Network node

WO2026203298A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2026-10-01NTT DOCOMO INC
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/JP2025/012787
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-03-28
Publication Date
2026-10-01

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Abstract

This network node comprises: a receiving unit that receives, from another network node, a first message requesting a short-term use resource; a control unit that acquires setting information relating to a use start time, a use end time, and a resource-related requirement that are set in the first message, and executes allocation of a short-term use resource from among allocatable resources in a transport network; and a transmitting unit that transmits, to the other network node, a second message including information indicating whether or not the allocation of the short-term use resource has been successful.
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Description

Network node

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

[0002] In NR (New Radio) (also referred to as "5G"), which is a wireless communication system based on 3GPP (registered trademark) standards, and systems succeeding NR (e.g., "6G"), technologies that satisfy requirements such as large-capacity systems, high-speed data transmission rates, low latency, simultaneous connection of a large number of terminals, low cost, and power saving are being studied (e.g., Non-Patent Document 1).

[0003] In addition, network architectures for 5GC (5G Core Network) or 5GS (5G System), which are core networks for 5G, and 6GC (6G Core Network) or 6GS (6G System), which are successors to 5G, are also being studied.

[0004] In addition, in the O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) Alliance, centered on SMO (Service Management and Orchestration), there is a demand for flexible control of end-to-end communication quality including a radio access network (RAN) and a transport network (TN).

[0005] 3GPP TS 38.300 V18.3.0 (2024-09)

[0006] Conventional TNMS (Transport Network Management System) focuses on long-term and fixed resource allocation, which causes problems related to immediate response to sudden traffic, inappropriate allocation of network slices, and standardization in multi-vendor environments.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to define a method for flexibly performing network management such as resource and failure countermeasures from a radio access network to a transport network.

[0008] According to the disclosed technology, a network node is provided that includes: a receiving unit that receives a first message requesting short-term use resources from another network node; a control unit that acquires setting information regarding the start time of use, the end time of use, and resource requirements set in the first message, and performs the allocation of the short-term use resources from among the resources available for allocation in the transport network; and a transmitting unit that sends a second message to the other network node containing information indicating whether or not the allocation of the short-term use resources was successful.

[0009] According to the disclosed technology, methods can be defined for flexibly managing networks, such as resources and fault tolerance, from wireless access networks to transport networks.

[0010] This figure shows an example configuration (1) of a wireless communication system in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example configuration (2) of a wireless communication system in an embodiment of the present invention. This is a figure (1) for explaining the TNM being considered in O-RAN. This is a figure (2) for explaining the TNM being considered in O-RAN. This figure shows an example of a first sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of a first parameter in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of a second sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of a second parameter in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of a third sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of a third parameter in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of a base station 10 and a network node 30 in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of a terminal 20 in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of a base station 10 and a terminal 20 in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the configuration of a vehicle 2001 in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are examples, and the embodiments to which the present invention is applied are not limited to those described below.

[0012] In the operation of the wireless communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention, existing technologies may be used as appropriate. However, such existing technologies may be, for example, existing LTE or existing NR, but are not limited to existing LTE or NR.

[0013] Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention described below, terms such as SS (Synchronization signal), PSS (Primary SS), SSS (Secondary SS), PBCH (Physical broadcast channel), PRACH (Physical random access channel), PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel), PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel), PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel), and PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel), which are used in existing LTE systems, will be used. This is for convenience of description, and similar signals, functions, etc., may be called by other names. Also, the above terms in NR correspond to NR-SS, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-PBCH, NR-PRACH, etc. However, even if a signal is used in NR, it is not necessarily explicitly stated as "NR-".

[0014] Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention, the duplex system may be a TDD (Time Division Duplex) system, an FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) system, or any other system (for example, a Flexible Duplex).

[0015] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention, "configuring" wireless parameters means that predetermined values ​​are pre-configured, or that wireless parameters notified from the base station 10 or terminal 20 are configured. Also, in the following description, " / " means "and / or" unless otherwise specified, or unless it is clear from the context that it has a different meaning.

[0016] Figure 1 shows an example configuration (1) of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base station 10 and a terminal 20, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 shows one base station 10 and one terminal 20, but this is an example, and there may be multiple base stations 10 and terminals 20.

[0017] Base station 10 is a communication device that provides one or more cells and communicates wirelessly with terminal 20. The physical resources of the wireless signal are defined in the time domain and the frequency domain. The time domain may be defined by the number of OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) symbols, and the frequency domain may be defined by the number of subcarriers or resource blocks. Base station 10 transmits synchronization signals and system information to terminal 20. Synchronization signals are, for example, NR-PSS and NR-SSS. System information is transmitted, for example, in NR-PBCH and is also called broadcast information. Synchronization signals and system information may also be called SSB (SS / PBCH block). As shown in Figure 1, base station 10 transmits control signals or data to terminal 20 via DL (Downlink) and receives control signals or data from terminal 20 via UL (Uplink). Both base station 10 and terminal 20 are capable of transmitting and receiving signals using beamforming. Furthermore, both the base station 10 and the terminal 20 can apply MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) communication to DL or UL. Also, both the base station 10 and the terminal 20 may communicate via Carrier Aggregation (CA) through secondary cells (SCell) and primary cells (PCell). Additionally, the terminal 20 may communicate via Dual Connectivity (DC) through the primary cell of base station 10 and the primary secondary cell group cell (PSCell) of another base station 10.

[0018] Terminal 20 is a communication device equipped with wireless communication capabilities, such as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet, wearable device, or M2M (Machine-to-Machine) communication module. As shown in Figure 1, Terminal 20 receives control signals or data from the base station 10 via DL and transmits control signals or data to the base station 10 via UL, thereby utilizing various communication services provided by the wireless communication system. Terminal 20 also receives various reference signals transmitted from the base station 10 and performs propagation path quality measurement based on the reception results of said reference signals.

[0019] Furthermore, various requirements are being considered for the next generation of 6G. For example, these requirements may include ultra-broadband communication, mission-critical communication, ultra-massive connection, universal coverage, intelligent connection, and ubiquitous sensing.

[0020] Furthermore, these requirements may include ultra-high-speed communication, large-capacity communication, ultra-wide coverage, ultra-low power consumption, low cost, ultra-low latency, ultra-high reliability communication, ultra-high connectivity, and sensing.

[0021] To meet these requirements, the new concept aims for extensibility (e.g., making it more effective for future use), ease of operation, customizability (e.g., making it easier to operate), and sustainability (e.g., cost reduction, a more robust configuration, and resilience). Furthermore, guaranteed communication, ensuring a minimum level of performance at all times, is being considered.

[0022] Figure 2 shows an example configuration (2) of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows an example configuration of a wireless communication system when DC (Dual connectivity) is performed. As shown in Figure 2, a base station 10A that will be an MN (Master Node) and a base station 10B that will be an SN (Secondary Node) are provided. Base stations 10A and 10B are each connected to the core network. Terminal 20 can communicate with both base station 10A and base station 10B.

