Method and apparatus for network slice access management of user equipment in wireless communication system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for network slice access management of user equipment in a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving temporary slice related information for a first single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity. Further, the method includes identifying whether the first S-NSSAI is available or unavailable. Further, the method includes transmitting a registration request message including the second S-NSSAI to the AMF entity based on the identification. In addition, the registration request message does not include the first S-NSSAI.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of network slicing, and more particularly to network slice access management for user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system. Background Art

[0002] 5G mobile communication technology defines a wide frequency band, enabling high transmission rates and new services, and can be implemented not only in "sub-6 GHz" frequency bands such as 3.5 GHz, but also in "above 6 GHz" frequency bands, known as millimeter waves, including 28 GHz and 39 GHz. Furthermore, consideration has been given to implementing 6G mobile communication technology (referred to as a "super 5G system") in terahertz (THz) frequency bands (e.g., the 95 GHz to 3 THz band) in order to achieve transmission rates fifty times faster than 5G mobile communication technology and ultra-low latency one-tenth that of 5G mobile communication technology.

[0003] At the start of the development of 5G mobile communication technology, in order to support services and meet performance requirements related to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) and massive machine-type communications (mMTC), there has been ongoing standardization on beamforming and massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) for mitigating radio wave path loss in millimeter waves and increasing radio wave transmission range, dynamic operation of parameter sets (e.g., operating multiple subcarrier spacings) and time slot formats to support efficient utilization of millimeter wave resources, initial access technology to support multi-beam transmission and broadband, definition and operation of BWP (bandwidth part), new channel coding methods such as low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes for large-scale data transmission and polar codes for highly reliable transmission of control information, L2 preprocessing, and network slicing to provide dedicated networks tailored for specific services.

[0004] Currently, there are ongoing discussions on improvements and performance enhancements to initial 5G mobile communication technologies in view of the services to be supported by 5G mobile communication technologies, and there has been standardization of physical layers on technologies such as Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) for assisting driving decisions of autonomous vehicles based on information on the position and status of vehicles transmitted by the vehicles and for enhancing user convenience, Unlicensed New Radio (NR-U) for system operation designed to comply with various regulatory requirements within unlicensed frequency bands, NR User Equipment (UE) power saving, Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) as UE-satellite direct communication for providing coverage in areas where communication with terrestrial networks is not possible, and positioning.

[0005] In addition, in the air interface architecture / protocol area, standardization is already underway on technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) that supports new services through interconnection and integration with other industries, Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) that provides nodes for network service area expansion by supporting wireless backhaul links and access links in an integrated manner, mobility enhancements including conditional handover and dual-active protocol stack (DAPS) handover, and two-step random access (two-step RACH for NR) to simplify the random access procedure. In terms of system architecture / services, standardization is also underway on the following: a 5G baseline architecture (e.g., a service-based architecture or service-based interface) for incorporating network function virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN) technologies, and mobile edge computing (MEC) for receiving services based on UE location.

[0006] With the commercialization of 5G mobile communication systems, the already exponentially growing number of connected devices will be connected to the communication network, and accordingly, it is expected that enhanced functionality and performance of 5G mobile communication systems and the integrated operation of connected devices will become necessary. To this end, new research is being planned on extended reality (XR) for effectively supporting augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), etc., 5G performance improvements and complexity reduction through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), AI service support, metaverse service support, and drone communications.

[0007] Furthermore, such development of 5G mobile communication systems will serve as the foundation for the development of not only new waveforms for providing terahertz band coverage for 6G mobile communication technology, multi-antenna transmission technologies such as full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, and massive antennas, metamaterial-based lenses and antennas for improving terahertz band signal coverage, high-dimensional spatial multiplexing technologies using orbital angular momentum (OAM), and reconfigurable smart surfaces (RIS), but also full-duplex technologies for improving the frequency efficiency of 6G mobile communication technology and improving system networks, AI-based communication technologies for leveraging satellites and AI to achieve system optimization and internalize end-to-end AI support functions from the design stage, and next-generation distributed computing technologies for implementing services at a complexity level that exceeds the operational capabilities of UEs by utilizing ultra-high-performance communication and computing resources. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to a method for network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) capable of supporting temporarily available network slices.

[0010] Solution to the problem

[0011] According to an embodiment, a method includes sending, by a UE, a request to a network node to register with a slice set via a first network access type. The method also includes receiving, by the UE from the network node, a policy related to a temporary slice in the slice set, and preventing, by the UE, from sending, to the network node, a new request for a service utilizing the temporary slice via any one of the first network access type and the second access type.

[0012] According to an embodiment, a method for network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) that cannot support temporarily available network slices is disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a network node, a request from the UE to register with a first set of slices via a first network access type, sending, by the network node, a first list of allowed network slices via the first network access type to the UE, and receiving, at the network node, a request from the same UE to register with a second set of slices via a second network access type. The network node may send a second list of allowed network slices via the second network access type. The method also includes identifying, by the network node, that at least one temporary slice present in both the first list of allowed network slices and the second list of allowed network slices for the UE is temporarily unavailable, updating, by the network node, the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type by removing the temporary slice from the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type, and sending, by the network node, to the UE, an indication of the updated first list of allowed network slices and the removal of the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type.

