Network node and communication method

Abstract

This network node comprises: a transmission unit that transmits a first message, a second message, and a third message, each requesting information pertaining to quality of service, to a terminal, a base station, and a first network node that handles subscriber information about a user, respectively; a reception unit that receives from the terminal a fourth message containing measurement information measured by the terminal, receives from the base station a fifth message containing resource information and traffic information in regard to the base station, and receives from the first network node a sixth message containing contract information about the user; and a control unit that uses the measurement information, the resource information, the traffic information, and the contract information to determine first configuration information pertaining to quality of service of which to notify the terminal, second configuration information pertaining to a resource of which to notify the base station, and third configuration information of which to notify the first network node.

Description

Network Node and Communication Method

[0001] The present invention relates to a network node and a communication method in a communication system.

[0002] In 3GPP (Registered Trademark) (3rd Generation Partnership Project), in order to achieve further increase in system capacity, further increase in data transmission speed, further reduction in latency in the radio section, etc., a radio communication method called 5G or NR (New Radio) (hereinafter, this radio communication method is referred to as "5G" or "NR") is being studied. In 5G, in order to meet the requirement of achieving a throughput of 10 Gbps or more while reducing the latency of the radio section to 1 ms or less, various radio technologies are being studied.

[0003] Also, the network architectures in 5GC (5G Core Network) or 5GS (5G System), which is the core network in 5G, and 6GC (6G Core Network) or 6GS (6G System), which is the successor to 5G, are also being studied (for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

[0004] Also, in 3GPP Rel-19, in a radio communication system, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning models in beam management, estimation of channel state information, and estimation of the position of a terminal, etc. is being studied.

[0005] 3GPP TS 23.501 V18.7.0 (2024-09)

[0006] In 5G, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the core network and RAN, etc. is being studied, and by this, not only the efficiency of the network but also an improvement in service quality (QoS) can be expected. Here, for the efficiency of the network and the improvement of service quality, not only the setting and optimization of parameters for individual functions in the core network and RAN but also the consideration of the entire radio communication system are necessary.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above points, and aims to improve network efficiency and service quality in wireless communication systems, taking the entire system into consideration.

[0008] According to the disclosed technology, a network node is provided, which includes: a transmitting unit that transmits a first message, a second message, and a third message to a terminal, a base station, and a first network node that handles subscriber information of a user, requesting information regarding quality of service; a receiving unit that receives a fourth message from the terminal including measurement information measured at the terminal, a fifth message from the base station including resource information and traffic information at the base station, and a sixth message from the first network node including the user's contract information; and a control unit that uses the measurement information, the resource information, the traffic information, and the contract information to determine first setting information regarding quality of service to be notified to the terminal, second setting information regarding resources to be notified to the base station, and third setting information to be notified to the first network node.

[0009] According to the disclosed technology, it is possible to improve network efficiency and service quality in wireless communication systems by considering the entire system.

[0010] This is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication system. This is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication system in a roaming environment. This is a diagram showing an example of a first sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of a second sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the base station 10 and network node 30 in an embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the terminal 20 in an embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the base station 10, terminal 20, and network node 30 in an embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 2001 in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are examples, and the embodiments to which the present invention applies are not limited to those described below. Furthermore, in the following description, " / " means "and / or" unless otherwise specified, or unless it is clear from the context that it has a different meaning.

[0012] In the operation of the wireless communication system according to the embodiments of the present invention, existing technologies may be used as appropriate. However, such existing technologies include, for example, existing LTE, but are not limited to existing LTE. Furthermore, the term "LTE" as used herein has a broad meaning that includes LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced and later technologies (e.g., NR), or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), unless otherwise specified.

[0013] Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention, "configuring" wireless parameters, etc., may mean that predetermined values ​​are pre-configured, or that wireless parameters notified from the network node 30 or terminal 20 are configured.

[0014] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication system. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system consists of a terminal 20 (UE) and multiple network nodes 30. Hereafter, one network node 30 will be assumed to correspond to each function, but one network node 30 may implement multiple functions, or multiple network nodes 30 may implement one function. Also, the "connection" described below may be a logical connection or a physical connection.

[0015] The RAN (Radio Access Network) is a network node 30 having wireless access functionality, which may include a base station 10, and is connected to a UE, AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function), and UPF (User plane function). The AMF is a network node 30 having functions such as terminating the RAN interface, terminating the NAS (Non-Access Stratum), registration management, connection management, reachability management, and terminal mobility management. The UPF is a network node 30 interconnected with the DN (Data Network) and having functions related to processing user plane data, such as a PDU (Protocol Data Unit) session point to the outside, packet routing and forwarding, and user plane QoS (Quality of Service) handling. The UPF and DN constitute a network slice. In the wireless communication network in the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of network slices are constructed.

[0016] AMF is connected to UE, RAN, SMF (Session Management function), NSSF (Network Slice Selection Function), NEF (Network Exposure Function), NRF (Network Repository Function), UDM (Unified Data Management), AUSF (Authentication Server Function), PCF (Policy Control Function), and AF (Application Function). AMF, SMF, NSSF, NEF, NRF, UDM, AUSF, PCF, and AF are network nodes 30 that are interconnected via interfaces based on their respective services: Namf, Nsmf, Nnssf, Nnef, Nnrf, Nudm, Nausf, Npcf, and Naf.

