Method and apparatus for supporting energy usage in a communications network

Abstract

This disclosure relates to 5G or 6G communication systems for supporting higher data transmission rates. According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method is provided for obtaining energy information from an Energy Information Function (EIF) in a communication network, executed by an Application Function (AF). The method may include: sending a subscription request related to the energy information to the EIF via a Network Open Function (NEF); receiving a response to the subscription request from the EIF; and receiving the energy information from the EIF based on authorization from the EIF through the subscription request.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to enhancements to subscription and policy controls for supporting energy efficiency and energy saving in telecommunications networks. Background Technology

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

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

[0004] Currently, given the services that 5G mobile communication technology needs to support, discussions are underway regarding improvements and performance enhancements to the initial 5G mobile communication technology, and physical layer standardization already exists for technologies such as: V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) for assisting autonomous vehicles in determining driving based on information about the vehicle's location and status transmitted by the vehicle and for enhancing user convenience; NR-U (New Radio Unlicensed) designed to make system operation in unlicensed bands comply with various regulatory requirements; NR UE power saving; non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) for UE-satellite direct communication to provide coverage in areas where communication with terrestrial networks is unavailable; and positioning.

[0005] Furthermore, standardization is underway in the wireless interface architecture / protocol domain for technologies such as: Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to support new services through interoperability and convergence with other industries; IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) for nodes to provide network service area extension by supporting wireless backhaul and access links in an integrated manner; mobility enhancements including conditional handover and DAPS (Dual Active Stack) handover; and two-step random access (2-step RACH for NR) to simplify the random access process. In terms of system architecture / services, standardization is also underway for: 5G baseline architectures (e.g., service-based architectures or service-based interfaces) for combining Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies; and mobile edge computing (MEC) for UE location-based reception services.

[0006] With the commercialization of 5G mobile communication systems, the number of connected devices will increase exponentially, necessitating enhanced functionality and performance of 5G mobile communication systems, as well as integrated operation of connected devices. To this end, new research is planned related to: Extended Reality (XR) for effectively supporting AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), MR (Mixed Reality), etc.; improving 5G performance and reducing 5G complexity by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML); AI service support; Metaverse service support; and drone communication.

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

[0008] Currently, over 110 countries have committed to net-zero emissions targets by 2050. The Paris Agreement seeks to ensure global temperatures remain below 2 degrees Celsius by 2100, but ideally closer to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The motivation to reduce energy emissions and improve energy efficiency in the telecommunications sector is more urgent than ever. Furthermore, given rising energy prices and increasing traffic load on telecommunications systems, mobile network operators are eager to optimize ongoing operating / operating expenses (OPEX) costs. Energy savings in network operations are essential for new radio (NR) equipment and other components of telecommunications systems. Summary of the Invention

[0009] [Technical Solution]

[0010] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method is provided for obtaining energy information from an Energy Information Function (EIF) in a communication network, executed by an Application Function (AF). The method may include: sending a subscription request related to the energy information to the EIF via a Network Open Function (NEF); receiving a response to the subscription request from the EIF; and receiving the energy information from the EIF based on authorization from the EIF through the subscription request.

[0011] If the subscription request is authorized by NEF, the subscription request can be passed from NEF to EIF.

[0012] Energy information can include energy consumption information.

[0013] Energy information can be at least one of the following: User Equipment (UE) level, Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session level, and Quality of Service (QoS) stream level.

[0014] The method may also include sending a request to the NEF for resources used in energy-saving related sessions.

[0015] If a request for a resource is approved by the PCF, the PCF can notify the Session Management Function (SMF) of the request for managing the session.

[0016] The request may include an energy saving profile, which includes at least one of the following: desired energy savings, consumption level, efficiency, and communication service features that can be adjusted according to the required level of energy savings and energy credits.

[0017] The method may also include sending an unsubscribe request related to energy information to the EIF.

[0018] According to embodiments of this disclosure, an application function (AF) for obtaining energy information from an Energy Information Function (EIF) in a communication network is provided. The apparatus may include a transceiver and at least one processor coupled to the transceiver. The at least one processor may be configured to: send a subscription request related to energy information to the EIF via a Network Open Function (NEF); receive a response to the subscription request from the EIF; and receive energy information from the EIF based on authorization from the subscription request by the EIF.

[0019] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a method for providing energy information in a communication network, performed by an Energy Information Function (EIF), is provided. The method may include: receiving a subscription request related to energy information from an Application Function (AF) via a Network Open Function (NEF); sending a response to the subscription request to the AF; and sending the energy information to the AF based on the authorized subscription request.

[0020] Definitions of certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, and those skilled in the art will understand that, in many cases (if not most), such definitions apply to the prior and future use of the words and phrases defined in this way. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To gain a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts:

[0022] Figure 1 A message flow according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 A message flow according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 3 The message flow according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated; and

[0025] Figure 4A and Figure 4B A message flow according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 5 A block diagram of an apparatus for a network entity according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Compared to previous generations, 5G New Radio (NR) offers significant energy efficiency improvements in its first release (3GPP Rel-15), namely cell activation / deactivation on the Xn / X2 / F1 interface through coordination between peering eNB / gNB, sparse RS and SS signals, URLLC, CU / DU architecture, and MR-DC. However, based on the 2020 GSMA report "5G Energy Efficiency: Green is the New Black" (https: / / data.gsmaintelligence.com / api-web / v2 / research-file-download?id=54165956&file=241120-5G-energy.pdf), network opexes typically account for approximately 25% of Verizon's cost base, or 10% of its revenue. Furthermore, over 90% of network costs are spent on energy, primarily fuel and electricity consumption.

[0028] To further reduce energy consumption and improve the efficiency of the 3GPP system, several working groups (WGs) in the Radio Access Network (RAN), Service and System (SA), and Core Network and Terminal (CT) aspects have completed or are developing mechanisms to increase energy savings or efficiency in Rel-15 and later versions. To reduce energy consumption in the RAN portion, in Rel-18, the RAN WG began researching and specifying network energy-saving techniques (RAN WID in RP-223540 / RP-230566, September 2023), and the RAN will further focus on network energy-saving improvements in Rel-19 (RP-234065) by supporting on-demand SSB SCell operation for UEs in connected mode, on-demand SIB1 for UEs in idle / inactive mode, and adaptive common signal / channel transmission.

[0029] SA5 began their work on energy efficiency for 5G systems in Rel-16. In Rel-17 (TR 28.813 – Research on New Aspects of 5G Energy Efficiency (EE)) and Rel-18 (TR 28.913), SA5 expanded its scope from RAN-only to the entire 5G system. Specific technical documentation is documented in TS 28.310 “Management and Orchestration; Energy Efficiency of 5G”, and corresponding KPIs and measurements related to energy efficiency (EE) are documented in TS 28.552 “Management and Orchestration; 5G Performance Measurement” and TS 28.554 “Management and Orchestration; 5G End-to-End Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)”. In Rel-19, SA5 will continue its work on energy efficiency and energy savings for 5G networks and services, based on the SID approved in SP-231723 in December 2023.

[0030] SA1 is currently working on the potential requirements and solutions for the Rel-19 Energy Efficiency as a Service standard (abbreviation: EnergyServ). This project will be 100% completed by TSG 102 (December 2023). The results of this study phase are documented in TR 22.882 'Study on Energy Efficiency as a Service Standard'. Furthermore, some of the specified SA1 Phase 1 requirements (e.g., maximum energy credits) can be streamed down to SA2 for further Phase 2 work.

[0031] In previous versions of NR (previously Rel-19), research focused more on how to meet user experience requirements while simultaneously attempting to achieve energy efficiency. Use cases and solutions primarily involved enhancements within the 3GPP network. For example, SA1 has incorporated energy efficiency requirements into Section 6.15 of TS 22.261 as a fundamental 5G system requirement. However, these requirements focused more on optimizing UE battery life based on network configuration and control, including the use of small, rechargeable UEs and single-button batteries. But vertical industries (service providers in different industrial sectors) and customers lacked ways to enhance or improve the overall system's energy efficiency.

[0032] SA1 has completed its study on energy efficiency as a service within Rel-19 (TR 22.882), enabling users to select energy efficiency standards based on their needs and network performance parameters. Therefore, in some scenarios (e.g., satellite and terrestrial convenience scenarios), users or operators can choose / request the optimal approach that balances user experience and energy efficiency. Simultaneously, the network can deploy more effective strategies, namely energy-saving network resource allocation and scheduling.