[0023] A cell group provided by base station 10A, which is an MN (Mobile Network), is called an MCG (Master Cell Group), and a cell group provided by base station 10B, which is an SN (Mobile Network), is called an SCG (Secondary Cell Group). In a data center, an MCG consists of one PCell and one or more SCells, and an SCG consists of one PSCell (Primary SCG Cell) and one or more SCells.

[0024] In O-RAN architectures, flexible control of end-to-end communication quality, including the radio access network (RAN) and transport network (TN), is required, centered around SMO (Service Management and Orchestration). However, conventional TNMS (Transport Network Management System) focuses primarily on long-term, fixed resource allocation, leading to challenges related to immediate response to sudden traffic spikes, insufficient or excessive network slice allocation, and standardization in multi-vendor environments.

[0025] Furthermore, in 5G and beyond, "network slicing," which simultaneously operates multiple virtual networks (slices) with different communication requirements and service characteristics on a single physical infrastructure, is considered a key technology. In O-RAN architectures, it is necessary to ensure that slices are reflected not only in the core network and RAN portion, but also in each section of the transport network (TN) to achieve end-to-end quality and flexible operation.

[0026] However, conventional TNMS (Transport Network Management Systems) lack sufficient mechanisms to accurately and dynamically transfer slice requirements (bandwidth, latency, security, etc.) defined on the core or RAN side to the transport section. As a result, resource coordination and tenant isolation between slices are insufficient, and ensuring interoperability in multi-vendor environments is difficult.

[0027] Furthermore, 5G and 6G networks require not only high-capacity communication and low latency, but also high resilience to ensure service continuity even in the event of disasters or failures. While interoperability and flexible resource management in multi-vendor environments have progressed in O-RAN architectures, standard interfaces for fault tolerance and redundancy in transport networks (TNs) are not yet sufficiently developed.

[0028] Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams (1, 2) illustrating the TNM being considered in O-RAN. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the O-RU and O-DU communicate via the fronthaul. Similarly, the O-DU and O-CU are connected via the midhaul, and the O-CU and the 5G core network (5GCN (Core Network)) communicate via the backhaul.

[0029] Furthermore, the Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), which manages and integrates services, communicates with the O-DU and O-CU via the O1 interface. The Non-Real Time RIC (RAN Intelligent Controller) within the SMO communicates with the Near-Real Time RIC via the A1 interface. The Near-Real Time RIC communicates with the O-DU, O-CU-CP, etc., via the E2 interface. Additionally, the rApp, an application running on the Non-Real Time RIC, performs processing related to network operation and management, while the xApp, running on the Near-Real Time RIC, performs processing related to network optimization.

[0030] O-DU, O-CU, O-RU, SMO, and RIC may be deployed on the same base station, on different base stations, or in different locations other than base stations (nearby, remote, etc.). They may be treated as base station equipment or as network nodes. Furthermore, O-DU and O-CU may be deployed on a virtualization infrastructure and may be denoted as vDU (virtual DU) and vCU (virtual CU), for example.

[0031] In O-RAN, the Transport Network Manager (TNM), which manages the resources of the TN in the fronthaul, midhaul, and backhaul, is being considered for deployment in an rApp running in the Non-RT RIC within the SMO, as shown in Figure 3, or as an external TNM outside the SMO, as shown in Figure 4. The TNMS may consist of one or more network nodes that have the functionality of a TNM. Alternatively, the TNMS may be deployed as a router / switch in the fronthaul, midhaul, and backhaul of the TN, or as a device other than a router / switch.

[0032] The following describes methods for flexibly managing networks, including resources and fault tolerance, from a wireless access network to a transport network.

[0033] (Example 1) Example 1 describes a method for introducing a mechanism to dynamically allocate transport resources that are needed for a short period / temporarily in the O-RAN TNMS. The outline of Example 1 is described below.

[0034] (Introduction of a temporary resource management module) TNMS is equipped with a module for managing temporary resources, which manages the bandwidth / latency characteristics of resources used only for a short period and has the function to automatically release them after the usage period ends. This enables rapid response to situations that require high capacity / low latency for only a certain period of time, such as live events or sudden IoT traffic.

[0035] (Extension of the O1 Interface) The existing O1 interface between SMO and TNMS will be extended to define new parameters that specify the start time, end time, upper limit of bandwidth expansion, and switching policy for temporary resources. For example, fields such as temporaryDuration, burstPeakBandwidth, and shortTermLatencyRequirement will be added to the YANG model and made available for standard use between SMO and TNMS.

[0036] (Temporary Use Segment Type Slice) In network slices, it is possible to set up "temporary use segments" that are expanded only during specific time periods or peak demand. For example, in industrial IoT slices, bandwidth can be temporarily allocated to respond to sudden increases in the amount of measurement data, and then returned to normal resource levels afterward, enabling flexible operation.

[0037] (Short-term demand forecasting using AI / ML) By introducing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into SMO, short-term demand can be predicted from past traffic trends, allowing for the reservation of temporary resources in advance. This enables a smoother response to traffic fluctuations than reactive measures.

[0038] (Example 1-1) Short-term resource request from SMO to TNMS Based on the results determined using a real-time monitoring / prediction algorithm, the SMO may send a message to TNMS requesting, for example, "secure a bandwidth of 2Gbps for only 2 hours" or "guarantee a delay of 3ms or less for 30 minutes." The message may also include information setting the temporary usage mode, start / end times, and maximum bandwidth.

[0039] (Example 1-2) Allocation of temporary resources in TNMS TNMS may analyze an extended YANG model (e.g., temporaryDuration, details of which are described later) and perform temporary bandwidth / QoS allocation to existing transport links. Alternatively, TNMS may send a response message to the SMO after the allocation is complete and automatically release the resources after the configuration period has ended.

[0040] (Examples 1-3) Temporary expansion of segments within a slice The SMO / TNMS may, as needed, increase or decrease the number of slices on a time-of-day basis, thereby allocating or releasing high-capacity bandwidth only for time periods / segments according to demand. This enables effective utilization of resources and improved efficiency of slice operation.

[0041] (Explanation using sequence diagrams) The process relating to Example 1 will be explained using sequence diagrams. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a first sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. In this sequence, TNMS (Transport Network Management System) 40 may be a network node having TNM (Transport Network Management) functionality. Furthermore, TNMS 40 may be deployed in fronthaul, midhaul, or backhaul. Also, the processing performed by SMO 30 may be processing performed by Non-RT RIC or rApp. Furthermore, the processing performed by SMO 30 may be processing performed by an external TNM deployed outside of SMO 30. Furthermore, the interface between SMO 30 and TNMS 40 may be an O1 interface, or it may be another interface such as an interface for TNM (TR-Mgmt-IF in Figures 3 and 4). Furthermore, base station 10 may be O-RU / O-DU / O-CU. The processing of each step will be explained below.

[0042] S101: SMO30 monitors traffic in TNMS40 in real time, for example, via the O1 interface. Here, SMO30 may obtain traffic information directly from TNMS40, or it may obtain this information via O-CU / O-DU. Furthermore, SMO30 may apply a predictive algorithm to the monitoring results to predict future traffic demand and determine the short-term resources that will be temporarily needed.

