Abstract: Methods, systems and architectures are described which provide at least one aggregated tunnel protocol, in addition to the existing per PDU session tunnel protocols (1, 2, . . . N). When the UE requests a new PDU session or a new QoS flow, the SMF may establish a Per PDU Session Tunnel to serve this PDU session. Alternatively, an Aggregated Tunnel may be selected to serve the PDU session or to serve the QoS flow. When a packet from a UE arrives, the receiving network function can send this packet either using a per PDU session tunnel protocol or aggregated tunnel protocol.

Abstract: A network function and a method for associating a UE of a UE group to a PDU session with in a CN. The NF establishes a shared PDU session for the UE group before all of the UEs in the UE group register with the CN and binds a UE that has not yet registered with the CN to the shared PDU session when the UE registers with the CN, provided the UE will share at least one of a UL UP connection and a DL UP connection associated with the shared PDU session. The NF may be an SMF.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing data content among in-network caches of a communication network are provided. In some embodiments, multiple registers are maintained for indexing cached data content. Different data content is indexed in different registers based on parameters such as popularity or content freshness. Customized popularity estimators can be applied to each register, and data content may be indexed by different registers as parameters change. Less popular content can be removed from caches as required. In some embodiments, caches can be grouped into clusters, and deletion of data content from a cache may be modified or inhibited if the cluster still requires a copy of that data content. Data content can be moved between caches of a cluster based on popularity.

Abstract: To effectively and efficiently provide control information, a broadcast pointer channel (BPCH) may be used to identify the type and perhaps relative location of control information that is being provided in a given frame structure, such as a sub-frame, frame, or superframe. A sub-frame (or like framing entity, such a frame or superframe) may have a BPCH and a corresponding system control information segment in which control information may reside. The system control information segment may have any number of control information blocks, wherein each control information block that is present may correspond to a particular type of control information. The BPCH is used to identify the type of control information that is present in a corresponding system control information segment, and if needed or desired, the relative locations of the various control information.

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: The present invention relates to a method of preparing n-butyric acid by using poly-3-hydroxybutyrate. The method comprises following steps: placing poly-3-hydroxybutyrate in a closure means, passing hydrogen into the closure means to eliminate air after making an initial hydrogen pressure be 2 to 6 MPa, carrying out an agitation at 190 to 240° C. for reaction for 6 to 36 hours to obtain n-butyric acid. The preparation method provided by the present invention does not require a catalyst or a reaction solvent, and converts poly-3-hydroxybutyrate into n-butyric acid by a one-step reaction under a hydrogen atmosphere. The conversion rate of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate is 100%, the yield of n-butyric acid reaches up to 97%, the purity of n-butyric acid in all obtained liquid products reaches up to 98%, and no additional subsequent separation process is needed to the target product n-butyric acid.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting customer charging in 5G networks are provided. Monitoring functions are instantiated at selected network locations for tracking access to network services. The monitoring functions provide charging information for use in customer billing. A customer can enter a service level agreement with a particular customized method of charging for service usage, and the monitoring functions can be customized to provide charging information according to the service level agreement. Charging can vary based on factors such as time of day, network congestion, service traffic characteristics, and geographic location.

Abstract: The invention relates to regenerative, solid sorbents for adsorbing carbon dioxide from a gas mixture, including air, with the sorbent including a modified polyamine and a solid support. The modified polyamine is the reaction product of an amine and an epoxide. The sorbent provides structural integrity, as well as high selectivity and increased capacity for efficiently capturing carbon dioxide from gas mixtures, including the air. The sorbent is regenerative, and can be used through multiple cycles of adsorption-desorption.

