Techniques for reducing energy emissions of services

Abstract

Techniques for reducing energy emissions of a service used by a user, where the method comprises the steps of: providing, by the user, a demand profile related to the service to a network operator and / or to a service provider, where the demand profile comprises a QoD portion and an energy profile portion; providing a service to the UE, wherein the service provides a match with the demand profile.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method, a UE and a network designed to reduce the energy emission of a service.

[0002] Our society's awareness of energy-saving technologies is becoming increasingly important. Due to the continued electrification of nearly every aspect of our daily lives, often accompanied by a desire to use "green" (i.e., renewable) energy, it is becoming increasingly important to conserve energy wherever possible.

[0003] Energy-saving technologies are considered a major issue, particularly for future 5G and 6G networks. This is a key concern for research initiatives such as the EU's Horizon 2020 Smart Networks and Services project. However, this also applies to current 4G, Wi-Fi, and fixed network systems. The EU's goal, in particular, is to achieve a large-scale digital green transformation across vertical industries with a low carbon footprint.

[0004] A key part of achieving these emissions targets is reducing energy consumption by all users.

[0005] Current 5G and future 6G networks can provide communication capabilities using different network slices, each of which can achieve different Quality of Service (QoS) values. Consequently, there is an ongoing trend whereby customers can directly rank network slices relative to predefined QoD values ​​by using exposed APIs (application programming interfaces) to communicate quality-on-demand (QoD) rankings. Network operators can then adjust components of the radio network and / or core network based on those QoD rankings. These APIs are designed to simplify the QoD ranking process for customers. Customers can request network slices that meet their desired Quality of Experience (QoE) for different services, such as video production, gaming, computing tasks, latency requirements, and / or communication tasks. Network slices can be predefined by network operators and network resources to serve B2C and consumer needs.

[0006] However, such QoD ranking processes currently fail to consider energy emission parameters.

[0007] Therefore, the task of the present invention is to provide a technique to make the QoD ranking process take emissions and / or energy aspects into account so that a "greener" service can be provided. In the context of the present invention, greener means that the energy emissions of the used service can be reduced.

[0008] This object is solved by the features of the independent claims.

[0009] The features of the various aspects or the various embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with one another, unless this is explicitly excluded or technically impossible.

[0010] Furthermore, the terms first, second, third, etc. in the description and claims are used to distinguish between similar elements and not necessarily to describe a sequential or chronological order. It should be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in a sequence different from that described or illustrated herein.

[0011] When energy emissions are discussed herein, the term includes energy consumption and / or CO2 emissions and / or abstract energy categories. Therefore, in the context of the present invention, it should be understood that even a service provided with completely renewable energy (such as wind energy) can reduce its energy emissions if implemented on a server that requires less energy. It should be completely clear that the switch from coal-based energy to wind energy results in a reduction in energy emissions. Typically, services are provided via the data plane of the network operator - in this sense, the service can be called a data service. Therefore, it should be understood that services are not limited to providing only data-related services, but various types of services that can be requested via a data connection or communication link.

[0012] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for reducing energy emissions of services used by a UE over a telecommunications network (User Equipment) is disclosed, wherein the method comprises the following steps

[0013] Providing a demand profile related to the service to the network operator and / or service provider, wherein the demand profile comprises a QoD (Quality of Delivery) part and an energy profile part;

[0014] o The requirement profile may be provided by the user via his UE and / or via a web interface of a network operator and / or service provider. For example, the UE and / or other entity may have input means for specifying and / or creating a requirement profile. The UE and / or other entity may send the requirement profile to the network operator and / or service provider. The UE and / or web interface may be configured to allow the user to specify at least one requirement profile associated with a service. A requirement profile should be associated with a certain service because generally

[0015] Say, different services will show different demand profiles;

[0016] o The service may be provided solely by the network operator or also in a distributed manner by a service provider, where the network operator provides at least the services required to exchange data between the service provider and the UE.

[0017] essential telecommunications networks;

[0018] o In particular, the demand profile may be transmitted via the network operator's communication link;

[0019] o The network operator may store the demand profile in a database so that the network operator can reuse the demand profile each time the user requests a service;

[0020] • Providing a service to the UE, wherein the service offering matches the demand profile.

[0021] o In telecommunications, provision of services means providing users with the ability to communicate and exchange information over long distances. This can include a wide range of products, from traditional voice calls and text messaging to more advanced

[0022] services such as video conferencing, data transmission and Internet access;

[0023] o Services can be provided directly to the UE via a communication link or to the customer via a web interface.

