FOR HANDLING TRAFFIC

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a first node and methods performed thereby for handling traffic. The present disclosure also relates generally to a second node, and methods performed thereby for handling traffic. The present disclosure also relates generally to a third node, and methods performed thereby for handling traffic.

BACKGROUND

Computer systems in a communications network may comprise one or more nodes. A node may comprise one or more processors which, together with computer program code may perform different functions and actions, a memory, a receiving port and a sending port. A node may be, for example, a server. Nodes may perform their functions entirely on the cloud.

The standardization organization 3GPP is currently in the process of specifying a New Radio Interface called Next Generation Radio/New Radio (NR) or 5G-UTRA, as well as a Fifth Generation (5G) Packet Core Network, which may be referred to as 5G Core Network, abbreviated as 5GC.

A 3GPP system comprising a 5G Access Network (AN), a 5G Core Network and a User Equipment (UE) may be referred to as a 5G system.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram depicting a particular example of a 5G architecture of policy and charging control framework, which may be used as a reference for the present disclosure.

An Application Function (AF) 1 , may interact with the 3GPP Core Network, and specifically in the context of this document, may allow external parties to use Exposure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that may be offered by the network operator.

A Network Exposure Function (NEF) 2 may support different functionality and, specifically in the context of this document, the NEF 2 may support different Exposure APIs.

A Unified Data Repository (UDR) 3 may store data grouped into distinct collections of subscription-related information, such as subscription data, policy data, structured data for exposure, and application data.

A Policy Control Function (PCF) 4 may support a unified policy framework to govern the network behavior. Specifically, the PCF may provide Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rules to the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF), that is, the Session Management Function (SMF) 5/User Plane function (UPF) 6 that may enforce policy and charging decisions according to provisioned PCC rules. The SMF 5 may support different functionalities, e.g., the SMF 5 may receive PCC rules from the PCF 4 and may configure the UPF 6 accordingly.

The UPF 6 may support handling of user plane (UP) traffic based on the rules received from the SMF 5, e.g., packet inspection and different enforcement actions such as Quality of Service (QoS) handling.

Also depicted in Figure 1 is a Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) 7, which may be understood to represent an operator managed network analytics logical function. The NWDAF 7 may be a part of the 5GC architecture and may use the mechanisms and interfaces specified for 5GC and Operations, Administration and Maintenance (QAM). The NWDAF 7 may interact with different entities for different purposes, such as: a) data collection based on event subscription, provided by an Access and Mobility Function (AMF) 8, the SMF 5, the PCF 4, a Unified Data Management (UDM), the AF 1 , directly or via the NEF 2, and an QAM; b) retrieval of information from data repositories, e.g., the UDR 3 via the UDM for subscriber- related information; c) retrieval of information about Network Functions (NFs), e.g., Network Repository Function (NRF) for NF-related information, and Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) for slice-related information; and e) on demand provision of analytics to consumers.

Figure 1 further depicts a Charging Function (CHF) 9. Each of the UDR 3, the NEF 2, the NWDAF 7, the AF 1 , the PCF 4, the CHF 9, the AMF 8 and the SMF 5 may have an interface through which they may be accessed, which as depicted in the Figure, may be, respectively: Nudr 10, Nnef 11 , Nnwdaf 12, Naf 13, Npcf 14, Nchf 15, Namf 16 and Nsmf 17. The UPF 6 may have an interface N4 18 with the SMF 5.

The communications network may cover a geographical area which may be divided into cell areas, each cell area being served by another type of node, a network node in the Radio Access Network (RAN), radio network node or Transmission Point (TP), for example, an access node such as a Base Station (BS), e.g. a Radio Base Station (RBS), which sometimes may be referred to as e.g., evolved Node B (“eNB”), “eNodeB”, “NodeB”, “B node”, or Base Transceiver Station (BTS), depending on the technology and terminology used. The base stations may be of different classes such as e.g., Wide Area Base Stations, Medium Range Base Stations, Local Area Base Stations and Home Base Stations, based on transmission power and thereby also cell size. A cell is the geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the base station at a base station site. One base station, situated on the base station site, may serve one or several cells. Further, each base station may support one or several communication technologies. The telecommunications network may also comprise network nodes which may serve receiving nodes, such as user equipments, with serving beams. Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) Cookies

An HTTP cookie, usually just called a cookie, may be understood be a simple computer file made of text. The information stored by cookies may be used to personalize the experience when using a website. A website may use the information used by cookies to find out if a device may have visited a website before, and record information, that is, data, about what the device may have done.

When a user may browse a website using a device, a personalized cookie file may be sent from the server of the website to the device. The cookie may be stored in the web browser on the device. At some time in the future, the user may browse that website again. The website may send a message to the browser of the user, asking if a cookie from the website may be already stored in the browser. If a cookie is found, then the data that was stored in the cookie before may be used by the website to tell the website about the previous activity of the device. Some examples where cookies may be used may include automatic login, shopping carts, and remembering which advertisements may have already been shown.

As a basic example, the browser may send a first request for the homepage of the www.example.com website:

GET /index . html HTTP/ 1 . 1 1111111111

The server may respond with one Set-Cookie header:

The HTTP response of the server may contain the contents of the homepage of the website, but it may also instruct the browser to set one cookie, "userid", which may be a persistent cookie since it may contain an “Expires” attribute, which may instruct the browser to delete the cookie at a specific date and time.

After e.g., one week, the browser may send a request to visit the index.html page of the same website. This request may contain a Cookie HTTP header, which may contain the cookie that the server may have instructed the browser to set:

The web server may identify the user based on the Cookie header. Cookies may be used to track traffic in a communications system. This may in turn enable to manage security aspects related to the communications system and additionally or alternatively, customize different aspects of the services provided by the communications system, such as usage of resources. For example, knowing browsing sessions of the end users, the communications network may be able to optimize the most used resources, tailored to the usage of traffic by the users. The communications network may be enabled to trace and optimize the most common browsing access, cache, or to provision proxies for the most frequent access.

There may be different actors that may hold pieces of the information that may be needed to detect the behavior of end-users. None of them may have a whole picture of what users may be doing. One actor may be the network telecommunications service provider, which may provide network access and may have a deep knowledge of the users, such as their age, location, etc. Another actor may be each service provider an end-user may connect to. For example: each web server, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server... A further actor may be “behavioral targeting” enterprises, which may collect information from different sources and groups, that is, the tracked user.

Actors that may currently track users and collect information from different sources may be referred to as behavioral targeting enterprises. They may collect information from different users and different service providers. They may provide user behavior profiles.

The main techniques used to track user behavior may be: cookies, hidden images that may redirect the user to a well server, search engines, Domain Name System (DNS) providers.

Each technique has associated problems. In the case of cookies, they may only track a user in a domain. In the case of hidden images, a server that may track hidden images may need to establish contracts with each site. If there is a site that may not report to the hidden images server, the user behavior picture is not complete. In the case of search engines, they may not be able to track the user once the user may not be in the search engine. That is, they may have a partial point of view of what users may be doing. In the case of DNS providers, they may track DNS queries needed to transform hostnames into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, but may not be able to track the number of times a user may open a connection to a site.

Additionally, internet usage may be understood to create security risks. Internet communications may be subject to cyber attackers targeting an application or a website, or trying to acquire online credentials of users, such as banking passwords and personal details. As a result, internet users may divulge confidential information unknowingly and expose their devices, networks and accounts to malware, spyware or phishing attacks. Consequently, they may lose data, privacy and account access, and result in and impaired performance of the communications service.

A mismatch between the resources dedicated to provision of services to users, and the traffic usage by the users may result in wasted resources, or increased latency and reduced capacity of the communications system, which may degrade the performance of the communications system.

SUMMARY

As part of the development of embodiments herein, one or more challenges with the existing technology will first be identified and discussed.

In addition to the problems related to the main techniques used to track user behavior, which have been highlighted in the Background section, existing methods do not enable a third party operating outside of a communications system to have a complete picture of traffic usage behavior by users of the communications system.

It is an object of embodiments herein to improve the handling of traffic in a communications system.

Particularly embodiments herein may have as an object to improve the handling of traffic in a communications system by enabling a third party operating outside of the communications system to tack traffic usage via the communications system.

According to a first aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a computer- implemented method, performed by a first node. The first node operates in a communications system. The first node obtains a first indication from another node operating outside the communications system. The first indication indicates a request to receive, for one or more categories of traffic, information indicating one or more groups of devices. Each of the groups of devices has traffic corresponding to a respective set of categories of the one or more categories of traffic. The first node initiates collection of at least a part of the information by a second node operating in the communications system, based on the received first indication. The first node also sends another indication to the another node. The another indication indicates at least the part of the requested information.

According to a second aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a computer-implemented method, performed by the second node. The second node operates in a communications system. The second node receives a fourth indication from the first node operating in the communications system. The fourth indication indicates to initiate collection, for at least one or more first categories of traffic, of first information indicating one or more first groups of devices. Each of the first groups of devices has traffic corresponding to a respective set of categories of the one or more first categories of traffic. The fourth indication further indicates the another node operating outside the communications system from which the request for the first information originates. The second node also sends a seventh indication to a fourth node operating in the communications system. The seventh indication requests to collect data indicating the first information about the traffic corresponding to the one or more first categories of traffic for a first subset of devices. The first subset of devices corresponds to the devices comprised in the one or more first groups of devices. The second node further receives, in response to the sent seventh indication, one or more eighth indications from the fourth node. The one or more eighth indications indicate the collected data indicating the first information. The second node additionally sends, based on the received one or more eighth indications, one or more fifth indications to the first node. The one or more fifth indications indicate the first information.

According to a third aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a computer-implemented method, performed by the third node. The third node operates in a communications system. The third node a second indication from the first node operating in the communications system. The second indication requests whether or not the another node operating outside the communications system has consent to receive data on one or more categories of traffic. The traffic pertains to the one or more devices. The third node also sends a third indication to the first node in response to the received second indication. The third indication indicates that the another node has the consent for at least the part of the data.

According to a fourth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by the first node. The first node is configured to operate in the communications system. The first node is further configured to obtain the first indication from the another node configured to operate outside the communications system. The first indication is configured to indicate the request to receive, for the one or more categories of traffic, the information configured to indicate the one or more groups of devices. Each of the groups of devices is configured to have traffic configured to correspond to the respective set of categories of the one or more categories of traffic. The first node is also configured to initiate collection of at least the part of the information by the second node configured to operate in the communications system, based on the first indication configured to be received. The first node is further configured to send the another indication to the another node. The another indication is configured to indicate at least the part of the information configured to be requested.

