Setting for sensor that corresponds to request for measurement information relating to measurement area

Abstract

This communication control device comprises at least one processor that executes a process for setting, from among a plurality of sensors for which a measurement area is included in a measurable region, a sensor that provides measurement-area-related measurement information through a mobile communication network, the sensor being set using a measurement-information-providing-sensor-setting unit in accordance with a request for the measurement information. The measurement-information-providing-sensor-setting unit sets the provision status of the measurement information from the sensor in accordance with the request. The at least one processor also executes: a process for reducing the information by which the sensor can be identified in the measurement information from the sensor on the basis of the provision status set by the measurement-information-providing-sensor-setting unit, the information being reduced using a sensor-identifiable-information-reducing unit in accordance with the request; and a process for outputting the measurement information in which the information by which the sensor can be identified has been reduced using the sensor-identifiable-information-reducing unit, the measurement information being outputted using a measurement information output unit in accordance with the request.

Description

Configuring the sensor according to the measurement information request for the measurement area

[0001] The present disclosure relates to configuring sensors in response to requests for measurement information about a measurement area.

[0002] The number, types, and uses of wireless communication devices (hereinafter referred to as communication devices), such as smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, are steadily increasing, and wireless communication standards are continually being expanded and improved. For example, commercial service for the fifth-generation mobile communication system, known as "5G," began in 2018, and standardization is still underway at the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). In addition, efforts have begun to develop standards for the sixth-generation mobile communication system, or "6G," as the next-generation wireless communication standard following 5G.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-278886

[0004] In new mobile communication networks such as 5G, in addition to terrestrial base stations (eNBs, etc.) that are fixedly installed on the ground and provide relatively large communication cells, which were the mainstream in conventional mobile communication networks such as 4G, it is expected that a wide variety of communication stations will be used, such as ultra-small base stations that provide ultra-small femtocells (for example, with a radius of several to tens of meters), airborne base stations mounted on flying satellites and aircraft, relay stations that communicate with existing base stations to expand existing communication cells, and IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) nodes, which will be described later. These communication stations may be equipped with various sensor functions, but specific methods for improving the efficiency of using the miscellaneous measurement information obtained from them have not been fully defined.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of these circumstances, and provides a communication control device and the like that can improve the utilization efficiency of a group of sensors in a mobile communication network.

[0006] A communication control device of one embodiment of the present invention has at least one processor that, in response to a request for measurement information regarding a measurement area, sets, by a measurement information providing sensor setting unit, a sensor from among a plurality of sensors that include the measurement area within its measurable range that will provide measurement information via a mobile communication network.

[0007] In this embodiment, among a plurality of sensors capable of mobile communication (for example, provided in a plurality of communication stations as described above), a sensor that actually provides measurement information is set in response to a request for measurement information about a measurement area. Based on this setting, the necessary measurement information is quickly provided from an appropriate sensor in response to the actual request, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of the sensor group in the mobile communication network.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is a communication control method that, in response to a request for measurement information related to a measurement area, selects a sensor that provides the measurement information via a mobile communication network from among a plurality of sensors that include the measurement area within their measurable ranges.

[0009] Yet another aspect of the present invention is a storage medium that stores a communication control program that causes a computer to execute the following: in response to a request for measurement information about a measurement area, select sensors that provide measurement information via a mobile communication network from among a plurality of sensors that include the measurement area within their measurable ranges.

[0010] Any combination of the above components, or any conversion of these expressions into methods, devices, systems, recording media, computer programs, etc., are also encompassed within the present disclosure.

[0011] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the utilization efficiency of a group of sensors in a mobile communication network.

[0012] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of a wireless communication system to which a communication control device is applied; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a wireless communication system to which a communication control device can be applied; FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a communication control device; FIG. 4 is a table showing an example of measurement capabilities of a large number of sensors recognized by a mobile communication network; FIG. 5 is an example of a table defining measurable accuracy; FIG. 6 is a table showing an example of setting information by a measurement information providing sensor setting unit; and FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of providing measurement information in response to a request from a measurement information requesting entity.

[0013] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an overview of a wireless communication system 1 to which a communication control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied. The wireless communication system 1 includes a 5G wireless communication system 11, a 4G wireless communication system 12, and a satellite communication system 13. The 5G wireless communication system 11 conforms to a fifth-generation mobile communication system (5G) that uses NR (New Radio) or 5G NR (Fifth Generation New Radio) as a radio access technology (RAT) and 5GC (Fifth Generation Core) as a core network (CN). The 4G wireless communication system 12 conforms to a fourth-generation mobile communication system (4G) that uses LTE (Long Term Evolution) or LTE-Advanced as a radio access technology and EPC (Evolved Packet Core) as a core network. The satellite communication system 13 is responsible for satellite communication via a communication satellite 131. Although not shown in the figure, the wireless communication system 1 may include a wireless communication system of a generation earlier than 4G, a wireless communication system of a generation later than 5G (such as 6G), or any wireless communication system that cannot be associated with a generation, such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0014] The 5G wireless communication system 11 includes communication devices 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D (hereinafter collectively referred to as communication devices 2) such as smartphones that are installed on the ground and are also called UE (User Equipment), and multiple 5G base stations 111A, 111B, and 111C (hereinafter collectively referred to as 5G base stations 111) that can communicate via 5G NR. The base station 111 in 5G is also called a gNodeB (gNB). The communication range or support range of each of the 5G base stations 111A, 111B, and 111C is called a cell, and is illustrated as 112A, 112B, and 112C, respectively (hereinafter collectively referred to as 5G cells 112).

[0015] The size of the 5G cell 112 of each 5G base station 111 is arbitrary, but typically has a radius of several meters to several tens of kilometers. Although there is no established definition, a cell with a radius of several meters to several tens of meters is called a femtocell, a cell with a radius of tens to several tens of meters is called a picocell, a cell with a radius of several tens to several hundred meters is called a microcell, and a cell with a radius of more than several hundred meters is called a macrocell. 5G often uses high-frequency radio waves such as millimeter waves, and because of their high line-propagation ability, the radio waves are blocked by obstacles, shortening the communication distance. For this reason, 5G tends to use smaller cells than 4G and earlier generations.

[0016] A communication device 2 can perform 5G communication if it is located within at least one of multiple 5G cells 112A, 112B, and 112C. In the illustrated example, a communication device 2B located within 5G cells 112A and 112B can communicate with both 5G base stations 111A and 111B via 5G NR. Furthermore, a communication device 2C located within 5G cell 112C can communicate with 5G base station 111C via 5G NR. Communication devices 2A and 2D are located outside all of the 5G cells 112A, 112B, and 112C and are therefore unable to communicate via 5G NR. 5G communication via 5G NR between each communication device 2 and each 5G base station 111 is managed by the 5GC, which is a core network. For example, the 5GC handles data exchange with each 5G base station 111, data exchange with external networks such as EPC, satellite communication system 13, and the Internet, and mobility management of the communication device 2.

[0017] The 4G wireless communication system 12 includes multiple 4G base stations 121 (only one is shown in FIG. 1 ). The multiple 4G base stations 121 are installed on the ground and are capable of communicating with the communication device 2 via LTE or LTE-Advanced. In 4G, the base station 121 is also called an eNodeB (eNB). Like each 5G base station 111, the communication range or support area of ​​each 4G base station 121 is also called a cell and is illustrated as 122.

