers (BSCs), radio network controllers (RNCs), relay nodes, etc. Base station 114a may be configured to transmit and / or receive radio signals within a specific geographical area, which may be referred to as a cell (not shown). Base station 114b may be configured to transmit and / or receive wired and / or radio signals within a specific geographical area, which may be referred to as a cell (not shown). The cell may be further divided into cell sectors. For example, the cell associated with base station 114a may be divided into three sectors. Therefore, in an embodiment, base station 114a may include three transceivers, for example, one for each sector of the cell. In an embodiment, base station 114a may employ multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology, and therefore, multiple transceivers may be used for each sector of the cell.

[0116] Base station 114a can communicate with one or more of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interfaces 115 / 116 / 117, which can be any suitable wireless communication link (e.g., radio frequency (RF), microwave, infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), visible light, centimeter wave, millimeter wave, etc.). Any suitable radio access technology (RAT) can be used to establish air interfaces 115 / 116 / 117.

[0117] Base station 114b can communicate with one or more of RRH 118a, 118b and / or TRP 119a, 119b via wired or air interfaces 115b / 116b / 117b, wherein the wired or air interfaces 115b / 116b / 117b can be any suitable wired (e.g., cable, fiber optic, etc.) or wireless communication link (e.g., radio frequency (RF), microwave, infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), visible light, centimeter wave, millimeter wave, etc.). Any suitable radio access technology (RAT) can be used to establish air interfaces 115b / 116b / 117b.

[0118] RRH 118a, 118b and / or TRP 119a, 119b can communicate with one or more of WTRU 102c, 102d via air interface 115c / 116c / 117c, which can be any suitable wireless communication link (e.g., radio frequency (RF), microwave, infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), visible light, centimeter wave, millimeter wave, etc.). Any suitable radio access technology (RAT) can be used to establish air interface 115c / 116c / 117c.

[0119] More specifically, as noted above, the communication system 100 can be a multiple access system and can employ one or more channel access schemes, such as CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, OFDMA, SC-FDMA, etc. For example, base station 114a in RAN 103 / 104 / 105 and WTRU 102a, 102b, 102c or RRH 118a, 118b and TRP 119a, 119b and WTRU 102c, 102d in RAN 103b / 104b / 105b can implement radio technologies such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), which can use Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) to establish air interfaces 115 / 116 / 117 or 115c / 116c / 117c respectively. WCDMA can include communication protocols such as High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA) and / or Evolved HSPA (HSPA+). HSPA can include High-Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and / or High-Speed ​​Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA).

[0120] In this embodiment, base station 114a in RAN 103 / 104 / 105 and WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c or RRH 118a, 118b and TRPs 119a, 119b and WTRUs 102c, 102d in RAN 103b / 104b / 105b can implement radio technologies such as Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA), which can use Long Term Evolution (LTE) and / or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) to establish air interfaces 115 / 116 / 117. In the future, air interfaces 115 / 116 / 117 can implement 3GPP NR technology.

[0121] In the embodiments, base station 114a and WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c can implement radio technologies such as IEEE 802.16 (e.g., Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMAX)), CDMA2000, CDMA2000 1X, CDMA2000 EV-DO, Provisional Standard 2000 (IS-2000), Provisional Standard 95 (IS-95), Provisional Standard 856 (IS-856), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rate GSM Evolution (EDGE), GSM EDGE (GERAN), etc.

[0122] Figure 24A Base station 114c can be a wireless router, home node B, home e node B, or access point, and can utilize any suitable RAT for convenient wireless connectivity in a local area (such as a business, home, vehicle, campus, etc.). In one embodiment, base station 114c and WTRU 102e can implement radio technology such as IEEE 802.11 to establish a wireless local area network (WLAN). In another embodiment, base station 114c and WTRU 102e can implement radio technology such as IEEE 802.15 to establish a wireless personal area network (WPAN). In yet another embodiment, base station 114b and WTRU 102c, 102d can utilize a cellular-based RAT (e.g., WCDMA, CDMA2000, GSM, LTE, LTE-A, etc.) to establish a picocell or femtocell. Figure 24A As shown, base station 114b can have a direct connection to the Internet 110. Therefore, base station 114c is not required to access the Internet 110 via core network 106 / 107 / 109.

