Method for extended LADN information management in mobile communication and apparatus thereof

Abstract

Various solutions are described for extended local data network (LADN) information management for user equipment in mobile communications. The apparatus may receive, from the network node, a message including the extended LADN information. The extended LADN information may be associated with at least one piece of network slice information. The device may store the extended LADN information carried by the received message. Where the device moves to a logout state, the device may delete the extended LADN information.

Description

[0001] Cross-references This disclosure is part of a non-provisional application claiming priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 587,172, filed October 2, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to mobile communications, and more specifically, to the management of extended local area data network (LADN) information concerning user equipment in mobile communications. Background Technology

[0003] Unless otherwise stated in this section, the methods described in this section are not prior art as listed in the following claims and will not be considered prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

[0004] The fifth-generation (5G) network architecture, developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), supports network slicing. For example, physical network infrastructure can be divided into slices of multiple virtual networks. Different network slices can have different supported functions and network function optimizations, thus adapting to different use cases. Network slice information includes information about which network slices a user equipment (UE) can establish Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions on after registration. However, if a UE has previously entered a deregistration state, this information may be misused during the next registration, thus requiring an effective method to manage this information. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. That is, it is provided to introduce the concepts, key points, benefits, and advantages of the novel and non-obvious techniques described herein. Selected embodiments are further described in the detailed description below. Therefore, the following summary is not intended to identify the essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to define the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] The objective of this disclosure is to propose a solution or scheme to address the problem of extended local area data network (LADN) information management related to the UE in mobile communications.

[0007] In one aspect, a method may involve a device receiving a message from a network node that includes extended LADN information. The extended LADN information may be associated with at least one network slice information. The method may also involve the device storing the extended LADN information. The method may further involve deleting the extended LADN information if the device moves to a deregistered state.

[0008] In one aspect, an apparatus may include a transceiver that wirelessly communicates with a network node during operation. The apparatus may also include a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. During operation, operations that the processor may perform include receiving a message from the network node including extended Local Data Network Information (LADN). The extended LADN information may be associated with at least one network slice information. Operations that the processor may also perform include storing the extended LADN information. Further operations that the processor may perform include deleting the extended LADN information if the apparatus moves to a logout state.

[0009] It is worth noting that although the descriptions provided herein may be presented in the context of certain radio access technologies, networks, and network topologies such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro, 5G, New Radio (NR), Internet of Things (IoT), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and 6G, the proposed concepts, schemes, and any variations / derivatives thereof may be implemented, applied, and performed by other types of radio access technologies, networks, and network topologies. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the examples described herein. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of this disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this invention. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It will be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, as some components may be shown in a manner not proportional to actual dimensions in order to clearly illustrate the concepts of the invention.

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of extended Local Data Network (LADN) information management according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example scenario of extended LADN information management according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of an example communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an example process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0015] This document discloses detailed embodiments and implementations of the claimed subject matter. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments and implementations are merely illustrative of the claimed subject matter, which can be embodied in various forms. The invention can be practiced in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments and implementations set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments and implementations are provided so that the description of the invention is thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the following description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments and implementations.

[0016] Overview According to embodiments of the present invention, there are various techniques, methods, schemes, and / or solutions related to Extended Local Data Network (LADN) information management in mobile communications to ensure that the UE can correctly use extended LADN information. According to the present invention, many possible solutions can be implemented individually or in combination. That is, although these possible solutions may be described individually below, two or more of these possible solutions may be implemented in one or another combination.

[0017] Figure 1An example scenario 100 of extended LADN information management, in which various solutions and schemes according to the present invention can be implemented, is illustrated. In scenario 100, when UE 110 enters network 120, a registration process can be performed. Network 120 may be a public land mobile network (PLMN) and supports network slicing. In this embodiment, resources in network 120 may be divided into N network slices (e.g., slices 127_1 to 127_N). Different network slices may have different support features and network function optimizations, and therefore can be used for different applications of UE 110. During the registration process, UE 110 may send a registration request message to the access and mobility management function (AMF) 121 in network 120. AMF 121 may send a registration acceptance message (e.g., message 123) to UE 110. The registration acceptance message may include extended LADN information 125 associated with at least one network slice information. For example, the network slice information may be single networkslicing selection assistance information (S-NSSAI). In scenario 100, the extended LADN information 125 included in the registration acceptance message can be associated with one or more S-NSSAIs, indicating that UE 110 can use slices in network 120 in a specific area. Specifically, the extended LADN information 125 can include different LADNs, each including a data network name (DNN), an S-NSSAI, and a list of 5G system (5GS) tracking area identifiers. Alternatively, the UE can obtain information from the LADN information during the registration process regarding whether the DNN is an LADN DNN. The UE can receive LADN information based on each LADN DNN and S-NSSAI. UE 110 stores the extended LADN information 125 carried in the received message 123 in memory 115. Subsequently, UE 110 can establish a protocol data unit (PDU) session based on the extended LADN information 125. For example, UE 110 selects S-NSSAI in the extended LADN information 125, which indicates that UE 110 intends to establish slice 127_1 of the PDU session. UE 110 then includes the selected S-NSSAI in the PDU session establishment request message. This allows a PDU session to be established accordingly, with the DNN and S-NSSAI associated with the corresponding LADN.

