WIRELESS DEVICE, NETWORK NODE, AND METHODS PERFORMED THEREBY FOR HANDLING ONE OR MORE SLICES

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a wireless device and methods performed thereby for handling one or more slices. The present disclosure further relates generally to a network node and methods performed thereby, for handling one or more slices.

BACKGROUND

Wireless devices within a wireless communications network may be e.g., User Equipments (UE), stations (STAs), mobile terminals, wireless terminals, terminals, and/or Mobile Stations (MS). Wireless devices are enabled to communicate wirelessly in a cellular communications network or wireless communication network, sometimes also referred to as a cellular radio system, cellular system, or cellular network. The communication may be performed e.g., between two wireless devices, between a wireless device and a regular telephone and/or between a wireless device and a server via a Radio Access Network (RAN) and possibly one or more core networks, comprised within the wireless communications network. Wireless devices may further be referred to as mobile telephones, cellular telephones, laptops, or tablets with wireless capability, just to mention some further examples. The wireless devices in the present context may be, for example, portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile devices, enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via the RAN, with another entity, such as another terminal or a server.

The wireless communications network covers a geographical area which may be divided into cell areas, each cell area being served by a network node, which may be an access node such as a radio network node, radio node or a base station, e.g., a Radio Base Station (RBS), which sometimes may be referred to as e.g., gNB, evolved Node B (“eNB”), “eNodeB”, “NodeB”, “B node”, Transmission Point (TP), or Base Transceiver Station (BTS), depending on the technology and terminology used. The base stations may be of different classes such as e.g., Wide Area Base Stations, Medium Range Base Stations, Local Area Base Stations, Home Base Stations, pico base stations, etc... , based on transmission power and thereby also cell size. A cell is the geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the base station or radio node at a base station site, or radio node site, respectively. One base station, situated on the base station site, may serve one or several cells. Further, each base station may support one or several communication technologies. The base stations communicate over the air interface operating on radio frequencies with the terminals within range of the base stations. In 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), base stations, which may be referred to as eNodeBs or even eNBs, may be directly connected to one or more core networks. In the context of this disclosure, the expression Downlink (DL) may be used for the transmission path from the base station to the wireless device. The expression Uplink (UL) may be used for the transmission path in the opposite direction i.e., from the wireless device to the base station.

The standardization organization 3GPP is currently in the process of specifying a New Radio Interface called NR or 5G-UTRA, as well as a Fifth Generation (5G) Packet Core Network, which may be referred to as Next Generation (NG) Core Network, abbreviated as NG-CN, NGC or 5G CN.

Network Slicing

A network slice may be understood as a logical network serving a defined business purpose or customer, comprising all network resources that may be required end-to-end. This may be understood to mean that a network slice may comprise all Network (NW) Functions (NFs) and both Control Plane and User Plane that may be required to provide given service(s). Some functions may be shared, that is, the same Network Function (NF) may be in multiple Network Slices, but a network slice may be understood to comprise all network functions and may be understood to not just be a subset.

The current working assumption is that there may be one shared or dedicated Radio Access Network (RAN) infrastructure that may connect to several Core Network (CN) instances, with one or more shared NFs, interfacing the RAN, and additional CN functions which may be dedicated for a slice. Such CN instances are shown in the schematic drawing depicted in the example of Figure 1 as part of the Central Data Centre (DC). The CN functions may be virtualized. This architecture is shown in Figure 1. Different types of use cases may be supported by one slice each. These slices may be assigned dedicated RAN capabilities/NFs 1 to satisfy their unique requirements. The cloud infrastructure is distributed from central data centers (DCs) 2 to the customer on premises and may not have direct awareness of network slices 3. However, processes may ensure that a cloud platform may fulfil the requirements associated to slices using identifiers of resources. The cloud infrastructure may provide highly dedicated resources to slices that need it, while other slices may share resources. There may be access 4 slices, aggregation 5 slices, edge data DC 6 slices, backbone 7 slices and central DC slices. The slices may be assigned Shared RAN Capabilities/NFs 8, Dedicated Transport Capabilities 9 and Shared Transport Capabilities 10. The Central DC 2 may be assigned a Dedicated cloud partition 11 with assigned Dedicated NFs 12, as well as a Shared cloud partition 13 with assigned shared NFs 14 and Dedicated NFs 15. The Edge DC 6 may also comprise a Shared cloud partition 16 with assigned Dedicated NFs 17 and a Dedicated cloud partition 18 with assigned Dedicated NFs 19.

Slice negotiation and setup A UE may be configured to support several slices. The UE, if required by an Access and Mobility Function (AMF), see for example chapter 5.15.9 in 3GPP TS 23.501 , v. 17.4.0, may indicate which slices it may intend to use when registering by sending a “Requested Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI)” to the network in the RRCSetupComplete message. The indicated slices may be a subset of all supported slices. The RAN may use this information when selecting which AMF in the Core Network to contact e.g., unless the UE sends a Global Unique AMF Identifier (ID) (GUAMI). The AMF may decide which slices may be allowed for the current UE and may signal “Allowed NSSAI” to the RAN and to the UE. If no GUAMI and no NSSAI is signaled to the NG-RAN, the RAN may select a default AMF.

A network slice may be uniquely identified by a slice ID fora single slice NSSAI (S-NSSAI), see 3GPP TS 23.501 , v. 17.4.0.

NSSAI may be understood as a list of max 8 S-NSSAIs.

The network may support many slices, hundreds, thousands or more.

A UE, except Bandwidth Limited (BL) UEs and NarrowBand Internet of Things (NB-loT) UEs, may be required to support at least 8 slices simultaneously, see 3GPP TS 38.300, v. 17.0.0, clause 16.3.1. BL UEs and NB-loT UEs may support max 8 slices.

Cell re-selection priorities

In Idle and Inactive mode, the UE may use network provided cell re-selection priorities to decide which frequency to camp on. The priorities may rank the frequencies in the network, and the UE may camp on the frequency with highest priority, where it may find a cell with sufficient radio quality.

The cell re-selection priorities may be broadcasted to all UEs but may also be sent in dedicated signaling in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) Release. If the UE receives dedicated priorities, they may override the broadcasted priorities until the UE may go to Connected mode next time.

Slicing in 3GPP Release 17

In 3GPP Rel-17, new approaches are developed to enable slice-aware UE cell reselection in IDLE mode and INACTIVE mode. The objective of the work currently ongoing is to enable the UE to reselect to a cell on a frequency that may support network slices that may be in use or intended to be used by the UE. The NW may signal slice specific frequency priorities to the UEs in dedicated signaling or broadcast, similar to the legacy re-selection priorities.

The UE may select what slice group(s) to base cell re-selection on based on UE proprietary logic, active applications, latest used applications or known or anticipated use of applications, e.g., based on application layer knowledge of e.g., UE location, time of day etc. It may be assumed that the UE Access Stratum (AS) may get slice group priorities from the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) layer in the UE. How the UE NAS layer may derive the slice group priorities is not decided yet, but methods proposed are that UE proprietary algorithms may be used, standardized algorithms may be used, and/or that the UE may receive priorities through NAS or AS signaling.

The UE may use the slice group priorities together with the slice specific frequency priorities to decide what frequency to camp on.

3GPP has also decided to introduce slice-based Random Access (RA) in Rel-17.

3GPP has also developed the definition of “Slice Groups”, which may be used to group slices with similar requirements. This may be intended to be used for reducing the amount of slice-specific information that may need to be transmitted, either in broadcast or dedicated signaling.

RAN2 has already agreed that a network slice may be associated to none or only one slice group for slice-aware cell reselection, no or one slice group for slice-based Random Access CHannel (RACH), and that a slice group may contain multiple network slices. This mapping of slices to slice groups may be defined by a NF and the UE may be informed about the mapping via NAS signaling from the core network to the UE at registration. In addition, it has been agreed that the slice information may be provided to the UE using either broadcast or dedicated signaling, or both, for the serving cells as well as the neighbor cell frequencies. Moreover, RAN2 has agreed that the UE may use slice-based cell reselection and evaluate slice support for cell selection/reselection.

In spite of the current efforts for the development of network slicing, existing methods for slice selection by a wireless device may result in paging failure, additional signalling, delays and impacted energy efficiency.

SUMMARY

As part of the development of embodiments herein, one or more challenges with the existing technology will first be identified and discussed.

If a UE proprietary algorithm is used to derive the slice group priorities, the RAN may not know how the UE may act based on the broadcasted slice specific frequency priorities. In particular, the RAN may not know which slice the UE may want to use, since different slices may be used for different application(s) or service(s), which means that the user behavior may affect the slice selection by the UE. With the slice-based reselection approach, the UE may decide to perform cell reselection on the basis of its higher priority slice. This may lead to the selection of a frequency that is not the highest priority frequency, as each slice may have different frequency priorities. The latter is in contrast with legacy cell reselection, where the UE always first tries to reselect the highest priority frequency first. Thereby, the UE may select one frequency, e.g., associated to a specific slice or group of slices, while the RAN may believe that the UE may be reachable in another frequency, e.g., the highest priority frequency, e.g., for paging. Such a slice based cell re-selection based on slice specific frequency priorities is schematically illustrated in Figure 2. In the illustrative example of Figure 2, a first slice S1 has frequency band F1 , which has a higher frequency priority than frequency band F2 of a second slice S2. At the same time, S1 and S2 may have different priorities, with S2 having a higher priority than S1. S2 may be prioritized, for example, for Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) data, whereas S1 may be prioritized for enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) data. A UE with slice group S1 and S2, may camp on F2 and have data for S2, e.g., URLLC data. The UE may then perform cell-reselection based on slice specific frequency priorities, and attach to the cell of F2, since it is associated with the higher priority slice S2.

This may have an impact on paging strategies and add complexity to the paging strategies and/or affect hierarchical paging in the network. As an example, the CN and the RAN may first page the UE on the cells/Timing Advance (TA) corresponding to frequencies with the highest priority or related to the last known cell, while the UE may not be reachable on these frequencies.

Also, there may be extra delays when paging the UE, caused by the fact that paging on high-priority frequencies may fail and may need to be issued over lower priority frequencies before the UE may be reached.

Furthermore, for RRC INACTIVE state UEs, if the UE is not reachable due to a mismatch between the frequency selection strategy followed by the UE and that taken as reference by the RAN, the RAN paging will fail and it may fall back to core network paging, causing extra delay in the paging process.

In addition, if the RAN needs to page the UE in several frequency bands, this will also increase the signaling load and impact energy efficiency.

Also, if the UE performs a cell reselection before accessing the network, then it is hard to perform load balancing as many UEs may have a similar strategy and may then be competing for the same resources, e.g., for RACH.

If the slice group priorities are sent to the UE from the AMF over NAS, it may be based on CN knowledge of subscriptions, Allowed, Requested, Configured and Subscribed NSSAI as well as open Packet Data Unit (PDU) sessions, and if the UE has recently sent data, but the CN does not know if the UE goes to INACTIVE state, so it is not possible to help the UE select frequencies based on recent traffic data. This may cause the UE to select frequencies that may be optimized for slices which the UE is currently not using, while causing extra signaling and delays for ongoing services, since the NW may have to move the UE to an optimal frequency band once it goes to Connected mode.

If the slice group priorities are sent to the UE from the RAN over RRC, the RAN may send update information in every RRC Release, but the RAN does not have all the knowledge that the UE may have. Normally, the RAN may only have access to the Allowed NSSAI, and it may not have access to other slices that the UE may want to access. The CN may also send a Target NSSAI to the RAN if the UE requests a slice that is not supported in the current TA, but that may only happen directly after the UE requests the slice, and if the UE changes cell after the CN receives the Target NSSAI, the RAN may not know that the UE may want to access the slice.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges.

It is therefore an object of embodiments herein to improve the handling of one or more slices in a wireless communications network.

According to a first aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method, performed by a wireless device. The method is for handling one or more slices. The wireless device operates in a wireless communications network. The wireless device determines one or more first preferred slices, out of a plurality of slices supported by the wireless device. The wireless device then sends a first indication, to a network node operating in the wireless communications network. The first indication indicates the determined one or more first preferred slices.

