Customized wireless protocol layer

Abstract

Various exemplary embodiments disclose a method and apparatus for customizing a wireless protocol layer, and a computer readable storage medium. According to an exemplary embodiment, a terminal device in a communication network is configured to send auxiliary information of the terminal device to a wireless access network or a core network; and receiving one or more wireless protocol models matched with the auxiliary information of the terminal equipment from the wireless access network. By using the solution of the invention, the wireless protocol layer applied to the terminal device can be flexibly determined.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the field of communication technology, and more specifically, to a method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium for customizing a wireless protocol layer. Background Technology

[0002] In wireless communication networks, the services and use cases supported by the networks are becoming increasingly diverse. The wireless access technologies of sixth-generation (6G) communication systems are expected to support extreme communication requirements in terms of latency, reliability, and / or throughput. For example, within the framework of Industry 4.0, wireless factories are expected to be realized, where wireless technology can be used to replace cables, even for the most demanding applications. To this end, cable-like reliability must be provided within the stringent latency requirements of certain wireless isochronous real-time use cases in industrial automation applications (e.g., reliability up to nine nines within a 0.1ms latency), requirements even more stringent than the service requirements for network physical control applications in vertical industries. These requirements clearly exceed the capabilities of current 5G systems.

[0003] Similarly, it can be expected that the initial service focus of 6G systems will primarily build upon the deployment of 5G systems. 6G technology will enable the delivery of a variety of 5G services in a more efficient, secure, resilient, economical, and sustainable manner. A key factor in achieving sustainability goals is reducing the energy consumption of networks and devices, thereby minimizing the carbon footprint associated with the exponential growth of network traffic. Furthermore, energy efficiency in devices ensures longer battery life across various sizes, which is crucial for driving the adoption and deployment of 6G services and related equipment.

[0004] Based on the above considerations, the architecture design of 6G communication networks needs to strike a balance between "functional enhancement" and "architectural simplification." Functional enhancement means that the network should have sufficient responsiveness and adaptability to cope with the complexity of existing and future services (which have differentiated requirements). Simplification at least means simplifying the reference architecture, simplifying the logical constraints between different protocol layers, and simplifying the setup or maintenance of wireless connections. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Overall, the various example embodiments of this disclosure provide a solution for flexibly determining and configuring wireless protocol layers.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for a terminal device is provided, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, the at least one memory and the instructions being configured to use the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to at least perform: transmitting auxiliary information of the terminal device to a wireless access network or a core network; and receiving from the wireless access network one or more wireless protocol models that match the auxiliary information of the terminal device.

[0007] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for a wireless access network is provided, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, the at least one memory and the instructions being configured to use the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to at least: receive auxiliary information of a terminal device from a terminal device or a core network; and determine one or more wireless protocol models for the terminal device, at least based on the auxiliary information of the terminal device.

[0008] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for a core network is provided, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions, the at least one memory and the instructions being configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following actions using the at least one processor: in response to receiving a service request, identifying a terminal device associated with the service; determining a Radio Access Network (RAN) processing profile for the service for the terminal device, the RAN processing profile including information for serving the RAN of the terminal device; and transmitting the RAN processing profile to the RAN.

[0009] Example embodiments of methods, apparatus, computer program products, and readable media are also provided. These exemplary embodiments generally correspond to the exemplary embodiments in the foregoing aspects, and for convenience, repeated descriptions thereof are omitted herein.

[0010] Other features and advantages of the various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will also become apparent from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the principles of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure by way of example. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 A schematic diagram is shown in which a cellular communication system in which an example embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented;

[0012] Figure 2 An example architecture of an in-X subnet structure to which this disclosure can be applied is shown;

[0013] Figure 3-4 A high-level flowchart for customizing a wireless protocol is shown according to an example embodiment;

[0014] Figure 5 This illustrates combination options for the wireless protocol layer according to an example embodiment;

[0015] Figure 6 A flowchart for customizing a wireless protocol according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0016] Figure 7-9 A flowchart of a method for customizing a wireless protocol according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0017] Figure 10 A schematic block diagram of a communication system according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0018] The same or substantially the same elements, operations, and steps shown in the various figures may be indicated by the same reference numerals. For clarity, not every element, operation, or step is shown in every figure. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein, but can be implemented in various other forms; these exemplary embodiments are provided only for a more thorough and complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should also be understood that the accompanying drawings are given by way of example only and are not intended to limit the precise form of the embodiments or to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0020] In the following description, various exemplary embodiments will be illustrated using radio access architectures based on Long Term Evolution Enhanced (LTE-A), New Radio (5G NR), Beyond 5G Enhanced (5G-A), or 6G as examples, but the exemplary embodiments are not limited to such architectures. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments can also be applied to other types of communication networks by appropriately adjusting parameters and processes.

[0021] As used herein, the term "network device" refers to any suitable entity or device capable of providing a cell or coverage area through which terminal devices can access the network or receive services. Network devices are often referred to as base stations. The term "base station" as used herein may refer to a Node B (or NB), an evolved Node B (or eNodeB or eNB), or a gNB or ng eNB. A base station can be embodied as a macro base station, a relay node, or a low-power node such as a pico or femtobase. A base station may consist of several distributed network units such as a baseband unit (BBU), one or more remote radio heads (RRHs) or remote radio units (RRUs). In some architectures, the BBU may be divided into a central unit (CU) and one or more distributed units (DUs). The number and functionality of these distributed units depend on the chosen discrete RAN architecture.

[0022] As used herein, the term "terminal device" or "user equipment" (UE) means any entity or device capable of wireless communication with or with network devices. Examples of terminal devices may include mobile phones, mobile terminals, mobile stations, subscriber stations, portable subscriber stations, access terminals, computers, wearable devices, vehicular communication devices, machine-type communication (MTC) devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, Internet of Everything (IoE) devices, device-to-device (D2D) communication devices, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication devices, sensors, etc. The term "terminal device" may be used interchangeably with UE, user terminal, mobile terminal, mobile station, or wireless device.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a communication system 100 in which an example embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown. (See reference...) Figure 1 The communication system 100 may include network components such as a radio access network RAN ​​120 and a core network CN 130. Through RAN 120 and CN 130, the communication system 100 can be configured to establish a connection or communication between a UE 110 and a data network DN (not shown). The UE device 110 may reside on a cell served by a base station in RAN 120 and wirelessly communicate with the base station on uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) channels; the base station may connect to CN 130 via a network interface (e.g., an NG interface). In some embodiments, the core network CN 130 or the data network DN may be connected to an application function, an operation and maintenance management (OAM) system, or a server.

[0024] In some embodiments, the UE device 110 and the base station may be part of a cellular communication network such as a 5G NR network, in which the UE device 110 may be implemented as an NR-enabled UE device 110, the RAN 120 may be implemented as a next-generation radio access network (NG-RAN), the base station may be implemented as a next-generation node B (gNB), and the CN 130 may be implemented as a 5G core network (5GC).

[0025] It is understood that the above network systems are merely examples and not limitations. Given the development of communication technologies, the embodiments of this disclosure can also be applied to future communication technologies and systems, such as sixth-generation (6G) communication systems. This includes both general architecture designs for 6G systems and dedicated architecture designs within 6G systems. For example, Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the architecture of a 6G in-X subnetwork, a concept proposed to meet the extremely high requirements of 6G radio access technology in terms of latency, reliability, and / or throughput. 6G in-X subnetworks, also known as in-X cells, are semi-autonomous, highly specialized cells with limited coverage installed in locations requiring high performance, such as production modules, vehicles, or the human body, for critical functions such as heartbeat control. In-X cells may include factory / robotic cells, vehicle-mounted cells, and in-body cells.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, subNW 210 may include one or more UE devices 211 (e.g., production modules, robots, etc.), a sub-access network node (sub-AN) 213 providing radio access for UE 211, one or more sub-core network (sub-CN) instances 217 for providing local services, one or more sub-data network (DN) instances 219, and a mobile terminal (MT) function 215. The interfaces between different network functions (NFs) in Sub-AN 213 and / or Sub-CN 217, and the interface between Sub-AN 213 and Sub-CN 217, support the service-based architecture (SBA) defined in the 5GS system. SubNW 210 can be connected to WAN 220 via MT function 215 and another RAN node 221 in the WAN. WAN 220 also includes core network CN 223 and data network DN 225. The functions and connections of the network components in WAN 220 are related to... Figure 1 Similarly, this will not be elaborated upon here. RAN node 221 in WAN 220 can be used as a backhaul node for subnet 210, acting as a relay between UE 211 and other network components or data services such as CN 223 and DN 225. Therefore, in this architecture, UE 211 in subnet 210 can simultaneously support local and non-local services.

