Method and apparatus for core network entity selection in a network slicing environment of mobile communications

Abstract

Various solutions for core network entity selection in a network slicing environment of mobile communications are described. A user equipment can include privacy protection information for core network entity selection in a radio resource control (RRC) message. The user equipment can send the RRC message to a network node. By including the privacy protection information for core network entity selection instead of directly including a network slice selection assistance information identity in the RRC message, a traffic type of the user equipment can be protected, thus safeguarding privacy of the user equipment.

Description

[0001] Cross-referencing

[0002] This disclosure is part of a non-provisional application claiming priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 686,902 (filed August 26, 2024), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to mobile communications, and more specifically, to the selection of core network entities in a network slicing environment within mobile communications. Background Technology

[0004] Unless otherwise indicated in this description, the methods described in this section are not prior art to the following claims and are not considered prior art because they are included in this section.

[0005] The fifth-generation (5G) network architecture, developed by the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), supports network slicing. Specifically, a common physical infrastructure can be divided into multiple logical network slices. Different network slices can have different support features and network function optimizations, thus adapting to different use cases. Specific network slices can be identified by a parameter called single-networkslice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI).

[0006] To use network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) for access and mobility management function (AMF) selection, mobile network operators must enable NSSAI inclusion mode. This mode is a mechanism that allows user equipment (UE) to provide NSSAI from the UE's non-access stratum (NAS) to the radio resource control (RRC) layer when sending the initial NAS message. However, transmitting NSSAI during RRC connection establishment poses privacy risks. A solution is needed that allows the network to select the appropriate AMF without exposing UE slice information. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The following abstract is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. That is, the following abstract aims to introduce the concepts, key points, benefits, and advantages of the novel and non-obvious techniques described herein. Detailed descriptions of specific embodiments will follow. Therefore, the following abstract is not intended to identify the essential characteristics of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to define the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0008] The objective of this disclosure is to propose solutions or schemes to address the aforementioned issues related to the selection of core network entities in mobile communication network slicing environments.

[0009] In one aspect, a method may involve an apparatus including privacy-preserving information for selecting core network entities in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message. The method may also involve the apparatus sending the RRC message to a network node.

[0010] In another aspect, an apparatus may include a transceiver that wirelessly communicates with network nodes of a wireless network during operation. The apparatus may also include a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. During operation, operations that the processor may perform include including privacy-preserving information for core network entity selection in an RRC message. Operations that the processor may also perform during operation include sending the RRC message to the network node via the transceiver.

[0011] In another aspect, a method may involve a network node receiving an RRC message containing privacy-preserving information for selecting core network entities from a user equipment (UE). The method may also involve the network node selecting core network entities based on the privacy-preserving information.

[0012] It is worth noting that although the content described herein may be presented in the context of certain wireless access technologies, networks, and network topologies, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro, 5G, New Radio (NR), Internet of Things (IoT) and Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and 6G, the proposed concepts, schemes, and any variations / derivatives thereof can be implemented, used, and implemented by other types of wireless access technologies, networks, and network topologies. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the examples described herein. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings are included in this disclosure to further understand its contents and form part of this disclosure. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. It will be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, as some components may be shown out of proportion to their actual dimensions for clarity of the concepts of the disclosure.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of an example communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an example process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of an example process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0019] This specification discloses detailed embodiments and implementations of the claimed subject matter. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments and implementations are merely illustrative of the claimed subject matter and may be implemented in various forms. This disclosure may take many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the exemplary embodiments and implementations set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments and implementations are provided to make the description of this disclosure thorough and complete, and to fully communicate the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the following description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments and implementations.

[0020] Overview

[0021] According to embodiments of this disclosure, various technologies, methods, schemes, and / or solutions are involved in the selection of core network entities in a mobile communication network slicing environment. According to this disclosure, several possible solutions can be implemented individually or in combination. That is, although these possible solutions are described separately below, two or more of them can be implemented in different combinations.