[0013] According to an embodiment, a method for network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) that cannot support temporarily available network slices is disclosed. The method includes sending, by the UE, a request to register with a first set of slices via a first network access type, receiving, by the UE, a first list of allowed network slices via the first network access type, sending, by the UE, a request to register with a second set of slices via a second network access type, receiving, by the UE, a second list of allowed network slices via the second network access type, receiving, by the UE, from a network node an updated first list of allowed network slices and an indication to remove the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type, and updating, by the UE, the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type to remove the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type so as to prevent sending, to the network node, a new request for utilizing a service of the temporary slice via either the first network access type or the second access type.

[0014] According to an embodiment, a user equipment (UE) capable of supporting temporarily available network slices to manage network slice access includes a transceiver and a processing unit communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The processing unit is configured to send a request to a network node via the transceiver to register with a slice set through a first network access type, receive a policy related to a temporary slice among the slice set from the network node, and prevent a new request from being sent to the network node to utilize a service of the temporary slice through any one of the first network access type and a second access type.

[0015] According to an embodiment, a network node for managing network slice access for a user equipment (UE) that cannot support temporarily available network slices includes a transceiver and a processing unit communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The processing unit is configured to receive, via the transceiver, a request to register with a first set of slices via a first network access type, send a first list of allowed network slices via the first network access type to the UE, receive a request to register with a second set of slices via a second network access type, and send a second list of allowed network slices via the second network access type to the UE, identify, by the network node, that at least one temporary slice present in both the first list of allowed network slices and the second list of allowed network slices for the UE is temporarily unavailable, update the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type to remove the temporary slice from the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type, and send, via the transceiver, to the UE an indication of the updated first list of allowed network slices and the removal of the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type.

[0016] According to an embodiment, a user equipment (UE) that cannot support temporarily available network slices for managing network slice access management includes a transceiver and a processing unit communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The processing unit is configured to send a request to register with a first set of slices via a first network access type and receive a first list of allowed network slices via the first network access type, send a request to register with a second set of slices via a second network access type and receive a second list of allowed network slices via the second network access type, receive an updated first list of allowed network slices and an indication to remove the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type, and update the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type to remove the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type so as to prevent a new request from being sent to a network node for utilizing a service of the temporary slice via either the first network access type or the second access type. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent through the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 An environment for managing network slice access of a user equipment (UE) according to an embodiment is shown;

[0019] Figure 2 A line diagram depicting network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) capable of supporting temporarily available network slices according to the prior art is shown;

[0020] Figure 3 shows a line diagram depicting network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) that is unable to support a temporarily available network slice according to the prior art;

[0021] Figure 4 A block diagram of a user equipment (UE) for processing network slice admission control according to an embodiment is shown;

[0022] Figure 5 A block diagram of a network node for processing network slice admission control according to an embodiment is shown;

[0023] Figure 6 A method for network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) capable of supporting temporarily available network slices according to an embodiment is shown;

[0024] Figure 7 A method for network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) that cannot support a temporarily available network slice according to an embodiment is shown; and

[0025] Figure 8 A method for network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) that cannot support a temporarily available network slice is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that any block diagram herein represents a conceptual view of an illustrative system embodying the principles of the present subject matter. Similarly, it should be understood that any flow charts, flow block diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudocode, etc. represent various processes that can be substantially represented in a computer-readable medium and executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such a computer or processor is explicitly shown.

[0027] In this document, the word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment or implementation of the subject matter described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0028] Although the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail below. However, it should be understood that there is no intention to limit the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the present disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0029] The terms "comprise," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that an arrangement, apparatus, or method that comprises a list of components or steps includes not only those components or steps, but may also include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such arrangement, apparatus, or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus followed by "comprising..." does not, without more constraints, exclude the presence of other or additional elements in the system or apparatus.

[0030] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the description may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present disclosure, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following description should not be construed in a limiting sense.

[0031] Throughout this specification, terms such as "at least one" and "one or more" may be used interchangeably. Throughout this specification, terms such as "a plurality" and "a plurality" may be used interchangeably. Throughout this specification, terms such as "access type" and "AT" may be used interchangeably. Throughout this specification, terms such as "network" and "communication network" may be used interchangeably.

[0032] Generally, network slicing allows telecom service providers to deploy dedicated networks for customers (e.g., mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), enterprises) or services (e.g., enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), massive machine-type communications (mMTC)). These networks are composed of multiple network functions specifically designed to support the dedicated services. This was introduced in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 15. A single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) within the 3GPP network is used to identify a collection of such network slices. These slices are characterized by a set of standard and proprietary attributes defined by a "slice template." The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has defined the "Generic Network Slice Template" (GST), which provides standardized slice attributes for a set of 3GPP-supported services.

[0033] The two attributes defined by GST are "number of terminals" and "number of sessions." The "number of terminals" attribute describes the maximum number of terminals (UEs) that can simultaneously use a network slice. Similarly, the "number of sessions" attribute describes the maximum number of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions that can simultaneously use a network slice. These are important inputs in network planning, as operators need to ensure that the resources they provide to a network slice are sufficient to handle the capacity specified by these attributes.