[0018] If the communication device 2 is located inside the 4G cell 122, it can perform 4G communication. In the illustrated example, communication devices 2A and 2B located inside the 4G cell 122 can communicate with the 4G base station 121 via LTE or LTE-Advanced. Communication devices 2C and 2D are located outside the 4G cell 122 and therefore cannot communicate via LTE or LTE-Advanced. 4G communication by LTE or LTE-Advanced between each communication device 2 and each 4G base station 121 is managed by the EPC, which is a core network. For example, the EPC handles the exchange of data with each 4G base station 121, the exchange of data with external networks such as 5GC, the satellite communication system 13, and the Internet, and the mobility management of the communication device 2.

[0019] Focusing on each of the communication devices 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D, in the illustrated example, communication device 2A is capable of 4G communication with 4G base station 121, communication device 2B is capable of 5G communication with 5G base stations 111A and 111B and 4G communication with 4G base station 121, and communication device 2C is capable of 5G communication with 5G base station 111C. When there are multiple base stations (111A, 111B, 121) with which communication is possible, as with communication device 2B, one base station determined to be optimal in terms of communication quality, etc. is selected under the management of the core network 5GC and / or EPC, and communication with communication device 2B is performed. Furthermore, communication device 2D is not capable of communication with any of the 5G base stations 111 and 4G base station 121, and therefore performs communication via satellite communication system 13, which will be described next.

[0020] The satellite communication system 13 is a wireless communication system that uses a communication satellite 131, a low-orbit satellite that flies in space at an altitude of approximately 500 km to 700 km above the Earth's surface, as a non-terrestrial base station. Similar to the 5G base station 111 and the 4G base station 121, the communication coverage or support area of ​​the communication satellite 131 is also called a cell and is illustrated as 132. In this way, the communication satellite 131, as a non-terrestrial base station, provides the satellite communication cell 132, as a non-terrestrial communication cell, to the ground. A terrestrial communication device 2 can perform satellite communication if it is located within the satellite communication cell 132. Similar to the 5G base station 111 in the 5G wireless communication system 11 and the 4G base station 121 in the 4G wireless communication system 12, the communication satellite 131, as a base station in the satellite communication system 13, can wirelessly communicate with the communication device 2 within the satellite communication cell 132 directly or indirectly via an aircraft or the like. The radio access technology that the communication satellite 131 uses for radio communication with the communication device 2 in the satellite communication cell 132 may be 5G NR, the same as the 5G base station 111, or LTE or LTE-Advanced, the same as the 4G base station 121, or any other radio access technology that can be used by the communication device 2. Therefore, the communication device 2 does not need to be provided with special functions or components for satellite communication.

[0021] The satellite communication system 13 includes a gateway 133 as a ground station installed on the ground and capable of communicating with a communication satellite 131. The gateway 133 includes a satellite antenna for communicating with the communication satellite 131, and is connected to a 5G base station 111 and a 4G base station 121 as terrestrial base stations that constitute a terrestrial network (TN). In this way, the gateway 133 connects the non-terrestrial network (NTN) formed by the communication satellite 131 as a non-terrestrial base station or satellite base station and the TN formed by the terrestrial base stations 111 and 121 so that they can communicate with each other. When the communication satellite 131 performs 5G communication with the communication device 2 in the satellite communication cell 132 using 5G NR, the 5GC connected via the gateway 133 and the 5G base station 111 (or the 5G radio access network) in the TN is used as the core network, and when the communication satellite 131 performs 4G communication with the communication device 2 in the satellite communication cell 132 using LTE or LTE-Advanced, the EPC connected via the gateway 133 and the 4G base station 121 (or the 4G radio access network) in the TN is used as the core network. In this way, appropriate cooperation is achieved between different wireless communication systems such as 5G communication, 4G communication, and satellite communication via the gateway 133.

[0022] Satellite communication using a communication satellite 131 is primarily used to cover areas where terrestrial base stations such as the 5G base station 111 and the 4G base station 121 are not installed or are few in number. In the illustrated example, a communication device 2D located outside the communication cells of all terrestrial base stations communicates with the communication satellite 131. Meanwhile, communication devices 2A, 2B, and 2C that can communicate satisfactorily with any terrestrial base station are also within the satellite communication cell 132 and can therefore communicate with the communication satellite 131. However, by communicating with the terrestrial base station rather than the communication satellite 131 as a satellite base station, the limited communication resources (including power) of the communication satellite 131 are conserved for the communication device 2D and the like. The communication satellite 131 improves the quality of communication with the communication device 2D by directing communication radio waves toward the communication device 2D within the satellite communication cell 132 using beamforming.

[0023] The size of the satellite communication cell 132 of the communication satellite 131 serving as a satellite base station can be set arbitrarily depending on the number of beams emitted by the communication satellite 131. For example, a maximum of 2,800 beams can be combined to form a satellite communication cell 132 with a diameter of approximately 24 km. As shown in the figure, the satellite communication cell 132 is typically larger than terrestrial communication cells such as the 5G cell 112 and the 4G cell 122, and may include one or more 5G cells 112 and / or 4G cells 122 therein. Note that, although the above example illustrates a communication satellite 131 flying in low orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 km to 700 km above the Earth's surface as a flying non-terrestrial base station, a communication satellite flying in high orbit such as a geostationary orbit, or an unmanned or manned aircraft or drone flying in the atmosphere at a lower altitude (e.g., approximately 20 km above the Earth's surface) such as the stratosphere, may also be used as a non-terrestrial base station in addition to or instead of the communication satellite 131.

[0024] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the overall configuration of a wireless communication system 1 to which a communication control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied. As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the wireless communication system 1 is typically constructed using terrestrial communication cells 112 and 122 (hereinafter also referred to as fixed communication cells) provided by terrestrial base stations 111 and 121 (hereinafter also referred to as fixed base stations) that are fixedly installed on the ground. However, there are problems in that mobile communication is not possible outside the fixed communication cells, and even within the fixed communication cells, the quality of mobile communication degrades depending on the time and location. The wireless communication system 1 may also include a satellite communication system 13 in which a communication satellite 131 is used as a non-terrestrial base station or a mobile base station. However, it is unrealistic to supplement the terrestrial network of the terrestrial base stations 111 and 121 solely with the communication satellite 131.

[0025] To solve this problem, it is preferable to introduce dynamic communication stations DS to supplement the fixed communication cells 112, 122 provided by the fixed base stations 111, 121, as shown in Fig. 2. A dynamic communication station DS is, for example, a communication station that can provide a dynamic communication cell that can change spatially and / or temporally. For example, a mobile communication station is an example of a dynamic communication station DS that provides a dynamic communication cell that changes spatially (i.e., moves). Also, a communication station that can be switched between an active state that provides a dynamic communication cell and an inactive state that does not provide a dynamic communication cell is an example of a dynamic communication station DS that provides a dynamic communication cell that changes temporally (i.e., is switched on and off).

[0026] The dynamic communication station DS may be, for example, a communication station whose operating time is limited to a specific time period, or an on-demand communication station that can adaptively switch between a stopped state and an operating state according to the communication demand of the communication device, etc. Examples of the dynamic communication station DS include a mobile base station such as a communication satellite 131 that functions as a base station (or a fixed base station that can switch between an operating state and a stopped state), and a repeater (hereinafter also referred to as a relay station) that communicates with existing fixed base stations 111 and 121 to expand existing fixed communication cells 112 and 122. The dynamic communication station DS in the example of Figure 2 is an IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) node.