[0043] S102: The SMO 30 transmits, to the TNMS 40, a request message for requesting the short-term use resource determined in S101. The request message may include configuration information related to the short-term use resource based on an extended YANG model. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a first parameter according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 shows the field name, configuration purpose, and configuration example for each parameter configured by the configuration information.

[0044] S103: The TNMS 40 parses the request message received in S102, and acquires configuration information related to the requested short-term use resource. For example, the TNMS 40 acquires, as the configuration information, information related to the specified short-term use resource, including a use start time, a use end time, and resource requirements (such as bandwidth, delay, and jitter).

[0045] S104: The TNMS 40 determines allocable short-term use resources from resources in the transport network based on the configuration information parsed in S103, and performs allocation of the resources.

[0046] S105: The TNMS 40 transmits, to the SMO 30, a response message to the request message received in S102. The response message may include, for example, information indicating whether the allocation of the requested short-term use resource succeeded or failed.

[0047] S106: The TNMS 40 transmits, to the base station 10, a notification message notifying of the allocation of the short-term use resource allocated in S104.

[0048] S107: The TNMS 40 releases the short-term use resource at the use end time based on the configuration period of the short-term use resource included in the configuration information parsed in S103.

[0049] S108: The TNMS 40 transmits, to the SMO 30, a response message including information indicating the release of the short-term use resource requested in the request message received in S102.

[0050] S109: NMS40 sends a notification message to base station 10 informing it of the release of the short-term resource notified in S106.

[0051] (Effects in Example 1) By responding immediately to short-term (temporary) traffic demands and expanding resources to existing slices only for the necessary time periods, it is possible to improve the operational efficiency and service quality of the transport network. Furthermore, by newly defining the expansion of the O1 interface between SMO and TNMS, it becomes possible to implement it uniformly in a multi-vendor environment. This enables flexible capacity control while suppressing new cost burdens and the complexity of inter-system coordination.

[0052] (Example 2) Example 2 describes a standardized interface extension and an internal slice management module that enhances the slicing management function by TNMS in O-RAN and seamlessly reflects core / RAN-side slice requirements in the transport section. The outline of Example 2 is described below.

[0053] (Extended management of slice profiles) TNMS includes a module for managing slice profiles and has the functionality to centrally manage slice ID, bandwidth, latency, security level, QoS class, etc. Furthermore, TNMS refers to slice information defined in the core / RAN (identifiers such as S-NSSAI and Slice ID) and inherits and uses the same slice information in the TN. This makes it possible to maintain consistency across the entire network.

[0054] (Slice parameter definition in the O1 interface) The conventional O1 interface between the SMO and TNMS will be extended to define new parameter items (fields on the YANG model) that notify the TNMS of characteristics such as slice ID, bandwidth, delay, and security level. This will standardize the slice management procedure in communication between the SMO and TNMS and avoid vendor-specific implementation dependencies.

[0055] (Enhanced Inter-Slice Isolation) When traffic from multiple slices passes through the TN simultaneously, SMO / TNMS applies logical resource isolation (VLAN partitioning, MPLS instances, etc.), encryption, and redundant configurations (1+1 protection, etc.) on a slice-by-slice basis. This ensures high security and stability even in multi-tenant environments.

[0056] (Dynamic Slice Reconfiguration) The SMO sends real-time requests to the TNMS for reallocation of resources related to slice bandwidth / latency based on traffic fluctuations, failures, and changes in operational policies. This makes it possible to maintain slice quality end-to-end, including the core / RAN.

[0057] (Example 2-1) Reading the slice profile The SMO may send parameters related to the slice, such as the slice identifier (sliceID), the bandwidth requirement for the slice (sliceBandwidthRequirement), and the delay requirement for the slice (sliceLatencyRequirement), to the TNMS via the O1 interface or the like. The TNMS uses a module that manages slice profiles to create a database of the received parameters and prepares to reserve the necessary lines / bandwidth in the transport section.

[0058] (Example 2-2) Slice configuration for transport section The TNMS may assign bandwidth, priority, and security policies to network devices such as optical fiber links, routers, and switches for each configured slice ID. This makes it possible to improve the security of multi-tenancy by selecting logical isolation (VPN, VLAN, MPLS, etc.) and encryption methods, even when multiple slices are mixed.

[0059] (Example 2-3) Dynamic Reconfiguration and Result Notification The SMO may send reconfiguration instructions to the TNMS, such as "expand bandwidth to 2Gbps" or "change delay requirement from 5ms to 3ms (tighten)," when slice demand increases or decreases. The TNMS performs route recalculation / link reassignment and notifies the SMO of the results after the configuration change. The operator can monitor the change status displayed via the SMO's GUI / API.

[0060] (Explanation using sequence diagrams) The process relating to Embodiment 2 will be explained using sequence diagrams. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of a second sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. In this sequence, TNMS (Transport Network Management System) 40 may be a network node having TNM (Transport Network Management) functionality. Furthermore, TNMS 40 may be deployed in fronthaul, midhaul, or backhaul. Also, the processing performed by SMO 30 may be processing performed by Non-RT RIC or rApp. Furthermore, the processing performed by SMO 30 may be processing performed by an external TNM deployed outside of SMO 30. Furthermore, the interface between SMO 30 and TNMS 40 may be an O1 interface, or it may be another interface such as an interface for TNM (TR-Mgmt-IF in Figures 3 and 4). Furthermore, base station 10 may be O-RU / O-DU / O-CU. The processing of each step will be explained below.

[0061] S201: Establish communication between SMO30 and TNMS40 via the O1 interface. The NETCONF / RESTCONF protocol may be used on this interface.

[0062] S202: SMO30 sends a request message to TNMS40 via the O1 interface, which includes slice parameters requesting configuration for a network slice. These slice parameters may be determined by SMO30 based on the results of monitoring traffic in TNMS40. The slice parameters may also include slice identifiers and configuration information for multiple network slices. Figure 8 shows an example of a second parameter in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 shows the field name, configuration purpose, and configuration example for a slice parameter, which is configuration information for a network slice. These slice parameters may be parameters related to bandwidth, priority, and security policy, for example.

[0063] S203: TNMS40 analyzes the slice parameters received in S202, stores the analyzed parameters in a database, and saves them in its own device. TNMS40 also prepares to reserve the necessary lines / bandwidth in the transport section.

[0064] S204: TNMS40 performs assignment and configuration of bandwidth, priority, and security policy for each slice identifier in the transport network, such as fiber optic links, routers, and switches, based on the parameters analyzed in S203.

[0065] S205: Send a response message to the request message received in S202. The response message may include, for example, information indicating the success or failure of the requested assignment / configuration.

[0066] S206: TNMS40 sends a notification message to base station 10 informing it of the assignment performed in S204.

[0067] S207: SMO30 detects increases or decreases in demand for network slices based on the results of monitoring traffic in TNMS40, for example, and decides to reconfigure the requirements / parameters for network slices as needed.