According to a fifth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by the second node. The second node is configured to receive the fourth indication from the first node configured to operate in the communications system. The fourth indication is configured to indicate to initiate collection, for at least the one or more first categories of traffic, of the first information configured to indicate the one or more first groups of devices. Each of the first groups of devices is configured to have traffic corresponding to the respective set of categories of the one or more first categories of traffic. The fourth indication is further configured to indicate the another node configured to operate outside the communications system from which the request for the first information is configured to originate. The second node is also configured to send the seventh indication to the fourth node configured to operate in the communications system. The seventh indication is configured to request to collect the data configured to indicate the first information about the traffic configured to correspond to the one or more first categories of traffic for the first subset of devices configured to correspond to the devices comprised in the one or more first groups of devices. The second node is additionally configured to receive, in response to the seventh indication configured to be sent, the one or more eighth indications from the fourth node. The one or more eighth indications are configured to indicate the collected data configured to indicate the first information. The second node is further configured to send, based on the one or more eighth indications configured to be received, the one or more fifth indications to the first node. The one or more fifth indications are configured to indicate the first information.

According to a sixth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by the third node. The third node is configured to operate in the communications system. The third node is further configured to receive the second indication from the first node configured to operate in the communications system. The second indication is configured to request whether or not the another node configured to operate outside the communications system has consent to receive the data on the one or more categories of traffic. The traffic is configured to pertain to the one or more devices. The third node is further configured to send the third indication to the first node in response to the second indication configured to be received. The third indication is configured to indicate that the another node has the consent for at least the part of the data.

By obtaining the first indication, the first node may be enabled to trigger collection of the requested information for delivery to the another node. That is a third party operating outside of the communications system. By initiating the collection of at least the part of the information by the second node, the first node may enable to assemble the information requested by the another node, but subject to the consent provided, or not, by the devices. The first node may therefore be enabled to provide at least the part of the information requested as the another indication, to the another node, which may enable the another node to monitor traffic usage. The first node may therefore enable the another node to obtain a more complete picture of the traffic usage by the devices, since it may enable to combine the knowledge, the communications system may have access to regarding the traffic usage, with that of the another node, which the devices may access to retrieve content. As a consequence, the first node may enable an improved tailoring of the resources used for the provision of services to the devices, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the usage of the resources.

By sending the seventh indication, the second node may trigger data collection from the fourth node to retrieve at least the part of the information relative to traffic classification for a set of users, that is, the first subset of the devices. By receiving the one or more eighth indications, the second node may then be enabled to produce analytics based on the data collected. By sending the one or more fifth indications to the first node, the second node may send the matched profile and/or traffic categories of the devices in the first subset of devices towards the first node, which may enable the first node to, in turn, later provide the first information to the another node in response to its request, and obtain the benefits described earlier.

By receiving the second indication, and then sending the third indication, the third node may enable the first node to check, and then know, respectively, if the another node may have consent to receive the data on the one or more categories of traffic, the traffic pertaining to the one or more devices . That is, the first node may be enabled to facilitate the information to the another node relating to traffic usage, while enabling the devices to manage which nodes may be allowed to receive their information, so that the devices may be enabled to block or prevent any suspicious tracking activity affecting the information relating to their traffic usage. This may enable that the devices may make any privacy adjustments they may consider appropriate to guarantee the proper handling of their traffic usage information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of embodiments herein are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, according to the following description.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a non-limiting example of a 5G Network Architecture.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a non-limiting example of a communications system, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 3 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a first node, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 4 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a second node, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 5 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a third node, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram depicting a first non-limiting example of signalling between nodes in a communications system, according to embodiments herein. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram depicting another non-limiting example of signalling between nodes in a communications system, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram depicting a further non-limiting example of signalling between nodes in a communications system, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram depicting yet another non-limiting example, over panels a-e, of signalling between nodes in a communications system, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 10 is a schematic block diagram illustrating two non-limiting examples, a) and b), of a first node, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 11 is a schematic block diagram illustrating two non-limiting examples, a) and b), of a second node, according to embodiments herein.

Figure 12 is a schematic block diagram illustrating two non-limiting examples, a) and b), of a third node, according to embodiments herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments address one or more of the issues with the existing methods discussed in the background section and provide solutions to the challenges discussed.

Embodiments herein may be understood to relate in general to a mechanism which may be based on defining a new API for exposure between a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) and a third party, relative to track traffic usage based on groups.

It may also provide a method where end users may check in which profile they may have been categorized and which third parties may have asked for their profile.

As a summarized overview, embodiments herein may be understood to relate to a mechanism for user profiling based on analytics in 5G networks.

The embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which examples are shown. In this section, embodiments herein are illustrated by exemplary embodiments. It should be noted that these embodiments are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment or example may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment or example and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description.

Figure 2 depicts two non-limiting examples, in panels “a” and “b”, respectively, of a communications system 100, in which embodiments herein may be implemented. In some example implementations, such as that depicted in the non-limiting example of Figure 2a, the communications system 100 may be a computer network. In other example implementations, such as that depicted in the non-limiting example of Figure 2b, the communications system 100 may be implemented in a telecommunications network, sometimes also referred to as a cellular radio system, cellular network or wireless communications system. In some examples, the telecommunications network may comprise network nodes which may serve receiving nodes, such as wireless devices, with serving beams.

In some examples, the telecommunications network may for example be a network such as 5G system, or a newer system supporting similar functionality. The telecommunications system may also support other technologies, such as, for example, a Fourth Generation (4G) system, such as a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network, e.g., LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD), LTE Half-Duplex Frequency Division Duplex (HD- FDD), LTE operating in an unlicensed band, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) TDD, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network, GSM/Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) network, Ultra-Mobile Broadband (UMB), EDGE network, network comprising of any combination of Radio Access Technologies (RATs) such as e.g. MultiStandard Radio (MSR) base stations, multi-RAT base stations etc., any 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) cellular network, Wireless Local Area Network/s (WLAN) or WiFi network/s, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), IEEE 802.15.4-based low-power short-range networks such as IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LowPAN), Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), or any cellular network or system. The telecommunications system may for example support a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN). LPWAN technologies may comprise Long Range physical layer protocol (LoRa), Haystack, SigFox, LTE-M, and Narrow-Band loT (NB-loT).

Although terminology from Long Term Evolution (LTE)/5G has been used in this disclosure to exemplify the embodiments herein, this should not be seen as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein to only the aforementioned system. Other wireless systems support similar or equivalent functionality may also benefit from exploiting the ideas covered within this disclosure. In future telecommunication networks, e.g., in the sixth generation (6G), the terms used herein may need to be reinterpreted in view of possible terminology changes in future technologies.

The communications system 100 may comprise a plurality of nodes, whereof a first node 111, a second node 112, a third node 113 are depicted in Figure 2. The plurality of nodes, in some embodiments may further comprise a fourth node 114, a fifth node 115, and a sixth node 116, also depicted in Figure 2. The plurality of nodes comprised in the communications system may further comprise additional nodes, which are not depicted in Figure 2 in order to simply the Figure.

Also depicted in Figure 2 is another node 117 or seventh node 117, which may be operate outside of the communications system 100.

Any of the first node 111 , the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116 and the another node 117 may be understood, respectively, as a first computer system, a second computer system, a third computer system, a fourth computer system, a fifth computer system, a sixth computer system and another computer system. In some examples, any of the first node 111 , the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116 and the another node 117 may be implemented as a standalone server in e.g., a host computer in the cloud 120. This is illustrated in the non-limiting example depicted on panel b) of Figure 2. Any of the first node 111 , the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116 and the another node 117 may in some examples be a distributed node or distributed server, with some of their respective functions being implemented locally, e.g., by a client manager, and some of its functions implemented in the cloud 120, by e.g., a server manager. Yet in other examples, any of the first node 111 , the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116 and the another node 117 may also be implemented as processing resources in a server farm.

In some embodiments, any of the first node 111 , the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116 may be independent and separated nodes. In other embodiments, any of the first node 111 , the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116 may be co-located or be the same node. All the possible combinations are not depicted in Figure 2 to simplify the Figure. In particular non-limiting examples, the fifth node 115 may be co-located or be the same node as the second node 112.

The first node 111 may be a node which may support different functionality e.g., different Exposure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). The first node 111 may enable the another node 117 to connect to the other nodes in the communications system 100. In some particular examples wherein the communications system 100 may be a 5G network, the first node 111 may be a NEF.

A non-limiting example of the first node 111 wherein the communications system 100 may be a 5G network, may be NEF, as depicted in Figure 2.

In some examples of embodiments herein, the second node 112 may be understood as a node that may have a capability to aggregate data or analytics from other nodes, such as the fourth node 114. The second node 112 may further have a capability to analyze the aggregated the data or analytics. Non-limiting examples of the second node 112 wherein the communications system 100 may be a 5G network, may be a NWDAF, as depicted in Figure 2.

The third node 113 may be a node having a capability to store data grouped into distinct collections of subscription-related information, such as subscription data, policy data, structured data for exposure, and application data. The third node 113 may further have a capability to supply the data to another node, such as e.g., the first node 111 , the second node 112, or the sixth node 116. In some particular non-limiting examples wherein the communications system 100 may be a 5G network, the third node 113 may be a UDR, as depicted in Figure 2.

The fourth node 114 may be a node which may support handling of user plane (UP) traffic based on rules, e.g., received from a node having a capability to manage a session, e.g., an SMF, such as packet inspection and different enforcement actions such as Quality of Service (QoS) handling. In some particular non-limiting examples wherein the communications system 100 may be a 5G network, the fourth node 114 may be a UPF.

The fifth node 115 may be a node having a capability to act as a “profiler”. This may be understood as a new function called that, with information of users, may create a profile of each user. A profile may be understood as a set of categories where a plurality of end users may be considered as consumers. A profile may need to have a number of conditions, which will be explained later, in the description of Action 301. The profiler function may be located inside the second node 112, e.g., a NWDAF, or as a separate function. There may be one single profiler per operator network, or the profiler may be distributed in each second node 112, e.g., NWDAF.