According to a second aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method, performed by the network node. The method is for handling one or more slices. The network node operates in the wireless communications network. The network node determines one or more second preferred slices by the wireless device operating in the wireless communications network, out of the plurality of slices supported by the wireless device. The network node then performs one or more operations based on the determined one or more second preferred slices.

According to a third aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by the wireless device. The wireless device may be understood to be for handling one or more slices. The wireless device is configured to operate in the wireless communications network. The wireless device is further configured to, determine the one or more first preferred slices, out of the plurality of slices configured to be supported by the wireless device. The wireless device is also configured to send the first indication, to the network node configured to operate in the wireless communications network. The first indication is configured to indicate the one or more first preferred slices configured to be determined.

According to a fourth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by the network node. The network node may be understood to be for handling one or more slices. The network node is configured to operate in the wireless communications network. The network node is configured to determine the one or more second preferred slices by the wireless device configured to operate in the wireless communications network, out of the plurality of slices configured to be supported by the wireless device. The network node is further configured to perform the one or more operations based on the one or more second preferred slices configured to be determined.

By determining the one or more first preferred slices, the wireless device may be enabled to then indicate to the network node what these one or more first preferred slices may be.

By sending the first indication, the wireless device may enable the network node to know which may be the preferred one or more slices of the wireless device. This may be understood to be an efficient way by which the network node may get knowledge about how the wireless device may act based on, e.g., slice specific frequency priorities. The preferred slices may then be used by the network node to, for example, modify the paging strategy and, in turn, paging may be performed according to the modified paging strategy. The preferred slices may be used to set new cell reselection priorities in order to, for example, to achieve better load balance e.g., the information provided by the wireless device may be provided to Artificial Intelligence (Al)/Machine learning (ML) logic as to determine best cell reselection priorities.

With this approach, the intended reselection information of the wireless device may be available in both the wireless device and the network node. This approach may lead to the network node allowing intelligent paging algorithms to predict the behavior of the wireless device, especially for the cases when the wireless device may be allowed to decide the slice group priorities to use without network control or acknowledgement.

Using this approach may be understood to enable to reduce the risk for paging failures, reduce paging delays, reduce signaling load and improve the energy efficiency.

The approach may also be used for more efficient network planning and load balancing, and when RRC Release may be used to control cell re-selection, the information may be used to decide what priorities to include in the RRC Release.

By the network node determining the one or more second preferred slices by the wireless device, the network node may be enabled to improve the paging algorithms for backwards compatibility with legacy UEs and for UEs not implementing or not signaling the preferred NSSAI derived by the UE.

Using this approach, the network node may be understood to be also enabled to reduce the risk for paging failures, reduce paging delays, reduce signaling load and improve the energy efficiency.

The approach may also be used for more efficient network planning and load balancing, and when RRC Release may be used to control cell re-selection, the information may be used to decide what priorities to include in the RRC Release. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of embodiments herein are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and according to the following description.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation depicting an example of the network slicing concept, according to existing methods.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation depicting an example of the slice based cell reselection based on slice specific frequency priorities.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a wireless communications network, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 4 is a flowchart depicting an example of a method performed by a wireless device, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 5 is a flowchart depicting an example of a method performed by a network node, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 6 is a schematic representation depicting a non-limiting example of a method performed in a wireless communications network, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 7 is a schematic representation depicting another non-limiting example of a method performed in a wireless communications network, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating two non-limiting examples, a) and b), of a wireless device, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating two non-limiting examples, a) and b), of a network node, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 10 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 11 is a generalized block diagram of a host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 12 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a communications system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 13 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a communications system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 14 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a communications system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment, according to embodiments herein. Figure 15 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a communications system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment, according to embodiments herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to the challenges described in the Summary section or other challenges. There are, proposed herein, various embodiments which address one or more of the issues disclosed herein.

Embodiments herein may be understood to be related to a slice preference report to a RAN.

Embodiments herein may enable forward compatibility and an efficient way to page a UE following slice-specific cell reselection. Embodiments herein may comprise a method executed by a network node for estimating paging strategies on the basis of one or more network slices, e.g., identified by a list of S-NSSAIs, signaled by a UE and for which the UE may perform cell/frequency reselection for the next connection setup. The method may comprise the following actions.

The UE may determine “Preferred Slices (Preferred S-NSSAIs)”, which may be based on the applications and/or services and/or slice the user or UE a) may be currently using; or, b) may have been using recently or frequently in the past; or c) may be configured to use frequently; or, d) if the UE may, by other means, determine what application, service, or slice that may be used in the near future, e.g., based on geographical information such as geofencing; or e) any combination of the above.

The list of Preferred Slices may include slices listed in the Requested NSSAI but may also include other slices not included in this list. Furthermore, the list of Preferred Slices may also include slices listed in the Allowed NSSAI but may also include other slices not included in this list.

The UE may construct a list of preferred slices, which may be named as Slice Preference Request, or Slice Preference Information, and it may signal such list to the network. Such information may be signaled to different parts of the network, such as the serving RAN node, e.g., for RAN paging of Inactive UEs, and/or to the CN, e.g., for CN paging. The list of network slices, S-NSSAIs or Slice groups, may be provided in priority order. The list of Preferred Slices may correspond to the Slice Group priorities that the UE NAS layer may determine, e.g., based on the input listed above.

The RAN may use the Slice Preference Request to determine the frequencies and/or TA lists and/or cells on which to Page the UE, when needed. The UE may use it as one input to a network-based Slice Group priority or network-based Slice priority in case the network may have control of the actually used Slice Group priority to be used for cell/frequency reselection, e.g. in such case the actually used Slice Group priority may be sent to the UE e.g., at RRC Release as proposed in SP-220319, or as part of the NAS signaling from the AMF.

The above describes a UE-based approach, where the UE may determine the Preferred Slices and may signal this to the network. The detailed description below also includes a network-based approach, where the network may collect the same or similar information as the UE does in the UE-based approach, and may determine the Preferred Slices. The networkbased approach may therefore be used also for UEs that may non implement the UE-based approach, e.g., legacy UEs.

In another example of embodiments herein, the list of Preferred Slices may be used by the RAN to decide what frequency priorities to send in RRC release. If slice-based cell reselection is not used, the RAN may use the information to select cell re-selection priorities that may ensure that the UE choses frequencies where most of the UE’s slices may be supported. If slice-based cell re-selection based on RRC release is used, the RAN may use the information to select for which slice groups slice-based frequency priorities may be included in the RRC release message.

Some of the embodiments contemplated will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which examples are shown. In this section, the embodiments herein will be illustrated in more detail by a number of exemplary embodiments. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein. The disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the exemplary embodiments herein are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments.

Note that although terminology from LTE/5G has been used in this disclosure to exemplify the embodiments herein, this should not be seen as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein to only the aforementioned system. Other wireless systems with similar features, may also benefit from exploiting the ideas covered within this disclosure.

Figure 3 depicts two non-limiting examples of a wireless communications network 100, sometimes also referred to as a wireless communications system, cellular radio system, or cellular network, in which embodiments herein may be implemented. The wireless communications network 100 may typically be a 5G system, 5G network, NR-U or Next Gen System or network, LAA, MulteFire. The wireless communications network 100 may support a younger system than a 5G system. The wireless communications network 100 may support other technologies, such as, for example Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced I LTE- Advanced Pro, e.g. LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD), LTE Half-Duplex Frequency Division Duplex (HD-FDD), LTE operating in an unlicensed band, etc... Other examples of other technologies the wireless communications network 100 may support may be Wideband Code Division Multiplexing Access (WCDMA), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) TDD, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network, Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE) network, GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN) network, Ultra-Mobile Broadband (UMB), EDGE network, network comprising of any combination of Radio Access Technologies (RATs) such as e.g. Multi-Standard Radio (MSR) base stations, multi-RAT base stations etc., any 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) cellular network, WiFi networks, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), loT, NB-loT, or any cellular network or system. Thus, although terminology from 5G/NR and LTE may be used in this disclosure to exemplify embodiments herein, this should not be seen as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein to only the aforementioned systems.

The wireless communications network 100 also comprises a network node 110, as depicted in the non-limiting example Figure 3. The network node 110 may be any of a radio network node or a core network node. In some embodiments such as that depicted in the non-limiting example of panel a) of Figure 3, the network node 110 may be a radio network node 111, also referred to as a first network node 111, in an access network of the wireless communications network 100. A radio network node may be understood as a transmission point such as a radio base station, for example a gNB, an eNB, or any other network node with similar features capable of serving a wireless device, such as a user equipment or a machine type communication device, in the wireless communications network 100. In other embodiments such as that depicted in the non-limiting example of panel b) of Figure 3, the network node 110 may be a core network node 112, also referred to as a second network node 112, in a core network of the wireless communications network 100. In some nonlimiting examples, the core network node 112 may be an AMF or another NF. In other examples, which are not depicted in Figure 3, any of the radio network node 111 and the core network node 112 may be a distributed node, such as a virtual node in the cloud 115, and may perform its functions entirely on the cloud 115, or partially, in collaboration with a radio network node. In the non-limiting examples depicted in Figure 3, the core network node 112 is a network node in the cloud 115.

The wireless communications network 100 covers a geographical area which may be divided into cell areas, wherein each cell area may be served by a network node, although, one network node, e.g., radio network node, may serve one or several cells. The wireless communications network 100 may comprise a first cell 121, which, in the non-limiting example depicted in panel b) of Figure 3, is served by the radio network node 111.

The radio network node 111 may be of different classes, such as, e.g., macro base station, home base station or pico base station, based on transmission power and thereby also cell size. Any of the radio network node 111 and the core network node 112 may support one or several communication technologies, and its name may depend on the technology and terminology used. In 5G/NR, the radio network node 111 may be referred to as a gNB and may be directly connected to one or more core networks.

The wireless communications network 100 may also comprise a wireless device 130. The wireless device 130 may be a wireless communication device such as a 5G UE, or a UE, which may also be known as e.g., mobile terminal, wireless terminal and/or mobile station, a mobile telephone, cellular telephone, or laptop with wireless capability, just to mention some further examples. The wireless device 130 may be, for example, portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or a vehicle-mounted mobile device, enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via the RAN, with another entity, such as a server, a laptop, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), or a tablet, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) device, device equipped with a wireless interface, such as a printer or a file storage device, modem, an Internet of Things (loT) device, or any other radio network unit capable of communicating over a radio link in a communications system. The wireless device 130 may be enabled to communicate wirelessly in the wireless communications network 100. The communication may be performed e.g., via a RAN, and possibly the one or more core networks, which may be comprised within the wireless communications network 100.

The radio network node 111 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communications network 100 with the wireless device 130 in the first cell 121 over a first link 141 , e.g., a radio link. The radio network node 111 and the core network node 112 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communications network 100 over a second link 142, e.g., a wired link, a radio link. The core network node 112 may be configured to communicate within the wireless communications network 100 with the wireless device 130 over a third link 143, e.g., a radio link.

In general, the usage of “first”, “second”, “third”, “fourth” , and/or “fifth” herein may be understood to be an arbitrary way to denote different elements or entities and may be understood to not confer a cumulative or chronological character to the nouns they modify.

Several embodiments are comprised herein. It should be noted that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments.

More specifically, the following are embodiments related to a wireless device, such as the wireless device 130, e.g., a UE, and embodiments related to a network node, such as the radio network node 111 , e.g., a gNB, and/or a core network node 112, e.g., an AMF.

Some embodiments herein will now be further described with some non-limiting examples. In the following description, any reference to a/the network, “network node" may be understood to equally refer to the network node 110; any of a/the “serving RAN node”, “RAN” may be understood to equally refer to the radio network node 111 ; any reference to a/the “CN”, “core network”, “AMF”, “NF” may be understood to equally refer to the core network node 112; and any reference to a/the UE may be understood to equally refer to the wireless device 130.

Embodiments of a method, performed by a wireless device, such as the wireless device 130, will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in Figure 4. The method may be understood to be for handling one or more slices. The wireless device 130 operates in a wireless communications network, such as the wireless communications network 100.

In some examples, the wireless communications network 100 may be a 5G network.

