# US 11,909,600 B2 · Intent negotiation method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,600 B2 - Document ID: US11909600B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/156,759 - Filed: 2023-01-19 - Published: 2023-05-25 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-29 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Xianming Li; Yijun Yu; Min Ju - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909600B2 ## CPC - H04L 41/0894: Policy-based network configuration management - H04L 41/142: using statistical or mathematical methods - H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition - G06F 40/40: Processing or translation of natural language (natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30) - H04L 41/34: Signalling channels for network management communication - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An intent negotiation method and apparatus are provided. The method includes: A first network element sends a first sub-intent of a first intent to a second network element, and sends a second sub-intent of the first intent and indication information to the second network element, where the indication information is used to indicate that the first sub-intent and the second sub-intent have a same action and a same object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: sending, by a first network element, a first sub-intent of a first intent to a second network element; and sending, by the first network element, a second sub-intent of the first intent and indication information to the second network element, wherein the indication information indicates that the first sub-intent and the second sub-intent have a same action and a same object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the first network element, an estimated quantity of times to the second network element, wherein the estimated quantity of times indicates a quantity of negotiation times of a second intent that has a same action and a same object as the first intent, and the quantity of negotiation times indicates a quantity of decomposition times of the second intent in a process of executing the second intent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: storing, by the first network element, a quantity of negotiation times of the first intent when the first network element determines that the first intent is achieved. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: storing, by the first network element, a quantity of negotiation times of the first intent when the first network element determines that negotiation for the first intent times out. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: storing, by the first network element, a quantity of negotiation times of the first intent when the first network element determines that the first intent is deleted. ### Claim 6 A method, comprising: receiving, by a first network element, first information from a third network element, wherein the first information comprises first indication information and second indication information, the first indication information indicates that a first sub-intent is achieved, the second indication information indicates at least one second sub-intent that conflicts with the first sub-intent, and the first sub-intent is all sub-intents that are usable to achieve a first intent; sending, by the first network element, a third sub-intent to the third network element, wherein the third sub-intent is different from the first sub-intent, and the third sub-intent is all sub-intents that are usable to achieve the first intent; receiving, by the first network element, second information from the third network element, wherein the second information comprises third indication information and fourth indication information, the third indication information indicates that the third sub-intent is achieved, and the fourth indication information indicates at least one fourth sub-intent that conflicts with the third sub-intent; and performing the following: determining, by the first network element, the first sub-intent as an execution solution of the intent when a total quantity of second sub-intents of the at least one second sub-intent is less than a total quantity of fourth sub-intents of the at least one fourth sub-intent; or determining, by the first network element, the third sub-intent as the execution solution of the intent when the total quantity of second sub-intents of the at least one second sub-intent is greater than or equal to the total quantity of fourth sub-intents of the at least one fourth sub-intent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the method comprises: determining, by the first network element, the first sub-intent as the execution solution of the intent when the total quantity of second sub-intents of the at least one second sub-intent is less than the total quantity of fourth sub-intents of the at least one fourth sub-intent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the method comprises: determining, by the first network element, the third sub-intent as the execution solution of the intent when the total quantity of second sub-intents of the at least one second sub-intent is greater than or equal to the total quantity of fourth sub-intents of the at least one fourth sub-intent. ### Claim 9 A method, comprising: receiving, by a second network element, a first sub-intent of a first intent from a first network element; receiving, by the second network element, a second sub-intent of the first intent and indication information from the first network element, wherein the indication information indicates that the first sub-intent and the second sub-intent have a same action and a same object; and omitting, by the second network element, translation of the second sub-intent based on the indication information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising: determining, by the second network element, a target value of the second sub-intent based on the second sub-intent; and sending, by the second network element, an intent update request to a third network element in the second network element, wherein the intent update request comprises an identifier of a third sub-intent and the target value of the second sub-intent, and the third sub-intent is a 1st sub-intent that is for the first intent and that is received from the first network element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising: receiving, by the second network element, an estimated quantity of times from the first network element, wherein the estimated quantity of times indicates a quantity of negotiation times of a second intent that has a same action and a same object as the first intent, and the quantity of negotiation times indicates a quantity of decomposition times of the second intent in a process of executing the second intent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: determining, by the second network element based on a quantity of policies comprised in an available execution policy set, that the estimated quantity of times is greater than the quantity of policies, wherein the available execution policy set is determined based on a third sub-intent; and sending, by the second network element, a global intent conflict detection request to a fourth network element in the second network element, wherein the global intent conflict detection request requests to detect, for each policy in the available execution policy set, whether a sub-intent that conflicts with the policy exists in the fourth network element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising: determining, by the second network element, a first policy in an available execution measurement set based on the available execution policy set and a target value of the second sub-intent when the second sub-intent is not achieved; determining, by the second network element based on the conflict sub-intent set, a sub-intent that conflicts with the first policy, and invoking a preset method to resolve the sub-intent that conflicts with the first policy; and sending, by the second network element, the first policy to a fourth network element in the second network element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An apparatus, comprising: a processor; and an interface circuit, wherein the interface circuit is configured to: receive a signal from another communication apparatus and transmit the signal to the processor, or send a signal from the processor to another communication apparatus; and wherein the processor is configured to implement the method according to claim 1 by using a logic circuit or executing code instructions.