[0068] S208: SMO30 sends a request message to TNMS40 containing the reconfiguration instructions determined in S207. This request message may also include the identifier and parameters of the network slice to be reconfigured.

[0069] S209: Based on the reconfiguration instructions received in S207, the TNMS40 performs reassignment of bandwidth, priority, and security policies, as well as route recalculation / link reassignment, to network equipment such as fiber optic links, routers, and switches to meet the requirements for the network slice.

[0070] S210: Send a response message to the request message received in S208. The response message may include, for example, information indicating the success or failure of the requested reassignment / reconfiguration.

[0071] S211: TNMS40 sends a notification message to base station 10 informing it of the assignment performed in S209.

[0072] S212: SMO30 displays the change status for the operator to review on the screen via the GUI / API, in response to the response message received in S210.

[0073] (Effects of Example 2) In the O-RAN architecture, seamlessly applying slice management to the transport network makes it possible to achieve high-quality / high-security operation in a multi-tenant environment. Furthermore, by combining the expansion of the O1 interface with slice profile management within TNMS, it is possible to achieve slice consistency and dynamic reconfiguration across the entire network, which was difficult with conventional TNMS.

[0074] (Example 3) Example 3 describes a method for managing redundancy and fault tolerance using standardized parameters on the O1 interface by adding a module for managing resilience in the O-RAN TNMS. The outline of Example 3 is described below.

[0075] (Introduction of Resiliency Profiles) TNMS manages resiliency profiles that define the required redundancy level (1+1 protection, N+1 protection, etc.), failover policy in the event of a failure, and bypass path priority for each service / slice. These profiles are sent from SMO to TNMS via the O1 interface and configured there. This enables consistent protection settings even for multi-vendor equipment.

[0076] (Redundancy configuration and failure notification using standardized parameters) The O1 interface is extended to share alarm information indicating failure detection and failover start / end between SMO and TNMS using NETCONF or RESTCONF. For example, SMO / TNMS manages redundancy path priority and failover thresholds using newly defined extended fields such as resiliencyProfileID, redundancyRequirement, failoverTime, backupPathPreference, and failureAlarmType.

[0077] (Automatic fault switching and securing of pre-protected routes) Based on the resiliency profile, TNMS reserves a protected route (backup link) in advance, and immediately switches to the protected route when it detects a fault trigger. After the switch, TNMS notifies the SMO of the route change information and the status of remaining resources. The SMO uses a GUI / API to display information about the switch on the screen. This allows operators to immediately recognize the switch and quickly identify the location of the failure, thereby reducing the overall network downtime in the event of a failure.

[0078] (Dynamic Resource Re-optimization) If a failure persists for an extended period or some links are damaged, TNMS re-optimizes the remaining links and distributes bandwidth. This allows for the avoidance of temporary congestion while maintaining consistent service quality. In addition, TNMS updates the protection profile in real time between SMO and TNMS when new failures or traffic fluctuations occur. This enables the continuous maintenance of services.

[0079] (Example 3-1) Reading and applying a resiliency profile The SMO may send a message to the TNMS via the O1 interface or the like, containing parameters (details described later) for configuring resiliency-related settings, such as requesting a redundancy level of "1+1 protection" for service A. The TNMS registers the received parameters as a profile in an internal database stored in its device, and based on that profile, reserves and secures a backup route in addition to the main route used under normal circumstances.

[0080] (Example 3-2) In the event of a failure or failover link failure, the TNMS may immediately switch to the backup path. Here, the TNMS may perform congestion avoidance processing (distributing lower-priority traffic to other links) based on the policy set on its device. Furthermore, the TNMS may send information about the path switch to the SMO. The SMO may display the information about the switch on the screen using a GUI / API.

[0081] (Example 3-3) Resource readjustment after recovery The TNMS may automatically or semi-automatically decide, based on the profile, whether to return to the main path or maintain the backup path after the failure has been resolved. Furthermore, the TNMS may make adjustments to always operate on a best-effort basis in terms of bandwidth / latency, taking into account overall resource optimization.

[0082] (Explanation using sequence diagrams) The process relating to Embodiment 3 will be explained using sequence diagrams. Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of a third sequence diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. In this sequence, TNMS (Transport Network Management System) 40 may be a network node having TNM (Transport Network Management) functionality. Also, TNMS 40 may be deployed in fronthaul, midhaul, or backhaul. Furthermore, the processing performed by SMO 30 may be processing performed by Non-RT RIC or rApp. Also, the processing performed by SMO 30 may be processing performed by an external TNM deployed outside of SMO 30. Furthermore, the interface between SMO 30 and TNMS 40 may be an O1 interface, or it may be another interface such as an interface for TNM (TR-Mgmt-IF in Figures 3 and 4). Furthermore, base station 10 may be O-RU / O-DU / O-CU. The processing of each step will be explained below.

[0083] S301: Establish communication between SMO30 and TNMS40 via the O1 interface. The NETCONF / RESTCONF protocol may be used on this interface.

[0084] S302: SMO30 sends a request message to TNMS40 via the O1 interface, containing parameters for configuring resilience-related settings. Figure 10 shows an example of a third parameter in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 shows the field name, setting purpose, and setting example for a parameter indicating resilience-related setting information.

[0085] S303: TNMS40 registers the parameters received in S302 as a profile in an internal database stored in its own device, and based on that profile, reserves and secures a backup route in the transport network in addition to the main route used under normal circumstances.

[0086] S304: When a link failure occurs on the main path, TNMS40 immediately switches from the main path to the backup path (failover).

[0087] S305: TNMS40 sends a response message to SMO30 containing information about the route switching performed in S304 as a fault recovery measure.

[0088] S306: TNMS40 sends a response message to base station 10 containing information about the route switching performed in S304 as a fault countermeasure.

[0089] S307: After a failure in the main path is resolved, the TNMS40 may automatically / semi-automatically decide, based on the profile, whether to switch back from the backup path to the main path (return to the main path) or to maintain the backup path.

[0090] (Effects of Example 3) By using a predefined resilience profile, backup paths are automatically secured, and failover is performed immediately in the event of a failure, minimizing network-wide downtime. Furthermore, by exchanging redundancy / failure information in a standardized format on the O1 interface, unified and flexible service continuity is possible even in a multi-vendor environment.

[0091] The above-described methods and embodiments make it possible to define a method for flexibly managing networks, such as resources and fault tolerance, from a wireless access network to a transport network.

[0092] (Device Configuration) Next, an example of the functional configuration of the base station 10, network node 30, and terminal 20 that perform the processing and operations described above will be explained. The base station 10, network node 30, and terminal 20 include the functions to perform the embodiments described above. However, the base station 10, network node 30, and terminal 20 may each have only some of the functions in the embodiments.

[0093] <Base Station 10 and Network Node 30> Figure 11 shows an example of the functional configuration of a base station 10 and a network node 30. As shown in Figure 11, the base station 10 has a transmitting unit 110, a receiving unit 120, a setting unit 130, and a control unit 140. The functional configuration shown in Figure 11 is merely an example. The functional classifications and names of the functional units can be anything as long as they can perform the operations according to the embodiment of the present invention. The network node 30 may have the same functional configuration as the base station 10. Furthermore, a network node 30 having multiple different functions on the system architecture may be composed of multiple network nodes 30 separated by function.

