Methods and systems for intelligent AMF assignment to minimize re-direction
AssigneeVerizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
InventorsKristen Sydney Young, Ravi Potluri, Hans Raj Nahata
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, a system, and a non-transitory storage medium are described in which an access and mobility management function (AMF) assignment service is provided. A network device receives an assignment policy for selecting an AMF from a group of available AMFs, wherein the assignment policy includes network slice priorities for available network slices in the RAN; stores the assignment policy; receives, during a registration procedure initiated by an end device, Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI); identifies, from the NSSAI, multiple single-NSSAIs (S-NSSAIs); and selects, based on the assignment policy, an AMF for a highest priority S-NSSAI, of the multiple S-NSSAIs.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- generating, by a first network device of a radio access network (RAN), an assignment policy for selecting an access and mobility management function (AMF) from a group of available AMFs,
- wherein the assignment policy includes network slice priorities for available network slices in the RAN, and
- wherein the first network device includes at least one of a non-real-time RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC-non-RT) or a near-real-time RIC (RIC-near-RT);
- storing, by a second network device of the RAN, the assignment policy;
- receiving, by the second network device, a connection request initiated by an end device, wherein the connection request includes Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI);
- identifying, by the second network device and from the NSSAI, multiple single-NSSAIs (S-NSSAIs);
- and
- selecting, by the second network device and based on the assignment policy, an AMF for a highest priority S-NSSAI, of the multiple S-NSSAIs.
A system comprising:
- one or more network devices of a radio access network (RAN), the one or more network devices including:
- a communication interface,
- a memory, wherein the memory stores first instructions, and
- a processor, wherein the processor executes the instructions to:
- receive, from one of a non-real-time RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC-non-RT) or a near-real-time RIC (RIC-near-RT), an assignment policy for selecting an access and mobility management function (AMF) from a group of available AMFs,
- wherein the assignment policy includes network slice priorities for available network slices in the RAN,
- store, in the memory, the assignment policy,
- receive a connection request initiated by an end device, wherein the connection request includes Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI),
- identify, from the NSSAI, multiple single-NSSAIs (S-NSSAIs), and
- select, based on the assignment policy, an AMF for a highest priority S-NSSAI, of the multiple S-NSSAIs.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a network device, which when executed cause the network device to:
- receive, from one of a non-real-time radio access network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC-non-RT) or a near-real-time RIC (RIC-near-RT), an assignment policy for selecting an access and mobility management function (AMF) from a group of available AMFs,
- wherein the assignment policy includes network slice priorities for available network slices in a radio access network (RAN);
- store, in a memory, the assignment policy;
- receive, during a registration procedure initiated by an end device, Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI);
- identify, from the NSSAI, multiple single-NSSAIs (S-NSSAIs);
- and
- select, based on the assignment policy, an AMF for a highest priority S-NSSAI, of the multiple S-NSSAIs, when the assignment policy indicates there is no single AMF designated to provide service to the end device for all of the S-NSSAIs in the NSSAI.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.