[0033] SA1's work on energy efficiency as a service criterion focuses primarily on:

[0034] ● Define and support energy efficiency standards as part of communication services for users and applications.

[0035] ● Provide vertical customers with information about system energy consumption or energy efficiency levels.

[0036] The conclusions of this study are already obtained in the 5G System Requirements Specification TS 22.261. These requirements can be addressed by the System Architecture Group SA2. SA2 is investigating potential solutions to implement or meet the corresponding SA1 requirements. The combined conclusions include, but are not limited to, the following (in Clause 6 of TR 22.882 and Clause 6.15a of TS 22.261):

[0037] ●According to the operator's strategy, the 5G system should support subscription policies and the means of implementing those policies, which define the maximum energy consumption rate for services without QoS standards.

[0038] ● 5G networks should support the means to define the maximum energy consumption rate at a specific granularity (including subscriber granularity and network slice granularity).

[0039] ●According to operator policies, 5G systems should support subscription policies that define a maximum energy credit limit for the service. This maximum energy credit limit can be used to control the service.

[0040] ● Billing-related requirements: namely, subject to operator policies, 5G systems should support means of associating energy consumption with billing information based on subscription policies.

[0041] ●5G systems should support different energy states of network elements and network functions, as well as dynamic switching between different energy states.

[0042] ● For monitoring and measurement related to energy efficiency objectives, the 5G network should support energy consumption monitoring at the network slice and user granularity. The 5G system should be able to obtain energy consumption information for network functions serving the third party. The 5G system should be able to periodically obtain the proportion of renewable energy used to provide dedicated communication services to the third party. The 5G system should be able to obtain user-related energy efficiency information (e.g., including estimated carbon emissions) based on the user's data volume over a specific time period, the operator's network energy consumption, and the operator's network carbon intensity.

[0043] To improve energy savings / efficiency and reduce operating costs in NR systems, RAN3 introduced intra-system and inter-system energy savings in Rel-15 and later versions, as described in Section 15.4 of TS 38.300. This feature allows the deployment of capacity enhancers, which provide additional capabilities on top of basic coverage. Unlike cells providing basic coverage, capacity enhancer cells can be autonomously (i.e., based on cell load) by NR-RAN nodes or O&M. The activation status or request of capacity enhancer cells is exchanged via the Xn interface between the respective NR-RAN nodes. Energy savings involving O&M are specified by SA5 and documented in Clause 5.1.3.3 of TS 28.310.

[0044] In Rel-18, considering the significant operating costs in the radio segment, the RAN approved the topic "Network Energy Savings for NR" to optimize energy consumption and efficiency in the radio segment. The objectives of the RAN WG include, but are not limited to, the following:

[0045] ● Specify SSB-free SCell operations for inter-band CA of FR1 and co-located cells.

[0046] ●Specify enhancements to the cell DTX / DRX mechanism, including alignment of cell DTX / DRX and UE DRX in RRC_CONNECTED mode, and inter-node information exchange on cell DTX / DRX.

[0047] ●- Improve energy efficiency or reduce energy consumption through spatial and power domain optimization (i.e., enhancements to CSI and beam management-related processes).

[0048] ● If necessary, specify a mechanism to prevent legacy UEs from camping on cells using Rel-18 NES technology.

[0049] ● The CHO specification process is enhanced when the source / target cell is in NES mode.

[0050] ●Specify inter-node beam activation and enhance paging in restricted areas.

[0051] ● If necessary, specify the corresponding RRM / RF core requirements for the above features.

[0052] For the aforementioned RAN operations, 5GC does not participate in energy saving and energy efficiency enhancement decisions, nor in capacity booster cell activation and deactivation, nor in the configuration in the current standard.

[0053] 3GPP SA5 began its work on "Energy Efficiency of 5G" with Rel-16. In Rel-16, SA5 focused on Energy Efficiency (EE) and Energy Savings (ES) of mobile networks. In Rel-17, SA5 expanded the scope from the RAN portion only to the entire 5G system. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for EE have been defined for the 5G core network, network slicing, and more. SA5's work also focuses on OA&M, defining the mechanism for collecting measurements from 5G network functions via standardized OA&M APIs.

[0054] Network slice performance has been defined based on the type of network slice (i.e., enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive Internet of Things (MIoT)), while user plane traffic is considered to define 5GC performance. ETSI EE has defined how to measure the energy consumption (EC) of physical network functions (PNFs). However, how to measure the EC of virtualized network functions (VNFs) is a blank. In Rel-17, SA5 has defined a method to estimate its energy consumption based on the estimated energy consumption of the underlying virtual computing resource instances (i.e., virtual machines (VMs)). Currently, SA5 is still working on 5G Rel-18 energy efficiency. Building on Rel-17, in Rel-18, SA5 is investigating more accurate virtual CPU utilization measurements from ETSI NFV MANO, which can be used to estimate the energy consumption of VMs, new use cases for energy savings across the entire 3GPP system, digital conservation considerations, etc.

[0055] In future versions, SA2 WG can further enhance some parameters and measurement techniques / metrics to support system-level energy savings and efficient operation.

[0056] SA5 also introduces MDA (Management Data Analytics) to assist in energy saving in Clauses 7.2.4 and 8.4.4 of TS 28.104. MDA-assisted energy saving is achieved by activating energy-saving modes in NR capacity enhancer cells or 5GC NFs (e.g., UPF, etc.). Considering energy-saving strategies set by operators, Management Data Analytics Service (MDAS) providers can offer energy-saving recommendations to service consumers to assist in energy-saving decision-making. For example, the MDAS process can provide outputs based on consumer requests to indicate where energy efficiency problems exist in the system (e.g., high energy consumption, low energy efficiency) and the causes of these problems.

[0057] Given that energy costs are one of the most significant sources of operating costs for mobile network operators (MNOs), 3GPP is increasingly focusing on improving energy efficiency (EE), energy savings (ES), and energy consumption reduction (EC) in 5GS. The above section reviews existing work related to EE, ES, and EC in other 3GPP WGs. From a network perspective, previous solutions explored how to optimize energy consumption by adapting the network itself, for example, by activating and deactivating parts of the network, including cells, network functions (NFs), etc. Such changes to the network topology and components can be transparent to the network architecture or impact it, for example, by reselecting appropriate network functions. Previous work has focused more on network management, including OAM and RAN node / cell management, or on the UE perspective. Previous work has not explored how to improve and enhance energy savings and energy efficiency at the system level, i.e., considering end-to-end energy savings and energy efficiency for services or UEs. Prior to Rel-19, no standardization work on enhancing energy efficiency and energy savings as a service standard for NR systems had been introduced into SA2.

[0058] As mentioned above, SA1 has already identified Phase 1 requirements for the Energy as a Service standard in the FS_EnergyServ study. Some of the SA1 requirements need to be addressed by SA2, i.e., by introducing new functionalities and mechanisms through SA2. The goal of SA1 energy efficiency is to provide the same service in a more efficient manner, i.e., to provide services in an energy-aware manner, treating energy usage control as a service standard, and functional requirements may include the ability to control energy usage based on operator policies, such as "energy credit limits" and "maximum energy usage" applied to services provided to UEs or UE groups.

[0059] Furthermore, the SA plenary meeting has issued a 3GPP-wide recommendation that energy efficiency is considered a key design criterion for technical solutions defined by 3GPP in its specifications (see SP-211621). Therefore, SA2 decided to investigate options for improving system behavior aimed at energy saving and energy efficiency in Rel-19.

[0060] The SID for SA2 work was approved at the plenary meeting of SP-231192 (September 2023), including:

[0061] ●WT#1. Investigate potential frameworks for opening up network energy consumption. This will include whether to open up information, what information to open up, how to open up information (e.g., billing), and at what granularity to open up information, such as at the RAN level, core network level, network slice level, UE level, PDU session level, and / or QoS flow level. Additionally, it will investigate whether and how the MNO can open up renewable energy or carbon emission information at this granularity.

[0062] ●WT#2. Research enhancements to subscription and policy controls to achieve network energy savings as a service standard.

[0063] ●WT#3. Research on 5GS enhancements for network energy saving (e.g., energy usage adjustments to NFs from the CN perspective, energy-saving decisions, NF selection utilizing NF energy states), including 5GC (NF) and NG-RAN interactions and analysis. For example, for the scenario specified by SA1 EnergyServ in TR 22.882, the impact on UEs cannot be ruled out.

[0064] To support these objectives, the SA2 study is being conducted between November 2023 and May 2024.

