Method and apparatus for measuring performance in a wireless communication system

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a fifth generation (5G) or pre-5G communication system to support a higher data transmission rate than a fourth generation (4G) communication system such as long term evolution (LTE). According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node includes the step of transmitting, to a radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC), an RIC indication message, wherein the RIC indication message includes an E2 service model (E2SM)-KPM indication message format 1 and an E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 for key performance measurement (KPM), the E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 does not include terminal identification information, and the E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes terminal identification information. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node includes the step of receiving, from a radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC), an RIC control message, wherein the RIC control message can include slice identification information and control information about a network slice corresponding to the slice identification information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for performance measurement of each terminal on an E2 interface in a radio access network and resource management for each slice of a base station. This disclosure also relates to an apparatus and method for transmitting container-based measurement messages when a service event occurs at a base station conforming to the Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) specification and using E2 messages of a wireless communication system. Background Technology

[0002] To meet the increased demand for wireless data traffic since the deployment of fourth-generation (4G) communication systems, efforts have been made to develop improved fifth-generation (5G) or near-5G communication systems. For example, fifth-generation (5G) mobile telecommunications systems or near-5G communication systems are also referred to as "super 4G network" communication systems or "post-LTE" systems.

[0003] 5G communication systems can be implemented in high-frequency bands to achieve higher data rates. To reduce radio wave propagation loss and increase transmission distance in high-frequency bands, beamforming, massive MIMO, full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and massive MIMO technologies are discussed in 5G communication systems.

[0004] In addition, in 5G communication systems, development is underway to improve system networks based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (cloud RAN), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, mobile networks, cooperative communication, coordinated multipoint (CoMP), and receiver interference cancellation.

[0005] In 5G systems, hybrid FSK and QAM modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) have been developed as advanced coding and modulation (ACM), as well as filter bank multicarrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as advanced access technologies.

[0006] Commercial 5G systems, New Radio or Next Generation Radio (NR), aim to meet the demand for wireless data traffic and provide users with high data rate services like 4G through 5G systems. It is also predicted that 5G systems can provide wireless communication services for various purposes, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and services requiring high reliability for specific purposes. In the current hybrid systems of 4G and 5G, Open Radio Access Networks (O-RAN), established by operators and equipment providers, define new network elements (NEs) and interface standards based on existing 3GPP standards and propose the O-RAN architecture. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical issues

[0008] Based on the above discussion, this disclosure provides an apparatus and method for transmitting terminal unit-level measurement information from an E2 node to an intelligent controller (RIC) of the radio access network (RAN) in a wireless communication system. Therefore, it overcomes the limitation that analysis should be based on cell or slice-level collective information, and thus allows analysis of service level information for terminal units receiving services across multiple cells, providing a more accurate function to monitor the service level agreement (SLA) status of each slice.

[0009] Furthermore, this disclosure provides an apparatus and method for sending messages from a RIC to an E2 node to control the resource allocation amount for each network slice. The detailed service model required for real-time device control via RIC necessitates resource control messages for network slices.

[0010] Solution to the problem

[0011] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node may include sending an RIC indication message to a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the RIC indication message includes an E2 service model (E2SM)-KPM indication message format 1 and an E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 for key performance measurement (KPM), and the E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 does not include terminal identification information, while the E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes terminal identification information.

[0012] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include sending an RIC indication message to an E2 node, wherein the RIC indication message includes an E2 Service Model (E2SM)-KPM indication message format 1 and an E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 for Key Performance Measurement (KPM), and the E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 does not include terminal identification information, while the E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes terminal identification information.

[0013] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node may include receiving an RIC control message from a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the RIC control message includes slice identification information and control information for a network slice corresponding to the slice identification information.

[0014] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node may include receiving an RIC control message from a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the RIC control message includes slice identification information and control information for a network slice corresponding to the slice identification information.

[0015] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for an E2 node may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform methods for an E2 node.

[0016] According to embodiments of this disclosure, an apparatus for a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform methods of the RIC.

[0017] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node may include sending an indication message to a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the indication message includes a measurement container that includes measurement information for each bearer of each User Equipment (UE) in the cell, and the measurement information includes information about at least one of PRB usage, throughput, and latency.

[0018] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node may include receiving a control request message (indication message) from a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the control request message may include RIC control messages, the RIC control messages may include information for resource control for each slice, and the information may include information about radio resource portions and scheduling priorities.

[0019] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include receiving an indication message from an E2 node, wherein the indication message includes a measurement container that includes measurement information for each bearer of each User Equipment (UE) in the cell, and the measurement information includes information about at least one of PRB usage, throughput, and latency.

[0020] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include sending a control request message (indication message) to an E2 node, wherein the control request message includes an RIC control message, the RIC control message including information for resource control for each slice, and the information including information about radio resource portions and scheduling priorities.

[0021] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for an E2 node may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send an indication message to a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), the indication message including a measurement container that includes measurement information for each bearer of each User Equipment (UE) of the cell, and the measurement information including information about at least one of PRB usage, throughput, and latency.

[0022] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for an E2 node may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive a control request message (indication message) from a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), the control request message including RIC control messages, the RIC control messages including information for resource control for each slice, and the information including information about radio resource portions and scheduling priorities.

[0023] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive an indication message from an E2 node, the indication message including a measurement container that includes measurement information for each bearer of each User Equipment (UE) in the cell, and the measurement information including information about at least one of PRB usage, throughput, and latency.

[0024] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send a control request message (indication message) to an E2 node, the control request message including an RIC control message, the RIC control message including information for resource control for each slice, and the information including information about radio resource portions and scheduling priorities.

[0025] Beneficial effects of the invention

[0026] The apparatus and methods according to various embodiments of this disclosure enable measurement information to be reported to the RIC in an indication message via a container for performance measurement.

[0027] The beneficial effects that can be obtained from this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 An example of a fourth-generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) core system is shown;

[0029] Figure 2A An example of a fifth-generation (5G) non-standard alone (NSA) system is shown;

[0030] Figure 2B An example of the O-RAN architecture is shown;

[0031] Figure 3 The protocol stack of E2 application protocol messages in a radio access network according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0032] Figure 4 Examples of connections between a base station and a radio access network intelligent controller (RIC) in a radio access network according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown;

[0033] Figure 5 The configuration of apparatus in a radio access network according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0034] Figure 6 The logical functions related to E2 messages between E2 nodes and RICs in a radio access network according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated;

[0035] Figure 7 Examples of signaling procedures between the E2 node and the RIC are shown in various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0036] Figure 8 Examples of the RIC instruction process in various embodiments of this disclosure are shown;

[0037] Figure 9A and Figure 9B Examples of RIC indications in various embodiments of this disclosure are shown;

[0038] Figure 10 Examples of RIC control processes in various embodiments of this disclosure are shown; and

[0039] Figure 11A and Figure 11B Examples of RIC control messages in various embodiments of this disclosure are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The terminology used in this disclosure is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. Singular expressions may include plural expressions unless they are clearly distinct in the context. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. These terms, as defined in commonly used dictionaries, may be interpreted as having the same meaning as in the context of the relevant technical field and should not be construed as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless explicitly defined in the disclosure. In some cases, even terms defined in this disclosure should not be construed as excluding embodiments of this disclosure.