[0017] The SMF is a network node 30 that has functions such as session management, IP (Internet Protocol) address allocation and management for UEs, DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) functionality, ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) proxy, and roaming functionality. The NEF is a network node 30 that has the function of notifying other NFs (Network Functions) of capabilities and events. The NSSF is a network node 30 that has functions such as selecting the network slice to which the UE connects, determining the allowed NSSAI (Network Slice Selection Assistance Information), determining the NSSAI to be set, and determining the AMF set to which the UE connects. The PCF is a network node 30 that has the function of controlling network policies. The AF is a network node 30 that has the function of controlling application servers. The NRF is a network node 30 that has the function of discovering NF instances that provide services. The UDM is a network node 30 that manages subscriber data and authentication data. The UDM is connected to the UDR (User Data Repository) that holds the said data.

[0018] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication system in a roaming environment. As shown in Figure 2, the network consists of a terminal 20 (UE) and multiple network nodes 30. Hereafter, one network node 30 will be assigned to each function, but one network node 30 may implement multiple functions, or multiple network nodes 30 may implement one function. Also, the "connection" described below may be a logical connection or a physical connection.

[0019] The RAN is a network node 30 having wireless access functionality and is connected to the UE, AMF, and UPF. The AMF is a network node 30 having functions such as RAN interface termination, NAS termination, registration management, connection management, reachability management, and mobility management. The UPF is a network node 30 interconnected with the DN, having functions such as external PDU session point, packet routing and forwarding, and user plane QoS handling. The UPF and DN constitute a network slice. In the wireless communication network according to the embodiment of the present invention, multiple network slices are constructed.

[0020] AMF is connected to UE, RAN, SMF, NSSF, NEF, NRF, UDM, AUSF, PCF, AF, and SEPP (Security Edge Protection Proxy). AMF, SMF, NSSF, NEF, NRF, UDM, AUSF, PCF, and AF are network nodes 30 that are interconnected via interfaces based on their respective services: Namf, Nsmf, Nnssf, Nnef, Nnrf, Nudm, Nausf, Npcf, and Naf.

[0021] SMF is a network node 30 that has functions such as session management, IP address allocation and management for UEs, DHCP functionality, ARP proxy, and roaming functionality. NEF is a network node 30 that has the function of notifying other NFs of capabilities and events. NSSF is a network node 30 that has functions such as selecting the network slice to which the UE connects, determining which NSSAIs are allowed, determining which NSSAIs are configured, and determining which AMF set the UE connects to. PCF is a network node 30 that has the function of controlling network policies. AF is a network node 30 that has the function of controlling application servers. NRF is a network node 30 that has the function of discovering NF instances that provide services. SEPP is an opaque proxy that filters control plane messages between PLMNs (Public Land Mobile Networks). In Figure 2, vSEPP is the SEPP in the visited network, and hSEPP is the SEPP in the home network.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the UE is in a roaming environment connected to the RAN and AMF in the Visited PLMN. The Visited PLMN and Home PLMN are connected via vSEPP and hSEPP. The UE can communicate with the UDM of the Home PLMN, for example, via the AMF of the Visited PLMN.

[0023] (Example) This section describes a method for improving network efficiency and service quality in a wireless communication system, taking the entire system into consideration. In this example, in order to determine the optimal QoS parameters according to traffic and improve user experience and operational efficiency, first, an analysis (determination of settings / parameter values, etc.) is performed based on QoS settings, information at terminals and base stations, and information about the user's contract, in order to maximize the user experience (service quality experienced by the user) and minimize the resources required. Next, based on the analysis results, QoS settings and resource settings are performed for terminals, base stations, and the core network.

[0024] The method will be explained below using a sequence diagram. In this sequence diagram, the network node 30A is located, for example, between the base station 10 and the UDM 30B. The functions of the network node 30A may also be included in other network nodes in the core network (for example, the AMF 30C). Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a first sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. The processing of each step will be explained below.

[0025] S101: The network node 30A decides to request information regarding the quality of service (QoS) experienced by the user of terminal 20 from terminal 20, base station 10, and UDM 30B. The network node 30A may also decide to request periodic reports regarding this request.

[0026] S102: The network node 30A sends a message to the terminal 20 requesting network measurement information measured by the terminal 20 and information about the application being used, as information about the quality of service (QoS) experienced by the user. Here, the measurement information may include, for example, information about delay (Round Trip Time (RTT), etc.), delay jitter, and packet loss rate. The application information may include information such as the type and version of the application being used by the terminal 20.

[0027] Furthermore, the message may also be a message requesting periodic reporting of the measurement information and information about the application, and may include information indicating a request for periodic reporting and information about the reporting frequency.

[0028] S103: The network node 30A sends a message to the base station 10 where the terminal 20 is located, requesting information about resources and traffic at the base station 10 as information about the quality of service (QoS) experienced by the user. Here, the resource information may include, for example, the utilization rate of radio resources at the base station 10 and the utilization rate of radio resources for communication by the terminal 20. The traffic information may include, for example, the amount of traffic for the uplink / downlink at the base station 10 and information about the degree of congestion (for example, a degree such as high, medium, low, or a value from 0 to 100%).

[0029] Furthermore, the message may also be a message requesting periodic reporting of resource information and traffic information, and may include information indicating a request for periodic reporting and information regarding the reporting frequency.

[0030] S104: Network node 30A sends a message to UDM 30B, which handles the subscriber information of the user of terminal 20, requesting the user's contract information as information regarding the quality of service (QoS) experienced by the user. Here, the contract information may include, for example, information regarding QoS set on an application-by-application basis or QoS set on a line-by-line basis (for example, information regarding quality of service (QoS) indicators (QCI, 5QI, etc.), maximum / minimum bitrate, delay, packet loss rate, traffic priority, and bandwidth guarantee (whether it is best effort or not)).

[0031] Furthermore, the message may also be a message requesting periodic reporting of the contract information, and may include information indicating a request for periodic reporting and information regarding the reporting frequency.