[0094] The transmitting unit 110 includes the function of generating a signal to be transmitted to the terminal 20 or other network node 30 and transmitting the signal by wire or wireless. The receiving unit 120 includes the function of receiving various signals transmitted from the terminal 20 or other network node 30 and obtaining information from the received signal, for example, information from a higher layer. A communication unit including the transmitting unit 110 and the receiving unit 120 may be configured.

[0095] The setting unit 130 stores pre-configured setting information and various setting information to be transmitted to the terminal 20 in a storage device, and reads them from the storage device as needed.

[0096] The control unit 140 performs the processing described in the embodiment. The signal transmission function in the control unit 140 may be included in the transmission unit 110, and the signal reception function in the control unit 140 may be included in the reception unit 120.

[0097] <Terminal 20> Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of terminal 20. As shown in Figure 12, terminal 20 has a transmitting unit 210, a receiving unit 220, a setting unit 230, and a control unit 240. The functional configuration shown in Figure 12 is merely an example. Any functional classification and functional unit names are acceptable as long as they enable the operation according to the embodiment of the present invention. Furthermore, a communication device that acts as a resource holder may have a functional configuration similar to that of terminal 20.

[0098] The transmitting unit 210 creates a transmission signal from the transmission data and transmits the transmission signal wirelessly. The receiving unit 220 wirelessly receives various signals and obtains signals from higher layers from the received physical layer signals. The receiving unit 220 also has the function of receiving NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-PBCH, DL / UL control signals or reference signals transmitted from the network node 30. A communication unit including the transmitting unit 210 and the receiving unit 220 may be configured.

[0099] The setting unit 230 stores various setting information received from the network node 30 by the receiving unit 220 in its storage device and reads it from the storage device as needed. The setting unit 230 also stores pre-configured setting information.

[0100] The control unit 240 performs the processing described in the embodiment. The signal transmission function in the control unit 240 may be included in the transmission unit 210, and the signal reception function in the control unit 240 may be included in the reception unit 220.

[0101] (Hardware Configuration) The block diagrams (Figures 11 and 12) used in the description of the above embodiments show functional units. These functional blocks (components) are realized by any combination of at least one of hardware and software. Furthermore, the method of realizing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized using one device that is physically or logically coupled, or it may be realized using two or more physically or logically separated devices that are directly or indirectly connected (for example, using wired or wireless connections). A functional block may be realized by combining the one device or the multiple devices with software.

[0102] Functions include, but are not limited to, judgment, decision, determination, calculation, calculation, processing, derivation, investigation, exploration, confirmation, reception, transmission, output, access, resolution, selection, selection, establishment, comparison, assumption, expectation, assumption, broadcasting, notifying, communicating, forwarding, configuring, reconfiguring, allocating (mapping), and assigning. For example, a functional block (configuration part) that enables transmission is called a transmitting unit or transmitter. In all cases, as mentioned above, the method of implementation is not particularly limited.

[0103] For example, the network node 30, terminal 20, etc. in one embodiment of the present disclosure may function as a computer that processes the wireless communication method of the present disclosure. Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a base station 10 and terminal 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The network node 30 may have the same hardware configuration as the base station 10. The base station 10 and terminal 20 described above may be physically configured as a computer device including a processor 1001, a storage device 1002, an auxiliary storage device 1003, a communication device 1004, an input device 1005, an output device 1006, a bus 1007, etc.

[0104] In the following explanation, the term "device" can be read as "circuit," "device," "unit," etc. The hardware configuration of the base station 10 and terminal 20 may include one or more of the devices shown in the figure, or it may be configured without some of the devices.

[0105] Each function in the base station 10 and terminal 20 is realized by loading predetermined software (programs) onto hardware such as the processor 1001 and storage device 1002, which allows the processor 1001 to perform calculations, control communication by the communication device 1004, and control at least one of data reading and writing in the storage device 1002 and auxiliary storage device 1003.

[0106] The processor 1001 controls the entire computer, for example, by running an operating system. The processor 1001 may consist of a central processing unit (CPU) that includes interfaces with peripheral devices, control devices, arithmetic units, registers, etc. For example, the control unit 140, control unit 240, etc., described above may be implemented by the processor 1001.

[0107] Furthermore, the processor 1001 reads programs (program code), software modules, or data from at least one of the auxiliary storage device 1003 and the communication device 1004 into the storage device 1002, and executes various processes accordingly. The program used is one that causes the computer to execute at least a part of the operations described in the above embodiment. For example, the control unit 140 of the base station 10 shown in Figure 11 may be implemented by a control program stored in the storage device 1002 and operated by the processor 1001. Also, for example, the control unit 240 of the terminal 20 shown in Figure 12 may be implemented by a control program stored in the storage device 1002 and operated by the processor 1001. Although the above-described processes have been explained as being executed by one processor 1001, they may be executed simultaneously or sequentially by two or more processors 1001. The processor 1001 may be implemented by one or more chips. The program may also be transmitted from the network via a telecommunications line.

[0108] The storage device 1002 is a computer-readable recording medium and may consist of at least one of the following: ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The storage device 1002 may also be called a register, cache, main memory, etc. The storage device 1002 can store executable programs (program code), software modules, etc., for implementing a communication method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] The auxiliary storage device 1003 is a computer-readable recording medium and may consist of at least one of the following: an optical disc such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk (e.g., a compact disk, a digital multipurpose disk, a Blu-ray® disk), a smart card, flash memory (e.g., a card, a stick, a key drive), a floppy® disk, a magnetic strip, etc. The above-mentioned storage medium may also be a database, server, or other suitable medium that includes at least one of the storage device 1002 and the auxiliary storage device 1003.

[0110] The communication device 1004 is hardware (transmitting / receiving device) for communicating between computers via at least one of a wired network and a wireless network, and is also referred to as a network device, network controller, network card, communication module, etc. The communication device 1004 may be configured to include, for example, a high-frequency switch, duplexer, filter, frequency synthesizer, etc., in order to implement at least one of frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD). For example, the transmitting and receiving antenna, amplifier section, transmitting and receiving section, transmission path interface, etc., may be implemented by the communication device 1004. The transmitting and receiving section may be implemented in a physically or logically separated manner, with a transmitting section and a receiving section.

[0111] The input device 1005 is an input device that accepts input from an external source (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, etc.). The output device 1006 is an output device that outputs to an external source (e.g., a display, speaker, LED lamp, etc.). The input device 1005 and the output device 1006 may be configured as an integrated unit (e.g., a touch panel).

[0112] Furthermore, each device, such as the processor 1001 and the storage device 1002, is connected by a bus 1007 for communicating information. The bus 1007 may be configured using a single bus, or different buses may be configured for each device.

[0113] Furthermore, the base station 10 and terminal 20 may be configured to include hardware such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), and an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and some or all of each functional block may be realized by such hardware. For example, the processor 1001 may be implemented using at least one of these hardware components.

