Abstract: Wireless network specific (WN-specific) key can be used to provide access protection over the radio access link. A WN-specific key may be associated with (or assigned to) a wireless network, and distributed to access points of the wireless network, as well as to user equipments (UEs) following UE authentication. The WN-specific key is then used to encrypt/decrypt data transported over the radio access link. The WN-specific key can be used in conjunction with the UE-specific keys to provide multi-level access protection. In some embodiments, WN-specific keys are shared between neighboring wireless networks to reduce the frequency of key exchanges during handovers. Service-specific keys may be used to provide access protection to machine to machine (M2M) services. Group-specific keys may be used to provide access protection to traffic communicated between members of a private social network.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for delivering both PMP communications, for example standard cellular communications via a base station, and also delivering P2P communications, for example, communications between two mobile stations, using the same spectral resources for both types of communication.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for service based architecture (SBA) for data analytics management (DAM). Configuration specifications are provided for configuring DAM entities for infrastructure management by infrastructure managers (InfMs), customer service managers (CSMs) for network slice subnet instance (NSSI), network slice instance (NSI) and service instance (SI) management, content and forwarding managers (CFM) for content and content cache management. Also provided are methods and apparatus for data analytics service provisioning regardless of DAM architecture.

Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure provides a method of network access discovery by a core network function. The method includes receiving information from a plurality of user equipment via at least one access node. The information is associated with the locations of UE, wherefrom, the plurality UE send the information. The information includes uplink transmission parameters for connecting the plurality of UE to a network. Examples of these parameters include power level and time advance. The method further includes generating at least one map based on the received information. Another aspect of the disclosure provides for sending at least one generated map to a plurality of user equipment.

Abstract: The present application provides a method and apparatus for supporting general registration of user equipment to facilitate MO only mode preferences.

Abstract: A method for managing network slice enabled traffic on a communications network is disclosed. The network slice is instantiated on the communications network for providing connectivity resources to a network operator using the communications network. The method comprises measuring a traffic level indicative of the traffic enabled by the network slice; and adjusting the traffic enabled by the network slice in accordance with the traffic level and a network operator enabled function associated with the network slice.

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: An embodiment method of managing a wireless network includes managing an infrastructure topology for the wireless network. The wireless network includes a plurality of network nodes. The method further includes managing a connection of a user equipment (UE) to the wireless network. The method further includes managing a customer service provided to the UE over the connection. The method also includes managing analytics for the wireless network and the service.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a sharpened microneedle using in-plane manufacturing techniques. The method includes depositing at least one layer of photoresist on a broad surface of a substrate, and the photoresist is subsequently patterned to define features of the microneedle. A first etching treatment in the form of deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) is applied to etch the substrate into first structure where the etching depth is less than the substrate total depth so as to create at least one sacrificial feature adjacent to the portions of the substrate under the photoresist. A second etching treatment in the form of isotropic wet etching is subsequent applied where the etching of the at least one sacrificial feature causes a gradual variation in etching rate along the length of the microneedle such that the tip of the microneedle is sharpened.

Abstract: It is possible to implement traffic engineering policies in a packet switched network by dynamically configuring different transport protocols to be used over different path segments of an end-to-end path. Specifically, a controller may communicate forward information base (FIB) control signaling instructions to network nodes along an end-to-end path. The FIB signaling instructions may configure network nodes on different path segments of the end-to-end path to route a traffic flow using different path transport protocols. For example, the FIB signaling instructions may assign a link-based transport protocol to a first path segment, and a path-based or source-based transport protocol to a second path segment. Alternatively, the controller may indirectly assign transport protocols to regions/path segments by classifying regions of a packet switched network as link-preferred regions, path-preferred regions, or no-preference regions.

Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure provides for a method for user equipment (UE) internet protocol (IP) address management. The method includes sending by an application function (AF), a request to a policy control function (PCF), the request including information identifying traffic and an indication that a UE IP address associated with the traffic should be preserved. The method further includes sending by the PCF, to a session management function (SMF) being responsible for managing a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session associated with the traffic, a policy and charging control (PCC) rule including the indication. In some embodiments, the request is sent by the AF to the PCF via a network exposure function (NEF). In some embodiments, the method further includes managing, by the SMF, the UE IP address according to the PCC rule. In some embodiments, the managing includes preserving the UE IP address for a PDU session associated with the traffic.

