Information processing device, communication device, and information processing method

Abstract

To provide an information processing device, a communication device, and an information processing method capable of achieving high privacy protection.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes a reception unit that receives a request on a sensing service, a first acquisition unit that acquires information on privacy for each sensor for detection data of one or more sensors included in one or more communication device, and a second acquisition unit that acquires, as data related to the sensing service, the detection data of the sensor for which it has been determined that access is permitted based on the information related to privacy.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 21

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, a communication device, and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, various services corresponding to wireless communication such as cellular communication have been provided. For example, in the fifth generation mobile communication system (5G: 5th Generation), a location service (LCS) that uses location information of a communication device (e.g., a terminal device) is provided.

[0003] Many communication devices (e.g., terminal devices) are equipped with sensors (e.g., positioning sensors such as GPS sensors). An information processing device that performs processing related to a service may obtain data detected by the sensor of the communication device (hereinafter, also referred to as detection data) from the communication device. For example, to process a location service, an information processing device such as an application server may obtain location information of the terminal device (e.g., detection data detected by a positioning sensor) from the terminal device.

[0004] In a service that uses detection data, there is a risk that the privacy of a person related to the communication device (e.g., a user of the terminal device) may be violated due to leakage of the detection data, etc. For this reason, a predetermined privacy management method may be supported when providing the service. For example, a location service may support a privacy management method called UE LCS privacy to protect privacy against obtaining location information of the terminal device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-359169 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, it is expected that services using data detected by sensors in communication devices will become more advanced in the future. For example, in recent years, the trend of ISAC (Integrated Sensing and Communication), which combines sensor and communication functions to provide new value, has been attracting attention. When services become more advanced, conventional privacy management methods may not be able to adequately protect the privacy of those involved in the communication devices.

[0007] Therefore, the present disclosure proposes an information processing device, a communication device, and an information processing method that can achieve a high level of privacy protection.

[0008] It should be noted that the above problem or objective is merely one of several problems or objectives that can be solved or achieved by several embodiments disclosed in this specification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, an information processing device of one embodiment according to the present disclosure includes a receiving unit that receives a request for a sensing service, a first acquisition unit that acquires privacy information for each sensor regarding detection data of one or more sensors equipped in one or more communication devices, and a second acquisition unit that acquires the detection data of the sensor that is determined to be accessible based on the privacy information as data related to the sensing service. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a management device according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a base station according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a terminal device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a network architecture of a 5GS (5G system). [Figure 8] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a reference architecture for 5GS location services. [Figure 9] A diagram showing the configuration of an LPP for control in NG-RAN and location detection in the user plane. [Figure 10] A figure showing an example of LPP session processing. [Figure 11A] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure prepared by the LPP. [Figure 11B] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure prepared by the LPP. [Figure 12A] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure prepared by NRPPa. [Figure 12B] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure prepared by NRPPa. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing a basic procedure of a location service. [Figure 14A] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sensing function in a core network CN. [Figure 14B] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sensing function in a core network CN. [Figure 14C] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sensing function in a core network CN. [Figure 15] A figure showing an example of the configuration of a reference architecture for a sensing service. [Figure 16] A diagram showing a configuration for detecting sensing results in the control and user planes. [Figure 17]FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an SP session process. [Figure 18A] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a procedure that can be supported by an SP. [Figure 18B] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a procedure that can be supported by an SP. [Figure 19A] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure that can be supported by the NSPPa of this embodiment. [Figure 19B] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure that can be supported by the NSPPa of this embodiment. [Figure 20A] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of sensing privacy information. [Figure 20B] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of sensing privacy information. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing related to a sensing service. [Figure 22] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a sensing service process. [Figure 23] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a target sensor identification process. [Figure 24] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a permission list generation process. [Diagram 25] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of capability information. [Figure 26] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of capability information. [Figure 27] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a capability information acquisition process. [Figure 28] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a detection data collection process for sensor fusion. [Figure 29] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing another example of the processing of the sensing service. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0012] In addition, in this description / specification and the drawings, multiple components having substantially the same functional configuration may be distinguished by adding different numbers after the same reference symbol. For example, multiple components having substantially the same functional configuration may be distinguished as necessary, such as terminal devices 401, 402, and 403. However, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between multiple components having substantially the same functional configuration, only the same reference symbol is used. For example, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between terminal devices 401, 402, and 403, they are simply referred to as terminal device 40.

[0013] In addition, in this description / specification, the expression "at least one of" accompanying a list of elements is understood as an expression in which the listed elements are optional. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" means "A", "B", "C", "A and B", "A and C", "B and C", or "A, B and C". "At least one of A, B, or C" and "at least one of A, B, and / or C" are also similar to "at least one of A, B, and C". Here, A, B, and C are any expression (e.g., word, phrase, term, or item).

[0014] One or more embodiments (including examples and modified examples) described below can be implemented independently. Meanwhile, at least a part of the embodiments described below may be implemented in appropriate combination with at least a part of another embodiment. These embodiments may include novel features different from each other. Thus, these embodiments may contribute to solving different purposes or problems and may provide different effects.

[0015] <<1. Overview>> The first standard for the fifth generation mobile communication system (so-called 5G) was formulated as Rel-15 in 2018. 5G is a radio access technology (RAT) that can support various use cases including eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband), mMTC (Massive Machine Type Communications), and URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications). Cellular communication systems, including the third generation mobile communication system (so-called 3G) and the fourth generation mobile communication system (so-called 4G), support various services that support wireless communication. For example, location services that use location information of communication devices (e.g., terminal devices) have been supported since 3G and are also supported in 5G. Various methods related to positioning, including RAT-independent methods, are defined in the location service.

[0016] Many communication devices (e.g., terminal devices) are equipped with sensors (e.g., positioning sensors such as GPS sensors). In order to process a service, an information processing device that performs processing related to the service may obtain data detected by the sensor of the communication device (hereinafter also referred to as detection data) from the communication device. For example, in order to process a location service, an information processing device such as an application server may obtain location information of the communication device (e.g., detection data detected by a positioning sensor) from the communication device (e.g., terminal device).

[0017] In services provided using detection data, there is a risk that the privacy of a person related to the communication device (e.g., a user of a terminal device) may be violated due to leakage of the detection data, etc. Here, the person related to the communication device is not limited to a direct user of the communication device, but also includes an indirect user of the communication device. For example, the person related to the communication device may be a user who receives a service from the communication device via another device connected to the communication device. In addition, the person related to the communication device is not limited to a direct or indirect user of the communication device. For example, the person related to the communication device may be a person whose information has merely been detected or recorded on the communication device. In addition, the person related to the communication device includes all persons whose privacy may be violated due to leakage of the detection data, etc.

[0018] For services that use detection data, a certain privacy management method may be supported when providing the service. For example, a location service may support a privacy management method called UE LCS privacy to protect privacy when acquiring location information of a terminal device.

[0019] However, in the future, it is expected that services using data detected by sensors of communication devices will become more advanced. As described above, in location services, various methods related to positioning are defined, but the purpose of these methods is limited to detecting the position of a terminal. On the other hand, a trend called ISAC (Integrated Sensing and Communication) that provides new value by combining sensor and communication functions is attracting attention from B5G (Beyond 5G) to 6G (6th generation mobile communication system). In ISAC, it is assumed that not only positioning sensors handled in location services but also sensors for detecting images or the shape of objects, such as cameras (image sensors) or LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), will be handled. Here, the communication device equipped with a sensor is not limited to a terminal device, and may be a device other than a terminal device, such as a base station or a road-side unit (RSU: Road-Side Unit).

[0020] Furthermore, ISAC envisions that terminal devices and base stations will provide not only communication functions but also RF (Radio Frequency)-based sensing functions. In other words, mobile communication systems will be able to obtain information from various sensors equipped on terminal devices and base stations via wireless communication, and are expected to provide new added-value sensing services such as sensor fusion using artificial intelligence and machine learning.

[0021] When services become more advanced, there is a possibility that conventional privacy management methods will not adequately protect the privacy of those involved in communication devices. As described above, in location services, terminal LCS privacy may be supported to protect privacy in obtaining terminal device location information. This terminal LCS privacy is limited to privacy management at the granularity of the service. However, ISAC sensing services will handle information other than terminal device location information. Therefore, there is a concern that privacy protection will be insufficient in future privacy management methods performed at the granularity of the service.

[0022] For example, cited document 1 (JP Patent Publication 2001-359169A) discloses a method for protecting the privacy of a user of a mobile terminal by identifying the location information of the mobile terminal on a base-by-base basis. However, cited document 1 does not mention the protection of privacy for various sensors that acquire different types of data or purposes.

[0023] Furthermore, for sensor fusion, a mechanism is needed to extract the necessary types of sensors from the various sensors equipped in terminal devices and base stations depending on the use case of the sensing service.

[0024] Therefore, in this embodiment, the above problem is solved as follows.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of this embodiment. The communication system of this embodiment is a cellular communication system in which multiple communication devices (e.g., terminal devices) are wirelessly connected. The communication system includes a base station and an information processing device, and provides wireless communication services to the multiple communication devices. The information processing device is, for example, a core network. Note that the communication system may include a server in addition to the base station and the information processing device. The server is, for example, an application server that provides various services to the terminal devices.

[0026] At least one of the multiple communication devices includes one or more sensors. The sensor included in the communication device may be a sensor that detects position information, such as a positioning sensor, or may be a sensor such as a camera and / or LiDAR. The sensor included in the communication device may be a sensor that detects at least one of the color of an object, the speed of the object, the acceleration of the object, the temperature of the object, the reflectance of the object, an image, and the shape of the object. Of course, the communication device may include other types of sensors.

[0027] The services provided by the communication system of this embodiment include sensing services. The sensing service is, for example, a service provided based on data detected by one or more sensors of one or more communication devices. In the following description, data detected by one or more sensors is referred to as detected data. The detected data can be rephrased as sensing data, sensing information, and / or sensing results. The sensing service may be interpreted as acquisition of detected data by a sensor.

[0028] A sensing service is typically a service that provides detection data from one or more sensors. However, a sensing service is not limited to a service that provides detection data. A sensing service may be a service that provides a process that is executed using the detection data, or a service that provides information that is generated using the detection data. For example, a sensing service may be a service that provides a process based on image data or shape data detected by a camera or LiDAR, etc. (e.g., a service that provides automatic driving of a vehicle), or a service that provides information that is generated based on position information detected by a positioning sensor (e.g., a service that provides information about an area / facility identified by the detection data). Of course, a sensing service is not limited to these services. A sensing service may be a service that is provided based on a sensor that detects the color, speed, acceleration, temperature, and reflectance of an object.

[0029] It should be noted that the sensing service is not limited to a service that is provided by directly using data detected by a sensor. The sensing service may be a service that is provided by indirectly using data detected by a sensor. For example, the sensing service may be a service that is provided by using data obtained by processing detection data from one or more sensors (e.g., an analysis result based on the detection data, or data obtained by synthesizing multiple detection data). It should be noted that data obtained by processing detection data from one or more sensors may also be considered as a type of detection data.

[0030] The detection data may be detected using radio waves in the same band as the resources used for wireless communication. Specifically, the detection data may be detected using resources used for cellular communication such as LTE or NR, or may be detected using resources used for Wi-Fi communication or Bluetooth communication.

[0031] An information processing device (e.g., a core network) provided in a communication system performs processing related to a sensing service based on a request from a server (e.g., an application server). The device that requests a sensing service is not limited to a server. The device that requests a sensing service may be a communication device other than a server, for example, at least one of a terminal device, a core network, and a base station. Furthermore, the information processing device that performs processing related to a sensing service is not limited to a core network. The information processing device that performs processing related to a sensing service may be a server, a base station, or other communication device (e.g., a terminal device).

[0032] When the information processing device receives a request for a sensing service from a server, the information processing device acquires privacy-related information (hereinafter, referred to as sensing privacy information) related to one or more sensors included in one or more communication devices. The sensing privacy information includes information related to access to the detection data of one or more sensors included in the communication device for each sensor.

[0033] The information regarding access is, for example, information indicating whether or not access to the detection data is permitted for each sensor. The information regarding access may be information indicating whether or not access to the detection data is permitted for each data related to the sensor. Furthermore, the information regarding access may be information indicating whether or not access to the detection data is permitted for each sensing data. The information regarding access may be regarded as sensing privacy information (information regarding privacy) itself. Furthermore, the sensing privacy information (information regarding privacy) may be regarded as information regarding access itself. Information included in the sensing privacy information (information regarding privacy) may be regarded as information regarding access. The sensing privacy information may include information regarding duplication of the detection data. The sensing privacy information may include information regarding the conditions for duplication of the detection data. The sensing privacy information may include information regarding the number of times the detection data is duplicated and / or whether duplication is permitted.

[0034] The information processing device then determines which sensors are permitted to access the detection data based on the sensing privacy information (e.g., information regarding access included in the sensing privacy information).The information processing device then acquires data detected by the sensors determined to be permitted to access.The information processing device then transmits the acquired detection data to a server.

[0035] As a result, the information processing device of the present embodiment can determine whether or not to allow access to the detection data of the sensor on a sensor-by-sensor basis, not on a service-by-service basis. That is, the information processing device can perform privacy management with finer granularity than in the past. As a result, it is possible to adequately protect the privacy of those related to the communication device.

[0036] The outline of this embodiment has been described above, and the communication system 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0037] <<2. Communication System Configuration>> First, the configuration of the communication system 1 will be described.

[0038] 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication system 1 according to the present embodiment. The communication system 1 includes a server 10, a management device 20, a base station 30, and a terminal device 40. The communication system 1 provides a wireless network (mobile network) that enables mobile communication for users by allowing each wireless communication device constituting the communication system 1 to operate in cooperation with one another.

[0039] The wireless network of this embodiment may be, for example, a cellular network composed of a radio access network RAN ​​and a core network CN. The mobile network may include a terminal device 40. In this embodiment, the wireless communication device is a device having a wireless communication function, and corresponds to the base station 30 and the terminal device 40 in the example of FIG. 2.

[0040] The communication system 1 may include a plurality of servers 10, management devices 20, base stations 30, and terminal devices 40. In the example of Fig. 2, the communication system 1 includes a server 101 and a server 102 as the servers 10, and includes a management device 201 and a management device 202 as the management device 20. The communication system 1 also includes a base station 301, a base station 302, and a base station 303 as the base stations 30, and includes a terminal device 401, a terminal device 402, and a terminal device 403 as the terminal devices 40. In the following description, the devices included in the communication system 1 may be referred to as network devices.

[0041] The terminal device 40 may be configured to connect to a network using a radio access technology (RAT) such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), NR (New Radio), B5G (Beyond 5G), 6G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. In this case, the terminal device 40 may be configured to be able to use different radio access technologies (wireless communication methods). For example, the terminal device 40 may be configured to be able to use NR and Wi-Fi. In addition, the terminal device 40 may be configured to be able to use different cellular communication technologies (for example, LTE, NR, B5G, or 6G). In the following description, the terminal device 40 may be referred to as UE (User Equipment) 40.

[0042] LTE and NR are types of cellular communication technologies that enable mobile communication for terminal devices by arranging multiple areas covered by base stations in the form of cells. 6G is also expected to be a type of cellular communication technology that enables mobile communication for terminal devices by arranging multiple areas covered by base stations in the form of cells.

[0043] In the following description, "LTE" includes LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), LTE-A Pro (LTE-Advanced Pro), and EUTRA (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access). NR includes NRAT (New Radio Access Technology) and FEUTRA (Further EUTRA). NR may further include 5G-Advanced. A single base station 30 may manage multiple cells. In the following description, a cell corresponding to LTE may be referred to as an LTE cell, and a cell corresponding to NR may be referred to as an NR cell.

[0044] NR is the next generation (5th generation) radio access technology after LTE (4th generation communication including LTE-Advanced and LTE-Advanced Pro). NR is a radio access technology that can support various use cases including eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband), mMTC (Massive Machine Type Communications) and URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications). NR was standardized in Rel-15 of 3GPP (registered trademark) as a technical framework that supports the usage scenarios, requirements, and deployment scenarios in these use cases. Furthermore, B5G and 6G are required to simultaneously realize multiple axes of high speed and large capacity, low latency and high reliability, and multiple simultaneous connections.

[0045] 6G is the next generation mobile communication technology after NR and 5GS (5G system), which are the fifth generation mobile communication. 6G can be a cellular communication technology like 5G (NR). 6G includes radio access technology and network technology between base stations, core networks and data networks. 6G also includes technologies for the advancement (extreme connectivity) of eMBB, mMTC and URLLC, which were the main use cases or requirements in NR. 6G also includes new technologies in new aspects. For example, 6G can include technologies related to AI (cognitive network, AI native air interface), sensing (including radar sensing and network as a sensor), and terahertz communication.

[0046] The above-mentioned or later-described wireless network may correspond to at least one of radio access technologies (RATs) such as LTE, NR, B5G, 6G, etc. The wireless access method used by the communication system 1 is not limited to LTE, NR, or 6G, and may be other wireless access methods such as W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), cdma2000 (Code Division Multiple Access 2000), etc.

[0047] Also, the base station 30 may be a terrestrial station or a non-terrestrial station. That is, the communication system shown in Fig. 2 may be a non-terrestrial network. The non-terrestrial station may be a satellite station or an aircraft station. If the non-terrestrial station is a satellite station, the wireless network may be a bent-pipe (transparent) type mobile satellite communication system.

[0048] In this embodiment, the terrestrial station and terrestrial base station refer to base stations and relay stations installed on the ground. Here, "terrestrial" has a broad definition of terrestrial, including not only land but also underground, on water, and underwater. In the following description, the term "terrestrial station" may be replaced with "gateway."

[0049] Note that an LTE base station may be referred to as an eNodeB (Evolved Node B) or eNB. Also, an NR base station may be referred to as a gNodeB or gNB. Also, a 6G base station may be referred to as a 6G NodeB (6GNB). An LTE RAN may be referred to as an EUTRAN. An NR RAN may be referred to as an NGRAN. An 6G RAN may be referred to as a 6GRAN. Also, in LTE, NR, B5G, and 6G, a terminal device (also referred to as a mobile station or a terminal) may be referred to as a UE (User Equipment). Note that a terminal device is a type of communication device and is also referred to as a mobile station or a terminal.

[0050] The terminal device 40 may be able to connect to the network using a wireless access technology (wireless communication method) other than LTE, NR, B5G, 6G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. For example, the terminal device 40 may be able to connect to the network using LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) communication. The terminal device 40 may also be able to connect to the network using wireless communication of a proprietary standard.

[0051] Here, LPWA communication refers to wireless communication that enables wide-range communication with low power. For example, LPWA wireless refers to IoT (Internet of Things) wireless communication using a specific low-power wireless (for example, 920 MHz band) or an ISM (Industry-Science-Medical) band. In addition, LPWA wireless may include LTE-M that operates in a cellular frequency band and / or C-IoT (Cellular IoT) represented by NB-IoT. Note that the LPWA communication used by the terminal device 40 may be compliant with the LPWA standard. The LPWA standard may be, for example, at least one of ELTRES, ZETA, SIGFOX, LoRaWAN, LTE-M, and NB-IoT. Of course, the LPWA standard is not limited to these, and may be another LPWA standard.

[0052] Each wireless communication device shown in Fig. 2 may be considered as a device in a logical sense. That is, a part of each wireless communication device may be realized by a virtual machine (VM), a container such as Docker, or the like, and these may be physically implemented on the same hardware.

[0053] In this embodiment, the concept of a wireless communication device includes not only a portable mobile device (terminal device) such as a mobile terminal, but also a device installed in a structure or a mobile body. The structure or the mobile body itself may be regarded as a wireless communication device. In addition, the concept of a wireless communication device includes not only a terminal device 40 but also a base station 30. A wireless communication device is a type of processing device or information processing device. A wireless communication device can also be referred to as a transmitting device or a receiving device.

[0054] In this embodiment, the resource may indicate at least one of, for example, Frequency, Time, Resource Element (including REG, CCE, and CORESET), Resource Block, Bandwidth Part, Component Carrier, Symbol, Sub-Symbol, Slot, Mini-Slot, Subslot, Subframe, Frame, PRACH occasion, Occasion, Code, Multi-access physical resource, Multi-access signature, and Subcarrier Spacing (Numerology). That is, the "resource" or "radio resource" described above or below may be read as at least one of the above examples.

[0055] Below, we will specifically explain the configuration of each wireless communication device that makes up the communication system 1. Note that the configuration of each wireless communication device shown below is merely an example. The configuration of each wireless communication device may be different from the configuration shown below.

[0056] <2-1. Server configuration> First, the configuration of the server 10 will be described.

[0057] The server 10 is an information processing device (computer) that provides various services to the terminal device 40. For example, the server 10 is an information processing device that executes processing related to a sensing service. The server 10 may be an application server or a Web server. The server 10 may be a cloud server or an edge server. The server 10 may be a PC server, a mid-range server, or a mainframe server. The server 10 may be an information processing device that performs data processing (edge ​​processing) near a user or a terminal. For example, the server 10 may be an information processing device (computer) that is attached to or built into a base station. The server 10 may have a function as a core network. For example, the server 10 may be a device that functions as the management device 20. Of course, the server 10 may be an information processing device that performs cloud computing. The server 10 of this embodiment can function as an application function.

[0058] The server 10 is connected to other communication devices (e.g., the management device 20) via a network N. In the example of FIG. 2, only one network N is shown, but there may be multiple networks N. Here, the network N is, for example, a public network such as the Internet. Note that the network N is not limited to the Internet, and may be, for example, a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a cellular network, a fixed telephone network, or a regional Internet Protocol (IP) network. The network N may include a wired network or a wireless network.

[0059] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the server 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. The server 10 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. The configuration shown in Fig. 3 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. In addition, the functions of the server 10 may be distributed and implemented in multiple physically separated configurations. For example, the server 10 may be composed of multiple information processing devices.

[0060] The server 10 does not necessarily have to include all of the configurations described above or below. The server 10 may also include configurations other than the configurations described above or below. For example, the management device 20 may include a sensor unit having a configuration similar to that of the sensor unit (sensor unit 34 or sensor unit 46) included in the base station 30 or the terminal device 40.

[0061] The communication unit 11 is a communication interface for communicating with other devices. For example, the communication unit 11 is a network interface. For example, the communication unit 11 is a LAN (Local Area Network) interface such as a NIC (Network Interface Card). The communication unit 11 may be a wired interface or a wireless interface. The communication unit 11 communicates with the management device 20, the base station 30, the terminal device 40, and other servers 10 under the control of the control unit 13.

[0062] The storage unit 12 is a storage device from / to which data can be read and written, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a flash memory, or a hard disk.

[0063] The control unit 13 is a controller that controls each part of the server 10. The control unit 13 may be realized by a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a micro processing unit (MPU). In detail, the control unit 13 may be realized by a processor executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the management device 20 using a random access memory (RAM) or the like as a working area. The control unit 13 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The control unit 13 may also be realized by a graphics processing unit (GPU). The CPU, MPU, ASIC, FPGA, and GPU can all be regarded as controllers. The control unit 13 may be configured by a plurality of physically separated objects. For example, the control unit 13 may be configured by a plurality of semiconductor chips.

[0064] The control unit 13 includes at least one block of a receiving unit 131, an acquiring unit 132, a generating unit 133, a storing unit 134, a requesting unit 135, an updating unit 136, a setting unit 137, and a processing unit 138. The control unit 13 may include a plurality of each of these blocks, or may include only one of each. For example, the control unit 13 may include at least one of a first acquiring unit, a second acquiring unit, and a third acquiring unit as the acquiring unit 132. Similarly, the control unit 13 may include at least one of a first requesting unit and a second requesting unit as the requesting unit 135.

[0065] Each block (receiving unit 131 to processing unit 138) constituting the control unit 13 is a functional block showing the function of the control unit 13. These functional blocks may be software blocks or hardware blocks. For example, each of the above-mentioned functional blocks may be one software module realized by software (including microprograms), or one circuit block on a semiconductor chip (die). Of course, each functional block may be one processor or one integrated circuit. The control unit 13 may be configured with functional units different from the above-mentioned functional blocks. The method of configuring the functional blocks is arbitrary. The operation of the control unit 13 may be the same as the operation of the control unit (control unit 23, control unit 33, or control unit 43) of the management device 20, the base station 30, or the terminal device 40.

[0066] <2-2. Management device configuration> Next, the configuration of the management device 20 will be described.

[0067] The management device 20 is an information processing device (computer) that manages a wireless network. For example, the management device 20 is an information processing device that manages communication of the base station 30.

[0068] The management device 20 may be a device constituting a core network CN. For example, the management device 20 may be a device having a function as an MME (Mobility Management Entity). The management device 20 may also be a device having a function as an AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) and / or an SMF (Session Management Function). The MME, AMF, and SMF are control plane network function nodes in the core network CN. The management device 20 may be a device having a function as a control plane network function (6G CPNF) in 6G. The 6G CPNF may be composed of one or more logical nodes.

[0069] Of course, the functions of the management device 20 are not limited to MME, AMF, SMF, and 6G CPNF. The management device 20 may be a device having functions as a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), and a Unified Data Management (UDM). The management device 20 may also be a device having functions as a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

[0070] The management device 20 may have a gateway function. For example, the management device 20 may have a function as an S-GW (Serving Gateway) or a P-GW (Packet Data Network Gateway). The management device 20 may have a UPF (User Plane Function) function. In this case, the management device 20 may have multiple UPFs. The management device 20 may be a device having a function as a 6G User Plane Network Function (6G UPNF).

[0071] The core network CN is composed of a plurality of network functions, and each network function may be consolidated in one physical device or distributed among multiple physical devices. That is, the management device 20 may be distributed among multiple devices. Furthermore, this distributed arrangement may be controlled so as to be executed dynamically. The core network CN may be composed of one management device 20 or may be composed of multiple management devices. The base station 30 and the management device 20 constitute one network, and provide wireless communication services to the terminal device 40. The management device 20 is connected to the Internet, and the terminal device 40 can use various services provided over the Internet via the base station 30.

[0072] The management device 20 does not necessarily have to be a device constituting the core network CN. For example, the core network CN is assumed to be a core network of W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) or cdma2000 (Code Division Multiple Access 2000). In this case, the management device 20 may be a device that functions as an RNC (Radio Network Controller).

[0073] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the management device 20 according to this embodiment. The management device 20 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. The configuration shown in Fig. 4 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. Furthermore, the functions of the management device 20 may be statically or dynamically distributed and implemented in a plurality of physically separated configurations. The management device 20 may be composed of a plurality of server devices.

[0074] The management device 20 does not necessarily have to include all of the configurations described above or below. The management device 20 may also include configurations other than the configurations described above or below. For example, the management device 20 may include a sensor unit having a configuration similar to that of the sensor unit (sensor unit 34 or sensor unit 46) included in the base station 30 or the terminal device 40.

[0075] The communication unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with a wireless communication device (for example, the base station 30). The communication unit 21 may be a network interface or a device connection interface. The communication unit 21 may be a LAN (Local Area Network) interface such as a NIC (Network Interface Card), or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface configured by a USB host controller or a USB port or the like. The communication unit 21 may be a wired interface or a wireless interface. The communication unit 21 is controlled by the control unit 23.

[0076] The storage unit 22 is a readable / writable storage device such as a DRAM, an SRAM, a flash memory, or a hard disk. The storage unit 22 stores, for example, the connection state of the terminal device 40. The storage unit 22 stores the state of the RRC (Radio Resource Control) of the terminal device 40 and the ECM (EPS Connection Management), or the state of the 5G System CM (Connection Management). The storage unit 22 may function as a home memory that stores the location information of the terminal device 40.