[0041] In the following description, various embodiments of this disclosure will be based on a hardware approach. However, the various embodiments of this disclosure include techniques using both hardware and software, and therefore, a software perspective is not excluded.

[0042] In the following, this disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for performing a subscription process between devices in a radio access network (RAN) and devices in a wireless communication system that control the RAN. Specifically, this disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for performance measurement of each terminal on an E2 interface in a radio access network and resource management for each slice of a base station. This disclosure also relates to an apparatus and method for transmitting container-based measurement messages when a service event occurs at a base station conforming to the Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) specification and using E2 messages of a wireless communication system.

[0043] In the following description, for convenience, terms relating to signals, channels, control information, network entities, and device elements are used illustratively. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the terms used below, and other terms relating to the subject matter with equivalent technical meaning may be used.

[0044] As used in this disclosure, the expressions “greater than” or “less than” are used to determine whether a particular condition is met or reached, but this is only intended to be illustrative and does not exclude “greater than or equal to” or “equal to or less than”. A condition indicated by the expression “greater than or equal to” can be replaced by a condition indicated by “greater than”, a condition indicated by the expression “equal to or less than” can be replaced by a condition indicated by “less than”, and a condition indicated by “greater than and equal to or less than” can be replaced by a condition indicated by “greater than and less than”.

[0045] In this disclosure, various embodiments will be described using terminology adopted in some communication standards (e.g., the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)), but these are for illustrative purposes only. With modifications, embodiments of this disclosure can also be readily applied to other communication systems.

[0046] With the commercialization of fourth-generation (4G) / fifth-generation (5G) communication systems (e.g., New Radio (NR)), virtualized networks require support for differentiated services for users. Therefore, Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) newly defines Radio Units (RU), Digital Units (DU), Central Units (CU)-Control Plane (CP), and CU-User Plane (UP), which respectively configure base stations and 3GPP Network Entities (NEs) as O(O-RAN)-RU, O-DU, O-CU-CP, and O-CU-UP nodes; and further standardizes the near-real-time (NRT) Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller (RIC). This disclosure supports operator-specific service models in the E2 interface, where the RIC requests services from O-DU, O-CU-CP, or O-CU-UP. Here, O-RU, O-DU, O-CU-CP, and O-CU-UP can be understood as objects configured to operate the RAN according to the O-RAN standard and can be referred to as E2 nodes. The interface with the RAN object that can operate according to the O-RAN specification between the RIC and E2 nodes uses E2AP (Application Protocol).

[0047] A RIC is a logical node capable of collecting information about cell sites sent / received between the UE and O-DU, O-CU-CP, or O-CU-UP. The RIC can be implemented as a server centrally located in a physical location. O-DU and RIC, O-CU-CP and RIC, and O-CU-UP and RIC can be connected via Ethernet. For this purpose, interface standards are needed for communication between O-DU and RIC, O-CU-CP and RIC, and O-CU-UP and RIC. Furthermore, message standards such as E2-DU, E2-CU-CP, and E2-CU-UP, as well as procedures between O-DU and RIC, O-CU-CP and RIC, and O-CU-UP and RIC, need to be defined. Specifically, the virtualized network needs to support differentiated services for users, and it is necessary to define the functionality of E2-DU, E2-CU-CP, and E2-CU-UP messages by centralizing call processing messages / functions generated in the O-RAN on the RIC to support services for wide cell coverage.

[0048] The RIC can communicate with the O-DU, O-CU-CP, and O-CU-UP using the E2 interface, and can generate subscription messages and send them to the O-DU, O-CU-CP, and O-CU-UP to configure event occurrence conditions. Specifically, the RIC can generate an E2 subscription request message and transmit it to the E2 nodes (e.g., O-CU-CP, O-CU-UP, O-DU) to configure a call processing event. Furthermore, after event configuration, the E2 nodes send a subscription request response message to the RIC in response to the transmitted subscription request message.

[0049] E2 nodes can send their current status to the RIC via E2 indication / reporting. The RIC can provide control over the O-DU, O-CU-CP, and O-CU-UP using E2 control messages. Various embodiments of this disclosure provide E2 indication messages for the transmission of UE unit measurement information for each period configured in the subscription event conditions in the O-DU. Furthermore, various embodiments of this disclosure provide messages for controlling resources transmitted from the RIC to the O-DU.

[0050] Figure 1 An example of a fourth-generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) core system is shown.

[0051] refer to Figure 1 The LTE core system includes a base station 110, a terminal 120, a serving gateway (S-GW) 130, a packet data network gateway (P-GW) 140, a mobility management entity (MME) 150, a home subscriber server (HSS) 160, and a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) 170.

[0052] Base station 110 is network infrastructure that provides radio access to terminal 120. For example, base station 110 is a device that performs scheduling by collecting status information such as the buffer status, available transmission power, and channel status of terminal 120. Base station 110 has a coverage area defined based on signal transmission distance for a specific geographical region. Base station 110 is connected to MME 150 via an S1-MME interface. Besides "base station," base station 110 may be referred to as an "access point (AP)," "evolved NodeB (eNodeB, eNB)," "radio point," "transmit / receive point (TRP)," or other terms with equivalent technical meanings.

[0053] Terminal 120 is a device used by a user and communicates with base station 110 via a radio channel. In some cases, terminal 120 can operate without user intervention. That is, at least one of terminal 120 and S-GW 130 is a device that performs machine-type communication (MTC) and can be carried by no user. Besides "terminal," terminal 120 may also be referred to as "UE," "mobile station," "subscriber station," "customer-premises equipment (CPE)," "remote terminal," "wireless terminal," or "user equipment," or other terms with equivalent technical meanings.

[0054] S-GW 130 provides data bearers and generates or controls data bearers under the control of MME 150. For example, S-GW 130 processes packets arriving from or to base station 110. Furthermore, S-GW 130 can perform an anchoring role during handover between base stations by terminal 120. P-GW 140 can be used as a connection point to external networks (e.g., the Internet). Furthermore, P-GW 140 assigns Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to terminal 120 and acts as an anchor for S-GW 130. Additionally, P-GW 140 can apply Quality of Service (QoS) policies to terminal 120 and manage account data.

[0055] The MME 150 manages the mobility of the terminal 120. Furthermore, the MME 150 can perform authentication, bearer management, and other functions on the terminal 120. In other words, the MME 150 is responsible for the terminal's mobility management and various control functions. The MME 150 can interact with the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN).

