Methods, component and terminal device for identifying a network parameter in an operator network

Abstract

Disclosed is a method (300) of identifying a network parameter in an operator network (500). The operator network (500) is configured to enable the provision of an application service to a radio device (200). The method (300) comprises receiving (304) a current value (50) of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service by a component (100) of the operator network (500), and identifying (306) the network parameter of the operator network (500) depending on the current value.

Description

[0001] Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 1 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0002] Methods, component and terminal device for identifying a network parameter in an operator network Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a technique for identifying a network parameter in an operator network. More specifically, and without limitation, methods, a component of an operator network, and terminal devices are provided for network analytics for efficient service enhancement and assurance.

[0004] Background

[0005] Communication service providers, CSPs, that operate their own networks play a fundamental role in the global communications infrastructure. These providers build, maintain, and manage the physical and digital networks that enable voice, data, messaging, and internet services. For business clients, CSPs offer a suite of enterprise solutions, including virtual private networks, VPNs, managed IT services, and dedicated internet access. These solutions are designed to meet the specific needs of businesses, from small enterprises to large corporations. CSPs manage and operate network infrastructure and provide service quality assurance for the network domains they operate. Operating their own networks allows CSPs to maintain stringent quality control over their services. They can ensure high levels of service availability, speed, and reliability, which is critical for both individual and business users.

[0006] The deployment of 5G networks promises faster speeds, lower latency, and the ability to connect a vast number of devices, paving the way for innovations in smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and telemedicine. Additionally, the integration of Al and machine learning into network management will enhance operational efficiency and enable predictive maintenance. As data consumption continues to soar, CSPs will increasingly focus on expanding their fiber optic networks and enhancing their data center capabilities.

[0007] Application services, in particular high-quality over the top, OTT, services, require low latency and high-speed internet connections, and can consume significant amounts of data. They offer significant advantages but also present unique challenges to both users and traditional telecommunication companies.

[0008] Performance can vary based on the CSP network conditions, leading to potential issues like buffering in streaming services or lag in voice and video calls. Reliable OTT services must ensure high availability, minimizing downtime and ensuringTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 2 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0009] users can access services whenever needed. Network outages or server failures can severely impact the user experience.

[0010] In order to achieve good end user perceived service quality, CSPs measure connection quality, including transport quality of service, QoS, parameters in the network, like packet level QoS parameters, packet lossjitter, delay, throughput, or bitrate. These parameters cannot always be measured end-to-end. In contrast, application service providers, ASPs, and end users require a high end user service quality. Such end user perceived service quality is referred to as quality of experience, QoE. QoE is usually specific to the application service. For this reason and for reasons of complexity of the operator network, indicators for the QoE cannot be straightforwardly related to QoS parameters. Additionally, the CSP generally has to match resource allocation constraints due to providing a multitude of application services to many radio devices at the same time.

[0011] Conventionally, a CSP may have estimated the QoE, and guessed which QoS parameters to improve in order to improve the QoE. Also, the ASP may have had the option of requesting more resources from the operator network, although an optimal way in which this would have been achieved may have been again unknown to both the CSP and the ASP.

[0012] Summary

[0013] Accordingly there is a need for improving the QoE from making changes to network parameters purely within the operator network. In particular, the improvement of the QoE should be achieved efficiently, i.e. by binding as few resources of the operator network as possible.

[0014] In particular, it can be challenging to ensure service quality end-to-end in networks that involve both CSP and ASP. CSPs implement various methods for maintaining and optimizing network conditions but do not have information about the end user service quality. ASPs usually can monitor end user service quality, but they do not have direct access to network functions for improving service quality.

[0015] There may exist a wide variety of application services, which have different network requirements for providing good end user service quality. Therefore, there is a need to detect end user service quality or QoE degradation in the CSP operator network.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 3 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0016] In case of service quality degradation, there is a need to identify a root cause of the degradation, and of selecting an appropriate corrective action. General actions, like increasing priority or allocating dedicated bandwidth, may solve service quality issues or improve service quality, but are usually not costefficient, as they may allocate unnecessary network resources. This drives the aforementioned need to ensure and improve service quality in a cost efficient way.

[0017] As to a first method aspect, a method of identifying a network parameter in an operator network, wherein the operator network is configured to enable the provision of an application service to a terminal device, comprises receiving a current value of an indicator for a quality of experience, QoE, of the application service by a component of the operator network, and identifying the network parameter of the operator network depending on the current value.

[0018] The operator network may be part of a communication network, where the communication network also comprises the terminal device, and a further terminal device which provides the application service. For example, the terminal device to which the application service is provided may be a radio device, and the further terminal device which provides the application service may be equipment or a system of an application service provider, ASP. The communication network may be a telecommunication network, or a wireless local area network. Neither the terminal device nor the further terminal device are considered to be a part of the operator network; rather, the operator network may be thought of as an infrastructure for providing the application service from the further terminal device to the terminal device.

[0019] In a telecommunication network, the operator network may comprise a radio access network, RAN, along with transport equipment, core equipment, and network management equipment. The operator network may be run, i.e. managed and operated, by a communication service provider, CSP. The terminal device to which the application service is provided may be referred to as user equipment, UE (such as a cell phone, or a tablet), which may be under the control of a user, and not under direct control of the CSP. Likewise, the further terminal device which provides the application service, i.e., the equipment and systems of the ASP, may be under the control of the ASP, and not under direct control of the CSP. The telecommunication network may be configured according to standards as defined in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) technical specification, and it may e.g. be a 5G or 6G network, or a successor thereof.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 4 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0020] In the following, the method shall be described under the assumption that the terminal device to which the application service is provided is a radio device of a user, and the terminal device which provides the application service (via the operator network, i.e. wherein the provision is enabled by the operator network) is some equipment or system of the ASP. However, this should not be construed as limiting the communication network to a telecommunication or mobile network. Rather, the method can provide a solution for ensuring and improving end user service quality in a mobile or fixed network, comprising the operator network operated by the CSP.

[0021] The method may identify (which may be understood in a sense of singling out, or determining) more than one network parameters. However, an advantage of the method is that it can admit to identify a restricted set of all network parameters which could possibly be changed in the operator network. Ideally, the number of identified network parameters is very small compared to the number of all network parameters. In embodiments, the network parameters may be identified by means of identifying a key performance indicator, KPI, which is tied to particular (concrete) network parameters in the sense that changing these network parameters affects the respective KPI. Again, the method may identify more than one KPI, but ideally a restricted set of KPI.

[0022] The term "enable" may generally be understood as "controlling resources for admitting". The provision of the application service may include a flow of information in both ways between the radio device and equipment or systems of the ASP. Both the receiving and the identifying are advantageously performed solely within the operator network, and in particular may be carried out by the mentioned component of the operator network.

[0023] The expression "quality of experience" may refer to an overall acceptability of an application or service, and in particular of the application service, as perceived subjectively by the end-user. In other words, the QoE may be an end user perceived quality of the application service. The method may allow or may be aimed at controlling the QoE, and advantageously may allow or be aimed at improving the QoE.

[0024] The current value quantifies the indicator at a particular "current" point in time. The current value may relate to a present or comparatively recent instance in time. The term current value may also be understood as the latest value or latest update of the value quantifying the indicator. The indicator for the QoE may beTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 5 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0025] reflected by one or more numerical values which quantify this perceived quality and pertain to the application service. The indicator may thus be a measure of a delight or annoyance of the user's experiences with the application service. The indicator may be quantified by a structured set of such values. The indicator may be measurable, in some embodiments exclusively, immediately on the radio device. In other words, in embodiments there is no or only incomplete information on the QoE, or on the indicator for the QoE, derivable from data generated, or collected, within the operator network alone. Rather, the current value of the indicator for the QoE may be or relate to an end-to-end measure, which cannot be obtained or easily inferred from a measurement of data traffic conditions in the operator network alone. In embodiments, values of the indicator for the QoE may only be directly measurable by a user using the radio device, and / or by the ASP. The ASP may thus measure objectively measurable end user service quality parameters (e.g. WebRTC parameters, video performance logs), which are usually application-specific. ASPs may in this way monitor QoE, or collect information about QoE from the user, or more generally from end users.

[0026] The component of the operator network may be configured to perform the receiving in such a way that the information is obtained directly from the radio device, or indirectly from the radio device via equipment or a system of the ASP. While the operator network may be largely located at fixed positions, the radio device (and also the equipment of the ASP) may be mobile, and / or configured to connect to the operator network only transiently.

[0027] The expression "current value" may be understood as a value which is instant in time, which has been obtained recently, or which is associated to a data flow which is part of the provision of the application service.

[0028] In some embodiments, the operator network is a telecommunication CSP network, and the application service is provided by an ASP and is an over-the-top, OTT, application service, providing a variety of services to customers, including a user of the radio device. The OTT application service may e.g. consist of, or comprise, streaming media or multimedia sharing, messaging including e.g. group chats, or voice services, gaming, extended reality, integrated services like payments, or a similar service which requires high amounts of data to be transmitted in short times over the operator network. The application service may therefore require a robust internet connectivity and consume a significant amount of data. The radio device may be an internet-connected device, such as aTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 6 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0029] smartphone, a tablet, or a smart TV. Even though the application service may require high data rates, the radio device may be constricted to a comparatively limited amount of data per time.

[0030] In embodiments, the method can provide a solution for ensuring and improving end user service quality in a mobile or fixed network, operated by the CSP. The ASP may provide internet and other telecom services directly to customers through the operator network. The ASP may be aware of the service quality requirements and expectations of their customers for the different services. In their equipment, or application service nodes, the ASP may measure or collect end user QoE or service quality parameters for the different services, and in particular the indicator for the QoE. The ASP may share per flow end user service quality measurement results, comprising the indicator, for the monitored services with the CSP; the component in the operator network may thus receive the current values of the indicator for the QoE in real-time. The CSP may measure, in the operator network, a connection quality, e.g. the transport QoS and radio parameters (or network parameters, directly or indirectly via e.g. key performance indicators, KPI) per flow for the data traffic of the application service, e.g. based on a service level agreement, SLA. The CSP may operate automatic closed loop network functions or have solutions with work-flows to improve network settings, and in particular change the network parameter as one out of many network parameters. The CSP may also provide an interface (IF) to the ASP where service quality improvements can be requested. The component of the operator network may thus be configured to obtain a connection quality and radio parameters from its own network, and to perform the receiving of the current value of the indicator for the end user QoE, which it may receive from the ASP. The component may be configured to generate per flow correlated records including transport radio and the received service quality parameters. Based on these records, the component may be configured to identify the network parameter for improving the indicator for the QoE.

[0031] There is not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence between how often or frequently the "receiving" as compared to the "identifying" is performed. In embodiments, several current values of the indicator could e.g. be received (or a current value could be received several times) before the network parameter is identified.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 7 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0032] Optionally the indicator for the quality of experience comprises one or more of a score value, an end-to-end delay, an audio and / or video quality, an end-to-end data package integrity, and an end-to-end data package sequence.

[0033] The score may be based on a system of numbers, e.g. on the natural numbers 1 to 5, which allows a hierarchy for rating the QoE. The score value may thus be, for example, a simple integer value between 1 and 5. The score value may summarize data, or it may be based or comprise a compilation of date pertaining to the QoE. The score value may be based on customer review, and in particular on an input entered into the radio device, e.g. by the user.

[0034] The term "delay" may generally mean a lag or retardation of data during data transmission, and / or pertain to user feedback thereof. It may specifically be based on, refer to, or be a function of timestamps of data packages, trip duration, numbers of data packages sent and / or received, or stallings.

[0035] For example, in embodiments the application service may be a WebRTC service and / or include WebRTC traffic, and the delay may refer to, or be based on, e.g. a round trip time or a timestamp. The indicator may for example be, or refer to, some parameter in the RTCInboundRtpStreamStats, such as totallnterFrameDelay, totalSquaredlnterFrameDelay, framesPerSecond, pauseCount, totalPausesDuration, freezeCount, totalFreezesDuration, lastPacketReceivedTimestamp, fecBytesReceived, firCount, totalProcessingDelay, estimated PlayoutTimestamp, totalSamplesReceived, totalSamplesDuration, framesReceived, totalAssemblyTime. retransmittedPacketsReceived.