[0034] In operation, when an operator deploys a specific slice (including a slice instance) in a network, the deployed specific slice follows the procedures, information and configuration described in the technical specifications (TS) (such as TS 23.501, TS 23.502 and TS 23.503).

[0035] The process may include access network (AN) selection and access and mobility management function (AMF) selection via the network slice selection function (NSSF) during registration. Furthermore, session management function (SMF), policy control function (PCF), and user plane function (UPF) selection are performed during protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment. The network repository function (NRF) may be used for registration and discovery of supported slices. Configurations such as the network slice simultaneous registration group (NSSRG) and UE routing policy (URSP) may be used. These configurations and procedures are performed before the UE receives the required services for a specific slice. These slices may be deployed permanently or temporarily by the operator. Furthermore, to enhance the seamless handling of temporary slice management, 3GPP Release 18 TR 23.700-41 addresses this aspect of temporary slices and provides a solution in which the network provides temporary slice information, such as time and location, during which the UE will appear to the user as if the services of the temporary slice are unavailable.

[0036] Operators can deploy multiple network slices, which can include permanent network slices or temporary slices. A UE can utilize the services of a permanent network slice or a temporary slice by initially registering with the network. Typically, a UE can register to two access types (ATs), 3GPP or non-3GPP, and then utilize different services. As specified in TS 23.502 in Release 17 and 3GPP TS 23.501, when a UE is registered, the Network Slice Access Control Function (NSACF) controls (i.e., increases or decreases) the number of UEs registered for a network slice based on the request it receives from the AMF so that it does not exceed the maximum number of UEs allowed to register with that network slice. The NSACF can count the number of registered UEs based on the access type information received from the AMF.

[0037] As mentioned above, operators can deploy permanent network slices, and UEs can request multiple services associated with the permanent network slices. In addition, operators can deploy temporary slices at specific locations for a certain duration. Temporary slices are deployed to provide some specific events, such as the Olympics or the FIFA World Cup, and then they can be terminated when the specified duration expires. However, in 3GPP Release 18, TR 23.700-41 studies the temporary slice aspect and provides a solution, in which the network will provide temporary slice information such as time and location, and the UE will behave as if during this period the UE can only utilize services when the time and location criteria match the time and location given by the network.

[0038] However, when a UE uses one of the ATs (e.g., 3GPP) to obtain its first registration with the network, and if the network provides temporary slice-related validity criteria, and if the UE does not apply the same information to another AT (non-3GPP) and starts requesting the same temporary slice, the network will not be able to provide the slice-related services because the temporary slice is not available during that time or at that location. As a result, radio and core network resources are completely wasted, and in some cases, if the UE only requests the temporary slice in the registration request, the entire registration will fail. Therefore, the present disclosure is directed to solving the above-mentioned problems to overcome them.

[0039] The information disclosed in this background section of this disclosure is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be regarded as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

[0040] Figure 1 An exemplary environment 100 for managing network slice access of a user equipment (UE) according to an embodiment is shown. The present disclosure is applicable to user equipment (UE) capable of supporting temporarily available network slices and network slice access management when the UE cannot support temporarily available network slices. The environment 100 may include UE 101a, UE 101b, UE 101n (hereinafter referred to as multiple UEs 101), a network node 103, a 3GPP access node 105, and a non-3GPP access node 107. The network node 103 may be connected to multiple 3GPP access nodes 105 or wireless networks for communication with each other, and the network node 103 may be connected to the non-3GPP access node 107, such as Figure 1As shown. Furthermore, a 3GPP access node 105 and a non-3GPP access node 107 are connected to multiple UEs 101a, 101b, and 101n. For example, consider UE 101a capable of supporting temporarily available network slicing, while UE 101b is not. In other words, the present disclosure is applicable to UEs that address timing information and UEs that are not capable of supporting temporarily available network slicing. Multiple UEs 101 can connect to a network node 103 or a wireless network for communication with each other. Multiple UEs 101 can be any device directly used by end users for communication. Multiple UEs 101 can include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, smartphones, etc. In an embodiment, network node 103 (AMF, one of the control plane network functions (NFs) of the 5G core network, can manage connectivity and mobility management for multiple UEs 101) can serve as a central connection point for multiple UEs to establish communications. Network node 103 can be responsible for managing the radio resources of the cell and handling radio link protocols with multiple UEs 101. As described above, multiple UEs may send a request to the network node 103 to register with a slice set via a network access type to utilize one or more services. The one or more services may include, but are not limited to, retail delivery applications, gaming applications, and the like. Figure 1 The network function may be a control function for managing user sessions including establishment, modification, and release of sessions in a 5G network.