[0056] HSS 160 stores key information and subscriber profiles used for authentication of terminal 120. When terminal 120 accesses the network, the key information and subscriber profiles are sent from HSS 160 to MME 150.

[0057] PCRF 170 defines policies and charging rules. Stored information is transmitted from PCRF 180 to P-GW 140, and P-GW 140 can control terminal 120 (e.g., QoS management, charging, etc.) based on information provided from PCRF 180.

[0058] Carrier aggregation (hereinafter referred to as "CA") is a technique that combines multiple component carriers, allowing a terminal to transmit and receive signals by simultaneously using multiple component carriers, thereby improving frequency utilization efficiency for either the terminal or the base station. Specifically, according to CA, the terminal and base station can use multiple component carriers in the uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) to transmit and receive signals over a wide bandwidth, with the component carriers located in different frequency bands. Here, UL refers to the communication link through which the terminal transmits signals to the base station, and DL refers to the communication link through which the base station transmits signals to the terminal. The number of uplink component carriers and downlink component carriers can differ.

[0059] Dual connectivity or multiple connectivity is a technology that improves the frequency utilization efficiency of terminals or base stations, where a terminal connects to multiple different base stations and simultaneously transmits and receives signals using carriers located in different frequency bands within the multiple base stations. The terminal can connect to a first base station (e.g., a base station providing services using LTE or 4G mobile communication technology) and a second base station (e.g., a base station providing services simultaneously using New Radio (NR) or 5G mobile communication technology) to send and receive traffic. In this case, the frequency resources used by each base station can be located in different frequency bands. Thus, the operational scheme of a dual connectivity scheme based on LTE and NR can be referred to as 5G non-standalone (NSA).

[0060] Figure 2A An example of a 5G NSA system is shown.

[0061] refer to Figure 2A The 5G NSA system includes NR RAN 210a, LTE RAN 210b, terminal 220, and EPC 250. NR RAN 210a and LTE RAN 210b are connected to EPC 250, and terminal 220 can be served by either or both of NR RAN 210a and LTE RAN 210b simultaneously. NR RAN 210a includes at least one NR base station, while LTE RAN 210b includes at least one LTE base station. Here, the NR base station may be referred to as a "5G node," "gNB," or other terms with equivalent technical meaning. Furthermore, the NR base station may have a structure divided into a central unit (CU) and a digital unit (DU), and the CU may also have a structure divided into a CU control plane (CP) unit and a CU user plane (UP) unit.

[0062] exist Figure 2AIn the illustrated configuration, terminal 220 can perform Radio Resource Control (RRC) access via a first base station (e.g., a base station belonging to LTE RAN 210b) and can be provided with functions available in the control plane (e.g., connection management, mobility management, etc.). Furthermore, terminal 220 can receive additional radio resources for transmitting and receiving data via a second base station (e.g., a base station belonging to NR RAN 210a). This dual connectivity technology using LTE and NR can be referred to as Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA)-NR(EN)-Dual Connectivity (DC). Similarly, a dual connectivity technology where the first base station uses NR technology and the second base station uses LTE technology is referred to as NR-E-UTRA(NE)-DC. Furthermore, various embodiments can be applied to various types of multi-connectivity and CA technologies. Moreover, various embodiments are applicable even if a first system using a first communication technology and a second system using a second communication technology are implemented in a single device, or if the first and second base stations are located in the same geographical location.

[0063] Figure 2B An example of O-RAN architecture is shown. For E2-SM key performance indicator (KPIMON) monitoring of the E2 service model, consider O-RAN non-independent operation in multi-connectivity operation using E-UTRA and NR radio access technologies, while E2 nodes can be assumed to be in O-RAN independent mode.

[0064] refer to Figure 2B In O-RAN non-standalone deployment, the eNB connects to the EPC via the S1-C / S1-U interface and to the O-CU-CP via the X2 interface. The O-CU-CP used for deploying O-RAN standalone mode can connect to the 5G core (5GC) via the N2 / N3 interface.

[0065] Figure 3 The protocol stack of E2 application protocol messages in a radio access network according to various embodiments of this disclosure is illustrated. References Figure 3 The control plane includes the transport network layer and the radio network layer. The transport network layer includes the physical layer 310, the data link layer 320, the Internet Protocol (IP) layer 330, and the Flow Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) layer 340.

[0066] The radio network layer includes E2AP 350. E2AP 350 is used to transmit subscription messages, indication messages, control messages, service update messages, and service query messages, and is transmitted in higher layers such as SCTP layer 340 and IP layer 330.

[0067] Figure 4Examples of connections between a base station and a radio access network (RIC) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0068] refer to Figure 4 The RIC 440 connects to the O-CU-CP 420, O-CU-UP 410, and O-DU 430. The RIC 440 is a device used to control RAN nodes (or to perform RAN functions, such as those of the O-CU-CP 420, O-CU-UP 410, and O-DU 430). The RIC 440 can be defined as a device used to customize RAN functions for new services or regional resource optimization. The RIC 440 can provide functions such as network intelligence (e.g., policy enforcement, handover optimization), resource assurance (e.g., radio link management, advanced self-organized networks (SON)), and resource control (e.g., load balancing, slicing policies). The RIC 440 can communicate with the O-CU-CP 420, O-CU-UP 410, and O-DU 430. The RIC 440 can connect to each node via the E2-CP, E2-UP, and E2-DU interfaces. Furthermore, the interfaces between O-CU-CP and DU, and between O-CU-UP and DU, can be referred to as F1 interfaces. In the following description, DU and O-DU, CU-CP and O-CU-CP, and CU-UP and O-CU-UP can be used interchangeably.

[0069] although Figure 4 An RIC 440 is shown, but multiple RICs may exist according to various embodiments. Multiple RICs can be implemented using multiple hardware units located in the same physical location, or they can be implemented using virtualization of a single hardware unit.

[0070] Figure 5 The configuration of the device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5 The structure shown can be understood as having Figure 5 The configuration of a device having at least one function of RIC, O-CU-CP, O-CU-UP, and O-DU. Terms such as “~unit” or “~device” as used below refer to a unit for processing at least one function or operation, and can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0071] refer to Figure 5 The core network equipment includes a communication unit 510, a storage device 520 (e.g., a memory) and a controller 530.

[0072] Communication unit 510 provides an interface for communicating with other devices in the network. That is, communication unit 510 converts bit strings sent from the core network device to other devices into physical signals, and converts physical signals received from other devices into bit strings. In other words, communication unit 510 can both send and receive signals. Therefore, communication unit 510 can be referred to as a modem, transmitter, receiver, or transceiver. In this context, communication unit 510 enables the core network device to communicate with other devices or systems via a backhaul connection (e.g., wired or wireless backhaul) or over the network.

