US 12,081,401 B2
Supporting SON functions on network slice instances
Joey Chou, Scottsdale, AZ (US); and Yizhi Yao, Chandler, AZ (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Appl. No. 16/485,088
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 14, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/022445
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 9, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/170135, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 20, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/472,220, filed on Mar. 16, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0386878 A1, Dec. 19, 2019
Int. Cl. H04L 41/0893 (2022.01); H04L 41/0813 (2022.01); H04L 41/5003 (2022.01); H04W 4/50 (2018.01); H04W 48/18 (2009.01)
CPC H04L 41/0893 (2013.01) [H04L 41/0813 (2013.01); H04L 41/5003 (2013.01); H04W 4/50 (2018.02); H04W 48/18 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for self-optimization of a Network Slice Instance comprising network slice related management functions, the apparatus comprising:
circuitry to implement a Network Slice Management Function to monitor a performance of the Network Slice Instance in use, evaluate whether the Network Slice Instance meets a received set of Network Slice requirements, and trigger the self-optimization for the Network Slice Instance based at least in part on the monitored performance of the Network Slice Instance, wherein the received set of Network Slice requirements are received from a Service Management Function or an Operator's target for performance of the Network Slice Instance, and wherein the Network Slice Management Function is implemented to modify one or more Network Slice SubNet requirements in response to triggering the self-optimization and based at least in part on the monitored performance of the Network Slice Instance; and
circuitry to implement a Network Slice Subnet Management Function, in communication with the Network Slice Management Function, to modify a Network Slice SubNet Instance based at least in part on the modified one or more Network Slice SubNet requirements for use in the Network Slice Instance in use in order to meet the received set of Network Slice requirements.