Cell configuration scheme in wireless communication

Abstract

A wireless communication method is described as including: receiving, by a user equipment, one or more sets of configuration information for cell selection or cell reselection from a network device, and association information indicating one or more network slices or network slice groups associated with the one or more sets of configuration information; and performing, by the user equipment, cell selection or cell reselection based on final configuration information that is one of the one or more sets of configuration information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This patent application relates generally to systems, devices, and techniques for wireless communications. Background Art

[0002] Wireless communication technologies are driving the world toward an increasingly interconnected and networked society. The rapid growth of wireless communications and technological advancements are driving greater demands for capacity and connectivity. Other aspects, such as energy consumption, device cost, spectrum efficiency, and latency, are also crucial to meeting the demands of various communication scenarios. Next-generation systems and wireless communication technologies will need to support a greater number of users and devices than existing wireless networks. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present application relates to a method, system and device for controlling information configuration in wireless communications.

[0004] In one aspect, a wireless communication method is disclosed. The wireless communication method includes: receiving, by a user equipment, one or more sets of configuration information for cell selection or cell reselection from a network, and association information indicating one or more network slices or network slice groups associated with the one or more sets of configuration information; and performing, by the user equipment, cell selection or cell reselection based on final configuration information that is one of the one or more sets of configuration information.

[0005] In another aspect, a wireless communication method is disclosed, including: a network device sending, to a user equipment, one or more sets of configuration information for cell selection or cell reselection, and association information indicating one or more network slices or network slice groups associated with the one or more sets of configuration information.

[0006] In another aspect, a wireless communication apparatus is disclosed that includes a processor configured to perform the disclosed method.

[0007] In another aspect, a computer-readable medium having code stored thereon is disclosed. When executed by a processor, the code causes the processor to perform the methods described herein.

[0008] These and other features are described throughout this application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 The conventional cell configuration process is shown.

[0010] Figure 2 An example of wireless communication including a base station (BS) and a user equipment (UE) based on some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0011] Figure 3An example of a block diagram of a portion of an apparatus in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0012] Figure 4 An example of a flow chart illustrating the operation of a UE based on some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0013] Figure 5 An example of a flow chart illustrating operations between a UE and a gNB based on some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0014] Figure 6 An example of a flow chart illustrating operations between a UE, a gNB, and a core network according to some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0015] Figure 7 An example of a flow chart illustrating operations between a UE, a gNB node, and a core network according to some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0016] Figure 8 An example of a flow chart illustrating operations between a UE, a gNB node, and a core network according to some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown.

[0017] Figure 9 An example of a flow chart illustrating the operation of a network based on some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The disclosed technology provides implementations and examples of cell configuration schemes in wireless communications. Although 5G terminology is used in some cases to facilitate understanding of the disclosed technology, these technologies can be applied to wireless systems and devices using communication protocols other than 5G or 3GPP protocols.

[0019] New Radio (NR) introduces network slicing, a concept that allows for differentiated treatment based on each customer's requirements. With slicing, mobile network operators (MNOs) can treat customers as belonging to different tenant types, each with different service requirements based on service level agreements (SLAs) and subscriptions, which determine which slice types each tenant is eligible for.

[0020] Each network slice is uniquely identified by a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI). The network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) includes an S-NSSAI or a list of S-NSSAIs, where the S-NSSAI is a combination of the following:

[0021] - Mandatory SST (Slice / Service Type) field, which identifies the slice type and consists of 8 bits (range 0-255);

[0022] - An optional SD (Slice Differentiator) field, which distinguishes slices having the same SST field and consists of 24 bits.

[0023] The normalized SST values ​​are shown in the table below.

[0024] Table 1 - Normalized SST values

[0025] Slice / Serving Type SST value characteristic eMBB 1 Suitable for processing slices for 5G enhanced mobile broadband. URLLC 2 Slices suitable for handling ultra-reliable low-latency communications. MIoT 3 Suitable for processing large-scale IoT slices. V2X 4 Slices suitable for handling V2X services.