[0077] The control unit 23 is a controller that controls each part of the management device 20. The control unit 23 may be realized by a processor such as a CPU or MPU. In detail, the control unit 23 may be realized by a processor executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the management device 20 using a RAM or the like as a working area. The control unit 23 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. The control unit 23 may also be realized by a GPU. The CPU, MPU, ASIC, FPGA, and GPU can all be considered as controllers. The control unit 23 may be composed of multiple physically separated objects. For example, the control unit 23 may be composed of multiple semiconductor chips.

[0078] The control unit 23 includes at least one block of a receiving unit 231, an acquiring unit 232, a generating unit 233, a storing unit 234, a requesting unit 235, an updating unit 236, a setting unit 237, and a processing unit 238. The control unit 23 may include a plurality of each of these blocks, or may include only one of each. For example, the control unit 23 may include at least one of a first acquiring unit, a second acquiring unit, and a third acquiring unit as the acquiring unit 232. Similarly, the control unit 23 may include at least one of a first requesting unit and a second requesting unit as the requesting unit 235.

[0079] Each block (receiving unit 231 to processing unit 238) constituting the control unit 23 is a functional block showing the function of the control unit 23. These functional blocks may be software blocks or hardware blocks. For example, each of the above-mentioned functional blocks may be one software module realized by software (including microprograms), or one circuit block on a semiconductor chip (die). Of course, each functional block may be one processor or one integrated circuit. The control unit 23 may be configured with functional units different from the above-mentioned functional blocks. The method of configuring the functional blocks is arbitrary. The operation of the control unit 23 may be the same as the operation of the control unit (control unit 13, control unit 33, or control unit 43) of the server 10, the base station 30, or the terminal device 40.

[0080] <2-3. Base station configuration> Next, the configuration of the base station 30 will be described.

[0081] The base station 30 is a wireless communication device that performs wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (for example, a terminal device 40 or another base station 30). The base station 30 may perform wireless communication with the terminal device 40 via a relay station, or may perform wireless communication directly with the terminal device 40.

[0082] The base station 30 is a device equivalent to a wireless base station (Base Station, Node B, eNB, gNB, 6GNB, etc.) or a wireless access point. The base station 30 may be a wireless relay station. The base station 30 may be an optical extension device called an RRH (Remote Radio Head). The base station 30 may be a receiving station such as an FPU (Field Pickup Unit). The base station 30 may be an IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) donor node that provides wireless access lines and wireless backhaul lines by time division multiplexing, frequency division multiplexing, or space division multiplexing, or an IAB relay node.

[0083] The wireless access technology used by the base station 30 may be a cellular communication technology. The wireless access technology used by the base station 30 may be a wireless LAN technology. The wireless access technology used by the base station 30 may be a low power wide area (LPWA) communication technology. However, the wireless access technology used by the base station 30 is not limited to these, and may be other wireless access technologies. The wireless communication used by the base station 30 may be wireless communication using millimeter waves, or wireless communication using terahertz waves. The wireless communication used by the base station 30 may be wireless communication using radio waves, or wireless communication using infrared rays or visible light (optical wireless). In addition, the base station 30 may be capable of NOMA (Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access) communication with the terminal device 40. Here, NOMA communication refers to communication (transmission, reception, or both) using non-orthogonal resources. In addition, the base station 30 may be capable of NOMA communication with other base stations 30.

[0084] The base station 30 may be capable of communicating with the core network via a base station-core network interface (e.g., NG Interface, S1 Interface, etc.). This interface may be either wired or wireless. The base station may be capable of communicating with other base stations via an inter-base station interface (e.g., Xn Interface, X2 Interface, F1 Interface, etc.). This interface may be either wired or wireless.

[0085] The concept of a base station (also called a "base station device") includes not only a donor base station but also a relay base station (also called a "relay station"). A relay base station may be any one of an RF Repeater, a Smart Repeater, and an Intelligent Surface. The concept of a base station may also include a road-side unit (RSU). The concept of a base station may also include not only a structure having the functions of a base station but also a device installed in the structure.

[0086] Examples of structures include buildings such as high-rise buildings, houses, steel towers, station facilities, airport facilities, port facilities, office buildings, school buildings, hospitals, factories, commercial facilities, and stadiums. The concept of a structure includes not only buildings, but also non-building structures such as tunnels, bridges, dams, fences, and steel pillars, as well as equipment such as cranes, gates, and windmills. The concept of a structure includes not only land (ground in the narrow sense) or underground structures, but also water-based structures such as piers or megafloats, and underwater structures such as marine observation facilities. A base station can also be referred to as an information processing device.

[0087] The base station 30 may be a donor station or a relay station (relay station). The base station 30 may be a fixed station or a mobile station. The mobile station is a wireless communication device (for example, a base station) configured to be movable. In this case, the base station 30 may be a device installed in a mobile body, or may be the mobile body itself. For example, a relay station having mobility can be regarded as the base station 30 as a mobile station. In addition, devices that are originally capable of mobility and have the functions of a base station (at least a part of the functions of a base station), such as vehicles, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) represented by drones, and smartphones, also correspond to the base station 30 as a mobile station.

[0088] Here, the moving body may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a mobile phone. The moving body may be a moving body moving on land (ground in the narrow sense) (for example, a vehicle such as an automobile, bicycle, bus, truck, motorcycle, train, or linear motor car), or a moving body moving underground (for example, in a tunnel) (for example, a subway). The moving body may also be a moving body moving on water (for example, a ship such as a passenger ship, a cargo ship, or a hovercraft), or a moving body moving underwater (for example, a submarine such as a submarine, a submarine, or an unmanned submersible). The moving body may also be a moving body moving in the atmosphere (for example, an aircraft such as an airplane, an airship, or a drone).

[0089] The base station 30 may be a terrestrial base station (ground station) installed on the ground. The base station 30 may be a base station arranged on a structure on the ground, or may be a base station installed on a mobile body moving on the ground. The base station 30 may be an antenna installed on a structure such as a building and a signal processing device connected to the antenna. The base station 30 may be a structure or a mobile body itself. The term "ground" refers not only to land (ground in the narrow sense) but also to ground, water, and water in a broad sense. The base station 30 is not limited to a terrestrial base station. When the communication system 1 is a satellite communication system, the base station 30 may be an aircraft station. From the viewpoint of a satellite station, an aircraft station located on the earth is a ground station.

[0090] The base station 30 is not limited to a ground station. The base station 30 may be a non-terrestrial base station (non-ground station) that can float in the air or space. The base station 30 may be an aircraft station or a satellite station.

[0091] The satellite station is a satellite station capable of floating outside the atmosphere. The satellite station may be a device mounted on a space vehicle such as an artificial satellite, or may be the space vehicle itself. The space vehicle is a vehicle that moves outside the atmosphere. The space vehicle may be at least one of an artificial satellite, a spacecraft, a space station, and a probe. Of course, the space vehicle may be an artificial celestial body other than these. Note that a satellite that becomes a satellite station may be any of a low earth orbiting (LEO) satellite, a medium earth orbiting (MEO) satellite, a geostationary (GEO) satellite, and a highly elliptical orbiting (HEO) satellite. The satellite station may be a device mounted on a low earth orbit satellite, a medium earth orbit satellite, a geostationary satellite, or a highly elliptical orbit satellite.

[0092] An aircraft station is a wireless communication device capable of floating in the atmosphere of an aircraft or the like. The aircraft station may be a device mounted on an aircraft or the like, or may be the aircraft itself. The concept of an aircraft includes not only heavier than air vehicles such as airplanes or gliders, but also lighter than air vehicles such as balloons or airships. The concept of an aircraft includes not only heavier than air vehicles or lighter than air vehicles, but also rotorcraft such as helicopters or autogyros. An aircraft station, or an aircraft equipped with an aircraft station, may be an unmanned aerial vehicle such as a drone.

[0093] The concept of unmanned aerial vehicles also includes Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and tethered UAS. The concept of unmanned aerial vehicles also includes Lighter than Air UAS (LTA) and Heavy than Air UAS (HTA). The concept of unmanned aerial vehicles also includes High Altitude UAS Platforms (HAPs).

[0094] The size of the coverage of the base station 30 may be relatively large, such as a macrocell, or relatively small, such as a picocell. The size of the coverage of the base station 30 may be extremely small, such as a femtocell. The base station 30 may have a beamforming function. The base station 30 may form a cell or a service area for each beam. Additionally or alternatively, the base station 30 may have a function of pinpointing a desired wave to a specific point by further considering distance information from the antenna of the base station 30, in addition to beamforming that gives directionality to the beam. This function may be called beam focusing or point forming. Also, the base station 30 may be configured to acquire detection data by performing sensing using a beam.

[0095] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a base station 30 according to this embodiment. The base station 30 includes a wireless communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, a control unit 33, and a sensor unit 34. However, the configuration shown in Fig. 5 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. Furthermore, the functions of the base station 30 may be distributed and implemented in multiple physically separated configurations.

[0096] It is not necessary for the base station 30 to have all of the configurations described above or below. For example, the base station 30 does not have to have the sensor unit 34. The base station 30 may have a configuration other than the configurations described above or below.

[0097] The wireless communication unit 31 is a signal processing unit for wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (for example, at least one of the terminal device 40 and the other base station 30). The wireless communication unit 31 may be called a wireless transceiver or simply a transceiver. In this case, the wireless communication unit 31 may be a transceiver (hereinafter referred to as a 3GPP transceiver) whose specifications are defined in the technical specification (TS: Technical Specification) of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The 3GPP transceiver may be a 3G transceiver, a 4G (LTE) transceiver, a 5G (NR) transceiver, or a transceiver of a generation after 5G. The wireless communication unit 31 is controlled by the control unit 33. The wireless communication unit 31 supports one or more wireless access methods. The wireless communication unit 31 may support at least one of NR, LTE, B5G (Beyond 5G), and 6G. The wireless communication unit 31 may support W-CDMA, cdma2000, etc. in addition to NR, LTE, B5G, and 6G. The wireless communication unit 31 may support an automatic retransmission technique such as HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest). A part or all of the processing performed by the wireless communication unit 31 may be executed by the control unit 33.

[0098] The wireless communication unit 31 includes a transmission processing unit 311, a reception processing unit 312, and an antenna 313. Alternatively, at least one of the transmission processing unit 311, the reception processing unit 312, and the antenna 313 may be regarded as the wireless communication unit 31. The wireless communication unit 31 may include a plurality of the transmission processing units 311, the reception processing units 312, and the antenna 313. When the wireless communication unit 31 supports a plurality of wireless access methods, each unit of the wireless communication unit 31 may be configured separately for each wireless access method. The transmission processing unit 311 and the reception processing unit 312 may be configured separately for LTE, NR, B5G, and 6G. The antenna 313 may be configured by a plurality of antenna elements, for example, a plurality of patch antennas. The wireless communication unit 31 may have a beamforming function. For example, the wireless communication unit 31 may have a polarized beamforming function using vertical polarization (V polarization) and horizontal polarization (H polarization) (or a polarized beamforming function using dual polarization with polarization directions of 45 degrees and -45 degrees from the vertical direction).

[0099] The transmission processing unit 311 performs a transmission process of the downlink control information and the downlink data. For example, the transmission processing unit 311 performs coding of the downlink control information and the downlink data input from the control unit 33 using a coding method such as block coding, convolution coding, turbo coding, or the like. Here, the coding may be performed using a polar code or a low density parity check code (LDPC code). Then, the transmission processing unit 311 modulates the coded bits using a predetermined modulation method (for example, BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM, or a higher order multi-level modulation method). In this case, the signal points on the constellation do not necessarily have to be equidistant. Also, the constellation may be a non-uniform constellation (NUC). Then, the transmission processing unit 311 multiplexes the modulation symbols of each channel and the downlink reference signal, and arranges them in a predetermined resource element. Then, the transmission processing unit 311 performs various signal processes on the multiplexed signal. For example, the transmission processing unit 311 performs processes such as conversion to the frequency domain by fast Fourier transform, addition of a guard interval (cyclic prefix), generation of a baseband digital signal, conversion to an analog signal, quadrature modulation, up-conversion, removal of unnecessary frequency components, power amplification, etc. The signal generated by the transmission processing unit 311 is transmitted from an antenna 313.

[0100] The reception processing unit 312 processes the uplink signal received via the antenna 313. For example, the reception processing unit 312 performs down-conversion, removal of unnecessary frequency components, control of amplification level, orthogonal demodulation, conversion to a digital signal, removal of a guard interval (cyclic prefix), extraction of a frequency domain signal by fast Fourier transform, and the like, on the uplink signal. Then, the reception processing unit 312 separates uplink channels such as PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) and PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel) and an uplink reference signal from the signal that has been subjected to these processes. In addition, the reception processing unit 312 demodulates the received signal using a modulation method such as BPSK (Binary Phase Shift Keying) and QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) for the modulation symbols of the uplink channel. The modulation method used for demodulation may be 16QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), 64QAM, or 256QAM. In this case, the signal points on the constellation do not necessarily have to be equidistant. The constellation may be a non-uniform constellation (NUC). Then, the reception processing unit 312 performs a decoding process on the coded bits of the demodulated uplink channel. The decoded uplink data and uplink control information are output to the control unit 33.

[0101] The antenna 313 is an antenna device that converts between electric current and radio waves. The antenna 313 may be configured with one antenna element, for example, one patch antenna. The antenna 313 may be configured with multiple antenna elements, for example, multiple patch antennas. When the antenna 313 is configured with multiple antenna elements, the wireless communication unit 31 may have a beamforming function. The wireless communication unit 31 may be configured to generate a directional beam by controlling the directivity of a wireless signal using multiple antenna elements. The antenna 313 may be a dual polarized antenna. When the antenna 313 is a dual polarized antenna, the wireless communication unit 31 may use vertical polarization (V polarization) and horizontal polarization (H polarization) (or dual polarization with polarization directions of 45 degrees and -45 degrees from the vertical direction) when transmitting a wireless signal. The wireless communication unit 31 may control the directivity of a wireless signal transmitted using vertical polarization and horizontal polarization (or dual polarization with polarization directions of 45 degrees and -45 degrees from the vertical direction). Furthermore, the wireless communication unit 31 may transmit and receive spatially multiplexed signals via multiple layers each composed of multiple antenna elements.

[0102] The storage unit 32 is a readable / writable storage device such as a DRAM, an SRAM, a flash memory, or a hard disk.

[0103] The control unit 33 is a controller that controls each unit of the base station 30. The control unit 33 controls the wireless communication unit so as to perform wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (for example, the terminal device 40 or another base station 30). The control unit 33 may be realized by a processor such as a CPU or an MPU. Specifically, the control unit 33 may be realized by a processor executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the base station 30 using a RAM or the like as a working area. The control unit 33 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. The control unit 33 may also be realized by a GPU. The CPU, the MPU, the ASIC, the FPGA, and the GPU can all be regarded as controllers. The control unit 33 may be configured by a plurality of physically separated objects. For example, the control unit 33 may be configured by a plurality of semiconductor chips.

[0104] The control unit 33 includes at least one block of a notification unit 331, a receiving unit 332, a transmitting unit 333, a discrimination unit 334, and an acquisition unit 335. The control unit 33 may include a plurality of each of these blocks, or may include only one of each.

[0105] Each block (notification unit 331 to acquisition unit 335) constituting the control unit 33 is a functional block showing the function of the control unit 33. These functional blocks may be software blocks or hardware blocks. For example, each of the above-mentioned functional blocks may be one software module realized by software (including microprograms), or one circuit block on a semiconductor chip (die). Of course, each functional block may be one processor or one integrated circuit. The control unit 33 may be configured by functional units different from the above-mentioned functional blocks. The method of configuring the functional blocks is arbitrary. The operation of the control unit 33 may be the same as the operation of the control unit (control unit 13, control unit 23, or control unit 43) of the server 10, the management device 20, or the terminal device 40.

[0106] The sensor unit 34 is configured with one or more sensors that detect various data related to the base station 30. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include a sensor that detects the surroundings of the base station 30. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include at least one of a geomagnetic sensor, an illuminance sensor, a distance measurement sensor (e.g., a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor), an air pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a light sensor, a sound sensor, and an image sensor. In addition, the sensor unit 34 (or one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34) may be configured to perform sensing using the above-mentioned beamforming function and acquire detection data.

[0107] The sensor included in the sensor unit 34 is not limited to a sensor that detects the surroundings of the base station 30. The one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include a sensor that detects the position or attitude of the base station 30. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include an acceleration sensor and / or a gyro sensor. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include a 6DoF (Six degrees of freedom) sensor or a 3DoF (Three degrees of freedom) sensor. In addition, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include a positioning sensor such as a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) sensor. The GNSS sensor may be a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, a GLONASS sensor, a Galileo sensor, or a QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System) sensor.

[0108] The one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include a sensor unit configured by combining a plurality of sensors. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured by combining a plurality of sensors selected from a positioning sensor (e.g., a GNSS sensor), an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor. The sensor unit can also be considered as a type of sensor.

[0109] Furthermore, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include a device / component configured using a sensor. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 may include at least one of a camera (e.g., a visible light camera, an infrared camera, or a light field camera), a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), a radar (e.g., a microwave radar or a millimeter wave radar), a microphone, and an image device. An image device is a device configured using one or more sensors. A device / component configured using a sensor can also be considered as a type of sensor.

[0110] In addition, the one or more sensors provided in the sensor unit 34 may include a sensor that detects at least one of the color of the object, the speed of the object, the acceleration of the object, the temperature of the object, the reflectance of the object, the distance to the object, geomagnetism, illuminance, air pressure, light, and sound.

[0111] Furthermore, the one or more sensors included in the sensor section 34 may include a sensor / sensor unit / device / component configured by combining two or more sensors selected from the above-mentioned plurality of sensors.

[0112] In this embodiment, one or more sensing functions realized by devices / components included in the base station 30 may be regarded as one or more sensors included in the base station 30. For example, one or more sensing functions included in the wireless communication unit 31 may be regarded as one or more sensors included in the base station 30. In this case, the one or more sensing functions included in the wireless communication unit 31 may include an RF (Radio Frequency) based sensing function (for example, an RF based sensing function supported by a 3GPP transceiver). In this case, the wireless communication unit 31 (for example, a 3GPP transceiver) may be regarded as the sensor unit 34 (or a sensor included in the sensor unit 34).

[0113] In the above and below, the description of sensors may be divided into physical sensors and logical sensors, i.e., the above and below description of sensors may indicate physical sensors or logical sensors.

[0114] For example, the physical sensor may be at least one of the example sensors described above or below. For example, the physical sensor may be at least one of a geomagnetic sensor, an illuminance sensor, a ranging sensor (e.g., a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor), an air pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a light sensor, a sound sensor, an image sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a Six degrees of freedom (6DoF) sensor, a Three degrees of freedom (3DoF) sensor, a positioning sensor (e.g., a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensor such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor, a GLONASS sensor, a Galileo sensor, or a Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) sensor), an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), a camera (e.g., a visible light camera, an infrared camera, or a light field camera), a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), a radar (e.g., a microwave radar, a millimeter wave radar, etc.), a microphone, an image device, and a sensing function (e.g., one or more sensing functions possessed by the wireless communication unit 31 or the wireless communication unit 41).

[0115] For example, a logical sensor may be a sensor-related entity defined in a standard (e.g., 3GPP Technical Standard). One logical sensor may be associated with one or more physical sensors (including multiple sensors of the same type and multiple sensors of different types). Additionally or alternatively, multiple logical sensors may be associated with multiple physical sensors.

[0116] In some embodiments, the base station 30 may be configured by a set of multiple physical or logical devices. As an example, the base station 30 of this embodiment may be divided into multiple devices such as a BBU (Baseband Unit) and a RU (Radio Unit). The base station 30 may be interpreted as a set of these multiple devices. In addition, the base station may be either a BBU or a RU, or may be both. The BBU and the RU may be connected by a predetermined interface such as eCPRI (enhanced Common Public Radio Interface).

[0117] The RU may be referred to as an RRU (Remote Radio Unit) or an RD (Radio DoT). The RU may correspond to a gNB-DU (gNB Distributed Unit) described later. The BBU may correspond to a gNB-CU (gNB Central Unit) described later. The RU may be a device formed integrally with an antenna. The antenna of the base station 30, for example, an antenna formed integrally with the RU, may employ an Advanced Antenna System and support, for example, MIMO such as FD-MIMO or beamforming. The antenna of the base station 30 may include, for example, 64 transmitting antenna ports and 64 receiving antenna ports.

[0118] The antenna mounted on the RU may be an antenna panel composed of one or more antenna elements, and the RU may be equipped with one or more antenna panels. The RU may be equipped with two types of antenna panels, a horizontally polarized antenna panel and a vertically polarized antenna panel. The RU may be equipped with two types of antenna panels, a right-handed circularly polarized antenna panel and a left-handed circularly polarized antenna panel, or an antenna panel with a polarization direction of 45 degrees from the vertical direction and an antenna panel with a polarization direction of -45 degrees. Multiple antennas with these multiple polarization directions may be implemented on a single antenna panel. The RU may form and control an independent beam for each antenna panel.

[0119] A plurality of base stations 30 may be connected to each other. One or a plurality of base stations 30 may be included in a radio access network (RAN). In this case, the base station 30 may be simply referred to as a RAN, a RAN node, an AN (Access Network), an AN node, or the like. The RAN in LTE may be referred to as an Enhanced Universal Terrestrial RAN (EUTRAN). The RAN in NR may be referred to as an NGRAN. Furthermore, the RAN in 6G may be referred to as a 6GRAN. The RAN in W-CDMA (UMTS) may be referred to as a UTRAN.

[0120] The LTE base station 30 may be referred to as an eNodeB (Evolved Node B) or eNB. In this case, the EUTRAN includes one or more eNodeBs (eNBs). The NR base station 30 may be referred to as a gNodeB or gNB. In this case, the NGRAN includes one or more gNBs. The 6G base station may be referred to as a 6GNodeB, 6gNodeB, 6GNB, or 6gNB. In this case, the 6GRAN includes one or more 6GNBs. The EUTRAN may include a gNB (en-gNB) connected to a core network (EPC) in an LTE communication system (EPS). The NGRAN may include an ng-eNB connected to a core network 5GC in a 5G communication system (5GS).

[0121] When the base station 30 is an eNB, a gNB, a 6GNB, or the like, the base station 30 may be referred to as a 3GPP access. When the base station 30 is a wireless access point, the base station 30 may be referred to as a non-3GPP access. The base station 30 may be a radio extension device called an RRH (Remote Radio Head). When the base station 30 is a gNB, the base station 30 may be a combination of the above-mentioned gNB-CU and gNB-DU, or may be either a gNB-CU or a gNB-DU.

[0122] Here, the gNB-CU hosts multiple upper layers (e.g., Radio Resource Control (RRC), Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP)) in the Access Stratum for communication with the UE. On the other hand, the gNB-DU hosts multiple lower layers (e.g., Radio Link Control (RLC), Medium Access Control (MAC), and Physical layer (PHY)) in the Access Stratum. That is, of the messages / information described below, RRC signaling (semi-static notification) may be generated by the gNB-CU, while MAC CE and DCI (dynamic notification) may be generated by the gNB-DU. Alternatively, of the RRC configuration (semi-static notification), some configurations such as IE:cellGroupConfig may be generated by the gNB-DU, and the remaining configurations may be generated by the gNB-CU. These configurations may be transmitted and received via the F1 interface described below.

[0123] The base station 30 may be configured to be able to communicate with other base stations. When the multiple base stations 30 are eNBs or a combination of an eNB and an en-gNB, the base stations 30 may be connected to each other via an X2 interface. When the multiple base stations 30 are gNBs or a combination of a gn-eNB and a gNB, the base stations 30 may be connected to each other via an Xn interface. When the multiple base stations 30 are a combination of a gNB-CU and a gNB-DU, the base stations 30 may be connected to each other via the above-mentioned F1 interface. Messages / information (e.g., RRC signaling, MAC CE (MAC Control Element), or DCI (Downlink Control Information), etc.) described later may be transmitted between the multiple base stations 30 via these inter-base station interfaces (e.g., the X2 interface, the Xn interface, or the F1 interface, etc.).

[0124] A cell provided by the base station 30 may be called a serving cell. The concept of a serving cell includes a PCell (Primary Cell) and a SCell (Secondary Cell). When dual connectivity is provided to the terminal device 40, a PCell provided by a MN (Master Node) and zero or more SCells may be called a master cell group. The dual connectivity may be at least one of EUTRA-EUTRA Dual Connectivity, EUTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (ENDC), EUTRA-NR Dual Connectivity with 5GC, NR-EUTRA Dual Connectivity (NEDC), NR-NR Dual Connectivity, NR-6G Dual Connectivity, and 6G-NR Dual Connectivity. Of course, the dual connectivity is not limited to these.

[0125] The serving cell may include a PSCell (Primary Secondary Cell, or Primary SCG Cell). When dual connectivity is provided to the terminal device 40, the PSCell provided by the SN (Secondary Node) and zero or more SCells may be referred to as an SCG (Secondary Cell Group). Unless a special configuration (e.g., PUCCH on SCell) is performed, the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) is transmitted by the PCell and PSCell, but not by the SCell. Radio link failure is detected by the PCell and PSCell, but is not detected (does not need to be detected) by the SCell. Thus, the PCell and PSCell are also referred to as SpCells (Special Cells) since they play a special role among the serving cells.

[0126] One cell may be associated with one downlink component carrier and one uplink component carrier. The system bandwidth corresponding to one cell may be divided into multiple BWPs (Bandwidth Parts). At this time, one or multiple BWPs may be set to the terminal device 40, and one BWP may be used by the terminal device 40 as an active BWP. Radio resources that the terminal device 40 can use, such as a frequency band, a numerology (subcarrier spacing), or a slot format (Slot configuration), may differ for each cell, each component carrier, or each BWP.

[0127] <2-4. Terminal device configuration> Next, the configuration of the terminal device 40 will be described.

[0128] The terminal device 40 is a wireless communication device that performs wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (for example, the base station 30 or other terminal devices 40). The terminal device 40 can be referred to as User Equipment (UE) 40.

[0129] Any type of information processing device (computer) can be adopted as the terminal device 40. For example, the terminal device 40 may be a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, a smart device (smartphone or tablet), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), or a notebook PC. The terminal device 40 may also be a communication module that is connected to an information processing device (for example, an imaging device without a wireless communication function) and provides the information processing device with a wireless communication function. The terminal device 40 may also be an imaging device (for example, a camcorder) equipped with a wireless communication function.

[0130] The terminal device 40 may be a motorcycle or a mobile broadcasting vehicle equipped with a communication device such as a Field Pickup Unit (FPU). The terminal device 40 may be a Machine to Machine (M2M) device or an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The terminal device 40 may be a wearable device such as a smart watch.

[0131] Furthermore, the terminal device 40 may be an XR (Extended Reality) device such as an AR (Augmented Reality) device, a VR (Virtual Reality) device, or an MR (Mixed Reality) device. In this case, the XR device may be a glasses-type device such as AR glasses or MR glasses, or a head-mounted device such as a VR head-mounted display. When the terminal device 40 is an XR device, the terminal device 40 may be a standalone device consisting of only a part worn by a user (e.g., a glasses part). Furthermore, the terminal device 40 may be a terminal-linked device consisting of a part worn by a user (e.g., a glasses part) and a terminal part linked to the part (e.g., a smart device).