[0123] RAN 103 / 104 / 105 and / or RAN 103b / 104b / 105b can communicate with core networks 106 / 107 / 109, which can be any type of network configured to provide voice, data, application, and / or Voice over IP (VoIP) services to one or more of WTRU 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d. For example, core networks 106 / 107 / 109 can provide call control, billing services, location-based services, prepaid calling, internet connectivity, video distribution, etc., and / or perform advanced security features such as user authentication.

[0124] Despite Figure 24AAs not shown, however, it should be understood that RAN 103 / 104 / 105 and / or RAN 103b / 104b / 105b and / or core network 106 / 107 / 109 can communicate directly or indirectly with other RANs that use the same RAT as or a different RAT than RAN 103 / 104 / 105 and / or RAN 103b / 104b / 105b. For example, in addition to being connected to RAN 103 / 104 / 105 and / or RAN 103b / 104b / 105b, which may be utilizing E-UTRA radio technology, core network 106 / 107 / 109 can also communicate with another RAN (not shown) using GSM radio technology.

[0125] Core networks 106 / 107 / 109 can also serve as gateways for WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, and 102e to access PSTN 108, the Internet 110, and / or other networks 112. PSTN 108 may include a circuit-switched telephone network providing Common Old-Style Telephone Service (POTS). The Internet 110 may include a global system of interconnected computer networks and devices using common communication protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and Internet Protocol (IP) from the TCP / IP Internet Protocol suite. Network 112 may include wired or wireless communication networks owned and / or operated by other service providers. For example, network 112 may include another core network connected to one or more RANs, which may use the same RAT as RAN 103 / 104 / 105 and / or RAN 103b / 104b / 105b or a different RAT.

[0126] Some or all of the WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d in the communication system 100 may include multi-mode capabilities. For example, WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, and 102e may include multiple transceivers for communicating with different wireless networks via different wireless links. Figure 24A The WTRU 102e shown can be configured to communicate with a base station 114a that can employ cellular-based radio technology and with a base station 114c that can employ IEEE 802 radio technology.

[0127] Figure 24B This is a block diagram of an example apparatus or device (such as, for example, WTRU 102) configured for wireless communication according to embodiments illustrated herein. Figure 24BAs shown, the example WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmitting / receiving element 122, a speaker / microphone 124, a keypad 126, a display / touchpad / indicator 128, non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132, a power supply 134, a Global Positioning System (GPS) chipset 136, and other peripheral devices 138. It should be understood that WTRU 102 may include any sub-combination of the above-described elements while remaining consistent with the embodiments. Additionally, the embodiments envision that base stations 114a and 114b and / or base stations 114a and 114b may represent nodes (such as, but not limited to, transceiver stations (BTS), node B, site controllers, access points (APs), home node B, evolved home node B (eNode B), home evolved node B (HeNB), home evolved node B gateway, and proxy node, etc.) which may be included in... Figure 24B Some or all of the elements depicted in and described herein.

[0128] Processor 118 may be a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors associated with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit, any other type of integrated circuit (IC), a state machine, etc. Processor 118 may perform signal encoding, data processing, power control, input / output processing, and / or any other functionality that enables WTRU 102 to operate in a wireless environment. Processor 118 may be coupled to transceiver 120, which may be coupled to transmitting / receiving element 122. Although Figure 24B The processor 118 and transceiver 120 are depicted as separate components, but it should be understood that the processor 118 and transceiver 120 can be integrated together in an electronic package or chip.

[0129] The transmitting / receiving element 122 can be configured to transmit signals to or receive signals from a base station (e.g., base station 114a) via air interface 115 / 116 / 117. For example, in an embodiment, the transmitting / receiving element 122 can be an antenna configured to transmit and / or receive RF signals. In an embodiment, although in Figure 24AAs not shown, however, it should be understood that RAN 103 / 104 / 105 and / or core network 106 / 107 / 109 can communicate directly or indirectly with other RANs that use the same RAT as or a different RAT than RAN 103 / 104 / 105. For example, in addition to being connected to RAN 103 / 104 / 105, which may be utilizing E-UTRA radio technology, core network 106 / 107 / 109 can also communicate with another RAN (not shown) using GSM radio technology.