[0026] Figure 1 The traditional cell configuration process is shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown, no slice-specific information is provided in the system information. The user equipment (UE) performs cell selection and reselection without considering the slice information. After the UE selects a cell, the UE initiates random access and establishes an RRC connection. The UE will provide the S-NSSAI to the RAN node to help the RAN node select the appropriate AMF. After initial access is allowed to establish the RRC connection and select the correct AMF, the AMF establishes the complete UE context by sending an Initial Context Setup Request message to the NG-RAN via the NG-C. This message contains the allowed NSSAIs and also contains one or more S-NSSAIs (when present in the message) as part of the description of one or more PDU session resources. After successfully establishing the UE context and allocating the PDU session resources to the relevant network slice, the NG-RAN responds with an Initial Context Setup Response message. An S-NSSAI is added for each PDU session to be established, so that the NG-RAN can apply policies at the PDU session level according to the SLA expressed by the network slice, while still being able to apply (for example) differentiated QoS within the slice.

[0027] The cell selection / reselection priority is configured for each cell or each UE in the Uu interface, and the UE is unaware of the slices supported by the candidate reselection target cell. Therefore, the UE performs cell selection and reselection without considering the slice information. As a result, the UE may select and initiate random access to a cell belonging to an unsuitable slice that is not preferred by the network (NW) for the UE and may be rejected several times before finding the most suitable cell. Recognizing this problem, various embodiments of the disclosed technology are provided to help the UE select a cell that supports the desired slice during the cell reselection process.

[0028] Various implementations of the disclosed technology are provided in a wireless communication system. Figure 2An example of a wireless communication system (e.g., a 5G or NR cellular network) is shown that includes a base station (BS) 220 and one or more user equipment (UE) 211, 212, and 213. In some embodiments, the UE uses an implementation of the disclosed technology (231, 232, 233) to access the BS (e.g., a network), which then enables subsequent communication from the BS to the UE (241, 242, 243). The UE can be, for example, a smartphone, tablet, mobile computer, machine-to-machine (M2M) device, Internet of Things (IoT) device, etc.

[0029] Figure 3 An example of a block diagram representation of a portion of an apparatus is shown. An apparatus 310, such as a base station or network device, user equipment, or wireless device (or UE), may include processor electronics 320, such as a microprocessor that implements one or more techniques presented herein. The apparatus 310 may include transceiver electronics 330 to send and / or receive wireless signals via one or more communication interfaces (e.g., antenna 340). The apparatus 310 may include other communication interfaces for sending and receiving data. The apparatus 310 may include one or more memories (not explicitly shown) configured to store information such as data and / or instructions. In some embodiments, the processor electronics 320 may include at least a portion of the transceiver electronics 330. In some embodiments, the apparatus 310 is used to implement at least some of the disclosed techniques, modules, or functions.

[0030] Figure 4 An example of a flow chart illustrating the operation of a UE based on some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown. At operation 410, the UE receives from a network device 1) one or more groups of configuration information (e.g., information for selecting or reselecting a cell) and 2) association information, the association information indicating an association between a network slice or a network slice group and the multiple groups of configuration information. For example, the one or more groups of configuration information are used for cell selection or cell reselection, and each group in the multiple groups of configuration information is associated with a corresponding network slice or a corresponding network slice group. At operation 420, the UE performs cell selection or cell reselection based on the final configuration information that is one of the multiple groups of configuration information. Therefore, when performing cell selection or reselection, the UE can apply the final configuration information to the intended slice. In some embodiments, the final configuration information is selected by the UE from one or more groups of configuration information. In some embodiments, the final configuration information is default configuration information or a set of configuration information associated with a default network slice or a default network slice group. A default configuration information set, a default network slice or a default network slice group is defined in the specification or configured by a network device and is received by the user equipment via a SIB1 message, a system information message, a dedicated RRC (Radio Resource Control) message or NAS (Non-Access Stratum) signaling.

[0031] In some embodiments, the one or more sets of configuration information include cell reselection priorities, and each reselection priority is associated with at least one of a frequency or a cell. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more sets of configuration information includes an identifier (ID) of a network slice or a network slice group supported by the network device.

[0032] In some embodiments, the association information is received together with a configuration information index identifying a corresponding set of configuration information and associated one or more single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) identifying one or more network slices or network slice groups. In some embodiment examples, the association information is received together with a slice index identifying a corresponding network slice or network slice group and associated one or more sets of configuration information for cell selection and reselection. In some embodiment examples, the association information is received together with a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the network device, and each network slice or network slice group in the list is assigned an identifier.

