Network Sub-Slicing for Granular QoS Without Slice Proliferation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current network slicing technologies require separate slices for each customer with slight variations in requirements, leading to inefficient resource allocation and overhead.
Innovation Solution
Implement network sub-slicing within a network slice, allowing for multiple sub-slices with modified parameter data based on user groups, reducing the need for dedicated slices and optimizing resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate network slices are defined for each customer with varying requirements, then service quality differentiation is improved, but resource allocation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network slicing into two hierarchical levels: network slice types (defining service categories) and network slice instances (specific customer deployments). This segmentation allows multiple customers to share the same slice type while maintaining individualized service quality through instance-level customization, thereby improving resource efficiency without sacrificing differentiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by allowing a single network slice type to serve multiple customers with different requirements. The slice type definition contains common parameters that can be instantiated multiple times with customized values, enabling one slice type to fulfill multiple customer needs while sharing underlying network resources efficiently.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate network slices are created for each department with slight requirement variations, then customized service requirements are met, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides network slicing configuration into template-level definitions (slice types) and instance-level customizations (slice instances). This segmentation reduces system complexity by centralizing common configurations in reusable templates while allowing minimal instance-specific modifications, thereby maintaining adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-defining network slice types with common parameters and configurations that can be reused across multiple instances. This advance preparation eliminates the need to create entire slice configurations from scratch for each customer, reducing system complexity while maintaining customization capability through instance-level parameter specification.
3Ease of operation
If multiple separate network slices are instantiated for different departments, then granular service control is improved, but computing and storage resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple customer-specific slice configurations into shared network slice types that can be instantiated multiple times. By combining common infrastructure and configuration elements into reusable templates, the system achieves granular service control through instance management while avoiding redundant computing and storage resources that would result from creating entirely separate slices for each customer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes network slice types universal by designing them to serve multiple customers simultaneously. A single slice type definition can be instantiated multiple times with different parameters for different departments, enabling granular service control at the instance level while sharing the underlying slice type definition and common resources, thereby preventing resource waste.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed technology is directed towards facilitating the creation of network sub-slices within a network slice. When a network slice having defined default specification data (e.g., quality of service and prioritization levels) is instantiated, resources of the network slice can be allocated to network sub-slices within the network slice. A network sub-slice has modified specification data relative to the default specification data. Upon connection of a mobile device to the network, if the mobile device is part of a group associated with a network slice and sub-slice, the mobile device traffic is handled based on its network slice default specification data as modified by the modified sub-slice specification data. Network sub-slices thus provide a way for variations within the parameter data of a network slice, without the overhead and need to instantiate a separate network slice for each variation needed by subscribing entities.