UPF device, transfer method, and program

Abstract

Provided is a user plane function (UPF) device comprising: a reception unit that receives each of a plurality of communication packets included in a specific communication session; and a control unit that transfers each communication packet by a transfer method corresponding to information regarding a network slice included in each communication packet received by the reception unit. Thus, it is possible to more appropriately perform transfer processing corresponding to communication characteristics desired for each packet.

Description

UPF device, transfer method, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a UPF device, a transfer method, and a program.

[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses that an identification unit identifies the network slice to which a received packet belongs and the QoS class, and allocates the packet to one of a group of queues according to the identification result. Patent Literature 1 discloses that, when the packet is a GTP-U (General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol for User Plane) packet, the identification unit can identify the network slice by referring to the range from the L2 Ethernet frame to the GTP-U Extension as a specific range.

[0003] JP 2024-006216 A

[0004] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 may have room for improvement in order to perform transfer processing according to communication characteristics desired for each packet, for example.

[0005] In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that can more appropriately perform transfer processing according to communication characteristics desired for each packet.

[0006] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a UPF (User Plane Function) device is provided that has a receiving unit that receives each of a plurality of communication packets included in a specific communication session, and a control unit that forwards each of the communication packets using a forwarding method according to information regarding a network slice included in each of the communication packets received by the receiving unit.

[0007] In addition, a second aspect of the present disclosure provides a forwarding method in which a UPF (User Plane Function) device receives each of a plurality of communication packets included in a specific communication session, and forwards each of the communication packets using a forwarding method according to information regarding a network slice included in each of the received communication packets.

[0008] In addition, in a third aspect of the present disclosure, a program is provided that causes a UPF (User Plane Function) device to execute processing to receive each of multiple communication packets included in a specific communication session and forward each of the communication packets using a forwarding method according to information regarding a network slice included in each of the received communication packets.

[0009] According to one aspect, it is possible to more appropriately perform transfer processing according to communication characteristics desired for each packet.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a UPF device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a UPF device according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of a UPF device according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a PDU Session Container type format of an extension header of a GTP-U packet according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a transfer method setting DB (database) according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a method of allocating each communication packet according to an embodiment to an arbitrary queue out of a plurality of queues.

[0011] The principles of the present disclosure will be described with reference to some exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are set forth for illustrative purposes only, to aid those skilled in the art in understanding and practicing the present disclosure, without implying any limitation on the scope of the disclosure. The disclosure described herein may be implemented in various ways other than those described below.

[0012] In the following description and claims, unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each drawing is merely an example for describing one or more embodiments. Each drawing is not related to only one particular embodiment, but may also be related to one or more other embodiments. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing can be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create, for example, an embodiment not explicitly shown or described. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing are necessarily required to describe an exemplary embodiment, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps described in any drawing may be changed as appropriate.

[0014] (First Embodiment) <Configuration> The configuration of a UPF device 10 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a UPF device 10 according to an embodiment. The UPF device 10 has a receiving unit 11 and a control unit 12. These units may be realized by cooperation between one or more programs installed in the UPF device 10 and hardware such as a processor and memory of the UPF device 10.

[0015] The receiving unit 11 receives each of a plurality of communication packets included in a specific communication session. The control unit 12 forwards each communication packet using a forwarding method according to information about the network slice included in each communication packet received by the receiving unit 11. This makes it possible to more appropriately perform forwarding processing according to the communication characteristics desired for each packet.

[0016] (Embodiment 2) <System Configuration> Next, a configuration of a communication system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example configuration of the communication system 1 according to the embodiment. In the example of FIG. 2 , the communication system 1 includes a UPF (User Plane Function) device 10, a RAN (Radio Access Network) 20, a UE (User Equipment) 30, a DN (Data Network) 40, and a management device 50. In the example of FIG. 2 , the UPF device 10, the DN 40, and the management device 50 are connected so as to be able to communicate via a core network CN. The UPF device 10 and the RAN 20 are connected so as to be able to communicate via a transport network or the like. Note that the numbers of UPF devices 10, RANs 20, UEs 30, DNs 40, and management devices 50 are not limited to those in the example of FIG. 2 .

[0017] The UPF device 10 may be, for example, a device that enforces QoS (Quality of Service) rules for user packets (U-Plane) in a core network and performs transmission and reception processing of user packets with the DN 40. The UPF device 10 of the present disclosure may be referred to as, for example, a user packet forwarding device, a packet forwarding device, or a communication device.