[0027] IAB is a technology developed for 5G that uses wireless backhaul between a base station serving as an IAB donor (parent node) and an IAB node (child node), and / or between parent-child IAB nodes (the IAB node closest to the IAB donor is the parent node, and the IAB node farther from the IAB donor is the child node) to expand the communication cell of the parent node. Here, "expanding the communication cell" not only refers to expanding the area covered by an existing communication cell, but also includes improving the communication quality of at least part of the existing communication cell. Furthermore, "expanding the area covered by a communication cell" not only refers to expanding the horizontal area of ​​the existing communication cell, but also includes expanding the existing communication cell vertically, for example, underground or to the upper and / or lower floors of a building.

[0028] 2 , the dynamic communication station DS as an IAB node includes a communication device function unit 41 that functions as a communication device for parent nodes (parent base stations) including the fixed base stations 111 and 121, and a base station function unit 42 that functions as a child base station for the communication device UE and provides a dynamic communication cell. In 5G, the communication device function unit 41 is defined as an MT (Mobile Termination) or IAB-MT, and the base station function unit 42 is defined as a DU (Distributed Unit) or IAB-DU. Note that, in other wireless communication systems including those of generations after 5G, including a CU (Central Unit) described later, it is expected that functions similar to IAB, MT, DU, and CU may be provided under different names. In this embodiment, such similar functions may be used as IAB, MT, DU, and CU.

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates two fixed base stations 111 and 121. The first fixed base station 121, which is a 4G base station, provides a first fixed communication cell 122 as a 4G cell, and the second fixed base station 111, which is a 5G base station, provides a second fixed communication cell 112 as a 5G cell. In the example of FIG. 2, the baseband functions of each fixed base station 111 and 121 are separated into a centralized unit (CU) on the core network (CN) side and a distributed unit (DU) on the communication device (UE) side. The first distributed unit DU1 of the first fixed base station 121 is provided near radio equipment such as an antenna of the first fixed base station 121, typically in the same base station facility as the radio equipment. The second distributed unit DU2 of the second fixed base station 111 is provided near radio equipment such as an antenna of the second fixed base station 111, typically in the same base station facility as the radio equipment. In the illustrated example, the aggregation unit CU is shared by the first fixed base station 121 (first distributed unit DU1) and the second fixed base station 111 (second distributed unit DU2), but individual aggregation units may be provided for each of the fixed base stations 111 and 121. The aggregation unit CU is connected to the core network CN. The connections between radio devices such as antennas in each of the fixed base stations 111 and 121 and each of the distributed units DU1 and DU2, the connections between each of the distributed units DU1 and DU2 and the aggregation unit CU, and the connections between the aggregation unit CU and the core network CN are typically wired, such as by conductors or optical fibers, but some or all of these connections may also be wireless.

[0030] The communication device function unit 41 (IAB-MT) of the dynamic communication station DS can be wirelessly connected to the distributed unit DU of either of the fixed base stations 111 and 121 depending on the location of the dynamic communication station DS. In the example of FIG. 2, the communication device function unit 41 is wirelessly connected to the second distributed unit DU2 of the second fixed base station 111. In this case, the dynamic communication station DS functions as a child node with the second fixed base station 111 as a parent node (parent base station) or IAB donor, and expands the second fixed communication cell 112 by the second fixed base station 111 as the parent node. Then, the base station function unit 42 (IAB-DU) of the dynamic communication station DS provides the communication device UE with a dynamic communication cell (not shown) or a mobile communication cell as an extended communication cell of the second fixed communication cell 112. In the example of FIG. 2, two communication devices 2E and 2F connected to the base station function unit 42 of the dynamic communication station DS are schematically shown. The first communication device 2E, while being within the first fixed communication cell 122 but outside the second fixed communication cell 112, substantially communicates with the second fixed base station 111 through the dynamic communication station DS. The second communication device 2F, while being within the overlapping area of ​​the first fixed communication cell 122 and the second fixed communication cell 112, substantially communicates with the second fixed base station 111 through the dynamic communication station DS. Note that the dynamic communication station DS as an IAB node may use a mobile base station such as a communication satellite 131 as a parent base station to expand a mobile communication cell such as a satellite communication cell 132.

[0031] When implemented as a mobile communication station (such as an IAB node), the dynamic communication station DS is attached to a mobile body, except in the case of a mobile station capable of autonomously moving (flying) like the communication satellite 131. The mobile body is any mobile object or person, including any vehicle such as a car, train, motorcycle, bicycle, airplane, drone, or ship. The mobile dynamic communication station DS may also be a communication device 2 carried by a moving person, such as a communication device 2 equipped with a tethering function or a personal hotspot function. Since such a communication device 2 (dynamic communication station DS) generally functions as a wireless LAN access point, the RAT (e.g., 5G NR) used by the expansion source base station (e.g., the second fixed base station 111) may differ from the RAT used by the expansion destination dynamic communication station DS.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a communication control device 3 according to this embodiment. The communication control device 3 includes a measurement area setting unit 31, a measurement capability recognition unit 32, a measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33, a measurement information processing unit 34, and a measurement information output unit 35. Some of these functional blocks may be omitted as long as the communication control device 3 can achieve at least some of the functions and / or effects described below. These functional blocks are realized through the cooperation of hardware resources, such as a computer's central processing unit, memory, input devices, output devices, and peripheral devices connected to the computer, and software executed using these resources. Regardless of the type or location of the computer, each of the above functional blocks may be realized by the hardware resources of a single computer or by combining hardware resources distributed across multiple computers. In particular, in this embodiment, some or all of the functional blocks of the communication control device 3 may be realized in a centralized or decentralized manner by various communication stations (including, as will be described later, the communication device 2, the terrestrial base station BS, the ultra-small base station (femtocell) FC, the airborne communication station FS, the relay station RS, the IAB node IAB, the gateway 133, etc.) that can communicate in a radio access network (RAN), a mobile body V on which the communication station is mounted, a sensor unit 43, and a computer or processor provided in a core network CN (not shown in FIG. 3 ). In the following examples, unless otherwise specified, it is assumed that most of the functional blocks of the communication control device 3 are realized in the core network CN.

[0033] The measurement area setting unit 31 sets a measurement area SA. The measurement area SA is an area that can be arbitrarily set in the core network CN, where a measurement information requesting entity 5, which may be any individual or corporation, can request measurement information from various sensors installed within the measurement area SA. One measurement area SA includes one or more communication stations and / or one or more sensors. In new mobile communication networks such as 5G, which increasingly utilize ultra-small femtocells FC, it is expected that one measurement area SA will include multiple communication stations and / or multiple sensors, as shown in the schematic diagram. Each measurement area SA is preferably assigned identification information or ID for uniquely identifying it and managed in the core network CN. Hereinafter, such identification information for the measurement area SA will be referred to as a measurement area ID.

