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US 11,636,503 B2Granted
System and method for offering network slice as a service
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsAbbas Kiani, Seyed Hashemi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method includes defining a first specification for a first network slice, determining a first equilibrium value for a first time period for the first network slice offering, receiving a first bid price for the first network slice for the first time period from a first customer, comparing the first equilibrium value to the first bid price; and providing services using the network slice to the customer during the time period in accordance with the first specification and the bid price if the bid price meets or exceeds the equilibrium value.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- obtaining, by a processing system including a processor, a specification for a network slice, wherein the specification includes performance requirements comprising a maximum number of subscribers in a connected state, a maximum allowed throughput per subscriber, a maximum number of traffic flows per subscriber, or any combination thereof;
- determining by the processing system, via a first machine learning process, a first equilibrium value for a first time period for the network slice;
- receiving, by the processing system, a first bid price for the network slice for the first time period from a customer, the first bid price having been determined via a second machine learning process;
- comparing, by the processing system, the first equilibrium value to the first bid price;
- and
- initiating, by the processing system, utilization of one or more virtual network functions to provide a wireless service using the network slice to the customer during the first time period in accordance with the specification and the first bid price if the first bid price meets or exceeds the first equilibrium value, wherein the initiating the utilization of the one or more virtual network functions comprises:
- mapping, by the processing system, the one or more virtual network functions to enable the performance requirements with regard to the maximum number of subscribers in the connected state, the maximum allowed throughput per subscriber, the maximum number of traffic flows per subscriber, or any combination thereof;
- and
- instantiating by the processing system, via a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, the one or more virtual network functions to enable the performance requirements with regard to the maximum number of subscribers in the connected state, the maximum allowed throughput per subscriber, the maximum number of traffic flows per subscriber, or any combination thereof.
6 more elements
A device comprising:
- a processing system including a processor;
- and
- a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
- obtaining a specification for a network slice, wherein the specification includes performance requirements comprising a maximum number of subscribers in a connected state, a maximum allowed throughput per subscriber, a maximum number of traffic flows per subscriber, or any combination thereof;
- determining, via a first machine learning process, a first equilibrium value for a first time period for the network slice;
- receiving a first bid price for the network slice for the first time period from a customer, the first bid price having been determined via a second machine learning process;
- comparing the first equilibrium value to the first bid price;
- and
- initiating utilization of one or more virtual network functions to provide a wireless service using the network slice to the customer during the first time period in accordance with the specification and the first bid price if the first bid price meets or exceeds the first equilibrium value, wherein the initiating the utilization of the one or more virtual network functions comprises:
- mapping the one or more virtual network functions to enable the performance requirements with regard to the maximum number of subscribers in the connected state, the maximum allowed throughput per subscriber, the maximum number of traffic flows per subscriber, or any combination thereof;
- and
- instantiating, via a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, the one or more virtual network functions to enable the performance requirements with regard to the maximum number of subscribers in the connected state, the maximum allowed throughput per subscriber, the maximum number of traffic flows per subscriber, or any combination thereof.
9 more elements
A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
- obtaining a specification for a network slice, wherein the specification includes performance requirements comprising a maximum number of subscribers in a connected state, a maximum allowed throughput per subscriber, a maximum number of traffic flows per subscriber, or any combination thereof;
- determining, via a first machine learning process, a first equilibrium value for a first time period for the network slice;
- receiving a first bid price for the network slice for the first time period from a customer the first bid price having been determined via a second machine learning process;
- comparing the first equilibrium value to the first bid price;
- and
- initiating utilization of one or more virtual network functions to provide a wireless service using the network slice to the customer during the first time period in accordance with the specification and the first bid price if the first bid price meets or exceeds the first equilibrium value, wherein the initiating the utilization of the one or more virtual network functions comprises:
- mapping the one or more virtual network functions to enable the performance requirements with regard to the maximum number of subscribers in the connected state, the maximum allowed throughput per subscriber, the maximum number of traffic flows per subscriber, or any combination thereof;
- and
- instantiating, via a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, the one or more virtual network functions to enable the performance requirements with regard to the maximum number of subscribers in the connected state, the maximum allowed throughput per subscriber, the maximum number of traffic flows per subscriber, or any combination thereof.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.