Dynamic resource allocation for network slices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024251295-A1
Application number	US-202318101136-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 25, 2023
Priority date	Jan 25, 2023
Publication date	Jul 25, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for dynamic resource slice allocation are provided. A bidding engine dynamically tracks available network slices and available edge computing resources to generate a current list of resource slices corresponding to combinations of available network slices and available edge computing resources. A bidding auction is conducted for the current list of resource slices. A user equipment device is determined to be a winner of the bidding auction for a resource slice based upon a bidding request from the user equipment device. In this way, the user equipment device is provide with access to the resource slice based upon a determination that the user equipment device won the bidding auction.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method, comprising:
dynamically tracking, by a bidding engine, available network slices and available edge computing resources; generating, by the bidding engine, a current list of resource slices corresponding to combinations of available network slices and available edge computing resources; conducting a bidding auction associated with the current list of resource slices to determine whether a user equipment device obtains access to a resource slice based upon dynamically identified demand for the resource slice; receiving a bidding request from the user equipment device identifying the resource slice; determining that the user equipment device wins the bidding auction for the resource slice based on the bidding request; and providing the user equipment device with access to the resource slice based upon determining that the user equipment device wins the bidding auction.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing the user equipment device with access to the resource slice comprises providing the user equipment device access to a network slice associated with the resource slice.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
transmitting, by a policy control function, an updated network slice list to the user equipment device, wherein the updated network slice list includes the network slice associated with the resource slice.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the updated network slice list is included in a User Route Selection Policy (URSP) update to the user equipment device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing the user equipment device with access to the resource slice comprises providing the user equipment device with edge computing resources associated with the resource slice.

6 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
dynamically identifying the demand for the resource slice based upon a current demand for the resource slice during a timeframe associated with receiving the bidding request.

7 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
dynamically identifying the demand for the resource slice based upon an event corresponding to a timeframe during which the user equipment device is scheduling access to the available resource slices.

8 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
dynamically identifying the demand for the resource slice based upon a number of user equipment devices submitting bidding requests specifying characteristics corresponding to the resource slice.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the demand is dynamically identified based upon bid values of the bidding requests of the user equipment devices.

10 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
dynamically identifying the current list of resource slices and the demand during a timeframe corresponding to receiving the request and the bidding request from the user equipment device.

11 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving a request from the user equipment device for available resource slices corresponding to characteristics specified by the user equipment device; and generating the current list of resource slices to include resource slices having characteristics specified by the request from the user equipment device.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bidding engine takes into account geographical proximity of the user equipment device to edge computing sites hosting the edge computing resources.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bidding engine is implemented to perform efficient and optimized resource allocation by dynamically allocating the combinations of the network slices and the edge computing resources to user equipment devices based upon real-time demand for the combinations of the network slices and the edge computing resources.

14 . A system, comprising:
memory storing instructions; and one or more processors configured for executing the instructions to perform operations comprising:
dynamically tracking, by a bidding engine, available network slices and available edge computing resources;
generating, by the bidding engine, a current list of resource slices corresponding to combinations of available network slices and available edge computing resources;
conducting a bidding auction associated with the current list of resource slices to determine whether a user equipment device obtains access to a resource slice based upon dynamically identified demand for the resource slice;
receiving a bidding request from the user equipment device identifying the resource slice;
determining that the user equipment device wins the bidding auction for the resource slice based on the bidding request; and
providing the user equipment device with access to the resource slice based upon determining that the user equipment device wins the bidding auction.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations comprise:
utilizing maximum bid values from user equipment devices for determining a winner user equipment device, wherein the user equipment device is determined to be the winner user equipment device.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the user equipment device is determined to be a winner user equipment device, and wherein the operations comprise:
determining a runner-up user equipment device of the bidding auction for the resource slice; and providing the runner-up user equipment device with access to an alternative resource slice.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein at least one of a distance between the runner-up user equipment device and the alternative resource slice is greater than a distance between the runner-up user equipment device and the resource slice, an allocation of graphics processing units for the runner-up user equipment is less than an allocation of graphics processing units for the winner user equipment device, or an allocation of central processing units for the runner-up user equipment is less than an allocation of central processing units for the winner user equipment device.

18 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed facilitate performance of operations comprising:
dynamically tracking, by a bidding engine, available network slices and available edge computing resources; generating, by the bidding engine, a current list of resource slices corresponding to combinations of available network slices and available edge computing resources; conducting a bidding auction associated with the current list of resource slices to determine whether a user equipment device obtains access to a resource slice based upon dynamically identified demand for the resource slice; receiving a bidding request from the user equipment device identifying the resource slice; determining that the user equipment device wins the bidding auction for the resource slice based on the bidding request; and providing the user equipment device with access to the resource slice based upon determining that the user equipment device wins the bidding auction.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the operations comprise:
dynamically identifying the demand for the resource slice based upon a number of user equipment devices submitting bidding requests specifying characteristics corresponding to the resource slice and bid values of the bidding requests.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the user equipment device is determined to be a winner user equipment device, and wherein the operations comprise:
determining a runner

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Ng Mason
• Xu Kevin

Classifications

• H04W28/16 Primary

  Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service] · CPC title

• H04W48/16 Primary

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title