[0034] In the measurement area SA, various communication stations and / or various sensors are provided so as to be capable of communicating with the RAN and / or core network CN of the mobile communication network. The communication stations may be devices with communication capabilities that can directly or indirectly access the RAN. Examples of communication stations include terrestrial base stations BS that are fixedly installed on the ground and provide relatively large communication cells (e.g., picocells, microcells, and macrocells), ultra-small base stations FC that provide femtocells, flying communication stations FS (which may function as base stations like the communication satellite 131, or may be relay stations or IAB nodes associated with other base stations) mounted on flying satellites, aircraft, drones, etc., relay stations RS that communicate with existing base stations BS to expand existing communication cells, the IAB nodes IAB described above, and the sensor units 43 described below.

[0035] A communication device 2 such as a smartphone that can communicate directly or indirectly with these communication stations is also an aspect of the communication station in the present disclosure. The communication device 2 may cooperate with other communication stations such as a terrestrial base station BS, a micro base station FC, an airborne communication station FS, a relay station RS, an IAB node IAB, and a sensor unit 43 to collect measurement information and provide it via a mobile communication network. In such a case, any combination of multiple communication stations, such as the communication device 2 and other communication stations that cooperate in collecting and / or providing measurement information, may virtually function as a single communication station.

[0036] Furthermore, the sensor in this embodiment may be any device capable of providing its measurement information through a mobile communication network. If the various communication stations described above have a sensor function, the communication station also functions as a sensor. Alternatively, it can be said that a sensor capable of providing measurement information through a RAN functions as a communication station.

[0037] The sensors are any type of device that performs measurements at any location within the measurement area SA. The measurement target of each sensor is also arbitrary. For example, the sensors may be image sensors such as cameras or audio sensors such as microphones. The sensors may also measure physical, chemical, or biological quantities that directly or indirectly represent various conditions at the measurement site, such as temperature sensors, humidity sensors, electrical sensors, magnetic sensors, optical sensors, mechanical sensors, acoustic sensors, chemical sensors, or biological sensors. Furthermore, the sensors may measure communication measurement information such as communication quality, traffic volume, and communication type in the mobile communication network. These various sensors are distributed across the mobile communication network in various modes or forms (i.e., installed in various communication stations).

[0038] A communication device 2 such as a smartphone serving as a sensor and a communication station may have sensor functions such as an image sensor (camera), an audio sensor (microphone), a temperature sensor, an acceleration sensor (inertial sensor), a position sensor (GPS, etc.), and a biosensor (measuring heart rate or blood pressure). Furthermore, a communication device 2 such as a smartphone is typically equipped with various communication measurement (communication sensor) functions for mobile communication with a mobile communication network. Specifically, the communication device 2 functioning as a communication sensor measures communication quality and the like at its own location and provides the measured results to a base station BS and the like in the form of channel state information (CSI) and the like.

[0039] Furthermore, any type of one or more sensors may be provided in communication stations, such as terrestrial base stations BS, micro base stations FC, airborne communication stations FS, relay stations RS, and IAB nodes IAB, that constitute a mobile communication network (particularly RAN) and are capable of communicating with the communication device 2. For example, these communication stations typically function as communication sensors that can measure the quality of the communication cell they provide to the communication device 2 and interference with other communication cells, based on communication quality information such as CSI provided from multiple currently connected communication devices 2. Furthermore, the communication device function unit 41 (IAB-MT) in the IAB node IAB, which serves as the dynamic communication station DS illustrated in FIG. 2, may be provided as standard with a communication measurement (communication sensor) function similar to that of a general communication device 2, such as a smartphone.

[0040] At least some of the sensors may be provided as sensor units 43 capable of directly or indirectly communicating with communication stations (such as terrestrial base stations BS, micro base stations FC, flying communication stations FS, relay stations RS, and IAB nodes IAB) constituting a mobile communication network (particularly, a RAN). The sensor units 43 (or various communication stations (such as IAB nodes IAB in the illustrated example)) may be provided on a mobile object such as a vehicle V or any other object equipped with communication capabilities. These sensor units 43 do not need to have advanced communication capabilities like a general-purpose communication device 2 such as a smartphone, and may be IoT devices equipped with minimal communication capabilities capable of sharing measurement results with the RAN and / or core network CN. Furthermore, the sensor units 43 may use short-range wireless communication technology such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) to provide measurement results to other nearby communication stations (such as the communication device 2, terrestrial base stations BS, micro base stations FC, flying communication stations FS, relay stations RS, and IAB nodes IAB) and / or other sensor units 43, which may then relay or provide the measurement results to the RAN and / or core network CN as needed.

[0041] As described above, a wide variety of sensors are interconnected or coupled via a mobile communication network (particularly, the RAN) to form a sensor network. The core network CN or the communication control device 3 (particularly, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 and the measurement information processing unit 34 described later) functions to collect and analyze measurement information from various sensors in the sensor network. The functions may be implemented at least in part by an artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) function, such as a network data analytics function (NWDAF), which collects and analyzes data on the mobile communication network. While such AI / ML functions and other data processing functions are typically implemented in the core network CN, they may also be implemented at least in part by an edge server located closer to the communication device 2 (on the RAN side) than the core network CN. The technology of using such edge servers to distribute and speed up processing is also called multi-access edge computing (MEC). Furthermore, the data processing functions available in the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33, the measurement information processing unit 34, and the like may also be implemented at least in part by a user plane function (UPF) in the core network CN.

[0042] The measurement capability recognition unit 32 causes the mobile communication network to recognize the measurement capabilities of multiple (typically many) sensors that can communicate in the mobile communication network. The measurement capability recognition unit 32 may cause each sensor (or each communication station in which each sensor is installed) to notify the mobile communication network (particularly the core network CN) of information regarding the measurement capability set in that sensor. Alternatively, for example, the measurement capability recognition unit 32 installed in the core network CN may recognize the measurement capability of each sensor by setting the measurement capability of that sensor itself.

[0043] 4 is a table showing an example of the measurement capabilities of a number of sensors recognized by the mobile communication network (particularly the core network CN) by the measurement capability recognition unit 32. Such a table is preferably created in the core network CN and stored or managed in a manner that allows it to be referenced or used as needed. Furthermore, such a table is preferably updated as needed when new communication stations and / or sensors are added to each measurement area SA or when changes are made to existing communication stations and / or sensors.

[0044] Examples of information stored in the table in the illustrated example include sensing area ID, cell ID, cell type, cell location, measurable items (sensed information), sensing accuracy, provision manner of sensed information, use case, etc.

[0045] As described above, the sensing area ID is identification information of the sensing area SA. If an ID that can be used as the sensing area ID does not exist in existing wireless communication standards such as 5G, it is preferable to create such an ID.

[0046] A cell ID is identification information for a communication station and / or sensor included in a measurement area SA and capable of providing various measurement information related to the measurement area SA. In this diagram, a "cell" primarily refers to an area where a sensor (including the sensor function of a communication station) can acquire measurement information, in other words, an area to be measured by the sensor. A measurement area SA can also be defined as any collection of such "cells." Note that various IDs assigned to communication stations and / or sensors with mobile communication capabilities to identify them on a mobile communication network may be used as the cell ID in this diagram. For example, a base station BS or a micro base station FC providing a communication cell is assigned an ID (generally referred to as a cell ID) that identifies the communication cell, and this may be used as the (measurement) cell ID in this diagram.

