Network Slice Access Control via System Information Broadcast
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network architectures struggle to differentiate access control for wireless communication devices (WCDs) based on network slices due to the lack of defined slicing information and differentiated behavior, leading to potential interference and increased signaling overhead, especially with the adoption of network slicing which introduces varying service level agreements (SLAs).
Innovation Solution
Incorporating network slice configuration information (NSCI) into the System Information (SI) broadcast over the air interface, using a combination of broadcast and dedicated signaling, and creating a hierarchy of network slices to reduce signaling overhead and protect resource access, while allowing only authorized WCDs to access specific network slices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If network slice configuration information is broadcast over the air interface, then WCDs can discover supported network slices and their barring status, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments network slice information into two categories: essential information (supported slice identifiers and barring status) broadcast over the air interface, and detailed configuration information stored locally in WCDs. This segmentation allows WCDs to discover available slices without receiving complete configuration data, reducing broadcast overhead while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of broadcasting complete network slice configuration information, the system transmits only partial information (supported slice identifiers and barring status). WCDs that already have local configurations can quickly match this partial information to determine accessibility, avoiding the need to receive and process full configuration messages.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network slicing is implemented to provide differentiated services, then service level agreements can be met, but access control differentiation becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by allowing different WCDs to have different local configuration information stored in their non-volatile memory. Each WCD's access control behavior is determined by its specific local configuration combined with the broadcast network slice information, enabling fine-grained service differentiation without requiring complex centralized access control logic for each device type.
3Reliability
If complete network slice information is transmitted to all WCDs, then all devices can make informed access decisions, but radio resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential network slice information (supported slice identifiers and barring status) from the complete configuration data and transmits it over the air interface. The remaining configuration information stays localized in WCD memory, eliminating the need to broadcast redundant data to all devices while ensuring WCDs have sufficient information to make accurate access decisions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method to enable network slice aware access control in a wireless communication system. In some embodiments, the method includes adding network slice configuration information (NSCI) to the system information (SI) (e.g., System Information Block (SIB)) that is broadcast over the air interface (e.g. the LTE/NX air interface).