Method of managing traffic by a user plane function, UPF, corresponding UPF, session management function and network data analytics function

1. A method of managing traffic associated with a User Equipment (UE) by a User Plane Function (UPF) in a telecommunication network, the UPF associated with a Session Management Function (SMF) and a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF), wherein the UPF has access to an observation space comprising a list of possible states the network may take, wherein the UPF has access to an action space comprising a list of possible actions that the UPF is allowed to perform, the method comprising the UPF:

receiving, from the NWDAF, a state of the network; wherein the state is comprised by the list of possible states;

receiving, from the NWDAF, a reward; wherein the reward indicates a degree of satisfaction of the network to be in the state;

receiving network traffic from the UE; and

performing, in response to receiving the network traffic from the UE, an action comprised by the list of possible actions based on the received state of the network and based on the received reward.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the UPF:

transmitting, to the NWDAF, a UPF Agent Register Request message to register the UPF in the NWDAF; and

receiving, from the NWDAF, a UPF Agent Register Response message acknowledging registration, wherein the UPF Agent Register Response message comprises the observation space.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the UPF:

receiving, from the SMF, a Session Establishment Request message, wherein the Session Establishment Request message comprises the list of possible actions; wherein the list of possible actions comprises:

one or more Forwarding Action Rules for indicating forwarding related actions for traffic received from the UE; and/or

one or more Quality of Service Enforcement Rules for indicating quality related actions for traffic received from the UE; and

transmitting, to the SMF, a Session Establishment Response message for acknowledging the Session Establishment Request message.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the UPF:

transmitting, to the NWDAF, a Network State Report message for requesting the state of the network as well as for a corresponding reward; and

receiving, from the NWDAF, the state of the network as well as the corresponding reward.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the action comprises the UPF determining which action to perform using a reinforcement learning algorithm taking into account previously performed actions by the UPF associated with previously observed states of the network as well as corresponding rewards.

6. A method of supporting the managing of traffic associated with a User Equipment (UE) by a User Plane Function (UPF) in a telecommunication network, the UPF associated with a Session Management Function (SMF) and a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF), wherein the UPF is to have access to an observation space comprising a list of possible states the network may take, the method comprising the NWDAF:

receiving, from the UPF, a UPF Agent Register Request message to register the UPF in the NWDAF;

transmitting, to the UPF, a UPF Agent Register Response message acknowledging the registration, wherein the UPF Agent Register Response message comprises the observation space;

determining a state of the network, wherein the state of the network is comprised by the list of possible states;

determining a reward, wherein the reward indicates a degree of satisfaction of the network to be in the state; and

transmitting, to the UPF, the determined state of the network and the reward.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the determining the reward comprises determining the reward based on an overall network load status and/or a Quality of Experience of the UE.

8. A User Plane Function (UPF) configured to manage traffic associated with a User Equipment (UE) in a telecommunication network, the UPF associated with a Session Management Function (SMF) and a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF), wherein the UPF has access to an observation space comprising a list of possible states the network may take, wherein the UPF has access to an action space comprising a list of possible actions that the UPF is allowed to perform, the UPF comprising:

receive circuitry configured to receive:

a state of the network from the NWDAF, wherein the state is comprised by the list of possible states;

a reward from the NWDAF, wherein the reward indicates a degree of satisfaction of the network to be in the state; and

network traffic from the UE; and

processing circuitry configured to perform, in response to receiving the network traffic from the UE, an action comprised by the list of possible actions based on the received state of the network and based on the received reward.

9. The UPF of claim 8 , wherein the UPF is configured to:

transmit, to the NWDAF, a UPF Agent Register Request message to register the UPF in the NWDAF; and

receive, via the receive circuitry and from the NWDAF, a UPF Agent Register Response message acknowledging registration, wherein the UPF Agent Register Response message comprises the observation space.

10. The UPF of claim 8 , wherein the UPF is configured to:

receive, via the receive circuitry and from the SMF, a Session Establishment Request message, wherein the Session Establishment Request message comprises the list of possible actions, wherein the list of possible actions comprises:

one or more Forwarding Action Rules for indicating forwarding related actions for traffic received from the UE; and/or

one or more Quality of Service Enforcement Rules for indicating quality related actions for traffic received from the UE; and

transmit, to the SMF, a Session Establishment Response message for acknowledging the Session Establishment Request message.

11. The UPF of claim 8 , wherein the UPF is configured to:

transmit, to the NWDAF, a Network State Report message for requesting the state of the network as well as for a corresponding reward; and

receive, via the receive circuitry and from the NWDAF, the state of the network as well as the corresponding reward.

12. The UPF of claim 8 , wherein the performing the action comprises the UPF determining which action to perform using a reinforcement learning algorithm taking into account previously performed actions by the UPF associated with previously observed states of the network as well as corresponding rewards.

13. A Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) configured to support managing of traffic associated with a User Equipment (UE) by a User Plane Function (UPF) in a telecommunication network, the UPF associated with a Session Management Function (SMF) and the Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF), wherein the UPF is to have access to an observation space comprising a list of possible states the network may take, the NWDAF comprising:

receive circuitry configured to receive, from the UPF, a UPF Agent Register Request message to register the UPF in the NWDAF;

transmit circuitry configured to transmit, to the UPF, a UPF Agent Register Response message acknowledging the registration, wherein the UPF Agent Register Response message comprises the observation space;

wherein the NWDAF is configured to:

determine a state of the network, wherein the state of the network is comprised by the list of possible states;

determine a reward, wherein the reward indicates a degree of satisfaction of the network to be in the state; and

transmit, to the UPF, the determined state of the network and the reward.

14. The NWDAF of claim 13 , wherein the determining the reward comprises determining the reward based on an overall network load status and/or a Quality of Experience of the UE.