[0033] In some embodiments, the one or more sets of configuration information are included in a first radio resource control (RRC) message or a first NAS (non-access stratum) message, and the association information is included in a second RRC message or a second NAS message. In some embodiments, the first RRC message and the second RRC message are system information block 1 (SIB1) messages, system information messages, or dedicated RRC messages. In some embodiments, the one or more sets of configuration and association information are included in the same RRC message (SIB1, system information message, or dedicated RRC message) or the same NAS message.

[0034] In some embodiments, operation 410 is performed so that one or more sets of configuration information may be provided via system information (e.g., SIB1 / SIB2 / SIB4) or dedicated RRC signaling (e.g., RRCRelease message). Association information between slices or slice groups and one or more sets of configuration information may be configured via system information or dedicated RRC signaling (e.g., RRCRelease message) or NAS (non-access stratum) signaling in the following different ways:

[0035] Embodiment 1: The NW configures one or more groups of configuration information, and each group of configuration information is assigned a configuration information index. For each network slice (identified by S-NSSAI) or network slice group (identified by a network slice group identifier), the configuration information index is configured to link the network slice or network slice group to the configuration information (e.g., cell reselection priority) identified by the index.

[0036] Embodiment 2: The NW provides a list of network slices or network slice groups supported within the tracking area or registration area via NAS signaling (e.g., a registration accept message or a configuration update command message). The first slice or slice group in the list is assigned a network slice index 0 or slice group index 0, the second network slice or network slice group in the list is assigned a slice index 1 or slice group index 1, and so on. For each network slice or network slice group index, a set of configuration information (e.g., a set of cell reselection priorities) is configured from the NW to the UE via a system information message or dedicated RRC signaling (e.g., an RRCRelease message).

[0037] Embodiment 3: The NW provides a list of network slices or network slice groups supported in the tracking area or registration area via NAS signaling (e.g., a registration accept message or a configuration update command message). Each network slice or network slice group in the list is assigned an identifier (ID). For each network slice or network slice group supported by a cell or frequency, the identifier is configured by the gNB and sent to the UE via system information or dedicated RRC signaling (e.g., RRC Release message). The supported network slice identifier list or network slice group identifier list can be configured by frequency, by cell, or by PLMN. The UE will receive the list of supported network slices or network slice groups and will only consider cells that support the UE's expected slice as suitable cells.

[0038] One or more groups of configuration information and association information between network slices / network slice groups may be provided in the same RRC message (e.g., SIB1 message, system information message, or RRCRelease message) or in different messages. For example, one or more groups of configuration information may be broadcast in the system information, while the association information between network slices / network slice groups and one or more groups of configuration information may be configured via dedicated RRC signaling (e.g., RRCRelease message) or NAS signaling.

[0039] In some embodiments, the indicator may be configured to indicate whether the UE is allowed to apply configuration information associated with a slice or slice group via system information or dedicated RRC signaling or NAS signaling. In this case, when the indicator (if configured) indicates that the UE is allowed to apply the corresponding configuration information, the UE begins to apply the configuration information associated with the intended network slice.

[0040] In some embodiments, the timer can be configured to display the validity period of association information between network slices or network slice groups and one or more sets of configuration information via system information or dedicated RRC signaling.

[0041] For the case where the UE supports multiple slices and is provided with associated configuration information for each supported slice, the following processing may be considered:

[0042] Embodiment 1: The NW configures a default network slice / slice group or a set of default configuration information via system information or dedicated RRC signaling. When the UE supports multiple network slices with associated configuration information, the UE may apply the default configuration information set or configuration information associated with the default network slice / network slice group.

[0043] Implementation method 2: The UE selects one of the supported network slices or network slice groups and applies the associated configuration information.

[0044] Implementation method 3: A default network slice / network slice group or a default set of configuration information is defined according to relevant specifications (for example, a first slice / slice group or a first set of configuration information configured via system information or dedicated RRC signaling). The UE will apply the default set of configuration information or configuration information associated with the default network slice / network slice group.

