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EP-4333499-B1 - COMMUNICATION DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD FOR COMMUNICATION DEVICE, AND PROGRAM

EP4333499B1EP 4333499 B1EP4333499 B1EP 4333499B1EP-4333499-B1

Inventors

  • HORIO, DAISUKE

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220328

Claims (16)

  1. A communication device that functions as a base station in a communication system (100) and as an Integrated Access and Backhaul, IAB, donor in an IAB network, the communication device comprising: receiving means for receiving, from a second communication device that is configured to function as an IAB node for relaying communication between the communication device and a user equipment in the communication system (100), first information regarding a path between the second communication device and the communication device and second information regarding a status of the second communication device; determining means for determining a type of network slice supported by the second communication device, based on the first information and the second information; and informing means for informing the second communication device of the determined type of network slice.
  2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication network includes a New Radio, NR, backhaul link and an NR access link.
  3. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the informing means is configured to inform the second communication device of the one or more determined types of network slices, using a packet according to a Backhaul Adaptation Protocol, BAP, or an Radio Resource Control, RRC, protocol.
  4. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising judging means for judging a type of network slice supported by the communication device or another node that is directly connected to the second communication device between the second communication device and the communication device.
  5. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the second information includes a value indicating a received signal quality of the second communication device, and the total number of user equipments connected between the second communication device and the communication device, in a case where the judging means judges that a high-speed and large-capacity communication is supported by the communication device or the other node as the type of network slice, and the value indicating the received signal quality is greater than or equal to a first specified value and the total number of user equipments is less than or equal to a second specified value, the determining means is configured to determine that the high-speed and large-capacity communication is supported by the second communication device.
  6. The communication device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the first information includes the number of hops from the communication device to the second communication device, and the second information includes information indicating whether or not the second communication device supports Time-Sensitive Networking, TSN, and in a case where the judging means judges that a low latency communication is supported by the communication device or the other node as the type of network slice, and the second communication device supports the TSN and the number of hops is greater than or equal to a third specified value, the determining means is configured to determine that the low latency communication is supported by the second communication device.
  7. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the determining means is configured to determine that a simultaneous multiple connection is supported by the second communication device as the type of network slice.
  8. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the receiving means is configured to receive the first information and the second information at certain periodical timing.
  9. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising requesting means for requesting transmission of the first information and the second information from the second communication device, wherein the receiving means is configured to receive the first information and the second information in response to the request made by the requesting means.
  10. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein in a case where the informing means informs the second communication device of the determined type of network slice and information indicating that support for the determined network slice is not maintainable is then received by the receiving means from the second communication device, the determining means is configured to update and determine the type of network slice supported by the second communication device.
  11. A communication device that functions as an IAB node for relaying communication between a base station that functions as an Integrated Access and Backhaul, IAB, donor in an IAB network and a user equipment in a communication system (100), the communication device comprising: transmitting means for transmitting, to the base station, first information regarding a path between the communication device and the base station and second information regarding a status of the communication device; receiving means for receiving, from the base station, information regarding a type of network slice supported by the communication device, the type being determined by the base station based on the first information and the second information; and notifying means for notifying the user equipment of information with which the communication device can be identified, together with the information regarding the type of network slice.
  12. The communication device according to claim 11, wherein the communication network includes an New Radio, NR, backhaul link and an NR access link.
  13. The communication device according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising judging means for judging whether or not a network slice assigned according to the information received by the receiving means is not maintainable, according to a change in a communication environment, wherein in a case where the judging means judges that the network slice is not maintainable, information indicating that support of the network slice is not maintainable is transmitted to the base station.
