Deterministic communication with dual connectivity

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to a method, equipment, a device and a computer readable medium. The method comprises: receiving a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service; determining that the at least one recommended network device satisfies a deterministic requirement associated with the deterministic communication traffic; selecting at least one target network device from the at least one recommended network device; and sending an indication to the at least one target network device to allocate resources for at least one further deterministic communication traffic. In this manner, by selecting based on the transmission status and specific latency, reliability and QoS requirements of the deterministic communication traffic, the selected secondary node has better consistency with the scheduled deterministic communication traffic, so that the established DC will be more robust.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly, to devices, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage media for deterministic communications with dual connectivity (DC). Background Art

[0002] In Rel-17, Time Sensitive Communication (TSC) was introduced into 3GPP to provide deterministic transmission capabilities without relying on any IEEE standard. Since then, the 5G System (5GS) has defined enablers for generic TSC. Application functions can request services with specific Quality of Service (QoS) requirements as well as specific time synchronization requirements. A new NFAF is introduced to handle time synchronization and individual QoS parameters as well as TSCAI determination.

[0003] To support high reliability through redundant transmission in the user plane, 3GPP specifies a DC-based end-to-end user plane path that enables terminal devices to establish two redundant protocol data unit (PDU) sessions on a 5G network. DC involves two radio access network (RAN) nodes that provide radio resources to a given UE. One of the two RANs acts as the primary RAN to select another RAN node, the secondary RAN node, to exchange the UE's user plane traffic. Summary of the invention

[0004] Generally speaking, example embodiments of the present disclosure provide solutions for power management in DC.

[0005] In a first aspect, a device is provided. The device includes: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: receive a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service (e.g., quality of service, QoS, service); determine at least one recommended network device that meets the deterministic requirements associated with the deterministic communication service; select at least one target network device from the at least one recommended network device; and send an indication to the at least one target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication service.

[0006] In a second aspect, a controller is provided. The controller includes at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the controller to at least: determine at least one recommended network device that meets the requirements associated with the deterministic event from at least one candidate network device after receiving a deterministic event from a first network device, wherein the deterministic event is in response to a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service received by the first network device; and send an indication of the at least one recommended network device to the first network device.

[0007] In a third aspect, a method is provided. The method includes: receiving a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service; determining that at least one recommended network device meets the deterministic requirement associated with the deterministic communication service; selecting at least one target network device from the at least one recommended network device; and sending an indication to the at least one target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication service.

[0008] In a fourth aspect, a method is provided. The method includes: after receiving a deterministic event from a first network device, determining at least one recommended network device that meets requirements associated with the deterministic event from at least one candidate network device, wherein the deterministic event is in response to a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service received by the first network device; and sending an indication of the at least one recommended network device to the first network device.

[0009] In a fifth aspect, a first apparatus is provided. The first apparatus includes: a component for receiving a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service; a component for determining at least one recommended network device that meets the deterministic requirement associated with the deterministic communication service; a component for selecting at least one target network device from the at least one recommended network device; and a component for sending an indication to the at least one target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication service.

[0010] In a sixth aspect, a second apparatus is provided. The second apparatus includes: a component for determining, after receiving a deterministic event from a first network device, at least one recommended network device that meets requirements associated with the deterministic event from at least one candidate network device, wherein the deterministic event is in response to a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service received by the first network device; and a component for sending an indication of the at least one recommended network device to the first network device.

[0011] In a seventh aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprises program instructions for causing a device to execute the method according to the third aspect.

[0012] In an eighth aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprises program instructions for causing a device to execute the method according to the fourth aspect.

[0013] It should be understood that the summary is not intended to identify the key or essential features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become readily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Some example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0015] Figure 1 An example network system is shown in which example embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented;

[0016] Figure 2 Shows the description according to Figure 1 A signaling diagram of an example TSC process in 5GS of the example network system shown.

[0017] Figure 3A A signaling diagram illustrating an example DC establishment procedure in a TSC according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 3B A signaling diagram illustrating an example DC reconstruction process in a TSC according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 4A A signaling diagram illustrating an example DC establishment procedure in a TSC according to an alternative example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 4B shows a signaling diagram illustrating an example DC reconstruction process in a TSC according to an alternative example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing an example controller module according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating an example method for assisting node selection implemented at a network device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 7 A flow chart of an example method implemented at a controller for assisting node selection according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 8 shows a simplified block diagram of an apparatus suitable for implementing an example embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0025] Fig. 9 A block diagram of an example computer-readable medium is shown according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The principles of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to some example embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are described for illustrative purposes only and to help those skilled in the art understand and implement the present disclosure without implying any limitation on the scope of the present disclosure. The disclosure described herein can be implemented in various ways different from the ways described below.

[0028] In the following description and claims, unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

[0029] References in this disclosure to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an example embodiment," etc., indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it is considered to be within the knowledge of a person skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments (whether or not explicitly described).

[0030] It should be understood that although the terms "first" and "second" and the like may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element without departing from the scope of the example embodiments. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed terms.

[0031] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the terms "include", "comprise", "have", "have", "include" and / or "comprising" when used herein specify the presence of stated features, elements and / or components, etc., but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0032] As used in this application, the term "circuitry" may refer to one, more than one, or all of the following:

[0033] (a) only hardware circuit implementation (e.g., only implementation in analog and / or digital circuits) and

[0034] (b) a combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (where applicable):

[0035] (i) a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, and

[0036] (ii) a hardware processor (including a digital signal processor) with software, software and any portion of memory that work together to enable a device such as a mobile phone or server to perform various functions) and

[0037] (c) Hardware circuits and / or processors (e.g., a microprocessor or a portion of a microprocessor) that require software (e.g., firmware) to operate, but where software is not required to operate, the software may not be present.

[0038] This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of this term in this application, including in any claims. As another example, as used in this application, the term circuitry also covers an implementation of only a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or a portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or its) accompanying software and / or firmware. The term circuitry also covers (for example and if applicable to a particular claim element) a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network device or other computing or network device.

[0039] As used herein, the term "communication network" refers to a network that complies with any suitable communication standard, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), Advanced LTE (LTE-A), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), etc. In addition, the communication between the terminal equipment and the network equipment in the communication network can be performed according to any suitable generation of communication protocols, including but not limited to the first generation (1G), second generation (2G), 2.5G, 2.75G, third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), 4.5G, fifth generation (5G), and sixth generation (6G) communication protocols and / or any other protocols currently known or to be developed in the future. The embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied in various communication systems. In view of the rapid development of communications, there are of course future types of communication technologies and systems with which the present disclosure can be implemented. It should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present invention to the above-mentioned systems.