Several embodiments are comprised herein. In some embodiments all the actions may be performed. In some embodiments, some of the actions may be performed. In some particular examples, Action 403 and Action 404 may be performed. It should be noted that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. A non-limiting example of the method performed by the wireless device 130 is depicted in Figure 4. In Figure 4, optional actions are represented with dashed lines. Some actions may be performed in a different order than that shown in Figure 4.

Action 401

In this Action 401, the wireless device 130 may obtain first information.

The obtaining of the first information may be from an internal memory of the wireless device 130.

The first information may indicate usage, by the wireless device 130, of at least one of: one or more applications, one or more services, and one or more slices. For example, the first information may indicate the applications and/or services and/or slices a user of the wireless device 130, or wireless device 130, may be currently using; or may have been using recently or frequently in the past; or may be configured to use frequently; or if the wireless device 130 may, by other means, determine that an application, a service, or a slice may be used in the near future, e.g., based on geographical information; or any combination of the above.

The wireless device 130 may know how often and when the wireless device 130 may use an application e.g., a game application. By obtaining the first information in this Action 401, the wireless device 130 may then be enabled to determine one or more preferred slices, as will be described in Action 403, based on the applications and/or services and/or slices a user of the wireless device 130, or wireless device 130, may be currently using; or may have been using recently or frequently in the past; or may be configured to use frequently; or if the wireless device 130 may, by other means, determine that an application, a service, or a slice may be used in the near future, e.g., based on geographical information; or any combination of the above.

Action 402

In this Action 402, the wireless device 130 may receive a prior indication.

The receiving of the prior indication may be from the network node 110, e.g., via the first link 141 and/or via the third link 143.

The prior indication may request to send a first indication. The first indication, as will be described in further detail in Action 404, may indicate the one or more first preferred slices the wireless device 130 may have determined.

By, in this Action 402, receiving the prior indication, the wireless device 130 may enable the network node 110 to request the first indication on demand.

Action 403

In this Action 403, the wireless device 130 determines one or more preferred slices, e.g., preferred S-NSSAIs, that may be either a list of S-NSSAI, a slice IDs list, or a list of slice group IDs.

The one or more preferred slices determined by the wireless device 130 may be referred to as one or more first preferred slices.

Preferred slices may be understood to differ from “prioritized” slices in that slice priority may be understood to be decided by the network. This list may contain several slices, but the network does not necessarily know which slices the wireless device 130 may intend to use. Preferred slices may be understood to be decided by the wireless device 130, at least in the UE based approach, and may include only the slices that the UE wireless device 130 may be going to use. This may, for example, be a subset of the prioritized slices and may even exclude the highest priority slices. This may also include other slices that may not be listed in the prioritized slices.

Preferred slices may be understood to differ from slices the wireless device 130 may “intend to use” in that, for example, it may happen that the wireless device 130 may want to indicate more preferred slices than it may intend to use. This may, for example, be used to prepare for network-initiated communication. For example, background updates of the wireless device 130 or applications in the wireless device 130 may use a low-priority slice. The wireless device 130 may then indicate a separate slice for this, even if the wireless device 130 itself may not initiate such actions. In another example, it may happen that the wireless device 130 may intend to use, for example, 10 slices but may be only allowed to include 8 as preferred slices, e.g., in Preferred NSSAI.

Determining may be understood as calculating or deriving.

The determining in this Action 403 of the one or more preferred slices may be out of a plurality of slices supported by the wireless device 130.

In this Action 403, the wireless device 130 may construct a list of preferred slices, which may be referred to as slice preference request, or slice preference information.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the one or more first preferred slices may be preferred for reselection of cell or frequency. According to a second option, the one or more first preferred slices may be a subset of a set of slices the wireless device 130 may intend to use. According to a third option, the network node 110 may be the radio network node 111 in an access network of the wireless communications network 100. According to a fourth option, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112 in the core network of the wireless communications network 100. According to a fifth option, the one or more first preferred slices may be a list of slices or a list of slice groups, e.g., a list of slice group identifiers (IDs).

According to a sixth option, the determining in this Action 403 of the one or more first preferred slices may be based on the first information indicating usage of one or more applications by the wireless device 130.

The determining in this Action 403 of the one or more first preferred slices may be based on the obtained first information. For example, the slice preference information may be based on the applications and/or services and/or slices a user of the wireless device 130, or wireless device 130, may be currently using; or may have been using recently or frequently in the past; or may be configured to use frequently; or if the wireless device 130 may, by other means, determine that an application, a service, or a slice may be used in the near future, e.g., based on geographical information; or any combination of the above.

The list of Preferred Slices may include slices listed in the Requested NSSAI but may also include other slices not included in this list. Furthermore, the list of Preferred Slices may also include slices listed in the Allowed NSSAI but may also include other slices not included in this list.

The wireless device 130, in Action 403, may construct a list of preferred slices, which may be named as Slice Preference Request, or Slice Preference Information. The list of Preferred Slices may correspond to the Slice Group priorities that the NAS layer of the wireless device 130 may determine, e.g., based on the input listed above. By, in this Action 403, determining the one or more first preferred slices, the wireless device 130 may be enabled to then indicate to the network node 110 what these one or more first preferred slices may be, as will be explained in the next Action 404. This may then enable the network node 110, to get knowledge about how the wireless device 130 may act based on slice specific frequency priorities. The preferred slices may then be used to modify the paging strategy and, in turn, paging may be performed according to the modified paging strategy. Preferred Slices may be used to set new cellreselectionpriorities as to achieve better load balance e.g., the information provided by the wireless device 130 may be provided to Artificial Intelligence (Al)/Machine learning (ML) logic as to determine best cellreselectionpriorities.

Preferred Slices may also be used as input to determine the network provided Slice Group priorities.

Action 404

In this Action 404, the wireless device 130 sends a first indication.

The sending of the first indication may be to the network node 110 operating in the wireless communications network 100. The sending in this Action 404 may be performed, e.g., via the first link 141.

The first indication may indicate the determined one or more first preferred slices. Embodiments herein may be understood to be related to a slice preference report to a RAN, that is, the network node 110 as radio network node 111. According to the description already provided, the first indication may comprise SlicePreferencelnformation as “UE preferred NSSAI”.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the first indication may comprise at least one of: a) a slice preference request, b) a slice preference information, or c) Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI). As described before, the determined one or more first preferred slices may be a list of preferred slices constructed by the wireless device 130, which may be referred to as slice preference request, or slice preference information. In this Action 404, the wireless device 130 it may signal such list to the network node 110. Such information may be signaled to different parts of the network, such as the radio network node 111 , that is, the serving RAN node, e.g., for RAN paging of inactive UEs, and/or to the CN, e.g., for CN paging, for example, network node 110 as core network node 112.

According to a second option, the one or more preferred first slices, may be indicated in a priority order. For example, the list of network slices, e.g., S-NSSAIs or slice groups, may be provided in priority order.

According to a third option, the first indication may be sent in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) first message. According to a fourth option, the first message may be a dedicated message.

According to a fifth option, the first indication may indicate a new slice or a slice group identifier (ID). According to a sixth option, the priority order may be indicated in at least one of: preferred NSSAI and Allowed NSSAI. According to a seventh option, each slice may be indicated by a Single NSSAI (S-NSSAI). According to an eighth option, the first indication may be sent in a Non Access Stratum (NAS) message, e.g., wherein the network node 110 is the core network node 112.

According to a ninth option, the first indication may be sent during a handover procedure.

The wireless device 130, in Action 403, may construct a list of preferred slices, which may be named as Slice Preference Request, or Slice Preference Information, and it may then, in this Action 404, signal such list to the network node 110. Such information may be signaled to different parts of the network, such as the network node 110 as radio network node 111 , e.g., serving RAN node, e.g., for RAN paging of Inactive UEs, and/or to the CN, that is, the network node 110 as core network node 112, e.g., e.g., for CN paging. The list of network slices, S- NSSAIs or Slice groups, may be provided in priority order. The list of Preferred Slices may correspond to the Slice Group priorities that the NAS layer of the wireless device 130 may determine, e.g., based on the input listed above.

In another example of embodiments herein, the preferred NSSAI may be exchanged to the network node 110 as core network node 112, e.g., the target core network at handover procedure, even if a preferred NSSAI element may not be currently in the allowed NSSAI range.

In accordance with the foregoing, the wireless device 130 may include the SlicePreferencelnformation as “UE preferred NSSAI” either in an RRC message, in a dedicated RRC message e.g., in RRCReconfigurationComplete, RRCSetupComplete and RRCResumeComplete, or in NAS towards the core network, e.g., network node 110 as core network node 112. If the dedicated message, which may then be acquired by the network node 110, contains the SlicePreferencelnformation, at least one of the following may be comprised: a) the preferred NSSAI may contain new slice or slice group ID, b) the SlicePreferencelnformation, may be interpreted in the network as part of either the allowed NSSAI or UE preferred NSSAI; c) the SlicePreferencelnformation may contain slice priority order in the new preferred NSSAI and I or allowed NSSAI.

Else, if the dedicated message to be acquired by the network does not contain the SlicePreferencelnformation, the SlicePreferencelnformation may be interpreted in the network: i) as the network-based decision on the allowed NSSAI list received from the CN; ii) as the network-based decision based on estimated UE used slice history in RAN/CN; iii) as the network-based decision based on the provided information by the wireless device 130 via RRC signalling.

The methods described in embodiments herein may comprise the following examples. According some examples, embodiments herein may comprise, in this Action 404, signaling slice preference information from the wireless device 130 to the NW, e.g., the network node 110. In an example, the slice preference information may comprise a list of network slices identified by S-NSSAIs, which the wireless device 130 may prefer to use for cell/frequency reselection. The wireless device 130 may include the slice preference information as follows. In one example, the slice preference information may be included in a dedicated RRC message provided by the wireless device 130, e.g., RRCReconfigurationComplete, RRCSetupComplete or RRCResumeComplete, or by means of a new RRC message. Such slice preference information may be created and signaled by the wireless device 130 due to the knowledge the wireless device 130 may have about e.g., how often and when it may use an application supported by a given network slice e.g., a game application, a smart factory service. In one example of embodiments herein, the wireless device 130 may signal the slice preference information via NAS to the CN, e.g., network node 110 as core network node 112, where the wireless device 130 may be registered. This may be performed for example when the wireless device 130 may move to RRC_Connected for the purpose of requesting activation of user plane for a service, e.g., in a service request, or when the wireless device 130 may perform registration updates towards the CN, e.g., network node 110 as core network node 112. Slice preference information may be either a list of S-NSSAI, a slice IDs list, or a list of Slice Group IDs

The following is an implementation example from TS 38.331 ASN.1, v. 16.8.0. The additions according to embodiment herein are shown in underlined font:

RRCReconfigurationComplete message

Slice Preference Request information element

UElnformationRequest message By sending the first indication in this Action 404, the wireless device 130 may enable an efficient way by which the RAN, e.g., the network node 110, may know how the wireless device 130 may act based on, e.g., the broadcasted slice specific frequency priorities. With this approach, the intended reselection information of the wireless device 130 may be available in both the wireless device 130 and the RAN. This approach may lead to the network node 110 allowing intelligent paging algorithms to predict the behavior of the wireless device 130, especially for the cases when the wireless device 130 may be allowed to decide the slice group priorities to use without network control or acknowledgement.

Furthermore, the wireless device 130 may enable the network node 110 to improve the paging algorithms for backwards compatibility with legacy UEs and for UEs not implementing or not signaling the preferred NSSAI derived by the UE.

Using this approach may be understood to reduce the risk for paging failures, reduce paging delays, reduce signaling load and improve the energy efficiency.

The approach may also be used for more efficient network planning and load balancing, and when RRC Release may be used to control cell re-selection, the information may be used to decide what priorities to include in the RRC Release.

Action 405

In this Action 405, the wireless device 130 may receive a second indication.

The receiving of the second indication may be from the network node 110, e.g., via the first link 141 and/or via the third link 143.

The second indication may indicate one of: to maintain a previous slice preference, an acknowledgement of receipt of the first indication, or one or more second preferred slices determined by the network node 110.