[0027] As mentioned above, the architecture design of 6G communication networks needs to strike a balance between "functional enhancement" and "architectural simplification," a challenge that the current 3GPP specifications have not effectively addressed. For example, one operation involves configuring different RAN parameter ranges for a UE based on known or reported UE capability categories. However, this configuration is static and does not allow the UE capability category to change over time. Another example is the current specification's configuration of Data Radio Bearers (DRBs), which allows RAN functions to be activated or deactivated through flattened parameter configurations for each DRB / logical channel. However, for the diverse potential needs of 6G applications, different services may be processed through different radio protocol layers, and adhering to restrictive constraints between different radio protocol layers is unreasonable.

[0028] Based on the inventors' above analysis and research, some aspects of this disclosure provide a method for customizing a radio protocol stack for UEs with specific capability attributes and / or different service preferences. The basic principle of the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure is that, for example, before establishing or modifying the Quality of Service (QoS) flow associated with the service data flow, the RAN can determine one or more radio protocol models. Here, a "radio protocol model" refers to a parameter model that indicates which functions of which radio protocol layers will be activated and / or the operating mode of each radio protocol layer, thereby enabling customization of the radio protocol layer configuration. In some exemplary embodiments, further customization can also be achieved through a radio protocol profile. Here, a "radio protocol profile" is associated with a radio protocol model and indicates the configuration parameters of the radio protocol layers defined by the relevant radio protocol model. Embodiments of this disclosure can determine a suitable radio protocol model for the UE based on various factors such as the UE's capability attributes and service preferences, and configure appropriate radio protocol layer parameters based on the specific QoS requirements of the service data flow. Through this customization, embodiments of this disclosure can achieve on-demand service functions and flexible wireless protocol layer configuration, providing relaxed logical constraints for different wireless protocol layer processing, thereby achieving a better balance between enhancing the functionality of the communication network and simplifying its architecture. Reference will be made below. Figures 3 to 6 The following describes in detail the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0029] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a high-level process for customizing a wireless protocol layer according to an example embodiment is shown, primarily illustrating the process of determining and configuring the wireless protocol model and wireless protocol configuration file. In some implementations, Figure 3-4 The operations shown can be performed by nodes, devices, and network functions in a communication network (e.g., a 6G network), as described in the reference above. Figure 1 The UE 110, Radio Access Network RAN ​​120, Core Network CN 130 described, or referenced Figure 2 The UE 211, Sub-AN 213, and Sub-CN 217 described herein will be used for execution. For ease of discussion, the main references will be... Figure 1 The network architecture is used to describe the relevant processes or operations, and in some implementations, references are made to... Figure 2 The network architecture will be described in detail below. In some example embodiments, the UE 110 / 211, the radio access network RAN ​​120 / 213, and the core network CN 130 / 217 may include multiple components, modules, or elements that are implemented to perform the operations related to the custom radio protocol layer discussed above and below, and these components, modules, and elements may be implemented in various ways, including but not limited to software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof for performing the operations.

[0030] First refer to Figure 3 At operation 302, UE 110 sends an uplink message to the radio access network RAN ​​120, and RAN 120 (e.g., a network device such as a base station) receives the message.

[0031] In one embodiment, the message may include a request to configure a radio protocol model for UE 110, based on which RAN 120 may trigger corresponding operations to determine and install the model. Alternatively, the message may be sent based on a request from RAN 120. The message may include auxiliary information for the terminal device, specific to UE 110, indicating the capabilities and / or service attributes of UE 110. For example, the auxiliary information for terminal device UE 110 may include at least one of the following: one or more capability categories of the terminal device; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified radio protocol layer; the terminal device's preference for service types; or the terminal device's preference for service identifiers. The capability category of the terminal device may be its hardware capabilities, such as whether it is a specific type of device (e.g., an MTC / IoT device), or an indication of the uplink / downlink data rates, HARQ processing capabilities, etc., that the UE can support. When UE 110 has multiple capability categories (e.g., when it supports both conventional and lightweight hardware capabilities), it reports each capability category; the indication that the terminal device supports a simplified radio protocol layer can be used to indicate whether UE 110 supports some simplified radio protocol stack architecture; the terminal device's preference for service type can indicate, for example, that UE 110 prefers local services, or prefers non-local services, or can support both local and non-local services simultaneously; the terminal device's preference for service identifier can include, for example, service type information and service priority information.

[0032] At operation 304, based at least on the received terminal device assistance information, RAN 120 may determine one or more radio protocol models for the terminal device. For example, if UE 110 reports multiple capability categories, RAN 120 may determine a corresponding radio protocol model for each capability category. In some embodiments, RAN 120 may also determine the radio protocol model based on the aforementioned assistance information and local policies.

[0033] As described above, the "wireless protocol model" in this paper can be understood as a parametric model, which includes relevant information for customizing the wireless protocol layer. For example, it indicates which functions of which wireless protocol layer need to be activated based on the UE's hardware capabilities, specific service preferences, and / or the operating mode of each wireless protocol layer. This information can be characterized, for example, by parameters with one or more predefined structured data types, each of which may include one or more attributes or parameters. Specifically, a wireless protocol model may specifically indicate at least one of the following: the identifier of the wireless protocol model; the mapped terminal device capabilities; the mapped service type preferences; the features to be supported or activated at the terminal device; the wireless protocol layers to be supported at the terminal device; the functions to be supported or activated for the said wireless protocol layer; or the parameters to be used for said features, wireless protocol layers, or functions.

[0034] In one example, each wireless protocol model may have an identifier for the wireless protocol model as a query index, based on which the attributes or parameters indicated by the wireless protocol model can be obtained.

[0035] In one example, the mapped terminal device capabilities and the mapped service type preferences can indicate the terminal device capabilities and service type preferences mapped by the identifier of the aforementioned wireless protocol model, preferably matching the hardware capability categories and service preferences reported by UE 110.

[0036] In one example, the features to be supported or activated at the terminal device may indicate information such as requesting system messages on demand, creating / updating cell groups, performing measurements, or receiving dedicated paging messages. Based on this indication, UE 110 will activate or enable the corresponding feature.

[0037] In one example, the radio protocol layer to be supported at the terminal device can be used to indicate the protocol layer (e.g., PHY / MAC / RLC / PDCP / SDAP layers, etc.) or group of protocol layers that will be created or implemented at the UE 110, for example, Figure 5The diagram illustrates several possible combinations of wireless protocol layers that a wireless protocol model can indicate. For example, if the terminal device capabilities of UE 110 indicate that it is an ambient power-enabled IoT (AIoT) device, RAN 120 can determine wireless protocol stack 502 as shown in option (a), including the physical layer (PHY) and media access layer (MAC) for the user plane (UP) and control plane (CP), and higher control plane layers for some radio resource control (RRC) related processing. If the auxiliary information of UE 110 indicates that it supports simplified wireless protocol layers, or that it prefers low-complexity and / or low-latency services, RAN 120 can determine wireless protocol stacks 504, 506, and 508 as shown in options (b), (c), or (d) for UE 110 based on this auxiliary information and RAN 120's local policies (e.g., the wireless network functions that RAN 120 needs to implement). Figure 5 As shown, in option (b), the MAC layer above the PHY layer, the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and the Serving Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer can be defined as Transparent Mode (TM). The RLC layer can also be defined as Unacknowledged Mode (UM) and Acknowledged Mode (AM). In this way, RAN 120 can flexibly indicate the combination of radio protocol layers to be supported at the terminal equipment. In option (c), SDAP, PDCP, and part of the RLC layer can be configured as new L2 higher layers, while the MAC layer and part of the RLC layer are configured as L2 lower layers. In option (d), only part of the L2 protocol layers are configured. It can be understood that... Figure 5 The radio protocol layers shown are for illustrative purposes only and are not limitations. The RAN 120 may also determine other suitable combinations of radio protocol layers based on the auxiliary information provided by the UE 110 to match or meet the hardware capabilities and / or service preferences of the UE 110.