Abstract: The present invention provides a preamble that is inserted into an OFDMA frame and has a common sequence for all the base stations participating in a transmission. The subscriber station performs fine synchronization using the common sequence on the common preamble, and the resulting peaks will provide the locations of candidate base stations. The base station specific search is then performed in the vicinities of those peaks by using base station specific pseudo-noise sequences. With this two stage cell search, the searching window is drastically reduced. The preamble is matched to known values by a respective receiver to decode the signals and permit multiple signals to be transferred from the transmitter to the receiver. The preamble may comprise two parts, Preamble-I and Preamble-2, which may be used in different systems, including multioutput, multi-input (MIMO) systems.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that enable an OFDM transmitter to be used for transmitting conventional OFDM or a form of transformed OFDM. A technique is provided for transforming a coded and modulated sequence of samples prior to an IFFT that enables the transformed sequence of samples to be transmitted using conventional OFDM or transformed OFDM. The selection of a transform function for transforming the coded and modulated sequence of samples may be based on optimizing the transform function for particular operating conditions between the transmitter and receiver. In some embodiments of the invention OFDM and time transformed OFDM are multiplexed in time and/or frequency in a transmission frame. In some embodiments of the invention a pilot pattern is provided in which the pilot are sent using OFDM and data is sent using OFDM and/or transformed OFDM.

Abstract: There is provided systems and methods for Network Function Virtualization (NFV) in a control plane. The NFV framework is be used to define a plurality of virtual network functions (VNFs), each of which can correspond to a function enabling operation of a communication network. There is provided a method and system for managing a plurality of network slices in a communication network, the method comprising: instantiating a Global Control Plane set apart from the plurality of network slices, the Global Control Plane configured to at least partially manage each of the plurality of network slices.

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 kays 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: Application Function (AF) influenced routing for peer-to-peer (P2P) communications is provided. Core network elements correlate PDU sessions and optimize the UP path for peer-to-peer traffic. UP selection, reselection, configuration or reconfiguration can be performed in support of P2P traffic routing. P2P traffic between a pair of UEs is routed or rerouted through a bridge. The bridge may be established between the first UP and the second UP, and/or between associated RAN nodes. One or more application functions can be included along the bridge path. A policy control function (PCF) directs underlying resources to route P2P traffic via the bridge, for example in response to a trigger from the AF. A session management function (SMF) directs underlying resources to configure or reconfigure user plane data paths to route P2P traffic via the bridge. First and second SMFs of the first and second UPs can cooperate to establish the desired traffic routing.

Abstract: A method comprises communicating a specification of a network slice instance (NSI) that identifies a network function (NF), and operating the identified NF in accordance with the specification.

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: An aspect of the disclosure provides a method for session admission at a node in an infrastructure provider network. The method includes receiving a connection request from a user equipment not associated with a network with which the infrastructure provider network is associated and obtaining from the user equipment, an identification of a service provider with which the infrastructure provider network is associated. Access authorization is then requested from the identified service provider. Embodiments allow such a process to provide government mandated free access, or for some other service provider to pay for the service.

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: A method and system for providing Customer Service Management (CSM) a communication network, such as a 5G wireless communication network. The communication network provides at least one service involving one or more terminals serviced by the communication network. A CSM function is defined which is based upon said at least one service and customized to said at least one service, to provide service-customized CSM. CSM may provide service-based charging/billing, service-based context management, service-customized QoE control, service-customized network topology.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure provide techniques for dynamically configuring flow splitting via software defined network (SDN) signaling instructions. An SDN controller may instruct an ingress network node to split a traffic flow between two or more egress paths, and instruct the ingress network node, and perhaps downstream network nodes, to transport portions of the traffic flow in accordance with a forwarding protocol. In one example, the SDN controller instructs the network nodes to transport portions of the traffic flow in accordance with a link-based forwarding protocol. In other examples, the SDN controller instructs the network nodes to transport portions of the traffic flow in accordance with a path-based or source-based transport protocol.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for implementing control plane functionality to configure a data plane at a plurality of network nodes. A software defined topology (SDT) component is configured to determine a data plane logical topology indicating a plurality of selected nodes and a logical architecture connecting the selected nodes. The data plane logical topology enables traffic delivery for a service or virtual network for an end-customer or operator. A software defined networking (SDN) component is configured to interact with the SDT component and map the data plane logical topology to a physical network. The mapping includes allocating network nodes including the selected nodes and network resources which enable communications for the service or virtual network and meet QoS requirement. A software defined protocol (SDP) component is configured to interact with the SDN and define data plane protocol and process functionality for the network nodes.