[0130] Core networks 106 / 107 / 109 can also serve as gateways for WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d to access PSTN 108, the Internet 110, and / or other networks 112. PSTN 108 may include a circuit-switched telephone network providing Common Old-Style Telephone Service (POTS). The Internet 110 may include a global system of interconnected computer networks and devices using common communication protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and Internet Protocol (IP) from the TCP / IP Internet Protocol suite. Network 112 may include wired or wireless communication networks owned and / or operated by other service providers. For example, network 112 may include another core network connected to one or more RANs, which may use the same RAT as RAN 103 / 104 / 105 or a different RAT.

[0131] Some or all of the WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d in the communication system 100 may include multi-mode capabilities. For example, WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d may include multiple transceivers for communicating with different wireless networks via different wireless links. Figure 24A The WTRU 102c shown can be configured to communicate with a base station 114a that can employ cellular-based radio technology and with a base station 114b that can employ IEEE 802 radio technology.

[0132] Figure 24B This is a block diagram of an example apparatus or device (such as, for example, WTRU 102) configured for wireless communication according to embodiments illustrated herein. Figure 24BAs shown, the example WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmitting / receiving element 122, a speaker / microphone 124, a keypad 126, a display / touchpad / indicator 128, non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132, a power supply 134, a Global Positioning System (GPS) chipset 136, and other peripheral devices 138. It should be understood that WTRU 102 may include any sub-combination of the above-described elements while remaining consistent with the embodiments. Additionally, the embodiments envision that base stations 114a and 114b and / or base stations 114a and 114b may represent nodes (such as, but not limited to, transceiver stations (BTS), node B, site controllers, access points (APs), home node B, evolved home node B (eNode B), home evolved node B (HeNB), home evolved node B gateway, and proxy node, etc.) which may be included in... Figure 24B Some or all of the elements depicted in and described herein.

[0133] Processor 118 may be a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors associated with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit, any other type of integrated circuit (IC), a state machine, etc. Processor 118 may perform signal encoding, data processing, power control, input / output processing, and / or any other functionality that enables WTRU 102 to operate in a wireless environment. Processor 118 may be coupled to transceiver 120, which may be coupled to transmitting / receiving element 122. Although Figure 24B The processor 118 and transceiver 120 are depicted as separate components, but it should be understood that the processor 118 and transceiver 120 can be integrated together in an electronic package or chip.

[0134] Transmitting / receiving element 122 can be configured to transmit signals to or receive signals from a base station (e.g., base station 114a) via air interface 115 / 116 / 117. For example, in one embodiment, transmitting / receiving element 122 can be an antenna configured to transmit and / or receive RF signals. For example, in one embodiment, transmitting / receiving element 122 can be a transmitter / detector configured to transmit and / or receive IR, UV, or visible light signals. In yet another embodiment, transmitting / receiving element 122 can be configured to transmit and receive both RF signals and optical signals. It should be understood that transmitting / receiving element 122 can be configured to transmit and / or receive any combination of wireless signals.

[0135] Furthermore, although the transmitting / receiving element 122 is in Figure 24BWhile depicted as a single element, WTRU 102 may include any number of transmitting / receiving elements 122. More specifically, WTRU 102 may employ MIMO technology. Therefore, in embodiments, WTRU 102 may include two or more transmitting / receiving elements 122 (e.g., multiple antennas) for transmitting and receiving wireless signals via air interfaces 115 / 116 / 117.

[0136] Transceiver 120 can be configured to modulate signals to be transmitted by transmitting / receiving element 122 and demodulate signals received by transmitting / receiving element 122. As noted above, WTRU 102 can have multi-mode functionality. Therefore, transceiver 120 may include, for example, multiple transceivers to enable WTRU 102 to communicate via multiple RATs (such as UTRA and IEEE 802.11).

[0137] The processor 118 of WTRU 102 can be coupled to a speaker / microphone 124, a keypad 126, and / or a display / touchpad / indicator 128 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display unit), and can receive user input data from the speaker / microphone 124, the keypad 126, and / or the display / touchpad / indicator 128 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display unit). The processor 118 can also output user data to the speaker / microphone 124, the keypad 126, and / or the display / touchpad / indicator 128. Furthermore, the processor 118 can access information from any type of suitable memory (such as non-removable memory 130 and / or removable memory 132), and store data in any type of suitable memory. The non-removable memory 130 can include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk, or any other type of storage device. The removable storage 132 may include a subscriber identification module (SIM) card, a memory stick, a secure digital storage (SD) card, etc. In an embodiment, the processor 118 may access information from memory not physically located on the WTRU 102 (such as on a server or home computer (not shown)) and store data in memory not physically located on the WTRU 102.