[0045] Figure 5 An example of a flow chart is shown, which illustrates the operations between a UE and a NW based on some embodiments of the disclosed technology. The network device may correspond to a gNB node. Figure 5 The example shown shows that the UE receives system information (e.g., SIB2 or SIB4) at step 510, which includes one or more alternative cell reselection priority sets in addition to existing reselection priorities. The cell reselection priority set is sent as an example of a configuration information set. Then, at step 520, the UE receives an RRCRelease message including association information between the network slice / network slice group and the reselection information set. In some embodiments, the RRCRelease message may include a reselection information index (corresponding to the configuration information index as described above) and also includes an indicator indicating that the UE is allowed to apply the reselection information associated with the slice and a validity timer for the association. If the indicator is established as "true", the UE can start applying the reselection priority set associated with the intended slice.

[0046] An example of an alternative cell reselection priority set broadcast in SIB2 is given below. The parts related to the broadcast of the cell reselection priority set are shown in bold and italics.

[0047]

[0048]

[0049] An example of an alternative cell reselection priority set broadcasted in SIB 4 is given below. The parts relevant to the broadcasting of the cell reselection priority set are shown in bold and italics.

[0050]

[0051]

[0052]

[0053] An example showing association information between slices / slice groups and reselection priority sets, an indicator showing the applicability of the reselection priority sets associated with the slices, and a validity timer is shown below.

[0054]

[0055]

[0056]

[0057]

[0058]

[0059] Figure 6 An example flowchart is shown, illustrating operations between a UE, a gNB node, and a core network (CN) based on some embodiments of the disclosed technology. At step 610, the gNB node sends an NG setup request to the CN to exchange data required for future communications. At step 620, the gNB node receives an NG response, which includes a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the core network. At step 630, the UE sends a registration request (e.g., with a registration type of "initial registration") to the CN. At step 640, the CN sends a registration accept message to the UE, which includes a list of network slices / network slice groups supported within the registration area. Given that a registration area may cover more than one tracking area, the network slices / network slice groups supported within the registration area may be provided per tracking area or per registration area. Each network slice or network slice group in the list is assigned a slice index or slice group index, following the order of the network slices or network slice groups in the list. For example, the first network slice in the list is assigned a slice index of 0, the second network slice in the list is assigned a slice index of 1, and so on. At step 650, the UE receives system information (e.g., SIB2 or SIB4) in which reselection information (e.g., cell reselection priority for each cell or each frequency) is configured for each network slice index.

[0060] An example of an alternative cell reselection priority set broadcast in SIB2 is given below. The parts related to the broadcast of the cell reselection priority set are shown in bold and italics.

[0061]

[0062]

[0063] An example of an alternative cell reselection priority set broadcasted in SIB 4 is given below. The parts relevant to the broadcasting of the cell reselection priority set are shown in bold and italics.

[0064]

[0065]

[0066]

[0067] Figure 7 An example flowchart is shown, illustrating operations between a UE, a gNB node, and a core network (CN) based on some embodiments of the disclosed technology. At step 710, the gNB node sends an NG setup request to the CN to exchange data required for future communications. At step 720, the gNB node receives an NG response, which includes a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the core network. At step 730, the UE sends a registration request (e.g., with a registration type of "initial registration") to the CN. At step 740, the CN sends a registration accept message to the UE, which includes a list of network slices / network slice groups supported within the registration area. Each network slice or network slice group in the list is assigned a slice identifier or a slice group identifier. Given that a registration area may cover more than one tracking area, the network slices / network slice groups supported within the registration area may be provided per tracking area or per registration area. The network slices / network slice groups supported within the registration area may also be provided per PLMN. At step 750, the UE receives system information (e.g., SIB1) that configures the identifiers of the network slices or network slice groups supported by cell or frequency. The supported network slices or network slice group identifiers for a cell or frequency may also be configured per PLMN. The UE will then consider the supported network slices or network slice groups for the cell or frequency and only consider cells that support the UE's intended slice as suitable cells.

[0068] Figure 8An example of a flow chart is shown that illustrates operations between a UE, a gNB node, and a core network (CN) based on some embodiments of the disclosed technology. At step 810, the gNB node sends a RAN configuration update message to the CN to update the list of supported network slices or network slice groups (e.g., to add one or more new network slices or slice groups to the list). At step 820, the gNB node receives a RAN configuration update confirmation message that includes an updated list of network slices or network slice groups supported by both the RAN node and the core network. At step 830, the gNB broadcasts the supported network slice identifiers or network slice group identifiers to the UE. At step 840, if there are any network slice identifiers or network slice group identifiers that the UE cannot interpret, the UE will send a registration request message with registration type registration update to the CN, which also includes the broadcast network slice identifier or slice group identifier. At step 850, the CN will send back a registration accept message that includes the updated list of supported network slices or slice groups and the associated identifiers. The UE is then able to interpret the network slice identifier or slice group identifier as a certain network slice or slice group and consider the supported network slices or network slice groups of the cell or frequency and only consider cells that support the UE's expected slice as suitable cells.

