# US 2021/0243652 A1 · Performance measurements and kpis related to packet delay in ng-ran and 5gs

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- Number: US 2021/0243652 A1
- Document ID: US20210243652A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/238,418
- Filed: 2021-04-23
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2020-05-04
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Yizhi Yao; Joey Chou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243652A1

## CPC

- H04W 24/04: Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
- H04W 28/0975: {for reducing delays}
- H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service
- H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels
- H04W 80/02: Data link layer protocols
- H04W 88/085: {Access point devices with remote components}
- H04W 88/18: Service support devices; Network management devices
- H04W 92/10: between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

An apparatus and system for generating KPIs based on packet delay performance measurements through a NG-RAN or 5GC are described. Integrated average UL and DL delays in NG-RAN, gNB DU delays and e2e delays are determined for each sub-network, network slice subnet, and network slice, and for a gNB DU. An overall NR cell DU delay including air interface delay and delay within the NR cell DU, and an overall gNB-CU delay including F1 interface delay and delay within the gNB-CU-UP, are each independently weighted for each gNB and in each direction for the integrated delay KPI in the NG-RAN. The e2e delay KPIs are average UL or DL delays between a UPF and UE(s) for a network slice based on e2e delays for each N3 and N9 interface weighted by number of packets or data volume of the interface for the corresponding direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus configured to operate as a service producer for key performance indicators (KPIs) in a fifth generation (5G) system, the apparatus comprising:
processing circuitry configured to:
collect next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) performance measurements of at least one NG-RAN or 5G core network (5GC) from at least one service producer for measurements, the NG-RAN performance measurements including packet delays for the at least one NG-RAN that include delays associated with a 5G NodeB (gNB) distributed unit (gNB DU) and delays associated with a gNB central unit (CU) user plane (UP) (gNB-CU-UP) of the at least one NG-RAN, the 5GC performance measurements including e2e packet delay between the PSA UPF and the UE; and
generate KPIs for at least one of a sub-network, a network slice subnet, or a network slice based on at least one of the NG-RAN performance measurements or the 5GC performance measurements, the KPIs including integrated delays, gNB DU delays, and e2e delays, the integrated delays dependent on: a delay in a new radio (NR) cell DU, a delay between the NR cell DU and a user equipment (UE) connected to the NR cell DU, a delay between the NR cell DU and the gNB-CU-UP, and a delay in the gNB-CU-UP, network resources of the 5G system adjusted to improve the KPIs based on at least one of the NG-RAN performance measurements or the 5GC performance measurements; and a memory configured to store the NG-RAN performance measurements.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the integrated packet delays are integrated for a plurality of NG-RANs contained by or associated to at least one of a sub-network, a network slice subnet, or a network slice.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the integrated delays comprise average uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) delays of NR cell DUs in gNB DUs and gNB-CU-UPs contained by or associated to at least one of the sub-network, network slice subnet, or network slice.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:
the average UL and DL delays each comprise an overall DU delay and an overall gNB-CU delay,
the overall gNB DU delay comprises an air interface delay of an air interface between the NR cell DU and the UE and a NR cell DU delay within the NR cell DU, and
the overall gNB-CU delay comprises an FI delay on an F1 interface and a gNB-CU delay within the gNB-CU-UP.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the KPIs of the integrated delays are split into per Quality of Service (QoS) level and per Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI).

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the KPIs of the integrated delays are based on weighting of the overall NR cell DU delay and the overall gNB-CU delay using a first weight for the overall NR cell DU delay and a second weight for the overall gNB-CU delay, the weighting of the overall NR cell DU delay and the overall gNB-CU delay for UL and DL packets being independent, the weighting of the overall NR cell DU delay and the overall gNB-CU delay for each NR cell DU and gNB-CU-UP being independent.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:
the first weight comprises at least one of:
user plane data volume of a NR cell in the gNB-DU, user plane Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) data volume of the NR cell in a gNB-CU,
number of user plane PDCP packets of the NR cell in the gNB-CU, number of user plane plane radio link control (RLC) packets of the NR cell in the gNB-DU, or
number of user plane transport blocks (TBs) of the NR cell in the gNB-DU, and
the second weight comprises at least one of:
user plane data volume of the gNB-CU-UP, or number of user plane PDCP packets of the gNB-CU-UP.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one service producer is implemented within at least one of the plurality of NG-RANs or 5GCs and within a management system separate from the plurality of NG-RANs and 5GCs.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the KPIs of the gNB DU delays include average uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) delays of NR cell DUs in a gNB DU, each of average UL and DL delays comprise an overall DU delay that includes an air interface delay of an air interface between the NR cell DU and the UE and a NR cell DU delay within the NR cell DU.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the KPIs of the gNB DU delays are split into per Quality of Service (QoS) level and per Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI).

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the KPIs of the gNB DU delays are based on weighting of the overall NR cell DU delay using independent weights for UL and DL packets, the weights of the overall NR cell DU delay for each NR cell DU being independent.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the KPIs of the e2e delays include average uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) e2e packet delays between a user plane function (UPF) and the UE, and
the KPIs of the e2e delays are based on weighting of transmissions over N3 and N9 interfaces using independent weights for UL and DL packets and for the N3 and N9 interfaces.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:
an N3 weight comprises at least one of:
number of octets of incoming or outgoing General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) data packets on the N3 interface, and
number of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N3 interface, and
an N9 weight comprises at least one of:
number of octets of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N9 interface, and
number of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N9 interface.

