Method and apparatus for collecting and analyzing network data related to policy application of terminal in wireless communication system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for collecting and / or analyzing network data related to the application of user equipment policies in a wireless communication system supporting roaming services. According to the embodiment of the invention, the method performed by a first network entity in a wireless communication system supporting roaming service of a user equipment from a home network to a visited network comprises the steps of: receiving a first request message for collecting and analyzing network data related to application of a user equipment policy from a policy control function (PCF) of the home network; determining data and an analysis type for collecting and analyzing network data about user equipment roaming to the visited network; sending a second request message requesting the provision of the collection and analysis network data to a second network entity of the visited network; receiving, from the second network entity, network data and analytics collected in relation to the application of the user equipment policy; and sending network data and analysis to the PCF.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wireless communication system and to methods and devices for collecting and / or analyzing data about roaming terminals in a wireless communication system. Background Art

[0002] The 5G mobile communication technology defines a wide frequency band, enabling high transmission rates and new services, which can be achieved not only in the "sub-6 GHz" frequency band such as 3.5 GHz, but also in the "above-6 GHz" frequency band called millimeter wave (mmWave) including 28 GHz and 39 GHz. In addition, the 6G mobile communication technology (referred to as the super 5G system) has been considered to be implemented in the terahertz frequency band (e.g., 95 GHz to 3 THz frequency band) in order to achieve a transmission rate fifty times faster than that of the 5G mobile communication technology and an ultra-low latency of one-tenth of the 5G mobile communication technology.

[0003] At the beginning of the development of the 5G mobile communication technology, in order to support services and meet the performance requirements related to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC), standardization is underway regarding beamforming and massive MIMO for reducing radio wave path loss in millimeter waves and increasing radio wave transmission distance, dynamic operation of parameter sets (e.g., operating multiple subcarrier spacings) and time slot formats for effectively utilizing millimeter wave resources, initial access technologies for supporting multi-beam transmission and broadband, definition and operation of BWP (bandwidth part), new channel coding methods such as LDPC (low-density parity-check) codes for large data transmission and polarization codes for highly reliable transmission of control information, L2 preprocessing, and network slicing for providing dedicated networks dedicated to specific services.

[0004] Currently, considering the services supported by the 5G mobile communication technology, discussions are underway regarding the improvement and performance enhancement of the initial 5G mobile communication technology, and physical layer standardization already exists for technologies such as V2X (vehicle-to-everything) for assisting in autonomous vehicle driving determination based on information about the position and status of a vehicle sent by the vehicle and for enhancing user convenience, NR-U (new radio unlicensed) for system operation aiming to comply with various regulatory requirements in the unlicensed frequency band, NR UE energy saving, non-terrestrial network (NTN) as UE-satellite direct communication for providing coverage in areas where communication with the ground network is unavailable, and positioning.

[0005] In addition, the air interface architecture / protocol for technologies has been continuously standardized, such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for supporting new services through interoperability and integration with other industries, IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) for providing nodes for network service area expansion by supporting wireless backhaul links and access links in an integrated manner, mobility enhancements including conditional handover and DAPS (Dual Active Protocol Stack) handover, and two-step random access (two-step RACH for NR) for simplifying the random access process. The system architecture / services for the 5G baseline architecture for combining Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN) technologies (e.g., service-based architecture or service-based interface) and for Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) for receiving services based on UE location are also being standardized.

[0006] With the commercialization of 5G mobile communication systems, the exponentially growing connected devices will be connected to the communication network, and accordingly, enhanced functions and performance of 5G mobile communication systems and integrated operation of connected devices are expected to be necessary. For this purpose, new research related to the following has been planned: Extended Reality (XR) for effectively supporting AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), MR (Mixed Reality), etc., 5G performance improvement and complexity reduction by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), AI service support, metaverse service support, and drone communication.

[0007] In addition, the development of 5G mobile communication systems will serve as the basis not only for the development of the following: new waveforms for providing terahertz band coverage for 6G mobile communication technologies, multi-antenna transmission technologies such as Full-Dimension MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, and massive antennas, metamaterial-based lenses and antennas for improving the coverage of terahertz band signals, high-dimensional spatial multiplexing technologies using OAM (Orbital Angular Momentum), and RIS (Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface), but also for the development of the following: full-duplex technologies for improving the frequency efficiency of 6G mobile communication technologies and optimizing the system network, AI-based communication technologies for achieving system optimization by leveraging satellites and AI (Artificial Intelligence) from the design stage and internalizing end-to-end AI support functions, and next-generation distributed computing technologies for realizing services at a complexity level exceeding the UE operation capacity limit by leveraging ultra-high-performance communication and computing resources. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical Problem

[0009] To improve network performance and optimize operations in a wireless communication system, a function for collecting and analyzing data related to policy application of UEs within the system can be introduced. An effective method for collecting and analyzing UE session-related data is needed to analyze the policies applied by UEs to configure sessions using new network slices in the network.

[0010] The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for collecting and / or analyzing network data related to policy application of a UE in a wireless communication system.

[0011] Furthermore, the present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for collecting and / or analyzing network data related to policy application of a UE in a wireless communication system supporting roaming services.

[0012] Moreover, the present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for providing configuration information for collecting and / or analyzing network data related to policy application of a roaming UE in a wireless communication system.