[0132] The terminal device 40 may be capable of NOMA communication with the base station 30. The terminal device 40 may be able to use an automatic repeat technique such as HARQ when communicating with the base station 30. The terminal device 40 may be capable of sidelink communication with another terminal device 40. The terminal device 40 may be able to use an automatic repeat technique such as HARQ when performing sidelink communication. The terminal device 40 may be capable of NOMA communication when performing sidelink communication with another terminal device 40. The terminal device 40 may be capable of LPWA communication with other wireless communication devices such as the base station 30. The wireless communication used by the terminal device 40 may be wireless communication using millimeter waves. The wireless communication used by the terminal device 40, including sidelink communication, may be wireless communication using radio waves, or wireless communication using infrared rays or visible light, i.e., optical wireless.

[0133] The terminal device 40 may be a wireless communication device that can be moved, that is, a mobile device. The terminal device 40 may be a wireless communication device installed in a mobile device, or may be the mobile device itself. The terminal device 40 may be a vehicle that moves on a road, such as an automobile, a bus, a truck, or a motorcycle, or a train vehicle that runs on a track, or may be a wireless communication device mounted on the vehicle. The mobile device may be a mobile terminal, or may be a mobile device that moves on land (ground in the narrow sense), underground, on water, or underwater. The mobile device may be a mobile device that moves within the atmosphere, such as an airplane, an airship, a balloon, or a helicopter, or may be a mobile device that moves outside the atmosphere, such as an artificial satellite. The mobile device may be a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) such as a drone. The terminal device 40 may be a wireless communication device mounted on a mobile device.

[0134] The terminal device 40 may be capable of connecting to and communicating with a plurality of base stations 30 or a plurality of cells at the same time. When one base station 30 supports a communication area via a plurality of cells (for example, pCell or sCell), the plurality of cells can be bundled together and communication can be performed between the base station 30 and the terminal device 40 by using a carrier aggregation (CA) technology, a dual connectivity (DC) technology, a multi-connectivity (MC) technology, or the like. Alternatively, communication can be performed between the terminal device 40 and the plurality of base stations 30 via cells of different base stations 30 by a coordinated multi-point transmission and reception (CoMP) technology.

[0135] The terminal device 40 may be a relay terminal that relays communications to a remote terminal.

[0136] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a terminal device 40 according to this embodiment. The terminal device 40 includes a wireless communication unit 41, a storage unit 42, a control unit 43, an input unit 44, an output unit 45, and a sensor unit 46. The configuration shown in Fig. 6 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. Furthermore, the functions of the terminal device 40 may be distributed and implemented in multiple physically separated configurations.

[0137] The terminal device 40 does not necessarily have to include all of the configurations described above or below. For example, the terminal device 40 may not have at least one of the input unit 44, the output unit 45, and the sensor unit 46. The base station 30 may also have a configuration other than the configurations described above or below. The terminal device 40 may have a beamforming function. The terminal device 40 may also be configured to acquire detection data by performing sensing using a beam.

[0138] The wireless communication unit 41 is a signal processing unit for wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (for example, the base station 30 or other terminal devices 40). The wireless communication unit 41 may be called a wireless transceiver or simply a transceiver. In this case, the wireless communication unit 41 may be a transceiver of a standard defined in the technical specification (TS: Technical Specification) of 3GPP (hereinafter, referred to as a 3GPP transceiver). The 3GPP transceiver may be a 3G transceiver, a 4G (LTE) transceiver, a 5G (NR) transceiver, or a transceiver of a generation after 5G. The wireless communication unit 41 is controlled by, for example, the control unit 43. The wireless communication unit 41 supports one or more wireless access methods. The wireless communication unit 41 may support at least one of NR, LTE, B5G (Beyond 5G), and 6G. The wireless communication unit 41 may support W-CDMA, cdma2000, etc. in addition to NR, LTE, B5G, and 6G. The wireless communication unit 41 may support an automatic retransmission technique such as HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest). A part or all of the processing performed by the wireless communication unit 41 may be executed by the control unit 43.

[0139] The wireless communication unit 41 includes a transmission processing unit 411, a reception processing unit 412, and an antenna 413. At least one of the transmission processing unit 411, the reception processing unit 412, and the antenna 413 may be regarded as the wireless communication unit 41. The wireless communication unit 41 may include a plurality of the transmission processing units 411, the reception processing units 412, and the antenna 413. When the wireless communication unit 41 supports a plurality of wireless access methods, each unit of the wireless communication unit 41 may be configured individually for each wireless access method. The transmission processing unit 411 and the reception processing unit 412 may be configured individually for LTE, NR, B5G, and 6G. The antenna 413 may be configured by a plurality of antenna elements, for example, a plurality of patch antennas. The wireless communication unit 41 may have a beamforming function. For example, the wireless communication unit 41 may have a polarized beamforming function using vertical polarization (V polarization) and horizontal polarization (H polarization) (or a polarized beamforming function using dual polarization with polarization directions of 45 degrees and -45 degrees from the vertical direction).

[0140] The storage unit 42 is a readable / writable storage device such as a DRAM, an SRAM, a flash memory, or a hard disk.

[0141] The control unit 43 is a controller that controls each unit of the terminal device 40. The control unit 43 controls the wireless communication unit so as to perform wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (for example, the base station 30 or other terminal devices 40). The control unit 43 may be realized by a processor such as a CPU or MPU. In detail, the control unit 23 may be realized by a processor executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the terminal device 40 using a RAM or the like as a working area. The control unit 43 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA. The CPU, MPU, ASIC, and FPGA can all be considered as controllers. The control unit 43 may be realized by a GPU. The CPU, MPU, ASIC, FPGA, and GPU can all be considered as controllers. The control unit 43 may be configured by multiple physically separated objects. For example, the control unit 43 may be configured by multiple semiconductor chips.

[0142] The control unit 43 includes at least one block of a notification unit 431, a receiving unit 432, a transmitting unit 433, a determination unit 434, and an acquisition unit 435. The control unit 43 may include a plurality of each of these blocks, or may include only one of each.

[0143] Each block (notification unit 431 to acquisition unit 435) constituting the control unit 43 is a functional block showing the function of the control unit 43. These functional blocks may be software blocks or hardware blocks. For example, each of the above-mentioned functional blocks may be one software module realized by software (including microprograms), or one circuit block on a semiconductor chip (die). Of course, each functional block may be one processor or one integrated circuit. The control unit 43 may be configured by functional units different from the above-mentioned functional blocks. The method of configuring the functional blocks is arbitrary. The operation of the control unit 43 may be the same as the operation of the control unit (control unit 13, control unit 23, or control unit 33) of the server 10, the management device 20, or the base station 30.

[0144] The input unit 44 is an input device that accepts various inputs from the outside. For example, the input unit 44 is an operation device that allows the user to perform various operations, such as a keyboard, a mouse, operation keys, and voice input. If a touch panel is adopted in the terminal device 40, the touch panel is also included in the input unit 44. In this case, the user performs various operations by touching the screen with a finger or a stylus.

[0145] The output unit 45 is a device that outputs various types of information to the outside, such as sound, light, vibration, and image. The output unit 45 includes a display unit that displays various types of information. The display unit is, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. In addition, when a touch panel is adopted in the terminal device 40, the display unit may be integrated with the input unit 44. In addition, when the terminal device 40 is an XR device, the terminal device 40 may be a transmissive device that projects an image onto glasses, or a retinal projection device that projects an image directly onto the user's retina. The output unit 45 performs various outputs to the user according to the control of the control unit 43.

[0146] The sensor unit 46 is configured with one or more sensors that detect various data related to the terminal device 40. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include a sensor that detects the position or attitude of the terminal device 40. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include an acceleration sensor and / or a gyro sensor. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include a 6DoF sensor or a 3DoF sensor. Furthermore, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include a positioning sensor (for example, a GNSS sensor). The GNSS sensor may be a GPS sensor, a GLONASS sensor, a Galileo sensor, or a QZSS sensor. Furthermore, the sensor unit 46 (or one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46) may be configured to perform sensing using the above-mentioned beamforming function and acquire detection data.

[0147] The sensor included in the sensor unit 46 is not limited to a sensor that detects the position or attitude of the terminal device 40. The one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include a sensor that detects the surroundings of the terminal device 40. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include at least one of a geomagnetic sensor, an illuminance sensor, a distance measurement sensor (e.g., a ToF sensor), an air pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a light sensor, a sound sensor, and an image sensor.

[0148] The one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include a sensor unit configured by combining a plurality of sensors. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include an inertial measurement unit configured by combining a plurality of sensors selected from a positioning sensor (e.g., a GNSS sensor), an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor. The sensor unit may also be considered as a type of sensor.

[0149] Furthermore, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include a device / component configured using a sensor. For example, the one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 46 may include at least one of a camera (e.g., a visible light camera, an infrared camera, or a light field camera), a LiDAR, a radar (e.g., a microwave radar or a millimeter wave radar), a microphone, and an image device. An image device is a device configured using one or more sensors. A device / component configured using a sensor can also be considered as a type of sensor.

[0150] In addition, the one or more sensors provided in the sensor unit 46 may include a sensor that detects at least one of the color of the object, the speed of the object, the acceleration of the object, the temperature of the object, the reflectance of the object, the distance to the object, geomagnetism, illuminance, air pressure, light, and sound.

[0151] Furthermore, the one or more sensors included in the sensor section 46 may include a sensor / sensor unit / device / component configured by combining two or more sensors selected from the above-mentioned plurality of sensors.

[0152] In this embodiment, one or more sensing functions realized by devices / components included in the terminal device 40 may be regarded as one or more sensors included in the terminal device 40. For example, one or more sensing functions included in the wireless communication unit 41 may be regarded as one or more sensors included in the terminal device 40. In this case, the one or more sensing functions included in the wireless communication unit 41 may include an RF-based sensing function (for example, an RF-based sensing function supported by a 3GPP transceiver). In this case, the wireless communication unit 41 (for example, a 3GPP transceiver) may be regarded as a sensor unit 46 (or a sensor included in the sensor unit 46).

[0153] As described above, the description of sensors may distinguish between physical sensors and logical sensors, i.e., the sensors described above or below may indicate either physical sensors or logical sensors.

[0154] <<3. Network Architecture>> The configuration of the communication system 1 has been described above. Next, a network architecture that can be applied to the communication system 1 (for example, a core network CN) of this embodiment will be described.

[0155] Hereinafter, the network architecture of a fifth generation mobile communication system (5G) will be described as an example of a network architecture that can be applied to the communication system 1. Note that the network architecture applied to the communication system 1 is not limited to the network architecture of a fifth generation mobile communication system (5G). The network architecture applied to the communication system 1 may be the network architecture of a fourth generation mobile communication system (4G) or the network architecture of a sixth generation mobile communication system (6G). The network architecture applied to the communication system 1 may be the network architecture of B5G (Beyond 5G). Of course, the network architecture applied to the communication system 1 may be the network architecture of another RAT.

[0156] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a network architecture of 5GS (5G system). The 5G core network is also called 5GC (5G Core) / NGC (Next Generation Core). The core network CN of this embodiment is configured by, for example, one or more management devices 20. Hereinafter, the 5G core network CN is also called 5GC / NGC. The core network CN is connected to a UE (User Equipment) 40 via a RAN (Radio Access Network) / AN (Access Network) 510. The UE 40 is, for example, a terminal device 40 in the communication system 1.

[0157] An application server (AS) 10 that performs processing related to applications is connected to the 5GS via the Internet. The application server 10 is, for example, a server 10 in the communication system 1. This enables the UE 40 to use applications via the 5G service.

[0158] When an entity providing an application has a contract such as a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) operator providing a 5G service, the application server 10 may be disposed in the DN 530 or in the core network CN as a part of the DN 530. The application server 10 may be provided in the form of an edge server.

[0159] The 5GS control plane function group 540 is composed of one or more NFs (Network Functions). The one or more NFs included in the control plane function group 540 may include at least one NF among, for example, an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 541, a Network Exposure Function (NEF) 542, a Network Repository Function (NRF) 543, a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) 544, a Policy Control Function (PCF) 545, a Session Management Function (SMF) 546, a Unified Data Management (UDM) 547, an Application Function (AF) 548, an Authentication Server Function (AUSF) 549, a UE radio Capability Management Function (UCMF) 550, a Location Management Function (LMF) 551, and a Gateway Mobile Location Centre (GMLC) 552.

[0160] The UDM 547 includes a UDR (Unified Data Repository) that holds and manages subscriber information, and a FE (Front End) unit that processes the subscriber information. The AMF 541 performs mobility management. The SMF 546 performs session management.

[0161] The UCMF 550 holds UE Radio Capability Information corresponding to all UE Radio Capability IDs in a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network). The UCMF 550 is responsible for assigning each PLMN-assigned UE Radio Capability ID. The LMF 551 and the GMLC 552 will be described later.

[0162] The functions and services provided by the core network CN can be used via the AF548 provided for the application, but in the case of a third-party application, it is necessary to conclude an SLA (Service Level Agreement) with the operator who manages the core network CN and be regarded as a trusted AF548 by the core network CN.

[0163] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of security, a third-party AF 548 disposed outside the core network CN is generally configured to connect the third-party AF 548 to the core network CN via the NEF 542.

[0164] Namf is a service-based interface provided by the AMF 541. Nsmf is a service-based interface provided by the SMF 546. Nnef is a service-based interface provided by the NEF 542. Npcf is a service-based interface provided by the PCF 545. Nudm is a service-based interface provided by the UDM 547. Naf is a service-based interface provided by the AF 548. Nnrf is a service-based interface provided by the NRF 543. Nnssf is a service-based interface provided by the NSSF 544. Nausf is a service-based interface provided by the AUSF 549. Nucmf is a service-based interface provided by the UCMF 550. Nlmf is a service-based interface provided by the LMF 551. Ngmlc is a service-based interface provided by the GMLC 552. Each NF exchanges information with other NFs via its respective service-based interface.

[0165] Each NF can request or subscribe to a service provided by another network function and receive a response or notification from that service. That is, each NF exchanges information with other NFs by means of request / response or subscribe / notification via their respective service-based interfaces.

[0166] The UPF (User Plane Function) 520 has a function of processing the user plane. The DN (Data Network) 530 has a function of enabling connection to a service unique to an MNO (Mobile Network Operator), the Internet, and a third-party service. The UPF 520 functions as a transfer processing unit for user plane data processed by the application server 10. The UPF 520 also functions as a gateway connected to the RAN / AN 510.

[0167] Here, each NF of the core network CN can be configured with virtualization and / or containers. Each NF can be implemented in a cloud server. In 5GS, each NF can be dynamically and re-configurably configured using SDN (Software Defined Network).

[0168] The RAN / AN 510 has a function of enabling connection to the RAN and connection to an AN other than the RAN. The RAN / AN 510 includes a base station called a gNB or ng-eNB. The RAN may also be called an NG (Next Generation)-RAN.

[0169] The functions of the RAN / AN 510 are divided into a CU (Central Unit) that processes L2 / L3 functions above the PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol) sublayer, and a DU (Distributed Unit) that processes L2 / L1 functions below the RLC (Radio Link Control) sublayer. The functions of the RAN / AN 510 can be distributed and arranged via an F1 interface.

[0170] Furthermore, the function of the DU is divided into an RU (Radio Unit) that processes the LOW PHY sublayer and the radio unit (Radio), and a DU that processes the RLC, MAC (Medium Access Control), and HIGH PHY sublayers. The function of the RU can be distributed and arranged, for example, via a fronthaul that complies with eCPRI (evolved Common Public Radio Interface).

[0171] The functions of the CU and / or DU can be configured by virtualization or containers. The functions of the CU and / or DU can be implemented on a cloud server. In 5GS, the functions of the CU and / or DU can be dynamically and reconfigurably set using SDN.

[0172] Between the UE 40 and the AMF 541, information is exchanged with each other via a reference point N1. Between the RAN / AN 510 and the AMF 541, information is exchanged with each other via a reference point N2. Between the SMF 546 and the UPF 520, information is exchanged with each other via a reference point N4.

[0173] The SMF 546 performs QoS (Quality of Service) control for each service data flow. The QoS control of the SMF 546 can be applied to both IP and Ethernet type service data flows. The SMF 546 provides authorized QoS for each specific service by performing QoS control for each service data flow.

[0174] The SMF 546 can utilize metrics such as QoS subscriber information in conjunction with service-based, subscription-based, or predefined PCF internal policy rules.

[0175] The SMF 546 uses Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rules associated with a QoS flow, ie, a QoS-controlled data flow, to determine the QoS to authorize for the QoS flow.

[0176] When a QoS flow is deleted, the SMF 546 can notify the PCF 545 of the deletion of the QoS flow. In addition, when the SMF 546 cannot guarantee a bit rate guaranteed in the QoS flow, i.e., a Guaranteed Flow Bit Rate (GFBR), it can notify the PCF 545 of the inability to guarantee the GFBR.

[0177] As a QoS reservation procedure for a QoS flow, a UE-Initiated QoS flow can be established. Also, as a part of a QoS flow modification procedure, the QoS can be downgraded or upgraded.

[0178] <<4. Location Services>> Next, the location service (LCS) will be described.

[0179] In the following description, a location service in a fifth generation mobile communication system (5G) will be described as an example of a location service that the communication system 1 of the present embodiment can support. The location service of the present embodiment is not limited to a location service in 5G. The location service of the present embodiment may be a location service in a fourth generation mobile communication system (4G) or a location service in a sixth generation mobile communication system (6G). The location service of the present embodiment may be a location service in B5G (Beyond 5G). Of course, the location service of the present embodiment may be a location service in other RATs.

[0180] <Location services in 4-1.5GS> In 5GS (5G system), a service-based architecture is defined to support location services.

[0181] In 5GS, a RAT (Radio Access Technology)-dependent location detection method and a RAT-independent location detection method are supported for detecting the location of the UE 40. The communication system 1 of the present embodiment may support at least one of the RAT-dependent location detection method and the RAT-independent location detection method. The description of 5GS that appears in the following description can be replaced with the communication system 1. Also, the description of the core network CN that appears in the following description can be replaced with the management device 20.

[0182] Here, the RAT-dependent location method is a location method performed using measurement results of signals of the 3GPP RAT acquired by the target UE 40 and / or measurement results of signals of the 3GPP RAT acquired by the access network and transmitted by the target UE 40. The RAT-independent location method is a location method performed using measurement results of signals other than the 3GPP RAT acquired by the target UE 40 and / or other information.

[0183] An LCS (Location Service) client inside a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) or an SNPN (Standalone Non-Public Network), an LCS client outside the PLMN or SNPN, or an AF 548 requests location information of one or more target UEs 40 from an apparatus constituting a 5GS (for example, a core network CN). The apparatus constituting the 5GS reports the location information related to the request to the LCS client or AF 548. Alternatively, an NF of a control plane inside the PLMN or SNPN requests location information of one or more target UEs 40 from an apparatus constituting a 5GS. The apparatus constituting the 5GS reports the location information related to the request to an NF of a control plane inside the PLMN or SNPN.

[0184] A UE 40 outside a PLMN or SNPN must also be able to perform privacy verification for a target UE 40 in response to a request for location information from an LCS client that is not a RAN / AN 510 or an AF 548 outside a PLMN or SNPN. For example, a UE 40 outside a PLMN or SNPN must be able to verify whether the LCS client or AF 548 is authorized to obtain location information for the UE 40 and / or whether the LCS client or AF 548 is authorized to use location services based on the LCS privacy profile of the UE 40.

[0185] The UE 40 may optionally support privacy notification and verification on behalf of the user.

[0186] To enable the positioning methods supported by UE 40, UE 40 may signal the capability of UE 40 to support location services to the serving PLMN or SNPN at the AS (Application Server), NAS (Non-Access Stratum), or application (e.g., positioning protocol) level.

[0187] Here, the LCS client or AF 548 may request location information of UE 40 by at least one of the methods (requests) listed below. Network Induced Location Request (NI-LR) Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR) · Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) ·Immediate Location Request It may be an event reservation type location request (Deferred Location Request).

[0188] A location information request by the network is, for example, a request initiated by the serving AMF 541 for regulatory services such as an emergency call from the UE 40, or for the purpose of verifying the location of the UE 40 in a country or overseas area for NR satellite access.

[0189] The mobile terminal terminated location information request is a request sent by an LCS client or AF 548 outside or inside the serving PLMN to the serving PLMN to obtain information related to the location of the target UE 40.

[0190] The mobile terminal originated location information request is a request that the UE 40 sends to the serving PLMN to obtain information related to its location.

[0191] An immediate location information request is a request that an LCS client or AF 548 sends or initiates to obtain location information for a targeted UE 40 or group of UEs 40, and is expected to receive a response containing location information for the targeted UE 40 or group of UEs 40 within a short period of time, specified using QoS. This immediate location information request can be used for the aforementioned network-initiated location information request, mobile terminal-terminated location information request, or mobile terminal-originated location information request.

[0192] An event subscription type location information request is a request sent by an LCS client or AF548 to obtain information relating to the location of a targeted UE40 or group of UE40, and when requested of a targeted UE40 or group of UE40 at a certain future time or instant related to a specific event related to the targeted UE40 or group of UE40, it is expected to receive a response including notification of the occurrence of the event and information relating to the location.

[0193] <4-2. Location service architecture> FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a reference architecture for a location service of 5GS. The figure is based on the diagram shown in the document "3GPP TS23.237". The reference architecture shown in FIG. 8 may be applied to the communication system 1 (for example, the core network CN) of the present embodiment.

[0194] As described above, the 5GS control plane function group 540 is configured by a plurality of NFs (Network Functions). The one or more NFs included in the control plane function group 540 may include at least one NF among the UDM 547, the AF 548, the LMF 551, the GMLC 552, and the LRF (Location Retrieval Function) 553. The LRF 553 may be provided together with the GMLC 552 or may be installed separately.

[0195] The LRF 553 is responsible for obtaining or verifying location information, and for providing routing and / or correlation information to the UE 40 that initiated the IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) emergency session.

[0196] The AF548 or other NFs can access the location information event exposure service of the AMF541 within the same trust domain using the Ngmlc interface (e.g., the location service of the GMLC552 within the same PLMN or the same trust domain, or using the Namf interface).

[0197] The LCS client 560 can access the location services of the GMLC 552 using the reference point Le.

[0198] An external AF 548 can access location services via the NEF 542 using the Nnef interface or CAPIF (Common API Framework).

[0199] The LCS client 560 or AF 548 can access the location services of the UE 40 on the connected user plane for location reporting events by the UE 40 in response to periodic or triggered 5GC Mobile Terminal Terminated Location Information Requests (5GC-MT-LR) when the UE 40 can determine an estimate of its location.

[0200] The GMLC 552 contains the functionality required to support location services. There may be one or more GMLCs 552 in a PLMN.

[0201] The GMLC 552 is the first node that an external LCS client 560 must access within a PLMN.

[0202] AF548 or other NFs can access GMLC552 directly or via NEF542.

[0203] The GMLC 552 may request routing information and / or privacy information of the target UE 40 from the UDM 547 via the Nudm interface.

[0204] The UDM 547 manages the LCS privacy profile and routing information of the LCS subscribers, which can be accessed by the AMF 541, the GMLC 552, or the NEF 542 via the Nudm interface.

[0205] The UDM 547 may also include in the subscription data of the UE 40 an indication of whether the UE 40 is permitted to act as a Positioning Reference Unit (PRU) and an indication of whether the PRU is a fixed PRU.

[0206] Additionally, the UDM 547 may include in the LCS subscriber data of the UE 40 the identifier(s) of the LMF 551 and an indication of user plane positioning between the UE 40 and the LMF 551.

[0207] After authorization of the external LCS client 560 or AF 548 and verification of the target UE 40 are performed, the GMLC 552 forwards the location information request to the serving AMF 541 using the Namf interface, or, if the target UE 40 is a roaming UE, the GMLC 552 forwards the location information request to the GMLC 552 of another PLMN using the Ngmlc interface.

[0208] The privacy profile settings of the target UE 40 must be verified with the home PLMN of the UE 40 before providing a location estimate.

[0209] The LMF 551 manages the overall coordination and scheduling of resources required at the location of the UE 40 registered with or accessing the core network CN, and can also calculate or verify the final location and velocity estimates and estimate the achievable accuracy.

[0210] The LMF 551 may also report target UE 40 location estimates directly to the GMLC 552 for location services of the GMLC 552, either periodically or upon event triggering.

[0211] The LMF 551 receives a request for location information for a target UE 40 from the serving AMF 541 using the Nlmf interface. The LMF 551 interacts with the UE 40 to exchange location-related information applicable to a UE assisted positioning method and / or a UE based positioning method.

[0212] As the mode for detecting the position of the UE 40, a terminal-assisted mode, a terminal-based mode, a standalone mode, and a network-based mode are provided.

[0213] In the terminal-assisted mode, the UE 40 receives signals for location measurement and transmits the measurement results to another entity (e.g., the LMF 551) for location calculation.

[0214] In the terminal-based mode, the UE 40 receives signals for location measurements and calculates a location estimate using assistance data provided by the serving PLMN.

[0215] In the standalone mode, the UE 40 receives signals for location measurements and calculates a location estimate without assistance data provided by the serving PLMN.

[0216] In the network-based mode, the serving PLMN receives location measurement signals transmitted from the target UE 40. The serving PLMN (e.g., LMF 551) then calculates a location estimate.

[0217] <4-3. UE LCS privacy> In the location service, the LCS client 560 or the AF 548 may or may not have the authority to obtain the location information of the UE 40. The UE 40 and / or the AF 548 can use terminal LCS privacy to control which LCS client 560 and AF 548 are allowed or not allowed to access the location information of the UE 40.

[0218] In the subscription, the UDM 547 can store privacy settings for the UE 40 as part of the terminal subscriber data. The privacy settings can be stored as a terminal LCS privacy profile. Other NFs (e.g., the GMLC 552 or the NEF 542) can query the UDM 547 for the terminal LCS privacy profile.

[0219] Additionally, the terminal LCS privacy profile processing may be used by the UE 40 and / or the AF 548 to provide and / or update parts of the terminal privacy profile, thereby allowing the UE 40 and / or the AF 548 to provide privacy settings to the network.

[0220] Here, the terminal LCS privacy profile, together with a Privacy Override Indicator (POI), is used to indicate whether an LCS request from the LCS client 560 and the AF 548 is allowed or denied.

[0221] The privacy override indication is used to determine whether the terminal LCS privacy profile of the subscriber terminal being positioned is to be overridden by a request for location services. Privacy override applies only to restricted services.

[0222] <4-4.LPP(LTE Positioning Protocol)> Figure 9 shows the configuration of an LPP for control in the NG-RAN and location detection in the user plane, based on the diagram shown in document "3GPP TS37.355".

[0223] LPP is used to determine the location of a target device (e.g., UE 40) using location measurements obtained by one or more reference sources. LPP is used point-to-point between a location server (e.g., LMF551) and a target device. LPP was defined for the 4th generation mobile communication system, Long Term Evolution (LTE), and is also used in 5G systems.

[0224] The LPP session is used between the location server and the target device to obtain position relationship measurements or position estimates, or to transfer assistance data.

[0225] One LPP session is used to support one location information request, e.g., one LPP session is used to support one mobile terminal terminated location information request, one mobile terminal initiated location information request, or one network initiated location information request.

[0226] Multiple LPP sessions may be used between the same termination points to support multiple different location information requests, with each LPP session consisting of one or more LPP transactions, each performing an operation (e.g., exchanging capability information, transferring assistance data, and / or transferring location information).

[0227] The LPP transaction represents a transaction ID at the LPP protocol level to associate both messages (eg, requests and responses).