[0040] As used herein, the term "network device" refers to a node in a communication network via which a terminal device accesses the network and receives services from it. Depending on the terminology and technology applied, a network device may refer to a base station (BS) or access point (AP), such as a NodeB (NodeB or NB), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), a NR next-generation NodeB (gNB), a remote radio unit (RRU), a radio head (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, a relay, a low-power node such as a femto, a pico, etc. A network device is allowed to be defined as part of a gNB, such as in a CU / DU split, in which case the network device is defined as a gNB-CU or a gNB-DU.

[0041] The term "terminal device" refers to any terminal device capable of wireless communication. By way of example and not limitation, a terminal device may also be referred to as a communication device, user equipment (UE), subscriber station (SS), portable subscriber station, mobile station (MS) or access terminal (AT). The terminal device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a voice over IP (voip) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a tablet computer, a wearable terminal device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable computer, a desktop computer, an image capture terminal device such as a digital camera, a game terminal device, a music storage and playback device, a vehicle-mounted wireless terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, a laptop embedded device (LEE), a laptop mounted device (LME), a USB wireless network card, a smart device, a wireless client device (CPE), an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a watch or other wearable device, a head mounted display (HMD), a vehicle, a target, medical equipment and applications (e.g., remote surgery), industrial equipment and applications (e.g., robots and / or other wireless devices operating in industrial and / or automated processing chain environments, consumer electronic devices, devices operating on commercial and / or industrial wireless networks, etc. In the following description, the terms "terminal device", "communication device", "terminal", "user equipment" and "UE" may be used interchangeably.

[0042] The term "Time-Sensitive Communication (TSC)" refers to communication services that support deterministic communication (i.e., ensuring maximum latency) and / or synchronous communication with high reliability and availability. It is about providing packet transmission with QoS characteristics such as bounds on latency, loss and reliability, where the end system and relay / sending nodes may or may not be strictly synchronized. It should be understood that deterministic communication services may refer to different granularities in different generations of communication systems. For example, in the case of 5GS, deterministic communication services may refer to deterministic communication QoS flows. QoS flows are the finest granularity of QoS differentiation in a PDU session. QoS Flow ID (QFI) is used to identify QoS flows in 5G systems.

[0043] For the current Rel-17, how to utilize the end-to-end replication path for redundant service delivery is beyond the scope of 3GPP. Traditionally, DC is a general capability to enable wireless service connections with higher reliability. However, during the selection of the secondary RAN node to establish a redundant connection, service characteristics, especially deterministic services, are not considered. The primary RAN node determines whether dual connectivity should be established taking into account the redundant sequence number (RSN) and / or PDU session pair ID, and ensures appropriate PDU session processing to guarantee a fully redundant user plane path.

[0044] In the case of deterministic communications, in order to facilitate redundancy within the radio interface, several additional factors should be considered during DC secondary node selection to meet deterministic service requirements. These factors may include:

[0045] Latency guarantee:

[0046] The secondary node selection method needs to ensure that the xHaul transport network (fronthaul, backhaul and midhaul) also provides latency guarantees;

[0047] RAN bandwidth availability:

[0048] Before adding a secondary node to the DC, the air interface resources need to be checked to allow duplicate traffic to go through a new path with sufficient resources, especially resources for semi-static scheduling of low-latency transmissions;

[0049] Node reliability and availability:

[0050] Node health;

[0051] Available nodes / coverage areas in the UE mobility route.

[0052] However, traditional DC establishment solutions / processes do not take deterministic business requirements into consideration.

[0053] In order to solve the above and other potential problems, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide an improved secondary node selection mechanism. According to the secondary node selection mechanism, by selecting based on the transmission status of the deterministic communication service and the specific latency, reliability and QoS requirements, the selected secondary node better complies with the scheduled deterministic communication service, so that the established DC will be more robust. In addition, through AI reasoning, SN selection / modification is more efficient and flexible.

[0054] Figure 1 An example network system 100 is shown in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. In the network system 100, three network devices 120-1, 120-2, 120-3 are connected to a core network 140. The core network 140 is in turn connected to a TSN system 150. Figure 2 The communication with the TSN system 150 is described in detail. The terminal device 110 is connected to the first network device 120-1. The terminal device 110 may also be referred to as UE110 hereinafter. The first network 120-1, the second network device 120-2, and the third network device 120-3 may be referred to as gNB120-1, 120-2, and 120-3, for example, base stations for providing radio coverage to the terminal device 110. In the network system 100, the controller 130 is connected to all three network devices 120-1, 120-2, and 120-3. In some example embodiments, the controller 130 may also be deployed in one of the network devices. The controller 130 may be implemented as a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC). The RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) is a software-defined component of the Open Radio Access Network (OpenRAN) architecture responsible for controlling and optimizing RAN functions. The controller 130 may collect static and dynamic information from the connected network devices and perform user-defined operations to control and optimize the functions of the network devices. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 130 is deployed outside the RAN node (eg, a RIC device connected to a plurality of network devices via an E2 interface).

[0055] It should also be understood that Figure 1 The number of devices shown is for illustration purposes only and does not imply any limitation. For example, network 100 may include any suitable number of terminal devices and network devices suitable for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0056] For ease of discussion only, the terminal device 110 is shown as a UE, and the first network device 120-1, the second network device 120-2, and the third network device 120-3 are shown as base stations. However, the UE and the base station are only given as example implementations of the terminal device 110, the network devices 120-1, 120-2, and 120-3, respectively, without implying any limitation on the scope of the present application. Any other suitable implementation is also possible.

[0057] Communications in the network system 100 may conform to any suitable standard, including but not limited to LTE, LTE Evolution, LTE Advanced (LTE-A), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), among others. In addition, communications may be performed according to any generation of communications protocols currently known or to be developed in the future. Examples of communications protocols include but are not limited to first generation (1G), second generation (2G), 2.5G, 2.75G, third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), 4.5G, fifth generation (5G), and / or any other communications protocol. For convenience and without loss of generality, the network system 100 described below relates to 5GS.

[0058] Figure 2 Shown according to Figure 1 FIG. 2 is a signaling diagram of an example TSC process 200 of an example network system. Figure 2 As shown, the network architecture includes UE 110, a first network device 120-1, a second network device 120-2, a third network device 120-3, a core network 140, a central network controller 151 of a TSN system 150, and a controller 130. The core network 140 may be composed of core network functions (NFs), such as a user plane function (UPF) 141, an access and mobility management function (AMF) 142, a session management function (SMF) 143, a policy control function (PCF) 144, and a TSN application function (TSNAF) 145. Figure 2 Can be considered as Figure 1 A specific implementation of the network system 100.