[0138] The processor 118 may receive power from the power supply 134 and may be configured to distribute and / or control power to other components in the WTRU 102. The power supply 134 may be any suitable device for powering the WTRU 102. For example, the power supply 134 may include one or more dry cell batteries, solar cells, fuel cells, etc.

[0139] The processor 118 may also be coupled to a GPS chipset 136, which may be configured to provide location information (e.g., longitude and latitude) regarding the current location of the WTRU 102. In addition to, or instead of, information from the GPS chipset 136, the WTRU 102 may receive location information from base stations (e.g., base stations 114a, 114b) via air interfaces 115 / 116 / 117 and / or determine its location based on the timing of signals received from two or more nearby base stations. It should be understood that the WTRU 102 may acquire location information using any suitable location determination method, while remaining consistent with the embodiments.

[0140] The processor 118 can also be coupled to other peripheral devices 138, which may include one or more software and / or hardware modules providing additional features, functionality, and / or wired or wireless connectivity. For example, peripheral devices 138 may include various sensors such as accelerometers, biometric (e.g., fingerprint) sensors, electronic compasses, satellite transceivers, digital cameras (for photos or videos), Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports or other interconnect interfaces, vibration devices, television transceivers, hands-free headsets, etc. Modules, FM radio units, digital music players, media players, video game player modules, internet browsers, etc.

[0141] WTRU 102 can be implemented in other devices or equipment, such as sensors, consumer electronics, wearable devices such as smartwatches or smart clothing, medical or e-health devices, robots, industrial equipment, drones, or vehicles such as cars, trucks, trains, or airplanes. WTRU 102 can be connected to other components, modules, or systems of such devices or equipment via one or more interconnect interfaces, such as the relevant interconnect interfaces that may be included in peripheral device 138.

[0142] Figure 24C This is a system diagram of RAN 103 and core network 106 according to an embodiment. As noted above, RAN 103 can use UTRA radio technology to communicate with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 115. RAN 103 can also communicate with core network 106. Figure 24CAs shown, RAN 103 may include nodes B 140a, 140b, and 140c, each of which may include one or more transceivers for communicating with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 115. Nodes B 140a, 140b, and 140c may each be associated with a specific cell (not shown) within RAN 103. RAN 103 may also include RNCs 134a and 142b. It should be understood that RAN 103 may include any number of nodes B and RNCs while remaining consistent with the embodiments.

[0143] like Figure 24C As shown, nodes B 140a and 140b can communicate with RNC 142a. Additionally, node B 140c can communicate with RNC 142b. Nodes B 140a, 140b, and 140c can communicate with their respective RNCs 142a and 142b via the Iub interface. RNCs 142a and 142b can communicate with each other via the Iur interface. Each of RNCs 142a and 142b can be configured to control the corresponding node B 140a, 140b, or 140c to which it is connected. Furthermore, each of RNCs 142a and 142b can be configured to perform or support other functionalities such as outer-loop power control, load control, admission control, packet scheduling, handover control, macro diversity, security functions, and data encryption.

[0144] Figure 24C The core network 106 shown may include a Media Gateway (MGW) 144, a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 146, a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) 148, and / or a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) 150. While each of the above elements is depicted as part of the core network 106, it should be understood that any of these elements may be owned and / or operated by an entity other than the core network operator.

[0145] RNC 142a in RAN 103 can be connected to MSC 146 in core network 106 via IuCS interface. MSC 146 can be connected to MGW 144. MSC 146 and MGW 144 can provide WTRU 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to circuit-switched networks (such as PSTN 108) to facilitate communication between WTRU 102a, 102b, and 102c and legacy landline communication equipment.

[0146] RNC 142a in RAN 103 can also connect to SGSN 148 in core network 106 via IuPS interface. SGSN 148 can connect to GGSN 150. SGSN 148 and GGSN 150 can provide WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to packet-switched networks (such as the Internet 110) to facilitate communication between WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and IP-enabled devices.