[0018] The RAN 20 is a network for connecting the UE 30 to a core network CN or the like via a wireless connection by a mobile communication system. The RAN 20 may include, for example, antenna equipment, a base station, a line control device, etc. Examples of the mobile communication system include, for example, a fifth generation mobile communication system (5G), a sixth generation mobile communication system (6G, Beyond 5G), a fourth generation mobile communication system (4G), a third generation mobile communication system (3G), etc.

[0019] The UE 30 may be, for example, a terminal owned by a user, such as a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, etc. The UE 30 may also be, for example, a communication device mounted on an IoT device, factory equipment, a vehicle, etc.

[0020] Examples of the DN 40 include the Internet, a mobile communication system, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), a LAN, etc. The management device 50 is a device for performing various settings on the UPF device 10 according to instructions from, for example, an administrator (operator).

[0021] <Hardware Configuration> Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the UPF device 10 according to the embodiment. In the example of Fig. 3, the UPF device 10 (computer 100) includes a processor 101, a memory 102, and a communication interface 103. These components may be connected via a bus or the like. The memory 102 stores at least a part of a program 104. The communication interface 103 includes an interface required for communication with other network elements.

[0022] When the program 104 is executed by the processor 101, memory 102, and other components in cooperation with each other, the computer 100 performs at least some of the processing of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The memory 102 may be of any type. As a non-limiting example, the memory 102 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The memory 102 may also be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and removable memory. Although only one memory 102 is shown in the computer 100, several physically different memory modules may be present in the computer 100. The processor 101 may be of any type. The processor 101 may include one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and, as a non-limiting example, a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. The computer 100 may have multiple processors, such as application-specific integrated circuit chips that are time-slaved to a clock that synchronizes the main processor.

[0023] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. Some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software that may be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device.

[0024] The present disclosure also provides at least one computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions, such as instructions included in program modules, that execute on a target real or virtual processor or device to perform the processes or methods of the present disclosure. Program modules include routines, programs, libraries, objects, classes, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The functionality of the program modules may be combined or divided among program modules as desired in various embodiments. The machine-executable instructions of the program modules may be executed in local or distributed devices. In a distributed device, the program modules may be located in both local and remote storage media.

[0025] The program code for executing the methods of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These program codes may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus. When the program code is executed by the processor or controller, the functions / acts in the flowcharts and / or implementing block diagrams are performed. The program code may be executed entirely on the machine, partly on the machine, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the machine and partly on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0026] The program can be stored and supplied to a computer using various types of non-transitory computer-readable media. Non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of tangible recording media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media, magneto-optical recording media, optical disk media, and semiconductor memory. Magnetic recording media include, for example, flexible disks, magnetic tapes, and hard disk drives. Magneto-optical recording media include, for example, magneto-optical disks. Optical disk media include, for example, Blu-ray discs, CD (Compact Disc)-ROM (Read Only Memory), CD-R (Recordable), and CD-RW (Rewritable). Semiconductor memory includes, for example, solid-state drives, mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, and RAM (Random Access Memory). The program may also be supplied to a computer by various types of temporary computer-readable media. Examples of temporary computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. The temporary computer-readable medium can supply the program to the computer via a wired communication path such as an electric wire or an optical fiber, or via a wireless communication path.

[0027] <Processing> Next, an example of processing by the UPF device 10 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4 to Fig. 7. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the UPF device 10 according to the embodiment. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a PDU Session Container type format of an extension header of a GTP-U packet according to the embodiment. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in a transfer method setting DB (database) 601 according to the embodiment. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a method for allocating each communication packet according to the embodiment to an arbitrary queue from among a plurality of queues.

[0028] In step S101, the receiver 11 receives communication packets included in a specific communication session. Here, the receiver 11 may receive GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for User Plane) packets from the RAN 20 via the N3 interface or from another UPF device via the N9 interface.

[0029] The receiving unit 11 may receive a communication packet to which at least one of SST (Slice and Service Type) and SD (Slice Differentiator) used in S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) is added to the "PDU Session Container" type header of the extension header of the GTP-U packet.

[0030] The extension header type of the GTP-U packet and the format of the "PDU Session Container" header are defined in the "5.2.1 General format of the GTP-U Extension Header" section and the "5.2.2.7 PDU Session Container" section of 3GPP (registered trademark) (Third Generation Partnership Project) TS 29.281 (e.g., V18.1.0 (2024-03)), respectively.

