Selection of a network slice instantiation for transmitting uplink packets

1. A method comprising:

selecting a network slice instantiation in a communication network for transmission of uplink data from a user terminal, wherein selecting comprises the following acts, subsequent to receipt of an uplink packet by a communication module of the user terminal:

verifying correspondence between the uplink packet and at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation able to transmit the uplink packet in the communication network;

when the uplink packet corresponds to a rule, of the at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation, transmitting the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of the designated network slice instantiation; and

when the uplink packet corresponds to no rule, of the at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation, transmitting the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of a default network slice instantiation.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , furthermore comprising a prior phase of attachment of the user terminal to the default network slice instantiation, in the course of which the communication module receives, from an entity for access to a control plane of the default network slice instantiation, an attachment acknowledgment message containing said at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the communication module furthermore receives, from an entity for access to a control plane of the default network slice instantiation, a message containing said at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which said at least one rule furthermore comprises a parameter of duration of validity, the method furthermore comprising:

verifying the parameter of duration of validity of said at least one rule; and

when the duration of validity of said at least one rule has expired, transmitting, to an entity for access to a control plane of the default network slice instantiation, a request for obtaining said message for updating said at least one rule.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, when the uplink packet corresponds to a rule designating a network slice instantiation to which the user terminal is not attached, the communication module transmitting an attachment request to an entity for access to a control plane of the designated network slice instantiation, the uplink packet being transmitted subsequent to receipt of an attachment acknowledgment message originating from the entity for access to the control plane.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which said at least one rule contains at least one parameter determined from among a destination address of the packets, a transport protocol, a source port, a destination port, an application protocol, an item of information of location of the terminal or a time slot of application of the rule, the verification of the correspondence between the uplink packet and said at least one rule comprising verifying a fit between a parameter of the uplink packet and the determined parameter.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, when the terminal is attached to a network slice instantiation and if the user terminal does not exchange any payload data packet with an entity for access to the user plane of said network slice instantiation during a determined time span, the communication module transmitting a detachment request to an entity for access to a control plane of said network slice instantiation.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , in which the detachment request relates to a default network slice instantiation and is transmitted to an entity for access to a control plane of said default network slice instantiation, the method furthermore comprising:

verifying a parameter of duration of validity contained in said at least one rule; and

when the duration of validity of said at least one rule has expired, transmitting, to the entity for access to the control plane of the default network slice instantiation, a request for attachment to the default network slice instantiation and, subsequent to receipt of an attachment acknowledgment message, a request for updating said at least one rule.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein all the acts of claim 1 are performed by the user terminal.

10. A user terminal comprising a communication module comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a processor, which is configured to verify a correspondence between an uplink packet received from an application module of the user terminal and at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation in a communication network in which the uplink packet is to be transmitted;

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of the designated network slice instantiation when the uplink packet corresponds to a rule of said at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation; and

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of a default network slice instantiation, when none of said at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation corresponds to the uplink packet.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which is stored code instructions of a computer program, which when executed by a processor of a user terminal configure the user terminal to perform acts comprising:

selecting a network slice instantiation in a communication network for transmission of uplink data from a user terminal, wherein selecting comprises the following acts, subsequent to receipt of an uplink packet by a communication module of the user terminal:

verifying correspondence between the uplink packet and at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation able to transmit the uplink packet in the communication network;

when the uplink packet corresponds to a rule, of the at least one rule, designating a network slice instantiation, transmitting the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of the designated network slice instantiation; and

when the uplink packet corresponds to no rule, of the at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation, transmitting the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of a default network slice instantiation.

12. A method comprising:

selecting a network slice instantiation in a communication network for transmission of uplink data from a user terminal, wherein selecting comprises the following acts by the user terminal, subsequent to receipt of an uplink packet by a communication module of the user terminal:

verifying whether the uplink packet belongs to a new data stream,

when the uplink packet does not belong to a new data stream, transmitting the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of a network slice instantiation used for at least one previous uplink packet of the data stream to which the uplink packet belongs; and

when the uplink packet does belong to a new data stream, verifying correspondence between the uplink packet and at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation able to transmit the uplink packet in the communication network and, when the uplink packet corresponds to a rule of said at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation, transmitting the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of the designated network slice instantiation.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises, when the uplink packet corresponds to a rule designating a network slice instantiation to which the user terminal is not attached, the communication module transmitting an attachment request to an entity for access to a control plane of the designated network slice instantiation, the uplink packet being transmitted subsequent to receipt of an attachment acknowledgment message originating from the entity for access to the control plane.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , in which said at least one rule contains at least one parameter determined from among a destination address of the packets, a transport protocol, a source port, a destination port, an application protocol, an item of information of location of the terminal or a time slot of application of the rule, the verification of the correspondence between the uplink packet and said at least one rule comprising verifying a fit between a parameter of the uplink packet and the determined parameter.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises, when the terminal is attached to a network slice instantiation and if the user terminal does not exchange any payload data packet with an entity for access to the user plane of said network slice instantiation during a determined time span, the communication module transmitting a detachment request to an entity for access to a control plane of said network slice instantiation.

16. A user terminal comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a processor, wherein:

the processor is configured to verify whether an uplink packet received from an application module of the user terminal belongs to a new data stream;

the transmitter is configured to, when the uplink packet does not belong to a new data stream, transmit the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of a network slice instantiation used for at least one previous uplink packet of the data stream to which the uplink packet belongs;

the processor is configured to, when the uplink packet does belong to a new data stream, verify correspondence between the uplink packet and at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation able to transmit the uplink packet in the communication network; and

wherein the transmitter is configured to, when the uplink packet corresponds to a rule of said at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation, transmit the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of the designated network slice instantiation.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which is stored code instructions of a computer program, which when executed by a processor of a user terminal configure the user terminal to perform acts comprising:

selecting a network slice instantiation in a communication network for transmission of uplink data from a user terminal, wherein selecting comprises the following acts, subsequent to receipt of an uplink packet by a communication module of the user terminal:

verifying whether the uplink packet belongs to a new data stream;

when the uplink packet does not belong to a new data stream, transmitting the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of a network slice instantiation used for at least one previous uplink packet of the data stream to which the uplink packet belongs;

when the uplink packet does belong to a new data stream, verifying correspondence between the uplink packet and at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation able to transmit the uplink packet in the communication network and, when the uplink packet corresponds to a rule of said at least one rule designating a network slice instantiation, transmitting the uplink packet to an entity for access to a user plane of the designated network slice instantiation.