[0036] In these or further embodiments, the application service may be or comprise a video service and / or include data in the GoDash Framework, and the video quality may refer to, or be based on, parameters such as e.g. Del_time, Del_rate, Act_Rate, Stal l_Du r, PlayPos, FPS, etc.

[0037] "Package integrity" may generally refer to corruption of individual data packages and / or user feedback thereof. It may specifically be based on, refer to, or be a function of lost data bits or perturbed data packages. For WebRTC traffic, the indicator may e.g. be, or refer to RTCInboundRtpStreamStats such as packetsDiscarded, bytesReceived, packetsReceived, nackCount, jitterBufferDelay, totalSamplesReceived, concealedSamples, removedSamplesForAcceleration, framesReceived, framesAssembledFromMultiplePackets. In the GoDash Framework the indicator may e.g. be, or refer to Rep_Level, etc.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 8 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0038] "Package sequence" may generally refer to ordering of packages as transmitted by the ASP equipment and received in the radio device, and / or user feedback thereof. It may specifically be based on, refer to, or be a function of tracking or header identifiers, timestamps of data packages. In WebRTC traffic, the indicator may e.g. be, or refer to RTCInboundRtpStreamStats such as freezeCount or LastPacketReceivedTimestamp. In the GoDash Framework, the indicator may e.g. be, or refer to Buffer_Level, or a similar quantity.

[0039] Optionally, the receiving is performed at least once for each data flow. Data flow may refer to a stream of packets with same key IP header info. The data flow may thus for example comprise some particular unit of information in the provision of the application service.

[0040] Additionally, or alternatively, the receiving may be performed independently of a request of network resource allocation. The request for allocation of resources is typically performed by the ASP. The request for resource allocation may be transmitted to the operator network either via equipment of the ASP, or via the radio device.

[0041] The indicator for the QoE may however also be provided in or together with a request by the ASP, or by ASP equipment, for an allocation of resources.

[0042] Additionally, or alternatively, the receiving is performed via a network exposure function, NEF, comprised in the operator network. The NEF may be configured to provide secure application programming interface, API, access to external applications, exposing network capabilities and data (such as location information or session status) in a controlled way. The NEF may enable third-party applications, and in particular the application service, to interact with the core network without compromising security or privacy, and can thus support service innovation and integration.

[0043] Additionally, or alternatively, the receiving is preceded by sending an update request to transmit the current value. The sending of the update request to transmit the current value may be performed or initiated by the component of the operator network, and the update request may be sent to equipment of the ASP, or to the radio device.

[0044] Optionally, the identifying is based on a target value of the indicator for quality of experience.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 9 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0045] The identifying may include a comparison of the current value with the target value. There may be several and / or equally complex target values as there are current values, and it may not necessarily be the case that every receiving pertains to a full match of current values and target values. Target values may be defined by the ASP, or by the CSP (e.g. unilaterally within a score, wherein the score may be provided by the ASP). Target values may be defined by the ASP, e.g. in a service contract. The target value may also be defined by a user of the radio device. The target value may also be defined by the CSP. Generally, the target value may be stored, or implemented, in the component of the network. The component may receive the target value from equipment of the ASP, or from the radio device. The target value may be stored in the component. There may be a mechanism or protocol to update target values in a way indicated either by the CSP (e.g. on behalf of the ASP), by the ASP, and / or by the user of the radio device. In some embodiments, the ASP may thus set target requirements for the indicator for the QoE, which are used for ensuring the required end user service quality at their customer's radio device.

[0046] Optionally, the method further comprises saving, in the component, and upon receiving the current value, a statistic comprising the current value and data pertaining to current network settings of the operator network.

[0047] The statistic may be, or comprise, a list of numerical values with a particular time stamp, or as a whole associated to a particular point in time.

[0048] The current network settings may be, refer to, or comprise a set of values of tunable parameters in the operation of the operating network. The data pertaining to current network settings may be, or comprise, pointers to such values, aggregated such values, or functions of such values. The data may in particular comprise quantities which are aggregated over respective time periods. These time periods may last e.g. a few minutes, but can also go up to a few days. The data pertaining to the current network settings may also include concrete values of parameters which define the current network settings. The data pertaining to the current network settings may in particular comprise key performance indicators, KPIs, obtained from the operator network. A KPI may be associated with, or determine, a particular network parameter, or a particular set of network parameters.

[0049] Optionally, the data pertaining to current network settings comprise one or more values indicating a quality of service, QoS. Additionally, or alternatively, the dataTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 10 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0050] pertaining to current network settings comprise one or more values indicating radio parameters.

[0051] QoS may in particular refer to a quality of the provision of the application service over the operator network. QoS may thus in particular relate to transport QoS. QoS may refer e.g. to service response time, packet loss, bit rate, throughput, transmission delay, delay variation, availability, or jitter. All values indicating the QoS may immediately depend on, or be determined by, the network settings of the operator network, and thus may be distinct from the indicators pointing to the QoE, which in contrast may depend on the network settings only in an indirect or difficult-to-trace way.

[0052] Radio parameters may be any radio environment parameters, e.g., Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR), Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) and / or radio resource parameters, e.g., available or used Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) or spectrum utilization.

[0053] The data pertaining to the network settings may relate to overall quantities in the operator network, or to the operator network as a whole. However, in advantageous embodiments the data may pertain to particular parts or subentities of the operator network.

[0054] Optionally, the data pertaining to current network settings comprises data pertaining to one or more of the following:

[0055] - if the operator network comprises nodes, one or more particular nodes of the operator network,

[0056] - if the operator network comprises base stations, one or more particular base stations of the operator network,

[0057] - if the operator network comprises routers, one or more particular routers of the operator network,

[0058] - if the operator network covers cells, one or more components of the operator network in a particular cell of the operator network,

[0059] - another particular entity of the operator network.

[0060] The current network settings may include only some values of tunable parameters in the operation of the operator network. The current network settings therefore do not have to include values for all possible tunable parameters in the operation of the operator network, nor do they have to defineTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 11 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0061] such values for parameters in the operation of the whole operator network, or values pertaining to the whole operator network. The term "particular" may be understood in the sense that the mentioned entities encompass only a fraction of all entities of a same kind in the operator network. The data pertaining to current network settings may thus only pertain to network settings of some part of the operator network. In embodiments, the statistic, or one or more such statistics, may be collected e.g. for aggregated network entities, for example per cell, per base station, or per network function. Advantageously, a statistic is saved if a mechanism for improving the network parameter, or the associated network settings in general, is defined. Such a mechanism may be referred to as a corrective function (or service assurance function), or as a network boost function.

[0062] Optionally, the statistic comprises one or more current further values of respective further indicators for the quality of experience. In the examples where the application service comprises WebRTC traffic or uses the goDash framework as described above, if the indicator for the QoE comprises any one of the exemplarily listed indicators, a further indicator may comprise any other one of the listed indicators.

[0063] Optionally, the method comprises attributing one out of at least two rankings to the statistic. A ranking may also be referred to as a class. The at least two rankings are advantageously in a hierarchical relationship with respect to each other, where the hierarchy depends on values of the indicator for the QoE. In other words, the at least two rankings may define a hierarchical binning system, or class system, into which the statistic is classified, and a first such statistic is ranked higher than a second such statistic if the indicator for the QoE is better for the first statistic than for the second statistic. The statistic may thus be characterized by three instances of data: by the current value of the indicator of the QoE, by the data pertaining to the current network setting, and by its ranking (or class). The ranking may, however, not be defined explicitly within the statistic (i.e., if the statistic is stored as a data set somewhere in the operator network, in particular in the component, the ranking may not be part of this data set), but may be readily inferred from the current value, and in particular from a relation between the current and the target value for the indicator of the QoE. If there are further indicators for the QoE, the hierarchy of the rankings may also depend on the further values of these further indicators for the QoE. However, if there are further indicators for the QoE, there may also be further systems of rankings,Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 12 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0064] e.g. one further system of rankings for each of the further indicators for the QoE, respectively. There may also be an overall system of ranking, based e.g. on a hierarchy of the indicator for the QoE and one, more, or all of the further indicators for the QoE.

[0065] Optionally, the at least two rankings comprise one or more of a first ranking, a second ranking and a third ranking as described in the following:

[0066] The first ranking is attributed if the current value does not meet the target value, and / or if at least one of the one or more current further values does not meet a respective further target value stored in the component.

[0067] The second ranking is attributed if the current value meets the target value and if all of the one or more current further values (if present) meet a respective further target value stored in the component.

[0068] The third ranking is attributed if the conditions for the second ranking hold, and if, additionally, the current value exceeds the target value according to a criterion, and / or if at least one of the one or more current further values (if present) exceeds a respective further target value stored in the component according a respective further criterion.

[0069] The second ranking may also be referred to as the "good" ranking. The third ranking may also be referred to as the "excellent" ranking. The current value may exceed the target value according to the criterion may generally mean that the current value is in some objective way better than the target value; it does not necessarily have to mean that the target value is numerically greater or smaller than the target value. However, the criterion, and the further criteria, may be or comprise thresholds. The threshold may be, or follow from, a concrete value of the indicator for the QoE. The threshold may e.g. be a fixed difference by which the current value has to exceed the target value. The threshold may also depend on one or more of the target value, a maximal value which the indicator for the QoE may (theoretically, or practically) attain, or further data.

[0070] In other words, the component in the operator network may be configured to compile three statistics of the network settings, e.g. transport and radio parameters, per flow for the application service, or for the different services (as e.g. defined in an SLA), separately for the following three cases:Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 13 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0071] (1) statistics for which one of the correlated end user service quality parameters violates the target values,

[0072] (2) statistics for which the correlated end user service quality parameters meet the targets but most of the service quality parameters are not excellent, (3) statistics for which the correlated end user service quality parameters meet the targets and most of the service quality parameters are excellent.

[0073] As explained above, there may be one or more statistics, which may also be collected for aggregated network entities, for example per cell, per base station, per network function, etc., for which corrective (or service assurance) or network boost functions are defined and available.

[0074] Optionally, identifying the network parameter is based on one or more reference statistics, each reference statistic comprising data pertaining to reference network settings of the operator network and one or more of a reference value of the indicator for the quality of experience, and / or one or more further reference values (if present) of respective one or more of the further indicators for the quality of experience.

[0075] The criterion defined above for the excellent ranking may depend on the reference statistics, or on a number of reference statistics satisfying particular conditions. Within a reference statistic, the reference value of the indicator for the QoE, and, where applicable, the further reference values, may have been achieved at some point in time when the further network settings were applied in the operator network. Thus the reference statistics may indicate which values can be achieved for the indicator for the QoE, or for the further indicators.

[0076] Optionally, identifying the network parameter comprises comparing the statistic with the one or more reference statistics. The comparing may, for example, yield the network parameter depending on the reference network settings. In advantageous embodiments, based on the comparing, the network parameter may be identified based on a large, or the largest, difference among all differences between values of parameters in the current network settings and respective values in the reference network settings of such reference statistics which comprise a higher value of the indicator of the QoE than the current value. In other words, the network parameter may be identified by comparing the statistic with a set of reference statistics where the reference network settings were associated with an acceptable value for the indicator of the QoE. TheTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 14 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0077] network parameter may be identified within the respective network settings as the network parameter whose value differs by the highest (or a high) amount, compared to other network parameters in the network setting.

[0078] The reference statistics may be compiled (or generated) independently from the statistics. Thus, in addition to the per flow statistics, reference statistics based on multiple flows per application service are also determined separately. The reference statistics may be in total or in part generated by further components of the operator network.

[0079] Irrespective of how they are generated, the reference statistics may be attributed the same rankings, or classes, as the statistic. In particular, reference statistics may be generated, or determined, separately for the three rankings described above. Reference statistics may also be generated, or determined, for parts of the operator network, as previously described for the case of the statistic. Reference statistics may also be determined separately for the three rankings using multiple network entities.

[0080] Optionally, each of the one or more reference statistics is attributed one of the at least two rankings, and the comparing is performed only for reference statistics which are attributed a particular higher ranking over the ranking attributed to the statistic. The comparison may thus not comprise all available reference statistics, nor all available reference statistics which indiscriminately comprise a higher value of the indicator for the QoE, but only with a subset thereof. This subset may in particular consist of those available reference statistics whose values of the indicator for the QoE are better only within particular bounds.