[0041] Typically, a UE 101 (101a, 101b, ..., 101n) may register with a network node 103 to receive multiple services associated with multiple network slices. The network node 103 may receive multiple requests from multiple UEs 101 (101a, 101b, ..., 101n) associated with the network node 103. The request from the UE is used to register with a slice set, such as a temporary slice or a permanent slice. For example, a slice set may be deployed to provide some specific event (e.g., the Olympics or the FIFA World Cup) and then be terminated. In another example, a slice in the slice set may be a slice that may be unavailable for a certain period of time or duration due to maintenance activities, etc. The network access type may be a first network access type and a second network access type corresponding to a 3GPP access type and a non-3GPP access type, respectively, or vice versa. Upon receiving the request at the network node 103, the network node 103 may send a policy related to the temporary slice in the slice set. Based on the received policy, the UE may block sending a new request to the network node 103 to utilize the services of the temporary slice, which may be independent of the first network access type and the second network access type. In an alternative embodiment, the UE 101 sends a request to register with the slice set, and the network node 103 may send a list of allowed network slices. Based on an updated list of allowed network slices indicating the removal of temporary slices that are temporarily unavailable in both access types shared by the network node 103, the UE 101 may block sending a new request to the network node 103. For example, the UE may send a request to register with the slice set via 3GPP and non-3GPP access types, and the UE may receive a list of allowed network slices that is independent of the access type. In addition, the UE 101 may receive an updated list of allowed network slices, based on which the UE 101 may remove the temporary slice that is temporarily unavailable to the UE 101 from the allowed network slice lists of both 3GPP and non-3GPP, and block sending a new request to the network node 103. The terms "3GPP access type", "3GPP access node" and "non-3GPP access type", "non-3GPP access node" may be used interchangeably in this disclosure.

[0042] For example, consider that a user associated with UE 101 wishes to register for a set of slices, such as the FIFA World Cup, which is a temporary slice. In addition, the UE associated with the user may send a request to register for a set of services that may provide an online streaming service of the FIFA World Cup. Based on the request from the UE, the network node 103 may send a policy associated with the temporary slice (in this case, the FIFA World Cup). The policy varies based on the set of slices that the UE has requested to register for. The policy may be sent to the UE in order to prevent new requests from being sent to the network node for services utilizing a temporary slice over any of the network access types. The policy includes information of at least one of a time and a location of the temporary slice. The time indicates the duration of the availability or unavailability of the temporary slice, and the location indicates the coverage area served by the temporary slice.

[0043] Figure 2 A line diagram depicts network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) capable of supporting temporarily available network slices according to the prior art. UE 101 is registered with both a 3GPP access type (AT) and a non-3GPP AT. The UE may then initiate a request to a network node to register with a slice set. Because UE 101 is registered with both a 3GPP access type (AT) and a non-3GPP AT, it is considered that UE 101 has already initiated a request to network node 103 to register with a slice set by network access type. In other words, the UE may initiate a request to register with a slice set (utilizing services of a temporary slice) by a first network access type (which may be 3GPP), as shown in step 202.

[0044] On the network node side, when receiving a request from UE 101 to utilize a service, the network node may check the policy associated with the temporary slice, as shown in step 204. For example, a user may wish to utilize a service to watch the World Cup, which may be a temporary slice. Given the above example, the World Cup may be held for two months, so the temporary slice may be available during the two-month period.

[0045] Therefore, network node 103 may send a policy related to the temporary slice that is independent of both 3GPP and non-3GPP network access types, as shown in step 206. The policy includes information on at least one of the time and location of the temporary slice. The time indicates the duration of the temporary slice's availability or unavailability, and the location indicates the coverage area served by the temporary slice. For example, the duration may indicate that the temporary slice is available for two months, from April 1, 2022, to June 1, 2022. In an alternative embodiment, when a user wishes to utilize a service to view an online tutorial to which they have subscribed, in such a scenario, the user may request to register with the slice set to view the online tutorial. According to this example, based on the received request, network node 103 may send a policy related to the temporary slice (video tutorial). The policy may indicate the duration of the temporary slice's availability or unavailability, and the location may indicate the coverage area served by the temporary slice. For example, the temporary slice may be unavailable between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM on January 2, 2021, due to maintenance, or may indicate downtime for the temporary slice. Based on the received policy for the temporary slice, the UE may block sending a new request for utilizing a service of the temporary slice via any one of the first network access type and the second access type to the network node 103. In other words, the policy for the temporary slice indicates the duration of the availability or unavailability of the temporary slice, as shown in step 208.

[0046] Therefore, UE 101 may not send a new request to access a service from network node 103. For example, if UE 101 has already sent a request to network node 103 to register with a slice set via a 3GPP access type, UE 101 may not send a request to network node 103 to register with a slice set via non-3GPP because the policy of temporary slices applies to both access types. Since UE 101 knows that temporary slices are not available on both 3GPP and non-3GPP, UE 101 may not send consecutive requests to utilize or register with the slice set. In other words, since UE 101 can be informed of whether a temporary slice is available or unavailable based on the availability or unavailability of the temporary slice, UE 101 can send a request when the temporary slice is available and avoid sending multiple requests when the temporary slice is unavailable.

