WO2025149497A1 - Gestion d'utilisation de relais multiples - Google Patents

Gestion d'utilisation de relais multiples

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Publication number
WO2025149497A1
WO2025149497A1 PCT/EP2025/050283 EP2025050283W WO2025149497A1 WO 2025149497 A1 WO2025149497 A1 WO 2025149497A1 EP 2025050283 W EP2025050283 W EP 2025050283W WO 2025149497 A1 WO2025149497 A1 WO 2025149497A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
relay
message
multihop
relaying
service
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/EP2025/050283
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Sungduck Chun
Kyungmin Park
Esmael Hejazi Dinan
Henrik Andreas Normann
Peyman TALEBI FARD
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Koninklijke Philips NV
Original Assignee
Koninklijke Philips NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Koninklijke Philips NV filed Critical Koninklijke Philips NV
Priority to CN202580008888.XA priority Critical patent/CN122556136A/zh
Publication of WO2025149497A1 publication Critical patent/WO2025149497A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W88/00—Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
    • H04W88/02—Terminal devices
    • H04W88/04—Terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W40/00—Communication routing or communication path finding
    • H04W40/02—Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
    • H04W40/22—Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W84/00—Network topologies
    • H04W84/02—Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
    • H04W84/04—Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
    • H04W84/042—Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
    • H04W84/047—Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems using dedicated repeater stations

Definitions

  • This invention relates to wireless communication, such as cellular communication networks.
  • the invention relates to some protocols to establish or initiate communication with a relayed architecture.
  • the invention aims at improving the relay management in a communication network.
  • a method comprising: receiving, by a first wireless relay device from a network function, a second message: authorizing multihop relaying of a service; and indicating a relay service code, RSC, for the service; and sending, by the first wireless relay device to a second wireless relay device and based on the second message, a sidelink connection request message requesting multihop relaying for the RSC.
  • the method further comprises sending by the first wireless relay device, a sidelink release request, based on direct connection to a cell being available.
  • the method may further comprise sending by the first wireless relay device to the remote wireless device, an indication that multihop relaying is not used. Additionally, the method may comprise sending by the first wireless relay device to the remote wireless device, a configuration message indicating modification of PC5 QoS parameter.
  • FIG. 13 illustrates examples of components of the elements in a communications network.
  • FIG. 14 A, FIG. 14B, FIG. 14C, and FIG. 14D illustrate various examples of physical core network deployments, each having one or more network functions or portions thereof.
  • FIG. 15 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 16 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 20 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 21 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 22 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 23 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 24 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 26 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 27 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 28 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • Embodiments may be configured to operate as needed.
  • the disclosed mechanism may be performed when certain criteria are met, for example, in a wireless device, a base station, a radio environment, a network, a combination of the above, and/or the like.
  • Example criteria may be based, at least in part, on for example, wireless device or network node configurations, traffic load, initial system set up, packet sizes, traffic characteristics, a combination of the above, and/or the like. When the one or more criteria are met, various example embodiments may be applied. Therefore, it may be possible to implement example embodiments that selectively implement disclosed protocols.
  • phrases “based on”, “in response to”, “depending on”, “employing”, “using”, and similar phrases indicate the presence and/or influence of a particular factor and/or condition on an event and/or action, but do not exclude unenumerated factors and/or conditions from also being present and/or influencing the event and/or action. For example, if action X is performed “based on” condition Y, this is to be interpreted as the action being performed “based at least on” condition Y. For example, if the performance of action X is performed when conditions Y and Z are both satisfied, then the performing of action X may be described as being “based on Y”.
  • the term “configured” may relate to the capacity of a device whether the device is in an operational or non-operational state. Configured may refer to specific settings in a device that effect the operational characteristics of the device whether the device is in an operational or non- operational state. In other words, the hardware, software, firmware, registers, memory values, and/or the like may be “configured” within a device, whether the device is in an operational or nonoperational state, to provide the device with specific characteristics. Terms such as “a control message to cause in a device” may mean that a control message has parameters that may be used to configure specific characteristics or may be used to implement certain actions in the device, whether the device is in an operational or non-operational state.
  • Evolved Node B 4G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E- UTRA) standards may use the term Evolved Node B (eNB).
  • 5G and/or New Radio (NR) standards may describe AN 102 as a next-generation radio access network (NG-RAN) and may refer to base stations as Next Generation eNB (ng-eNB) and/or Generation Node B (gNB).
  • Future standards for example, 6G, 7G, 8G may use new terminology to refer to the elements which implement the methods described in the present disclosure (e.g., wireless devices, base stations, ANs, CNs, and/or components thereof).
  • a base station may include one or more sets of antennas for communicating with the wireless device 101 over the air interface. Each set of antennas may be separately controlled by the base station. Each set of antennas may have a corresponding coverage area. As an example, a base station may include three sets of antennas to respectively control three coverage areas on three different sides of the base station. The entirety of the base station (and its corresponding antennas) may be deployed at a single location. Alternatively, a controller at a central location may control one or more sets of antennas at one or more distributed locations. The controller may be, for example, a baseband processing unit that is part of a centralized or cloud RAN architecture. The baseband processing unit may be either centralized in a pool of baseband processing units or virtualized. A set of antennas at a distributed location may be referred to as a remote radio head (RRH).
  • RRH remote radio head
  • the 5G-CN 155 may authenticate UEs 151, set up end-to-end connections between UEs 151 and the one or more DNs 158, and provide charging functionality.
  • the 5G-CN 155 may be based on a service-based architecture, in which the NFs making up the 5G-CN 155 offer services to each other and to other elements of the communication network 150 via interfaces.
  • the 5G- CN 155 may include any number of other NFs and any number of instances of each NF.
  • FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 2C, and FIG. 2D illustrate various examples of a framework for a service-based architecture within a core network.
  • a service may be sought by a service consumer and provided by a service producer.
  • an NF may determine where such a service can be obtained.
  • the NF may communicate with a network repository function (NRF).
  • NRF network repository function
  • an NF that provides one or more services may register with a network repository function (NRF).
  • the NRF may store data relating to the one or more services that the NF is prepared to provide to other NFs in the service-based architecture.
  • a consumer NF may query the NRF to discover a producer NF (for example, by obtaining from the NRF a list of NF instances that provide a particular service).
  • FIG. 2C illustrates examples of subscribe-notify interactions between a consumer NF and a producer NF.
  • an NF 251 sends a subscription 261 to an NF 252.
  • An NF 253 sends a subscription 262 to the NF 252.
  • Two NFs are shown in FIG. 2C for illustrative purposes (to demonstrate that the NF 252 may provide multiple subscription services to different NFs), but it will be understood that a subscribe-notify interaction only requires one subscriber.
  • the NFs 251, 253 may be independent from one another. For example, the NFs 251, 253 may independently discover NF 252 and/or independently determine to subscribe to the service offered by NF 252.
  • the NF 251 may request a notification when a certain parameter, as measured by the NF 252, exceeds a first threshold, and the NF 252 may request a notification when the parameter exceeds a second threshold different from the first threshold.
  • a parameter of interest and/or a corresponding threshold may be indicated in the subscriptions 261, 262.
  • the NFs depicted in FIG. 3 include a user plane function (UPF) 305, an access and mobility management function (AMF) 312, a session management function (SMF) 314, a policy control function (PCF) 320, a network repository function (NRF) 330, a network exposure function (NEF) 340, a unified data management (UDM) 350, an authentication server function (AUSF) 360, a network slice selection function (NSSF) 370, a charging function (CHF) 380, a network data analytics function (NWDAF) 390, and an application function (AF) 399.
  • UPF user plane function
  • AMF access and mobility management function
  • SMF session management function
  • PCF policy control function
  • NRF network repository function
  • NEF network exposure function
  • UDM unified data management
  • AUSF authentication server function
  • NSSF network slice selection function
  • CHF charging function
  • NWDAF network data analytics function
  • AF application function
  • the UPF 305 may be a user-plane core network function, whereas the NFs 312, 314, and 320-390 may be control-plane core network functions.
  • the core network may include additional instances of any of the NFs depicted and/or one or more different NF types that provide different services.
  • Other examples of NF type include a gateway mobile location center (GMLC), a location management function (LMF), an operations, administration, and maintenance function (0AM), a public warning system (PWS), a short message service function (SMSF), a unified data repository (UDR), and an unstructured data storage function (UDSF).
  • Each element depicted in FIG. 3 has an interface with at least one other element.
  • the interface may be a logical connection rather than, for example, a direct physical connection.
  • Any interface may be identified using a reference point representation and/or a service-based representation.
  • the letter ‘N’ is followed by a numeral, indicating an interface between two specific elements. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, AN 302 and UPF 305 interface via ‘N3’, whereas UPF 305 and DN 308 interface via ‘N6’.
  • the letter ‘N’ is followed by letters.
  • the letters identify an NF that provides services to the core network.
  • PCF 320 may provide services via interface ‘Npcf .
  • the PCF 320 may provide services to any NF in the core network via ‘Npcf . Accordingly, a service-based representation may correspond to a bundle of reference point representations.
  • the Npcf interface between PCF 320 and the core network generally may correspond to an N7 interface between PCF 320 and SMF 314, an N30 interface between PCF 320 and NEF 340, etc.
  • the UPF 305 may serve as a gateway for user plane traffic between AN 302 and DN 308.
  • the UE 301 may connect to UPF 305 via a Uu interface and an N3 interface (also described as NG-U interface).
  • the UPF 305 may connect to DN 308 via an N6 interface.
  • the UPF 305 may connect to one or more other UPFs (not shown) via an N9 interface.
  • the UE 301 may be configured to receive services through a protocol data unit (PDU) session, which is a logical connection between UE 301 and DN 308.
  • PDU protocol data unit
  • the UPF 305 (or a plurality of UPFs if desired) may be selected by SMF 314 to handle a particular PDU session between UE 301 and DN 308.
  • the SMF 314 may control the functions of UPF 305 with respect to the PDU session.
  • the SMF 314 may connect to UPF 305 via an N4 interface.
  • the UPF 305 may handle any number of PDU sessions associated with any number of UEs (via any number of ANs). For purposes of handling the one or more PDU sessions, UPF 305 may be controlled by any number of SMFs via any number of corresponding N4 interfaces.
  • the AMF 312 depicted in FIG. 3 may control UE access to the core network.
  • the UE 301 may register with the network via AMF 312. It may be necessary for UE 301 to register prior to establishing a PDU session.
  • the AMF 312 may manage a registration area of UE 301, enabling the network to track the physical location of UE 301 within the network.
  • AMF 312 may manage UE mobility, for example, handovers from one AN or portion thereof to another.
  • AMF 312 may perform registration updates and/or page the UE to transition the UE to connected mode.
  • the SMF 314 depicted in FIG. 3 may establish, modify, and/or release a PDU session based on messaging received UE 301.
  • the SMF 314 may allocate, manage, and/or assign an IP address to UE 301, for example, upon establishment of a PDU session.
  • a UE with multiple PDU sessions may be associated with a different SMF for each PDU session.
  • SMF 314 may select one or more UPFs to handle a PDU session and may control the handling of the PDU session by the selected UPF by providing rules for packet handling (PDR, FAR, QER, etc.).
  • Rules relating to QoS and/or charging for a particular PDU session may be obtained from PCF 320 and provided to UPF 305.
  • the PCF 320 may provide, to other NF s, services relating to policy rules.