[0081] Advantages of this provision include that the operator network is enabled to meet the demands for quality of experience, but at the same time to economize resources. In particular, the operator network can keep resources free for other services, or as a backup for unforeseen amounts of data traffic.

[0082] Optionally, each of the one or more reference statistics is attributed either the first ranking, the second ranking, or the third ranking, and if the current value does not meet the target value, the comparing is performed only with respect to reference statistics attributed the second ranking, whereas if the current value meets the target value but does not exceed the target value according to the criterion (such as a further threshold), the comparing is performed only with respect to reference statistics attributed the third ranking.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 15 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0083] For example, in all cases where service quality measurements violate (i.e., do not meet) the target values, the respective collected network parameter statistics may be compared with the reference statistics collected for the good ranking, i.e. for good service conditions, and one or more network parameters for which the relative difference is the highest between the actual and reference statistics for the good values may be identified.

[0084] Furthermore, the statistics of the current network parameters may be compared with the ones of the reference statistics collected for the excellent service quality parameters, and the network parameters for which the difference is highest may be identified.

[0085] This may further improve the advantage mentioned above that the operator network is enabled to meet the demands for quality of experience, but at the same time is configured to economize resources.

[0086] Optionally, the method comprises generating the one or more reference statistics based on the saving of the statistic. A pool of reference statistics may therefore be created by collecting the statistic over many instances in time, for many radio devices, for many data flows, and / or for many places. The pool of reference statistics may thus grow over time. An advantage is that the operator network will become better at finding network settings which balance resources and performance of enabling the application service optimally, in the sense that over time, a quality of experience can be improved in a controlled way and to an increasingly efficient extent.

[0087] Optionally, identifying the network parameter is performed upon an improvement request. Additionally, or alternatively, identifying the network parameter is performed if, in the absence of an improvement request, the current value does not meet the target value. Furthermore, in some embodiments identifying the network parameter may be performed only (i.e., exclusively) in one of these two cases.

[0088] This condition may further improve the advantage mentioned above that the operator network is enabled to meet the demands for quality of experience, but at the same time configured to economize resources.

[0089] The improvement request may pertain to or comprise requesting an improvement of the QoE, and in particular of the indicator of the QoE. The improvement request may comprise the indicator. The improvement requestTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 16 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0090] may comprise the target value. However, the improvement request may also be unspecific, in particular with respect to the indicator and / or with respect to the target value. The improvement request may be received by the component via the operator network. The improvement request may be received from the ASP, e.g. via the equipment or the system of the ASP connected to the operator network. The improvement request may be received from some other part of the operator network - for example, the improvement request may be received from a network management domain in the operator network. Such a case may e.g. occur if the QoE should be improved at certain times, such as at certain times of the day, the week, the month, or the year, and / or when the radio device satisfies certain conditions, such as being in a particular position, or if the radio device is an object of a special contract between the CSP with the ASP and / or with the user of the radio device. The improvement request may also be received from the radio device.

[0091] The improvement request may also be referred to as a network boost request. In order to enable a network boost request, the operator network may comprise an interface where such service quality improvements can be requested. Such an interface may thus be a part of the network boost function. In case of a network boost request, the statistics of the actual network parameters may be compared with the ones of the reference statistics collected for the excellent service quality parameters, and the network parameters for which the difference is highest may be identified.

[0092] These provisions may further improve the advantage that the operator network is enabled to meet the demands for quality of experience, while at the same time being configured to economize resources.

[0093] Optionally, the method comprises triggering a change of the identified network parameter. Triggering this change may be based directly or indirectly on the component. For example, the component may trigger the change indirectly in the sense that the component requests another entity in the core network to actually decide which modifications have to be effected in the operator network in order to change the parameter. The advantage of this indirect change may be that the other entity is envisaged, or better equipped, for making such a decision within the architecture of the operator network.

[0094] The change may be understood as a switch to different network settings. In other words, operator network improvement actions may be triggered for identifiedTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 17 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0095] network parameters. Such a change may be referred to as a network boost action if triggered by the explicit improvement request, or as a corrective (or service assurance) action if triggered by simply missing a target value. Based on the identifying of the network parameter, one or more corrective or network boost actions may thus be triggered for improving the identified network parameter service.

[0096] In some embodiments, using the statistics built separately for bad, good and excellent rankings (or service conditions), and comparing a current statistic (or statistical distribution) to the reference statistics, the network parameter (or several network parameters) which could be improved in order to improve the QoE may be identified separately for corrective or service assurance actions (where a target value of the indicator for the QoE has been missed) and for network boost actions (where a request e.g. by the ASP has triggered a comparison of the current value with the target value). In this way, an appropriate closed-loop action (advantageously one which is determined to be the most effective to improve the service quality) can be triggered in the operator network, e.g. by the CSP.

[0097] The method can thus in general provide the advantage of making use of network resources very efficiently, while making use of extra network resources only if required to improve service quality. The method assigns the network resources only where improvements are needed. Changes, i.e. actions for improving the network settings, may be done only for flows where service quality improvement is actually required, and only those network parameters which are the most significant and relevant for the required service quality improvement may be changed. The method may improve the service quality only if SLA parameters are violated or the customers are especially, or exceptionally, to be provided with an extra end user service quality.

[0098] Optionally, the method comprises surveying an effect of a change of the identified network parameter. In particular, both QoS parameters as well as the values of the indicator (or the further values for the further indicators) for the QoE may be monitored. Thus, after the network boost or service assurance action, the network QoS and / or end user QoE may be measured and compared with the QoS and QoE, respectively, before the action.

[0099] Optionally, the method comprises reporting an outcome of surveying the effect of the change of the identified network parameter. The reporting may have as itsTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 18 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0100] addressee the application service provider. In particular after a network boost action, but optionally also after a corrective (or service assurance) action, the network and end user service quality parameters may thus be measured and compared with the ones before the action, and these results may be reported e.g. to the ASP.

[0101] Optionally, the operator network comprises a network management domain, a radio access network domain, and a core domain, and the component is comprised in the core domain. This provision may be advantageous for performing the method in a centralized way, higher up in a hierarchy of the operator network architecture. In this way, the method can be carried out very efficiently.

[0102] Optionally, the component is, comprises, or is comprised in the Network Data Analytics Function, NWDAF. The NWDAF is a specialized, data-centric entity, which has been conventionally implemented in 5G core networks in a standardized way (defined at least as of 3GPP Release 16). The NWDAF may thus be configured to collect network data, in particular the network settings of the operator network, but also further network-related data from various sources, including a radio access network and a core network. The data collection may occur continuously or on-demand. The NWDAF may be configured to provide analytics to other network functions. To this end, the NWDAF may comprise a machine learning model for supporting predictive analytics. The machine learning model may be configured to take network data collected in the NWDAF as training data, and it may be trained, based on the training data, to produce specific analytics and rankings from current input data. Conventionally, the NWDAF may comprise machine learning models e.g. for the following types of analytic events: Slice load level information, network slice instance load level information, service experience Network Function (NF) load, operator network performance, abnormal behavior, radio device (or UE) mobility, UE communication, user data congestion, QoS sustainability, dispersion, Session Management (SM) congestion control experience; redundant transmission experience, WLAN performance, DN performance, and End-to-End (E2E) data volume transfer time. These machine learning models may be configured to return information about a current state of the operator network, make predictions about the future, and detect abnormal behavior or anomalies.

[0103] Optionally the method comprises receiving the current value of the indicator for the quality of experience immediately from the radio device (i.e., from theTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 19 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0104] terminal device to which the application service is provided). This may be the case in particular where the indicator is based on a user feedback, and / or where the current value may be readily measured on the radio device. The measured information may flow directly from the radio device to the operator network, and there to the component, rather than first being transmitted (via the operator network) to equipment of the ASP (i.e., to the terminal device which provides the application service) before being communicated to the operator network (or to the component).

[0105] As to a second method aspect, a method for identifying a network parameter of an operator network, wherein the operator network is configured to enable the provision of an application service to a terminal device, comprises measuring a current value of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service, and transmitting a report comprising the current value to the operator network, wherein the report is configured to trigger, in the operator network, an identification, depending on the current value, of the network parameter.

[0106] The measuring is understood as directly measuring, i.e., the measuring pertains to measuring the current value immediately as an end-to-end QoE characteristic of the application service. The measuring may comprise, or refer to, reacting to a user input. The measuring and the transmitting may therefore be performed by the terminal device to which the application service is provided, but also by a further terminal device which provides the application service. As before, the terminal device may be a radio device, and the further terminal device may be equipment or a system of an application service provider, ASP, which is configured to provide the application service over the operator network to the radio device. In the following description of the second method aspect, it is again assumed that the terminal device to which the application service is provided is a radio device, and the terminal device which provides the radio device is referred to as a system or equipment of the ASP. The equipment, operator network, and radio device may be configured as described before.

[0107] The indicator may be configured as described before, i.e. as described for the first method aspect. In particular, the indicator may pertain to an end-to-end aspect of the provision of the application service. In particular, the indicator may comprise one or more of a score value, an end-to-end delay, an audio and / or video quality, an end-to-end data package integrity, an end-to-end data package sequence. Measuring the score value may simply comprise receiving a feedback from a user of the radio device.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 20 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0108] The identifying may be performed as described before, and the transmitting of the report may trigger any steps of the method of identifying the network parameter in the operator network as described before.

[0109] Optionally, the measuring is performed at least once for each data flow.

[0110] Additionally, or alternatively, the transmitting may be performed at least once for each data flow. Additionally, or alternatively, the transmitting may be performed independently of a request of network resource allocation.

[0111] Additionally, or alternatively, the transmitting may be performed via a network exposure function, NEF, comprised in the operator network. Additionally, or alternatively, the transmitting may be preceded by receiving an update request to transmit the current value. Actions per data flow, resource allocation, and functions of the operator network may be configured as described before. The update request may be received from the operator network.

[0112] Optionally, the method of the second method aspect comprises transmitting a target value of the indicator for quality of experience to the operator network. The target value may be defined as described before. As described before there may be several and / or equally complex target values as there are current values, and it may not necessarily be the case that every receiving pertains to a full match of current values and target values. Target values may in particular be defined by the ASP, but also by a user of the radio device.

[0113] Optionally, the method of the second method aspect comprises transmitting one or more current further values of respective further indicators for the quality of experience. The further indicators and further values may be configured as described before. The further values may be transmitted to the operator network, and in particular directly to the component.

[0114] Optionally, the method of the second method aspect comprises transmitting an improvement request to the operator network. The improvement may be referred to as a network boost request, and it may be configured as described before. The operator network may comprise an interface for transmitting the request, and thus a network boost function, as described before. The improvement request may be transmitted immediately from the equipment of the ASP, or immediately from the radio device.

[0115] Optionally, the method of the second method aspect further comprises receiving a report about an outcome of surveying an effect of a change of the identifiedTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 21 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0116] network parameter. The report may be received by equipment of the ASP, and / or by the radio device. After a network boost action, the network and end user service quality parameters may thus be measured and compared with the ones before the action, and these results may be reported e.g. to the ASP.

[0117] As to a first product aspect, a component for an operator network, wherein the operator network is configured to enable the provision of an application service to a terminal device, comprises a reception module, configured to receive a current value of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service, and an identification module, configured to identify, depending on the current value, a network parameter of the operator network.

[0118] For the description of the first product aspect, the terminal device which receives the application service and a terminal device which provides the application service will again be referred to as a radio device and a system or equipment of the ASP, respectively. The operator network, the application service, the radio device, the indicator and the current value may be configured as described before, i.e. for the method aspects. The component may thus be configured to perform the method of identifying the network parameter in the operator network as described before, either entirely or in part. In particular, the present method may thus trigger an improvement of QoS parameters such that the indicator for the QoE is improved. The radio device and / or the system or equipment of the ASP may be configured to perform the method for identifying the network parameter of the operator network as described before.

[0119] Optionally, the reception module is configured to receive the current value at least once for each data flow. Additionally, or alternatively, the reception module may be configured to receive the current value independently of a request of network resource allocation. Additionally, or alternatively, the reception module may be configured to receive the current value via a network exposure function, NEF, comprised in the operator network. Additionally, or alternatively, the component may comprise a component transmission module which is configured to send an update request to transmit the current value.