[0047] Figure 3A line diagram depicts network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) 101 that cannot support temporarily available network slices according to existing mechanisms. UE 101 may notify network node 103 of the UE's capabilities. In other words, UE capabilities are an RRC signaling mechanism through which the UE may notify network node 103 of its capabilities. Alternatively, network node 103 may request the UE to notify its capabilities by sending a UE Capability Query message, and the UE may respond to the request by sending a UE Capability Information message. When the UE capabilities are not disclosed to network node 103, and when network node 103 receives a request from the UE to register with a first set of slices via a network access type, such as a 3GPP access type and a non-3GPP access type, as shown in step 302, the network node may send a first list of allowed network slices to UE 101, as shown in step 304. For example, network node 103 receives a request to register with the first set of slices via a 3GPP access type. Based on the request received from UE 101, network node 103 may send a first list of allowed network slices to UE 101. Additionally, network node 103 may receive a request to register with a second set of slices via another access type (possibly a non-3GPP access type). Network node 103 may then send a second list of allowed network slices to UE 101, as shown in steps 306 and 308. Based on the transmission of the list of allowed network slices, network node 103 may identify at least one network slice that is temporarily unavailable in both the first list of allowed network slices and the second list of allowed network slices for UE 101 (for both access types). When an allowed network slice is temporarily unavailable, network node 103 may update the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type by removing a temporary slice from the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type, as shown in step 310. When updating the list of allowed network slices, network node 103 may send an updated first list of allowed network slices for the 3GPP access type by removing the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type, as shown in step 312. However, when the UE discloses UE capabilities to the network node 103, the network node 103 may send at least one of the time and location of the temporary slice to the UE 101 upon receiving a request for registration to a slice set, such as Figure 2 shown.

[0048] For example, when network node 103 receives a request from a UE to register with a slice set, UE 101 may send an initial request using the 3GPP access type. For example, UE 101 may request services from network slices S1, ..., S10, .... Based on the request from UE 101, network node 103 may send a list of allowed network slices for S1, ..., S10. Furthermore, the UE may request services from network slices S1, ..., S7, which are currently accessing video via non-3GPP. Network node 103 may then send the list of allowed network slices to the UE using non-3GPP. When UE 101 has requested network slices S1, ..., S7 via both 3GPP and non-3GPP, network node 103 may identify that at least one temporary slice (considering S1 for video access) in the 3GPP and non-3GPP allowed slice lists is temporarily unavailable. Network node 103 may then update the 3GPP allowed network slice list and remove network slice S1, which is currently accessing video using the 3GPP access type. Therefore, the list of allowed network slices on 3GPP may include slices S2, ..., S10. Due to the removal of network slice S1, the network node may send an updated list of allowed network slices for 3GPP, which also indicates that the removal of network slice S1 should be completed at the non-3GPP access type end. Since the temporary slice S1 in the above example is temporarily unavailable and the temporary slice S1 is removed from both 3GPP and non-3GPP access types, the UE 101 may prevent sending a new request for the temporary slice S1 because the UE knows that the temporary slice is temporarily unavailable.

[0049] Figure 4 A block diagram of a UE 400 for processing network slice admission control according to an embodiment is shown. The UE may include various hardware components such as, but not limited to, a processor 402, a transceiver 404, a memory 406, and an I / O interface 408. The processor 402, the memory 406, and the I / O interface 408 may be communicatively coupled to each other via a wired or wireless communication channel.

[0050] In addition, the processor 402 can be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 406 and perform various processes. The I / O interface 408 can be configured to couple internal hardware components and external devices via one or more networks. The memory 406 can also store instructions to be executed by the processor 402. The memory 404 can include a random access memory (RAM) unit and / or a non-volatile memory unit, such as a read-only memory (ROM), an optical drive, a magnetic disk drive, a flash memory, an electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM), a memory space on a server or cloud, etc. The memory 406 can also store data processed by the processor 402 and the network slice admission controller and obtained via the I / O interface 408.

[0051] When a user equipment (UE) 400 is capable of supporting temporarily available network slices, the processor may send a request to a network node to register with a slice set via a first network access type. The first network access type may be at least one of 3GPP and non-3GPP. For example, the UE may register with the network node via two network access types, which may be 3GPP and non-3GPP. When the request is sent from the UE 400 to the network node, the processor 402 may receive a policy related to the temporary slice. The policy may be independent of the access type, because the UE is registered with both a 3GPP access type and a non-3GPP access type, and the received policy applies to both the 3GPP access type and the non-3GPP access type. Since the received policy applies to both the 3GPP access type and the non-3GPP access type, the processor 402 may prevent a new request from being sent to the network node to utilize services of the temporary slice via both the 3GPP access type and the non-3GPP access type.

[0052] For example, consider a UE wishing to watch a football match. Therefore, the UE may initiate a request to register with a slice that can provide the desired service to the user. Upon receiving the request from the UE, the network node may check the policy associated with a temporary slice (e.g., the slice responsible for presenting the football match service). Furthermore, the UE may receive the policy associated with the temporary slice. The policy includes information about at least one of the time and location of the temporary slice. For example, the time information may indicate that the service is available from January 20, 2023, to February 15, 2023. In an alternative embodiment, when a user wishes to utilize or register to watch a service for online tutorials to which they have subscribed, in such a scenario, the UE may send a request to register with a set of slices for viewing the online tutorials. In this example, based on the received request, the network node may send a policy associated with the temporary slice (video tutorial). The policy may indicate the duration of the temporary slice's availability or unavailability, and the location may indicate the coverage area served by the temporary slice. For example, the time information may indicate that the service will be unavailable for three hours on March 31, 2023, due to maintenance. The location indicates the coverage area served by the temporary slice. Based on the received policy, the UE may block new requests to the network node for services utilizing the temporary slice.