[0059] As shown, at step 205, CNC 151 may perform TSN flow scheduling. TSN AF 145 interfaces TSN configuration information to CNC 151. Therefore, at 210, CNC 151 sends TSN configuration information to TSNAF 145. When the configuration information is provided by CNC 151, TSNAF 145 may extract relevant parameters from the configuration. TSN AF 145 may calculate business mode parameters (such as burst arrival time and period). TSN AF 145 may also obtain flow direction. In addition, the survival time may be pre-configured in TSNAF 145. At step 215, TSN AF 145 determines the TSC auxiliary container and provides it to PCF 144. At step 220, PCF 144 receives the TSC auxiliary container from TSN AF 145 and forwards it to SMF 143 as part of the policy and charging control (PCC) rule. SMF 143 may bind the PCC rule with the TSC auxiliary container to the QoS flow. SMF 143 may use the TSC auxiliary container to derive the TSCAI for the QoS flow and send the derived TSCAI to the network device. After SMF 143 determines the TSCAI, SMF 143 may send the TSCAI and QoS information to AMF 142 in step 225. Then, AMF 142 sends the TSCAI and QoS information to the first network device 120-1 in step 230. Upon receiving the information, the first network device 120-1 reserves resources for the scheduled QoS flow.

[0060] In addition, the controller 130 has subscribed to the information of the network devices 120 - 1 , 120 - 2 , and 120 - 3 . The information may include static information or current transmission status of the network, so that the controller 130 can control or optimize the operation of the network based thereon.

[0061] As shown in the figure, the terminal device 110 is in the radio coverage of all three network devices, so that a dual connection can be established between the terminal device 110 and any two of the three network devices 120-1, 120-2, and 120-3. In order to enhance reliability through redundant transmission, the network device 120-1 can select one of the network devices with the help of the controller 130 to establish a redundant transmission path with the UE 110.

[0062] The following will refer to Figures 3A to 4B The principles and implementations of the present disclosure are described in detail. Figures 3A to 4B 1 and 2 respectively show signaling diagrams of example DC establishment processes 301 and 401 and DC reestablishment processes 302 and 402 in a TSC according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, reference will be made to Figure 1 and 2 Processes 301 to 402 are described. Processes 301 and 302 may involve first network device 120-1, second network device 120-2, third network device 120-3, controller 130, core network 140, and TSN system 150. Processes 401 and 402 may involve first network device 120-1, second network device 120-2, third network device 120-3, core network 140, and TSN system 150.

[0063] Reference now Figure 3A. In this example embodiment, the controller 130 is deployed as a separate device external to the network device 120-1. In process 301, in steps 304, 308, and 312, the controller 130 sends corresponding subscription requests for deterministic events (also called TSC-specific events) associated with deterministic communication QoS flows to all network devices 120-1, 120-2, and 120-3, respectively. Then, in steps 306, 310, and 314, the network devices 120-1, 120-2, and 120-3 send responses indicating that the subscription has been created to the controller 130, respectively. At this point, the controller 130 has subscribed to the deterministic events of the corresponding network in the network. Upon receiving scheduling information for a deterministic transmission service, a deterministic event can be triggered at the network device. It should be noted that network devices 120-1, 120-2, and 120-3 all support deterministic transmission. Therefore, network devices 120-1, 120-2, and 120-3 can also be referred to as candidate network devices. In some example embodiments, upon receiving a subscription request from the controller 130, the network device with deterministic transmission capability will respond to the controller 130 with positive feedback indicating that it is capable of deterministic transmission. In some example embodiments, information associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow can be reported when triggered by an event, such as in response to a resource allocation request. In addition, information associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow or relevant status information of a network device can be reported periodically. In some example embodiments, a deterministic event may include receiving a new TSCAI for a new TSC QoS flow establishment or an updated TSCAI for an existing TSC QoS flow from the TSN system 150. In some example embodiments, a deterministic event may also indicate the need for dual connectivity and QoS requirements, such as PDU session ID, QFI, TSCAI, QoS parameters. In some example embodiments, the controller 130 may send a request for additional reports from the network device. Additional reports may include content that particularly affects deterministic services, such as link quality / HARQ retransmission rate, transmission delay, and resource availability for semi-static scheduling, etc. Additional reports may also include RAN reliability, such as device warnings, RAN health information; UE measurement information; xHaul transmission delay capabilities including forward, backhaul and / or mid-haul; indication of PDU sessions to be processed redundantly, i.e. PDU session pair ID and / or RSN.

[0064] In step 316, the TSN system 150 performs TSN flow scheduling, and in step 318 sends information associated with the scheduled deterministic communication QoS flow to the core network 140. In step 320, the core network 140 derives TSCAI and QoS information from the received information, and sends the TSCAI and QoS information as a resource allocation request for the deterministic QoS flow to the first network device 120-1.

[0065] Upon receiving the information, in addition to resource allocation for the deterministic communication QoS flow, the first network device 120-1 acting as the primary network device needs to select an auxiliary network device to establish a dual connection. In step 322, the first network device 120-1 forwards the deterministic event in response to the resource allocation request to the controller 130. When the controller receives the deterministic event, the controller 130 prepares to select at least one recommended network device for the first network device 120-1 from the candidate network devices. In order to perform the selection, the controller 130 can determine whether the information obtained for the candidate network device is sufficient. Figure 3A In the example embodiment shown, the controller 130 determines that the information associated with the second network device 120-2 is insufficient or the existence of the acquired information is too long. Therefore, in step 324, the controller 130 sends a request for updated transmission state information to the second network device 120-2 and receives the updated information in step 326. In addition, the controller 130 determines that the deterministic information associated with the third network device 120-3 is sufficient and does not need to be updated. Therefore, the controller 130 does not request an update. In step 330, the controller 130 selects at least one recommended network device that meets the requirements associated with the deterministic event. In the illustrated embodiment, the candidate network devices are the second network device 120-2 and the third network device 120-3. The controller 130 may perform artificial intelligence (AI) inference based on the acquired information and according to a machine learning model. In some example embodiments, the controller 130 determines a performance prediction of at least one candidate network based at least in part on the transmission state information according to a prediction model. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 130 selects the second network device 120-2 as the recommended network device. The following will refer to Figure 5 The AI ​​inference performed by the controller 130 is described in detail.