  • the PCF 320 may use subscription data and information about network conditions to determine policy rules and then provide the policy rules to a particular NF which may be responsible for enforcement of those rules.
  • Policy rules may relate to policy control for access and mobility, and may be enforced by the AMF.
  • Policy rules may relate to session management, and may be enforced by the SMF 314.
  • Policy rules may be, for example, network-specific, wireless device-specific, session-specific, or data flow-specific.
  • the NRF 330 may provide service discovery.
  • the NRF 330 may belong to a particular PLMN.
  • the NRF 330 may maintain NF profiles relating to other NFs in the communication network 300.
  • the NF profile may include, for example, an address, PLMN, and/or type of the NF, a slice identifier, a list of the one or more services provided by the NF, and the authorization required to access the services.
  • the NEF 340 depicted in FIG. 3 may provide an interface to external domains, permitting external domains to selectively access the control plane of the communication network 300.
  • the external domain may comprise, for example, third-party network functions, application functions, etc.
  • the NEF 340 may act as a proxy between external elements and network functions such as AMF 312, SMF 314, PCF 320, UDM 350, etc.
  • NEF 340 may determine a location or reachability status of UE 301 based on reports from AMF 312, and provide status information to an external element.
  • an external element may provide, via NEF 340, information that facilitates the setting of parameters for establishment of a PDU session.
  • the NEF 340 may determine which data and capabilities of the control plane are exposed to the external domain.
  • the NEF 340 may provide secure exposure that authenticates and/or authorizes an external entity to which data or capabilities of the communication network 300 are exposed.
  • the NEF 340 may selectively control the exposure such that the internal architecture of the core network is hidden from the external domain.
  • the AUSF 360 may support mutual authentication of UE 301 by the core network and authentication of the core network by UE 301.
  • the AUSF 360 may perform key agreement procedures and provide keying material that can be used to improve security.
  • the NSSF 370 may select one or more network slices to be used by the UE 301.
  • the NSSF 370 may select a slice based on slice selection information.
  • the NSSF 370 may receive Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI) and map the S-NSSAI to a network slice instance identifier (NSI).
  • S-NSSAI Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information
  • NSI network slice instance identifier
  • the CHF 380 may control billing-related tasks associated with UE 301.
  • UPF 305 may report traffic usage associated with UE 301 to SMF 314.
  • the SMF 314 may collect usage data from UPF 305 and one or more other UPFs. The usage data may indicate how much data is exchanged, what DN the data is exchanged with, a network slice associated with the data, or any other information that may influence billing.
  • the SMF 314 may share the collected usage data with the CHF.
  • the CHF may use the collected usage data to perform billing-related tasks associated with UE 301.
  • the CHF may, depending on the billing status of UE 301, instruct SMF 314 to limit or influence access of UE 301 and/or to provide billing-related notifications to UE 301.
  • the NWDAF 390 may collect and analyze data from other network functions and offer data analysis services to other network functions. As an example, NWDAF 390 may collect data relating to a load level for a particular network slice instance from UPF 305, AMF 312, and/or SMF 314. Based on the collected data, NWDAF 390 may provide load level data to the PCF 320 and/or NSSF 370, and/or notify the PC220 and/or NSSF 370 if load level for a slice reaches and/or exceeds a load level threshold.
  • the AF 399 may be outside the core network, but may interact with the core network to provide information relating to the QoS requirements or traffic routing preferences associated with a particular application.
  • the AF 399 may access the core network based on the exposure constraints imposed by the NEF 340. However, an operator of the core network may consider the AF 399 to be a trusted domain that can access the network directly.
  • FIGS. 4 A, 4B, and 5 illustrate other examples of core network architectures that are analogous in some respects to the core network architecture 300 depicted in FIG. 3. For conciseness, some of the core network elements depicted in FIG. 3 are omitted. Many of the elements depicted in FIGS. 4 A, 4B, and 5 are analogous in some respects to elements depicted in FIG. 3. For conciseness, some of the details relating to their functions or operation are omitted. [0108] FIG. 4A illustrates an example of a core network architecture 400A comprising an arrangement of multiple UPFs. Core network architecture 400 A includes a UE 401, an AN 402, an AMF 412, and an SMF 414.
  • FIG. 4A depicts multiple UPFs, including a UPF 405, a UPF 406, and a UPF 407, and multiple DNs, including a DN 408 and a DN 409.
  • Each of the multiple UPFs 405, 406, 407 may communicate with the SMF 414 via an N4 interface.
  • the DNs 408, 409 communicate with the UPFs 405, 406, respectively, via N6 interfaces.
  • the multiple UPFs 405, 406, 407 may communicate with one another via N9 interfaces.
  • the UPFs 405, 406, 407 may perform traffic detection, in which the UPFs identify and/or classify packets. Packet identification may be performed based on packet detection rules (PDR) provided by the SMF 414.
  • PDR packet detection rules
  • a PDR may include packet detection information comprising one or more of: a source interface, a UE IP address, core network (CN) tunnel information (e.g., a CN address of an N3/N9 tunnel corresponding to a PDU session), a network instance identifier, a quality of service flow identifier (QFI), a filter set (for example, an IP packet filter set or an ethemet packet filter set), and/or an application identifier.
  • CN core network
  • QFI quality of service flow identifier
  • filter set for example, an IP packet filter set or an ethemet packet filter set
  • an application identifier for example, an IP packet filter set or an ethemet packet filter set
  • a PDR may further indicate rules for handling the packet upon detection thereof.
  • the rules may include, for example, forwarding action rules (FARs), multi-access rules (MARs), usage reporting rules (URRs), QoS enforcement rules (QERs), etc.
  • FARs forwarding action rules
  • MARs multi-access rules
  • URRs usage reporting rules
  • QERs QoS enforcement rules
  • the PDR may comprise one or more FAR identifiers, MAR identifiers, URR identifiers, and/or QER identifiers. These identifiers may indicate the rules that are prescribed for the handling of a particular detected packet.
  • the UPF 405 may perform traffic forwarding in accordance with a FAR.
  • the FAR may indicate that a packet associated with a particular PDR is to be forwarded, duplicated, dropped, and/or buffered.
  • the FAR may indicate a destination interface, for example, “access” for downlink or “core” for uplink.
  • the FAR may indicate a buffering action rule (BAR).
  • BAR buffering action rule
  • UPF 405 may perform data buffering of a certain number of downlink packets if a PDU session is deactivated.
  • the UPF 405 may perform QoS enforcement in accordance with a QER.
  • the QER may indicate a guaranteed bitrate that is authorized and/or a maximum bitrate to be enforced for a packet associated with a particular PDR.
  • the QER may indicate that a particular guaranteed and/or maximum bitrate may be for uplink packets and/or downlink packets.
  • the UPF 405 may mark packets belonging to a particular QoS flow with a corresponding QFI. The marking may enable a recipient of the packet to determine a QoS of the packet.
  • the UPF 405 may provide usage reports to the SMF 414 in accordance with a URR.
  • the URR may indicate one or more triggering conditions for generation and reporting of the usage report, for example, immediate reporting, periodic reporting, a threshold for incoming uplink traffic, or any other suitable triggering condition.
  • the URR may indicate a method for measuring usage of network resources, for example, data volume, duration, and/or event.
  • the DNs 408, 409 may comprise public DNs (e.g., the Internet), private DNs (e.g., private, internal corporate-owned DNs), and/or intra-operator DNs.
  • Each DN may provide an operator service and/or a third-party service.
  • the service provided by a DN may be the Internet, an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS), an augmented or virtual reality network, an edge computing or mobile edge computing (MEC) network, etc.
  • Each DN may be identified using a data network name (DNN).
  • the UE 401 may be configured to establish a first logical connection with DN 408 (a first PDU session), a second logical connection with DN 409 (a second PDU session), or both simultaneously (first and second PDU sessions).
  • Each PDU session may be associated with at least one UPF configured to operate as a PDU session anchor (PSA, or “anchor”).
  • PSA PDU session anchor
  • the anchor may be a UPF that provides an N6 interface with a DN.
  • UPF 405 may be the anchor for the first PDU session between UE 401 and DN 408, whereas the UPF 406 may be the anchor for the second PDU session between UE 401 and DN 409.
  • the core network may use the anchor to provide service continuity of a particular PDU session (for example, IP address continuity) as UE 401 moves from one access network to another.
  • a particular PDU session for example, IP address continuity
  • the data path may include UPF 405 acting as anchor.
  • the UE 401 later moves into the coverage area of the AN 402.
  • SMF 414 may select a new UPF (UPF 407) to bridge the gap between the newly-entered access network (AN 402) and the anchor UPF (UPF 405).
  • UPF 407 a new UPF
  • AN 402 the newly-entered access network
  • UPF 405 the anchor UPF
  • the continuity of the PDU session may be preserved as any number of UPFs are added or removed from the data path.
  • UPF When a UPF is added to a data path, as shown in FIG. 4A, it may be described as an intermediate UPF and/or a cascaded UPF.
  • UPF 406 may be the anchor for the second PDU session between UE 401 and DN 409.
  • the anchor for the first and second PDU sessions are associated with different UPFs in FIG. 4A, it will be understood that this is merely an example. It will also be understood that multiple PDU sessions with a single DN may correspond to any number of anchors.
  • a UPF at the branching point (UPF 407 in FIG. 4A) may operate as an uplink classifier (UL-CL).
  • the UL-CL may divert uplink user plane traffic to different UPFs.
  • the SMF 414 may allocate, manage, and/or assign an IP address to UE 401, for example, upon establishment of a PDU session.
  • the SMF 414 may maintain an internal pool of IP addresses to be assigned.
  • the SMF 414 may, if necessary, assign an IP address provided by a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server or an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server.
  • IP address management may be performed in accordance with a session and service continuity (SSC) mode.
  • SSC mode 1 an IP address of UE 401 may be maintained (and the same anchor UPF may be used) as the wireless device moves within the network.
  • the IP address of UE 401 changes as UE 401 moves within the network (e.g., the old IP address and UPF may be abandoned and a new IP address and anchor UPF may be established).
  • SSC mode 3 it may be possible to maintain an old IP address (similar to SSC mode 1) temporarily while establishing a new IP address (similar to SSC mode 2), thus combining features of SSC modes 1 and 2.
  • Applications that are sensitive to IP address changes may operate in accordance with SSC mode 1.
  • UPF selection may be controlled by SMF 414.
  • SMF 414 may select UPF 405 as the anchor for the PDU session and/or UPF 407 as an intermediate UPF. Criteria for UPF selection include path efficiency and/or speed between AN 402 and DN 408. The reliability, load status, location, slice support and/or other capabilities of candidate UPFs may also be considered.
  • FIG. 4B illustrates an example of a core network architecture 400B that accommodates untrusted access. Similar to FIG. 4A, UE 401 as depicted in FIG. 4B connects to DN 408 via AN
  • the 403 may communicate with N3IWF 404 via a Y2 interface. After selecting untrusted access, the UE 401 may provide N3IWF 404 with sufficient information to select an AMF.
  • the selected AMF may be, for example, the same AMF that is used by UE 401 for 3GPP access (AMF 412 in the present example).
  • the N3IWF 404 may communicate with AMF 412 via an N2 interface.
  • the UPF 405 may be selected and N3IWF 404 may communicate with UPF 405 via an N3 interface.