[0032] S105: Terminal 20 sends a message to network node 30A containing the measurement information and application information requested in S102. Terminal 20 may also periodically send reports in response to requests if periodic reporting is requested in S102.

[0033] S106: The base station 10 sends a message to the network node 30A containing information about resources and traffic, as requested in S103. The base station 10 may also send periodic reports in response to requests if periodic reports are requested in S103.

[0034] S107: UDM 30B sends a message containing the contract information requested in S104 to network node 30A. Network node 30A may also periodically send reports in response to requests if periodic reports were requested in S104.

[0035] S108: The network node 30A analyzes the information contained in the messages received in S105, S106, and S107 to determine the configuration information to be set on the terminal 20, base station 10, and UDM 30B. This configuration information may include, for example, first configuration information including quality of service (QoS) setting values ​​to be set on the terminal 20, second configuration information including resource setting values ​​to be set on the base station 10, and third configuration information including contract information setting values ​​to be set on the UDM 30B. The network node 30A may also determine this configuration information in such a way that it satisfies the desired QoS and minimizes overall resources. The desired QoS may be, for example, the QoS set in the user's contract information.

[0036] The process following S108 in Figure 3 will now be explained. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a second sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. The process of each step will be explained below.

[0037] S201: The network node 30A sends a message to the AMF 30C requesting notification of the configuration information determined in S108 of Figure 3 and instructing the recipient to perform the configuration. The message may include, for example, the identifiers of the recipients, terminal 20, base station 10, and UDM 30B; configuration information including first configuration information, second configuration information, and third configuration information to be notified to terminal 20, base station 10, and UDM 30B, respectively; and information indicating a request to perform the configuration of the said configuration information. Here, if the AMF 30C has the functionality of the network node 30A and is performing a process that the network node 30A is performing, this step is not performed.

[0038] S202: The AMF30C sends a message to the UDM30B requesting an update to the contract information. This message may include, for example, third configuration information to be notified to the UDM30B received in S201, and information indicating a request to execute the configuration of said third configuration information.

[0039] S203: The AMF30C sends a message to terminal 20 requesting an update to the Quality of Service (QoS) settings. This message may include first configuration information to be notified to terminal 20, which was received in S201, and information indicating a request to perform the configuration of the first configuration information.

[0040] S204: The AMF30C sends a message to the base station 10 requesting an update to the resource settings. This message may include, for example, second configuration information to be notified to the base station 10 received in S201 (for example, configuration information regarding resources to be (re)configured in the base station 10, and a setting value regarding quality of service (QoS) to be (re)configured for the communication of the terminal 20 (for example, 5QI)), and information indicating a request to perform the configuration of said configuration information.

[0041] (First Modification) A first modification of the above-described embodiment will now be explained. In S108 of the sequence diagram in Figure 3, the network node 30A may determine the configuration information to be set for the terminal 20, base station 10, and UDM 30B using artificial intelligence (AI) and information contained in the messages received in S105, S106, and S107. The artificial intelligence may be trained to output configuration information that includes configuration values ​​that satisfy the desired QoS and minimize overall resources.

[0042] (Second Modification) A second modification of the above embodiment will now be described. In step S101 of the sequence diagram in Figure 3, the network node 30A may decide to request information regarding the quality of service (QoS) experienced by the user of terminal 20 from a network node handling the user plane (e.g., UPF / SMF) in addition to terminal 20, base station 10, and UDM 30B. If the request is made to the SMF, the SMF may further transmit the request to the UPF corresponding to the user plane of terminal 20. The network node 30A may also decide to request periodic reports regarding the request.

[0043] Furthermore, similar to steps S102 to S104 in the sequence diagram of Figure 3, network node 30A sends a message to the network node handling the user plane of terminal 20 (e.g., UPF / SMF) requesting information regarding the quality of service (QoS) experienced by the user, specifically information regarding resources and traffic at that network node. Here, resource information may include, for example, the resource utilization rate at UPF and the resource utilization rate for communication at terminal 20. Traffic information may include, for example, the traffic volume for the uplink / downlink at UPF and the degree of congestion (e.g., a degree such as high, medium, low, or a value from 0 to 100%).

[0044] Further, in S108 of the sequence diagram in FIG. 3, in addition to the terminal 20, the base station 10, and the UDM 30B, the network node 30A may determine setting information to be set for the terminal 20, the base station 10, the UDM 30B, and the UPF / SMF based on the information received from the UPF / SMF.

[0045] Further, in S201 of the sequence diagram in FIG. 4, the network node 30A may further include the identifier of the UPF / SMF and the setting information to be set for the UPF / SMF in the message transmitted to the AMF 30C. The AMF 30C may transmit a message requesting an update of the setting value regarding the resource to the UPF / SMF. The message may include, for example, the setting information regarding the resource to be (re)set for the UPF and the setting value (e.g., 5QI) regarding the quality of service (QoS) to be (re)set for the communication of the terminal 20 in the UPF, and the information indicating the setting execution request.

[0046] (Effect) By performing parameter optimization that utilizes the entire network as described in the above embodiments, it is possible to efficiently reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. Also, by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), it is possible to more efficiently automate and optimize parameter settings. That is, according to the above embodiments, in a wireless communication system, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the network and the quality of service considering the entire system.

[0047] (Device Configuration) Next, a functional configuration example of the base station 10, the network node 30, and the terminal 20 that perform the processes and operations described so far will be described. The base station 10, the network node 30, and the terminal 20 include the functions for implementing the above-described embodiments. However, the base station 10, the network node 30, and the terminal 20 may each be provided with only some of the functions in the embodiments.