[0024] o Service offerings and demand profiles can be represented as data types that can be compared to each other. In particular, if the data of both the service offering and the demand profile are the same, they are considered a match. The algorithm can also evaluate, for example, whether the service offering is better than the demand profile, which would also be considered a match. For example, the demand profile requires that at least 50% of the energy be based on renewable energy, and the service offering "provides"

[0025] 75% of energy supply should be based on renewable energy;

[0026] o UEs can be smartphones, tablets, computers, home machines or even vehicles like cars; vehicles can use such services for teleoperation and / or autonomous driving

[0027] Serve;

[0028] The UE can start the service after it receives the service offer. This method offers the advantage that the demand profile includes, for the first time, an energy profile component that is taken into account when providing the service to the UE. Thus, for the first time, energy emission aspects can be taken into account, allowing the provision of a "greener" service than previous services, while ensuring that the user receives the required QoS (Quality of Service) value and that the service can be operated securely.

[0029] An algorithm implemented on a server of the network operator and / or service provider can evaluate the demand profile and evaluate whether an already existing implementation of the service matches the demand profile. In such a case, such an implementation can be provided to the UE. If no implementation matching the demand profile currently exists, the network operator and / or service provider can assemble the operating units, QoS parameters and / or functions of the service accordingly to match the demand profile. For this purpose, the network operator and / or service provider has knowledge about the energy emissions and / or performance of the operating units and / or network functions when running the service in the case of certain QoS parameters. This knowledge can be evaluated due to an algorithm implemented by a server of the network operator / service provider and / or based on measured historical data related to the QoD value of the service. The algorithm can include a function of the state of the energy emissions of a certain network element relative to a certain QoS value. For example, the energy consumption of a communication link relative to the bandwidth E = communication link (bandwidth).

[0030] In an embodiment, the method further includes a step of requesting a service from the network operator and / or the service provider by the UE. This step may be performed before, after, or while providing the demand profile to the network operator and / or service provider. The service may be requested by a user operating a user device. The service may be a service such as video production, gaming, computing tasks, latency requirements, and / or communication tasks. The network operator at least provides a communication device to transfer service data between the UE and the service.

[0031] In an embodiment, the network operator and / or service provider selects and / or optimizes the following elements and / or functionalities of the telecommunications network providing the service to match the demand profile:

[0032] Radio technology used to exchange service-related data,

[0033] o The radio technology may include 4G, 5G, 6G, MIMO usage, Wi-Fi, and / or QoS parameters;

[0034] o Different radio technologies require different levels of energy to deliver service-related data to user equipment. For example, a Wi-Fi communication link typically requires less energy than a cellular link;

[0035] Core network components, such as servers, data center resources, over-allocation, and sharing;

[0036] Deployment location, such as edge deployment, local grooming, deployment, and availability of “green” energy for specific server, data center, or radio equipment locations;

[0037] In telecommunications, a "location" refers to the physical installation of specific equipment or infrastructure to create a network and provide various communication services. This equipment can include: Base station towers: These provide coverage for mobile communication networks (2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G) and are typically deployed in strategic locations such as rooftops, mountains, or dedicated towers. Fiber optic cables: These are high-speed transmission cables that are laid underground or overhead to provide internet and data services. Their location is crucial to network connectivity and speed. Submarine cables:

[0038] Connecting continents and countries to enable international communications, with specific landing points for connections; Data Centers:

[0039] Servers and other equipment needed to store and process information are strategically located for performance and redundancy. Understanding deployment locations is important for a variety of reasons: Network coverage and capacity: Deployment affects signal strength, coverage, and capacity of services such as mobile data and the internet. Optimizing locations ensures efficient coverage and minimizes dead zones. Regulatory compliance: Regulations often dictate where certain equipment can be placed for safety, environmental impact, and visual aesthetics. Cost and efficiency: Deployment decisions are driven by land acquisition, construction costs, and maintenance accessibility. Strategic placement optimizes resource allocation. Market coverage and competition: Operators consider population density, user demand, and competitor coverage when deploying infrastructure to maximize market coverage and service competitiveness;

[0040] Computing power, such as through provisioned local clusters, and / or

[0041] Computing power (also known as computing capacity) refers to a computer or system's ability to perform complex calculations and operations. It's essentially the driving force behind everything your computer can do, from basic arithmetic to running complex simulations. The more computing power a system has, the faster it can process information and complete tasks. This is crucial for a wide range of applications, from scientific research and engineering to artificial intelligence and gaming. Here are some key factors that contribute to computing power: Processor speed: Measured in clock speed (GHz), this determines how many cycles a processor can execute per second. Higher clock speeds generally indicate faster processing.

