System and Method for Virtualized Functions in Control and Data Planes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016353367-A1
Application number	US-201615169444-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2016
Priority date	Jun 1, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating network slices in a communication network such as a 5 th generation wireless communication network are provided. Mobile device attach requests can be handled in which an appropriate network slice is selected for attaching the mobile device to. Customer service requests can be handled using existing network slices or by instantiating new network slices as needed. Mobile devices can be associated to new network slices due to roaming. Network slices can be monitored and scaled as required to maintain performance. Cloud resource assignment, mobile device power management, traffic engineering and flow management operations are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for managing a request in a communication network, the method comprising:
receiving the request by a global connection and mobility management (G-CMM) function in the communication network; determining if the request can be accommodated using one of a plurality of pre-existing network slices of the communication network; and instantiating a new network slice to accommodate the request when the request cannot be accommodated using any of the plurality of pre-existing network slices.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is a customer service request.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is a request to change attachment status of a mobile device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring one or more performance metrics indicative of performance of the plurality of network slices and the new network slice; and scaling at least one of the plurality of network slices and the new network slice based on the measured one or more performance metrics.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein instantiating the new network slice comprises:
using a traffic engineering function instantiated for the network slice, performing path computations to determine paths and capacity bounds for links between source nodes and destination nodes of the new network slice, wherein packets are transmitted along the determined paths; splitting flows along the determined paths using a flow management function instantiated for the network slice; and causing the determined capacity bounds to be respected.

6 . A method for managing a mobile device attach request in a communication network having a plurality of network slices, the method comprising:
instantiating a global connection and mobility management (G-CMM) function in the communication network, the G-CMM function configured to operate across the plurality of network slices; selecting a network slice from the plurality of network slices with the G-CMM function; and attaching the mobile device to the network slice.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the communication network comprises an access node, the mobile device is associated with the access node, and the G-CMM function determines and attaches the mobile device to the network slice using extended capabilities of the access node.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
instantiating a local connection management (CM) function in the network slice; determining a cloud candidate set for the mobile device using the local CM function; and communicatively coupling the mobile device to the cloud candidate set.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the network slice is selected based at least in part on a determination that the mobile device is in a coverage area of the network slice.

10 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
instantiating a local connection management (CM) function in the network slice; determining power savings operating parameters for the mobile device using the CM function; and operating the mobile device according to the power savings operating parameters.

11 . A connection management apparatus in a communication network having a plurality of network slices, the apparatus comprising a microprocessor operatively coupled to a network interface and configured, in response to a request to:
determine if the request can be accommodated using one of a plurality of pre-existing network slices of the communication network; and instantiate a new network slice to accommodate the request when the request cannot be accommodated using any of the plurality of pre-existing network slices.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the request is a customer service request.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the request is a request to change attachment status of a mobile device.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , the apparatus further configured to:
obtain one or more performance metrics indicative of performance of the plurality of network slices and the new network slice; and scale at least one of: the plurality of network slices; and the new network slice, based on the measured one or more performance metrics, wherein measuring of the one or more performance metrics is performed by a connection and mobility manager portion of the apparatus instantiated in at least one of the one or more network slices.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a traffic engineering function instantiated for the network slice, the traffic engineering function configured to perform path computations to determine paths and capacity bounds for links between source nodes and destination nodes of the new network slice, wherein packets are transmitted along the determined paths; and a flow management function instantiated for the network slice, the flow management function configured to split flows along the determined paths using a flow management function instantiated for the network slice.

16 . A connection management apparatus in a communication network having a plurality of network slices, the apparatus comprising a microprocessor operatively coupled to a network interface and configured, in response to an attach request from a mobile device to:
select a network slice from a plurality of network slices; and transmit instructions, via the network interface to at least one node of the communication network, to attach the mobile device to the network slice.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the communication network comprises an access node, the mobile device is associated with the access node, and the connection management apparatus is integrated with the access node and determines and attaches the mobile device to the appropriate network slice using extended capabilities of the access node.

18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:
a local connection management (CM) function instantiated in the network slice, the local CM function configured to: determine a cloud candidate set for the mobile device; and communicatively couple the mobile device to the cloud candidate set.

19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the network slice is selected based at least in part on a determination by the connection management apparatus that the mobile device is in a coverage area of the network slice.

20 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a local connection management (CM) function instantiated in the network slice, the local CM function configured to determine power savings operating parameters for the mobile device using the CM function, wherein the mobile device is operated according to the determined power savings operating parameters.

Assignees

• Vrzic Sophie
• Zhang Hang
• Senarath Nimal Gamini
• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Vrzic Sophie
• Zhang Hang
• Senarath Nimal Gamini

Classifications

• H04W72/29

  between an access point and the access point controlling device · CPC title

• H04W8/02

  Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks · CPC title

• H04W28/0247

  based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network (central resource management H04W28/16) · CPC title

• H04W28/0221

  power availability or consumption · CPC title

• H04W48/18 Primary

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title