  • the UPF 405 may be a PDU session anchor (PSA) and may remain the anchor for the PDU session even as UE 401 shifts between trusted access and untrusted access.
  • PSA PDU session anchor
  • FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a core network architecture 500 in which a UE 501 is in a roaming scenario.
  • UE 501 is a subscriber of a first PLMN (a home PLMN, or HPLMN) but attaches to a second PLMN (a visited PLMN, or VPLMN).
  • Core network architecture 500 includes UE 501, an AN 502, a UPF 505, and a DN 508.
  • the AN 502 and UPF 505 may be associated with a VPLMN.
  • the VPLMN may manage the AN 502 and UPF 505 using core network elements associated with the VPLMN, including an AMF 512, an SMF 514, a PCF 520, an NRF 530, an NEF 540, and an NSSF 570.
  • An AF 599 may be adjacent the core network of the VPLMN.
  • the UE 501 may not be a subscriber of the VPLMN.
  • the AMF 512 may authorize UE 501 to access the network based on, for example, roaming restrictions that apply to UE 501.
  • it may be necessary for the core network of the VPLMN to interact with core network elements of a HPLMN of UE 501, in particular, a PCF 521, an NRF 531, an NEF 541, a UDM 551, and/or an AUSF 561.
  • the VPLMN and HPLMN may communicate using an N32 interface connecting respective security edge protection proxies (SEPPs).
  • SEPPs security edge protection proxies
  • the VSEPP 590 and the HSEPP 591 communicate via an N32 interface for defined purposes while concealing information about each PLMN from the other.
  • the SEPPs may apply roaming policies based on communications via the N32 interface.
  • the PCF 520 and PCF 521 may communicate via the SEPPs to exchange policy-related signaling.
  • the NRF 530 and NRF 531 may communicate via the SEPPs to enable service discovery of NFs in the respective PLMNs.
  • the VPLMN and HPLMN may independently maintain NEF 540 and NEF 541.
  • the NSSF 570 and NSSF 571 may communicate via the SEPPs to coordinate slice selection for UE 501.
  • the HPLMN may handle all authentication and subscription related signaling.
  • the VPLMN may authenticate UE 501 and/or obtain subscription data of UE 501 by accessing, via the SEPPs, the UDM 551 and AUSF 561 of the HPLMN.
  • the core network architecture 500 depicted in FIG. 5 may be referred to as a local breakout configuration, in which UE 501 accesses DN 508 using one or more UPFs of the VPLMN (i.e., UPF 505).
  • UPF 505 UPFs of the VPLMN
  • other configurations are possible.
  • UE 501 may access a DN using one or more UPFs of the HPLMN.
  • an N9 interface may run parallel to the N32 interface, crossing the frontier between the VPLMN and the HPLMN to carry user plane data.
  • One or more SMFs of the respective PLMNs may communicate via the N32 interface to coordinate session management for UE 501.
  • the SMFs may control their respective UPFs on either side of the frontier.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an example of network slicing.
  • Network slicing may refer to division of shared infrastructure (e.g., physical infrastructure) into distinct logical networks. These distinct logical networks may be independently controlled, isolated from one another, and/or associated with dedicated resources.
  • Network architecture 600A illustrates an un-sliced physical network corresponding to a single logical network.
  • the network architecture 600A comprises a user plane wherein UEs 601 A, 601B, 601C (collectively, UEs 601) have a physical and logical connection to a DN 608 via an AN 602 and a UPF 605.
  • the network architecture 600A comprises a control plane wherein an AMF 612 and a SMF 614 control various aspects of the user plane.
  • the network architecture 600A may have a specific set of characteristics (e.g., relating to maximum bit rate, reliability, latency, bandwidth usage, power consumption, etc.). This set of characteristics may be affected by the nature of the network elements themselves (e.g., processing power, availability of free memory, proximity to other network elements, etc.) or the management thereof (e.g., optimized to maximize bit rate or reliability, reduce latency or power bandwidth usage, etc.).
  • the characteristics of network architecture 600A may change over time, for example, by upgrading equipment or by modifying procedures to target a particular characteristic. However, at any given time, network architecture 600A will have a single set of characteristics that may or may not be optimized for a particular use case. For example, UEs 601A, 601B, 601C may have different requirements, but network architecture 600A can only be optimized for one of the three.
  • Network architecture 600B is an example of a sliced physical network divided into multiple logical networks.
  • the physical network is divided into three logical networks, referred to as slice A, slice B, and slice C.
  • UE 601 A may be served by AN 602A, UPF 605A, AMF 612, and SMF 614A.
  • UE 601B may be served by AN 602B, UPF 605B, AMF 612, and SMF 614B.
  • UE 601C may be served by AN 602C, UPF 605C, AMF 612, and SMF 614C.
  • these network elements may be deployed by a network operator using the same physical network elements.
  • Each network slice may be tailored to network services having different sets of characteristics.
  • slice A may correspond to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) service.
  • Mobile broadband may refer to internet access by mobile users, commonly associated with smartphones.
  • Slice B may correspond to ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), which focuses on reliability and speed. Relative to eMBB, URLLC may improve the feasibility of use cases such as autonomous driving and telesurgery.
  • URLLC ultra-reliable low-latency communication
  • URLLC ultra-reliable low-latency communication
  • URLLC ultra-reliable low-latency communication
  • Slice C may correspond to massive machine type communication (mMTC), which focuses on low-power services delivered to a large number of users.
  • slice C may be optimized for a dense network of battery-powered sensors that provide small amounts of data at regular intervals.
  • mMTC use cases would be prohibitively expensive if they operated using an eMBB or URLLC network.
  • the network slice serving that UE can be updated to provide better service.
  • the set of network characteristics corresponding to eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC may be varied, such that differentiated species of eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC are provided.
  • network operators may provide entirely new services in response to, for example, customer demand.
  • each of the UEs 601 has its own network slice.
  • a single slice may serve any number of UEs and a single UE may operate using any number of slices.
  • the AN 602, UPF 605 and SMF 614 are separated into three separate slices, whereas the AMF 612 is unsliced.
  • a network operator may deploy any architecture that selectively utilizes any mix of sliced and unsliced network elements, with different network elements divided into different numbers of slices.
  • FIG. 6 only depicts three core network functions, it will be understood that other core network functions may be sliced as well.
  • a PLMN that supports multiple network slices may maintain a separate network repository function (NFR) for each slice, enabling other NFs to discover network services associated with that slice.
  • NFR network repository function
  • Network slice selection may be controlled by an AMF, or alternatively, by a separate network slice selection function (NSSF).
  • a network operator may define and implement distinct network slice instances (NSIs).
  • Each NSI may be associated with single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI).
  • the S-NSSAI may include a particular slice/service type (SST) indicator (indicating eMBB, URLLC, mMTC, etc.).
  • SST slice/service type
  • a particular tracking area may be associated with one or more configured S-NSSAIs.
  • UEs may identify one or more requested and/or subscribed S-NSSAIs (e.g., during registration).
  • the network may indicate to the UE one or more allowed and/or rejected S-NSSAIs.
  • the radio bearers in 5G, between the UE 801 and the AN 802 may be distinct from bearers in LTE, for example, Evolved Packet System (EPS) bearers between a UE and a packet data network gateway (PGW), SI bearers between an eNB and a serving gateway (SGW), and/or an S5/S8 bearer between an SGW and a PGW.
  • EPS Evolved Packet System
  • PGW packet data network gateway
  • SI bearers between an eNB and a serving gateway
  • S5/S8 bearer between an SGW and a PGW.
  • the QoS profile for non-GBR QoS flows may further include additional QoS parameters such as a reflective QoS attribute (RQA).
  • the QoS profile for GBR QoS flows may further include additional QoS parameters such as a guaranteed flow bit rate (GFBR), a maximum flow bit rate (MFBR), and/or a maximum packet loss rate.
  • GFBR guaranteed flow bit rate
  • MFBR maximum flow bit rate
  • the 5QI may be a standardized 5QI which has one-to-one mapping to a standardized combination of 5G QoS characteristics per well-known services.
  • the 5QI may be a dynamically assigned 5QI which the standardized 5QI values are not defined.
  • the 5QI may represent 5G QoS characteristics.
  • the QoS flows 856A-856C may be sent to AN 802.
  • the AN 802 may apply resource mapping rules to the QoS flows 856A-856C.
  • QoS flow 856A is mapped to resource 820A
  • QoS flows 856B, 856C are mapped to resource 820B.
  • the resource mapping rules may designate more resources to high-priority QoS flows.
  • FIGS. 9A- 9D illustrate example states and state transitions of a wireless device (e.g., a UE).
  • the wireless device may have a radio resource control (RRC) state, a registration management (RM) state, and a connection management (CM) state.
  • RRC radio resource control
  • RM registration management
  • CM connection management
  • FIG. 9A is an example diagram showing RRC state transitions of a wireless device (e.g., a UE).
  • the UE may be in one of three RRC states: RRC idle 910, (e.g., RRC IDLE), RRC inactive 920 (e.g, RRC INACTIVE), or RRC connected 930 (e g., RRC CONNECTED).
  • RRC idle 910 e.g., RRC IDLE
  • RRC inactive 920 e.g, RRC INACTIVE
  • RRC connected 930 e.g., RRC CONNECTED
  • the UE may implement different RAN-related control-plane procedures depending on its RRC state.
  • Other elements of the network for example, a base station, may track the RRC state of one or more UEs and implement RAN-related control-plane procedures appropriate to the RRC state of each.
  • RRC connected 930 it may be possible for the UE to exchange data with the network (for example, the base station).
  • the parameters necessary for exchange of data may be established and known to both the UE and the network.
  • the parameters may be referred to and/or included in an RRC context of the UE (sometimes referred to as a UE context). These parameters may include, for example: one or more AS contexts; one or more radio link configuration parameters; bearer configuration information (e.g., relating to a data radio bearer, signaling radio bearer, logical channel, QoS flow, and/or PDU session); security information; and/or PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, and/or SDAP layer configuration information.
  • the base station with which the UE is connected may store the RRC context of the UE.
  • An RRC state may be associated with a mobility management mechanism.
  • mobility may be managed by the UE through cell reselection.
  • the purpose of mobility management in RRC idle 910 and/or RRC inactive 920 is to allow the network to be able to notify the UE of an event via a paging message without having to broadcast the paging message over the entire mobile communications network.
  • the mobility management mechanism used in RRC idle 910 and/or RRC inactive 920 may allow the network to track the UE on a cell-group level so that the paging message may be broadcast over the cells of the cell group that the UE currently resides within instead of the entire communication network. Tracking may be based on different granularities of grouping.
  • FIGS. 10 - 12 illustrate example procedures for registering, service request, and PDU session establishment of a UE.
  • a UPF receives data.
  • the data may be downlink data for transmission to a UE.
  • the data may be associated with an existing PDU session between the UE and a DN.
  • the data may be received, for example, from a DN and/or another UPF.
  • the UPF may buffer the received data.
  • the UPF may notify an SMF of the received data.
  • the identity of the SMF to be notified may be determined based on the received data.
  • the notification may be, for example, an N4 session report.
  • the notification may indicate that the UPF has received data associated with the UE and/or a particular PDU session associated with the UE.
  • the SMF may send PDU session information to an AMF.
  • the PDU session information may be sent in an N1N2 message transfer for forwarding to an AN.
  • the PDU session information may include, for example, UPF tunnel endpoint information and/or QoS information.