[0066] When a recommended network device is selected, at step 332, the controller 130 sends an indication of the derived recommended network device to the first network device 120-1. In some example embodiments, the indication of at least one recommended network device is included in a policy for the control plane, for example, according to a global RAN node ID list. At step 334, the first network device 120-1 determines at least one target network device from the derived recommended network devices. For example, the target network device is selected based on a preconfigured rule. Since there is only one recommended network device, the second network device 120-2 is selected as the target network device. In some examples, the indication of at least one recommended network device is in the form of a prioritized list, and the target network device is selected based on the corresponding priority of at least one recommended network. At step 336, the first network device 120-1 sends an indication to at least one target network device (i.e., the second network device 120-2) for allocating resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow. At step 338, the first network device 120-1 notifies the controller 130 that the second network device 120-2 is selected as the auxiliary network device for establishing a dual connection with the UE 110. In some example embodiments, at step 330 , controller 130 may utilize the indication of the selection of the target network device to optimize subsequent selections.

[0067] When second network device 120-2 receives a request to be added as a secondary network device, second network device 120-2 will reserve resources for DC. In some example embodiments, after UE 110 performs a random access procedure, a connection between second network device 120-2 and UE 110 may be established.

[0068] During subsequent communications, the transmission state associated with the deterministic transmission may change. It may be necessary to update the recommended network device for DC. Figure 3B Describe the update process in detail.

[0069] Figure 3BA signaling diagram illustrating an example DC reestablishment process 302 in a TSC according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In process 302, when the first network device 120-1 detects a change associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow or determines that at least one target network device is no longer suitable for the deterministic communication QoS flow, in step 344, the first network device 120-1 forwards an indication of the change or an indication that the target network needs to be changed to the controller 130. For example, the first network device 120-1 may determine that the communication quality of the UE is not satisfactory within a predetermined period due to, for example, mobility, handover and / or network traffic load. The unsatisfactory may be detected based on, for example, a detected packet error rate, a received HARQ feedback from the UE, or a measurement report. In other example embodiments, the indication may be reported by the target network device (i.e., the second network 120-2). In this case, unlike process 301, an updated TSCAI will be included in the indication. The updated TSCAI burst arrival time (BAT) shows the latest potential BAT for the changed path. The updated TSCAI BAT may be determined according to the following equation:

[0070] Updated TSCAI BAT=n*period+TSCAIBAT (in process 301) (1) wherein n is an integer such that the updated TSCAI BAT is greater than the current time.

[0071] At step 346, controller 130 determines at least one updated recommended network device based on the updated indication. Figure 3B In the illustrated example embodiment, the third network device 120-3 is selected as the recommended network device for update. In step 348, the controller 130 sends an indication of at least one updated recommended network device to the first network device 120-1. In step 350, the first network device 120-1 selects at least one updated target network device from the at least one updated recommended network device. In step 352, the first network device 120-1 sends an indication of allocating resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow to at least one updated target network device (i.e., the third network device 120-3). In step 354, the first network device 120-1 notifies the controller 130 that the third network device 120-3 is selected as the auxiliary network device for establishing a dual connection with the UE 110.

[0072] According to an example embodiment, an improved mechanism for secondary node selection in TSC is provided. Based on the selection mechanism, SN selection / modification is more efficient and resilient through AI inference performed by an external controller based on transmission status and specific latency, reliability and QoS requirements of deterministic communication services. Due to global data collection and network status prediction, the robustness of the established DC will be enhanced.

[0073] Reference now Figure 4A . In this example embodiment, the controller 130 is deployed inside the network device 120-1. In the process 401, in steps 404 and 408, the first network device 120-1 sends corresponding subscription requests for deterministic events associated with the deterministic communication QoS flow to the network devices 120-2 and 120-3, respectively. Then, in steps 406 and 410, the network devices 120-2 and 120-3 send responses indicating that the subscription has been created to the first network device 120-1, respectively. At this point, the first network device 120-1 has subscribed to the deterministic events of other network devices in the network.

[0074] At step 412, the TSN system 150 performs TSN flow scheduling and sends information associated with the scheduled deterministic communication QoS flow to the core network 140 at step 414. At step 416, the core network 140 derives TSCAI and QoS information from the received information and sends the TSCAI and QoS information to the first network device 120-1 as a request for resource allocation of the deterministic QoS flow.

[0075] In step 418, first network device 120-1 sends a request for updated transmission state information to second network device 120-2. In step 420, first network device 120-1 receives updated transmission state information from second network device 120-2. In step 422, first network device 120-1 determines at least one recommended network device that meets the requirements associated with the deterministic event. In the illustrated embodiment, the candidate network devices are second network device 120-2 and third network device 120-3. Similarly, first network device 120-1 can perform artificial intelligence (AI) inference based on the acquired information and according to the machine learning model. In step 424, first network device 120-1 determines at least one target network device from the derived recommended network devices. In step 426, first network device 120-1 sends an indication to at least one target network device (i.e., second network device 120-2) for allocating resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow.

[0076] Figure 4B A signaling diagram illustrating an example DC reestablishment process 402 in a TSC according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In process 402, when the first network device 120-1 detects a change associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow or determines that at least one target network device is no longer suitable for the deterministic communication QoS flow, at step 430, the first network device 120-1 determines at least one updated recommended network device based on the detected update information. At step 432, the first network device 120-1 selects at least one updated target network device from the at least one updated recommended network device. Figure 4BIn the illustrated example embodiment, the third network device 120-3 is selected as the target network device for the update. In step 434, the controller 130 sends an instruction to at least one target network device for the update, namely the third network device 120-3, to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow.

[0077] According to an example embodiment, an improved mechanism for secondary node selection in TSC is provided. Based on the selection mechanism, with the help of AI inference performed by the primary network device with the assistance of internal AI components based on the transmission status and the specific latency, reliability and QoS requirements of the deterministic communication business, the SN selection / modification is more efficient and resilient. Due to global data collection and network status prediction, the robustness of the established DC will be enhanced.

[0078] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an example controller 130 according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In some example embodiments, the controller 130 may be implemented as a RAN intelligent controller (RIC). Specifically, the controller 130 may be implemented as a near-real-time RIC (near-RT RIC). For example, the near-RT RIC enables near-real-time control and optimization of RAN (e.g., O-RAN) nodes and resources through an E2 interface with a near-real-time control loop (i.e., 10ms to 1s). In some example embodiments, the controller 130 may use monitoring, suspend / stop, override and / or control primitives to control the behavior of network devices. The controller 130 may be configured to utilize AI / ML-based technologies with the aid of various AI / ML models for different purposes. For example, the ML model may be trained offline in other components, while the model inference will be performed in real time in the controller 130. The controller 130 may be configured to process information about the state of the network infrastructure (e.g., number of users, load, throughput, resource utilization), as well as additional contextual information from sources external to the network device, and utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and ML algorithms to determine and apply control policies and actions regarding the network device.