[0069] Figure 9 An example of a flow chart illustrating operations of a network device according to some embodiments of the disclosed technology is shown. At 910, the network device sends one or more sets of configuration information for cell selection or cell reselection to a user equipment, as well as association information indicating one or more network slices or network slice groups associated with the one or more sets of configuration information.

[0070] The following uses a clause-based description format to describe additional features of the above-described methods / techniques, which may preferably be implemented in some embodiments.

[0071] 1. A wireless communication method, comprising: receiving, by a user equipment, one or more sets of configuration information for cell selection or cell reselection from a network device, and association information indicating one or more network slices or network slice groups associated with the one or more sets of configuration information; and performing, by the user equipment, cell selection or cell reselection based on final configuration information that is one of the one or more sets of configuration information.

[0072] As described herein, the network device may be a base station. In some embodiments, the user device may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or another computing device with wireless communication capabilities.

[0073] 2. The method of clause 1, further comprising: selecting, by the user equipment, final configuration information from one or more sets of configuration information.

[0074] 3. A method according to clause 2, wherein the final configuration information is selected based on an implementation of the user equipment.

[0075] 4. A method according to clause 2, wherein the final configuration information is default configuration information or a set of configuration information associated with a default network slice or a default network slice group.

[0076] 5. A method according to clause 4, wherein the default configuration information set, the default network slice or the default network slice group is defined in a specification or configured by a network device and is received by the user equipment via a SIB1 message, a system information message, a dedicated RRC (Radio Resource Control) message or NAS (Non-Access Stratum) signalling.

[0077] 6. A method as described in clause 1, wherein the one or more sets of configuration information include cell reselection priorities, each reselection priority being associated with at least one of a frequency or a cell.

[0078] 7. A method according to clause 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sets of configuration information includes an identification (ID) of a network slice or a network slice group supported by the network device.

[0079] 8. A method as described in clause 1, wherein the one or more sets of configuration information are included in a first Radio Resource Control (RRC) message or a first NAS (Non-Access Stratum) message, and the association information is included in a second RRC message or a second NAS message.

[0080] 9. A method as set out in clause 8, wherein the first RRC message and the second RRC message are system information messages or dedicated RRC messages.

[0081] 10. A method as described in clause 1, wherein the one or more sets of configuration and associated information are included in the same RRC message, the same system information message or the same NAS message.

[0082] 11. The method of clause 1, further comprising: receiving, by the user equipment, an indication of whether one or more sets of configuration information are available for the user equipment.

[0083] 12. A method according to clause 1, wherein the association information further indicates time information for how long the association between one or more network slices or network slice groups and one or more sets of configuration information will be valid.

[0084] 13. A method according to clause 1, wherein the association information is received together with a configuration information index identifying a corresponding set of configuration information and one or more S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) identifying one or more network slices or network slice groups.

[0085] 14. A method according to clause 1, wherein the association information is received together with a slice index identifying the corresponding network slice or network slice group and one or more sets of configuration information for cell selection and cell reselection.

[0086] 15. A method according to clause 1, wherein the association information is received together with a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the network device, and each network slice or network slice group in the list is assigned an identifier.

[0087] 16. A wireless communication method, comprising: a network device sending one or more groups of configuration information for cell selection or cell reselection and association information indicating one or more network slices or network slice groups associated with the one or more groups of configuration information to a user device.

[0088] 17. The method according to clause 16 also includes, before sending one or more groups of configuration information: the network device sends a resource establishment request to the core network device to establish resources for communication; and receives a resource establishment response from the core network device, wherein the resource establishment response includes a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the core network device.

[0089] 18. A method according to clause 16, wherein the association information includes an updated list of network slices or network slice groups, the updated list of network slices or network slice groups coming from the core network device as a response to an update request from the network device to the core network device.

[0090] 19. A method according to clause 16, wherein the one or more sets of configuration information include default configuration information or a set of configuration information associated with a default network slice or a default network slice group.