[0053] Alternatively, when the network node is not informed of UE 400's capabilities or when the UE cannot support temporarily available network slices, processor 402 may send a request to register with a set of slices via 3GPP and non-3GPP access types, and the UE may receive a first list of allowed slices on 3GPP and a second list of allowed network slices on non-3GPP. In other words, UE 400 may receive a list of allowed network slices independent of access type. Furthermore, processor 402 may receive an updated list of allowed network slices for the UE. Based on this updated list of allowed network slices, processor 402 may remove the temporarily unavailable temporary slice from the list of allowed network slices and prevent new requests from being sent to the network node via 3GPP and non-3GPP access types. For ease of understanding, consider that the processor may send a request for a first set of network slices and a second set of network slices via 3GPP and non-3GPP, respectively. In response, UE 400 may receive a first list of allowed network slices and a second list of allowed network slices via 3GPP and non-3GPP, respectively. The lists of allowed network slices are received via 3GPP and non-3GPP, respectively. In addition, the processor 402 may also receive an updated first list of allowed network slices indicating the removal of the unavailable temporary slice. Since the temporary slice is not available on 3GPP and non-3GPP, the processor may also update the second list of allowed network slices and update the temporary slice removed from the list of allowed network slices. Since the processor 402 knows that the temporary slice is not available on both 3GPP and non-3GPP, the processor may prevent the network node from sending a new request for a service utilizing the temporary slice via either the 3GPP or non-3GPP access type.

[0054] For example, when the network node receives a request from UE 400 to register with a slice set, UE 400 may send an initial request using the 3GPP access type. For example, UE 400 may request services for network slices S1, ..., S10, .... Based on the request from UE 400, the network node may send a list of allowed network slices for S1, ..., S10. Furthermore, the UE may request services for network slices S1, ..., S7, which are currently accessing video via non-3GPP. The network node may then send the list of allowed network slices to the UE via non-3GPP. When the UE has requested network slices S1, ..., S7 via both 3GPP and non-3GPP, the network node may identify that at least one temporary slice (considering S1 for video access) in the 3GPP and non-3GPP allowed slice lists is temporarily unavailable. The network node may then update the 3GPP allowed network slice list and remove network slice S1, which is currently accessing video via the 3GPP access type. Consequently, the list of allowed network slices on 3GPP may include slices S2, ..., S10. Due to the removal of network slice S1, the network node may send an updated list of allowed network slices for 3GPP, which also indicates that the removal of network slice S1 should be completed at the non-3GPP access type end. Since the temporary slice S1 in the above example is temporarily unavailable and the temporary slice S1 is removed from both 3GPP and non-3GPP access types, the UE may prevent sending a new request for the temporary slice S1 because the UE 400 knows that the temporary slice is temporarily unavailable.

[0055] Figure 4 Various hardware components of UE 400 are shown, but it should be understood that other embodiments are not limited thereto. In other embodiments, UE 400 may include fewer or more components. In addition, the labels or names of the components are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. One or more components may be combined to perform the same or substantially similar functions in UE 400.

[0056] Figure 5 A block diagram of a network node 500 for processing network slice access management for a UE that cannot support a temporarily available network slice according to an embodiment is shown. The network node 500 may include various hardware components such as, but not limited to, a processing unit 502, a transceiver 504, a memory 506, and an I / O interface 508. The processing unit may be communicatively coupled to the transceiver via a wired or wireless communication channel. In addition, the processing unit 502 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 506 and perform various processes.

[0057] The network node 500 may include Figure 1The UE shown is associated with multiple UEs. Network node 500 may receive requests to utilize services from the multiple UEs. Initially, the transceiver may receive a request to register with a first set of slices via a first network access type. In response to the request received from the UE, the transceiver may send a first list of allowed network slices via the first network access type to the UE. For ease of understanding, the first network access type is considered a 3GPP access type. Similarly, the transceiver may receive a second request to register with a set of slices via a second network access type. In response to the request received from UE 101, the transceiver may send a second list of allowed network slices via a second network access type (e.g., non-3GPP) to the UE. While sending the list of allowed network slices, the transceiver may identify that a few of some of the allowed network slices in both 3GPP and non-3GPP access types are temporarily unavailable. Because some of the allowed network slices are unavailable in both 3GPP and non-3GPP, the transceiver may update the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type (3GPP) and remove the temporary slices from the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type (3GPP). In view of removing the temporary slice from the list of allowed network slices for the first network access type, the list of allowed network slices is updated. In addition, the transceiver may send to the UE the updated first list of allowed network slices and an indication to remove the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type (non-3GPP).

[0058] The network node may also handle network slice access management for UE 101 that is capable of supporting temporarily available network slices. The transceiver may initially receive a request to register with a slice set via a 3GPP access type. Based on the request received from the UE, the transceiver may send a policy related to a temporary slice among the slice set. The policy indicates information about the location and time of the temporary slice. The time indicates the duration of availability or unavailability of the temporary slice, and the location indicates the coverage area served by the temporary slice. Based on the policy related to the temporary slice shared by the transceiver, the UE may prevent sending a new request to the network node for registration with the slice set.

[0059] although Figure 5 Various hardware components of network node 500 are shown, but it should be understood that other embodiments are not limited thereto. In other embodiments, network node 500 may include fewer or more components. Furthermore, the labels or names of the components are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. One or more components may be combined to perform the same or substantially similar functions in network node 500.