[0013] Technical Solution

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method performed by a first network entity in a wireless communication system supporting roaming services of a UE from a home network to a visited network includes: receiving, from a policy control function (PCF) of the home network, a first request message for collecting and analyzing network data related to policy application of the UE; determining a data and analysis type for collecting and analyzing network data of the UE roaming to the visited network; sending, to a second network entity of the visited network, a second request message for requesting collection of network data and providing analysis information; receiving, from the second network entity, network data and analysis collected related to policy application of the UE; and sending the analysis information and the network data to the PCF.

[0015] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a first network entity in a wireless communication system supporting roaming services of a UE from a home network to a visited network includes a transceiver and a processor, the processor being configured to receive, via the transceiver, a first request message for collecting and analyzing network data related to policy application of the UE from a policy control function (PCF) of the home network, determine a data and analysis type for collecting and analyzing network data of the UE roaming to the visited network, send, via the transceiver, a second request message for requesting collection of network data and providing analysis information to a second network entity of the visited network, receive, via the transceiver, network data and analysis collected related to policy application of the UE from the second network entity, and send, via the transceiver, the analysis information and the network data to the PCF.

[0016] Additionally, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method performed by a second network entity of a visited network in a wireless communication system that supports roaming services for a UE from a home network to a visited network includes: receiving, from a first network entity, a second request message, where the first network entity has received, from a policy control function (PCF) of a home network, a first request message for collecting and analyzing network data related to policy application of the UE, the second request message requesting collection of network data and provision of analysis information, and in response to receiving the second request message, sending, to the first network entity, network data and analysis information collected related to policy application of the UE.

[0017] Additionally, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a second network entity of a visited network in a wireless communication system that supports roaming services for a UE from a home network to a visited network includes a transceiver and a processor, the processor being configured to receive, via the transceiver, from a first network entity, a second request message, where the first network entity has received, from a policy control function (PCF) of a home network, a first request message for collecting and analyzing network data related to policy application of the UE, the second request message requesting collection of network data and provision of analysis information, and in response to receiving the second request message, sending, via the transceiver, to the first network entity, network data and analysis information collected related to policy application of the UE. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 The structure of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 2 An example of the configuration of a wireless communication system that supports roaming services for a UE that has moved from a home network to a visited network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 3 A process for collecting and analyzing network data for policy application of a roaming UE in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0021] Figure 4 An example of the configuration of a network entity in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When describing the present disclosure below, detailed descriptions of known functions or configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it is determined that the description may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure. The terms to be described below are terms defined in consideration of the functions in the present disclosure and may vary according to the user, the user's intention, or habit. Therefore, the definitions of the terms should be based on the content throughout the specification.

[0023] Advantages and features of the present disclosure, and the manner of achieving them, will be clear by referring to embodiments described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments set forth below, but may be implemented in various different forms. The following embodiments are provided only to fully disclose the present disclosure and to inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the appended claims. Throughout the specification, the same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar elements.

[0024] In this document, it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions executed via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus create means for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowchart blocks. These computer program instructions can also be stored in a computer-usable or computer-readable memory, which can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-usable or computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks. The computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowchart blocks.

[0025] In addition, each block in the flowchart may represent a module, a segment, or a portion of code, which includes one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functions involved.

[0026] As used in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "unit" refers to a software element or a hardware element, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a "unit" can perform certain functions. However, the meaning of "unit" is not always limited to software or hardware. A "unit" can be configured to be stored in an addressable storage medium or executed by one or more processors. Thus, a "unit" includes, for example, software elements, object-oriented software elements, class elements or task elements, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and parameters. Elements and functions provided by a "unit" can be combined into a smaller number of elements or "units", or divided into a larger number of elements or "units". In addition, elements and "units" can be implemented as one or more CPUs within a reproducing device or a secure multimedia card.

[0027] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in the drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals as much as possible. In addition, it should be noted that the following drawings of the present disclosure are provided to assist in understanding the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the forms or configurations shown in the drawings of the present disclosure. In addition, detailed descriptions of known functions or configurations that may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure will be omitted. It should be noted that in the following description of the present disclosure, only parts necessary for understanding the operations of the various embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described, and descriptions of other parts will be omitted so as not to obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure. In addition, terms used in some communication standards (e.g., the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)) will be used to describe the various embodiments of the present disclosure, but they are for illustrative purposes only. The various embodiments of the present disclosure can be easily applied to other communication systems by modification.

[0028] As used herein, each of the phrases such as "A and / or B", "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include all possible combinations of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase. Terms such as "a first", "a second", "the first", and "the second" can be used simply to distinguish the corresponding element from another element and do not limit the element in other respects (e.g., importance or order).

[0029] In the following description, for ease of description, terms for identifying access nodes, terms for referring to network entities or network functions (NFs), terms for referring to messages, terms for referring to interfaces between network entities, terms for referring to various identification information, etc. are used illustratively. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited by the terms described below, and other terms referring to subjects with equivalent technical meanings can also be used.

[0030] In the following description, for the sake of convenience, terms and names defined in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) standard will be used. However, the present disclosure is not limited by these terms and names, and can be applied to systems compliant with other standards in the same way.

[0031] In the present disclosure, network technologies may refer to standard specifications defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) or 3GPP (for example, TS23.501, TS23.502, TS23.503, etc.), and the components included in the Figure 1 network structure described later may represent physical entities, or may represent software that performs separate functions or hardware combined with software. Reference signs shown as Nx in the drawings (such as N1, N2, N3,...) indicate known interfaces between NFs in the 5G Core Network (CN).