Abstract: An embodiment logical function architecture for next-generation 5G wireless networks may include a control plane comprising a software defined topology (SDT) logical entity configured to establish a virtual data-plane logical topology for a service, a software defined resource allocation (SDRA) logical entity configured to map the virtual data-plane topology to a physical data-plane for transporting service-related traffic over the wireless network, and a software defined per-service customized data plane process (SDP) logical entity configured to select transport protocol(s) for transporting the service-related traffic over a physical data-plane of the wireless network. An embodiment virtual service specific serving gateway (v-s-SGW) for next-generation 5G networks may be assigned specifically to a service being provided by a group of wirelessly enabled devices, and may be responsible for aggregating service-related traffic communicated by the group of wirelessly enabled devices.

Abstract: Physical layer structures and access schemes for use in such networks are described and in particular initial access channel (IACH) structures are proposed. A spectrum efficient downlink (DL) IACH design supports different types of User Equipment (UE) capabilities and different system bandwidths. An IACH includes the synchronization channel (SCH) and broadcast-control channel (BCH). A non-uniform SCH for all system bandwidths is provided, as well as scalable bandwidth BCH depending on system bandwidth. An initial access procedure is provided, as well as an access procedure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving channel estimation within an OFDM communication system. Channel estimation in OFDM is usually performed with the aid of pilot symbols. The pilot symbols are typically spaced in time and frequency. The set of frequencies and times at which pilot symbols are inserted is referred to as a pilot pattern. In some cases, the pilot pattern is a diagonal-shaped lattice, either regular or irregular. The method first interpolates in the direction of larger coherence (time or frequency). Using these measurements, the density of pilot symbols in the direction of faster change will be increased thereby improving channel estimation without increasing overhead. As such, the results of the first interpolating step can then be used to assist the interpolation in the dimension of smaller coherence (time or frequency).

Abstract: A method and system for allocating shareable wireless transmission resources. A resource pool is established. The resource pool is divided into a plurality of physical layer allocation units usable for wirelessly transmitting control information and traffic data. The allocation units are assigned at the media access control layer for the wireless transmission of the control information and traffic data. The system and method of the present invention also allows mobile stations to be dynamically grouped into multicast groupings to reduce system overhead resource requirements.

Abstract: A network architecture and methods of managing packet data unit (PDU) sessions in a network are provided. The methods include PDU session establishment procedures, PDU session modification procedures, PDU session state transfer procedures, PDU session release procedures, and user equipment (UE) handover procedures.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for management of network slices in a communication network such as a 5th generation wireless communication network are provided. Management planes may be provided which are separate from the plurality of network slices. A connection manager residing in a management plane receives an indication that a mobile device is to be associated with the communication network. The connection manager may reside at an access node or in the core network. A network slice is determined, and the connection manager transmits instructions, to one or more network nodes, to associate the mobile device with the network slice. The instructions may be provided to a local connection manager. The slice may be requested explicitly by the mobile device, or determined based on device and/or network requirements.

Abstract: Systems and methods for network functions virtualization (NFV)-management and orchestration (MANO) are provided where a virtualized network function (VNF)-forwarding graph (FG) including a plurality of VNFs is generated based on a customer request. The plurality of VNFs are instantiated at corresponding NFV infrastructure (NFVI)-points of presence (PoPs). A network service (NS) request including the generated VNF-FG may be constructed and added to a NS catalog.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling H-ARQ communication between a base station and one or more wireless terminals. Methods for enabling incremental redundancy (IR) based H-ARQ, Chase based H-ARQ and Space-Time Code combining (STC) based H-ARQ between devices for down-link and up-link direction transmissions are provided in the form of an information element (IE) for use with a Normal MAP convention as currently accepted in the draft version standard of IEEE 802.16. In addition, embodiments of the invention provide a resource management scheme to protect a network from abuse of resources from a wireless terminal not registered with the network. Components of the down-link and up-link mapping components of a data frame transmitted from the base station to one or more wireless terminals included messages that are readable by all wireless terminals as well as some messages that are encrypted and only readable by wireless terminals that are authenticated as being registered with the network.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for an enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) in a wireless communications network. In one embodiment, a number of base stations in a MBMS zone, or broadcast region, accommodate both Spatial Multiplexing (SM) enabled user elements and non-SM enabled user elements. In another embodiment, a number of base stations form a MBMS zone, or broadcast region, where the MBMS zone is sub-divided into an SM zone and a non-SM zone. In another embodiment, the wireless communications network includes multiple MBMS zones. For each MBMS zone, base stations serving the MBMS zone transmit an MBMS zone identifier (ID) for the MBMS zone. The MBMS zone ID may be used by a user element for decoding and/or to determine when to perform a handoff from one MBMS zone to another.