In another example of embodiments herein, the RAN, e.g., the network node 110 as the radio network node 111 , may acknowledge the slice preference information from the wireless device 130 or the RAN, e.g., the network node 110 as the radio network node 111 , may indicate to the wireless device 130 to maintain previous slice preference or the RAN may provide to the wireless device 130 the slice preference to be applied.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be preferred for reselection of cell or frequency. According to a second option, the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be a subset of the set of slices the wireless device 130 may intend to use. According to a third option, the network node 110 may be the radio network node 111 in the access network of the wireless communications network 100. According to a fourth option, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112 in the core network of the wireless communications network 100. According to a fifth option, the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be a list of slices or a list of slice groups, e.g., a list of slice group identifiers (IDs). According to a sixth option, the determining in this Action 403 of the one or more first preferred slices may be based on first information indicating usage of one or more applications by the wireless device 130.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the first indication may comprise at least one of: a) the slice preference request, b) the slice preference information, or c) NSSAI. According to a second option, the one or more preferred first slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be indicated in the priority order. According to a third option, the first indication may be sent in the RRC first message. According to a fourth option, the first message may be the dedicated message. According to a fifth option, the first indication may indicate the new slice or the slice group ID. According to a sixth option, the priority order may be indicated in at least one of: preferred NSSAI and Allowed NSSAI. According to a seventh option, each slice may be indicated by the S-NSSAI. According to an eighth option, the first indication may be sent in the NAS message, e.g., wherein the network node 110 is the core network node 112. According to a ninth option, the first indication may be sent during the handover procedure.

By the wireless device 130 receiving the second indication in this Action 405, more efficient network planning and load balancing may be enabled, as well as control of cell reselection. For example, if the network node 110 may have detected that many UEs may have a similar strategy for performing cell reselection, the network node 110 may be enabled to perform load balancing to avoid too many UEs competing for the same resources, e.g., for RACH.

Action 406

In this Action 406, the wireless device 130 may receive a third indication.

The receiving of the third indication may be from the network node 110, e.g., via the first link 141 and/or via the third link 143.

The third indication may be based on the sent first indication.

The third indication may indicate at least one of: i) a signal paging the wireless device 130, and ii) one or more types of resources.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the one or more types of resources may comprise one or more of: one or more frequencies of transmission for a paging signal, one or more time alignment to be applied by the wireless device 130 when receiving the paging signal, and one or more cells where to page the wireless device 130. According to a second option, the one or more types of resources may comprise first resources where to page the wireless device 130. According to a third option, the one or more types of resources may comprise second resources indicated to the wireless device 130 in a radio resource control release procedure. According to a fourth option, the paging of the wireless device 130 may be in inactive state.

By the wireless device 130, in this Action 406, receiving the first indication, the risk for paging failures, paging delays and signaling load may be reduced, and the energy efficiency may be improved. This may be understood to be because the third indication may be based on the sent first indication, that is, on the knowledge acquired by the network node 110 of which may be the one or more preferred slices by the wireless device 130. Hence, the network node 110 may be able to improve the chances that the wireless device 130 may be reachable. Also, there may be shorter delays when paging the wireless device 130, since the paging may be less likely to fail and to be issued over fewer frequencies before the wireless device 130 may be reached.

Furthermore, fall back to core network paging may be reduced, avoiding causing extra delay in the paging process.

In addition, by enabling to reduce the number of frequency bands used for the paging, this may also enable to decrease the signaling load and impact energy efficiency. Moreover, by having knowledge of the behavior of the wireless device 130, the network node 110 may be enabled to perform better load balancing.

Examples of these actions, messages and the indications are provided later in this document.

The above describes a UE-based approach, where the wireless device 130 may determine the Preferred Slices and may signal this to the network node 110. The detailed description below also includes a network-based approach, where the network node 110 may collect the same or similar information as the wireless device 130 may do in the UE-based approach, and may determine the Preferred Slices. The network-based approach may therefore be used also for UEs that may non implement the UE-based approach, e.g., legacy UEs.

Embodiments of a method, performed by a network node, such as the network node 110, will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in Figure 5. The method may be understood to be for handling one or more slices. The network node 110 operates in a wireless communications network, such as the wireless communications network 100.

In some embodiments, the wireless communications network 100 may be a 5G network.

Several embodiments are comprised herein. In some embodiments all the actions may be performed. In some embodiments, some of the actions may be performed. In particular examples, Action 504 and Action 506 may be performed. It should be noted that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. A non-limiting example of the method performed by the network node 110 is depicted in Figure 5. Some actions may be performed in a different order than that shown Figure 5. In Figure 5, optional actions are represented with dashed lines.

The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the wireless device 130 and will thus not be repeated here to simplify the description. For example, the in some embodiments, the network node 110 may be the radio network node 111 , e.g., a gNB, while in other embodiments the network node 110 may be the core network node 112 e.g., an AMF. The wireless device 130 may be a UE.

Action 501

In this Action 501, the network node 110 may obtain second information.

The second information may indicate usage, by the wireless device 130, of at least one of: the one or more applications, the one or more services, and the one or more slices.

In what may be referred to herein as the network-based approach, the network node 110, e.g., a NF, e.g., the AMF or another NF, may collect known information in the network, e.g., from the RAN, AMF and/or NSSF, on applications and/or services and/or slice the user or the wireless device 130: may be currently using, or may have been using recently or frequently in the past; or may be configured to use frequently, or if the network may by other means determine what application, service, or slice that may be used in the near future, e.g., based on geographical information such as geofencing, or any combination of the above.

The obtaining in this Action 501 may be from the wireless device 130, e.g., via the first link 141, via the third link 143, or via the radio network node 111, via the second link 142.

In some examples, the second information may be the same as the first information described later. In some examples, the second information may be different than the first information.

The information collected from the network nodes may not be exactly the same as what the wireless device 130 may have collected, but it also may not rely on the wireless device 130 signaling the preferred NSSAI to the network.

Action 502

In this Action 502, the network node 110 may send the prior indication. The sending in this Action 502 may be to at least one of the wireless device 130 and another network node 111 , 112 operating in the wireless communications network 100. For example, if the network node 110 is the radio network node 111 , the radio network node 111 may send the prior indication to the core network node 112, and if the network node 110 is the core network node 112, the core network node 112 may send the prior indication to the radio network node 111.

The prior indication may request to send an indication. The indication may indicate the one or more first preferred slices by the wireless device 130. The indication may receive different names based on which entity it may be received from. In some embodiments, the indication may be the first indication. In particular examples, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112, and the indication may be the first indication received from the wireless device 130.

In other embodiments, the indication may be a fourth indication to be received from the radio network node 111. In particular examples, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112, and the indication may be the fourth indication received from the radio network node 111.

Yet in other embodiments, the indication may be a fifth indication to be received from the core network node 112. In particular examples, the network node 110 may be the radio network node 111 , and the indication may be the fifth indication received from the core network node 112.

Sending may be understood as transmitting, or providing, e.g., via the first link 141 or the third link 143, or via the second link 142, respectively.

Action 503

In some embodiments, in this Action 503, the network node 110 may receive the indication.

The receiving in this Action 503 may be from one of the wireless device 130 and the another network node 111, 112. The receiving may be performed, e.g., via the first link 141 or via the second link 142, respectively.

As stated above, in some embodiments, the indication may be the first indication.

The indication may indicate the one or more first preferred slices by the wireless device 130. Accordingly, in such embodiments, this Action 503 may comprise acquiring e.g., the SlicePreferencelnformation as “UE preferred NSSAI”.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the first indication may comprise at least one of: a) the slice preference request, b) the slice preference information, or c) the NSSAI. According to a second option, the one or more preferred first slices may be indicated in the priority order.

According to a third option, the first indication may be received in the RRC first message. According to a fourth option, the first message may be the dedicated message.

According to a fifth option, the first indication may indicate the new slice or the slice group ID.

According to a sixth option, the priority order may be indicated in at least one of: preferred NSSAI and Allowed NSSAI.

According to a seventh option, each slice may be indicated by the S-NSSAI.

According to an eighth option, the first indication may be received in the NAS message, e.g., wherein the network node 110 may be the core network node 112. In further particular embodiments, the first indication may be received in the NAS, message, and each slice may be indicated by the S-NSSAI.

According to a ninth option, the first indication may be received during the handover procedure.

In some examples, at least one of the following may apply. According to a first option, the fourth indication may be a second message received over an NG interface. According to a second option, the fourth indication may be comprised in an Information on Recommended Cells and RAN Nodes for Paging Information Element (IE). According to a third option, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112, and the first indication may be received with NAS signalling. According to a fourth option, at least one of the first indication and the fourth indication may be received during a handover procedure.

In one example of embodiments herein, the slice preference information may be signaled from the RAN to the CN via existing or new messages over the NG interface. One example of how this may be achieved is shown below, where the example shows how the information, herein called “Recommended Slice for Paging”, may be added to the existing Information on Recommended Cells and RAN Nodes for Paging IE. The additions according to embodiments herein are indicated with underlined font.

9.3.1.100 Information on Recommended Cells and RAN Nodes for Paging This IE provides information on recommended cells and NG-RAN nodes for paging. 9.3.1.xx Recommended Slices for Paging

This IE may contain the recommended slices for paging.

This IE may be transparent to the 5GC. imaxnoofRecommendedSlice Maximum no. of recommended Slice. Value is 8.

As an example of this method, the CN, that is, the network node 110 as core network node 112, may receive the slice preference information from the wireless device 130 directly via NAS signaling. The network node 110 as core network node 112 may use the information in an equivalent way to what is described above for the case when the information may be signaled from RAN to CN.

If wireless device 130 may not have included slice preference information in an RRC message or via NAS to the CN, e.g., the CN may provide this information to the RAN, then the RAN may request it in Action 502 to retrieve the information in either dedicated RRC message or NAS signaling.

Action 504

In this Action 504, the network node 110 determines one or more preferred slices.

The one or more preferred slices may be one or more preferred slices by the wireless device 130 operating in the wireless communications network 100, out of the plurality of slices supported by the wireless device 130.

Determining may be understood as calculating or deriving.

The one or more preferred slices determined by the network node 110 in this Action 504 may be referred to as one or more second preferred slices.

In the network-based approach, the network node 110, e.g., a NF, e.g., the AMF or another NF, may determine the preferred slices instead of receiving this information from the wireless device 130. The determining in Action 504 of the one or more second preferred slices may be based on the obtained second information.

The preferred slices may then be derived by the network node 110 in this Action 504 in a similar manner as described in the section above for the UE-based solution in reference to Figure 4. The rest of the approach may be the same as for the UE-based approach.

In some embodiments, the one or more preferred slices determined by the network node 110 in this Action 504 may be the one or more first preferred slices determined by the wireless device 130. That is, in some examples, the one or more first preferred slices may be the same as the one or more second preferred slices. In some embodiments, the determined one or more second preferred slices may be the indicated one or more first preferred slices in Action 503.

In other examples, the one or more second preferred slices may be different than the one or more first preferred slices.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be preferred for reselection of cell or frequency. According to a second option, the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be the subset of the set of slices the wireless device 130 may intend to use. According to a third option, the network node 110 may be the radio network node 111 in the access network of the wireless communications network 100. According to a fourth option, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112 in the core network of the wireless communications network 100. According to a fifth option, the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be the list of slices or the list of slice groups, e.g., the list of slice group identifiers (IDs). According to a sixth option, the determining in this Action 504 of the one or more second preferred slices may be based on the first information, indicating usage of the one or more applications by the wireless device 130.

With the network-based approach, the paging strategy may be improved also for legacy UEs and for future UEs not supporting or signaling the preferred NSSAI to the network.

Action 505

In this Action 505, the network node 110 may determine one or more types of resources. The one or more types of resources may be to use with the wireless device 130.

The determining in this Action 505 may be based on the received indication in Action 503.

Once the above information, e.g., the slice preference information that may be signaled from the RAN to the CN via existing or new messages over the NG interface, may be received by the CN, e.g., an AMF, the CN, that is, the network node 110 as core network node 112, may deduce for example the prioritized frequencies associated to each slice in the Recommended Slice for Paging list. It may be assumed that the slices in the Recommended Slice for Paging list are listed in order of priority.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the one or more types of resources may comprise one or more of: the one or more frequencies of transmission for the paging signal, the one or more time alignment to be applied by the wireless device 130 when receiving the paging signal, and the one or more cells where to page the wireless device 130. According to a second option, the one or more types of resources may comprise the first resources where to page the wireless device 130. According to a third option, the one or more types of resources may comprise the second resources indicated to the wireless device 130 in the radio resource control release procedure.