The sixth node 116 may be a node which may provide a portal to an application of an operator of the communications system 100. The sixth node 116 may, for example, provide a web page where devices, such as the one or more devices 130 described below, may interact with an operator of the communications system 100. In some particular non-limiting examples wherein the communications system 100 may be a 5G network, the sixth node 116 may be an operator application portal.

The another node 117 may be a node having a capability to provide content to the one or more devices 130. The another node 117 may interact with a core network of the communications system 100 and may allow external parties to use APIs that may be offered by a network operator of the communications system 100. In some particular non-limiting examples wherein the communications system 100 may be a 5G network, the fifth second node 125 may be an Application Server/Application Function (AS/AF). The communications system 100 may further comprise one or more devices 130. Any of the one or more devices 130 may be also known as e.g., user equipment (UE), a wireless device, mobile terminal, wireless terminal and/or mobile station, mobile telephone, cellular telephone, or laptop with wireless capability, or a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), just to mention some further examples. Any of the one or more devices 130 in the present context may be, for example, portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or a vehiclemounted mobile device, enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via a RAN, with another entity, such as a server, a laptop, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), or a tablet computer, sometimes referred to as a tablet with wireless capability, or simply tablet, a sensor, a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) device, a device equipped with a wireless interface, such as a printer or a file storage device, modem, Laptop Embedded Equipped (LEE), Laptop Mounted Equipment (LME), USB dongles, CPE or any other radio network unit capable of communicating over a radio link in the communications system 100. Any of the one or more devices 130 may be wireless, i.e. , it may be enabled to communicate wirelessly in the communications system 100 and, in some particular examples, may be able support beamforming transmission. The communication may be performed e.g., between two devices, between a device and a radio network node, and/or between a device and a server. The communication may be performed e.g., via a RAN and possibly one or more core networks, comprised, respectively, within the communications system 100.

In some examples, the one or more devices 130 may be a plurality of devices 130. The one or more devices 130 may comprise a first subset 131 of devices 130 and a second subset of devices 132. The communications system 100 may comprise a first device 133. In some examples, the first device 133 may be one of the one or more devices 130, as in the nonlimiting examples depicted in Figure 2. In other examples, the first device 133 may be a different device than the one or more devices 130.

In some examples, the communications system 100 may comprise one or more radio network nodes, whereof a radio network node 140 is depicted in the example depicted in panel b) of Figure 2. The radio network node 140 may typically be a base station or Transmission Point (TP), or any other network unit capable to serve a wireless device or a machine type node in the communications system 100. The radio network node 140 may be e.g., a 5G gNB, a 4G eNB, or a radio network node in an alternative 5G radio access technology, e.g., fixed or WiFi. The radio network node 140 may be e.g., a Wide Area Base Station, Medium Range Base Station, Local Area Base Station and Home Base Station, based on transmission power and thereby also coverage size. The radio network node 140 may be a stationary relay node or a mobile relay node. The radio network node 140 may support one or several communication technologies, and its name may depend on the technology and terminology used. The radio network node 140 may be directly connected to one or more networks and/or one or more core networks.

The communications system 100 covers a geographical area which may be divided into cell areas, wherein each cell area may be served by a radio network node, although, one radio network node may serve one or several cells.

The first node 111 may communicate with the second node 112 over a first link 151. The first node 111 may communicate with the third node 113 over a second link 152. The first node 111 may communicate with the another node 117 over a third link 153. The second node 112 may communicate with the third node 113 over a fourth link 154. The second node 112 may communicate with the fourth node 114 over a fifth link 155. The second node 112 may communicate with the fifth node 115 over a sixth link 156. The fourth node 114 may communicate with the one or more devices 130 over a respective seventh link 157. The third node 113 may communicate with the sixth node 116 over an eighth link 158. Any of the one or more devices 130 may communicate with the sixth node 116 over a respective ninth link

159. The sixth node 116 may communicate with the radio network node 140 over a tenth link

160. The fourth node 114 may communicate with the radio network node 140 over an eleventh link 161. The radio network node 140 may communicate with any of the one or more devices 130 over a twelfth link 162.

Any of the links just described may be, e.g., a radio link or a wired link, and may be a direct link or it may go via one or more computer systems or one or more core networks in the communications system 100, or it may go via an optional intermediate network. The intermediate network may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; the intermediate network, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet, which is not shown in Figure 2.

In general, the usage of “first”, “second”, “third”, “fourth”, “fifth”,... , and/or “twelfth” herein may be understood to be an arbitrary way to denote different elements or entities, and may be understood to not confer a cumulative or chronological character to the nouns they modify.

Embodiments of a computer-implemented method, performed by the first node 111 , will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in Figure 3. The method may be understood to be for handling traffic. The first node 111 operates in the communications system 100.

In some embodiments, the first node 111 may be a NEF, the second node 112 may be a NWDAF and the another node 117 may be an AF. The third node 113 may be a UDR.

The method may comprise the actions described below. In some embodiments all the actions may be performed. In some embodiments some of the actions may be performed. In Figure 3, optional actions are indicated with a dashed box. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. It should be noted that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. Components from one example or embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another example or embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other examples or embodiments.

Action 301

In in this Action 301 , the first node 111 obtains a first indication from the another node 117 operating outside the communications system 100. The first indication indicates a request to receive, for one or more categories of traffic, information indicating one or more groups of devices 130. Each of the groups of devices has traffic corresponding to a respective set of categories of the one or more categories of traffic.

Each of the groups in the one or more groups of devices 130 may be understood to be a profile. A profile may be understood as a set of categories where a plurality of end users may be considered as consumers. A profile may need to have the following conditions. One condition may be that the profile may be understood to be a list of matched traffic categories. Another condition may be that user profiles may maintain user anonymity. This may be because these profiles may combine sets of data with similar attributes. An identity of any one of the devices contributing to that data may be obscured so that an end user may not be univocally identified. Another condition may be that a profile may need to be shared by a large number, e.g., thousands, of people, derived by the traffic patterns of the user. This profile may need to be checked, modified and deleted by end users. This profile may be dynamically updated and changed periodically.

According to embodiments herein, the fifth node 115 may be a node having a capability to act as a “profiler”. This may be understood as a new function called that, with information of users, may create a profile of each user, according to the definition just provided. The profiler function may be located inside the second node 112, e.g., a NWDAF, or as a separate function. There may be one single profiler per operator network, or the profiler may be distributed in each second node 112, e.g., NWDAF.

The first indication may be, for example, a Nnef_AnalyticsSubscription_Subscribe request. The one or more categories of traffic may be indicated as a list of Requested-Traffic- Categories. A traffic category may be understood to be a type of traffic, from different or the same applications that may share a same type of content.

In order to be able to obtain the first indication, first node 111 may, according to embodiments herein, provide a new Application Programming Interface (API) for exposure between a Mobile Network Operator of the communications system 100, and a third party such as the another node 117, relative to profiling an end user. The first indication may be obtained via this API. An end user may be categorized into one group, that is, a profile, of the one or more groups of devices 130, with other users. An end user may have a correspondence to one or more of the devices 130.

The request to receive the information may be indicated by including a first identifier of the analytics being requested. For example, the first identifier may be “Analytic-ID=User Profiling”.

In some examples, the first indication may further indicate a list of the devices 130 for which it may wish to obtain the information. That is, the first indication may further comprise a respective second identifier of each of the devices 130 for which the another node 117 may wish to obtain the information. The respective second identifier may be, e.g., a LIE-ID. In a particular non-limiting example, the first indication may be obtained as Nnef_AnalyticsSubscription_Subscribe request ({Analytic-ID=User-Profiling, list of LIE-ID, list of Requested-T raffic-Categories})

The obtaining in this Action 301 may be performed, e.g., via the first link 151.

By obtaining the first indication in this Action 301 , the first node 111 may then be enabled to trigger collection of the requested information for delivery to the another 117, that is a third party operating outside of the communications system 100. The first node 111 may therefore enable the another node 117 to obtain a more complete picture of the traffic usage by the devices 130, since it may enable to combine the knowledge the communications system 100 may have access to regarding the traffic usage, with that of the another node 117, which the devices 130 may access to retrieve content. As a consequence, the first node 111 may enable an improved tailoring of the resources used to the provision of services to the devices 130, increasing the effectiveness of the usage of the resources. Additionally, the first node 111 may enable that the another node 117 may be enabled to then plan for the resources that may be needed to provide service to the devices 130, and request such resources from the communications system 100 to ensure optimal provision of services to the device 130.

However, the collection of the information may be conditional, as will be explained in the next action.

Action 302

Once the first node 111 may have obtained the first indication, the first node 111 may check if the devices 130 may have provided a consent for the another node 117 to obtain the requested information. It may be the case that some devices may have provided the consent but not for the another node 117, or that some devices may have provided the consent for the another node 117, but one for some of the requested categories. What the devices 130 may consent to, or not, may have been previously stored in the third node 113, as will be explained later, in relation to Figure 5. Accordingly, before proceeding to initiate the collection of the information, in this Action 302, the first node 111 may send, based on the received first indication, a second indication to the third node 113 operating in the communications system 100. The second indication may request whether or not the another node 117 has the consent by the devices 130 to the collection of the information.

The second indication may provide the respective second identifiers of the devices 130, e.g., as a list of LIE-ID, and an identity of the another node 117 as a third identifier.

In a non-limiting example, the second indication may be a Nudr_ Get_Consent(list of UE- ID, AFId=contentx).

The sending in this Action 302 may be performed, e.g., via the second link 152.

By sending the second indication in this Action 302, the first node 111 may be enabled to only trigger collection of the information requested by the another node 117 for the devices 130 that may have provided consent to it, and not otherwise. This may not only enhance the privacy of the users associated to the devices 130 but may also enhance the security of the communications system 100, as the information may only be provided with parties, in this case, the another node 117, which the devices 130 may have provided their consent to.

Action 303

In this Action 303, the first node 111may receive a third indication from the third node 113 in response to the sent second indication. The third indication may indicate that the another node 117 may have the consent for at least a part of the information, from at least a first subset 131 of the devices 130. That is, of the devices 130, e.g., in the list, that the another node 117 may have indicated in the first indication, it may be that some of the devices 130 may not consent to provide the information at all. Or it may be that some of the devices 130 may consent to provide information regarding one or more of the indicated categories, e.g., in the indicated “list of Requested-Traffic-Categories”. Hence, the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may be, in some examples such as this, some of the devices 130.

