Systems and methods of selective network slice admission control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025071574-A1
Application number	US-202318452685-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 21, 2023
Priority date	Aug 21, 2023
Publication date	Feb 27, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods provide a selective network slice admission control (NSAC) service on a per user equipment (UE) device level, and include manage select NSAC criteria related to a first limit to a number of user equipment (UE) devices and a second limit to a number of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions supportable on a network slice; receive an indication that a first UE device requests a first PDU session on the network slice; apply at least one of the select NSAC criteria to the first UE device and/or the first PDU session; determine, based on the application, that the first UE device is countable toward the first limit and/or the first PDU session is countable toward the second limit; and generate an NSAC update response message indicating that the first UE device and/or the first PDU session is countable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
provisioning a network device with select network slice admission control (NSAC) criteria related to a first limit to a number of user equipment (UE) devices and a second limit to a number of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions supportable on a network slice; receiving, by the network device, an indication that a first UE device requests a first PDU session on the network slice; applying, by the network device, at least one of the select NSAC criteria to at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session; determining, by the network device and based on the applying, that at least one of the first UE device is countable toward the first limit or the first PDU session is countable toward the second limit; and generating, by the network device, an NSAC update response message indicating that the at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session is countable.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subscribing to a selective NSAC criteria service, for a data type, which indicates the select NSAC criteria corresponding to a network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) identifier.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, applying the at least one of the one or more select NSAC criteria, comprises:
comparing fewer than all of the one or more select NSAC criteria when a match is determined for a first criterion.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, determining that at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session is countable, comprises:
determining that results of the applying indicate that two or more of the select NSAC criteria are satisfied for the at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
incrementing a current number of registered UE devices or established PDU sessions.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the select NSAC criteria comprise at least one of:
a radio access technology (RAT)/frequency selection priority (RFSP) index; a data network name (DNN); a session and service continuity (SSC) mode; an always-on PDU session type; or location information associated with the UE device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the network device comprises at least one of:
a network data analytics function (NWDAF), a network slice admission control function (NSACF), a session management function (SMF), or an access and mobility management function (AMF).

8 . A system, comprising:
one or more network devices configured to:
manage select network slice admission control (NSAC) criteria related to a first limit to a number of user equipment (UE) devices and a second limit to a number of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions supportable on a network slice;
receive an indication that a first UE device requests a first PDU session on the network slice;
apply at least one of the select NSAC criteria to at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session;
determine, based on the application, that at least one of the first UE device is countable toward the first limit or the first PDU session is countable toward the second limit; and
generate an NSAC update response message indicating that the at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session is countable.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more network devices are further configured to:
subscribe to a selective NSAC criteria service, for a data type, which indicates the select NSAC criteria corresponding to a network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) identifier.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more network devices are further configured to:
compare fewer than all of the one or more select NSAC criteria when a match is determined for a first criterion.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein, to determine that at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session is countable, the one or more network devices are further configured to:
determine that results of the applying indicate that two or more of the select NSAC criteria are satisfied for the at least one of the first UE device or the second PDU session.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more network devices are further configured to:
increment a current number of registered UE devices or established PDU sessions.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the select NSAC criteria comprises at least one of:
a radio access technology (RAT)/frequency selection priority (RFSP) index; a data network name (DNN); a session and service continuity (SSC) mode; an always-on PDU session type; or location information associated with the UE device.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more network devices comprise at least one of:
a network data analytics function (NWDAF), a network slice admission control function (NSACF), a session management function (SMF), or an access and mobility management function (AMF).

15 . A non-transitory, computer-readable storage media storing instructions, which, when executed by processors of a network device, cause the network device to:
manage select network slice admission control (NSAC) criteria related to a first limit to a number of user equipment (UE) devices and a second limit to a number of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions supportable on a network slice; receive an indication that a first UE device requests a first PDU session on the network slice; apply at least one of the select NSAC criteria to at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session; determine, based on the application, that at least one of the first UE device is countable toward the first limit or the first PDU session is countable toward the second limit; and generate an NSAC update response message indicating that the at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session is countable.

16 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , further comprising instructions to cause the network device to:
compare fewer than all of the one or more select NSAC criteria when a match is determined for a first criterion.

17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein, to determine that at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session is countable, the instructions to cause the network device to:
determine that the results of the application indicate that two or more of the select NSAC criteria are satisfied for the at least one of the first UE device or the first PDU session.

18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , further comprising instructions to cause the network device to:
increment a current number of registered UE devices or established PDU sessions.

19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the select NSAC criteria comprises at least one of:
a radio access technology (RAT)/frequency selection priority (RFSP) index; a data network name (DNN); a session and service continuity (SSC) mode; an always-on PDU session type; or location information for the UE device.

20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the network device comprises at least one of:
a network data analytics function (NWDAF), a network slice admission control function (NSACF), a session management function (SMF), or an access and mobility management function (AMF).

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Cakulev Violeta
• Yan Lixia
• Steben Jerry
• PATIL Sudhakar Reddy

Classifications

• H04W48/18

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W24/02 Primary

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title