Network exposure in a wireless communication network

Abstract

Various aspects of the present disclosure relate to a user equipment, UE, for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to: receive, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmit, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

Description

NETWORK EXPOSURE IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONNETWORKTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to the field of implementing network exposure. In particular, this document defines a user equipment (UE), a processor, a proxy server and methods thereof.BACKGROUND

[0002] A wireless communications system may include one or multiple network communication devices, such as base stations, which may support wireless communications for one or multiple user communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE), or other suitable terminology. The wireless communications system may support wireless communications with one or multiple user communication devices by utilizing resources of the wireless communication system (e.g., time resources (e.g., symbols, slots, subframes, frames, or the like) or frequency resources (e.g., subcarriers, carriers, or the like). Additionally, the wireless communications system may support wireless communications across various radio access technologies including third generation (3G) radio access technology, fourth generation (4G) radio access technology, fifth generation (5G) radio access technology, among other suitable radio access technologies beyond 5G (e.g., sixth generation (6G)).SUMMARY

[0003] An article “a” before an element is unrestricted and understood to refer to “at least one” of those elements or “one or more” of those elements. The terms “a,” “at least one,” “one or more,” and “at least one of one or more” may be interchangeable. As used herein, including in the claims, “or” as used in a list of items (e.g., a list of items prefaced by a phrase such as “at least one of’ or “one or more of’ or “one or both of’) indicates an inclusive list such that, for example, a list of at least one of A, B, or C means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Also, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall not be construed as a reference to a closed set of conditions. For example, an examplestep that is described as “based on condition A” may be based on both a condition A and a condition B without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall be construed in the same manner as the phrase “based at least in part on”. Further, as used herein, including in the claims, a “set” may include one or more elements.

[0004] There is provided a user equipment, UE, for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to: receive, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmit, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

[0005] There is further provided a processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor to: receive, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between a UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmit, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

[0006] There is further provided a method performed by a user equipment, UE, the method comprising: receiving, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmitting, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

[0007] There is further provided a proxy server for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the proxy server to: transmit, to a user equipment, UE, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an applicationdata flow based on a network event; and receive, from the UE based on the first exposure information, over the user plane tunneled session, the data packet of the application data flow.

[0008] There is further provided a method performed by a proxy server, the method comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment, UE, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and receiving, from the UE based on the first exposure information, over the user plane tunneled session, the data packet of the application data flow.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2 illustrates a Core Network (CN) extended Reality Media (XRM) architecture and handling of Packet Data Unit (PDU) sets in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 3 illustrates a 1-byte Real Time Protocol (RTP) header extension for PDU Set marking by the Application Server (AS) in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 4 illustrates a 2-byte RTP header extension for PDU Set marking by the AS in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figures 5a to 5d illustrate 5GS PDU Set-aware Quality of Service (QoS) handling framework description of PDU Set to QoS flow to Data Radio Bearer (DRB) mappings in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 6 illustrates an architecture for using QUIC to add PDU set info within Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) datagrams in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 7 illustrates a flow diagram for a procedure for network assistance and exposure of bit rate recommendations applicable to Real Time Control (RTC) in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 8 illustrates an architecture for Support of dynamic QoS for application with dynamic traffic characteristics in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 9 illustrates a procedure for enabling support of dynamic QoS for applications with dynamic traffic characteristics in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 10 illustrates an example of a user equipment (UE) 1000 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 11 illustrates an example of a processor 1100 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 12 illustrates an example of a network equipment (NE) 1200 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 13 illustrates a flowchart of a method 1300 performed by a UE in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 14 illustrates a flowchart of a method 1400 performed by a NE in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Up to 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3 GPP) Release 19, exposure mechanisms of a core network rely on supporting relevant Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) from a Network Exposure Function (NEF) or a User Plane Function (UPF) to provide (e.g., expose, indicate) network information to third-party application providers. The core network may provide the following information to the third-party application providers: congestion level information; round-trip time over service data flows; a data rate for a service data flow; and / or a notification if a Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) Quality-of-Service (QoS) flow cannot be guaranteed.

[0024] Network exposure events may originate at a Radio Access Network (RAN) (also referred to as RAN nodes). In some cases, the network may expose the network information according to a first path (Path-1): (1) from a RAN to an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) (via N2), (2) from the AMF to a Session Management Function (SMF) (via Namf service), (3) from the SMF to a Policy Control Function (PCF) (via Nsmf service), (4) from the PCF to a NEF (via Npcf service), and (5) from the NEF to an Application Function (AF) (via Nnef service). In some other cases, the network may expose the network information according to a second path (Path-2): (1) from a RAN to a UPF (via General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol User Plane (GTP-U) over N3), (2) from the UPF to a NEF (via Nupf service), and (3) from the NEF to an AF (via Nnef service). In other cases, the network may expose the network information according to a third path (Path-3): (1) from a RAN to a UE modem (via a Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) bit rate query / response procedure) and (2) from a UE Media Session Handler to an AF (via M5 Network Assistance service APIs). The NEF may be optional if AF is trusted.

[0025] An Application Server Process (ASP) may provide the interface specification between an AF and an Application Server (AS) in order to consume the network assistance and exposure events for a service or application as currently this interface is not appropriately specified.

[0026] When using any of the paths (e.g., Path-1, Path-2, and / or Path-3), the signaling from the RAN may be routed via multiple network functions, resulting in increased latency of delivering the network information to the third-party application providers. For applications with traffic characteristics that change dynamically, this latency might be undesirable as the application might not have sufficient time to adapt its behaviour.

[0027] Examples described herein provide for improved provisioning (e.g., exposure) of network information to third-party applications or third-party application providers, enabling the third-party applications to receive the information with no or reduced delay.

[0028] Aspects of the present disclosure are described in the context of a wireless communications system.

[0029] Figure 1 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system 100 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The wireless communications system 100 may include one or more NE 102, one or more UE 104, and a core network (CN) 106. The wireless communications system 100 may support various radio access technologies. In some implementations, the wireless communications system 100 may be a 4G network, such as an LTE network or an LTE- Advanced (LTE-A) network. In some other implementations, the wireless communications system 100 may be a NR network, such as a 5G network, a 5G- Advanced (5G-A) network, or a 5G ultrawideband (5G-UWB) network. In other implementations, the wireless communications system 100 may be a combination of a 4G network and a 5G network, or other suitable radio access technology including Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20. The wireless communications system 100 may support radio access technologies beyond 5G, for example, 6G. Additionally, the wireless communications system 100 may support technologies, such as time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), or code division multiple access (CDMA), etc.

[0030] The one or more NE 102 may be dispersed throughout a geographic region to form the wireless communications system 100. One or more of the NE 102 described herein may be or include or may be referred to as a network node, a base station, a network element, a network function, a network entity, a radio access network (RAN), a NodeB, an eNodeB (eNB), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), or other suitable terminology. An NE 102 and a UE 104 may communicate via a communication link, which may be a wireless or wired connection. For example, an NE 102 and a UE 104 may perform wireless communication (e.g., receive signalling, transmit signalling) over a Uu interface.

[0031] An NE 102 may provide a geographic coverage area for which the NE 102 may support services for one or more UEs 104 within the geographic coverage area. For example, an NE 102 and a UE 104 may support wireless communication of signals related to services (e.g., voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, etc.) according to one or multiple radio access technologies. In some implementations, an NE 102 may be moveable, for example, a satellite associated with a non-terrestrial network (NTN). In someimplementations, different geographic coverage areas associated with the same or different radio access technologies may overlap, but the different geographic coverage areas may be associated with different NE 102.

[0032] The one or more UE 104 may be dispersed throughout a geographic region of the wireless communications system 100. A UE 104 may include or may be referred to as a remote unit, a mobile device, a wireless device, a remote device, a subscriber device, a transmitter device, a receiver device, or some other suitable terminology. In some implementations, the UE 104 may be referred to as a unit, a station, a terminal, or a client, among other examples. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE 104 may be referred to as an Internet-of-Things (loT) device, an Internet-of-Everything (loE) device, or machine-type communication (MTC) device, among other examples.

[0033] A UE 104 may be able to support wireless communication directly with otherUEs 104 over a communication link. For example, a UE 104 may support wireless communication directly with another UE 104 over a device-to-device (D2D) communication link. In some implementations, such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) deployments, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) deployments, or cellular-V2X deployments, the communication link may be referred to as a sidelink. For example, a UE 104 may support wireless communication directly with another UE 104 over a PC5 interface.

[0034] An NE 102 may support communications with the CN 106, or with another NE 102, or both. For example, an NE 102 may interface with other NE 102 or the CN 106 through one or more backhaul links (e.g., SI, N2, N2, or network interface). In some implementations, the NE 102 may communicate with each other directly. In some other implementations, the NE 102 may communicate with each other or indirectly (e.g., via the CN 106. In some implementations, one or more NE 102 may include subcomponents, such as an access network entity, which may be an example of an access node controller (ANC). An ANC may communicate with the one or more UEs 104 through one or more other access network transmission entities, which may be referred to as a radio heads, smart radio heads, or transmission-reception points (TRPs).

[0035] The CN 106 may support user authentication, access authorization, tracking, connectivity, and other access, routing, or mobility functions. The CN 106 may be anevolved packet core (EPC), or a 5G core (5GC), which may include a control plane entity that manages access and mobility (e.g., a mobility management entity (MME), an access and mobility management functions (AMF)) and a user plane entity that routes packets or interconnects to external networks (e.g., a serving gateway (S-GW), a Packet Data Network (PDN) gateway (P-GW), or a user plane function (UPF)). In some implementations, the control plane entity may manage non-access stratum (NAS) functions, such as mobility, authentication, and bearer management (e.g., data bearers, signal bearers, etc.) for the one or more UEs 104 served by the one or more NE 102 associated with the CN 106.

[0036] The CN 106 may communicate with a packet data network over one or more backhaul links (e.g., via an SI, N2, N2, or another network interface). The packet data network may include an application server. In some implementations, one or more UEs 104 may communicate with the application server. A UE 104 may establish a session (e.g., a protocol data unit (PDU) session, or the like) with the CN 106 via an NE 102. The CN 106 may route traffic (e.g., control information, data, and the like) between the UE 104 and the application server using the established session (e.g., the established PDU session). The PDU session may be an example of a logical connection between the UE 104 and the CN 106 (e.g., one or more network functions of the CN 106).

[0037] In the wireless communications system 100, the NEs 102 and the UEs 104 may use resources of the wireless communications system 100 (e.g., time resources (e.g., symbols, slots, subframes, frames, or the like) or frequency resources (e.g., subcarriers, carriers)) to perform various operations (e.g., wireless communications). In some implementations, the NEs 102 and the UEs 104 may support different resource structures. For example, the NEs 102 and the UEs 104 may support different frame structures. In some implementations, such as in 4G, the NEs 102 and the UEs 104 may support a single frame structure. In some other implementations, such as in 5 G and among other suitable radio access technologies, the NEs 102 and the UEs 104 may support various frame structures (i.e., multiple frame structures). The NEs 102 and the UEs 104 may support various frame structures based on one or more numerologies.

[0038] One or more numerologies may be supported in the wireless communications system 100, and a numerology may include a subcarrier spacing and a cyclic prefix. A firstnumerology (e.g., / r=0) may be associated with a first subcarrier spacing (e.g., 15 kHz) and a normal cyclic prefix. In some implementations, the first numerology (e.g., / r=0) associated with the first subcarrier spacing (e.g., 15 kHz) may utilize one slot per subframe. A second numerology (e.g., / r=l) may be associated with a second subcarrier spacing (e.g., 30 kHz) and a normal cyclic prefix. A third numerology (e.g., / r=2) may be associated with a third subcarrier spacing (e.g., 60 kHz) and a normal cyclic prefix or an extended cyclic prefix. A fourth numerology (e.g., / r=3) may be associated with a fourth subcarrier spacing (e.g., 120 kHz) and a normal cyclic prefix. A fifth numerology (e.g., / r=4) may be associated with a fifth subcarrier spacing (e.g., 240 kHz) and a normal cyclic prefix.

[0039] A time interval of a resource (e.g., a communication resource) may be organized according to frames (also referred to as radio frames). Each frame may have a duration, for example, a 10 millisecond (ms) duration. In some implementations, each frame may include multiple subframes. For example, each frame may include 10 subframes, and each subframe may have a duration, for example, a 1 ms duration. In some implementations, each frame may have the same duration. In some implementations, each subframe of a frame may have the same duration.