[0073] Storage device 520 stores data, such as basic programs, application programs, and configuration information for the operation of core network devices. Storage device 520 may include volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile memory. Storage device 520 provides the stored data upon request from controller 530.

[0074] Controller 530 controls the general operation of the core network device. For example, controller 530 sends and receives signals via communication unit 510. Furthermore, controller 530 records data in storage device 520 and reads data from storage device 520. For this purpose, controller 530 may include at least one processor. According to various embodiments, controller 530 can control the device to perform operations according to various embodiments explained in this disclosure.

[0075] Figure 6 The logical functions related to E2 messages between E2 nodes and RICs in a radio access network according to various embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated.

[0076] refer to Figure 6 RIC 640 and E2 node 610 can send or receive E2 messages to each other. For example, E2 node 610 can be an O-CU-CP, O-CU-UP, O-DU, or a base station. The communication interface of the E2 node can be determined according to the type of E2 node 610. For example, E2 node 610 can communicate with another E2 node 616 through an E1 interface or an F1 interface. Alternatively, for example, E2 node 610 can communicate with E2 node 616 through an X2 interface or an XN interface. Alternatively, for example, E2 node 610 can perform communication through an S1 interface or a Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) interface (i.e., the interface between a Next Generation (NG) RAN node and an AMF).

[0077] E2 node 610 may include E2 node function 612. E2 node function 612 is a function corresponding to a specific xApp (e.g., application software (S / W)) 646 installed in RIC 640. For example, in KPI monitoring, a KPI monitoring set S / W may be installed in RIC 640, and E2 node 610 may include E2 node function 612 for generating KPI parameters and then passing an E2 message including the KPI parameters to E2 termination 642 located in RIC 640. E2 node 610 may include radio resource management (RRM) 614. E2 node 610 can manage resources provided to the radio network for terminals.

[0078] The E2 terminator 624 located in RIC 640 (which is the terminator for E2 messages in RIC 640) can perform the function of interpreting the E2 messages transmitted by E2 node 610 and then forwarding them to xApp 646. The database (DB) 644 located in RIC 640 can be used for either E2 terminator 624 or xApp 646. Figure 6 The E2 node 610 shown is the terminator of at least one interface and can be understood as the terminator of messages sent to the terminal, neighboring base stations and the core network.

[0079] Figure 7 An example of the signaling process between the E2 node and the RIC is shown. Specifically, Figure 7 The process of establishing an E2 I / F connection between the E2 node and the RIC, and the process of transmitting RIC subscription messages are illustrated. Furthermore, Figure 7 The process of transmitting RIC instruction messages and RIC control messages is illustrated.

[0080] refer to Figure 7 In operation 701, E2 node 610 can send an E2 establishment request message to RIC 640. The E2 node function located in E2 node 610 locates RIC 640 using the RIC IP address configured for operation-administration-maintenance (OAM) and sends the E2 establishment request message. The E2 establishment request message includes information related to the RAN functions supported by E2 node 610 (e.g., RAN function definitions), E2 node ID information, etc. The RAN function definition value is a value configured for OAM. For example, the RAN function definition value may include a STYLE ID value. RIC 640 can receive the information configured for OAM and determine which call processing function E2 node 610 supports based on the RAN function definition value.

[0081] In operation 703, RIC 640 can receive an E2 establishment response message from E2 node 610. RIC 640 can determine whether it is possible to accept an E2 establishment request message sent by E2 node 610. When the E2 establishment request message is acceptable, RIC 640 can send an E2 establishment response message to E2 node 610.

[0082] In operation 705, RIC 640 can send a RIC SUBSCRIPTION REQUEST message to the E2 node. A specific xApp in RIC 610 requests the RIC E2 termination function to subscribe to a specific RAN function definition function supported by the E2. According to an embodiment, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the subscription request message and the E2 establishment response message can be transmitted separately. According to another embodiment, the subscription request message of operation 705 can be included in the E2 establishment response message of operation 703 and sent together.

[0083] In operation 707, E2 node 610 can send a subscription request response (RIC SUBSCRIPTIONRESPONSE) to RIC 640. The E2 node function of E2 node 610 can decode the subscription request message. The E2 node function of E2 node 610 can successfully configure the event conditions requested by RIC 640 from the E2 node function, and then send a subscription response to RIC 640 indicating that the event triggering conditions have been successfully configured.

[0084] In operation 711, E2 node 610 can send an E2 RIC indication message to RIC 640. E2 node 610 and RIC 640 can execute RIC indication procedure 710. For example, when a specific event condition occurs, E2 node 610 can transmit an E2 RIC indication message to RIC 640. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the RIC indication message may include KPI reports at the UE level. According to embodiments, the message container of the RIC indication message may include a KPI reporting service model at the UE level. Figures 8 to 9B An example is described of specific information included in a RIC instruction message.

[0085] In operation 721, RIC 640 can send E2 RIC control messages to E2 node 610. E2 node 610 and RIC 640 can execute RIC control procedure 720. For the control procedure of the E2 node, RIC 640 can configure the resource control of E2 node 610 by sending R2 control messages to E2 node 610. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the RIC control message can include configuration of resource control on a slice-by-slice basis. According to embodiments, the RIC control message can configure PRB portions and scheduling weights for each slice. (See reference...) Figures 10 to 11B Examples describing specific information included in RIC control messages.

[0086] exist Figure 7 The present disclosure describes the SET UP process, RIC subscription process, RIC instruction message transmission process, and RIC control message transmission process in sequence. However, various embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above order and process. That is, in some embodiments, the E2 node and the RIC can independently perform the E2 establishment process of operations 701 to 703. In some embodiments, the E2 node and the RIC can independently perform the subscription process of operations 705 to 707. Meanwhile, according to another embodiment, as described above, the E2 establishment response message may include a subscription request message. In some embodiments, the E2 node and the RIC can independently perform the RIC instruction process of operation 709. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the E2 node and the RIC can independently perform the RIC instruction process of operation 711. In addition, the E2 node and the RIC can perform at least some of the above processes together or separately.

[0087] Figure 8 Examples of RIC indication procedures in various embodiments of this disclosure are shown. The RIC indication procedure may include a transmission process for the RIC indication.

[0088] refer to Figure 8 In operation 801, the E2 node can send an RIC indication message to the RIC. The RIC indication process involves sending report-related messages to the NRT (Near RT) RIC corresponding to a successful RIC subscription process and the corresponding event-triggered detection, and / or inserting RIC services into it. The information elements (IEs) of the E2 indication message can be shown in Table 1 below.