[0147] As noted above, core network 106 may also be connected to network 112, which may include other wired or wireless networks owned and / or operated by other service providers.

[0148] Figure 24D This is a system diagram of RAN 104 and core network 107 according to an embodiment. As noted above, RAN 104 can use E-UTRA radio technology to communicate with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 116. RAN 104 can also communicate with core network 107.

[0149] RAN 104 may include eNodeBs 160a, 160b, and 160c; however, it should be understood that RAN 104 may include any number of eNodeBs while remaining consistent with the embodiments. Each eNodeB 160a, 160b, and 160c may each include one or more transceivers for communicating with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 116. In the embodiments, eNodeBs 160a, 160b, and 160c may implement MIMO technology. Therefore, eNodeB 160a may, for example, use multiple antennas to transmit and receive radio signals from WTRU 102a.

[0150] Each of the eNode-B 160a, 160b, and 160c can be associated with a specific cell (not shown) and can be configured to handle radio resource management decisions, handover decisions, user scheduling in the uplink and / or downlink, etc. Figure 24D As shown, e-nodes-B 160a, 160b, and 160c can communicate with each other via the X2 interface.

[0151] Figure 24DThe core network 107 shown may include a mobility management gateway (MME) 162, a serving gateway 164, and a packet data network (PDN) gateway 166. While each of the above elements is depicted as part of the core network 107, it should be understood that any of these elements may be owned and / or operated by an entity other than the core network operator.

[0152] The MME 162 can connect to each of the e-nodes B 160a, 160b, and 160c in RAN 104 via the S1 interface and can be used as a control node. For example, the MME 162 can be responsible for authenticating users of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c, activating / deactivating bearers, selecting specific serving gateways during the initial attachment of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c, etc. The MME 162 can also provide control plane functions for handover between RAN 104 and other RANs (not shown) employing other radio technologies such as GSM or WCDMA.

[0153] Service Gateway 164 can connect to each of the e-nodes - B160a, 160b, and 160c in RAN 104 via the S1 interface. Service Gateway 164 generally routes and forwards user data packets to / from WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c. Service Gateway 164 can also perform other functions, such as anchoring the user plane during handover between e-nodes, triggering paging when downlink data is available for WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c, and managing and storing the context of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c.

[0154] Service gateway 164 can also be connected to PDN gateway 166, which can provide WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to packet-switched networks (such as the Internet 110) to facilitate communication between WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and IP-enabled devices.

[0155] Core network 107 can facilitate communication with other networks. For example, core network 107 can provide WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to circuit-switched networks (such as PSTN 108) to facilitate communication between WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and traditional landline communication equipment. For example, core network 107 may include or can communicate with an IP gateway (e.g., an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) server) that serves as an interface between core network 107 and PSTN 108. Furthermore, core network 107 can provide WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to network 112, which may include other wired or wireless networks owned and / or operated by other service providers.

[0156] Figure 24E This is a system diagram of RAN 105 and core network 109 according to an embodiment. RAN 105 may be an access service network (ASN) that uses IEEE 802.16 radio technology to communicate with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 117. As will be discussed further below, communication links between different functional entities of WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, RAN 105, and core network 109 can be defined as reference points.

[0157] like Figure 24E As shown, RAN 105 may include base stations 180a, 180b, 180c and ASN gateway 182; however, it should be understood that RAN 105 may include any number of base stations and ASN gateways while remaining consistent with the embodiment. Base stations 180a, 180b, and 180c may each be associated with a specific cell in RAN 105 and may include one or more transceivers for communicating with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 117. In the embodiment, base stations 180a, 180b, and 180c may implement MIMO technology. Therefore, base station 180a may, for example, use multiple antennas to transmit radio signals to and receive radio signals from WTRU 102a. Base stations 180a, 180b, and 180c may also provide mobility management functions such as handover triggering, tunnel establishment, radio resource management, service classification, and Quality of Service (QoS) policy enforcement. ASN Gateway 182 can be used as a service aggregation point and can be responsible for paging, subscriber profile caching, routing to the core network 109, etc.

[0158] The air interface 117 between WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and RAN 105 can be defined as an R1 reference point implementing the IEEE 802.16 specification. Furthermore, each of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can establish a logical interface (not shown) with the core network 109. The logical interface between WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and the core network 109 can be defined as an R2 reference point, which can be used for authentication, authorization, IP host configuration management, and / or mobility management.