[0040] Additionally or alternatively, a time interval of a resource (e.g., a communication resource) may be organized according to slots. For example, a subframe may include a number (e.g., quantity) of slots. The number of slots in each subframe may also depend on the one or more numerologies supported in the wireless communications system 100. For instance, the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth numerologies (i.e., / r=0, jU=l , / r=2, jU=3, / r=4) associated with respective subcarrier spacings of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz, and 240 kHz may utilize a single slot per subframe, two slots per subframe, four slots per subframe, eight slots per subframe, and 16 slots per subframe, respectively. Each slot may include a number (e.g., quantity) of symbols (e.g., OFDM symbols). In some implementations, the number (e.g., quantity) of slots for a subframe may depend on a numerology. For a normal cyclic prefix, a slot may include 14 symbols. For an extended cyclic prefix (e.g., applicable for 60 kHz subcarrier spacing), a slot may include 12 symbols. The relationship between the number of symbols per slot, the number of slots per subframe, and the number of slots per frame for a normal cyclic prefix and an extendedcyclic prefix may depend on a numerology. It should be understood that reference to a first numerology (e.g., 1=0) associated with a first subcarrier spacing (e.g., 15 kHz) may be used interchangeably between subframes and slots.

[0041] In the wireless communications system 100, an electromagnetic (EM) spectrum may be split, based on frequency or wavelength, into various classes, frequency bands, frequency channels, etc. By way of example, the wireless communications system 100 may support one or multiple operating frequency bands, such as frequency range designations FR1 (410 MHz - 7.125 GHz), FR2 (24.25 GHz - 52.6 GHz), FR3 (7.125 GHz - 24.25 GHz), FR4 (52.6 GHz - 114.25 GHz), FR4a or FR4-1 (52.6 GHz - 71 GHz), and FR5 (114.25 GHz - 300 GHz). In some implementations, the NEs 102 and the UEs 104 may perform wireless communications over one or more of the operating frequency bands. In some implementations, FR1 may be used by the NEs 102 and the UEs 104, among other equipment or devices for cellular communications traffic (e.g., control information, data). In some implementations, FR2 may be used by the NEs 102 and the UEs 104, among other equipment or devices for short-range, high data rate capabilities.

[0042] FR1 may be associated with one or multiple numerologies (e.g., at least three numerologies). For example, FR1 may be associated with a first numerology (e.g., / r=0), which includes 15 kHz subcarrier spacing; a second numerology (e.g., / z=l), which includes 30 kHz subcarrier spacing; and a third numerology (e.g., / r=2), which includes 60 kHz subcarrier spacing. FR2 may be associated with one or multiple numerologies (e.g., at least 2 numerologies). For example, FR2 may be associated with a third numerology (e.g., / r=2), which includes 60 kHz subcarrier spacing; and a fourth numerology (e.g., / z=3), which includes 120 kHz subcarrier spacing.

[0043] A plethora of application and services where multimedia flows are multiplexed under a single network application session (e.g., a 5-tuple containing a source IP address, a destination IP address, a source network port, a destination network port, and a protocol number as identifier) relates to the domain of extended Reality (XR). As an example, an XR application based on WebRTC, or alternatively, on RTP / SRTP protocol stack, may contain one or more multiple video streams and audio streams multiplexed with control andfeedback metadata and application metadata (e.g., such as user pose information, user input actions etc) over a single application data network session.

[0044] Examples described herein may relate to XR as a reference use case or family of applications for the solutions proposed. However, examples described herein are generally applicable and may be embodied by different types of transport and network protocols stacks (e.g., QUIC, WebRTC, WebTransport or alike).

[0045] Furthermore, XR is referred to hereafter as an umbrella term for different types of realities, for example:

[0046] Virtual Reality (VR) is a rendered version of a delivered visual and audio scene. The rendering is in this case designed to mimic the visual and audio sensory stimuli of the real world as naturally as possible to an observer or user as they move within the limits defined by the application. Virtual reality usually, but not necessarily, requires a user to wear a head mounted display (HMD), to completely replace the user's field of view with a simulated visual component, and to wear headphones, to provide the user with the accompanying audio. Some form of head and motion tracking of the user in VR is usually also necessary to allow the simulated visual and audio components to be updated to ensure that, from the user's perspective, items and sound sources remain consistent with the user's movements. In some implementations additional means to interact with the virtual reality simulation may be provided but are not strictly necessary.

[0047] Augmented reality (AR) is when a user is provided with additional information or artificially generated items, or content overlaid upon their current environment. Such additional information or content will usually be visual and / or audible and their observation of their current environment may be direct, with no intermediate sensing, processing, and rendering, or indirect, where their perception of their environment is relayed via sensors and may be enhanced or processed.

[0048] Mixed reality (MR) is an advanced form of AR where some virtual elements are inserted into the physical scene with the intent to provide the illusion that these elements are part of the real scene.

[0049] XR refers to all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearables. It includes representative forms such as AR, MR and VR and the areas interpolated among them. The levels of virtuality range from partially sensory inputs to fully immersive VR. A key aspect of XR is the extension of human experiences especially relating to the senses of existence (represented by VR) and the acquisition of cognition (represented by AR).

[0050] The XR Media (XRM) feature in 3 GPP Release 18 at the core network (CN) level introduced the concept of a PDU Set to handle QoS requirements of XRM applications and streams with a better granularity beyond 5GRel-17 QoS flow possibilities. As such, a PDU set is composed of one or more PDUs carrying the payload of one unit of information generated at the application level (e.g. a frame or video slice for XRM Services). In some implementations, all PDUs in a PDU Set are needed by the application layer to use the corresponding unit of information. In other implementations, the application layer can still recover parts or all of the information unit, when some PDUs are missing.

[0051] In addition, the PDU set is associated with QoS requirements in terms of delay budget and error rate as:• a PDU Set Delay Budget (PSDB) which defines an upper bound for the time that a PDU-Set may be delayed between the UE and the N6 termination point at the UPF. PSDB applies to the DL PDU-Set received by the UPF over the N6 interface, and to the UE PDU-Set sent by the UE, and respectively,• a PDU Set Error Rate (PSER) which defines an upper bound for the rate of PDU- Sets (e.g. set of IP packets constituting a PDU-Set) that have been processed by the sender of a link layer protocol (e.g. RLC in RAN of a 3GPP access) but where all of the PDUs in the PDU-Set are not successfully delivered by the corresponding receiver to the upper layer (e.g. PDCP in RAN of a 3GPP access), whereas the PSER is used to determine an upper bound for a rate of non-congestion-related packet losses.

[0052] Figure 2 illustrates a Core Network (CN) extended Reality Media (XRM) architecture and handling of Packet Data Unit (PDU) sets in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Figure 2 may illustrate an overview of the CN XRM architecture handling of PDU sets. Figure 2 shows a system 200 comprising an Extended Reality Media Application Function (XRM AF) 210, a Policy and Control Function (PCF) 215, a Session Management Function (SMF) 220, an Access and Mobility Function (AMF) 225, a Radio Access Network (RAN) 230, a User Equipment (UE) 235, a User Plane Function (UPF) 240, and an Extended Reality Application 245. The operation of system 200 will now be described in the example of downlink traffic, a similar process may operate for uplink traffic.

[0053] At 280, the XRM AF 210 determines PDU-set requirements.

[0054] At 281, the XRM AF 210 provides QoS requirements for packets of a PDU set to the PCF 215 and information to identify the application (e.g., 5-tuple or application id). The QoS requirements may comprise PSDB and PSER. The QoS requirements may comprise additional parameters. The XRM AF 210 may also include an importance parameter for a PDU set and information for the core network to identify packets belonging to a PDU set.

[0055] At 282, the PCF 215 derives QoS rules for the XR application and specific QoS requirements for the PDU Set and configures the SMF 220. The QoS rules may use a 5G QoS identifier (5QI) for XR media traffic. The PCF 215 sends the QoS rules to the SMF 220. The QoS rules may comprise PDU set related QoS requirements for 5-tuple. The PCF 215 may include in the communication to the SMF 220 Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rules (or PCC rule) per importance of a PDU Set. The PCC rules may be derived according to information received from the XRM AF 210 or based on an operator configuration.

[0056] At 283, the SMF 220 establishes a QoS flow according to the QoS rules by the PCF 215 and configures the UPF 240 to route packets of the XR application to a QoS flow, and, in addition, to enable PDU Set handling. The SMF 220 also provides the QoS profile containing PDU Set QoS requirements to the RAN 230 via the AMF 225. The QoS profile may be of the QoS flow. The QoS profile may be of the QoS flow may include the PSDB and PSER information and any other parameters. The AMF 225 may provide the QoSprofile containing PDU Set QoS requirements to the RAN 230 in an N2 SM container. Further, the AMF 225 may provide the QoS rules to the UE 235 in an N1 SM container.

[0057] At 284, the UPF 240 inspects the packets and determines packets belonging to a PDU Set. Such a determination may be based on UPF implementation given, for instance by inspecting the RTP packet headers , as described in 3 GPP Technical Specification 23.501 vl 8.2.2 (Jun 2023) titled "System architecture for the 5G System (5GS)", or based on AS-marked PDU Set information transmitted over RTP PDU Set header extensions as described in 3GPP TS 23.501 vl8.2.2 and 3GPP Technical Specification 26.522 vl8.1.0 (Sep 2024) titled "5G Real-time Media Transport Protocol Configurations" i.e., urn:3gpp:pdu-set-marking:rel-18. The UPF 240 may determine a PDU set from XR packets and route the packets toa corresponding QoS flow according to N4 rules. The packet inspection may comprise inspecting the RTP packets. When the UPF 240 detects packets of a PDU Set the UPF 240 marks the packets belonging to a PDU Set within a GTP-U header. The GTP-U header information includes a PDU Set sequence number and the size of the PDU Set. The UPF 240 may also determine the importance of the PDU Set either based on UPF 240 implementation means, information provided by the XRM AF 210 or information provided as metadata from an XRM application server. Based on the importance of the PDU Set the UPF 240 may route the traffic to a corresponding QoS flow 1 (according to the rules received from the SMF 220) or include the importance of the PDU Set within a GTP-U header. QoS flow 1 may comprise GTP-U headers, and these may include PDU Set information.

[0058] At 285, the RAN 230 identifies packets belonging to a PDU Set (based on the GTP-U marking) and handles the packets of the PDU-set according to the QoS requirements of the PDU Set provided by the SMF 220. The RAN 230 may receive QFIs, QoS profile of the QoS flow from the SMF 220 (via the AMF 225) during PDU session establishment or modification which may include PDSB and PSER. The RAN 230 may inspect GTP-U headers and may ensure all packets of the same PDU set are handled according to the QoS profile.

[0059] The RAN 230 may send packets of the PDU set over a radio bearer (RB) allocated to QoS flow 1 to the UE 235. The RAN 230 may send packets not belonging tothe PDU set over a RB allocated to QoS flow 2 to the UE 235. The AMF 225 may send the QoS Rules to the UE 235 using an N1 SM container. The AMF 225 may send the QoS profile to the RAN 230 using an N2 SM container. The XR application 245 may send an XR packet to the UPF 240.

[0060] However, in XRM Release 18, i.e. 3GPP Technical Specification TS 23.501 vl 8.2.2 (Jun 2023) titled "System architecture for the 5G System (5GS)", once the PDU Set QoS integrated handling is enabled, the PSA UPF identifies PDUs that belong to PDU Sets and determines for each PDU Set the PDU Set information below sent over to the NG-RAN in the GTP-U header.

[0061] The PDU Set Information comprises:• PDU Set Sequence Number.• Indication of End PDU of the PDU Set.• PDU Sequence Number within a PDU Set.• PDU Set Size in bytes.• PDU Set Importance, which identifies the relative importance of a PDU Set compared to other PDU Sets within a QoS Flow.

[0062] The PDU Set information is then used by the NG-RAN for PDU Set based QoS handling as described above.

[0063] The NG-RAN may use Priority Levels as of across QoS Flows and PDU Set Importance within a QoS Flow for PDU Set level packet discarding in presence of congestion. Such Priority Levels are described in 3GPP TS 23.501 vl8.2.2 clause 5.7.3.3.

[0064] It is also specified in 3GPP TS 23.501 vl 8.2.2 that the PSA UPF identifies PDUs that belong to PDU Sets and if the UPF receives a PDU that does not belong to a PDU Set based on Protocol Description for PDU Set identification (e.g., has not been marked with PDU Set information by the AS), then the UPF still maps the PDU to a PDU Set and determines the PDU Set Information as described above. This ensures that for a QoS flow with PDU Set enabled all the PDUs belong to a PDU Set. To this end, if the PSAUPF receives a PDU that does not belong to a PDU Set, it is assumed that the UPF determines the PDU Set Importance value based in some examples on pre-configuration and in other examples on an AS / AF signalled default importance.

[0065] The AS PDU Set information listed above may be provided via a RTP Header Extension for the marking of PDU Sets, e.g., US provisional application 63 / 478,932 titled “MULTIMEDIA SUBPROTOCOLS OVER REAL TIME PROTOCOL” by Stoica et al., Applicant’s reference SMM920220218-US-PSP. In addition, the PDU Set information may further include in an End of Data Burst indication, as defined by 3GPP Technical Specification TS 26.522 vl8.1.0 (Sep 2024), titled “5G Real-time Media Transport Protocol Configurations”.

[0066] Figure 3 illustrates a 1-byte RTP header extension for PDU Set marking by the AS as per 3GPP TS 26.522 vl8.1.0.