[0089] Table 1

[0090] IE / Group Name exist scope IE types and references Semantic description critical The key to allocation Message Type M 9.2.3 yes reject RIC Request ID M 9.2.7 yes reject RAN Function ID M 9.2.8 yes reject RIC Action ID M 9.2.10 yes reject RIC Indicator SN O 9.2.14 yes reject RIC Indicator Type M 9.2.15 yes reject RIC Indication Header M 9.2.17 yes reject RIC Instruction Message M 9.2.16 yes reject RIC Call Processing ID O 9.2.18 yes reject

[0091] For the numbers listed in “IE Types and References” in Table 1, please refer to the literature “ORAN WG3, O-RAN WorkingGroup 3, Near-Real-time RAN Intelligent Controller, E2 Application Protocol (E2AP)”.

[0092] The first IE is the message type and has a unique value for each E2 message. The second IE is the RIC request ID and specifies the particular xApp. The third IE is the E2 node function ID and is a delimiter that distinguishes whether the E2 node is an eNB, O-DU, O-CU-CP, or O-CU-UP. The fourth IE is a delimiter used to distinguish actions when additional operations occur in the RIC. The fifth IE is a sequence number used to ensure ordered operations when additional operations occur in the RIC. The sixth IE is the RIC instruction type and specifies whether the indication in the E2 node is a report of a specific process or an addition to a message for an existing process.

[0093] The seventh identifier is the header of the RIC indication message. Details of the header are defined in ORAN-WG3 below. Refer to the E2SM-KPI standard. Here, the slice ID is configured by the single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI).

[0094] Table 2

[0095]

[0096]

[0097] The eighth identifier is the RIC indication message, which may include container details of the measurement report as presented in this disclosure. The RIC indication message can be configured as shown in the table below.

[0098] Table 3

[0099] IE / Group Name exist scope IE types and references Semantic description RIC Type ID M 8.3.5 Performance measurement container O 8.3.21 RAN container O 8.3.27

[0100] According to various embodiments, RIC indication messages may include RIC types. A RIC type ID is a message type, and only one RIC type ID is defined in the current standard. An E2 node ID defines the E2 node performing the indication. The current standard defines the global gNB ID, gNB-CU-UP, gNB-DUID, global en-gNB ID (gNB connected to EPC), global ng-eNB ID (eNB connected to 5GC), and global eNB ID. A cell global ID is information about the cell for which measurements are collected, and a PLMN ID is the operator ID for which measurements are collected. A slice ID is the slice ID when the E2 node supports standalone mode, and 5QI is the ID used to define QoS when the E2 node supports standalone mode. A QoS category identifier (QCI) is a QoS ID used in a restricted manner when the E2 node supports non-standalone mode.

[0101] In addition, RIC indication messages can include details of the container (e.g., a performance measurement container). Figures 9A to 9B The present disclosure describes examples of details of containers sent via instruction messages in O-DUs according to embodiments thereof. On the other hand, in order to describe embodiments of the present disclosure, in some embodiments, information transmission via Container Information Elements (IEs) is described. However, embodiments of the present disclosure can also be understood as transmissions that directly carry key performance measurements in a corresponding format without including the container's key performance measurement. That is, transmissions that identify individual nodes (e.g., terminals) in the same format and are transmitted via containers of each E2 node can be understood as embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0102] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the RIC indication message may include information on improved quality measurements compared to existing KPI monitoring. The RIC indication message may include measurements and reports at the UE level or at the UE bearer (e.g., DRB) level. For example, the RIC indication message can be configured as shown in Table 4 below.

[0103] Table 4

[0104]

[0105] Referring to Table 4, it can be identified that E2SM KPM indication message format 1 does not include UE identification information, while for measurement information reports based on UE, E2SM KPM indication message format 2 includes UE identification information.

[0106] According to an embodiment, the RIC indication message may also include an IE for indicating a new format (E2SM-KPM indication message format 2) compared to an existing format (e.g., E2SM-KPM indication message format 1). For example, the new format may refer to paragraph 8.2.1.4.2 above.

[0107] According to an embodiment, in this case, a "Performance Measurement Container 2" different from the existing performance measurement container can be defined in the new format IE. "Performance Measurement Container 2" can be referenced in paragraph 8.3.34. "Performance Measurement Container 2" is merely a name distinguishing it from the existing "Performance Measurement Container" and is not to be construed as limiting the embodiments of this disclosure. That is, "Performance Measurement Container 2" can be replaced by parameter names used to perform the same function. Furthermore, unlike Table 3 above, the "Performance Measurement Container 2" described later is replaced by a method for configuring additional IEs in detail within an existing performance measurement container, which can also be understood as an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0108] Referring to paragraph 8.3.34 above, “performance measurement container 2” may include at least one of the performance measurement container of O-DU, performance measurement container of O-CU-CP and performance measurement container of O-CU-UP.

[0109] The ninth delimiter is the RIC call processing ID and is a delimiter that allows E2 nodes and RICs to distinguish specific event behaviors from each other.

[0110] E2 nodes may carry a container related to performance measurement (e.g., a measurement report) in a RIC indication message and send it to the RIC. The RIC indication message, according to various embodiments, may include a container in a format determined by the type of E2 node (e.g., O-DU, O-CU-UP, O-CU-CP). For example, as in paragraph 8.3.34 of Table 4, the RIC indication message may include at least one of the performance measurement containers of O-DU, O-CU-CP, and O-CU-UP.

[0111] Figure 9A and Figure 9B Examples of RIC indications in various embodiments of this disclosure are shown. Figures 9A to 9B The image shows an example of a container being sent from an O-DU to a RIC. (Reference) Figure 9A and Figure 9B The E2 message container proposed in this disclosure describes a message container that carries messages via E2 and is sent from O-DU to RIC.

[0112] refer to Figure 9AMessage 900 may include a cell ID. According to an embodiment, message 900 may include a DU ID (not shown). The DU ID is located at the top of the message structure. The DU ID refers to a specific DU. Since the global cell ID is located below the DU ID, the E2 node (DU) can report information about a specific cell to the RIC of each DU via the message. Based on the assigned list of UEs, the RIC can receive reports on the status of each Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) (or referred to as an SS / Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) block) defined in the NR for a specific cell (i.e., for each beam). Cell measurement information can be configured to include measurement information about one or more SSBs associated with the corresponding cell. Each SSB may correspond to one or more UEs. Furthermore, each UE may correspond to one or more Data Radio Bearers (DRBs). That is, a UE may have multiple DRBs. The E2 node (DU) can send a report to the RIC including at least one of the following: the time when the buffer is filled and the size of the data processed when the buffer is occupied, downlink / uplink specific delays, and PRB usage, to identify the service status of the terminal in the corresponding DRB unit. In other words, the E2 node (DU) can be configured to report the service status of each individual UE.

[0113] refer to Figure 9B Message 900 may include a cell ID. According to an embodiment, message 900 may include a DU ID (not shown). The DU ID is located at the top of the message structure. The DU ID refers to a specific DU. Since the global cell ID is located below the DU ID, an E2 node (DU) can report information about a specific cell to the RIC of each DU via the message. Unlike message 900, message 950 may not include intermediate-level indicators configured on a SSB-by-SSB basis. That is, cell measurement information can be configured to include measurement information about one or more UEs belonging to the corresponding cell.