[0022] Figure 1An example scenario 100 of a communication environment is illustrated, in which various solutions and schemes of this disclosure can be implemented. Scenario 100 involves a user equipment (UE) 110 wirelessly communicating with a wireless network (e.g., an LTE network, a 5G / NR network, an Internet of Things (IoT) network, or a 6G network), which comprises an access network 120 and a core network 130. UE 110 may be a smartphone, wearable device, IoT device, tablet, etc. Alternatively, UE 110 may also be a laptop (NB) or personal computer (PC) with a data card inserted or installed, the data card containing a modem and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver to provide wireless communication capabilities. In one embodiment, access network 120 is connected to core network 130 via an NG interface, and more specifically, to the user plane function (UPF) via the NG user plane portion (NG-u) and to the access and mobility management function (AMF) via the NG control plane portion (NG-c). Access network 120 may include a base station (BS) 121, which may be connected to multiple UPFs / AMFs for load balancing and redundancy purposes. In addition, the core network 130 may also include other entities, such as a session management function (SMF) and unified data management (UDM). In some embodiments, the access network 120 may include multiple base stations, each of which can provide communication coverage for a geographically covered area and support communication with the UE 110.

[0023] In one embodiment, the wireless network in scenario 100 can support network slicing. Specifically, one or more network slices can be grouped and identified through a network slice AS group (NSAG). This grouping enables the access network 120 to implement uniform and fine-grained control over these network slice sets, thereby facilitating the implementation of differentiated Quality of Service (QoS) for different slice types. For example, the NSAG is defined within a Tracking Area (TA) for slice-based cell reselection and / or slice-based random access channel (RACH) configuration. The NSAG identifier (ID) associated with different slices or slice sets must be unique within the same TA.

[0024] Core network 130 (e.g., AMF) can transmit NSAG information to UE 110 via Non-Access Stratum (NAS) messages. This information is crucial for UE 110 to understand how to handle different network slices. NSAG information may include an NSAG identifier (ID), a unique identifier for the group, and a Single Network Slice Selection Auxiliary Information (S-NSSAI) list, i.e., the specific network slice associated with the NSAG. Each NSAG also has an associated priority value. Furthermore, the message may include an optional Tracking Area Identifier (TAI) list to specify the valid geographical area of ​​the NSAG.

[0025] In one embodiment, UE 110 may send an initial NAS message to core network 130 to establish a connection upon power-on or first entry into the network, recovery from inactivity, or movement between different tracking areas. The mobile network operator may enable NSSAI inclusion mode to ensure that access network 120 uses NSSAI to select core network entities, such as AMF. In this disclosure, when NSSAI inclusion mode is enabled, UE 110 may include privacy-preserving information in Radio Resource Control (RRC) messages instead of an NSSAI identifier (ID). In one embodiment, the privacy-preserving information may be an NSAG identifier (ID) associated with the requested NSSAI and / or permitted NSSAI. UE 110 can obtain the NSAG identifier (ID) through a NAS message sent by the AMF. The requested NSSAI is a list of S-NSSAIs sent by UE 110 to core network 130 during registration, which informs the network which specific network slices UE 110 wishes to use. The permitted NSSAI is a list of approved S-NSSAIs sent by core network 130 to UE 110, informing UE 110 which network slices are permitted in the currently registered area. In another embodiment, the privacy-preserving information is a mapping identifier used as a reference to the requested and / or permitted NSSAI identifier (ID). This design ensures that the real NSSAI identifier (ID) is not directly exposed, but can be securely inferred or obtained through the mapping mechanism. In yet another embodiment, the privacy-preserving information may be an identifier (ID) associated with an S-NSSAI but unrelated to the service type used by UE 110. An RRC message containing the privacy-preserving information is sent to base station 121 for AMF selection.

[0026] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of an example scenario depicted according to an embodiment of this disclosure. In scenario 200, when a UE needs to communicate with the core network, its NAS layer generates an initial NAS message (e.g., for registration or data transmission). To establish a radio connection for this message, the UE initiates an RRC connection establishment process by sending an RRC establishment request message to the base station. After the UE receives the RRC establishment message from the base station, a radio connection is established. Subsequently, the UE encapsulates its initial NAS message in an RRC establishment completion message and transmits it through the newly established channel. More specifically, the UE also includes privacy-preserving information for AMF selection in the RRC establishment completion message. The privacy-preserving information may be a list of NSAG identifiers (IDs) associated with the requested or permitted NSSAI. Upon receiving the RRC establishment completion message, the base station can select an AMF based on the privacy-preserving information and forward the initial NAS message to the selected AMF, thereby satisfying the UE's original request. For example, the base station can use the list of NSAG identifiers (IDs) included in the RRC establishment completion message to determine the NSSAI and then select an AMF that supports the UE's requested slice.