[0047] The cell type is the type of communication station and / or sensor that constitutes the measurement area SA. As described above, examples of cell types include a base station BS (a non-terrestrial base station (Satellite BS) such as the communication satellite 131, or a terrestrial base station (Macrocell BS) that provides a macrocell, etc.), a femtocell FC, an aircraft FS, a relay station RS, an IAB node IAB, a sensor unit 43, and a communication device (UE) 2. Note that, for simplicity, one of each cell type is shown in the illustrated example, but in reality, multiple communication stations and / or sensors (assigned different cell IDs) of the same cell type may be included in one measurement area SA.

[0048] A Cell Location is the location of a communication station and / or sensor that constitutes a measurement area SA. In the illustrated example, the cell location of a non-terrestrial base station BS (Satellite BS) with a cell ID of "Cell#1" is in low earth orbit, the cell location of a terrestrial base station BS (Macrocell BS) with a cell ID of "Cell#2" is outdoors or along a road (Street), the cell location of a micro base station FC (Femtocell FC) with a cell ID of "Cell#3" is outdoors or indoors, the cell location of an aircraft FS (Aircraft FS) with a cell ID of "Cell#4" is in the troposphere, the cell location of a relay station RS (Relay Station RS) with a cell ID of "Cell#5" is outdoors, in a tunnel, or indoors, and the cell location of an IAB node IAB (Inter Aircraft FS) with a cell ID of "Cell#6" is in the troposphere. The cell location of the sensor unit 43 with cell ID "Cell#7" is outdoors, indoors, or inside a building, and the cell location of the communication device (UE) 2 with cell ID "Cell#8" is outdoors or indoors.

[0049] The cell location of a communication station and / or sensor that is fixedly installed on the ground indicates the installation location of the communication station and / or the sensor, and the cell location of a mobile communication station and / or sensor may be measured in real time by a positioning sensor such as a GPS attached to the communication station and / or the sensor and updated as needed.

[0050] The measurable items (Sensed Information) are items or information that can be measured by the communication stations and / or sensors that make up the measurement area SA. The items that can be measured by various sensors have been described above, but in the illustrated example, the measurable items of the non-terrestrial base station BS (Satellite BS), terrestrial base station BS (Macrocell BS), and airborne communication station FS (Aircraft FS) include communication quality (Com. quality), the measurable items of the femtocell base station FC (Femtocell FC), relay station RS (Relay Station RS), and IAB node IAB include the number of connected users (Connected users), and the measurable items of the sensor unit (Sensor Unit) 43 and the communication device (UE) 2 include various information (Various information).

[0051] Sensing accuracy is the accuracy or confidence level of measurements made by the sensors that make up the measurement area SA. Sensing accuracy can be expressed as any index, but in the example shown, it is expressed as a percentage, with 100% being the sensing accuracy when the sensor can perfectly measure the measurement target without error.

[0052] As shown in the table of FIG. 5 , when a sensor measures the physical position or speed of a measurement target, the measurable accuracy may be expressed as a measurable resolution in the horizontal and / or vertical directions (e.g., for position, mm level, cm level, or m level). The measurable accuracy may include factors related to the time required for the measurement itself and / or transmission of the measurement information (Max sensing service latency: the shorter the latency, the higher the accuracy), the frequency with which the measurement information is updated (Refreshing rate: the higher the latency, the higher the accuracy), and the number of missed detections / false alarms (the fewer the number of missed detections / false alarms, the higher the accuracy). Note that the scenarios in FIG. 5 correspond to use cases (crowd detection is shown as an example), and the sensing service areas correspond to the measurement areas SA.

[0053] 4 may be the maximum measurement accuracy that each sensor can provide. In this case, as will be described later, each sensor and / or the measurement information processing unit 34 or the measurement information output unit 35 may adaptively change the accuracy or level of detail of the measurement information provided to the measurement information requesting entity 5 within the range of the measurement accuracy that each sensor can provide, depending on the use case of the measurement information and the measurement information requesting entity 5.

[0054] The provision manner of sensed information refers to the manner of sensed information provided to the sensed information request entity 5 by each sensor and / or the sensed information processor 34 and the sensed information output unit 35 (described later). In FIG. 4 , whether the sensed information is anonymous or not (anonymous / anonymous) is exemplified as a provision manner. "Anonymity" primarily refers to the property that various unique information, such as the location, user, and performance of the communication station and / or sensor that is the source of the sensed information, cannot be identified from the sensed information provided to the sensed information request entity 5. Even when a sensor provides non-anonymous sensed information (i.e., sensed information that can identify the sensor) to the core network CN, the sensed information provided to the sensed information request entity 5 may be anonymized by, for example, the sensed information processor 34 (described later) performing an anonymization process.

[0055] A use case is a use case in which measurement information from sensors constituting a measurement area SA can be used. Examples of use cases include public use, such as emergency calls to an emergency agency, commercial use by a private service provider, and OAM (Operations / Administration / Maintenance) use by a mobile communication network operator. Specific use cases can be set arbitrarily, and examples include emergency calls to an emergency agency, grasping congestion situations, and detecting suspicious individuals. Use cases may also be set based on time factors. For example, use cases may be set such as grasping congestion situations during the day and detecting suspicious individuals at night.

[0056] Use cases may be determined according to the measurement information requesting entity 5, which is the beneficiary of the measurement information. For example, measurement data of cell ID "Cell#1", in which an emergency agency is recorded as the measurement information requesting entity 5, can be used for public use cases such as emergency calls. Furthermore, measurement data of cell ID "Cell#2", in which a service provider is recorded as the measurement information requesting entity 5, and measurement data of cell ID "Cell#7", in which building maintenance and security services are recorded as use cases, can be used for commercial use cases related to the provision of various services by a service provider. Furthermore, measurement data of cell ID "Cell#5", in which an operator is recorded as the measurement information requesting entity 5, can be used for an OAM use case by the operator.

[0057] The use case may include private use (Private) in which an individual is the recipient of the measurement information or the measurement information requesting entity 5. However, from the viewpoint of privacy protection and security of the source of the measurement information, it is preferable that the measurement information provided to the individual (measurement information requesting entity 5) in this case is highly anonymized by the sensor itself and / or the measurement information processing unit 34 described later.

[0058] Furthermore, when individuals or private service providers are set as measurement information recipients or measurement information requesters 5, the measurement information processor 34 and measurement information output unit 35 (described later) may adaptively change the content and level of detail of the measurement information provided depending on the status, attributes, etc. of each beneficiary. For example, more detailed measurement information may be provided to individuals or private service providers who have been assigned a high credit score based on their status, attributes, etc., and less detailed measurement information may be provided to individuals or private service providers who have been assigned a low credit score based on their status, attributes, etc. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the mobile communication network operator itself may be the entity providing a service that provides highly anonymous measurement information collected and / or analyzed in each measurement area SA to a third party (measurement information requester 5). In this case, the measurement information processor 34 and measurement information output unit 35 (described later) may adaptively change the content and level of detail of the measurement information provided to each service subscriber (measurement information requester 5) depending on the amount charged for such a measurement information providing service, the subscription plan, etc.

[0059] As shown in Figure 4 above, the measurement area setting unit 31 and the measurement capability recognition unit 32 manage the measurement capabilities of a large number of sensors (and / or communication stations) whose measurable range includes a measurement area SA that can be arbitrarily set mainly on the ground as a measurement capability group or sensor group in the measurement area SA in the mobile communication network (particularly the core network CN).