[0114] exist Figures 9A to 9B Examples of configuring measurement information at the UE and DRB levels within the cell unit or lower have been described. However, this is merely an example for specifying the cell unit or lower level, and embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to this. Figure 9A and Figure 9B The message format is shown. According to an embodiment, as an example of measurement information, the SSB unit may be included in or under each UE ID. Furthermore, according to an embodiment, in... Figure 9A In the example shown, only measurements at the SSB and UE levels are configured at or below the cell level, and measurements at the DRB level can be omitted. Furthermore, according to the embodiment, in Figure 9BIn the example shown, only UE-level measurements are configured at or below the cell level, and DRB-level measurements can be omitted. According to embodiments of this disclosure, each message may include a UE ID (i.e., UE identification information) to indicate UE-level measurements. The UE ID (i.e., UE identification information) can be configured as a global identifier. A UE ID can be configured for each E2 node to distinguish UEs in each cell within the RAN. According to embodiments, the UE ID information may depend on the type of E2 node (gNB, eNB, DU, CU-CP, or CU-UP). For example, the UE ID is distinguished by RAN elements and therefore may include a RAN UE ID. Furthermore, for example, the UE ID may include a global identifier.

[0115] For example, Figure 9A Message 900 can be configured as shown in the following tables. As an example of paragraph 8.3.34a mentioned in Table 4, Tables 5, 7, 9, and 11 can be illustrated below. The measurement information in the RIC indication message can include information formats configured in units of UE and DRB, as well as in units of SSB.

[0116] For example, Figure 9B Message 950 can be configured as shown in the following table. As an example of paragraph 8.3.34a mentioned in Table 4, Tables 6, 8, 10, and 12 can be cited below. Figure 9A In contrast, the SSB unit can be omitted. Therefore, compared to Tables 5, 7, 9, and 11, the measurement information in this message can include an information format consisting of units in UE and DRB, but without the SSB unit.

[0117] 8.3.34a O-DU Performance Measurement Container 2

[0118] This IE defines the measurement performance measurement container for each DU.

[0119] The merged format allows for simultaneous reporting for each DRB ID and LCG ID.

[0120] Table 5

[0121]

[0122]

[0123]

[0124] According to embodiments, delay parameters (MonitoredLatencyDL or MonitoredLatencyUL) can use packet delays defined in the 3GPP TS 38.314 standard. For example, downlink-related delay parameters (MonitoredLatencyDL) may include at least one of the downlink (DL) delay of the air interface, the delay in the Radio Link Control (RLC) sublayer of the gNB-DU, the delay in F1-U, and the delay in CU-UP. Downlink-related delays can be measured for each DRB of each UE. For example, uplink-related delay parameters (MonitoredLatencyUL) may include at least one of the uplink (UL) Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) packet average delay, the UL delay of the air interface, the RLC packet delay, the delay in F1-U, and the PDCP reordering delay. Uplink-related delays can be measured for each DRB of each UE. The description of these delay parameters also applies to Tables 6 through 12, which are described later.

[0125] In Table 5, such as Figure 9B As described above, the SSB-based format can be omitted. In this case, the performance measurement container for the RIC indication message can be configured as shown in Table 6 below.

[0126] Table 6

[0127]

[0128]

[0129]

[0130] The above embodiments relate to measurement reports performed in the corresponding UE on a DRB and Logical Channel Group (LCG) basis. According to the embodiments, the RIC indication message may include reports configured only on a DRB basis. Table 7 illustrates performance measurement container information based on measurements on an SSB basis. Table 8 illustrates performance measurement container information based on measurements on a UE basis, but not on an SSB basis.

[0131] Executing a single report on a DRB list basis

[0132] Table 7

[0133]

[0134]

[0135] Table 8

[0136]

[0137]

[0138]

[0139] The above embodiments relate to measurement reports performed on a DRB-by-Device basis in the corresponding UE. According to the embodiments, the RIC indication message may include reports configured only on an LCG-by-Device basis. Table 9 illustrates performance measurement container information based on measurements on an SSB-by-Sheng. Table 10 illustrates performance measurement container information based on measurements on a UE-by-UE basis, without SSB-by-Sheng.

[0140] An example of a single report based on LCG has been added.

[0141] Table 9

[0142]

[0143]

[0144] Table 10

[0145]

[0146]

[0147] Referring to Tables 5 through 10, reporting in DRB units and reporting in LCG units are configured independently in the UE. Depending on the list value (0 or 1), reporting in DRB units and reporting in LCG units are configured independently. Alternatively, reporting in DRB units and reporting in LCG units can be configured together. The RIC indication message may include reports configured in both DRB and LCG units. Table 11 illustrates performance measurement container information based on measurements in SSB units. Table 12 illustrates performance measurement container information based on measurements in UE units without SSB units.

[0148] Table 11

[0149]

[0150]

[0151]

[0152] Table 12

[0153]

[0154]

[0155]

[0156] Although already Figure 9A and Figure 9B The document describes an IE for measuring the performance of an O-DU, but according to embodiments, performance measurements using the newly introduced method can also be performed in the O-CU-CP. As an example, massively interconnected (mIoT) devices can send traffic to the non-access stratum (NAS), and the O-CU-CP can support their performance measurements.

[0157] This disclosure has described examples of including a UE ID in each message format for performance measurement for each UE ID. The UE ID described in this disclosure can mean a UE ID that can be used on the E2 interface. According to embodiments, the structure of the UE ID can be configured as shown in the table below.

[0158] Table 13

[0159]

[0160]

[0161]

[0162] For a detailed description of each IE, please refer to the O-RAN.WG3.E2SM standard.

[0163] Figure 10 Examples of RIC control procedures in various embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated. The RIC control procedure may include the transmission of RIC control requests and their responses. Depending on whether the RIC control request is accepted, the response may include RIC control acknowledgment or RIC control failure.

[0164] refer to Figure 10 In Operation 1001, the RIC can send a RIC Control Request message to the E2 node. The RIC Control Request message is used to initiate or resume specific functions of the E2 node.

[0165] In operation 1003, the E2 node can send a response to the RIC control request message to the RIC. According to an embodiment, the E2 node can accept the control request according to the RIC control request message. The E2 node that has received the RIC control request message can determine the target function by using the information of the RAN function ID IE. In addition, the E2 node can initiate the RIC control process requested by the information of the RIC control message. In response thereto, the E2 node can send a RIC control confirmation message to the RIC. In addition, according to an embodiment, the E2 node may not accept the control request according to the RIC control request message. For example, if the call process ID requested by the RIC control request message does not exist in the E2 node, or the timer has expired, the E2 node may not be able to execute the request according to the RIC control process. In this case, the E2 node can send a RIC control failure message as a response.

