Network Slice Auctions for Demand-Aware Resource Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network slice as a service (NSaaS) models lack flexibility and efficiency in pricing and resource allocation, as they do not account for market demand, location-specific resources, and customer willingness to pay, leading to inefficiencies in network slice instance (NSI) provisioning.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for defining network slice specifications, determining equilibrium values based on cost and market demand, and implementing a bid-based auction process to ensure that customer bids meet or exceed the equilibrium value for efficient NSI provisioning, using software-defined networking (SDN) and machine learning algorithms for dynamic pricing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional charging and policy capabilities are used for NSaaS, then network slice instances can be provided, but pricing models lack flexibility and cannot account for market demand, location-specific resources, and customer willingness to pay
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic pricing by determining equilibrium values that fluctuate based on market demand, resource availability, and time periods. The system continuously adjusts pricing rather than using static traditional charging models, allowing prices to adapt to changing market conditions while maintaining economic efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes multiple pricing parameters simultaneously including equilibrium values, bid prices, time periods, and location-specific factors. By varying these parameters dynamically, the system achieves flexible pricing that reflects market demand and resource constraints without requiring a completely complex new framework.
2Ease of operation
If network slice instances are made readily accessible to enterprise customers, then customer access is improved, but service providers may not recover costs if customers do not pay for unused capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses bid-based feedback mechanisms where customers indicate their willingness to pay through bids. The equilibrium value comparison provides feedback on whether requested capacity should be allocated, ensuring that resources are assigned to customers who value them most while preventing waste from unused allocated capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
Customers actively participate in the resource allocation process by submitting bids that reflect their actual needs and budget constraints. This self-service approach allows customers to obtain network slice capacity when needed without over-provisioning, while the system automatically matches bids against equilibrium values to allocate resources efficiently.
3Productivity
If network providers use location-specific resource availability and market demand to set prices, then economic efficiency is improved, but the system requires complex calculations of equilibrium values and bid comparisons
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the pricing calculation into distinct components: equilibrium value determination based on cost and demand, bid price collection from customers, and comparison logic. This segmentation allows complex pricing to be handled through modular, manageable steps that can be implemented systematically across different locations and time periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculations of equilibrium values before receiving customer bids, using historical data and market analysis. This preliminary action prepares the pricing framework in advance, reducing the computational burden during actual allocation decisions and improving overall processing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes defining a first specification for a first network slice, determining a first equilibrium value for a first time period for the first network slice offering, receiving a first bid price for the first network slice for the first time period from a first customer, comparing the first equilibrium value to the first bid price; and providing services using the network slice to the customer during the time period in accordance with the first specification and the bid price if the bid price meets or exceeds the equilibrium value.