Action 506

In this Action 506, the network node 110 performs one or more operations.

The performing in this Action 506 of the one or more operations may be based on the determined one or more second preferred slices.

The performing in Action 506 of the one or more operations may be based on the determined one or more types of resources.

Embodiments herein may comprise a method executed by a network node, such as the network node 110, for modifying paging strategies on the basis of the one or more network slices, e.g., identified by a list of S-NSSAIs, signaled by a UE such as the wireless device 130, and for which the wireless device 130 may perform cell/frequency reselection for the next connection setup.

In some examples, one of the following may apply. According to a first option, the one or more operations may comprise sending the third indication to the wireless device 130; the third indication may indicate at least one of: a) the signal paging the wireless device 130, and b) the determined one or more types of resources. According to a second option, the network node 110 may be the radio network node 111 in the access network of the wireless communications network 100, the indication may be the first indication received from the wireless device 130, and the one or more operations may comprise indicating the determined one or more second preferred slices to the core network node 112 in the core network of the wireless communications network 100. In another example of embodiments herein, once the RAN may receive the slice preference information from the wireless device 130, it may signal it to the second network node 112, e.g., the AMF serving the wireless device 130. Such signaling may be carried out in order to inform the CN of the slice preference information paging message to an optimal list of RAN nodes/TAIs/cells. According to a third option, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112, the indication may be the fourth indication received from the radio network node 111, and the one or more operations may comprise optimizing paging to the wireless device 130. According to a fourth option, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112, and the indication may be the first indication received from the wireless device 130. According to a fifth option, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112, the indication may be the first indication received from the wireless device 130, and the one or more operations may comprise sending the determined one or more second preferred slices to the radio network node 111. According to a sixth option, the network node 110 may be the radio network node 111, and the indication may be the fifth indication received from the core network node 112.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the one or more types of resources may comprise one or more of: the one or more frequencies of transmission for the paging signal, the one or more time alignment to be applied by the wireless device 130 when receiving the paging signal, and the one or more cells where to page the wireless device 130. According to a second option, the one or more types of resources may comprise the first resources where to page the wireless device 130. The RAN, that is, the network node 110 as radio network node 111, e.g., may use the Slice Preference Request to determine the frequencies and/or TA lists and/or cells on which to Page the wireless device 130, when needed. The wireless device 130 may use it as one input to a network-based Slice Group priority or network-based Slice priority in case the network node 110 may have control of the actually used Slice Group priority to be used for cell/frequency reselection, e.g. in such case the actually used Slice Group priority may be sent to the wireless device 130, e.g., at RRC Release as proposed in SP-220319, or as part of the NAS signaling from the AMF. According to a third option, the one or more types of resources may comprise the second resources indicated to the wireless device 130 in the radio resource control release procedure. In another example of embodiments herein, the list of Preferred Slices may be used by the RAN, that is, the network node 110 as radio network node 111, to decide what frequency priorities to send in RRC release. If slice-based cell re-selection is not used, the network node 110 as radio network node 111 may use the information to select cell reselection priorities that may ensure that the wireless device 130 may choose frequencies where most of the slices of the wireless device 130 may be supported. If slice-based cell reselection based on RRC release is used, the RAN may use the information to select for which slice groups slice-based frequency priorities may be included in the RRC release message. According to a fourth option, the one or more operations may comprise paging the wireless device 130. According to a fifth option, the paging of the wireless device 130 may be in inactive state. As an example, once the above information, e.g., the slice preference information that may be signaled from the RAN to the CN via existing or new messages over the NG interface, may be received by the CN, e.g., an AMF, the CN, that is, the network node 110 as core network node 112, may deduce for example the prioritized frequencies associated to each slice in the Recommended Slice for Paging list. It may be assumed that the slices in the Recommended Slice for Paging list are listed in order of priority. Hence, the network node 110 as core network node 112 may decide to signal paging messages for the wireless device 130 in question first to the TAIs deployed over the frequencies associated with the highest priority slices. Alternatively, the network node 110 as core network node 112 may decide to signal the paging message to the RAN nodes, e.g., the radio network node 111, that may support the slices, e.g., within the Recommended Slice for Paging list, with the highest priority.

According to a sixth option, the one or more operations may comprise determining a priority of slice groups. According to a seventh option, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112 and the one or more operations may comprise sending the determined priority of slice groups to the radio network node 111. According to an eighth option, the one or more operations may comprise load balancing. According to a ninth option, the one or more operations may comprise optimizing paging to the wireless device 130. According to a tenth option, the one or more operations may comprise determining the priority for cell reselection by the wireless device 130. According to an eleventh option, the one or more operations may comprise indicating the determined one or more second preferred slices to the another network node 111 , 112. According to a twelfth option, the one or more operations may comprise sending the second indication to the wireless device 130; the second indication may indicate one of: to maintain the previous slice preference, the acknowledgement of receipt of the first indication, or the determined one or more second preferred slices.

In one example of embodiments herein, once the RAN may receive the slice preference information, e.g., from the wireless device 130 in Action 503, the RAN may use it to determine how to optimize RAN based paging for UEs in RRCJNACTIVE, or how to optimize the process of paging once a paging message may be received from the CN for a given UE. The RAN may also use the slice preference information as input to decide the slice group priorities to send to the UE, e.g., in case RAN may send it to the wireless device 130, or to the collection of the slice preference information from the UEs as to decide how to load balance the network.

In another example of embodiments herein, the RAN, that is, the network node 110 as radio network node 111 , may acknowledge the slice preference information from the wireless device 130 or the network node 110 as radio network node 111 may indicate to the wireless device 130 to maintain previous slice preference or the network node 110 as radio network node 111may provide to the wireless device 130 the slice preference to be applied. The RAN may determine the reply based on RAN policies e.g., for load balancing, and the RAN may use input from 5GC/AMF e.g., if RAN forwards the slice preference to the AMF and gets back a 5GC slice preference that the RAN may use to determine the slice preference to be applied. As an example of this method, the CN, that is, the network node 110 as core network node 112, may receive the slice preference information from the wireless device 130 directly via NAS signaling in Action 503. The network node 110 as core network node 112 may then use the information in an equivalent way to what is described above for the case when the information may be signaled from RAN to CN. When the network node 110 as core network node 112 may use the information to decide on network provided Slice Group priorities that the wireless device 130 may have to use, the network node 110 as core network node 112 may also provide the network provided Slice Group priorities to the RAN, e.g., to the radio network node 111 , such that the RAN, that is, the radio network node 111, may use the information for paging and load balancing as described above or RAN paging for RRC INACTIVE state UEs.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be preferred for reselection of cell or frequency. According to a second option, the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be the subset of the set of slices the wireless device 130 may intend to use. According to a third option, the network node 110 may be the radio network node 111 in the access network of the wireless communications network 100. According to a fourth option, the network node 110 may be the core network node 112 in the core network of the wireless communications network 100. According to a fifth option, the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be the list of slices or the list of slice groups, e.g., the list of slice group identifiers (IDs). According to a sixth option, the determining in this Action 504 of the one or more second preferred slices may be based on the first information, indicating usage of the one or more applications by the wireless device 130. According to a sixth option, the first indication may comprise at least one of: a) the slice preference request, b) the slice preference information, or c) the NSSAI. According to a seventh option, the one or more preferred first slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be indicated in the priority order.

According to an eighth option, the first indication may be received in the RRC first message.

According to a ninth option, the first message may be the dedicated message.

According to a tenth option, the first indication may indicate the new slice or the slice group ID.

According to an eleventh option, the priority order may be indicated in at least one of: preferred NSSAI and Allowed NSSAI. According to a twelfth option, the first indication may be received in the NAS message, e.g., wherein the network node 110 is the core network node 112 and each slice may be indicated by the S-NSSAI.

According to a fourteenth option, the first indication may be received during the handover procedure.

Examples of these actions and the messages and indications are provided later in this document.

Embodiments herein may enable forward compatibility and an efficient way to page a UE such as the wireless device 130 following slice-specific cell reselection. Embodiments herein may comprise a method executed by the network node 110 for estimating paging strategies on the basis of one or more network slices, e.g., identified by a list of S-NSSAIs, signaled by the wireless device 130 and for which the wireless device 130 may perform cell/frequency reselection for the next connection setup. The method may comprise the actions described in Figure 5.

As a summarized overview of the foregoing, embodiments herein may be understood to disclose methods that may apply to both common and slice-specific RACH configuration.

The RAN, e.g., the network node 110, may also get knowledge about how the wireless device 130 may act based on slice specific frequency priorities. The priority information may need to be available in both the wireless device 130 and the RAN. Preferred slices may be determined e.g., provided by UEs such as the wireless device 130 to the NG-RAN or to NG- RAN via 5GC, e.g., if the wireless device 130 provides preferred slices to the 5GC in NAS. The preferred slices may be used to modify the paging strategy. Paging may be performed according to the modified paging strategy. Preferred Slices may be used to set new cellreselectionpriorities as to achieve better load balance e.g., the information provided by the UE may be provided to Artificial Intelligence (Al)/Machine learning (ML) logic as to determine best cellreselectionpriorities.

Preferred Slices may be used as input to determine the network provided Slice Group priorities.

Embodiments herein may be understood to enable forward compatibility and an efficient way for UE paging with slice-specific cell reselection.

Certain embodiments disclosed herein may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s), which may be summarized as follows. Embodiments herein may enable forward compatibility and an efficient way by which the RAN, e.g., the network node 110, may know how the wireless device 130 may act based on the broadcasted slice specific frequency priorities. With this approach, the intended reselection information of the wireless device 130 may be available in both the wireless device 130 and the RAN. This approach may lead to the network allowing intelligent paging algorithms to predict the UE behavior, especially for the cases when the wireless device 130 may be allowed to decide the slice group priorities to use without network control or acknowledgement.

The network-based approach may be used to improve the paging algorithms for backwards compatibility with legacy UEs and for UEs not implementing or not signaling the preferred NSSAI derived by the UE in the UE-based approach.

Using this approach may be understood to reduce the risk for paging failures, reduce paging delays, reduce signaling load and improve the energy efficiency.

The approach may also be used for more efficient network planning and load balancing, and when RRC Release may be used to control cell re-selection, the information may be used to decide what priorities to include in the RRC Release.

It may be understood that the advantages may be somewhat larger, e.g., more accurate, with the UE-based approach than with the network-based approach. This may be understood to be because the UE may be understood to “know” what it may intend to use, but the N network W may have to “guess”, which may add some uncertainty to the network -based approach. However, the network -based approach may be understood to have the advantage that it may also work for legacy UEs, which may not implement the UE-based approach.

It may also work if a new UE implementing the UE-based approach, if the UE may not use it, for whatever reason.

Figure 6 and Figure 7 depict the RAN and Core Network based information of examples of embodiments herein.

Figure 6 is a schematic representation depicting a non-limiting example of a method performed in a wireless communications network, according to embodiments herein. In this example, the wireless device 130 is a UE. The UE, in accordance with Action 401 , collects preferred slices priority information based on the provided slice/slice group priorities and, according to Action 403, constructs a list of Preferred slices/slice groups. The UE may, in accordance with Action 404, provide the preference slice information to the RAN, that is, to the network node 110 as radio network node 111. If the Slice Preference Information is provided to the network node 110 as radio network node 111 , in some examples, the radio network node 111 may use the information to determine, in accordance with Action 504 and 506, how to optimize RAN based paging for UEs in RRCJNACTIVE or how to optimize the process of paging once a Paging message may be received from the CN for a given UE. In other examples, the radio network node 111 may use the information as input to, in accordance with Action 504 and 506, decide the Slice Group priorities to send to the wireless device 130, in case the radio network node 111 sends it to the wireless device 130, or to decide how to load balance the network. The information may be signaled, in accordance with Action 506, from the radio network node 111 to the CN, e.g., the core network node 112, via existing or new messages over the NG interface. In accordance with Action 504 and 506, the network node 110 as radio network node 111, may acknowledge the Slice Preference Information from the wireless device 130, or the network node 110 as radio network node 111 may indicate to the wireless device 130 to maintain previous Slice Preference, or the network node 110 as radio network node 111 may provide to the wireless device 130 the Slice Preference to be applied.