[0038] In one example, the functions to be supported or activated by the wireless protocol layer can be used to indicate the functions to be implemented by one or more wireless protocol layers identified above, such as header compression and security protection of the PDCP layer, segmentation / serialization processing of the RLC layer, and HARQ processing of the MAC layer.

[0039] In one example, the parameters to be used for the aforementioned features, radio protocol layers, or functions can be used to indicate parameters associated with the features, radio protocol layers, and / or functions that the aforementioned UE 110 will support / activate, such as QoS parameters, processing parameters for each protocol layer (e.g., compression, etc.).

[0040] return Figure 3Optionally, after determining one or more radio protocol models that match the auxiliary information of UE 110, at operation 306, RAN 120 sends the determined radio protocol model to UE 110.

[0041] In one example, RAN 120 may send one or more radio protocol models, as determined in operation 304, to UE 110 before the establishment of the QoS flow for UE 110. Accordingly, UE 110 may receive and store the radio protocol models. This reduces the activation delay for radio protocol stack entities. After the service data flow is established or updated, RAN 120 and UE 110 can then configure precise attribute or parameter values ​​to process the corresponding service data.

[0042] In one example, UE 110 may also receive an indication that one of one or more radio protocol models determined by RAN 120 is used as the radio protocol model. For example, the indication may include identification information of the radio protocol model. Based on the identification, UE 110 determines the radio protocol model to be used and can create an entity for the radio protocol layer indicated by the radio protocol model. For example, after UE 110 successfully establishes a connection with the core network CN 130 for the first time, RAN 120 may indicate the initial radio protocol model to be used to UE 110.

[0043] Continue to refer to Figure 3 After the core network CN 130 receives a service request (e.g., a new or updated service data stream), at operation 308, CN 130 first identifies the terminal device (assuming UE 110) associated with the service and determines the RAN processing profile for the service for the terminal device. In this document, the "RAN processing profile" refers to the information configured by CN 130 for the radio access network (e.g., RAN 120) serving UE 110 for this service, based on which RAN 120 can determine the appropriate radio protocol model and configuration information.

[0044] In one example, the aforementioned information for RAN 120 may include at least one of service assistance information and feature activation information in RAN 120. The service assistance information may, for example, include parameters for establishing or modifying QoS flows (e.g., latency, bit error rate, etc.); the feature activation information may include at least one of the following: indications of preferences for data transmission via the user plane or control plane; time-sensitive communication assistance information; QoS monitoring; or explicit congestion notification (ECN) marking. Upon receiving this reference information, RAN 120 may determine a radio protocol model matching the service and parameter configuration information applied to that model, which will be described exemplarily later.

[0045] In one example, the reference information may also include valid information or handover policies for the aforementioned service assistance information and / or feature activation information. The handover policy indicates, for example, adjusting the service assistance information and feature activation information upon receiving a new service request or service update. In one example, the handover policy may be set to the steering mode in Access Service Steering, Handover, and Offloading (ATSSS) as defined in TS23.501. For example, the policy may be defined as "Active-Standby," "Minimum Delay," "Load Balancing," or "Priority-Based." In another example, the handover policy may be set to "Minimum Power Consumption." Based on this handover policy, the UE involved in the service should select the configuration file or parameters with the lowest power consumption while ensuring QoS. Valid information can be used to indicate the time information (e.g., start time and effective duration) and spatial information (e.g., effective coverage area) of the service assistance information, feature activation information, and / or configuration file. By configuring valid information and handover policies, network operations can be dynamically adjusted to adapt to the changing wireless environment in terms of time and space, thereby facilitating customized or optimized service processing.

[0046] At operation 310, CN 130 sends the RAN processing configuration file to RAN 120. As previously described, the RAN processing configuration file may include service support information, feature activation information, and the configuration file's switching policy and validity information.

[0047] Next, at operation 312, RAN 120 determines the appropriate radio protocol model and configuration information for UE 110 based on the RAN processing configuration file and local policies received from CN 130.

[0048] In one example, RAN 120 may select one or more determined radio protocol models (determined and established in operation 304) as the radio protocol model to be applied to UE 110 based on received service assistance information. For example, if QoS-related attributes or parameters contained in the service assistance information indicate a simplified radio protocol layer and extremely low latency, RAN 120 may select a radio protocol model with a customized radio protocol layer configuration (e.g., Figure 5 Option c) utilizes the simplified wireless protocol stack of this model to meet the latency requirements of the service.

[0049] In one example, RAN 120 may also determine and create radio protocol configuration information applicable to the selected radio protocol model, such as one or more radio protocol profiles associated with the selected radio protocol model. Each radio protocol profile may have a profile identifier (ID) as its index and may include precise parameter values ​​configured for one or more radio protocol layers defined in the selected radio protocol model. The association information between the selected radio protocol model and the one or more radio protocol profiles created may be maintained at RAN 120.

[0050] This disclosed wireless protocol model can be considered to provide the basic elements for customizing wireless protocol layer configurations. Further customization of the wireless protocol is achieved through wireless protocol configuration files associated with the model. As described above, the wireless protocol model can be considered a parameter-encoded model composed of structured data types, each of which may include one or more attributes or parameters. In one example, the wireless protocol model may include some attributes or parameters from all structured data types, with the remaining details defined in the wireless protocol configuration file. In another example, the wireless protocol model only defines the skeletons of all structured data types, with their attributes or parameters being null (NA). The value of each attribute or parameter is determined by configuring the wireless protocol configuration file associated with the selected model. In this way, since only the values ​​of the attributes or parameters need to be transmitted downlink during reconfiguration, the signaling overhead for the configuration file can be greatly reduced.

[0051] In one implementation, RAN 120 may determine the radio protocol profile for UE 110 based at least on one or more of the following: received service assistance information, feature activation information, available radio resources, and local policies. For example, RAN 120 may map received QoS-related attributes or parameters to radio bearer-related attributes or parameters defined in the radio protocol profile, which are configured for the relevant radio protocol layer (e.g., SDAP layer) defined in the radio protocol model. As another example, based on feature activation information received from CN 130, RAN 120 may configure specific attributes or parameters in the created radio protocol profile to activate radio protocol layer operations corresponding to the feature activation information. For instance, if CN 130 activates a QoS monitoring-related feature in RAN 120 by setting the corresponding attribute or parameter in the RAN processing profile, in response to receiving the attribute or parameter, RAN 120 may instruct UE 110 to activate the QoS monitoring function in the created radio protocol profile and begin measuring the indicated QoS measurement metrics.

[0052] In one example, the radio protocol configuration information may further include valid information or a handover policy for the created radio protocol profile, which respectively instructs the UE 110 to apply the profile when predetermined conditions are met, or to switch the currently applied profile to another profile. In one implementation, if the RAN 120 receives valid information (e.g., time or spatial information) and / or a handover policy (e.g., a power consumption-related policy) from the CN 130 during operation 310, the RAN 120 may use them as valid information or a handover policy for the radio protocol profile.

[0053] Then, at operation 314, RAN 120 sends the selected radio protocol model and the determined radio protocol configuration information to UE 110.

[0054] In one example, if UE 110 has received one or more radio protocol models in operation 306, RAN 120 may send the identifier of the selected radio protocol model to UE 110 as an indication that UE 110 will use the radio protocol model. That is, the radio protocol model and radio protocol configuration information are sent to UE 110 in different messages at different times. Alternatively, if operation 306 is not performed, RAN 120 may send the specific information of the selected radio protocol model and its associated radio protocol configuration file to UE 110. In this case, the radio protocol model and radio protocol configuration information can be sent to UE 110 simultaneously via the same message.

[0055] In response to receiving a wireless protocol model and matching wireless protocol configuration information, in operation 316, UE 110 may store the wireless protocol configuration information and (if operation 306 is not performed) create entities for the corresponding wireless protocol layer according to the indicated wireless protocol model. UE 110 may then apply one of the received one or more wireless protocol profiles to the indicated wireless protocol model. For example, based on the validity information of the profile, UE 110 may apply the profile to the indicated wireless protocol model when predetermined conditions of the validity information are met. Specifically, the wireless protocol profile (e.g., the attributes or parameter values ​​it contains) may be used to activate the corresponding wireless protocol layer entities and their functions within the wireless protocol model.