[0027] To protect the security and privacy of User Equipment (UE), a privacy-preserving method is employed for core network entity selection. Instead of directly including the Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) identifier (ID) in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, privacy-preserving information is used. This method prevents the UE's service type from being exposed, thereby protecting its privacy. While the provided embodiments primarily focus on the selection of Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMFs), this disclosure is not limited to this use case. The privacy-preserving information in the RRC message can also be used to select other core network entities.

[0028] Exemplary Implementation

[0029] Figure 3 An example communication system 300 is shown, which includes an example communication device 310 and an example network device 320, conforming to embodiments of this disclosure. Both the communication device 310 and the network device 320 can perform various functions to implement the schemes, techniques, processes, and methods described herein, which relate to the selection of core network entities in a mobile communication network slicing environment, including the aforementioned scenarios / schemes and processes 400 and 500 described below.

[0030] The communication device 310 may be part of an electronic device, which may be a user equipment (UE), such as a portable or mobile device, a wearable device, a wireless communication device, or a computing device. For example, the communication device 310 may be implemented in a smartphone, smartwatch, personal digital assistant, digital camera, tablet, laptop, or other computing device. The communication device 310 may also be part of a machine-type device, which may be an Internet of Things (IoT), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), or Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) device, such as a non-movable or fixed device, a home device, a wired communication device, or a computing device. For example, the communication device 310 may be implemented in a smart thermostat, a smart refrigerator, a smart door lock, a wireless speaker, or a home control center. Alternatively, the communication device 310 may be implemented in the form of one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips, such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) processors, or one or more Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) processors. The communication device 310 may include... Figure 3 The components shown include at least some, such as processor 312. Communication device 310 may also include one or more other components unrelated to this disclosure (e.g., internal power supply, display device, and / or user interface device); therefore, for brevity, these components are not listed. Figure 3 It is shown in the text and not described in the following text.

[0031] Network device 320 may be part of a network device, which may be a network node, such as a satellite, base station, small cell, router, gateway, or other network element. For example, network device 320 may be implemented in an eNodeB in an LTE network, a gNB in ​​a 5G / New Radio (NR) network, an Internet of Things (IoT) network, an NB-IoT or IIoT network, or a satellite or base station in a 6G network. Alternatively, network device 320 may be implemented as one or more IC chips, such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, or one or more RISC or CISC processors. Network device 320 may include... Figure 3 The network device 320 may also include at least some of the components shown, such as processor 322. It may also include one or more other components unrelated to this disclosure (e.g., internal power supply, display device, and / or user interface device), therefore, for the sake of brevity, these components are not listed here. Figure 3 It is shown in the text and not described in the following text.

[0032] In one aspect, both processor 312 and processor 322 may be implemented as one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, or one or more CISC processors. That is, although the singular term "processor" is used herein to refer to processor 312 and processor 322, processor 312 and processor 322 may include multiple processors in some implementations and a single processor in other implementations, depending on the different embodiments of this disclosure. In another aspect, both processor 312 and processor 322 may be implemented in hardware (and optionally firmware) and include, for example, but not limited to, one or more transistors, one or more diodes, one or more capacitors, one or more resistors, one or more inductors, one or more memristors, and / or one or more transformers, these electronic components being configured and arranged to achieve a specific purpose according to the requirements of this disclosure. In other words, in at least some embodiments, processor 312 and processor 322 are dedicated machines specifically designed, arranged, and configured to perform specific tasks, including core network entity selection in a network slicing environment according to various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0033] In some embodiments, the communication device 310 may further include a transceiver 316 coupled to the processor 312, capable of transmitting and receiving wireless data. In some embodiments, the communication device 310 may further include a memory 314 coupled to the processor 312, which can access and store data therein. In some embodiments, the network device 320 may further include a transceiver 326 coupled to the processor 322, capable of transmitting and receiving wireless data. In some embodiments, the network device 320 may further include a memory 324 coupled to the processor 322, which can access and store data therein. Therefore, the communication device 310 and the network device 320 can communicate wirelessly via transceiver 316 and transceiver 326, respectively.

[0034] For ease of understanding, the following description of the operation, functions and capabilities of the communication device 310 and the network device 320 is carried out in the context of a mobile communication environment, wherein the communication device 310 is implemented as a communication device or user equipment (UE), and the network device 320 is implemented as a network node of a communication network.

