CN-116018851-B - Operator control of user equipment behavior in registering and deregistering with network slices and in establishing and releasing PDU sessions in a communication system

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products for causing User Equipment (UE) to be configured for operator control of UE behavior in registering and deregistering with network slices and establishing and releasing PDU sessions in a communication system. The network entity may transmit a registration accept message to the UE, the registration accept message comprising configuration information including instructions for the UE to request all single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) of the configured Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of the default configured NSSAI. The network entity may alternatively transmit configuration information to the UE in a downlink non-access stratum transmission message or a UE configuration update message, the configuration information comprising instructions for the user equipment to always establish all Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions for all data network names associated with a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI).

Inventors

• A. Cassati

Assignees

• 诺基亚技术有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20210615

Priority Date

20200707

Claims (18)

1. 1. A method for communication, the method comprising: Receiving, at a network entity of the communication system, a registration request message from the user equipment; Transmitting a registration accept or reject message comprising configuration information from the network entity to the user equipment in response to receiving the registration request message, the configuration information comprising instructions for the user equipment to request all single network slice selection assistance information S-NSSAI of configured network slice selection assistance information NSSAI or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of default configured NSSAI, in case the registration request message comprises information indicating that the user equipment supports or requires configuration of network control slice selection behavior, and Configuration information is provided from the network entity to the user equipment via a downlink non-access stratum transport message or a UE configuration update message, the configuration information comprising instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI that have been configured NSSAI or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI that have been configured NSSAI by default.
2. 2. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the registration accept or reject message or the downlink non-access stratum transmission or UE configuration update message comprises instructions for the user equipment to always request a subset S-NSSAI in the configured NSSAI.
3. 3. The method according to claim 2, Wherein the subset of S-NSSAI is explicitly indicated, or is identified by one or more flags associated with each S-NSSAI provided to the user device in the configured NSSAI or the default configured NSSAI, wherein the one or more S-NSSAI are determined by the network based on local policies, or based on information received from subscription information of the user device.
4. 4. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the registration accept or reject message or the downlink non-access stratum transmission or UE configuration update message comprises an instruction for the user equipment to request only S-NSSAI with active applications.
5. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the method comprises, Wherein the registration accept or reject message or the downlink non-access stratum transmission or UE configuration update message comprises instructions for the user equipment to release network slices that are no longer used by any application, thereby excluding the released network slices from the next requested NSSAI.
6. 6. A method for communication, the method comprising: Receiving, at a user equipment, a registration accept or reject message from a network entity of a communication system in response to a registration request message previously transmitted from the user equipment to the network entity, the registration request message including information indicating that the user equipment supports or requires configuration of network control slice selection behavior, the registration accept or reject message including instructions for the user equipment to request all single network slice selection assistance information S-NSSAI of configured network slice selection assistance information NSSAI, or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of default configured NSSAI; Receiving a downlink non-access stratum transport message or a UE configuration update message comprising configuration information including instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of configured NSSAI or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of default configured NSSAI, and The user equipment is configured to request all S-NSSAI of the configured NSSAI or the default configured NSSAI while the user equipment is in the communication system.
7. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the method comprises, Wherein the registration accept or reject message or downlink non-access stratum transport message or UE configuration update message comprises instructions for the user equipment to always request a subset S-NSSAI in the configured NSSAI, Wherein the method further comprises: the user equipment is configured to always request a subset S-NSSAI of the configured NSSAI.
8. 8. The method according to claim 7, Wherein the subset of S-NSSAI is identified by one or more flags associated with each S-NSSAI provided to the user equipment in the configured NSSAI or the default configured NSSAI.
9. 9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the method comprises, Wherein the registration accept or reject message or downlink non-access stratum transport message or UE configuration update message comprises an instruction for the user equipment to request only S-NSSAI with active applications, Wherein the method further comprises: the user equipment is configured to request only S-NSSAI with active applications.
10. 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the method comprises, Wherein the registration accept or reject message or downlink non-access stratum transport message or UE configuration update message comprises a timer configured to cause the user equipment to release network slices that are no longer used by any application, thereby excluding the released network slices from the next requested NSSAI, Wherein the method further comprises: The user equipment is configured to release network slices that are no longer used by any application based on the value of the timer, and exclude the released network slices from the next requested NSSAI.
11. 11. An apparatus embodied by a network entity, the apparatus comprising: Means for receiving a registration request message from a user equipment at the apparatus; Means for transmitting a registration accept or reject message including configuration information from the apparatus to the user equipment in response to receiving the registration request message, in case the registration request message includes information indicating that the user equipment supports or requires configuration of network control slice selection behavior, the configuration information including instructions for the user equipment to request all single network slice selection assistance information S-NSSAI of configured network slice selection assistance information NSSAI or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of default configured NSSAI, and Means for providing configuration information from the apparatus to the user equipment via a downlink non-access stratum transport message or a UE configuration update message, the configuration information comprising instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI that have been configured NSSAI or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI that have been configured NSSAI by default.
12. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for performing the method of any of claims 2 to 5.
13. 13. An apparatus embodied by a user equipment, the apparatus comprising: Means for receiving, at the device, a registration accept or reject message from a network entity of a communication system in response to a registration request message previously transmitted from the device to the network entity, the registration request message including information indicating that the device supports or requires configuration of network control slice selection behavior, the registration accept or reject message including instructions for the device to request all single network slice selection assistance information S-NSSAI of configured network slice selection assistance information NSSAI, or instructions for the device to request all S-NSSAI of default configured NSSAI; Means for receiving a downlink non-access stratum transport message or a UE configuration update message comprising configuration information including instructions for the device to request all S-NSSAI of configured NSSAI or instructions for the device to request all S-NSSAI of default configured NSSAI, and Means for configuring the apparatus to request all S-NSSAI of the configured NSSAI or the default configured NSSAI when the apparatus is in the communication system.
14. 14. An apparatus according to claim 13, Wherein the registration accept message includes instructions for the device to always request a subset of S-NSSAI in the configured NSSAI, an Wherein the apparatus further comprises: means for configuring the apparatus to always request a subset S-NSSAI in the configured NSSAI.
15. 15. The apparatus according to claim 14, Wherein the subset of S-NSSAI is identified by one or more flags associated with each S-NSSAI provided to the apparatus in the configured NSSAI or the default configured NSSAI.
16. 16. An apparatus according to claim 13, Wherein the registration accept or reject message or downlink non-access stratum transport message or UE configuration update message comprises an instruction for the apparatus to request only S-NSSAI with active applications, Wherein the apparatus further comprises: the apparatus is configured to request only S-NSSAI with an active application.
17. 17. The apparatus according to claim 16, Wherein the registration accept or reject message or downlink non-access stratum transport message or UE configuration update message comprises a timer configured to cause the apparatus to release network slices that are no longer used by any application, thereby excluding the released network slices from the next requested NSSAI, Wherein the apparatus further comprises: Means for configuring the apparatus to release network slices that are no longer used by any application based on the value of the timer, and exclude the released network slices from the next requested NSSAI.
18. 18. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by a network entity, cause the network entity to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 5 and which, when executed by a user equipment, cause the user equipment to perform the method of any of claims 6 to 10.