[0228] Each LPP transaction involves the exchange of one or more LPP messages between a location server and a target device.

[0229] LPP messages provide the complete set of information for invoking and responding to LPP transactions. The general format of an LPP message consists of a set of common fields followed by a body. The body contains information specific to the particular message type (although the body may be empty). Each message type contains information specific to one or more positioning methods and / or information common to all positioning methods.

[0230] The shared fields are as follows: · A transaction ID to identify messages that belong to the same transaction. A transaction end flag that indicates when a transaction has ended, such as a transaction with periodic replies A sequence number that allows detection of duplicate LPP messages at the receiver Acknowledgements, to allow acknowledgments to be requested and / or returned for any LPP message

[0231] In addition, the following message types are defined: Request Capabilities · Provide Capabilities Request Assistance Data ·Provide Assistance Data · Request Location Information ·Provide Location Information Abort Error

[0232] Here, the capability indicates the positioning and protocol functions related to the LPP and the positioning methods supported by the LPP.

[0233] 10 is a diagram showing an example of LPP session processing, which is based on the diagram shown in document "3GPP TS37.355."

[0234] Endpoint A initiates an LPP session by sending an LPP message with an initial LPP transaction ID of j to Endpoint B (step S11), where Endpoint A is one of the target device and the location server, and Endpoint B is the other of the target device and the location server.

[0235] Endpoint A and endpoint B can continue the transaction started in step S11 and further exchange messages (step S12).

[0236] Either endpoint can initiate further transactions by sending additional LPP messages (step S13).

[0237] The session is terminated by an LPP message with the final transaction ID N exchanged between the two endpoints (step S14).

[0238] All constituent messages within each transaction MUST contain the same transaction ID. The final message sent in each transaction MUST set the endTransaction IE (Information Element) to TRUE. Concurrent transactions MUST use different transaction IDs. Note that a transaction ID for a completed transaction MAY be reused at any time after it is known that the final message of a previous transaction with the same ID has been received.

[0239] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing an example of a procedure provided by the LPP, which are based on the diagrams shown in the document "3GPP TS37.355."

[0240] 11A is a diagram showing an example of a procedure for transmitting capability information. The location server transmits a RequestCapabilities message to the target device (step S21). The location server may indicate the type of required capability.

[0241] The target device determines whether it supports one or more of the requested positioning methods contained in the message. If it supports a positioning method, the target device includes the device's capabilities for the supported positioning methods in a response message (ProvideCapabilities message). The target device then sets the LPP-TransactionID IE in the response message to the same value as the LPP-TransactionID IE in the received message.

[0242] The target device sends a ProvideCapabilities message to the location server (step S22). This message must include an endTransaction Information Element (IE) set to TRUE. This procedure allows the location server to obtain the capabilities of the target device.

[0243] 11B is a diagram showing another example of a procedure for transmitting capability information. When the target device starts a procedure for transmitting a ProvideCapabilities message, the target device sets a corresponding IE for each positioning method indicating a capability in order to include the capability of the device in the message.

[0244] The target device sends a ProvideCapabilities message to the location server (step S31). This message must include an endTransaction IE set to TRUE. This procedure allows the target to indicate to the location server capabilities that have not been requested by the location server.

[0245] Although not shown here, as well as capabilities, the LPP provides procedures for the transfer and display of assistance data, position related information, which may be position measurement data and / or position estimates.

[0246] In LPP, positioning methods are specified by the Positioning Method IEs. The positioning methods supported in LPP are as follows:

[0247] ·OTDOA(Observed Time Difference Of Arrival) Positioning ·A-GNSS(Assisted GNSS) Positioning ·Enhanced Cell ID Positioning ·Terrestrial Beacon System Positioning Sensor based Positioning WLAN-based Positioning Bluetooth-based Positioning ·NR UL Positioning ·NR E-CID (Enhanced Cell-ID) Positioning ·NR DL-TDOA(Time Difference Of Arrival) Positioning ·NR DL-AoD(Angle of Departure) Positioning ·NR Multi-RTT(Round Trip Time) Positioning

[0248] <4-4-1.A-GNSS Positioning> In A-GNSS Positioning, the location server provides assistance data for terminal-based and / or terminal-assisted A-GNSS using the A-GNSS-ProvideAssistanceData IE.

[0249] The target device may use the A-GNSS-RequestAssistanceData IE to request GNSS assistance data from the location server.

[0250] The target device provides location measurements (eg, pseudo ranges, location estimates, and velocity) along with time information to the location server using the A-GNSS-ProvideLocationInformation IE.

[0251] The target device provides GNSS signal measurement information to the location server using the GNSS-SignalMeasurementInformation IE. If requested by the location server, the target device provides the GNSS network time association to the location server. This information includes the code phase, Doppler, and C / N, and optionally the accumulated carrier phase, also called ADR (Accumulated Delta Range). This allows the location server to calculate the target device's position using terminal-aided GNSS methods.

[0252] A location server can request location information from a target device using GNSS using the A-GNSS-RequestLocationInformation IE, in which the location server provides GNSS measurement instructions to the target device using the GNSS-PositioningInstructions IE.

[0253] The A-GNSS-Provide-Capabilities IE is used to indicate the capability of the target device to support A-GNSS, for example, the A-GNSS-Provide-Capabilities IE is used by the target device to provide its A-GNSS location capabilities (e.g. supported GNSS and assistance data) to a location server.

[0254] The location server can request the A-GNSS location capabilities of the target device using the A-GNSS-Request-Capabilities IE.

[0255] <4-4-2.Terrestrial Beacon System Positioning> In Terrestrial Beacon System Positioning, the target device provides TBS location measurements to the location server using the TBS-ProvideLocationInformation IE.

[0256] The location server may use the TBS-RequestLocationInformation IE to request location information for the TBS-based approach from the target device.

[0257] The TBS-ProvideCapabilities IE is used to indicate the capability of the target device to support TBS. For example, the TBS-ProvideCapabilities IE is used by the target device to provide TBS location capabilities to the location server.

[0258] The location server can request the TBS positioning capabilities of the target device using the TBS-RequestCapabilities IE.

[0259] The location server uses the TBS-ProvideAssistanceData IE to provide the target device with assistance data to assist in estimating its position and / or to facilitate acquisition of TBS signals.

[0260] The target device may request TBS assistance data from the location server using the TBS-RequestAssistanceData IE.

[0261] <4-4-3.Sensor based Positioning> In Sensor based Positioning, the target device uses a Sensor-ProvideLocationInformation IE to provide location information for the sensor-based approach to the location server. In the Sensor-ProvideLocationInformation IE, the target device uses a Sensor-MeasurementInformation IE to provide UE sensor measurements to the location server.

[0262] The location server may use the Sensor-RequestLocationInformation IE to request location information for the sensor-based approach from the target device.

[0263] The target device uses the Sensor-ProvideCapabilities IE to provide capabilities for sensor-based techniques to the location server.

[0264] The location server may use the Sensor-RequestCapabilities IE to request capabilities for sensor-based techniques from the target device.

[0265] The location server uses the Sensor-ProvideAssistanceData IE to provide the target device with assistance data to assist the UE in calculating the altitude, for example, the location server provides the target device with assistance data to assist the UE in calculating the altitude in the terminal-based mode.

[0266] The target device may use the Sensor-RequestAssistanceData IE to request sensor assistance data from the location server.

[0267] <4-4-4.WLAN-based Positioning> In WLAN-based Positioning, the target device provides measurement results for one or more WLANs to the location server using the WLAN-ProvideLocationInformation IE.

[0268] The location server can request WLAN measurements from the target device using the WLAN-RequestLocationInformation IE.

[0269] The target device uses the WLAN-ProvideCapabilites IE to provide the location server with capabilities for WLAN positioning.

[0270] The location server can use the WLAN-RequestCapabilities IE to request WLAN positioning capabilities information from the target device.

[0271] The location server uses the WLAN-ProvideAssistanceData IE to provide assistance data to the target device to enable terminal-based and / or terminal-assisted WLAN positioning.

[0272] The target device may use the WLAN-RequestAssistanceData IE to request WLAN assistance data from the location server.

[0273] <4-4-5.Bluetooth-based Positioning> In Bluetooth-based Positioning, the target device provides the location server with measurement results for one or more Bluetooth beacons using the BT-ProvideLocationInformation IE.

[0274] The location server can request Bluetooth measurements from the target device using the IE in BT-RequestLocationInformation.

[0275] The target device uses the BT-ProvideCapabilites IE to provide the location server with its capabilities for Bluetooth positioning.

[0276] The location server can request the Bluetooth positioning capabilities of the target device using the BT-RequestCapabilities IE.

[0277] <4-4-6.NR UL Positioning> In NR UL Positioning, the NR-UL-ProvideCapabilities IE is used by the target device to indicate to the location server its capability of supporting UL SRS (Sounding Reference Signals) for positioning and to provide the location server with UL SRS for positioning capability.

[0278] The NR-UL-RequestCapabilities IE is used by the location server to request the target device's capability to support UL SRS for positioning and to request the UL SRS for positioning from the target device.

[0279] <4-4-7.NR E-CID Positioning> In NR E-CID Positioning, the target device provides NR E-CID location measurements to the location server using the IE NR-ECID-ProvideLocationInformation.

[0280] The target device provides the NR E-CID measurements to the location server using the IE NR-ECID-SignalMeasurementInformation.

[0281] The location server can request NR E-CID location measurements from the target device using the IE NR-ECID-RequestLocationInformation.

[0282] The NR-ECID-ProvideCapabilities IE is used to indicate the capability of the target device to support NR E-CID (NR E-CID positioning capabilities). For example, the NR-ECID-ProvideCapabilities IE is used by the target device to provide NR E-CID positioning capabilities to the location server.

[0283] The location server uses the NR-ECID-RequestCapabilities IE to request the target device's capabilities to support NR E-CID. For example, the location server uses the NR-ECID-RequestCapabilities IE to request E-CID positioning capabilities from the target device.

[0284] <4-4-8.NR DL-TDOA Positioning> In NR DL-TDOA Positioning, the location server uses the IE NR-DL-TDOA-ProvideAssistanceData to provide assistance data for terminal assistance and / or terminal-based NR DL-TDOA.

[0285] The target device may request assistance data from the location server using the IE NR-DL-TDOA-RequestAssistanceData.

[0286] The target device provides NR DL-TDOA location measurements to the location server using the IE NR-DL-TDOA-ProvideLocationInformation.

[0287] The target device uses the IE of NR-DL-TDOA-SignalMeasurementInformation to provide NR DL-TDOA measurements to the location server. When providing the location information obtained by NR DL-TDOA to the location server, the target device includes the information of the IE of NR-DL-TDOA-LocationInformation in the information provided.

[0288] The location server requests NR DL-TDOA location measurements from the target device using the IE NR-DL-TDOA-RequestLocationInformation.

[0289] The NR-DL-TDOA-ProvideCapabilities IE is used to indicate the capability of the target device to support NR DL-TDOA. For example, the NR-DL-TDOA-ProvideCapabilities IE is used by the target device to provide NR DL-TDOA positioning capabilities to the location server.

[0290] The IE NR-DL-TDOA-MeasurementCapability may be included only if DL-TDOA measurement capability is defined and the target device supports NR-DL-PRS-ResourcesCapability for DL-TDOA.

[0291] The NR-DL-TDOA-RequestCapabilities IE is used by the location server to request the capability of the target device to support NR DL-TDOA. For example, the NR-DL-TDOA-RequestCapabilities IE is used by the location server to request NR DL-TDOA positioning capabilities from the target device.

[0292] <4-4-9.NR DL-AoD Positioning> In NR DL-AoD Positioning, the location server provides terminal assistance and assistance data for terminal-based NR DL-AoD using the IE NR-DL-AoD-ProvideAssistanceData.

[0293] The target device may request assistance data from the location server using the IE NR-DL-AoD-RequestAssistanceData.

[0294] The target device provides NR DL-AoD location measurements to the location server using the IE NR-DL-AoD-ProvideLocationInformation.

[0295] The target device provides NR DL-AoD measurements to the location server using the IE in NR-DL-AoD-SignalMeasurementInformation.

[0296] When location information is obtained using NR DL-AoD, the target device provides the IE NR-DL-AoD-LocationInformation to the location server.

[0297] The location server can request NR DL-AoD location measurements from the target device using the IE in NR-DL-AoD-RequestLocationInformation.

[0298] The NR-DL-AoD-ProvideCapabilities IE is used to indicate the capability of the target device to support NR DL-AoD. For example, the NR-DL-AoD-ProvideCapabilities IE is used to provide NR DL-AoD positioning capabilities to the location server.

[0299] The NR-DL-AoD-MeasurementCapability IE can be included only if a DL-AoD measurement capability is defined and the target device supports NR-DL-PRS-ResourcesCapability for DL-AoD.

[0300] The NR-DL-AoD-RequestCapabilities IE is used by the location server to request the target device's capability to support NR DL-AoD. For example, the NR-DL-AoD-RequestCapabilities IE is used by the location server to request NR DL-AoD positioning capabilities from the target device.

[0301] <4-4-10.NR Multi-RTT Positioning> In NR Multi-RTT Positioning, the location server provides assistance data for terminal-assisted NR Multi-RTT using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-ProvideAssistanceData.

[0302] The target device may request assistance data from the location server using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-RequestAssistanceData.

[0303] The target device provides NR Multi-RTT location measurements to the location server using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-ProvideLocationInformation.

[0304] The target device provides NR Multi-RTT measurements to the location server using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-SignalMeasurementInformation.

[0305] The location server requests NR Multi-RTT location measurements from the target device using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-RequestLocationInformation.

[0306] The NR-Multi-RTT-ProvideCapabilities IE is used by the target device to indicate its capability to support NR Multi-RTT. For example, the NR-Multi-RTT-ProvideCapabilities IE is used by the target device to provide NR Multi-RTT positioning capabilities to the location server.

[0307] The NR-Multi-RTT-MeasurementCapability IE may be included only if the Multi-RTT measurement capability is defined and the target device supports NR-DL-PRS-ResourcesCapability for Multi-RTT.

[0308] The NR-Multi-RTT-RequestCapabilities IE is used by a location server to request the capability of a target device to support NR Multi-RTT. For example, the NR-Multi-RTT-RequestCapabilities IE is used by a location server to request NR Multi-RTT positioning capabilities from a target device.

[0309] <4-5.NRPPa (NR Positioning Protocol A)> NRPPa is a protocol defined for the RAN / AN 510 to provide services to the LMF 551. NRPPa (NR Positioning Protocol A) consists of NRPPa location information transfer procedures and NRPPa management procedures.

[0310] The NRPPa position information transfer procedure includes a procedure for transferring information related to positioning between the RAN / AN 510 and the LMF 551. The NRPPa management procedure includes procedures not related to positioning (e.g., handling when an error occurs).

[0311] The functions provided by NRPPa and the EPs (Elementary Procedures(s)) defined for each function are as follows:

[0312] Location information transfer for E-CID and NR E-CID positioning E-CID Measurement Initiation procedure ·E-CID Measurement Failure Indication procedure ·E-CID Measurement Report procedure E-CID Measurement Termination procedure · Information transfer for OTDOA (Observed Time Difference of Arrival) positioning -OTDOA Information Exchange procedure Reporting common error situations Error Indication procedure Transfer of support information Assistance Information Control procedure Assistance Information Feedback procedure -Transmission of positioning information Positioning Information Exchange procedure Positioning Information Update procedure Positioning Activation procedure Positioning Deactivation procedure ·Transfer of measurement information Measurement procedure Measurement Update procedure Measurement Report procedure Measurement Abort procedure Measurement Failure Indication procedure ·Transmission of TRP (Transmission-Reception Point) information ·TRP Information Exchange procedure · Transfer of PRS (Positioning Reference Signal) information PRS Configuration Exchange procedure -Transfer of measurement presetting information Measurement Preconfiguration procedure Measurement Activation procedure

[0313] 12A and 12B are diagrams showing an example of a procedure provided by NRPPa, which are based on the diagram shown in the document "3GPP TS38.455."

[0314] 12A is a diagram showing a positioning information exchange procedure. The LMF 551 transmits a POSITIONING INFORMATION REQUEST message to the RAN / AN 510 (step S41).

[0315] When an NG-RAN node (e.g., RAN / AN 510) receives the POSITIONING INFORMATION REQUEST message, it performs necessary configuration and then transmits a POSITIONING INFORMATION RESPONSE message to the LMF 551 (step S42). For example, if the POSITIONING INFORMATION REQUEST message includes an IE of Requested SRS Transmission Characteristics, the NG-RAN node can take the information of this IE into consideration when configuring the transmission of an SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) to the UE 40. The NG-RAN node must include an IE of SRS Configuration and an IE of SFN (System Frame Number) Initialisation Time in the POSITIONING INFORMATION RESPONSE message.

[0316] FIG. 12B shows a measurement procedure. The LMF 551 sends a MEASUREMENT REQUEST message to an NG-RAN node (e.g., the RAN / AN 510) (step S51). For example, the LMF 551 can include a TRP Measurement Request List IE in the MEASUREMENT REQUEST message. The TRP Measurement Request List IE indicates the TRP for which the measurement is requested. The NG-RAN node configures the measurement by the indicated TRP according to the information included in the message.

[0317] If at least one of the requested measurements is successful, the NG-RAN node responds with a MEASUREMENT RESPONSE message (step S52). The MEASUREMENT RESPONSE message includes an IE from the TRP Measurement Response List.

[0318] <<5. Basic operation of communication system related to privacy management>> Although the configuration example, location service, and sensing function of the communication system 1 have been described above, before describing the operation of the communication system 1 that solves the problem of this embodiment, the basic operation of the communication system 1 related to privacy management will be described. Here, as the basic operation of the communication system 1 related to privacy management, the operation related to the location service of the communication system 1 will be described.

[0319] In the following description, the communication system 1 is assumed to be a 5GS (5G system) as an example. However, the communication system 1 is not limited to the 5GS. The communication system 1 may be a 4GS (4G system) or a 6GS (6G system). The communication system 1 may be a B5G (Beyond 5G) wireless communication system. Of course, the communication system 1 may be another wireless communication system.

[0320] 13 is a sequence diagram showing a basic procedure of the location service. Hereinafter, the basic operation of the location service of the communication system 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0321] First, the AF 548 transmits an NEF_EventExposure_Subscribe request message to the NEF 542 in order to use the location service (step S61).

[0322] When the NEF 542 receives the Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe request message, the NEF 542 transmits an Ngmlc_Location_ProvideLocation request message to the GMLC 552 (step S62). Note that, if the AF 548 can directly access the GMLC 552, the AF 548 may transmit a location service request (or an Ngmlc_Location_ProvideLocation request message) to the GMLC 552 to use the location service.

[0323] When the GMLC 552 receives the Ngmlc_Location_ProvideLocation request message, the GMLC 552 starts a Nudm_SDM_Get service for the UDM 547 in order to acquire the terminal LCS privacy profile of the target UE 40 (step S63). Here, the target UE 40 is identified by, for example, a Generic Public Subscription Identifier (GPSI) or a Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI).

[0324] The GMLC 552 checks the privacy settings of the UE 40 for location services according to the terminal LCS privacy profile of the UE 40 (step S64).

[0325] The GMLC 552 invokes a Nudm_UECM_Get service for the UDM 547 when the location service is permitted to access the location information of the target UE 40. Then, the UDM 547 responds to the GMLC 552 with the network address of the serving AMF 541 of the target UE 40 (step S65). Here, the target UE 40 is identified by, for example, a GPSI or a SUPI.

[0326] When the GMLC 552 obtains the network address of the serving AMF 541 from the UDM 547, it sends a Namf_Location_ProvidePositioningInfo request message to the serving AMF 541 (step S66).

[0327] If the target UE 40 is in CM IDLE state, the serving AMF 541 initiates a Network triggered Service request procedure for the location service (step S67).

[0328] When the target UE 40 transitions to a CM CONNECTED state, the serving AMF 541 transmits a NAS message to the UE 40 to initiate notification of location information (step S68).

[0329] The target UE 40 notifies the user of the UE 40 of the request for location information according to the received NAS message. If privacy verification is requested, the target UE 40 waits for the user to grant or withhold permission. The target UE 40 responds with the notification result to the AMF 541 (step S69). If privacy verification is requested, the target UE 40 indicates whether permission is granted or denied for the request for location information in the current location service.

[0330] In response to the notification result from the UE 40, the AMF 541 starts a Nudm_ParameterProvision_Update service to hold the acquired location privacy indication information in the UDM 547 (step S70). The UDM 547 can store the updated privacy setting of the UE 40 in a UDR (Unified Data Repository) as location service privacy. The location service privacy may be a subset of the terminal subscriber data.

[0331] The AMF 541 sends an Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation service request to the LMF 551 (step S71). This Nlmf_Location_DetermineLocation service request may include information on the scheduled location and time.

[0332] The LMF 551 transmits a request for location information to the UE 40. At this time, the LMF 551 can include information on the scheduled location and time in the request. The UE 40 that receives the request returns current location information to the LMF 551 (step S72).

[0333] The LMF 551 returns an Nlmf_location_determineLocation service response to the AMF 541 (step S73). This response may include the current location information of the UE 40.

[0334] The AMF 541 returns a Namf_Location_ProvidePositioningInfo response message to the GMLC 552 (step S74). As a result, the AMF 541 returns the current location information of the UE 40 to the GMLC 552. Note that, when it is indicated in step S73 that the location information is to be directly transmitted to the GMLC 552, the AMF 541 notifies the GMLC 552 that the current location information of the UE 40 is to be directly transmitted to the GMLC 552 by using the Namf_Location_ProvidePositioningInfo response message.

[0335] The GMLC 552 transmits an Ngmlc_Location_ProvideLocation response message to the NEF 542 as a response to the request message in step S62 (step S75). This response message includes the current location information of the UE 40. On the other hand, if the request for location information in the location service is rejected in step S69, the GMLC 552 responds by rejecting the Ngmlc_Location_ProvideLocation request.

[0336] When the NEF 542 receives the Ngmlc_Location_ProvideLocation response message, the NEF 542 returns a Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe response message to the AF 548 as a response to the request message of step S61 (step S76). This response message includes the current location information of the UE 40.

[0337] Then, the AF 548 executes various processes based on the current location information of the UE 40. When the AF 548 needs new current location information of the UE 40, the AF 548 again transmits an Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe request message to the NEF 542 (step S61).

[0338] <<6. Sensing services and sensing functions>> Based on the above, the operation of the communication system 1 that can solve the problem of this embodiment will be described in detail. Before describing the operation of the communication system 1 according to this embodiment, the sensing service and sensing function (SEF: Sensing Function) will be described. In addition, in the description of this embodiment, the sensing function (Sensing Function) and / or SEF may be read as SF, SMF, SEMF, and / or Sensing Management Function.

[0339] <6-1. Sensing services> The services provided by the communication system 1 of the present embodiment to a device (e.g., the server 10 or the terminal device 40) serving as a service user include a sensing service. The sensing service is, for example, a service based on data detected by one or more sensors provided in one or more communication devices. For example, the sensing service is a service based on data detected by one or more sensors provided in the base station 30 and / or the terminal device 40.

[0340] The one or more sensors included in the one or more communication devices may be, for example, one or more sensors included in the sensor unit 34 and / or the sensor unit 46 described above. For example, the one or more sensors may include a sensor that detects an image and / or a shape of an object, such as a camera and / or LiDAR. The one or more sensors may include a sensor that detects at least one of the color of an object, the speed of an object, the acceleration of an object, the temperature of an object, the reflectance of an object, the distance from the object, geomagnetism, illuminance, air pressure, light, and sound. In this case, the sensing service may be a service based on image data or shape data detected by the sensor (for example, a service related to the automatic driving of a mobile object). The sensing service may also be a service based on detection data of a sensor that detects at least one of the color of an object, the speed of an object, the acceleration of an object, the temperature of an object, the reflectance of an object, the distance from the object, geomagnetism, illuminance, air pressure, light, and sound.

[0341] The one or more sensors provided in one or more communication devices may include a sensor of a communication device different from the device that will be the subject of service use (e.g., a device that transmits a request for a service). The one or more sensors provided in one or more communication devices may also include a sensor provided in the device that will be the subject of service use (e.g., a device that transmits a request for a service). In the following description, data detected by one or more sensors is referred to as detected data. Detection data can be rephrased as sensing data or sensing information.

[0342] Note that the sensing service is not limited to a service that directly uses detection data from one or more sensors. The sensing service may be a service that indirectly uses detection data from one or more sensors. For example, the sensing service may be a service that uses a processing result based on detection data from one or more sensors.

[0343] A sensing service is typically a service that provides detection data from one or more sensors. For example, a sensing service is a service that provides detection data used in a specific use case (e.g., processing related to automatic driving of a moving object, processing related to automatic operation of a device / system, or processing related to VR content). However, a sensing service is not limited to a service that provides detection data. A sensing service may be a service that provides processing that is executed using one or more pieces of detection data, or may be a service that provides information that is generated using one or more pieces of detection data.

[0344] The one or more sensors used directly or indirectly for the sensing service are not limited to one or more sensors provided in the base station 30 or the terminal device 40. The one or more sensors used directly or indirectly for the sensing service may be one or more sensors provided in a communication device other than the base station 30 or the terminal device 40. For example, the one or more sensors may be one or more sensors provided in the server 10 or the management device 20.

[0345] <Service provider> A sensing service provider is an entity that provides sensing services. The sensing service provider provides various sensing services to sensing service users based on data (detection data) detected by one or more sensors of one or more communication devices. In the following description, the sensing service provider may be referred to as a service provider.

[0346] Here, the service provider may provide a sensing service based on detection data from multiple sensors, rather than detection data from a single sensor. In this case, the service provider may provide a sensing service based on data obtained by fusing detection data from multiple sensors. This allows the service provider to provide a sensing service with an accuracy higher than that which can be provided based on detection data from a single sensor.

[0347] Furthermore, the service provider may provide a sensing service based on detection data from a sensor managed by an entity other than the user of the sensing service. For example, the service provider may provide a sensing service based on one or more pieces of detection data including detection data from a sensor managed by an entity other than the user of the sensing service.

[0348] The service provider is typically a device or a system. However, the service provider is not limited to a device or a system, and may be, for example, a function of the device / system, or software / program (e.g., an application) of the device / system. The service provider may also be a person or an organization (e.g., an operator such as an MNO (Mobile Network Operator)). The service provider may be, for example, a provider, a server, or a provider.

[0349] In this embodiment, the service provider is typically a core network CN (e.g., a management device 20). However, the service provider is not limited to this. For example, the service provider may be a server 10, a base station 30, or a terminal device 40.

[0350] <Service User> A sensing service user entity is an entity that uses a sensing service. A sensing service user entity uses various sensing services provided by a service provider entity. In the following description, a sensing service user entity may be referred to as a service user entity.

[0351] A service user entity is typically an apparatus or a system. However, the service user entity is not limited to an apparatus or a system, and may be, for example, a function possessed by the apparatus / system, or software / program (e.g., an application) possessed by the apparatus / system. The service user entity may also be a person or an organization (e.g., an operator such as an MNO (Mobile Network Operator)). The service user entity may be rephrased as, for example, a client, a customer, a consumer, a receiver, a user, a recipient, a subscriber, or a user entity.

[0352] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the service user entity is typically the terminal device 40 (or the user of the terminal device 40). However, the service user entity is not limited to this, and may be, for example, the server 10, the base station 30, or the core network CN (for example, the management device 20).

[0353] <Examples of sensing services> The sensing service of the present embodiment may be, for example, at least one of the following (A1) to (A4).