  • the AMF determines that the UE is in a CM-IDLE state.
  • the determining at 1120 may be in response to the receiving of the PDU session information.
  • the service request procedure may proceed to 1130 and 1140, as depicted in FIG. 11.
  • the UE is not CM-IDLE (e.g., the UE is CM- CONNECTED)
  • 1130 and 1140 may be skipped, and the service request procedure may proceed directly to 1150.
  • the AMF pages the UE.
  • the paging at 1130 may be performed based on the UE being CM-IDLE.
  • the AMF may send a page to the AN.
  • the page may be referred to as a paging or a paging message.
  • the page may be an N2 request message.
  • the AN may be one of a plurality of ANs in a RAN notification area of the UE.
  • the AN may send a page to the UE.
  • the UE may be in a coverage area of the AN and may receive the page.
  • the UE may request service.
  • the UE may transmit a service request to the AMF via the AN.
  • the UE may request service at 1140 in response to receiving the paging at 1130.
  • this is for the specific case of a network-triggered service request procedure.
  • the UE may commence a UE-triggered service request procedure.
  • the UE- triggered service request procedure may commence starting at 1140.
  • the network may authenticate the UE. Authentication may require participation of the UE, an AUSF, and/or a UDM, for example, similar to authentication described elsewhere in the present disclosure. In some cases (for example, if the UE has recently been authenticated), the authentication at 1150 may be skipped.
  • the AMF and SMF may perform a PDU session update.
  • the SMF may provide the AMF with one or more UPF tunnel endpoint identifiers.
  • the AMF may send PDU session information to the AN.
  • the PDU session information may be included in an N2 request message.
  • the AN may configure a user plane resource for the UE.
  • the AN may, for example, perform an RRC reconfiguration of the UE.
  • the AN may acknowledge to the AMF that the PDU session information has been received.
  • the AN may notify the AMF that the user plane resource has been configured, and/or provide information relating to the user plane resource configuration.
  • the UE may receive, at 1170, a NAS service accept message from the AMF via the AN. After the user plane resource is configured, the UE may transmit uplink data (for example, the uplink data that caused the UE to trigger the service request procedure).
  • uplink data for example, the uplink data that caused the UE to trigger the service request procedure.
  • the AMF may update a session management (SM) context of the PDU session. For example, the AMF may notify the SMF (and/or one or more other associated SMFs) that the user plane resource has been configured, and/or provide information relating to the user plane resource configuration. The AMF may provide the SMF (and/or one or more other associated SMFs) with one or more AN tunnel endpoint identifiers of the AN. After the SM context update is complete, the SMF may send an update SM context response message to the AMF.
  • SM session management
  • the SMF may update a PCF for purposes of policy control. For example, if a location of the UE has changed, the SMF may notify the PCF of the UE’s a new location.
  • the UE may optionally send uplink data associated with the PDU session. As shown in FIG. 12, the uplink data may be sent to a DN associated with the PDU session via the AN and the UPF.
  • the network may update the PDU session context.
  • the AMF may transmit a PDU session context update request to the SMF.
  • the PDU session context update request may be a Nsmf PDUSession UpdateSMContext Request.
  • the PDU session context update request may include the N2 session management information received from the AN.
  • the SMF may acknowledge the PDU session context update. The acknowledgement may be a
  • the acknowledgement may include a subscription requesting that the SMF be notified of any UE mobility event.
  • the SMF may send an N4 session message to the UPF.
  • the N4 session message may be an N4 Session Modification Request.
  • the N4 session message may include tunneling endpoint information of the AN.
  • the N4 session message may include forwarding rules associated with the PDU session.
  • the UPF may acknowledge by sending an N4 session modification response.
  • FIG. 13 illustrates examples of components of the elements in a communications network.
  • FIG. 13 includes a wireless device 1310, a base station 1320, and a physical deployment of one or more network functions 1330 (henceforth “deployment 1330”).
  • Any wireless device described in the present disclosure may have similar components and may be implemented in a similar manner as the wireless device 1310.
  • Any other base station described in the present disclosure (or any portion thereof, depending on the architecture of the base station) may have similar components and may be implemented in a similar manner as the base station 1320.
  • Any physical core network deployment in the present disclosure (or any portion thereof, depending on the architecture of the base station) may have similar components and may be implemented in a similar manner as the deployment 1330.
  • the wireless device 1310 may communicate with base station 1320 over an air interface 1370.
  • the communication direction from wireless device 1310 to base station 1320 over air interface 1370 is known as uplink, and the communication direction from base station 1320 to wireless device 1310 over air interface 1370 is known as downlink.
  • Downlink transmissions may be separated from uplink transmissions using FDD, TDD, and/or some combination of duplexing techniques.
  • FIG. 13 shows a single wireless device 1310 and a single base station 1320, but it will be understood that wireless device 1310 may communicate with any number of base stations or other access network components over air interface 1370, and that base station 1320 may communicate with any number of wireless devices over air interface 1370.
  • the wireless device 1310 may comprise a processing system 1311 and a memory 1312.
  • the memory 1312 may comprise one or more computer-readable media, for example, one or more non-transitory computer readable media.
  • the memory 1312 may include instructions 1313.
  • the processing system 1311 may process and/or execute instructions 1313. Processing and/or execution of instructions 1313 may cause wireless device 1310 and/or processing system 1311 to perform one or more functions or activities.
  • the memory 1312 may include data (not shown). One of the functions or activities performed by processing system 1311 may be to store data in memory 1312 and/or retrieve previously-stored data from memory 1312.
  • downlink data received from base station 1320 may be stored in memory 1312, and uplink data for transmission to base station 1320 may be retrieved from memory 1312.
  • the wireless device 1310 may communicate with base station 1320 using a transmission processing system 1314 and/or a reception processing system 1315.
  • transmission processing system 1314 and reception processing system 1315 may be implemented as a single processing system, or both may be omitted and all processing in the wireless device 1310 may be performed by the processing system 1311.
  • transmission processing system 1314 and/or reception processing system 1315 may be coupled to a dedicated memory that is analogous to but separate from memory 1312, and comprises instructions that may be processed and/or executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities.
  • the base station 1320 may comprise a processing system 1321 and a memory 1322.
  • the memory 1322 may comprise one or more computer-readable media, for example, one or more non-transitory computer readable media.
  • the memory 1322 may include instructions 1323.
  • the processing system 1321 may process and/or execute instructions 1323. Processing and/or execution of instructions 1323 may cause base station 1320 and/or processing system 1321 to perform one or more functions or activities.
  • the memory 1322 may include data (not shown).
  • One of the functions or activities performed by processing system 1321 may be to store data in memory 1322 and/or retrieve previously-stored data from memory 1322.
  • the base station 1320 may communicate with wireless device 1310 using a transmission processing system 1324 and a reception processing system 1325.
  • transmission processing system 1324 and/or reception processing system 1325 may be coupled to a dedicated memory that is analogous to but separate from memory 1322, and comprises instructions that may be processed and/or executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities.
  • the wireless device 1320 may comprise one or more antennas 1326 to access air interface 1370.
  • the base station 1320 may transmit downlink data to and/or receive uplink data from wireless device 1310 via air interface 1370.
  • one or more of the processing system 1321, transmission processing system 1324, and/or reception system 1325 may implement OSI functionality.
  • transmission processing system 1324 and/or reception system 1325 may perform layer 1 OSI functionality, and processing system 1321 may perform higher layer functionality.
  • the base station 1320 may transmit and/or receive data over air interface 1370 using one or more antennas 1326.
  • the multiple antennas may be used to perform one or more multi-antenna techniques, such as spatial multiplexing (e.g., single-user multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) or multi-user MIMO), transmit/receive diversity, and/or beamforming.
  • MIMO single-user multiple-input multiple output
  • MIMO multi-user MIMO
  • transmit/receive diversity and/or beamforming.
  • the base station 1320 may comprise an interface system 1327.
  • the interface system 1327 may communicate with one or more base stations and/or one or more elements of the core network via an interface 1380.
  • the interface 1380 may be wired and/or wireless and interface system 1327 may include one or more components suitable for communicating via interface 1380.
  • interface 1380 connects base station 1320 to a single deployment 1330, but it will be understood that wireless device 1310 may communicate with any number of base stations and/or CN deployments over interface 1380, and that deployment 1330 may communicate with any number of base stations and/or other CN deployments over interface 1380.
  • the base station 1320 may comprise one or more other elements 1329 analogous to one or more of the one or more other elements 1319.
  • the deployment 1330 may comprise any number of portions of any number of instances of one or more network functions (NFs).
  • the deployment 1330 may comprise a processing system 1331 and a memory 1332.
  • the memory 1332 may comprise one or more computer- readable media, for example, one or more non-transitory computer readable media.
  • the memory 1332 may include instructions 1333.
  • the processing system 1331 may process and/or execute instructions 1333. Processing and/or execution of instructions 1333 may cause the deployment 1330 and/or processing system 1331 to perform one or more functions or activities.
  • the memory 1332 may include data (not shown).
  • One of the functions or activities performed by processing system 1331 may be to store data in memory 1332 and/or retrieve previously-stored data from memory 1332.
  • the deployment 1330 may access the interface 1380 using an interface system 1337.
  • the deployment 1330 may comprise one or more other elements 1339 analogous to one or more of the one or more other elements 1319.
  • One or more of the systems 1311, 1314, 1315, 1321, 1324, 1325, and/or 1331 may comprise one or more controllers and/or one or more processors.
  • the one or more controllers and/or one or more processors may comprise, for example, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and/or other programmable logic device, discrete gate and/or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, an on-board unit, or any combination thereof.
  • DSP digital signal processor
  • ASIC application specific integrated circuit
  • FPGA field programmable gate array
  • modules may be implemented as modules.
  • a module is defined here as an element that performs a defined function and has a defined interface to other elements.
  • the modules described in this disclosure may be implemented in hardware, software in combination with hardware, firmware, wetware (e.g. hardware with a biological element) or a combination thereof, which may be behaviorally equivalent.
  • modules may be implemented as a software routine written in a computer language configured to be executed by a hardware machine (such as C, C++, Fortran, Java, Basic, Matlab and/or the like) or a modeling/ simulation program such as Simulink, Stateflow, GNU Script, or LabVIEWMathScript.
  • a timer In the case of a timer, the occurrence may be the passage of a particular amount of time. However, it will be understood that a timer may be described and/or implemented as a counter that counts the passage of a particular unit of time. A timer/counter may run in a direction of a final value until it reaches the final value. The reaching of the final value may be referred to as expiration of the timer/counter. The final value may be referred to as a threshold. A timer/counter may be paused, wherein the present value of the timer/counter is held, maintained, and/or carried over, even upon the occurrence of one or more occurrences that would otherwise cause the value of the timer/counter to change.
  • the timer/counter may be un-paused or continued, wherein the value that was held, maintained, and/or carried over begins changing again when the one or more occurrence occur.
  • a timer/counter may be set and/or reset.
  • setting may comprise resetting.
  • the timer/counter sets and/or resets the value of the timer/counter may be set to the initial value.
  • a timer/counter may be started and/or restarted. As used herein, starting may comprise restarting. In some embodiments, when the timer/counter restarts, the value of the timer/counter may be set to the initial value and the timer/counter may begin to run.
  • FIG. 14A illustrates an example arrangement of core network deployments in which each deployment comprises one network function.