[0120] The request of network resource allocation, the NEF, and the request to transmit the current value may be configured as described before.

[0121] Optionally, the identification module is configured to identify the network parameter based on a target value of the indicator for quality of experience. TheTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 22 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0122] target value may be stored in the component. The identification module may be configured to compare the current value with the target value. The target value may be configured, generated and / or received by the component as described before.

[0123] Optionally, the component comprises a memory which is configured to save, upon receiving the current value, a statistic comprising the current value and data pertaining to current network settings of the operator network. The statistic and the current network settings and the data pertaining to current network settings may be configured as described before. The target value may be stored in the memory. The component may be configured to collect the data pertaining to current network settings from other entities in the operator network, and / or it may be configured to calculate the data pertaining to current network settings (or the current network settings) from information received from other entities in the operator network.

[0124] In particular, the data pertaining to current network settings may comprise one or more values indicating a quality of service, and / or one or more values indicating radio parameters, as described before. Rather than values for parameters of the network setting, the data pertaining to the network settings may merely, or at least partially, comprise pointers to such values, and the values of the parameters which make up the network setting may be stored elsewhere in the operator network. The data may furthermore pertain only to one or more of: where the operator network comprises nodes, one or more particular nodes of the operator network, where the operator network comprises base stations, one or more particular base stations of the operator network, where the operator network comprises routers, one or more particular routers of the operator network, where the operator network covers cells, one or more components of the operator network in a particular cell of the operator network, and another particular entity of the operator network, as described before.

[0125] The statistic may comprise one or more current further values of respective further indicators for the quality of experience, as described before. In particular, the rankings may comprise

[0126] Optionally, the identification module, the memory and / or another part of the component is configured to attribute one out of at least two rankings to the statistic. The rankings may be configured as described before. In particular, the at least two rankings may comprise one or more of a first ranking, which isTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 23 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0127] attributed if the current value does not meet the target value and / or if at least one of the one or more current further values does not meet a respective further target value stored in the component, a second ranking, which is attributed if the current value meets the target value and if all of the one or more current further values meet a respective further target value stored in the component, and a third ranking, which is attributed if the conditions for the second ranking hold, and if, additionally, the current value exceeds the target value according to a criterion and / or at least one of the one or more current further values exceeds a respective further target value stored in the component according a respective further criterion. These rankings may be defined as described before.

[0128] Optionally, the identification module is configured to identify the network parameter based on one or more reference statistics, each reference statistic comprising data pertaining to reference network settings of the operator network, and a reference value of the indicator for the quality of experience, and / or one or more further reference values of respective one or more of the further indicators for the quality of experience. The reference statistics may be configured as defined before. The reference statistics may be stored in the memory. However, the reference statistics may also be stored elsewhere in the operator network. In this case, the memory may comprise respective pointers to the reference statistics.

[0129] Optionally, the identification module is configured to compare the statistic with the one or more reference statistics. The comparison may be embodied as described before. The reference statistics may be configured as described before. The reference statistics may be in total or in part generated by further components of the operator network.

[0130] The component, and in particular the identification module, may be configured to attribute each of the one or more reference statistics to one of the at least two rankings, and the identification module may be configured to compare the statistic with the one or more reference statistics only for reference statistics which are attributed a particular higher ranking over the ranking attributed to the statistic, as described before.

[0131] Furthermore, the component, and in particular the identification module, may be configured to attribute to each of the one or more reference statistics either the first ranking, the second ranking, or the third ranking, and may be configured to compare the statistic if the current value does not meet the target value onlyTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 24 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0132] with respect to reference statistics attributed the second ranking, and if the current value meets the target value but does not satisfy the criterion, only with respect to reference statistics attributed the third ranking, as described before. Rankings may be stored in the memory. However, the identification module may also be configured to attribute rankings to stored reference statistics on-the-fly, according to some algorithm, and depending on the indicator, and possibly on the current value, currently under investigation.

[0133] Optionally, the identification module is configured to generate, based on the saving of the statistic, the one or more reference statistics. The statistic may thus become a reference statistic, which may eventually be saved in the memory, or elsewhere in the operator network, as explained before. As described above, a pool of reference statistics may thus be created, which may grow over time. An advantage is that the operator network will become better at finding network settings which balance resources and performance of enabling the application service optimally, in the sense that over time, a quality of experience can be improved in a controlled way and to an increasingly efficient extent.

[0134] Optionally, the reception module is configured to receive an improvement request, and the identification module is configured to identify the network parameter upon having received the improvement request. Additionally, or alternatively, the identification module may be configured to identify the network parameter if, in the absence of an improvement request, the current value does not meet the target value. Additionally, or alternatively, the identification module may be configured to identify the network parameter only in one of the above cases.

[0135] The improvement request may be sent by the ASP. The improvement request may also be sent by the user of the radio device. The improvement request may also be sent by another entity in the operator network. In order to receive the improvement request, the operator network may comprise an interface where service quality improvements can be requested as described above. The interface may be configured in the component.

[0136] Optionally, the identification module, is configured to compare, in the absence of an improvement request, and if the current value does not meet the target value, the statistic only with respect to reference statistics attributed the second class.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 25 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0137] Optional ly, the identification module is configured to trigger, in the operator network, a change of the identified network parameter. The change may be configured or defined as described before. The change may in particular be due to a network boost action (in particular if triggered by a request from the ASP), or due to a corrective (or service assurance) action (in particular if triggered by missing a target value).

[0138] Optionally, the component comprises a surveying module which is configured to survey an effect of the change of the identified network parameter. As described before, in particular both QoS parameters as well as the values of the indicator (or the further values for the further indicators) for the QoE may be monitored. Optionally, the component comprises a component transmission module, configured to transmit a report about an outcome of surveying the effect of the change of the identified network parameter. The component transmission module may be the same as the component transmission module to send the update request mentioned above. As described before, the report may have as its addressee the ASP. The transmission may occur upon request by the ASP. In particular after a network boost action, the network and end user service quality parameters may thus be measured and compared with the ones before the action, and these results may be reported e.g. to the ASP.

[0139] Optionally, if the operator network comprises a network management domain, a radio access network domain, and a core domain, the component is comprised in the core domain.

[0140] Optionally, the component is, comprises, or is comprised in the Network Data Analytics Function, NWDAF.

[0141] Optionally, the reception module is configured to receive the current value of the indicator for the quality of experience immediately from the radio device (i.e., from the terminal device to which the application service is provided). This means that the operator network is configured to receive the current value, and if applicable current further values of further indicators, directly from the radio device and relay it to the component. In contrast, the reception module could be configured to receive the current value from equipment of the ASP (i.e., from the further terminal device which provides the application service).

[0142] As to a second product aspect, a terminal device for identifying a network parameter of an operator network, wherein the terminal device is configured toTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 26 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0143] connect to the operator network and to provide or receive an application service, wherein the operator network is configured to enable a provision of the application service, comprises a measurement module, configured to directly measure a current value of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service, and a transmission module, configured to transmit a report comprising the current value to the operator network, wherein the report is configured to trigger, in the operator network, an identification of the network parameter, wherein the identification depends on the current value.

[0144] The terminal device may be, or be comprised in, a radio device, or it may be or be comprised in equipment or a system of the application service provider, ASP, as described before, i.e. as described for the method aspects or the first product aspect. It is in this sense an end device for the application service. Measuring the current value is understood as a direct measuring, i.e., it pertains to measuring the current value immediately as an end-to-end QoE characteristic of the application service. The equipment, operator network, and radio device may be configured as described before. The terminal device may thus be configured to perform the method for identifying a network parameter of an operator network as described before, either entirely or in part.

[0145] The indicator may be configured as described before. In particular, the indicator may pertain to an end-to-end aspect of the provision of the application service. In particular, the indicator may comprise one or more of a score value, an end-to-end delay, an audio and / or video quality, an end-to-end data package integrity, an end-to-end data package sequence. Measuring the score value may simply comprise receiving a feedback from a user of the radio device.

[0146] The identification may be performed as the identifying described before, and transmitting the report may trigger any steps of the method of identifying the network parameter in the operator network as described before.

[0147] Optionally, the measurement module is configured to measure the current value at least once for each data flow. Additionally, or alternatively, the transmission module is configured to transmit the report at least once for each data flow. Additionally, or alternatively, the transmission module is configured to transmit the report independently of a request of network resource allocation.

[0148] Additionally, or alternatively, the transmission module is configured to transmit the report via the NEF comprised in the operator network, Additionally, orTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 27 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0149] alternatively, the terminal device is configured to receive an update request to transmit the current value.

[0150] Actions per data flow, resource allocation, and functions of the operator network may be configured as described before. The terminal device may be configured to receive the update request from the operator network.

[0151] Optionally, the transmission module is configured to transmit a target value of the indicator for quality of experience to the operator network. The target value may be defined as described before. As before there may be several and / or equally complex target values as there are current values, and it may not necessarily be the case that every receiving pertains to a full match of current values and target values. Target values may in particular be defined by the ASP, but also by a user of the radio device.

[0152] Optionally, the transmission module is configured to transmit one or more current further values of respective further indicators for the quality of experience. The further indicators and further values may be configured as described before.

[0153] Optionally, the transmission module is configured to transmit an improvement request to the operator network. The improvement may be referred to as a network boost request, and it may be configured as described before. The operator network may comprise an interface for transmitting the request, and thus a network boost function, as described before. The improvement request may be transmitted immediately from the terminal device to the operator network.

[0154] Optionally, the terminal device comprises a terminal device reception module configured to receive a report about an outcome of surveying an effect of a change of the identified network parameter. After a network boost action, the network and end user service quality parameters may thus be measured and compared with the ones before the action, and these results may be reported to the ASP and / or to the user of the radio device.

[0155] As to a further aspect, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product comprises program code portions for performing the methods of the first and / or the second method aspect disclosed herein when the computer program product is executed by one or more computing devices. The computer program product may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium. TheTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 28 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0156] computer program product may also be provided for download, e.g., via the communication network, the RAN, the Internet and / or the host computer.

[0157] Alternatively, or in addition, the method may be encoded in a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and / or an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Parts of the functionality may be provided for download by means of a hardware description language.

[0158] Embodiments furthermore comprise a communication network comprising an operator network with the component as disclosed above. Optionally, the component is configured to carry out the method according to the first method aspect as described above. Optionally, the communication network comprises the terminal device, which is not part of the operator network, as disclosed above. The terminal device may be the radio device, or a system or equipment configured to provide the application service via the operator network to the radio device.

[0159] Optionally, the terminal device is configured to carry out the method according to the second method aspect as described above. In such embodiments, it is understood that the operator network has no practical or efficient means of directly measuring the current value of the indicator for the QoE within the operator network; rather, the current value is measured directly only by means of the terminal device. The current value may be transmitted by the terminal device and subsequently received by the component of the operator network.

[0160] Advantages of the method aspects, product aspects and embodiments disclosed herein include the following.

[0161] The aspects and embodiments can provide a solution for improving the QoE by making changes to network parameters purely within the operator network. The improvement of the QoE can be achieved efficiently, since only a restricted set of network parameters, i.e. a few or even a single network parameter can be identified to lead to an improvement of the respective indicator for the QoE. The aspects and embodiments can support both service assurance and network boost use cases. They can provide quantitative service quality and related network improvement measures before and after service assurance and network boost actions.

[0162] The aspects and embodiments can provide a solution for the task where QoE is to be improved. The solution is based on information to be obtained in the operator network from the ASP or their systems and equipment, or from the user or theirTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 29 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0163] terminal device, or radio device. In particular, the ASP and / or user can measure and obtain this info much more easily than the CSP, since the ASP and / or user either have access to the terminal device as an end user equipment, and to the application systems or equipment. The ASP in particular may have access to the terminal device as well. In particular the ASP can thus measure these parameters close to the end user, and thus provide a current value of an end-to-end measure to the operator network.

[0164] The ASP may be interested to share this information with the CSP in order to receive better or guaranteed service for their customers. The exchange can be based on system level agreements, SLA, or on system level specifications, SLS. By comparing the statistics built separately for different rankings, such as the bad, good and excellent ranking mentioned above, to reference statistics, the network parameter (and possibly further network parameters) which should be changed in order to improve the QoE are identified. This can be done separately for service assurance and network boost cases. In this way the appropriate closed loop action that is the most effective to improve the service quality can be triggered by the CSP.