[0065] For WT#2, the Key Issues (KI) description was approved in S2-2313823 at the SA2 160 meeting in November 2023 and is documented in Clause 5.2 of TR 23.700-66:

[0066] 5.2 Key Issue #2: Subscription and policy controls to support energy efficiency and energy savings as a service standard

[0067] 5.2.1 Description

[0068] Energy-related information as a service standard allows services to be provided based on, for example, energy-related subscriptions and policies, to achieve energy-saving goals.

[0069] The following aspects will be studied in response to this key issue:

[0070] - Whether and how to enhance the existing subscription and policy control framework to support energy-related information as a service standard, including:

[0071] - Whether to define new energy-related UE subscription information, what new energy-related UE subscription information to define, and whether and how to use energy-related UE subscription information.

[0072] - Whether to define new energy-related strategies, what new energy-related strategies to define, and how to implement energy-related strategy controls, such as identifying, providing, and implementing energy-related strategies.

[0073] - At what granularity (e.g., network slice, UE, NF, PDU session, QoS flow, application ID, etc.) can energy-related policy control be performed?

[0074] - What network energy information is needed for subscription and policy control, and how to obtain it.

[0075] - Whether and how the aforementioned enhancements to subscription and policy control affect billing.

[0076] Note 1: Billing enhancements will be addressed in coordination with SA WG5 (if any).

[0077] Note 2: This study will address use cases corresponding to the identified requirements described in Clause 6.15a.2 of TS 22.261[8]. Potential enhancements to subscription and policy control depend on the use cases. The solution should identify the relevant use cases to be addressed.

[0078] Note 3: The potential impact of the enhancement will be assessed to ensure that no more energy is consumed than the expected energy savings.

[0079] The NR policy and billing framework are primarily documented in TS 23.503. Existing policy controls can be categorized into non-session management related policy controls and session management related policy controls.

[0080] Non-session management related policy controls mainly include: access and mobility related policy controls, UE policy controls, packet flow description management, and SMF selection management related policy controls. Non-session management related network capabilities can be opened from the NEF to the AF.

[0081] Session management-related policy controls are more commonly referred to as PCC (Policy and Charging Control) rules. The basic requirements for session management-related policy controls include (as stated in Clause 4.3.1 of TS 23.503), but are not limited to:

[0082] ●The PCC framework should be able to make decisions based on subscription information, access type, and RAT type.

[0083] ●PCC rules can be predefined at setup time and during the lifetime of the PDU session, or dynamically provided. The latter is called dynamic PCC rules.

[0084] ● It should be possible to add and remove PCC rules to service at specific times of the day, when there is no PCC interaction at that time.

[0085] ●Utilizing the PCC framework, it will be possible to monitor the total amount of resources consumed by users in real time and control usage independently of the billing mechanism (so-called usage monitoring and control).

[0086] ●The PCC framework should support strategic decisions based on user spending limits.

[0087] ●The PCC framework should support strategic decisions for N6 traffic routing.

[0088] Session management-related policy control requirements include many different aspects, namely, gating requirements, QoS control requirements at different levels (i.e., service data stream level, PDU session level, QoS stream level), subscriber spending limit requirements (implementing policies based on subscriber spending limits based on information requested by the PCF from the billing function CHF), usage monitoring control requirements (i.e., decisions made by the PCF (Policy Control Function) to make / modify PCC rules), and application detection and control requirements.

[0089] As described in Clause 4.3.6 of TS 23.503, support for network capability exposure enables AFs (e.g., external ASPs) to request the following session management-related policy control functions from NEF:

[0090] - Set or change the billable party when the AF session is established (see Clauses 4.15.6.4 and 4.15.6.5 of TS 23.502).

[0091] - Establish an AF session with the required QoS (see Clauses 6.1.3.22 and 4.15.6.6 of TS 23.502).

[0092] - Request QoS, service feature provisioning, and performance monitoring for a single UE or a group of UEs (see Clause 4.15.6.14 of TS 23.502).

[0093] - Service characteristics for transmitting time-sensitive communications from TSN AF (see Clause 6.1.3.23) or from TSCTSF (see Clause 6.1.3.23a).

[0094] - Establish a time synchronization service from TSCTSF (see Clauses 5.27.1.8 and 6.1.3.23a of TS 23.501 and Clause 4.15.9 of TS 23.502).

[0095] - Building upon the previous work on SA1 and the ongoing topics of SA2, enhancements to subscription and policy controls should be introduced to support energy efficiency and energy savings as service standards in Rel-19. However, based on the above review of legacy technologies, currently, the specification does not include session- or non-session-related management policies and subscriptions that take into account energy-related aspects (i.e., energy credits / limitations, energy consumption, energy saving requirements, and energy rates).

[0096] In order to support the requirements in Clause 5.2 of TR 23.700-66, it is desirable to consider enhanced subscription and policy controls in energy-related aspects.

[0097] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for obtaining energy information from the Energy Information Function (EIF) using Function AF in a telecommunications network is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0098] ●AF sends a subscription request to EIF via the Network Open Function (NEF);

[0099] ●If authorized, the EIF responds with an acknowledgment; and

[0100] ●EIF also provides energy information to AF via NEF.

[0101] In this embodiment, NEF authorizes subscription requests from AF.

[0102] In this embodiment, the energy information is energy consumption information.

[0103] In the embodiments, energy information is provided or requested at one of the following levels: User Equipment (UE) level; Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session level; and Quality of Service (QoS) stream level.

[0104] In this embodiment, AF also requests certain resources for the session.

[0105] In one embodiment, if a request for certain resources is approved, the PCF notifies the Session Management Function (SMF) of the request, and the SMF manages the associated session accordingly.

[0106] In one embodiment, the request includes an energy-saving profile, which includes at least one of the following: desired energy savings, consumption level, efficiency, and communication service features that can be adjusted according to the required level of energy savings and energy credits.

[0107] In this embodiment, the subscription request also includes an unsubscribe request. For example, the AF may send an unsubscribe request to the EIF to unsubscribe from a subscription related to energy information.

[0108] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided that is arranged to perform the methods described in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0109] In the context of embodiments of this application, references to billing or charge primarily relate to monetary charges for end users. End users may be rewarded (or disadvantaged) in some way for saving (or overusing) energy. Rewards may take the form of monetary discounts or increased / improved services in later billing periods. Inhibitory factors may take the form of a reduced user experience. Essentially, a user's experience with the network may be affected positively or negatively by their energy usage. For example, a user who has used less energy than a defined target of some kind may be rewarded with an increased data quota.

[0110] According to this disclosure, apparatus and methods as set forth in the appended claims are provided. Other features of this disclosure will be apparent from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0111] Although some preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0112] Before proceeding with the following detailed description, it may be advantageous to define certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “comprising” and “including” and their derivatives mean including but not limited to; the term “or” is inclusive, referring to and / or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated with” and their derivatives may mean including, being included in, interconnected with, containing, contained within, connected to or connected to, coupled to or coupled to, able to communicate with, cooperate with, interleaved, juxtaposed, proximate, bound to or bound to, having, having the properties of, etc.; and the term “controller” means any device, system, or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such device may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or software, or some combination of at least two of these. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller can be centralized or distributed, whether local or remote.

[0113] Furthermore, the various functions described below can be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each computer program being formed by computer-readable program code and embodied in a computer-readable medium. The terms "application" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, associated data, or portions thereof suitable for implementation in appropriate computer-readable program code. The phrase "computer-readable program code" includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase "computer-readable medium" includes any type of medium accessible by a computer, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard disk drive, optical disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of storage. "Non-transitory" computer-readable media does not include wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transmit transient electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable media includes media in which data can be permanently stored and media in which data can be stored and later rewritten, such as rewritable optical discs or erasable memory devices.

[0114] The following discussion Figures 1 to 4BThe various embodiments used to describe the principles of this disclosure in this patent document are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of this disclosure can be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device.

[0115] Embodiments of the present invention aim to address the problems in KI#2 by enhancing session management-related policy controls, including energy-related aspects. In accordance with the requirement of SA1 in Clause 6.15a.2.2 of TS 22.261, 5GC should define and implement subscriptions and policies taking into account energy-related aspects of the service (e.g., by considering maximum permissible energy consumption).