[0060] Figure 6A method 600 for handling network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) capable of supporting temporarily available network slices is shown according to an embodiment. Although the example method 600 depicts a specific order of operations, the order may be changed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, some of the depicted operations may be performed in parallel or in a different order without materially affecting the functionality of the method 600. In other examples, different components of the UE implement the method 600 and may perform the functions substantially simultaneously or in a specific order.

[0061] According to some examples, method 600 includes, at step 602, sending, by the UE, a request to register with a slice set via a first network access type to a network node. The first network access type may be at least one of a 3GPP access type and a non-3GPP access type. Method 600 further recites, at step 604, receiving, by the UE, a policy related to a temporary slice from the slice set from the network node. The received policy applies to both the first network access type and the second network access type. The policy includes information on at least one of a time and a location of the temporary slice. The time indicates a duration of availability or unavailability of the temporary slice, and the location indicates a coverage area served by the temporary slice. Method 600 further recites, at step 606, preventing, by the UE, from sending, to the network node, a new request to utilize services of the temporary slice via either the first network access type or the second access type. Upon receiving the policy at the UE, the UE may store the received policy in a non-volatile memory of the UE until the policy expires. For example, the duration may indicate that the temporary slice is available for two months, from April 1, 2022, to June 1, 2022. Alternatively, when a user wishes to utilize the service of watching a reality show to which he has subscribed, in such a scenario, the user may request to register with the slice set to watch an online tutorial. According to this example, based on the received request, the network node may send a policy related to the temporary slice (reality show). The policy may indicate the duration of the availability or unavailability of the temporary slice, and the location indicates the coverage area served by the temporary slice. For example, the temporary slice may be unavailable between 2 pm and 3 pm on January 2, 2021 due to maintenance activities, or the downtime of the temporary slice may be indicated. Alternatively, the policy is stored at the UE even if the UE logs out of the network node or even if the UE is restarted.

[0062] Figure 7An example method 700 for handling network slice access management for a UE that is unable to support a temporarily available network slice is shown according to an embodiment. Although the example method 700 depicts a specific order of operations, the order may be changed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, some of the depicted operations may be performed in parallel or in a different order that does not materially affect the functionality of the method 700. In other examples, different components may implement the method 700 and may perform the functions substantially simultaneously or in a specific order. The methods disclosed herein describe how a network node handles network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) when the UE is unable to support a temporarily available network slice.

[0063] At step 702, method 700 receives, at a network node, a request from a UE to register with a first set of slices via a first network access type. At step 704, method 700 sends, by the network node, to the UE, a first list of allowed network slices via the first network access type. Furthermore, at step 706, method 700 receives, at the network node, from the same UE, a request to register with a second set of slices via a second network access type. In response to the request from the UE, at step 708, the network node may send a second list of allowed network slices via the second network access type. The first network access type and the second network access type are respectively a 3GPP access type and a non-3GPP access type, or vice versa. Furthermore, method 700 includes, at step 710, identifying, by the network node, that at least one temporary slice present in both the first list of allowed network slices and the second list of allowed network slices for the UE is temporarily unavailable. At block 712, method 700 includes, in response to receiving the request from the UE, updating, by the network node, the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type by removing the temporary slice from the first list of allowed network slices for the first network access type. Furthermore, at step 714, the method 700 includes sending, by the network node to the UE, the updated first list of allowed network slices and an indication to remove the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type.

[0064] Figure 8A method 800 is shown for handling network slice access management for a user equipment (UE) that is unable to support a temporarily available network slice according to an embodiment. Although method 800 depicts a specific order of operations, the order may be changed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, some of the depicted operations may be performed in parallel or in a different order that does not materially affect the functionality of method 800. In other examples, different components may implement method 800 and may perform functions substantially simultaneously or in a specific order. The methods disclosed herein describe how a network node handles network slice access management for a UE when the UE is unable to support a temporarily available network slice.

[0065] At step 802, method 800 includes sending, by the UE, a request to register with a first set of slices via a first network access type. At step 804, method 800 includes receiving, by the UE, a first list of allowed network slices via the first network access type. At step 806, method 800 includes sending, by the UE, a request to register with a second set of slices via a second network access type. In response to sending the request, at step 808, the UE may receive a second list of allowed network slices via the second network access type. The first network access type and the second network access type are 3GPP access types and non-3GPP access types, respectively, or vice versa. Furthermore, method 800 includes receiving, by the UE, from a network node, at step 810, an updated first list of allowed network slices and an indication to remove a temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type. Finally, the method includes, at block 812, updating, by the UE, the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type to remove the temporary slice from the second list of allowed network slices for the second network access type, so as to prevent sending, to the network node, new requests for services utilizing the temporary slice via either the first network access type or the second access type.

[0066] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the detailed description.

[0067] The order in which the various operations of the method are described is not intended to be construed as limiting, and any number of blocks or steps described in the method can be combined in any order to implement the method. Furthermore, individual blocks or steps can be deleted from the method without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, the method can be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0068] It can be noted here that reference Figures 1 to 8The subject matter of some or all of the described embodiments may be related to the method and is not repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0069] The various operations of the methods described above may be performed by any suitable device capable of performing the corresponding functions. These devices may include various hardware and / or software components and / or modules, including but not limited to circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or processors. Generally, if operations are shown in a figure, those operations may be performed by any suitable corresponding paired device-plus-function components.