[0031] The format of the "PDU Session Container" header is specifically defined in section "5.5.2 Frame format for the PDU Session user plane protocol" of 3GPP TS 38.415 (e.g., V18.1.0 (2024-03)). The format of the "PDU Session Container" header for the uplink (UL) is defined in section "5.5.2.2 UL PDU SESSION INFORMATION (PDU Type 1)" as shown in Figure 5.

[0032] SST and SD are used, for example, in S-NSSAI transmitted from SMF (Session Management Function) to UPF, and it is specified in section "8.2.176 S-NSSAI" of 3GPP TS 29.244 (e.g., V18.6.0 (2024-06)) that SST is 1 byte (octet) and SST is 3 bytes.

[0033] The definitions of each standardized SST value are specified in section "5.15.2.2 Standardized SST values" of 3GPP TS 23.003 (for example, V18.6.0 (2024-06)) as follows: 1: eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband). A slice suitable for processing 5G enhanced mobile broadband. 2: URLLC (ultra-reliable low latency communications). A slice suitable for processing ultra-reliable low latency communications. 3: MIoT (massive IoT). A slice suitable for processing large-scale IoT. 4: V2X (Vehicle to X). A slice suitable for processing V2X services. 5: HMTC (High-Performance Machine-Type Communications). A slice suitable for processing high-performance machine-type communications. 6: HDLLC (High Data rate and Low Latency Communications). A slice suitable for processing high data rate and low latency communications.

[0034] Also, SD is an optional value and is an identifier for separating multiple network slices within the same SST.

[0035] Next, the control unit 12 determines a forwarding method for the communication packet based on information about the network slice included in the communication packet received by the receiving unit 11 (step S102). The information about the network slice may be set in a Padding field 511 in the PDU Session Container type of the extension header of the GTP-U packet shown in Fig. 5. This allows, for example, the UPF device 10 to identify the communication characteristics desired for the packet directly from the GTP-U packet.

[0036] Furthermore, the information on the network slice may be at least one of the SST and the SD, which allows the definition of information originally intended to be used in the S-NSSAI to be reused.

[0037] The control unit 12 may determine a transfer method according to information related to the network slice, based on information set in the transfer method setting DB 601. In the example of Fig. 6, the transfer method setting DB 601 stores transfer methods in association with combinations of SST and SD.

[0038] The control unit 12 may accept a setting of a transfer method according to information related to the network slice. In this case, the information set in the transfer method setting DB 601 may be set from the management device 50.

[0039] The control unit 12 may determine the transfer method to be one of a method of allocating each communication packet to a specific queue (serial processing method) and a method of allocating each communication packet to an arbitrary queue among a plurality of queues (parallel processing method) based on the information about the network slice. Note that the communication packets stored in each queue are transferred to the DN 40 in a FIFO (First In, First Out) manner for each queue.

[0040] In the method of allocating each communication packet to a specific queue, each communication packet to which information about the first network slice is added is allocated to the same queue. Therefore, each communication packet to which information about the first network slice is added is transferred in the order in which it is received by the receiving unit 11. As a result, for example, by transferring each packet of a session in which communication characteristics of URLLC (Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication) are desired using a single queue with high priority or processing performance, it is possible to ensure order and improve low latency.

[0041] In the method of allocating each communication packet to an arbitrary queue among multiple queues, each communication packet to which information about the second network slice is added is allocated to an unspecified queue, such as a relatively empty queue. Therefore, although each communication packet to which information about the second network slice is added may be transferred in an order different from the order in which it was received by the receiving unit 11, the transfer speed is improved because the communication packets are processed in parallel in multiple queues. This makes it possible to improve the transfer speed by transferring each packet of a session for which communication characteristics of eMBB (5G enhanced mobile broadband) are desired in parallel using multiple queues.

[0042] 7 shows an example of a method for allocating communication packets to any of a plurality of queues according to the embodiment. In the example of FIG. 7, packets P1, P2, and P3 are received in order and allocated to queues Q1, Q2, and Q3, respectively. The packets are then processed in parallel in each queue and transferred to DN 40 in the order of P2, P1, and P3.

[0043] In addition, the control unit 12 may determine the transfer method to be used based on information regarding the network slice, either a method of allocating each communication packet to a queue using software (software processing method), or a method of allocating each communication packet to a queue using hardware (hardware processing method).

[0044] In a method of allocating each communication packet to a queue by software, each communication packet to which information regarding the third network slice is attached is allocated to a queue using, for example, one or more of the multiple cores possessed by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory.