If the Slice Preference Information is not provided to the network node 110 as radio network node 111, in some examples, the radio network node 111 may , in accordance with Action 402 and Action 502, either request it to the wireless device 130 via dedicated RRC signaling, or to the CN, e.g., to the core network node 112, over NG interface. In this case, the CN may then fetch it via NAS signaling. In other examples, the CN, that is, the network node 110 as core network node 112 may, in accordance with Action 504, Action 506 and Action 405, decide the slice priorities and provide the priorities to the wireless device 130 and to the radio network node 111.

Figure 7 is a schematic representation depicting another non-limiting example of a method performed in a wireless communications network, according to embodiments herein. In this example, the wireless device 130 is also a UE. The UE, in accordance with Action 401, collects preferred slices priority information based on the provided slice/slice group priorities and, according to Action 403, constructs a list of Preferred slices/slice groups. The UE may, in accordance with Action 404, provide the preference slice information to the CN, that is, to the network node 110 as core network node 112. If the Slice Preference Information is provided to the network node 110 as core network node 112, in some examples, the core network node 112 may use the information to determine, in accordance with Action 504 and 506, how to optimize CN based paging for UEs in RRCJDLE or how to optimize the process of paging. In other examples, the information may be signaled, in accordance with Action 506, from the core network node 112 to the RAN, e.g., the radio network node 111, via existing or new messages over the NG interface, particularly for RRC INACTIVE state or to optimize the process of paging in RAN. In accordance with Action 505 and 506, the network node 110 as core network node 112, may acknowledge the Slice Preference Information from the wireless device 130, or the network node 110 as core network node 112 may indicate to the wireless device 130 to maintain previous Slice Preference, or the network node 110 as core network node 112 may provide to the wireless device 130 the Slice Preference to be applied.

If the Slice Preference Information is not provided to the network node 110 as core network node 112, in some examples, the core network node 112 may, in accordance with Action 402 and Action 502, either request it to the wireless device 130 via NAS, or to the RAN, e.g., to the radio network node 111 , over NG interface. In this case, the RAN may then fetch it via dedicated RRC signaling. In other examples, the CN, that is, the network node 110 as core network node 112 may, in accordance with Action 504, Action 506 and Action 405, decide the slice priorities and provide the priorities to the wireless device 130 and to the radio network node 111.

Figure 8 depicts two different examples in panels a) and b), respectively, of the arrangement that the wireless device 130 may comprise. In some embodiments, the wireless device 130 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 8a. The wireless device 130 may be understood to be for handling one or more slices. The wireless device 130 is configured to operate in the wireless communications network 100.

Several embodiments are comprised herein. It should be noted that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the wireless device 130, and will thus not be repeated here. For example, the in some embodiments, the network node 110 may be configured to be the radio network node 111, e.g., a gNB, while in other embodiments the network node 110 may be configured to be the core network node 112 e.g., an AMF. The wireless device 130 may be configured to be a UE.

In Figure 8, optional units are indicated with dashed boxes.

The wireless device 130 is configured to perform the determining of Action 403, e.g., by means of a determining unit 801 within the wireless device 130, configured to the determine one or more first preferred slices, out of the plurality of slices configured to be supported by the wireless device 130.

The wireless device 130 is also configured to perform the sending of Action 404, e.g. ,by means of a sending unit 802 within the wireless device 130, configured to send the first indication, to the network node 110 configured to operate in the wireless communications network 100. The first indication is configured to indicate the one or more first preferred slices configured to be determined.

The wireless device 130 may be further configured to perform the obtaining of Action 401 , e.g. by means of an obtaining unit 803 within the wireless device 130, configured to obtain the first information configured to indicate the usage, by the wireless device 130, of at least one of: the one or more applications, the one or more services, and the one or more slices. The determining of the one or more first preferred slices may be configured to be based on the first information configured to be obtained.

In some embodiments, the wireless device 130 may be configured to at least one of the following.

The wireless device 130 may be configured to perform the receiving of Action 402, e.g., by means of a receiving unit 804 within the wireless device 130, configured to receive the prior indication from the network node 110. The prior indication is configured to request to send the first indication.

The wireless device 130 may be configured to perform the receiving of Action 405, e.g., by means of the receiving unit 804, configured to receive the second indication from the network node 110. The second indication may be configured to indicate one of: to maintain the previous slice preference, the acknowledgement of receipt of the first indication, or the one or more second preferred slices configured to be determined by the network node 110.

The wireless device 130 may be configured to perform the receiving of Action 406, e.g., by means of the receiving unit 804, configured to receive the third indication from the network node 110. The third indication may be configured to be based on the first indication configured to be sent. The third indication may be configured to indicate at least one of: i) the signal configured to page the wireless device 130, and b) the one or more types of resources.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply: a) the one or more types of resources may be configured to comprise the one or more of: the one or more frequencies of transmission for the paging signal, the one or more time alignment to be applied by the wireless device 130 when receiving the paging signal, and the one or more cells where to page the wireless device 130, b) the one or more types of resources may be configured to comprise the first resources where to page the wireless device 130, c) the one or more types of resources may be configured to comprise the second resources configured to be indicated to the wireless device 130 in the radio resource control release procedure, and d) the paging of the wireless device 130 may be configured to be in inactive state.

In some embodiments, least one of the following may apply: a) the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be configured to be preferred for reselection of cell or frequency, b) the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be configured to be the subset of the set of slices the wireless device 130 may intend to use, c) the network node 110 may be configured to be the radio network node 111 in the access network of the wireless communications network 100, d) the network node 110 may be configured to be the core network node 112 in the core network of the wireless communications network 100, e) the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be configured to be the list of slices or the list of slice groups, f) the determining of the one or more first preferred slices may be configured to be based on the first information configured to indicate the usage of the one or more applications by the wireless device 130, g) the first indication may be configured to comprise at least one of: i) the slice preference request, ii) the slice preference information, or iii) the NSSAI; h) the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be configured to be indicated in the priority order, i) the first indication may be configured to be sent in the RRC first message, j) the first message may be configured to be the dedicated message, k) the first indication may be configured to indicate the new slice or the slice group ID, I) the priority order may be configured to be indicated in at least one of: preferred NSSAI and Allowed NSSAI, m) each slice may be configured to be indicated by the S-NSSAI, n) the first indication may be configured to be sent in the NAS message, and o) the first indication may be configured to be sent during the handover

Other units 805 may be comprised in the wireless device 130.

The embodiments herein in the wireless device 130 may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 806 in the wireless device 130 depicted in Figure 8a, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. A processor, as used herein, may be understood to be a hardware component. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the wireless device 130. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the wireless device 130.

The wireless device 130 may further comprise a memory 807 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 807 is arranged to be used to store obtained information, store data, configurations, schedulings, and applications etc. to perform the methods herein when being executed in the wireless device 130.

In some embodiments, the wireless device 130 may receive information from, e.g., the network node 110, the radio network node 111 , the core network node 112, and/or another node, through a receiving port 808. In some embodiments, the receiving port 808 may be, for example, connected to one or more antennas in wireless device 130. In other embodiments, the wireless device 130 may receive information from another structure in the wireless communications network 100 through the receiving port 808. Since the receiving port 808 may be in communication with the processor 806, the receiving port 808 may then send the received information to the processor 806. The receiving port 808 may also be configured to receive other information.

The processor 806 in the wireless device 130 may be further configured to transmit or send information to e.g., the network node 110, the radio network node 111 , the core network node 112, another node and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100, through a sending port 809, which may be in communication with the processor 806, and the memory 807.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the units 801-805 described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g., stored in memory, that, when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 806, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single Application- Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).

Also, in some embodiments, the different units 801-805 described above may be implemented as one or more applications running on one or more processors such as the processor 806.

Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the wireless device 130 may be respectively implemented by means of a computer program 810 product, comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, which, when executed on at least one processor 806, cause the at least one processor 806 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the wireless device 130. The computer program 810 product may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium 811. The computer-readable storage medium 811 , having stored thereon the computer program 810, may comprise instructions which, when executed on at least one processor 806, cause the at least one processor 806 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the wireless device 130. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium 811 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disc, or a memory stick. In other embodiments, the computer program 810 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program 810 just described, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or the computer-readable storage medium 811 , as described above.

The wireless device 130 may comprise a communication interface configured to facilitate communications between the wireless device 130 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the network node 110, the radio network node 111, the core network node 112, another node and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100. The interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.

In other embodiments, the wireless device 130 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 8b. The wireless device 130 may comprise a processing circuitry 806, e.g., one or more processors such as the processor 806, in the wireless device 130 and the memory 807. The wireless device 130 may also comprise a radio circuitry 812, which may comprise e.g., the receiving port 808 and the sending port 809. The processing circuitry 806 may be configured to, or operable to, perform the method actions according to Figure 4, Figures 6-7 and/or Figures 11-15, in a similar manner as that described in relation to Figure 8a. The radio circuitry 812 may be configured to set up and maintain at least a wireless connection with the network node 110, the radio network node 111 , the core network node 112, another node and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100. Circuitry may be understood herein as a hardware component.

Hence, embodiments herein also relate to the wireless device 130 operative to operate in the wireless communications network 100. The wireless device 130 may comprise the processing circuitry 806 and the memory 807, said memory 807 containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry 806, whereby the wireless device 130 is further operative to perform the actions described herein in relation to the wireless device 130, e.g., in Figure 4, Figures 6-7 and/or Figures 11-15.

Figure 9 depicts two different examples in panels a) and b), respectively, of the arrangement that the network node 110 may comprise. In some embodiments, the network node 110 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 9a. The network node 110 may be understood to be for handling one or more slices. The network node 110 is configured to operate in the wireless communications network 100.

Several embodiments are comprised herein, should be noted that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the wireless device 130 and will thus not be repeated here. For example, the in some embodiments, the network node 110 may be configured to be the radio network node 111 , e.g., a gNB, while in other embodiments the network node 110 may be configured to be the core network node 112 e.g., an AMF. The wireless device 130 may be configured to be a UE.

In Figure 9, optional units are indicated with dashed boxes.

The network node 110 is configured to perform the determining of Action 504, e.g., by means of a determining unit 901 within the network node 110, configured to determine the one or more second preferred slices by the wireless device 130 configured to operate in the wireless communications network 100, out of a plurality of slices configured to be supported by the wireless device 130. The network node 110 is also configured to perform the performing of Action 506, e.g., by means of a performing unit 902 within the network node 110, configured to perform the one or more operations based on the one or more second preferred slices configured to be determined.

The network node 110 may be configured to perform the obtaining of Action 501 , e.g., by means of an obtaining unit 903 within the network node 110, configured to obtain the second information configured to indicate the usage, by the wireless device 130, of at least one of: the one or more applications, the one or more services, and the one or more slices. The determining of the one or more second preferred slices may be configured to be based on the second information configured to be obtained.

The network node 110 may be configured to perform the sending of Action 502, e.g., by means of a sending unit 904 within the network node 110, configured to send the prior indication to at least one of the wireless device 130 and the another network node 111, 112 configured to operate in the wireless communications network 100. The prior indication may be configured to request to send the indication. The indication may be configured to indicate the one or more first preferred slices by the wireless device 130.

The network node 110 may be configured to perform the receiving of Action 503, e.g., by means of a receiving unit 905 within the network node 110, configured to receive the indication from one of the wireless device 130 and the another network node 111, 112. The one or more second preferred slices configured to be determined may be configured to be the indicated one or more first preferred slices.

The network node 110 may be configured to perform the determining of Action 505, e.g., by means of the determining unit 901 , configured to determine, based on the indication configured to be received, the one or more types of resources to use with the wireless device 130.

In some embodiments, the performing of the one or more operations may be configured to be based on the one or more types of resources configured to be determined.

