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EP-4736395-A1 - METHODS FOR ACCESSING A SERVICE AND FOR PROVIDING SERVICES, AND CORRESPONDING TERMINAL, SERVICE FUNCTION INSTANCE AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS

EP4736395A1EP 4736395 A1EP4736395 A1EP 4736395A1EP-4736395-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing at least one service to a terminal (11) via a communication network (12) using network slices, the method involving: • selecting (1311) at least one network slice or one type of network slice suitable for routing the data associated with said at least one service, • transmitting (1312) at least one piece of information characteristic of the at least one selected network slice or type of network slice to the terminal.

Inventors

  • BOUCADAIR, MOHAMED
  • JACQUENET, CHRISTIAN

Assignees

  • ORANGE

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240625

Claims (15)

  1. [Claim 1] Method for providing at least one service to a terminal (11), via a communication network (12) implementing network slices, comprising: • the selection (1311) of at least one network slice, or a type of network slice, suitable for routing the data associated with said at least one service, • the transmission (1312), to said terminal, of at least one piece of information characteristic of said at least one network slice, or type of network slice, selected.
  2. [Claim 2] Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the transmission, to said terminal, of at least one traffic classification rule associated with said at least one selected network slice, or type of network slice.
  3. [Claim 3] Method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said information characteristic of said at least one selected network slice belongs to the group comprising: • a network slice identifier, • a network partition identifier, • a network slice type.
  4. [Claim 4] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the transmission, to said terminal, of at least one item of information relating to the traffic classification.
  5. [Claim 5] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during a communication session, it comprises verifying that the network slice used for routing a first message from said terminal to at least one service instance, called the first network slice, is suitable for providing said at least one service, and in that: • if the suitability of said first network slice is proven, said selection confirms the selection of said first network slice for the transmission of at least one second message from said terminal to said at least one service instance, during said communication session, • if the suitability of said first network slice is not proven, said selection chooses a second network slice distinct from said first network slice for the transmission of at least one second message from said terminal to said at least one service instance, during said communication session.
  6. [Claim 6] Method according to claim 5, characterized in that said first message is an access message to said at least one service, comprising a first indicator signaling that said terminal supports the routing of data via at least one network slice.
  7. [Claim 7] Method according to any one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that said at least one characteristic information is transmitted to said terminal by said at least one service instance in any message associated with said current session.
  8. [Claim 8] Method for accessing at least one service by a terminal (11), via a communication network (12) implementing network slices, comprising: • the reception (111) of at least one piece of information characteristic of at least one network slice, or a type of network slice, adapted to the routing of data associated with said at least one service, selected by at least one service instance capable of providing said at least one service to said terminal, • the transmission (113) of at least one message to said at least one service instance, via a network slice identified from said at least one characteristic information, taking into account at least one traffic classification rule associated with said identified network slice.
  9. [Claim 9] Method according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises receiving said at least one traffic classification rule from said at least one service instance, and configuring said terminal with said at least one traffic classification rule.
  10. [Claim 10] A method according to claim 8 or claim 9, characterized in that it comprises transmitting configuration instructions from at least one of the following: at least one intermediate router of said communication network with said at least one traffic classification rule.
  11. [Claim 11] Method according to any one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that it comprises updating said at least one traffic classification rule following the reception of at least one new piece of information characteristic of at least one network slice.
  12. [Claim 12] Method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that it comprises the transmission, to said at least one service instance, of a first indicator signaling that said terminal supports the routing of data via at least one network slice.
  13. [Claim 13] Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said network slices is composed of at least one local network slice deployed in at least one subnetwork of said communication network.
  14. [Claim 14] Service instance capable of providing at least one service to a terminal, via a communication network implementing network slices, comprising at least one processor configured to: • select at least one network slice, or a type of network slice, suitable for routing the data associated with said at least one service, • transmit, to said terminal, at least one piece of information characteristic of said at least one network slice, or type of network slice, selected.
