Systems and methods for managing network traffic with a network operator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019379609-A1
Application number	US-201916448429-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Jun 1, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for managing network slice enabled traffic on a communications network is disclosed. The network slice is instantiated on the communications network for providing connectivity resources to a network operator using the communications network. The method comprises measuring a traffic level indicative of the traffic enabled by the network slice; and adjusting the traffic enabled by the network slice in accordance with the traffic level and a network operator enabled function associated with the network slice.

First claim

1 .- 16 . (canceled)

17 . A method for assuring Service Level Agreement (SLA) compliance in a network slice, the method comprising:
receiving a traffic level analysis indicative that the traffic carried within the network slice meets a condition, the traffic including a plurality of flows; determining that the received traffic level analysis is indicative of an unwanted traffic profile; and transmitting an instruction to a traffic controlling function associated with the network slice, the instruction comprising a modified traffic management parameter that prioritizes at least one of the plurality of flows to adjust the unwanted traffic profile within the slice.

18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving a traffic management parameter from a network operator.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the traffic management parameter comprises a threshold and actions that are taken under the unwanted traffic profile.

20 . The method of claim 17 further comprising examining an SLA to define the unwanted traffic profile, the SLA being associated with the network slice and established between a service provider and a network operator.

21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the network operator is an administrative entity which is different from the service provider.

22 . The method of claim 17 further comprising requesting that a network operator modify the SLA to change the quantity of resources or the traffic demand included in the SLA as assigned for the network slice.

23 . The method of claim 17 wherein the traffic level analysis comprises an indication of charges to be incurred by the network operator, the modified traffic management parameters in response to the charges.

24 . The method of claim 17 further comprising determining a policy that defines the unwanted traffic profile.

25 . The method of claim 24 wherein the unwanted traffic profile comprises a resource usage parameter or a threshold of traffic that may be generated by the network slice.

26 . The method of claim 17 wherein the adjustment of the unwanted traffic profile comprises blocking the at least one of the plurality of flows.

27 . A network function for managing traffic on a communications network corresponding to user equipment associated with a network operator, the network function comprising:
a processor; an input interface for receiving an indication of an unwanted traffic profile indicative of the traffic corresponding to the user equipment, and parameters from the network operator for adjusting the traffic on the communications network in accordance with the traffic, wherein the traffic corresponding to the user equipment comprises a plurality of flows; an output interface for transmitting messages to a network functions function; and a non-transient memory storing instructions processor-executable code that when executed by the processor causes the network function to transmit, over the output interface, an instruction to a traffic enforcement function to modify traffic management parameters to adjust a traffic profile within the slice in accordance with the indication, the instruction further including a modified traffic management parameter to prioritize at least one of the plurality of flows.

28 . The network function of claim 27 wherein the indication comprises instructions processor-executable code to cause the network function to receive a second indication that the traffic has been compared to threshold, that the traffic met the threshold, and that an instruction had been transmitted to the user equipment to reduce the traffic corresponding to the user equipment.

29 . A system for managing traffic on a communications network corresponding to user equipment associated with a network operator, the system comprising:
a slice traffic monitoring function monitoring traffic within a network slice to produce a traffic level measurement, the traffic including a plurality of flows; a traffic analysis module receiving the traffic level measurement and determining a change in a traffic level associated with a plurality of devices within the network slice; a network operator response function receiving the indication and determining an instruction in response to the change in the traffic level, the instruction including a modified traffic management parameter that prioritizes at least one of the plurality of flows; and a network controller receiving the instruction to adjust the unwanted traffic profile within the slice.

30 . The system in claim 29 further comprising a policy enforcement and charging function receiving the change in the traffic level and determining if the change in the traffic level is indicative of an unwanted traffic profile and providing the indication to the network operator response function;

31 . The system of claim 29 wherein the network operation response function receives a traffic management parameter from a network operator, the traffic management parameter comprising a threshold and an action that the network operation response function will take based on the indication.

32 . The system of claim 31 wherein the threshold is related to fees charged to the network operator for use of the network slice.

33 . The system of claim 29 wherein the instruction instructs the blocking of at least one of the plurality of flows.

34 . The system of claim 29 wherein the instruction instructs at least one of the user equipment to reduce the traffic carried within the network slice.

35 . The system of claim 29 wherein the instruction instructs the acquisition of additional connectivity resources for the network slice from the communications network.

36 . The system of claim 29 wherein the network operator response function is controlled by the network operator to provision traffic associated with the user equipment operating via the network slice.

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Senarath Nimal Gamini
• Zhang Hang
• Vrzic Sophie

Classifications

• H04L41/14

  Network analysis or design · CPC title

• H04L41/5087

  wherein the managed service relates to voice services (management of VoIP services H04M7/0081) · CPC title

• H04L47/41 Primary

  by acting on aggregated flows or links · CPC title

• H04L43/0876

  Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level · CPC title

• H04L47/822

  Collecting or measuring resource availability data · CPC title