System and Method for Virtualized Functions in Control and Data Planes

• US 20160353465A1
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: VRZIC, Sophie, ZHANG, Hang, SENARATH, Nimal Gamini
• Granted Patent: US 10,111,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/29 between an access point and the access point controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 Network topologies

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for management of network slices in a communication network such as a 5^th generation wireless communication network are provided. Management planes may be provided which are separate from the plurality of network slices. A connection manager residing in a management plane receives an indication that a mobile device is to be associated with the communication network. The connection manager may reside at an access node or in the core network. A network slice is determined, and the connection manager transmits instructions, to one or more network nodes, to associate the mobile device with the network slice. The instructions may be provided to a local connection manager. The slice may be requested explicitly by the mobile device, or determined based on device and/or network requirements.

Claims

1. A method, in a communication network supporting a plurality of network slices, for association of a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a connection manager instantiated in a management plane separate from the plurality of network slices, an indication that the mobile device is to be associated with the communication network; and

transmitting instructions, from the connection manager to at least one node of the communication network, to associate the mobile device with a network slice.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the connection manager, the network slice out of the plurality of network slices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection manager is instantiated in a core portion of the communication network separate from access nodes of the communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting, by the connection manager, a local connection manager corresponding to the network slice.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructions include an instruction transmitted to a local connection manager to associate the mobile device with the network slice.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection manager is separate from an access node of the communication network, and wherein the indication is transmitted from the mobile device to the access node and forwarded from the access node to the connection manager.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the connection manager is separate from an access node of the communication network;

the indication is transmitted from the mobile device to the access node and forwarded from the access node to the connection manager; and

the instructions include an instruction transmitted to the access node and instructing the access node to select a local connection manager corresponding to the network slice and to transmit a further instruction to the local connection manager to associate the mobile device with the network slice.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection manager is integrated with an access node to which the mobile device communicates;

or the connection manager is instantiated at an edge of the communication network, or both.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the mobile device with the network slice includes one or more of:

authenticating the mobile device;

authenticating the network slice to the mobile device;

confirming the mobile device is authorized to access the network slice;

admitting the mobile device to the network slice;

establishing signaling and data bearers for the mobile device;

establishing network forwarding rules supporting the mobile device;

performing a path computation operation using a flow manager entity in the communication network;

performing a path configuration operation by the flow manager entity; and

transmitting an attach response to the mobile device indicative that association of the mobile device with the network slice has been performed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication includes an attach request transmitted by the mobile device, the attach request including an identifier indicative of or correlated with the network slice, and wherein the network slice is determined based on the identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identifier is provided to the mobile device via:

a broadcast channel;

a unicast message;

a multicast message;

or pre-programming in the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the identifier is a mobile device identifier, the method further comprising correlating the mobile device identifier with an indication of the network slice.

13. A connection manager apparatus in a communication network supporting a plurality of network slices, the apparatus comprising a microprocessor operatively coupled to a network interface and configured to:

receive, via the network interface, an indication that the mobile device is to be associated with the communication network;

transmit instructions, via the network interface to at least one node of the communication network, to associate the mobile device with a network slice in accordance with the determined association,

wherein the connection manager apparatus is instantiated in a management plane separate from the plurality of network slices.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further configured to determine the network slice out of the plurality of network slices.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is instantiated in a core portion of the communication network separate from access nodes of the communication network.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further configured to select a local connection manager corresponding to the network slice.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions include an instruction transmitted to the local connection manager to associate the mobile device with the network slice.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is separate from an access node of the communication network, and wherein the indication is transmitted from the mobile device to the access node and forwarded from the access node to the apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the apparatus is separate from an access node of the communication network;

the indication is transmitted from the mobile device to the access node and forwarded from the access node to the apparatus; and

the instructions include an instruction transmitted to the access node and instructing the access node to select a local connection manager corresponding to the network slice and to transmit a further instruction to the local connection manager to associate the mobile device with the network slice.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is integrated with an access node to which the mobile device communicates;

or the apparatus is instantiated at an edge of the communication network, or both.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein associating the mobile device with the network slice includes one or more of:

authenticating the mobile device;

authenticating the network slice to the mobile device;

confirming the mobile device is authorized to access the network slice;

admitting the mobile device to the network slice;

establishing signaling and data bearers for the mobile device;

establishing network forwarding rules supporting the mobile device;

performing a path computation operation using a flow manager entity in the communication network;

performing a path configuration operation by the flow manager entity; and

transmitting an attach response to the mobile device indicative that association of the mobile device with the network slice has been performed.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the indication includes an attach request transmitted by the mobile device, the attach request including an identifier indicative of or correlated with the network slice, and wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the network slice based on the identifier.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the identifier is provided to the mobile device via:

a broadcast channel;

a unicast message;

a multicast message;

or pre-programming in the mobile device.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the identifier is a mobile device identifier, and the apparatus is further configured to correlate the mobile device identifier with an indication of the network slice.