# US 2019/0174347 A1 · Dynamic access slice pooling and software defined network controlled capabilities > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0174347 A1 - Document ID: US20190174347A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/829,777 - Filed: 2017-12-01 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Inventors: Sangar Dowlatkhah; Venson Shaw - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190174347A1 ## CPC - H04W 28/0268: {using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] (negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24)} - H04L 45/306: {Route determination based on the nature of the carried application} - H04L 47/2425: for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA - H04W 8/18: Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Various embodiments disclosed herein provide for a dynamic access slice pooling system with software defined network (SDN) controlled capabilities in a 5G wireless communications system. A radio access network device can have one or more slices instantiated on the device that facilitate various services being requested by user equipment devices. A slice can have one or more virtual network functions that are specialized for particular services. When a user equipment device requests a service, the service can be assigned to a slice based on the type of service being requested. If the type of slice associated with the service is not currently operational, the SDN controller on the radio access network device can instantiate a new slice with the virtual network functions selected for the service being requested. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising: receiving a request for a first service from a user equipment associated with a radio access network; selecting a first radio access network slice from a group of active radio access network slices to manage the first service, wherein the first radio access network slice comprises a group of virtual network functions associated with the first service; and instantiating the first radio access network slice on a device associated with the radio access network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a request for a second service from the user equipment; and selecting a second radio access network slice from the group of radio access network slices to manage the second service. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the second radio access network slice comprises the group of virtual network functions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the group of virtual network functions is a first group of virtual network functions, and wherein the second radio access network slice comprises a second group of virtual network functions different than the first group of virtual network functions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the user equipment communicates with a core network device of a core network concurrently via the first radio access network slice and the second radio access network slice. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: increasing a size of the first radio access network slice in response to determining that a bandwidth request for the first service has increased. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: accessing a duplicate first radio access network slice in response to determining that a bandwidth request for the first service has increased. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the group of virtual network functions comprises control plane functions and user plane functions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instantiating the first radio access network slice on the device comprises: instantiating the first radio access network slice based on an anticipated level of request for the first service. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first radio access network slice receives data from the user equipment via a hosting layer device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first radio access network slice receives data from the user equipment via an enhancing layer device that provides backup for the hosting layer device. ### Claim 12 A method, comprising: determining, by a device comprising a processor, that a user equipment is requesting initiation of a first network service; assigning, by the device, a first radio access network slice selected from a group of radio access network slices to manage the first network service, wherein the first radio access network slice comprises a group of virtual network functions associated with the first network service; and facilitating, by the device, transmitting of data processed by the first radio access network slice to a core network device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the network service is a first network service, and further comprising: determining, by the device, that the user equipment is requesting initiation of a second network service; and in response to determining that the second network service is not associated with radio access network slices of the group of active radio access network slices, instantiating, by the device, a second radio access network slice to manage the second network service. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the second radio access network slice comprises virtual network functions different from the group of virtual network functions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the first radio access network slice and the second radio access network slice receive data from the user equipment via different radio network devices. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first radio access network slice is instantiated as a first instance of the first radio access network slices, and further comprising: instantiating, by the device, a second instance of the first radio access network slice in response to determining that a bandwidth requirement for the first network service has increased above predetermined bandwidth level. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: transmitting, by the device, data to the core network device via the first radio access network slice and the second radio access network slice concurrently. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, facilitate performance of operations, comprising: receiving a transmission corresponding to a first network service from a user device associated with a radio access network; selecting a first radio access network slice from a group of active radio access network slices to manage the first network service, wherein the first radio access network slice comprises a group of virtual network functions associated with the first network service; and causing the first radio access network slice to be instantiated on at least one device of the radio access network. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first network service is a first network service, and wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a transmission from the user device corresponding to a second network service; and determining that the second network service is not associated with radio access network slices of the group of active radio access network slices; and causing a second radio access network slice to be instantiated on the at least one device to handle the second network service. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise: causing a duplicate of the first radio access network slice to be instantiated on the at least one device in response to determining that an amount of total bandwidth being requested to carry out the first network service has increased.