[0159] The communication link between each of base stations 180a, 180b, and 180c can be defined as an R8 reference point, which includes protocols for facilitating WTRU handover and data transmission between the base stations. The communication link between base stations 180a, 180b, and 180c and ASN gateway 182 can be defined as an R6 reference point. The R6 reference point may include protocols for facilitating mobility management based on mobility events associated with each of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c.

[0160] like Figure 24E As shown, RAN 105 can be connected to core network 109. The communication link between RAN 105 and core network 109 can be defined as an R3 reference point, which includes, for example, protocols for facilitating data transfer and mobility management capabilities. Core network 109 may include a Mobile IP Home Agent (MIP-HA) 184, an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server 186, and a gateway 188. While each of the above elements is depicted as part of core network 109, it should be understood that any of these elements may be owned and / or operated by an entity other than the core network operator.

[0161] MIP-HA manages IP addresses and enables WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c to roam between different ASNs and / or different core networks. MIP-HA 184 provides WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to packet-switched networks (such as the Internet 110) to facilitate communication between WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and IP-enabled devices. AAA server 186 handles user authentication and supports user services. Gateway 188 facilitates interoperability with other networks. For example, gateway 188 provides WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to circuit-switched networks (such as PSTN 108) to facilitate communication between WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and traditional landline communication equipment. In addition, gateway 188 can provide WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to network 112, which may include other wired or wireless networks owned and / or operated by other service providers.

[0162] Despite Figure 24E As not shown, however it should be understood that RAN 105 can connect to other ASNs and core network 109 can connect to other core networks. The communication link between RAN 105 and other ASNs can be defined as an R4 reference point, which may include protocols for coordinating the mobility of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c between RAN 105 and other ASNs. The communication link between core network 109 and other core networks can be defined as an R5 reference point, which may include protocols for facilitating interoperability between the home core network and the visited core network.

[0163] Described in this article and Figure 24A , Figure 24C , Figure 24D and Figure 24E The core network entities illustrated in the diagram are identified by the names given to those entities in certain existing 3GPP specifications. However, it should be understood that these entities and functions may be identified by other names in the future, and certain entities or functions may be combined in future specifications released by 3GPP (including future 3GPP NR specifications). Therefore, Figure 24A , Figure 24B , Figure 24C , Figure 24D and Figure 24E The specific network entities and functions described and illustrated herein are provided as examples only, and it should be understood that the subject matter disclosed and claimed herein may be specifically implemented or implemented in any similar communication system, whether or not it is currently defined or will be defined in the future.

[0164] Figure 24F It can be implemented in practice. Figure 24A , Figure 24C , Figure 24D and Figure 24E The diagram illustrates an exemplary computing system 90 of one or more devices in a communication network (such as certain nodes or functional entities in RAN 103 / 104 / 105, core network 106 / 107 / 108, PSTN 108, Internet 110, or other networks 112). The computing system 90 may include a computer or server and may be controlled primarily by computer-readable instructions, which may be in the form of software, regardless of where or by what means such software is stored or accessed. Such computer-readable instructions may be executed within a processor 91 to enable the computing system 90 to function. The processor 91 may be a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors associated with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit, any other type of integrated circuit (IC), a state machine, etc. The processor 91 may perform signal encoding, data processing, power control, input / output processing, and / or any other functionality that enables the computing system 90 to operate within the communication network. Coprocessor 81 is an optional processor, distinct from main processor 91, that can perform additional functions or assist processor 91. Processor 91 and / or coprocessor 81 can receive, generate, and process data relating to the methods and apparatus disclosed herein.

[0165] In operation, processor 91 fetches instructions, decodes and executes them, and transfers information to and from other resources via the main data transfer path (system bus 80) of the computing system. This system bus connects components within the computing system 90 and defines the medium for data exchange. System bus 80 typically includes data lines for sending data, address lines for sending addresses, and control lines for sending interrupts and for the operating system bus. An example of such a system bus 80 is the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus.