It may also be that all of the devices 130 may have provided their consent to all of the information. In such examples, the first subset 131 may be the same as the devices 130.

It may also be that none of the devices 130 may have provided their consent to the information. In accordance with the foregoing, the third indication may comprise the respective second identifiers of the devices in the first subset of the devices 131 , e.g., as a list of LIE-ID. The third indication may further comprise the third identifier of the another node 117.

In a non-limiting example of this case, the third indication may be a “Nudr_ Get_Consent(list of LIE-ID, AFId=contentx)”.

The receiving in this Action 303 may be performed, e.g., via the second link 152.

By obtaining the third indication in this Action 303, the first node 111 may therefore be enabled to only trigger collection of the information requested by the another node 117 for the devices 130 that may have provided consent to it, and not otherwise.

Action 304

The one or more categories may comprise one or more first categories and one or more second categories. The third indication may indicate the another node 117 may have the consent to receive the information for the one or more first categories from the first subset 131 of the devices 130 and may lack the consent for the one or more second categories from a second subset 132 of the devices 130. In other words, the one or more first categories may be those for which consent may have been provided by at least some of the devices 130, and the one or more second categories may be those for which at least some of the devices 130 may have denied consent. Therefore, which categories may be first categories or second categories, may change from an instance when the method may be run to another, and from one another node 117 to another. These may be understood to not be fixed categories, and the same category may be a “first category” to one device in the first subset 131 of the devices 130, and a second category to the another device in the second subset 132 of the devices.

The part of the information, that is, for which the another node 117 may have the consent from the first subset 131 of the devices 130, may be first information for the one or more first categories from the first subset 131 of the devices 130.

In this Action 304, the first node 111 may send, based on the received third indication, a further indication to the another node 117. The further indication may indicate the another node 117 may lack consent to receive the information for the one or more second categories from the second subset 132 of the devices 130.

The sending in this Action 304 may be performed, e.g., via the third link 153.

This Action 304 may be understood to be optional. By sending the further indication to the another node 117 in this Action 304, the first node 111 may enable the another node 117 to later interpret the part of the information that the first node 111 may later send to it, as the further indication may enable the another node 117 to be aware that some of the devices 130 may have denied their consent to the another node 117 to obtain at least some of the requested information. The another node 117 may therefore be enabled to be aware that the part of the information it may later obtain may be incomplete, and to what extent.

By sending the further indication to the another node 117 in this Action 304, the first node 111 may therefore enable to achieve the improved tailoring of the resources dedicated to the providing service to the devices 130, increasing the effectiveness of the usage of the resources, but also to do it while ensuring the privacy requirements of the devices 130 may be met.

Action 305

In this Action 305, the first node 111 initiates collection of at least the part of the information by the second node 112 operating in the communications system 100, based on the received first indication. That the initiation of the collection of at least the part of the information may be based on the received first indication may be understood to mean that it may be triggered by, or conditional on, the receipt of the first indication from the another node 117.

The initiating in this Action 305 of the collection may be further based on the received third indication. That is, the initiating in in this Action 305 of the collection may be performed with the proviso that the consent to the collection, by at least the first subset 131 of the devices 130, may be obtained for at least the part of the information, and not otherwise.

The initiating in this Action 305 of the collection may be performed by sending a fourth indication to the second node 112, requesting the collection.

The sending in this Action 305 may be performed, e.g., via the first link 151.

The fourth indication may be, for example, a subscription request. The subscription request may be to receive analytics from the second node 112. The fourth indication may indicate the contents of the first indication, subject to the consents indicated by the third indication. Accordingly, the fourth indication may indicate the first identifier of the analytics being requested, the respective second identifiers of the of each of the devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130, the list of the requested traffic categories, and the third identifier of the another node 117.

In a non-limiting example, the fourth indication may be a “NWDAF_AnalyticsSubscription_Subscribe request({Analytic-ID=User-Profiling, list of LIE-ID, list of Requested-Traffic-Categories AFId=contentx})”.

By initiating the collection of at least the part of the information by the second node 112 in this Action 305, the first node 111 may enable to assemble the information requested by the another node 117, but subject to the consent provided, or not, by the devices 130. The first node 111 may therefore be enabled to provide at least the part of the information requested, to the another node 117, which may enable the another node 117 to monitor traffic usage.

Action 306

In response to the fourth indication, the second node 112 may collected at least the part of the information for which the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may have provided their consent. Once at least the part of the information may have been collected, in this Action 306, the first node 111 may receive, based on the sent fourth indication, one or more fifth indications from the second node 112. The one or more fifth indications may indicate at least the part of the information.

This Action 306 may be performed in embodiments wherein the initiating in Action 305 of the collection may have been performed by sending the fourth indication to the second node 112 requesting the collection.

Each of the one or more fifth indications may be a Notify request, in response to the Subscribe request the first node 111 may have sent. In particular examples, each of the one or more fifth indications may be an Nwdaf_AnalyticsSubscription_Notify request.

Each of the one or more fifth indications may comprise the first identifier of the analytics being requested, the respective second identifiers of the of each of the devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130, and the list of the matched traffic categories, from the list of the requested traffic categories.

In a non-limiting example, each of the one or more fifth indications may be a “Nwdaf_AnalyticsSubscription_Notify request({Analytic-ID=User-Profiling, AnalyticResult=List of (LIE-ID, Matched-Traffic-Categories)})”.

By receiving the one or more fifth indications in this Action 306, the first node 111 may then be enabled to provide at least the part of the information to the another node 117.

Action 307

In this Action 307, the first node 111 sends another indication to the another node 117, the another indication indicating at least the part of the requested information.

The another indication may be understood to be a sixth indication based on the received one or more fifth indications.

The initiating in Action 305 of the collection and the sending in this Action 307 of the another indication may be based on the received third indication. That is, the initiating in Action 305 of the collection and the sending in Action 307 of the another indication may be performed with the proviso that the consent to the collection, by at least the first subset 131 of the devices 130 comprised in one or more first groups of devices 130, of the one or more groups of devices 130, may be obtained for at least the part of the information.

The one or more first groups of devices 130 may be understood to be the one or more profiles, of those requested by the another node 117, for which the first node 111 may have confirmed at least some of the devices 130, that is, those in the first subset 131 of the devices 130, may have provided their consent, to share at least the part of the information with the another node 117. Hence, it may be understood that the one or more first groups of devices 130 may in some runs of the method, be the same as the requested one or more groups of devices 130 by the another node 117. In other runs of the method, the one or more first groups of devices 130 may be a subset of those one or more groups of devices 130 requested by the another node 117 in the first indication.

By sending the another indication to the another node 117 in this Action 307, the first node 111 may enable the another node 117 to its provision of services to the first subset 131 of the devices 130 because the another node 117 may be enabled to cache content from other devices within the same first groups of devices 130, and directly provide to it to one of the devices. Otherwise, the another node 117 may have to try to retrieve the needed content from different sources requested by a particular device, which may be understood to be a waste of internal traffic in the another node 117.

Embodiments of a computer-implemented method performed by the second node 112 will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in Figure 4. The method may be understood to be for handling traffic. The second node 112 may operate in the communications system 100.

The method may comprise the following actions. In some embodiments all the actions may be performed. In some embodiments some of the actions may be performed. In Figure 4, optional actions are indicated with a dashed box. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. It should be noted that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. Components from one example or embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another example or embodiment, and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other examples.

The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the first node 111 and will thus not be repeated here to simplify the description. For example, the fourth indication may comprise the first identifier, which may be “Analytic-ID=User Profiling”.

In some embodiments, the first node 111 may be a NEF, the second node 112 may be an NWDAF and the fourth node 114 may be a UPF.

The third node 113 may be a UDR and the another node 117 may be an AF.

Action 401

In this Action 401 , the second node 112 receives the fourth indication from the first node 111 operating in the communications system 100. The fourth indication indicates to initiate the collection, for at least the one or more first categories of traffic, of the first information indicating the one or more first groups of devices 130. Each of the first groups of devices has traffic corresponding to a respective set of categories of the one or more first categories of traffic. The fourth indication further indicates the another node 117 operating outside the communications system 100 from which the request for the first information originates. That is, from which the first indication may have originated.

The receiving in this Action 401 may be performed, e.g., via the first link 151.

Action 402

In this Action 402, the second node 112 sends a seventh indication to the fourth node 114 operating in the communications system 100. The seventh indication requests to collect data indicating the first information about the traffic corresponding to the one or more first categories of traffic for the first subset 131 of devices corresponding to the devices comprised in the one or more first groups of devices.

In some examples, the fourth node 114 may be a UPF.

The seventh indication may be, for example a subscription request to an event, e.g., a “Trafficclassification” event. The subscription request may be, for example, a Nupf_ EventExposure_Subscribe request.

The seventh indication may indicate the respective second identifiers of the devices in the first subset 131 of devices, e.g., as a List of UE-ID. The seventh indication may also indicate a fourth identifier, that of an event associated with the requested at least part of the information. The fourth identifier may be, for example, an identifier of the event, as an Event ID, such as “Trafficclassification”.

In a non-limiting example, the seventh indication may be a Nupf_ EventExposure_Subscribe request({Event-ID=TrafficClassification, List of UE-ID}).

The second node 112 may send the seventh indication e.g., via the fifth link 155.

By sending the seventh indication, the second node 112 may trigger data collection from the fourth node 114 to retrieve at least the part of the information relative to traffic classification for a set of users, that is the first subset 131 of the devices 130. Action 403

After the second node 112 may have sent the seventh indication to the fourth node 114, one, or more, of the devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may start traffic that may be detected by the fourth node 114 according to the analytic provided in Action 402.

The second node 112 may receive, after having sent the seventh indication, periodic notifications from the fourth node 114 through the event relative to traffic classification, indicating, for example, that a particular device of the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may have traffic using a particular application, e.g., example.com.

In this Action 403, the second node 112 receives, in response to the sent seventh indication, one or more eighth indications from the fourth node 114. The one or more eighth indications indicate the collected data indicating at least part of the first information.

This Action 403 may be repeated until sufficient data may be collected to indicate all of the first information.

Each of the one or more eighth indications may be a notification of an exposure to the event the second node 112 may have subscribed to.

Each of the one or more eighth indications may be, for example, a Nupf_EventExposure_Notify request.