[0070] In addition, embodiments consistent with the present disclosure may be implemented utilizing one or more computer-readable storage media. A computer-readable storage medium refers to any type of physical memory that can store information or data readable by a processor. Thus, a computer-readable storage medium can store instructions for execution by one or more processors, including instructions for causing a processor to perform steps or stages consistent with the embodiments described herein. The term "computer-readable medium" should be understood to include tangible items and exclude carrier waves and transient signals, i.e., non-transitory. Examples include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), volatile memory, non-volatile memory, hard drives, compact disk (CD) ROMs, digital video disks (DVDs), flash drives, disks, and any other known physical storage media.

[0071] Certain aspects may include a computer program product for performing the operations presented herein. For example, such a computer program product may include a computer-readable medium having stored thereon (and / or encoded thereon) instructions, the instructions being executable by one or more processors to perform the operations described herein. For certain aspects, the computer program product may include packaging materials.

[0072] Various components, modules, or elements are described herein to emphasize functional aspects of devices configured to perform the disclosed techniques, but do not necessarily require implementation by different hardware elements. Instead, as described above, the various elements may be combined in hardware elements or provided by a collection of interoperating hardware elements, including one or more processors as described above, in conjunction with appropriate software and / or firmware.

[0073] As used herein, a phrase referring to "at least one" or "one or more" in a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, "at least one of a, b, or c" is intended to cover: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, and a and b and c. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the terms "a," "an," and "the" mean "one or more." When used in the claims, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof are used in a non-exclusive sense and are not intended to exclude the presence of other elements or steps in the claimed structure or method, unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0074] Finally, the language used in the specification is primarily selected for readability and instructional purposes and may not be selected to describe or limit the subject matter of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the present disclosure be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue based on the application hereof. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to illustrate, but not to limit, the scope set forth in the appended claims.

[0075] Various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above. The above description of the present disclosure is for illustrative purposes only, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can be easily modified and changed into other specific forms without departing from the technical ideas or essential features of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be determined by the above detailed description, but by the appended claims, and all modifications and changes derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be interpreted as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving temporary slice related information for a first single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity; Indicates whether the first S-NSSAI is available or unavailable; as well as Send a registration request message including a second S-NSSAI to the AMF entity based on the identifier, The registration request message does not include the first S-NSSAI.

2. The method according to claim 1, in, The temporary slice related information includes S-NSSAI time validity information, and The S-NSSAI time validity information is stored in a non-volatile memory.

3. The method according to claim 1, in, The temporary slice related information includes S-NSSAI location validity information, and The S-NSSAI location validity information is stored in a non-volatile memory.

4. The method according to claim 1, in, The first access type used to receive the temporary slice related information is different from the second access type used to send the registration request message.

5. A method performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: sending temporary slice related information for a first single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) to a user equipment (UE); as well as receiving, from the UE, a registration request message including a second S-NSSAI different from the first S-NSSAI, The registration request message does not include the first S-NSSAI.

6. The method according to claim 5, in, The temporary slice related information includes S-NSSAI time validity information, and The S-NSSAI time validity information is stored in a non-volatile memory of the UE.

7. The method according to claim 5, in, The temporary slice related information includes S-NSSAI location validity information, and The S-NSSAI location validity information is stored in a non-volatile memory of the UE.

8. The method according to claim 5, in, The first access type used to send the temporary slice related information is different from the second access type used to receive the registration request message.

9. A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: transceiver, and a controller coupled to the transceiver and configured to: receiving temporary slice related information for a first single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity; Indicates whether the first S-NSSAI is available or unavailable; as well as Send a registration request message including a second S-NSSAI to the AMF entity based on the identifier, The registration request message does not include the first S-NSSAI.

10. The UE according to claim 9, in, The temporary slice related information includes S-NSSAI time validity information, and The S-NSSAI time validity information is stored in a non-volatile memory.

11. The UE according to claim 9, in, The temporary slice related information includes S-NSSAI location validity information, and The S-NSSAI location validity information is stored in a non-volatile memory.

12. The UE according to claim 9, in, The first access type used to receive the temporary slice related information is different from the second access type used to send the registration request message.

13. An access and mobility management function (AMF) entity in a wireless communication system, the AMF entity comprising: transceiver, and a controller coupled to the transceiver and configured to: sending temporary slice related information for a first single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) to a user equipment (UE); receiving, from the UE, a registration request message including a second S-NSSAI different from the first S-NSSAI, The registration request message does not include the first S-NSSAI.

14. The AMF entity according to claim 13, in, The temporary slice related information includes S-NSSAI time validity information, and The S-NSSAI time validity information is stored in a non-volatile memory of the UE.

15. The AMF entity according to claim 13, in, The temporary slice related information includes S-NSSAI location validity information, wherein the S-NSSAI location validity information is stored in a non-volatile memory of the UE, and Among them, the first access type used to send the temporary slice related information is different from the second access type used to receive the registration request message.

Images