  • a deployment 1410 comprises an NF 1411
  • a deployment 1420 comprises an NF 1421
  • a deployment 1430 comprises an NF 1431.
  • the deployments 1410, 1420, 1430 communicate via an interface 1490.
  • the deployments 1410, 1420, 1430 may have different physical locations with different signal propagation delays relative to other network elements.
  • the diversity of physical locations of deployments 1410, 1420, 1430 may enable provision of services to a wide area with improved speed, coverage, security, and/or efficiency.
  • FIG. 14B illustrates an example arrangement wherein a single deployment comprises more than one NF. Unlike FIG. 14A, where each NF is deployed in a separate deployment, FIG. 14B illustrates multiple NFs in deployments 1410, 1420.
  • deployments 1410, 1420 may implement a software-defined network (SDN) and/or a network function virtualization (NFV).
  • SDN software-defined network
  • NFV network function virtualization
  • deployment 1410 comprises an additional network function, NF 1411 A.
  • the NFs 1411, 1411 A may consist of multiple instances of the same NF type, co-located at a same physical location within the same deployment 1410.
  • the NFs 1411, 1411 A may be implemented independently from one another (e.g., isolated and/or independently controlled).
  • the NFs 1411, 1411 A may be associated with different network slices.
  • a processing system and memory associated with the deployment 1410 may perform all of the functionalities associated with the NF 1411 in addition to all of the functionalities associated with the NF 1411 A.
  • NFs 1411, 1411 A may be associated with different PLMNs, but deployment 1410, which implements NFs 1411, 1411 A, may be owned and/or operated by a single entity.
  • deployment 1420 comprises NF 1421 and an additional network function, NF 1422.
  • the NFs 1421, 1422 may be different NF types. Similar to NFs 1411, 1411 A, the NFs 1421, 1422 may be co-located within the same deployment 1420, but separately implemented.
  • a first PLMN may own and/or operate deployment 1420 having NFs 1421, 1422.
  • FIG. 14C illustrates an example arrangement of core network deployments in which a single instance of an NF is implemented using a plurality of different deployments.
  • a single instance of NF 1422 is implemented at deployments 1420, 1440.
  • the functionality provided by NF 1422 may be implemented as a bundle or sequence of subservices.
  • Each subservice may be implemented independently, for example, at a different deployment.
  • Each subservices may be implemented in a different physical location.
  • FIG. 14D illustrates an example arrangement of core network deployments in which one or more network functions are implemented using a data processing service.
  • FIG. 14D illustrates an example arrangement of core network deployments in which one or more network functions are implemented using a data processing service.
  • NFs 1411, 1411 A, 1421, 1422 are included in a deployment 1450 that is implemented as a data processing service.
  • the deployment 1450 may comprise, for example, a cloud network and/or data center.
  • the deployment 1450 may be owned and/or operated by a PLMN or by a non- PLMN third party.
  • the NFs 1411, 1411 A, 1421, 1422 that are implemented using the deployment 1450 may belong to the same PLMN or to different PLMNs.
  • the PLMN(s) may obtain (e.g., rent, lease, procure, etc.) at least a portion of the capabilities of the deployment 1450 (e.g., processing power, data storage, etc.).
  • the mobile communications network may operate with greater speed, coverage, security, and/or efficiency.
  • One of advancement achieved by 5G system may be to use a new frequency band that was not actively used in previous generation communication system (e.g., 4G, 3G).
  • previous generation communication system e.g., 4G, 3G
  • the 5G system can support a higher bitrate via the higher frequencies.
  • a remote UE may benefit from using a sidelink communication (e.g., PC5 communication) via a relay UE (e.g., relay A, e.g., a wireless relay device, a relay wireless device).
  • a relay UE e.g., relay A, e.g., a wireless relay device, a relay wireless device.
  • a user of the remote UE may decide to use the relay UE. For example, when the remote UE is outside of a coverage of a base station, the remote UE (e.g., remote wireless device) may not be able to communicate directly (e.g., not using another UE in the middle) with one or more cells of the base station.
  • the remote UE may determine that the remote UE can use the relay UE for the relay service (e.g., a relay service 1 associated with the RSC 1).
  • the remote UE may select the relay UE among one or more found candidate relay UEs.
  • the remote UE may establish a sidelink connection (e.g., by sending/receiving a prose direct link connection request and/or by receiving/sending a prose direct link connection accept, and/or the like) with the relay UE.
  • the one or more second-type relay UEs may be one or more UEs (e.g., Relay A) located outside of the coverage of the cell, may be indirectly connected to the cell (e.g., to the base station, to the network) via one or more other relay UEs (e.g., the one or more first-type relay UEs).
  • the one or more second-type relay UEs may need to connect to the one or more first- type relay UEs.
  • the second UE may require a sidelink connection to a first UE (e.g., Relay B) of the one or more first-type relay UEs, to deliver the traffic from the remote UE (e.g., a UE that the second UE serves) to the network.
  • the first UE may deliver the traffic to the network (e.g., a basestation, a UPF, a data network) via a PDU session.
  • the network e.g., a basestation, a UPF, a data network
  • a configuration server may send one or more configuration information to one or more UEs.
  • the one or more UEs may comprise one or more relay UEs (e.g., the relay A, the relay B), and/or one or more remote UEs (e.g., the remote C).
  • the one or more configuration information may comprise a first configuration, and/or a second configuration.
  • the first configuration may comprise information for the one or more relay UEs.
  • the first configuration may indicate at least one of one or more relay service codes (RSCs) indicating one or more first relay services.
  • the first configuration may indicate that the one or more relay UEs are allowed (authorized) for relaying traffic (associated with the one or more first relay services) for one or more remote UEs.
  • the second configuration may comprise information for one or more remote UEs (e.g., information used when the one or more remote UEs needs to use relaying service).
  • the second configuration may indicate at least one of one or more relay service codes (RSCs) indicating one or more second relay services.
  • the second configuration may indicate that the one or more remote UEs are allowed (authorized) for using the one or more second relay services.
  • the one or more first relay service may comprise a first relay service and/or a RSC for the first relay service may be RSC (1).
  • the one or more second relay service may comprise a second relay service and/or a RSC for the second relay service may be RSC (1).
  • the relay B may be located inside a coverage of a basestation, and/or the relay A may be located outside of the coverage of the basestation. Because the relay A is located outside of the coverage, and/or because the relay A cannot establish a direct (network) connection to the basestation, the relay A may determine to establish a sidelink connection with the relay B, to connect to the network.
  • the relay B may start/trigger establishment of a PDU session and/or may start/trigger modification (e.g., update) of the PDU session.
  • the PDU session may be associated with the RSC (1), and/or the PDU session may be used to relay a traffic associated with the RSC (1).
  • the PDU session may be associated with a network slice and/or a data network for which the RSC (1) is linked.
  • the relay B may send a first sidelink announcement message (e.g., message 4B, step 4B).
  • the first sidelink announcement message may indicate the RSC (1).
  • the remote C may receive the first sidelink announcement message, and/or the remote C may receive the second sidelink announcement message. Because the remote C is authorized for using relaying, because the remote C is configured with (e.g., authorized for) the RSC (1), the remote C may determine to use the relaying service associated with the RSC (1). Because the first sidelink announcement message indicates the RSC (1), the remote C may consider the relay B as a first candidate relay. Because the second sidelink announcement message indicates the RSC (1), the remote C may consider the relay A as a second candidate relay. Because there is a plurality of candidate relays, the remote C may perform selection of a relay.
  • the remote C may select the relay A for the relaying service associated with the RSC (1).
  • a first measured signal strength e.g., -30 dBm RSRP
  • a second measured signal strength e.g., -50 dBm RSRP
  • the remote C may not support using a plurality of relays (e.g., multihop relaying) for relaying operation.
  • the multihop relaying may be a relaying of data of the remote UE to the network, via a series of more than one UEs (e.g., relay UE), and/or via a plurality of PC5 interfaces with one or more Uu interfaces, and/or the like.
  • the remote UE may support a singlehop relaying.
  • the singlehop relaying may be a relaying of a traffic between the remote UE and the network, using up to one UE in the middle.
  • the multihop relaying may be associated with a first path from the remote C to the base station via the relay A and the relay B.
  • the singlehop relaying may be associated with a second path from the remote C to the base station via the relay B.
  • the remote C may support only basic (e.g., singlehop) relaying, may not support advanced relaying (e.g., multihop).
  • the remote C may be a legacy UE.
  • a home network of the remote C may not allow the remote C to use advanced relaying service (e.g., multihop relaying).
  • the remote C may not properly get the relaying service e.g., due to capability limitation and/or due to service agreement (e.g., subscription) limitation.
  • access attempt of the remote C to the relay A may waste sidelink radio resources, and/or may impact service of other remote UEs accessing the relay A. Similar situations may occur for the relay A, if the relay A is not allowed for multihop relaying.
  • signalling may be enhanced to configure a relay UE and/or a remote UE, with information on when/how advanced relaying operation (e.g., multihop relaying) is used/allowed. This may assist the relay UE to determine when to provide the advanced relaying service, and/or may assist the remote UE to determine which relay to select based on availability of advanced relaying service.
  • sidelink signalling may be enhanced to assist for the remote UE and/or a neighboring relay UE, to determine whether the relay UE supports the advanced relaying service. This may assist a downstream relay UE to select which upstream relay UE for the advanced relaying service.
  • mapping information between a first RSC for the basic relaying and a second RSC for the advanced relaying may be provided. This may support service continuity when the remote UE navigates through relay UEs of different capabilities.
  • assistance information e.g., capability information, authorization information
  • the AMF may send a first notification message to a PCF.
  • the first notification message to the PCF may comprise at least one of the subscription data indicating that the relay UE A has subscription for multihop relaying, an indication indicating that the relay UE A moves from a PLMN X (e.g., a cell X, a basestation X) to a PLMN Y (e.g., a cell Y, a basestation Y), the UE Policy Provisioning Request and/or that the relay UE A supports the capability of multihop relaying.
  • a PLMN X e.g., a cell X, a basestation X
  • PLMN Y e.g., a cell Y, a basestation Y
  • the first notification message may be at least one of Namf_Communication_NlMessageNotify message, Npcf_UEPolicyControl_Create request message, Npcf_AMPolicyControl_Create request message, Namf_EventNotify message, and/or the like.
  • the first Namf message may comprise at least one of the UE policy Container, the indication indicating that the relay UE A has capability supporting the multihop relaying, the subscription date, and/or the like.
  • the PCF may receive a third notification message from an application server.
  • the third notification may indicate whether a UE (e.g., a remote UE, a relay UE) is allowed to use a service of the multihop relaying or not, whether the UE is allowed to act as a multihop relay, whether the UE is preferred to use (and/or provide) multihop relaying or singlehop relaying, and/or the like.
  • the AMF may send a fourth notification message to the application server.
  • the PCF may receive at least one of the first notification message, the second notification message, the third notification message, and/or the like. Because the relay UE A supports the capability of multihop relaying, and/or because the relay UE A is allowed for the multihop relaying (e.g., act/perform as a multihop relay), the PCF may determine to send a first prose policy information (e.g., Prose policy information, multihop relaying policy information, and/or the like) to the relay UE A (e.g., via the AMF, via user plane).
  • the first prose policy information may comprise the first multihop relaying provisioning information.
