IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,495,345
Granted Patent B2
US 12,495,345 · App. 18/016,158 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

Communication system, first user apparatus, second user apparatus, core network node, control method, program, and non-transitory recording medium storing program

Inventor: Makoto Nobe (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
H04W36/22H04W36/13H04W36/362
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,495,345
App. No.
18/016,158
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a communication system configuring a plurality of network slices, the communication system including a plurality of user apparatuses including first and second user apparatuses belonging to a same slice change group, and one or more core network nodes configured to control switching of a network slice to which the user apparatus belongs, the first user apparatus being configured to, in response to detection of a trigger to transition from a first network slice to a second network slice, transmit to the core network node a switching request message requesting switching to the second network slice, and transmit to the second user apparatus change information indicating that transition to the second network slice is to be performed.

Claims (39)

1 . A communication system configuring a plurality of network slices, comprising:

a plurality of user apparatuses including first and second user apparatuses belonging to a same slice change group; and

one or more core network nodes configured to control switching of a network slice to which the user apparatus belongs,

wherein the first user apparatus is configured to, in response to detection of a trigger to transition from a first network slice to a second network slice, transmit to the core network node a switching request message requesting switching to the second network slice, and transmit to the second user apparatus change information indicating that transition to the second network slice is to be performed.

2 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the change information is a first list indicating a plurality of user apparatuses included in the slice change group to which the first and second user apparatuses belong, and

the first user apparatus is configured to transmit the first list to a user apparatus that is included in the first list and is other than the first user apparatus.

3 . The communication system according to claim 2 , wherein the second user apparatus is configured to transmit to the core network node a switching request message requesting switching from the first network slice to the second network slice, based on the first list received that includes the second user apparatus.

4 . The communication system according to claim 3 , wherein the second user apparatus is configured to store a second list indicating a plurality of user apparatuses included in the slice change group to which the first and second user apparatuses belong, and

the second user apparatus is configured to transmit, to a user apparatus not included in the first list and included in the second list, change information indicating that transition from the second network slice to the first network slice is to be performed.

5 . The communication system according to claim 4 , wherein the first list is a list indicating the user apparatus capable of communicating with the first user apparatus, and

the second list is a list indicating the user apparatus capable of communicating with the second user apparatus.

6 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second user apparatuses is configured to

store a state variable that is set to a starting value in response to the detection of the trigger or reception of the change information, and decreases over time, and

belong to the second network slice while the state variable exceeds a threshold, and belong to the first network slice while the state variable is below the threshold.

7 . The communication system according to claim 6 , wherein the starting value and/or the threshold are set based on a request value indicating a period of time over which the user apparatus is to belong to the second network slice in an absence of the detection of the trigger or the reception of the change information.

8 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the user apparatus is configured to transmit and receive the change information by performing radio communication directly with another user apparatus.

9 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein a communication band for the second network slice is higher than a communication band for the first network slice.

10 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of user apparatuses are surveillance cameras, and

the trigger to transition from the first network slice to the second network slice is detection of an object exhibiting abnormal behavior.

11 . A first user apparatus in a communication system configuring a plurality of network slices, the first user apparatus belonging to a same slice change group as a second user apparatus, the first user apparatus comprising:

one or more memories configured to store an instruction; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instruction to:

in response to detection of a trigger to transition from a first network slice to a second network slice, transmit to a core network node a switching request message requesting switching to the second network slice, and

transmit to the second user apparatus change information indicating that transition to the second network slice is to be performed.

12 . The first user apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the change information is a first list indicating a plurality of user apparatuses included in the slice change group to which the first and second user apparatuses belong, and

the one or more processors are configured to transmit the first list to a user apparatus that is included in the first list and is other than the first user apparatus.

13 . The first user apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first list is a list indicating the user apparatus capable of communicating with the first user apparatus.

14 . The first user apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a memory configured to store a state variable that is set to a starting value in response to the detection of the trigger or reception of the change information, and decreases over time, and

the first user apparatus is configured to belong to the second network slice while the state variable exceeds a threshold, and belong to the first network slice while the state variable is below the threshold.

15 . The first user apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the starting value and/or the threshold are set based on a request value indicating a period of time over which the user apparatus is to belong to the second network slice in an absence of the detection of the trigger or the reception of the change information.

16 . The first user apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first user apparatus is configured to transmit and receive the change information by performing radio communication directly with another user apparatus.

17 . The first user apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a communication band for the second network slice is higher than a communication band for the first network slice.

18 . The first user apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first user apparatus is a surveillance camera, and

the trigger to transition from the first network slice to the second network slice is detection of an object exhibiting abnormal behavior.

19 . A second user apparatus in a communication system configuring a plurality of network slices, the second user apparatus belonging to a same slice change group as a first user apparatus, the second user apparatus comprising:

one or more memories configured to store an instruction; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instruction to

receive from the first user apparatus change information indicating that transition from a first network slice to a second network slice is to be performed.

20 . The second user apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the change information is a first list indicating a plurality of user apparatuses included in the slice change group to which the first and second user apparatuses belong.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2023
From: NOBE, MAKOTO
To: NEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063400/0273 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-130844 · Jul 31, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230284111A1 · Sep 7, 2023
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