[0032] For ease of explanation below, entities that exchange information for access control and status management in a wireless communication system are referred to by the names of network functions (NFs) (for example, Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), etc.). However, even when the NF is actually implemented as an instance (AMF instance, SMF instance, NSSF instance, etc. respectively), the embodiments of the present disclosure are equally applicable.

[0033] Figure 1 The structure of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 The system of shows an example of the configuration of 5GS (5G System), and 5GS may include a 5G core network, base stations, UEs, etc. The 5G core network may include AMF 120, SMF 135, UPF 130, Policy Control Function (PCF) 140, User Data Management (UDM) 145, NSSF 160, Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) 165, Non-3GPP Function (N3F), etc.

[0034] A user equipment (UE) 100 can access a 5G core network through a base station 110, which is a radio access network (RAN). The base station 110 can support 3GPP access network types (e.g., NR, E-UTRA, etc.) or non-3GPP access network types (e.g., Wi-Fi, etc.). The UE 100 can include a terminal, a mobile station (MS), a cellular phone, a smart phone, a computer, or various devices capable of performing communication functions, and can be connected to an AMF 120 via an N2 interface and to a UPF 130 via an N3 interface through the base station 110. In addition to a base station, the base station 110 can also be referred to as an "access point (AP)", an "eNodeB (eNB)", a "fifth-generation node", a "gNodeB (gNB)", or other terms with equivalent technical meanings. Furthermore, the base station can be a network entity including at least one of an Integrated Access and Backhaul-donor (IAB-donor) and an IAB node. The IAB-donor is a gNB that provides network access to a UE through a network of backhaul and access links in a 5G system, and the IAB node is a radio access network (RAN) node that supports an NR access link to a UE and an NR backhaul link to an IAB-donor or another IAB node. The non-3GPP function (N3F) is a network function (NF) that operates as a terminal for the N2 interface and the N3 interface of the UE 100 connected via a non-3GPP access network (e.g., Wi-Fi, etc.) not defined in 3GPP. The N3F can handle N2 control plane signaling and N3 user plane packets.

[0035] In Figure 1 it, the AMF 120 is a network function (NF) that manages the wireless network access and mobility of the UE and processes control plane information. The Session Management Function (SMF) 135 is an NF that manages sessions for the UE, and session information can include QoS information, charging information, information about packet processing, etc. The User Plane Function (UPF) 130 is an NF that processes user traffic and is controlled by the SMF 135. The Policy Control Function (PCF) 140 is an NF that manages the operator's policies for providing services in a wireless communication system. The User Data Management (UDM) 145 is an NF that stores and manages the subscription information of the UE 100 (UE subscription information). The Unified Data Repository (UDR) is an NF that stores and manages data. The UDR can store UE subscription information and provide the UE subscription information to the UDM 145. Additionally, the UDR can store operator policy information and provide the operator policy information to the PCF 140.

[0036] The NSSF 160 is an NF that performs the function of selecting the network slices (or network slice instances) available to the UE (100) or determining the NSSAI. The Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) 165 is an NF that provides analytics for the operation of the 5G system. The NWDAF 165 can collect data from other NFs or OAM (operations, administration and maintenance) that make up the 5G system, analyze the collected data, and provide the analysis results to other NFs. The Network Slice Admission Control Function (NSACF) 180 is an NF that monitors and controls the number of registered UEs and sessions of the network slices that are the objects of network slice admission control (NSAC). Configuration information regarding the maximum number of registered UEs and the maximum number of sessions for each network slice is stored in the NSACF 180.

[0037] In a 5G system that supports network slices, network resources suitable for a specific service can be allocated per network slice or per set of network slices. A network slice can be understood as a technology for logically configuring a network as a set of NFs while separating different network slices to support various services with different characteristics (such as broadband communication services, massive IoT, and mission-critical services (such as V2X)). Network resources can refer to NFs, logical resources provided by NFs, or radio resource allocations of base stations. For example, a telecommunications operator can configure network slice A to provide mobile broadband services, configure network slice B to provide vehicle communication services, and configure network slice C to provide IoT services. In this way, the 5G system can effectively provide corresponding services to the UE via dedicated network slices customized for the characteristics of each service. In a 5G system, the traffic of different network slices can be handled by different Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions. A PDU session can refer to the association between a data network that provides a PDU connection service and the UE. Therefore, even when a communication failure occurs in a network slice, the communication in other network slices remains unaffected, enabling stable communication services to be provided.

[0038] Hereinafter, for ease of explanation, entities that exchange information for access control and state management will be collectively referred to as NFs. However, even when an NF is actually implemented as an instance (AMF instance, SMF instance, NSSF instance, etc., respectively), the embodiments of the present disclosure are equally applicable.