[0165] The aspects and embodiments can provide an efficient utilization of network resources, in particular, extra network resources may be allocated only if needed to improve the QoE. Such an assignment can be done for particular data flows where QoE improvement is needed, and it may involve only those network parameters which are the most significant and relevant for the required QoE improvement. The aspects and embodiments also admit a solution where the QoE can for example only be improved if SLA parameters are violated, and / or if customers are entitled e.g. by a special contract to extra end user service quality.

[0166] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0167] Further details of embodiments of the technique are described with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

[0168] Fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a component for an operator network for identifying a network parameter of the operator network;

[0169] Fig. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a terminal device for identifying a network parameter of an operator network;Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 30 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0170] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart for a method of identifying a network parameter in an operator network, which method may be implementable by the component of Fig. 1;

[0171] Fig. 4 shows a flowchart for a method for identifying a network parameter of an operator network, which method may be implementable by the terminal device of Fig. 2;

[0172] Fig. 5 schematically illustrates an example of a communication network comprising embodiments of the devices of Figs. 1 and 2 for performing the methods of Figs. 3 and 4, respectively;

[0173] Fig. 6 schematically illustrates a further example of a communication network comprising embodiments of the devices of Figs. 1 and 2 for performing the methods of Figs. 3 and 4, respectively;

[0174] Fig. 7 illustrates, in an example of identifying the network parameter, statistical distributions of a measured packet loss for different QoE regimes;

[0175] Fig. 8 illustrates, in the example of identifying the network parameter, statistical distributions of measured jitter for different QoE regimes;

[0176] Fig. 9 illustrates, in the example of identifying the network parameter, statistical distributions of a measured bitrate for different QoE regimes;

[0177] Fig. 10 shows a schematic block diagram of a core network function embodying the component of Fig. 1;

[0178] Fig. 11 shows a schematic block diagram of an application server embodying the terminal device of Fig. 2;

[0179] Fig. 12 shows a schematic block diagram of a user equipment embodying the terminal device of Fig. 2; and

[0180] Fig. 13 schematically illustrates an example telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer.

[0181] Detailed Description

[0182] In the following description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth, such as a specific network environment in order to provide a thorough understanding of the technique disclosed herein. It will beTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 31 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0183] apparent to one skilled in the art that the technique may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. Moreover, while the following embodiments are primarily described for a New Radio (NR), 5G, or 6G implementation, or successors thereof, it is readily apparent that the technique described herein may also be implemented for any other radio communication technique, including a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) implementation according to the standard family IEEE 802.11, 3GPP LTE (e.g., LTE-Advanced or a related radio access technique such as MulteFire), for Bluetooth according to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), particularly Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth Mesh Networking and Bluetooth broadcasting, for Z-Wave according to the Z-Wave Alliance or for ZigBee based on IEEE 802.15.4.

[0184] Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the functions, steps, units and modules explained herein may be implemented using software functioning in conjunction with a programmed microprocessor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) or a general purpose computer, e.g., including an Advanced RISC Machine (ARM). It will also be appreciated that, while the following embodiments are primarily described in context with methods and devices, the invention may also be embodied in a computer program product as well as in a system comprising at least one computer processor and memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the memory is encoded with one or more programs that may perform the functions and steps or implement the units and modules disclosed herein.

[0185] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of the component 100. The component 100 is a part of an operator network, and the operator network is configured to enable the provision of an application service to a terminal device. The component 100 comprises a reception module 104, configured to receive a current value of an indicator for a quality of experience, QoE, of the application service. The term current value may mean a value of the indicator which is currently being achieved by the operator network when providing the application service via the operator network. The term current value may also refer to a most recent available such value. The component 100 further comprises an identification module 106, configured to identify a network parameter of the operator network, depending on the current value.

[0186] While the operator network enables the provision of the application service (e.g. by providing the resources for transmitting data packages to and from the terminal device), it may be very difficult or even practically impossible to determine theTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 32 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0187] QoE purely within the operator network. Firstly, the operator network may have an intricate or complicated architecture, and it may be not immediately clear from this fact alone which network parameters provide a better or optimized QoE. Secondly, the QoE may refer to a measure of an end-to-end experience of the application service, and may thus depend on technical details of the terminal device, and / or of the equipment and systems that provide the application service over the operator network to the terminal device. Thirdly, the operator network may have to allocate resources for more than one, and in particular many, application services and / or terminal devices, and thus may be required to find a balance in order to provide of good quality of service, QoS, and an optimized QoE for all of these services or devices. This can make the allocation of resources more complicated, and can also make the operator network more dependent on feedback from the terminal device and / or the systems or equipment which provide the application service.

[0188] In embodiments, the application service may be provided by an application service provider, ASP, while the operator network may be operated by a communication service provider, CSP, and the terminal device may be operated by a user representing a third party. The operator network, or the CSP, may ensure high levels of service availability, speed, and reliability, which is critical for both individual and business users.

[0189] The component 100 may for example be part of a 5G or 6G telecommunication network. The 5G or 6G technologies promise to enhance the performance and capabilities of over-the -top, OTT, application services, offering lower latency and higher data speeds. Additionally, an integration of artificial intelligence, Al, and machine learning, ML, will enable more personalized and intelligent services, such as content recommendations and automated customer support. The service quality of these application services is a critical factor that impacts user experience and satisfaction. While OTT application services offer numerous advantages, they also present unique challenges that affect their overall service quality. High-quality OTT application services require low latency and high-speed internet connections. Performance can vary based on the CSP network conditions, leading to potential issues like buffering in streaming services or lag in voice and video calls. Reliable OTT services must ensure high availability, minimizing downtime and ensuring users can access services whenever needed. Network outages or server failures can severely impact the user experience. The component 100 can provide a solution for better cooperation between the ASP and the CSP. In embodiments,Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 33 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0190] the operator network may be configured to measure connection quality such as transport QoS parameters in the operator network, like packet level QoS parameters, packet loss, jitter, delay, throughput, or bitrate. These parameters cannot always be measured end-to end. In case of a mobile telecommunication network, the operator network may also be configured to monitor the radio environment parameters (e.g. RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, Transmission power, or PRB utilization). These parameters are needed for ensuring proper network operation, and are closely related to the service quality experienced by the user for different application services. Such connection quality and radio parameters depend on network parameters in network settings of the operator network.

[0191] In some embodiments, the operator network, and in particular the component 100, may furthermore comprise an ML module configured to estimate the QoE based on QoS, end-to-end service quality, and / or connection quality and radio parameters measured in the operator network (or by the CSP). However, compared to such an ML estimate alone, the disclosed component 100 can provide much better QoE improvements, and in particular make more accurate predictions for the QoE, thanks to being configured to receive and to use the current value of the indicator as an end-to-end service quality parameter obtained or reported by ASP or the user.

[0192] The component 100 is thus configured to receive an end user service quality measurement result from the user and / or the ASP. The component 100 may comprise a memory which may be located in the identification module 106 and is configured to save, upon receiving the current value, a statistic comprising the current value and data pertaining to current network settings of the operator network. The network settings (or the data pertaining to the network settings) may e.g. comprise transport QoS parameters and radio parameters. The network settings (or the data pertaining to the network settings) may be restricted to parameters pertaining specifically to the application service, or to a class or type of the application service, and / or to application services which are deemed technically similar to the application service.

[0193] The identification module 106 may be configured to attribute one out of at least two rankings to the statistic. In embodiments of the component 100, the identification module 106 may in particular be configured to use the current value, which may be recorded (or received) e.g. per data flow, for attributing one of three rankings to the statistic. In other words, the component 100 may be configured toTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 34 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0194] compile three types of statistics. The three rankings may correspond to the following three cases:

[0195] 1. a first ranking for statistics for which the current value, or further current values, and thus one of the correlated end user service quality parameters, violates a respective target value;

[0196] 2. a second ranking for statistics for which the correlated end user service quality parameters meet the target values, but most of the service quality parameters are not excellent; and

[0197] 3. a third ranking for statistics for which the correlated end user service quality parameters meet the target values, and one or more of the end user service quality parameters are excellent.

[0198] In addition to these per-flow statistics, reference statistics based on multiple flows per services may also be determined separately for these three rankings.

[0199] The component 100 may be configured to collect several similar statistics, which may pertain only to parts of the operator network, respectively. Statistics may pertain e.g. to aggregated network entities, for example per cell, per base station, per network function, NF, etc. In advantageous embodiment, statistics are collected for parts of the operator network for which a corrective or network boost function may be defined and available. In this case, reference statistics may also be determined correspondingly for the multiple network entities. The component 100 may comprise several physically distinct sub-components, wherein each sub-component is associated with a corresponding part of the operator network.

[0200] In all cases when service quality measurements violate the target values, the collected network (radio and transport) statistics may be compared with the reference statistics collected for good service conditions, and the network parameter (or several network parameters) for which the relative difference is the highest between the (current) statistic and respective reference statistics of the "good" second ranking may be identified.

[0201] Based on these results, corrective action or actions may be triggered for improving the identified network parameter (such an action may be referred to as a service assurance action). After a service assurance action, the network and service quality parameters may be measured and compared with the ones before the action.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 35 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0202] In case of a network boost request, the statistics of the actual network parameters may be compared with the ones of the reference statistics collected for the "excellent" third ranking reference statistics, wherein service quality parameters and the network parameters for which the difference is highest may again be identified.

[0203] Network improvement actions may then be triggered for identified network parameters (such an action may be referred to as network boost action). IN particular after such a network boost action, the network and service quality parameters may again be measured and compared with the ones before the action. These results may also be reported to the ASP.

[0204] Such a configuration, along the lines described above and exemplified here, is advantageous because of the inherent decision logic applied to the task of taking dedicated action in the operator network to maintain or improve the end user service quality. Such an action may happen in order to comply with service level agreements, SLA, or service level specifications, SLS, and thus may be based on target values, and / or such an action may happen in order to improve the QoE or an end user service quality in case of a network boost request. In both cases the action can maintain or improve the QoE in a resource efficient way.

[0205] According to this logic, statistics of network measured key performance indicators, KPIs, may be compiled separately for data tagged with bad, good and excellent ranking of service quality (as reported for the indicator e.g. by the ASP). The component 100 may also aggregate network KPIs for different entities separately for these three rankings in order to identify the entity which should be improved (and thus may be configured to basically detect a root cause of the bad or worse end user service quality).

[0206] The indicator may depend on the application service. Different types of application services may be characterized by different types of indicators, or service quality parameters. The component, end device or methods may employ more than one indicator, and correlations between current values of different indicators may be taken into account.

[0207] For example, if the application service includes WebRTC traffic, the indicator may be a service quality parameter as specified by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium, W3C), and in particular one of the parameters belonging to the RTCInboundRtpStreamStats, such as: trackidentifier, kind, mid, remoteld,Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 36 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0208] framesDecoded, keyFramesDecoded, frameWidth, frameHeight, framesPerSecond, qpSum, totalDecodeTime, totallnterFrameDelay, totalSquaredlnterFrameDelay, lastPacketReceivedTimestamp, headerBytesReceived, packetsDiscarded, fecPacketsReceived, fecPacketsDiscarded, bytesReceived, nackCount, firCount, pliCount, totalProcessingDelay, estimatedPlayoutTimestamp, jitterBufferDelay, jitterBufferTargetDelay, jitterBufferEmittedCount, jitterBufferMinimum Delay, totalSamplesReceived, concealedSamples, silentConcealedSamples, concealmentEvents, InsertedSamplesForDeceleration, removedSamplesForAcceleration, audioLevel, totalAudioEnergy, totalSamplesDuration, framesReceived, or decoderimplementation.

