Abstract: A system is disclosed for managing performance of a communication network domain comprising a plurality of Network Functions (NFs). The system comprises a management node and a plurality of learning nodes, each learning node comprised within a NF in the communication network domain. The management node is configured to provide, to each of a plurality of NFs in the communication network domain, at least one performance goal to be achieved by the NF, and to inform each of the plurality of NFs of which other NFs it should cooperate with to achieve its performance goal. Each of the learning nodes is configured to use a Multi Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) process to generate a policy for selecting actions to be executed by its NF so as to achieve its performance goal, wherein the agents in the MARL process comprise the learning node and the learning nodes of each of the NFs that the learning node's NF is to cooperate with.

Abstract: A first network node, in a communications network that includes a second network node, can receive an identifier of a control policy from the second network node. The first network node can determine a prediction model to use based on the identifier of the control policy. The first network node can determine a predicted future state of the communications network using the prediction model. The first network node can transmit a message to the second network node. The message can include an indication of the predicted future state of the communications network.

Abstract: A network node in a communications network can detect a triggering event associated with a characteristic of the communications network. The network node can further determine a plurality of network functions (“NFS”) based on operation of each NF of the plurality of NFs impacting the characteristic of the communications network. The network node can generate a collaborative analytical report for each NF of the plurality of NFs based on their respective impact on the characteristic of the communications network. The network, node can further transmit the respective collaborative analytical report to each NF of the plurality of NFs.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for improving a performance of a network. A method in a first network function comprises obtaining, at an initial time to, a prediction of a performance degradation associated with at least one performance metric at a first time, t0+T, in the future; and responsive to obtaining the prediction, at each current time, t, from t0 to t0+T: selecting a first set of network functions, NFs, fi, wherein each network function in the first set is associated with a delay time, d(xi,t) for the NF to impact the network, wherein for each of the first set of NFs a first condition of d(xi,t)<t0+T?t is met; and transmitting an indication of the prediction to the first set of NFs.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method performed by a computing device including a NWDAF having a function to identify and modify dependencies between NWDAFs and at least a first NWDAF consumer. The method includes identifying a relationship between at least the first NWDAF consumer from a plurality of NWDAF consumers that respectively subscribe to the NWDAFs that have respective machine learning, ML, models that have an overlap between a first input feature and respectively have different outputs. At least the first NWDAF consumer uses a first output from the NWDAFs to output an action from the first NWDAF consumer. The method further includes determining whether a second input feature to (i) a respective ML model of the NWDAFs or (ii) a new ML model of an unsubscribed NWDAF can make a positive contribution to the prediction of the output of at least the first NWDAF consumer.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless device is provided in which a number of neighboring nodes is estimated, a medium access priority to access a communication resource in a current timeslot is determined, and whether to transmit a scheduling control signal in the current timeslot is determined based on the number of neighboring nodes and the medium access priority.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless device is provided in which a number of neighboring nodes is estimated, a medium access priority to access a communication resource in a current timeslot is determined, and whether to transmit a scheduling control signal in the current timeslot is determined based on the number of neighboring nodes and the medium access priority.