[0079] like Figure 5 As shown, the controller 130 receives various information from different entities. For example, in corresponding step 322, the controller 130 may receive information from a network device (e.g. Figure 3AThe first network device 120-1 shown receives a TSC event 504. The TSC event 504 may include a PDU session ID, a QFI, a TSCAI, and QoS information. The controller 130 may receive static information 502 of the network from network entities such as a network management system (NMS), operations management and maintenance (OAM), and service management and orchestration (SMO). The static information 502 may include the location, frequency, antenna height, antenna direction, transmission settings, and UPF of the network device. The controller 130 may also receive a current secondary node selection strategy 506 or a secondary node selection parameter from, for example, a non-RT RIC via an A1 interface. The controller 130 may receive UE measurements 508 from a network device that controls the UE. The UE measurements 508 may include beam parameters, channel measurements (received signal strength indicator). The controller 130 may receive real-time network device measurements 510 from the network device. The network device measurements 510 may include current cell load and interference, etc. In some example embodiments, if controller 130 determines that network device measurements 510 for a particular network device have existed for a long time or have not been acquired, controller 130 may send a request for network device measurements 510 to the corresponding network device.

[0080] The controller 130 includes a coordination function 131. Static information 502, TSC events 504, current secondary node selection strategy 506 and UE measurements 508 are provided to the coordination function 131. The coordination function 131 is configured to determine a prioritized list of input parameters based on the information provided. In addition, the controller 130 also includes an AL / ML module 133. An ML model with desired functionality has been trained and deployed in the AL / ML module 133. UE measurements 508 and network device measurements 510 are provided to the AL / ML module 133. In the illustrated embodiment, the AL / ML module 133 is configured to predict UE mobility trajectories and cell loads of network devices based on the provided measurement information. For example, the prediction algorithm may include some specific ML methods, such as deep neural networks (DNNs), extreme gradient boosting trees (XGBoost), semi-Markovs, and SVMs for business mobility prediction. The controller 130 also includes a strategy derivation module 132. The strategy derivation module 132 is configured to receive input from both the coordination function 131 and the AL / ML module 133 and derive a selection strategy 512 based on the input. For example, the selection strategy 510 may indicate the selected at least one recommended network device. For example, the at least one recommended network device is selected based on determining that its cell load forecast meets the scheduled deterministic communication. The indication of the at least one recommended network device may be in the form of a prioritized list.

[0081] According to an example embodiment, an improved entity for secondary node selection in a TSC is provided. By processing all information collected by the entire network system, predicting network device performance and UE mobility, the recommended network device selection is more comprehensive.

[0082] Corresponding to the combination Figures 3A to 4B The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a solution for selecting a target network device to assist the AI ​​component in establishing redundant communication. Figure 6 and 7 Describe these methods.

[0083] Figure 6 A flowchart of an example method 600 for assisting node selection implemented at a network device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The method 600 may be implemented at Figure 1 For the purpose of discussion, reference will be made to the first network device 120-1. Figure 1 The method 600 is described. It should be understood that the method 600 may also include additional blocks not shown and / or omit some of the shown blocks, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0084] like Figure 6 As shown, at 602, the first network device 120-1 receives a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication quality of service (QoS) flow.

[0085] At 604 , the first network device 120 - 1 determines at least one recommended network device that meets the determinism requirements associated with the deterministic communication QoS flow.

[0086] At 606 , the first network device 120 - 1 selects at least one target network device from the at least one recommended network device.

[0087] At 608, the first network device 120-1 sends an indication to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow to at least one target network device.

[0088] In some example embodiments, to determine the at least one recommended network device, the first network device 120 - 1 may send a deterministic event to the controller in response to the resource allocation request and receive an indication of the at least one recommended network device from the controller.

[0089] In some example embodiments, the candidate network device is determined to be a recommended network device based on a performance prediction for the candidate network device being consistent with a requirement associated with a deterministic event, and the performance prediction is determined based at least in part on transmission state information of the candidate network device according to a prediction model.

[0090] In some example embodiments, first network device 120 - 1 may send an indication to the controller that at least one target network device is selected for optimization.

[0091] In some example embodiments, the first network device 120-1 may also transmit a new deterministic event to the controller upon receiving an indication of a change associated with the deterministic communication QoS flow; receive from the controller an indication of at least one updated recommended network device that meets the requirements associated with the new deterministic event; select at least one updated target network device from the at least one updated recommended network device; and send to the at least one updated target network device an indication to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow.

[0092] In an alternative example embodiment, in order to determine at least one recommended network device, the first network device 120-1 can obtain transmission state information of at least one candidate network device associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow; determine a performance prediction of at least one candidate network based at least in part on the transmission state information according to a prediction model; and determine the candidate network device as a recommended network device based on a determination that the performance prediction of the candidate network device is based on requirements associated with a deterministic event.

[0093] In an alternative example embodiment, the first network device 120-1 may also send a request for updated transmission state information to at least one candidate network device based on a determination that the existence period of the transmission state information exceeds a predefined limit; and receive updated transmission state information from at least one candidate network device.

[0094] In an alternative example embodiment, the first network device 120 - 1 may also optimize the prediction model based on the indication of selecting at least one target network device.

[0095] In an alternative example embodiment, the first network device 120-1 may further determine at least one updated candidate network device based on the indication upon receiving at least one of the following: an indication of a change associated with the deterministic communication QoS flow or an indication that at least one recommended network device is no longer suitable for the deterministic communication QoS flow; selecting at least one updated target network device from the at least one updated recommended network device; and sending an indication to the at least one updated target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow.

[0096] In some example embodiments, first network device 120 - 1 may also send an event subscription request for a deterministic event at the at least one candidate network device to the at least one candidate network device; and receive a response from the at least one candidate network device indicating that a subscription is created.

[0097] In some example embodiments, the transmission state information may include at least one of: cell load; current performance information; reliability; and transmission delay.

[0098] In some example embodiments, the resource allocation request includes at least one of: time sensitive communication assistance information, TSCAI; quality of service, QoS parameters; a QoS flow identifier, QFI; and an indication of a redundant deterministic communication, QoS flow.

[0099] In some example embodiments, an indication of at least one recommended network device is included in a policy for a control plane.

[0100] In some example embodiments, the at least one candidate network device is capable of deterministic transmission, and the requirements associated with the deterministic event indicate at least: latency; a bandwidth; reliability of the candidate network device; and availability of the candidate network device.