In some embodiments, one of one of the following options may apply. According to a first option, the one or more operations may be configured to comprise sending the third indication to the wireless device 130. The third indication may be configured to indicate at least one of: a) the signal paging the wireless device 130, and b) the one or more types of resources configured to be determined. According to a second option, the network node 110 may be configured to be the radio network node 111 in the access network of the wireless communications network 100, the indication may be configured to be the first indication configured to be received from the wireless device 130, and the one or more operations may be configured to comprise indicating the one or more second preferred slices configured to be determined to the core network node 112 in the core network of the wireless communications network 100. According to a third option, the network node 110 may be configured to be the core network node 112, the indication may be configured to be the fourth indication configured to be received from the radio network node 111, and the one or more operations may be configured to comprise optimizing paging to the wireless device 130. According to a fourth option, the network node 110 may be configured to be the core network node 112, and the indication may be configured to be the first indication configured to be received from the wireless device 130. According to a fifth option, the network node 110 may be configured to be the core network node 112, the indication may be configured to be the first indication configured to be received from the wireless device 130, and the one or more operations may be configured to comprise sending the one or more second preferred slices configured to be determined to the radio network node 111. According to a sixth option, the network node 110 may be configured to be the radio network node 111, and the indication may be configured to be the fifth indication configured to be received from the core network node 112.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply: a) the fourth indication may be configured to be the second message configured to be received over the NG interface, b) the fourth indication may be configured to be comprised in the Information on Recommended Cells and RAN Nodes for Paging IE, c) the network node 110 may be configured to be the core network node 112, and the first indication may be configured to be received with NAS signalling, and d) at least one of the first indication and the fourth indication may be configured to be received during the handover procedure.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply: a) the one or more types of resources may be configured to comprise the one or more of: one or more frequencies of transmission for the paging signal, the one or more time alignment to be applied by the wireless device 130 when receiving the paging signal, and the one or more cells where to page the wireless device 130, b) the one or more types of resources may be configured to comprise the first resources where to page the wireless device 130, c) the one or more types of resources may be configured to comprise the second resources configured to be indicated to the wireless device 130 in the RRC release procedure, d) the one or more operations may be configured to comprise paging the wireless device 130, e) the paging of the wireless device 130 may be configured to be in inactive state, f) the one or more operations may be configured to comprise determining the priority of slice groups, g) the network node 110 may be configured to be the core network node 112 and the one or more operations may be configured to comprise sending the determined priority of slice groups to the radio network node 111 , h) the one or more operations may be configured to comprise load balancing, i) the one or more operations may be configured to comprise optimizing paging to the wireless device 130, j) the one or more operations may be configured to comprise determining the priority for cell reselection by the wireless device 130, k) the one or more operations may be configured to comprise indicating the one or more second preferred slices configured to be determined to another network node 111, 112, I) the one or more operations may be configured to comprise sending the second indication to the wireless device 130, the second indication being configured to indicate one of: to maintain the previous slice preference, the acknowledgement of receipt of the first indication, or the one or more second preferred slices configured to be determined.

In some embodiments, at least one of the following may apply: a) the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be configured to be preferred for reselection of cell or frequency, b) the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be configured to be the subset of the set of slices the wireless device 130 intends to use, c) the network node 110 may be configured to be the radio network node 111 in the access network of the wireless communications network 100, d) the network node 110 may be configured to be the core network node 112 in the core network of the wireless communications network 100, e) the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be configured to be the list of slices or the list of slice groups, f) the determining of the one or more second preferred slices may be configured to be based on the first information configured to be indicating the usage of one or more applications by the wireless device 130, g) the first indication may be configured to comprise at least one of: i) the slice preference request, ii) the slice preference information, or iii) the NSSAI, h) the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, may be configured to be indicated in the priority order, i) the first indication may be configured to be received in the RRC first message, j) the first message may be configured to be the dedicated message, k) the first indication may be configured to indicate the new slice or the slice group ID, I) the priority order may be configured to be indicated in at least one of: preferred NSSAI and Allowed NSSAI, m) the first indication may be configured to be received in the NAS, message, and each slice may be configured to be indicated by the S- NSSAI, and n) the first indication may be configured to be received during the handover procedure.

Other units 906 may be comprised in the network node 110.

The embodiments herein in the network node 110 may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 907 in the network node 110 depicted in Figure 9a, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. A processor, as used herein, may be understood to be a hardware component. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the network node 110. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the network node 110.

The network node 110 may further comprise a memory 908 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 908 is arranged to be used to store obtained information, store data, configurations, schedulings, and applications etc. to perform the methods herein when being executed in the network node 110.

In some embodiments, the network node 110 may receive information from, e.g., the another network node 111 , 112, the radio network node 111 , the core network node 112, the wireless device 130, and/or another node, through a receiving port 909. In some embodiments, the receiving port 909 may be, for example, connected to one or more antennas in network node 110. In other embodiments, the network node 110 may receive information from another structure in the wireless communications network 100 through the receiving port 909. Since the receiving port 909 may be in communication with the processor 907, the receiving port 909 may then send the received information to the processor 907. The receiving port 909 may also be configured to receive other information.

The processor 907 in the network node 110 may be further configured to transmit or send information to e.g., the another network node 111 , 112, the radio network node 111 , the core network node 112, the wireless device 130, another node and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100, through a sending port 910, which may be in communication with the processor 907, and the memory 908.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the units 901-906 described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g., stored in memory, that, when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 907, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single Application- Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).

Also, in some embodiments, the different units 901-906 described above may be implemented as one or more applications running on one or more processors such as the processor 907.

Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the network node 110 may be respectively implemented by means of a computer program 911 product, comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, which, when executed on at least one processor 907, cause the at least one processor 907 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the network node 110. The computer program 911 product may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium 912. The computer-readable storage medium 912, having stored thereon the computer program 911 , may comprise instructions which, when executed on at least one processor 907, cause the at least one processor 907 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the network node 110. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium 912 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disc, or a memory stick. In other embodiments, the computer program 911 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program 911 just described, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or the computer-readable storage medium 912, as described above.

The network node 110 may comprise a communication interface configured to facilitate communications between the network node 110 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the another network node 111 , 112, the radio network node 111 , the core network node 112, the wireless device 130, another node and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100. The interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.

In other embodiments, the network node 110 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 9b. The network node 110 may comprise a processing circuitry 907, e.g., one or more processors such as the processor 907, in the network node 110 and the memory 908. The network node 110 may also comprise a radio circuitry 913, which may comprise e.g., the receiving port 909 and the sending port 910. The processing circuitry 907 may be configured to, or operable to, perform the method actions according to Figure 5, Figures 6-7, and/or Figures 11-15, in a similar manner as that described in relation to Figure 9a. The radio circuitry 913 may be configured to set up and maintain at least a wireless connection with the another network node 111, 112, the radio network node 111 , the core network node 112, the wireless device 130, another node and/or another structure in the wireless communications network 100. Circuitry may be understood herein as a hardware component.

Hence, embodiments herein also relate to the network node 110 operative to operate in the wireless communications network 100. The network node 110 may comprise the processing circuitry 907 and the memory 908, said memory 908 containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry 907, whereby the network node 110 is further operative to perform the actions described herein in relation to the network node 110, e.g., in Figure 5, Figures 6-7 and/or Figures 11-15.

Selected examples according to embodiments herein: Example 1. A method performed by a wireless device (130), the method being for handling one or more slices, the wireless device (130) operating in a wireless communications network (100), and the method comprising:

- determining (403) one or more first preferred slices, out of a plurality of slices supported by the wireless device (130), and

- sending (404) a first indication, to a network node (110) operating in the wireless communications network (100), the first indication indicating the determined one or more first preferred slices.

Example 2. The method according to example 1, further comprising:

- obtaining (401) first information indicating usage, by the wireless device (130), of at least one of: one or more applications, one or more services, and one or more slices, and wherein the determining (403) of the one or more first preferred slices is based on the obtained first information.

Example 3. The method according to any of examples 1-2, further comprising at least one of:

- receiving (402) a prior indication from the network node (110), the prior indication requesting to send the first indication, and

- receiving (405) a second indication from the network node (110), the second indication indicating one of: to maintain a previous slice preference, an acknowledgement of receipt of the first indication, or one or more second preferred slices determined by the network node (110), and

- receiving (406) a third indication from the network node (110), the third indication being based on the sent first indication, the third indication indicating at least one of: i. a signal paging the wireless device (130), and ii. one or more types of resources.

Example 4. The method according to example 3, wherein the at least one of:

- the one or more types of resources comprise one or more of: one or more frequencies of transmission for a paging signal, one or more time alignment to be applied by the wireless device (130) when receiving the paging signal, and one or more cells where to page the wireless device (130),

- the one or more types of resources comprise first resources where to page the wireless device (130),

- the one or more types of resources comprise second resources indicated to the wireless device (130) in a radio resource control release procedure, and the paging of the wireless device (130) is in inactive state.

Example 5. The method according example4, wherein at least one of:

- the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, are preferred for reselection of cell or frequency,

- the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, are a subset of a set of slices the wireless device (130) intends to use,

- the network node (110) is a radio network node (111) in an access network of the wireless communications network (100),

- the network node (110) is a core network node (112) in a core network of the wireless communications network (100),

- the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, are a list of slices or a list of slice groups, e.g., a list of slice group identifiers, IDs,

- the determining (403) of the one or more first preferred slices is based on first information indicating usage of one or more applications by the wireless device (130),

- the first indication comprises at least one of: a) a slice preference request, b) a slice preference information, or c) Network Slice Selection Assistance Information, NSSAI,

- the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, are indicated in a priority order,

- the first indication is sent in a Radio Resource Control, RRC, first message,

- the first message is a dedicated message,

- the first indication indicates a new slice or a slice group identifier, ID,

- the priority order is indicated in at least one of: preferred NSSAI and Allowed NSSAI,

- each slice is indicated by a Single NSSAI, S-NSSAI,

- the first indication is sent in a Non Access Stratum, NAS, message, e.g., wherein the network node (110) is a core network node (112), and

- the first indication is sent during a handover procedure.

Example 6. A method performed by a network node (110), the method being for handling one or more slices, the network node (110) operating in a wireless communications network (100), and the method comprising: - determining (504) one or more second preferred slices by a wireless device (130) operating in the wireless communications network (100), out of a plurality of slices supported by the wireless device (130), and

- performing (506) one or more operations based on the determined one or more second preferred slices.

Example 7. The method according to example 6, further comprising:

- obtaining (501) second information indicating usage, by the wireless device (130), of at least one of: one or more applications, one or more services, and one or more slices, and wherein the determining (504) of the one or more second preferred slices is based on the obtained second information.

Example 8. The method according to any of examples 6-7, further comprising:

- sending (502) a prior indication to at least one of the wireless device (130) and another network node (111 , 112) operating in the wireless communications network (100), the prior indication requesting to send the indication,

- receiving (503) an indication from one of the wireless device (130) and the another network node (111, 112), the indication indicating the one or more first preferred slices by the wireless device (130), and wherein the determined one or more second preferred slices are the indicated one or more first preferred slices, and

- determining (505), based on the received indication, one or more types of resources to use with the wireless device (130), wherein the performing (506) of the one or more operations is based on the determined one or more types of resources.

Example 9. The method according to example 8, wherein one of:

- the one or more operations comprise sending a third indication to the wireless device (130), the third indication indicating at least one of: a) a signal paging the wireless device (130), and b) the determined one or more types of resources,

- the network node (110) is a radio network node (111) in an access network of the wireless communications network (100), the indication is a first indication received from the wireless device (130), and wherein the one or more operations comprise indicating the determined one or more second preferred slices to a core network node (112) in a core network of the wireless communications network (100), - the network node (110) is the core network node (112), the indication is a fourth indication received from the radio network node (111), and wherein the one or more operations comprise optimizing paging to the wireless device (130),

- the network node (110) is the core network node (112), the indication is the first indication received from the wireless device (130),

- the network node (110) is the core network node (112), the indication is the first indication received from the wireless device (130), and wherein the one or more operations comprise sending the determined one or more second preferred slices to the radio network node (111), and

- the network node (110) is the radio network node (111), and the indication is a fifth indication received from the core network node (112).

Example 10. The method according to example 9, wherein at least one of:

- the fourth indication is a second message sent over an NG interface,

- the fourth indication is comprised in an Information on Recommended Cells and RAN Nodes for Paging Information Element, IE,

- the network node (110) is the core network node (112), and the first indication is received with Non-Access Stratum signalling, and

- at least one of the first indication and the fourth indication is received during a handover procedure.