[0354] (A1) Services related to autonomous driving The sensing service of the present embodiment may be a service related to automatic driving. Here, the service related to automatic driving may include, for example, a service for providing processing or information (data) required to realize automatic driving of a moving body (for example, a vehicle such as an automobile or an air vehicle such as a drone). At this time, the service provider may provide, as a service related to automatic driving, detection data of one or more sensors selected according to a predetermined criterion related to the processing of automatic driving. Alternatively, the service provider may provide, as a service related to automatic driving, information generated by fusing detection data of multiple sensors selected according to a predetermined criterion related to the processing of automatic driving. Here, the information generated by fusing detection data of multiple sensors may include, for example, at least one of information related to a route required for automatic driving of a moving body, control information related to steering, control information related to acceleration, control information related to braking, and high-precision three-dimensional map information. The information related to the route may include, for example, information related to the position of the next point relative to the current position or information on the speed.

[0355] The sensors selected based on a predetermined criterion related to the processing of autonomous driving may include at least one of, for example, one or more sensors provided by a moving object to be controlled by autonomous driving, one or more sensors provided by other moving objects, and one or more sensors provided by a roadside device or the like. The sensors selected based on the predetermined criterion may also include multiple sensors of different types. For example, the sensors may include multiple sensors selected from among a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensor, an acceleration sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) including a gyro sensor, an image sensor / camera, a Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR), and a millimeter wave radar. In addition, the sensors selected based on the predetermined criterion may include one or more sensors provided by the base station 30 or the terminal device 40 (for example, one or more sensors provided by the sensor unit 34 and / or the sensor unit 46).

[0356] (A2) Services related to automated operation The sensing service of the present embodiment may be a service related to the automatic operation of one or more devices / systems (e.g., devices / systems in a factory, a hospital, or an operating room). Here, the service related to the automatic operation of one or more devices / systems may include, for example, a service of providing processing or information (data) required to realize the automatic operation of one or more devices / systems related to a specific facility. The specific facility may be a production facility installed in a factory, or may be a facility installed in a hospital / operating room. In this case, the service provider may provide, as a service related to the automatic operation, detection data of one or more sensors selected according to a specific criterion related to the processing of the automatic operation. Alternatively, the service provider may provide, as a service related to the automatic operation, information generated by fusing detection data of multiple sensors selected according to a specific criterion related to the processing of the automatic operation. For example, the service provider may provide information (e.g., control information required for the automatic operation) generated by fusing data detected by multiple sensors provided in one or more devices in a factory or a hospital / operating room.

[0357] The sensors selected based on the predetermined criteria for the processing of the automatic operation may include a plurality of different types of sensors. For example, the sensors selected based on the predetermined criteria may include a plurality of sensors selected from among a GNSS sensor, an acceleration sensor, an inertial measurement unit including a gyro sensor, an illuminance sensor, an infrared camera, a light field camera, an image sensor / camera, a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor, a LiDAR, and a millimeter wave radar. In addition, the sensors selected based on the predetermined criteria may include one or more sensors provided in the base station 30 or the terminal device 40 (for example, one or more sensors provided in the sensor unit 34 and / or the sensor unit 46).

[0358] (A3) Services related to XR content The sensing service of this embodiment may be a service related to XR content (for example, XR display content such as XR games or XR videos). Here, the service related to XR content may include, for example, a service for providing processing or information (data) required to realize the processing of XR content. In this case, the service provider may provide, as a service related to the XR content, detection data of one or more sensors selected according to a predetermined criterion related to the processing of the XR content. In addition, the service provider may provide, for example, information (for example, time-space information of the XR content) generated by combining detection data of multiple sensors mounted on a terminal device 40 for XR (for example, an XR device such as smart glasses).

[0359] The sensors selected based on a predetermined criterion for processing the XR content may include multiple sensors of different types. For example, the multiple sensors may include a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensor, an acceleration sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) including a gyro sensor, a 6DoF sensor, a 3DoF sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an infrared camera, a light field camera, an image sensor / camera, a Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR), a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor, an illuminance sensor, and a millimeter wave radar. In addition, the sensors selected based on the predetermined criterion may include one or more sensors provided in the base station 30 or the terminal device 40.

[0360] (A4) Services related to provision of detection data The sensing service of this embodiment may be a service related to the provision of detection data. For example, the sensing service of this embodiment may be a service for providing detection data (sensing data) used in a specific use case (for example, processing related to automatic driving of a moving object, processing related to automatic operation of a device / system, or processing related to XR content). For example, the sensing service of this embodiment may be a service in which a core network CN (for example, a management device 20) provides detection data to an application of a terminal device 40 or a server 10.

[0361] Note that the services exemplified here are merely examples. The sensing services are not limited to the services shown in (A1) to (A4). The sensing services may include the location services described above. In addition, the sensing services of this embodiment may include sensing services other than the services described above or below.

[0362] Moreover, the sensors shown here are merely examples, and the sensors for the sensing service are not limited to the sensors described above or below.

[0363] <Use cases of sensing services> A use case of a sensing service is, for example, the purpose / scene of using the sensing service. If a sensing service is a service for providing detected data, a use case of the sensing service is, for example, the purpose / scene of using the detected data by a service user.

[0364] The use case of the sensing service of this embodiment may be, for example, at least one of the following: processing related to automatic driving of a moving object, processing related to automatic operation of a device / system, and processing related to XR content. Of course, the use case of the sensing service of this embodiment is not limited to these, and may be, for example, at least one of the following (B1) to (B26).

[0365] (B1) Intruder detection in smart home (B2) Pedestrian / animal intrusion detection on a highway (B3) Sensing for railway intrusion detection (B4) UAVs / vehicles / pedestrians detection near Smart Grid equipment (B5) Rainfall monitoring (B6) Sensing for flooding in smart cities (B7) Intruder detection in surroundings of smart home (B8) Sensing Assisted Automotive Maneuvering and Navigation (B9) Blind spot detection (B10) Vehicle Sensing for ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) (B11) Sensing for Parking Space Determination (B12) Sensing for tourist spot traffic management (B13) Sensing at crossroads with / without obstacles (B14) AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) detection and tracking in factories (B15) AMR collision avoidance in smart factories (B16) UAV flight trajectory tracing (B17) Network assisted sensing to avoid UAV collision (B18)Sensing for UAV intrusion detection (B19) Contactless sleep monitoring service (B20) Health monitoring at home (B21) Seamless XR streaming (B22) Sports monitoring (B23) Immersive experience based on sensing (B24) Transparent Sensing (B25) Gesture Recognition (B26) Live camera service

[0366] Note that the use cases illustrated here are merely examples. The use cases of the sensing service are not limited to the use cases shown in (B1) to (B26). The use cases of the sensing service of this embodiment may include use cases other than the use cases described above or below (for example, the use cases shown in (B1) to (B26) above).

[0367] <6-2.Sensing function> Next, the sensing function (SEF) will be described.

[0368] 5G systems are expected to support 5G wireless sensing services, which may provide functions such as sensing one or more objects in an environment, monitoring environmental conditions, and sensing human movements and / or gestures to enable a variety of applications.

[0369] 5G wireless sensing services include at least services for collecting and / or processing 3GPP sensing data (e.g., secure distribution of 3GPP sensing data, secure publication of sensing results to trusted third parties, etc.).

[0370] 5G wireless sensing services can use non-3GPP sensing data.

[0371] Here, 3GPP sensing data is defined as data obtained from 3GPP radio signals intended for sensing and affected (e.g., reflected, refraction, diffraction) by an object or the environment, and optionally processed within the 5G system.

[0372] Non-3GPP sensing data is defined as data about the sensed object and / or environment provided by sensors other than 3GPP (e.g., image sensors / cameras, LiDAR, sonar, etc.).

[0373] As with the LMF551 in the location service, the introduction of a sensing function (SEF) with a service-based interface is also assumed in the 5G wireless sensing service by ISAC (Integrated Sensing and Communication). Hereinafter, the 5G wireless sensing service may be simply referred to as a sensing service. The communication system 1 (for example, a core network CN) of this embodiment may have a sensing function (SEF) with this service-based interface.

[0374] 14A to 14C are diagrams showing configuration examples of a sensing function in a core network CN. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 14A, the SEF 554 is defined independently of the LMF 551. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 14B, the SEF 554 is incorporated into the LMF 551. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 14C, the SEF 554 is configured in a form that includes the LMF 551.

[0375] The configuration examples shown in Figures 14B and 14C are based on, for example, LPP (LTE Positioning Protocol), which is defined as a point-to-point protocol between a location server (e.g., LMF 551) and a target device (e.g., UE 40), and / or NRPPa, which is defined as a protocol between the LMF 551 and the RAN / AN 510 (e.g., NG-RAN).

[0376] On the other hand, in the configuration example shown in Fig. 14A, a new protocol may be defined independently of the LPP and NRPPa. However, considering that the ISAC also includes a sensor for measuring the position of the terminal device, it is preferable to follow the concept of the LPP and / or NRPPa.

[0377] <6-3. Sensing service architecture> 15 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a reference architecture for a sensing service. The reference architecture for a sensing service may be applied to the communication system 1 (for example, the core network CN) of this embodiment. In addition, the sensing service may be read as SES.

[0378] The control plane function group 540 is configured by a plurality of NFs (Network Functions). The one or more NFs included in the control plane function group 540 may include at least one NF among the UDM 547, the AF 548, the SEF 554, the SRF (Sensing Retrieval Function) 555, and the GMSE 556. The SRF 555 may be provided together with the GMSE 556 or may be provided separately.

[0379] The SRF 555 is responsible for obtaining or verifying information about detection data (e.g., sensing information). The SRF 555 provides routing and / or correlation information to the UE 40 that initiated the IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) emergency session.

[0380] The AF548 or other NFs can use the Ngmse interface (e.g., the sensing service of a GMSE556 in the same PLMN or in the same trust domain, or the Namf interface) to access the location information event exposure service of an AMF541 in the same trust domain.

[0381] The SES client 570 can access the sensing service of the GMSE 556 using the reference point Le.

[0382] An external AF 548 can access the sensing services via the NEF 542 using the NEF interface or CAPIF (Common API Framework).

[0383] The SES client 570 or AF 548 can access the sensing service of the UE 40 on the connected user plane for reporting events by the UE 40 in response to periodic or triggered 5GC sensing information requests (5GC-MT-SE).

[0384] The GMSE 556 may include functionality required to support sensing services. There may be one or more GMSEs 556 in a PLMN.

[0385] The GMSE 556 is the first node that an external SES client 570 must access within a PLMN.

[0386] The AF 548 or other NFs can access the GMSE 556 directly or via the NEF 542.

[0387] The GMSE 556 may request routing information and / or privacy information of the target UE 40 from the UDM 547 via the Nudm interface.

[0388] The UDM 547 manages the privacy profiles and routing information of sensing service subscribers, which can be accessed by the AMF 541, the GMSE 556, or the NEF 542 via the Nudm interface.

[0389] The UDM 547 may also include in the subscription data of the UE 40 an indication of whether the UE 40 is permitted to act as a Sensing Reference Unit (SRU) and an indication of whether the SRU is a fixed SRU.

[0390] Additionally, the UDM 547 may include in the SES subscriber data of the UE 40 the identifier(s) of the LMF 551 and an indication of user plane location between the UE 40 and the SEF 554.

[0391] After authorization of the external SES client 570 or AF 548 and verification of the target UE 40 are performed, the GMSE 556 forwards the sensing information request to the serving AMF 541 using the Namf interface, or, if the target UE 40 is a roaming UE, the GMSE 556 forwards the sensing information request to the GMSE 556 of another PLMN using the Ngmse interface.

[0392] The privacy profile settings of the target UE 40 may be verified with the home PLMN of the UE 40 prior to providing an estimate of the sensing information.

[0393] The SEF 554 manages the overall coordination and scheduling of the required resources in the UEs 40 registered with or accessing the core network CN, and can also calculate or verify estimates of the final sensing results and estimate the achievable accuracy.

[0394] In addition, the SEF 554 can directly report the estimated sensing results of the target UE 40 to the GMSE 556 at periodic or event-triggered timings for the sensing service of the GMSE 556.

[0395] The SEF 554 receives a request for sensing information for a target UE 40 from the serving AMF 541 using the Nlmf interface. The SEF 554 interacts with the UE 40 to exchange information applicable to a UE assisted sensing method and / or a UE based sensing method.

[0396] The UE 40 may support at least one of a terminal-assisted mode, a terminal-based mode, a standalone mode, and a network-based mode.

[0397] In the terminal-assisted mode, the UE 40 receives a signal for measurement to detect a sensing result, and transmits the measurement result to another entity (e.g., the SEF 554).

[0398] In the terminal-based mode, the UE 40 receives signals for measurement to detect sensing results, and calculates estimates of the sensing results using assistance data provided by the serving PLMN.

[0399] In the standalone mode, the UE 40 receives signals for measurement to detect sensing results, and calculates an estimate of the sensing results without assistance data provided by the serving PLMN.

[0400] In the network-based mode, the serving PLMN receives a measurement signal for detecting a sensing result transmitted from the target UE 40. The serving PLMN (e.g., SEF 554) then calculates an estimate of the sensing result.

[0401] <6-4.SP (Sensing Protocol)> FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a configuration for detecting sensing results in the control and user planes.

[0402] The SP may be used to determine the location of a target device (e.g., UE 40) using location measurements obtained by one or more reference sources. The SP may be used point-to-point between a sensing server (e.g., SEF 554) and a target device.

[0403] The SP session may be used between the sensing server and the target device to obtain position relationship measurements or position estimates, or to transfer assistance data.

[0404] One SP session may be used to support one sensing information request, for example, one mobile terminal terminated sensing information request, one mobile terminal initiated sensing information request, or one network initiated sensing information request.

[0405] Multiple SP sessions may be used between the same endpoints to support multiple different sensing information requests, each SP session may consist of one or more SP transactions, and each SP transaction may perform an operation (e.g., at least one of exchanging capability information, transferring assistance data, and transferring sensing information).

[0406] The SP transaction represents a transaction ID at the SP protocol level to associate both messages (eg, request and response).

[0407] Each SP transaction involves the exchange of one or more SP messages between the sensing server and the target device.

[0408] An SP message provides a complete set of information for invoking and responding to an SP transaction. The general format of an SP message consists of a set of common fields followed by a body. The body may contain information specific to a particular message type, or may be empty. Each message type may contain information specific to one or more sensing methods and / or information common to all sensing methods.

[0409] The shared fields are as follows: · A transaction ID to identify messages that belong to the same transaction. A transaction end flag that indicates when a transaction has ended, such as a transaction with periodic replies A sequence number that allows detection of duplicate SP messages at the receiving end Acknowledgements, to allow acknowledgments to be requested and / or returned for any SP message

[0410] Additionally, the following message types may be defined: Request Capabilities · Provide Capabilities Request Assistance Data ·Provide Assistance Data ·Request Sensing Information ·Provide Sensing Information Abort Error

[0411] Here, capabilities indicate the positioning and protocol functions associated with the SP, and the sensing methods supported by the SP.

[0412] FIG. 17 illustrates an example of the SP session processing.

[0413] Endpoint A initiates an SP session by sending an SP message with an initial SP transaction ID of j to Endpoint B (step S11B). Here, Endpoint A is one of the target device and the sensing server, and Endpoint B is the other of the target device and the sensing server.

[0414] Endpoint A and endpoint B may continue the transaction started in step S11B and exchange further messages (step S12B).

[0415] Either endpoint can initiate further transactions by sending additional SP messages (step S13B).

[0416] The session is terminated by an SP message with the final transaction ID N exchanged between the two endpoints (step S14B).

[0417] All constituent messages within each transaction MUST contain the same transaction ID. The final message sent in each transaction MUST set the endTransaction IE (Information Element) to TRUE. Concurrent transactions MUST use different transaction IDs. Note that a transaction ID for a completed transaction MAY be reused at any time after it is known that the final message of a previous transaction with the same ID has been received.

[0418] 18A and 18B are diagrams illustrating an example of a procedure that may be supported by an SP.

[0419] 18A is a diagram showing an example of a procedure for transmitting capability information. The sensing server transmits a RequestCapabilities message to the target device (step S21B). The sensing server may indicate the type of required capability.

[0420] The target device determines whether it supports one or more requested sensing methods that may be included in the message. If it supports a sensing method, the target device includes the device's capabilities for the supported sensing methods in a response message (ProvideCapabilities message). The target device then sets the SP-TransactionID IE in the response message to the same value as the SP-TransactionID IE in the received message.

[0421] The target device sends a ProvideCapabilities message to the sensing server (step S22B). This message must include an endTransaction Information Element (IE) set to TRUE. This procedure allows the sensing server to obtain the capabilities of the target device.

[0422] 18B is a diagram showing another example of a procedure for transmitting capability information. When the target device starts the procedure for transmitting a ProvideCapabilities message, the target device sets a corresponding IE for each sensing method indicating a capability in order to include the capability of the device in the message.

[0423] The target device sends a ProvideCapabilities message to the sensing server (step S31B). This message must include an endTransaction IE set to TRUE. This procedure allows the target to indicate to the sensing server capabilities that are not required by the sensing server.

[0424] Although not shown here, as well as capabilities, the SP provides procedures for the transfer and display of assistance data, position related information, which may be position measurement data and / or position estimates.

[0425] In SP, sensing methods are specified by Sensing Method IEs. The sensing methods supported in SP are as follows:

[0426] ·OTDOA(Observed Time Difference Of Arrival) Sensing ·A-GNSS(Assisted GNSS) Sensing Enhanced Cell ID Sensing ·Terrestrial Beacon System Sensing Sensor-based Sensing WLAN-based Sensing Bluetooth-based Sensing ·NR UL Sensing ·NR E-CID (Enhanced Cell-ID) Sensing ·NR DL-TDOA(Time Difference Of Arrival) Sensing ·NR DL-AoD(Angle of Departure) Sensing ·NR Multi-RTT(Round Trip Time) Sensing

[0427] <6-4-1.A-GNSS Sensing> In A-GNSS Sensing, the sensing server may provide assistance data for terminal-based and / or terminal-assisted A-GNSS using the A-GNSS-ProvideAssistanceData IE.

[0428] The target device can use the A-GNSS-RequestAssistanceData IE to request GNSS assistance data from the sensing server.

[0429] The target device can provide sensing measurements (e.g., pseudo ranges, sensing estimate, and velocity) along with time information to the sensing server using the A-GNSS-ProvideSensingInformation IE.

[0430] The target device can provide GNSS signal measurement information to the sensing server using the GNSS-SignalMeasurementInformation IE. If requested by the sensing server, the target device can provide the GNSS network time association to the sensing server. This information includes the code phase, Doppler, and C / N, and optionally the accumulated carrier phase, also called ADR (Accumulated Delta Range). This allows the sensing server to calculate the target device's position using terminal-aided GNSS techniques.

[0431] The sensing server can request sensing information from a target device that uses GNSS using the A-GNSS-RequestSensingInformation IE. In the A-GNSS-RequestSensingInformation, the sensing server can provide GNSS measurement instructions to the target device using the GNSS-SensingInstructions IE.

[0432] The A-GNSS-Provide-Capabilities IE may be used to indicate the capability of the target device to support A-GNSS. For example, the A-GNSS-Provide-Capabilities IE indicates that the target device can provide A-GNSS sensing capabilities (e.g., supported GNSS and assistance data) to the sensing server.

[0433] The sensing server can request the A-GNSS sensing capabilities of the target device using the A-GNSS-Request-Capabilities IE.

[0434] <6-4-2.Terrestrial Beacon System Sensing> In Terrestrial Beacon System Sensing, the target device can provide TBS Sensing measurements to the sensing server using the TBS-ProvideSensingInformation IE.

[0435] The sensing server may use the TBS-RequestSensingInformation IE to request location-related information for the TBS-based approach from the target device.

[0436] The TBS-ProvideCapabilities IE may be used to indicate the capability of the target device to support TBS. For example, the TBS-ProvideCapabilities IE may indicate that the target device can provide TBS sensing capabilities to the sensing server.

[0437] The sensing server can request the TBS sensing capabilities of the target device using the TBS-RequestCapabilities IE.

[0438] The sensing server may use the TBS-ProvideAssistanceData IE to provide assistance data to the target device to assist in estimating its position and / or to facilitate acquisition of TBS signals.

[0439] The target device can request TBS assistance data from the sensing server using the TBS-RequestAssistanceData IE.

[0440] <6-4-3.Sensor-based Sensing> In Sensor based Sensing, the target device can provide sensing information for the sensor-based approach to the sensing server using a Sensor-ProvideSensingInformation IE. In the Sensor-ProvideSensingInformation IE, the target device can provide UE sensor measurements to the sensing server using a Sensor-MeasurementInformation IE.

[0441] The sensing server can use the Sensor-RequestSensingInformation IE to request location-related information for a sensor-based approach from the target device.

[0442] The target device can use the Sensor-ProvideCapabilities IE to provide capabilities for the sensor-based approach to the sensing server.

[0443] The sensing server can use the Sensor-RequestCapabilities IE to request capabilities for sensor-based techniques from the target device.

[0444] The sensing server may use the Sensor-ProvideAssistanceData IE to provide assistance data to the target device for assisting the UE in calculating the altitude. For example, the sensing server may provide assistance data to the target device for assisting the UE in calculating the altitude in the terminal-based mode.

[0445] The target device can use the Sensor-RequestAssistanceData IE to request sensor assistance data from the sensing server.

[0446] <6-4-4.WLAN-based Sensing> In WLAN-based Sensing, a target device can provide measurement results for one or more WLANs to a sensing server using a WLAN-ProvideSensingInformation IE.

[0447] The sensing server can request WLAN measurements from the target device using the WLAN-RequestSensingInformation IE.

[0448] The target device can provide the sensing server with capabilities for WLAN sensing using the WLAN-ProvideCapabilites IE.

[0449] The sensing server can use the WLAN-RequestCapabilities IE to request WLAN sensing capabilities information from the target device.

[0450] The sensing server may use the WLAN-ProvideAssistanceData IE to provide assistance data to the target device to enable terminal-based and / or terminal-assisted WLAN sensing.

[0451] The target device may use the WLAN-RequestAssistanceData IE to request WLAN assistance data from the sensing server.

[0452] <6-4-5.Bluetooth-based Sensing> In Bluetooth-based sensing, a target device can provide measurement results for one or more Bluetooth beacons to a sensing server using an IE BT-ProvideSensingInformation.

[0453] The sensing server can request Bluetooth measurements from the target device using the BT-RequestSensingInformation IE.

[0454] The target device can provide capabilities for Bluetooth sensing to the sensing server using the BT-ProvideCapabilites IE.

[0455] The sensing server can request the Bluetooth sensing capabilities of the target device using the BT-RequestCapabilities IE.

[0456] <6-4-6.NR UL Sensing> In NR UL Sensing, the NR-UL-ProvideCapabilities IE is used by the target device to indicate to the sensing server its capability of supporting UL SRS (Sounding Reference Signals) for sensing and to provide the UL SRS for sensing capability to the sensing server.

[0457] The NR-UL-RequestCapabilities IE is used by the sensing server to request the target device's capability to support UL SRS for sensing and to request the UL SRS for sensing from the target device.

[0458] <6-4-7.NR E-CID Sensing> In NR E-CID Sensing, the target device can provide NR E-CID Sensing measurements to the sensing server using the IE NR-ECID-ProvideSensingInformation.

[0459] The target device can provide the NR E-CID measurements to the sensing server using the IE NR-ECID-SignalMeasurementInformation.

[0460] The sensing server can request NR E-CID Sensing measurements from the target device using the IE NR-ECID-RequestSensingInformation.

[0461] The NR-ECID-ProvideCapabilities IE may be used to indicate the capability of the target device to support NR E-CID (NR E-CID sensing capabilities). For example, the NR-ECID-ProvideCapabilities IE may indicate that the target device can provide NR E-CID sensing capabilities to the sensing server.

[0462] The sensing server uses the IE in NR-ECID-RequestCapabilities to request the target device's capabilities to support NR E-CID. For example, the sensing server uses the IE in NR-ECID-RequestCapabilities to request E-CID sensing capabilities from the target device.

[0463] <6-4-8.NR DL-TDOA Sensing> In NR DL-TDOA Sensing, the sensing server can provide assistance data for terminal assistance and / or terminal-based NR DL-TDOA using the IE NR-DL-TDOA-ProvideAssistanceData.

[0464] The target device may request assistance data from the sensing server using the IE NR-DL-TDOA-RequestAssistanceData.

[0465] The target device can provide NR DL-TDOA sensing measurements to the sensing server using the IE NR-DL-TDOA-ProvideSensingInformation.

[0466] The target device can provide NR DL-TDOA measurements to the sensing server using the IE of NR-DL-TDOA-SignaIMeasurementInformation. Sensing information obtained by NR DL-TDOA can be provided to the sensing server. When providing, the target device can include information of the IE of NR-DL-TDOA-SensingInformation in the information.

[0467] The sensing server requests NR DL-TDOA sensing measurements from the target device using the IE NR-DL-TDOA-RequestSensingInformation.

[0468] The NR-DL-TDOA-ProvideCapabilities IE may be used to indicate the capability of the target device to support NR DL-TDOA. For example, the NR-DL-TDOA-ProvideCapabilities IE may indicate that the target device can provide NR DL-TDOA sensing capabilities to the sensing server.

[0469] The IE NR-DL-TDOA-MeasurementCapability may be included only if DL-TDOA measurement capability is defined and the target device supports NR-DL-PRS-ResourcesCapability for DL-TDOA.

[0470] The NR-DL-TDOA-RequestCapabilities IE may be used by the sensing server to request the capability of the target device to support NR DL-TDOA. For example, the NR-DL-TDOA-RequestCapabilities IE may be used by the sensing server to request NR DL-TDOA sensing capabilities from the target device.

[0471] <6-4-9.NR DL-AoD Sensing> In NR DL-AoD Sensing, the sensing server can provide terminal assistance and assistance data for terminal-based NR DL-AoD using the IE NR-DL-AoD-ProvideAssistanceData.

[0472] The target device may request assistance data from the sensing server using the IE NR-DL-AoD-RequestAssistanceData.

[0473] The target device can provide NR DL-AoD Sensing measurements to the sensing server using the IE NR-DL-AoD-ProvideSensingInformation.

[0474] The target device can provide NR DL-AoD measurements to the sensing server using the IE in NR-DL-AoD-SignaIMeasurementInformation.

[0475] When obtaining location-related information using NR DL-AoD, the target device can provide the IE of NR-DL-AoD-SensingInformation to the sensing server.

[0476] The sensing server can request NR DL-AoD sensing measurements from the target device using the IE NR-DL-AoD-RequestSensingInformation.

[0477] The NR-DL-AoD-ProvideCapabilities IE may be used to indicate the capability of the target device to support NR DL-AoD. For example, the NR-DL-AoD-ProvideCapabilities IE can provide NR DL-AoD sensing capabilities to the sensing server.

[0478] The NR-DL-AoD-MeasurementCapability IE can be included only if a DL-AoD measurement capability is defined and the target device supports NR-DL-PRS-ResourcesCapability for DL-AoD.

[0479] The NR-DL-AoD-RequestCapabilities IE may be used by a sensing server to request the target device's capability to support NR DL-AoD. For example, the NR-DL-AoD-RequestCapabilities IE may be used by a sensing server to request NR DL-AoD sensing capabilities from a target device.

[0480] <6-4-10.NR Multi-RTT Sensing> In NR Multi-RTT Sensing, the sensing server can provide assistance data for terminal-assisted NR Multi-RTT using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-ProvideAssistanceData.