[0056] In one example, when the received radio protocol configuration information also includes a handover policy, the UE 110 can switch the currently applied configuration file to another configuration file and apply it to the indicated radio protocol model when the predetermined conditions of the handover policy are met. The configuration files before and after the switch can belong to the same or different radio protocol models. Dynamic switching of configuration files helps the UE 110 to achieve customized or optimized hardware capability switching based on radio conditions that change over time.

[0057] The above is for reference only. Figure 3 An example operation of a customized radio protocol layer is described, which mainly involves RAN 120 directly receiving terminal device assistance information from UE 110 and determining the radio protocol model. This disclosure is not limited thereto; in some embodiments, RAN 120 may also obtain terminal device assistance information from CN 130 and determine the radio protocol model. Figure 4 A flowchart for customizing a wireless protocol layer according to an example embodiment is shown. Figure 4 Some of the operating steps shown are similar to Figure 3 If they are the same or similar, they will be briefly described below.

[0058] At operation 402, UE 110 sends a message to core network CN 130, and CN 130 (e.g., AMF or other network elements) receives the message, which may be, for example, a NAS message.

[0059] In one embodiment, the message may include a request to configure a radio protocol model for UE 110, based on which CN130 may trigger corresponding operations to determine and install the model. Furthermore, the message may also include auxiliary information for the terminal device, which may include at least one of the following: one or more capability categories of the terminal device; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified radio protocol layer; the terminal device's preference for service types; or the terminal device's preference for service identifiers.

[0060] At operation 404, based at least on the received terminal device assistance information, CN 130 can determine one or more RAN processing models for RAN 120 serving UE 110. Similar to the “Radio Protocol Model” described above, the “RAN Processing Model” here can also be understood as a parametric model that includes relevant information for service data processing and feature activation, and can be characterized, for example, by one or more structured data types, each of which can be associated with one or more attributes or parameters. In one example, a RAN processing model can indicate at least one of the following through the aforementioned attributes or parameters: an identifier of the RAN processing model; mapped terminal device capabilities; mapped service type preferences; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified radio protocol layer; features to be supported in the radio access network; or operations for service processing.

[0061] In one example, each RAN processing model may have a model identifier as a query index, based on which the attributes or parameters indicated by the RAN processing model can be obtained.

[0062] In one example, the mapped terminal device capabilities and mapped service type preferences can instruct the model to identify the mapped terminal device capabilities and service type preferences, preferably matching them with the hardware capability categories and service preferences received from UE 110. Similarly, if the terminal device's auxiliary information indicates that the terminal device supports a simplified radio protocol layer, CN 130 can include this indication information in the RAN processing model to instruct UE 110 to support some simplified radio protocol stack architecture.

[0063] In one example, features to be supported in the radio access network may include, for example, indications of Quality of Service (QoS) monitoring, QoS Notification Control (QNC), Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) marking, and congestion information reporting. Based on this indication, RAN 120 will activate or enable the corresponding features.

[0064] In one example, the operations used for business processing may, for example, indicate the processing operations and related parameters for business data, such as header compression and security protection at the PDCP layer, segmentation / serialization processing at the RLC layer, and HARQ processing at the MAC layer.

[0065] For example, if UE 110 indicates low-power hardware capabilities and supports a simplified radio protocol layer, the RAN processing model created by CN 130 can indicate a longer discontinuous reception (DRX) period and that the terminal device supports a simplified radio protocol layer.

[0066] In one example, the RAN processing model can be determined in different ways based on the auxiliary information reported by UE 110. For instance, if UE 110 reports multiple capability categories, CN 130 can determine the corresponding RAN processing model for each capability category. For example, if UE 110 reports two hardware capability categories, namely regular hardware capabilities and lightweight hardware capabilities (low power), CN 130 can create two separate RAN processing models accordingly, one for regular hardware capabilities and the other for lightweight hardware capabilities. For example, if UE 110 reports a preferred service type, CN 130 can query the allowed services (types) from the UE's subscription information and create a corresponding RAN processing model for each service. Furthermore, if UE 110 reports or changes its service preferences again, CN 130 can determine the updated RAN processing model in the NAS procedure.

[0067] Then, in operation 406, CN 130 may send the determined RAN processing models to RAN 120. In one example, CN 130 may send all determined RAN processing models to RAN 120 during the NAS procedure (i.e., before the service data flow is established). Accordingly, RAN 120 may store the received RAN processing models.

[0068] At operation 408, based on the UE 110-specific auxiliary information and / or local policies contained in the received RAN processing model, RAN 120 may determine one or more radio protocol models for UE 110. The content and determination method of this radio protocol model can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 3 The description of Operation 304 will not be repeated here. In one example, the determined radio protocol model may also include associated RAN processing model information (e.g., model index).

[0069] In one example, if the RAN processing model received from CN 130 also contains one or more features that indicate RAN 120 should support, RAN 120 can determine whether an initial or default profile needs to be determined for the created radio protocol model, thereby facilitating the implementation of that feature.

[0070] Then, at operation 410, RAN 120 sends the determined radio protocol model to UE 110. Accordingly, UE 110 can receive the radio protocol model and store it.

[0071] In one example, RAN 120 may send one or more radio protocol models determined in operation 304 to UE 110 before the establishment of the QoS flow for UE 110, which can reduce the activation delay for radio protocol stack entities.

[0072] In one example, UE 110 may also receive an indication that one of one or more radio protocol models determined by RAN 120 is used as the radio protocol model. For example, the indication may include identification information of the radio protocol model. Based on the identification, UE 110 determines the radio protocol model to be used and can create an entity for the radio protocol layer indicated by the radio protocol model. For example, after UE 110 successfully establishes a PDU session connection with the core network CN 130 for the first time, RAN 120 may indicate the initial radio protocol model to be used to UE 110.

[0073] In one example, if UE 110 also receives a default profile associated with a radio protocol model, it can use the profile to activate the corresponding radio protocol layer entity and coordinate with RAN 120 to complete specific RAN features.

[0074] Continue to refer to Figure 4 After the core network CN 130 receives a service request (e.g., a new or updated service data stream), at operation 412, CN 130 first identifies the terminal device (assuming UE 110) associated with the service and determines a RAN processing profile for the service for that terminal device. For example, this RAN processing profile may include service assistance information, feature activation information in the RAN, etc. Its specific content and determination method can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 3 The description of operation 308 will not be repeated here.

[0075] In one example, since CN 130 has already created one or more RAN processing models in Operation 404, CN 130 can select an appropriate RAN processing model for a service request before determining the RAN processing profile. In one implementation, if UE 110 reports multiple hardware capability categories, CN 130 can determine multiple RAN processing models accordingly and configure a corresponding RAN processing profile for each RAN processing model. In one implementation, CN 130 can select different RAN processing models for different service requests, and correspondingly, will also determine different RAN processing profiles. Alternatively, CN 130 can select the same RAN processing model for different service requests, but with different RAN processing profiles.

[0076] In one example, the RAN processing configuration file may also include valid information or handover policies such as service assistance information and / or feature activation information. For example, CN 130 may determine a suitable handover policy based on the storage capability category received from UE 110, service preferences, services currently used for UE 110, and new service requests received from AF or OAM; optionally, valid information may include time information (e.g., start time, effective duration), spatial information (e.g., effective coverage area), etc.

[0077] At operation 414, CN 130 sends the RAN processing configuration file to RAN 120. This RAN processing configuration file may include service support information, feature activation information, and the configuration file's switching policy and validity information.

[0078] Next, at operation 416, RAN 120 determines the appropriate radio protocol model and configuration information for UE 110 based on information such as the RAN processing configuration file, RAN processing model, available radio resources, and local policies received from CN 130.

[0079] In one example, RAN 120 may select one or more determined radio protocol models (determined and established in operation 408) as the radio protocol model to be applied to UE 110 based on received service auxiliary information (e.g., QoS flow-related parameters). In another example, as described above, CN 130 may instruct RAN 120 to install a suitable RAN processing model, in which case RAN 120 may select the radio protocol model associated with the indicated RAN processing model.

[0080] In one example, RAN 120 can also determine and create radio protocol configuration information applicable to the selected radio protocol model. This may include one or more radio protocol profiles associated with the selected radio protocol model, as well as optional validity information or handover policies. The specific information and determination methods can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 3 The description of operation 312 will not be repeated here. In one example, when RAN 120 receives a RAN processing profile from CN 130 containing valid information or a handover policy, it can send this information, along with the created radio protocol profile, to UE 110.