[0067] Similarly, Figure 4 illustrates a 2-byte RTP header extension for PDU Set marking by the AS as per 3GPP TS 26.522 vl8.1.0.

[0068] The semantics of the fields denoted in Figure 3 and Figure 4 of the RTP Header Extension for the marking of PDU Set and End of Bursts are as follows.

[0069] End PDU of the PDU Set [E] (1 bit field) 332, 432 is a flag set to 1 for the last PDU of the PDU Set and set to 0 for all other PDUs of the PDU Set.

[0070] Reserved [R] (2 bits field) 333, 433 is reserved for future use.

[0071] End of Data Burst [D] (1 bit field) 334, 434 indicates the end of a Data Burst being set to a non-zero value when the end of data burst is present and 0 otherwise.

[0072] PDU Set Importance [PSI] (4 bits field) 335, 435 indicates the importance of a PDU Set compared to other PDU Sets within the same QoS flow. Lower values indicate a higher importance PDU Set with the highest importance PDU Set of 1 and the lowest importance PDU Set of 15. A PSI value of 0 provides no information about the PDU Set importance and may be used when the importance of a PDU Set cannot be determined, or is unknown.

[0073] PDU Set Sequence Number [PSSN] (10 bits field) 336, 436 encodes the sequence number of the PDU Set to which the current PDU belongs acting as a 10-bit numerical identifier for the PDU Set and wraps around at 1023.

[0074] PDU Sequence Number within a PDU Set [PSN] (6 bits field) 337, 437 indicates the sequence number of the current PDU within the PDU Set. The PSN is set to 0 for the first PDU in the PDU Set and incremented monotonically for every PDU in the PDU Set in order of transmission from the sender. PSN wraps around 63.

[0075] PDU Set Size [PSSize] (24 bits field) 338, 438 indicates the total size of all PDUs of the PDU Set to which this PDU belongs. This field is optional and subject to an SDP signalling offer / answer negotiation, where the AS may indicate whether it will be able to provide the size of the PDU Set for that RTP stream. If not enabled, the field is not present. If enabled, but the AS is not able to determine the PDU Set Size for a particular PDU Set, it should set the value to 0 in all PDUs of that PDU Set. The PSSize indicates the size of a PDU Set including RTP / UDP / IP header encapsulation overhead of its corresponding PDUs. The PSSize is expressed in bytes.

[0076] Number of PDUs in the PDU Set [NPDS] (16 bits) 339, 439 is the number of PDUs within the PDU Set indicates the total number of PDUs belonging to the same PDU Set. This field is optional and subject to an SDP signalling offer / answer negotiation, where the Application Server may indicate whether it will be able to provide the number of PDUs within the PDU Set for that RTP stream. It is recommended to add the Number of PDUs in the PDU Set field when the PDU Set Size field is present.

[0077] The above examples relate to downlink (DL) traffic. Reciprocal processing is applicable to UL whereas the role of UPF packet inspection is taken by the user equipment (UE) which is expected to inspect packets, determine packets belonging to a PDU Set, and signal accordingly the PDU Set to the RAN for scheduling and resource allocation corresponding to an associated DRB capable of fulfilling the PDU Set QoS requirements (e.g., PSDB and PSER). The low-level signalling mechanism associated with the UL UE- to-RAN information passing are up to the specification and implementations of RAN signalling procedures and rely on buffer status reporting (BSR) and delay status reporting (DSR) procedures.

[0078] Figures 5a to 5d illustrate 5GS PDU Set-aware QoS handling framework description of PDU Set to QoS flow to DRB mappings. Depending on the QoS flow mappings and RAN procedures, several alternative PDU Set to QoS flow to DRB mappings are possible given two distinct PDU Sets with different PDU Set attributes, such as PDU Set importance. Figure 5 illustrates some options where two PDU Sets 510 of different importance and characteristics are mapped to QoS flows 520 and respectively to Data Radio Bearers (DRBs) 530. Consider in this example PDU Set 1 to be of high importance with strict QoS requirements (e.g., PSDB, PSER etc.) and PDU Set 2 to be of low importance with potentially lower QoS requirements (e.g., PSDB, PSER etc.) than PDU Set 1. As illustrated in Figure 5, the PDU Set 510 to QoS flow 520 to DRB 530 can take the following instantiations depending on QoS flow policies and Layer 2 RAN procedures.

[0079] Figure 5a illustrates 1-to-l-to-l mapping: whereby the separation of QoS flows 520 and DRBs 530 is complete between high and low importance PDU Sets 510 optimizing finely the radio and network resources on a per PDU Set basis.

[0080] Figure 5b illustrates M-to-M-to-1 mapping: whereby the separation between high and low importance PDU Sets 510 is performed only at QoS flow level, whereas the same DRB 530 is used for the over-the-air transmission of both PDU Sets 510, which may lead to overprovisioning of radio resources for low importance PDU Sets 510 yet require a lower overhead of RAN complexity and management.

[0081] Figure 5c illustrates M-to-l-to-1 mapping: whereby there is no separation between the QoS flows 520 and DRBs 530 of different importance PDU Sets 510 and the higher importance PDU Set QoS requirements are prioritized in handling the QoS management across both CN and RAN; this may lead to overprovisioning of resources for low importance PDU Sets 510 in both CN and RAN implementations but requires lower overhead and control within the 5GS QoS framework.

[0082] Figure 5d illustrates M-to-l-to-M mapping: whereby there is no separation across the QoS flows 520 between PDU Set importance levels, yet distinct DRBs 530 are used to cater for the individual requirements of the distinct importance levels; this compromises the QoS flow management complexity and uses PDU Set information to filterthe PDU Sets 510 on different DRBs 530 in order to better match the QoS requirements at RAN level and optimize resource allocation according to individual PDU Set needs.

[0083] Figure 6 illustrates an architecture 600 for using QUIC to add PDU set info within Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) datagrams in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0084] The architecture 600 comprises an end-to-end encrypted connection between a UE 635 and a content server associated with an XR video application server 645 via a UPF 640. An XR AF 610 sends a PDU set requirement for an IP flow (5-tuple) to a PCF 615. The PCF 615 sends PCC rules with PSDB requirements to an SMF 620. The SMF 620 sends a QoS profile to an AMF 625. The SMF 620 also sends N4 rules to the UPF 640. The UPF 640 further comprises a HTTP / 3 client 644a. An XR video application server 645 receives PDU set information within an encapsulation protocol header. The XR video application server 645 comprises a HTTP / 3 proxy 644b. A first QUIC connection 646 and a second QUIC connection 648, are established between the UPF 640 and the XR video application server 645.

[0085] The UPF 640 further comprises Packet Detection Rules (PDR) rules. A first QoS flow 632 is established between the UPF 640 and RAN 630. The first QoS flow 632 comprises PDSB and PSER requirements. The RAN 630 receives a QoS profile with PSDB requirements from the AMF 625 using an N2 SM container. The RAN 630 allocates an RB for the first QoS flow for the UE 635.

[0086] The architecture 600 may be used for identification of encrypted traffic. In Release 19, the core network may be aware of the PDU set information when the end-to- end XRM application is fully encrypted. This may use a "QUIC tunnel" between the UPF 640 and the XR video application Server 645 including within the headers of the HTTP datagram, metadata that includes PDU set information. The UPF 640 extracts the PDU set metadata and includes the PDU set within GTP-U headers towards the RAN 630.

[0087] Some examples described herein may relate to the support of dynamic traffic characteristics.

[0088] The mechanism adopted in 5G networks for QoS support is that an Application Function provides QoS requirements that the 5G network translates into 3GPP specific QoS characteristics (5G QoS parameter). The 5G network may comprise a PCF. 5G QoS characteristics associated with a 5G QoS Identifier (5QI) where each 5QI has specific traffic characteristics. Each 5QI may comprise a specific packet delay requirement, a packet error rate, and / or a maximum data burst volume. A 5QI may be defined to support services such as conversational voice, video, real time gaming etc. When a RAN receives a packet (in the downlink) identified by a specific 5 QI then the RAN may handle the packet according to the traffic characteristics of the 5QI.

[0089] In the past, QoS frameworks may not be quick enough to adapt to applications that dynamically change their traffic characteristics. For example, in video media there may be a sudden need for sending a burst of traffic. For example, the burst of traffic may be due to a change in a scene in the video. The RAN (or RAN node) may use the same QoS characteristics irrespective of the size of the burst.

[0090] In some examples described herein, the traffic characteristics of XR services can change dynamically. In some examples, the size of a media segment may vary dynamically; for example, if a user moves a progress bar of a streaming video, more bandwidth may be needed to buffer an initial set of video frames to allow the streaming application to buffer enough data to support smooth video playback. In some examples, the size of a data burst in XR service may vary dynamically during video scene changes. An encoder may create a new video I-frame where the packet size is considerably higher against a packet size of a previous.

[0091] In the past, a 5QI is associated with specific traffic characteristics such as a specific maximum data burst volume. In such an arrangement, the RAN has no flexibility to handle the packet differently if traffic characteristics change dynamically. The solution adopted in 3 GPP in Release 19 is that the Application Server providing an indication of a traffic burst that is received at the UPF and forwarded to the RAN via GTP-U signalling. The RAN node adjust its scheduling resources according to the traffic burst size. The solution adopted is sub-optimal and not flexible enough since the method the RAN nodetakes to adapt its scheduling resources is implementation specific and may not be consistent across similar traffic flows with the same traffic characteristics.

[0092] A different solution has also been provided where the AF indicates requirements to boost the data rate for an application session providing additional QoS requirements and the 3GPP network configuring two QoS flows one with default QoS requirements and one with higher QoS requirements. The Application Server indicates with packet needs higher QoS (within metadata over N6) and the UPF routes the packet over the higher QoS flows. Such approach has the disadvantage of wasting resources as the RAN may need to maintain resources for the higher QoS flow even when no packets are routed over such flow.

[0093] Some examples described herein may relate to Application Awareness in a 3 GPP network (RAN and CN).

[0094] In the past, the RAN may be aware of the packet delay requirements or packet error rate of a received packet (if in the downlink). The RAN is not aware of the type of application that sent this packet or the traffic characteristics of the application.

[0095] In some examples, the 3 GPP network may be configured to be aware of the traffic characteristics whereby the UE uses Multipath QUIC (MPQUIC - draft-ietf-quic- multipath-10) to split application traffic with different traffic characteristics into multiple QUIC connections where each connection is associated with a specific QoS rule. Such approach brings complexity to the UE as the UE may identify application traffic with specific traffic characteristics and route this traffic via a specific QUIC connection. In addition, the UPF may require enhanced capability to ensure that corresponding traffic in the downlink traffic is routed via the same QUIC connection

[0096] In some examples, the 3 GPP network may be configured to be aware of the traffic characteristics by leveraging Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Multiplexed Application Substrate over QUIC Encryption (MASQUE) which uses QUIC protocol as an enhanced method for traffic management. MASQUE can be used to exchange information between the UE and mobile network providing information such as a traffic category.

[0097] Examples described herein may relate to the exposure of network events to external Application Functions. The exposure of network events to external ApplicationFunctions may be at the RAN. The exposure of network events to external Application Functions may be at the Core Network (CN).

[0098] In the past, an Application Function may request:• A QoS monitoring for packet delay. o the UPF may use the Nupf EventExposure Notify to report QoS monitoring information.• The UL and / or DL congestion information monitoring. o The UPF reports congestion information directly to AF using a UPF based service API or via SMF / PCF / NEF.• The UL and / or DL Data rate information. o PSA UPF measures and reports the information. They may be exposed to the AF directly by PSA UPF via Nupf_EventExposure service or via SMF / PCF / NEF,• The round trip delay for two service data flows considering the UL direction of a service data flow and the DL direction of another service data flow in the same PDU Session. o PSA UPF reports the delay information per QoS Flow to the SMF. The SMF reports to PCF. The PCF derives round trip delay information based on the two direction's packet delay result for the service data flows and exposes the information to the AF directly or via NEF.• The round trip delay for one service data flow.

[0099] The UPF and / or PCF may trigger an Application Programming Interface (API) request to report to the Application Function. For applications which traffic changes dynamically, the use of the existing methods for the notification of network events is not sufficient since by the time an API request is triggered to notify of congestion or other QoS events useful to the application it may be too late for an application to adapt. Furthermore, the AF is not the end-point and merely a relay of such exposure information, and in effectmay need to additionally trigger another API request, or alternatively publish (e.g., over Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT)) a message to expose an event to the application media server endpoint (e.g. performing the media encoding and decoding). As such, the current QoS monitoring framework (e.g. network congestion and QoS-related events exposure) may be significantly delayed in reaching the media source / encoder making it difficult in practice for applications to adapt.