  • the first multihop relaying provisioning information may comprise (e.g., indicate) at least one of:
  • an indicator indicating whether the UE is allowed to act as a multihop relay UE This may indicate whether the UE is authorized to perform a role of multihop relay UE.
  • an indicator indicating whether the UE is allowed to act as a multihop U2N relay UE This may indicate whether the UE is authorized to perform a role of multihop U2N relay UE.
  • an indicator indicating whether the UE is allowed to act as a multihop layer-2 U2N relay UE This may indicate whether the UE is authorized to perform a role of multihop layer-2 U2N relay UE. For example, when layer-2 multihop relaying is used, a path from the basestation to the remote UE may be controlled by the base station.
  • an indicator indicating whether the UE is allowed to act as a multihop layer-3 U2N relay UE This may indicate whether the UE is authorized to perform a role of multihop layer-3 U2N relay UE. For example, when layer-3 multihop relaying is used, a path from a topmost relay UE to a remote UE may not be controlled by the base station, and/or the basestation may not be aware of the remote UE.
  • [0281] - a value indicating maximum number of hops allowed for multihop relaying. For example, this may indicate maximum number of hops (e.g., number of PC5 interfaces, number of interfaces, number of relay UEs in a path) allowed for the UE to support for multihop relaying and/or allowed for the UE to use for multihop relaying. For example, if the maximum number of hops allowed for multihop relaying is set to 5, the UE may not provide relaying service to a remote UE which requires more than 5 hops to reach a network. For example, if the maximum number of hops allowed for multihop relaying is set to 5, the UE may not use the multihop relaying service which requires more than 5 hops to reach a network.
  • maximum number of hops allowed for multihop relaying is set to 5
  • the UE may not use the multihop relaying service which requires more than 5 hops to reach a network.
  • the first multihop provisioning information may indicate that RSC IB is allowed for the relay UE A for multihop relaying operation, that RSC 1 A is allowed for the relay UE A for singlehop relaying operation, and/or that RSC IB and RSC 1 A are associated for the same service (e.g., PDU session, network slice, data network).
  • the first multihop provisioning information may comprise the RSC IB and/or the RSC 1 A.
  • the first multihop provisioning information may not comprise the RSC IB and/or the RSC 1A.
  • the PCF may send the first prose policy information for the relay UE A, to the AMF.
  • the AMF may send a second NAS message to the UE.
  • the second NAS message may be at least one of a DL NAS transport message, a registration accept message, a UE configuration update message and/or the like.
  • the second NAS message may comprise the first prose policy information.
  • the relay UE A may receive the second NAS message. Because the second NAS message comprises the first prose policy information, because the second NAS message indicates (e.g., comprise) the one or more RSCs allowed for multihop relaying, and/or because the second NAS message comprises the first multihop provisioning information indicating allowance of using multihop relaying, the relay UE A may determine that the relay UE A is authorized for providing multihop relaying service to other UEs.
  • a relay UE B may receive a second prose policy information (not shown in the figure).
  • the second prose policy information may be similar to the first prose policy information (with information relevant for the relay UE B instead of the relay UE A).
  • the relay UE B may receive the second prose policy information, in a similar way that the relay UE A receive the first prose policy information.
  • one or more network nodes e.g., the AMF, the PCF, the UDM, the AF
  • a remote UE C may receive a third prose policy information (not shown in the figure).
  • the remote UE C may receive the third prose policy information, in a similar way that the relay UE A receive the first prose policy information.
  • one or more network nodes e.g., the AMF, the PCF, the UDM, the AF
  • the third prose policy information may indicate whether the remote UE C is allowed to use a service via the multihop relaying.
  • the remote UE C may send a similar NAS message as the first NAS message.
  • one or more multihop conditions indicating when the UE is allowed (authorized) to act as a multihop remote UE (e.g., a UE using a U2N service via a multiple relay UEs).
  • the one or more multihop relaying conditions may comprise at least one of one or more network identifiers (e.g., PLMN A, PLMN B, SNPN C), one or more location areas (e.g., city D, Tracking Area E, geo-coordinate F), and/or one or more time periods (e.g., start time, end time, time length).
  • the UE when one or more multihop conditions are met, the UE may be allowed to perform as a remote UE using multihop functionalities, and/or may be allowed to use one or more multihop relays. For example, when one or more multihop conditions are not met, the UE may not be allowed to use a relay UE using multihop functionalities.
  • an indicator indicating whether the UE is allowed to act as a multihop remote UE This may indicate whether the UE is authorized to use one or more multihop relay UEs.
  • the relay UE B may be in a second coverage of a second cell (e.g., second basestation). Because direct connection (e.g., direct network connection) to the second cell (a second network) is available, and/or because the relay UE B is allowed (authorized) for multihop relaying for other UEs (e.g., remote UEs, relay UEs) via the second prose policy information, the relay UE B may determine to provide multihop relaying service (e.g., U2N relay service, e.g., U2U relay service). For example, the relay UE B may determine to provide multihop relaying service associated with the RSC IB. For example, the relay UE B may send a sidelink message 4A.
  • multihop relaying service e.g., U2N relay service, e.g., U2U relay service
  • the relay UE B may determine to provide multihop relaying service associated with the RSC IB.
  • the relay UE B may send a sidelink message 4A.
  • RSC This may identify a connectivity service the relay UE B provides to one or more remote UEs and/or one or more relay UEs. This may identify authorized users of the relay UE B. For example, this may indicate RSC IB.
  • - Discoverer Info This may provide information (i.e., User Info ID) about discoverer user.
  • - List of User Info ID This may provide information about one or more end UEs, one or more remote UEs, one or more relay UEs.
  • - Support indicator of multihop This may indicate that the transmitter (e.g., the relay UE B) supports multihop relaying, that the transmitter supports a connection (e.g., a sidelink connection) with another relay UE (e.g., downstream relay UEs, upstream relay UEs), that the transmitter supports (e.g., provides) multihop U2N relaying service, and/or the like.
  • the relay UE A (case 2) may move out of coverage of a cell.
  • the relay UE A may not be able to find a cell to camp on (due to weak signal of the cell, or a network associated with a found cell is not allowed for the relay UE A, and/or the like).
  • the relay UE A may determine to participate in multihop relaying, to connect to the upstream relay UE, to establish a sidelink connection to another relay (e.g., relay UE B, for multihop relaying), and/or the like.
  • the relay UE A may determine to participate in multihop relaying, to connect to the upstream relay UE, to establish a sidelink connection to another relay (e.g., relay UE B, for multihop relaying), and/or the like.
  • the relay UE A may send a sidelink message 4B to relay UE B, to establish a sidelink connection.
  • the sidelink message 4B may be a PC5 message 4B.
  • the sidelink message 4B may be at least one of Announce message 4B, ProSe Additional Parameters Announcement Response message 4B, ProSe PC5 Discovery message 4B, ProSe Direct Link Establishment message 4B, ProSe Direct Link Modification message 4B, Sidelink connection Establishment message, and/or the like.
  • the sidelink message 4B may comprise at least one of
  • the relay UE A may send a sidelink message 5B to one or more remote UEs (e.g., remote UE C). For example, based on that the relay UE A establishes the sidelink connection to the upstream relay (e.g., relay UE B), based on that the relay UE A receives an indication of allowing multihop relaying from the relay UE B, based on that the relay UE A receives an indication that the RSC IB (configured for multihop operation) is allowed/established with the relay UE B, based on that the relay UE A receives an allowance of the relay UE A as the downstream relay, and/or based on that the relay UE A is out of coverage, the relay UE A may determine that the relay UE A can act as a downstream relay, the relay UE A can perform as a multihop relay UE, and/or the relay UE A may send the sidelink message 5B.
  • the relay UE A may determine that the relay UE A can act as a downstream relay, the relay
  • Source layer-2 ID This may indicate source layer-2 identifier of the transmitting UE. For example, this may indicate the relay UE A.
  • - Discoverer Info This may provide information (i.e., User Info ID) about discoverer user.
  • - Support indicator of multihop This may indicate at least one of that the transmitter (e.g., the relay UE A) supports multihop relaying, that the transmitter supports connection to another relay UE, that the transmitter supports multihop relaying service (e.g., U2N relay service, U2U relay service), that multihop relaying is used by the transmitter, that the connectivity service associated with the RSC (e.g., RSC IB) is provided via multihop relaying, that the transmitter is a downstream relay UE, that the transmitter is an interim relay UE, that the transmitter is connected to an upstream relay UE and/or the like.
  • the transmitter e.g., the relay UE A
  • multihop relaying service e.g., U2N relay service, U2U relay service
  • RSC IB connectivity service associated with the RSC
  • the relay UE A (case 1) may move into a first coverage of a first cell (of a first basestation, of a first network). Because direct connection to the first cell (the first network) is available, and/or because the relay UE A is allowed (authorized) for (singlehop) relaying for other remote UEs, the relay UE A may determine to provide a relaying service (e.g., UE-to- Network relay service), the relay UE A may determine to act as a singlehop relay UE and/or the relay UE A may determine to act as a (topmost) edge relay UE.
  • a relaying service e.g., UE-to- Network relay service
  • Destination layer-2 ID This may indicate target layer-2 identifier associated with one or more UEs, to which the sidelink message 5A is sent.
  • - RSC This may identify a connectivity service the relay UE A provides to one or more remote UEs and/or one or more relay UEs. This may identify authorized users of the relay UE A. For example, this may indicate RSC 1 A. For example, this may indicate that a singlehop relay service is provided.
  • - List of User Info ID This may provide information about one or more end UEs, one or more remote UEs, one or more relay UEs.
  • - Indication of single hop relaying This may indicate whether multihop relaying is used (or supported) by the transmitter, whether the transmitting UE is a topmost edge relay UE, whether the transmitting UE is an interim relay UE, whether the transmitting UE is directly connected to a network, whether the transmitting UE is inside a coverage, and/or whether singlehop relaying is used (or supported) by the transmitter. For example, this may indicate that singlehop relaying is used and/or that multihop relaying is not used.
  • the remote UE C may receive the sidelink message 5B (case 2). Based on the third prose policy information, the remote UE C may determine which relay UE to use, and/or whether to use multihop relaying service or not. For example, if the third prose policy information indicates that the remote UE C is allowed to use multihop relaying service, if the third prose policy information comprises the RSC IB, if the relay UE A indicates supports of multihop relaying and/or if the relay UE A sends the sidelink message 5B, the remote UE A may select the relay UE A, and/or send a first request message (for establishment of sidelink connection) to the relay A.
  • the first request message may indicate (e.g., comprise) the RSC IB, may comprise an indicator indicating that the remote UE C requests a multihop relaying service, and/or may indicate (e.g., comprise an indicator indicating) that the remote UE C supports the multihop relaying.
  • the remote UE C may receive the sidelink message 5A (case 1). Based on the third prose policy information, the remote UE C may determine which relay UE to use, and/or whether to use multihop relaying service or not. For example, if the third prose policy information indicates that the remote UE C is not allowed to use multihop relaying service, if the third prose policy information does not comprise the RSC IB, if the third prose policy information comprises the RSC 1 A, if the relay UE A does not indicate support of multihop relaying and/or if the relay UE A sends the sidelink message 5A, the remote UE A may select the relay UE A, and may send a second request message (for establishment of sidelink connection) to the relay A. The second request message may comprise the RSC 1 A, may not comprise an indicator requesting multihop relaying service, and/or may indicate that the remote UE C does not support the multihop relaying.