[0042] Number of cores: Modern processors often have multiple cores, which allows them to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

[0043] This can significantly improve the performance of tasks that can be parallelized. Memory: The amount of memory RAM (random access memory) affects how quickly the processor can access data. More RAM can lead to faster performance, especially for memory-intensive tasks. Storage: The speed and capacity of storage devices such as hard drives and solid-state drives (SSDs) can also affect computing power. Faster storage allows for faster data transfers, reducing bottlenecks. Software: The efficiency of the software being used can also affect computing power. Optimized software can better utilize available hardware resources, leading to improved performance;

[0044] Energy. The energy of the operating unit can be switched.

[0045] This has the technical effect that network operators and / or service providers can each have different energy emissions. These options can be combined to match demand profiles. The different options provide greater flexibility for combining operating units accordingly.

[0046] To match the demand profile, not only the operating units involved in providing the service can be adjusted and / or selected, but also the QoS performance parameters associated with the service can be adjusted and / or selected. Even if the operating units are not changed, if the QoS parameters are reduced, it will generally reduce energy emissions. For the purpose of matching the demand profile, the following QoS can be adjusted:

[0047] ·bandwidth,

[0048] Latency, especially E2E latency between the UE and the endpoint of the service,

[0049] resolution, and / or

[0050] In computing, resolution refers to the clarity or level of detail of an image, display, or digital signal. For displays, it is usually measured in pixels, indicating the number of distinct pixels in each dimension (e.g., 1920x1080). Higher resolutions provide sharper images and greater detail.

[0051] Frame rate.

[0052] In an embodiment, network operators and / or services create network slices of the telecommunications network to match demand profiles. A network slice can be considered a technical implementation of the service provided to a UE. The concept of network slicing for 5G and 6G, explained below, enables network operators to customize network slices based on user needs or demand profiles by enabling the ability to individually combine and create slices on demand. This concept offers significant flexibility and can also take into account the energy considerations outlined in the energy profile section. If a user wants to run a service using 4G communication technology, they have no choice but to use the technical implementation of the service already provided by the network operator. Such technical implementations are not customized for different services, resulting in wasted computing resources because the technical implementation must always be as good as the required QoS value for the service. Therefore, the ability to dynamically create new network slices that match demand profiles makes 5G or 6G slicing technology particularly advantageous for matching these demand profiles and for the first time considering energy aspects when providing network-based services to customers. Emissions can also be dynamically exposed to users in the form of notifications. This allows users to select services based on their varying sustainability requirements. The creation of network slices can be supported by artificial intelligence trained with appropriate datasets. For training, the following dataset can be used: a dataset of input requirement profiles and slices, where the composition of the slices matching the requirement profile has been labeled as correct, and the slices not matching the requirement profile have been labeled as wrong.

[0053] In an embodiment, the creation of a network slice involves setting up and / or deploying the functionality of the slice to match the demand profile. 5G and / or 6G network slicing also relies on the concept of virtualization, where software modules can be set up to implement the functional tasks of a network element. Setting up and / or deploying these functions at different locations within the network operator's network enables very flexible customization of the slice based on the quality of life (QoD) needs, while also taking into account energy requirements. For example, much functionality can be set up on a server that receives its energy from renewable energy sources.

[0054] In an embodiment, the notification device signals the availability of slices (particularly newly created slices) and the energy profile for the slices to the UE, to the web portal and / or to the UEs of other users.

[0055] This offers the advantage that newly created slices are signaled to other users, so that if their demand profile is important, these users can simply use existing slices. Thus, the library of available slices related to certain services can be continuously growing and can be used by essentially all users who are contractually allowed to use the network operator's services. It is advantageous if the slices are grouped according to different service categories to make it easier for users to find the slice corresponding to their service. This may justify the fact that different services may require different network slices, in particular different QoS values.