[0209] As a further example, if the application service includes streaming video, especially in the context of the GoDash framework, the indicator may be a service quality parameter as recorded in D. Raca, M. Manifacier, and J J. Quinlan: "goDASH - GO accelerated HAS framework for rapid prototyping", 12th International Conference on Quality of Multimedia Experience (QoMEX), Athlone, Ireland. 26th to 28th May, 2020, and in John O'Sullivan, D. Raca, and Jason J. Quinlan, "Demo Paper: godash 2.0 - The Next Evolution of HAS Evaluation", 21st IEEE International Symposium On A World Of Wireless, Mobile And Multimedia Networks (IEEE WoWMoM 2020), Cork, Ireland. August 31 to September 03, 2020, which include:

[0210] Arr_Time - Arrival time in milliseconds (ms),

[0211] Del_Time - Time taken to receive the segment (ms),

[0212] Stal l_Du r - Stall duration (ms),

[0213] Rep_Level - Representation Quality (kbps),

[0214] Del_Rate - Delivery rate (kbps), (Byte_Size * 8 bits) / Del_Time,

[0215] Act_Rate - Actual rate (kbps), (Byte_Size * 8 bits) / Seg_Dur[sec],

[0216] Byte_Size - Byte size of this segment,

[0217] Buffer_Level - Buffer level (ms),

[0218] Seg_Dur - Segment duration (ms),

[0219] Codec - Video encoder,

[0220] Width - Representation width in pixels,

[0221] Height - Representation height in pixels,

[0222] FPS - Frame rate of the streamed video,

[0223] Play_Pos - Current Playback position (ms),

[0224] RTT - Packet level (ms) - determined using HTTP head request,

[0225] Protocol - HTTP protocol.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 37 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0226] Further examples for what the indicator for QoE may be or refer to comprise the metrics P.1203, Clae, Duanmu, Yin, and Yu, as published in Raza Ul Mustafa, Md Tariqul Islam, Christian Rothenberg, Simone Ferlin, Darijo Raca, and Jason J.

[0227] Quinlan, "DASH QoE Performance Evaluation Framework with 5G Dataset", 16th International Conference on Network and Service Management (CNSM), November 02 to 06, 2020.

[0228] While the application service may thus be associated with many different indicators for the QoE, advantageous embodiments of the method admit identifying only a small set of network parameters which may have to be changed in order to improve the QoE. For each application service type, one or more most significant parameters can be identified, and may be used for labeling connection quality metrics or KPIs. The advantages of using QoE indicators as in the described methods therefore include that end user service quality can be represented by a single parameter, rather than by a parameter set.

[0229] Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of the terminal device 200 for identifying a network parameter of the operator network. The terminal device 200 is configured to connect to the operator network, and to provide or receive the application service. For example, the terminal device 200 may be a radio device, or the terminal device 200 may be a part of a system or an equipment which provides the application service over the operator network to the radio device. Again, the operator network is configured to enable the provision of the application service. The operator network may comprise the component 100, e.g. as described in Fig. 1. The operator network may be operated by the CSP, and the terminal device 200 may be operated by a user (in case the terminal device 200 is receiving the application service), or by the ASP (in case the terminal device 200 provides the application service).

[0230] The terminal device 200 comprises a measurement module 202, configured to directly measure a current value of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service. The terminal device 200 further comprises a transmission module 204, configured to transmit a report to the operator network, wherein the report comprises the current value, and is configured to trigger an identification of the network parameter in the operator network.

[0231] Fig. 3 shows an example flowchart for a method 300 of identifying a network parameter in an operator network. In particular, the method 300 may be carried out by the component 100 of Fig. 1. The operator network is configured to enableTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 38 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0232] the provision of the application service to a terminal device, which may be the terminal device 200 described in Fig. 2. The method 300 comprises receiving 304, by the component 100 of the operator network, the current value of the indicator for the quality of experience of the application service. The method 300 further comprises identifying 306 the network parameter of the operator network, depending on the current value.

[0233] The receiving 304 may be performed at least once for each data flow, where a data flow may refer to a stream of packets with same key IP header info, and thus for example comprise some particular unit of information in the provision of the application service. The receiving 304 may be performed together with, or independently of any request of network source allocation by the ASP (or by systems or equipment for providing the application service). The receiving 304 may be preceded by sending an update request from the operator network to terminal device 200 to transmit the current value.

[0234] The identifying 306 may be based on a target value of the indicator. Such a target value may for example be defined e.g. in an SLA, or in SLS. However, it may also be defined from statistics of application services of a same type or class as the application service. The identifying 306 may be based on saving a statistic comprising the current value and data pertaining to current network settings. The data pertaining to the current network settings may refer to the whole operator network, or to a part of the operator network (such as to a node, a base station, a router, a cell, or some other entity or aggregate of such entities of the operator network), and the data pertaining to the network settings may be restricted depending on the application service, or on a type or class of the application service. There may be several indicators, current values, and target values, and the statistic may correspondingly aggregate further current values (and data pertaining to network settings).

[0235] The method 300 may comprise attributing rankings to the statistics, depending on how the current values achieve their respective targets, and forming a hierarchy.

[0236] In particular examples, the rankings may comprise a first, second and third ranking as defined above for Fig. 1 or before in the description. The method 300 may comprise comparing the statistic with one or more suitable reference statistics, which may also be ranked accordingly. Within this comparing, a statistic may only be compared with reference statistics of one ranking higher (orTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 39 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0237] reference statistics of some similar other restricted set), such that a network boost action or a service assurance action may be performed in a measured way, balancing network resources with improvements of the QoE. The method 300 may comprise generating the one or more reference statistics based on collecting the statistics, such that a pool of reference statistics may grow over time for each application service, or for types or classes of application services which require similar technical requirements for enabling their provision.

[0238] Fig.4 shows an example flowchart for a method 400 for identifying a network parameter of an operator network. In particular, the method 400 may be carried out by the terminal device 200 of Fig. 2.

[0239] The operator network is configured to enable the provision of an application service to a terminal device, which may be the terminal device 200 which carries out the method. Alternatively, the terminal device 200 on which the method is carried out may be a system or piece of equipment of the ASP.

[0240] The method 400 comprises measuring 402 a current value of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service. The method 400 further comprises transmitting 404 a report comprising the current value to the operator network, wherein the report is configured to trigger, in the operator network, an identification, depending on the current value, of the network parameter. The report may in particular be transmitted to the component 100, e.g. as exemplified in Fig. 1.

[0241] The measuring 402 and transmitting 404 may be performed at least once for each data flow, mirroring the receiving 304 in the method 300 of Fig. 3. Likewise, the measuring 402 and / or the transmitting 404 may be performed independently of a request of network resource allocation from the ASP (or the system and equipment configured to provide the application service over the operator network), but may also be performed in together with such a request. The method 400 may comprise receiving an update request to transmit the current value to the operator network. As before, there may be further current values for respective further indicators, which may also be measured and transmitted to the operator network. The method 400 may comprise transmitting respective target values to the operator network.

[0242] The transmitting 404 of the report may trigger a quality assurance action in the operator network, as described before. However, the transmitting 404 may also beTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 40 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0243] part of an improvement request, triggering a network boost action in the operator network. The method 400 may comprise transmitting such an improvement request to the operator network.

[0244] Especially if the terminal device 200 is part of the system or equipment of the ASP, the method 400 may comprise receiving a report about an outcome of surveying an effect of a change of the identified network parameter from the operator network.

[0245] Fig. 5 schematically illustrates an example of a communication network comprising embodiments of the devices of Figs. 1 and 2 for performing the methods of Figs. 3 and 4, respectively.

[0246] More specifically, the embodiment depicted in Fig. 5 is a telecommunication network. The telecommunication network may conform e.g. to a 3GPP NR, 5G or 6G network, or a successor thereof. In other embodiments, the communication network may comprise a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) implementation according to the standard family IEEE 802.11, 3GPP LTE (e.g., LTE-Advanced or a related radio access technique such as MulteFire), a Bluetooth communication system according to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), or a Z-Wave communication system according to the Z-Wave Alliance or for ZigBee based on IEEE 802.15.4.

[0247] The telecommunication network in this embodiment comprises an application service provider node 200b, which is a part of the system or an equipment of the ASP for providing the application service. The application service provider node 200b may be or comprise an embodiment of the terminal device 200 which provides the application service, e.g. as described for Fig. 2.The telecommunication network further comprises a user equipment 200a, UE, of a user, which similarly may be or comprise an embodiment of the terminal device 200 to which the application service is provided, e.g. as described for Fig.

[0248] 2. The UE 200a may be a radio device. The embodiment further comprises an operator network 500. The operator network 500 comprises a radio access network - RAN - domain 520, a core domain 510, a network management domain 530, and a transport domain 540. The RAN domain 520 comprises several network nodes 522 (here in particular gNBs), or base stations. These nodes 522 provide a call trace record 525, CTR, to the network management domain 530. The network management domain 530 comprises a network slice managementTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 41 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0249] function 535, NSMF, which is configured to control slicing and manage corresponding slices in the communication network.

[0250] The core network domain 510 comprises in particular the network data analytics function, NWDAF, which is the component 100 in the present embodiment.

[0251] The NWDAF 100 is configured to receive data from a variety of further core domain functions, including the network exposure function 511, NEF. In this embodiment, the NEF 511 is configured to provide secure application programming interface, API, access to the application service. The NEF 511 may be configured to expose network capabilities and data (like location information or session status) in a controlled way. The NEF 511 therefore enables the application service provider node 200b to interact with the core network 510. The NEF 511 can provide a high level of security or privacy for the interaction. The NWDAF 100 in this embodiment receives the current value 50 of the indicator for the QoE via the NEF 511. The NEF 511 may furthermore be configured to act as an interface for providing an improvement request (e.g. a network boost request) 60 from the application service provider node 200b to the core network 510.

[0252] As customary in a 5G network, the NWDAF 100 furthermore receives data from further functions in the core network. These include an access and mobility network function 512, AMF, which in a 5G network is configured to handle device registration, connection, and mobility management for users of the communication network (e.g., 5G users). The AMF 512 may be configured to authenticate devices and managing network access. The AMF 512 can therefore support maintaining a continuous connectivity as users move across different areas within the network. The functions further include a session management function 513, SMF, which, as typical in a 5G network, may be configured to manage IP sessions for the UE 200a of the user, as well as devices of other users, including assigning IP addresses and configuring traffic paths. The SMF 513 may be configured to handle session establishment, modification, and release, and to manage Quality of Service, QoS, policies to ensure data is prioritized according to service requirements. The functions further include a user plane function, UPF 514, which is configured to support the end-to-end transport and handling of user data in a 5G network. It ensures that data is efficiently routed, treated according to quality-of-service parameters, and securely transmitted, while also enabling advanced features like traffic steering and network slicing for diverse 5GTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 42 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0253] use cases. In particular, it may control user plane traffic with an external cloud network or server 20.

[0254] The NWDAF 100 is a per flow analytics system, which based on the received data, in particular from other core network functions 511, 512, 513, 514, correlates real-time events from different network domains (typically radio core and transport 540). The primary events are session management events from the SMF 513, mobility management events from the AMF 512, user plane reports from the UPF 514, radio management and radio resource measurement events from the NB interface (i.e., CTR events 537). Real-time events from other external systems or data sources, such as the external could network or server 20, may be correlated as well.

[0255] The NWDAF 100 may be further be configured to control the policy control function 515, PCF, which may be configured to support a unified policy framework to govern network behavior, to provide policy rules to control plane function(s), and to access subscription information relevant for policy decisions in a unified data repository, UDR. The PCF 515 may in particular be configured to exercise closed loop actions on the UPF 514 (where any closed loop action may in particular be understood as an action taking place entirely, and advantageously entirely automatically, within the operator network 500).

[0256] The NWDAF 100 may be configured to collect or calculate data pertaining to current network settings. In particular, during operation, the NWDAF 100 is typically configured to receive traffic probe reports per traffic flows from

[0257] UPF 514 network functions, typically with Is time granularity, which are used for calculating the transport key performance indicators 518, KPIs. Instead of UPF node reports, any other network probing can also be used for obtaining these metrics.

[0258] KPI statistics may be aggregated for various time periods, typically from 1 min to 5 min, but longer time periods, such as 15 min, 1 h, or 1 day may be used as well. KPIs 518 also can be aggregated to different network functions, cells, nodes like gNBs, or slices, service types, user groups, or combination of these, depending on the use cases, e.g., if a network issue related to these entities should be investigated. In this case, the estimated service quality and degradation refers to the aggregated entity.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 43 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0259] The NWDAF 100 may be configured to trigger a change of the identified network parameter. In particular, such a triggering may come in two types, i.e., for two situations:

[0260] 1. As a service assurance action: Service quality of the services under an SLA or SLS may be continuously monitored by the ASP, which share this information with the NWDAF 100. When service quality is degraded and violates the SLA or SLS, closed loop corrective actions 531, 532, 533 may be triggered by the NSMF 535 and / or by the NWDAF 100 to restore the service quality.