[0048] <Base Station 10 and Network Node 30>FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of base station 10 and network node 30. As shown in FIG. 5, base station 10 includes a transmission unit 110, a reception unit 120, a setting unit 130, and a control unit 140. The functional configuration shown in FIG. 5 is merely an example. As long as the operations according to the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented, the functional divisions and the names of the functional units can be anything. Note that network node 30 may have the same functional configuration as base station 10. Also, network node 30 having a plurality of different functions in the system architecture may be composed of a plurality of network nodes 30 separated for each function.

[0049] Transmission unit 110 includes the function of generating a signal to be transmitted to terminal 20 or another network node 30 and transmitting the signal by wire or wirelessly. Reception unit 120 includes the function of receiving various signals transmitted from terminal 20 or another network node 30 and obtaining information of, for example, a higher layer from the received signals. A communication unit including transmission unit 110 and reception unit 120 may be configured.

[0050] Setting unit 130 stores preset setting information and various setting information to be transmitted to terminal 20 in a storage device and reads it out from the storage device as necessary.

[0051] Control unit 140 performs the processes described in the embodiments. Also, control unit 140 performs processes related to communication with terminal 20. The functional unit related to signal transmission in control unit 140 may be included in transmission unit 110, and the functional unit related to signal reception in control unit 140 may be included in reception unit 120.

[0052] <Terminal 20>FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of terminal 20. As shown in FIG. 6, terminal 20 includes a transmission unit 210, a reception unit 220, a setting unit 230, and a control unit 240. The functional configuration shown in FIG. 6 is merely an example. As long as the operations according to the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented, the functional divisions and the names of the functional units can be anything. Also, the communication device serving as resource holder 20 may have the same functional configuration as terminal 20.

[0053] The transmitting unit 210 creates a transmission signal from the transmission data and transmits the transmission signal wirelessly. The receiving unit 220 wirelessly receives various signals and obtains signals from higher layers from the received physical layer signals. The receiving unit 220 also has the function of receiving control signals or reference signals transmitted from the network node 30. A communication unit including the transmitting unit 210 and the receiving unit 220 may be configured.

[0054] The setting unit 230 stores various setting information received from the network node 30 by the receiving unit 220 in its storage device and reads it from the storage device as needed. The setting unit 230 also stores pre-configured setting information.

[0055] The control unit 240 performs the processing described in the embodiment. The signal transmission function in the control unit 240 may be included in the transmission unit 210, and the signal reception function in the control unit 240 may be included in the reception unit 220.

[0056] (Hardware Configuration) The block diagrams (Figures 5 and 6) used in the description of the above embodiments show functional units. These functional blocks (components) are realized by any combination of at least one of hardware and software. Furthermore, the method of realizing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized using one device that is physically or logically coupled, or it may be realized using two or more physically or logically separated devices that are directly or indirectly connected (for example, using wired or wireless connections). A functional block may be realized by combining the one device or the multiple devices with software.

[0057] Functions include, but are not limited to, judgment, decision, determination, calculation, calculation, processing, derivation, investigation, exploration, confirmation, reception, transmission, output, access, resolution, selection, selection, establishment, comparison, assumption, expectation, assumption, broadcasting, notifying, communicating, forwarding, configuring, reconfiguring, allocating (mapping), and assigning. For example, a functional block (configuration part) that enables transmission is called a transmitting unit or transmitter. In all cases, as mentioned above, the method of implementation is not particularly limited.

[0058] For example, the base station 10, network node 30, terminal 20, etc. in one embodiment of the present disclosure may function as a computer that processes the wireless communication method of the present disclosure. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the base station 10 and terminal 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The network node 30 may have a hardware configuration similar to that of the base station 10. The above-mentioned base station 10 and terminal 20 may be physically configured as a computer device including a processor 1001, a storage device 1002, an auxiliary storage device 1003, a communication device 1004, an input device 1005, an output device 1006, a bus 1007, etc.

[0059] In the following explanation, the term "device" can be read as "circuit," "device," "unit," etc. The hardware configuration of the base station 10 and terminal 20 may include one or more of the devices shown in the figure, or it may be configured without some of the devices.

[0060] Each function in the base station 10 and terminal 20 is realized by loading predetermined software (programs) onto hardware such as the processor 1001 and storage device 1002, which allows the processor 1001 to perform calculations, control communication by the communication device 1004, and control at least one of data reading and writing in the storage device 1002 and auxiliary storage device 1003.

[0061] The processor 1001 controls the entire computer, for example, by running an operating system. The processor 1001 may consist of a central processing unit (CPU) that includes interfaces with peripheral devices, control devices, arithmetic units, registers, etc. For example, the control unit 140, control unit 240, etc., described above may be implemented by the processor 1001.

[0062] Furthermore, the processor 1001 reads programs (program code), software modules, or data from at least one of the auxiliary storage device 1003 and the communication device 1004 into the storage device 1002, and executes various processes accordingly. The program used is one that causes the computer to execute at least a part of the operations described in the above embodiment. For example, the control unit 140 of the base station 10 shown in Figure 5 may be implemented by a control program stored in the storage device 1002 and operated by the processor 1001. Also, for example, the control unit 240 of the terminal 20 shown in Figure 6 may be implemented by a control program stored in the storage device 1002 and operated by the processor 1001. Although the above-described processes have been explained as being executed by one processor 1001, they may be executed simultaneously or sequentially by two or more processors 1001. The processor 1001 may be implemented by one or more chips. The program may also be transmitted from the network via a telecommunications line.

