Radio network node, core network node and methods in a wireless communications network
A method performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) node for handling a service request from a User Equipment, UE, in a wireless communications network. The RAN node supports a first network slice in a first Area, A1. The RAN node connects ( 902 ) to the UE via A1. The RAN node sends ( 903 ) to a Core Network (CN) node, a service request from the UE. The service request relates to one or more network slices that the UE requests in a certain Area. The RAN node receives ( 904 ) an indication from the CN node. The indication indicates the one or more network slices requested by the UE together with any one or more out of: —A list of network slices that are allowed to be accessed by the UE in the current A1, and—an indication of a new area priority policy associated to the one or more network slices that are requested by the UE. The RAN node decides ( 905 ) how to handle the service request from the UE based on the indication received from the CN node.
1. A method performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) node for handling a service request from a User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communications network, which RAN node supports a first network slice in a first area (A1), the method comprising:
connecting to the UE via the first area,
sending, to a Core Network (CN) node, a service request from the UE, the service request relating to one or more network slices that the UE requests in a certain area,
receiving an indication from the CN node, the indication indicating the one or more network slices requested by the UE together with any one or more out of:
a list of network slices that are allowed to be accessed by the UE in the first area,
an indication of a new area priority policy associated to the one or more network slices that are requested by the UE,
deciding how to handle the service request from the UE based on the indication received from the CN node, the deciding how to handle the service request from the UE based on the indication received from the CN node comprising comparing the received list of allowed network slices and the list of requested network slices with the network slices supported in the area where the UE is currently served.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein deciding how to handle the service request from the UE based on the indication received from the CN node comprises deciding to perform UE mobility to an area where the network slices requested by the UE are supported.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each area is constituted by a registration area and/or a tracking area and/or a cell and/or a frequency.
4. The method of claim 1 , where as a result of the comparison between the received list of Allowed and requested network slices and the network slices supported in the area where the UE is currently served, deciding whether to move the UE connection, to a different area where the requested network slices are supported.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
configuring the UE with a new RAT and/or frequency priority configuration in order to allow the UE to connect to the area that supports the requested network slices.
6. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
obtaining, from the the CN node, information that the RAN node supports the first network slice in the first area, and that the RAN node further supports a second network slice in a second area (A2).
7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, stored thereupon, a computer program comprising instructions configured so that, when executed by a processor, the instructions cause the processor to perform the steps of claim 1 .
8. A method performed by a Core Network (CN) node for handling a service request from a User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:
providing to a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, information that the RAN node supports a first network slice in a current first area (A1),
receiving a message from the RAN node, which message, indicates one or more requested network slices that the UE has requested in a certain area,
sending an indication to the RAN node, which indication indicates the one or more network slices requested by the UE together:
a list of network slices that are allowed to be accessed by the UE in the current first area, and
an indication of a new area priority policy associated to the one or more network slices that are requested by the UE,
the sending the indication to the RAN node comprising sending an indication of:
whether to reserve resources to the one or more network slices requested by the UE and allowed and supported in the current first area, or
whether to move the UE connection to a new area where one or more of the requested network slices that are one or both of not allowed and not supported in the current first area are served by the RAN node.
9. The method of claim 8 , where each area is constituted by a registration area and/or a tracking area and/or a cell and/or a frequency.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, stored thereupon, a computer program comprising instructions configured so that, when executed by a processor, the instructions cause the processor to perform the steps of claim 8 .
11. A Radio Access Network (RAN) node configured to handle a service request from a User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communications network, which RAN node is adapted to support a first network slice in a first area (A1), the RAN node further being configured to:
connect to the UE via the first area,
on behalf of the UE, send to a Core Network (CN) node, a service request from the UE, the service request being configured to relate to, a network slice that the UE requests in a certain area,
receive an indication from the CN node, the indication being configured to indicate the one or more network slices requested by the UE together with any one or more out of:
a list of network slices that are allowed to be accessed by the UE in the first area,
an indication of a new area priority policy associated to the list of network slices that are requested by the UE,
decide how to handle the service request from the UE based on the indication received from the CN node, the deciding how to handle the service request from the UE based on the indication received from the CN comprising comparing the received list of allowed network slices and the list of requested network slices with the network slices supported in the area where the UE is currently served.
12. The RAN node of claim 11 , further being configured to decide how to handle the service request from the UE based on the indication received from the CN node by deciding to perform UE mobility, to an area where the network slices requested by the UE are supported.
13. The RAN node of claim 11 , where each area constitutes a registration area and/or a tracking area and/or a cell and/or a frequency.
14. The RAN node of claim 11 , wherein the RAN node is further configured to, as a result of the comparison between the received list of Allowed and requested network slices and the network slices supported in the area where the UE is currently served, decide whether to move the UE connection to a different area where the requested network slices are supported.
15. The RAN node of claim 13 , further being configured to:
configure the UE with a new RAT and/or frequency priority configuration in order to allow the UE to connect to the area that supports the requested network slices.
16. The RAN node of claim 11 , further being configured to:
obtain from the the CN node, information that the RAN node supports the first network slice in the first area, and that the RAN node further supports a second network slice in a second area (A2).
17. A Core Network (CN) node, configured to handle a service request from a User Equipment (UE) in a wireless communications network, the CN node being further configured to:
provide to a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, information that the RAN node supports a first network slice in a current first area (A1),
receive a message from the RAN node, which message is adapted to indicate a requested network slice that the UE has requested in a certain area,
send an indication to the RAN node, which indication is adapted to indicate the one or more network slices requested by the UE together with:
a list of network slices that are allowed to be accessed by the UE in the current first area, and
an indication of a new area priority policy associated to the one or more network slices that are requested by the UE,
the sending the indication to the RAN node comprising sending an indication of:
whether to reserve resources to the one or more network slices requested by the UE and allowed and supported in the current first area, or
whether to move the UE connection to a new area where one or more of the requested network slices that are one or both of not allowed and not supported in the current first area are served by the RAN node.
18. The CN node of claim 17 , where each area constitutes a registration area and/or a tracking area and/or a cell and/or a frequency.