[0081] Then, at operation 418, RAN 120 sends the selected radio protocol model and the determined radio protocol configuration information to UE 110.

[0082] In one example, if UE 110 has received one or more radio protocol models in operation 410, RAN 120 may send the identifier of the selected radio protocol model to UE 110 as an indication that UE 110 will use the radio protocol model. In this case, the radio protocol model and the radio protocol configuration information may be sent at different times through different messages. Alternatively, if operation 410 is not performed, RAN 120 may send the indication information contained in the selected radio protocol model and its associated radio protocol configuration file to UE 110. In this case, the radio protocol model and the radio protocol configuration information may be sent to UE 110 simultaneously through the same message.

[0083] In response to receiving a radio protocol model and matching radio protocol configuration information, in operation 420, UE 110 may store the radio protocol configuration information and (if operation 410 is not performed) create entities for the corresponding radio protocol layer according to the indicated radio protocol model. UE 110 may then apply one of the received one or more radio protocol profiles to the indicated radio protocol model, for example, by using attribute or parameter values ​​contained in the radio protocol profile to activate the indicated radio protocol layer entities and their functions in the radio protocol model. In one example, if the received radio protocol configuration information also includes a handover policy, UE 110 may switch the currently applied profile to another profile and apply it to the indicated radio protocol model when predetermined conditions of the handover policy are met.

[0084] According to the technical solutions of this disclosure, terminal devices with different hardware capabilities or service preferences can be assigned customized wireless protocol layers or functions. This relaxes the logical constraints on current wireless protocol layer processing, thereby helping to meet the requirements of next-generation communication networks (e.g., 6G) for customized and simplified wireless protocol layer configuration. Furthermore, the relevant wireless protocol models can be flexibly and dynamically configured to conform to actual service characteristics or UE capabilities and / or service preferences, which is more beneficial in achieving a balance between functional enhancement and architectural simplification compared to existing static predefined or preconfigured approaches.

[0085] Figure 6 A flowchart for customizing a wireless protocol layer according to an example embodiment is shown. Figure 6 The operations in the main part can be performed by Figure 2The description refers to the UE 211, Sub-Audio Network (Sub-AN) 213, and Sub-Core Network (Sub-CN) 217 ​​in subnet 210 for execution. UE 211 may have a deterministic or pre-configured service type in the subnet (e.g., factory / robot cell, vehicle cell, and in-body cell). The core networks in subnet 210 and wide area network 220 are referred to as sub-CN and p-CN, respectively. This is understandable. Figure 6 The operation shown also applies to Figure 1 The network architecture is shown. For simplicity, in Figure 6 In this context, sub-data network 219 in subnet 210 and data network 225 in wide area network 220 are omitted. Furthermore, Figure 6 In some aspects, it is shown in more detail Figure 3-4 The operating procedures, and Figure 3-4 The same operation will also be described briefly.

[0086] Reference Figure 6 As a preparatory phase, at operation 602, subnet 210 registers with WAN 220 via MT 215. This registration process can be understood to be completed using conventional techniques. After successful registration, at operation 604, MT 215 requests a backhaul (BH) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session from WAN 220 to provide IP layer routing for the registered subnet 210. Based on this, sub-CN 217 in subnet 210 can establish a connection with p-CN 223 in WAN 220 through this backhaul PDU session. At operation 606, UE 211 can obtain System Information Block (SIB) messages broadcast in the subnet and decide to select subnet 210 for registration.

[0087] In one embodiment, the wireless protocol model can be customized through the initial NAS process, which may include, for example:

[0088] At operation 608, UE 211 reports its auxiliary information to sub-CN 217 via an initial NAS request message. This auxiliary information may include UE 211's capability categories and / or preferences for service types, and may also include indications of support for simplified radio protocol layers, preferences for service identifiers, and other information. Alternatively, since UE 211 can report or change its network-related capabilities or preferences at any time, UE 211 may also report its auxiliary information to sub-CN 217 via other NAS signaling procedures (e.g., PDU session establishment / modification procedures).

[0089] At Operation 610, in response to receiving a report from UE 211, the core network can determine or create one or more RAN processing models.

[0090] In one example, if UE 211 indicates that it prefers local services, sub-CN 217 can query the subscription information held in sub-CN 217 and at the same time create a RAN processing model based on the information reported by UE 211.

[0091] In another example, if UE 211 indicates a preference for non-local services, sub-CN 217 can forward UE 211's report to p-CN 223 (e.g., the core network function serving UE 211). p-CN 223 queries the appropriate network function (NF) for UE 211's subscription data in the subnet and simultaneously creates a RAN processing model based on UE 211's report information. p-CN 223 can then forward this RAN processing model to sub-CN 217.

[0092] Then, at operation 612, sub-CN 217 can send configuration messages, including the RAN processing model, to sub-AN 213, the sub-access network serving UE 211.

[0093] At operation 614, sub-AN 213 stores the received RAN processing model. Based on the information included in the RAN processing model (e.g., mapped terminal device capabilities, mapped service type preferences, etc.) and local policies, sub-AN 213 can create a suitable radio protocol model.

[0094] At operation 616, sub-AN 213 sends one or more created radio protocol models to UE 211. In response to receiving this message, at operation 618, UE 211 may save the radio protocol model in memory. In one example, UE 211 may create entities for the corresponding radio protocol layer based on the indicated radio protocol model.

[0095] At operation 620, UE 211 requests sub-CN 217 to establish a PDU session. As previously described, UE 211 also reports its updated auxiliary information to sub-CN 217 during this process. In one example, sub-CN 217 or p-CN 223 may determine the default RAN processing profile or update an existing profile and send the profile along with the determined RAN processing model to UE 211.

[0096] In one embodiment, the NAS process triggered by AF can enable the customization (e.g., determination or configuration) of the wireless protocol profile, which may specifically include:

[0097] At operation 622, AF or OAM 140 requests sub-CN 217 to establish one or more business data streams.

[0098] At operation 624, based on the aforementioned service request, sub-CN 217 identifies the terminal device (e.g., UE 211) associated with the service.

[0099] Then, at operation 626, if sub-CN 217 has already created one or more RAN processing models for sub-AN 213, sub-CN 217 can select at least one RAN processing model that can meet the capabilities, service preferences, and service requirements of UE 211. Based on the selected RAN processing model, sub-CN 217 further determines or creates a matching RAN processing profile for service data processing and / or feature activation in sub-AN 213.

[0100] In one example, sub-CN 217 may also determine additional information to instruct UE 211 under what conditions (e.g., at a specific time and in a specific space) to use the profile. For example, the additional information may include valid information for each RAN processing profile, including the start time and the valid duration.

[0101] In one example, if UE 211 reports multiple hardware capabilities, sub-CN 217 can select a RAN processing model for each hardware capability. Then, sub-CN 217 can create a corresponding RAN processing profile for each RAN processing model. In this case, sub-CN 217 can also configure handover policies for the RAN processing profiles, which can include handover policies between multiple RAN processing profiles associated with the same RAN processing model, or handover policies between multiple RAN processing profiles associated with different RAN processing models.

[0102] Then, at operation 628, sub-CN 217 can send the indicated RAN processing model (e.g., model identifier) ​​and the determined RAN processing configuration file (including specific parameter values), configuration file switching strategy, valid information, etc. to sub-AN 213.

[0103] On the access network side, in operation 630, sub-AN 213 can store the received RAN processing profile, and then, by checking its stored radio protocol model (determined in operation 614), sub-AN 213 can select the radio protocol model associated with the RAN processing model and know which radio protocol profile(s) can be selected to match the selected radio protocol model.

[0104] In operation 632, sub-AN 213 sends the indicated radio protocol model (e.g., model identifier), radio protocol profile, and optional additional information (valid information, handover policy) to UE 211.

[0105] Finally, in operation 634, UE 211 can store the received configuration information and use this information for subsequent service data transmission and reception operations. In one example, UE 211 can activate the corresponding radio protocol layer entity according to the indicated radio protocol model. Based on the validity information of the configuration file, UE 211 can apply the radio protocol configuration file to the indicated radio protocol model when the predetermined conditions of the validity information are met. When the predetermined conditions of the handover policy are met, UE 211 will also switch the currently applied configuration file to another configuration file and apply it to the indicated radio protocol model.