[0063] The storage device 1002 is a computer-readable recording medium and may consist of at least one of the following: ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The storage device 1002 may also be called a register, cache, main memory, etc. The storage device 1002 can store executable programs (program code), software modules, etc., for implementing a communication method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0064] The auxiliary storage device 1003 is a computer-readable recording medium and may consist of at least one of the following: an optical disc such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk (e.g., a compact disk, a digital multipurpose disk, a Blu-ray® disk), a smart card, flash memory (e.g., a card, a stick, a key drive), a floppy® disk, a magnetic strip, etc. The above-mentioned storage medium may also be a database, server, or other suitable medium that includes at least one of the storage device 1002 and the auxiliary storage device 1003.

[0065] The communication device 1004 is hardware (transmitting / receiving device) for communicating between computers via at least one of a wired network and a wireless network, and is also referred to as a network device, network controller, network card, communication module, etc. The communication device 1004 may be configured to include, for example, a high-frequency switch, duplexer, filter, frequency synthesizer, etc., in order to implement at least one of frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD). For example, the transmitting and receiving antenna, amplifier section, transmitting and receiving section, transmission path interface, etc., may be implemented by the communication device 1004. The transmitting and receiving section may be implemented in a physically or logically separated manner, with a transmitting section and a receiving section.

[0066] The input device 1005 is an input device that accepts input from an external source (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, etc.). The output device 1006 is an output device that outputs to an external source (e.g., a display, speaker, LED lamp, etc.). The input device 1005 and the output device 1006 may be configured as an integrated unit (e.g., a touch panel).

[0067] Furthermore, each device, such as the processor 1001 and the storage device 1002, is connected by a bus 1007 for communicating information. The bus 1007 may be configured using a single bus, or different buses may be configured for each device.

[0068] Furthermore, the base station 10 and terminal 20 may be configured to include hardware such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), and an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and some or all of each functional block may be realized by such hardware. For example, the processor 1001 may be implemented using at least one of these hardware components.

[0069] Figure 8 shows an example of the configuration of vehicle 2001. As shown in Figure 8, vehicle 2001 includes a drive unit 2002, a steering unit 2003, an accelerator pedal 2004, a brake pedal 2005, a shift lever 2006, front wheels 2007, rear wheels 2008, an axle 2009, an electronic control unit 2010, various sensors 2021 to 2029, an information service unit 2012, and a communication module 2013. Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure may be applied to a communication device mounted on vehicle 2001, for example, to the communication module 2013.

[0070] The drive unit 2002 consists of, for example, an engine, a motor, or a hybrid of an engine and a motor. The steering unit 2003 includes at least a steering wheel (also called a handle) and is configured to steer at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels based on the operation of the steering wheel, which is operated by the user.

[0071] The electronic control unit 2010 consists of a microprocessor 2031, memory (ROM, RAM) 2032, and communication ports (IO ports) 2033. Signals from various sensors 2021 to 2029 installed in the vehicle 2001 are input to the electronic control unit 2010. The electronic control unit 2010 may also be called an ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

[0072] Signals from various sensors 2021 to 2029 include current signals from current sensor 2021 for sensing motor current, front and rear wheel rotation speed signals acquired by rotation speed sensor 2022, front and rear wheel air pressure signals acquired by air pressure sensor 2023, vehicle speed signals acquired by vehicle speed sensor 2024, acceleration signals acquired by acceleration sensor 2025, accelerator pedal depression signals acquired by accelerator pedal sensor 2029, brake pedal depression signals acquired by brake pedal sensor 2026, shift lever operation signals acquired by shift lever sensor 2027, and detection signals acquired by object detection sensor 2028 for detecting obstacles, vehicles, pedestrians, etc.

[0073] The Information Service Unit 2012 consists of various devices for providing (outputting) various types of information such as driving information, traffic information, and entertainment information, including a car navigation system, audio system, speakers, television, and radio, and one or more ECUs that control these devices. The Information Service Unit 2012 uses information acquired from external devices via a communication module 2013, etc., to provide various multimedia information and multimedia services to the occupants of the vehicle 2001. The Information Service Unit 2012 may include input devices that accept input from the outside (e.g., keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, touch panel, etc.) and output devices that perform output to the outside (e.g., display, speaker, LED lamp, touch panel, etc.).

[0074] The driver assistance system unit 2030 consists of various devices that provide functions to prevent accidents or reduce the driver's workload, such as millimeter-wave radar, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), cameras, positioning locators (e.g., GNSS), map information (e.g., high-definition (HD) maps, autonomous vehicle (AV) maps), gyro systems (e.g., IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), INS (Inertial Navigation System)), AI (Artificial Intelligence) chips, and AI processors, as well as one or more ECUs that control these devices. The driver assistance system unit 2030 also transmits and receives various information via the communication module 2013 to realize driver assistance functions or autonomous driving functions.

[0075] The communication module 2013 can communicate with the microprocessor 2031 and components of the vehicle 2001 via its communication port. For example, the communication module 2013 sends and receives data via the communication port 2033 between the drive unit 2002, steering unit 2003, accelerator pedal 2004, brake pedal 2005, shift lever 2006, front wheels 2007, rear wheels 2008, axle 2009, the microprocessor 2031 and memory (ROM, RAM) 2032 in the electronic control unit 2010, and sensors 2021-29 provided in the vehicle 2001.

[0076] The communication module 2013 is a communication device that can be controlled by the microprocessor 2031 of the electronic control unit 2010 and can communicate with external devices. For example, it can send and receive various types of information with external devices via wireless communication. The communication module 2013 may be located either inside or outside the electronic control unit 2010. The external device may be, for example, a base station or a mobile station.

