Abstract: Network equipment receives, from User Equipment (UE), information indicative of each of multiple UE locations in a wireless communication network. For each location, a respective antenna beam direction for communications between the network equipment and a UE at each location is determined. A Machine Learning (ML) module is trained using each location as an ML module input and the respective antenna beam direction for each location as an ML module output. The trained ML module is then used to provide beam predictions based on UE location. Based on the current location of a UE, one or more antenna beam directions for communications between the network equipment and the UE at the current location are obtained from the ML module. The UE location is input to the ML module, and the antenna beam direction(s) are then obtained from the ML module output(s).

Abstract: A method in a user equipment (UE), involves configuring an artificial intelligence (AI) module in a UE to perform at least one task for wireless communications and then performing the task using the configured AI module. The AI module may be on a SIM card inserted into the UE, or part of an internal software implementation. Configuring the AI module can be based on default parameters stored in the UE, or based on signalling received from a network.

Abstract: Embodiments provide systems and methods for managing resources in networks which utilize network slicing. Embodiments include systems and methods for monitoring performance in networks which utilize network slicing when the resources of a network domain are allocated to more than one slice. Embodiments include systems and methods for monitoring performance when resources of a slice are controlled by different network operators/service providers. A domain manager can make the performance measurement data available per network allotment instance with an identifier indicating to which virtual network service the performance measurement data belongs.

Abstract: A system and method for policy configuration of control plane functions by management plane functions. In an embodiment a management plane entity is operative to transmit, to a policy control function (PCF), a policy related to network slice operations of the network slice and related to total available network slice resources for the network slice. The policy control function (PCF) operative to apply the policy to configure control plane functions for that network slice.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for uplink synchronization is provided, wherein the method includes receiving, by a user equipment (UE), a radio resource control (RRC) message from a network, the RRC message comprising a first Timing Advance Group (TAG) identity (ID) and a second TAG ID different than the first TAG ID. The method also includes transmitting, by the UE, a first signal over a component carrier in accordance with a timing advance associated with the first TAG ID and a second signal over the component carrier in accordance with a timing advance associated with the second TAG ID.

Abstract: Methods for configuring user plane functions associated with a network slice. The methods include: creating a user plane configuration profile specific to at least one of an access technology and a user plane function; associating the user plane configuration profile with a network slice instance; selecting the network slice in response to a service request; and communicating the user plane configuration profile associated with the selected network slice instance to a control plane function.

Abstract: A method for providing a service in a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of resources and at least one slice of resources. The method comprises actions of receiving, creating and modifying. A request is received from a customer to serve a group of user devices by a first service. A new NSI is created to provide the first service, if it is determined that there is no existing NSI, shareable between a plurality of services, that can provide the first service. An existing NSI, shareable between a plurality of services, is modified to serve the group of user devices by that first service in addition to at least one second service that is already provided by the existing NSI, if it is determined that the existing NSI can provide the first service.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present application pertain to control information for scheduling a transmission resource for downlink and uplink communications between one or more TRP and one or more UE. One Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) for DL control information transmission is assumed to carry at least one assignment or scheduling information block for at least one Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) for DL data transmission or for at least one Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) for UL data transmission. Embodiments of the present application provide methods of providing configuration information that can be used by a user equipment (UE) to determine transmission mode for the PDSCH and PUSCH as well as information to determine where to monitor for the PDSCH, PUSCH and PUCCH information.

Abstract: Carrier aggregation and dual connectivity leverage multiple component carriers to increase the effective bandwidth available to a given UE. Embodiments of this disclosure extend the concept of carrier aggregation and dual connectivity by using a physical component carrier and one or more virtual component carriers from one physical component carrier group and/or one virtual component carrier group, which have the same carrier frequency and carrier bandwidth as the physical component carrier, to transmit data streams to a user equipment. Data streams communicated over the physical component carrier and the virtual component carrier(s) may be orthogonal in the time domain or code domain. Alternatively, data streams communicated over the physical component carrier and the virtual component carrier(s) may be non-orthogonal, in which case the UE may need to decode the respective data streams using non-orthogonal signal processing techniques.