[0114] O-CU may be interpreted as CU, control device, communication device, aggregation device, central device, management device, etc. Each of these devices may be rephrased as a unit, node, etc. For example, O-CU may be interpreted as a central unit, aggregation node, etc.

[0115] O-DU may be interpreted as DU, control device, communication device, distributed device, high-PHY device, etc. Each of these devices may be rephrased as unit, node, etc. For example, O-DU may be interpreted as distributed unit, distributed node, etc.

[0116] O-RU may be interpreted as RU, radio equipment, RF (Radio Frequency) equipment, low PHY equipment, etc. Each piece of equipment may be rephrased as a unit, node, etc. For example, O-RU may be interpreted as a radio unit, radio node, etc.

[0117] SMO may be interpreted as a control device, communication device, or management device. Each of these devices may be rephrased as a unit, node, etc. For example, SMO may be interpreted as a management unit, management node, etc.

[0118] Non-Real Time RIC may be interpreted as RIC, non-real-time control device, control device, or communication device. Each of these devices may be rephrased as a unit, node, etc. For example, Non-Real Time RIC may be interpreted as a control unit, control node, etc.

[0119] Near-Real Time RIC may be interpreted as RIC, quasi-real-time control device, control device, or communication device. Each of these devices may be rephrased as a unit, node, etc. For example, Near-Real Time RIC may be interpreted as a control unit, control node, etc.

[0120] Figure 14 shows an example of the configuration of vehicle 2001. As shown in Figure 14, vehicle 2001 includes an operating unit 2002, a steering unit 2003, an accelerator pedal 2004, a brake pedal 2005, a shift lever 2006, front wheels 2007, rear wheels 2008, an axle 2009, an electronic control unit 2010, various sensors 2021 to 2029, an information service unit 2012, and a communication module 2013. Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure may be applied to a communication device mounted on vehicle 2001, for example, to the communication module 2013.

[0121] The operating unit 2002 consists of, for example, an engine, a motor, or a hybrid of an engine and a motor. The steering unit 2003 includes at least a steering wheel (also called a handle) and is configured to steer at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels based on the operation of the steering wheel, which is operated by the user.

[0122] The electronic control unit 2010 consists of a microprocessor 2031, memory (ROM, RAM) 2032, and communication ports (IO ports) 2033. Signals from various sensors 2021 to 2029 installed in the vehicle 2001 are input to the electronic control unit 2010. The electronic control unit 2010 may also be called an ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

[0123] Signals from various sensors 2021 to 2029 include current signals from current sensor 2021 for sensing motor current, front and rear wheel rotation speed signals acquired by rotation speed sensor 2022, front and rear wheel air pressure signals acquired by air pressure sensor 2023, vehicle speed signals acquired by vehicle speed sensor 2024, acceleration signals acquired by acceleration sensor 2025, accelerator pedal depression signals acquired by accelerator pedal sensor 2029, brake pedal depression signals acquired by brake pedal sensor 2026, shift lever operation signals acquired by shift lever sensor 2027, and detection signals acquired by object detection sensor 2028 for detecting obstacles, vehicles, pedestrians, etc.

[0124] The Information Service Unit 2012 consists of various devices for providing (outputting) various types of information such as driving information, traffic information, and entertainment information, including a car navigation system, audio system, speakers, television, and radio, and one or more ECUs that control these devices. The Information Service Unit 2012 uses information acquired from external devices via a communication module 2013, etc., to provide various multimedia information and multimedia services to the occupants of the vehicle 2001. The Information Service Unit 2012 may include input devices that accept input from the outside (e.g., keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, touch panel, etc.) and output devices that perform output to the outside (e.g., display, speaker, LED lamp, touch panel, etc.).

[0125] The driver assistance system unit 2030 consists of various devices that provide functions to prevent accidents or reduce the driver's workload, such as millimeter-wave radar, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), cameras, positioning locators (e.g., GNSS), map information (e.g., high-definition (HD) maps, autonomous vehicle (AV) maps), gyro systems (e.g., IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), INS (Inertial Navigation System)), AI (Artificial Intelligence) chips, and AI processors, as well as one or more ECUs that control these devices. The driver assistance system unit 2030 also transmits and receives various information via the communication module 2013 to realize driver assistance functions or autonomous driving functions.

[0126] The communication module 2013 can communicate with the microprocessor 2031 and components of the vehicle 2001 via its communication port. For example, the communication module 2013 sends and receives data via the communication port 2033 between the moving parts 2002, steering parts 2003, accelerator pedal 2004, brake pedal 2005, shift lever 2006, front wheels 2007, rear wheels 2008, axle 2009, the microprocessor 2031 and memory (ROM, RAM) 2032 in the electronic control unit 2010, and sensors 2021-29 provided in the vehicle 2001.

[0127] The communication module 2013 is a communication device that can be controlled by the microprocessor 2031 of the electronic control unit 2010 and can communicate with external devices. For example, it can send and receive various types of information with external devices via wireless communication. The communication module 2013 may be located either inside or outside the electronic control unit 2010. The external device may be, for example, a base station or a mobile station.

[0128] The communication module 2013 may transmit at least one of the following to an external device via wireless communication: signals from the various sensors 2021-2028 input to the electronic control unit 2010, information obtained based on said signals, and information based on input from an external source (user) obtained via the information service unit 2012. The electronic control unit 2010, the various sensors 2021-2028, the information service unit 2012, etc., may also be called input units that accept input. For example, the PUSCH transmitted by the communication module 2013 may include the information based on the above input.

[0129] The communication module 2013 receives various information (traffic information, signal information, inter-vehicle information, etc.) transmitted from an external device and displays it on the information service unit 2012 provided in the vehicle 2001. The information service unit 2012 may also be called an output unit, which outputs information (for example, outputs information to devices such as displays and speakers based on the PDSCH (or data / information decoded from the PDSCH) received by the communication module 2013). The communication module 2013 also stores the various information received from the external device in a memory 2032 that can be used by the microprocessor 2031. Based on the information stored in the memory 2032, the microprocessor 2031 may control the operating unit 2002, steering unit 2003, accelerator pedal 2004, brake pedal 2005, shift lever 2006, front wheels 2007, rear wheels 2008, axles 2009, sensors 2021-2029, etc., provided in the vehicle 2001.