[0106] Figure 7 A flowchart of an example method 700 for customizing a wireless protocol according to an example embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Method 700 may be implemented, for example, in... Figure 1 The UE 110 shown or Figure 2 The UE is shown at position 211.

[0107] In step 710, the UE sends auxiliary information of the terminal device to the radio access network or core network. In step 720, the UE receives one or more radio protocol models from the radio access network that match the auxiliary information of the terminal device.

[0108] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: one or more capability categories of the terminal device; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified wireless protocol layer; the terminal device's preference for service types; or the terminal device's preference for service identifiers.

[0109] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol model indicates at least one of the following: an identifier of the wireless protocol model; mapped terminal device capabilities; mapped service type preferences; features to be supported or activated at the terminal device; wireless protocol layers to be supported at the terminal device; functions to be supported or activated for the wireless protocol layers; or parameters to be used for the features, wireless protocol layers, or functions.

[0110] In some embodiments, method 700 may further include: receiving from the radio access network RAN ​​an instruction to use one of the one or more radio protocol models as the radio protocol model; and creating an entity for the radio protocol layer to be supported at the terminal device.

[0111] In some embodiments, method 700 may further include: receiving wireless protocol configuration information from the wireless access network, the wireless protocol configuration information including one or more wireless protocol profiles associated with a wireless protocol model to be used by the terminal device; and applying one of the one or more wireless protocol profiles to the indicated wireless protocol model.

[0112] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol configuration file includes parameter values ​​for configuring one or more wireless protocol layers in the wireless protocol model.

[0113] In some embodiments, applying one of one or more wireless protocol profiles to the wireless protocol model includes: activating the corresponding wireless protocol layer entity and its functions in the indicated wireless protocol model using the applied wireless protocol profile.

[0114] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol configuration information may also include valid information about the configuration file or a switching policy.

[0115] In some embodiments, method 700 may further include: according to the validity information of the configuration file, the terminal device applies the configuration file when a predetermined condition of the validity information is met; or according to the switching policy of the configuration file, the terminal device switches the currently applied configuration file to another configuration file and applies it to the indicated wireless protocol model when a predetermined condition of the switching policy is met.

[0116] Figure 8 A flowchart of an example method 800 for customizing a wireless protocol according to an example embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Method 800 may be implemented, for example, in... Figure 1 The RAN 120 shown or Figure 2 The sub-AN 213 shown.

[0117] In step 810, the RAN receives auxiliary information from the terminal device or the core network. In step 820, the RAN determines one or more radio protocol models for the terminal device, based at least on the auxiliary information.

[0118] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: one or more capability categories of the terminal device; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified wireless protocol layer; the terminal device's preference for service types; or the terminal device's preference for service identifiers.

[0119] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol model indicates at least one of the following: an identifier of the wireless protocol model; mapped terminal device capabilities; mapped service type preferences; features to be supported or activated at the terminal device; wireless protocol layers to be supported at the terminal device; functions to be supported or activated for the wireless protocol layers; or parameters to be used for the features, wireless protocol layers, or functions.

[0120] In some embodiments, method 800 may further include: selecting one or more wireless protocol models as a wireless protocol model to be applied to the terminal device based on service assistance information received from the core network; determining wireless protocol configuration information, the wireless protocol configuration information including at least one or more wireless protocol configuration files associated with the selected wireless protocol model; and sending the selected wireless protocol model and the wireless protocol configuration information to the terminal device, wherein the wireless protocol model and the wireless protocol configuration information are sent simultaneously or not simultaneously.

[0121] In some embodiments, method 800 may further include: sending the wireless protocol model to the terminal device before establishing a Quality of Service (QoS) flow for the terminal device.

[0122] In some embodiments, determining wireless protocol configuration information includes: determining the one or more wireless protocol configuration files based at least on the service assistance information, feature activation information in the radio access network received from the core network, and one or more of the available radio resources and local policies.

[0123] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol configuration information may further include valid configuration file information or switching policies, which are used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration file when predetermined conditions are met, or to switch the currently applied configuration file to another configuration file.

[0124] Figure 9 A flowchart of an example method 900 for customizing a wireless protocol according to an example embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Method 900 may be implemented, for example, in... Figure 1 CN 130 or shown Figure 2 The sub-CN 217 shown.

[0125] In step 910, the CN, in response to receiving a service request, identifies a terminal device associated with the service. In step 920, the CN determines a Radio Access Network (RAN) processing profile for the terminal device to serve the service. The RAN processing profile includes information about the Radio Access Network serving the terminal device. In step 930, the CN sends the RAN processing profile to the Radio Access Network.

[0126] In some embodiments, the information for the wireless access network includes at least one of service assistance information and feature activation information in the wireless access network; optionally, the information for the wireless access network further includes valid information or switching strategies of the aforementioned service assistance information and / or feature activation information.

[0127] In some embodiments, the feature activation information in the wireless access network includes at least one of the following: an indication of preference for data transmission via the user plane or control plane; time-sensitive communication assistance information; quality of service (QoS) monitoring; or explicit congestion notification (ECN) marking.

[0128] In some embodiments, method 900 may further include: receiving auxiliary information from a terminal device; determining a RAN processing model for the radio access network based on the received auxiliary information; and sending the RAN processing model to the radio access network.

[0129] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: one or more capability categories of the terminal device; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified wireless protocol layer; the terminal device's preference for service types; or the terminal device's preference for service identifiers.

[0130] In some embodiments, the RAN processing model indicates at least one of the following: an identifier of the RAN processing model; mapped terminal device capabilities; mapped service type preferences; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified radio protocol layer; features to be supported in the radio access network; or operations for service processing.

[0131] This disclosure also provides an example embodiment of a communication device capable of performing the method 700 described above. This device can be implemented as UE 110 or UE 211 and is used to implement one or more corresponding functions in the embodiments of method 700, thereby achieving the beneficial effects of the method embodiments. In some example embodiments, the communication device includes means, components, or modules that perform the corresponding steps of method 700. These means, components, or modules can be implemented in any suitable form, for example, as a circuit system or a software module.

[0132] In some embodiments, the communication device may include: components for transmitting auxiliary information of a terminal device to a wireless access network or a core network; and components for receiving from the wireless access network one or more wireless protocol models that match the auxiliary information of the terminal device.

[0133] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: one or more capability categories of the terminal device; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified wireless protocol layer; the terminal device's preference for service types; or the terminal device's preference for service identifiers.

[0134] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol model indicates at least one of the following: an identifier of the wireless protocol model; mapped terminal device capabilities; mapped service type preferences; features to be supported or activated at the terminal device; wireless protocol layers to be supported at the terminal device; functions to be supported or activated for the wireless protocol layers; or parameters to be used for the features, wireless protocol layers, or functions.

[0135] In some embodiments, the communication device may further include: a component for receiving from the radio access network RAN ​​an indication of using one of the one or more radio protocol models as the radio protocol model; and a component for creating an entity for the radio protocol layer to be supported at the terminal device.

[0136] In some embodiments, the communication device may further include: a component for receiving wireless protocol configuration information from the wireless access network, the wireless protocol configuration information including one or more wireless protocol profiles associated with a wireless protocol model to be used by the terminal device; and a component for applying one of the one or more wireless protocol profiles to the indicated wireless protocol model.

[0137] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol configuration file includes parameter values ​​for configuring one or more wireless protocol layers in the wireless protocol model.

[0138] In some embodiments, the component for applying one of one or more wireless protocol profiles to the wireless protocol model is configured to: activate the corresponding wireless protocol layer entity and its functions in the indicated wireless protocol model using the applied wireless protocol profile.

[0139] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol configuration information may also include valid information about the configuration file or a switching policy.

[0140] In some embodiments, the communication device may further include: a component for applying the configuration file when the terminal device meets predetermined conditions of the configuration file based on the validity information of the configuration file; or a component for switching the currently applied configuration file to another configuration file and applying it to the indicated wireless protocol model when the terminal device meets predetermined conditions of the switching policy based on the switching policy of the configuration file.

[0141] This disclosure also provides an example embodiment of a communication device capable of performing the method 800 described above. This device may be implemented as an RAN120 or sub-AN 213 and used to implement one or more corresponding functions in the embodiments of method 800, thereby achieving the beneficial effects of the method embodiments. In some example embodiments, the communication device includes means, components, or modules for performing the corresponding steps of method 800. These means, components, or modules can be implemented in any suitable form, for example, as a circuit system or a software module.