[0101] According to an example embodiment, an improved mechanism for secondary node selection in TSC is provided. Based on the selection mechanism, with the help of AI inference performed by the primary network device with the assistance of internal AI components based on the transmission status and the specific latency, reliability and QoS requirements of the deterministic communication business, the SN selection / modification is more efficient and resilient. Due to global data collection and network status prediction, the robustness of the established DC will be enhanced.

[0102] Figure 7 A flowchart of an example method 700 for power measurement reporting implemented at a network device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The method 700 may be implemented at Figure 1 For the purpose of discussion, reference will be made to the controller 130. Figure 1 The method 700 is described. It should be understood that the method 700 may also include additional blocks not shown and / or omit some of the shown blocks, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0103] At 702, when a deterministic event is received from a first network device, the controller 130 determines that at least one recommended network device from at least one candidate network device meets the requirements associated with the deterministic event. In this case, the deterministic event is in response to a resource allocation request received by the first network device associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow.

[0104] At 704 , the controller 130 sends an indication of at least one recommended network device to the first network device.

[0105] In some example embodiments, to determine at least one recommended network device, controller 130 may obtain transmission state information of at least one candidate network device associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow; determine a performance prediction of at least one candidate network based at least in part on the transmission state information according to a prediction model; and determine the candidate network device as a recommended network device based on a determination that the performance prediction of the candidate network device meets requirements associated with a deterministic event.

[0106] In some example embodiments, the controller 130 may transmit a request for updated transmission state information to at least one candidate network device based on a determination that the existence period of the transmission state information exceeds a predefined limit; and receive updated transmission state information from at least one candidate network device.

[0107] In some example embodiments, the controller 130 may send a deterministic event subscription request for a deterministic event at the first network device to a first network device; receive a response from the first network device indicating creation of a subscription; send an event subscription request for a deterministic event at the at least one candidate network device to at least one candidate network device; and receive a response from the at least one candidate network device indicating creation of a subscription.

[0108] In some example embodiments, the at least one candidate network device is capable of deterministic transmission, and the requirements associated with the deterministic event indicate at least: latency; bandwidth; reliability of the candidate network device; and availability of the candidate network device.

[0109] In some example embodiments, the controller 130 may receive an indication from the first network device to select at least one target network device; and optimize the prediction model based on the indication.

[0110] In some example embodiments, controller 130 may determine at least one updated recommended network device based on the indication upon receiving at least one of the following: an indication of a change associated with the deterministic communication QoS flow or an indication that at least one recommended network device is no longer suitable for the deterministic communication QoS flow; and sending an indication of at least one updated recommended network device to the first network device.

[0111] In some example embodiments, the transmission state information may include at least one of: cell load; current performance information; reliability; and transmission delay.

[0112] In some example embodiments, the resource allocation request includes at least one of: time sensitive communication assistance information, TSCAI; quality of service, QoS parameters; a QoS flow identifier, QFI; and an indication of a redundant deterministic communication, QoS flow.

[0113] In some example embodiments, an indication of at least one recommended network device is included in a policy for a control plane.

[0114] In some example embodiments, the at least one candidate network device is capable of deterministic transmission, and the requirements associated with the deterministic event indicate at least: latency; bandwidth; reliability of the candidate network device; and availability of the candidate network device.

[0115] According to an example embodiment, an improved mechanism for secondary node selection in TSC is provided. Based on the selection mechanism, SN selection / modification is more efficient and resilient with the help of AI inference performed by an external AI-based controller based on transmission status and specific latency, reliability and QoS requirements of deterministic communication services. Due to global data collection and network status prediction, the robustness of the established DC will be enhanced.

[0116] In some example embodiments, a first device (e.g., first network device 120-1) capable of performing any of the methods 600 may include components for performing the steps of method 600. The device may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the device may be implemented in a circuit or a software module.

[0117] The first apparatus includes: a component for receiving a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication quality of service (QoS) flow; a component for determining at least one recommended network device that meets the deterministic requirements associated with the deterministic communication QoS flow; a component for selecting at least one target network device from the at least one recommended network device; and a component for sending an indication to the at least one target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow.

[0118] In some example embodiments, means for determining at least one recommended network device may include means for sending a deterministic event to a controller in response to the resource allocation request, and means for receiving an indication of the at least one recommended network device from the controller.

[0119] In some example embodiments, the candidate network device is determined as a recommended network device based on a performance prediction for the candidate network device being consistent with a requirement associated with a deterministic event, and the performance prediction is determined based at least in part on transmission state information of the candidate network device according to a prediction model.

[0120] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus may include means for sending an indication to the controller that at least one target network device is selected for optimization.

[0121] In some example embodiments, the first device may also include a component for transmitting a new deterministic event to the controller upon receiving an indication of a change associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow; a component for receiving from the controller an indication of at least one updated recommended network device that meets the requirements associated with the new deterministic event; a component for selecting at least one updated target network device from the at least one updated recommended network device; and a component for sending an indication to the at least one updated target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow.

[0122] In an alternative example embodiment, the component for determining at least one recommended network device may include a component for obtaining transmission state information of at least one candidate network device associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow; a component for determining a performance prediction of at least one candidate network based at least in part on the transmission state information according to a prediction model; and a component for determining a candidate network device as a recommended network device based on a determination that the performance prediction of the candidate network device is based on a requirement associated with a deterministic event.

[0123] In an alternative example embodiment, the first apparatus may further include a component for sending a request for updated transmission state information to at least one candidate network device based on determining that the existence period of the transmission state information exceeds a predefined limit; and a component for receiving updated transmission state information from at least one candidate network.

[0124] In an alternative example embodiment, the first network device 120 - 1 may also optimize the prediction model based on the indication of selecting at least one target network device.

[0125] In an alternative example embodiment, the first device may also include a component for determining at least one updated candidate network device based on the indication upon receiving at least one of the following indications: an indication of a change associated with the deterministic communication QoS flow or an indication that at least one recommended network device is no longer suitable for the deterministic communication QoS flow; a component for selecting at least one updated target network device from the at least one updated recommended network device; and a component for sending an indication to the at least one updated target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication QoS flow.

[0126] In some example embodiments, the first apparatus may further include means for sending an event subscription request for a deterministic event at the at least one candidate network device to the at least one candidate network device; and means for receiving a response from the at least one candidate network device indicating that a subscription has been created.

[0127] In some example embodiments, the transmission state information may include at least one of: cell load; current performance information; reliability; and transmission delay.

[0128] In some example embodiments, the resource allocation request comprises at least one of: time sensitive communication assistance information, TSCAI; quality of service, QoS parameters; a QoS flow identifier, QFI; and an indication of a redundant deterministic communication, QoS flow.