[0077] The communication module 2013 may transmit at least one of the following to an external device via wireless communication: signals from the various sensors 2021-2028 input to the electronic control unit 2010, information obtained based on said signals, and information based on input from an external source (user) obtained via the information service unit 2012. The electronic control unit 2010, the various sensors 2021-2028, the information service unit 2012, etc., may also be called input units that accept input. For example, the PUSCH transmitted by the communication module 2013 may include the information based on the above input.

[0078] The communication module 2013 receives various information (traffic information, signal information, inter-vehicle information, etc.) transmitted from an external device and displays it on the information service unit 2012 provided in the vehicle 2001. The information service unit 2012 may also be called an output unit, which outputs information (for example, outputs information to devices such as displays and speakers based on the PDSCH (or data / information decoded from the PDSCH) received by the communication module 2013). The communication module 2013 also stores the various information received from the external device in a memory 2032 that can be used by the microprocessor 2031. Based on the information stored in the memory 2032, the microprocessor 2031 may control the drive unit 2002, steering unit 2003, accelerator pedal 2004, brake pedal 2005, shift lever 2006, front wheels 2007, rear wheels 2008, axles 2009, sensors 2021-2029, etc., provided in the vehicle 2001.

[0079] <Notes> (Note 1) A network node having: a transmitting unit that transmits a first message, a second message, and a third message to a first network node that handles subscriber information of a terminal, a base station, and a user, respectively, requesting information regarding quality of service; a receiving unit that receives a fourth message from the terminal, including measurement information measured at the terminal; a fifth message from the base station, including resource information and traffic information at the base station; and a sixth message from the first network node, including the user's contract information; and a control unit that uses the measurement information, the resource information, the traffic information, and the contract information to determine first setting information regarding quality of service to be notified to the terminal, second setting information regarding resources to be notified to the base station, and third setting information to be notified to the first network node. (Note 2) The network node according to Note 1, wherein the control unit performs the determination using artificial intelligence. (Note 3) The network node according to Note 1, wherein the transmitting unit transmits the first message, the second message, and the third message, which include information requesting that the service quality be reported periodically. (Note 4) The network node according to Note 1, wherein the transmitting unit further transmits a tenth message requesting service quality information to a second network node handling the user plane, the receiving unit further receives an eleventh message from the second network node, which includes second resource information and second traffic information at the second network node, and the control unit further determines the first configuration information, the second configuration information, the third configuration information, and a fourth configuration information to be notified to the second network node, using the second resource information and the second traffic information.(Appendix 5) A communication method performed by a network node, comprising: sending a first message, a second message, and a third message to a terminal, a base station, and a first network node that handles subscriber information of a user, requesting information regarding quality of service; receiving a fourth message from the terminal, which includes measurement information measured at the terminal; receiving a fifth message from the base station, which includes resource information and traffic information at the base station; receiving a sixth message from the first network node, which includes the user's contract information; and determining, using the measurement information, the resource information, the traffic information, and the contract information, first setting information regarding quality of service to be notified to the terminal, second setting information regarding resources to be notified to the base station, and third setting information to be notified to the first network node.

[0080] Any of the provisions of Appendix 1 to Appendix 5 can be used to improve network efficiency and service quality in a wireless communication system, taking the entire system into consideration.

[0081] (Supplement to Embodiments) Embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the disclosed invention is not limited to such embodiments, and those skilled in the art will understand various modifications, alterations, alternatives, substitutions, etc. Specific numerical examples have been used to facilitate understanding of the invention, but unless otherwise specified, these numerical values ​​are merely examples, and any appropriate values ​​may be used. The division of items in the above description is not essential to the present invention, and matters described in two or more items may be combined as needed, and matters described in one item may be applied to matters described in another item (as long as they do not contradict each other). The boundaries of functional units or processing units in the functional block diagram do not necessarily correspond to the boundaries of physical parts. The operation of multiple functional units may be physically performed by one part, or the operation of one functional unit may be physically performed by multiple parts. The processing procedures described in the embodiments may be rearranged as long as they do not contradict each other. For the convenience of explaining the processing, the base station 10 and terminal 20 have been described using functional block diagrams, but such devices may be realized in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. The software operated by the processor of the base station 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention and the software operated by the processor of the terminal 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be stored in any suitable storage medium such as random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), EPROM, EEPROM, register, hard disk (HDD), removable disk, CD-ROM, database, server, or other appropriate storage medium.

[0082] Furthermore, notification of information is not limited to the embodiments / models described herein and may be carried out by other means. For example, notification of information may be carried out by physical layer signaling (e.g., DCI (Downlink Control Information), UCI (Uplink Control Information)), upper layer signaling (e.g., RRC (Radio Resource Control) signaling, MAC (Medium Access Control) signaling), broadcast information (MIB (Master Information Block), SIB (System Information Block)), other signals, or combinations thereof. Also, RRC signaling may be called RRC messages, and may be, for example, RRC Connection Setup messages, RRC Connection Reconfiguration messages, etc.

[0083] Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure refers to LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4G (4th generation mobile communication system), 5G (5th generation mobile communication system), 6th generation mobile communication system (6G), xth generation mobile communication system (xG) (xG (where x is, for example, an integer or decimal)), FRA (Future Radio Access), NR (new Radio), New radio access (NX), Future generation radio access (FX), W-CDMA (registered trademark), GSM (registered trademark), CDMA2000, UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.20 may apply to at least one system utilizing UWB (Ultra-WideBand), Bluetooth®, or other appropriate systems, and to next-generation systems extended, modified, created, or defined based thereon. Alternatively, multiple systems may be applied in combination (e.g., a combination of at least one of LTE and LTE-A with 5G).