[0481] The target device may request assistance data from the sensing server using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-RequestAssistanceData.

[0482] The target device can provide NR Multi-RTT Sensing measurements to the sensing server using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-ProvideSensingInformation.

[0483] The target device can provide NR Multi-RTT measurements to the sensing server using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-SignalMeasurementInformation.

[0484] The sensing server requests NR Multi-RTT Sensing measurements from the target device using the IE NR-Multi-RTT-RequestSensingInformation.

[0485] The NR-Multi-RTT-ProvideCapabilities IE may be used to indicate the capability of the target device to support NR Multi-RTT. For example, the NR-Multi-RTT-ProvideCapabilities IE indicates that the target device can provide NR Multi-RTT sensing capabilities to the sensing server.

[0486] The NR-Multi-RTT-MeasurementCapability IE may be included only if the Multi-RTT measurement capability is defined and the target device supports NR-DL-PRS-ResourcesCapability for Multi-RTT.

[0487] The NR-Multi-RTT-RequestCapabilities IE may be used by a sensing server to request a target device's capability to support NR Multi-RTT. For example, the NR-Multi-RTT-RequestCapabilities IE may be used by a sensing server to request NR Multi-RTT sensing capabilities from a target device.

[0488] <6-5.NSPPa(NR Sensing Protocol A)> The NSPPa (NR Sensing Protocol A) of this embodiment may be composed of NSPPa sensing information transfer procedures and NSPPa management procedures.

[0489] The NSPPa sensing information transfer procedure may include a procedure for transferring information related to sensing between the RAN / AN 510 and the SEF 554. In addition, the NSPPa management procedure may include a procedure not related to sensing (e.g., processing at the time of an error).

[0490] The functions that the NSPPa of this embodiment can provide and the elementary procedures (EPs) that can be defined for each function may be as follows.

[0491] ·Sensing information transfer for E-CID and NR E-CID sensing E-CID Measurement Initiation procedure E-CID Measurement Failure Indication procedure E-CID Measurement Report procedure E-CID Measurement Termination procedure Information transfer for OTDOA (Observed Time Difference of Arrival) sensing -OTDOA Information Exchange procedure Reporting common error situations Error Indication procedure Transfer of support information Assistance Information Control procedure Assistance Information Feedback procedure -Transfer of sensing information Sensing Information Exchange procedure Sensing Information Update procedure Sensing Activation procedure Sensing Deactivation procedure ·Transfer of measurement information Measurement procedure Measurement Update procedure Measurement Report procedure Measurement Abort procedure Measurement Failure Indication procedure ·Transmission of TRP (Transmission-Reception Point) information ·TRP Information Exchange procedure ·SRS (Sensing Reference Signal) information transmission · SRS Configuration Exchange procedure -Transfer of measurement presetting information Measurement Preconfiguration procedure Measurement Activation procedure

[0492] 19A and 19B are diagrams showing an example of a procedure that can be supported by the NSPPa of this embodiment.

[0493] 19A is a diagram showing a sensing information exchange procedure. The SEF 554 transmits a SENSING INFORMATION REQUEST message to the RAN / AN 510 (step S41B).

[0494] When an NG-RAN node (e.g., RAN / AN 510) receives the SENSING INFORMATION REQUEST message, it performs necessary configuration and then transmits a SENSING INFORMATION RESPONSE message to the SEF 554 (step S42B). For example, if the SENSING INFORMATION REQUEST message includes an IE of Requested SRS Transmission Characteristics, the NG-RAN node can take this IE information into consideration when configuring the transmission of an SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) to the UE 40. The NG-RAN node may include an IE of SRS Configuration and an IE of SFN (System Frame Number) Initialisation Time in the SENSING INFORMATION RESPONSE message.

[0495] FIG. 19B shows a measurement procedure. The SEF 554 sends a MEASUREMENT REQUEST message to an NG-RAN node (e.g., the RAN / AN 510) (step S51B). For example, the SEF 554 can include a TRP Measurement Request List IE in the MEASUREMENT REQUEST message. The TRP Measurement Request List IE indicates the TRP for which the measurement is requested. The NG-RAN node configures the measurement by the indicated TRP according to the information included in the message.

[0496] If at least one of the requested measurements is successful, the NG-RAN node responds with a MEASUREMENT RESPONSE message (step S52B), which may include an IE from the TRP Measurement Response List.

[0497] Based on the above, the operation of the communication system 1 that can solve the problem of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0498] In the following description, the sensors used in the processing related to the sensing service are one or more sensors provided in the terminal device 40 (e.g., one or more sensors provided in the sensor unit 46). However, the sensors used in the processing related to the sensing service are not limited to one or more sensors provided in the terminal device 40. For example, the sensors used in the processing related to the sensing service may be one or more sensors provided in the base station 30 (e.g., one or more sensors provided in the sensor unit 34). The description of the terminal device 40 that appears in the following description can be replaced with a communication device (e.g., the base station 30) as appropriate.

[0499] <<7. First embodiment>> First, the operation of the communication system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0500] <7-1. Sensing privacy information> In this embodiment, the right to access data detected by one or more sensors included in the terminal device 40 is set for each sensor. The right to access data detected by multiple sensors may be set for each sensing data. The right to access data detected by multiple sensors may be set for each data related to the sensor. Data detected by one or more sensors is called detected data or sensing data. In order to enable the setting of the right to access for each sensor, sensing privacy information is newly introduced in the communication system 1 of this embodiment. The sensing privacy information is information regarding the access for each sensor to the detected data of one or more sensors included in the terminal device 40. In the following description, this privacy information may be called terminal sensing privacy (UE sensing privacy) information or simply privacy information.

[0501] The sensing privacy information may be information regarding access for each sensor to data detected by one or more sensors included in a communication device other than the terminal device 40. For example, the sensing privacy information may be information regarding access for each sensor to data detected by one or more sensors included in a communication device other than the terminal device 40, for example, the base station 30. In this case, the privacy information may be referred to as, for example, base station sensing privacy information.

[0502] 20A and 20B are diagrams showing configuration examples of sensing privacy information. One or more sensors provided in the terminal device 40 are assigned a sensor ID for identifying the sensor. As shown in FIG. 20A, the sensing privacy information is composed of a sensor ID and information related to access rights to data detected by the sensor corresponding to the sensor ID. The information related to access rights is information indicating whether or not access to the detected data is permitted (hereinafter referred to as permission information). This permission information, or information of a combination of the sensor ID and the permission information, may be regarded as information related to access in this embodiment.

[0503] For example, when a sensor management entity (e.g., a terminal device 40 equipped with the sensor, or a user of the terminal device 40) permits access to the detection data of the sensor corresponding to D001, the management entity of the sensor sets the permission information (access rights) to "enable." This allows the service provider or service user to access this detection data. On the other hand, when a sensor management entity denies access to the detection data of the sensor corresponding to D002, the management entity of the sensor sets the permission information (access rights) to "disable." This prevents the service provider or service user from accessing this detection data.

[0504] Furthermore, the setting of permission information (access rights) to data detected by a sensor corresponding to a sensor ID may be classified according to conditions. In this case, the conditions may be at least one of the following (C1) to (C7).

[0505] (C1) Conditions of the contract The condition for classifying the permission information (access right) may be a condition related to a contract concluded by the service user. For example, the condition may be such that if the service user has concluded a contract to use the first service, access to the detection data is permitted, and if the service user has not concluded a contract to use the first service, access to the detection data is not permitted. Here, the service user may be, for example, a user of the terminal device 40.

[0506] The condition for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be a condition related to a contract concluded by the service provider. For example, the condition may be a condition that if the service provider has concluded a contract to provide the service user with a second service, access to the detection data is permitted, and if the service provider has not concluded a contract to provide the service user with a second service, access to the detection data is not permitted. The service provider may be, for example, an administrator of the core network CN or an administrator of the server 10.

[0507] (C2) Conditions for use cases of sensing services The condition for classifying the permission information (access right) may be a condition related to the use case of the sensing service. The use case of the sensing service is, for example, the purpose / scene of use of the sensing service by the service user. Here, the use case of the sensing service may include the use cases described above or below (for example, at least one of the above (B1) to (B26)). The condition for classifying the permission information may be the use case of the sensing service itself. For example, the condition may be that if the use case of the sensing service is the first use case, access to the detection data is permitted, and if the use case of the sensing service is the second use case, access to the detection data is not permitted.

[0508] (C3) Conditions for Use of Sensing Services The condition for classifying the permission information (access right) may be a condition related to the use of the sensing service. For example, the condition for classifying the permission information may be a condition related to at least one of the area and time period of use of the sensing service. In this case, the condition for classifying the permission information may be the area of ​​use itself. For example, the condition may be a condition that if the area in which the sensing service is used is a first area, access to the detection data is permitted, and if the area in which the sensing service is used is a second area, access to the detection data is not permitted. In addition, the condition for classifying the permission information may be the time period of use itself. For example, the condition may be a condition that if the time period in which the sensing service is used is a first time period, access to the detection data is permitted, and if the time period in which the sensing service is used is a second time period, access to the detection data is not permitted.

[0509] The condition for classifying the permission information may be the type of information generated by the detection data. For example, when the condition is the type of information generated in a service related to autonomous driving, the condition may be that access to the detection data for the high-precision three-dimensional map information is permitted, and access to the detection data for the information related to the route required for autonomous driving of the moving body, the control information related to steering, the control information related to acceleration, or the control information related to braking is not permitted. Alternatively, the condition may be that access to the detection data for the information related to the route required for autonomous driving of the moving body, the control information related to steering, the control information related to acceleration, or the control information related to braking is permitted, and access to the detection data for the high-precision three-dimensional map information is not permitted.

[0510] (C4) Conditions for storage of detected data The condition for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be a condition related to the storage of the detection data. Here, the storage of the detection data may be recording the detection data in a non-volatile memory such as an SSD or HDD, or may be holding the detection data for a period exceeding a set time. The set time may be a specific time (e.g., a specific date and time) or an elapsed time (e.g., the time since the detection data was obtained). In addition, the detection data to be stored does not necessarily have to be the detection data itself. The case where the detection data converted by some process is stored can also be considered as the storage of the detection data.

[0511] The condition regarding storage may be whether or not to store the detection data. For example, the condition may be that if the subject that acquires the detection data does not store the detection data for a set time, the subject is permitted to access the detection data, and if the subject stores the detection data for a set time, the subject is not permitted to access the detection data.

[0512] (C5) Conditions for disclosure of detected data The condition for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be a condition regarding the disclosure destination of the detected data. Here, the detected data to be disclosed does not have to be the detected data itself. When the detected data is disclosed after being converted by some process, it may be considered as the disclosure of the detected data.

[0513] The condition for classifying the permission information may be the disclosure destination of the detection data itself. For example, the condition may be that if the disclosure destination of the detection data is a first disclosure destination, access to the detection data is permitted, and if the disclosure destination of the detection data is a second disclosure destination, access to the detection data is not permitted. Here, the disclosure destination of the detection data is not limited to the direct disclosure destination of the detection data (i.e., the service user entity). An entity that directly or indirectly obtains information about the detection data (e.g., the detection data and / or information generated based on the detection data) may also be considered as the disclosure destination of the detection data. In other words, the disclosure destination of the detection data may be an entity that directly or indirectly obtains information about the detection data from the service user entity.

[0514] The conditional disclosure destination may include, for example, at least one of identification information of a node or entity in a system, identification information of a User Equipment (UE), identification information of a Radio Access Network (RAN), identification information of a core network (for example, 5GC / NGC (5G Core / Next Generation Core)), identification information of a network function constituting a core network, identification information of an Application Server (AS), and identification information of an Edge Application Server (EAS). The conditional disclosure destination may include at least one of an apparatus identifier and an address (for example, an IP address). The conditional disclosure destination may include any type classified according to the depth of human relationships, such as the person himself, family, friends, and others. The conditional disclosure destination may include a corporate name. Here, the corporate entity includes an operator and a service provider. Furthermore, the conditional disclosure destination may include a group or range classified into at least one of a node, an entity, and a device. Here, the group or range may be set at any granularity. For example, the group or range may be set at at least one granularity of a country, a region, and an area. Groups or ranges may also be set according to subscription levels.

[0515] (C6) Conditions regarding the type of generated data The condition for classifying the permission information (access right) may be a condition related to the type of data generated using the detection data. The condition for classifying the permission information may be the type of generated data itself. For example, the condition may be a condition that if the type of generated data is a first type, access to the detection data is permitted, and if the type of generated data is a second type, access to the detection data is not permitted.

[0516] (C7) Conditions for AI / ML models The conditions for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be conditions related to an AI (Artificial Intelligence) / ML (Machine Learning) model used for a sensing service. For example, the conditions may include a condition related to the use of distributed processing of an AI / ML model to which sensor detection data is input. The conditions may also include a condition (first condition) related to a learning use of the AI / ML model to which sensor detection data is input. The conditions may also include a condition (second condition) indicating whether storage of sensor detection data is permitted in learning of an AI / ML model for a learning use that satisfies the first condition related to the learning use.

[0517] For the above-mentioned or later-described conditions (e.g., the conditions shown in (C1) to (C7)), an access right may be set individually, or an access right may be set for any combination of a plurality of conditions. For example, when there is a first condition, a second condition, and a third condition, an access right may be determined for each of the first condition to the third condition, or an access right may be determined for a combination of two or more conditions selected from the first condition to the third condition (e.g., at least one of the combination of the first condition and the second condition, the combination of the first condition and the third condition, the combination of the second condition and the third condition, and the combination of the first condition, the second condition, and the third condition).

[0518] In a subscription, the settings of terminal sensing privacy information for the terminal device 40 can be stored in a sensing service privacy profile as part of the terminal subscriber data in the UDM 547. The sensing service privacy profile can be referred to as a terminal sensing privacy profile, or simply as a privacy profile.

[0519] Here, the settings of the sensing privacy information can be updated as necessary in response to a request from the user of the terminal device 40 .

[0520] The one or more sensors included in the terminal device 40 include sensors for various positioning methods supported by the LPP described above.

[0521] Furthermore, the information on the above conditions regarding the access right to the sensing data may be managed as support information for the sensing privacy information. This support information may be stored in a Unified Data Repository (UDR).

[0522] In addition, the sensing privacy information or assistance information may include information on the type of sensor, the number of various sensors, and the like, in addition to the information related to the access rights described above.

[0523] Furthermore, the sensor that detects data used in processing related to the sensing service is not limited to one or more sensors provided in the terminal device 40. It may include one or more sensors provided in a communication device other than the terminal device 40, such as a base station 30 or a roadside device. In this case, an entity (e.g., an operator or a service provider) that manages the base station 30 or the roadside device may manage sensing privacy information for each base station 30 or roadside device. Here, the base station 30 or the roadside device may operate as a gNB (or ng-eNB) corresponding to the NG-RAN 510, or a relay node including an IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul).

[0524] Furthermore, at least one of the terminal device 40, the base station 30, and the roadside device may include a 3GPP transceiver. In this case, the 3GPP transceiver may support an RF-based sensing function, similar to a millimeter wave radar. The sensor managed by the above-mentioned sensing privacy information may include the RF-based sensing function supported by the 3GPP transceiver.

[0525] Furthermore, the data detected by one or more sensors included in the terminal device 40 may include the concept of data measured by one or more sensors. In other words, the detection data (sensing data) described above or below can be rephrased as measurement data.

[0526] <7-2. Processing related to sensing services> The information processing device included in the communication system 1 of this embodiment executes processing related to the sensing service.

[0527] 21 is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing related to a sensing service. An information processing device (for example, a core network CN) included in a communication system performs processing related to a sensing service based on a request from another device (for example, the server 10).

[0528] The sensing service processing is a service that is performed directly or indirectly using detection data from one or more sensors. The sensing service processing may be the sensing service processing itself (processing executed by the service provider), or may be auxiliary processing of the sensing service processing (e.g., processing for providing data / processing required when executing the sensing service).

[0529] The service user entity may be the server 10 or may be a terminal device 40. Of course, the service user entity may be a device other than these (for example, a base station 30 or a core network CN (for example, a management device 20)). Also, the service provider entity may be a core network CN (for example, a management device 20) or may be the server 10. Of course, the service provider entity may be a device other than these (for example, a base station 30 or a terminal device 40).

[0530] In the example of Fig. 21, the processing related to the sensing service is a service of providing detection data of one or more sensors equipped in a communication device to a service user device from a service provider. In the example of Fig. 21, the communication device equipped with one or more sensors is a terminal device 40 (UE shown in Fig. 21), the service provider is a management device 20 (CN shown in Fig. 21), and the service user is a server 10 (AS shown in Fig. 21). The processing related to the sensing service will be described below with reference to the sequence diagram of Fig. 21.

[0531] First, the receiving unit 231 of the management device 20 receives a request for a sensing service from the server 10 (step S101). The request for a sensing service may be a request for a sensing service itself, or may be a request executed in association with the execution of processing of the sensing service. In the example of FIG. 21, the request for a sensing service is a request for a sensing service (a request to transmit detection data). Note that the request for a sensing service may include identification information for identifying a use case of the sensing service.

[0532] Next, the acquisition unit 232 of the management device 20 acquires information regarding access to the detection data of one or more sensors (step S102). As described above, the information regarding the access may be stored in sensing privacy information. The sensing privacy information may be regarded as the information regarding the access.

[0533] The management device 20 may acquire information related to access from a terminal device 40 equipped with one or more sensors. For example, the request unit 235 of the management device 20 requests the information related to access from the terminal device 40. The notification unit 431 of the terminal device 40 transmits the information related to access to the management device 20. Note that, when there are multiple terminal devices 40, the management device 20 may acquire information related to access from each of the multiple terminal devices 40.

[0534] The management device 20 may store information related to access in advance in the storage unit 22 and acquire the information related to access from the storage unit 22. The management device 20 may acquire the information related to access from a device other than the terminal device 40 that is equipped with one or more sensors. For example, the management device 20 may acquire the information related to access from the server 10 or another terminal device 40.

[0535] Next, the management device 20 determines the sensor that is the target of the access to the detection data. For example, the management device 20 determines the target sensor based on the use case of the sensing service. Note that, if the request for the sensing service includes identification information for identifying the use case of the sensing service, the management device 20 may determine the use case of the sensing service based on the identification information.

[0536] Then, the management device 20 determines whether or not access to the detection data of the target sensor is permitted based on the access information. The access information includes permission information indicating whether or not access to the detection data of the sensor is permitted. The management device 20 may determine whether or not access to the detection data of the target sensor is permitted based on this permission information.

[0537] Note that, prior to determining whether or not the access is permitted, the generation unit 233 of the management device 20 may generate a list of sensors that are permitted to access the detection data based on the information regarding the access. Then, the management device 20 may determine whether or not the access to the detection data is permitted based on the generated list.

[0538] As described above, the information regarding access includes permission information indicating whether or not access to the detection data of the sensor is permitted. This permission information may be classified according to conditions, for example, as shown in FIG. 20B. In this case, the condition may be at least one of the above-mentioned (C1) to (C7). The management device 20 may determine whether or not access to the detection data is permitted based on the permission information classified according to conditions.

[0539] The management device 20 may determine whether or not access to the detection data is permitted based on the user's judgment result rather than the information regarding the access. At this time, the request unit 235 of the management device 20 may request the user of the terminal device 40 to make a judgment regarding permission for access to the detection data of the sensor via the terminal device 40. More specifically, the request unit 235 of the management device 20 may transmit an instruction to the terminal device 40 to request the user of the terminal device 40 to make a judgment regarding permission for access to the detection data of the sensor.

[0540] The management device 20 may transmit this determination request instruction together with condition information (for example, information on the use conditions of the detection data). The condition information may be information corresponding to at least one of the conditions shown in (C1) to (C7) above. Furthermore, the management device 20 may transmit this instruction together with information on a valid period or expiration date set in the detection data. This valid period or expiration date may be a period or expiration date designated according to a use case of the sensing service.

[0541] The receiving unit 432 of the terminal device 40 receives a judgment request for the user from the management device 20. Then, the terminal device 40 inquires of the user whether or not to permit access to the detection data. When an instruction is received together with condition information, the terminal device 40 may inquire of the user together with the condition information. When an instruction is received together with information regarding the validity period or expiration date, the terminal device 40 may inquire of the user together with the information regarding the validity period or expiration date. Then, the notification unit 431 of the terminal device 40 notifies the management device 20 of the judgment result of the user.

[0542] The management device 20 determines whether or not access to the detection data is permitted based on the user's judgment result. When the update unit 236 of the management device 20 acquires the user's judgment result from the terminal device 40, the update unit 236 may update the access-related information stored as part of the subscriber information with the user's judgment result.

[0543] Furthermore, the management device 20 may determine whether or not access to the detection data is permitted based on management information managed by the terminal device 40 rather than on information related to access. The management information is information related to permission of access to the detection data of one or more sensors provided in the terminal device 40. At this time, the request unit 235 of the management device 20 may request the terminal device 40 to transmit the management information. At this time, the management device 20 may transmit this request for management information together with information on conditions (for example, information on the use conditions of the detection data). The information on conditions may be information corresponding to at least one of the conditions shown in (C1) to (C7) above.

[0544] The receiving unit 432 of the terminal device 40 receives a request for management information from the management device 20. Then, the notifying unit 431 of the terminal device 40 notifies the management device 20 of the management information. When the notifying unit 431 of the terminal device 40 receives condition information together with the request for management information, it may notify the management device 20 of the management information corresponding to the condition information. The management device 20 determines whether or not access to the detection data is permitted based on the management information. When the updating unit 236 of the management device 20 acquires the management information from the terminal device 40, it may update the information on access held as part of the subscriber information with the user's judgment result.

[0545] Next, the request unit 235 of the management device 20 requests the terminal device 40 to transmit the detection data for which it has been determined that access to the detection data is permitted (step S103). Upon receiving a transmission request for the detection data (hereinafter referred to as an access request), the transmission unit 433 of the terminal device 40 transmits the detection data related to the access request to the management device 20. At this time, the determination unit 434 of the terminal device 40 may determine whether or not access to the detection data related to the access request is permitted. Then, if access is permitted, the detection data related to the access request may be transmitted to the management device 20.

[0546] The determination unit 434 of the terminal device 40 may determine whether to permit or not to access the detection data of the sensor related to the access request based on the permission information indicating whether to permit or not to access the detection data. The permission information may be the same as the permission information included in the above-mentioned information on access. The permission information may be classified according to conditions, for example, as shown in FIG. 20B. In this case, the condition may be at least one of the above-mentioned (C1) to (C7). The determination unit 434 of the terminal device 40 may determine whether to permit or not to access the detection data based on the permission information classified according to the conditions. The access request may include information on the condition specified by the management device 20. The condition information may be information corresponding to at least one of the above-mentioned (C1) to (C7). The terminal device 40 may determine whether to permit or not to access the detection data based on the condition information included in the access request.

[0547] In addition, in step S102, when the notification unit 431 of the terminal device 40 notifies the management device 20 of the user judgment result, the discrimination unit 434 of the terminal device 40 may determine whether to permit or deny access based on the user judgment result rather than the permission information.

[0548] In addition, in step S102, when the notification unit 431 of the terminal device 40 notifies the management device 20 of the management information, the determination unit 434 of the terminal device 40 may determine whether to permit or deny access based on the user's judgment result rather than the permission information.

[0549] The acquisition unit 232 of the management device 20 acquires the detection data from the terminal device 40 (step S104). Note that the detection data acquired by the management device 20 from the terminal device 40 does not have to be the data itself detected by one or more sensors of the terminal device 40. For example, the detection data may be data obtained by subjecting the data detected by one or more sensors to a predetermined process. For example, the detection data may be data obtained by converting the data detected by one or more sensors into a predetermined format, or may be data obtained by encrypting the data detected by one or more sensors.

[0550] Then, the management device 20 transmits information about the detection data to the server 10 (step S105). Here, the information about the detection data may be the detection data itself acquired from the terminal device 40, or may be information generated based on the acquired detection data. For example, the information about the detection data may be analysis data generated based on one or more pieces of detection data, or may be synthetic data of a plurality of pieces of detection data. Alternatively, the information about the detection data may be control information for a sensing service or a use case of the sensing service (for example, control information of a moving body for an autonomous driving service). Note that an AI (Artificial Intelligence) / ML (Machine Learning) model may be used to generate the information about the detection data. For example, the information about the detection data may be data generated by inputting one or more pieces of detection data into an AI / ML model.

[0551] <7-3. Specific sequence examples> The processing relating to the sensing service has been described above. Below, a more specific sequence example of the processing relating to the sensing service will be shown.

[0552] <7-3-1. Sensing service processing> Fig. 22 is a sequence diagram showing an example of sensing service processing. Fig. 22 shows processing in which a service provider acquires detection data from one or more sensors included in terminal device 40 as data related to the sensing service. Not all of the processing in Fig. 22 is necessarily required for carrying out the invention. In other words, each of the processing in Fig. 22 can be carried out independently.

[0553] Here, the sensing service may be a service of providing detection data to a service user. Note that the data related to the sensing service may be the detection data of the sensor itself, or may be data generated by performing a predetermined process on one or more pieces of detection data. In this sequence example, the sensing service is assumed to be a service of providing detection data to a service user.

[0554] The service user entity may be the terminal device 40 or the server 10. The service user entity may be an application in the terminal device 40 or the server 10. The service user entity may be an AF 548 prepared for an application in the device (for example, an AF 548 prepared for an application in the terminal device 40 and / or the server 10). The service provider entity may be a core network CN. For example, the service provider entity may be an information processing device (for example, the management device 20) having at least one function of the AMF 541, the SEF 554, the UDM 547, and the NEF 542.

[0555] In this sequence example, the service user is the terminal device 40 and / or an application of the server 10, and the service provider is the core network CN. The processing of the sensing service will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0556] The application of the terminal device 40 and / or the server 10 makes a request for a sensing service to the service provider via the AF 548. The request for the sensing service may be a request for a sensing service, or may be a request executed in association with the processing of the sensing service. In this sequence example, the request for the sensing service is a request for a sensing service. More specifically, the request for the sensing service is a request for the provision of detection data transmitted from the application of the terminal device 40 and / or the server 10 to the management device 20 via the AF 548. In this sequence example, the management device 20 is an information processing device having a function of a core network CN. For example, the management device 20 is an information processing device having at least one function of the AMF 541, the SEF 554, the UDM 547, and the NEF 542.

[0557] When the AF 548 receives a request for a sensing service from an application of the terminal device 40 and / or the server 10, the AF 548 identifies a use case of the sensing service. Then, the AF 548 transmits an Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe request message for the sensing service to the NEF 542 (step S201). This Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe request message may be regarded as a request for the sensing service.

[0558] The NEF 542 judges whether the AF 548 is an entity that has authority to access the network function of the core network CN. If the AF 548 has authority to access, the NEF 542 transmits an Nsef_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request message to the SEF 554 according to the Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe request for the sensing service received from the AF 548 (step S202). Note that, if the AF 548 can directly access the SEF 554, the AF 548 may transmit a sensing service request for using the sensing service or an Nsef_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request message to the SEF 554.

[0559] Based on the use case of the sensing service included in the Nsef_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request message, the SEF 554 identifies a sensor (hereinafter referred to as a target sensor) that detects detection data required for the use case (step S203). Here, the detection data is data detected by one or more sensors provided in the terminal device 40. The detection data may be referred to as sensing data. The detection data does not have to be the data generated by the sensor itself. Detection data that has been converted by some processing may also be considered as detection data in this embodiment. The processing for identifying the target sensor (hereinafter referred to as a target sensor identification processing) will be described in detail later.