[0045] In a method of allocating each communication packet to a hardware queue, each communication packet to which information regarding the fourth network slice is added is allocated to a queue using dedicated hardware such as a NIC (Network Interface Card).

[0046] The conditions of whether to use the serial processing method or the parallel processing method and whether to use the software processing method or the hardware processing method can be used in any combination. In this case, the control unit 12 may transfer packets of a session for which communication characteristics such as URLLC (ultra-reliable low latency communication) or MIoT (large-scale Internet of Things) are desired, for example, using the serial processing method and the hardware processing method. Furthermore, the control unit 12 may transfer packets of a session for which communication characteristics such as eMBB (5G enhanced mobile broadband) or V2X are desired, for example, using the parallel processing method and the software processing method.

[0047] The control unit 12 may determine the transfer method for each communication packet based on information about the network slice and the UL Delay Result field 512 in the PDU Session Container type of the extension header of the GTP-U packet shown in FIG. 5. In this case, the control unit 12 may manage the delay value for each transfer method, for example, based on the delay value indicated by the UL Delay Result field 512 of each communication packet. Then, for example, when the delay of a communication packet to which information about a specific network slice is added is equal to or greater than a threshold, the control unit 12 may determine the transfer method for the communication packet to be a transfer method with lower delay. This makes it possible to reduce the delay of a network slice when the delay of the network slice temporarily increases due to, for example, a temporary increase in the amount of communication packets of the specific network slice.

[0048] The control unit 12 may determine the transfer method based on information about the network slice and the communication protocol of the packet from the UE 30 encapsulated in the GTP-U packet. In this case, for example, if the communication protocol of the packet from the UE 30 is TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), the control unit 12 may transfer the packet using the above-mentioned serial processing method. Furthermore, for example, if the communication protocol of the packet from the UE 30 is UDP (User Datagram Protocol), the control unit 12 may transfer the packet using the above-mentioned parallel processing method.

[0049] Next, the control unit 12 transfers the communication packet to the DN 40 using the determined transfer method (step S103).

[0050] <Others> When identifying communication characteristics desired for a specific session using a TEID (Tunnel Endpoint Identifier), which is an ID of a PDU session on the UPF side, it is necessary to manage the TEID and SST / SD (at least one of SST and SD) in association with each other. Therefore, for example, as the number of communication sessions increases, the amount of resources required to associate and store the TEID and SST / SD also increases. Furthermore, since a new TEID is assigned each time a session is connected, the TEID needs to be updated each time a session is connected. Therefore, as the frequency of communication session connections increases, the frequency of updates to the association information between the TEID and SST / SD also increases.

[0051] On the other hand, according to the present disclosure, since information about the network slice is set in the GTP-U packet, the communication characteristics desired for the packet can be identified directly from the packet, thereby enabling more appropriate forwarding processing according to the communication characteristics desired for each packet.

[0052] <Modifications> The UPF device 10 may be a device contained in a single housing, but the UPF device 10 of the present disclosure is not limited to this. Each unit of the UPF device 10 may be realized, for example, by cloud computing configured with one or more computers. Furthermore, the UPF device 10 and the management device 50 may be housed in the same housing and configured as an integrated UPF device. Such UPF devices 10 are also included as examples of the "UPF device" of the present disclosure.

[0053] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

[0054] Some or all of the above embodiments may be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes. Note that some or all of the elements (e.g., configurations and functions) described in each supplementary note that is subordinate to supplementary note 1 may also be subordinate to an independent supplementary note in another category through a similar dependency relationship. Some or all of the elements described in any supplementary note may be applied to various hardware, software, and recording means, systems, and methods for recording software. (Supplementary note 1) A UPF (User Plane Function) device having: a receiving unit that receives each of a plurality of communication packets included in a specific communication session; and a control unit that forwards each of the communication packets using a forwarding method according to information on a network slice included in each communication packet received by the receiving unit. (Supplementary Note 2) The UPF device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the information about the network slice is information defined by at least one of SST (Slice and Service Type) and SD (Slice Differentiator) of S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information). (Supplementary Note 3) The UPF device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the information about the network slice is set in a Padding field in a PDU Session Container type of an extension header of a GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for User Plane) packet. (Supplementary Note 4) The UPF device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the control unit determines, based on information about the network slice, one of a method of allocating each of the communication packets to a specific queue and a method of allocating each of the communication packets to an arbitrary queue among a plurality of queues as a forwarding method. (Supplementary Note 5) The UPF device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the control unit determines, based on information about the network slice, one of a method of allocating each of the communication packets to a software-based queue and a method of allocating each of the communication packets to a hardware-based queue as a forwarding method.(Supplementary Note 6) The UPF device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the control unit determines a forwarding method for each of the communication packets based on information about the network slice and a UL delay result field in a PDU Session Container type of an extension header of a GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for User Plane) packet. (Supplementary Note 7) The UPF device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the control unit determines a forwarding method based on information about the network slice and a communication protocol of each of the encapsulated communication packets. (Supplementary Note 8) The UPF device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the control unit accepts setting of a forwarding method according to information about the network slice. (Supplementary Note 9) A forwarding method in which a UPF (User Plane Function) device receives each of a plurality of communication packets included in a specific communication session, and forwards each of the communication packets using a forwarding method according to information about a network slice included in each of the received communication packets. (Supplementary Note 10) A program that causes a UPF (User Plane Function) device to execute a process in which a UPF (User Plane Function) device receives each of a plurality of communication packets included in a specific communication session, and forwards each of the communication packets using a forwarding method according to information about a network slice included in each of the received communication packets.