[0100] Therefore, in the past, network event exposure and implicit network assistance to applications is inefficient; particularly as delay requirements of the applications decrease. For example, in 3 GPP, the real-time communications subsystem for media may comprise two modes for network exposure and assistance:• AF-centric QoS monitoring based on the prior detailed network procedures: o the procedures may be limited to trusted domain deployed AF; o the UE may comprise a Media Session Handler (MSH) that subscribes to network events exposed (e.g., MQTT-based event brokerage) by the AF as the publisher; o the AF network events may include recommended QoS notifications the application may consider and apply by triggering typical control plane procedures; for example, AF requests.• Access Network Bit Rate (ANBR)-centric network assistance including: o Modify Session Header (MSH) triggering (e.g., by appropriate AT- commands such as +CGBRRREQ and +CGBRRREP) queries via the UE modem against the RAN (e.g., via Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC-CE) bit rate recommendation query and response procedures); o The RAN providing, given the network operation conditions and response, prohibit timer responses to the UE modem for the bit rate recommendation requests;o MSH fetching, from the UE modem, (e.g., by +CGBRRREP) the network bit rate recommendations and exposing them via Operating System (OS) interfaces or Software (SW) libraries to the application.

[0101] Figure 7 illustrates a flow diagram 700 for a procedure for network assistance and exposure of bit rate recommendations applicable to Real Time Control (RTC) in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The flow diagram 700 may be associated with the existing interactions across system actors for the RTC subsystem network exposure and assistance mechanisms.

[0102] The flow diagram illustrates signalling between an RTC endpoint (UE1) 750a, an RTC AF 751, a PCF / SMF 715, a Remote RTC endpoint 752 and a RAN 730. The RTC endpoint (UE1) 750a comprises an RTC Client 750b, which includes an RTC Access Function 750d and an RTC Media Session Handler 750e. The RTC endpoint (UE1) 750a further comprises an RTC Application 750c and a UE Modem 750f.

[0103] In step 778, the RTC AF 751 subscribes over N5 to the PCF / SMF 715 for QoS events relating to a session.

[0104] In step 779, the PCF / SMF 715 sends changes to session QoS over N5.

[0105] In step 780, the RTC AF 751 sends a bit rate recommendation (RTC-5) to theRTC Media Session Handler 750e.

[0106] The RTC Media Session Handler 750e, UE modem 750f and RAN 730 perform Application-Network Bit Rate (ANBR)-based Network Assistance in steps 781 to 783.

[0107] In step 781, the RTC Media Session Handler 750e sends an Application- Network Bit Rate Operation (ANBRO) to the UE Modem 750f.

[0108] In step 782, the UE Modem 750f and RAN 730 exchange ANBR / ANBRO (Uu).

[0109] In step 783, the UE Modem 750f sends an Application-Network Bit Rate(ANBR) to the RTC Media Session Handler 750e.

[0110] In step 784, the RTC Media Session Handler 750e sends a bit rate recommation (RTC-6) to the RTC Application 750c.

[0111] In step 785, the RTC Media Session Handler 750e adjusts a bit rate of the session.

[0112] There are shortcomings of the existing QoS framework; in particular, for adaptive application data flows.

[0113] For next-generation networks, for example 6G or 5G-Advanced, service provisioning for high bandwidth, interactive, and adaptive applications (e.g., XR or immersive experiences) may be required to ensure and application runs at high QoE levels and / or the network knows more about the application requirements, including their adaptation capabilities.

[0114] Fixed QoS metric guarantees in cellular networks for applications which are capable to adapt may create challenges in effectively distributing network resources across users and accommodating capacity needs. A fixed QoS metric guarantee may also be referred to as a hard QoS metric guarantee. These challenges may be due to given dynamic network conditions; for example, for a congested network or a non-congested network. In the past, QoS flow types in 5G QoS framework may rely only on fixed QoS metrics. The QoS may be reconfigured over control plane interactions (as previously described). These control plane interactions are not fast enough to leverage application adaptation potential and / or requirements.

[0115] Furthermore, a fixed allocation of resources may overprovision network resources and, in some scenarios (e.g., loaded cells) may prohibitively use the network thereby affecting network performance and multiple users simultaneously. Table 1 summarizes current 5G QoS flow resource types and their relation to QoS metrics and parameters such as bit rate, delay / latency (PDB), and reliability (PER).

[0116] Table 1 : QoS flow resource types in 5G QoS flow framework and their relations to QoS flow metrics and parameters.

[0117] Examples described herein may relate to the improvement of QoS flow resource types and management beyond a fixed QoS flow concept and evolve towards a more dynamic (or alternatively, adaptive) QoS flow management that can cope with changing network conditions and cater for adaptive applications needs. The adaptive application needs may include a minimum bit rate vs. a target bit rate, a maximum PDB / PER vs. a target PDB / PER.

[0118] Figure 8 illustrates an architecture 800 for Support of dynamic QoS for application with dynamic traffic characteristics in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The architecture 800 illustrates the signals sent between an AF 810, a PCF 815, SMF 820, AMF 825, UPF 840, Application Server 845b, RAN 830 and a UE 835a. Architecture 880 illustrates the RAN 830 and network exposure information functional interactions.

[0119] The UE 835a client may be notified in-band in user plane, over a tunnelled IP connection comprising an encapsulation protocol, by the network about dynamic changes to the UL QoS flow characteristics and other network events related to an established UL dynamic QoS flow, for example:• estimated / experienced latency across access link (e.g., Uu interface), across core network link or across the entire QoS flow;• degradation of QoS flow, elevation of QoS flow, or more generally, QoS flow changes;• indication that current set QoS flow parameters cannot be met (or alternatively that can be met);• congestion events;• predicted congestion events, predicted degradation of QoS flow, predicated elevation of QoS flow, or more generally, short-term predictions of QoS flow changes;• indication of boost request granted and duration of boost; and / or• maximum available bit rate, guaranteed bit rate, etc.

[0120] The events and corresponding parameters above may correspond to a single packet or a PDU Set. The parameters may correspond to a burst of packets (e.g., given that RAN 830 is aware of a burst size, as for example when burst size is signalled by UE 835a via in-band signalling at lower layers, e.g., per MAC-CE BSR or similar procedures). The client in the UE 835a may process and use the in-band dynamic network events and notifications of QoS changes to rapidly adapt the source multimedia content and media components to the dynamic QoS flow and network resources to maximize the QoE for an application or service.

[0121] The tunneled connection may be achieved by means of an encapsulated bidirectional communication protocol such as Connect-UDP (according to RFC 9298), Connect-IP (according to RFC 9484), or QUIC-aware proxying integrating. The main system actors establishing and operating the UL dynamic QoS flow may involve:

[0122] An ASP 845a provisioning an AF 810 with QoS requirements and application data flow indication (e.g., 5-tuples, application IDs, list of available ASes, multimedia modalities descriptors, e.g., video, audio, haptics, closed captions, and other metadatadescriptors) which in part may contain UL-specific QoS requirements of service requirements for UL traffic from a client UE 835a to one or more ASes of the ASP 845a and an indication of Monitoring Templates that the UE client 835a may apply to get notified of certain network events and notifications of dynamic QoS changes.

[0123] An AF 810 requesting to set up an AF session with QoS requirements to a network (e.g., a 3 GPP network), wherein the request further comprises indication of monitoring the UL traffic of the QoS and notifying the client UE 835a of changes to the dynamic QoS flow or network events. Alternatively, the AF 810 may request on behalf of a client UE 835a a monitoring configuration applicable to an existent AF session with dynamic QoS requirements. The monitoring indication may comprise information elements regarding the monitoring of one or more following parameters:• Estimated packet delay across at least one of access link / network or alternatively dynamic QoS flow;• Estimated packet loss across at least one of access link / network or alternatively dynamic QoS flow;• Dynamic QoS flow change events such as dynamic QoS flow degradation, dynamic QoS flow elevation;• Short-term (e.g., next 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute etc.) prediction of packet delay across at least one of access link / network or alternatively dynamic QoS flow;• Short-term (e.g., next 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute etc.) prediction of packet loss across at least one of access link / network or alternatively dynamic QoS flow;• Indication of RAN congestion event in UL or alternatively indication of imminent short-term (e.g., next 10 seconds, 20 seconds) RAN congestion event in UL;• Available (e.g., maximum) or guaranteed data rate across at least one of access link / network, or alternatively dynamic QoS flow;• Indication of dynamic QoS flow usage parameters (e.g., usage parameters, e.g., time, data volume, of default QoS flow or elevated QoS flow) for UL traffic delivery according to solutions described herein;• Experienced packet delay across at least one of access link / network or alternatively dynamic QoS flow;• Experienced packet loss over at least one of access link / network, or alternatively dynamic QoS flow;• The monitoring exposed parameters above may correspond per single UL packet. The monitoring exposed parameters above may correspond per PDU Set. The monitoring parameters may be aggregated on the level of data bursts up to the maximum data burst volume configured for the dynamic QoS flow.• The monitoring parameters above may be encapsulated in-band over user plane for transport over a network. The transport format for monitoring information may further be comprised within an encapsulation protocol such as Connect-UDP / QUIC Aware proxy or any other QUIC method where metadata may be added within headers of the QUIC protocol to mark corresponding application / service payloads.

[0124] The PCF 815 creates a PCC rule including monitoring requirements associated to the dynamic QoS flow as per the request originating at the AF 810. The PCC rule may be used to configure the SMF 820 for the session.

[0125] The SMF 820 configures based on the PCC rule the UPF 840 to listen for a tunnelled connection originating at the client UE 835a. The tunnelled connection may comprise a bi-directional tunnel based on an encapsulation protocol (e.g. Connect-UDP, Connect-IP, QUIC- Aware proxy or similar QUIC-based protocols) with the client UE 835a. The UL direction may be used by the client UE 835a for user plane data traffic and additional metadata control messages for dynamic QoS flow and traffic characteristics (e.g., temporary boost request to the network, indication of future traffic characteristics, e.g., periodicity, data rate, maximum data burst volume changes etc.). The DL direction may be further used by the UPF 840 for network notifications and monitoring events to the client UE 835a, as configured for the session by the AF request.

[0126] A RAN 830 (or RAN node), the RAN 830 configured by the SMF 820 to expose information (e.g., available data rate, experienced / predicted packet latency, experienced / predicted packet loss etc.). The RAN 830 may encapsulate such information in-band to the UPF 840 over N3 (e.g., via GTP-U or another 6G core network transport protocol).

[0127] A UPF 840 configured by the SMF 820 to act as tunnelled protocol server (e.g., proxy to the AS 845b) and include the monitoring parameters information elements within the headers of the encapsulation protocol as per the AF request. The UPF 840 may filter and route RAN-originated information to the client UE 835a in user plane by this mechanism. The DL direction of the tunneled connection may be served in over the same dynamic QoS flow established for UE (e.g., as reflective dynamic QoS flow for both UL / DL), on a dedicated low priority / default QoS flow comprised within the dynamic QoS flow, or alternatively, on a best effort / default QoS flow configured for the UE 835a outside the scope of the AF session with dynamic QoS flow.

[0128] Figure 9 illustrates a signalling diagram 900 for a procedure for enabling support of dynamic QoS for applications with dynamic traffic characteristics in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0129] The signalling diagram 900 illustrates the messages sent / received between a UE (QUIC client) 935, RAN 930, an AMF 925, a UPF (QUIC server) 940, an AS 945b, an SMF 920, a PCF 915, an AF 910 and an ASP 945a. The AMF 925, UPF (QUIC server) 940, SMF 920, PCF 915, and AF 910 may be part of a Core Network (CN). The CN may be a 5G CN. The CN may be a 6G CN. The terms AF, NEF, PCF, AMF, SMF and / or UPF are typically used in relation to a 5G CN but may be replaced with relevant terms in 6G CN.

[0130] Signalling diagram 900 may illustrate an example procedure for network monitoring and client UE 935 boost request for dynamic QoS flow boost. The procedure shown in signalling diagram 900 assumes that an AF session with dynamic QoS flow for UL multi-media delivery has been previously established. A dynamic QoS flow is a QoS flow that can be set up to operate under a range of QoS parameters (e.g., minimum and desired bit rates, maximum and desired delay budgets, maximum and desired error ratesetc.) and change among them dynamically based on indications from the service actors (e.g., service server and client endpoints).

[0131] In step 970, for an existing AF session with dynamic QoS flow, or a new AF session with dynamic QoS flow, the UE client 935 may activate through the AF 910 a Network Assistance and Monitoring (or alternatively Exposure) Template configuration for dynamic QoS flow based on the available Service Access Information, Dynamic Policy, Network Assistance and Monitoring / Exposure Template information configured by the ASP 945a for the application / service.

[0132] In step 971, the AF 910 requests on behalf of the UE 935 by means of an AF session with QoS requirements API an AF session with dynamic QoS requirements, or alternatively, an update of the existing AF session with dynamic QoS requirements. The request includes indication of the Network Assistance and Monitoring / Exposure Template configuration, the indication comprising the monitoring / exposure parameters (e.g., as described above) to be enabled for exposure to the client UE 935. The exposure (or alternatively, notifications) of network events to the client UE 935 are to be encapsulated in the IP tunnel connection established for the AF session with dynamic QoS flow. The indication may further comprise preferred formats to be used by the UPF 940 for the client UE 935 notifications.