### Claim 14

A management system configured provide key performance indicators (KPIs) in a fifth generation (5G) system, the system comprising:
a service producer for KPIs for at least one of a sub-network, network slice subnet, or network slice comprising processing circuitry and memory configured to:
collect, from a plurality of service producers, performance measurements of at least one of next generation radio access networks (NG-RANs) or 5G core network (5GC) contained by or associated to at least one of a sub-network, network slice subnet, or network slice, the performance measurements including packet delays that include uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) delays associated with each new radio (NR) cell distributed unit (NR cell DU) and delays associated with a 5th generation NodeB (gNB) central unit (CU) user plane (UP) (gNB-CU-UP) of each of the NG-RANs, or delays associated with each user plane function (UPF); and
generate KPIs based on the performance measurements collected by the service producer for KPIs, the KPIs including at least one of integrated average UL and DL packet delays, gNB DU delays or e2e delays for the at least one of the sub-network, network slice subnet, or network slice that are dependent on:
an overall DU delay for each NR cell DU that comprises an air interface delay of an air interface between the NR cell DU and a user equipment (UE) connected to the NR cell DU and a NR cell DU delay within the NR cell DU, and
an overall gNB-CU delay that comprises an F1 delay on an F1 interface and a gNB-CU delay within the gNB-CU-UP, or
an e2e packet delay between the UPF and the UE.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the KPIs are based on weighting of the overall NR cell DU delay, and the overall gNB-CU delay, or e2e delay using independent weights for each overall NR cell DU delay, and for each overall gNB-CU delay, or for each e2e packet delay and for UL and DL packets.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein:
each weight for one of the NR cell DU delays of an NR cell in each gNB-DU or gNB-CU comprises at least one of:
user plane data volume of the NR cell in the gNB-DU,
user plane Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) data volume of the NR cell in a gNB-CU,
number of user plane PDCP packets of the NR cell in the gNB-CU,
number of user plane plane radio link control (RLC) packets of the NR cell in the gNB-DU, or
number of user plane transport blocks (TBs) of the NR cell in the gNB-DU, and
each weight for one of the overall gNB-CU delays comprises at least one of:
user plane data volume of the gNB-CU-UP, or
number of user plane PDCP packets of the gNB-CU-UP, and
each weight for one of the e2e delays comprises at least one of:
number of octets of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N3 interface, and
number of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N3 interface, and
number of octets of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N9 interface, and
number of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N9 interface.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein:
the KPIs further include average UL and average DL packet delays of NR cell DUs in a gNB DU, each of average UL and DL delays comprise the overall NR cell DU delay, and
the KPIs are based on weighting of the overall NR cell DU delay using independent weights for UL and DL packets, the weights of the overall NR cell DU delay for each NR cell DU being independent.

### Claim 18

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a service producer for key performance indicators (KPIs) in a fifth generation (5G) system, the one or more processors to configure the service to, when the instructions are executed:
collect performance measurements of next generation radio access networks (NG-RANs) or 5G core network (5GC) contained by or associated to at least one of a sub-network, network slice subnet, or network slice from a plurality of service producers, the performance measurements including packet delays for each gNB of each of the NG-RANs and packet delays for each 5GC, the packet delays for each gNB including uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) delays associated with a NR cell distributed unit (NR cell DU) and delays associated with a 5th generation NodeB (gNB) central unit (CU) user plane (UP) (gNB-CU-UP), and the packet delays for 5GC associated with a user plane function (UPF); and
generate KPIs for the at least one of a sub-network, network slice subnet, or network slice based on the NG-RAN or 5GC performance measurements, the KPIs including integrated average UL and DL packet delays in NG-RAN, gNB DU delays, or e2e delays, the integrated delays dependent on:
an overall gNB DU delay for each NR cell DU that comprises an air interface delay of an air interface between the NR cell DU and a user equipment (UE) connected to the NR cell DU and a NR cell DU delay within the NR cell DU, and
an overall gNB-CU delay that comprises an F1 delay on an F1 interface and a gNB-CU delay within the gNB-CU-UP.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, wherein:
the KPIs of gNB DU delays include average UL and DL packet delays for a gNB DU and gNB DUs in or associated with at least one of the sub-network, network slice subnet or network slice that are dependent on an overall gNB DU delay for each of the NR cell DUs in the gNB DU and gNB DUs in or associated with at least one of the sub-network, network slice subnet or network slice, and
the overall gNB DU delay comprises another air interface delay of an air interface between the each of the NR cell DUs and a UE connected to the each of the NR cell DUs and another NR cell DU delay within the each of the NR cell DUs.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The medium of claim 18, wherein:
the KPIs of integrated packet delays in the NG-RAN are based on weighting of the overall NR cell DU delay and the overall gNB-CU delay using a first weight for the overall NR cell DU delay and a second weight for the overall gNB-CU delay,
the weighting of the overall NR cell DU delay and the overall gNB-CU delay for UL and DL packets are independent,
the weighting of the overall NR cell DU delay and the overall gNB-CU delay for each NR cell DU and gNB-CU-UP are independent,
the first weight comprises at least one of:
user plane data volume of a NR cell in the gNB-DU,
user plane Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) data volume of the NR cell in a gNB-CU,
number of user plane PDCP packets of the NR cell in the gNB-CU, number of user plane plane radio link control (RLC) packets of the NR cell in the gNB-DU, or
number of user plane transport blocks (TBs) of the NR cell in the gNB-DU, and
the second weight comprises at least one of:
user plane data volume of the gNB-CU-UP, or
number of user plane PDCP packets of the gNB-CU-UP, and
the KPIs of e2e packet delays in NG-RAN are based on weighting of transmissions over N3 and N9 interfaces using independent weights for UL and DL packets and for the N3 and N9 interfaces, and
the N3 weight comprises at least one of:
number of octets of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N3 interface, and
number of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N3 interface, and
the N9 weight comprises at least one of:
number of octets of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N9 interface, and
number of incoming or outgoing GTP data packets on the N9 interface.