Devices and methods for slice-compliant handover control

A method for controlling a handover of a user equipment from a serving base station to a candidate target base station of a mobile communication network, the serving base station providing at least a first slice of a first slice type and the candidate target base station providing at least a second slice of a second slice type, the user equipment being registered to the first slice of the serving base station, the method comprising:

• controlling, in response to a handover trigger, the handover of the user equipment on the basis of a requested slice type and the second slice type provided by the candidate target base station,
• wherein the requested slice type is associated with a requested service grade,
• wherein the second slice type is associated with a second service grade, and
• wherein the method further comprises:
• comparing, in a case where the requested slice type is not equal to the second slice type, the requested service grade with the second service grade, and
• selecting the candidate target base station as a target base station and the second slice type as the target slice type, in a case where the requested service grade is smaller than the second service grade.

A target base station configured to perform a handover of a user equipment from a serving base station to the target base station of a mobile communication network, the serving base station providing at least a first slice of a first slice type and the target base station providing at least a second slice of a second slice type, the user equipment being originally registered to the first slice of the serving base station, the target base station comprising:

• a communication interface configured to receive a handover request from the serving base station or a mobility management network entity of the mobile communication network for performing the handover from the serving base station to the target base station, wherein the handover request comprises a requested slice type;
• and
• a processor configured to process the handover request on the basis of the requested slice type and the second slice type,
• wherein the requested slice type is associated with a requested service grade,
• wherein the second slice type is associated with a second service grade, and
• wherein the processor is further configured to:
• compare, in a case where the requested slice type is not equal to the second slice type, the requested service grade with the second service grade, and
• adjusting the target base station to provide the services provided by the requested slice type, in a case where the requested service grade is smaller than the second service grade.

A method of performing a handover of a user equipment from a serving base station to a target base station of a mobile communication network, the serving base station supporting at least a first slice of a first slice type and the target base station supporting at least a second slice of a second slice type, the user equipment being originally registered to the first slice of the serving base station, the method comprising:

• receiving a handover request from the serving base station or a mobility management network entity of the mobile communication network for performing the handover from the serving base station to the target base station, wherein the handover request comprises a requested slice type;
• and
• processing the handover request on the basis of the requested slice type and the second slice type,
• wherein the requested slice type is associated with a requested service grade,
• wherein the second slice type is associated with a second service grade, and
• wherein the method further comprises:
• comparing, in a case where the requested slice type is not equal to the second slice type, the requested service grade with the second service grade, and
• adjusting the target base station to provide the services provided by the requested slice type, in a case where the requested service grade is smaller than the second service grade.