Abstract: Systems and methods of transmitting and receiving combined uplink control information (UCI) in respect of downlink assignments are provided. The UE is configured to combine certain UCI based on a property of downlink assignment, such as PDCCH ID, beam information, CORESET. The UE may also be configured to determine which UCI having the same value of the property of downlink assignment to combine. This can be based on a value-specific monitoring window or a monitoring window that is common to multiple values of the assignment property.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for uplink synchronization is provided, wherein the method includes receiving, by a user equipment (UE), a radio resource control (RRC) message from a network, the RRC message comprising a first Timing Advance Group (TAG) identity (ID) and a second TAG ID different than the first TAG ID. The method also includes transmitting, by the UE, a first signal over a component carrier in accordance with a timing advance associated with the first TAG ID and a second signal over the component carrier in accordance with a timing advance associated with the second TAG ID.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided that provide single or multiple Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) messages for single or multiple Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) messages to support network coordination schemes such as Non-Coherent Joint Transmission.

Abstract: A computing system and a method are provided for determining a network traffic routing path through a service function chain (SFC). A joint network slicing and traffic engineering problem is provided that may be solved to identify network slicing configuration and traffic engineering parameters to provide a set of function nodes, the SFC, and the network traffic routing path from the source node to the destination node. The joint network slicing and traffic engineering problem P may be solved by minimizing a resource objective associated with the joint network slicing and traffic engineering problem, in accordance with a set of one or more constraints. Instructions may be transmitted to a network orchestrator to create the service function chain in a network slice on the set of network nodes in accordance with the identified network slicing configuration and traffic engineering parameters, to provide the network traffic routing path.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for providing customized virtual networks based on SONAC. In an embodiment, a network management entity for providing a customized VN includes a SONAC module executed by a computing device that is connected to a wireless network, the SONAC module configured to receive service requirement data from the wireless network and create a service customized VN according to the service requirement data, the service requirement data describing one or more service requirements, wherein the SONAC module comprises an interface to interact with: an SDT component, the SDT component used by the SONAC module to determine a service customized logical topology; an SDRA component that maps the logical topology to physical network resources within the wireless network; and a SDP component that determines an end-to-end data transport protocol for communication between a first device and a second device via the wireless network.

Abstract: A method for agile wireless access network includes determining, by a network controller, capabilities and neighborhood relations of radio nodes in the radio access network. The network controller then configures a backhaul network infrastructure for the radio access network in accordance with the capabilities and the neighborhood relations of the radio nodes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deploying a set of network caches in a communication network is provided. A set of network nodes is identified such that, for each of a set of client device locations, and for at least a number c of the set of nodes, output of a coverage cost function is no greater than a threshold. The coverage cost function receives as input a client location and one of the nodes. The set of network caches are then located at the respective set of nodes. The set of network nodes can be selected from plural candidate sets based on a utility criterion. The candidate sets can be generated by successive addition and/or removal of nodes. Information obtained from a Traffic Engineering function can be used to direct selection of the set of nodes. A cache-client association can be generated for directing clients to particular caches.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method for network resource management comprises performing joint traffic engineering and physical layer power control on a controller and using a routing and power control optimization process that comprises a combined alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) process and a power management process. First and second commands are generated at the controller according to optimization parameters determined by the routing and power control optimization process. The first and second commands are transmitted from the controller to nodes connected to the controller. The first commands are for modifying transmission parameters for links between nodes and the second commands are for modifying transmission parameters for connections between nodes and user devices.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing traffic engineering in a communications network using a plurality of network slices are disclosed. The network slices are configured to manage a service including transmission of data along one or more flows along nodes of the communications network using a portion of physical link resources of the communications network. The method includes allocating the portion of physical link resources of the communications network associated with a first network slice of the plurality of network slices in accordance with instructions received from a traffic engineering entity associated with the first network slice.

Abstract: An embodiment method for network optimization includes obtaining a first request to deliver a first data to a node in a network at a first data rate; obtaining a second request to deliver the first data to the node at a second data rate; and determining a flow decision schedule for a streaming session. The determining the flow decision schedule includes: scheduling a steady-state delivery period to deliver the first data at a steady-state data rate in accordance with the first data rate; and performing a best-effort allocation in accordance with the second data rate to determine a schedule for a supplemental delivery period, concurrent with at least a portion of the steady-state delivery period, to deliver the first data at a supplemental data rate.

Abstract: A method for rata adaption and a network device providing rate adaption are disclosed. In an embodiment the method includes determining a source rate adjustment in accordance with a buffer status of a radio node and transmitting towards a traffic source, a source rate adjustment request in accordance with the determined source rate adjustment.