[0060] 3 , in response to a request for measurement information regarding the measurement area SA set by the measurement area setting unit 31, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 sets sensors that will provide measurement information via the mobile communication network from among the multiple sensors (and / or communication stations) that include the measurement area SA within their measurable range. In other words, in response to a request for measurement information within the measurement area SA from the measurement information requesting entity 5, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 sets one or more sensors within the measurement area SA to be actually used. In other words, in response to a request for measurement information from the measurement information requesting entity 5, measurement information from all sensors within the measurement area SA is not always provided to the measurement information requesting entity 5, but rather, measurement information from typically some of the sensors set or selected by the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 in response to the request is provided to the measurement information requesting entity 5.

[0061] 6 is a table showing an example of the setting information by the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33. Such a table is preferably created in the core network CN and stored or managed in a manner that allows it to be referenced or used as needed. Examples of information stored in the table in the illustrated example include a sensing area ID, a use case, a beneficiary of the measurement information, a sensor to be used, information to be provided, whether sensitive information needs to be anonymized, and a detail level.

[0062] The sensing area ID is the same as in FIG. 4 . Using this sensing area ID, the measurement information requesting entity 5 specifies the sensing area SA for which measurement information is requested. Note that if the measurement information requesting entity 5 does not specify a specific sensing area SA, it may be determined that the sensing area SA in which the measurement information requesting entity 5 is located is specified. The use case and the beneficiary of the measurement information are the same as in FIG. 4 . The use case may be estimated by the core network CN that recognizes the beneficiary (i.e., the measurement information requesting entity 5) (for example, if the measurement information requesting entity 5 is an emergency agency, the use case may be estimated as an emergency call), or may be indicated to the core network CN when the beneficiary requests measurement information. The use case and / or beneficiary information constitute the main part of the request for measurement information related to the sensing area SA by the measurement information requesting entity 5.

[0063] The sensors to be used are sensors that are actually used to provide measurement information in response to a request for measurement information from a measurement information requesting entity 5, which is determined by the use case and / or the beneficiary. These sensors are specified by cell IDs, etc., as shown in FIG. 4. Note that in FIG. 4, one cell specified by one cell ID may include multiple sensors. In this case, one or more arbitrary sensors included in the cell may be individually specified by "sensors to be used" in FIG. 6. In the illustrated example, in the use case of an emergency report in which an emergency agency is the beneficiary, and in the use case of OAM in which an operator is the beneficiary, almost all sensors in the measurement area SA with the measurement area ID "AAA" are used.

[0064] In addition, in use cases of information services in which the beneficiaries are service providers for commercial use or individuals for private use, sensors that are individually defined in a service agreement concluded between the operator or other provider of the information service and each beneficiary are used.

[0065] As shown in the illustrated example, service providers (businesses that provide various services using the measurement information) who are beneficiaries of the measurement information may include, for example, premium users who pay a relatively high service fee for the measurement information and standard users who pay a relatively low service fee for the measurement information. In such a case, a relatively large number of sensors may be used in the measurement information provision service for premium users, and a relatively small number of sensors may be used in the measurement information provision service for standard users.

[0066] Similarly, individuals who are beneficiaries of the measurement information may include, for example, paying users who pay a relatively high service fee for the measurement information, and non-paying users who do not pay a service fee for the measurement information. In such a case, a relatively large number of sensors may be used in the measurement information providing service for paying users, and a relatively small number of sensors may be used in the measurement information providing service for non-paying users.

[0067] As described above, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 may set a sensor to provide measurement information in accordance with the entity requesting the measurement information (measurement information request entity 5). The measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 may also set a sensor to provide measurement information in accordance with the fee for the measurement information request (measurement information provision service). Furthermore, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 may set a sensor to provide measurement information in response to a request from the measurement information request entity 5 based on the type (cell type in FIG. 4 ) or location (cell location in FIG. 4 ) of the communication stations and / or sensors that make up the measurement area SA. In this way, it is preferable that the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 set a sensor to provide measurement information in response to a request from the measurement information request entity 5 based on the measurement capabilities of each sensor as shown in FIG. 4 recognized by the mobile communication network by the measurement capability recognition unit 32.

[0068] The information to be provided is measurement information actually provided from the sensor to be used to the measurement information requesting entity 5. This measurement information is specified by the measurable items (Sensed Information) shown in FIG. 4. In the illustrated example, in an emergency report use case in which an emergency agency is the beneficiary, measurement information obtained from each sensor to be used that may suggest the occurrence of an emergency may be selected by a measurement information analysis unit 341 (described later) or the like, and provided to the emergency agency as the measurement information requesting entity 5. In an OAM use case in which an operator is the beneficiary, measurement information useful for OAM, such as communication quality, may be selected by a measurement information analysis unit 341 (described later) or the like, and provided to the operator as the measurement information requesting entity 5.

[0069] Furthermore, in the use case of an information service in which the beneficiaries are a service provider for commercial use or an individual for private use, similar to the case of a sensor to be used, measurement information individually defined in a service agreement concluded between an operator or the like that is the provider of the information service and each beneficiary is provided to the measurement information requesting entity 5. For example, a relatively large amount of measurement information may be provided to premium users or paying users, and a relatively small amount of measurement information may be provided to standard users or non-paying users.

[0070] The "anonymizing sensitive information" setting determines whether or not sensitive information that may be included in the information to be provided, such as measurement information that does not have anonymity (i.e., that can identify the sensor or user), is anonymized, and to what extent. The necessity of anonymization is set within the framework of the "Provision Manner of Sensed Information" setting shown in FIG. 4. For example, even if the measurement information provided by the sensor in FIG. 4 is "Anonymous," if the setting is "Anonymization Required" in FIG. 6, the measurement information is anonymized by the measurement information processing unit 34, which will be described later. Furthermore, even if the measurement information provided by the sensor in FIG. 4 is "Anonymous," no special anonymization process may be performed on the measurement information provided by the sensor, even if the setting is "Anonymization Required" in FIG. 6. In this way, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 sets the provision manner of the measurement information from the sensor (e.g., whether or not and to what extent anonymization is required) in accordance with a request (e.g., a use case) from the measurement information request entity 5.

[0071] In the illustrated example, in the use case of Emergency Report, where the beneficiary is an Emergency Agency, anonymization is not necessarily required due to its public nature and high urgency. In the use case of OAM, where the beneficiary is an Operator, anonymization is not necessarily required as long as sensitive information is handled appropriately within the mobile communication network (especially the core network CN).

[0072] In the use case of information services for commercial service providers or private individuals, anonymization is performed in accordance with the conditions individually stipulated in the service agreement concluded between the operator or other provider of the information service and each beneficiary. Typically, the level of anonymization of measurement information provided to premium users for commercial use is relatively low (although the level of anonymization is higher than that for emergency agencies and operators), while the level of anonymization of measurement information provided to non-paying users for private use may be set relatively high. In either case, it is assumed that sensitive information will be handled appropriately under the service agreement.

[0073] The detail level (Detail Level) sets the level of detail or accuracy when the information to be provided is actually provided to the measurement information requesting entity 5. These detail levels are set within the framework of the sensing accuracy (Sensing Accuracy) shown in FIG. 4. Specifically, measurement information with a sensing accuracy of "80%" in FIG. 4 can be provided to the measurement information requesting entity 5 as is in use cases where the detail level in FIG. 6 is "80%" or higher. However, in use cases where the detail level in FIG. 6 is less than "80%," the level of detail can be reduced by a measurement information processing unit 34 (described later) or the like to match the set detail level, and the information can be provided to the measurement information requesting entity 5. For example, measurement information with a measurable accuracy of "mm level" can be provided to the measurement information requesting entity 5 with a detail level of "cm level" reduced to "cm level" according to the set detail level.

