UICC Network Slice Selection Assistance Information Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G networks, the process of switching between different universal integrated circuit cards (UICCs) on a user device leads to delays and resource wastage due to the need for signaling network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) from the network, which also results in improper mapping of applications to required services.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a default network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) and user equipment route selection policy (URSP) configurations within the UICC, allowing the user device to automatically route data to the correct network slice based on pre-stored information, thereby eliminating the need for continuous network signaling and ensuring proper service mapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) is signaled from the network to the user device, then the user device can obtain network slicing configuration, but this process causes delays and wastes computing, communication, and networking resources
Solution Approach 1:
The network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) and route selection policy configurations are pre-stored in the UICC card before the user device needs them. When the user device switches UICCs or initializes, the configurations are already available locally, eliminating the need for time-consuming network signaling and enabling immediate network slice selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The UICC card serves as an intermediary storage medium between the network operator and the user device. It holds the NSSAI and routing policy configurations, allowing the user device to obtain these configurations locally without direct network signaling, thus reducing delays and resource consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network slice selection assistance information is obtained through network signaling, then the user device can be configured with network slicing parameters, but this results in resource wastage including computing, communication, and networking resources
Solution Approach 1:
The NSSAI and routing policy configurations are pre-loaded into the UICC card during card provisioning. This preliminary action ensures that when the user device needs network slicing capabilities, the configurations are already available locally, eliminating the need for resource-intensive network signaling and reducing computing, communication, and networking resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The user device uses the pre-stored configurations in the UICC card to autonomously perform network slice selection and routing policy application without requiring continuous network signaling. This self-service approach reduces dependency on network resources and minimizes energy consumption associated with configuration retrieval.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the user device deletes the route selection policy table when switching UICCs, then the device can accommodate the new UICC, but this causes delays while the device must re-obtain NSSAI through network signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The route selection policy table and NSSAI are pre-configured in the UICC card itself. When a user switches UICCs, the new UICC already contains the necessary configurations, so the device can immediately use them without deletion delays or re-signaling, maintaining both adaptability to different UICCs and high setup speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The UICC card acts as an intermediary that preserves and transfers routing policy information across UICC switches. By storing configurations in the UICC rather than the device memory, the system enables seamless UICC switching without loss of configuration data, eliminating both deletion delays and re-signaling requirements.
4Productivity
If network slice selection assistance information is stored in the user device, then the device can route data to correct network slices, but the information may become outdated when UICCs are switched
Solution Approach 1:
The UICC card serves as a reliable intermediary storage medium that is specific to each subscriber and network operator. By storing NSSAI and routing policy configurations in the UICC rather than the generic device memory, the system ensures that the correct, up-to-date configurations are always available when a specific UICC is inserted, maintaining both routing efficiency and mapping accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Each UICC card contains customized network slice selection assistance information and routing policies specific to that card's subscriber and operator. This local quality ensures that when a UICC is inserted, the device receives the exact configurations appropriate for that specific card, preventing outdated or incorrect information from being used.
Data Source
AI summary
A user device may receive information indicating that a universal integrated circuit card has been installed in the user device, where the universal integrated circuit card may store a default table that includes network slice selection assistance information used to route data from the user device to correct slices of a network. The user device may execute an application stored in the user device based on receiving a selection of the application, where execution of the application may cause data to be generated. The user device may identify a slice of the network to which to route the data based on the network slice selection assistance information included in the default table. The user device may cause the data to be routed to the slice of the network identified based on the network slice selection assistance information included in the default table.