Each of the one or more eighth indications may indicate the fourth identifier, the respective second identifier of the device in the first subset 131 of devices, e.g., as a LIE-ID, the fourth node 114 may have detected traffic for. Each of the one or more eighth indications may also indicate a fifth identifier, that of an application associated with the traffic. The fifth identifier may be, for example, an App-ID, such as “example.com”.

In a non-limiting example, each of the one or more eighth indications may be a Nupf_EventExposure_Notify request({Event-ID=Traffic Classification, LIE-ID, TrafficClassificationinfo(including App-ID=example.com)}).

The second node 112 may receive the one or more eighth indications e.g., via the fifth link 155.

Since the different devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may start traffic at different times, in typical examples, the one or more eighth indications may be received asynchronously.

By receiving the one or more eighth indications, the second node 112 may then be enabled to produce analytics based on the data collected.

Action 404

After receiving the one or more eighth indications, the second node 112 may aggregate traffic classification information for the different devices in the first subset 131 of devices, and may expose this information to the fifth node 115, that is, the profiler function.

In this Action 404, the second node 112 may provide, one or more ninth indications to the fifth node 115 operating in the communications system 100. As mentioned earlier, the fifth node 115 may be comprised, or be co-localized, or be the same node, as the second node 112.

The one or more ninth indications may request to determine the one or more first groups of devices using the received one or more eighth indications. That is, the one or more ninth indications may indicate to the fifth node 115 to generate a profile with matched categories with the collected data indicating the first information provided by the second node 112, and taking into account the traffic usage of other devices comprised in the first subset 131 of the devices 130.

This Action 404 may be repeated until all of the first information may be enabled to be derived. That is, until data for all devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may have been collected.

Since the different devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may start traffic at different times, in typical examples, the one or more ninth indications may be sent asynchronously.

By providing the one or more ninth indications to the fifth node 115, the second node 112 may expose the analytics it may have produced based on the data collected, and enable the fifth node 115 to generate a profile for the devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130, which may then be eventually shared with the another node 117 in response to its request.

Action 405

Based on the sent one or more ninth indications, the fifth node 115 may be enabled to identify the group of devices, that is, the profile, and/or the matched categories, to which each of the devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may pertain to.

Accordingly, in this Action 405, the second node 112 may receive one or more tenth indications from the fifth node 115 in response to the sent one or more ninth indications. The one or more tenth indications may indicate the first information.

The one or more tenth indications may be received as a respective profile, that is, as the matched traffic categories for the devices comprised in the first subset 131 of the devices 130.

The tenth indication may be received, after every time a ninth indication may have been sent, periodically or, after data for all the devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may have been collected. Since the different devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130 may start traffic at different times, in typical examples, the one or more tenth indications may be received asynchronously.

By receiving the one or more tenth indications, the second node 112 may be enabled to forward the received first information to the first node 111 , which may in turn then be enabled to provide it to the another node 117 in response to its request.

Action 406

In this Action 406, the second node 112 may instruct the third node 113 operating in the communications system 100 to store the indicated first information in the one or more tenth indications. That is, the first information that may be indicated, or comprised, in the one or more tenth indications.

The instructing in this Action 406 may be performed by sending one or more instructions to store, such as a store request, e.g., a Nudr Store request. The one or more instructions to store may further indicate the respective second identifier of the respective devices in the subset 131 of the devices 130 the one or more tenth indications may relate to. The one or more instructions to store may further indicate the matched traffic categories as well as the third identifier of the another node 117.

In a non-limiting example, each of the one or more instructions may be a Nudr Store request (LIE-ID, Matched Traffic Categories, AFId=contentx).

By instructing the third node 113 in this Action 406, the second node 112 may store the profile and/or the matched categories for a device or devices in the first subset 131 of the devices 130 into the third node 113, and the another node 117 which may ask for this. Including the third identifier may be optional. This may then enable any of the devices to check which third party nodes may have requested the information.

Action 407

In this Action 407, the second node 112 send, based on the received one or more eighth indications, the one or more fifth indications to the first node 111. The one or more fifth indications may indicate the first information.

The one or more fifth indications may be based on the received one or more tenth indications.

By sending the one or more fifth indications to the first node 111 in this Action 407, the second node 112 may send the matched profile and/or traffic categories of the devices in the first subset 131 of devices 130 towards the first node 111, which may enable the first node 111 to, in turn, later provide the first information to the another node 117 in response to its request. Embodiments of a computer-implemented method performed by a third node 113, will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in Figure 5. The method may be understood to be for handling traffic. The third node 113 may operate in the communications system 100.

The method may comprise the following actions. In some embodiments all the actions may be performed. In some embodiments some of the actions may be performed. In Figure 5, optional actions are indicated with a dashed box. One or more embodiments may be combined, where applicable. All possible combinations are not described to simplify the description. It should be noted that the examples herein are not mutually exclusive. Components from one example or embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another example or embodiment, and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other examples.

The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the first node 111 and will thus not be repeated here to simplify the description. For example, in some embodiments, the first node 111 may be a NEF, the third node 113 may be a UDR, and the another node 117 may be an AF.

The second node 112 may be an NWDAF.

Action 501

During the course of communications in the communications system 100, the devices 130 may have, via SMS or other methods, been informed, or known, how to connect to the sixth node 116, e.g., their operator web portal. In this web portal, the devices 130 may have been respectively prompted to provide their respective consent to get information about their respective traffic usage in order to elaborate an aggregated profile with other users. The devices 130, or an end user for a plurality of the devices, may have provided consent or denied consent, per another node 117, and/or per category of traffic, as explained earlier.

Subsequently, in this Action 501 , the third node 113 may receive, from the sixth node 116 operating in the communications system 100, a respective eleventh indication from the one or more devices 130. Each of the respective eleventh indications may indicate whether or not the one or more devices 130 respectively consent to the another node 117 receiving the information.

A respective eleventh indication may be received for every device of the devices 130.

Each of the respective eleventh indications may be a request to store the respective consents from the one or more devices 130. For example, the respective eleventh indication may be a Nudr_Consent_Store_Request. The respective eleventh indication may indicate the respective second identifier of the respective device, out of the devices 130.

In a particular non-limiting example, the respective eleventh indication may be Nudr_Consent_Store_Request(UE-ID).

The respective eleventh indication may be received via the eighth link 158.

By receiving the respective eleventh indications, the third node 113 may be enabled to store the respective consent, or lack of consent, of the devices 130, which may then be provided by the third node 113 to the first node 111 , e.g., upon request.

Action 502

In this Action 502, the third node 113 may store the received respective eleventh indications.

Action 503

In this Action 503, the third node 113 receives the second indication from the first node 111 operating in the communications system 100. The second indication requests whether or not the another node 117 operating outside the communications system 100 has consent to receive the data on the one or more categories of traffic, the traffic pertaining to the one or more devices 130.

By receiving the second indication in this Action 503, the third node 113 may enable the first node to 111 check if the another node 117 may have consent to receive the data on the one or more categories of traffic, the traffic pertaining to the one or more devices 130. That is, the first node 111 may be enabled to facilitate the information to the another node 117 relating to traffic usage, while enabling the devices 130 to manage which nodes may be allowed to receive their information, so that the devices 130 may be enabled to block or prevent any suspicious malicious activity affecting the information relating to their traffic usage. This may enable that the devices 130 may make any privacy adjustments they may consider appropriate to guarantee the proper handling of their traffic usage information.

Action 504

In this Action 504, the third node 113 sends the third indication to the first node 111 in response to the received second indication. The third indication indicates that the another node 117 has the consent for at least the part of the data.

The sent third indication may be based on the stored received respective eleventh indications.

By sending the third indication in this Action 504, the third node 113 may enable the first node 111 to know if the another node 117 may have consent to receive the data on the one or more categories of traffic, the traffic pertaining to the one or more devices 130. That is, the first node 111 may be enabled to facilitate the information to the another node 117 relating to traffic usage, while enabling the devices 130 to manage which nodes may be allowed to receive their information, so that the devices 130 may be enabled to block or prevent any suspicious malicious activity affecting the information relating to their traffic usage. This may enable that the devices 130 may make any privacy adjustments they may consider appropriate to guarantee the proper handling of their traffic usage information.

Action 505

In this Action 505, the third node 113 may receive, from the second node 112 operating in the communications system 100, the instruction to store, for at least the one or more first categories of traffic, the first information indicating the one or more first groups of devices 130. Each of the first groups of devices may have traffic corresponding to a respective set of categories, of the one or more first categories of traffic.

The instruction to store may be received, e.g., via the fourth link 154.

Action 506

In this Action 506, the third node 113 may store the information in response to the received instruction.

Action 507

In this Action 507, the third node 113 may receive, from the sixth node 116, a twelfth indication. The twelfth indication may indicate a request from a first device 133 to indicate any nodes operating outside the communications system 100 having requested to receive the information about the first device 133.

The first device 133 may be one of the one or more devices 130.

The twelfth indication may be, for example, a Nudr_ request. The twelfth indication may further indicate the respective second identifier of the first device 133, e.g., its UE ID.

The nodes operating outside the communications system 100 having requested to receive the information about the first device 133 may be indicated as e.g., third parties.

In a non-limiting example, the twelfth indication may be, for example, a Nudr_ request(UE ID, Method[Get Third Party)).

The twelfth indication may be received, e.g., via the eighth link 158.

By receiving the twelfth indication, the sixth node 116 may enable to handle the information relating to traffic usage, while keeping the devices 130 informed about which nodes may be requesting to receive their information, so that the devices 130 may be made aware of any suspicious user tracking activity affecting the information relating to their traffic usage. This may enable that the devices 130 may make any privacy adjustments they may consider appropriate to guarantee the proper handling of their traffic usage information.

Action 508

In this Action 508, the third node 113 may send the thirteenth indication to the sixth node 116. The thirteenth indication may indicate any nodes operating outside the communications system 100 having requested to receive the information about the first device 133. The any nodes may comprise at least the another node 117.

The thirteenth indication may be a Nudr Profile.

The any nodes may be indicated as a list.

The thirteenth indication may be sent, e.g., via the eighth link 158.

The thirteenth indication may be, in a non-limiting example, e.g., a Nudr_Profile(List of Third parties).

By sending the thirteenth indication, the sixth node 116 may enable to handle the information relating to traffic usage, while keeping the devices 130 informed about which nodes may be requesting to receive their information, so that the devices 130 may be made aware of any suspicious malicious activity affecting the information relating to their traffic usage. This may enable that the devices 130 may make any privacy adjustments they may consider appropriate to guarantee the proper handling of their traffic usage information.