[0130] <Notes> (Note 1) A network node having: a receiving unit that receives a first message requesting a short-term resource from another network node; a control unit that acquires setting information regarding the start time of use, the end time of use, and the requirements for the resource set in the first message, and allocates the short-term resource from among the resources available for allocation in the transport network; and a transmitting unit that sends a second message to the other network node containing information indicating whether or not the allocation of the short-term resource was successful. (Note 2) The network node according to Note 1, wherein the control unit releases the short-term resource at the end time of use, and the transmitting unit sends a third message to the other network node notifying it of the release of the short-term resource. (Note 3) A network node having: a receiving unit that receives a first message from another network node requesting configuration for multiple network slices; a control unit that, based on the first message, obtains identifiers for the multiple network slices and parameters relating to bandwidth, priority, and policy to be configured, and performs equipment allocation and configuration in the transport network; and a transmitting unit that transmits a second message to the other network node containing information indicating whether the configuration was successful or not. (Note 4) The network node according to Note 3, wherein the receiving unit receives a third message from the other network node requesting reconfiguration for network slices; the control unit performs equipment reassignment and reconfiguration in the transport network based on the third message; and the transmitting unit transmits a fourth message to the other network node containing information indicating whether the reconfiguration was successful or not.(Appendix 5) A network node comprising: a receiving unit that receives a first message from another network node requesting resilience settings; and a control unit that stores the setting information contained in the first message as a profile in its own device and, based on the profile, secures a backup route in the transport network in addition to the main route used under normal circumstances, wherein the control unit further comprises a transmitting unit that, when a failure occurs in the main route, executes a switch from the main route to the backup route and transmits a second message containing information regarding the switch to the other network node. (Appendix 6) The network node according to claim 5, wherein the control unit determines whether to execute a switch from the backup route to the main route or maintain the backup route after the failure in the main route has been resolved.

[0131] Any of the appendices 1 to 6 can specify a method for flexibly managing the network, including resources and fault tolerance, from the wireless access network to the transport network.

[0132] (Supplement to Embodiments) Embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the disclosed invention is not limited to such embodiments, and those skilled in the art will understand various modifications, alterations, alternatives, substitutions, etc. Specific numerical examples have been used to facilitate understanding of the invention, but unless otherwise specified, these numerical values ​​are merely examples, and any appropriate values ​​may be used. The division of items in the above description is not essential to the present invention, and matters described in two or more items may be combined as needed, and matters described in one item may be applied to matters described in another item (as long as they do not contradict each other). The boundaries of functional units or processing units in the functional block diagram do not necessarily correspond to the boundaries of physical parts. The operation of multiple functional units may be physically performed by one part, or the operation of one functional unit may be physically performed by multiple parts. The processing procedures described in the embodiments may be rearranged as long as they do not contradict each other. For the convenience of explaining the processing, the base station 10 and terminal 20 have been described using functional block diagrams, but such devices may be realized in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. The software operated by the processor of the base station 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention and the software operated by the processor of the terminal 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be stored in any suitable storage medium such as random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), EPROM, EEPROM, register, hard disk (HDD), removable disk, CD-ROM, database, server, or other appropriate storage medium.

[0133] Furthermore, notification of information is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be carried out by other means. For example, notification of information may be carried out by physical layer signaling (e.g., DCI (Downlink Control Information), UCI (Uplink Control Information)), upper layer signaling (e.g., RRC (Radio Resource Control) signaling, MAC (Medium Access Control) signaling), broadcast information (MIB (Master Information Block), SIB (System Information Block)), other signals, or combinations thereof. Also, RRC signaling may be called RRC messages, and may be, for example, RRC Connection Setup messages, RRC Connection Reconfiguration messages, etc.

[0134] Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure refers to LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4G (4th generation mobile communication system), 5G (5th generation mobile communication system), 6th generation mobile communication system (6G), xth generation mobile communication system (xG) (xG (where x is, for example, an integer or decimal)), FRA (Future Radio Access), NR (new Radio), New radio access (NX), Future generation radio access (FX), W-CDMA (registered trademark), GSM (registered trademark), CDMA2000, UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.20 may apply to at least one system utilizing UWB (Ultra-WideBand), Bluetooth®, or other appropriate systems, and to next-generation systems extended, modified, created, or defined based thereon. Alternatively, multiple systems may be applied in combination (e.g., a combination of at least one of LTE and LTE-A with 5G).

[0135] The processing procedures, sequences, flowcharts, etc., of each aspect / embodiment described herein may be reordered, provided they are consistent with each other. For example, the methods described herein present various step elements in an exemplary order and are not limited to that specific order.

[0136] In this specification, specific operations performed by the base station 10 may, in some cases, be performed by its upper node. In a network consisting of one or more network nodes having a base station 10, it is clear that various operations performed for communication with the terminal 20 can be performed by the base station 10 and at least one of the other network nodes (for example, an MME or S-GW, but not limited to these). Although the above example illustrates the case where there is one other network node besides the base station 10, the other network node may be a combination of multiple other network nodes (for example, an MME and an S-GW).

[0137] The information or signals described in this disclosure may be output from a higher layer (or lower layer) to a lower layer (or higher layer). They may also be input and output via multiple network nodes.

[0138] Input and output information may be stored in a specific location (e.g., memory) or managed using a management table. Input and output information may be overwritten, updated, or appended to. Output information may be deleted. Input information may be transmitted to other devices.

[0139] The determination in this disclosure may be made by a value represented by one bit (0 or 1), by a Boolean value (true or false), or by a numerical comparison (for example, a comparison with a predetermined value).

[0140] Software should be broadly interpreted to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, execution threads, procedures, functions, and so on, whether they are called software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or by any other name.

[0141] Furthermore, software, instructions, information, etc., may be transmitted and received via a transmission medium. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using at least one of wired technology (such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, or digital subscriber line (DSL)) and wireless technology (such as infrared or microwave), then at least one of these wired and wireless technologies is included in the definition of a transmission medium.

[0142] The information, signals, etc. described in this disclosure may be represented using any of the various different techniques. For example, the data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, chips, etc. that may be referred to throughout the above description may be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, optical fields or photons, or any combination thereof.

[0143] In addition, terms used in this disclosure and terms necessary for understanding this disclosure may be replaced with terms having the same or similar meanings. For example, at least one of the channel and symbol may be a signal (signaling). Also, a signal may be a message. Furthermore, a component carrier (CC) may be called a carrier frequency, cell, frequency carrier, etc.

[0144] The terms “system” and “network” as used in this disclosure are interchangeable.

[0145] Furthermore, the information, parameters, etc., described in this disclosure may be expressed using absolute values, relative values ​​from a given value, or other corresponding information. For example, wireless resources may be indicated by an index.

[0146] The names used for the parameters described above are not restrictive in any way. Furthermore, the formulas and other expressions using these parameters may differ from those expressly disclosed in this disclosure. Various channels (e.g., PUCCH, PDCCH, etc.) and information elements can be identified by any suitable name, and therefore, the various names assigned to these various channels and information elements are not restrictive in any way.

[0147] In this disclosure, terms such as "Base Station (BS)", "wireless base station", "base station equipment", "fixed station", "NodeB", "eNodeB (eNB)", "gNodeB (gNB)", "access point", "transmission point", "reception point", "transmission / reception point", "cell", "sector", "cell group", "carrier", and "component carrier" may be used interchangeably. Base stations may also be referred to by terms such as macrocell, small cell, femtocell, and picocell.

[0148] A base station can accommodate one or more (e.g., three) cells. If a base station accommodates multiple cells, the entire coverage area of ​​the base station can be divided into multiple smaller areas, each of which may also be provided with communication services by a base station subsystem (e.g., a Remote Radio Head (RRH)). The terms “cell” or “sector” refer to part or all of the coverage area of ​​at least one of the base station and / or base station subsystems that provide communication services in that coverage.

