Access control for network slices of a wireless communication system
A base station and a user equipment for a wireless communication network having a plurality of logical radio access networks are described. The base station communicates with a plurality of users to be served by the base station for accessing one or more of the logical radio access networks, and selectively controls the physical resources of the wireless communication network assigned to the logical radio access networks and/or controls access of the users or user groups to one or more of the logical radio access networks. The user equipment, for accessing at least one of the logical radio access networks, receives and processes a control signal from the base station, which indicates the physical resources of the wireless communication network assigned to the logical radio access network and/or includes access control information for the user equipment for accessing the logical radio access network.
1. A user equipment to be served by a base station of a wireless communication network comprising a plurality of logical radio access networks, wherein:
the user equipment is configured to access at least one of the logical radio access networks,
the user equipment is configured to receive and process a control signal from the base station,
the control signal indicates the physical resources of the wireless communication network assigned to the logical radio access network and/or comprises access control information for the user equipment for accessing the logical radio access network, and
the control signal indicates that additional access control information is to be acquired before access, the additional access control information controlling access of the user equipment to one or more of the logical radio access networks.
2. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein a logical radio access network comprises one or more network slices, and wherein information controlling the access of the users or user groups comprises an access class or an access category for the users or user groups.
3. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the control signal from the base station signals to the UE a time period during which access to the logical radio access network is barred, and once the access is allowed again, the UE is to connect to the logical radio access network.
4. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the NAS protocol defines an access category for an access attempt, while the RRC protocol performs a final barring check.
5. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the user equipment is configured to access the logical radio access network only after acquiring the additional access control information.
6. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the additional access control information comprises one or more of:
information limiting access to the logical radio access network, and/or
information limiting access to certain services using the logical radio access networks (e.g. conversational services), and/or
information limiting access to certain user and/or device types (e.g. devices of security services, public utilities or the staff of network operators).
7. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein, when access to a logical radio access network is blocked or limited, the user equipment is configured to indicate the cause of the limitation or blocking.
8. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein, when access to a logical radio access network is blocked, the user equipment is configured to operate as to a master user equipment, which is connected to the wireless communication network (Macro, Micro, Pico), and to connect to slave user equipments within the same coverage zone for a communication over a device-to-device interface.
9. A wireless communication network, comprising:
one or more base stations for a wireless communication network comprising a plurality of logical radio access networks, wherein:
the base station is configured to communicate with a plurality of users to be served by the base station for accessing one or more of the logical radio access networks, and
the base station is configured to selectively control the physical resources of the wireless communication network assigned to the logical radio access networks and/or to control access of the users or user groups to one or more of the logical radio access networks;
a plurality of user equipments of claim 1 ;
wherein the wireless communication network is configured to enable a plurality of logical radio access networks, and to provide a plurality of physical resources for a wireless communication among a base station and a plurality of users to be served by the base station.
10. A method in a wireless communication network comprising a plurality of logical radio access networks, wherein a base station communicates with a user equipment to be served by the base station for accessing one or more of the logical radio access networks, the method comprising:
receiving and processing, by the user equipment, a control signal from the base station, wherein the control signal indicates the physical resources of the wireless communication network assigned to the logical radio access network and/or comprises access control information for the user equipment for accessing the logical radio access network,
wherein the control signal indicates that additional access control information is to be acquired before access, the additional access control information controlling access of the user equipment to one or more of the logical radio access networks.
11. A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform, when executed by a computer, the method in a wireless communication network comprising a plurality of logical radio access networks, wherein a base station communicates with a user equipment to be served by the base station for accessing one or more of the logical radio access networks, the method comprising:
receiving and processing, by the user equipment, a control signal from the base station, wherein the control signal indicates the physical resources of the wireless communication network assigned to the logical radio access network and/or comprises access control information for the user equipment for accessing the logical radio access network,
wherein the control signal indicates that additional access control information is to be acquired before access, the additional access control information controlling access of the user equipment to one or more of the logical radio access networks.