[0261] 2. As a network boost action: In this use case, the user, or the ASP, may be enabled to request the network through the NEF 511 to increase service quality (depicted is the network boost request 60 by the ASP via the application service provider node 200b). Service quality is increased by one of the NSMF 535 or NWDAF 100 closed loop functions 531, 532, 533. The NWDAF 100 may be configured to measure connection quality parameters before and after the network boost action 531, 532, 533. The NWDAF 100 may be configured to receive or estimate the end user service quality before and after the network boost action 531, 532, 533. The NWDAF 100 may be configured to quantify and report the connection and service quality improvements (and / or QoE improvements, such as e.g. values of the indicator, if these are also measured and reported by the ASP).

[0262] In this way, if service quality is degraded, e.g. if the current value 50 fails to meet the target value, or upon a network boost request 60, NSMF 535 or NWDAF 100 closed loop corrective or improvement actions 531, 532, 533 may be triggered. Examples for such closed loop actions 531, 532, 533 fixing or improving the QoE may in particular comprise the following.

[0263] In particular, the NSMF 535 may e.g. be configured to perform, optionally upon being triggered by the NWDAF 100, one or more of the following actions 531, 532, 533:

[0264] - setting up a new slice for the affected traffic flows,

[0265] - modifying slice of the affected traffic,

[0266] - moving no-priority traffic to different slice (to reduce the load of the affected slice), and / or

[0267] - modifying radio resource partitioning, RRP, among slices.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 44 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0268] The NWDAF 100 may e.g. be configured to trigger and perform one or more of the following actions 531, 532, 533:

[0269] - allocating the affected traffic to a different 5Q.I that improves end-to-end latency,

[0270] - allocating the affected traffic to a different 5Q.I that improves end-to-end loss, - allocating the affected traffic to a different 5Q.I that increases scheduling priority,

[0271] - moving other traffic than the affected one to a lower priority 5Q.I, which improves the QoS of the affected traffic,

[0272] - applying admission control to affected traffic,

[0273] - applying admission control to other traffic types, and / or

[0274] - applying traffic shaping to the affected traffic or other traffic types.

[0275] Here 5QI stands for 5G QoS identifier, and each 5QI is a pointer (typically, a natural number) to a set of QoS characteristics such as priority level, packet delay or packet error rate, etc. The QoS characteristics can be either standardized or non-standardized.

[0276] The NWDAF 100 and / or the NSMF 535 may be configured to identify a root cause of the degradation of QoE, which may be used for selecting the appropriate actions 531, 532, 533.

[0277] For example, if the issue is packet loss and the end-to-end path and the serving cell are not congested, the NWDAF 100 or NSMF 535 may be configured to trigger an allocating of affected traffic to a 5QI which improves end-to-end latency.

[0278] If a slice of the affected traffic is overloaded and there is no QoS or QoE issue in the other slices, the NWDAF 100 or NSMF 535 may be configured to trigger a modifying of the RRP to increase the capacity of the affected slice.

[0279] If a cell is overloaded by the high volume of the millimeter mobile broadband, MMB, traffic, the NWDAF 100 or NSMF 535 may be configured to trigger applying traffic shaping to MMB in that cell.

[0280] Fig.6 schematically illustrates a further example of a communication network comprising embodiments of the devices of Figs. 1 and 2 for performing the methods of Figs. 3 and 4.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 45 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0281] The figure shows a cell 524 of the RAN domain 520, and the component 100 of the operator network 500, which may involve the NWDAF 100 of the core network 510. The cell 524 comprises a node 522 of the operator network 500. The node may be a gNB of a 5G or 6G network. The terminal device 200 is a radio device in contact with the node 522. The node 522 is one part of the operator network 500 which enables the provision of the application service to the radio device 200. In this example, it is the radio device 200 which transmits the current value 50 of the indicator for the QoE to the node 524, from where the current value 50 is forwarded to the component 100.

[0282] Fig.7, Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 collectively illustrate a first example of identifying the network parameter (by means of KPIs 518) illustrating the disclosed methods, in particular as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which may be performed by embodiments of the devices shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0283] The example is based on transport and end-to-end service quality measurement data obtained in a test system and method which estimated the QoE, described in Gergely Dobreff, Mark Szalay, Bence Laddczki, Marton Molnar, Laszlo Varga, and Attila Bader, "Data Collection Framework for End-to-End Radio and Transport Network Quality Monitoring", 15th International Conference on Quality of Multimedia Experience (QoMEX), June 20-22, 2023. Furthermore QoE was measured for the same sessions by end user subjective tests described in Gergely Dobreff, Mark Szalay, Marton Molnar, Laszlo Varga, Bence Laddczki, and Attila Bader, "Predicting QoE for Delay-critical services in Mobile Networks: A video conferencing case study", 30th International Conference on Systems, Signals and Image Processing (IWSSIP), June 27-29, 2023.

[0284] During this test scenario, packet loss was varied between 0 and 30%, and the current value 50 of the indicator for the QoE was obtained for 10-second segments for WebRTC video flows. The indicator here is a scale for perceived video quality, which can take values between 1 (worst QoE) and 5 (best QoE). It is assumed that there is a minimum service quality target value, which is QoE=3.5. Below this value the service quality is considered unacceptably bad. A criterion is defined by a threshold at QoE=4.5, above which the service quality is considered excellent and suitable for premium service. Each of the Figs. 7, 8 and 9 shows three diagrams, corresponding, from top to bottom, to good, bad, and excellent current values 50 of the indicator for the QoE, respectively.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 46 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0285] Each diagram shows a statistical distribution of a KPI 518 corresponding to a respective network parameter, or in the present case more precisely transport parameter: In Fig. 7 , this is a packet loss, in Fig. 8 it is jitter (a packet delay variation), and in Fig. 9 it is a bit rate of the application service. The packet loss, jitter and bitrate distributions for the different video segments are thus displayed separately for different QoE ranges: good, bad, and excellent.

[0286] It can be seen that there is a characteristic average value 71, 72, 73, 81, 82, 83, 91, 92, 93 for each transport parameter. It also can be seen that the average values 81, 82, 83 for jitter (Fig. 8) and the average values for bitrate 91, 92, 93 (Fig. 9) are very close to each other for the different QoE ranges, respectively (the same holds from a statistical points of view). In case of packet loss (Fig. 7), however, the average values 71, 72, 73 of the different QoE ranges of measurement samples are significantly different.

[0287] Based on this finding, a suitable action (which in practice could be a service assurance action) can be determined, i.e. the corresponding network parameter can be changed: If the QoE is bad (QoE<3.5, middle diagrams), it is to be expected that the QoE will increase if the average packet loss is improved. This may for example be achieved by allocating, as a closed-loop action of the NWDAF 100, the affected traffic to different 5QI that improves end-to-end loss. Likewise, if the QoE is good but not excellent (3.5<QoE<4.5, top diagrams), and the user or the ASP request a network boost, the network boost request 60 can most probably be answered by this action.

[0288] In contrast, no improvements are expected from e.g. allocating, as a closed-loop action of the NWDAF 100, the affected traffic to different 5QI that improves end-to-end latency, rather than loss.

[0289] Fig. 10 shows a schematic block diagram of a core network function 1000 embodying the component 100 of Fig. 1. The component 100 comprises processing circuitry, e.g., one or more processors 1004 for performing the method 300 and memory 1006 coupled to the processors 1004. For example, the memory 1006 may be encoded with instructions that implement at least one of the modules 104 and 106.

[0290] The one or more processors 1004 may be a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array,Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 47 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0291] or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, microcode and / or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other parts of the component 100, such as the memory 1006, a core network function functionality. For example, the one or more processors 1004 may execute instructions stored in the memory 1006. Such functionality may include providing various features and steps discussed herein, including any of the benefits disclosed herein.

[0292] As schematically illustrated in Fig. 10, the component 100 may be embodied by a core network function 1000, e.g., the NWDAF and / or the NSMF, and may function as a part of the operator network 500 which is under the direct control of the CSP. The core network function 1000 comprises a radio interface 1002 coupled to the component 100 for radio communication with one or more transmitting stations, e.g., functioning as a transmitting and receiving interface to other parts of the operator network 500, and also directly or indirectly to one or more terminal devices 200.

[0293] Fig. 11 shows a schematic block diagram of an application server 1100 embodying the terminal device 200 of Fig. 2. The terminal device 200 comprises processing circuitry, e.g., one or more processors 1104 for performing the method 400 and memory 1106 coupled to the processors 1104. For example, the memory 1106 may be encoded with instructions that implement at least one of the modules 202 and 204.

[0294] The one or more processors 1104 may be a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, microcode and / or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other components of the terminal device 200, such as the memory 1106, transmitter or sender, and optionally receiver functionality. For example, the one or more processors 1104 may execute instructions stored in the memory 1106. Such functionality may include providing various features and steps discussed herein, including any of the benefits disclosed herein.

[0295] As schematically illustrated in Fig. 11, the terminal device 200 may be embodied by an application server 1100, e.g., functioning as a system or equipment under the direct control of the ASP. The application server 1100 comprises a radio or data interface 1102 coupled to the terminal device 200 for communication withTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 48 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0296] operator network 500, and is configured to provide the application service via the operator network 500 to one or more terminal devices. The radio or data interface 1102 may be functioning as a transmitting interface to the operator network 500.

[0297] Fig. 12 shows a schematic block diagram of a radio device which is a user equipment 1200 embodying the terminal device 200 of Fig. 2. The terminal device 200 comprises processing circuitry, e.g., one or more processors 1204 for performing the method 400 and memory 1206 coupled to the processors 1204. For example, the memory 1206 may be encoded with instructions that implement at least one of the modules 202 and 204.

[0298] The one or more processors 1204 may be a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, microcode and / or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other components of the terminal device 200, such as the memory 1206, receiver and transmitter functionality. For example, the one or more processors 1204 may execute instructions stored in the memory 1206. Such functionality may include providing various features and steps discussed herein, including any of the benefits disclosed herein.

[0299] As schematically illustrated in Fig. 12, the terminal device 200 may be embodied by a user equipment 1200, e.g., functioning as equipment of the user in order to consume the application service. The user equipment 1200 comprises a radio interface 1202 coupled to the terminal device 200 for communication with the operator network 500, and may be configured to receive the application service via the operator network 500 from systems or equipment of the ASP. The radio interface 1202 may be functioning as a transmitting and receiving interface to the operator network 500.

[0300] Fig. 13, in accordance with an embodiment, schematically illustrates a communication system 1300. The communication system 1300 includes a telecommunication network 1310, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises an access network 1311, such as a radio access network, and a core network 1314. The access network 1311 comprises a plurality of nodes or base stations 1312a, 1312b, 1312c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1313a, 1313b, 1313c.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 49 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0301] Each base station 1312a, 1312b, 1312c is connectable to the core network 1314 over a wired or wireless connection 1315. A first terminal device, or user equipment 1391, UE, located in coverage area 1313c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 1312c. A second UE 1392 in coverage area 1313a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 1312a. While a plurality of UEs 1391, 1392 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 1312.

[0302] The telecommunication network 1310 is itself connected to a host computer 1330, which may be embodied in the hardware and / or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or as processing resources in a server farm. The host computer 1330 may be under the ownership or control of the ASP, or may be operated by the ASP or on behalf of the ASP. The connections 1321, 1322 between the telecommunication network 1310 and the host computer 1330 may extend directly from the core network 1314 to the host computer 1330 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1320. The intermediate network 1320 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; the intermediate network 1320, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network 1320 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

[0303] The operator network 500 may be embodied at least in part by the access network 1311, the core network 1314, and optionally the intermediate network 1320.

[0304] The component 100 may preferably be comprised in the core network 1314, where it may be embodied by or within a core network function. The core network function may in particular include the NWDAF.

[0305] The terminal device 200 may be embodied by one or more of the UEs 1391, 1392, and / or by the host computer 1330.