[0133] In step 972, the PCF 915 receives the request and determines a PCC rule that are sent to an SMF 920. The request may be received via the NEF. The PCC rule may include an indication to enable network events monitoring and exposure for the client UE 935, including monitored parameters and notification formats applicable.

[0134] In step 973, the SMF 920 determines configuration rules for the UPF 940, RAN 930 and UE 935 based on the PCC rule received. The configuration rules may include configuration rules for network events monitoring and exposure setup to the client UE 935. The SMF 920 may provide the following monitoring and exposure configuration rules as one of:

[0135] The configuration rules to the UPF 940 (e.g., shared over the N4 interface or alike) include at least one of:• An indication to start listening to an IP tunnelled connection request from the UE 935 using an encapsulation protocol (e.g. Connect-UDP, Connect-IP, QUIC- Aware proxy) associated with the dynamic QoS flow;• An indication containing packet detection rules to inspect traffic received over N3 for application metadata generated by the client UE 935 (e.g., in-band request for temporary boost of the UL dynamic QoS flow) and encapsulated in the encapsulation protocol; and / or• An indication containing packet detection rules to inspect traffic received over N3 for access network metadata generated by a RAN 930 (e.g., network events and monitoring parameters generated by the RAN 930 as configured by the SMF 920), the metadata encapsulated as part of the GTP-U header tunnelling the RAN 930 to UPF 940 user plane traffic associated with the dynamic QoS flow over N3.

[0136] The configuration rules to the RAN 930 may include at least one of:• An indication to establish at least an UL dynamic QoS flow and the associated range of QoS requirements; and / or• An indication to publish network events in-band in UL user plane over N3, the network events related to RAN 930 behaviour / QoS changes and available RAN 930 resources for the dynamic QoS flow (e.g., available bit rate, bandwidth drop, bandwidth increase, predicted expected bit rate for a next time duration, predicted QoS drop, or alternatively predicted QoS increase, predicted congestion event etc.), the network events to be exposed as encapsulated metadata comprised in the GTP-U tunnel headers from RAN 930 to UPF 940 over N3 interface.

[0137] The configuration rules to the UE 935 may include at least one of:• An indication to request an IP tunnelled connection from the UPF 940 using an encapsulation protocol (e.g., Connect-UDP, Connect-IP, QUIC- Aware proxy) establish at least an UL dynamic QoS flow and the associated range of QoS requirements; and / or• An indication comprising packet detection rules to inspect traffic egress from the application, a mapping of the packets to one or more data radio bearers as per the dynamic QoS configuration rules and marking rules for dynamic QoS flow and / or dynamic traffic characteristic changes. The metadata may be encapsulated in the IP encapsulation protocol, and the marking may be used by the client UE in requesting the network dynamic QoS changes either directly (e.g., in-band boost request), or indirectly by means of dynamic traffic characteristics changes triggers (e.g., change of encoding configuration increasing maximum data burst volume for future packets, etc.).

[0138] In step 974, the SMF 920 sends the UPF 940 configuration rules to the UPF 940 (e.g. via N4 reference point). The configuration rules may be N4 rules comprises at least one of: an indicator for dynamic QoS support, PDR, metadata / network exposure filter & tunnel setup configuration.

[0139] In step 975, the SMF 920 sends the RAN configuration rules to the RAN 930 (e.g. via the AMF 925).

[0140] In step 976, the SMF 920 sends the UE configuration rules to the UE 935 (e.g., by means of Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signalling over the N1 reference point via the AMF 925, or similar control plane paths). The UE configuration rules may be UE QoS rules comprising at least one of: an indicator for dynamic QoS support, tunnel IP connection confirmation, packet detection filters and / or assistance rules.

[0141] In step 977, the UE tunnel client (e.g., HTTP / 3 client) communicates bidirectionally with the UPF 940 over the established IP tunnel connection, the UPF tunnel proxy corresponding to the dynamic QoS flow by means of an encapsulation protocol such as Connect-UDP, Connect-IP, QUIC- Aware proxy. Besides the user plane application data flow, the IP tunnel connection supports further client UE 935 metadata triggering changes in the dynamic QoS flow handling (e.g., dynamic QoS temporary boost request) and network assistance, events monitoring and exposure (e.g., dynamic QoS flow events such as dynamic QoS flow degradation, dynamic QoS flow elevation, maximum available bit rate for the flow, short-term, e.g., next 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute etc. prediction of flow bit rate, packet delay / loss across at least one of the access link path, core networkpath, or alternatively the entire dynamic QoS flow path etc.). The client UE 935a ingests network events exposure as per the network assistance and exposure configuration and may use such events to optimize source encodings, flow control requests, and more generally, service Quality of Experience (QoE). The network events exposed originate still at the RAN 930 (not shown) and are first routed within the core network by means of existent GTP-U N3 interface. Once they are available at the UPF 940, the UPF 940 as encapsulation protocol proxy acts as a gateway for network exposure events towards the client UE 935a over the in-band event exposure channel over the encapsulation protocol.

[0142] For the UE 935a, RAN 930, AMF 925, UPF 940 and / or AS 945b, multi-media traffic delivery over UL dynamic QoS flow setup with in-band network assistance, monitoring and event exposure. Network event notification may be shared in DL with client UE 935a; for example, exposure of maximum accessible bit rate, dynamic QoS changes events etc.

[0143] Steps 978 to 980 may comprise an in-band monitoring parameter change request, in step 978, the request is a request to enable / disable monitoring parameters per dynamic QoS rule. Alternatively, steps 978 to 980 may comprise an in-band boost request, in step 978 the request is an in-band boost request.

[0144] In step 978, the client UE 935a may decide based on the dynamic traffic characteristics and available network assistance and monitoring / exposure information to request in-band, over user plane, dynamic QoS changes from the network or alter / modify the network assistance & monitoring parameters. The request is encapsulated in-band as control metadata within the IP tunnel encapsulation protocol (e.g., Connect-UDP, QUIC- Aware Proxy).

[0145] In step 979, the UPF 940 filters the client UE 935a request as per the packet detection rules and QoS rules configured by the SMF 920. If the request fulfils the rules / criteria for changing dynamic QoS parameters (e.g., as temporarily for a QoS boost) or the rules for control of network assistance and monitoring exposure (e.g., enabling packet latency predictions from the network to the client UE 935a), the UPF 940 may process and satisfy the request.

[0146] In step 980, if the request fulfils the rules for changing dynamic QoS parameters (e.g., temporarily boost dynamic QoS), the UPF 940 may elevate the dynamic QoS flow. In effect, the UPF 940 may communicate the decision to RAN 930, e.g., by means of GTP-U N3 tunnel header metadata as well as inform the PCF 915 of the QoS applied. The UPF 940 may further notify the client UE 935a of accepting its request and the updates in the dynamic QoS flow. If the request fulfils the rules for network assistance and monitoring event exposure, the UPF 940 may enable / disable notifications to the client UE 935a for one or more monitoring parameters. The UPF 940 may communicate to RAN 930 the enabled / disabled monitoring parameters over GTP-U N3 tunnel to enable / disable any associated RAN 930 monitoring and reporting functions. The UPF 940 may notify the client UE 835a of the changes, e.g., notify the client UE 835a that a monitoring parameter has been enable / disabled and / or notify the client UE 835a of the values for the enabled monitoring parameters.

[0147] In step 981 , the UPF 940 notifies the PCF 915.

[0148] The network events (e.g., dynamic QoS flow adjustments, network monitoring exposure of QoS, bit rates, delay budgets, congestion events, error rates etc.) may further be exposed to the AS via different paths, such as at least one of:• legacy network exposure mechanism for QoS monitoring over PCF 915 / NEF control plane to AF 910 and AF 910 to AS 945b relaying, or alternatively, UE 935a Data Collection client (e.g., within the UE Media Session Handler scope) to AF 910 media control plane event exposure via EVEX framework;• user plane / in-band network exposure mechanism between UPF 940 and AS 945b based on the encapsulation protocol proxying established between UE 935a and UPF 940 wherein the AS 945b endpoint is set as the target endpoint by the client UE 935a in the encapsulation protocol tunnel establishment request to the UPF 940 (e.g., by means of CONNECT-UDP, CONNECT-IP or QUIC-Aware proxying over HTTP utilizing Extended-CONNECT methods); and / or• application-specific UL exposure mechanism relaying the UE client 935a received network events exposure to the AS 945b by means of user plane traffic between UEclient 935a and AS 945b endpoints (e.g., interface M8 in the 3GPP media and content delivery architecture or other alike interfaces).

[0149] The AS 945b may utilize the network events exposure originating from UL dynamic QoS flows to optimize its operations related to DL media delivery, if any, such as source encoding, QoE handling, DL dynamic QoS requests with similar QoS requirements as per UL etc.

[0150] The following events are some examples of network exposure between a core network component, e.g., the UPF 940 and the UE client 935a. The in-band (e.g, user plane) events channel acts as an event bus allowing both network and client to expose (or alternatively publish) events, such as:• Network exposure events on the exposure bus (e.g., network to client UE / application): o Maximum available bit rate:■ Network indicates to client UE 935a current maximum available data bit rate in kbps and optionally a direction for the indicated bit rate. If no direction is indicated, then the bit rate applies symmetrically to both UL and DL directions. For instance, a simple 2000 kbps indication would signal that both DL and UL capacity is upper limited by 2 Mbps. Alternatively, two indications UL, 2000 kbps and DL, 5000 kbps would signal asymmetric capacity between UL and DL.■ In other examples, in particular in association with GBR type of flows o Congestion event:■ Network indicates UE 935a that congestion has been detected for the dynamic QoS flow. This may be achieved based on Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) indication at the transport layer, or as part of the encapsulation protocol via a dedicated congestion eventsignal. The congestion event signal may include an indication of congestion, direction of traffic congestion (UL and / or DL), and optionally congestion adjacent statistics (e.g., packet error rate experienced). o UL Dynamic QoS change notification:■ Network indicates to client UE 935a the change in the UL dynamic QoS by signalling the latest dynamic QoS flow state, and / or QoS parameters applied. For instance, network may signal to client UE 935a that the elevated dynamic QoS configuration has been applied.• UE client 935a exposed events on the exposure bus (e.g., client UE 935a / application to network). o Dynamic traffic characteristics event:■ The UE client 935a may signal for instance to the network that the upcoming data burst size exceeds a maximum data burst volume and may violate current dynamic QoS data burst size threshold under the constraint of servicing the entire data burst available at once without throttling or traffic shaping on client-side (e.g., as is necessary for instance in case of adaptive low-latency high data rate multimedia applications such as immersive XR and cloud gaming for instance). For example, the client UE 935a may indicate a data burst size hint of 66000 Bytes signalling that the current / upcoming data burst to be sent at once has a size of 66 kB exceeding the maximum data burst volume for the current dynamic QoS configuration. o Temporary boost request:■ The UE client 935a may signal for instance a temporary boost request as an event. The boost may apply to a dynamic QoS flow and indicate the boost data rate, direction (e.g., UL, DL or both), and other QoS parameters (delay budget, packet error rate, if any), andoptionally the duration for which the boost should be applied, e.g., 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 180 seconds etc. For example, the client may indicate to the network that it desires a boost to a data rate of 5000 kbps in UL direction for 180 seconds. The network processes the boost request event and if applicable, based on PCC rules, dynamic QoS configuration and available data rate it may elevate the dynamic QoS flow to satisfy the boost at least for the temporary duration request by the UE client 935a. The network may indicate this by triggering a dynamic QoS change event for instance as described above.

[0151] Figure 10 illustrates an example of a UE 1000 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The UE 1000 may include a processor 1002, a memory 1004, a controller 1006, and a transceiver 1008. The processor 1002, the memory 1004, the controller 1006, or the transceiver 1008, or various combinations thereof or various components thereof may be examples of means for performing various aspects of the present disclosure as described herein. These components may be coupled (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, electrically) via one or more interfaces.

[0152] The processor 1002, the memory 1004, the controller 1006, or the transceiver 1008, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., circuitry). The hardware may include a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other programmable logic device, or any combination thereof configured as or otherwise supporting a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure.

[0153] The processor 1002 may include an intelligent hardware device (e.g., a general- purpose processor, a DSP, a CPU, an ASIC, an FPGA, or any combination thereof). In some implementations, the processor 1002 may be configured to operate the memory 1004. In some other implementations, the memory 1004 may be integrated into the processor 1002. The processor 1002 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructionsstored in the memory 1004 to cause the UE 1000 to perform various functions of the present disclosure.