[0074] In the illustrated example, in the use case of Emergency Report, in which the beneficiary is an Emergency Agency, and in the use case of OAM, in which the beneficiary is an Operator, the level of detail or accuracy is not reduced in principle (measurement information is provided to the measurement information requesting entity 5 with the same measurable accuracy as in Figure 4).

[0075] In the use case of an information service in which a service provider for commercial use or an individual for private use is the beneficiary, the level of detail or accuracy is reduced in accordance with the conditions individually specified in a service agreement concluded between the operator or the like that provides the information service and each beneficiary. Typically, the level of detail of measurement information provided to premium users for commercial use may be set relatively high, while the level of detail of measurement information provided to non-paying users for private use may be set relatively low.

[0076] In FIG. 3 , upon receiving a measurement information request from the measurement information requesting entity 5, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 references a setting information table such as that shown in FIG. 6 . Specifically, based on the measurement information request from the measurement information requesting entity 5, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 recognizes the measurement area ID (Sensing Area ID), use case (Use Case), measurement information beneficiary (Beneficiary of Information), etc., and reads out various setting information corresponding to the sensor to be used (Sensor to be used), information to be provided (Information to be provided), whether or not sensitive information needs to be anonymized (Anonymizing sensitive information), and detail level (Detail Level). Then, based on the various setting information read out, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 causes the set sensor to provide measurement information that has been processed according to the set anonymity and detail level. Note that processing of the measurement information according to the set anonymity and detail level may be performed by the measurement information processing unit 34, which will be described next.

[0077] The measurement information processing unit 34 processes the measurement information provided from each sensor via the mobile communication network as needed based on the setting information table as shown in Fig. 6. For example, the measurement information processing unit 34 functions as a sensor identifiable information reduction unit that reduces unique information that can identify the sensor in the measurement information of the sensor (performs the necessary anonymization process on the measurement information) based on the provision mode set by the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 (for example, whether or not to anonymize sensitive information in Fig. 6).

[0078] The measurement information processing unit (sensor identifiable information reduction unit) 34 may be configured by a measurement information analysis unit 341 that generates a comprehensive analysis result of the measurement information of multiple sensors set by the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 (setting information table of FIG. 6 ). For example, even if the measurement information of each sensor input to the measurement information analysis unit 341 does not achieve the anonymity or level of detail set in the setting information table of FIG. 6 , the measurement information analysis unit 341 can appropriately adjust the anonymity and level of detail when comprehensively analyzing the measurement information. Such a measurement information analysis unit 341 may be realized by an NWDAF.

[0079] NWDAF is an AI / ML function introduced in 5GC, the core network (CN) of 5G. NWDAF is responsible for collecting and analyzing data on networks, including 5G. Specifically, NWDAF collects and stores activity history and measurement information from numerous communication stations and other objects connected to the mobile communication network, and uses the analysis results to, for example, control traffic on the mobile communication network. Note that it is expected that other wireless communication systems, including those of generations after 5G, may offer similar functions under different names. In this embodiment, such similar functions may be used instead of or in addition to NWDAF.

[0080] In response to a request for measurement information from the measurement information requesting entity 5, the measurement information outputting unit 35 outputs measurement information in which sensor-identifiable information has been reduced by the measurement information processing unit (sensor-identifiable information reducing unit) 34, or measurement information that has been processed in other ways, to the measurement information requesting entity 5. In use cases in which processing of measurement information by the measurement information processing unit 34 is not required, the measurement information outputting unit 35 may output the measurement information from each sensor directly to the measurement information requesting entity 5.

[0081] As described above, the measurement information output by the measurement information output unit 35 to the measurement information requesting entity 5 is based on the measurement capability group in the measurement area (for example, the measurement area SA with the measurement area ID "AAA") as shown in Figures 4 and 6. In this way, by treating the multiple sensors in the measurement area SA as a group rather than treating the measurement information of each sensor individually, it is possible to flexibly provide appropriate measurement information using appropriate sensors for a variety of use cases.

[0082] 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of providing measurement information in response to a request from a measurement information requesting entity 5. In this example, the measurement information requesting entity 5 is a commercial service provider or a third party. rd The service provider is a service provider (SMS) that can request, subscribe to, and view only "outdoor" measurement information in a specific measurement area SA based on a service agreement concluded with an operator that provides the measurement information providing service. The setting information based on such a service agreement is recorded in a table such as that shown in Figure 6 and managed by the core network CN (measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33).

[0083] The illustrated service provider requests sensor data within a specific measurement area SA with which it has a contract from the NWDAF or the like in the 5GC. Upon receiving a measurement information request from the service provider (measurement information request entity 5), the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 provided in the 5GC refers to a setting information table such as that shown in Figure 6 and recognizes that the service provider can only access measurement information for "outdoors." Therefore, the measurement information providing sensor setting unit 33 causes only sensors located "outdoors" among the many sensors within the measurement area SA to provide measurement information.

[0084] The core network CN (measurement information processing unit 34) collects measurement data from a large number of "outdoor" sensors and processes the measurement data as needed (for example, performs anonymization processing) according to a table of setting information such as that shown in Fig. 6. Next, the measurement information output unit 35 provides the "outdoor" measurement data (Report) processed as needed by the measurement information processing unit 34 to the service provider as the measurement information requester 5.

[0085] According to this embodiment, the utilization efficiency of the sensor group is improved by a mobile communication network (e.g., a measurement capability recognition unit 32 provided in a core network CN) that recognizes the measurement capabilities of multiple sensors and / or communication stations capable of mobile communication.

[0086] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, among a plurality of sensors and / or communication stations capable of mobile communication, the sensor and / or communication station that actually provides measurement information is flexibly set in response to a request for measurement information regarding the measurement area SA (for example, from the measurement information requesting entity 5). Based on such settings (for example, the table in FIG. 6 ), the necessary measurement information is quickly provided from an appropriate sensor in response to the actual request from the measurement information requesting entity 5, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of the sensor group in the mobile communication network.

[0087] The present disclosure has been described above based on the embodiments. Various modifications are possible to the combinations of the components and processes in the exemplary embodiments, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such modifications are included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0088] The configuration, operation, and function of each device and method described in the embodiments can be realized by hardware resources, software resources, or a combination of hardware and software resources. Examples of hardware resources include processors, ROM, RAM, and various integrated circuits. Examples of software resources include operating systems, applications, and other programs.

