Abstract: Polymer-coated nanoparticles and a preparation method therefor. The structural makeup of the polymer nanoparticles is: a hydrophilic aggregate inner core and a polymer molecular material coating containing a polyoxyethylene structural unit. The hydrophilic aggregate inner core comprises the following preparatory raw materials: a cationic component and an anionic component, the cationic component being a cation, a compound which can be ionized into a cation, or a composition thereof, and the anionic component being an anion, a compound which can be ionized into an anion, or a composition thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing cybersecurity services by a network and for automating the provisioning of the cybersecurity services are disclosed. The system comprises a connection control function configured to receive a message in response to a request to establish a data connection from a user equipment (UE), the message including a requested CyberSecurity Control service identifier (CSC-ID) corresponding to a first security service of a plurality of security services. The CCF can interact with a cybersecurity control (CSC) function to determine, based on the requested CSC-ID, an allowed CSC-ID for the data connection, the allowed CSC-ID corresponding to a second security service of the plurality of security services; retrieve, based on the allowed CSC-ID, an operator security policy associated with the second security service. The CCF can then select and configure a network function in accordance with the retrieved operator security policy associated with the second security service.

Abstract: A method for enabling a user equipment to access at least one wireless local area network. The method includes: receiving from the user equipment, at an access network server, a request for at least one access identifier identifying at least one access point of the at least one wireless local area network to which the user equipment is allowed to connect. The request includes first information allowing to identify the home mobile network of the user equipment. Responsive to the request the access network server sends to the user equipment, a response message including the at least one access identifier identifying at least one access point of the at least one wireless local area network to which the user equipment is allowed to connect, determined on the basis of the first information.

Abstract: A method for controlling application access to network slicing service at a User Equipment (UE). The method includes: issuing an activation request for establishing network connectivity service for an application executing at the UE, the activation request including an application identifier of the application; determining a network slice for the application based on the activation request; performing a verification of the determined network slice, in accordance with network slicing operator policies; and upon successful verification of the determined network slice, creating a binding between the application identifier and the determined network slice.

Abstract: A method is provided for granting access, for user equipment registered in a home mobile network to a wireless local area network. In this method, a probe request is received by an access network server located in the wireless local area network, wherein this probe request includes first information allowing to identify the home mobile network of the user equipment. The access network server determines then at least one access point of the wireless local area network to which the user equipment is allowed to connect, based on the identification of the home mobile network from the first information and sends a response message including at least one access identifier identifying the at least one access point of the wireless local area network.

Abstract: A method for configuring a user device to which a plurality of identifiers, each uniquely identifying the user in at least one communications network, is allocated. The method includes, for at least one application: obtaining at least one rule associating, with at least one flow of the application, at least one slice of the at least one communications network for routing data relating to the at least one flow and an item of information connecting the slice to an identifier from among the plurality of identifiers of the user; and configuring the user device with the at least one rule such that it executes the at least one rule when accessing the application.

Abstract: An artificial potential field path planning method and an apparatus based on obstacle classification solve the problem of path and motion uncertainty in steering a flexible needle in soft tissue. The apparatus includes an image sensing system, a control module, an execution system and an upper PC. Using the apparatus, the method includes: the image sensing system obtains real-time images of the puncture environment, identifies a target and obstacles from the real-time images, classifies the obstacles, and calculates total potential energy of points in the current environment based on artificial potential field. With a curvature constraint and an optimization index for the flexible needle, the path planning module carries out static path planning to obtain an initial path and the needle entry point, then conducts dynamic path planning to determine the path for steering the flexible needle in the soft tissue accordingly.

Abstract: A method for configuring a user device to which a plurality of identifiers, each uniquely identifying the user in at least one communications network, is allocated. The method includes, for at least one application: obtaining at least one rule associating, with at least one flow of the application, at least one slice of the at least one communications network for routing data relating to the at least one flow and an item of information connecting the slice to an identifier from among the plurality of identifiers of the user; and configuring the user device with the at least one rule such that it executes the at least one rule when accessing the application.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing cybersecurity services by a network and for automating the provisioning of the cybersecurity services are disclosed. The system comprises a connection control function configured to receive a message in response to a request to establish a data connection from a user equipment (UE), the message including a requested CyberSecurity Control service identifier (CSC-ID) corresponding to a first security service of a plurality of security services. The CCF can interact with a cybersecurity control (CSC) function to determine, based on the requested CSC-ID, an allowed CSC-ID for the data connection, the allowed CSC-ID corresponding to a second security service of the plurality of security services; retrieve, based on the allowed CSC-ID, an operator security policy associated with the second security service. The CCF can then select and configure a network function in accordance with the retrieved operator security policy associated with the second security service.

Abstract: A system and associated method for enabling end-to-end (E2E) network slicing in a 5G network are described. A (Radio) Access Network-Network Slice Selection Function ((R)AN-NSSF) can be configured to receive a (R)AN slice selection request and to select, from a pool of (R)AN slice instances, a (R)AN network slice instance including one or more (R)AN slice components. A Core Network-Network Slice Selection Function (CN-NSSF) can be configured to receive a CN slice selection request to select, from a pool of CN slice instances, a CN network slice instance including one or more CN slice components. A Network Slice Policy Control (NSPC) function can be configured to verify that the selected (R)AN slice instance and CN slice instance are consistent with operator policies.