[0154] The memory 1004 may include volatile or non-volatile memory. The memory 1004 may store computer-readable, computer-executable code including instructions when executed by the processor 1002 cause the UE 1000 to perform various functions described herein. The code may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such the memory 1004 or another type of memory. Computer-readable media includes both non- transitory computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A non-transitory storage medium may be any available medium that may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0155] In some implementations, the processor 1002 and the memory 1004 coupled with the processor 1002 may be configured to cause the UE 1000 to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., executing, by the processor 1002, instructions stored in the memory 1004). For example, the processor 1002 may support wireless communication at the UE 1000 in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The UE 1000 may be configured to support a means for receiving, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmitting, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

[0156] The controller 1006 may manage input and output signals for the UE 1000. The controller 1006 may also manage peripherals not integrated into the UE 1000. In some implementations, the controller 1006 may utilize an operating system such as iOS®, ANDROID®, WINDOWS®, or other operating systems. In some implementations, the controller 1006 may be implemented as part of the processor 1002.

[0157] In some implementations, the UE 1000 may include at least one transceiver 1008. In some other implementations, the UE 1000 may have more than one transceiver 1008. The transceiver 1008 may represent a wireless transceiver. The transceiver 1008 mayinclude one or more receiver chains 1010, one or more transmitter chains 1012, or a combination thereof.

[0158] A receiver chain 1010 may be configured to receive signals (e.g., control information, data, packets) over a wireless medium. For example, the receiver chain 1010 may include one or more antennas for receive the signal over the air or wireless medium. The receiver chain 1010 may include at least one amplifier (e.g., a low-noise amplifier (LNA)) configured to amplify the received signal. The receiver chain 1010 may include at least one demodulator configured to demodulate the receive signal and obtain the transmitted data by reversing the modulation technique applied during transmission of the signal. The receiver chain 1010 may include at least one decoder for decoding the processing the demodulated signal to receive the transmitted data.

[0159] A transmitter chain 1012 may be configured to generate and transmit signals (e.g., control information, data, packets). The transmitter chain 1012 may include at least one modulator for modulating data onto a carrier signal, preparing the signal for transmission over a wireless medium. The at least one modulator may be configured to support one or more techniques such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), or digital modulation schemes like phase-shift keying (PSK) or quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). The transmitter chain 1012 may also include at least one power amplifier configured to amplify the modulated signal to an appropriate power level suitable for transmission over the wireless medium. The transmitter chain 1012 may also include one or more antennas for transmitting the amplified signal into the air or wireless medium.

[0160] Figure 11 illustrates an example of a processor 1100 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The processor 1100 may be an example of a processor configured to perform various operations in accordance with examples as described herein. The processor 1100 may include a controller 1102 configured to perform various operations in accordance with examples as described herein. The processor 1100 may optionally include at least one memory 1104, which may be, for example, an L1 / L2 / L3 cache. Additionally, or alternatively, the processor 1100 may optionally include one or more arithmetic-logic units (ALUs) 1106. One or more of these components may be in electronic communication orotherwise coupled (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, electrically) via one or more interfaces (e.g., buses).

[0161] The processor 1100 may be a processor chipset and include a protocol stack (e.g., a software stack) executed by the processor chipset to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, retrieving, transmitting, outputting, forwarding, storing, determining, identifying, accessing, writing, reading) in accordance with examples as described herein. The processor chipset may include one or more cores, one or more caches (e.g., memory local to or included in the processor chipset (e.g., the processor 1100) or other memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), magnetic RAM (MRAM), resistive RAM (RRAM), flash memory, phase change memory (PCM), and others).

[0162] The controller 1102 may be configured to manage and coordinate various operations (e.g., signalling, receiving, obtaining, retrieving, transmitting, outputting, forwarding, storing, determining, identifying, accessing, writing, reading) of the processor 1100 to cause the processor 1100 to support various operations in accordance with examples as described herein. For example, the controller 1102 may operate as a control unit of the processor 1100, generating control signals that manage the operation of various components of the processor 1100. These control signals include enabling or disabling functional units, selecting data paths, initiating memory access, and coordinating timing of operations.

[0163] The controller 1102 may be configured to fetch (e.g., obtain, retrieve, receive) instructions from the memory 1104 and determine subsequent instruction(s) to be executed to cause the processor 1100 to support various operations in accordance with examples as described herein. The controller 1102 may be configured to track memory address of instructions associated with the memory 1104. The controller 1102 may be configured to decode instructions to determine the operation to be performed and the operands involved. For example, the controller 1102 may be configured to interpret the instruction and determine control signals to be output to other components of the processor 1100 to cause the processor 1100 to support various operations in accordance with examples as describedherein. Additionally, or alternatively, the controller 1102 may be configured to manage flow of data within the processor 1100. The controller 1102 may be configured to control transfer of data between registers, arithmetic logic units (ALUs), and other functional units of the processor 1100.

[0164] The memory 1104 may include one or more caches (e.g., memory local to or included in the processor 1100 or other memory, such RAM, ROM, DRAM, SDRAM, SRAM, MRAM, flash memory, etc. In some implementations, the memory 1104 may reside within or on a processor chipset (e.g., local to the processor 1100). In some other implementations, the memory 1104 may reside external to the processor chipset (e.g., remote to the processor 1100).

[0165] The memory 1104 may store computer-readable, computer-executable code including instructions that, when executed by the processor 1100, cause the processor 1100 to perform various functions described herein. The code may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as system memory or another type of memory. The controller 1102 and / or the processor 1100 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory 1104 to cause the processor 1100 to perform various functions. For example, the processor 1100 and / or the controller 1102 may be coupled with or to the memory 1104, the processor 1100, the controller 1102, and the memory 1104 may be configured to perform various functions described herein. In some examples, the processor 1100 may include multiple processors and the memory 1104 may include multiple memories. One or more of the multiple processors may be coupled with one or more of the multiple memories, which may, individually or collectively, be configured to perform various functions herein.

[0166] The one or more ALUs 1106 may be configured to support various operations in accordance with examples as described herein. In some implementations, the one or more ALUs 1106 may reside within or on a processor chipset (e.g., the processor 1100). In some other implementations, the one or more ALUs 1106 may reside external to the processor chipset (e.g., the processor 1100). One or more ALUs 1106 may perform one or more computations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division on data. For example, one or more ALUs 1106 may receive input operands and an operation code,which determines an operation to be executed. One or more ALUs 1106 be configured with a variety of logical and arithmetic circuits, including adders, subtractors, shifters, and logic gates, to process and manipulate the data according to the operation. Additionally, or alternatively, the one or more ALUs 1106 may support logical operations such as AND, OR, exclusive-OR (XOR), not-OR (NOR), and not-AND (NAND), enabling the one or more ALUs 1106 to handle conditional operations, comparisons, and bitwise operations.

[0167] The processor 1100 may support wireless communication in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The processor 1100 may be configured to support a means for receiving, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmitting, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server. Alternatively, the processor 1100 may be configured to or operable to support a means for transmitting, to a user equipment, UE, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and receiving, from the UE based on the first exposure information, over the user plane tunneled session, the data packet of the application data flow.

[0168] Figure 12 illustrates an example of a NE 1200 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The NE 1200 may include a processor 1202, a memory 1204, a controller 1206, and a transceiver 1208. The processor 1202, the memory 1204, the controller 1206, or the transceiver 1208, or various combinations thereof or various components thereof may be examples of means for performing various aspects of the present disclosure as described herein. These components may be coupled (e.g., operatively, communicatively, functionally, electronically, electrically) via one or more interfaces.

[0169] The processor 1202, the memory 1204, the controller 1206, or the transceiver 1208, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., circuitry). The hardware may include a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), anapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other programmable logic device, or any combination thereof configured as or otherwise supporting a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure.

[0170] The processor 1202 may include an intelligent hardware device (e.g., a general- purpose processor, a DSP, a CPU, an ASIC, an FPGA, or any combination thereof). In some implementations, the processor 1202 may be configured to operate the memory 1204. In some other implementations, the memory 1204 may be integrated into the processor 1202. The processor 1202 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory 1204 to cause the NE 1200 to perform various functions of the present disclosure.

[0171] The memory 1204 may include volatile or non-volatile memory. The memory 1204 may store computer-readable, computer-executable code including instructions when executed by the processor 1202 cause the NE 1200 to perform various functions described herein. The code may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such the memory 1204 or another type of memory. Computer-readable media includes both non- transitory computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A non-transitory storage medium may be any available medium that may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0172] In some implementations, the processor 1202 and the memory 1204 coupled with the processor 1202 may be configured to cause the NE 1200 to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., executing, by the processor 1202, instructions stored in the memory 1204). For example, the processor 1202 may support wireless communication at the NE 1200 in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The NE 1200 may be configured to support a means for receiving, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmitting, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server. Alternatively, the NE 1200 may be configured to support means for transmitting, toa user equipment, UE, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and receiving, from the UE based on the first exposure information, over the user plane tunneled session, the data packet of the application data flow.

[0173] The controller 1206 may manage input and output signals for the NE 1200. The controller 1206 may also manage peripherals not integrated into the NE 1200. In some implementations, the controller 1206 may utilize an operating system such as iOS®, ANDROID®, WINDOWS®, or other operating systems. In some implementations, the controller 1206 may be implemented as part of the processor 1202.

[0174] In some implementations, the NE 1200 may include at least one transceiver 1208. In some other implementations, the NE 1200 may have more than one transceiver 1208. The transceiver 1208 may represent a wireless transceiver. The transceiver 1208 may include one or more receiver chains 1210, one or more transmitter chains 1212, or a combination thereof.

[0175] A receiver chain 1210 may be configured to receive signals (e.g., control information, data, packets) over a wireless medium. For example, the receiver chain 1210 may include one or more antennas for receive the signal over the air or wireless medium. The receiver chain 1210 may include at least one amplifier (e.g., a low-noise amplifier (LN A)) configured to amplify the received signal. The receiver chain 1210 may include at least one demodulator configured to demodulate the receive signal and obtain the transmitted data by reversing the modulation technique applied during transmission of the signal. The receiver chain 1210 may include at least one decoder for decoding the processing the demodulated signal to receive the transmitted data.

[0176] A transmitter chain 1212 may be configured to generate and transmit signals (e.g., control information, data, packets). The transmitter chain 1212 may include at least one modulator for modulating data onto a carrier signal, preparing the signal for transmission over a wireless medium. The at least one modulator may be configured to support one or more techniques such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), or digital modulation schemes like phase-shift keying (PSK) or quadrature amplitudemodulation (QAM). The transmitter chain 1212 may also include at least one power amplifier configured to amplify the modulated signal to an appropriate power level suitable for transmission over the wireless medium. The transmitter chain 1212 may also include one or more antennas for transmitting the amplified signal into the air or wireless medium.

[0177] Figure 13 illustrates a flowchart of a method 1300 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method may be implemented by a UE as described herein. In some implementations, the UE may execute a set of instructions to control the function elements of the UE to perform the described functions.

[0178] At 1302, the method 1300 may include receiving, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event. The operations of 1302 may be performed in accordance with examples as described herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1302 may be performed by a UE as described with reference to Figure 10.

[0179] At 1304, the method 1300 may include transmitting, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server. The operations of 1304 may be performed in accordance with examples as described herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1304 may be performed by a UE as described with reference to Figure 10.

[0180] It should be noted that the method 1300 described herein describes a possible implementation, and that the operations and the steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified and that other implementations are possible.

[0181] Figure 14 illustrates a flowchart of a method 1400 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method 1400 may be implemented by a NE as described herein. In some implementations, the NE may execute a set of instructions to control the function elements of the NE to perform the described functions.

[0182] At 1402, the method 1400 may include transmitting, to a user equipment, UE, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an applicationdata flow based on a network event. The operations of 1402 may be performed in accordance with examples as described herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1402 may be performed by a NE as described with reference to Figure 12.

[0183] At 1404, the method 1400 may include receiving, from the UE based on the first exposure information, over the user plane tunneled session, the data packet of the application data flow. The operations of 1404 may be performed in accordance with examples as described herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1404 may be performed by a NE as described with reference to Figure 12.

[0184] There is provided a user equipment, UE, for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to: receive, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmit, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

[0185] Such a UE tends to reduce latency in adapting UE sending behavior according to network conditions (e.g., bit rate adaptation latency). The UE tends to improve the observed Quality of Experience, QoE, for the application data flow (e.g., multi-media application / service) serviced by the UE and the network.

[0186] The user plane tunneled session may comprise a tunneled IP connection. The user plane tunneled session may be an IP tunneled connection. The user plane tunneled session may be a bi-directional user plane tunneled session. The user plane tunneled session may comprise in-band the first exposure information. The user plane tunneled session may be based on a quality of service, QoS, parameter. The user plane tunneled session may be based on a dynamic QoS parameter.

[0187] The user plane tunneled session may be based on an N6 tunnel between the UPF and AS. The user plane tunneled session may be an in-band tunneled session. The user plane tunneled session may be arranged to carry user data between different network nodes. The user plane tunneled session may be arranged to carry user data between the UPF andthe AS. The user plane tunneled session may be a session in the user plane. The user plane may transport user data. The user data may comprise internet traffic, voice or video data. The user plane tunneled session may be arranged such that data carried between the UPF and the AS is encapsulated using an encapsulation protocol. The user plane tunneled session may be arranged such that data packets carried between the UPF and the AS are encapsulated into an encapsulated packet. The network entity may be a user plane entity.

