# US 12,113,673 B2 · System, function and interface for interconnecting multi-domain network slice control and management

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- Number: US 12,113,673 B2
- Document ID: US12113673B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/850,129
- Filed: 2022-06-27
- Published: 2022-10-13
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-23
- Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kostas Katsalis; Konstantinos Samdanis; Shuping Peng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113673B2

## CPC

- H04L 41/0895: Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
- H04L 41/0806: for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
- H04L 41/0894: Policy-based network configuration management
- H04L 41/122: of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
- H04L 41/342: between virtual entities, e.g. orchestrators, SDN or NFV entities
- H04L 41/40: using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
- 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]
- H04L 41/5045: {Making service definitions prior to deployment}
- H04L 41/5077: {wherein the managed service relates to simple transport services, i.e. providing only network infrastructure}
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A transport network slice subset management entity is configured to provide an NSSMF of a TN, wherein the transport network slice subset management entity is configured to receive from or send messages to a network slice management entity and to provide configuration information to entities of a transport network. A method for interfacing with a transport network slice subset management entity, comprises the steps receiving, from a request originator, a message comprising a request relating to a network slice subset instance, updating a network slice database of a transport network, according to said request and configuring an entity of a transport network according to said request. A network slice management entity configured to provide an NSMF is configured to send messages to or receive messages from a transport network slice subset management entity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A transport network slice subnet management entity in a transport network (TN) and comprising:
a memory configured to store instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the transport network slice subnet management entity to:
provide a network slice subset management function of the TN;
obtain requirement information of the TN from a network slice management entity, wherein the TN is located between a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), and wherein the TN connects the RAN and the CN; and
manage a network slice of the TN according to the requirement information to meet a requirement of the TN by providing configuration information to an entity of the TN,
wherein the configuration information is for configuring the entity in the TN.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The transport network slice subnet management entity of claim 1, wherein the requirement information is associated with a transport network-network slice subnet instance (TN-NSSI).

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The transport network slice subnet management entity of claim 2, wherein the requirement information comprises information related to TN-NSSI life cycle management, TN-NSSI state transition, TN-NSSI monitoring-supervising, transport network capability exposure, error handling and fault management, or connection management.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The transport network slice subnet management entity of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the transport network slice subnet management entity to further manage the network slice by managing the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The transport network slice subnet management entity of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the transport network slice subnet management entity to:
create the TN-NSSI; or
modify the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The transport network slice subnet management entity of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the transport network slice subnet management entity to further manage the TN-NSSI to meet a requirement of a virtual link or a physical link in the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The transport network slice subnet management entity of claim 1, wherein the configuration information is associated with a transport network-network slice subnet instance (TN-NSSI).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The transport network slice subnet management entity of claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises network slice configuration information or life cycle management information.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The transport network slice subnet management entity of claim 1, wherein the transport network slice subnet management entity comprises a network functions virtualization orchestrator function.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The transport network slice subnet management entity of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the transport network slice subnet management entity to send a response message to the network slice management entity, wherein the response message comprises performance measurement information, topology change information, capability exposure information, or fault information.

### Claim 11

A network slice management entity comprising:
a memory configured to store instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the network slice management entity to:
obtain requirement information of a transport network (TN) corresponding to a transport network slice subnet management entity in the TN, wherein the requirement information is for managing a network slice according to the requirement information to meet a requirement of the TN by providing configuration information to an entity of the TN, wherein the configuration information is for configuring the entity in the TN, wherein the TN is located between a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), and wherein the TN connects the RAN and the CN; and
provide the requirement information to the transport network slice subnet management entity.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The network slice management entity of claim 11, wherein the requirement information is associated with a transport network-network slice subnet instance (TN-NSSI).

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The network slice management entity of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the network slice management entity to manage the TN-NSSI to meet a requirement of a virtual link or a physical link in the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The network slice management entity of claim 12, wherein the requirement information comprises information related to TN-NSSI life cycle management, TN-NSSI state transition, TN-NSSI monitoring-supervising, transport network capability exposure, error handling and fault management, or connection management.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The network slice management entity of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the network slice management entity to receive a response message from the transport network slice subnet management entity, wherein the response message comprises performance measurement information, topology change information, capability exposure information, or fault information.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The network slice management entity of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the network slice management entity to further obtain the requirement information according to network requirement information of a network corresponding to the network slice management entity.