[0560] The SEF 554 identifies the terminal device 40 equipped with the target sensor by, for example, a Generic Public Subscription Identifier (GPSI) or a Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI). Then, the SEF 554 starts a Nudm_SDM_Get service for the UDM 547 to acquire sensing privacy information of the target terminal device 40 (step S204).

[0561] The SEF 554 checks the privacy of the target sensor according to the acquired sensing privacy information (step S205). Then, the SEF 554 generates an allow list including information of the sensor that is allowed to access the detection data based on the check result. The process of generating the allow list (hereinafter, referred to as the allow list generation process) will be described in detail later.

[0562] In step S204, the SEF 554 may acquire information indicating the type of sensor required for each use case from the UDM 547. When the use case is an ADAS of a vehicle, the type of sensor required may be, for example, a GNSS sensor, an acceleration sensor, an inertial measurement unit including a gyro sensor, an image sensor / camera, a LiDAR, or a millimeter wave radar. Furthermore, in step S205, the SEF 554 may select a sensor to be subject to privacy confirmation from among all sensors included in the terminal device 40, based on the information indicating the type of sensor required for the use case.

[0563] Here, information regarding the sensors equipped in the terminal device 40 (for example, the type of sensor and the number of each type of sensor) can be ascertained from the acquired sensing privacy information.

[0564] Information indicating the type of sensor required for each use case may be set in advance as a policy rule and stored in a UDR (Unified Data Repository). Alternatively, the PCF 545 may receive information on the type of sensor required for a requested use case from the AF 548 and generate a policy rule specific to the service provider. Furthermore, the PCF 545 may store the generated policy rule specific to the service provider in the UDR.

[0565] The SEF 554 can send a message to the PCF 545 requesting a policy including information identifying the use case, such as an ID, and obtain information indicating the type of sensor required via the PCF 545.

[0566] In addition, if information relating to conditions regarding access rights to detection data is managed as support information for sensing privacy information, SEF554 may, in step S204, acquire information relating to conditions regarding this access right as support information in addition to the sensing privacy information of the target terminal device 40.

[0567] Next, if the permission list generated in step S205 is not empty, the SEF 554 invokes the Nudm_UECM_Get service for the UDM 547. The UDM 547 transmits the network address of the serving AMF 541 of the terminal device 40 identified by the GPSI or SUPI to the SEF 554 (step S206).

[0568] The SEF 554 sends a Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request to the serving AMF 541 according to the network address acquired in step S206 (step S207).

[0569] Here, the SEF 554 may include information on the frequency of acquiring detection data (sensing data) from the target sensor (for example, a period or a setting of a triggering event) in the Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request. The frequency of acquiring this detection data may be requested from the AF 548 via a Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe request message for the sensing service in step S201. In addition, the frequency of acquiring this detection data may be set based on a policy rule for the sensing service managed by the PCF 545.

[0570] When the terminal device 40 equipped with the target sensor is in a CM IDLE state, the serving AMF 541 initiates a Network triggered Service request procedure for processing the sensing service (step S208). Here, when the Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request is a request for providing detection data to multiple terminal devices 40, the serving AMF 541 initiates a Network triggered Service request procedure for the multiple terminal devices 40. Here, a group may be set for the multiple terminal devices 40. Then, the serving AMF 541 may initiate a Network triggered Service request procedure for this set group.

[0571] When the terminal device 40 including the target sensor transitions to a CM CONNECTED state, the serving AMF 541 transmits a NAS message to the terminal device 40 to start a notification process of the detection data of the target sensor (step S209). Here, the NAS message may include an instruction to request explicit permission from the user for access to the detection data of each sensor, or an instruction to request local settings of the terminal device 40 regarding the access right to the detection data. Alternatively, the NAS message may indicate conditions for access to the detection data of each sensor. Then, this NAS message may include an instruction to request explicit permission from the user for the conditions, or an instruction to request local settings of the terminal device 40 for the conditions.

[0572] Also, assume that the Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request includes information on the frequency of obtaining sensing data from the target sensor. In this case, the serving AMF 541 can include the information in a NAS message that triggers notification of the sensing data.

[0573] When the terminal device 40 acquires the information related to the frequency of acquiring detection data (sensing data), the terminal device 40 sets the frequency of detecting or measuring data for each sensor.

[0574] According to the received NAS message, the terminal device 40 transmits a response NAS message to the serving AMF 541, if necessary (step S210). The response NAS message may include explicit permission from the user of the terminal device 40 or a local setting of the terminal device 40 (setting of access rights to detection data of each sensor).

[0575] The serving AMF 541 starts Nudm_ParameterProvision_Update for sensing privacy information in order to store the access right setting received from the terminal device 40 in the UDM 547 (step S211). The UDM 547 stores the updated access right setting in the UDR as part of the terminal subscriber data (sensing privacy information). Alternatively, the UDM 547 updates the sensing privacy information stored in the UDR with the updated access right setting.

[0576] The serving AMF 541 transmits a Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo response message to the SEF 554 as a response to the Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request in step S207 (step S212). The serving AMF 541 may use this response message to notify the SEF 554 of information (e.g., sensor ID) of the sensor that is permitted to access the detection data.

[0577] If the terminal device 40 approves the access requested in step S209, it transmits the detection data of the target sensor to the SEF 554 (step S213). Here, if a Network triggered Service request procedure for a sensing service is started for multiple terminal devices 40 in step S208, the SEF 554 acquires the detection data of the target sensor from the multiple terminal devices 40.

[0578] Furthermore, when the terminal device 40 transmits the detection data of the target sensor to the SEF 554, the terminal device 40 may set a validity period or expiration date designated in advance for the detection data. This validity period or expiration date is designated by the SEF 554 according to, for example, a use case. The service user entity can use this detection data only within this set validity period or before the expiration date. Furthermore, when the terminal device 40 sets a validity period or expiration date for the detection data transmitted by the terminal device 40, the terminal device 40 may add information instructing that the detection data be deleted / destroyed after the validity period or expiration date has passed. The SEF 554 or the service user entity must delete / destroy the detection data whose validity period or expiration date has passed.

[0579] The SEF 554 transmits an Nsef_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo response message to the NEF 542 as a response to the Nsef_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request in step S202 (step S214). This Nsef_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo response message includes the detection data acquired from the terminal device 40 equipped with the target sensor.

[0580] Upon receiving the Nsef_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo response message, the NEF 542 transmits an Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe response message to the AF 548 (step S215) as a response to the Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe request (step S201). This Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe response message includes detection data acquired from the terminal device 40 equipped with the target sensor.

[0581] Here, Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo is a service-based interface for a service that provides detection data (sensing data acquired by the AMF 541 from the terminal device 40 via the base station 30, or sensing data acquired from the base station 30). The name of this service-based interface is an example, and other names may be used.

[0582] Also, it is assumed that the base station 30 corresponds to the service-based architecture and has a service-based interface (for example, Nran_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo) for a service that provides detection data (sensing data acquired from the terminal device 40 or sensing data of the base station 30). In this case, the SEF 554 may directly request the base station 30 to provide sensing data using this service-based interface.

[0583] Furthermore, the SEF 554 may perform control so that a part or all of the sensing data (detection data) acquired from the terminal device 40 is transmitted to the application server 10 via the user plane. At that time, the SEF 554 starts a network triggered PDU session establishment procedure for the terminal device 40 equipped with the target sensor.

[0584] In the network triggered PDU session establishment process, the network sends a Device Trigger Request message to the application of the terminal device 40. The payload of the Device Trigger Request message contains information about which application of the terminal device 40 triggers the PDU session establishment request. Based on this information, the application of the terminal device 40 triggers a PDU session establishment request to establish a session with the application server 10.

[0585] In addition, information regarding which application of the terminal device 40 triggers the PDU session establishment request is transmitted from the AF 548 to the SEF 554 via a Nsef_EventExposure_Subscribe request message for the sensing service described above and a Nsef_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request message.

[0586] The information regarding which application of the terminal device 40 triggers a PDU session establishment request may include information indicating which sensor equipped in the terminal device 40's sensing data (detection data) is to be transmitted to the application server 10 via the user plane.

[0587] Furthermore, the SEF 554 may determine which sensor data of the sensor equipped in the terminal device 40 is to be transmitted to the application server 10 via the user plane, depending on the size of the sensing data. For example, the SEF 554 determines to transmit sensing data having a data size equal to or larger than a preset threshold to the application server 10 via the user plane.

[0588] Furthermore, the SEF 554 may determine which sensor data of the sensor equipped in the terminal device 40 is to be transmitted to the application server 10 via the user plane, depending on the QoS required for the sensing data. The SEF 554 determines to transmit sensing data requiring QoS of a preset condition (for example, equal to or less than a predetermined packet delay allowance (PDB: Packet Delay Budget)) to the application server 10 via the user plane.

[0589] Here, the SEF 554 can obtain the above threshold or condition, for example, as part of a policy rule for the sensing service, from the PCF 545. Information related to the QoS required for the sensing data is transmitted from the AF 548 to the SEF 554 via, for example, a Nsef_EventExposure_Subscribe request message and a Nsef_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request message for the above sensing service.

[0590] Information related to the QoS flow required for the sensing data is transmitted to the PCF 545. Here, the sensing data is the sensing data to be transmitted to the application server 10 via the user plane determined by the SEF 554. The PCF 545 generates a policy rule for the QoS flow of the sensing data to be transmitted to the application server 10 via the user plane based on the information related to the QoS flow acquired from the SEF 554. The PCF 545 stores the generated policy rule in the UDR.

[0591] <7-3-2. Target sensor identification process> Fig. 23 is a flowchart showing an example of the target sensor identification process. Specifically, Fig. 23 is a flowchart showing an example of the target sensor identification process shown in step S203. Hereinafter, the target sensor identification process will be described with reference to Fig. 23.

[0592] First, the SEF 554 receives a request for a specific sensing service from an application serving as a service user via the AF 548 and / or the NEF 542 (step S301). Here, the sensing service may be a service for providing detection data to the service user. In this case, the request for the sensing service may be a request for the detection data.

[0593] In the following explanation, the purpose / scene of use of a sensing service may be referred to as the “use case” of the sensing service. If a sensing service is a service that provides detected data, the use case of the sensing service is, for example, the purpose / scene of use of the detected data by the service user.

[0594] Here, the SEF 554 may be provided with at least one of the above-mentioned (B1) to (B26) as a use case of the sensing service.

[0595] For example, assume that the application that uses the service is an application of an ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance System). In this case, the ADAS application may request detection data for automobile steering assistance and navigation as a request related to the sensing service in step S301. These use cases are merely examples. The use cases of this embodiment are not limited to the use cases described above or below.

[0596] The SEF 554 may manage these use cases by ID, where an application may use this ID to request a particular sensing service.

[0597] The SEF 554 identifies a target sensing service (or use case) in accordance with a request from an application (step S302).

[0598] The SEF 554 identifies a terminal (terminal device 40) and / or a base station that is a target for requesting the necessary detection data according to the identified sensing service (or use case) (step S303). Here, the SEF 554 determines a target location and identifies one terminal (terminal device 40) and / or a base station at that location. Alternatively, the SEF 554 determines a target area and identifies a group consisting of one or more terminal devices 40 and / or one or more base stations 30 present in that area.

[0599] For example, if the identified sensing service is a sensing service related to providing detection data for automobile steering assistance and / or navigation, the SEF 554 identifies a group consisting of some or all of the vehicles in the area to be controlled and / or some or all of the base stations (including road-side units (RSUs)) in the area to be controlled.

[0600] For example, if the identified sensing service is related to providing detection data for detecting and / or tracking an automated guided vehicle in a factory, the SEF 554 identifies a group consisting of some or all of the automated guided vehicles in the area to be controlled and / or some or all of the base stations in the area to be controlled.

[0601] For example, if the identified sensing service is a sensing service related to providing detection data for collision avoidance of an autonomous mobile robot in a factory, the SEF 554 identifies a group consisting of some or all of the autonomous mobile robots in the area to be controlled and / or some or all of the base stations in the area to be controlled.

[0602] For example, if the identified sensing service is related to providing detection data for network-assisted sensing for UAV collision avoidance, the SEF 554 may identify a group of some or all UAVs in the area to be controlled and / or some or all base stations in the area to be controlled.

[0603] Furthermore, the SEF 554 identifies the type of sensor that provides the required detection data according to the identified sensing service (or use case) (step S304).

[0604] For example, if the identified sensing service (or use case) requires information related to location, the SEF 554 may specify a sensor for positioning as a sensor that provides the required detection data. In this case, the SEF 554 may specify sensors for all the positioning methods described in <4-4> above. Alternatively, the SEF 554 may specify sensors for some positioning methods with higher accuracy, such as A-GNSS Positioning, by setting a restriction on measurement accuracy.

[0605] Additionally, if the identified sensing service (or use case) requires information regarding images of the surroundings, the SEF 554 may identify an image sensor and / or a camera as the sensor that can provide the required sensor data.

[0606] Additionally, if the identified sensing service (or use case) requires information regarding the shape and distance of surrounding objects, the SEF 554 may identify LiDAR and / or radar as sensors that can provide the required detection data.

[0607] Also, if the identified sensing service (or use case) requires information regarding air pressure at a certain location, the SEF 554 may identify Barometer as the sensor that provides the required detection data.

[0608] Once the type of sensor has been identified, SEF554 ends the target sensor identification process.

[0609] <7-3-3. Allowed list generation process> Fig. 24 is a flowchart showing an example of the allowance list generation process. Specifically, Fig. 24 is a flowchart showing an example of the allowance list generation process shown in step S205. Hereinafter, the allowance list generation process will be described with reference to Fig. 24.

[0610] The SEF 554 checks the sensing privacy information of the identified terminal device 40 and / or base station 30 (step S401). For the terminal device 40, the SEF 554 checks the terminal sensing privacy information of the terminal sensing privacy profile. For the base station 30, the SEF 554 checks the base station sensing privacy information. Here, the PLMN operator to which the base station 30 belongs may manage the base station sensing privacy information as part of OAM (Operations, Administration and Maintenance) for each base station, for example, in the same way as the terminal sensing privacy information.

[0611] The SEF 554 selects one sensor from the one or more sensors identified in step S304 by referring to the sensing privacy information (step S402). Then, the SEF 554 determines whether the access right to the detection data of the selected sensor is "enable" (step S403). Here, if the access right differs depending on the conditions, the SEF 554 determines whether the access right is "enable" based on the conditions of the sensing service.

[0612] If the access right is "enable" (step S403: Yes), the SEF 554 adds the selected sensor to the permission list (step S404). Then, the SEF 554 advances the process to step S405.

[0613] On the other hand, if the access right is "disable" (step S403: No), SEF554 advances the process to step S405.

[0614] Next, the SEF 554 determines whether or not checking has been performed for all the target sensors (step S405). If checking has not been performed for all the target sensors (step S405: No), the SEF 554 changes the sensor (step S402) and executes the processes from step S403 onwards again.

[0615] On the other hand, if the check has been performed for all the target sensors (step S405: Yes), the SEF 554 ends the process.

[0616] In the above example, the SEF 554 has been described as one function. However, a plurality of functions constituting the SEF 554 may be distributed. Here, the distributed installation may include distributing and setting each function in a plurality of devices and distributing the processing. The SEF 554 may be composed of at least one of the following functions, for example.

[0617] ·Gateway function for AF548 A function of acquiring and / or verifying detection data of one or more sensors provided in the terminal device 40 and the base station 30 - Management functions necessary to provide sensing services to service users

[0618] According to the first embodiment, sensing privacy information that can set access rights to detection data for each sensor is introduced in the sensing service. This enables privacy management with finer granularity than whether or not access to the service is allowed.

[0619] <<8. Second embodiment>> Next, the operation of the communication system 1 according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0620] As described above, in the LPP, capability information defined for each positioning method is included in the information that can be acquired from the target terminal device 40. For example, the following is defined for A-GNSS Positioning.

[0621] gnss-SupportList · assistanceDataSupportList locationCoordinateTypes VelocityTypes

[0622] In the second embodiment, the conventional capability information includes settings related to privacy of one or more sensors (for example, information on access rights for each sensor). In this case, the capability information of the second embodiment can be regarded as sensing privacy information (information on access). This enables the communication system 1 to support a new function called privacy management while utilizing conventional procedures.

[0623] <8-1. Capability Information> Fig. 25 is a diagram showing a configuration example of capability information. A sensor ID for identifying the sensor is assigned to one or more sensors included in the terminal device 40. In the example of Fig. 25, the capability information is classified into, for example, type, supported function, and access right. In the example of Fig. 25, conventional capability information defined for each positioning method (for example, gnss-SupportList in A-GNSS Positioning, nr-DL-TDOA-Mode in NR DL-TDOA Positioning) is mapped to the supported function.

[0624] In the example of FIG. 25, the sensor type is defined by its use (e.g., Positioning (GNSS), Positioning (NR DL-TDOA), Image device / Camera, LiDAR, Barometer).

[0625] In the example of FIG. 25, in addition to the conventional capability information, the functions supported by the newly added sensors (in the example of FIG. 25, image sensor / camera, LiDAR, and Barometer) are defined as supported functions. For example, for an image sensor / camera, the image size is defined to be 35 mm. For a LiDAR, the detection distance at a reflectance of 80% is defined to be 250 mm. For a Barometer, the measurement range is defined to be 930 to 1070 hPa.

[0626] "Enable" or "disable" is set as the access right to the data detected by the sensor corresponding to the sensor ID. The service provider can determine whether or not to allow access to the data detected by the target sensor according to this access right. Also, the setting of the access right can be changed depending on the conditions, as in FIG. 20B. The conditions may be at least one of the following (D1) to (D7). Details of these conditions may be the same as the conditions (C1) to (C7) described in <7-1. Sensing privacy information>.

[0627] (D1) Conditions of the contract The conditions for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be conditions related to a contract concluded by a service user entity. The conditions for classifying the permission information (access rights) may also be conditions related to a contract concluded by a service provider entity.

[0628] (D2) Conditions for use cases of sensing services The condition for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be a condition related to a use case of the sensing service. The use case of the sensing service may be any of the use cases described above or below (for example, at least one of the above-mentioned (B1) to (B26)).

[0629] (D3) Conditions for use of sensing services The condition for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be a condition related to the use of the sensing service. For example, the condition for classifying the permission information may be a condition related to at least one of the area and time period of use of the sensing service.

[0630] (D4) Conditions for storage of detection data The condition for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be a condition related to the storage of the detection data. Here, the storage of the detection data may be recording the detection data in a non-volatile memory such as an SSD or HDD, or may be holding the detection data for a period exceeding a set time. The set time may be a specific time (e.g., a specific date and time) or an elapsed time (e.g., the time since the detection data was obtained). The condition related to the storage may be whether or not to store the detection data.

[0631] (D5) Conditions for disclosure of detected data The condition for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be a condition regarding the disclosure destination of the detection data. The disclosure destination as a condition may include, for example, at least one of identification information of a node or entity in the system, identification information of a UE, identification information of a RAN, identification information of a core network, identification information of a network function constituting the core network, identification information of an AS (Application Server), and identification information of an EAS. The disclosure destination as a condition may include at least one of an identifier of a device and an address (for example, an IP address). The disclosure destination as a condition may include any type classified according to the depth of human relationships, such as the person himself, family, friends, and others. The disclosure destination as a condition may include a corporate name. Here, the corporate entity includes an operator and a service provider. Furthermore, the disclosure destination as a condition may include a group or range into which at least one of a node, an entity, and a device is classified. Here, the group or range may be set at any granularity. For example, the group or range may be set at at least one granularity of a country, a region, and an area. The group or range may be set according to the level of the subscription.

[0632] (D6) Conditions regarding the type of generated data The condition for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be a condition related to the type of data generated using the detection data.

[0633] (D7) Conditions for AI / ML models The conditions for classifying the permission information (access rights) may be conditions related to the AI / ML model used for the sensing service. For example, the conditions may include a condition related to the use of distributed processing of the AI / ML model to which the sensor detection data is input. The conditions may also include a condition (first condition) related to a learning use of the AI / ML model to which the sensor detection data is input. The conditions may also include a condition (second condition) indicating whether or not storage of the sensor detection data is permitted in learning of the AI / ML model for a learning use that satisfies the first condition related to the learning use.

[0634] It should be noted that for the conditions exemplified here, access rights may be set individually, or access rights may be set for any combination of a plurality of conditions.

[0635] In the use case of vehicle ADAS and / or autonomous driving, a method called sensor fusion that utilizes a plurality of sensors mounted on the vehicle and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology is becoming mainstream in order to grasp the situation around the vehicle more accurately. The communication system 1 of the present embodiment may generate secondary information required for controlling the ADAS and / or autonomous driving by fusing data detected by a plurality of sensors (for example, a plurality of sensors exemplified in FIG. 25) as a sensing service. Information related to images detected by an image sensor / camera and / or LiDAR may include information related to the privacy of the owner of the sensor. Therefore, it is considered that not only privacy management for individual sensor data but also privacy management for secondary information generated by sensor fusion will be necessary.

[0636] For the sensors indicated in the capability information, access rights may be set for each type. FIG. 26 is a diagram showing another configuration example of capability information. In the example of FIG. 26, for the image sensor / camera and LiDAR, "position" and "picture" are set as the types of secondary information, and different access rights are set for each type. For example, it is assumed that image data detected by the image sensor / camera is processed into secondary information together with data detected by other sensors. When this secondary information is information related to a position, the owner of the terminal device 40 may set "enable" as the access right. On the other hand, when this secondary information is information related to an image, the owner of the terminal device 40 may set "disable" as the access right in consideration of privacy.

[0637] The access right setting can be changed according to conditions, as in Fig. 20B. That is, the conditions may be at least one of the following (D1) to (D7). The details of these conditions may be the same as those of (D1) to (D7) described above.

[0638] (D1) Conditions of the contract (D2) Conditions for use cases of sensing services (D3) Conditions for use of sensing services (D4) Conditions for storage of detection data (D5) Conditions for disclosure of detected data (D6) Conditions regarding the type of generated data (D7) Conditions for AI / ML models

[0639] It should be noted that for the conditions exemplified here, access rights may be set individually, or access rights may be set for any combination of a plurality of conditions.

[0640] Furthermore, the capability information of the sensor may include information such as the number of various sensors in addition to the above-mentioned information related to the type, supported functions, and access rights.

[0641] <8-2. Capability information acquisition process> Fig. 27 is a flowchart showing an example of capability information acquisition processing. In the figure, UE is a terminal device 40, and AS (Application Server) is a server 10. The server 10 is an information processing device that processes applications related to sensing services. Hereinafter, the capability information acquisition processing will be described with reference to Fig. 27.

[0642] The server 10 transmits a RequestCapabilities message to the target terminal device 40 (step S501). The RequestCapabilities message transmitted by the server 10 includes information on a transaction ID (transactionID=T1), a sensor type (SubCategories_Kinds), and a type of capability information to be requested (RequiredSubCategories).

[0643] When the terminal device 40 receives the RequestCapabilities message, the terminal device 40 refers to the capability information of the sensor managed by the terminal device 40 (for example, the capability information shown in FIG. 25) to identify the corresponding capability information. Then, the terminal device 40 transmits the identified capability information to the server 10 (step S502).

[0644] For example, it is assumed that the type of sensor included in the RequestCapabilities message is an image sensor / camera, and the type of the requested capability information is an access right. In this case, the terminal device 40 may transmit to the server 10 a ProvideCapabilities message including sensor ID information (e.g., "D003" shown in FIG. 25) and access right information (e.g., "disable" shown in FIG. 25). The terminal device 40 may notify the server 10 that the transaction related to the request for capability information is completed by setting an IE (Information Element) of endTransaction included in the ProvideCapabilities message to TRUE.

[0645] For example, it is assumed that the type of the sensor included in the RequestCapabilities message is LiDAR, and the type of the requested capability information is a support function. In this case, the terminal device 40 may transmit to the server 10 a ProvideCapabilities message including information (e.g., "D004" shown in FIG. 25) and information on the support function (e.g., "Detection Range_250m@80%" shown in FIG. 25). Here, Detection Range_250m@80% indicates that the detection distance is 250 m for an object with a reflectance of 80%.

[0646] The server 10 may transmit a RequestCapabilities message including a designation of a type of secondary information to the terminal device 40 (step S501). Here, the secondary information is, for example, information generated by combining detection data from a plurality of sensors (for example, position information or image information).

[0647] When the terminal device 40 receives the RequestCapabilities message including the designation of the type of secondary information, the terminal device 40 refers to the capability information of the sensor managed by itself (for example, the capability information shown in FIG. 26) to identify the corresponding capability information. Then, the terminal device 40 transmits the identified capability information to the server 10 (step S502).

[0648] For example, it is assumed that the type of the sensor included in the RequestCapabilities message is LiDAR, the type of the requested capability information is access right, and the type of the secondary information is location information. In this case, the terminal device 40 transmits to the server 10 a ProvideCapabilities message including sensor ID information (for example, “D004” shown in FIG. 26 ) and access right information (for example, “enable” shown in FIG. 26 ).

[0649] For example, it is assumed that the type of the sensor included in the RequestCapabilities message is LiDAR, the type of the requested capability information is access right, and the type of the secondary information is image information. In this case, the terminal device 40 transmits to the server 10 a ProvideCapabilities message including sensor ID information (for example, “D004” shown in FIG. 26 ) and access right information (for example, “disable” shown in FIG. 26 ).

[0650] The server 10 determines which sensors are permitted to access the detection data based on the access right information (information related to access) included in the capability information. The server 10 then acquires the detection data of the sensors determined to be permitted to access as data related to the sensing service (e.g., data used in processing an application related to the sensing service). The server 10 then executes processing of the application based on the acquired data.

[0651] Furthermore, when the AF 548 activates the procedure in the sensing service shown in Fig. 22, in step S204, the SEF 554 may activate the procedure of the capability information request shown in Fig. 27 instead of acquiring the terminal sensing privacy information of the target terminal device 40 from the UDM 547 using the Nudm_SDM_Get service. In this way, the SEF 554 may acquire the sensor capability information from the target terminal device 40.

[0652] In the second embodiment, information related to privacy (information related to access for each sensor) is added as one of the capability information of the sensor. This allows the communication system 1 to support a new function called privacy management while utilizing the procedures prepared in the conventional LPP or NRPPa. Also, in the second embodiment, it is possible to change the privacy settings of the data detected by each sensor depending on the type of secondary information. This allows effective use of data while taking privacy into consideration.

[0653] <<9. Third embodiment>> Next, an operation of the communication system 1 according to the third embodiment will be described. In the third embodiment, an operation of the communication system 1 relating to sensor fusion will be described.

[0654] Sensor fusion is attracting attention as one of the key technologies for realizing autonomous driving of vehicles. Sensor fusion is a technology that uses computer technology to automatically analyze and synthesize data obtained from multiple sensors that meet certain criteria, and generate information necessary for decision-making and estimation. AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology may be used for the analysis and / or synthesis of data.

[0655] An autonomous driving unit installed in a vehicle controls autonomous driving by applying sensor fusion to multiple sensors installed in the same vehicle. The autonomous driving unit uses multiple sensors to interpolate blind spot information that cannot be obtained by a single sensor, while analyzing and synthesizing overlapping information detected simultaneously by multiple sensors. This makes it possible to provide highly reliable information. In other words, when sensor fusion is applied to autonomous driving of a vehicle, the information required to control autonomous driving is provided from multiple sensors. However, since there is a limit to the number of sensors that can be installed in one vehicle, it is considered difficult to completely eliminate blind spots with sensor fusion using only the sensors installed in the vehicle itself.