[0035] Exemplary process

[0036] Figure 4An example flow 400 conforming to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated. Flow 400 may be an example implementation of the above-described scenario / solution, whether in part or in whole, involving the selection of core network entities in the network slicing environment of this disclosure. Flow 400 may represent one aspect of the functional implementation of communication device 310. Flow 400 may include one or more operations, actions, or functions, as shown in one or more blocks 410 to 420 of flow 400. Although flow 400 is shown as discrete blocks, the blocks of flow 400 may be split into more blocks, merged into fewer blocks, or omitted, depending on the desired implementation. Furthermore, the blocks of flow 400 may be arranged in... Figure 4 The process can be executed in the order shown, or in a different order. Process 400 can be implemented by communication device 310 or any suitable user equipment (UE) or machine type device. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation, process 400 is described below in the context of communication device 310. Process 400 may begin with block 410.

[0037] In block 410, process 400 may involve the processor 312 of communication device 310 including privacy-preserving information for core network entity selection in an RRC message. Process 400 can continue from block 410 to block 420.

[0038] In block 420, process 400 may involve the processor 312 of communication device 310 sending the RRC message to a network node (e.g., network device 320) via transceiver 316.

[0039] In some implementations, the privacy-preserving information may include a Network Slice Access Layer (AS) Group (NSAG) identifier (ID) associated with at least one of the requested Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) and the allowed NSSAI.

[0040] In some implementations, the privacy-preserving information is mapped to at least one of the requested Network Slice Selection Auxiliary Information (NSSAI) identifier (ID) and the allowed NSSAI identifier (ID).

[0041] In some implementations, the privacy protection information is independent of the type of service used by the communication device 310.

[0042] In some implementations, the RRC message may be an RRC setup complete message that includes the initial NAS message.

[0043] In some implementations, when the Network Slice Selection Auxiliary Information (NSSAI) inclusion mode is enabled, the privacy-preserving information is included in the RRC message.

[0044] In some implementations, the RRC message is sent during the RRC connection establishment process.

[0045] In some implementations, the core network entity selection can be an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) selection.

[0046] Figure 5 An example flow 500 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated. Flow 500 may be an example implementation of the above-described scenario / solution, whether partially or entirely, for the selection of core network entities in a mobile communication network slicing environment. Flow 500 may represent one aspect of the feature implementation of network device 320. Flow 500 may include one or more operations, actions, or functions, as shown in blocks 510 to 520. Although shown as discrete blocks, the blocks of flow 500 may be divided into more blocks, merged into fewer blocks, or omitted, depending on the desired implementation. Furthermore, the blocks of flow 500 may be arranged according to... Figure 5 The process can be executed in the order shown, or in a different order. Process 500 can be implemented by network device 320 or any base station. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation, process 500 is described below in the context of network device 320. Process 500 may begin at block 510.

[0047] In block 510, process 500 may involve the processor 322 of network device 320 receiving, via transceiver 326, an RRC message containing privacy-preserving information for core network entity selection from user equipment (UE) (e.g., communication device 310). Process 500 may continue from block 510 to block 520.

[0048] In block 520, process 500 may involve processor 322 selecting core network entities based on this privacy protection information.

[0049] In some implementations, the privacy-preserving information may include a Network Slice Access Layer (AS) Group (NSAG) identifier (ID) associated with at least one of the requested Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) and the allowed NSSAI.

[0050] In some implementations, the privacy-preserving information is mapped to at least one of the requested Network Slice Selection Auxiliary Information (NSSAI) identifier (ID) and the allowed NSSAI identifier (ID).

[0051] In some implementations, the privacy protection information is independent of the type of service used by the user equipment (UE).

[0052] Additional Notes

[0053] The topics described herein sometimes demonstrate that different components are contained within or connected to other different components. It should be understood that the architectures shown are merely examples, and many other architectures can actually be implemented to achieve the same functionality. Conceptually, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” to achieve the desired function. Therefore, any two components combined in this document to achieve a specific function can be considered “associated” to achieve the desired function, regardless of the architecture or intermediate components. Similarly, any two such associated components can also be considered “operationally connected” or “operationally coupled” to achieve the desired function, and any two components that can be suchly associated can also be considered “operationally coupled” to achieve the desired function. Specific examples of operational coupling include, but are not limited to, physically matable and / or physically interactive components and / or wirelessly interactive and / or logically interactive and / or logically interactive components.

[0054] Furthermore, regarding the use of almost all plural and / or singular terms in this document, those skilled in the art can appropriately convert from plural to singular and / or from singular to plural depending on the context and / or application. For clarity, various singular / plural arrangements are explicitly listed herein.