[0018] In some cases, the AMF can initiate a configuration update process and send a configuration update command message (or message 123) to the UE 110. The configuration update command message may include extended LADN information 125 associated with at least one network slice information (e.g., one S-NSSAI or a set of S-NSSAIs). The UE 110 may store the extended LADN information 125 carried by the configuration update command message in memory 115.

[0019] When UE 110 moves from a registered state to a deregistered state, UE 110 deletes the extended LADN information 125 previously stored in memory 115. For example, the deregistration state could be a 5G mobility management (5GMM) deregistration state. In another example, UE 110 moves to the deregistered state due to a deregistration process. Since the extended LADN information 125 has been deleted from memory 115, the possibility of UE 110 misusing inappropriate extended LADN information during the next registration can be avoided.

[0020] Figure 2 Another example scenario 200 of extended LADN information management, in which various solutions and schemes according to the present invention can be implemented, is shown. In scenario 200, not only extended LADN information 225, but also LADN information 227 is carried in message 223 sent from AMF 221 in network 220 (which may be a PLMN) to UE 210. In this embodiment, extended LADN information 225 is associated with at least one network slice information, while LADN information 227 is not associated with any network slice information. The UE may support LADN for each DNN and S-NSSAI. Message 223 may be a registration acceptance message or a configuration update command message, and extended LADN information 225 and LADN information 227 correspond to different information element identifiers (IEIs) in message 223. For example, in the case that message 223 is a registration acceptance message, extended LADN information 225 included in message 223 corresponds to IEI 7D, while LADN information 227 included in message 223 corresponds to IEI 79.

[0021] In the case that message 223 is a configuration update command message, the extended LADN information 225 included in message 223 corresponds to IEI 78, and the LADN information 227 included in message 223 corresponds to IEI 79. If the AMF needs to update the LADN information, the AMF should include the LADN information in the LADN information IE of the configuration update command message. If the UE supports LADN for each DNN and S-NSSAI, and the AMF needs to update the extended LADN information, the AMF should include the extended LADN information in the extended LADN information IE of the configuration update command message.

[0022] After receiving message 223, UE 210 stores the extended LADN information 225 and LADN information 227 carried in message 223 in memory 215. When UE 210 moves to a deregistration state, such as the 5GMM deregistration state, or when UE 210 moves to a deregistration state due to a deregistration process, UE 210 deletes the extended LADN information 225 and LADN information 227 previously stored in memory 215. Therefore, misuse of the extended LADN information and LADN information can be avoided during the next registration.

[0023] Exemplary Implementation Figure 3 An example communication system 300 with an example communication device 310 and an example network device 320 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Each of the communication device 310 and the network device 320 can perform various functions to implement the schemes, techniques, processes and methods related to extended LADN information management in mobile communications described herein, including the above-described scenarios / schemes and the process 400 described below.

[0024] The communication device 310 may be part of an electronic device, which may be a UE such as a portable or mobile device, a wearable device, a wireless communication device, or a computing device. For example, the communication device 310 may be implemented in a smartphone, smartwatch, personal digital assistant, digital camera, or computing device such as a tablet, laptop, or notebook computer. The communication device 310 may also be part of a machine-type device, which may be an IoT, NB-IoT, or IIoT device such as a fixed or static device, a home appliance, a wired communication device, or a computing device. For example, the communication device 310 may be implemented in a smart thermostat, a smart refrigerator, a smart door lock, a wireless speaker, or a home control center. Alternatively, the communication device 310 may be implemented in the form of one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips, such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more reduced-instruction-set computing (RISC) processors, or one or more complex-instruction-set computing (CISC) processors. The communication device 310 may include... Figure 3 At least some of the components shown are included, for example, the processor 312. The communication device 310 may also include one or more other components unrelated to the scheme presented in this disclosure (e.g., internal power supply, display device, and / or user interface device); therefore, for the sake of brevity, these components of the communication device 310 are not listed in the [disclosure details]. Figure 3 It is shown in the text and is not described in the following text.