[0056] In an embodiment, new slices, particularly additional new slices, are created and / or adapted to dynamically scale up or down the QoS performance parameters of the slices used for a service. This provides the ability to adjust QoS performance in terms of energy while running a service. For example, a demand profile may require a range of values ​​for bandwidth or computing power for a service, where a user may only wish to use the best-performing value if it meets the energy requirements. In particular, in the case of renewable energy, the server on which at least some tasks of the service are executed may receive fluctuating amounts of energy from that renewable energy source. Thus, if wind and / or solar output increases, bandwidth and / or computing power can be dynamically increased because these values ​​meet the energy profile at that point in time, even if they did not when the service started. "Dynamically scaling up or down the QoS (Quality of Service) performance parameters of a slice" refers to the ability to adjust the level of service provided within a network slice based on current demand or network conditions. This requires dynamically modifying parameters (such as bandwidth, latency, reliability, and priority) to meet the changing requirements of applications or users. For example, during periods of high traffic, QoS parameters can be scaled up to ensure smoother service delivery, while during periods of low demand, they can be scaled down to optimize resource utilization without compromising performance. This flexibility enhances the efficiency and responsiveness of telecommunications networks.

[0057] In an embodiment, the QoD portion includes

[0058] Bandwidth value,

[0059] Waiting time values, especially E2E waiting time,

[0060] Resolution value,

[0061] Frame rate value, and / or

[0062] • A time window value, wherein the time window value may specify how long execution of the service will take and / or when execution will begin.

[0063] The individual combination of parameters of the QoD part enables customization of the operating units of the service, in particular the network slice used by the service, according to the user's requirements regarding the service.

[0064] In an embodiment, the QoD portion values ​​are minimum values ​​and / or ranges. If the QoD portion values ​​are minimum values, the network slices need to be adapted and / or created to ensure that the performance of the network slice is sufficient to meet these QoD portion values. If the QoD portion values ​​are expressed as a range of values, e.g. the bandwidth may be between 50 Mbit / s and 75 Mbit / s, this enables a very flexible way to create slices in order to meet the requirements of the energy profile portion. For example, in a case where the underlying operating units only use energy from renewable energy sources, the best possible performance value may be used, whereas in a case where the respective operating units do not use green energy, the minimum performance value may be used. In principle, providing a QoD portion is a range of values ​​that results in more degrees of freedom when creating network slices.

[0065] In an embodiment, the time window value specifies when the service must be completed. This has the advantage of delaying the start of the service until the time when the expected energy profile part will be met or will be better met. This is particularly advantageous for services that do not need to be executed at a certain point in time.

[0066] In an embodiment, the energy profile portion includes

[0067] Emissions budget,

[0068] o Only certain emission budgets can be allowed with respect to the QoS value of a service. If such an emission budget is being actively changed, the service can be stopped or the QoS value can be dynamically reduced, in particular by creating an appropriate new network slice. This has the technical effect of limiting emissions.

[0069] Energy consumption of each service,

[0070] o Operational units, in particular network slices, can be tuned to allow only a specific energy consumption per service.

[0071] CO2 output,

[0072] o Operational units, in particular network slices, can be tuned to allow only a certain CO2 output per service. CO2 output can be reduced when operating units are powered by renewable energy and / or when the QoS performance of the network slice is reduced;

[0073] Energy budget,

[0074] Energy, and / or

[0075] o Services may not or should not use certain energy sources. For example, nuclear power may be prohibited from being used in services.

[0076] Energy combination.

[0077] o Energy mix can specify how the energy used by a service contributes to the total energy consumption. For example, it can be stipulated that 75% of the energy used by a service should come from renewable energy sources, while 25% can come from nuclear power.

[0078] This enables the definition of a very flexible energy portion of a demand profile. It is even possible to specify whether certain specifications of the energy profile should or must be met.

[0079] In an embodiment, the provided service matches the demand profile at a certain point in time. Due to the fluctuating nature of renewable energy output, it may not be possible to run a service that matches the demand profile at all times. Specifically, the provided service matches the demand profile at the time the service was provided to the user, so that the user can start the service at that point in time. However, historical data can also be used to estimate further points in time when the demand profile is also met. This allows the user to start the service at those points in time.

[0080] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a UE is disclosed that is configured to provide a demand profile associated with a requested service to a network operator and / or a service provider, wherein the demand profile includes a Quality of Life (QoD) component and an Energy Profile component. For this purpose, the UE may include a communication interface for communicating with an appropriate API of the network operator. The UE may also be configured to request the provided service and / or display the energy profile of the provided service.