[0039] In the present disclosure, an instance may refer to a specific NF that exists in the form of software code and is in an executable state by allocating physical and / or logical resources from a computing system to perform the functions of the NF in a physical computing system (e.g., a specific computing system located in the core network). Therefore, an AMF instance, an SMF instance, and an NSSF instance may refer to instances that can allocate physical and / or logical resources from a specific computing system located in the core network to perform the operations of the AMF, SMF, or NSSF, respectively. Thus, when there are physical AMF, SMF, or NSSF devices, the AMF instance, SMF instance, and NSSF instance that allocate physical and / or logical resources from a specific computing system located in the network for AMF, SMF, and NSSF operations can perform the same operations. Therefore, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, matters described as NFs (AMF, SMF, UPF, NSSF, Network Repository Function (NRF), Service Communication Proxy (SCP), etc.) may be replaced with NF instances, or conversely, matters described as NF instances may be applied by replacing the NF instances with NFs. Similarly, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, matters described as network slices may be replaced with network slice instances, or conversely, matters described as network slice instances may be applied by replacing the network slice instances with network slices.

[0040] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in a 5G system defined by 3GPP, a network slice may be referred to as a Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI). The S-NSSAI may be composed of a Slice / Service Type (SST) value and a Slice Differentiator (SD) value. The SST may indicate the characteristics of the services supported by the network slice (e.g., enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), IoT, ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), V2X, etc.). The SD may be a value used as an additional identifier for a specific service called the SST.

[0041] The NSSAI may include one or more S-NSSAIs. Examples of the NSSAI may include a configured NSSAI stored in the UE, a requested NSSAI requested by the UE, a permitted NSSAI determined by a network function NF (e.g., AMF, NSSF, etc.) of the 5G core network and authorized for use by the UE 100, a subscribed NSSAI subscribed by the UE, etc., and the types of the NSSAI are not limited to the above examples.

[0042] The UE 100 can connect to the base station 110 and register with the 5G system. For example, the UE 100 can connect to the base station 110 and perform a UE registration process with the AMF 120. During the registration process, the AMF 120 can determine the allowed NSSAI available to the UE 100 connected to the base station 110 and allocate it to the UE 100. The UE 100 can select a specific network slice and configure / establish a PDU session for communicating with the Application Function (AF) 170 (e.g., an application server). One PDU session can include one or more QoS flows, and each QoS flow can provide different transmission performances required for each application service by configuring different Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. When the application server is located in an external network, the UE 100 can connect to the application server via the DN 175.

[0043] In the following Figure 2 and Figure 3 embodiments, the basic definition or description of the NF can refer to the above Figure 1 description, and the basic definition or description of the messages sent and received between the NFs can refer to 3GPP standards TS23.501 and TS23.502.

[0044] Figure 2 FIG. shows an example of the configuration of a wireless communication system supporting a roaming service for a UE that has moved from a home network to a visited network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] In Figure 2 the example, the UE 100 is assumed to be a roaming UE that has moved from a home network (or can be referred to as a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN)) to a visited network (or can be referred to as a Visited PLMN (VPLMN)) to receive a roaming service. In Figure 2 the example, the “V-” indicated in front of the NF indicates a network entity of the visited network, and the “H-” indicates a network entity of the home network. In Figure 2In the example, V-SMF 135-1 and H-SMF 135-2 are SMFs that manage sessions in the visited network and the home network, respectively, with respect to UE 100. V-NSSF 160-1 and H-NSSF 160-2 are NSSFs that select / determine the network slices (i.e., the allowed NSSAI) available to UE 100 in the visited network and the home network, respectively. In addition, V-NWDAF 165-1 and H-NWDAF 165-2 are NWDAFs that analyze the data collected in the visited network and the home network and provide the data to other NFs. The results of the analysis via the NWDAF can be delivered to the NF that requests the analysis, and the delivered analysis results can be used to optimize network management functions, such as UE routing selection policy (URSP) management, session management, quality of service (QoS) assurance / enhancement, traffic control, mobility management, and load distribution.

[0046] The URSP may include rules provided to UE 100 as configuration information, and each rule may consist of a pair of traffic descriptors (TDs) and routing descriptors (RSDs). UE 100 may attempt to send traffic that matches the TD (e.g., application identifier (App ID), destination IP address, destination port number, etc.) to a PDU session corresponding to the RSD (e.g., S-NSSAI and / or DNN). When there is a PDU session corresponding to the RSD, UE 100 may attempt to send traffic to the corresponding PDU session, and when there is no PDU session corresponding to the RSD, it may request the generation of a PDU session corresponding to the RSD.

[0047] In addition, reference will be made to Figure 2 describe the general operations for configuring information in the visited network to support the collection of network data regarding the roaming UE 100 and for sending necessary information between the visited network and the home network.

[0048] Describe the general operations of the example given in Figure 2 For the example given, a user may subscribe to a communication service provided by a communication operator to receive wireless communication services.

[0049] Reference Figure 2, the roaming UE 100 can connect to the base station 110 in the visited network and register with the 5G system. For example, the UE 100 can perform a UE registration process with the AMF 120 via the base station 110. During the registration process, the UE 100 can send a message including the requested NSSAI (H-NSSAI), and the AMF 120 can determine the allowed NSSAI available to the UE 100 via the V-NSSF 160-1 and allocate it to the UE 100. The UE 100 sends a request message to the AMF 120 requesting to establish a PDU session regarding the allowed NSSAI. The request message can include the H-NSSAI and the V-NSSAI corresponding to (mapped to) the H-NSSAI. In the roaming service, the UE 100, the AMF 120, and the V-SMF 1601 can obtain the mapping information of the network slices between the home network and the visited network. The AMF 120 that receives the request message for establishing a PDU session sends a request message for creating a PDU session to the V-SMF 135-1, and the request message includes the H-SNSSAI (Home-S-NSSAI, home-S-NSSAI) and the V-SNSSAI (Visited-S-NSSAI, visited-S-NSSAI) mapped to it. The V-SMF 135-1 in the visited network notifies the H-SMF 135-2 in the home network that a request for creating a PDU session has been made regarding the H-NSSAI. Through the above process, the roaming UE 100 can receive network slice-based services from the visited network. The AMF 120 can receive the policy information (URSP) to be applied to the UE 100 from the PCF 140.