[0166] The RIC can perform resource control on the E2 node through the above process. According to an embodiment, the RIC can identify the status of the E2 node by monitoring the results of the KPIs of the E2 node. The RIC can perform resource control for each individual slice (i.e., network slice 0) in the E2 node according to the status of the E2 node. Therefore, control messages that require resource control for each slice and include information for controlling the radio resource part and scheduling priority are needed. Since RIC control is not deeply defined in the current E2AP standard, this disclosure defines RIC control messages and proposes related messages.

[0167] <RIC control message>

[0168] To define the style of the RIC control message, a service style list can be defined. A specific type of RIC style type in the list can indicate radio resource control. For example, the RIC style type can be configured as shown in the following table.

[0169]

Table 14

[0170] RIC style type Style Name Style Description 1 Resource control messages Used to control available radio resources in E2 node RAN functions

[0171] This style can provide the cell resource control IE passed in a transparent container and the insertion of an associated header providing the cell global ID, PLMNID, and slice ID.

[0172] The RAN function can use the RIC control message priority to align the queuing of incoming control messages and E2 node-initiated messages within the same cell global ID, PLMN ID, and slice ID. The following rules can be applied.

[0173] - Process higher-priority control messages before lower-priority control messages.

[0174] - Positive RIC control message priority means that messages initiated by E2 nodes have a higher priority.

[0175] - Negative priority means that messages initiated by the E2 node should be transmitted before control messages are transmitted.

[0176] - Basic control priority = 0 means that control messages are processed with the same priority as messages initiated by E2 nodes.

[0177] According to an embodiment, the RIC control message may include a header configured as shown in the table below.

[0178] Table 15

[0179]

[0180] According to an embodiment, the RIC control message may include the RIC control message IE configured as shown in the table below.

[0181] Table 16

[0182]

[0183] RIC control messages (IEs) can include containers in a manner similar to RIC indications. According to embodiments, the containers included in the RIC control message can be associated with resource control of the E2 node. Although the container is referred to as a resource control container, it can also be replaced by a parameter name that performs the same function. Resource control containers according to embodiments of this disclosure can include resource configurations configured on a slice-by-slice basis.

[0184] According to an embodiment, the resource control container included in the RIC control message can be configured as shown in the table below. The resource control container corresponds to "Resource Control Container in Section 8.3.18" of Table 16 above. Each IE in the table below can be configured in a slice-specific manner.

[0185] Table 17

[0186]

[0187] Figure 11A and Figure 11B Examples of RIC control messages from various embodiments of this disclosure are shown. Figures 11A to 11B The image shows an example of a container being sent from the RIC to the O-DU.

[0188] refer to Figure 11AMessage 1100 may include a cell ID. The cell ID may include a global cell ID. The message may include a list of PLMNs corresponding to the cell IDs. The PLMN list may include one or more PLMNs. For example, a PLMN may include a Mobile Country Code (MCC) and a Mobile Network Code (MNC). Each PLMN may include one or more slices. In this case, the information for each slice can be configured with reference to Table 16 above. According to one embodiment, the slice-specific information listed in Table 16 may be included in the control message. According to another embodiment, at least one of the slice-specific information listed in Table 16 may be omitted from the control message.

[0189] refer to Figure 11B Message 1150 may include a cell ID. The cell ID may include a global cell ID. This message may include a list of slices corresponding to the cell ID. This message may include one or more slices corresponding to a cell ID. That is, unlike message 1100, message 1150 can be configured to perform resource control on each slice without control at the PLMN level. Information for each slice can be configured with reference to Table 16 above. According to one embodiment, the slice-specific information listed in Table 16 may be included in the control message. According to another embodiment, at least one of the slice-specific information listed in Table 16 may be omitted from the control message.

[0190] For example, Figure 11A Message 1100 can be configured as shown in the table below.

[0191] Table 18

[0192]

[0193]

[0194] For example, Figure 11B Message 1150 can be configured as shown in the table below.

[0195] Table 19

[0196]

[0197]

[0198] The embodiments described in this disclosure can use information called Single Network Slice Selection Auxiliary Information (S-NSSAI) to identify end-to-end network slices in 5GS. S-NSSAI can be configured as follows.

[0199] -Slice / Type of Service (SST) (e.g., 8 bits)

[0200] - Slice Distinguisher (SD) (e.g., 24 bits), which is optional information that supplements the slice / service type to distinguish multiple network slices.

[0201] In this disclosure, embodiments of RIC indication messages and RIC control messages have been described for more complex KPI monitoring and radio resource management. According to various embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by a first node may include: classifying call processing messages received from a call processing block by an E2 node for each E2 node; classifying and summarizing relevant statistics in the classified messages at the global cell level, beam level, UE level, and per UE data radio bearer (DRB) level; and carrying the classified messages in an E2 indication message and transmitting it to the RIC. Furthermore, the E2 indication message may be identified based on the detailed information element (IE) of the E2 indication sent from the RIC, and the IE information may include message type identifier information based on the call processing function configuration of the E2 node, RIC request ID identifier information, E2 node function ID identifier information, and RIC subscription type identifier information.

[0202] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, a method for an E2 node may include sending an indication message to a Radio Access Network (RIC) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the indication message includes a measurement container that includes measurement information, such as PRB usage, throughput, latency, etc., based on measurement information for each beam, each UE, and each bearer of a single cell. Furthermore, the method may include, after identifying the state of the E2 node through this process, sending a control message that includes information for resource control in the E2 node for each individual slice, including information for controlling scheduling priorities and radio resource portions.

[0203] Instead of status report messages corresponding to cell-specific information as E2 messages, the RIC indication messages of this disclosure can include status reports on a per-cell UE basis or on a per-UE individual data bearer basis. RIC indication messages support more accurate measurement and reporting of UE-level quality of experience. Therefore, the performance of KPI monitoring can be improved. Furthermore, the RIC control messages of this disclosure enable the scheduler in the base station to control the resources of each slice, thereby further improving the efficiency of resource management.

[0204] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node may include sending an indication message to a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the indication message is a measurement container that includes measurement information for each bearer of each User Equipment (UE) in the cell, and the measurement information includes information about at least one of PRB usage, throughput, and latency.

[0205] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node may include receiving a control request message (indication message) from a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the control request message includes an RIC control message, the RIC control message including information for resource control for each slice, and the information including information about radio resource portions and scheduling priorities.

[0206] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include receiving an indication message from an E2 node, wherein the indication message includes a measurement container, and the measurement container includes measurement information for each bearer of each User Equipment (UE) in the cell, and the measurement information includes information about at least one of PRB usage, throughput, and latency.

[0207] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include sending a control request message (indication message) to an E2 node, wherein the control request message includes an RIC control message, the RIC control message including information for resource control for each slice, and the information including information about radio resource portions and scheduling priorities.