  15. [Claim 15] Terminal capable of accessing at least one service, via a communication network implementing network slices, comprising at least one processor configured to: • receive at least one piece of information characteristic of at least one network slice, or a type of network slice, adapted to the routing of data associated with said at least one service, selected by at least one service instance capable of providing said at least one service to said terminal, • transmit at least one message to said at least one service instance, via a network slice identified from said at least one characteristic information, taking into account at least one traffic classification rule associated with said identified network slice. [Claim 16] Computer program comprising instructions for implementing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 when this program is executed by a processor.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Methods for accessing a service and providing services, terminal, service instance, and corresponding computer programs. 1. Technical domain [0001] The field of the invention is that of communications within at least one communications network, and in particular that of value-added IP services. [0002] More specifically, the invention relates to access to at least one service using the network slice resources of a communications network. [0003] In particular, the invention proposes a solution for selecting one or more network slices for all or part of the traffic destined for a service instance or a terminal. 2. Prior art [0004] A network slice can be defined as a partition of the network such as a virtual private network (VPN) deployed on a fixed infrastructure, mobile infrastructure, or a combination of both. [0005] The characteristics of a network slice are mainly expressed in terms of capacity (bandwidth) and quality of service (e.g. latency, one-way transit time, etc.), or even security (e.g. preservation of the confidentiality of information transmitted within the VPN by using encryption techniques) and service functions (“Service Functions (SF)”). [0006] The characteristics of a network slice are for example presented in the document “A Framework for IETF Network Slices” by A. Farrel et al., version 21 published on June 15, 2023. [0007] An example of using network slices deployed in a 5G mobile infrastructure is presented in the document “A Realization of IETF Network Slices for 5G Networks Using Current IP/MPLS Technologies” by K. G. Szarkowicz et al., version 9 published on May 23, 2023. [0008] Conventionally, traffic that may be routed within a network slice is subject to authorization (also called access control) to use the paths established within said slice. Such authorization is typically based on the application of traffic classification rules. These rules are generally applied by a network access point within which network slices have been deployed. This access point is a node located at the edge of the network and which is generally deployed in front of client accesses or used to connect a network to other networks. neighbors. For example, such an access point may be located at the connection interface of a gateway that provides access to the Internet network. This gateway is called a "packet gateway" for the most recent generations (4G, 5G) of mobile networks. In this case, the traffic classification function could be located at the connection interface of a "packet gateway" to the Internet network. The access point may also be located at the connection interface of a mobile terminal (or "User Equipment" or UE in English) to the radio access network (or "Radio Access Network" or RAN in English), in particular so as to optimize the use of radio resources according to the type of network slice and the profile of the traffic that it is likely to carry. A traffic profile is the set of characteristics specific to the traffic. These characteristics may reflect the sensitivity of applications to latency, transit delay or packet loss, but also usage practices, for example traffic that would only be generated over a given period (for example management traffic related to the execution of a scheduled equipment maintenance operation during the night). Traffic classification and admission control rules are therefore applied at the edge of the network. [0009] It should also be remembered that the 3GPP organization has defined different types of network slices, according to their characteristics: - a first type of network slices allowing the provision of an improved mobile broadband service (“Enhanced Mobile BroadBand” or EMBB in English); - a second type of network slices enabling a service to be offered as part of a (massive) deployment of the Internet of Things (massive Internet of Things or mloT in English); and - a third type of network slices enabling the provision of an ultra-reliable, low-latency communications service (“Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications” or URLLC in English). [0010] The choice to design and deploy one or the other of these types of network slice is conditioned by the nature of the traffic characteristic of the applications or services used or subscribed to by a user. For example, a so-called “immersive” service that uses augmented or virtual reality techniques is generally very demanding in terms of latency and reliability of data exchanges: the use of URLLC type slices is therefore preferred for an immersive service of this type. [0011] It is further noted that the traffic classification rules can be complex, because the level of granularity associated with the engineering and deployment of a network slice can be macroscopic (for example a network slice deployed to route traffic to the Internet), or microscopic (for example a network slice deployed for application traffic exchanged between two mobile terminals). [0012] This granular