Example 11. The method according to any of examples 6-10, wherein the at least one of:

- the one or more types of resources comprise one or more of: one or more frequencies of transmission for a paging signal, one or more time alignment to be applied by the wireless device (130) when receiving the paging signal, and one or more cells where to page the wireless device (130),

- the one or more types of resources comprise first resources where to page the wireless device (130),

- the one or more types of resources comprise second resources to indicate to the wireless device (130) in a radio resource control release procedure,

- the one or more operations comprise paging the wireless device (130),

- the paging of the wireless device (130) is in inactive state,

- the one or more operations comprise determining a priority of slice groups,

- the network node (110) is the core network node (112) and wherein the one or more operations comprise sending the determined priority of slice groups to the radio network node (111),

- the one or more operations comprise load balancing, - the one or more operations comprise optimizing paging to the wireless device (130),

- the one or more operations comprise determining a priority for cell reselection by the wireless device (130),

- the one or more operations comprise indicating the determined one or more second preferred slices to another network node (111 , 112),

- the one or more operations comprise sending a second indication to the wireless device (130), the second indication indicating one of: to maintain a previous slice preference, an acknowledgement of receipt of the first indication, or the determined one or more second preferred slices.

Example 12. The method according to any of examples 6-11, wherein at least one of:

- the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, are preferred for reselection of cell or frequency,

- the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, are a subset of a set of slices the wireless device (130) intends to use,

- the network node (110) is a radio network node (111) in an access network of the wireless communications network (100),

- the network node (110) is a core network node (112) in a core network of the wireless communications network (100),

- the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, are a list of slices or a list of slice groups, e.g., a list of slice group identifiers, IDs,

- the determining (504) of the one or more second preferred slices is based on first information indicating usage of one or more applications by the wireless device (130),

- the first indication comprises at least one of: a) a slice preference request, b) a slice preference information, or c) Network Slice Selection Assistance Information, NSSAI,

- the one or more first preferred slices, and/or the one or more second preferred slices, are indicated in a priority order,

- the first indication is sent in a Radio Resource Control, RRC, first message,

- the first message is a dedicated message,

- the first indication indicates a new slice or a slice group identifier, ID,

- the priority order is indicated in at least one of: preferred NSSAI and Allowed NSSAI, - the first indication is received in a Non Access Stratum, NAS, message, e.g., wherein the network node (110) is a core network node (112), and each slice is indicated by a single NSSAI, S-NSSAI, and

- the first indication is received during a handover procedure.

As used herein, the expression “at least one of:” followed by a list of alternatives separated by commas, and wherein the last alternative is preceded by the “and” term, may be understood to mean that only one of the list of alternatives may apply, more than one of the list of alternatives may apply or all of the list of alternatives may apply. This expression may be understood to be equivalent to the expression “at least one of:” followed by a list of alternatives separated by commas, and wherein the last alternative is preceded by the “or” term.

When using the word "comprise" or “comprising” it shall be interpreted as non- limiting, i.e. meaning "consist at least of".

A processor may be understood herein as a hardware component.

The embodiments herein are not limited to the above described preferred embodiments. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be used. Therefore, the above embodiments should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.

Further Extensions And Variations

Figure 10: Telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments

With reference to Figure 10, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes telecommunication network 1010 such as the wireless communications network 100, for example, a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network 1011 , such as a radio access network, and core network 1014. Access network 1011 comprises a plurality of network nodes such as the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111. For example, base stations 1012a, 1012b, 1012c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 1013a, 1013b, 1013c. Each base station 1012a, 1012b, 1012c is connectable to core network 1014 over a wired or wireless connection 1015. A plurality of wireless devices, such as the wireless device 130 are comprised in the wireless communications network 100. In Figure 10, a first UE 1091 located in coverage area 1013c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 1012c. A second UE 1092 in coverage area 1013a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 1012a. While a plurality of UEs 1091 , 1092 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 1012. Any of the UEs 1091 , 1092 are examples of the wireless device 130.

Telecommunication network 1010 is itself connected to host computer 1030, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or as processing resources in a server farm. Host computer 1030 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 1021 and 1022 between telecommunication network 1010 and host computer 1030 may extend directly from core network 1014 to host computer 1030 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1020. Intermediate network 1020 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 1020, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 1020 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of Figure 10 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 1091 , 1092 and host computer 1030. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1050. Host computer 1030 and the connected UEs 1091 , 1092 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 1050, using access network 1011 , core network 1014, any intermediate network 1020 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 1050 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 1050 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 1012 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 1030 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 1091. Similarly, base station 1012 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 1091 towards the host computer 1030.

In relation to Figures 11 , 12, 13, 14, and 15, which are described next, it may be understood that a UE is an example of the wireless device 130, and that any description provided for the UE equally applies to the wireless device 130. It may be also understood that the base station is an example of the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111 , and that any description provided for the base station equally applies to the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111.

Figure 11 : Host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments

Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the wireless device 130, e.g., a UE, the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111 , e.g., a base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 11. In communication system 1100, such as the wireless communications network 100, host computer 1110 comprises hardware 1115 including communication interface 1116 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 1100. Host computer 1110 further comprises processing circuitry 1118, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 1118 may comprise one or more programmable processors, applicationspecific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer 1110 further comprises software 1111 , which is stored in or accessible by host computer 1110 and executable by processing circuitry 1118. Software 1111 includes host application 1112. Host application 1112 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 1130 connecting via OTT connection 1150 terminating at UE 1130 and host computer 1110. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 1112 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 1150.

Communication system 1100 further includes the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111 , exemplified in Figure 11 as a base station 1120 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 1125 enabling it to communicate with host computer 1110 and with UE 1130. Hardware 1125 may include communication interface 1126 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 1100, as well as radio interface 1127 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 1170 with the wireless device 130, exemplified in Figure 11 as a UE 1130 located in a coverage area (not shown in Figure 11) served by base station 1120. Communication interface 1126 may be configured to facilitate connection 1160 to host computer 1110. Connection 1160 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in Figure 11) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, hardware 1125 of base station 1120 further includes processing circuitry 1128, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Base station 1120 further has software 1121 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

Communication system 1100 further includes UE 1130 already referred to. Its hardware 1135 may include radio interface 1137 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 1170 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 1130 is currently located. Hardware 1135 of UE 1130 further includes processing circuitry 1138, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. UE 1130 further comprises software 1131 , which is stored in or accessible by UE 1130 and executable by processing circuitry 1138. Software 1131 includes client application 1132. Client application 1132 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 1130, with the support of host computer 1110. In host computer 1110, an executing host application 1112 may communicate with the executing client application 1132 via OTT connection 1150 terminating at UE 1130 and host computer 1110. In providing the service to the user, client application 1132 may receive request data from host application 1112 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 1150 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 1132 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that host computer 1110, base station 1120 and UE 1130 illustrated in Figure 11 may be similar or identical to host computer 1030, one of base stations 1012a, 1012b, 1012c and one of UEs 1091 , 1092 of Figure 10, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in Figure 11 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of Figure 10.

In Figure 11 , OTT connection 1150 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 1110 and UE 1130 via base station 1120, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured to hide from UE 1130 or from the service provider operating host computer 1110, or both. While OTT connection 1150 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

Wireless connection 1170 between UE 1130 and base station 1120 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 1130 using OTT connection 1150, in which wireless connection 1170 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the latency, signalling overhead, and service interruption and thereby provide benefits such as reduced user waiting time, better responsiveness and extended battery lifetime.

A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1150 between host computer 1110 and UE 1130, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1150 may be implemented in software 1111 and hardware 1115 of host computer 1110 or in software 1131 and hardware 1135 of UE 1130, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 1150 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software 1111 , 1131 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 1150 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 1120, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 1120. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 1110’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 1111 and 1131 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 1150 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

The wireless device embodiments relate to Figure 4, Figures 6-7, Figure 8 and Figures 11-15.

The wireless device 130 may also be configured to communicate user data with a host application unit in a host computer 1110, e.g., via another link such as 1150.

The wireless device 130 may comprise an arrangement as shown in Figure 8 or in Figure 11.

The network node embodiments relate to Figure 5, Figures 6-7, Figure 9 and Figures 11-15.

The network node 110 may also be configured to communicate user data with a host application unit in a host computer 1110, e.g., via another link such as 1150.

The network node 110 may comprise an arrangement as shown in Figure 9 or in Figure 11.

Figure 12: Methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments

Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 10 and 11 . For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 12 will be included in this section. In step 1210, the host computer provides user data. In substep 1211 (which may be optional) of step 1210, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1220, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 1230 (which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1240 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer. Figure 13: Methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments

Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 10 and 11 . For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 13 will be included in this section. In step 1310 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional substep (not shown) the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1320, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1330 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

Figure 14: Methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments

Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 10 and 11 . For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 14 will be included in this section. In step 1410 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 1420, the UE provides user data. In substep 1421 (which may be optional) of step 1420, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 1411 (which may be optional) of step 1410, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in substep 1430 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 1440 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

Figure 15: Methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments

Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to Figures 10 and 11 . For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 15 will be included in this section. In step 1510 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 1520 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 1530 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual apparatuses. Each virtual apparatus may comprise a number of these functional units. These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein. In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functional unit to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

The term unit may have conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and/or electronic devices and may include, for example, electrical and/or electronic circuitry, devices, modules, processors, memories, logic solid state and/or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions for carrying out respective tasks, procedures, computations, outputs, and/or displaying functions, and so on, as such as those that are described herein.

Further numbered embodiments

1 . A base station configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE), the base station comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111.

5. A communication system including a host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station’s processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111.

6. The communication system of embodiment 5, further including the base station.

7. The communication system of embodiment 6, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

8. The communication system of embodiment 7, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

11. A method implemented in a base station, comprising one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111.

15. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the base station performs one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111.

16. The method of embodiment 15, further comprising: at the base station, transmitting the user data.

17. The method of embodiment 16, wherein the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application, the method further comprising: at the UE, executing a client application associated with the host application.

21. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130. 25. A communication system including a host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE’s processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130.

26. The communication system of embodiment 25, further including the UE.

27. The communication system of embodiment 26, wherein the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

28. The communication system of embodiment 26 or 27, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

31. A method implemented in a user equipment (UE), comprising one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130.

35. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the UE performs one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130.

36. The method of embodiment 35, further comprising: at the UE, receiving the user data from the base station.

41. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130. 45. A communication system including a host computer comprising: a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station, wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE’s processing circuitry configured to: perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130.

46. The communication system of embodiment 45, further including the UE.

47. The communication system of embodiment 46, further including the base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station.

48. The communication system of embodiment 46 or 47, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; and the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

49. The communication system of embodiment 46 or 47, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data; and the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data.

51. A method implemented in a user equipment (UE), comprising one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130.

52. The method of embodiment 51 , further comprising: providing user data; and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to the base station.

55. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130.

56. The method of embodiment 55, further comprising: at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

57. The method of embodiment 56, further comprising: at the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted; and at the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application.

58. The method of embodiment 56, further comprising: at the UE, executing a client application; and at the UE, receiving input data to the client application, the input data being provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application, wherein the user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data.

61. A base station configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE), the base station comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111.

65. A communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station’s processing circuitry configured to perform one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111.

66. The communication system of embodiment 65, further including the base station.

67. The communication system of embodiment 66, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

68. The communication system of embodiment 67, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.

71. A method implemented in a base station, comprising one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the network node 110, e.g., the radio network node 111.

75. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE, wherein the UE performs one or more of the actions described herein as performed by the wireless device 130.

76. The method of embodiment 75, further comprising: at the base station, receiving the user data from the UE.

77. The method of embodiment 76, further comprising: at the base station, initiating a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.

Abbreviation Explanation

BL Bandwidth reduced Low complexity

GUAMI Global Unique AMF ID

NF Network Function

NSSAI Network Slice Selection Assistance Information, list of S-NSSAI

NB-loT Narrow Band Internet of Things

S-NSSAI Slice ID for a single slice

TA Tracking Area

REFERENCES

1. [3GPP TS 23.501]: https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/archive/23_series/23.501/2350 1- h40.zip