Description

Operator control of user equipment behavior in registering and deregistering with network slices and in establishing and releasing PDU sessions in a communication system Background This section introduces aspects that may facilitate a better understanding of the inventions. The statements in this section are, therefore, to be understood as admissions of prior art or of non-prior art. Fourth generation (4G) wireless mobile telecommunications technology, also known as Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, aims to provide high capacity mobile multimedia with high data rates, particularly for human interaction. Next generation or fifth generation (5G) technologies are used not only for human interaction, but also for machine type communication in so-called internet of things (IoT) networks. Third generation partnership project (3 GPP) 5G technology is a next generation radio system and network architecture that can provide extremely broadband and ultra-robust low-latency connections. The 5G technology improves the variety of telecommunication services offered to end users and helps support large-scale broadband, i.e. providing on demand gigabytes per second of bandwidth for both uplink and downlink transmissions. The next generation system using the 5G architecture uses virtual Radio Access Network (RAN) functions and core network functions. In 5G networks, network slicing is a concept for running multiple logical networks on a common physical infrastructure as virtually independent business operations. Network slices are considered as independent virtualized end-to-end networks. Currently, standardization work is underway to simplify the definition of network slices, the registration and deregistration of user equipment with network slices, and the admission of Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions to network slices. However, under current 3GPP specifications, implementing such activities is complex and is typically responsible for the user equipment, which means that the network operator has little control over the user equipment behavior during such activities. Disclosure of Invention Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided according to example embodiments to provide operator control of user equipment behavior in a communication system when registering and deregistering with a network slice and setting up and releasing a PDU session. In one example embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving a registration request message from a user equipment at a network entity of a communication system, transmitting a registration accept or reject message from the network entity to the user equipment including configuration information including instructions for the user equipment to request all single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) of configured Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of default configured NSSAI in response to receiving the registration request message, where the registration request message includes information indicating that the user equipment supports or requires configuration of network control slice selection behavior, and providing configuration information from the network entity to the user equipment via a downlink non-access layer transmission message or a UE configuration update message, the configuration information including instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of configured NSSAI or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of default configured NSSAI. In some embodiments, the registration accept or reject message or the downlink non-access stratum transmission or UE configuration update message includes instructions for the user equipment to always request the S-NSSAI subset of the configured NSSAI. In some embodiments, the subset of S-NSSAI is identified by one or more flags associated with each S-NSSAI provided to the user device in the configured NSSAI or default configured NSSAI, wherein the one or more S-NSSAI are determined by the network based on local policies or based on information received from subscription information of the user device. In some embodiments, the registration accept or reject message or the downlink non-access stratum transmission or UE configuration update message includes instructions for the user equipment to request only S-NSSAI with active applications. In some embodiments, the registration accept or reject message or the downlink non-access stratum transmission or UE configuration update message includes instructions for the user equipment to release network slices that are no longer used by any application, thereby excluding the released network slices from the next requested NSSAI. According to another embodiment, a method may be performed that includes receiving, at a user equipment, a registration accept or reject message from a network entity of a communication system in respons