[0055] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-129047, filed August 5, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

[0056] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 communication system 10 UPF device 11 receiving unit 12 control unit 20 RAN 30 UE 40 DN 50 management device

Claims

1. A UPF (User Plane Function) device having: a receiving unit that receives each of multiple communication packets included in a specific communication session; and a control unit that forwards each of the communication packets using a forwarding method according to information regarding a network slice included in each of the communication packets received by the receiving unit.

2. The UPF device according to claim 1, wherein the information regarding the network slice is information defined in at least one of SST (Slice and Service Type) and SD (Slice Differentiator) of S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information).

3. The UPF device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information about the network slice is set in a Padding field in a PDU Session Container type of an extension header of a GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for User Plane) packet.

4. The UPF device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit determines a transfer method based on information about the network slice, either a method of allocating each communication packet to a specific queue, or a method of allocating each communication packet to any of a plurality of queues.

5. The UPF device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit determines a transfer method based on information about the network slice, either a method of allocating each communication packet to a queue by software, or a method of allocating each communication packet to a queue by hardware.

6. The UPF device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit determines a forwarding method for each of the communication packets based on information about the network slice and an UL delay result field in a PDU Session Container type of an extension header of a GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for User Plane) packet.

7. The UPF device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit determines a forwarding method based on information about the network slice and a communication protocol of each of the encapsulated communication packets.

8. The UPF device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit accepts a setting of a forwarding method according to information related to the network slice.

9. A forwarding method in which a UPF (User Plane Function) device receives each of a plurality of communication packets included in a specific communication session, and forwards each of the communication packets using a forwarding method according to information regarding a network slice included in each of the received communication packets.

10. The forwarding method according to claim 9, wherein the information regarding the network slice is information defined in at least one of SST (Slice and Service Type) and SD (Slice Differentiator) of S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information).

11. The transfer method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the information about the network slice is set in a Padding field in a PDU Session Container type of an extension header of a GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for User Plane) packet.

12. A transfer method as described in claim 9 or 10, wherein a transfer method is determined based on information about the network slice, from among a method of allocating each communication packet to a specific queue and a method of allocating each communication packet to any of a plurality of queues.

13. A transfer method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a transfer method is determined based on information about the network slice, from among a method of allocating each of the communication packets to a queue by software and a method of allocating each of the communication packets to a queue by hardware.

14. The transfer method according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising determining a transfer method for each of the communication packets based on information about the network slice and a UL delay result field in a PDU Session Container type in an extension header of a GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for User Plane) packet.

15. The transfer method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a transfer method is determined based on information about the network slice and a communication protocol of each of the encapsulated communication packets.

16. The transfer method according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising accepting a setting of a transfer method according to information relating to the network slice.

17. A program that causes a UPF (User Plane Function) device to execute the following process: receive each of multiple communication packets included in a specific communication session; and forward each of the communication packets using a forwarding method according to information about the network slice included in each received communication packet.

18. The program according to claim 17, wherein the information regarding the network slice is information defined in at least one of SST (Slice and Service Type) and SD (Slice Differentiator) of S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information).

19. The program according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the information about the network slice is set in a Padding field in a PDU Session Container type in an extension header of a GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for User Plane) packet.

20. The program described in claim 17 or 18, which determines a transfer method based on information about the network slice, either a method of allocating each communication packet to a specific queue, or a method of allocating each communication packet to any of a plurality of queues.

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