[0081] This provides the advantage that the UE can be used to communicate the demand profile of the service to the network operator. The UE can be a smartphone, tablet, computer, home machine or even a vehicle like a car; the vehicle can use such services for remote operation and / or autonomous driving services;

[0082] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a network, in particular a telecommunications network of a network operator, is disclosed, wherein the network is configured to:

[0083] Obtaining a demand profile associated with the service, wherein the demand profile includes a QoD portion and an energy profile portion;

[0084] • Providing a service to the UE, wherein the service offering matches the demand profile.

[0085] Such a network therefore offers essentially the same advantages as described in the context of the method.The network may be configured to perform the steps of the above-described method if these method steps are technically relevant to the network.

[0086] In an embodiment, the network is a 5G network and / or a 6G network and / or a future network and is configured to create a new network slice matching the demand profile.

[0087] The network may include a radio access network (RAN) portion and a core network portion, which has typical network entities (such as servers, databases, interfaces, communication links and / or base stations). In particular, the network includes a dedicated API interface for obtaining a demand profile. An algorithm can be implemented on a server of the network to analyze the demand profile and set up services accordingly to match the demand profile. In particular, the network is configured to create a new network slice that matches the demand profile. As mentioned above, 5G and / or 6G achieve better flexibility in providing services according to the demand profile. In particular, if the service operator is another network operator, it is possible for both the network operator and the other network operator to set up a common network slice that matches the demand profile.

[0088] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0089] Figure 1 : shows the method according to the present invention;

[0090] Figure 2 : shows the demand profile associated with the service;

[0091] Figure 3 : shows a communication system according to the present invention.

[0092] Figure 4 : Shows a system overview of the 5G communication environment;

[0093] In the following, the numerous features of the present invention are explained in detail with reference to preferred embodiments. The present disclosure is not limited to the specific named feature combinations. On the contrary, the features mentioned herein can be arbitrarily combined in the embodiments of the present invention, unless explicitly excluded below.

[0094] Figure 1 A method 100 for reducing energy emissions of a service used by a UE according to the present invention is shown, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

[0095] Step 110: The user provides a service-related demand profile to the network operator and / or the service provider, wherein the demand profile includes a QoD part and an energy profile part; in particular, the customer can subscribe to a QoD service for a specific QoE via a BSS (Basic Service Set) through an API interface, which has the following features: Figure 2 The required parameters are explained in the context of

[0096] Step 120: Provide a service to the UE and / or user, wherein the service provision matches the demand profile. In particular, QoD pre-service usage occurs, and the network operator's operating system may pre-initiate instantiation and / or reservation of network slices and radio resources that match the demand profile;

[0097] In the next step, the usage events forming the service, the requester network slice and the related QoD services can now be consumed by the customers with the help of their user equipment.

[0098] Therefore, this new approach proposes a new way to create, define and / or optimize specific network slices based on network performance and energy / emission parameters and enable customers to select, change or modify slices in a dynamic manner. Additionally, these parameters can be provided back to the customer to modify or select a different slice.

[0099] Figure 2 An exemplary demand profile 200 that may be associated with a service is shown. Figure 2 In the embodiment, the service is a video production service. Demand profile 200 includes a Quality of Life (QoD) section 210 and an Energy Profile section 220. Network slices need to be designed to match the entries in demand profile 200. The QoD section 210 lists values ​​for minimum resolution video capture, target resolution, minimum frame rate, bandwidth, and / or processing power for the network operator's network servers. The Energy Profile section 220 lists the emissions budget, energy consumption per service, CO2 output, energy source, and / or energy extraction. Providing this demand profile 200 to the network operator enables the network operator to design a service network slice for the service accordingly.

[0100] Figure 3 A communication system 300 configured to perform the above-described method according to the present invention is shown. Figure 3 An exemplary case where the service is a video production service is explained.

[0101] The communication system 300 includes i) a first camera 305 and a second camera 310 as user equipment 305, 310, and ii) a communication network 350 of a network operator, in particular a 5G communication network 350, wherein the 5G communication network 350 includes a 5G RAN, a 5G core 355, a BSS 360, and / or a video production environment 365. A network API 366, a service enabling function 367, and a service API-QoD 368 may be used to provide the network operator with the video production environment 365 having parameters according to the demand profile 200.