[0188] The data packet may be a protocol data unit, PDU. The data packet may be part of a data packet set. The PDU may be part of a PDU set. The application data flow may comprise one or more data packets related to an application.

[0189] The AS may be provided by an application server provider, ASP. The proxy server may be a proxy server to the AS. The proxy server may communicate with the AS over a service data flow. The proxy server may be hosted within a core connectivity network. The core connectivity network may be a core network. The core connectivity network may comprise at least one of a 5G Core Network, and / or a 6G Core Network. The proxy server may be implemented as a user plane connectivity gateway over the core network to the AS. The proxy server may be a User Plane Function, UPF.

[0190] The first exposure information may comprise information relating to the network event. The network event may originate in the network. The network event may comprise a radio access network, RAN, network event. The network event may originate in part at the RAN.

[0191] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the UE to use the first exposure information to modify source encodings. The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the UE to usw the first exposure information to modify flow control requests. The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the UE to use the first exposure information to modify service quality of experience, QoE. The UE may be a client UE. The UE may be a client UE connected to the proxy server.

[0192] The user plane tunneled session may comprise an encapsulation protocol. The user plane tunneled session may be associated with an encapsulation protocol. The encapsulation protocol may be an encapsulated bi-directional communication protocol. The encapsulation protocol may be established between the UE and the proxy server. The encapsulation protocol may be an IP tunnel encapsulation protocol.

[0193] The encapsulation protocol may be based on at least one of: a user datagram protocol, UDP, protocol, a transmission control protocol, TCP, protocol, and / or a QUIC, protocol. The encapsulation protocol may be based on a QUIC-aware proxy protocol. A first payload header of the QUIC-aware proxy protocol may comprise the indication of the first exposure information. The encapsulation protocol may be based on connect-user datagram protocol, Connect-UDP. The encapsulation protocol may be based on Connect- IP. A payload header of the Connect-UDP may comprise the indication of the first exposure information.

[0194] The payload header may be (e.g., when version 3 of the hypertext transfer protocol, HTTP / 3, is used with Connect-UDP) a hypertext transfer protocol, HTTP, datagram header according to a Context ID. The Context ID may be a specific Connect- UDP protocol Context ID. The Context ID may be specific to the content or format of the first exposure information. The payload header may be (e.g., when HTTP / 3 is not used with Connect-UDP) a Capsule header according to a Capsule type encapsulated within the Connect-UDP protocol. The Capsule type may be specific to the content or format of the first exposure information.

[0195] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the UE to: transmit, to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session, an indication of a second exposure information for handling the data packet of the application data flow based on a UE client event.

[0196] The indication of the second exposure information may comprise at least one of: an application data flow traffic characteristic; a temporary boost request for a network QoS handling of the application data flow; and a request for updating a network event exposure configuration for indicating at least one of the first exposure information and the second exposure information.

[0197] The application data flow traffic characteristic may indicate at least one of data burst size information, periodicity information, and / or application layer forward error correction (AL-FEC) configuration applied by the UE. The AL-FEC configuration applied by the UE may comprise at least one of a code type, a code type category, a content ratio and / or a redundant ratio per code block. The code type category may comprise a maximum distance separable, MDS, code. The code type category may comprise a non-MDS code.

[0198] The temporary boost request for the network QoS handling of the application data flow may comprise an indication of new QoS parameters applicable to the application data flow for a duration of time. The duration of time may be between 10 to 200 seconds. The QoS parameters may comprise at least one of a minimum bit rate, a desired bit rate, a maximum delay budget, a desired delay budget, and / or an error rate). The temporary boost request for the network QoS handling of the application data flow may comprise a dynamic QoS temporary boost request.

[0199] The request for updating the network event exposure configuration may comprise a request for modifying the network event exposure configuration of at least one of the first exposure information and / or the second exposure information. The request for updating the network event exposure configuration may comprise a request for modifying a periodicity of the network event. The request for updating the network event exposure configuration may comprise a request for modifying a periodicity of the first exposure information. The request for updating the network event exposure configuration may comprise a request for modifying a periodicity of the UE client event. The request for updating the network event exposure configuration may comprise a request for modifying a periodicity of the second exposure information. The request for updating the network event exposure configuration may comprise a request for exposure of a new event type. The new event type may be a UE client event. The request for exposure of the new event type may comprise a first additional information element in the second exposure information. The new event type may be a network event. The request for exposure of the new event type may comprise a second additional information element in the first exposure information.

[0200] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the UE to: receive second configuration information for exposing the second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session.

[0201] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being configured to cause the UE to receive second configuration information for exposing the second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session may comprise the at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being further configured to cause the UE to receive the second configuration information from a session management function, SME The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being configured to cause the UE to receive the second configuration information from the SMF may comprise the at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being further configured to cause the UE to receive the second configuration information from the SMF via an access and mobility management function, AMF. Receiving the second configuration information from the SMF via the AMF may be by means of non-access stratum, NAS, signaling over the N1 reference point via the AMF.

[0202] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being configured to cause the UE to receive second configuration information for exposing the second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session may comprise the at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being further configured to cause the UE to receive the second configuration information by means of UE operating system, OS, library calls configuring a UE modem instance for the application data flow.

[0203] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being configured to cause the UE to receive second configuration information for exposing second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session may comprise the at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being further configured to cause the UE to receive the second configuration information from the proxy server by means of in-band control signals over the user plane tunneled session.

[0204] The network event for the data packet of the application data flow may comprise an indication of at least one of: a congestion level; a latency incurred by the applicationdata flow; a dynamic change to a quality of service, QoS, flow associated with the application data flow; a maximum available data rate for the QoS flow serving the application data flow; a guaranteed data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow; a predictive event; and a response to a request event from the UE. The dynamic change to a QoS flow associated with the application data flow may be a dynamic change to a QoS flow serving the application data flow. The guaranteed data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow may be a guaranteed data rate for the QoS flow serving the application data flow.

[0205] The congestion level information may comprise a congestion event notification. The congestion level information may comprise a congestion event prediction. The congestion level information may comprise a congestion event statistic. The QoS flow serving the application data flow may comprise the application data flow over the network. The predictive event may be a predictive event of a near-term change in the maximum available data rate of the application data flow. The predictive event may be a predictive event of a near-term change in the latency of the application data flow. The predictive event may be a predictive event of a near-term change in the QoS of the application data flow. The request event from the UE may comprise a request for updating the network event exposure configuration for indications of at least one of the first exposure information and / or the second exposure information. The response to the request event from the UE may comprise an accepted response. The response to the request event from the UE may comprise a not accepted response. The response to the request event from the UE may comprise an error status. The response to the request event from the UE may comprise a not permitted response.

[0206] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the UE to: receive first configuration information for establishing the user plane tunneled session.

[0207] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being configured to cause the UE to receive first configuration information for establishing the user plane tunneled session may comprise the at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being further configured to cause the UE to receive the first configurationinformation from the SMF. The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being configured to cause the UE to receive the first configuration information from the SMF may comprise the at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory being configured to cause the UE to receive the first configuration information from the SMF via the AMF. Receiving the first configuration information from the SMF via the AMF may be by means of NAS signalling over the N1 reference point via the AMF. The proxy server may be a user plane function, UPF.

[0208] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the UE to send, to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session, a client UE request. The client UE request may comprise a request for dynamic QoS changes. The client UE request may comprise a request to modify a network assistance & monitoring parameter. The client UE request may be encapsulated in-band as control metadata within an IP tunnel encapsulation protocol.

[0209] The proxy server may filter the client UE request according to packet detection rules. The proxy server may filter the client UE request according to QoS rules. The packet detection rule and / or QoS rules may be configured by the SMF. The proxy server may process the client UE request. The proxy server may satisfy the client UE request.

[0210] There is further provided a processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor to: receive, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between a UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information, wherein the first exposure information relates to handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and send, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

[0211] Such a processor tends to reduce latency in adapting UE sending behavior according to network conditions (e.g., bit rate adaptation latency). The method tends to improve the observed Quality of Experience, QoE, for the application data flow (e.g., multi-media application / service) serviced by the UE and the network.

[0212] There is further provided a method performed by a user equipment, UE, the method comprising: receiving, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information, wherein the first exposure information relates to handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and sending, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

[0213] Such a method tends to reduce latency in adapting UE sending behavior according to network conditions (e.g., bit rate adaptation latency). The method tends to improve the observed Quality of Experience, QoE, for the application data flow (e.g., multi-media application / service) serviced by the UE and the network.

[0214] The method may further comprise using the first exposure information to modify source encodings. The method may further comprise using the first exposure information to modify flow control requests. The method may further comprise using the first exposure information to modify service quality of experience, QoE. The user plane tunneled session may comprise an encapsulation protocol.

[0215] The encapsulation protocol may be an encapsulated bi-directional communication protocol. The encapsulation protocol may be established between the UE and the proxy server. The encapsulation protocol may be an IP tunnel encapsulation protocol. The encapsulation protocol may be based on a transport protocol comprising at least one of: a user datagram protocol, UDP, connection, a transmission control protocol, TCP, connection, and / or a QUIC, transport connection. The encapsulation protocol may be based on a QUIC-aware proxy protocol. A first payload header of the QUIC-aware proxy protocol may comprise the indication of the first exposure information.

[0216] The encapsulation protocol may be based on connect-user datagram protocol, Connect-UDP. A payload header of the Connect-UDP may comprise the indication of the first exposure information.

[0217] The method may further comprise sending, to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session, an indication of a second exposure information. The secondexposure information may relate to handling the data packet of the application data flow based on a UE client event. The second exposure information may comprise an indication of at least one of: an application data flow traffic characteristic; a temporary boost request for a network QoS handling of the application data flow; and / or a request for updating a network event exposure configuration for indications of at least one of the first exposure information and of the second exposure information.

[0218] The method may further comprise receiving second configuration information exposing the second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session.

[0219] The network event for the data packet of the application data flow may comprise an indication of at least one of: a congestion level; a latency incurred by the application data flow; a dynamic change to a quality of service, QoS, flow associated with the application data flow; a maximum available data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow; a guaranteed data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow; a predictive event; and a response to a request event from the UE.

[0220] The method may further comprise receiving first configuration information for establishing the user plane tunneled session. The proxy server may be a user plane function, UPF. The method may further comprise sending, to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session, a client UE request.

[0221] There is further provided a proxy server for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the proxy server to: send, to a user equipment, UE, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information, wherein the first exposure information relates to handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and receive, from the UE based on the first exposure information, over the user plane tunneled session, the data packet of the application data flow.

[0222] Such a proxy server tends to reduce latency in adapting the UE sending behavior according to network conditions. The proxy server tends to improve the observed QoE for the application data flow serviced by the UE and the network. The UE may be a client UE.

[0223] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the proxy server to establish the user plane tunneled session with the UE. The user plane tunneled session may be proxied to the AS. The proxy server may be part of a network. The network may include a core connectivity network, e.g., 5G Core Network, 6G Core Network, or similar. The network may further include a radio access network, RAN. The proxy server may comprise a user plane connectivity gateway to a data network. The proxy server may be a user plane function, UPF. The AS may be provided by an application server provider, ASP.

[0224] The user plane tunneled session may comprise an encapsulation protocol. The encapsulation protocol may be based on a transport protocol comprising at least one of a user datagram protocol, UDP, connection, a transmission control protocol, TCP, connection, and a QUIC transport connection. The encapsulation protocol may be based on a QUIC-aware proxy protocol. A first payload header of the QUIC-aware proxy protocol may comprise the indication of the first exposure information. The encapsulation protocol may be based on connect-user datagram protocol, Connect-UDP. A payload header of the Connect-UDP may comprise the indication of the first exposure information.

[0225] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the proxy server to receive over the user plane tunneled session an indication of a second exposure information. The second exposure information may relate to handling the data packet of the application data flow based on a UE client event. The second exposure information may comprise an indication of at least one of: an application data flow traffic characteristic; a temporary boost request for a network QoS handling of the application data flow; and / or a request for updating a network event exposure configuration for indications of at least one of the first exposure information and of the second exposure information. The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the proxy server to receive secondconfiguration information exposing the second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session.

[0226] The network event for the data packet of the application data flow may comprise an indication of at least one of: a congestion level; a latency incurred by the application data flow; a dynamic change to a quality of service, QoS, flow associated with the application data flow; a maximum available data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow; a guaranteed data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow; a predictive event; and a response to a request event from the UE.

[0227] The at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory may be further configured to cause the proxy server to receive first configuration information for establishing the user plane tunneled session. The network event may be a radio access network, RAN, network event.

[0228] There is further provided a method performed by a proxy server, the method comprising: sending, to a user equipment, UE, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information, wherein the first exposure information relates to handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and receiving, from the UE based on the first exposure information, over the user plane tunneled session, the data packet of the application data flow.