[0050] In addition, in the present disclosure, a telecommunications operator of a home network may collect status data (hereinafter, "network data") regarding the corresponding user and the UE 100 used by the user from the network and / or the UE 100 via the H-NWDAF 165-2, and may use the collected network data to analyze and improve network performance. When preparing for the case where the UE 100 roams, the telecommunications operator of the home network may determine, according to operator policies, legal regulations, inter-operator roaming regulations, etc., the network data that can be provided to a visited network regarding the UE 100 and the type of analysis of the network data, etc., and select / determine the H-NWDAF 165-2 to be used to send the network data and the analysis of the network data (hereinafter, network data and analysis) to the visited network. The telecommunications operator of the home network may configure information (e.g., information about the UE, user data, and analysis type) in the H-NWDAF 165-2 to provide the network data and analysis determined for the visited network. At this time, the telecommunications operator of the home network may sign a roaming agreement with telecommunications operators of multiple visited networks (hereinafter, roaming operators), and may be configured to provide different H-NWDAFs (for ease of explanation, Figure 2 the example of

[0051] shows one H-NWDAF) and different contents of network data and analysis for each of the multiple visited networks.

[0052] 1) An indicator indicating whether the H-NWDAF 165-2 supports roaming,

[0053] 2) A visited network identifier (PLMN ID),

[0054] 3) The type of data that can be provided to the visited network (e.g., a list of data IDs),

[0055] 4) The type of analysis that can be provided to the visited network (e.g., a list of analysis IDs), and

[0056] 5) Information about the service area in which providing network data and analysis regarding the visited network is allowed.

[0057] In the present disclosure, the NRF of the home network (i.e., H-NRF) may receive configuration information related to the provision of information from the H-NWDAF 165-2 during roaming and store the configuration information. When requested by the visited network, the H-NRF may provide the visited network with the configuration information about the H-NWDAF 165-2, which enables the telecommunications operator of the home network to provide network data and analytics to the roaming operator of the visited network and / or the roaming UE 100 based on the stored configuration information. Alternatively, as an optional embodiment, whenever the configuration information of the H-NWDAF 165-2 to be used for providing network data and analytics during roaming is changed according to the implementation manner and roaming agreement between telecommunications operators, the NRF of the home network (i.e., H-NRF) may send the configuration information of the H-NWDAF 165-2 to the V-NRF (or visited PLMN NRF) installed in the visited network (e.g., designated by the telecommunications operator of the visited network). In this case, the V-NRF may store the configuration information of the H-NWDAF 165-2 received from the H-NRF of the home network. Thereafter, when the V-NWDAF 165-1 of the visited network requests the configuration information of the H-NWDAF 165-2 of the home network (which will be used to request network data and analytics about the roaming UE 100), the V-NRF may provide the configuration information of the H-NWDAF 165-2 stored in the V-NRF to the V-NWDAF 165-1.

[0058] In addition, just as the telecommunications operator of the home network configures / registers in the H-NWDAF 165-2 and / or H-NRF the configuration information related to the network data and analytics that can be provided to each roaming operator of the visited network for the UE 100, the roaming operator may configure / register in the V-NWDAF 165-1 and / or V-NRF of the visited network the configuration information related to the network data and analytics that can be provided to the home network for the roaming UE 100.

[0059] That is, when preparing for the roaming of the UE 100 of the telecommunications operator of the home network, the roaming operator may determine the configuration information of the home network that can be provided to the UE 100 according to operator policies, legal regulations, inter-operator roaming agreements, etc., and select / determine the V-NWDAF 165-1 to be used for sending network data and analytics to the home network based on the configuration information, so as to configure / register in the V-NWDAF and / or V-NRF the configuration information determined for the home network. At this time, the roaming operator may sign a roaming agreement with the telecommunications operators of multiple home networks and may be configured to provide different V-NWDAFs (for the sake of explanation, Figure 2 the example shows one V-NWDAF) and different contents of network data and analytics for each home network.

[0060] The V-NWDAF 165-1 of the visited network can register the configuration information of the V-NWDAF 165-1 configured by the roaming operator in the V-NRF of the visited network that supports the service search function. The configuration information registered in the V-NRF can include at least one of the following a) to e).

[0061] a) An indicator indicating whether the V-NWDAF 165-1 supports roaming,

[0062] b) The network identifier (PLMN ID) of the home network,

[0063] c) The data types available in the home network (e.g., a list of data IDs),

[0064] d) The analysis types available in the home network (e.g., a list of analysis IDs), and

[0065] e) Information about the service area in which data and analysis regarding the home operator are allowed to be provided.