  • the relay UE A may send a sidelink message 5B1 to one or more remote UEs (e.g., remote UE C). For example, based on that the relay UE A establishes a sidelink connection to the relay (e.g., relay UE B) UE as a remote UE, based on that the relay UE A does not receive an indication of allowing multihop relaying, based on that the relay UE A is not allowed for multihop relaying, and/or based on that the relay UE A is out of coverage, the relay UE A may send the sidelink message 5B1, and/or the sidelink message 5B1 may not indicate (e.g., may not comprise an indication) that the relay UE A supports (or provides) a (multihop) relaying service.
  • the relay UE A may send the sidelink message 5B1, and/or the sidelink message 5B1 may not indicate (e.g., may not comprise an indication) that the relay UE A supports (or provides) a (multihop) relaying
  • the sidelink message 4A2 may have a similar structure (and/or purpose of contents) as the sidelink message 4A, and/or may have information relevant for the relay UE F. For example, based on that the fifth prose policy information indicates that the relay UE F is not allowed for multihop relaying, the sidelink message 4A2 may not indicate (e.g., may not comprise an information indicating) that the relay UE F provides the multihop relaying service for the RSC 1, that the relay UE F provides a (singlehop) relaying service for the RSC 1 for a remote UE, and/or that the relay UE F may not provide a relaying service for the RSC 1 for a downstream relay UE.
  • the sidelink message 4A2 may not indicate (e.g., may not comprise an information indicating) that the relay UE F provides the multihop relaying service for the RSC 1, that the relay UE F provides a (singlehop) relaying service for the RSC 1 for a remote UE, and/or that the relay
  • the relay UE B may transmit a sidelink message 4A3.
  • the sidelink message 4A3 may have similar contents as the sidelink message 4A.
  • the sidelink message 4A3 may indicate that the relay UE B provides multihop relaying service for the RSC 1, may indicate that the relay UE B supports multihop relaying, may indicate that the relay UE B may provide a relaying service for the RSC 1 for a remote UE, and/or that the relay UE B may provide a relaying service for the RSC 1 for a downstream relay UE.
  • the relay UE D may transmit a sidelink message 4A4.
  • the sidelink message 4A4 may have a similar structure as the sidelink message 4 A.
  • the sidelink message 4A4 may not indicate that the relay UE D provides multihop relaying service for the RSC 1, may not indicate that the relay UE D provides a relaying service for the RSC 1, and/or the like.
  • the relay UE A may select an upstream relay UE. For example, based on that the relay UE A is authorized for multihop relaying, based on that the relay UE A is outside of a coverage of a cell, based on that the relay UE A is authorized for RSC 1, based on that the upstream relay UE that provides connection a network (a cell, a basestation) is available, and/or based on that relay UE B indicates that the relay UE B supports multihop relaying for RSC 1, the relay UE A may select the relay UE B. For example, the relay UE B may provide to the relay UE A, a connectivity to the cell (a network, a basestation), and/or the relay UE B may be able to act as the upstream relay UE of the relay UE A.
  • the relay UE B may send a RRC message to the basestation.
  • the basestation may have a RRC connection with the relay UE B.
  • the relay UE B may be a topmost edge relay UE (e.g., a relay UE which has a direct connection to the basestation, among the chain of relay UEs associated with the relay UE A).
  • the RRC message may be at least one of UE information message, RRC setup request message, RRC setup complete message, RRC reconfiguration message, RRC configuration message, UL RRC transfer message, and/or the like.
  • the relay UE B may receive the response from the basestation. Based on the response, because the response allows the relay UE A, the relay UE B may send a sidelink response (e.g., the sidelink message 4C) to the relay UE A.
  • the sidelink response may indicate that the relay UE A is allowed to act as a downstream relay UE, that the relay UE A is allowed for multihop relaying, that the connection between the relay UE A and the relay UE B is allowed and/or the like.
  • the remote UE C may receive the sidelink message 4A5. Because the remote UE C is allowed to use a service associated with the RSC 1 A, and/or based on signal strength of the relay UE F being better than that of the relay UE A, the remote UE C may select (or switch to) the relay UE F. Based on selecting the relay UE F, the remote UE C may establish a sidelink connection with the relay UE F, for the RSC 1 A.
  • the remote UE C may determine which RSCs are compatible (e.g., may be used for a same service), may determine a traffic of which service can be delivered either via the first RSC or via the second RSC, and/or may determine whether a relay UE for service continuity is available or not. For example, a remote UE may receive a traffic from upper layer. Based on the traffic and/or based on the third prose policy information, the UE may determine the first RSC which can be used when singlehop relay is available and/or the second RSC which can be used when multihop relay is available.
  • FIG. 22 depicts one example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the relay UE A may move into a coverage of a cell and/or may move out of the coverage of the cell. If a remote UE connected to the relay UE A, the relay UE A may perform sidelink modification procedure to support service continuity. This may reduce service interruption time for the remote UE C. For brevity, based on the other part of the present disclosure, redundant details will be omitted.
  • the remote UE C may receive the third prose policy information.
  • the third prose policy information may indicate that the RSC 1 A is for a singlehop relaying service, the RSC IB is for a multihop relaying service, that the RSC1 A is mapped to the RSC IB, that the RSC IB is mapped to the RSC1A, and/or that the RSC 1 A and the RSC IB are associated with a same service. Similar information may be delivered to the relay UE A and/or the relay UE B.
  • the relay UE A may be connected to the relay UE B.
  • the relay UE A may be out of the coverage and/or the relay UE B may be in coverage of the cell.
  • the relay UE A may establish a sidelink connection to the relay UE B and/or the relay UE A may provide a relaying service to the remote UE C via the relay UE B.
  • the remote UE C may establish a sidelink connection to the relay UE A for multihop relaying service.
  • the RSC IB may be used and/or the remote UE C and the relay UE A may exchange the RSC IB.
  • the relay UE A may start to provide a relaying service for the RSC 1 A, and/or may stop providing a service for the RSC IB (e.g., an announcement message transmitted by the relay UE A may not further comprise the RSC IB and/or may comprise the RSC 1 A). For example, based on availability of direction connection to the cell, the relay UE A may send a sidelink (direct) connection modification message to the remote UE C.
  • the sidelink connection modification message may indicate that the RSC IB is not used anymore, that the RSC 1 A is available, that a service via the RSC IB is mapped to the RSC 1 A, that an associated RSC for a PC5 QoS flow changed from the RSC IB to RSC 1 A and/or that the RSC IB is switched to the RSC 1 A.
  • the remote UE C may receive from the relay UE A, the sidelink connection modification message. For example, based on the sidelink connection modification message, and/or based on that the RSC IB is switched to the RSC 1 A, the remote UE C may update sidelink configuration and/or may start to send a traffic of a service (which was transported via the RSC IB) via the relaying service associated with the RSC 1 A.
  • FIG. 23 depicts one example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • one or more relay UEs may provide a service for a RSC, and each of the one or more relay UEs may indicate (e.g., send a message comprising an indicator/information indicating) whether the each of the one or more relay UEs provides the service using a multihop relaying or not. This may assist a remote UE to configure radio parameters.
  • redundant details will be omitted.
  • the remote UE C may receive a seventh prose policy information.
  • the seventh prose policy information may indicate that the RSC 1 (e.g., a service associated with the RSC 1) is allowed for the remote UE C.
  • the delivery of the seventh prose information to the remote UE C may use a similar mechanism as used for the delivery of the third prose policy information.
  • the seventh prose policy information may indicate whether the remote UE C is allowed to use multihop relaying service offered by other relay UEs.
  • the seventh prose policy information may indicate that the remote UE C is allowed to use the RSC 1 for multihop relaying service (e.g., via one or more relay UEs providing the multihop relaying service).
  • the relay UE A may be connected to the relay UE B.
  • the relay UE A and the relay UE B may provide multihop relaying service.
  • the relay UE A may transmit the sidelink message 5B5.
  • the sidelink message 5B5 may indicate (e.g., comprise, comprise an indicator indicating) the RSC 1, that the relay UE A provides a multihop relaying service, that the relay UE A provides a relaying service for the RSC 1, that multihop relaying is provided for the RSC 1, that the relay UE A is connected to the network via one or more upstream relay UEs, and/or the like.
  • the remote UE C may be out of coverage and/or may search for a relay UE. For example, based on that the remote UE C is out of coverage, based on that the remote UE C is allowed for the RSC 1, based on that the remote UE C is allowed for using one or more multihop relay UEs, based on that the remote UE C is allowed to use multihop relaying service, based on that the sidelink message 5B5 received from the relay UE A indicates the RSC 1 and/or based on that the relay UE A indicates supports of multihop relaying, the remote UE C may select the relay UE A.
  • the remote UE C may move from the area covered by the relay UE A to an area covered by the relay UE F.
  • the relay UE F may be in a coverage area of a cell.
  • the relay UE F may send the sidelink message 4A5.
  • the sidelink message 4A5 may indicate (e.g., comprise an indicator indicating) that the relay UE F may provide relaying service and/or may not indicate that multihop relaying is used by the relay UE F, and/or may not indicate that multihop relaying is supported by the relay UE F, and/or may indicate the RSC 1.
  • the sidelink message 4A5 may not comprise an indicator indicating that the multihop relaying is supported by the relay UE F and/or the sidelink message 4A5 may comprise an indicator indicating that the multihop relaying is not supported.
  • the remote UE C may receive the sidelink message 4A5. Because the remote UE C is allowed for the RSC 1, because the remote UE C uses a service associated with the RSC 1 via the relay UE A, because the relay UE F provides a service of the RSC 1, and/or based on signal strength of the relay UE F being better than the relay UE A, the remote UE C may select the relay UE F to continue to use a service of the RSC 1. Based on selecting the relay UE F, the remote UE C may establish a sidelink connection with the relay UE F, for the RSC 1.
  • the remote UE C may select or reselect the relay UE F. Because the sidelink message 4A5 does not indicate multihop relaying, the remote UE C may switch off the multihop relaying functionality and/or may use the relay UE F as a singlehop relaying for the RSC 1. This may reduce the time that the remote UE C stays out of the service.
  • FIG. 24 depicts one example embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • a UE may send a capability information regarding multihop relaying and a network node (e.g., a first (e.g., source) AMF, a first (e.g., source) basestation) may deliver authorization information of the multihop relaying and/or the capability information to other network node (e.g., a second (e.g., target) AMF, a second (e.g., target) basestation).
  • a network node e.g., a first (e.g., source) AMF, a first (e.g., source) basestation
  • a second (e.g., target) AMF e.g., target
  • This may reduce signalling load and may assist the other network node to determine whether to provide multihop relaying service.
  • redundant details will be omitted.
  • the AMF may receive the NAS message 1 A.
  • the AMF may check with the PCF, and the UDM.
  • the AMF may receive from PCF, a second multihop authorization information.
  • the second multihop authorization information may be similar information as the second prose policy information (using similar delivery mechanism as shown in the example of FIG. 18).
  • the AMF may receive from the UDM, the subscription data of the relay UE B.
  • the AMF may send a first Nucmf message to a UCMF (UE radio Capability Management Function).
  • the first Nucmf message may be a Nucmf_provisioning create message and/or the like.
  • a sixth authorization information indicating whether the UE is allowed for multihop relaying, as an edge relay UE. This may further indicate whether the UE can function as a top edge relay UE and/or a bottom edge relay UE. This may further indicate whether the UE supports as a layer-2 relay and/or layer-3 relay.