Abstract: A method for controlling application access to network slicing service at a User Equipment (UE). The method includes: issuing an activation request for establishing network connectivity service for an application executing at the UE, the activation request including an application identifier of the application; determining a network slice for the application based on the activation request; performing a verification of the determined network slice, in accordance with network slicing operator policies; and upon successful verification of the determined network slice, creating a binding between the application identifier and the determined network slice.

Abstract: A system and associated method for enabling end-to-end (E2E) network slicing in a 5G network are described. A (Radio) Access Network-Network Slice Selection Function ((R)AN-NSSF) can be configured to receive a (R)AN slice selection request and to select, from a pool of (R)AN slice instances, a (R)AN network slice instance including one or more (R)AN slice components. A Core Network-Network Slice Selection Function (CN-NSSF) can be configured to receive a CN slice selection request to select, from a pool of CN slice instances, a CN network slice instance including one or more CN slice components. A Network Slice Policy Control (NSPC) function can be configured to verify that the selected (R)AN slice instance and CN slice instance are consistent with operator policies.

Abstract: An artificial potential field path planning method and an apparatus based on obstacle classification solve the problem of path and motion uncertainty in steering a flexible needle in soft tissue. The apparatus includes an image sensing system, a control module, an execution system and an upper PC. Using the apparatus, the method includes: the image sensing system obtains real-time images of the puncture environment, identifies a target and obstacles from the real-time images, classifies the obstacles, and calculates total potential energy of points in the current environment based on artificial potential field. With a curvature constraint and an optimization index for the flexible needle, the path planning module carries out static path planning to obtain an initial path and the needle entry point, then conducts dynamic path planning to determine the path for steering the flexible needle in the soft tissue accordingly.

Abstract: A telecommunications system is operable to provide a facility for a communications session to a mobile node using an internet protocol. When changing affiliation from one of a first and second packet data network to the other of the first and second packet data network, a mobile node is operable to generate a service level identifier representing a requested priority to be afforded to the internet packets communicated to and from the mobile node with respect to other internet packets communicated to and from other nodes. The mobile node is also operable to generate a binding update internet packet providing a care of address of the mobile and an indication of the service level identifier in the binding update internet packet and to communicate the binding update internet data packets to a home agent of the mobile node.

Abstract: An internet packet comprises a header field, the header field including a field identifying a source address of the internet packet, a field identifying the destination address of the internet packet and a next header field identifying whether an extension header follows the header and a type of the extension header. The extension header indicates a hop-by-hop option header, the hop-by-hop extension header including a router alert option header type indicating that the extension field is optional for a router to read, and a field providing information for a gateway support node of a packet radio system network. A gateway support node is thereby provided with information, which may be required for example to support a mobile internet protocol (IP). However, by providing the router alert option field, a router is not required to read the remainder of the hop-by-hop option field.

Abstract: Apparatus for and methods of enabling a gateway node of a first packet-switched data network to select a first channel for transferring a tunnelled data packet to a destination packet data protocol address of a mobile node provided service in the first network are disclosed. The gateway node is configured to select the first channel from a plurality of channels configured to transfer data packets to the destination packet data protocol address of the mobile node, and the selection is performed by matching a packet data protocol address, associated with a data packet received by the gateway node, to one or more data packet filters associated with the plurality of channels.

Abstract: Apparatus for and methods of enabling a gateway node of a first packet-switched data network to select a first channel for transferring a data packet to a destination packet data protocol address of a correspondent node provided service in the first network are disclosed. The gateway node is configured to select the first channel from a plurality of channels configured to transfer data packets to the destination packet data protocol address of the correspondent node, wherein the data packet is sent from a mobile node of a second packet-switched data network external to the first network, and wherein the mobile node has been in a communication session with the correspondent node while provided service in a third packet-switched data network different to the second network.

Abstract: A packet radio communications system communicates internet packets to and/or from mobile user equipment. The system comprises a core network comprising a plurality of packet data networks, each including network communications elements operable to communicate internet packets using an internet protocol transport plane, and a common gateway support node. The gateway support node is operable to route the internet packets via communications bearers established through the packet data networks using the network communications elements. The system includes a plurality of radio access networks connected by the internet protocol transport plane to the core network components of the packet data networks for communicating the internet protocol packets to and/or from the mobile user equipment. Each of the radio access networks is operable to provide radio access bearers for communicating the internet packets to and/or from the mobile user equipment.

Abstract: In a MIPv6 network, a mobile home agent (MHA) in a foreign network (FN) acts as an intermediate node between a mobile node (MN) and a correspondent node (CN) and allocates itself a secondary care-of address (SCoA) different from the care-of address (CoA) of the mobile node (MN), with a one-to-one relationship between the secondary care-of address (SCoA) and the home address (HAddr) of the mobile node.

Abstract: A telecommunications system is arranged to provide a facility for communicating data to and from a mobile node using an internet protocol. The system includes a first home access network, which includes a home gateway node, a second visited access network, which includes a visited serving gateway node, and a wireless access gateway operable to communicate data to and from the mobile node using the internet protocol. The mobile node is operable to communicate a binding update message to the visited serving gateway node of the second visited access network via the wireless access gateway using the internet protocol. The binding update message includes a unique identifier of the mobile node, and a request for an internet protocol address for the mobile node as if the mobile node were attached to the first home access network (home IP address). In one example the unique identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number or the like.