[0066] The V-NRF of the visited network can receive and store information related to information provision from the V-NWDAF during roaming. When requested by the home network, the V-NRF can provide the home network with information about the V-NWDAF configured by the roaming operator, such that data and analysis regarding the home operator and the roaming UE are provided based on the stored information. Alternatively, whenever the information of the V-NWDAF used for information provision during roaming is changed according to the implementation manner and roaming agreement between operators, the V-NRF can send the information of the V-NWDAF to the (H-)NRF (Home PLMN NRF) installed in the home network (designated by the home operator). In this case, the (H-)NRF can store the information of the V-NWDAF received from the V-NRF of the visited network, and can provide the stored information to the (H-)NWDAF of the home network when the (H-)NWDAF of the home network requests the information of the V-NWDAF of the visited network for requesting data and analysis regarding the roaming UE at a later stage.

[0067] When the (H-)NWDAF 165-2 of the home network needs to collect network data of the roaming UE 100 from the visited network or needs analysis on the roaming UE 100, the (H-)NWDAF 165-2 may request the (H-)NRF to receive information about the V-NWDAF 165-1 permitted by the roaming operator, and may use the received information to request the V-NWDAF 165-1 to provide the collected network data and analysis on the roaming UE 100 and receive the necessary information. Similarly, when the V-NWDAF 165-1 of the visited network needs to collect network data from the home network of the roaming UE 100 or needs analysis, the V-NWDAF 165-1 may request the V-NRF to receive information about the (H-)NWDAF 165-2 permitted by the home network, and may use the received information to request the (H-)NWDAF 165-2 to provide the collected network data and analysis on the roaming UE 100 and receive the necessary information. In Figure 2 the embodiments of, at least one of network data and analysis may also be provided.

[0068] Figure 3 shows a process of network data collection and analysis for policy application of a roaming UE in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] Figure 3 The example of Figure 2 assumes that the UE 100 in the example of Figure 3 is a roaming UE that has moved from the home network (or HPLMN) to the visited network (or VPLMN) and received roaming services. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The embodiments of may be applied to the same network structure as the example of

[0070] Reference will be made to Figure 3Describe the general operation of the presented embodiments. In operation 301, the UE 100 subscribed to the home network initiates communication by accessing the home network via a visited network that has a protocol with the home network. The PCF 140 configured in the home network to provide policy information about the UE 100 may send a first request message requesting performance analysis to the H-NWDAF 165-2 of the home network to evaluate and improve service performance based on the application of the policy information of the UE 100. The first request message may include the identifier of the UE 100 requesting analysis of the transmission performance when the policy information to be provided by the PCF 140 is applied to the UE 100 in the roaming state, an identifier for specifying that the type of analysis requested is the performance analysis of the URSP (analytics ID = URSP analytics, analysis ID = URSP analysis), the roaming state information of the UE 100, the identifier of the visited network where the UE 100 is roaming (visited PLMN ID or VPLMN ID), and information for specifying the session of the UE 100 that needs to be analyzed, such as the network slice identifier (Home-S-NSSAI: H-SNSSAI) and DNN (data network name). In addition, as an example, since multiple PDU sessions may be established for the UE 100, the request may include multiple network slice identifiers (H-SNSSAI) and DNN (data network name) to specify multiple sessions as the sessions that need to be analyzed, and may include additional indicators for specifying a specific RAT type and access type and area of interest (AoI) information for specifying a specific area. Although not shown, the H-NWDAF 165-2 may send a first response message to the PCF 140 including an indication of whether the first request message is accepted.

[0071] In operation 302, the H-NWDAF 165-2 may send a second request message to the PCF 140 requesting the policy information currently configured for the UE 100 by the PCF 140 in order to analyze the transmission performance based on the application of the policy information of the UE 100 requested by the PCF 140. The second request message may include the identifier of the UE 100 and an indicator indicating that the information requested is the URSP of the UE 100. The PCF 140 may send a second response message to the H-NWDAF 165-2 including an indication of whether the second request message is accepted, and the second response message may include the identifier of the UE 100, the URSP configured in the UE, etc.

[0072] In operation 303, H-NWDAF 165-2 may determine the network data and / or type of analysis that needs to be collected to analyze the transmission performance when the URSP is applied to UE 100. In addition, H-NWDAF 165-2 may determine the network data and / or type of analysis that needs to be collected from the visited network for a UE 100 in a roaming state.

[0073] In operation 304, H-NWDAF 165-2 may send a request message to UDM 145, which requests information about the AMF 120 used by UE 100 in the visited network in a roaming state. During the registration process in which UE 100 registers with the home network via the roaming network, information about AMF 120 may be sent from AMF 120 to UDM 145 and stored in UDM 145. In operation 304 above, the request message may include UE identifier information (UE ID) of UE 100 in a roaming state.

[0074] In operation 305, UDM 145 may send a response message to H-NWDAF 165-2, which includes AMF information (e.g., AMF ID) of the visited network connected to UE 100.

[0075] In operation 306, H-NWDAF 165-2 may send a request message, which requests the V-NWDAF 165-1 of the visited network to collect / analyze and send network data and / or analysis. In operation 306, the request message may include the identifier of UE100 (UEID), the identifier of AMF 120, the network slice identifier (H-SNSSAI) and DNN information required to collect session information, the data identifier for specifying the type of network data to be collected, the analysis identifier information for specifying the type of analysis, etc. In this case, the network slice identifier may be the H-SNSSAI used in the home network specified by PCF 140 for the URSP of UE 100.