[0116] Given the high energy costs of 5GS operation, third-party service providers (hereinafter referred to as "third parties") and network operators can set energy-related limits or requirements for service operation to limit energy costs, depending on operator policies. For example, AF and 5GC can apply maximum energy consumption limits / energy credits or minimum energy efficiency to deliver services to one or more users via 5GS. To enforce energy-related requirements (e.g., energy credits for services) within 5GS, AF and 5GC can apply different service operation quality requirements (e.g., different QoS) to different available energy consumption credits. Considering the above issues, policy controls with energy constraints should be agreed upon between the third party and 5GC before service commencement. The policy agreed upon between the third party and 5GC can be used to monitor and manage sessions during service operation to ensure that 5GS provides services in a required energy-saving manner, for example, by implementing energy credits. During service operation, the 5GS operational status may change for various reasons. As a result, 5GS may be unable to meet the agreed energy-related policies. In this case, 5GC can take action to enforce the energy policy (e.g., by modifying AM or SM policies) or interact with the third party to notify of the new policy.

[0117] To generate and enforce policies with energy-related requirements (e.g., energy credits or energy efficiency requirements) within the 5GS and to provide services in an energy-saving manner that meets the needs of third parties and network operators, interaction between the AF and 5GC is required. Before service commencement, the AF can send energy requirements and constraints to the 5GC and request the 5GC to generate and authorize policies for service operation. The AF can also optionally indicate other service requirements as well as energy requirements, such as a list of QoS parameters, potential service time windows, etc. Upon receiving an AF request, the 5GC (e.g., PCF) will determine energy-related policy controls.

[0118] Strategic decisions will be made by considering multiple pieces of information, including information from the AF request and relevant information collected by the PCF within the 5GS. For example, the PCF may collect forecasts and statistics on energy consumption and efficiency from the NWDAF, and other energy-related data from various data sources, such as OAM and Energy Monitoring, Management Network Function (EMF) (if applicable), etc. The PCF will use the collected data to verify whether the energy requirements or limitations in the AF request can be met by the 5GS. If instructed by the AF, the 5GC may also consider quality of service requirements and energy information. The determined strategy will be communicated to the AF by the PCF.

[0119] Energy monitoring and management network functions (EMFs) can be standalone network functions or co-located with other network functions (e.g., PCF, NWDAF, etc.). Note that EMFs can be known by one or more different terms and have not yet been definitively defined in relevant standards documents. One possible name is Energy Information Function (EIF). This can be implemented as a standalone NF or as part of another NF (such as PCF or NWDAF).

[0120] Alternatively, the PCF can send a request for the collected data to the Monitoring and Management Network Function (EMF) to verify whether the energy requirements or limitations in the AF request can be met by 5GS. The EMF then sends the results back to the PCF. The EMF can also send the PCF possible QoS or quality of service that can be provided, which is associated with different energy requirements or limitations.

[0121] Energy-related measurement data (i.e., energy consumption of PDU sessions, QoS flows, UEs, etc.) can be collected from OAM or Energy Monitoring and Management Network Function (EMF) (if applicable). If instructed by AF, 5GC will also consider quality of service requirements and energy information. The determined policy will be notified to AF by PCF.

[0122] However, considering the performance and operating principles of 5GS, the energy-related requirements in an AF request may not be applicable to 5GS. In this case, 5GS may not authorize the AF request, or it can negotiate with the AF by providing an alternative strategy that includes energy requirements or limitations. For example, if the PCF verifies that the energy consumption credits provided by the AF are insufficient to complete the required service, the PCF may not authorize the AF request and notify the AF of the result. The AF can then send a new request to the 5GC. Alternatively, the 5GC can provide the AF with one or more alternative strategies, including applicable energy-related requirements or limitations / constraints and optionally corresponding feasible quality of service for negotiation. The AF will inform the PCF of its final decision regarding the energy strategy for service operation.

[0123] During service operation, in order to enforce agreed energy-related policies, the PCF may request or subscribe to energy-related data and notifications from multiple data sources. For example, the PCF may subscribe to an EMF (if any) to receive notifications related to energy usage status. Based on reports and notifications, the PCF will take action to ensure that agreed energy-related policies are met. For example, the PCF may request energy consumption and energy efficiency-related notifications from the OAM or appropriate 5GC NFs (i.e., SMF, EMF, if any). If energy consumption (e.g., for one or more PDU sessions, QoS flows, UEs) reaches a certain level, the PCF may reduce service quality requirements, for example, by increasing the packet error rate to reduce retransmissions and thus reduce energy consumption, reducing traffic to XR services, etc. Alternatively, if the PCF is notified that energy consumption credits have run out, the PCF may determine to revoke resources allocated to the service and terminate the service, or disable / suspend the session for a period of time until new energy consumption credits are available for service transmission.

[0124] During service operation, the PCF or AF may trigger policy modifications under different scenarios, such as changes in energy consumption credits from the AF side, changes in 5GS performance, or the 5GC's inability to provide service by enforcing the agreed-upon energy policy. In such cases, the PCF can generate a new policy based on the operator's policy and the data collected within the 5GS and AF as described above. The PCF will then notify the AF of the new policy. Further negotiation between the 5GC and AF regarding acceptable policies is also possible.

[0125] This solution provides AF and 5GC with a method for determining, modifying, and implementing policy controls by considering energy constraints / requirements and limitations. AF and 5GC can negotiate service operation policies (e.g., QoS parameters) by considering required energy efficiency and permissible energy consumption credits. 5GC can then take action to implement policies to limit energy consumption or improve the energy efficiency of the service. In this way, services can be provided to subscribers in an energy-saving manner that meets the requirements of both third parties and MNOs.

[0126] In embodiments of this disclosure:

[0127] ● Unless otherwise explicitly defined, energy includes any type of energy, namely renewable and non-renewable energy (including coal, oil, and natural gas).

[0128] ● Renewable energy includes any type of source that can be continuously replenished, such as sunlight and wind.

[0129] ●Unless otherwise explicitly stated, different granularities / levels include RAN level, core network level, network slice level, UE level, PDU session level, and / or QoS flow level.

[0130] The strategic control framework for energy saving and energy efficiency is as required by Clause 6.15a.2.1, SA1, in TS 22.261:

[0131] "For best-effort services, which do not have QoS standards, policies can be defined to limit the energy usage of the service. This does not conflict with the principle that performance policies should not be compromised for energy efficiency, because best-effort services have no performance guarantees."

[0132] Specifically, best-effort services may be subject to strategies that limit maximum energy consumption over time, or further to location constraints (so that energy consumption limits apply only when used in designated service areas).

[0133] Additionally, policies can be defined using maximum energy credits; for example, for best-effort services, total energy consumption can be limited based on energy billing rates. These policies expand the options for subscription policies to control energy consumption in 5G systems.

[0134] In this embodiment, a policy control framework for energy saving and energy efficiency is fully specified by introducing energy-related aspects as limitations / constraints for sessions / services, etc. In the current specification, there is no policy control mechanism, and subscription information treats energy-related aspects as part of requirements / thresholds / constraints / conditions. For example, in the current session management-related policy control framework, the AF session may consider billing-related issues, specify QoS requirements or request QoS, service feature provisioning, and UE performance monitoring, etc. Therefore, 5GS delivers and manages services more efficiently; that is, 5GC can interact with AF and negotiate policies regarding delivery services, generate policies for resource utilization monitoring, etc.

[0135] The process performed by the PCF can be replaced by any other 5GC NF (e.g., Energy Monitoring, Management Related Network Functions (EMF)).

[0136] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates message exchange in an embodiment involved in establishing an AF session with energy-related constraints / requirements. The messages in this diagram are labeled 1-13 and are described in detail below:

[0137] 1. The AF sends a request to the 5GC using the Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create request message to request energy-related policy control for the AF sessions of one or more UEs (101). The AF can invoke NEF service operations using the Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create request message. The request message to the NEF may include energy-related requirements or service licenses. For example, maximum energy consumption credits, energy efficiency required for service operation, different energy consumption thresholds associated with different operating policies, etc. Optionally, the AF may also indicate the energy requirements corresponding to the quality of service, such as the minimum QoS requirements of the service associated with the required energy efficiency or maximum energy consumption credits. The UE address, AF identifier, DNN, and S-NSSAI may also be included in the request message.

[0138] The AF sends a request to the 5GC NF to indicate to the NEF, using the Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create request message, the energy-related limits / requirements for one or more UEs' AF sessions. The Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create request may include: energy-related requirements / limitations and general information.

[0139] - Energy-related requirements / restrictions may include:

[0140] ○ Energy-related requirements / restrictions can be based on the maximum credit for energy consumption / energy use / energy efficiency, etc.