[0089] This disclosure may be expressed in the following terms:

[0090] Item 1: A communication control device comprising at least one processor that executes, via a measurement capability recognition unit, making a mobile communication network aware of measurement capabilities of multiple sensors that can communicate in the mobile communication network. Item 2: The communication control device according to item 1, wherein the at least one processor executes, via a measurement area setting unit, setting a measurement area and managing, in the mobile communication network, the measurement capabilities of the multiple sensors that include the measurement area within their measurable ranges, as a measurement capability group for the measurement area. Item 3: The communication control device according to item 2, wherein the at least one processor executes, via a measurement information output unit, outputting measurement information based on the measurement capability group for the measurement area. Item 4: The communication control device according to at least any one of items 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the multiple sensors is provided in a communication station that can communicate in the mobile communication network, and wherein the measurement capability includes a type of the communication station. Item 5: The communication control device according to item 4, wherein the communication station includes at least one of a base station that configures the mobile communication network and a communication station that can communicate with the base station. Item 6: The communication control device according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the measurement capability includes a location of each sensor. Item 7: The communication control device according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the measurement capabilities include use cases in which measurement information of each of the sensors can be used. Item 8: The communication control device according to any one of items 1 to 7, wherein the measurement capabilities include measurable items of each of the sensors. Item 9: The communication control device according to any one of items 1 to 8, wherein the measurement capabilities include measurable accuracy of each of the sensors. Item 10: The communication control device according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein the measurement capabilities include a mode of providing measurement information of each of the sensors. Item 11: The communication control device according to any one of items 1 to 10, wherein the measurement capability recognition unit causes each of the sensors to notify the mobile communication network of information related to the measurement capabilities set in the sensors.Item 12: The communication control device according to any one of items 1 to 11, wherein the measurement capability recognition unit causes the measurement capability of each sensor to be set in the mobile communication network. Item 13: A communication control method that causes a mobile communication network to recognize the measurement capabilities of multiple sensors that can communicate in the mobile communication network. Item 14: A storage medium that stores a communication control program that causes a computer to cause the mobile communication network to recognize the measurement capabilities of multiple sensors that can communicate in the mobile communication network. Item 15: A communication control device comprising at least one processor that causes a measurement information providing sensor setting unit to set, in response to a request for measurement information about a measurement area, a sensor that is to provide measurement information via the mobile communication network from among multiple sensors that include the measurement area within its measurable range. Item 16: The communication control device according to item 15, wherein the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a mode of providing the measurement information from the sensor in response to the request. Item 17: The communication control device according to item 16, wherein the at least one processor executes, by a sensor identifiable information reduction unit, in response to the request, reducing information that can identify the sensor in the measurement information of the sensor based on the provision mode set by the measurement information providing sensor setting unit; and by a measurement information output unit, in response to the request, outputting the measurement information in which the information that can identify the sensor has been reduced by the sensor identifiable information reduction unit. Item 18: The communication control device according to item 17, wherein the sensor identifiable information reduction unit is configured by a measurement information analysis unit that generates, in response to the request, a comprehensive analysis result of the measurement information of the plurality of sensors set by the measurement information providing sensor setting unit. Item 19: The communication control device according to item 18, wherein the measurement information analysis unit is configured by an NWDAF (Network Data Analytics Function). Item 20: The communication control device according to any of items 15 to 19, wherein the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a sensor to provide measurement information in response to the entity of the request.Item 21: The communication control device according to any one of items 15 to 20, wherein the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a sensor to provide measurement information in response to a fee related to the request. Item 22: The communication control device according to at least any one of items 15 to 21, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is provided in a communication station capable of communicating in the mobile communication network, and the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a sensor to provide measurement information in response to the request based on a type of the communication station. Item 23: The communication control device according to item 22, wherein the communication station includes at least one of a base station constituting the mobile communication network and a communication station capable of communicating with the base station. Item 24: The communication control device according to any one of items 15 to 23, wherein the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a sensor to provide measurement information in response to the request based on a location of each sensor. Item 25: The communication control device according to any one of items 15 to 24, wherein the at least one processor causes a measurement capability recognition unit to recognize the measurement capabilities of the plurality of sensors to be recognized by the mobile communication network, and the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a sensor to provide measurement information in response to the request, based on the measurement capability of each of the sensors recognized by the mobile communication network. Item 26: The communication control device according to item 25, wherein the measurement capabilities include measurable items of each of the sensors. Item 27: The communication control device according to item 25 or 26, wherein the measurement capabilities include measurable accuracy of each of the sensors. Item 28: A communication control method that, in response to a request for measurement information about a measurement area, sets a sensor that provides measurement information via a mobile communication network from among a plurality of sensors that include the measurement area within its measurable range. Item 29: A storage medium storing a communication control program that causes a computer to execute the steps of: in response to a request for measurement information about a measurement area, setting a sensor that provides measurement information via a mobile communication network from among a plurality of sensors that include the measurement area within its measurable range.

[0091] The present disclosure relates to configuring sensors in response to requests for measurement information about a measurement area.

[0092] 1 Wireless communication system, 2 Communication device, 3 Communication control device, 5 Measurement information request entity, 11 5G wireless communication system, 12 4G wireless communication system, 13 Satellite communication system, 31 Measurement area setting unit, 32 Measurement capability recognition unit, 33 Measurement information providing sensor setting unit, 34 Measurement information processing unit, 35 Measurement information output unit, 43 Sensor unit, 111 5G base station, 112 5G cell, 121 4G base station, 122 4G cell, 131 Communication satellite, 132 Satellite communication cell, 133 Gateway, 341 Measurement information analysis unit.

Claims

1. A communication control device that executes, in response to a request for measurement information regarding a measurement area, setting a sensor that provides measurement information via a mobile communication network from among a plurality of sensors that include the measurement area within their measurable range.

2. The communication control device according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a providing mode of the measurement information from the sensor in response to the request.

3. reducing, by a sensor identifiable information reduction unit, information that can identify the sensor in the measurement information of the sensor based on the provision mode set by the measurement information provision sensor setting unit in response to the request; outputting, by a measurement information output unit, the measurement information in which the information capable of identifying the sensor has been reduced by the sensor identifiable information reduction unit in response to the request; 3. The communication control device according to claim 2, which executes the above.

4. The communication control device according to claim 3 , wherein the sensor identifiable information reduction unit is configured by a measurement information analysis unit that generates a comprehensive analysis result of the measurement information of the multiple sensors set by the measurement information providing sensor setting unit in response to the request.

5. The communication control device according to claim 4 , wherein the measurement information analysis unit is configured by a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF).

6. The communication control device according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a sensor that is to provide the measurement information in accordance with a subject of the request.

7. The communication control device according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets the sensor that is to provide the measurement information according to a fee related to the request.

8. At least one of the plurality of sensors is provided in a communication station capable of communicating in the mobile communication network; the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a sensor to provide the measurement information in response to the request based on a type of the communication station. The communication control device according to claim 1 .

9. The communication control device according to claim 8 , wherein the communication station includes at least one of a base station constituting the mobile communication network and a communication station capable of communicating with the base station.

10. The communication control device according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a sensor that is to provide the measurement information in response to the request based on a location of each of the sensors.

11. by a measurement capability recognition unit, making the measurement capabilities of the plurality of sensors known to the mobile communication network; the measurement information providing sensor setting unit sets a sensor to provide the measurement information in response to the request based on the measurement capability of each of the sensors recognized by the mobile communication network. The communication control device according to claim 1 .

12. The communication control device according to claim 11 , wherein the measurement capabilities include measurable items of each of the sensors.

13. The communication control device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the measurement capability includes a measurable accuracy of each of the sensors.

14. A communication control method which, in response to a request for measurement information regarding a measurement area, sets a sensor, out of a plurality of sensors which include the measurement area within their measurable range, to provide the measurement information via a mobile communication network.

15. A communication control program that causes a computer to execute the following: in response to a request for measurement information regarding a measurement area, set a sensor that provides measurement information via a mobile communication network from among a plurality of sensors that include the measurement area within their measurable range.