# US 12,192,058 B2 · Deep network slicing with virtualized programmable data-plane pipelines > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,192,058 B2 - Document ID: US12192058B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/878,343 - Filed: 2022-08-01 - Published: 2024-02-01 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-01 - Assignees: Equinix, Inc. - Applicants: Equinix, Inc. - Inventors: Oleg Berzin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192058B2 ## CPC - H04L 41/0895: Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements - H04L 67/60: Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources (admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70) - H04W 4/50: Service provisioning or reconfiguring - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - 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) ## Abstract This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for network slicing with programmable data-plane pipelines, comprising creating slice contexts, where creating the slice contexts comprises creating control-plane and data-plane data for each of a plurality of network slices, and storing the control-plane and the data-plane data to produce slice contexts, mapping resources of network switch hardware to the slice contexts to create a resource mapping, instantiating the plurality of network slices on the network switch hardware using the resource mapping, receiving frames from one or more external sources, identifying a network slice corresponding to each frame, and enriching a header of each of the frames, based upon the identification of the network slice for each frame, to direct each frame to a data-plane pipeline. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for network slicing with programmable data-plane pipelines, the method comprising: creating slice contexts, wherein creating the slice contexts comprises: creating control-plane data for each of a plurality of network slices; creating data-plane data for each of the plurality of network slices; and storing the control-plane data and the data-plane data for each of the plurality of network slices to produce slice contexts; mapping resources of network switch hardware to the slice contexts to create a resource mapping for the slice contexts; instantiating the plurality of network slices on the network switch hardware using the resource mapping; receiving frames from one or more external sources; identifying a network slice corresponding to each frame; and enriching a header of each of the frames, based upon the identification of the network slice for each frame, to direct each frame to a data-plane pipeline. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping of resources comprises allocating resources utilizing direct partitioning of network switch hardware. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping of resources comprises allocating resources utilizing a slicer visor abstraction layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping of resources comprises tailoring the mapping to specific network switch hardware based upon specified requirements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 comprising: receiving network slice requirements from a 5G control plane; wherein the creation of control-plane data and data-plane data is based upon the network slice requirements received from the 5G control plane to create a slice context defined by the 5G control plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the creation of control-plane data and data-plane data produces a slice context with capabilities beyond a 5G network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the instantiating the plurality of network slices on the network switch hardware comprises programming the network switch hardware based upon a type of slice defined by the data-plane data; wherein the method comprises: triggering packet processing actions based on slice types. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein each of the data-plane pipelines comprises a slice-specific data-plane processing pipeline, and wherein each slice context is associated with a data plane program corresponding to one or more network slice requirements for a respective network slice. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more network slice requirements comprise one or more of security, 5G traffic processing, 5G capability, 5G proximity to access networks, and storage. ### Claim 10 A system configured for network slicing with programmable data-plane pipelines, comprising: network switch hardware; one or more hardware processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: create slice contexts, wherein creating the slice contexts comprises: create control-plane data for each of a plurality of network slices; create data-plane data for each of the plurality of network slices; and store the control-plane data and the data-plane data for each of the plurality of network slices to produce slice contexts; map resources of the network switch hardware to the slice contexts to create a resource mapping for the slice contexts; instantiate the plurality of network slices on the network switch hardware using the resource mapping; receive frames from one or more external sources; identify a network slice corresponding to each frame; and enrich a header of each of the frames, based upon the identification of the network slice for each frame, to direct each frame to a data-plane pipeline. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the mapping of resources comprises allocating resources utilizing direct partitioning of network switch hardware. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the mapping of resources comprises allocating resources utilizing a slicer visor abstraction layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the mapping of resources comprises tailoring the mapping to specific network switch hardware based upon specified requirements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to: receive network slice requirements from a 5G control plane; and wherein the creation of control-plane data and data-plane data is based upon the network slice requirements received from the 5G control plane to create a slice context defined by the 5G control plane. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the creation of control-plane data and data-plane data produces a slice context with capabilities beyond a 5G network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the instantiating the plurality of network slices on the network switch hardware comprises programming the network switch hardware based upon a type of slice defined by the data-plane data; and wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to: trigger packet processing actions based on slice types. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein each of the data-plane pipelines comprises a slice-specific data-plane processing pipeline, and wherein each slice context is associated with a data plane program corresponding to one or more network slice requirements for a respective network slice. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more network slice requirements comprise one or more of security, 5G traffic processing, 5G capability, 5G proximity to access networks, and storage. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory, tangible processor readable storage medium, encoded with processor readable instructions to perform a method for network slicing with programmable data-plane pipelines, the method comprising: creating slice contexts, wherein creating the slice contexts comprises: creating control-plane data for each of a plurality of network slices; creating data-plane data for each of the plurality of network slices; and storing the control-plane data and the data-plane data for each of the plurality of network slices to produce slice contexts; mapping resources of network switch hardware to the slice contexts to create a resource mapping for the slice contexts; instantiating the plurality of network slices on the network switch hardware using the resource mapping; receiving frames from one or more external sources; identifying a network slice corresponding to each frame; and enriching a header of each of the frames, based upon the identification of the network slice for each frame, to direct each frame to a data-plane pipeline. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein, each of the data-plane pipelines comprises a slice-specific data-plane processing pipeline, each slice context is associated with a data plane program corresponding to one or more network slice requirements for a respective network slice, and the one or more network slice requirements comprise one or more of security, 5G traffic processing, 5G capability, 5G proximity to access networks, and storage.