[0141] ○ Energy-related requirements / restrictions can apply to UEs, UE groups, and services (including multiple UEs);

[0142] Energy-related requirements / restrictions can be at the granularity / level, i.e., at the RAN level, core network level, network slice level, UE level, PDU session level, and / or QoS flow level.

[0143] ○ Energy-related requirements / restrictions can be for a period of time, i.e., energy consumption over a period of time (i.e., an hour, a day, a month, etc.);

[0144] ○ Energy-related requirements / restrictions can be regional, such as the energy consumption or energy efficiency of a cell, a list of cell / TA / beam / RAN notification areas, energy efficiency areas, etc.

[0145] - General information may include: the address of a specific UE or multiple UEs to indicate the UE to participate in a service / AF session with energy-related requirements / restrictions, the AF identifier used to identify the AF, S-NSSAI (i.e., if energy-related restrictions / constraints are used at slice granularity), DNN, etc. The AF may indicate the QoS requirements, QoS parameters, and alternative QoS requirements (if any) for services with energy restrictions / restrictions to the 5GC (i.e., the PCF or the energy monitoring and management-related NF, or via the NEF if the AF is not trusted).

[0146] 2. The NEF authorization includes an AF request for energy-related requirements / restrictions and can apply strategies to control the total amount of energy consumption / use authorized for the AF (102).

[0147] - If authorization is not granted, all steps are skipped (except step 5), and NEF replies to AF with a result value indicating authorization failure.

[0148] -NEF can provide AF with alternative recommended energy-related requirements / restrictions for further use / negotiation.

[0149] 3. The NEF uses the UE address indicated in step 1 to discover the PCF from the BSF. Then, the NEF forwards the parameters received in step 1 to the PCF (103) by invoking a PCF service operation, such as the Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Create request message. Alternatively, the NEF discovers the Energy Monitoring and Management Related Network Function (EMF).

[0150] If the AF is deemed trusted by the operator, the AF interacts directly with the PCF / EMF using the Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Create message to indicate and negotiate energy-related limits for the AF session, without going through the NEF.

[0151] 4. In step 3, the PCF / EMF determines whether to authorize the request from the NEF (104). To determine whether the request can be authorized, the PCF can collect energy information from multiple data sources, such as NWDAF, OAM, SMF, energy monitoring, and management network function (EMF) (if applicable). For example, the PCF can trigger NWDAF to provide predictions and statistics on energy consumption or energy efficiency at different granularities, and the PCF can collect energy-related measurements from EMF, OAM, or other 5GC NFs to understand energy consumption over a period of time. Based on the collected information, the PCF can verify whether the 5GS can meet the AF request.

[0152] If PCF / EMF determines that 5GS cannot satisfy the AF request, 5GC can reject the AF request and notify AF of the result.

[0153] The PCF can determine the strategy negotiated with the AF, that is, by providing alternative strategies that include energy-related requirements or limitations that can be provided to the AF by the 5GS. For example, the PCF can generate different achievable energy consumption limits and energy efficiencies, as well as different service operation strategies.

[0154] For the request received from NEF in step 3, PCF / EMF determines whether the request is authorized, and if the request is not authorized, it notifies NEF (104).

[0155] – If the request is authorized, the PCF / EMF will derive / collect energy-related information based on the information provided by the NEF in step 3 or directly by the AF. The PCF will determine and check whether the 5GS can meet / achieve energy-related limits / requirements. The PCF / EMF will generate energy control strategies and notify the NEF of the results.

[0156] - If the AF is deemed trusted by the operator, the PCF / EMF will notify the AF of the result directly via the Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Create response message.

[0157] -PCF can determine and authorize energy-related requirements / policy controls based on parameters provided by NEF / AF and multiple data collected / requested / subscribed from other 5GC NF, OAM, RAN nodes, UEs, etc.

[0158] In order to collect / request data from other entities and subscribe to other entities to notify of data of interest, the PCF / EMF can trigger procedures for other 5GC NFs, OAM, RAN nodes, and UEs to collect / monitor / derive energy-related information. That is, the PCF triggers the NWDAF to derive and notify the PCF / EMF of predictions and statistics on energy consumption / energy efficiency / energy demand based on parameters indicated by the PCF, or the PCF can collect energy-related information from the energy monitoring / management NF, and the PCF can trigger QoS monitoring or other measurements for SMFs, UPFs, etc.

[0159] ○ Processes / events triggered by PCF / EMF to collect data (directly or indirectly) related to energy information can be considered part of energy-related policy control.

[0160] - Energy control policies may include multiple parameters / requirements, generated by the PCF / EMF. Policies may include: maximum permissible (overall) energy credits (i.e., for the service, UE, multiple UEs, one or more RAN nodes, core network, network slice, UE, PDU session level, and / or QoS flow level, etc.). Optionally, the PCF may also notify the QoS parameters / requirements / 5QI and energy-related requirements for the service / service flow / QoS flow / AF session.

[0161] - If more than one service requirement / parameter is provided, i.e., more than 5GC / NF / RAN node / UE / PDU session / QoS flow maximum energy credit, maximum energy consumption limit, maximum / minimum energy efficiency, maximum / minimum energy rate, and energy status are provided, then the PCF / EMF can derive the probability / likelihood / priority of energy-related requirements / limitations.

[0162] Optionally, the PCF / EMF provides service requirements / parameters (i.e., QoS parameters / requirements / 5QI, latency, data rate / throughput, etc.) that can be provided by 5GC, along with corresponding energy-related limitations / requirements. Therefore, the AF / NEF will understand that service quality can be provided by 5GS in terms of corresponding energy-related aspects (i.e., energy consumption, energy efficiency, maximum energy credit required).

[0163] ○ Taking into account policy requirements and (service / operator) configuration, PCF / NEF / AF / EMF can prioritize service requirements / parameters with higher probability / likelihood / priority in order to provide services to users.

[0164] ○PCF / NEF / AF / EMF can prioritize requirements / parameters such as lowest energy consumption and highest efficiency, i.e., energy cost / price is taken into account.

[0165] ○PCF / EMF can also generate energy-related rules / policies to trigger processes / events towards other 5GC NF / RAN / UE, such as resource monitoring and parameters.

[0166] The PCF / EMF can determine and update energy-related policies based on requests from the AF / NEF, monitoring results reported to the PCF, and event notifications from other 5GC NFs / RANs / UEs / OAMs. Specifically, when an energy-related event is triggered, the PCF can determine and update energy-related policies based on notifications / requests from energy monitoring and management-related NFs, SMFs, and UPFs. Energy-related events can be triggered based on energy consumption, energy usage reaching thresholds / limits, or efficiency (i.e., efficiency being below or above thresholds / limits).

[0167] -PCF / EMF can update / modify the determined policy and notify consumers of the policy, i.e., other 5GC NF / RAN / UE / NEF. 5GC can also notify AF of the new policy (via NEF).

[0168] Based on the triggered events / notifications / monitoring results, PCF can also determine the revocation policy and the resources / configurations allocated according to the policy, or determine the termination / revocation of services and notify AF, NEF, 5GC NF (i.e., SMF, UPF, etc.), RAN, UE, etc.

[0169] -PCF / EMF can notify AF, NEF, 5GC NF (i.e., SMF, UPF, etc.) of policy updates / modifications / revocations / deletions by calling the corresponding pcf_update / modification / revoke / delete service operations.

[0170] 5. The PCF / EMF notifies the NEF whether the request in step 3 has been authorized (105) by sending an Npcf_ / Nemf_PolicyAuthorization_Create response message. As described in step 4, the PCF may also include alternative policies, which include energy-related requirements or restrictions that can be provided by the 5GS to the AF for energy policy negotiation.

[0171] NEF sends an Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create response (transaction reference ID, result) (106) to AF. The result indicates whether the request was granted.

[0172] -NEF can also include accepted / suggested / determined energy-related information / parameters in the response message, such as the maximum energy credit / energy consumption / energy usage limit / energy efficiency of the UE or multiple UEs / services at one or more different granularities / levels.

[0173] - Upon receiving a response message, AF confirms whether to accept a request with energy-related requirements for 5GC, the energy-related requirements accepted by 5GC, and the priority / probability / probability of the accepted energy-related requirements (if more than one energy-related requirement is indicated).

[0174] 6. NEF sends an Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create response (transaction reference ID, result, optional alternative strategy) to AF to indicate the authorization result (106).