[0102] Customers can provide their demand profile 200 to the network operator using a dedicated API. For this purpose, customers can use dashboard 381 of self-service portal 380 to provide information to the network operator. Customers can request service initiation when creating, using, or requesting dynamic modification of a slice, where the network slice needs to match demand profile 200. Thanks to the energy profile section 220, network slices can be created taking those emissions aspects into account to reduce the emissions / energy consumption of the service. Customers can also be informed via dashboard 381 about energy parameters and alternative network slices that have been optimized in terms of energy. For example, a customer may prefer a video streaming or gaming service with a certain maximum emissions, so they accept a certain reduction in QoS parameters. Providing alternative network slices that reduce emissions and minimize the impact on QoS can be a very promising business model. As a first alternative, network slice selection via the API can be performed by a custom application without actual human interaction. The application can control the slice sorting process via an operator API, which is automatically triggered by predefined parameters or based on current quality measurements. As a second alternative: the network operator may select or re-modify the energy-based optimization slice for a customer based on the customer's service contract, for example based on a defined emission budget.

[0103] The parameters of the network slice can also be exposed to the customer via a simplified API (e.g., through the NEF network exposure function) via the dashboard 381. The API can also include the value of the maximum or minimum emission value or CO2 budget in a customer-readable manner.

[0104] If a network operator is provided with a demand profile 200, it can define or create (templates for) new network slices and notify customers of these new slices, especially if the customer performs a slice request. The emission parameters of the slices can also be exposed. For this purpose, it may be beneficial to simplify notifications and API interactions due to customer needs.

[0105] Since the network operator has knowledge of how to optimize the radio (macro cells, micro cells, radio technology) and core network resources (data centers, cloud usage, location capabilities, oversubscription) of the network slice, the network operator can take the energy portion 220 into account when modifying or creating the appropriate network slice by using a dedicated algorithm designed to determine the slice that matches the demand profile 200.

[0106] Therefore, customers as well as network operators or any service providers can dynamically request or modify a network slice that matches the demand profile 200 via the exposed simplified API interface (e.g., exposed via NEF). After this step, the UE can use the created or modified network slice for a specific service.

[0107] Figure 3 The video production service is shown being provided to the customer as a first network slice 385a (bold type) or as a second network slice 385b on the dashboard 381. The QoS parameters of the first network slice 385a are superior to the QoS parameters of the second network slice 385b, such that the former can facilitate HD video production, while the latter can facilitate SD video production services.

[0108] The first camera 305 uses the first network slice 385a and the second camera 310 uses the second network slice 385b to capture video and transmit the associated video streams 305a, 310a to the 5G RAN over the radio access network (particularly via 5G cellular communication means). The video streams 305a, 310a travel through the 5G core network 355 of the telecommunications network and arrive at the video production environment 365, where the video stream of the first camera 305 is being processed according to the HD standard and where the video stream of the second camera 310 is being processed according to the SD standard.

[0109] The communication system 300 may also provide remote access 390 to the test platform.

[0110] In the following, an embodiment of a communication network 350, in particular a 5G radio communication network, is described. The principles explained are also applicable to future 6G networks. Figure 4 The principles described in the context of can be applied to the present invention in order to design a network slice according to a demand profile 200:

[0111] The radio communication network 400 may comprise a network 400 according to the fifth generation (5G) or according to another generation such as 6G, for example as described below with respect to Figure 4 At least part of the present invention may be implemented as a virtual network function of an activation layer of a 5G network communicating with a physical layer of the 5G network, for example, as described below with respect to Figure 4 described.

[0112] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary 5G system architecture 400 is shown. The 5G system architecture 400 includes an area with 5G communication terminals 401, which can connect to a multi-layer communication structure via different access technologies 402. The multi-layer communication structure includes an infrastructure and resource layer 405, an activation layer 404, and an application layer 403, which are managed by a management and orchestration plane 406.

[0113] The infrastructure and resource layer 405 includes the physical resources of a converged network structure ("fixed-mobile convergence") of fixed and mobile network components with access points, cloud nodes (including processing and storage nodes), 5G devices (such as mobile phones, portable devices, CPE, machine communication modules and other network nodes) and related links. 5G devices may include multiple and configurable capabilities and, for example, act as repeaters or hubs, or may operate as computer or memory resources depending on the specific context. These resources are provided to higher layers 404, 403 and the management and orchestration layer 406 via corresponding APIs (application programming interfaces). Monitoring performance and configuration is inherent in such APIs.