Figure 6 is a signalling diagram depicting a non-limiting example of embodiments herein, wherein the signalling may comprise interactions with the one or more devices 130. In this example, one of the one or more devices 130 is a UE, the sixth node 116 is an operator application portal, and the third node 113 is a UDR/UDM. In Figure 6, it is defined how the one or more devices 130 may, according to embodiments herein, accept the usage of profiling its web browsing history. As it was explained earlier, end users may be aware that their information may be being tracked and they may provide, or deny, their consent for that. In a previous step, an end user of the device 130, via SMS or other methods, may be informed or know how to connect to the sixth node 116, its operator web portal. The device 130 may receive a notification to connect to the operator web portal. In Step 1), in this web portal, the device 130 may provide its consent to get information about its traffic usage in order to elaborate an aggregated profile with other users. In the non-limiting example depicted in Figure 6, the device 130 provides its consent by sending a Provide_Consent_Request to the sixth node 116. In Step 2), the third node 113, in accordance with Action 501, receives the respective eleventh indication from the sixth node 116 as a Nudr_Consent_Store_Request(UE-ID) and, in accordance with Action 502, stores the consent of this device 130 in the third node 113. In Step 3), the third node 113 acknowledges the previous request by sending a Nudr_Consent_Store_Request(2000K) back to the sixth node 116. In Step 4), the sixth node 116 confirms the request of step 1 by sending a Provide_Consent_Response(200OK) back to the device 139. This Step may be performed after Step 1 , or once Step 2 and Step 3 may have been done.

Figure 7 is another signalling diagram depicting a non-limiting example of embodiments herein, wherein the signalling may comprise interactions with the one or more devices 130. In this example, one of the one or more devices 130 is a UE, the sixth node 116 is an operator application portal, and the third node 113 is a UDR/UDM. In Figure 7, it is particularly depicted how an end user get to know its profile. In Step 1) the device 130 may authenticate in the sixth node 116, the operator application web portal. An end user of the device 130 may want to perform one of the following operations; Get, to retrieve the profile, Delete, to remove the profile, Update, to modify the profile, or as it is stated in Step 5 knowing third parties that may have its profile. In the example depicted in Figure 7, the device 130 sends a Profile: request(Method[Get | Update | Delete]) to the sixth node 116. In Step 2), the sixth node 116 may ask the third node 113 about the profile of this device 130 with the corresponding operation. In the example depicted in Figure 7, the sixth node 116 sends a Nudr_ request(UE ID,Method[Get| Update ] Delete, Profile]) to the third node 113. In Step 3), the third node 113 answers with the result of operation of Step 2 by sending a Nudr_response(Profile). In Step 4), the sixth node 116 answers with the result of the operation of Step 1 by sending a Profile: response(Profile) to the device 130. In Step 5), the device 130 authenticates in the web portal. The end user of the device 130 may want to know the third parties that may have accessed its profile, by sending a Third Parties_Request to the sixth node 116. In Step 6), the sixth node 116 may ask the third node 113 about the third parties that may have accessed information of this user by sending, in accordance with Action 507, the twelfth indication as a Nudr_ request(UE ID, Method[Get Third Party)). In Step 7), the third node 113 may, in accordance with Action 508, answer with the result of the operation of Step 6 by sending the thirteenth indication as a Nudr_Profile(List of third parties) to the sixth node 116. In Step 8), the sixth node 116 answers with the result of the operation of Step 5, by sending a Profile(List of third parties) to the device 130. Other operations are not depicted in Figure 7, such as, for example, when the one or more devices 130 may restrict their profile to a specific application function. Figure 8 is yet another signalling diagram depicting a non-limiting example of embodiments herein, wherein the signalling may comprise interactions with the another node 117. In this example, the first node 111 is a NEF and the another node 117 is an AF/AS. In Figure 8, it is particularly depicted how the another node 117 may interact with an operator in order to know which categories may be exposed by the communications system 100. In Step 1), the another node 117 may request using an analytic ID of user profile asking for which categories may be provided by the communications system 100 by sending a Nnef_AnalyticsSubscription_Subscribe request({Analytic-ID=User-Profiling, Categories}). In Step 2), the first node 111 may answer with the list of categories that may be exposed by sending a Nudr_ Profile(List of categories).

Figure 9 is a further signalling diagram extending over panels a-e, depicting a nonlimiting example of the methods performed by the first node 111, the second node 112 and the third node 113, according to embodiments herein. In this example, the first node 111 is a NEF, the second node 112 is an NWDAF, the third node 113 is a UDM/UDR, and the another node 117 is an AF. In Figure 9, it is particularly depicted the fifth node 115, a new function that is referred to herein as a profiler, as described above. Also depicted in Figure 9 are the fourth node 114, a UPF in this example, an Application Server (AS) 900, and the one or more devices 130, represented by a single UE in the diagram. Starting in panel a, in Step 1), initially, the another node 117 may wish to know what the matched categories of the one or more devices 130, corresponding to a set of users, may be. For this purpose, the another node 117, acting as a consumer, subscribes to the Analytics of the NWDAF by sending, and the first node 111 obtaining, in accordance with Action 301 , the first indication as a Nnef_AnalyticsSubscription_Subscribe request, indicating the first identifier as the Analytic-Id: User profiling, the respective second identifiers a List of UE-ID, which indicates the list of users that the another node 117 may be interested to have the profile for, and the list of the requested traffic categories as a List of Requested Traffic Categories. These categories may be e.g., based on the categories previously exposed in Figure 8. In Step 2), the first node 111 confirms the request of Step 1 by sending a Nnef_AnalyricsSubscription_Subscribe response ({200 OK}) back to the another node 117. The first node 111 may then, check if the indicated one or more devices 130 in the first indication have the appropriate consent, for this specific AF if it is defined, and in accordance with Action 302, sends the second indication to the third node 113 as a Nudr_ Get_Consent(list of UE-ID, AFId=contentx), which the third node 113 receives in accordance with Action 503. The one or more devices 130 may have the consent but not for the another node 117. In this case, in Step 4), the third node 113 confirms that the one or more devices 130 have their consent by, in accordance with Action 504, sending the third indication to the first node 111 as a Nudr_ Get_Consent(list of LIE-ID, AFId=contentx), which the first node 111 receives in accordance with Action 303. Continuing in panel b), in Step 5), the first node 111 , in accordance with Action 305, sends the request of Step 1 towards the second node 112 with the fourth indication, as a NWDAF_AnalyticsSubscription_Subscribe request({Analytic-ID=User-Profiling, list of LIE-ID, list of Requested-Traffic-Categories AFId=contentx}) including the third identifier. The second node 112 receives the fourth indication in accordance with Action 401. In Step 6), the second node 112 confirms that the previous request is OK by sending a NWDAF_AnalyticsSubscription_Subscribe response({200 OK}), and starts profiling each device 130. In Step 7), the second node 112 triggers data collection from the fourth node 114 to retrieve information relative to traffic classification for the one or more devices 130, which may correspond to a set of users. The second node 112, to do this, sends, in accordance with Action 402, the seventh indication to the fourth node 114 as a Nupf_ EventExposure_Subscribe request({Event-ID=TrafficClassification, List of LIE-ID}). In Step 8), the fourth node 114 confirms the previous request by sending a Nupf_ EventExposure_Subscribe response({200OK}) back to the second node 112. In Step 9 and, continuing in panel c), Step 10), one of the devices 130 starts traffic by starting the application example.com. This is detected by the fourth node 114 according to the analytic provided in the previous step. It is depicted in two steps for clarity reasons. However, it may be understood that traffic may go directly from the device 130 to the AS 900. In Step 11), the fourth node notifies the second node 112, e.g., periodically, through an event relative to traffic classification, indicating in the example that this device 130 has traffic using this application. In accordance with Action 403, the second node 112 may receive an eighth indication as a Nupf_EventExposure_Notify request({Event-ID=Traffic Classification, LIE-ID, TrafficClassificationinfo(including App-ID=example.com)}). In Step 12), the second node 112 confirms that it has received previous notification by sending a Nupf_

EventExposure_Notifyresponse({200OK}) back to the fourth node 114. Continuing in panel d), in Step13), the second node 112 produces analytics based on data collected. The second node 112 may aggregate traffic classification information for the different devices 130 and expose this information to the fifth node 115 by, in accordance with Action 404, sending the ninth indication. In Step 14) the fifth node 115, according to the data provided by the second node 112, and according to the description provided earlier on profiling, identifies the profile, and/or the matched categories, to which the device 130 may pertain to. The fifth node 115 may then send, and the second node 112 may receive, in accordance with Action 405, the tenth indication as the profile, and/or the matched categories, to which the device 130 may pertain to. In Step 15), the second node 112, in accordance with Action 406, stores the profile and/or the matched categories for this device 130 into the third node 113, and the AF which requests this by sending a Nudr Store request (LIE-ID, Matched Traffic Categories, AFId=contentx). The third node 113 receives the instruction to store in accordance with Action 505, and stores the information in accordance with Action 506. Including the third identifier may be optional because it may be included in Step 19 when it may be finally included. In Step 16), the third node 113 acknowledges the previous request by sending a Nudr_Store_request (200OK) back to the second node 112. In Step 17), the second node 112, in agreement with Action 407, sends the matched profile and/or traffic categories towards the first node 111. Particularly, the second node 112 sends the fifth indication as a Nwdaf_AnalyticsSubscription_Notify request({Analytic-ID=User-Profiling, AnalyticResult=List of (LIE-ID, Matched-Traffic-Categories)}), which the first node 111 receives in accordance with Action 306. Continuing in panel e), in Step 18), the first node 111 acknowledges the previous request by sending a Nwdaf_AnalyticsSubscription_Notify response back to the second node 112. In Step 19), the first node 111 the first node 111 stores into the third node 113, the another node 117 which requests this information by sending a Nudr Store request (list of UE- ID, AFId=contentx). In Step 20), the third node 113 acknowledges the previous request by sending a Nudr_Store_response (200OK) back to the first node 111. In Step 21), the first node 111 sends to the another node 117 the request of step 17 by sending, in accordance with Action 307, the another indication as a Nnef_AnalyticsSubscription_Notify request({Analytic-ID=User-Profiling, AnalyticResult=List of (LIE-ID, Matched-Traffic- Categories)}). In Step 22), the another node 117 acknowledges the previous request by sending a Nnef_AnalyticsSubscription_Notify response.