[0166] The memory coupled to the system bus 80 includes random access memory (RAM) 82 and read-only memory (ROM) 93. This type of memory includes circuitry that allows information to be stored and retrieved. ROM 93 generally contains stored data that cannot be easily modified. Data stored in RAM 82 can be read or changed by the processor 91 or other hardware devices. Access to RAM 82 and / or ROM 93 can be controlled by the memory controller 92. The memory controller 92 provides address translation functionality, converting virtual addresses to physical addresses as instructions are executed. The memory controller 92 also provides memory protection functionality that isolates processes within the system and separates system processes from user processes. Therefore, a program running in first mode can only access memory mapped through its own process virtual address space; it cannot access memory in another process's virtual address space unless inter-process memory sharing has been configured.

[0167] In addition, the computing system 90 may include a peripheral device controller 83 responsible for passing instructions from the processor 91 to peripheral devices such as printer 94, keyboard 84, mouse 95 and disk drive 85.

[0168] A display 86, controlled by a display controller 96, is used to display visual output generated by a computing system 90. This visual output may include text, graphics, animated graphics, and video. The visual output may be provided in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI). The display 86 may be implemented using a CRT-based video display, an LCD-based flat panel display, a gas plasma-based flat panel display, or a touchpad. The display controller 96 includes the electronic components necessary to generate the video signals sent to the display 86.

[0169] Additionally, the computing system 90 may include communication circuitry, such as, for example, a network adapter 97, which can be used to connect the computing system 90 to an external communication network, such as the one shown in Figure 1. Figure 24A , Figure 24B , Figure 24C , Figure 24D and Figure 24E The RAN 103 / 104 / 105, core network 106 / 107 / 109, PSTN 108, Internet 110, or other network 112 are configured to enable the computing system 90 to communicate with other nodes or functional entities in those networks. The communication circuitry, alone or in conjunction with the processor 91, can be used to perform the transmitting and receiving steps of certain means, nodes, or functional entities described herein.

[0170] It should be understood that any or all of the apparatuses, systems, methods, and processes described herein may be implemented in the form of computer-executable instructions (e.g., program code) stored on a computer-readable storage medium, which, when executed by a processor (such as processor 118 or 91), cause the processor to perform and / or implement the systems, methods, and processes described herein. Specifically, any of the steps, operations, or functions described herein may be implemented in the form of such computer-executable instructions that execute on a processor of an apparatus or computing system configured for wireless and / or wired network communication. Computer-readable storage media include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented using any non-transitory (e.g., tangible or physical) method or technique for storing information, but such computer-readable storage media do not include signals. Computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, Digital Universal Disc (DVD) or other optical disc storage devices, magnetic cartridges, magnetic tape, disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other tangible or physical medium that can be used to store desired information and is accessible by a computing system.

[0171] The following is a list of abbreviations related to access technologies that may appear in the above description. Unless otherwise specified, the abbreviations used herein refer to the corresponding terms listed below.

[0172] ACK response

[0173] AID associated identifier (802.11)

[0174] AP access point (802.11)

[0175] APN (Access Point Name)

[0176] AS Access Layer

[0177] BS base station

[0178] CA Conflict Avoidance

[0179] CD conflict detection

[0180] CFI control format indicator CN Core Network

[0181] CMAS Commercial Mobile Alarm System C-RNTI (Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier) CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access) CSMA / CD CSMA with Collision Detection CSMA / CA with Conflict Avoidance

[0182] DCA Dedicated Conflict Zone DCI Downlink Control Information DACTI Dynamic Access Configuration Time Interval DL downlink

[0183] DRX discontinuous reception

[0184] ECGI E-UTRAN Cell Global Identifier ECM EPS Connection Management eMBB Enhanced Mobile Broadband EMM EPS Mobility Management eNB Evolution Node BETWS Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System E-UTRA Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access E-UTRAN (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network) FDM (Frequency Division Multiplexing)

[0185] FFS for further research GERAN GSM EDGE radio access network GSM Global Mobile Communication System GUTI Globally Unique Temporary UE Identifier

[0186] HE High Efficiency

[0187] HSS (Host Subscriber Server)

[0188] IE Information Elements

[0189] IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identity

[0190] IMT (International Mobile Telecommunications)

[0191] KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

[0192] LTE Long Term Evolution

[0193] MAC Media Access Control

[0194] MBMS Multimedia Broadcasting and Multicast Service

[0195] MCL maximum coupling loss

[0196] MIB (Master Information Block)