[0114] The activation layer 404 includes a library of functions required within the converged network in the form of modularly architected blocks. These include functions implemented in software modules that can be retrieved from a storage location at the desired location, as well as configuration parameter sets for specific parts of the network (e.g., radio access). These features and capabilities can be accessed on demand by the management and orchestration layer 406 using provided APIs. Certain functions may exist in multiple variants, for example, different implementations of the same functionality with different performance or characteristics.

[0115] The application layer 403 includes specific applications and services for network operators, companies, vertical operators, or third parties (service providers) using the 5G network. The interface to the management and orchestration layer 406 allows certain dedicated network slices to be used for applications, or applications to be assigned to existing network slices.

[0116] The management and orchestration layer 406 is the touchpoint for translating the desired use cases (use cases, business models) into actual network functions and slices. It defines the network slice for a given application scenario, connects the relevant modular network functions, assigns the relevant performance profiles, and maps everything to the resources of the infrastructure and resource layer 405. The management and orchestration layer 406 also manages the scaling of the capacity of these functions and their geographical distribution. In certain applications, the management and orchestration layer 406 may also have the capability to allow third parties to generate and manage their own network slices through the use of APIs. Due to the numerous tasks of the management and orchestration layer 406, these are not monolithic functional blocks, but rather a collection of modular functions that integrates advances already achieved in different network domains, such as NFV (Network Function Virtualization), SDN (Software Defined Networking), or SON (Self-Organizing Networking). The management and orchestration layer 106 leverages data-assisted intelligence to optimize all aspects of service assembly and deployment.

[0117] The 5G network 400 improves communication efficiency and, in particular, provides higher data throughput, lower latency, particularly high reliability, significantly higher connection density, and a larger mobility range. The 5G network 400 increases operational flexibility and offers customized features and functionality while conserving network resources. This performance improvement comes with the ability to control highly heterogeneous environments and protect user trust, identity, and privacy. The presented devices, systems, and methods are intended to improve communication and billing efficiency in communication networks, particularly in 5G communication networks with multiple network slices, as described below.

[0118] Thus, the demand profile may be provided to the management and orchestration layer 406, where the above algorithm is run on the management and orchestration layer 406 to determine network slices that match the demand profile 200. The management and orchestration layer 406 then creates the slices by setting up the infrastructure and resource layer 405, activation layer 404, and application layer 403 accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for reducing energy emissions of a service used by a UE, wherein the method comprises the following steps: Providing a demand profile related to the service by the user to the network operator and / or to the service provider, wherein the demand profile comprises a QoD part and an energy profile part; • Providing a service to the UE, wherein the service offering matches the demand profile.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network operator and / or the service provider selects and / or optimizes the following elements and / or functionalities of the telecommunications network providing the service to match the demand profile the radio technology used to exchange data related to said services, Core network components, Deployment location, Hashrate, and / or ·energy.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the network operator and / or the service provider selects and / or adjusts the following QoS performance parameters related to the service to match the demand profile: ·bandwidth, Waiting time, resolution, and / or Frame rate.

4. The method of any one of claims 2-3, wherein the network operator and / or the service creates a network slice of the telecommunications network to match the demand profile.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the creation of the network slice comprises setting up and / or arranging functionality of the slice to match the demand profile.

6. The method according to any one of claims 4-5, wherein the notification means signals the availability of slices, in particular newly created slices, and energy profiles for the slices to the UE.

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 3 and 4 to 6, wherein new slices, in particular additional new slices, are created to dynamically scale up or down the QoS performance parameters of the slice used for the service.

8. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the QoD portion comprises Bandwidth value, Waiting time value, Resolution value, Frame rate value, and / or Time window value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the value of the QoD portion is a range and / or a minimum value.

10. The method of any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein a time window value specifies when the service must be completed.

11. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the energy profile portion comprises Emissions budget, Energy consumption per serving, CO2 output, Energy budget, Energy, and / or Energy combination.

12. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the provided service matches the demand profile at a point in time.

13. A UE configured to provide a demand profile related to a requested service to a network operator and / or to a service provider, wherein the demand profile comprises a QoD part and an energy profile part.

14. A network, in particular a telecommunications network of a network operator, configured for Obtaining a demand profile associated with the service, wherein the demand profile includes a QoD portion and an energy profile portion; • Providing a service to the UE, wherein the service offering matches the demand profile.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein the network is a 5G network or a 6G network, and the network is configured to create a new network slice that matches the demand profile.

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