[0055] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that terms commonly used in this specification, particularly in appended claims, such as the body portion of appended claims, are generally considered "open-ended" terms. For example, "comprising" should be interpreted as "comprising but not limited to," "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," and "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," etc. Those skilled in the art will also further understand that if a specific quantity is intentionally introduced in a claim, that intention will be explicitly stated in the claim; if no such statement is made, then that intention does not exist. For example, for ease of understanding, the appended claims below may contain introductory phrases such as "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce the content of the claim. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed as meaning that when the indefinite article "a" is used to introduce the content of a claim, any claim containing that content is limited to containing only one embodiment of that content, even if the same claim contains introductory phrases such as "one or more" or "at least one" and the indefinite article "a," for example, "a" should be interpreted as "at least one" or "one or more"; the same applies to definite articles used to introduce the content of a claim. Furthermore, even if a specific quantity is explicitly stated in the claims, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a statement should be interpreted as at least the stated quantity. For example, stating only "two items" without any other modifiers indicates at least two items, or two or more items. Additionally, when using conventions such as "at least one A, B, and C," such structures should generally be interpreted in the way that those skilled in the art understand the convention. For example, "a system having at least one A, B, and C" includes, but is not limited to, systems with only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and systems where A, B, and C are present simultaneously. Similarly, when using conventions such as "at least one A, B, or C," such structures should generally be interpreted in the way that those skilled in the art understand the convention. For example, "a system having at least one A, B, or C" includes, but is not limited to, systems with only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and systems where A, B, and C are present simultaneously. Those skilled in the art will further understand that almost all disjunctive terms and / or phrases appearing in the specification, claims, or drawings, when presenting two or more alternative terms, should be understood to include the possibility of including one term, either term, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” should be understood as including the possibility of “A”, or “B”, or “A and B”.

[0056] As can be seen from the foregoing, the various embodiments of this disclosure have been described for illustrative purposes, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Therefore, the various embodiments disclosed in this specification are not intended to be limiting, and the true scope and spirit are defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A method comprising: The device's processor includes privacy-preserving information for core network entity selection in the radio resource control message; as well as The processor then sends the radio resource control message to the network node.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, The privacy-preserving information includes a network slice access stratum group identifier associated with at least one of the requested network slice selection assistance information and the permitted network slice selection assistance information.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, The privacy protection information is mapped to at least one of the requested network slice selection auxiliary information identifier and the allowed network slice selection auxiliary information identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, This privacy protection information is unrelated to the type of business the device is used for.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The radio resource control message includes a radio resource control establishment completion message that contains initial non-access stratum information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, When the Network Slicing Selection Assisted Information Inclusion Mode is enabled, the privacy protection information is included in the Radio Resource Control message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, The radio resource control message is sent during the establishment of the radio resource control connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, The selection of core network entities includes the selection of access and mobility management functions.

9. An apparatus comprising: A transceiver that enables wireless communication during operation; as well as A processor, communicatively coupled to the transceiver, performs the following operations during operation: Include privacy-preserving information used for core network entity selection in the radio resource control message; as well as The transceiver sends the radio resource control message to the network node.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The privacy-preserving information includes a network slice access stratum group identifier associated with at least one of the requested network slice selection assistance information and the permitted network slice selection assistance information.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The privacy protection information is mapped to at least one of the requested network slice selection auxiliary information identifier and the allowed network slice selection auxiliary information identifier.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, This privacy protection information is unrelated to the type of business the device is used for.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The radio resource control message includes a radio resource control establishment completion message that contains initial non-access stratum information.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, When the Network Slicing Selection Assisted Information Inclusion Mode is enabled, the privacy protection information is included in the Radio Resource Control message.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The radio resource control message is sent during the establishment of the radio resource control connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The selection of core network entities includes the selection of access and mobility management functions.

17. A method comprising: The processor of the network node receives a radio resource control message from the user equipment, which includes privacy-preserving information for the selection of core network entities; as well as The processor selects core network entities based on this privacy protection information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, The privacy-preserving information includes a network slice access stratum group identifier associated with at least one of the requested network slice selection assistance information and the permitted network slice selection assistance information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, The privacy protection information is mapped to at least one of the requested network slice selection auxiliary information identifier and the allowed network slice selection auxiliary information identifier.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein, This privacy protection information is unrelated to the type of service used by the user's device.

Images