[0306] The communication system 1300 of Fig. 13 as a whole enables connectivity between one of the connected UEs 1391, 1392 and the host computer 1330. The access network 1311, the core network 1314, and the optional intermediate network 1320 enable the provision of the application service from the host computer 1330 to one or more of the UEs 1391, 1392. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1350. In particular, the e hostTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 50 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025

[0307] computer 1330 and the connected UEs 1391, 1392 are configured to communicate data and / or signaling via the OTT connection 1350, using the access network 1311, the core network 1314, any intermediate network 1320 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection 1350 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection 1350 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, a base station 1312 need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from a host computer 1330 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 1391. Similarly, the base station 1312 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 1391 towards the host computer 1330.

[0308] By virtue of the method 300 being performed by the component 100 of the core network, the embodiment provides network analytics for efficient service enhancement and assurance.

[0309] At least some embodiments can be implemented in compliance with 3GPP standards, such as 3GPP TS 29.530, 3GPP TS 29.53, or possibly other version for 5G or 6G networks, or their successors.

[0310] Many advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the units and devices without departing from the scope of the invention and / or without sacrificing all of its advantages. Since the invention can be varied in many ways, it will be recognized that the invention should be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 51 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025List of Claims1 A method (300) of identifying a network parameter in an operator network (500),wherein the operator network (500) is configured to enable the provision of an application service to a terminal device (200),the method (300) comprising:receiving (304), by a component (100) of the operator network (500), a current value (50) of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service; andidentifying (306), depending on the current value (50), the network parameter of the operator network (500).2 The method (300) according to claim 1, wherein the indicator for the quality of experience comprises one or more of the following:- a score value,- an end-to-end delay,- an audio or video quality,- an end-to-end data package integrity,- an end-to-end data package sequence.3 The method (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein - the receiving (304) is performed at least once for each data flow,- the receiving (304) is performed independently of a request of network resource allocation,- the receiving (304) is performed via a network exposure function (511) comprised in the operator network (500), and / or- the receiving (304) is preceded by sending an update request to transmit the current value (50).4 The method (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the identifying (306) is based on a target value of the indicator for quality of experience.5 The method (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method (300) further comprises saving, in the component (100), and upon receiving (304) the current value (50), a statistic comprising the currentTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 52 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025value (50) and data pertaining to current network settings of the operator network (500).6 The method (300) according to claim 5, wherein the data pertaining to current network settings comprise one or more of the following:- one or more values indicating a quality of service,- one or more values indicating radio parameters.7 The method (300) according to one of the claims 5 or 6, wherein the data pertaining to current network settings comprises data pertaining to one or more of the following:- where the operator network (500) comprises nodes (522), one or more particular nodes (522) of the operator network (500),- where the operator network (500) comprises base stations, one or more particular base stations of the operator network (500),- where the operator network (500) comprises routers, one or more particular routers of the operator network (500),- where the operator network (500) covers cells (524), one or more components (522) of the operator network (500) in a particular cell (524) of the operator network (500),- another particular entity of the operator network (500).8 The method (300) according to any one of the claims 5 to 7, wherein the statistic comprises one or more current further values of respective further indicators for the quality of experience.9 The method (300) according to any one of the claims 5 to 8, wherein the method (300) comprises attributing one out of at least two rankings to the statistic.10 The method (300) according to claim 9, as far as referred to claim 4, wherein the at least two rankings comprise one or more of the following:- a first ranking, which is attributed if the current value (50) does not meet the target value and / or, as far as referred to claim 8, if at least one of the one or more current further values does not meet a respective further target value stored in the component (100),- a second ranking, which is attributed if the current value (50) meets the target value and, as far as referred to claim 8, if all of the one or moreTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 53 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025current further values meet a respective further target value stored in the component (100)7- a third ranking, which is attributed if the conditions for the second ranking hold, and if, additionally, the current value (50) exceeds the target value according to a criterion and / or, as far as referred to claim 8, at least one of the one or more current further values exceeds a respective further target value stored in the component (100) according a respective further criterion.11 The method (300) according to any one of the claims 5 to 10, wherein identifying (306) the network parameter is based on one or more reference statistics, each reference statistic comprising data pertaining to reference network settings of the operator network (500) and- a reference value of the indicator for the quality of experience, and / or - as far as referred to claim 8, one or more further reference values of respective one or more of the further indicators for the quality of experience.12 The method (300) according to claim 11, wherein identifying (306) the network parameter comprises comparing the statistic with the one or more reference statistics.13 The method (300) according to claim 12, as far as referred to claim 9, wherein each of the one or more reference statistics is attributed one of the at least two rankings,and wherein the comparing is performed only for reference statistics which are attributed a ranking that is higher than the ranking attributed to the statistic.14 The method (300) according to claim 12, as far as referred to claim 10, wherein each of the one or more reference statistics is attributed either the first ranking, the second ranking, or the first ranking, and wherein the comparing is performed:- if the current value (50) does not meet the target value, only with respect to reference statistics attributed the second ranking, and- if the current value (50) meets the target value but does not exceed the target value according to the criterion, only with respect to reference statistics attributed the third ranking.Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 54 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 202515 The method (300) according to any one of the claims 11 to 14, wherein the method (300) comprises generating, based on the saving of the statistic, the one or more reference statistics.16 The method (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein identifying (306) the network parameter is performed:- upon an improvement request (60),- as far as referred to claim 4, if, in the absence of an improvement request (60), the current value (50) does not meet the target value, and / or - only in one of the above cases.17 The method (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method (300) further comprises triggering a change of the identified network parameter.18 The method (300) according to claim 17, wherein the method (300) further comprises surveying an effect of the change of the identified network parameter.19 The method (300) according to claim 18, wherein the method (300) further comprises reporting an outcome of surveying the effect of the change of the identified network parameter.20 The method (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operator network (500) comprises a network management domain (530), a radio access network domain (520), and a core domain (510), and wherein the component (100) is comprised in the core domain (510).21 The method (300) according to claim 20, wherein the component (100) is, comprises, or is comprised in a Network Data Analytics Function, NWDAF. 22 The method (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method (300) comprises receiving the current value (50) immediately from the terminal device (200).23 A method (400) for identifying a network parameter of an operator network (500),wherein the operator network (500) is configured to enable the provision of an application service to a terminal device (200),Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 55 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025the method (400) comprising:measuring (402) a current value (50) of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service; andtransmitting (404) a report comprising the current value (50) to the operator network (500), wherein the report is configured to trigger, in the operator network (500), an identification, depending on the current value (50), of the network parameter.24 The method (400) according to claim 23, wherein- the measuring (402) is performed at least once for each data flow, - the transmitting (404) is performed at least once for each data flow, - the transmitting (404) is performed independently of a request of network resource allocation,- the transmitting (404) is performed via a network exposure function (511) comprised in the operator network (500),- the transmitting (404) is preceded by receiving an update request to transmit the current value (50).25 The method (400) according to any one of the of the claims 23 or 24, wherein the method (400) comprises transmitting a target value of the indicator for quality of experience to the operator network (500).26 The method (400) according to any one of the claims 23 to 25, wherein the method (400) comprises transmitting one or more current further values of respective further indicators for the quality of experience.1 The method (400) according to any one of the claims 23 to 26, wherein the method (400) comprises transmitting an improvement request to the operator network (500).28 The method (400) according to any one of the claims 23 to 1 , wherein the method (400) further comprises receiving a report about an outcome of surveying an effect of a change of the identified network parameter.29 A component (100) for an operator network (500),wherein the operator network (500) is configured to enable the provision of an application service to a terminal device (200),Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 56 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025the component (100) comprising:a reception module (104), configured to receive a current value (50) of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service; andan identification module (106), configured to identify, depending on the current value (50), a network parameter of the operator network (500).30 The component (100) according to claim 29, wherein- the reception module (104) is configured to receive the current value (50) at least once for each data flow,- the reception module (104) is configured to receive the current value (50) independently of a request of network resource allocation,- the reception module (104) is configured to receive the current value (50) via a network exposure function (511) comprised in the operator network (500),- the component (100) comprises a component transmission module which is configured to send an update request to transmit the current value (50).31 The component (100) according to any one of the claims 29 or 30, wherein the identification module (106) is configured to identify the network parameter based on a target value of the indicator for quality of experience.32 The component (100) according to any one of the claims 29 to 31, wherein the component (100) comprises a memory which is configured to save, upon receiving the current value (50), a statistic comprising the current value (50) and data pertaining to current network settings of the operatornetwork (500).33 The component (100) according to claim 32, wherein the identification module, the memory and / or another part of the component (100) is configured to attribute one out of at least two rankings to the statistic.34 The component (100) according to any one of the claims 29 to 33, wherein the identification module (106) is configured to identify the network parameter based on one or more reference statistics, each reference statistic comprising data pertaining to reference network settings of the operator network (500) and- a reference value of the indicator for the quality of experience, and / orTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 57 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025- one or more further reference values of respective one or more of the further indicators for the quality of experience.35 The component (100) according to claim 34, as far as referred back to claim 32, wherein the identification module (106) is configured to compare the statistic with the one or more reference statistics.36 The component (100) according to any one of the claims 34 or 35, as far as referred back to claim 32, wherein the identification module (106) is configured to generate, based on the saving of the statistic, the one or more reference statistics.37 The component (100) according to any one of the claims 29 to 36, wherein - the reception module (104) is configured to receive an improvement request (60), and the identification module (106) is configured to identify the network parameter upon having received the improvement request (60),- as far as referred to claim 31, the identification module (106) is configured to identify the network parameter if, in the absence of an improvement request (60), the current value (50) does not meet the target value, and / or - the identification module (106) is configured to identify the network parameter only in one of the above cases.38 The component (100) according to any one of the claims 35 to 37, as far as referred back to claims 35 and 31, wherein the identification module (106), in the absence of an improvement request (60), is configured to compare, if the current value (50) does not meet the target value, the statistic only with respect to reference statistics attributed the second class.39 The component (100) according to any one of the claims 29 to 38, wherein the identification module (106) is configured to trigger, in the operator network (500), a change of the identified network parameter.40 The component (100) according to claim 39, wherein the component (100) comprises a surveying module which is configured to survey an effect of the change of the identified network parameter.41 The component (100) according to claim 40, wherein the component (100) comprises a component transmission module, configured to transmit a reportTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 58 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025about an outcome of surveying the effect of the change of the identified network parameter.42 The component (100) according to any one of the claims 29 to 41, wherein the operator network (500) comprises a network management domain, a radio access network domain (520), and a core domain (510), and wherein the component (100) is comprised in the core domain (510).43 The component (100) according to claim 42, wherein the component (100) is, comprises, or is comprised in a Network Data Analytics Function, NWDAF. 44 The component (100) according to any one of the claims 29 to 43, wherein the reception module (104) is configured to receive the current value (50) of the indicator for the quality of experience immediately from the terminal device (200).45 A terminal device (200) for identifying a network parameter of an operator network (500),wherein the terminal device (200) is configured to connect to the operator network (500) and to provide or receive an application service,wherein the operator network (500) is configured to enable a provision of the application service,the terminal device (200) comprising:a measurement module (202), configured to directly measure a current value (50) of an indicator for a quality of experience of the application service; anda transmission module (204), configured to transmit a report comprising the current value (50) to the operator network (500), wherein the report is configured to trigger, in the operator network (500), an identification, depending on the current value (50), of the network parameter.46 The terminal device (200) according to claim 45, wherein- the measurement module (202) is configured to measure the current value (50) at least once for each data flow,- the transmission module (204) is configured to transmit the report at least once for each data flow,Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) 59 / 60 301-0272WO P112099W001 15 January 2025- the transmission module (204) is configured to transmit the report independently of a request of network resource allocation,- the transmission module (204) is configured to transmit the report via a network exposure function (511) comprised in the operator network (500), and / or- the terminal device (200) is configured to receive an update request to transmit the current value (50).47 The terminal device (200) according to any one of the of the claims 45 or 46, wherein the transmission module (204) is configured to transmit a target value of the indicator for quality of experience to the operator network (500).48 The terminal device (200) according to any one of the claims 45 to 47, wherein the transmission module (204) is configured to transmit one or more current further values of respective further indicators for the quality of experience.49 The terminal device (200) according to any one of the claims 45 to 48, wherein the transmission module (204) is configured to transmit an improvement request (60) to the operator network (500).50 The terminal device (200) according to any one of the claims 45 to 49, wherein the terminal device (200) comprises a terminal device reception module configured to receive a report about an outcome of surveying an effect of a change of the identified network parameter.

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