Particular use case of embodiments herein

The embodiments herein, in addition to the purpose already explained earlier, may be additionally applied for a variety of other use cases. In a particular use case, the embodiments herein may be used, for example, for inserting content, such as advertisements, in web pages. In such cases, the another node 117 may be, for example a Consumer Content provider, such as e.g., a marketing provider.

Current criteria in existing methods

For this particular use case, it may be understood that according to the current criteria about inserting advertisements in existing methods, the choice of what advertisements to show on a web page may be typically based on three broad categories of information. The first category may be first-party and contextual information, e.g., "put this ad on web pages about motorcycles". The second category may be general information about the interests of the user who may be going to see the ad, e.g., “show this ad to Classical Music Lovers”. The third category may be specific previous actions the user may have taken, e.g., "offer a discount on some shoes that the use left in a shopping cart".

Advertisements may, according to existing methods, be provided by the service providers to which a user may connect. But service providers may not know how and when users may connect to other service providers and which other types of traffic they may be generating. Those profiles may be used to select an advertisement to the end user.

In today's web, the interests of users may be typically inferred based on observing what sites or pages the users may visit, which may rely on tracking techniques such as third-party cookies or less-transparent mechanisms such as device fingerprinting. Therefore, interestbased advertising may be based on collecting the browsing history of a particular individual.

End users may not be aware of the profile in which they may be being categorized. They may also not be aware of which companies may have categorized them or may be using its data.

Cookies have been a problem for Internet privacy. This is because they may be used to track browsing behavior and then use that data to personalize ads and product offerings. Because of this, laws have been made in some countries to protect people's privacy. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation law on data protection and privacy in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). It also addresses the transfer of personal data outside the EU and EEA areas. The primary aim of the GDPR may be understood to be to enhance individuals' control and rights over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business.

Embodiments herein

For the use case of inserting content, such as advertisements, in web pages, embodiments herein may provide a mechanism which may be based on defining a new API for exposure between a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) and a Content Provider, relative to sending interest-based advertising based on groups.

The Content Provider, e.g., an AF/AS, may trigger towards the first node 111 of the MNO, e.g., the NEF, a procedure to get end the user profile, e.g., the list of traffic categories, using a new API, e.g., a new Nnef API. The first node 11 may send this request to the third node 113. The third node 113 may provide the profile to the another node 117. The third node 113 may store which Content Provider may be asking information for this user.

Embodiments herein may also provide a method where end users may check in which profile they may have been categorized and which advertisement companies may have asked for their profile. For the use case of inserting content, such as advertisements, in web pages, the Third Parties in Figure 7 may be Advertising companies. In Step 6 of Figure 7, the Nudr request may be a Nudr_ request(UE ID, Method[Get Advertising)).

Also, in the non-limiting example of Figure 9, the another node 117 may be, for example the AF of a Consumer Content provider, such as e.g., a marketing provider. Also in Figure 9, the third identifier may be an AFid=marketing. According to embodiments herein, end users may be enabled to provide consent to be profiled. This consent acceptance may be stored in the third node 113 using the interface of the first node 111. Also, the end users may get/update/delete their profile using the interface of the first node 111.

As a summarized overview of the foregoing, embodiments herein may be understood to provide a simple and efficient mechanism which may allow a network operator to expose a profile of a device. Embodiments herein may also provide a method where end users may ask for this profile, and check which third parties may have checked their profiles.

One advantage of embodiments herein is that they may allow an MNO to support user profiling and exposing this information to third parties. Another advantage of embodiments herein may be that an end user may know in which group he/she may have been categorized. A further advantage of embodiments herein may be understood to be that an end user may indicate which provider may have their data.

Figure 10 depicts two different examples in panels a) and b), respectively, of the arrangement that the first node 111 may comprise to perform the method actions described above in relation to Figure 3 and/or any of Figures 6-9. In some embodiments, the first node 111 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 10a. The first node 111 may be understood to be for handling traffic. The first node 111 is configured to operate in the communications system 100.

Several embodiments are comprised herein. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. In Figure 10, optional boxes are indicated by dashed lines. The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the first node 111 and will thus not be repeated here. For example, the first node 111 may be configured to be a NEF, the second node 112 may be configured to be a NWDAF and the another node 117 may be configured to be an AF. The third node 113 may be configured to be a UDR.

The first node 111 is configured to, e.g., by means of an obtaining unit 1001 within the first node 111 configured to, obtain the first indication from the another node 117 configured to operate outside the communications system 100. The first indication may be configured to indicate the request to receive, for one or more categories of traffic, the information configured to indicate the one or more groups of devices 130. Each of the groups of devices may be configured to have traffic configured to correspond to the respective set of categories of the one or more categories of traffic.

The first node 111 is also configured to, e.g., by means of an initiating unit 1002 within the first node 111 configured to, initiate collection of at least the part of the information by the second node 112 configured to operate in the communications system 100, based on the first indication configured to be received.

The first node 111 is also configured to, e.g., by means of a sending unit 1003 within the first node 111 configured to, send the another indication to the another node 117. The another indication is configured to indicate at least the part of the information configured to be requested.

In some embodiments, the initiating of the collection and the sending of the another indication may be configured to be performed with the proviso that the consent to the collection, by at least the first subset 131 of the devices 130 configured to be comprised in the one or more first groups of devices 130, of the one or more groups of devices 130, may be configured to be obtained for at least the part of the information.

In some embodiments, the first node 111 may be also configured to, e.g., by means of the sending unit 1003 within the first node 111 configured to, send, based on the first indication configured to be received, the second indication to the third node 113 configured to operate in the communications system 100. The second indication may be configured to request whether or not the another node 117 may have the consent by the devices 130 to the collection of the information.

In some embodiments, the first node 111 may be also configured to, e.g., by means of a receiving unit 1004 within the first node 111 configured to, receive the third indication from the third node 113 in response to the second indication configured to be sent. The third indication may be configured to indicate that the another node 117 may have the consent for at least the part of the information from the at least subset 131 of the devices 130. The initiating of the collection and the sending of the another indication may be configured to be based on the third indication configured to be received. In some embodiments wherein the one or more categories may be configured to comprise the one or more first categories and one or more second categories, wherein the third indication may be configured to indicate the another node 117 may have the consent to receive the information for the one or more first categories from the first subset 131 of the devices 130 and may lack the consent for the one or more second categories from the second subset 132 of the devices 130, and wherein the part of the information may be configured to be the first information for the one or more first categories from the first subset 131 of the devices 130, the first node 111 may be also configured to, e.g., by means of the sending unit 1003 within the first node 111 configured to, send, based on the received third indication, the further indication to the another node 117. The further indication may be configured to indicate the another node 117 may lack consent to receive the information for the one or more second categories from the second subset 132 of the devices 130.

In some embodiments wherein the initiating of the may be configured to be performed by sending a the fourth indication to the second node 112 configured to request the collection, the first node 111 may be also configured to, e.g., by means of the receiving unit 1004 within the first node 111 configured to, receive, based on the fourth indication configured to be sent, the one or more fifth indications from the second node 112. The one or more fifth indications may be configured to indicate at least the part of the information. The another indication may be configured to be the sixth indication configured to be based on the one or more fifth indications configured to be received.

The embodiments herein may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 1005 in the first node 111 depicted in Figure 10, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the in the first node 111. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the first node 111.

The first node 111 may further comprise a memory 1006 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 1006 is arranged to be used to store obtained information, store data, configurations, schedulings, and applications etc. to perform the methods herein when being executed in the first node 111.

In some embodiments, the first node 111 may receive information from, e.g., the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 900, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133 and/or another node or device through a receiving port 1007. In some examples, the receiving port 1007 may be, for example, connected to one or more antennas in the first node 111. In other embodiments, the first node 111 may receive information from another structure in the communications system 100 through the receiving port 1007. Since the receiving port 1007 may be in communication with the processor 1005, the receiving port 1007 may then send the received information to the processor 1005. The receiving port 1007 may also be configured to receive other information.

The processor 1005 in the first node 111 may be further configured to transmit or send information to e.g., the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 900, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133, another node or device and/or another structure in the communications system 100, through a sending port 1008, which may be in communication with the processor 1005, and the memory 1006.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that any of the units 1001-1004 described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g., stored in memory, that, when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 1005, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).

Any of the units 1001-1004 described above may be the processor 1005 of the first node 111 , or an application running on such processor.

Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the first node 111 may be respectively implemented by means of a computer program 1009 product, comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, which, when executed on at least one processor 1005, cause the at least one processor 1005 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the first node 111. The computer program 1009 product may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium 1010. The computer-readable storage medium 1010, having stored thereon the computer program 1009, may comprise instructions which, when executed on at least one processor 1005, cause the at least one processor 1005 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the first node 111. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium 1010 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disc, a memory stick, or stored in the cloud space. In other embodiments, the computer program 1009 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or the computer-readable storage medium 1010, as described above.

The first node 111 may comprise an interface unit to facilitate communications between the first node 111 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 900, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133, another node or device and/or another structure in the communications system 100. In some particular examples, the interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.

In other embodiments, the first node 111 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 10b. The first node 111 may comprise a processing circuitry 1005, e g., one or more processors such as the processor 1005, in the first node 111 and the memory 1006. The first node 111 may also comprise a radio circuitry 1011 , which may comprise e.g., the receiving port 1007 and the sending port 1008. The processing circuitry 1005 may be configured to, or operable to, perform the method actions according to Figure 3 and/or any of Figures 6-9, in a similar manner as that described in relation to Figure 10a. The radio circuitry 1011 may be configured to set up and maintain at least a wireless connection with the second node 112, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 900, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133, another node or device and/or another structure in the communications system 100.

Hence, embodiments herein also relate to the first node 111 , e.g., operative for handling traffic, the first node 111 being operative to operate in the communications system 100. The first node 111 may comprise the processing circuitry 1005 and the memory 1006, said memory 1006 containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry 1005, whereby the first node 111 is further operative to perform the actions described herein in relation to the first node 111 , e.g., in Figure 3 and/or any of Figures 6-9.

Figure 11 depicts two different examples in panels a) and b), respectively, of the arrangement that the second node 112 may comprise to perform the method actions described above in relation to Figure 4 and/or any of Figures 5-9. In some embodiments, the second node 112 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 11a. The second node 112 may be understood to be for handling traffic. The second node 112 is configured to operate in the communications system 100.