[0091] 20. A method according to clause 19, wherein the default configuration information set, the default network slice or the default network slice group is defined in a specification or configured by the network and is sent to the user equipment via a SIB1 message, a system information message, a dedicated RRC (Radio Resource Control) message or NAS (Non-Access Stratum) signalling.

[0092] 21. A method as described in clause 19, wherein the one or more groups of configurations include cell reselection priorities, each reselection priority being associated with at least one of a frequency or a cell.

[0093] 22. A method according to clause 19, wherein at least one of the one or more sets of configuration information includes an identification (ID) of a network slice or a group of network slices supported by the network device.

[0094] 23. A method as set out in clause 19, wherein the one or more sets of configuration information are included in a first Radio Resource Control (RRC) message or a first NAS (Non-Access Stratum) message, and the association information is included in a second RRC message or a second NAS message.

[0095] 24. A method as set out in clause 23, wherein each of the first and second RRC messages is a system information message or a dedicated RRC message.

[0096] 25. A method as described in clause 23, wherein one or more sets of configuration and associated information are included in the same RRC message, the same system information message or the same NAS message.

[0097] 26. A method according to clause 23, wherein the association information further indicates time information for how long the association between one or more network slices or groups of network slices and one or more sets of configuration information will be valid.

[0098] 27. A method according to clause 23, wherein the association information is received together with a configuration information index identifying a corresponding set of configuration information and one or more S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) identifying one or more network slices or network slice groups.

[0099] 28. A method according to clause 23, wherein the association information is received together with a slice index identifying the corresponding network slice or network slice group and one or more sets of configuration information for cell selection and cell reselection.

[0100] 29. A method according to clause 23, wherein the association information is received together with a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the network device, and each network slice or network slice group in the list is assigned an identifier.

[0101] 30. The method of clause 23, further comprising: sending, by the network device, an indication of whether one or more sets of configuration information are available for the user equipment.

[0102] 31. A communications device comprising a processor configured to implement the method of any one or more of clauses 1 to 30.

[0103] 32. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable code thereon for implementing the method of any one or more of clauses 1 to 30.

[0104] The specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative only, where exemplary means example and does not imply ideal or preferred embodiments unless otherwise specified. As used herein, the use of "or" is intended to include "and / or" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0105] Some embodiments described herein are described in the context of methods or processes that may be implemented in one embodiment by a computer program product embodied in a computer-readable medium, including computer-executable instructions such as program code that are executed by a computer in a networked environment. Computer-readable media may include removable and non-removable storage devices, including but not limited to read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), and the like. Thus, computer-readable media may include non-transitory storage media. Typically, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. Computer or processor executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of program code for executing the method steps disclosed herein. A specific sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents an example of corresponding actions for implementing the functions described in such steps or processes.

[0106] Some disclosed embodiments can be implemented as devices or modules using hardware circuits, software or a combination thereof. For example, a hardware circuit implementation may include discrete analog and / or digital components that are, for example, integrated as a part of a printed circuit board. Alternatively, or additionally, the disclosed components or modules may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and / or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Some embodiments may additionally or alternatively include a digital signal processor (DSP), which is a dedicated microprocessor with an architecture optimized for the operational needs of digital signal processing associated with the disclosed functions of the present application. Similarly, the various components or subcomponents within each module may be implemented with software, hardware or firmware. The connection between the modules and / or the components within the modules may be provided using any connection method and medium known in the art, including but not limited to communication over the Internet, wired or wireless networks using appropriate protocols.

[0107] Although this application contains many details, these should not be interpreted as limitations on the scope of the claimed invention or what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features for specific embodiments. Certain features described in this application in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, the various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable subcombination in multiple embodiments. In addition, although the above-mentioned features may be described as working in certain combinations, and even initially claimed as such, in some cases, one or more features from the combination may be deleted from the combination, and the combination may involve variations of subcombinations or subcombinations. Similarly, although operations are described in a particular order in the accompanying drawings, this should not be understood as requiring that the operations be performed in the particular order or sequence shown, or that all of the operations shown be performed to obtain the desired result.