[0656] Therefore, the communication system 1 of the third embodiment makes it possible to utilize one or more sensors provided in a device other than the mobile body that is the target of the sensing service in a sensing service related to the driving / control of the mobile body (for example, a vehicle such as an automobile or an air vehicle such as a drone). For example, the communication system 1 makes it possible to utilize one or more sensors provided in a device (for example, a base station 30 and / or a roadside device) around the mobile body and / or one or more sensors provided in another mobile body in a sensing service related to the driving / control of the mobile body (for example, automatic driving of the mobile body, piloting assistance for the mobile body, or navigation). This makes it possible to reduce the occurrence of blind spots.

[0657] <9-1.AI / ML Model> As described above, AI technology may be utilized for sensor fusion. Here, the AI ​​technology may be data analysis and / or synthesis using an AI (Artificial Intelligence) / ML (Machine Learning) model. For example, an information processing device that performs sensor fusion processing (for example, at least one of the server 10, the management device 20, the base station 30, and the terminal device 40) may store an AI / ML model for the sensor fusion processing. Then, the information processing device may execute the sensor fusion processing (analysis and / or synthesis of detected data) using the AI / ML model. In the following description, the AI / ML model may be referred to as a learning model, a trained model, or simply a model.

[0658] A learning model is a machine learning model generated by a learning process using machine learning. Machine learning is, for example, one of the artificial intelligence techniques that allows a computer to recognize, judge or estimate in the same way as a human being. Machine learning processing includes two processes: a learning process and a judgment process.

[0659] The learning process is a process for learning a learning model (e.g., training using learning data). In the learning process, an information processing device that performs learning (hereinafter, referred to as a learning device) learns a learning model (e.g., a neural network model) using learning data. For example, in the case of a neural network model, the weight coefficient of each edge is optimized during the learning process. A model extracted as a result of the learning process is sometimes referred to as a trained model.

[0660] The determination process is a process for recognition, judgment, or estimation. In the determination process, for example, an information processing device (hereinafter referred to as a determination device) that performs the determination inputs data (e.g., sensor information) related to unknown data (e.g., information necessary for controlling the occurrence of blind spots or automatic driving) to a learning model (trained model). The learning model outputs the result of recognition, judgment, or estimation for the unknown data as a result of the calculation process. The determination device may be the same device as the learning device, or may be a different device.

[0661] The learning model is, for example, a neural network model. The neural network model is composed of layers called an input layer, a hidden layer (or intermediate layer), and an output layer, each of which includes a plurality of nodes, and each node is connected via an edge. Each layer has a function called an activation function, and each edge is weighted. The learning model has one or more intermediate layers (or hidden layers). When the learning model is a neural network model, learning of the learning model means, for example, setting the number of hidden layers (or intermediate layers), the number of nodes in each layer, or the weight of each edge, etc.

[0662] Here, the neural network model may be a deep learning model. By using a trained deep learning model trained using a huge amount of data, the accuracy of recognition, judgment, or estimation is improved. Typical algorithms used in deep learning include, for example, the following. The algorithm of the AI / ML model used in this embodiment may be at least one of the following.

[0663] Deep Neural Network (DNN) ·Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) ·Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) -Fully connected neural network ·LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) Autoencoder

[0664] DNNs have two or more hidden layers, which allows them to achieve higher accuracy in recognition, judgment, and estimation than conventional neural networks that have a single hidden layer.

[0665] In CNN, the hidden layer is composed of layers called convolution layers and pooling layers. In the convolution layer, filtering is performed by convolution operations, and for example, data called feature maps are extracted. In the pooling layer, the information of the feature maps output from the convolution layer is compressed and downsampling is performed.

[0666] An RNN has a network structure in which values ​​of a hidden layer are recursively input to the hidden layer, and is used to process, for example, short-term time-series data.

[0667] In a fully connected neural network, all of the intermediate layers are fully connected layers. That is, in a fully connected neural network, all nodes between each layer of the intermediate device are connected to each other. The application of fully connected neural networks is mainly in the field of voice recognition.

[0668] In LSTM, the influence of distant past outputs can be retained by introducing parameters that hold the state of the intermediate layer, called memory cells, into the intermediate layer output of RNN. In other words, LSTM processes time series data over a longer period than RNN.

[0669] Autoencoders extract low-dimensional features that can reproduce input data through unsupervised learning. Autoencoders are useful for noise removal and dimensionality reduction.

[0670] Furthermore, the learning model is not limited to a neural network model. For example, the learning model may be a model based on reinforcement learning. In reinforcement learning, behavior (settings) that maximizes value is learned through trial and error. Alternatively, the learning model may be a logistic regression model.

[0671] Furthermore, the learning model may be composed of a plurality of models. For example, the learning model may be composed of a plurality of neural network models. More specifically, the learning model may be composed of a plurality of neural network models selected from the above-mentioned plurality of neural network models (for example, DNN, CNN, RNN, LSTM, etc.). When the learning model is composed of a plurality of neural network models, these neural network models may be in a subordinate relationship or in a parallel relationship.

[0672] The learning model can be referred to as an AI model, an ML model, or a trained model. In the following description, the learning model may be simply referred to as a model.

[0673] Any learning algorithm may be used for the learning. For example, the information processing device may perform learning of the learning model using a learning algorithm such as a neural network, a support vector machine, clustering, reinforcement learning, a random forest, or a decision tree.

[0674] <9-2. Detection data collection process> FIG. 28 is a diagram showing an example of detection data collection processing for sensor fusion. In the following description, the sensing service is assumed to be a service for providing detection data for an autonomous driving service (autonomous driving control) of a moving object. In the following description, the moving object that is the target of the autonomous driving service is assumed to be a vehicle such as an automobile, but is not limited to a vehicle and may be, for example, an air vehicle such as a drone. The description of a first vehicle that appears in the following description can be replaced with a first moving object or a first communication device. Similarly, the description of a second vehicle that appears in the following description can be replaced with a second moving object or a second communication device.

[0675] The detection data collection process is started when a service provider providing an autonomous driving service requests the service provider to provide detection data for the autonomous driving service (i.e., detection data for sensor fusion).

[0676] In the detection data collection process described below, the service user is an application server (server 10) managed by a service provider, and the service provider is a core network CN (management device 20). The core network CN has the functions of AMF 541, SEF 554, UDM 547, and NEF 542. In the detection data collection process described below, the management device 20 has at least SEF 554.

[0677] Prior to execution of the detection data collection process, the first vehicle (terminal device 40) requests the server 10 managed by the service provider to register for the autonomous driving service.

[0678] When the server 10 receives a registration request for the autonomous driving service from the first vehicle (terminal device 40), the server 10 requests a sensing service from the management device 20 via the AF 548. The management device 20 receives the request for the sensing service from the server 10 via the AF 548 (step S601). Here, the request for the sensing service corresponds to step S201 shown in FIG. 22. This request includes information for identifying the target terminal device 40 (i.e., the first vehicle) and information for identifying a use case (e.g., automobile driving assistance and navigation).

[0679] When the management device 20 receives the request for the sensing service, it acquires the location information of the first vehicle (terminal device 40) which is the target vehicle (step S602). Here, the location service shown in Fig. 13 can be used to acquire the location information of the first vehicle (terminal device 40). For example, the SEF 554 may transmit an Ngmlc_Location_ProvideLocation request message to the GMLC 552 to acquire the location information of the first vehicle (terminal device 40).

[0680] When the management device 20 (e.g., SEF 554) acquires the position information of the first vehicle (terminal device 40), it sets an area / region including the periphery of the first vehicle (terminal device 40) (step S603). Here, the range and / or size of the area / region may be determined by, for example, the server 10 (service provider) taking into consideration the range of control over the first vehicle (terminal device 40). In this case, the server 10 may include information on the range and / or size of the area / region in a request for a sensing service.

[0681] The management device 20 (e.g., the SEF 554) identifies a communication device (e.g., at least one of the base station 30, the roadside device, and the second vehicle (another terminal device 40)) within the set area / region (step S604). Here, the sensor included in the identified communication device becomes a target sensor to which sensor fusion is applied. The SEF 554 executes step S203 in FIG. 22.

[0682] Next, the management device 20 (for example, the SEF 554) confirms the access right of the sensor for each communication device identified in step S604 in accordance with steps S204 and S205 in FIG. 22 (step S605).

[0683] The management device 20 (eg, SEF 554) acquires detection data from the sensors that are permitted to access the detection data for each communication device identified in step S604 in accordance with steps S206 to S213 shown in FIG. 22 (step S606).

[0684] When the service provider (server 10) executes the sensor fusion process, the management device 20 (e.g., SEF 554) transmits the acquired detection data to the server 10 via the AF 548 (step S607). For example, the SEF 554 transmits the detection data acquired from the sensor to which access is permitted to the AF 548 according to steps S214 to S215 shown in FIG. 22. The AF 548 transmits the received detection data to the server 10. When the transmission is completed, the management device 20 ends the detection data collection process.

[0685] The sensing service provided by the management device 20 to the server 10 may include a service for executing sensor fusion processing. In this case, the server 10 (service provider) may request the management device 20 to perform the sensor fusion processing as a part or the whole of the sensing service. In this case, the SEF 554 of the management device 20 may execute the sensor fusion processing. In other words, the SEF 554 may have a function for executing the sensor fusion processing.

[0686] In addition, the SEF 554 may apply a calculation using an AI / ML (Machine Learning) model to the sensor fusion processing. In this case, the SEF 554 may outsource the sensor fusion processing to a NWDAF (Network Data Analytics Function) (not shown). Here, the NWDAF is a network function that provides the 5GS with a network data analysis function.

[0687] The NWDAF has an Analytics logical function (AnLF) and a Model Training logical function (MTLF).

[0688] AnLF is a logical function of the NWDAF that performs inference using AI / ML models, obtains analytical information, and exposes analytical information, such as statistical information of past events or predictive information.

[0689] The MTLF is a logical function of the NWDAF that performs training of AI / ML models and discloses the results of that training.

[0690] The information indicating the type of sensors required for each of the aforementioned use cases can be set based on the type of data input to the AI / ML model. The NWDAF can provide the PCF 545 with information on the type of sensors required for the sensor fusion use case based on the type of data input to the AI / ML model, and the PCF 545 can generate information on the type of sensors required for the sensor fusion use case based on the information obtained from the NWDAF.

[0691] The SEF554 entrusts the processing of the sensor fusion to the NWDAF along with specifying the Analytics ID corresponding to the processing of the sensor fusion.

[0692] The NWDAF may process the sensor fusion process in an edge application server (EAS: Edge Application Server) (not shown). The NWDAF selects an edge application server that executes the sensor fusion process from among a plurality of edge application server candidates based on the location information of the first vehicle (terminal device 40) provided by the SEF 554. Here, the edge application server candidates may be managed as edge application server deployment information (EAS Deployment Information). The SEF 554 may instruct an edge application server discovery function (EASDF) (not shown) to select the edge application server. The SEF 554 acquires information related to the selected edge application server (for example, at least one of the domain name and IP address of the edge application server) from the EASDF.

[0693] The NWDAF may decide to process the sensor fusion in an edge application server according to instructions from the server 10 (or the AF 548) or the SEF 554.

[0694] In the use case of sensor fusion, the detection data of multiple sensors is combined, so the information specific to each sensor is diluted. Therefore, in the use case of sensor fusion, there is a low risk that private elements contained in the detection data will be disclosed. When the use case of the detection data is sensor fusion, the user of the terminal device 40 can set the access right to the detection data of each sensor to "enable."

[0695] Also, in step S605, the management device 20 (for example, the SEF 554) acquires sensing privacy information to confirm the access right to the detection data. As described above, in the sensing privacy information shown in FIG. 20B, the access right is classified according to conditions. One of the conditions may include whether or not distributed processing of the AI / ML model is used in the sensor fusion processing. Here, the AI / ML model may be an AI / ML model for the sensor fusion processing. In the distributed processing of the AI / ML model, a part of the processing of the AI / ML model (for example, processing up to a part of the intermediate layer) is executed by, for example, the terminal device 40, and the result of the part of the processing is provided to the SEF 554. In this case, private information included in the detection data is diluted. Therefore, the user of the terminal device 40 can set the access right to the detection data to “enable” under the condition that distributed processing of the AI / ML model is used.

[0696] The SEF 554 may divide the AI / ML model and provide a model of the front stage of the divided AI / ML model to the terminal device 40. The AI / ML model may be an AI / ML model for sensor fusion processing. This distributes the calculation processing related to the AI / ML model between the terminal device 40 and the SEF 554, or between the terminal device 40 and the NWDAF.

[0697] Here, when distributing the computational processing of the AI / ML model between the terminal device 40 and the SEF 554, the SEF 554 may provide the entire AI / ML model to the terminal device 40 and notify the terminal device 40 of only the division points. In this case, the terminal device 40 processes only the layer preceding the notified division point and transmits the results of the computational processing of the intermediate layer to the SEF 554. This also realizes distributed processing of the AI / ML model. In the method of providing a part of the AI / ML model to the terminal device 40, when the division point is dynamically changed, the SEF 554 needs to transmit the divided AI / ML model to the terminal device 40 each time. With this method, the transmission burden of the AI / ML model on the SEF 554 can be reduced.

[0698] Here, SEF 554 may dynamically determine split points for the AI / ML model by taking into account at least one of the following: Communication quality between the terminal device 40 and the base station 30 The type of QoS flow (e.g., 5QI) that is the target of the uplink to be assigned for transmitting the results of the AI / ML model computation - QoS monitoring results for the target QoS flows notified by the core network CN · QoS flow quality generated from QoS monitoring results (e.g., UL packet delay)

[0699] As described above, in the sensing privacy information shown in FIG. 20B, the access rights are classified according to conditions. One of the conditions may include a learning use of the AI / ML model (first condition). Here, the conditional use of the AI / ML model may be a learning use of the AI / ML model for sensor fusion processing. When the detection data is provided for learning the AI / ML model, the detection data is not disclosed, and it is the AI / ML model that is disclosed. Therefore, the risk of disclosure of private information included in the detection data is low. Therefore, the user of the terminal device 40 can set the access right to the detection data to “enable” under the condition of the learning use of the AI / ML model.

[0700] Furthermore, when providing detection data for learning an AI / ML model, the terminal device 40 may add a condition (second condition) as to whether or not to permit storage of the detection data.

[0701] The SEF554 or NWDAF refers to the sensing privacy information of the target terminal device 40 and acquires detection data of a sensor whose access right is "enable" under the condition of the learning use of the AI / ML model. The SEF554 or NWDAF may store the detection data of the sensor whose data storage is determined to be permitted in the UDR or ADRF (Analytics Data Repository Function). Here, the SEF554 or NWDAF may determine whether or not the storage of the detection data is permitted based on the above-mentioned second condition. Then, the SEF554 or NWDAF may use the stored detection data for re-learning the AI / ML model and / or learning another AI / ML model.

[0702] <<10. Fourth embodiment>> Next, an operation of the communication system 1 according to the fourth embodiment will be described. In the fourth embodiment, an operation of the communication system 1 in a case where one or more sensors include an RF-based sensing function (for example, an RF-based sensing function supported by a 3GPP transceiver) will be described.

[0703] The 3GPP transceiver can support an RF-based sensing function as a 5G wireless sensing service. The RF-based sensing function supported by the 3GPP transceiver can support various operations, from a form called monostatic sensing in which a sensing transmitter and a receiver are arranged in the same entity / device (e.g., the terminal device 40 or the base station 30), to a form called bistatic sensing in which a sensing transmitter and a receiver are arranged in different entities / devices (e.g., the terminal device 40 and the base station 30), and even a form called multistatic sensing by multiple sensing transmitters and receivers.

[0704] Reflections of the sensing signal transmitted by the sensing transmitter are received by the sensing receiver and processed to obtain characteristics (e.g., location) of the sensed object and its environment. For example, by measuring parameters such as the Doppler shift of the received signal, the velocity of the sensed object can be estimated.

[0705] Fig. 29 is a sequence diagram showing another example of the sensing service process. Specifically, Fig. 29 is a diagram showing an example of the procedure of the sensing service when one or more sensors include an RF-based sensing function. Steps S201 to S204 are the same as those in Fig. 22, so the description will be omitted.

[0706] The SEF 554 checks the privacy of the target sensor according to the acquired sensing privacy information (step S205). Then, the SEF 554 generates an authorization list including information of sensors that are permitted to access the detection data. If the target sensors include an RF-based sensing function (e.g., an RF-based sensing function supported by a 3GPP transceiver), the SEF 554 checks the UE radio capability information of the terminal device 40 with the UCMF 550. Then, the SEF 554 may check that the transceiver (e.g., a 3GPP transceiver) included in the terminal device 40 supports the RF-based sensing function.

[0707] Here, the UE radio capability information may include, for example, information indicating that the 3GPP transceiver installed in the terminal device 40 supports an RF-based sensing function using monostatic sensing.

[0708] The UE radio capability information may also include information indicating that, for example, a 3GPP transceiver installed in the terminal device 40 supports an RF-based sensing function operating as a sensing transmitter in a bistatic sensing or multistatic sensing operating mode.

[0709] Furthermore, the UE radio capability information may include information indicating that, for example, a 3GPP transceiver installed in the terminal device 40 supports an RF-based sensing function operating as a sensing receiver in a bistatic sensing or multistatic sensing operating mode.

[0710] The terminal sensing privacy information for the RF-based sensing function supported by the 3GPP transceiver may include information regarding access for each condition of the operation modes of monostatic sensing, bistatic sensing, and multistatic sensing (e.g., information indicating the presence or absence of access rights). For example, in the case of the operation mode of multistatic sensing, it is expected that the information specific to the RF-based sensing function of each terminal device 40 is diluted compared to the operation mode of monostatic sensing or bistatic sensing. Therefore, the user of the terminal device 40 can set the access right for the RF-based sensing function supported by the 3GPP transceiver installed in the terminal device 40 under the condition of the operation mode of multistatic sensing to "enable".

[0711] Furthermore, terminal sensing privacy information for RF-based sensing functions supported by a 3GPP transceiver may include information regarding access for each condition, whether to operate as a sensing transmitter or as a sensing receiver (e.g., information indicating whether or not access rights exist).

[0712] In step S205, the SEF 554 configures a group of communication devices including communication devices (e.g., terminal devices 40 and / or base stations 30) equipped with 3GPP transceivers supporting RF-based sensing functions that allow access to the sensing data. Furthermore, the SEF 554 determines an operation mode for each communication device (e.g., terminal device 40 and / or base station 30) in the group, i.e., monostatic sensing, bistatic sensing, or multistatic sensing.

[0713] For example, the SEF 554 sets a monostatic sensing operation mode for a communication device (eg, terminal device 40 or base station 30) that is permitted to operate as both a sensing transmitter and a sensing receiver.

[0714] On the other hand, the SEF 554 sets bistatic sensing for a first communication device that is permitted to operate as a sensing transmitter and a second communication device that is permitted to operate as a sensing receiver, where the SEF 554 can also set multistatic sensing for multiple first communication devices and multiple second communication devices.

[0715] For example, the SEF 554 sets bistatic sensing for a first terminal device 40 permitted to operate as a sensing transmitter and a second terminal device 40 permitted to operate as a sensing receiver. Here, the SEF 554 can also set multistatic sensing for a plurality of first terminal devices 40 and a plurality of second terminal devices 40.

[0716] For example, the SEF 554 sets bistatic sensing for the terminal device 40 permitted to operate as a sensing transmitter and the base station 30 permitted to operate as a sensing receiver. Here, the SEF 554 can also set multistatic sensing for multiple terminal devices 40 and multiple base stations 30.

[0717] For example, the SEF 554 sets bistatic sensing for the base station 30 permitted to operate as a sensing transmitter and the terminal device 40 permitted to operate as a sensing receiver. Here, the SEF 554 can also set multistatic sensing for multiple base stations 30 and multiple terminal devices 40.

[0718] Next, if the permission list generated in step S205 is not empty, the SEF 554 invokes the Nudm_UECM_Get service for the UDM 547. The UDM 547 transmits the network address of the serving AMF 541 of the terminal device 40 identified by the GPSI or SUPI to the SEF 554 (step S206).

[0719] The SEF 554 sends a Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request to the serving AMF 541 according to the network address acquired in step S206 (step S207).

[0720] For a terminal device 40 equipped with a transceiver (eg, a 3GPP transceiver) that supports an RF-based sensing function, the SEF 554 includes an instruction to activate the RF-based sensing function in the Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request in step S207.

[0721] Here, the SEF 554 may include information on the frequency of acquiring sensing data from the target sensor (e.g., a period or a trigger event setting) in the Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request. Here, the target sensor may include an RF-based sensing function.

[0722] When the terminal device 40 equipped with the target sensor transitions to a CM CONNECTED state, the serving AMF 541 transmits a NAS message for initiating notification of detection data of the target sensor to the terminal device 40 (step S209). Note that when a Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request including an instruction to activate the RF-based sensing function is received, the AMF 541 includes an instruction to activate the RF-based sensing function in the NAS message.

[0723] According to the received NAS message, the terminal device 40 transmits a response NAS message to the serving AMF 541, if necessary (step S210). The response NAS message may include explicit permission from the user of the terminal device 40 or a local setting of the terminal device 40 (setting of access rights to detection data of each sensor). Note that, if the received NAS message includes an instruction to activate the RF-based sensing function, the terminal device 40 may include permission for the instruction to activate the RF-based sensing function in the response NAS message.

[0724] Here, in step S207, the SEF 554 may transmit a Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request including an instruction to activate the RF-based sensing function to the AMF 541. This instruction to activate may be, for example, an instruction to activate the RF-based sensing function for the RAN 510 (for example, the base station 30) equipped with a 3GPP transceiver that supports the RF-based sensing function.

[0725] The activation instruction may further include an instruction for a monostatic sensing, bistatic sensing, or multistatic sensing operation mode for a communication device (e.g., a terminal device 40 or a RAN 510 (e.g., a base station 30)) equipped with a 3GPP transceiver supporting an RF-based sensing function.

[0726] In addition, if the activation instruction includes an instruction for the bistatic sensing or multistatic sensing operation mode, the Namf_Sensing_ProvideSensingInfo request may further include an instruction for whether to operate as a sensing transmitter or as a sensing receiver.

[0727] An instruction to the RAN 510 of the monostatic sensing, bistatic sensing, or bistatic sensing operation mode may be transmitted to the RAN 510 from the SEF 554 or the AMF 541 via the NGAP (NG Application Protocol) or the service-based interface of the RAN 510.

[0728] An instruction of the operation mode of monostatic sensing or bistatic sensing for the terminal device 40 may be transmitted from the AMF 541 to the terminal device 40 using the NAS message in step S209. Furthermore, an instruction of the operation mode of multistatic sensing for the terminal device 40 may be transmitted from the AMF 541 to multiple terminal devices 40 using the NAS message in step S209.

[0729] A communication device (for example, the terminal device 40 or the RAN 510) that receives an instruction for the monostatic sensing operation mode performs sensing using the transmitter and receiver of a 3GPP transceiver equipped in the communication device.

[0730] A communication device (e.g., terminal device 40 and / or RAN 510) that has received an instruction for a bistatic sensing or multistatic sensing operation mode performs necessary settings to transmit a sensing signal using a transmitter of a 3GPP transceiver equipped in the communication device, if the received instruction includes an instruction ...

Claims

1. A receiving unit that receives a request for a sensing service; a first acquisition unit that acquires privacy information for each of one or more sensors related to detection data of the one or more communication devices; a second acquisition unit that acquires, as data related to the sensing service, the detection data of the sensor for which access is determined to be permitted based on the information related to privacy; An information processing device comprising:

2. the request for the sensing service includes identification information for identifying a use case of the sensing service; The second acquisition unit acquires, as data related to the sensing service, detection data of the sensor determined to be permitted to access based on the information related to privacy and corresponding to a use case indicated by the identification information. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. A generator for generating a list of the sensors that are permitted to access the detection data based on the privacy information, the second acquisition unit acquires, as data related to the sensing service, detection data of the sensor determined to be accessible based on the list; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. The privacy information includes permission information indicating whether or not access to the detection data of the sensor is permitted; The permission information is classified according to conditions, The second acquisition unit acquires, as data related to the sensing service, the detection data of the sensor for which access is determined to be permitted based on the permission information classified by the condition. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. a request unit that requests a user of the communication device to make a decision regarding permission to access the detection data of the sensor; The second acquisition unit acquires, as data related to the sensing service, detection data of the sensor determined to be permitted to access based on a result of the determination of the user. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

6. a request unit that requests, from the communication device, management information regarding permission to access detection data of the one or more sensors included in the communication device, the management information being managed by the communication device; the second acquisition unit acquires, as data related to the sensing service, detection data of the sensor determined to be accessible based on the management information; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

7. The permission or denial of said access is classified according to conditions; the request unit transmits a request for the management information together with information on conditions, and acquires the management information corresponding to the transmitted information on conditions from the communication device. The information processing device according to claim 6.

8. an update unit that updates the privacy-related information held as part of subscriber information with the management information; The information processing device according to claim 6.

9. A communication device comprising one or more sensors, a notification unit that notifies an information processing device that receives a request for a sensing service of privacy information for each of the one or more sensors related to the detection data of the one or more sensors; a receiving unit that receives a request for access to the detection data of the sensor from the information processing device; a transmission unit that transmits detection data of the sensor related to the access request to the information processing device as data related to the sensing service when the access is permitted; A communication device comprising:

10. a determination unit that determines whether or not to permit access to the detection data of the sensor related to the access request based on permission information indicating whether or not to permit access to the detection data of the sensor, The permission information is classified according to conditions, The determination unit determines whether to permit or deny the access based on the permission information classified according to the condition. The communication device according to claim 9.

11. the conditions for classifying the permission information include conditions related to a contract concluded by a user who uses the sensing service related to the request for the sensing service; The communication device according to claim 10.

12. The conditions for classifying the permission information include conditions related to a use case of the sensing service. The communication device according to claim 10.

13. The conditions for classifying the permission information include conditions related to at least one of an area and a time period in which the sensing service is used. The communication device according to claim 10.

14. The conditions for classifying the permission information include conditions regarding a recipient of the detection data of the sensor. The communication device according to claim 10.

15. The condition for classifying the permission information includes a condition regarding a type of data generated by the information processing device using the detection data of the sensor. The communication device according to claim 10.

16. the access request includes condition information specified by the information processing device; The determination unit determines whether to permit or not permit access to the detection data of the sensor based on the condition information included in the access request. The communication device according to claim 10.

17. The receiving unit receives an instruction to request a user of the communication device to make a decision regarding permission to access the detection data of the sensor; The notification unit notifies the information processing device of a result of the determination of the user; When the determination unit has notified the information processing device of the result of the determination, the determination unit determines whether to permit or deny the access based on the result of the determination of the user rather than the permission information. The communication device according to claim 10.

18. The receiving unit receives an instruction for notification of management information managed by the communication device, the management information being related to permission to access detection data of one or more sensors included in the communication device; The notification unit notifies the information processing device of the management information; when the determination unit has notified the information processing device of the management information, the determination unit determines whether to permit or deny the access based on the management information rather than the permission information. The communication device according to claim 10.

19. The permission or denial of said access is classified according to conditions; The instruction to notify the management information includes condition information, The notification unit notifies the communication device of the management information corresponding to the information on the condition.

20. The communication device of claim 18.

20. receiving a request for a sensing service; Acquire privacy information for each of one or more sensors regarding detection data of the one or more communication devices; acquiring, as data related to the sensing service, the detection data of the sensor for which access is determined to be permitted based on the information related to privacy; Information processing methods.

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