Network Slice Management via Inactivity Timeout
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication network architectures face challenges in efficiently managing and optimizing the communication between wireless devices and core networks, particularly in terms of service-based architecture, network slicing, and quality of service (QoS) management.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a service-based architecture within the core network, which includes multiple user plane functions and untrusted access, enabling flexible network slicing and advanced QoS management. This architecture allows for dynamic selection of network slices and optimized resource allocation based on traffic characteristics and device capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If network resources are allocated dynamically based on active sessions, then resource utilization efficiency is improved, but network complexity increases due to continuous monitoring and management overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and separates the network slice management function from the core network infrastructure, implementing it as a standalone network slice management function (NSMF). This allows the NSMF to independently monitor session states and trigger slice instantiation or termination without burdening the core network with continuous monitoring complexity, thus resolving the contradiction between resource efficiency and management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining network slice templates and configurations that can be rapidly instantiated when needed. The NSMF maintains a repository of pre-configured slice templates, allowing quick deployment without complex real-time configuration decisions, thereby improving resource utilization while minimizing management overhead.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network slices are instantiated for each service requirement, then service quality and adaptability are improved, but network resource consumption and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple service requirements into a single network slice when possible. The NSMF analyzes service requests and determines whether multiple services can share the same network slice instance, consolidating resources and reducing overall slice count. This maintains service adaptability by allowing logical separation while achieving physical resource consolidation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic slice termination when services become inactive. The NSMF continuously monitors session states and triggers slice termination when no active sessions remain, releasing network resources back to the pool for reuse. This ensures resources are not consumed by dormant slices while maintaining adaptability for active services.
3Reliability
If network monitoring is performed continuously to detect inactivity, then service quality assurance is improved, but energy consumption and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic monitoring instead of continuous monitoring. The NSMF checks session states at defined intervals or triggered by specific events (e.g., session establishment, modification, or release). This periodic approach maintains service quality assurance by detecting inactive sessions while significantly reducing energy consumption and processing overhead compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback mechanisms where the NSMF receives session state information from the access and core networks and responds by triggering appropriate actions. This event-driven feedback approach ensures reliable service quality monitoring only when necessary, avoiding unnecessary energy consumption during periods of no change.
4Reliability
If multiple network slices are maintained for different services, then service differentiation and QoS are improved, but device complexity and management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the network slice management function (NSMF) as an intermediary between the core network and access network for slice management. The NSMF handles all slice instantiation, modification, and termination operations, acting as a mediator that simplifies the complexity for other network elements. This allows multiple network slices to be maintained with differentiated QoS while centralizing management complexity in a single dedicated function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments network slice management into distinct functional components: slice template management, slice instantiation, slice monitoring, and slice termination. The NSMF handles each segment independently, allowing complex multi-slice environments to be managed through modular, organized processes rather than monolithic complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless device receives, from an access and mobility management function (AMF), configuration information for a time duration associated with inactivity of a network slice of one or more allowed network slices. The wireless device starts the time duration, determines that the time duration expires, and removes the network slice from the one or more allowed network slice.