[0025] Network device 320 may be part of a network device, which may be a network node such as a satellite, base station (BS), small cell, IoT network, router, or gateway. For example, network device 320 may be implemented in an eNB in ​​an LTE network, a gNB or TRP in a 6G network, or a satellite or base station in an LTE network, 5G, NR, IoT, NB-IoT, or IIoT network. Alternatively, network device 320 may be implemented in the form of one or more IC chips, such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, or one or more RISC or CISC processors. Network device 320 may include... Figure 3 At least some of the components shown, such as processor 322. Network device 320 may also include one or more other components unrelated to the present disclosure (e.g., internal power supply, display device, and / or user interface device); therefore, for brevity, these components of network device 320 are not listed in the present disclosure. Figure 3 It is shown in the text and is not described in the following text.

[0026] In one aspect, each of processors 312 and 322 may be implemented as one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, or one or more CISC processors. That is, even though the singular term "processor" is used herein to refer to processors 312 and 322, each of processors 312 and 322 may include multiple processors in some embodiments and a single processor in other embodiments, according to this disclosure. On the other hand, each of processors 312 and 322 may be implemented in the form of hardware (and, optionally, firmware), the electronic components including, for example, but not limited to, one or more transistors, one or more diodes, one or more capacitors, one or more resistors, one or more inductors, one or more memristors, and / or one or more varactor diodes, configured and arranged to perform a specific purpose according to the invention. In other words, in at least some embodiments, each of processors 312 and 322 is a dedicated machine specifically designed, set up, and configured to perform specific tasks in devices (e.g., represented by communication device 310) and networks (e.g., represented by network device 320) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] In some embodiments, the communication device 310 may further include a transceiver 316 coupled to the processor 312 and capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data. In some embodiments, the communication device 310 may further include a memory 314 coupled to the processor 312 and capable of being accessed by the processor 312 and storing data.

[0028] In some embodiments, network device 320 may further include memory 324 coupled to processor 322 and accessible by processor 322 for storing data. Therefore, communication device 310 and network device 320 may communicate wirelessly via transceiver 316 and transceiver 326, respectively.

[0029] For illustrative purposes and without limitation, the following description of the function of communication device 310 is provided in conjunction with process 400, wherein communication device 310 is implemented as a communication device or UE or implemented in a communication device or UE, and network device 320 is implemented as a network node of a communication network or implemented in a network node.

[0030] Exemplary process Figure 4An example flow 400 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Flow 400 may be an example implementation of the scenario / solution described above, whether in part or in whole, relating to extended LADN information management in mobile communications. Flow 400 may represent one aspect of the functional implementation of communication device 310. Flow 400 may include one or more operations, actions, or functions, as shown by one or more of blocks 410, 420, and 430. Although shown as discrete blocks, the individual blocks of flow 400 may be divided into more blocks, merged into fewer blocks, or eliminated depending on the desired implementation. Furthermore, the blocks of flow 400 may be arranged in... Figure 4 The process can be executed in the order shown, or in a different order. Process 400 can be implemented by communication device 310 or any suitable user equipment or machine type device. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation, process 400 is described below in the context of communication device 310 as a UE. Process 400 may begin at block 410.

[0031] In block 410, process 400 may involve the processor 312 of communication device 310 receiving a message including extended LADN information from a network node. This extended LADN information may be associated with at least one network slice information. Process 400 may proceed from block 410 to block 420.

[0032] In block 420, process 400 may involve LADN information for the processor 312 storage extension. Process 400 can proceed from block 420 to block 430.

[0033] In block 430, process 400 may involve processor 312 deleting extended LADN information when communication device 310 moves to the deregistration state.

[0034] In some implementations, the message may further include LADN information. Process 400 may involve processor 312 storing the LADN information. Furthermore, process 400 may involve processor 312 deleting the LADN information if communication device 310 moves to a deregistered state.

[0035] In some implementations, LADN information is not associated with any network slice information.

[0036] In some implementations, the extended LADN information and the LADN information correspond to different information element identifiers (IEIs) of the message.

[0037] In some implementations, process 400 may further involve processor 312 storing extended LADN information and LADN information respectively.

[0038] In some implementations, the message may be a configuration update command message or a registration acceptance message.

[0039] In some implementations, the deregistration status may be a 5G Mobility Management (5GMM) deregistration status.