[0142] In some embodiments, the communication device may include: a component for receiving auxiliary information of a terminal device from a terminal device or a core network; and a component for determining one or more wireless protocol models for the terminal device, at least based on the auxiliary information of the terminal device.

[0143] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: one or more capability categories of the terminal device; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified wireless protocol layer; the terminal device's preference for service types; or the terminal device's preference for service identifiers.

[0144] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol model indicates at least one of the following: an identifier of the wireless protocol model; mapped terminal device capabilities; mapped service type preferences; features to be supported or activated at the terminal device; wireless protocol layers to be supported at the terminal device; functions to be supported or activated for the wireless protocol layers; or parameters to be used for the features, wireless protocol layers, or functions.

[0145] In some embodiments, the communication device may further include: a component for selecting one or more wireless protocol models as a wireless protocol model to be applied to the terminal device based on service assistance information received from the core network; a component for determining wireless protocol configuration information, the wireless protocol configuration information including at least one or more wireless protocol configuration files associated with the selected wireless protocol model; and a component for sending the selected wireless protocol model and the wireless protocol configuration information to the terminal device, wherein the wireless protocol model and the wireless protocol configuration information are sent simultaneously or not simultaneously.

[0146] In some embodiments, the communication device may further include a component for sending the wireless protocol model to the terminal device before establishing a Quality of Service (QoS) flow for the terminal device.

[0147] In some embodiments, the component for determining wireless protocol configuration information is configured to determine the one or more wireless protocol configuration files based at least on one or more of the following: service assistance information, feature activation information in the radio access network received from the core network, available radio resources, and local policies.

[0148] In some embodiments, the wireless protocol configuration information may further include valid configuration file information or switching policies, which are used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration file when predetermined conditions are met, or to switch the currently applied configuration file to another configuration file.

[0149] This disclosure also provides an example embodiment of a communication device capable of performing the method 900 described above. This device may be implemented as a CN130 or sub-CN 217 and used to implement one or more corresponding functions in the embodiments of method 900, thereby achieving the beneficial effects of the method embodiments. In some example embodiments, the communication device includes means, components, or modules for performing the corresponding steps of method 900. These means, components, or modules can be implemented in any suitable form, for example, as a circuit system or a software module.

[0150] In some embodiments, the communication device may include: components for identifying a terminal device associated with the service in response to receiving a service request; components for determining a Radio Access Network (RAN) processing profile for the service for the terminal device, the RAN processing profile including information for serving the radio access network of the terminal device; and components for sending the RAN processing profile to the radio access network.

[0151] In some embodiments, the information for the wireless access network includes at least one of service assistance information and feature activation information in the wireless access network; optionally, the information for the wireless access network further includes valid information or switching strategies of the aforementioned service assistance information and / or feature activation information.

[0152] In some embodiments, the feature activation information in the wireless access network includes at least one of the following: an indication of preference for data transmission via the user plane or control plane; time-sensitive communication assistance information; quality of service (QoS) monitoring; or explicit congestion notification (ECN) marking.

[0153] In some embodiments, the communication device may further include: a component for receiving auxiliary information from a terminal device; a component for determining a RAN processing model for the radio access network based on the received auxiliary information; and a component for transmitting the RAN processing model to the radio access network.

[0154] In some embodiments, the auxiliary information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: one or more capability categories of the terminal device; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified wireless protocol layer; the terminal device's preference for service types; or the terminal device's preference for service identifiers.

[0155] In some embodiments, the RAN processing model indicates at least one of the following: an identifier of the RAN processing model; mapped terminal device capabilities; mapped service type preferences; an indication that the terminal device supports a simplified radio protocol layer; features to be supported in the radio access network; or operations for service processing.

[0156] Figure 10 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating devices in a communication system 1000 for implementing one or more example embodiments. Figure 10 As shown, the communication system 1000 may include a terminal device 1010 that can be implemented as the UE 110 / 211 discussed above, an access network device 1020 that can be implemented as the RAN 120 / sub-AN 213 discussed above, and a core network element 1030 that can be implemented as the CN 100 / sub-CN 217 discussed above. The access network device 1020 may include, for example, a base station device; the core network element 1030 may include, for example, various core network functions, such as Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), and / or (multiple) User Plane Functions (UPF), etc.

[0157] refer to Figure 10 Terminal device 1010 may include one or more processors 1011, one or more memories 1012, and one or more transceivers 1013 interconnected via one or more buses 1014. The one or more buses 1014 may be address, data, or control buses, and may include any interconnection mechanism, such as a motherboard or integrated circuit, fiber optics, optics, or a series of lines on other optical communication equipment. Each of the one or more transceivers 1013 may include a receiver and a transmitter connected to one or more antennas 1016. Terminal device 1010 may wirelessly communicate with network device 1020 via one or more antennas 1016. The one or more memories 1012 may include instructions 1015. The one or more memories 1012 and instructions 1015 may be configured, when executed by one or more processors 1011, to cause terminal device 1010 to perform the processes and steps described above related to UE 110 / 211.

[0158] Network device 1020 may include one or more processors 1021, one or more memories 1022, one or more transceivers 1023, and one or more network interfaces 1027 interconnected via one or more buses 1024. Each of the one or more transceivers 1023 may include a receiver and a transmitter connected to one or more antennas 1026. Network device 1020 may wirelessly communicate with terminal device 1010 via one or more antennas 1026. The one or more transceivers 1023 and one or more antennas 1026 may be implemented as one or more remote radio heads (RRHs). The one or more RRHs may be juxtaposed or located in different locations. The one or more buses 1024 may be partially implemented as optical fibers to connect the RRHs to other components of network device 1020. The one or more network interfaces 1027 may be receiving circuitry, receivers, I / O interfaces, or other devices with network data receiving and transmitting capabilities, providing wired or wireless communication links through which network device 1020 can communicate with other network devices, entities, components, or functions. Network device 1020 can be coupled to network element 1030 via link 1028, which can be implemented as an NG interface for 5G or 6G, or other suitable interfaces for other standards. One or more memories 1022 may include instructions 1025. The one or more memories 1022 and instructions 1025 can be configured to, when executed by one or more processors 1021, cause network device 1020 to perform the processes and steps related to RAN 120 / sub-AN 213 as described above.

[0159] Each network element in the core network element 1030 may include one or more processors 1031, one or more memories 1032, and one or more network interfaces 1037 interconnected via one or more buses 1034. The one or more memories 1032 may include computer instructions 1035. The one or more memories 1032 and computer instructions 1035 are configured, together with the one or more processors 1031, to cause the network element 1030 to perform the operations described above in relation to CN 100 / sub-CN 217.

[0160] The aforementioned one or more processors 1011, 1021, 1031 can be any suitable type applicable to the local technology network, and may include one or more of the following: general-purpose processors, dedicated processors, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), one or more processors in a processor-based multi-core processor architecture, and dedicated processors, such as processors developed based on field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The one or more processors 1011, 1021, 1031 may be configured to control and cooperate with other elements of the UE / network device to implement the above-described processes.

[0161] One or more memories 1012, 1022, 1032 may comprise at least one storage medium of various forms, such as volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. Volatile memory may include, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM) or cache. Non-volatile memory may include, but is not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, flash memory, etc. The term "non-volatile" as used herein is a limitation concerning the medium itself (i.e., tangible rather than tactile), and not a limitation on the persistence of data storage (e.g., RAM or ROM). Furthermore, one or more memories 1012, 1022, 1032 may include, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices, or any combination thereof.

[0162] It should be understood that the blocks in the figures can be implemented in various ways, including software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, one or more blocks may be implemented using software and / or firmware, such as machine-executable instructions stored in a storage medium. In addition to or in place of machine-executable instructions, some or all of the blocks in the figures may be implemented at least partially by one or more hardware logic components. Examples, but not limited to, illustrative types of hardware logic components that may be used include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), etc.

[0163] Some exemplary embodiments also provide computer program code or instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a device or apparatus to perform the processes described above. The computer program code for performing the processes of the example embodiments can be written in any known or future-developed programming language, such as Java, C++, C, and Assembler. The computer program code can be provided to one or more processors or controllers of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that, when executed by a processor or controller, it causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code can be executed entirely on the machine, partially on the machine as a stand-alone software package, partially on the machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote computer or server.