[0175] 7. Conditionally, if the PCF / EMF determines that it has negotiated with the AF and sent more than one alternative policy to the AF in steps 5 and 6, then in order to ensure that the AF and 5GC have a consistent understanding of the policy to be applied, the AF needs to select and notify the 5GC about the acceptable policy by calling the Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Update request (107).

[0176] 8.-10. Conditionally, the NEF forwards the selected policy from the AF to the PCF / EMF (108). The PCF / EMF acknowledges the NEF (109). The NEF responds to the AF request regarding policy acceptance from the PCF / EMF (110).

[0177] 11.-13. After successfully establishing an energy-related policy protocol between the AF and 5GC, the NEF can subscribe to events or notifications of energy usage or energy efficiency of PDU sessions, QoS streams, UEs, etc., as well as other events during service operations (e.g., QoS monitoring, data volume over a period of time, session activation and deactivation time, etc.) (111). When conditions are met, i.e., when energy consumption reaches a certain level or energy efficiency is below a threshold, the PCF / EMF can notify the NEF of the event and the value of the energy-related parameters (112). The NEF sends a notification message to the AF (113) containing the events and parameters reported by the PCF / EMF.

[0178] After a session / resource / protocol is successfully established between the AF and the 5GC / 5GC NF / PCF / energy monitoring and management related NFs, the NEF can subscribe to events / notifications of energy-related policy modifications / updates, energy-related monitoring results / changes / warnings, resource allocation status based on energy usage / energy consumption / energy efficiency, energy status of 5GC / 5GC NF / RAN / UE, etc. (if available), etc.

[0179] When the PCF / EMF meets energy-related event conditions, such as energy consumption exceeding a threshold, energy efficiency falling below a threshold, maximum energy credits being used up / satisfied, data volume / throughput exceeding a threshold, or 5GC being unable to provide the required energy limits / parameters for the service, the PCF / EMF sends an Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Notify message to the NEF to notify of the energy-related event.

[0180] If the AF is deemed trusted by the operator, the PCF / EMF directly sends the Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Notify message to the AF.

[0181] In step 7, NEF sends an Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Notify message to AF containing the events reported by PCF.

[0182] The Energy Advisor (AF) can send a request to the Energy Policy Advisor (NEF) to revoke an AF request with energy-related requirements. The NEF authorizes the revocation request and triggers the PCF / EMF service to revoke / delete the AF request, i.e., the Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorizationEnergy_Delete service operation of the AF request.

[0183] If the AF is trusted by the operator, the AF will directly send a request to the PCF / EMF to revoke / delete the previous AF request.

[0184] The PCF / EMF or AF can modify or update previously agreed energy-related policies under various circumstances, such as changes in the AF's energy consumption credits, the 5GC's inability to provide services in the agreed manner due to energy constraints, or changes in the operator's policies. The PCF can generate a new policy based on the operator's policies and data collected within the 5GS (i.e., from NWDAF, energy monitoring and management NF, OAM, RAN nodes, etc.) and AF requirements (if any). The PCF / EMF will then notify the AF of the new policy. Further negotiation between the 5GC and AF regarding acceptable policies is also possible.

[0185] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates message exchange in an embodiment involved in establishing an AF session with energy-related constraints / requirements. The messages in this diagram are labeled 1-8 and are described in detail below:

[0186] 1. The AF sends a request to the 5GC NF to indicate to the NEF, using the Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create request message, the energy-related limits / requirements for one or more UEs' AF sessions. (201) The Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create request may include: energy-related requirements / limitations and general information:

[0187] - Energy-related requirements / restrictions may include:

[0188] ○ Energy-related requirements / restrictions can be based on the maximum credit for energy consumption / energy use / energy efficiency, etc.

[0189] ○ Energy-related requirements / restrictions can apply to UEs, UE groups, and services (including multiple UEs);

[0190] Energy-related requirements / restrictions can be at the granularity / level, i.e., at the RAN level, core network level, network slice level, UE level, PDU session level, and / or QoS flow level.

[0191] ○ Energy-related requirements / restrictions can be for a period of time, i.e., energy consumption over a period of time (i.e., an hour, a day, a month, etc.);

[0192] ○ Energy-related requirements / restrictions can be regional, such as the energy consumption or energy efficiency of a cell, a list of cell / TA / beam / RAN notification areas, energy efficiency areas, etc.

[0193] - General information may include: the address of a specific UE or multiple UEs to indicate the UE to participate in a service / AF session with energy-related requirements / restrictions, the AF identifier used to identify the AF, S-NSSAI (i.e., if energy-related restrictions / constraints are used at slice granularity), DNN, etc. The AF may indicate the QoS requirements, QoS parameters, and alternative QoS requirements (if any) for services with energy restrictions / restrictions to the 5GC (i.e., the PCF or the energy monitoring and management-related NF, or via the NEF if the AF is not trusted).

[0194] 2. NEF authorization includes AF requests for energy-related requirements / restrictions and policies can be applied to control the total amount of energy consumption / use authorized for AF (202).

[0195] - If authorization is not granted, all steps are skipped (except step 5), and NEF replies to AF with a result value indicating authorization failure.

[0196] -NEF can provide AF with alternative recommended energy-related requirements / restrictions for further use / negotiation.

[0197] 3. The NEF uses the UE address indicated in step 1 to discover the PCF from the BSF. The NEF forwards the received parameters indicated in step 1 to the PCF (203) in the Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Create request message. Alternatively, the NEF discovers the Energy Monitoring and Management Related Network Function (EMF).

[0198] If the AF is deemed trusted by the operator, the AF interacts directly with the PCF / EMF using the Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Create message to indicate and negotiate energy-related limits for the AF session, without going through the NEF.

[0199] 4. For the request received from NEF in step 3, PCF / EMF determines whether the request is authorized, and if the request is not authorized, it notifies NEF (204a).

[0200] - If the request is authorized, the PCF / EMF will derive / collect energy-related information based on the information provided by the NEF in step 3 or directly by the AF. The PCF / EMF will determine and check whether the 5GS can meet / achieve energy-related limits / requirements. The PCF / EMF will generate energy control-related strategies and notify the NEF of the results.

[0201] - If the AF is deemed trusted by the operator, the PCF / EMF will notify the AF of the result directly via the Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Create response message (204b).

[0202] -PCF / EMF can determine and authorize energy-related requirements / policy controls based on parameters provided by NEF / AF and multiple data collected / requested / subscribed from other 5GC NF, OAM, RAN nodes, UEs, etc.

[0203] To collect / request data from other entities and subscribe to other entities to receive notifications of data of interest, the PCF / EMF can trigger procedures targeting other 5GC NFs, OAM, RAN nodes, and UEs to collect / monitor / extract energy-related information. Specifically, the PCF / EMF triggers the NWDAF to derive and notify the PCF / EMF of energy consumption / energy efficiency / energy demand predictions and statistics based on parameters indicated by the PCF / EMF. Alternatively, the PCF / EMF can collect energy-related information from the energy monitoring / management NF, triggering QoS monitoring or other measurements on SMFs, UPFs, etc.

[0204] ○ Processes / events triggered by PCF / EMF to collect data (directly or indirectly) related to energy information can be considered part of energy-related policy control.

[0205] - Energy control policies may include multiple parameters / requirements, generated by the PCF / EMF. Policies may include: maximum permissible (overall) energy credits (i.e., for the service, UE, multiple UEs, one or more RAN nodes, core network, network slice, UE, PDU session level, and / or QoS flow level, etc.). Optionally, the PCF may also notify the QoS parameters / requirements / 5QI and energy-related requirements for the service / service flow / QoS flow / AF session.

[0206] - If more than one service requirement / parameter is provided, i.e., more than 5GC / NF / RAN node / UE / PDU session / QoS flow maximum energy credit, maximum energy consumption limit, maximum / minimum energy efficiency, maximum / minimum energy rate, and energy status are provided, then PCF can derive the probability / likelihood / priority of energy-related requirements / limitations.

[0207] Optionally, the PCF / EMF provides service requirements / parameters (i.e., QoS parameters / requirements / 5QI, latency, data rate / throughput, etc.) that can be provided by 5GC, along with corresponding energy-related limitations / requirements. Therefore, the AF / NEF will understand that service quality can be provided by 5GS in terms of corresponding energy-related aspects (i.e., energy consumption, energy efficiency, maximum energy credit required).

[0208] ○ Taking into account policy requirements and (service / operator) configuration, PCF / NEF / AF / EMF can prioritize service requirements / parameters with higher probability / likelihood / priority in order to provide services to users.