[0084] The processing procedures, sequences, flowcharts, etc., of each aspect / embodiment described herein may be reordered, provided they are consistent with each other. For example, the methods described herein present various step elements in an exemplary order and are not limited to that specific order.

[0085] In this specification, specific operations performed by the base station 10 may, in some cases, be performed by its upper node. In a network consisting of one or more network nodes having a base station 10, it is clear that various operations performed for communication with the terminal 20 can be performed by the base station 10 and at least one of the other network nodes (for example, an MME or S-GW, but not limited to these). Although the above example illustrates the case where there is one other network node besides the base station 10, the other network node may be a combination of multiple other network nodes (for example, an MME and an S-GW).

[0086] The information or signals described in this disclosure may be output from a higher layer (or lower layer) to a lower layer (or higher layer). They may also be input and output via multiple network nodes.

[0087] Input and output information may be stored in a specific location (e.g., memory) or managed using a management table. Input and output information may be overwritten, updated, or appended to. Output information may be deleted. Input information may be transmitted to other devices.

[0088] The determination in this disclosure may be made by a value represented by one bit (0 or 1), by a Boolean value (true or false), or by a numerical comparison (for example, a comparison with a predetermined value).

[0089] Software should be broadly interpreted to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, execution threads, procedures, functions, and so on, whether they are called software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or by any other name.

[0090] Furthermore, software, instructions, information, etc., may be transmitted and received via a transmission medium. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using at least one of wired technology (such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, or digital subscriber line (DSL)) and wireless technology (such as infrared or microwave), then at least one of these wired and wireless technologies is included in the definition of a transmission medium.

[0091] The information, signals, etc. described in this disclosure may be represented using any of the various different techniques. For example, the data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, chips, etc. that may be referred to throughout the above description may be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, optical fields or photons, or any combination thereof.

[0092] In addition, terms used in this disclosure and terms necessary for understanding this disclosure may be replaced with terms having the same or similar meanings. For example, at least one of the channel and symbol may be a signal (signaling). Also, a signal may be a message. Furthermore, a component carrier (CC) may be called a carrier frequency, cell, frequency carrier, etc.

[0093] The terms “system” and “network” as used in this disclosure are interchangeable.

[0094] Furthermore, the information, parameters, etc., described in this disclosure may be expressed using absolute values, relative values ​​from a given value, or other corresponding information. For example, wireless resources may be indicated by an index.

[0095] The names used for the parameters described above are not restrictive in any way. Furthermore, the formulas and other expressions using these parameters may differ from those expressly disclosed in this disclosure. Various channels (e.g., PUCCH, PDCCH, etc.) and information elements can be identified by any suitable name, and therefore, the various names assigned to these various channels and information elements are not restrictive in any way.

[0096] In this disclosure, terms such as "Base Station (BS)", "wireless base station", "base station equipment", "fixed station", "NodeB", "eNodeB (eNB)", "gNodeB (gNB)", "access point", "transmission point", "reception point", "transmission / reception point", "cell", "sector", "cell group", "carrier", and "component carrier" may be used interchangeably. Base stations may also be referred to by terms such as macrocell, small cell, femtocell, and picocell.

[0097] A base station can accommodate one or more (e.g., three) cells. If a base station accommodates multiple cells, the entire coverage area of ​​the base station can be divided into multiple smaller areas, each of which may also be provided with communication services by a base station subsystem (e.g., a Remote Radio Head (RRH)). The terms “cell” or “sector” refer to part or all of the coverage area of ​​at least one of the base station and / or base station subsystems that provide communication services in that coverage.

[0098] In this disclosure, the transmission of information by a base station to a terminal may be interpreted as the base station instructing the terminal to perform control or operation based on the information.

[0099] In this disclosure, terms such as "Mobile Station (MS)," "user terminal," "User Equipment (UE)," and "terminal" may be used interchangeably.

[0100] A mobile station may also be referred to by those skilled in the art as a subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, handset, user agent, mobile client, client, or several other appropriate terms.

[0101] At least one of the base station and the mobile station may be called a transmitting device, a receiving device, a communication device, etc. At least one of the base station and the mobile station may also be a device mounted on a mobile body, the mobile body itself, etc. The mobile body refers to a movable object, and its speed of movement is arbitrary. This also includes the case when the mobile body is stationary. The mobile body includes, but is not limited to, vehicles, transport vehicles, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, connected cars, excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, dump trucks, forklifts, trains, buses, handcarts, rickshaws, ships and other watercraft, airplanes, rockets, satellites, drones (registered trademark), multicopters, quadcopters, balloons, and items mounted on them. The mobile body may also be a mobile body that moves autonomously based on operation commands. It may be a vehicle (e.g., a car, an airplane, etc.), an unmanned mobile body (e.g., a drone, an autonomous vehicle, etc.), or a robot (manned or unmanned). Furthermore, at least one of the base station and the mobile station may include devices that do not necessarily move during communication operations. For example, at least one of the base station and the mobile station may be an IoT (Internet of Things) device such as a sensor.

[0102] Furthermore, the term "base station" in this disclosure may be interpreted as "user terminal." For example, the various aspects / embodiments of this disclosure may be applied to a configuration in which communication between a base station and a user terminal is replaced with communication between multiple terminals 20 (which may be called, for example, D2D (Device-to-Device), V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything), etc.). In this case, the terminals 20 may have the functions that the base station 10 has. Also, terms such as "uplink" and "downlink" may be interpreted as terms corresponding to terminal-to-terminal communication (for example, "side"). For example, uplink channel, downlink channel, etc., may be interpreted as side channel.