[0129] In some example embodiments, an indication of at least one recommended network device is included in a policy for a control plane.

[0130] In some example embodiments, at least one candidate network device is capable of deterministic transmission, and the requirements associated with the deterministic event indicate at least: latency; bandwidth; reliability of the candidate network device; and availability of the candidate network device.

[0131] In some example embodiments, a second device (e.g., controller 130) capable of executing any of method 700 may include components for executing the corresponding steps of method 700. The device may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the device may be implemented in a circuit or a software module.

[0132] The second device includes a component for determining, when receiving a deterministic event from the first network device, at least one recommended network device that meets the requirements associated with the deterministic event from at least one candidate network device. In this case, the deterministic event is in response to a resource allocation request received by the first network device associated with the deterministic communication QoS flow. The second device includes a component for sending an indication of the at least one recommended network device to the first network device.

[0133] In some example embodiments, an apparatus for determining at least one recommended network device may include components for obtaining transmission state information of at least one candidate network device associated with a deterministic communication QoS flow; components for determining a performance prediction of at least one candidate network based at least in part on the transmission state information according to a prediction model; and components for determining the candidate network device as a recommended network device based on a determination that the performance prediction of the candidate network device is based on a requirement associated with a deterministic event.

[0134] In some example embodiments, the second device may include means for transmitting a request for updated transmission state information to at least one candidate network device based on a determination that a period of existence of the transmission state information exceeds a predefined limit; and means for receiving updated transmission state information from at least one candidate network device.

[0135] In some example embodiments, the second device may include a component for sending a deterministic event subscription request for a deterministic event at the first network device to a first network device; a component for receiving a response from the first network device indicating that a subscription is created; a component for sending an event subscription request for a deterministic event at the at least one candidate network device to at least one candidate network device; and a component for receiving a response from the at least one candidate network device indicating that a subscription is created.

[0136] In some example embodiments, the at least one candidate network device is capable of deterministic transmission, and the requirements associated with the deterministic event indicate at least: latency; bandwidth; reliability of the candidate network device; and availability of the candidate network device.

[0137] In some example embodiments, the second device may include means for receiving an indication from the first network device that at least one target network device is selected; and means for optimizing the prediction model based on the indication.

[0138] In some example embodiments, the second device may include components for determining at least one updated recommended network device based on the indication upon receiving at least one of the following indications: an indication of a change associated with the deterministic communication QoS flow or an indication that the at least one recommended network device is no longer suitable for the deterministic communication QoS flow; and components for sending the indication of the at least one updated recommended network device to the first network device.

[0139] In some example embodiments, the transmission state information may include at least one of: cell load; current performance information; reliability; and transmission delay.

[0140] In some example embodiments, the resource allocation request includes at least one of: time sensitive communication assistance information, TSCAI; quality of service, QoS parameters; a QoS flow identifier, QFI; and an indication of a redundant deterministic communication, QoS flow.

[0141] In some example embodiments, an indication of at least one recommended network device is included in a policy for a control plane.

[0142] Figure 8 800 is a simplified block diagram of a device 800 suitable for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure. The device 800 may be provided to implement a communication device, such as Figure 1 The first network device 120 - 1 and the controller 130 are shown. As shown, the device 800 includes one or more processors 810 , one or more memories 820 coupled to the processors 810 , and one or more transmitters and / or receivers (TX / RX) 840 coupled to the processors 810 .

[0143] The TX / RX 840 may be configured for bidirectional communication. The TX / RX 840 has at least one antenna to facilitate communication. The communication interface may represent any interface required to communicate with other network elements.

[0144] Processor 810 may be of any type suitable for the local technology network and may include one or more of the following: as non-limiting examples, a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Device 800 may have multiple processors, such as application specific integrated circuit chips that are time slaved to a clock that synchronizes a main processor.

[0145] The memory 820 may include one or more non-volatile memories and one or more volatile memories. Examples of non-volatile memories include (but are not limited to) read-only memory (ROM) 824, electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, hard disk, compact disk (CD), digital video disk (DVD) and other magnetic storage and / or optical storage media. Examples of volatile memories include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM) 622 and other volatile memories that do not persist over the duration of a power outage.

[0146] The computer program 830 includes computer executable instructions that can be executed by the associated processor 810. The program 830 can be stored in the ROM 824. The processor 810 can perform any suitable actions and processes by loading the program 830 into the RAM 822.

[0147] The embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented by means of program 830, so that the device 800 can execute the following steps: Figure 2 Any process of the present disclosure discussed. The embodiments of the present disclosure may also be implemented by hardware or a combination of software and hardware.

[0148] In some embodiments, the program 830 may be tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium that may be included in the device 800 (e.g., in the memory 820) or in other storage devices accessible by the device 800. The device 800 may load the program 830 from the computer-readable medium to the RAM 822 for execution. The computer-readable medium may include any type of tangible non-volatile memory, such as ROM, EPROM, flash memory, hard disk, CD, DVD, etc. Fig. 9 An example of a computer readable medium 900 in the form of a CD or DVD is shown. The computer readable medium has a program 930 stored thereon.

[0149] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware or dedicated circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. Some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software, which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device. Although various aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other graphical representations. It should be understood that, as non-limiting examples, the blocks, devices, systems, techniques, or methods described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, dedicated circuits or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0150] The present disclosure also provides at least one computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer executable instructions such as those included in a program module that are executed in a device on a target real or virtual processor to perform the above-referenced Figure 6 -7. The method 600 or 700 described in the preceding claims. In general, program modules may include routines, programs, libraries, objects, classes, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. The functions of program modules may be combined or separated between program modules as needed in various embodiments. The machine executable instructions of program modules may be executed in local or distributed devices. In distributed devices, program modules may be located in local and remote storage media.

[0151] The program code for executing the method of the present disclosure can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These program codes can be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer or other programmable data processing device so that the program code, when executed by the processor or controller, enables the functions / operations specified in the flow chart and / or block diagram to be implemented. The program code can be executed entirely on the machine, partially on the machine, as a stand-alone software package, partially on the machine, partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0152] In the context of the present disclosure, computer program codes or related data may be carried by any suitable carrier to enable a device, apparatus or processor to perform various processes and operations as described above. Examples of carriers include signals, computer readable media, etc.

[0153] The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. The computer readable medium may include, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system, device or apparatus, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of computer readable storage media would include an electrical connection having one or more conductors, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0154] In addition, although operations are described in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring the specific order shown or to perform these operations in sequence, or to perform all the operations shown, to achieve the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, although several specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these details should not be interpreted as limitations on the scope of the present disclosure, but should be interpreted as descriptions of features peculiar to a particular embodiment. Certain features described in the context of a separate embodiment may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. On the contrary, the various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments individually or in any suitable sub-combination.