[0197] MME Mobility Management Entity

[0198] MTC Machine Type Communication

[0199] mMTC (Mass Machine Type Communication)

[0200] NACK (Negative Response)

[0201] NAS Non-Access Layer

[0202] NR New Radio

[0203] OBO OFDM backoff (802.11)

[0204] OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)

[0205] PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel)

[0206] PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel)

[0207] PHY physical layer

[0208] PCFICH Physical Control Format Indicator Channel

[0209] PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol)

[0210] PHICH Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel

[0211] PPDU (PLCP Protocol Data Unit) (802.11)

[0212] PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel)

[0213] PRB (Physical Resource Block)

[0214] PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel)

[0215] PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel

[0216] QoS (Quality of Service)

[0217] RA Random Access

[0218] RACH Random Access Channel

[0219] RAN (Radio Access Network) (3GPP)

[0220] RMSU Accessibility and Mobility Status Update

[0221] RB resource block

[0222] RLC Radio Link Control

[0223] RNTI (Radio Network Temporary Identifier)

[0224] RRC Radio Resource Control

[0225] RU Resource Unit (802.11)

[0226] SI System Information

[0227] SIB System Information Block

[0228] SR scheduling request

[0229] STA Station (802.11)

[0230] TAI Tracking Area Indicator

[0231] TAU tracking area update

[0232] TBD to be defined

[0233] TDM (Time Division Multiplexing)

[0234] TEID (Tunnel Endpoint ID)

[0235] TRP Sending and Receiving Points

[0236] TTI Transmission Time Interval

[0237] UCI uplink control information

[0238] UE User Equipment

[0239] UL uplink

[0240] UR / LL Ultra-Reliable - Low Latency

[0241] URLLC Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication

[0242] This draft specification uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also enables those skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any device or system and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, but may include other examples as conceived by those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that are not different from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that are not substantially different from the literal language of the claims.

Claims

1. A wireless transmit / receive unit (WTRU) comprising a transceiver and one or more processors, the wireless transmit / receive unit being configured to: Determine the network slice to access in idle mode; Receive information in the System Information Block (SIB) indicating the type of slice that can be accessed by the WTRU; Based on the information, determine the cell to be selected and the random access resources to be used to access the cell; as well as Send an access request to the cell.

2. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein, The information indicates a random access resource associated with the slice type.

3. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein, Receive SIBs in the broadcast.

4. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein, The access request includes contextual information indicating the selected slice type.

5. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein, The access request includes an RRC connection establishment message.

6. A method for use in a wireless transmit / receive unit (WTRU), the wireless transmit / receive unit including a transceiver and one or more processors, the method comprising: Determine the network slice to access in idle mode; Receive information in the System Information Block (SIB) indicating the type of slice that can be accessed by the WTRU; Based on the information, determine the cell to be selected and the random access resources to be used to access the cell; Send an access request to the cell.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The information indicates a random access resource associated with the slice type.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, Receive SIBs in the broadcast.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein, The access request includes contextual information indicating the selected slice type.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein, The access request includes an RRC connection establishment message.

11. A wireless transmit / receive unit (WTRU) comprising a transceiver and one or more processors, the wireless transmit / receive unit being configured to: Send an access request, including context information such as device type, to the Radio Access Network (RAN) slice management node; Access is made, at least based on the context information, to one slice selected by the RAN slice management node from among a plurality of slices. This access is performed after the slice from the plurality of slices has been registered via the core network (CN) slice management node and the RAN slice management node. wherein The device type indicates any of the following as the communication type of the device: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC), and RAN slice management functionality is included in the RAN node for managing RAN access, and CN slice management functionality is included in the CN node for managing CN access.

12. The WTRU of claim 11, wherein, The access request is sent based on information received in a broadcast message.

13. A method performed by a radio access network (RAN) slice management node, the method comprising: Receive an access request from a user equipment, the access request including context information, the context information including device type; At least one slice of the network is selected based on the context information; Register the selected slice from the plurality of slices with the core network (CN) slice management node; After registration, communication with user equipment is conducted, wherein the device type indicates any of the following as the communication type of the user equipment: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC), and the RAN slice management node is included in the node for managing radio access to the network, and the CN slice management node is included in the node for managing the core network of the network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The access request is received based on information sent in a broadcast message.

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