Network Slice Selection Policy Update via AMF Indication

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 3GPP communication systems, the inconsistency between configured and accepted network slice selection policies on terminal devices leads to unnecessary PDU session establishment requests, causing network resource waste due to the lack of accurate association between applications and accepted network slice types.

Innovation Solution

A method where a device sends configured network slice selection assistance information to an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) during registration, receives an updated policy with indication information, and uses this information to correctly associate applications with allowed slice identifiers, allowing data transmission using established sessions and storing the updated policy for efficient resource management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the terminal device uses preconfigured NSSP to map applications to slice types, then the terminal can independently perform slice selection, but the configured SST may differ from the accepted SST leading to incorrect slice selection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent slice selection capabilityVSAvoidslice selection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The network side performs preliminary action by providing indication information in advance that establishes the correspondence between configured SST and accepted SST. This allows the terminal device to correctly map applications to accepted slice types before actual data transmission, resolving the inconsistency between preconfigured and network-accepted slice selection policies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the terminal device initiates new PDU session establishment requests when configured SST differs from accepted SST, then the terminal ensures correct slice selection, but network resources are wasted due to unnecessary session establishment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveslice selection correctnessVSAvoidnetwork resource waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The network side provides feedback through indication information that reveals the correspondence between configured SST and accepted SST. The terminal device uses this feedback to correctly identify which accepted slice type corresponds to its configured slice type, thereby avoiding unnecessary PDU session establishment requests while ensuring correct slice selection for application data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If the terminal device establishes separate PDU sessions for each application requiring different slice types, then each application gets dedicated slice resources, but the number of PDU sessions increases consuming more network resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication-specific slice allocationVSAvoidnumber of PDU sessions
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The indication information enables one accepted slice type to serve multiple configured slice types that correspond to different applications. Instead of establishing separate PDU sessions for each application-slice combination, the terminal can use a single PDU session established for the accepted slice type to transmit data from multiple applications that map to corresponding configured slice types, thereby reducing the total number of PDU sessions while maintaining application-specific slice allocation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3557913B1Network slice selection policy updating method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2022.10.19 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3557913B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3557913B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3557913B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A network slice selection policy updating method and an apparatus are disclosed. The method specifically includes: sending, by a terminal device, configured network selection assistance information on the terminal device to an AMF, where the network selection assistance information includes a first slice identifier; and receiving, by the terminal device, allowed network selection assistance information and indication information that are returned by the AMF, where the allowed network selection assistance information includes a second slice identifier, and the indication information indicates that the second slice identifier corresponds to the first slice identifier. This can prevent the terminal device from initiating an unnecessary session establishment procedure, and save a network resource.