[0209] ○PCF / NEF / AF / EMF can prioritize requirements / parameters such as lowest energy consumption and highest efficiency, i.e., take energy cost into account.

[0210] ○PCF / EMF can also generate energy-related rules / policies to trigger processes / events towards other 5GC NF / RAN / UE, such as resource monitoring and parameters.

[0211] The PCF / EMF can determine and update energy-related policies based on requests from the AF / NEF, monitoring results reported to the PCF, and event notifications from other 5GC NFs / RANs / UEs / OAMs. Specifically, when an energy-related event is triggered, the PCF can determine and update energy-related policies based on notifications / requests from energy monitoring and management-related NFs, SMFs, and UPFs. Energy-related events can be triggered based on energy consumption, energy usage reaching thresholds / limits, or efficiency (i.e., efficiency being below or above thresholds / limits).

[0212] -PCF / EMF can update / modify established policies and notify consumers of these policies, i.e., other 5GC NF / RAN / UE / NEF. 5GC can also notify AF of new policies (via NEF).

[0213] Based on the triggered events / notifications / monitoring results, PCF / EMF can also determine the revocation policy and the resources / configurations allocated according to the policy, or determine the termination / revocation of services and notify AF, NEF, 5GC NF (i.e., SMF, UPF, etc.), RAN, UE, etc.

[0214] -PCF / EMF can notify AF, NEF, 5GC NF (i.e., SMF, UPF, etc.) of policy updates / modifications / revocations / deletions by calling the corresponding pcf_update / modification / revoke / delete service operations.

[0215] 5. NEF sends an Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create response (transaction reference ID, result) to AF. The result indicates whether the request was granted (205).

[0216] -NEF can also include accepted / suggested / determined energy-related information / parameters in the response message, such as the maximum energy credit / energy consumption / energy usage limit / energy efficiency of the UE or multiple UEs / services at one or more different granularities.

[0217] - Upon receiving a response message, AF confirms whether to accept a request with energy-related requirements for 5GC, the energy-related requirements accepted by 5GC, and the priority / probability / probability of the accepted energy-related requirements (if more than one energy-related requirement is indicated).

[0218] 6. After a session / resource / protocol is successfully established between AF and 5GC / 5GC NF / PCF / energy monitoring and management related NF, NEF can subscribe to events / notifications of energy-related policy modifications / updates, energy-related monitoring results / changes / warnings, resource allocation status based on energy usage / energy consumption / energy efficiency, energy status of 5GC / 5GC NF / RAN / UE (if available), etc. (206).

[0219] 7. When the PCF / EMF meets the energy-related event conditions, such as energy consumption exceeding the threshold, energy efficiency falling below the threshold, maximum energy credit being used up / satisfied, data volume / throughput exceeding the threshold, 5GC being unable to provide the required energy limits / parameters for the service, the PCF / EMF sends an Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Notify message to the NEF to notify of the energy-related event (207).

[0220] If the AF is deemed trusted by the operator, the PCF / EMF directly sends the Npcf_ / Nemf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Notify message to the AF.

[0221] 8. In step 7, NEF sends an Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Notify message (208) to AF with the event reported by PCF.

[0222] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates message exchange in an embodiment involved in establishing an AF session with energy-related constraints / requirements. The messages in this diagram are labeled 1-14 and are described in detail below:

[0223] 1. The AF sends a request to the 5GC to request consideration of energy-related policy control for the AF sessions of one or more UEs. The AF can invoke the NEF service operation (301) using the Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create request message.

[0224] Request messages to NEF may include energy-related service requirements or licenses, such as maximum energy consumption credits, energy efficiency required for service operation, and different energy consumption thresholds associated with different operating policies (e.g., QoS). UE address, AF identifier, DNN, and S-NSSAI may also be included in the request message.

[0225] Optionally, AF can also indicate the energy requirements corresponding to the quality of service, such as the minimum QoS requirements of the service associated with the required energy efficiency or maximum energy consumption credit.

[0226] 2. The NEF grants an AF request (302) containing the energy-related requirements of the AF session. If the NEF does not grant the grant, the following steps (except step 6) are skipped, and the NEF indicates to the AF that the grant has failed.

[0227] 3. The NEF uses the UE address indicated in step 1 to discover the PCF from the BSF. The NEF then forwards the parameters received in step 1 to the PCF to authorize and generate energy-related policies, for example, by invoking the PCF service operation Npcf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Create request message (303).

[0228] If the AF is considered trusted by the operator, the AF directly invokes the PCF service operation (e.g., Npcf_EnergyPolicyAuthorization_Create) to indicate and negotiate energy-related requirements or limitations for the AF session.

[0229] 4. In step 3, the PCF determines whether to authorize the request from the NEF (304a / 304b).

[0230] 4a. To determine whether a request can be authorized, the PCF may collect energy information from multiple data sources, such as NWDAF, OAM, SMF, EMF (if applicable), etc. (304a). For example, the PCF may trigger NWDAF to provide predictions and statistics on energy consumption or energy efficiency at different granularities, and the PCF may collect energy-related measurements from EMF, OAM, or other 5GC NFs.

[0231] 4b. The PCF determines whether to authorize the AF request and determines the energy strategy (304b). Based on the information collected, the PCF is able to assess whether the 5GS can meet the request from the AF.

[0232] If the PCF determines that the 5GS cannot satisfy the AF request, the 5GC can reject the AF request and notify the AF of the result.

[0233] The PCF can determine the strategy to negotiate with the AF, i.e., by providing alternative strategies that include energy-related requirements or restrictions that can be provided to the AF by the 5GS. For example, the PCF can generate different achievable energy consumption limits / credits and energy efficiencies, optionally associated with different service operation strategies.

[0234] 5. The PCF notifies the NEF whether the request in step 3 has been authorized (305) by sending an Npcf_PolicyAuthorization_Create response message. As described in step 4, the PCF may also include alternative policies, which include energy-related requirements or restrictions that can be provided by the 5GS to the AF for energy policy negotiation.

[0235] 6. NEF sends an Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Create response (transaction reference ID, result, optional alternative strategy) to AF to indicate the authorization result (306).

[0236] 7. [Conditional] If the PCF determines that it has negotiated with the AF and sent more than one alternative policy to the AF in steps 5 and 6, then in order to ensure that the AF and 5GC have a consistent understanding of the energy policy to be applied, the AF needs to select and notify the 5GC of the accepted policy (307) by calling the Nnef_AFsessionWithEnergyLimit_Update request.

[0237] 8.-10. [Conditional] The NEF forwards the selected policy from the AF to the PCF (308). The PCF acknowledges the NEF (309). The NEF responds to the AF request regarding the PCF's acceptance of the policy (310).

[0238] 11. After successfully establishing an agreement on energy-related policies between AF and 5GC, NEF can subscribe to events or notifications of energy usage or energy efficiency of PDU sessions, QoS streams, UEs, etc., as well as other events during service operation (e.g., QoS monitoring, data volume over a period of time, session activation and deactivation time, etc.) (311).

[0239] 12. PCF can subscribe to different data sources for energy-related information disclosure or notification to assist PCF in updating its energy-related policies.

[0240] 12a. PCF can subscribe to EMF (if available) for energy-related information disclosure or notification, such as notifications related to energy usage status, such as energy usage reaching a threshold or energy credits being used up, or energy efficiency falling below a threshold, etc. (312a).

[0241] 12b.PCF can subscribe to NWDAF for energy-related analysis, subscribe to OAM for energy-related measurements at the NF / slice / gNB level, and subscribe to SMF for data rate and traffic, etc. (312b).

[0242] 13. When the conditions are met, the PCF notifies the NEF of the event and the values ​​of optional energy-related parameters (313).

[0243] 14. The NEF sends a notification message (314) to the AF containing events and parameters reported by the PCF.

[0244] The PCF or AF can modify or update previously agreed-upon energy-related policies in different scenarios. This is because, considering energy constraints or operator policies, the 5GC may not be able to provide services in the agreed-upon manner, i.e., in scenarios where energy consumption credits change from the AF side or 5GS performance degrades. The PCF can generate new policies or update existing policies based on operator policies and data collected within the 5GS (i.e., from the NWDAF, Energy Monitoring and Management NF, OAM, RAN nodes, etc.) and the AF. The PCF will then notify the AF of the new policy. Further negotiation between the 5GC and the AF regarding acceptable policies is also possible.