  • the first basestation may receive the second NG message. Based on the information received by the second NG message, the first basestation may configure the relay UE B. For example, if the second multihop authorization information indicates that the relay UE B is allowed for multihop operation, the first basestation may send a third RRC message (e.g., configuration update) to the relay UE B.
  • the third RRC message may indicate (e.g., comprise information of) at least one of one or more sidelink resources for multihop relaying operation, an indicator indicating that the relay UE B is allowed for multihop relaying operation, and/or one or more information elements based on (e.g., of) the second multihop authorization information.
  • the first basestation may send the third RRC message.
  • the third RRC message may indicate at least one of one or more sidelink resources for multihop relaying operation, an indication indicating that the relay UE B is allowed for multihop relaying operation, and/or one or more information elements based on the second multihop capability information.
  • the third RRC message may indicate whether the relay UE B can act as at least one of an edge multihop relay UE, an interim multihop relay UE, an multihop remote UE, an multihop relaying end UE, and/or the like.
  • the second NG message does not comprise information indicating that the relay UE B supports the capability of multihop relaying operation
  • the third RRC message may not comprise configuration information of multihop operation.
  • the relay UE B may receive the third RRC message. Because the third RRC message indicates that the relay UE B is allowed for multihop relaying operation, the relay UE B may send the sidelink message 5B5. For example, the sidelink message 5B5 may indicate that the relay UE B provides the multihop relaying service.
  • the first base station may determine to handover the relay UE B from the first base station to a second basestation.
  • the first basestation may send to the second basestation, a handover request message over Xn interface.
  • the handover request message may comprise at least one of an identifier of a target cell of the second base station, an identifier of the relay UE B (e.g., C-RNTI, Xn UE ID, and/or the like), the second multihop authorization information, and/or the second multihop capability information.
  • the second basestation may determine to allow the relay UE B to act as a multihop relay.
  • the RRC message container may comprise information of multihop relaying operation.
  • the RRC message container may be a RRC reconfiguration message.
  • the first basestation may send the RRC message container to the relay UE B.
  • the relay UE B may stop using the multihop operation.
  • the relay UE B may start (or continue) using the multihop operation, e.g., continue to server a downstream UE.
  • the first base station may not send the second multihop capability information and/or the second multihop authorization information to the second base station.
  • the second basestation may send a request to the relay UE B to send multihop capability information.
  • the relay UE B may send the second multihop capability information to the second basestation.
  • the relay UE B may perform handover procedure. For example, the relay UE B may send a RRC reconfiguration complete message to indicate that the relay UB B accesses the second basestation.
  • the second basestation may send a path switch request message to the AMF.
  • the path Switch request message may indicate (e.g., comprise information indicating) whether the second basestation supports the multihop relaying operation, that the relay UE B is served by the second basestation, and/or the identifier of the relay UE B.
  • the AMF may receive the path switch request message. In response to receiving the path switch request message, the AMF may send path switch response message.
  • the path switch response message may comprise at least one of the second multihop authorization information and/or the second multihop capability information.
  • each of the second multihop authorization information of the path switch response message may be updated/ modified compared that of the second NG message.
  • the AMF may determine to update the contents of the second multihop authorization information (e.g., from allowed to not allowed, and/or vice versa).
  • the relay UE B may be handed over from a basestation not supporting multihop operation to the second basestation supporting the multihop operation. In this case, sending of the path switch response message comprising the second multihop authorization information may help proper operation of the second base station.
  • the second base station may receive the path switch response message. Based on the path switch response message, the second base station may send a RRC message 3B.
  • the RRC message 3B may indicate whether the relay UE B is allowed for multihop relaying operation or not. For example, if the RRC message 3B does not comprise an indicator indicating that multihop operation is allowed, and/or if the RRC message 3B does not comprise a radio resource configuration for multihop operation, the relay UE B may consider that multihop operation is not allowed and/or may not send an announcement message indicating that the relay UE B provides a multihop relaying service.
  • the relay UE B may send the sidelink message 5B. For example, if the relay UE B is allowed for multihop operation, the relay UE B may send the sidelink message 5B indicating support of multihop relaying.
  • the relay UE A may establish a sidelink connection with the relay UE B.
  • the relay UE A may send a RRC message 6 A to the second basestation via the relay UE B (and/or via one or more upstream relay UEs).
  • the RRC message 6A may indicate to the second basestation, whether the relay UE A (or remote UE C) supports multihop relaying operation, whether the relay UE A requests to perform as a multihop relay, whether the remote UE C requests to use a multihop relaying service and/or the like.
  • the second basestation may receive the RRC message 6 A. For example, based on an identifier of the relay UE A, the second basestation may send a request to the AMF, to request a context information of the relay UE A. For example, a similar mechanism used above for the relay UE B may be used.
  • the AMF may receive from the second (or the first) basestation, a NG message 5A indicating the relay UE A.
  • the AMF may send to the second (or the first) basestation, a NG message 5B comprising a first multihop authorization information and/or a first multihop capability information.
  • the first multihop authorization information may use a similar structure as the second multihop authorization information, and may indicate one or more authorization information relevant for the relay UE A.
  • the first multihop capability information may use a similar structure as the second multihop capability information, and may indicate one or more authorization information relevant for the relay UE A.
  • the AMF may retrieve the second multihop capability information from the UCMF. This may help in reducing overhead over Uu interface.
  • the second (or the first) basestation may receive the NG message 5B. Based on the first multihop authorization information (e.g., indicating the relay A is allowed for multihop operation) and/or the first multihop capability information, the second (or the first) basestation may determine one or more RRC parameters for the relay UE A, and/or one or more RRC parameters of one or more downstream relay UEs of the relay UE A, and/or one or more RRC parameters of one or more upstream relay UEs of the relay UE A. Based on the determination of the one or more RRC parameters, the second basestation may send one or more RRC messages to the relay UE A, the one or more downstream relay UEs, and/or the one or more upstream relay UEs.
  • the first multihop authorization information e.g., indicating the relay A is allowed for multihop operation
  • the second (or the first) basestation may determine one or more RRC parameters for the relay UE A, and/or one or more RRC parameters of one or more downstream relay UEs
  • a remote UE may send a connection request to the second basestation, via one or more relay UEs supporting multihop operation.
  • the second basestation may receive from the AMF, a multihop authorization information for the remote UE and/or a multihop capability information for the remote UE.
  • the method described earlier for the relay UE A, and/or the relay UE B, may be applicable to the remote UE, in configuring the remote UE, and/or in determining configuration for the remote UE.
  • FIG. 24 may help in reducing signalling load over air interface and/or in handling heterogeneous support by different entities for multihop relaying.
  • FIG. 25 depicts one example embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, each UE may perform multiple roles.
  • a first UE may perform as one of upstream relay UEs for a second UE (e.g., U2N relay L2) or for a third UE (e.g., U2N relay L3).
  • the first UE may perform as an edge U2N relay UE, as a topmost edge U2N relay UE, as a topmost U2N relay UE, and/or the like.
  • the second UE may perform as one of upstream relay UEs for the third UE (e.g., U2N relay L3).
  • the second UE may perform as one of downstream relay UEs for the first UE.
  • the second UE may perform as one of interim relay UEs between a remote UE and the topmost edge relay UE.
  • the third UE may not perform as one of upstream relay UEs for other relay UEs and/or may perform as one of upstream relays for a remote UE.
  • the third UE may perform as one of downstream relay UEs for the first UE and/or for the second UE.
  • the third UE may perform as an edge U2N relay UE, as a bottommost edge U2N relay UE, as a bottom U2N relay UE, and/or the like.
  • a first wireless relay device may receive from a network function, a second message.
  • the second message may authorize the first wireless relay device for multihop relaying of a service.
  • the second message may comprise an indication of a relay service code (RSC) for the service.
  • the second message may comprise a second RSC, wherein the second RSC is used for the service when a direction connection to a cell is available for the first wireless relay device and/or when a singlehop relaying is used.
  • the first wireless relay device may send to a second wireless relay device, a sidelink connection request message requesting multihop relaying for the RSC.
  • the direction connection to the cell for a wireless device may be a connection from the wireless device (e.g., the first wireless relay device) to the cell, without using another wireless relay device between the cell and the first wireless relay device.
  • the direction connection to the cell for a wireless device may be a connection from the wireless device (e.g., the first wireless relay device) to the cell, without using another wireless relay device between the cell and the first wireless relay device.
  • the first wireless relay device may determine that the direction connection to the cell is available, if the first wireless relay device can camp on the cell or if the cell does not indicate that multihop relaying is supported.
  • a first wireless relay device may send to the AMF, a first request message indicating capability of multihop relaying.
  • the first wireless relay device may receive from a network function, a second message.
  • the second message may authorize the first wireless relay device for multihop relaying of a service.
  • the second message may comprise an indication of a relay service code (RSC) for the service.
  • the first wireless relay device may send to a second wireless relay device, a sidelink connection request message requesting multihop relaying for the RSC.
  • RSC relay service code
  • the first request message may further comprise at least one of a first indication indicating whether multihop relaying via the plurality of wireless layer 2 relay devices is supported, a second indication indicating whether multihop relaying via the plurality of wireless layer 3 relay devices is supported, a maximum number of relay hops supported, whether topmost relay operation is supported, or whether downstream relay operation is supported.
  • a first basestation a network function may receive a context management message comprising an identifier of a wireless device and authorization information authorizing the wireless device as a wireless relay device for multihop relaying of a service.
  • the first basestation may send to a second basestation, a handover request message comprising the identifier and the authorization information.
  • a network node may receive from a first basestation, a first message comprising an identifier of a wireless device and a capability information indicating that the wireless device supports multihop relaying.
  • the network node may send to a second basestation, a second message comprising the identifier of a wireless device and the capability information.
  • U2U relaying service e.g., examples are described for providing a U2N service (e.g., a data traffic between a UE and an application server (network).
  • the descriptions and/or examples may be applicable to a U2U service (e.g., data traffic among UEs, without traversing an application server (network)) by replacing the U2N service to the U2U service.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé consistant à : envoyer, par un premier dispositif de relais sans fil à une fonction de gestion d'accès et de mobilité (AMF), un premier message indiquant la capacité de relais à bonds multiples du premier dispositif de relais sans fil ; recevoir, par le premier dispositif de relais sans fil de la part de l'AMF, un second message : autorisant un relais à bonds multiples d'un service ; et indiquant un code de service de relais (RSC) pour le service ; recevoir, par le premier dispositif de relais sans fil de la part d'un second dispositif de relais sans fil, un message d'annonce de liaison latérale contenant : une indication d'un support pour un relais à bonds multiples ; et le RSC ; puis envoyer, par le premier dispositif de relais sans fil au second dispositif de relais sans fil et sur la base du second message, un message de demande de connexion de liaison latérale demandant un relais à bonds multiples pour le RSC.
PCT/EP2025/050283 2024-01-08 2025-01-08 Gestion d'utilisation de relais multiples Pending WO2025149497A1 (fr)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2023108320A1 (fr) * 2021-12-13 2023-06-22 Qualcomm Incorporated Découverte et sélection de relais d'utilisateur à utilisateur

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2023108320A1 (fr) * 2021-12-13 2023-06-22 Qualcomm Incorporated Découverte et sélection de relais d'utilisateur à utilisateur

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