[0208] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for an E2 node may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send an indication message to a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), the indication message including a measurement container that includes measurement information for each bearer of each User Equipment (UE) in the cell, and the measurement information including information about at least one of PRB usage, throughput, and latency.

[0209] According to embodiments of this disclosure, an apparatus for an E2 node may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive a control request message (indication message) from a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), the control request message including RIC control messages, the RIC control messages including information for resource control for each slice, and the information including information about radio resource portions and scheduling priorities.

[0210] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive an indication message from an E2 node, the indication message including a measurement container that includes measurement information for each bearer of each User Equipment (UE) in the cell, and the measurement information including information about at least one of PRB usage, throughput, and latency.

[0211] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send a control request message (indication message) to an E2 node, the control request message including an RIC control message, the RIC control message including information for resource control for each slice, and the information including information about radio resource portions and scheduling priorities.

[0212] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by an E2 node may include sending an RIC indication message to a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the RIC indication message includes an E2 Service Model (E2SM)-KPM indication message format 1 and an E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 for Key Performance Measurement (KPM), wherein the E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 does not include terminal identification information, and the E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes terminal identification information.

[0213] According to an embodiment, terminal identification information can be configured to indicate at least one terminal in a form used for identification in the radio access network (RAN) of an E2 node, and the E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes measurement information of at least one terminal.

[0214] According to the embodiment, the E2 node is one of the following: next-generation node B (gNB), distributed unit (DU), evolved node B (eNB), gNB central unit (CU), en-gNB, and ng-eNB.

[0215] According to various embodiments, a method performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include sending an RIC indication message to an E2 node, wherein the RIC indication message includes an E2 Service Model (E2SM)-KPM indication message format 1 and an E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 for Key Performance Measurement (KPM), wherein the E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 does not include terminal identification information and the E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes terminal identification information.

[0216] According to an embodiment, terminal identification information can be configured to indicate at least one terminal in a form used for identification in the radio access network (RAN) of an E2 node, and the E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes measurement information of at least one terminal.

[0217] According to the embodiments, the E2 node is one of the following: next-generation node B (gNB), distributed unit (DU), evolved node B (eNB), gNB central unit (CU), en-gNB, and ng-eNB.

[0218] According to various embodiments, a method performed by an E2 node may include receiving an RIC control message from a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the RIC control message includes slice identification information and control information for a network slice corresponding to the slice identification information.

[0219] According to an embodiment, the slice identification information may include Single Network Slice Selection Assist Information (S-NSSAI), and the E2 node is one of the following: Next Generation Node B (gNB), Distributed Unit (DU), Evolved Node B (eNB), gNB Central Unit (CU), en-gNB, and ng-eNB.

[0220] According to an embodiment, the RIC control message may include control information defined for each cell and each slice in the E2 node.

[0221] According to various embodiments, a method performed by an E2 node may include receiving an RIC control message from a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), wherein the RIC control message includes slice identification information and control information about a network slice corresponding to the slice identification information.

[0222] According to an embodiment, the slice identification information may include Single Network Slice Selection Assist Information (S-NSSAI), and the E2 node is one of the following: Next Generation Node B (gNB), Distributed Unit (DU), Evolved Node B (eNB), gNB Central Unit (CU), en-gNB, and ng-eNB.

[0223] According to an embodiment, the RIC control message may include control information defined for each cell and each slice in the E2 node.

[0224] According to various embodiments, an E2 node apparatus may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform the method by the E2 node.

[0225] According to various embodiments, an apparatus for a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) may include at least one transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform the method by the RIC.

[0226] The methods described in the claims or specification of this disclosure can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0227] When the method is implemented in software, a computer-readable storage medium may be provided for storing one or more programs (software modules). One or more programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium may be configured to be executed by one or more processors within an electronic device. At least one program may include instructions causing the electronic device to perform a method according to the various embodiments of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims and / or disclosed herein.

[0228] The program (software module or software) can be stored in non-volatile memory, including random access memory and flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk storage devices, optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc (DVD), or other types of optical storage devices or magnetic tape. Alternatively, any combination of some or all of these can form the memory storing the program. Furthermore, an electronic device may include multiple such memories.

[0229] Furthermore, the program can be stored in an attachable storage device that can access the electronic device via a communication network (such as the Internet, intranet, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WLAN), and storage area network (SAN), or a combination thereof). This storage device can access the electronic device via an external port. Additionally, a separate storage device on the communication network can access portable electronic devices.

[0230] In the detailed embodiments described above, the elements included in this disclosure are represented in a singular or plural form according to the given detailed embodiments. However, for ease of description, the singular or plural form is suitably chosen as presented, and this disclosure is not limited to elements expressed in a singular or plural form. Thus, an element represented in a plural form may also include a single element, or an element represented in a singular form may include multiple elements.

[0231] Although specific embodiments have been described in the detailed description of this disclosure, various modifications and changes may be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method executed by an E2 node, the method comprising: Send an RIC instruction message to the Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC). The RIC indication message includes E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 and E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 for the E2 service model of critical performance measurement (KPM). The E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 includes first measurement information. The E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes second measurement information and terminal identification information. Wherein, the second measurement information is specific to each of at least one terminal, and The terminal identification information indicates at least one terminal in the RAN.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The E2 node is one of the following: next-generation node B gNB, distributed unit DU, evolved node B eNB, gNB central unit CU, en-gNB, and ng-eNB.

3. A method executed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), the method comprising: Receive RIC indication message from E2 node The RIC indication message includes E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 and E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 for critical performance measurement (KPM) using the E2 service model. The E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 includes first measurement information. The E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes second measurement information and terminal identification information. Wherein, the second measurement information is specific to each of at least one terminal, and The terminal identification information indicates at least one terminal in the RAN.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The E2 node is one of the following: next-generation node B gNB, distributed unit DU, evolved node B eNB, gNB central unit CU, en-gNB, and ng-eNB.

5. An E2 node, comprising: transceiver; At least one processor; as well as The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the E2 node to... Send an RIC instruction message to the Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC). The RIC indication message includes E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 and E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 for the E2 service model-critical performance measurement (KPM). The E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 includes first measurement information. The E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes second measurement information and terminal identification information. Wherein, the second measurement information is specific to each of at least one terminal, and The terminal identification information indicates at least one terminal in the RAN.

6. A Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC), comprising: transceiver; At least one processor; as well as Memory, storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause a RIC (Regulatory Instruction). Receive RIC indication message from E2 node The RIC indication message includes E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 and E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 for the E2 service model-critical performance measurement (KPM). The E2SM-KPM indication message format 1 includes first measurement information. The E2SM-KPM indication message format 2 includes second measurement information and terminal identification information. Wherein, the second measurement information is specific to each of at least one terminal, and The terminal identification information indicates at least one terminal in the RAN.

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