[0076] In operation 307, V-NWDAF 165-1 may send a request message to AMF120 to request context information stored for UE 100 by using the AMF ID and UE ID information included in the request message sent by H-NWDAF 165-2 in operation 306. In operation 307, the request message may include the identifier of UE 100 (UEID) and at least one of the H-SNSSAI and DNN information used in the home network and specified by the home network that is required to collect session information.

[0077] In operation 308, the AMF 120 may send a response message to the V-NWDAF 165-1 that includes the context information of the UE 100 requested by the V-NWDAF 165-1. In operation 308, the response message may include at least one of the identifier of the UE 100 (UE ID), the H-SNSSAI used in the home network, and the visited S-NSSAI (V-SNSSAI), DNN, and V-SMF identifier (V-SMF ID) used in the roaming network corresponding to the H-SNSSAI.

[0078] In operation 309, the V-NWDAF 165-1 may send a request message to the V-SMF 135-1 by using at least one of the V-SNSSAI, DNN, and V-SMF ID used in the roaming network corresponding to the H-SNSSAI received from the AMF 120 in operation 308, to request collection of network data requested by the H-NWDAF 165-2 in operation 306. In operation 309, with respect to the identifier of the UE 100 (UE ID) specified by the H-NWDAF 165-2, the request message may include at least one of the V-SNSSAI DNN used in the roaming network and data identifier information for specifying the type of network data to be collected. In operation 309, the V-SMF 135-1 may send a response message to the V-NWDAF 165-1 that includes an indication of whether the request message is accepted.

[0079] In operation 310, the V-NWDAF 165-1 may perform an operation of collecting network data from the V-SMF 135-1 and generating an analysis result by analyzing the collected network data.

[0080] In operation 311, the V-NWDAF 165-1 may send a message to the H-NWDAF 165-2 that includes the network data requested and collected by the H-NWDAF 165-2 and / or the analysis result of the analyzed network data. In operation 311 above, the message may include the identifier of the UE 100 (UE ID), the H-SNSSAI used in the home network to indicate the network slice for which the H-NWDAF 165-1 requested analysis, the DNN, and the network data and / or analysis collected with respect to the UE 100 and the H-SNSSAI.

[0081] In operation 312, the H-NWDAF 165-2 may analyze the network data and / or analysis received from the V-NWDAF 165-1 and the network data collected from the home network, and generate an analysis result regarding the perceived transmission performance when the roaming UE 100 applies the policy information specified by the PCF 140.

[0082] In operation 313, H-NWDAF 165-2 may send a message to PCF 140 for reporting the analysis results requested by PCF 140. In operation 313, the message may include at least one of an identifier (UEID) of the roaming UE 100 for which PCF 140 has requested analysis, an identifier (URSPID) of the policy information applied by UE 100, and information on the analysis results of the transmission performance when applying the policy information.

[0083] Figure 3 The process describes an embodiment in which H-NWDAF 165-2 of the home network receives network data and / or analysis from V-NWDAF 165-1. However, the case where V-NWDAF 165-1 receives network data and / or analysis from H-NWDAF 165-2 can also be performed in a manner similar to Figure 3 the process.

[0084] Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of network entities in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0085] Figure 4 The network entity of Figures 1 to 3 can be one of the network entities described in the embodiment of

[0086] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a network entity may include a processor 401 configured to control the overall operation of the network entity, a transceiver 403 including a transmitter and a receiver, and a memory 405. Of course, the present disclosure is not limited to the above examples, and the network entity may include more or less configurations than Figure 4 shown in the configuration.

[0087] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, transceiver 403 may send signals to and receive signals from at least one of other network entities or UEs. The signals sent and received may include at least one of control information and data. When Figure 4 the network entity is an entity (NF) of the core network, the signals sent and received between the network entity and the UE may be sent and received via the RAN.

[0088] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, processor 401 may control the overall operation of the corresponding network entity such that the network entity operates according to the above Figures 1 to 3perform operations in combination with one or two or more of the embodiments. At the same time, the processor 401, transceiver 403, and memory 405 are not necessarily implemented as separate modules, but may be integrated into a single component such as a single chip. In addition, the processor 401 may be an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), a circuit, a dedicated circuit, or at least one processor. The transceiver 403 may include at least one communication interface for transmitting and receiving signals to and from other network entities via wired / wireless communication.

[0089] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the memory 405 may store data for the operation of the corresponding network entity, such as basic programs, application programs, and configuration information. In addition, the memory 405 provides the stored data in response to a request from the processor 401. The memory 405 may be configured as a storage medium such as a ROM, RAM, hard disk, CD-ROM, DVD, or a combination thereof. In addition, the memory 405 may further include a plurality of memory devices. In addition, the processor 401 may execute at least one of the above embodiments based on a program stored in the memory 405, the program being for performing operations according to at least one of the above embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0090] The methods disclosed in the claims and / or the methods according to the embodiments described in the specification of the present disclosure may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0091] When implementing the method by software, a computer-readable storage medium for storing one or more programs (software modules) may be provided. One or more programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium may be configured to be executed by one or more processors within the electronic device. At least one program includes instructions for causing the electronic device to execute the methods according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure defined by the appended claims and / or disclosed herein.