[0245] Figure 4A and Figure 4B The message exchange in this embodiment is illustrated, which involves establishing an AF session with the desired energy-saving process. The messages in these figures are labeled 1-14 and are described in detail below:

[0246] 1. The AF uses the Nnef_AFsessionWithQoS_Create request message to send a request to reserve resources for an AF session with energy-saving criteria. The Nnef_AFsessionWithQoS_Create request message includes QoS parameters and energy-saving profile information, which may include energy-saving level, energy credit, required energy efficiency, and features that may optionally be subject to energy-saving control / adjustment (401).

[0247] 2. NEF checks the authorization of the AF request and may apply policies to verify that feature-based energy-saving controls can be authorized for use in the AF, and that the features are permitted under energy-related requirements, such as energy-saving controls, energy credits, and required energy efficiency (402). If authorization is not granted, NEF rejects the request; otherwise, it continues with the following steps.

[0248] 3. NEF forwards the received parameters to PCF (403) in the Npcf_PolicyAuthorization_Create request.

[0249] 4. The PCF sends a request to the NWDAF or EECF to retrieve energy consumption analysis by providing an application identifier, QoS parameters, and a list of features subject to energy control / adjustment (e.g., adjustment or enabling / disabling for communication services).

[0250] PCF receives energy consumption data from NWDAF / EECF, including the relative contribution of each feature to the energy consumption associated with the service / session (404b).

[0251] 5. The PCF uses energy consumption data and the requested session energy-related profile to determine the policy configuration (i.e., PCC rules, etc.) for the PDU session to meet the desired energy requirements (e.g., energy saving level, energy credits, required energy efficiency) in the AF request (405). The PCF determines the features for which PCC rules and other policy configuration information need to be established or updated to adjust / disable features accordingly.

[0252] 6. The PCF sends an Npcf_PolicyAuthorization_Create response, notifying whether the NEF / AF request has been authorized, and including information about the characteristics and energy policies and requirements for session adjustment or deactivation / activation (406). If the PCF cannot grant the NEF / AF request (e.g., due to unmet availability of energy credits or required energy efficiency), the PCF may determine to negotiate with the AF on the application of energy-related standards.

[0253] 6.-6a. [Conditionally] If the PCF determines to negotiate with the AF, the PCF may include one or more alternative energy-related standards, optionally provided to the AF (via the NEF) along with the strategy (406a).

[0254] 6b.-6c. [Conditionally] The AF may choose an acceptable energy-related criterion and notify the PCF (via the NEF) of this decision (406b / 406c). If the AF is unable to choose any acceptable energy-related criterion provided by the PCF based on its internal logic, the AF will also notify the PCF of the result.

[0255] 7. The PCF updates the SMF with the corresponding policy, which indicates the rules for feature adjustment or deactivation / activation for energy-related requirements (e.g., energy saving, energy credits, required energy efficiency, etc.) (407a). The SMF applies the policy with energy saving rules to the PDU session (407b) and notifies the PCF of success or failure (407c).

[0256] 8. PCF notifies NEF / AF when the establishment of transmission resources with corresponding energy requirements will succeed or fail (408 / 408a).

[0257] In this embodiment, considering that 5GS performance may vary for various reasons, the energy-related standards requested or authorized in the AF request may not be applicable. In this case, 5GS can determine its negotiation with the AF by providing alternative strategies and energy standards. For example, if the PCF verifies that the energy credits provided by the AF cannot provide the required service at the desired level, the PCF can indicate alternative energy credits and associated ancillary information (e.g., QoS, data volume, etc.) to the AF (via the NEF) for negotiation. The AF will inform the PCF of the final decision regarding the energy strategy for service operation.

[0258] Figure 5 A block diagram of an apparatus for a network entity according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0259] A network entity can be one of the network functions described in this document. For example, a network entity can be one of AF, NEF, PCF, EMF (or EIF), NWDAF, and SMF.

[0260] The network entity can be implemented by means of a device (500). The device may include at least one processor (510), a transceiver (520), and a memory (530).

[0261] At least one processor (510) may be operatively coupled to other components of the device (500), such as a transceiver (520) and a memory (530). At least one processor may control the operation of other components of the device (500) and the overall operation of the device (500). At least one processor (510) may perform or cause the device (500) to perform operations based on the execution of instructions stored in the memory.

[0262] The transceiver (520) can support communication between the device (500) or at least one processor (510). The device (500) can use the transceiver (520) to communicate with other entities. The transceiver (520) can support a variety of known communication schemes (e.g., Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Wi-Fi, Wi-MAX, Bluetooth, etc.).

[0263] The memory (530) may store data for operation of the device. The data may include temporary or permanent data. The memory (530) may store instructions. When the instructions are executed by at least one processor (510), the device (500) may perform the operations of the network entities described herein. The memory (530) may be referred to as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0264] At least some of the example embodiments described herein can be constructed, in part or in whole, using dedicated special-purpose hardware. Terms such as “component,” “module,” or “unit” as used herein can include, but are not limited to, hardware devices that perform certain tasks or provide related functions, such as circuits in discrete or integrated component form, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). In some embodiments, the described elements can be configured to reside on a tangible, persistent, addressable storage medium and can be configured to execute on one or more processors. In some embodiments, these functional elements can include, for example, components (such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components), processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, program code segments, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Although example embodiments have been described with reference to the components, modules, and units discussed herein, such functional elements can be combined into fewer elements or separated into additional elements. Various combinations of optional features have been described herein, and it should be understood that the described features can be combined in any suitable combination. In particular, features of any example embodiment can be appropriately combined with features of any other embodiment, unless such combinations are mutually exclusive. Throughout this specification, the terms "comprising" or "comprises" mean that the specified components are included, but the presence of other components is not excluded.

[0265] Please note all papers and documents related to this application that were submitted concurrently with or prior to this specification and are made publicly available along with this specification. The contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0266] All features disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings) and / or all steps of any method or process so disclosed may be combined in any combination except for at least some mutually exclusive combinations of such features and / or steps.

[0267] Unless otherwise expressly stated, each feature disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature for the same, equivalent, or similar purpose. Therefore, unless otherwise expressly stated, each disclosed feature is merely one example of a series of equivalent or similar features.

[0268] This disclosure is not limited to the details of the foregoing embodiments. This disclosure extends to any novel one or any novel combination of features disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings), or to any novel one or any novel combination of steps in any method or process so disclosed.

[0269] Although this disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to those skilled in the art. This disclosure is intended to cover such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining energy information from an Energy Information Function (EIF) in a communication network, performed by an Application Function (AF), the method comprising: Subscription requests related to energy information are sent to the EIF via the Network Open Function (NEF); Receive a response to the subscription request from the EIF; and Based on the subscription request, the user is authorized by the EIF to receive energy information from the EIF.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, If the subscription request is authorized by NEF, the subscription request is passed from NEF to EIF.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Energy information includes energy consumption information.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Energy information is at at least one of the following: User Equipment (UE) level, Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session level, and Quality of Service (QoS) stream level.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Send a request to NEF for resources used in sessions related to energy saving.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, If a request for a resource is approved by the PCF, the PCF notifies the Session Management Function (SMF) of the request to manage the session.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, The request includes an energy-saving profile, which includes at least one of the following: desired energy savings, consumption level, efficiency, and communication service features that can be adjusted according to the required level of energy savings and energy credits.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Send an unsubscribe request related to energy information to the IEF.

9. An apparatus for obtaining an application function (AF) of energy information from an energy information function (EIF) in a communication network, the apparatus comprising: transceiver; and At least one processor is coupled to the transceiver, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: Subscription requests related to energy information are sent to the EIF via the Network Open Function (NEF); Receive a response to the subscription request from the EIF; and Based on the subscription request, the user is authorized by the EIF to receive energy information from the EIF.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, If the subscription request is authorized by NEF, the subscription request is passed from NEF to EIF.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, Energy information includes energy consumption information.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, Energy information is at at least one of the following: User Equipment (UE) level, Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session level, and Quality of Service (QoS) stream level.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: Send a request to NEF for resources used in sessions related to energy saving.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, If a request for a resource is approved by the PCF, the PCF notifies the Session Management Function (SMF) of the request to manage the session.

15. A method for providing energy information in a communication network, performed by an Energy Information Function (EIF), the method comprising: Subscription requests related to energy information are received from the Application Function (AF) via the Network Open Function (NEF); Send a response to the subscription request to the AF; and Energy information is sent to AF based on the authorized subscription request.

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