### Claim 17

A method implemented by a transport network slice subnet management entity in a transport network (TN), the method comprising:
providing a network slice subset management function of the TN;
obtaining requirement information of the TN from a network slice management entity, wherein the TN is located between a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), and wherein the TN connects the RAN and the CN; and
managing a network slice of the TN according to the requirement information to meet a requirement of the TN by providing configuration information to an entity of the TN,
wherein the configuration information is for configuring the entity in the TN.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the requirement information is associated with a transport network-network slice subnet instance (TN-NSSI).

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the requirement information comprises information related to TN-NSSI life cycle management, TN-NSSI state transition, TN-NSSI monitoring-supervising, transport network capability exposure, error handling and fault management, or connection management.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein managing the network slice comprises managing the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising further managing the TN-NSSI to meet a requirement of a virtual link or a physical link in the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the configuration information is associated with a transport network-network slice subnet instance (TN-NSSI).

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the configuration information comprises network slice configuration information or life cycle management information.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the transport network slice subnet management entity comprises a network functions virtualization orchestrator function.

### Claim 25 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising sending a response message to the network slice management entity, wherein the response message comprises performance measurement information, topology change information, capability exposure information, or fault information.

### Claim 26

A method implemented by a network slice management entity and comprising:
obtaining requirement information of a transport network (TN) corresponding to a transport network slice subnet management entity in the TN, wherein the requirement information is for managing a network slice according to the requirement information to meet a requirement of the TN by providing configuration information to an entity of the TN, wherein the configuration information is for configuring the entity in the TN, wherein the TN is located between a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), and wherein the TN connects the RAN and the CN; and
providing the requirement information to the transport network slice subnet management entity.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein the requirement information is associated with a transport network-network slice subnet instance (TN-NSSI).

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, further comprising managing the TN-NSSI to meet a requirement of a virtual link or a physical link in the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving a response message from the transport network slice subnet management entity, wherein the response message comprises performance measurement information, topology change information, capability exposure information, or fault information.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, further comprising further obtaining the requirement according to network requirement information of a network corresponding to the network slice management entity.

### Claim 31

A network system comprising:
a transport network slice subnet management entity configured to:
obtain requirement information of a transport network (TN), wherein the TN is located between a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), and wherein the TN connects the RAN and the CN; and
manage a network slice of the TN according to the requirement information to meet a requirement of the TN by providing configuration information to an entity of the TN, wherein the configuration information is for configuring the entity in the TN; and
a network slice management entity configured to:
obtain the requirement information; and
provide the requirement information to the transport network slice subnet management entity.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The network system of claim 31, wherein the requirement information is associated with a transport network-network slice subnet instance (TN-NSSI).

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The network system of claim 32, wherein the requirement information comprises information related to TN-NSSI life cycle management, TN-NSSI state transition, TN-NSSI monitoring-supervising, transport network capability exposure, error handling and fault management, or connection management.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The network system of claim 31, wherein the configuration information is associated with a transport network-network slice subnet instance (TN-NSSI).

### Claim 35 (depends on 31)

The network system of claim 31, wherein the configuration information comprises network slice configuration information or life cycle management information.

### Claim 36 (depends on 31)

The network system of claim 31, wherein the transport network slice subnet management entity comprises a network functions virtualization orchestrator function.

### Claim 37

A computer program product comprising instructions that are stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and that, when executed by a processor, cause a transport network slice subnet management entity in a transport network (TN) to:
provide a network slice subset management function of the TN;
obtain requirement information of the TN from a network slice management entity, wherein the TN is located between a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), and wherein the TN connects the RAN and the CN; and
manage a network slice of the TN according to the requirement information to meet a requirement of the TN by providing configuration information to an entity of the TN,
wherein the configuration information is for configuring the entity in the TN.

### Claim 38 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising causing the transport network slice subnet management entity to:
create the TN-NSSI; or
modify the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 39 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the requirement information comprises information related to TN-NSSI life cycle management, TN-NSSI state transition, TN-NSSI monitoring-supervising, transport network capability exposure, error handling and fault management, or connection management.

### Claim 40 (depends on 32)

The network system of claim 32, wherein the transport network slice subnet management entity is further configured to further manage the network slice by managing the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The network system of claim 40, wherein the transport network slice subnet management entity is further configured to:
create the TN-NSSI; or
modify the TN-NSSI.

### Claim 42 (depends on 40)

The network system of claim 40, wherein the transport network slice subnet management entity is further configured to further manage the TN-NSSI to meet a requirement of a virtual link or a physical link in the TN-NSSI.