[0229] Such a method tends to reduce latency in adapting the UE sending behavior according to network conditions. The method tends to improve the observed QoE for the application data flow serviced by the UE and the network. The UE may be a client UE.

[0230] The method may further comprise establishing the user plane tunneled session with the UE. The user plane tunneled session may be proxied to the AS. The proxy server may be part of a network. The network may include a core connectivity network, e.g., 5G Core Network, 6G Core Network, or similar. The network may further include a radio access network, RAN. The proxy server may comprise a user plane connectivity gateway to a data network. The proxy server may be a user plane function, UPF. The AS may be provided by an application server provider, ASP.

[0231] The user plane tunneled session may comprise an encapsulation protocol. The encapsulation protocol may be based on a transport protocol comprising at least one of a user datagram protocol, UDP, connection, a transmission control protocol, TCP, connection, and a QUIC transport connection. The encapsulation protocol may be based on a QUIC-aware proxy protocol. A first payload header of the QUIC-aware proxy protocol may comprise the indication of the first exposure information. The encapsulation protocol may be based on connect-user datagram protocol, Connect-UDP. A payload header of the Connect-UDP may comprise the indication of the first exposure information.

[0232] The method may further comprise receiving over the user plane tunneled session an indication of a second exposure information. The second exposure information may relate to handling the data packet of the application data flow based on a UE client event. The second exposure information may comprise an indication of at least one of: an application data flow traffic characteristic; a temporary boost request for a network QoS handling of the application data flow; and / or a request for updating a network event exposure configuration for indications of at least one of the first exposure information and of the second exposure information. The method may further comprise receiving second configuration information for exposing the second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session.

[0233] The network event for the data packet of the application data flow may comprise an indication of at least one of: a congestion level; a latency incurred by the application data flow; a dynamic change to a quality of service, QoS, flow associated with the application data flow; a maximum available data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow; a guaranteed data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow; a predictive event; and a response to a request event from the UE.

[0234] The method may further comprise receiving first configuration information for establishing the user plane tunneled session. The network event may be a radio access network, RAN, network event.

[0235] There is further provided a method performed by a network entity, the method comprising: receiving, from a user equipment, UE, application a request for a user plane tunneled session with an application server, AS, via a proxy server, wherein the user planetunneled session is configured for carrying, from the proxy server to the UE, an indication of first exposure information, wherein the first exposure information relates to handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event.

[0236] The user plane tunneled session may be configured based on first configuration information for establishing the user plane tunneled session. The UE may be configured to expose second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane session. The UE may be configured to expose second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane session based on second configuration information.

[0237] The method may further comprise sending, to a network function, a request for establishing the user plane tunneled session. The request for establishing the user plane tunneled session may comprise a request for establishing the user plane tunneled session based on a quality of service, QoS, parameter. The request for establishing the user plane tunneled session may further comprise a request for establishing the user plane tunneled session based on the first configuration information. The request for establishing the user plane tunneled session may further comprise a request to expose the second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session based on the second configuration information. The network function may be a policy control function, PCF. The network function may be a network exposure function, NEE The network entity may be an Application Function, AF.

[0238] The network events exposure mechanisms in 3 GPP are currently limited to control plane and often involve convoluted relaying from RAN to an AF entity. Moreover, they are not designed to be easily consumed by applications and / or services, but instead they often terminate at an AF without any clear specification how ASPs and apps can take consume and take advantage of the network events such as congestion level information, delay and data rate estimates, QoS monitoring etc. This makes procedures in the past slow and hard to consume by ever-growing adaptive media applications. In particular, the potential of fast self-adaptation of media applications is not met by slow or delayed network events currently exposed.

[0239] Examples described herein create and leverage a data plane in-band exposure channel. The exposure channel is used by the network, e.g., a UPF to expose networkevents (e.g., available bit rate, dynamic QoS changes etc.) to a UE client and the UE client can indicate in-band to the network dynamic traffic characteristics and temporary QoS boost events. The in-band exposure channel between application and network is based upon an encapsulation transport protocol embedding control metadata (e.g., exposure events) alongside service data flow traffic. The network exposure channel may be associated with a dynamic QoS flow and may further be proxied by the network to the AS for server-side event exposure as well.

[0240] Examples described herein tend to provide fast network exposure mechanisms that can maximize multimedia potential of self-adaptation for enhanced QoE relative to today’s control plane mechanisms via the AF, as per 5G Rel-19 scope. Examples described herein expose a data-plane channel for control metadata (e.g., network exposure) which tends to maximize the use of proxying approaches based on QUIC or other encapsulation protocols. Examples described herein define new in-band exposure channel setup procedures, network actors’ interactions and reactions to exposure events, and new network exposure events (e.g., available bit rate, congestion events, dynamic QoS events) as well as UE client events exposed to the network (e.g., boost request, dynamic traffic characteristic). In the past, solutions rely on exposing network events solely based on control plane mechanisms which are slow and inefficient in exploiting the adaptation potential of dynamic applications for both increased QoE as well as better utilization of network resources.

[0241] In some examples described herein, the AF requests on behalf of a client UE a dynamic QoS session with network assistance and events exposure in-band over data plane. In some examples described herein, the UE client and network (e.g., UPF) establish an encapsulated tunnel connection with the network proxying the encapsulated tunnel connection to the target AS. The tunnel connection includes in-band an exposure transport channel for network exposure events, the exposure transport channel is accessible to the UE client (proxy client), UPF (proxy server) and optionally the AS (target server).

[0242] In some examples described herein, the network exposure events notify UE of various network and QoS flow changes events. The changes may be real-time, or predictions (e.g., near-term) based on the network state. The UE may notify the networkand expose events of dynamic traffic characteristic changes and temporary bit rate boost requirements that may affect the underlying dynamic QoS flow. The network may selfadapt to UE events, whereas the application / service may self-adapt to network events (e.g., adaptive bit rate encodings at application layer) for maximizing the QoS potential and QoE reliability.

[0243] There is further provided a method for a User Equipment (UE) configured to receive for an application data flow a first configuration information to establish a user plane tunnelled session to a target application server by means of an encapsulation protocol with a proxy server in a network; receive a second configuration information to setup network events exposure, the network events exposure comprised in-band over the user plane tunnelled session; route a user plane packet of the application data flow to the target server via the proxy server; and consume one or more network events exposed in-band over the user plane tunnelled session, the one or more network events comprising information corresponding to the application data flow handling over the user plane tunnelled session.

[0244] The second configuration information may further comprise an indication to expose UE client events to the network.

[0245] The method may further comprise indicating events to the proxy server, the events comprising information of at least one of: application data flow traffic characteristics indicating data burst size information; application data flow traffic characteristics indicating periodicity information; application data flow traffic characteristics indicating application layer forward error correction (AL-FEC) configuration applied by the UE (e.g., code type, code type category, such as MDS / non-MDS code, content ratio or redundant ratio per code block etc.); temporary boost request for the network QoS handling of the application data flow (e.g., indication of new QoS parameters applicable to the application data flow for a short duration of time, e.g., 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 200 seconds, the QoS parameters comprising minimum / desired bit rate, maximum / desired delay budget, error rate); and request for updating the network events exposure.

[0246] The request may comprise at least one of: requesting modification of the second configuration information (e.g., periodicity of existing events exposed including both UEclient events and network events); and / or requesting the network to expose new event types (the request comprising of at least one of UE client events and network events).

[0247] The network events exposed may originate in part at a radio access network (RAN) node and are relayed in-band over user plane by the proxy server. The proxy server may be a User Plane Function (UPF).

[0248] The second configuration information may comprise the network events exposure originating at the proxy server and comprising information of at least one of: a congestion level, the congestion level comprising of at least one of congestion event notification, congestion event prediction, and congestion events statistics; latency information associated with delay incurred by the application data flow on the network path (e.g., access network and / or core network); dynamic QoS flow changes, the QoS flow may comprise the application data flow over the network; maximum available data rate for the network QoS flow serving the application data flow; guaranteed data rate for the network QoS flow serving the application data flow; predictive events of near-term changes in at least one of maximum available data rate, latency, QoS parameters associated with the application data flow over the network; and / or response to a request event from the UE, the response comprising of at least a response status (e.g., accepted, not accepted, not permitted etc.).

[0249] The encapsulation protocol may be based on QUIC transport. The encapsulation protocol may be based on Connect-UDP protocol. The events exposed in-band over the user plane tunnelled session may be comprised as metadata within the Connect-UDP payload headers as at least one of: a HTTP datagram header according to a specific Connect-UDP protocol Context ID; and / or a Capsule header according to a Capsule type encapsulated within the Connect-UDP protocol. The encapsulation protocol may be based on QUIC- Aware proxy protocol. The events exposed in-band over the user plane tunnelled session may be comprised as metadata within HTTP headers corresponding to the QUIC- Aware proxy payload, the metadata processed by the proxy server based on a specific packet transform.

[0250] There is further provided a method for a network entity configured to: receive from a user equipment (UE) application a request for a tunnelled session with user plane in-band network events exposure, the tunnel session configured based on a first configuration and the network events exposure based on a second configuration configured, wherein the network events exposure comprises information of a network handling the application data flow; request from the network the tunnelled session with QoS parameters based on the first configuration and enabled network events exposure based on second configuration. The network entity may be an application function (AF).

[0251] The method may further comprise the network entity indicating the UE a set of provisioned first configuration and second configurations for the tunnelled session with user plane in-band network events, wherein the set of provisioned configurations correspond to the network configuration provisioning for the application and originate from an Application Service Provider.

[0252] It should be noted that the method described herein describes a possible implementation, and that the operations and the steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified and that other implementations are possible.

[0253] The description herein is provided to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0254] The following abbreviations are relevant in the field addressed by this document: 3GPP - 3rd generation partnership project; 5G - fifth generation; 5GS - 5G System; 5QI - 5G QoS Identifier; 6G - sixth generation; AF - application function; AMF - access and mobility function; AR - augmented reality; AS - application server; DL - downlink; NAL - network abstraction layer; PCF - policy control function; PDU - packet data unit; PPS - picture parameter set; QoE - quality of experience; QoS - quality of service; RAN - radio access network; RTCP - real-time control protocol; RTP - real-time protocol; SDAP - service data adaptation protocol; SMF - session management function; SRTCP - secure real-time control protocol; SRTP - secure real-time protocol; UE - user equipment; UL - uplink; UPF - user plane function; VCL - video coding layer; VMAF -video multi-method assessment function; VPS - video parameter set; VR - virtual reality;XR extended reality; XR AS - XR application server; XRM - XR media.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A user equipment, UE, for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to: receive, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmit, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the user plane tunneled session is associated with an encapsulation protocol.

3. The UE of claim 2, wherein the encapsulation protocol is based on at least one of: a User Datagram Protocol, UDP, protocol, a Transmission Control Protocol, TCP, protocol, and a Quick User Datagram Protocol Internet Connections, QUIC, protocol.

4. The UE of claim 2, wherein the encapsulation protocol is based on a QUIC-aware proxy protocol.

5. The UE of claim 4, wherein a first payload header of the QUIC-aware proxy protocol comprises the indication of the first exposure information.

6. The UE of claim 2, wherein the encapsulation protocol is based on Connect-User Datagram Protocol, Connect-UDP.

7. The UE of claim 6, wherein a pay load header of the Connect-UDP comprises the indication of the first exposure information.

8. The UE of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory is further configured to cause the UE to: transmit, to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session, an indication of a second exposure information for handling the data packet of the application data flow based on a UE event.

9. The UE of claim 8, wherein the indication of the second exposure information comprises at least one of: an application data flow traffic characteristic; a temporary boost request for a network QoS handling of the application data flow; and a request for updating a network event exposure configuration for indicating at least one of the first exposure information and the second exposure information.

10. The UE of any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein the at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory is further configured to cause the UE to: receive second configuration information for exposing the second exposure information to the proxy server over the user plane tunneled session.

11. The UE of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the network event comprises an indication of at least one of: a congestion level; a latency incurred by the application data flow; a dynamic change to a Quality-of-Service, QoS, flow associated with the application data flow; a maximum available data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow;a guaranteed data rate for the QoS flow associated with the application data flow; a predictive event; and a response to a request event from the UE.

12. The UE of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory is further configured to cause the UE to: receive first configuration information for establishing the user plane tunneled session.

13. A processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor to: receive, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between a UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmit, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

14. A method performed by a user equipment, UE, the method comprising: receiving, from a proxy server, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; and transmitting, based on the first exposure information, the data packet of the application data flow to the AS over the user plane tunneled session via the proxy server.

15. A method performed by a proxy server, the method comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment, UE, over a user plane tunneled session established between the UE and an application server, AS, an indication of first exposure information for handling a data packet of an application data flow based on a network event; andreceiving, from the UE based on the first exposure information, over the user plane tunneled session, the data packet of the application data flow.

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