[0164] Some example embodiments also provide a computer program product or computer-readable medium in which computer program code or instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, cause the optical channel protection device to perform the processing methods, steps, or functions described above. A computer-readable medium can be any tangible medium that may contain or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A machine-readable medium can be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. Machine-readable media can include, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media will include electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer floppy disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0165] Furthermore, although the operations are described in a specific order, this should not be construed as requiring such operations to be performed in the specific order or sequence shown, or requiring all of the operations shown to achieve the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing can be advantageous. Similarly, although several specific implementation details are included in the foregoing discussion, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments. Certain features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments.

[0166] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or method actions, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as examples of implementing the claims.

[0167] The following are some abbreviations or acronyms that may be used in this disclosure and its accompanying drawings:

[0168] 5GC 5G Core Network

[0169] AN access network

[0170] ATSSS access service guidance, switching, and traffic offloading

[0171] CN Core Network

[0172] CP control plane

[0173] ECN Explicit Congestion Notification

[0174] NAS Non-Access Layer

[0175] OAM Operation and Maintenance Management

[0176] PDU Protocol Data Unit

[0177] QNC QoS Notification Control

[0178] RAN (Radio Access Network)

[0179] SIB System Information Block

[0180] SubNW subnet

[0181] TM Transparent Mode

[0182] UP User Interface

[0183] WAN (Wide Area Network)

Claims

1. An apparatus for a terminal device, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory storing instructions, the at least one memory and the instructions being configured to cause the device to execute at least the following using the at least one processor: Send auxiliary information of the terminal device to the wireless access network or core network; as well as Receive one or more wireless protocol models from the wireless access network that match the auxiliary information of the terminal device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The auxiliary information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: One or more capability categories of the terminal device; The terminal device supports instructions for a simplified wireless protocol layer. The terminal device's preference for service types; or The terminal device's preference for service identifiers.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The wireless protocol model indicates at least one of the following: The identifier of the wireless protocol model; Mapped terminal device capabilities; Mapped business type preferences; Features that need to be supported or activated on the terminal device; The wireless protocol layer that needs to be supported at the terminal device; For the functions to be supported or activated in the aforementioned wireless protocol layer; or The parameters to be used for the aforementioned features, wireless protocol layer, or functions.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to cause the device to execute using the at least one processor: Receive from the Radio Access Network (RAN) an instruction to use one of the one or more radio protocol models as the radio protocol model; and Create entities for the wireless protocol layers to be supported at the terminal device.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to cause the device to execute using the at least one processor: Receive wireless protocol configuration information from the wireless access network, the wireless protocol configuration information including one or more wireless protocol profiles associated with the wireless protocol model to which the terminal device is instructed to use; as well as Apply one of the one or more wireless protocol profiles to the indicated wireless protocol model.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The wireless protocol configuration file includes parameter values ​​for configuring one or more wireless protocol layers in the wireless protocol model.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The step of applying one of one or more wireless protocol profiles to the wireless protocol model includes: The corresponding wireless protocol layer entity and its functions in the indicated wireless protocol model are activated using the wireless protocol configuration file of the application.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The wireless protocol configuration information also includes valid configuration file information or switching policies, and the at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to enable the device to execute using the at least one processor: Based on the valid information in the configuration file, the terminal device applies the configuration file when a predetermined condition of the valid information is met; or According to the switching policy of the configuration file, when the predetermined conditions of the switching policy are met, the terminal device switches the currently applied configuration file to another configuration file and applies it to the indicated wireless protocol model.

9. An apparatus for wireless access networks, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory storing instructions, the at least one memory and the instructions being configured to cause the device to execute at least the following using the at least one processor: Receive auxiliary information from the terminal device or the core network; as well as Based at least on the auxiliary information of the terminal device, one or more wireless protocol models for the terminal device are determined.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, The auxiliary information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: One or more capability categories of the terminal device; The terminal device supports instructions for a simplified wireless protocol layer. The terminal device's preference for service types; or The terminal device's preference for service identifiers.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein, The wireless protocol model indicates at least one of the following: The identifier of the wireless protocol model; Mapped terminal device capabilities; Mapped business type preferences; Features that need to be supported or activated on the terminal device; The wireless protocol layer that needs to be supported at the terminal device; For the functions to be supported or activated in the aforementioned wireless protocol layer; or The parameters to be used for the aforementioned features, wireless protocol layer, or function.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein, The at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to cause the device to execute using the at least one processor: Based on the service assistance information received from the core network, select one of the one or more wireless protocol models as the wireless protocol model to be applied to the terminal device; Determine wireless protocol configuration information, which includes at least one or more wireless protocol configuration files associated with the selected wireless protocol model; as well as The selected wireless protocol model and the wireless protocol configuration information are sent to the terminal device, wherein the wireless protocol model and the wireless protocol configuration information are sent simultaneously or at different times.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein, The at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to cause the device to execute using the at least one processor: The wireless protocol model is sent to the terminal device before the establishment of the QoS flow for the terminal device.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The determination of wireless protocol configuration information includes: The one or more radio protocol profiles are determined based at least on one or more of the following: the service assistance information, the feature activation information in the radio access network received from the core network, the available radio resources, and the local policy.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The wireless protocol configuration information also includes valid configuration file information or switching policies, which are used to instruct the terminal device to apply the configuration file when predetermined conditions are met, or to switch the currently applied configuration file to another configuration file.

16. An apparatus for a core network, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory storing instructions, the at least one memory and the instructions being configured to cause the device to execute at least the following using the at least one processor: In response to receiving a service request, identify the terminal device related to the service; For the terminal device, a Radio Access Network (RAN) processing configuration file for the service is determined, the RAN processing configuration file including information for the Radio Access Network serving the terminal device; as well as The RAN processing configuration file is sent to the radio access network.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, The information used for the wireless access network includes at least one of service assistance information and feature activation information in the wireless access network; optionally, the information used for the wireless access network also includes valid information or switching strategies of the aforementioned service assistance information and / or feature activation information.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, The feature activation information in the wireless access network includes at least one of the following: Indication of preferences for data transmission via the user plane or control plane; Time-sensitive communication auxiliary information; Quality of Service (QoS) monitoring; or Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) flag.

19. The apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein, The at least one memory and the instructions are further configured to utilize the at least one processor to cause the device to: Receive auxiliary information from the terminal device; Based on the received auxiliary information, a RAN processing model for the radio access network is determined; and The RAN processing model is sent to the radio access network. The auxiliary information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: One or more capability categories of the terminal device; The terminal device supports instructions for a simplified wireless protocol layer. The terminal device's preference for service types; or The terminal device's preference for service identifiers; The RAN processing model indicates at least one of the following: The identifier of the RAN processing model; Mapped terminal device capabilities; Mapped business type preferences; The terminal device supports instructions for a simplified wireless protocol layer. Features to be supported in the wireless access network; or Operations used for business processing.

20. A method for communication, implemented at a terminal device, comprising: Send auxiliary information of the terminal device to the wireless access network or core network; as well as Receive one or more wireless protocol models from the wireless access network that match the auxiliary information of the terminal device.

21. A method for communication, implemented at a wireless access network, comprising: Receive auxiliary information from the terminal device or the core network; as well as Based at least on the auxiliary information of the terminal device, one or more wireless protocol models for the terminal device are determined.

22. A method for communication, implemented at a core network, comprising: In response to receiving a service request, identify the terminal device related to the service; For the terminal device, a Radio Access Network (RAN) processing configuration file for the service is determined, the RAN processing configuration file including information for the Radio Access Network serving the terminal device; as well as The RAN processing configuration file is sent to the radio access network.

23. A device for communication, comprising: Components for transmitting auxiliary information of the terminal device to a wireless access network or core network; as well as A component for receiving one or more wireless protocol models from the wireless access network that match the auxiliary information of the terminal device.

24. A device for communication, comprising: Components used to receive auxiliary information from terminal devices or the core network; as well as Components for determining one or more wireless protocol models for the terminal device, based at least on auxiliary information of the terminal device.

25. A device for communication, comprising: Components used to identify terminal devices related to a received service request; A component for determining a Radio Access Network (RAN) processing profile for the service for the terminal device, the RAN processing profile including information for the Radio Access Network serving the terminal device; as well as A component for sending the RAN processing configuration file to the radio access network.

26. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 20 to 22.

27. A computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 20 to 22.

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