[0108] Only a few implementations and examples are described, and other implementations, enhancements, and variations can be made based on what is described and illustrated in this patent application.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method, comprising: Receiving, by a user equipment, a first message from a network device, the first message including one or more sets of configuration information for cell selection or cell reselection, wherein the one or more sets of configuration information include a cell reselection priority; The user equipment receives a second message, the second message including association information indicating an association between the one or more groups of configuration information and one or more network slices or network slice groups, so that each of the one or more groups of configuration information is associated with a corresponding network slice or a corresponding network slice group, wherein the association information includes a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the network device, and each network slice or each network slice group in the list is assigned a corresponding identifier; as well as The cell selection or the cell reselection is performed by the user equipment based on final configuration information that is one of the one or more sets of configuration information.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The user equipment selects the final configuration information from the one or more groups of configuration information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein The final configuration information is selected based on a specific implementation of the user equipment.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein The final configuration information is the default configuration information or configuration information set associated with the default network slice or the default network slice group.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein The default configuration information set, the default network slice or the default network slice group is defined in a specification or configured by the network device, and is received by the user equipment via a SIB1 (System Information Block 1) message, a system information message, a dedicated RRC (Radio Resource Control) message or a NAS (Non Access Stratum) message.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein The one or more sets of configuration information are included in a first Radio Resource Control (RRC) message or a first NAS (Non-Access Stratum) message, and the association information is included in a second RRC message or a second NAS message.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The first RRC message and the second RRC message are system information messages or dedicated RRC messages.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein The one or more sets of configuration information and the associated information are included in the same RRC message, the same system information message or the same NAS message.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: An indication is received by the user equipment as to whether the one or more sets of configuration information are available for the user equipment.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein The association information also indicates time information of how long the association between the one or more network slices or network slice groups and the one or more sets of configuration information will be valid.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein The association information is received together with a configuration information index identifying the corresponding set of configuration information and one or more S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) identifying one or more network slices or network slice groups.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein The association information is received together with a slice index identifying a corresponding network slice or a network slice group and the one or more sets of configuration information for the cell selection and the cell reselection.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein The association information is received together with a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the network device, and each network slice or network slice group in the list is assigned an identifier.

14. A wireless communication method, comprising: The network device sends a resource establishment request to the core network device to establish resources for communication; receiving a resource setup response from the core network device, the resource setup response including a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the core network device; The network device sends a first message to the user equipment, where the first message includes one or more groups of configuration information for cell selection or cell reselection, wherein the one or more groups of configuration information includes a cell reselection priority; The network device sends a second message to the user equipment, wherein the second message includes association information indicating the association between the one or more groups of configuration information and one or more network slices or network slice groups so that each of the one or more groups of configuration information is associated with a corresponding network slice or a corresponding network slice group, wherein the association information includes a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the network device, and each network slice or each network slice group in the list is assigned a corresponding identifier.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: An updated list of network slices or network slice groups is received from the core network device in response to an update request from the network device to the core network device.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein The one or more sets of configuration information include default configuration information or a set of configuration information associated with a default network slice or a default network slice group.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein The default configuration information set, the default network slice or the default network slice group is defined in the specification or configured by the network device and is sent to the user equipment via a SIB1 (System Information Block 1) message, a system information message, a dedicated RRC (Radio Resource Control) message or a NAS (Non-Access Stratum) message.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein The first message corresponds to a first Radio Resource Control (RRC) message or a first NAS (Non-Access Stratum) message, and the second message corresponds to a second RRC message or a second NAS message.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein Each of the first message and the second message is a system information message or a dedicated RRC message.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein The first message and the second message are the same RRC message, the same system information message or the same NAS message.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein The association information also indicates time information of how long the association between the one or more network slices or network slice groups and the one or more sets of configuration information will be valid.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein The association information also includes a configuration information index that identifies the corresponding set of configuration information and one or more S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) that identifies one or more network slices or network slice groups.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein The association information also includes a slice index of the network slice or network slice group corresponding to the identifier and the one or more groups of configuration information used for the cell selection and the cell reselection.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein The association information also includes a list of network slices or network slice groups supported by the network device, and each network slice or network slice group in the list is assigned an identifier.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising: An indication of whether the one or more sets of configuration information are available for the user equipment is sent by the network device.

26. A communication device comprising a processor configured to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 25.

27. A computer readable medium having code stored thereon, which, when executed, causes a processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 25.

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