[0103] Similarly, the term "user terminal" in this disclosure may be replaced with "base station." In this case, the base station may be configured to have the same functions as the user terminal described above.

[0104] As used in this disclosure, the terms “determining” and “determining” may encompass a wide variety of actions. “Determining” may include, for example, judging, calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up, searching, or inquiring (e.g., searching in a table, database, or other data structure), or ascertaining. “Determining” may also include receiving (e.g., receiving information), transmitting (e.g., sending information), inputting, outputting, or accessing (e.g., accessing data in memory). Furthermore, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering something as having been "judged" or "decided" after resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, comparing, etc. In other words, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering something as having been "judged" or "decided" after some action. Also, "judgment (decision)" can be reinterpreted as "assuming," "expecting," or "considering."

[0105] The terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variation thereof, mean any direct or indirect connection or coupling between two or more elements, and may include the presence of one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are “connected” or “coupled” with each other. The coupling or connection between elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. For example, “connection” may be reinterpreted as “access.” As used in this disclosure, two elements may be considered to be “connected” or “coupled” with each other using at least one of one or more wires, cables, and printed electrical connections, and, in some non-limiting and non-exclusive examples, electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the radio frequency domain, microwave domain, and optical (both visible and invisible) domain.

[0106] The reference signal can also be abbreviated as RS (Reference Signal), and may be called a pilot depending on the applicable standard.

[0107] In this disclosure, the phrase "based on" does not mean "based solely on" unless otherwise specified. In other words, the phrase "based on" means both "based solely on" and "based at least on."

[0108] Any reference to elements using the designations “first,” “second,” etc., as used in this disclosure does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. These designations may be used in this disclosure as a convenient way to distinguish between two or more elements. Accordingly, references to the first and second elements do not imply that only two elements may be employed, or that the first element must precede the second element in any way.

[0109] In the configuration of each of the above devices, "means" may be replaced with "part," "circuit," "device," etc.

[0110] Where the terms “include,” “including,” and variations thereof are used in this disclosure, these terms are intended to be inclusive, as is the term “comprising.” Furthermore, the term “or” as used in this disclosure is not intended to mean exclusive OR.

[0111] In this disclosure, if articles are added through translation, such as a, an, and the in English, this disclosure may include the fact that the noun following these articles is plural.

[0112] In this disclosure, the term "A and B are different" may mean "A and B are different from each other." The term may also mean "A and B are each different from C." Terms such as "separate" and "combine" may be interpreted similarly to "different."

[0113] Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure may be used individually, in combination, or switched between as needed during implementation. Furthermore, notification of specific information (e.g., notification that "X is") is not limited to explicit notification, but may also be implicit (e.g., by not providing such notification).

[0114] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present disclosure can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the intent and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. Therefore, the descriptions in the present disclosure are illustrative and not intended to be restrictive in any way.

[0115] 10 Base station 110 Transmitting unit 120 Receiving unit 130 Setting unit 140 Control unit 20 Terminal 210 Transmitting unit 220 Receiving unit 230 Setting unit 240 Control unit 30 Network node 1001 Processor 1002 Storage device 1003 Auxiliary storage device 1004 Communication device 1005 Input device 1006 Output device 2001 Vehicle 2002 Drive unit 2003 Steering unit 2004 Accelerator pedal 2005 Brake pedal 2006 Shift lever 2007 Front wheel 2008 Rear wheel 2009 Axle 2010 Electronic control unit 2012 Information service unit 2013 Communication module 2021 Current sensor 2022 Rotation speed sensor 2023 Air pressure sensor 2024 Vehicle speed sensor 2025 Acceleration sensor 2026 Brake pedal sensor 2027 Shift lever sensor 2028 Object detection sensor 2029 Accelerator pedal sensor 2030 Driver assistance system unit 2031 Microprocessor 2032 Memory (ROM, RAM) 2033 Communication port (I / O port)

Claims

1. A network node having: a transmitting unit that transmits a first message, a second message, and a third message to a first network node that handles subscriber information of terminals, base stations, and users, respectively, requesting information regarding quality of service; a receiving unit that receives a fourth message from the terminal, including measurement information measured at the terminal; a fifth message from the base station, including resource information and traffic information at the base station; and a sixth message from the first network node, including the user's contract information; and a control unit that uses the measurement information, the resource information, the traffic information, and the contract information to determine first setting information regarding quality of service to be notified to the terminal, second setting information regarding resources to be notified to the base station, and third setting information to be notified to the first network node.

2. The network node according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the decision using artificial intelligence.

3. The network node according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit transmits the first message, the second message, and the third message, each containing information requesting that the service quality be reported periodically.

4. The transmitting unit further transmits a tenth message to a second network node handling the user plane requesting information regarding the quality of service; the receiving unit further receives an eleventh message from the second network node, which includes second resource information and second traffic information at the second network node; and the control unit further determines the first configuration information, the second configuration information, the third configuration information, and a fourth configuration information to be notified to the second network node, using the second resource information and the second traffic information, according to claim 1.

5. A communication method performed by a network node, comprising the steps of: transmitting a first message, a second message, and a third message to a first network node that handles subscriber information of a terminal, a base station, and a user, requesting information regarding quality of service; receiving a fourth message from the terminal, which includes measurement information measured at the terminal; receiving a fifth message from the base station, which includes resource information and traffic information at the base station; receiving a sixth message from the first network node, which includes the user's contract information; and determining, using the measurement information, the resource information, the traffic information, and the contract information, first setting information regarding quality of service to be notified to the terminal, second setting information regarding resources to be notified to the base station, and third setting information to be notified to the first network node.

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