Entities and methods for providing multicast/broadcast services in 5G networks

1. A control plane network entity for providing a multicast/broadcast service for one or more user equipments in a cellular communication network, wherein the cellular communication network comprises a core network (CN) and a radio access network (RAN), and is configured to provide a control plane (CP) and a user plane (UP), wherein the control plane network entity comprises a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the memory stores a program code, and when the program code is executed by the processor, the control plane network entity is configured to:

receive a session setup request for a multicast/broadcast session for the one or more user equipments from an application server (AS) of the cellular communication network,

wherein the control plane network entity is selected by the AS using a network repository function (NRF);

wherein the session setup request comprises one or more identifiers identifying the one or more user equipments, and one or more spatial regions in which the one or more user equipments are located;

select one or more access and mobility management function entities of the cellular communication network on the basis of the one or more identifiers, for providing the multicast/broadcast session to the one or more user equipments;

send a user plane session setup request to the selected one or more access and mobility management function entities; and

send a user plane session configuration request to a user plane function (UPF) of the cellular communication network in response to receiving a user plane session setup confirmation from the selected one or more access and mobility management function entities, and

wherein the user plane session configuration request comprises one or more session attributes, based on which the UPF is configured to establish a user plane between the CN and a RAN node of the RAN, wherein the one or more session attributes comprise the one or more spatial regions in which the one or more user equipments are located and one or more identifiers identifying the one or more user equipments, and

wherein the RAN node anchors the multicast/broadcast session for the one or more user equipments.

2. The control plane network entity of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the session setup request and the user plane session configuration request includes the one or more session attributes, and wherein the one or more session attributes comprises at least one of: a multicast/broadcast session identifier, quality of service (QoS) information, one or more tunnel end point identifiers (TEID) for the control plane and/or user plane, a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI), a flow identifier, an estimate of a session duration, a session start time, a list of control plane network entities, a list of user plane network entities.

3. The control plane network entity of claim 1 , wherein the one or more identifiers identify one or more communication cells of the cellular communication network, one or more RAN nodes defining one or both of the one or more communication cells and a multicast/broadcast session area comprising a plurality of communication cells of the cellular communication network.

4. The control plane network entity of claim 1 , wherein when the program code is executed by the processor, the control plane network entity is configured to receive the session setup request for the multicast/broadcast session for the one or more user equipments from one or more of the AS, an application function (AF), and a network exposure function (NEF) of the cellular communication network.

5. The control plane network entity of claim 1 , wherein the control plane network entity is implemented as or as a part of a session management function (SMF), a V2X control function, or a policy control function (PCF) of the cellular communication network.

6. A user plane network entity for anchoring a multicast/broadcast service for one or more user equipments in a cellular communication network, wherein the cellular communication network comprises a core network (CN) and a radio access network (RAN), and is configured to provide a control plane (CP) and a user plane (UP), wherein the user plane network entity comprises a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the memory stores a program code, and when the program code is executed by the processor, the user plane network entity is configured to:

receive a user plane session configuration request from a control plane network entity of the cellular communication network after receiving a session setup request for a multicast/broadcast session for the one or more user equipments from an application server (AS) of the cellular communication network,

wherein the control plane network entity is selected by the AS using a network repository function (NRF);

wherein the user plane session configuration request includes one or more session attributes; and

establish the user plane, on the basis of the one or more session attributes, between the CN and a RAN node of the RAN of the cellular communication network, and

wherein the RAN node anchors the multicast/broadcast service for the one or more user equipments, and

wherein the one or more session attributes comprise one or more spatial regions in which the one or more user equipments are located and one or more identifiers identifying the one or more user equipments.

7. The user plane network entity of claim 6 , wherein when the program code is executed by the processor, the user plane network entity is configured, once the user plane has been established, to receive one or more data packets of the multicast/broadcast service from one or more of an application server (AS), an application function (AF), and a network exposure function (NEF) of the cellular communication network and to forward the one or more data packets to the RAN node of the cellular communication network.

8. The user plane network entity of claim 7 , wherein when the program code is executed by the processor, the user plane network entity is configured to forward the one or more data packets as one or more IP multicast packets to the RAN node of the cellular communication network.

9. The user plane network entity of claim 6 , wherein when the program code is executed by the processor, the user plane network entity is configured to forward synchronization information to the RAN node of the cellular communication network for synchronizing the multicast/broadcast service.

10. The user plane network entity of claim 6 , wherein the one or more session attributes comprise at least one of: a multicast/broadcast session identifier, quality of service (QoS) information, one or more tunnel end point identifiers (TEID) for the control plane and/or user plane, a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI), a flow identifier, an estimate of a session duration.

11. The user plane network entity of claim 6 , wherein the user plane network entity is implemented as or as a part of a user plane function (UPF) of the cellular communication network.

12. A radio access network node for providing a multicast/broadcast service for one or more user equipments in a cellular communication network, wherein the cellular communication network comprises a core network (CN) and a radio access network (RAN), and is configured to provide a control plane (CP) and a user plane (UP), wherein the radio access network node comprises a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the memory stores a program code, and when the program code is executed by the processor, the radio access network node is configured to:

receive one or more session attributes from an access and mobility management function entity of the cellular communication network after a control plane network entity of the cellular communication network receives a session setup request for a multicast/broadcast session for the one or more user equipments from an application server (AS) of the cellular communication network,

wherein the control plane network entity is selected by the AS using a network repository function (NRF);

receive one or more data packets of the multicast/broadcast service from a user plane network entity, wherein the radio access network node anchors the multicast/broadcast service for the one or more user equipments; and

forward the one or more data packets to the one or more user equipments on the basis of the one or more session attributes, and

wherein the one or more session attributes comprise one or more spatial regions in which the one or more user equipments are located and one or more identifiers identifying the one or more user equipments.

13. The radio access network node of claim 12 , wherein the one or more session attributes comprise at least one of: a multicast/broadcast session identifier, quality of service (QoS) information, one or more tunnel end point identifiers (TEID) for the control plane and/or user plane, a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI), a flow identifier, an estimate of a session duration, a session start time.

14. The radio access network node of claim 12 , wherein when the program code is executed by the processor, the radio access network node is further configured to receive synchronization information from the user plane network entity and to synchronize the multicast/broadcast service on the basis of the synchronization information.