  14. A method for controlling a communication device that functions as a base station in a communication system (100) and as an Integrated Access and Backhaul, BAP, donor in an IAB network, the method comprising: a receiving step of receiving, from a second communication device that functions as an IAB node that relays communication between the communication device and a user equipment in the communication system (100), first information regarding a path between the second communication device and the communication device and second information regarding a status of the second communication device ; a determining step of determining a type of network slice supported by the second communication device, based on the first information and the second information; and an informing step of informing the second communication device of the determined type of network slice.
  15. A method for controlling a communication device that functions as an Integrated Access and Backhaul, IAB, node that relays communication between a base station that functions as an IAB donor in an IAB network and a user equipment in a communication system (100), the method comprising: a transmitting step of transmitting, to the base station, first information regarding a path between the communication device and the base station and second information regarding a status of the communication device; a receiving step of receiving, from the base station, information including a type of network slice supported by the communication device, the type being determined by the base station based on the first information and the second information; and a notifying step of notifying the user equipment of information with which the communication device can be identified, together with the type of network slice.
  16. A program which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer of a communication device according to claim 1, or according to claim 11, causes the communication device to carry out the method according to claim 14 or 15, respectively.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a communication device that functions as a base station in a communication system and as an Integrated Access and Backhaul, IAB, donor in an IAB network, a communication device that functions as an IAB node that relays communication between the base station and a user equipment in a communication system, corresponding methods, and a program for carrying carry out said methods. BACKGROUND ART IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) has been standardized as backhaul communication technology in 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project). With IAB technology, 28 GHz millimeter-wave wireless communication and the like used for access communication between base stations and user equipments (UEs) are utilized as backhaul communication simultaneously (PTL1). Use of the IAB technology makes it possible to expand the area coverage at a lower cost, compared to wired communication using conventional optical fibers, and thus it is expected that the IAB technology is effective in constructing next-generation public networks. In backhaul communications using IAB technology, a relay device called an IAB node relays communications from IAB donors, which are equivalent to conventional base stations, using millimeter wave communications. Furthermore, an IAB node can expand an area by forming bearers between the IAB node and other multiple IAB nodes, and forming a network tree (IAB network) starting from an IAB donor. IAB nodes serving as extension means for expanding the area of an IAB donor can be controlled via BAP (Backhaul Adaptation Protocol), which is the routing protocol for IAB. On the other hand, in next-generation public networks, the introduction of the concept of network slicing, which virtually provides network slices that meet the requirements of multiple different services on a shared network, is being studied. eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband), which is high-speed and large-capacity communication, URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications), which are low latency communications, and MIot (Massive Internet of Things), which is simultaneous multiple connection, have been already specified as types of network slices. PTL2 discloses a method in which UE can receive a desired service as a result of the UE transmitting a network slice request to a base station, and the base station responding whether or not the base station supports the network slice, for example. A mechanism, which allows the UE to select a network slice provided by the base station according to a purpose and makes the network slice available in this manner, has been studied. CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE PTL1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-534625PTL2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2020-511863 A 3GPP submission R3-186544 by Huawei entitled "Slice Requirement Assurance for IAB E2E Link" states that it is a common understanding that IAB node shall support slicing and goes onto discuss, since a path via the IAB nodes can comprise multiple hops, the need of communicating slice information to IAB nodes on the multi-hop E2E link to ensure slice requirements on the IAB E2E link. A 3GPP submission R3-185696 by Nokia et al entitled "IAB Node Integration Option 2a" describes a possible IAB-node integration procedure for architecture-2a CP. PCT patent application publication no. WO2020/000203 A1 is entitled "Dynamic Route Selection in Integrated Access and Backhaul System". The abstract describes a method including receiving, by at least one integrated access and backhaul node and donor distributed unit, routing information and preference information to reach at least one mobile terminal and the at least one donor in an integrated access and backhaul node topology. The method further includes transmitting at least one link event notification, and receiving at least one link event notification. The method also includes adapting at least one of an uplink route and a downlink route based on the preference information and the at least one link event notification. SUMMARY OF INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM The operation of network slices in communication networks such as IAB networks is not clearly specified in BAP (Backhaul Adaptation Protocol). Therefore, in the case of the IAB network, the IAB nodes directly notify lower IAB nodes and UE of NSSAI (Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) received from an IAB donor connected. Note that NSSAI is information that includes SSTs (Slice/Service types), which indicate the types of network slices that can be supported, in a list form. In such operation, an IAB node far away from an IAB donor can only make a notification of the same NSSAI as that of the IAB donor even when it does not have a configuration to support network slices supported by the IAB donor, for example. As a result, UE that receives the notification of NSSAI may not be able to provide the desired quality even when the UE selects and requests a desirable network slice. The present invention