[0040] In some implementations, network slice information can be single network slice selection aid information (S-NSSAI).

[0041] In some implementations, the communication device 310 moves to a deregistered state due to the deregistration process.

[0042] Additional notes The topics described herein sometimes illustrate different components contained within or connected to different other components. It should be understood that the architectures described are merely examples, and many other architectures with the same functionality can actually be implemented. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components that achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” to achieve the desired functionality. Therefore, any two components combined in this document to achieve a particular function can be considered “associated” with each other to achieve the desired functionality, regardless of the architecture or intermediate components. Similarly, any two components so associated can also be considered “operationally connected” or “operationally linked” to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components that can be so associated can also be considered “operationally linked” to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operable connections include, but are not limited to, physically matchable and / or physically interacting components and / or wirelessly interactable and / or logically interacting and / or logically interactable components.

[0043] Furthermore, regarding the use of virtually any plural and / or singular terms in this document, those skilled in the art can appropriately convert from plural to singular and / or from singular to plural depending on the context and / or application. For clarity, various singular / plural permutations may be explicitly described herein.

[0044] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that, in general, the terms used herein, particularly those used in the appended claims, such as the body of the appended claims, are typically intended as “open-ended” terms; for example, the term “comprising” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “at least having,” and the term “comprising” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to.” Those skilled in the art will further understand that if a specific number of introduced claim statements are desired, such an intent will be explicitly stated in the claims, and without such a statement, such an intent does not exist. For example, to aid understanding, the following appended claims may contain the use of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim statements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed as implying that a claim statement introduced by the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such a claim statement to an embodiment containing only one such statement, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one," and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an," e.g., "an" and / or "an," should be interpreted as meaning "at least one" or "one or more." This also applies to the use of explicit texts introducing claim statements. Furthermore, even if a specific number of the introduced claims is explicitly listed, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a list should be interpreted as meaning at least the number listed; for example, a bare list of "two lists" without other modifiers means at least two lists, or two or more lists. Moreover, in those cases, the convention is similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." Generally, in the conventional sense understood by those skilled in the art, the use of such a construct, such as "a system having at least one of A, B, and C," will include, but is not limited to, systems having a single A, a single B, a single C, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc., in those cases where the convention is similar to "at least one of A, B, or C." Generally, this construct is intended for use in the conventional sense understood by those skilled in the art; for example, "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" will include, but is not limited to, systems having a single A, a single B, a single C, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together. Those skilled in the art will further understand that any extractive words and / or phrases that actually present two or more alternative terms, whether in the specification, claims, or drawings, should be understood to cover the possibility of including one, any, or both of the terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include the possibility of "A" or "B" or "A and B."

[0045] As will be understood from the foregoing, various embodiments of the invention have been described herein for illustrative purposes, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, and their true scope and spirit are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method comprising: The device's processor receives a message from a network node that includes extended local data network (LADN) information, wherein the extended LADN information is associated with at least one network slice information; The processor stores the extended LADN information; as well as When the device is moved to the deregistration state, the processor deletes the extended LADN information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The message further includes LADN information, and the method further includes: The processor stores the LADN information; and When the device moves to the deregistration state, the processor deletes the LADN information.

3. The method as described in claim 2, wherein, This LADN information is not associated with any network slice information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, The extended LADN information and the LADN information correspond to different information element identifiers in the message.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein, Further includes: The processor stores the extended LADN information and the LADN information respectively.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, This message may include a configuration update command message or a registration acceptance message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, This cancellation status includes the 5G mobility management cancellation status.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, The at least one network slice information includes auxiliary information for selecting a single network slice.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, The device moves to the deregistered state due to the deregistration process.

10. An apparatus comprising: A transceiver that enables wireless communication during operation; as well as A processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver enables the processor to perform the following operations during operation: The transceiver receives a message from a network node that includes extended local data network information, wherein the extended LADN information is associated with at least one network slice information. Store the extended LADN information; and If the device is moved to the logout state, the extended LADN information is deleted.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The message further includes LADN information, and during operation, the processor further performs the following operations: Store this LADN information; and If the device is moved to the logout state, the LADN information is deleted.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, This LADN information is not associated with any network slice information.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, The extended LADN information and the LADN information correspond to different information element identifiers in the message.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, During operation, the processor further performs the following operations: Store the extended LADN information and the LADN information separately.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, This message may include a configuration update command message or a registration acceptance message.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, This cancellation status includes the 5G mobility management cancellation status.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The at least one network slice information includes auxiliary information for selecting a single network slice.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The device moves to the deregistered state due to the deregistration process.

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