[0155] Although the disclosure has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that the disclosure defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Instead, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

Claims

1. A device comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory including computer program code; The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receiving a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service; determining at least one recommended network device that meets a deterministic requirement associated with the deterministic communication service; selecting at least one target network device from the at least one recommended network device; as well as An indication is sent to the at least one target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication service.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine the at least one recommended network device by: sending a deterministic event in response to the resource allocation request to a controller; An indication of the at least one recommended network device is received from the controller.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the candidate network device is determined as a recommended network device based on a performance prediction of the candidate network device being consistent with a requirement associated with the deterministic event, and the performance prediction is determined based on a prediction model, at least in part, based on transmission state information of the candidate network device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: An indication is sent to the controller that at least one target network device is selected for optimization.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: upon receiving an indication of a change associated with a deterministic communication service, sending a new deterministic event to the controller; receiving from the controller an indication of at least one updated recommended network device that meets the requirements associated with the new deterministic event; selecting at least one updated target network device from the at least one updated recommended network device; as well as An indication to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication service is sent to the at least one updated target network device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine at least one recommended network device by: Acquire transmission status information of the at least one candidate network device associated with the deterministic communication service; determining, according to a prediction model, a performance prediction of the at least one candidate network based at least in part on the transmission state information; and Based on determining that the performance prediction of the candidate network device is consistent with the requirement associated with the deterministic event, the candidate network device is determined as the recommended network device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: Based on determining that the existence period of the transmission state information exceeds a predetermined limit, sending a request for updated transmission state information to at least one candidate network device; and The updated transmission state information is received from the at least one candidate network.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: The predictive model is optimized based on an indication that at least one target network device is selected.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determining at least one updated candidate network device based on the indication upon receiving at least one of the following indications: an indication of a change associated with the deterministic communication service, or an indication that the at least one recommended network device is no longer suitable for the deterministic communication service; selecting at least one updated target network device from the at least one updated recommended network device; as well as An indication is sent to the at least one updated target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication service.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: sending, to the at least one candidate network device, an event subscription request for a deterministic event at the at least one candidate network device; and A response is received from the at least one candidate network device indicating that the subscription is created.

11. The device according to claim 3 or 7, wherein the transmission status information comprises at least one of the following: Cell load; Current performance information; reliability; and Transmission delay.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resource allocation request comprises at least one of: Time-Sensitive Communication Assistance Information TSCAI; Quality of service QoS parameters; QoS flow identifier QFI; as well as Indication of redundant deterministic communication services.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication of the at least one recommended network device is included in a policy for a control plane.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one candidate network device is capable of deterministic transmission, and the requirement associated with the deterministic event indicates at least: Delay; bandwidth; The reliability of candidate network equipment; and Availability of candidate network devices.

15. A controller comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory including computer program code; The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the controller to at least: determining, after receiving a deterministic event from a first network device, at least one recommended network device that satisfies requirements associated with the deterministic event from at least one candidate network device, wherein the deterministic event is in response to a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service received by the first network device; as well as An indication of the at least one recommended network device is sent to the first network device.

16. The controller of claim 15, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the controller to determine at least one recommended network device by: Acquire transmission status information of the at least one candidate network device associated with the deterministic communication service; determining, according to a prediction model, a performance prediction of the at least one candidate network based at least in part on the transmission state information; and According to determining that the performance prediction of the candidate network device is consistent with the requirement associated with the deterministic event, the candidate network device is determined as the recommended network device.

17. The controller of claim 16, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the controller to: Based on determining that the existence period of the transmission state information exceeds a predetermined limit, sending a request for updated transmission state information to at least one candidate network device; and The updated transmission state information is received from the at least one candidate network.

18. The controller of claim 15, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the controller to: Sending a deterministic event subscription request for a deterministic event at the first network device to the first network device; receiving a response from the first network device indicating that a subscription is created; sending, to the at least one candidate network device, an event subscription request for a deterministic event at the at least one candidate network device; as well as A response is received from the at least one candidate network device indicating that the subscription is created.

19. The controller of claim 15, wherein the at least one candidate network device is capable of deterministic transmission, and the requirement associated with the deterministic event indicates at least: Delay; bandwidth; the reliability of candidate network equipment; and Availability of candidate network devices.

20. The controller of claim 16, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the controller to: receiving, from the first network device, an indication that at least one target network device is selected; and The predictive model is optimized based on the indication.

21. The controller of claim 15, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the controller to: determining at least one updated recommended network device based on the indication upon receiving at least one of the following indications: an indication of a change associated with the deterministic communication service, or an indication that the at least one recommended network device is no longer suitable for the deterministic communication service; and An indication of the at least one updated recommended network device is transmitted to the first network device.

22. The controller according to claim 15, wherein the transmission status information comprises at least one of the following: Cell load; Current performance information; reliability; and Transmission delay.

23. The controller of claim 15, wherein the deterministic event comprises at least one of: Update of Time Sensitive Communication Assistance Information TSCAI; Update of quality of service QoS parameters; QoS flow identifier QFI; as well as Indication of redundant deterministic communication services.

24. The controller of claim 15, wherein the indication of the at least one recommended network device is included in a policy for a control plane.

25. A method comprising: receiving a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service; determining that at least one recommended network device satisfies a deterministic requirement associated with a deterministic communication service; selecting at least one target network device from the at least one recommended network device; as well as An indication is sent to the at least one target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication service.

26. A method comprising: determining, upon receiving a deterministic event from a first network device, at least one recommended network device that satisfies requirements associated with the deterministic event from at least one candidate network device, wherein the deterministic event is in response to a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service received by the first network device; An indication of the at least one recommended network device is sent to the first network device.

27. A first device, comprising: means for receiving a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service; means for determining at least one recommended network device that satisfies a deterministic requirement associated with a deterministic communication service; means for selecting at least one target network device from the at least one recommended network device; as well as Means for sending an indication to the at least one target network device to allocate resources for at least one additional deterministic communication service.

28. A second device, comprising: means for determining, upon receipt of a deterministic event from a first network device, from at least one candidate network device at least one recommended network device that satisfies requirements associated with the deterministic event, wherein the deterministic event is responsive to a resource allocation request associated with a deterministic communication service received by the first network device; as well as Means for sending an indication of the at least one recommended network device to the first network device.

29. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions for causing a device to at least perform the method according to claim 25 or 26.

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