[0149] In this disclosure, the transmission of information by a base station to a terminal may be interpreted as the base station instructing the terminal to perform control or operation based on the information.

[0150] In this disclosure, terms such as "Mobile Station (MS)," "user terminal," "User Equipment (UE)," and "terminal" may be used interchangeably.

[0151] A mobile station may also be referred to by those skilled in the art as a subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, handset, user agent, mobile client, client, or several other appropriate terms.

[0152] At least one of the base station and the mobile station may be called a transmitting device, a receiving device, a communication device, etc. At least one of the base station and the mobile station may also be a device mounted on a mobile body, the mobile body itself, etc. The mobile body refers to a movable object, and its speed of movement is arbitrary. This also includes the case when the mobile body is stationary. The mobile body includes, but is not limited to, vehicles, transport vehicles, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, connected cars, excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, dump trucks, forklifts, trains, buses, handcarts, rickshaws, ships and other watercraft, airplanes, rockets, satellites, drones (registered trademark), multicopters, quadcopters, balloons, and items mounted on them. The mobile body may also be a mobile body that moves autonomously based on operation commands. It may be a vehicle (e.g., a car, an airplane, etc.), an unmanned mobile body (e.g., a drone, an autonomous vehicle, etc.), or a robot (manned or unmanned). Furthermore, at least one of the base station and the mobile station may include devices that do not necessarily move during communication operations. For example, at least one of the base station and the mobile station may be an IoT (Internet of Things) device such as a sensor.

[0153] Furthermore, the term "base station" in this disclosure may be interpreted as "user terminal." For example, the various aspects / embodiments of this disclosure may be applied to a configuration in which communication between a base station and a user terminal is replaced with communication between multiple terminals 20 (which may be called, for example, D2D (Device-to-Device), V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything), etc.). In this case, the terminals 20 may have the functions that the base station 10 has. Also, terms such as "uplink" and "downlink" may be interpreted as terms corresponding to terminal-to-terminal communication (for example, "side"). For example, uplink channel, downlink channel, etc., may be interpreted as side channel.

[0154] Similarly, the term "user terminal" in this disclosure may be replaced with "base station." In this case, the base station may be configured to have the same functions as the user terminal described above.

[0155] As used in this disclosure, the terms “determining” and “determining” may encompass a wide variety of actions. “Determining” may include, for example, judging, calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up, searching, or inquiring (e.g., searching in a table, database, or other data structure), or ascertaining. “Determining” may also include receiving (e.g., receiving information), transmitting (e.g., sending information), inputting, outputting, or accessing (e.g., accessing data in memory). Furthermore, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering something as having been "judged" or "decided" after resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, comparing, etc. In other words, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering something as having been "judged" or "decided" after some action. Also, "judgment (decision)" can be reinterpreted as "assuming," "expecting," or "considering."

[0156] The terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variation thereof, mean any direct or indirect connection or coupling between two or more elements, and may include the presence of one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are “connected” or “coupled” with each other. The coupling or connection between elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. For example, “connection” may be reinterpreted as “access.” As used in this disclosure, two elements may be considered to be “connected” or “coupled” with each other using at least one of one or more wires, cables, and printed electrical connections, and, in some non-limiting and non-exclusive examples, electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the radio frequency domain, microwave domain, and optical (both visible and invisible) domain.

[0157] The reference signal can also be abbreviated as RS (Reference Signal), and may be called a pilot depending on the applicable standard.

[0158] In this disclosure, the phrase "based on" does not mean "based solely on" unless otherwise specified. In other words, the phrase "based on" means both "based solely on" and "based at least on."

[0159] Any reference to elements using the designations “first,” “second,” etc., as used in this disclosure does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. These designations may be used in this disclosure as a convenient way to distinguish between two or more elements. Accordingly, references to the first and second elements do not imply that only two elements may be employed, or that the first element must precede the second element in any way.

[0160] In the configuration of each of the above devices, "means" may be replaced with "part," "circuit," "device," etc.

[0161] Where the terms “include,” “including,” and variations thereof are used in this disclosure, these terms are intended to be inclusive, as is the term “comprising.” Furthermore, the term “or” as used in this disclosure is not intended to mean exclusive OR.

[0162] In this disclosure, if articles are added through translation, such as a, an, and the in English, this disclosure may include the fact that the noun following these articles is plural.

[0163] In this disclosure, the term "A and B are different" may mean "A and B are different from each other." The term may also mean "A and B are each different from C." Terms such as "separate" and "combine" may be interpreted similarly to "different."

[0164] Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure may be used individually, in combination, or switched between as needed during implementation. Furthermore, notification of specific information (e.g., notification that "X is") is not limited to explicit notification, but may also be implicit (e.g., by not providing such notification).

[0165] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present disclosure can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the intent and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. Therefore, the descriptions in the present disclosure are illustrative and not intended to be restrictive in any way.

[0166] 10 Base station 110 Transmitter 120 Receiver 130 Setting unit 140 Control unit 20 Terminal 210 Transmitter 220 Receiver 230 Setting unit 240 Control unit 30 Network node 1001 Processor 1002 Storage device 1003 Auxiliary storage device 1004 Communication device 1005 Input device 1006 Output device

Claims

1. A network node comprising: a receiving unit that receives a first message requesting short-term use resources from another network node; a control unit that acquires setting information regarding the start time of use, the end time of use, and resource requirements set in the first message, and performs the allocation of the short-term use resources from among the resources available for allocation in the transport network; and a transmitting unit that sends a second message to the other network node containing information indicating whether or not the allocation of the short-term use resources was successful.

2. The network node according to claim 1, wherein the control unit releases the short-term resource at the end of the usage time, and the transmission unit transmits a third message to the other network nodes notifying them of the release of the short-term resource.

3. A network node comprising: a receiving unit that receives a first message from another network node requesting configuration for multiple network slices; a control unit that, based on the first message, obtains identifiers for the multiple network slices and parameters relating to the bandwidth, priority, and policy to be configured, and performs equipment allocation and configuration in the transport network; and a transmitting unit that transmits a second message to the other network node containing information indicating whether the configuration was successful or not.

4. The network node according to claim 3, wherein the receiving unit receives a third message from the other network node requesting reconfiguration of the network slice, the control unit performs reassignment and reconfiguration of equipment in the transport network based on the third message, and the transmitting unit transmits a fourth message to the other network node, which includes information indicating whether the reconfiguration was successful.

5. A network node comprising: a receiving unit that receives a first message from another network node requesting resiliency settings; a control unit that stores the settings information contained in the first message as a profile in its own device and, based on the profile, secures a backup route in the transport network in addition to the main route used under normal circumstances, wherein the control unit further comprises a transmitting unit that, in the event of a failure in the main route, performs a switch from the main route to the backup route and transmits a second message containing information regarding the switch to the other network node.

6. The network node according to claim 5, wherein the control unit determines whether to switch from the backup path to the main path or to maintain the backup path after the failure in the main path has been resolved.