[0092] These programs (software modules or software) may be stored in non-volatile memories, including random access memories and flash memories, read-only memories (ROMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), magnetic disk storage devices, CD-ROMs, DVDs, or other types of optical storage devices, or magnetic tape cartridges. Alternatively, any combination of some or all of them may form a memory in which the programs are stored. In addition, a plurality of such memories may be included in the electronic device.

[0093] In addition, the program can be stored in an attachable storage device, which can be accessed by an electronic device through a communication network such as the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide LAN (WLAN), and a storage area network (SAN), or a combination thereof. Such a storage device can be accessed by the electronic device via an external port. In addition, a separate storage device on the communication network can access the portable electronic device.

[0094] The embodiments of the present disclosure described and illustrated in the specification and the drawings are merely specific examples presented for the purpose of easily explaining the technical content of the present disclosure and helping to understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should be construed to include all changes and modifications derived from the technical idea of the present disclosure in addition to the embodiments described herein. In addition, the above-described respective embodiments can be used in combination as needed.

Claims

1. A method performed by a first network entity in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system supporting roaming services for a user equipment (UE) from a home network to a visited network, the method comprising: Receive a first request message from a Policy Control Function (PCF) of a home network for collecting and analyzing network data related to the policy application of a UE; Determine the data and analysis types for collecting and analyzing network data of a UE roaming to a visited network; Send a second request message to a second network entity of the visited network to request collection of network data and provision of analysis information; Receive network data and analysis information collected related to the policy application of the UE from the second network entity; And Send the analysis information and network data to the PCF.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first network entity is a Home Network Data Analytics Function (H-NWDAF) of the home network, and the second network entity is a Visited Network Data Analytics Function (V-NWDAF) of the visited network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first request message includes a Data Network Name (DNN) and a Network Slice Identifier (Home-S-NSSAI: H-SNSSAI), and the analysis of the data network name and the network slice identifier is required by the home network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The data and analysis types for collection and analysis are determined based on configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes at least one of the following: An indicator indicating whether it is the first network entity or the second network entity that supports roaming; A network identifier (PLMN ID) of the home network or the visited network; Data types available for the home network or the visited network; Analysis types available for the home network or the visited network; and Information about a service area in which provision of data and analysis information regarding the home network or the visited network is allowed.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The configuration information is provided by a Network Repository Function (NRF).

6. A first network entity in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system supporting roaming services for a user equipment (UE) from a home network to a visited network, the first network entity comprising: A transceiver; And A processor, configured to: Receive, via the transceiver, a first request message from a Policy Control Function (PCF) of a home network for collecting and analyzing network data related to the policy application of a UE, Determine the data and analysis types for collecting and analyzing network data of a UE roaming to a visited network, Send, via the transceiver, a second request message to a second network entity of the visited network to request collection of network data and provision of analysis information, Receive, via the transceiver, network data and analysis information collected related to the policy application of the UE from the second network entity, and Send, via the transceiver, the analysis information and network data to the PCF.

7. The first network entity according to claim 6, wherein, The first network entity is a Home Network Data Analytics Function (H-NWDAF) of the home network, and the second network entity is a Visited Network Data Analytics Function (V-NWDAF) of the visited network.

8. The first network entity according to claim 6, wherein, The first request message includes a Data Network Name (DNN) and a Network Slice Identifier (Home-S-NSSAI: H-SNSSAI), and the analysis of the data network name and the network slice identifier is required by the home network.

9. The first network entity according to claim 6, wherein, The data and analysis types for collection and analysis are determined based on configuration information, and wherein the configuration information includes at least one of the following: An indicator indicating whether it is the first network entity or the second network entity that supports roaming; A network identifier (PLMN ID) of the home network or the visited network; Data types available for the home network or the visited network; Analysis types available for the home network or the visited network; and Information on a service area where data and analysis information regarding a home network or a visited network is allowed to be provided.

10. The first network entity according to claim 9, wherein, The configuration information is provided by a Network Repository Function (NRF).

11. A method performed by a second network entity of a visited network in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system supporting a roaming service for a user equipment (UE) from a home network to the visited network, the method comprising: Receiving, from a first network entity, a second request message, where the first network entity has received, from a Policy Control Function (PCF) of a home network, a first request message for collecting and analyzing network data related to policy application of a UE, and the second request message requests collection of network data and provision of analysis information; And In response to receiving the second request message, sending, to the first network entity, network data and analysis information collected related to policy application of the UE.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The first network entity is a Home Network Data Analytics Function (H-NWDAF) of a home network, and the second network entity is a Visited Network Data Analytics Function (V-NWDAF) of a visited network.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The first request message includes a Data Network Name (DNN) and a Network Slice Identifier (Home-S-NSSAI: H-SNSSAI), and analysis of the DNN and the Network Slice Identifier is required by the home network.

14. A second network entity of a visited network in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system supporting a roaming service for a user equipment (UE) from a home network to the visited network, the second network entity comprising: A transceiver; And A processor configured to: Receive, via the transceiver, from a first network entity, a second request message, where the first network entity has received, from a Policy Control Function (PCF) of a home network, a first request message for collecting and analyzing network data related to policy application of a UE, and the second request message requests collection of network data and provision of analysis information; And In response to receiving the second request message, send, via the transceiver, to the first network entity, network data and analysis information collected related to policy application of the UE.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The first network entity is a Home Network Data Analytics Function (H-NWDAF) of a home network, and the second network entity is a Visited Network Data Analytics Function (V-NWDAF) of a visited network.

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