Several embodiments are comprised herein. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. In Figure 11, optional boxes are indicated by dashed lines. The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the third node 113 and will thus not be repeated here. For example, the first node 111 may be configured to be a NEF, the second node 112 may be configured to be a NWDAF and the fourth node 114 may be configured to be a UPF. In some embodiments, the third node 113 may be configured to be a II DR and the another node 117 may be configured to be an AF

The second node 112 is configured to, e.g., by means of a receiving unit 1101 within the second node 112 configured to, receive the fourth indication from the first node 111 configured to operate in the communications system 100. The fourth indication is configured to indicate to initiate collection, for at least the one or more first categories of traffic, of the first information configured to indicate the one or more first groups of devices 130. Each of the first groups of devices is configured to have traffic corresponding to the respective set of categories of the one or more first categories of traffic. The fourth indication may be further configured to indicate the another node 117 configured to operate outside the communications system 100 from which the request for the first information is configured to originate.

In some embodiments, the second node 112 is further configured to, e.g., by means of a sending unit 1102 within the second node 112 configured to, send the seventh indication to the fourth node 114 configured to operate in the communications system 100. The seventh indication is configured to request to collect the data. The data is configured to indicate the first information about the traffic configured to correspond to the one or more first categories of traffic for the first subset 131 of devices configured to correspond to the devices comprised in the one or more first groups of devices.

In some embodiments, the second node 112 may be further configured to, e.g., by means of the receiving unit 1101 within the second node 112 configured to, receive, in response to the seventh indication configured to be sent, the one or more eighth indications from the fourth node 114. The one or more eighth indications are configured to indicate the collected data configured to indicate the first information.

In some embodiments, the second node 112 may be further configured to, e.g., by means of the sending unit 1102 within the second node 112 configured to, send, based on the one or more eighth indications configured to be received, the one or more fifth indications to the first node 111. The one or more fifth indications are configured to indicate the first information.

The second node 112 may be further configured to, e.g., by means of a providing unit 1103 within the second node 112 configured to, provide, the one or more ninth indications the a fifth node 115 configured to operate in the communications system 100. The one or more ninth indications may be configured to request to determine the one or more first groups of devices using the one or more eighth indications configured to be received.

In some embodiments, the second node 112 may be further configured to, e.g., by means of the receiving unit 1101 within the second node 112 configured to, receive the one or more tenth indications from the fifth node 115 in response to the one or more ninth indications configured to be sent. The one or more tenth indications may be configured to indicate the first information. The one or more fifth indications may be configured to be based on the one or more tenth indications configured to be received.

The second node 112 may be further configured to, e.g., by means of an instructing unit 1104 within the second node 112 configured to, instruct the third node 113 configured to operate in the communications system 100 to store the first information configured to be indicated in the one or more tenth indications.

The embodiments herein may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 1105 in the second node 112 depicted in Figure 11, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the in the second node 112. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the second node 112.

The second node 112 may further comprise a memory 1106 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 1106 is arranged to be used to store obtained information, store data, configurations, schedulings, and applications etc. to perform the methods herein when being executed in the second node 112.

In some embodiments, the second node 112 may receive information from, e.g., the first node 111 , the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 900, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133 and/or another node or device, through a receiving port 1107. In some examples, the receiving port 1107 may be, for example, connected to one or more antennas in the second node 112. In other embodiments, the second node 112 may receive information from another structure in the communications system 100 through the receiving port 1107. Since the receiving port 1107 may be in communication with the processor 1105, the receiving port 1107 may then send the received information to the processor 1105. The receiving port 1107 may also be configured to receive other information. The processor 1105 in the second node 112 may be further configured to transmit or send information to e.g., the first node 111, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 900, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133, another node or device and/or another structure in the communications system 100, through a sending port 1108, which may be in communication with the processor 1105, and the memory 1106.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the units 1101-1104 described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g., stored in memory, that, when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 1105, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).

The units 1101-1104 described above may be the processor 1105 of the second node 112, or an application running on such processor.

Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the second node 112 may be respectively implemented by means of a computer program 1109 product, comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, which, when executed on at least one processor 1105, cause the at least one processor 1105 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the second node 112. The computer program 1109 product may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium 1110. The computer-readable storage medium 1110, having stored thereon the computer program 1109, may comprise instructions which, when executed on at least one processor 1105, cause the at least one processor 1105 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the second node 112. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium 1110 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disc, a memory stick, or stored in the cloud space. In other embodiments, the computer program 1109 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or the computer-readable storage medium 1110, as described above.

The second node 112 may comprise an interface unit to facilitate communications between the second node 112 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the first node 111 , the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 900, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133, another node or device and/or another structure in the communications system 100. In some particular examples, the interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.

In other embodiments, the second node 112 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 11b. The second node 112 may comprise a processing circuitry 1105, e.g., one or more processors such as the processor 1105, in the second node 112 and the memory 1106. The second node 112 may also comprise a radio circuitry 1111, which may comprise e.g., the receiving port 1107 and the sending port 1108. The processing circuitry 1105 may be configured to, or operable to, perform the method actions according to Figure 4 and/or any of Figures 5-9, in a similar manner as that described in relation to Figure 11a. The radio circuitry 1111 may be configured to set up and maintain at least a wireless connection with the first node 111, the third node 113, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 900, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133, another node or device and/or another structure in the communications system 100.

Hence, embodiments herein also relate to the second node 112, e.g., operative for handling traffic, the second node 112 being operative to operate in the communications system 100. The second node 112 may comprise the processing circuitry 1105 and the memory 1106, said memory 1106 containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry 1105, whereby the second node 112 is further operative to perform the actions described herein in relation to the second node 112, e.g., in Figure 4 and/or any of Figures 5- 9.

Figure 12 depicts two different examples in panels a) and b), respectively, of the arrangement that the third node 113, may comprise to perform the method actions described above in relation to Figure 5, and/or any of Figures 6-9. In some embodiments, the third node 113 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 12a. The third node 113 may be understood to be for handling traffic. The third node 113 is configured to operate in the communications system 100.

Several embodiments are comprised herein. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art how those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments. In Figure 12, optional boxes are indicated by dashed lines. The detailed description of some of the following corresponds to the same references provided above, in relation to the actions described for the third node 113 and will thus not be repeated here. For example, the first node 111 may be configured to be a NEF, the third node 113 may be configured to be a II DR and the another node 117 may be configured to be an AF. In some embodiments, the second node 112 may be configured to be a NWDAF.

The third node 113 is configured to, e.g., by means of a receiving unit 1201 within the third node 113 configured to, receive the second indication from the first node 111 configured to operate in the communications system 100. The second indication is configured to request whether or not the another node 117 configured to operate outside the communications system 100 has consent to receive the data on the one or more categories of traffic. The traffic is configured to pertain to one or more devices 130.

In some embodiments, the third node 113 is also configured to, e.g., by means of a sending unit 1202 within the third node 113 configured to, send the third indication to the first node 111 in response to the second indication configured to be received. The third indication is configured to indicate that the another node 117 has the consent for at least the part of the data.

In some embodiments, the third node 113 may be configured to, e.g., by means of the receiving unit 1201 within the third node 113 configured to, receive, from the second node 112 configured to operate in the communications system 100, the instruction to store, for at least the one or more first categories of traffic, the first information configured to indicate the one or more first groups of devices 130. Each of the first groups of devices may be configured to have traffic configured to correspond to the respective set of categories of the one or more first categories of traffic.

In some embodiments, the third node 113 may be configured to, e.g., by means of a storing unit 1203 within the third node 113 configured to, store the information in response to the instruction configured to be received.

In some embodiments, the third node 113 may be configured to, e.g., by means of the receiving unit 1201 within the third node 113 configured to, receive, from the sixth node 116 configured to operate in the communications system 100, the respective eleventh indication from the one or more devices 130. Each of the respective eleventh indications may be configured to indicate whether or not the one or more devices 130 respectively consent to the another node 117 configured to receive the information.

In some embodiments, the third node 113 may be configured to, e.g., by means of the storing unit 1203 within the third node 113 configured to, store the respective eleventh indications configured to be received. The third indication configured to be sent may be configured to be based on the received respective eleventh indications configured to be stored.

In some embodiments, the third node 113 may be configured to, e.g., by means of the receiving unit 1201 within the third node 113 configured to, receive, from the sixth node 116, the twelfth indication configured to indicate the request from the first device 133 to indicate any nodes configured to operate outside the communications system 100 being configured to have requested to receive the information about the first device 133.

In some embodiments, the third node 113 may be configured to, e.g., by means of the sending unit 1202 within the third node 113 configured to, send the thirteenth indication to the sixth node 116. The thirteenth indication may be configured to indicate any nodes configured to operate outside the communications system 100 configured to have requested to receive the information about the first device 133. The any nodes may be configured to comprise at least the another node 117.

The embodiments herein may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 1204 in the third node 113 depicted in Figure 12, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the in the third node 113. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the third node 113.

The third node 113 may further comprise a memory 1205 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 1205 is arranged to be used to store obtained information, store data, configurations, schedulings, and applications etc. to perform the methods herein when being executed in the third node 113.

In some embodiments, the third node 113 may receive information from, e.g., the first node 111 , the second node 112, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 1200, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133 and/or another node or device, through a receiving port 1206. In some examples, the receiving port 1206 may be, for example, connected to one or more antennas in the third node 113. In other embodiments, the third node 113 may receive information from another structure in the communications system 100 through the receiving port 1206. Since the receiving port 1206 may be in communication with the processor 1204, the receiving port 1206 may then send the received information to the processor 1204. The receiving port 1206 may also be configured to receive other information.

The processor 1204 in the third node 113 may be further configured to transmit or send information to e.g., the first node 111, the second node 112, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 1200, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133, another node or device and/or another structure in the communications system 100, through a sending port 1207, which may be in communication with the processor 1204, and the memory 1205.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that any of the units 1201-1203 described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g., stored in memory, that, when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 1204, perform as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).

Any of the units 1201-1203 described above may be the processor 1204 of the third node 113, or an application running on such processor.

Thus, the methods according to the embodiments described herein for the third node 113 may be respectively implemented by means of a computer program 1208 product, comprising instructions, i.e., software code portions, which, when executed on at least one processor 1204, cause the at least one processor 1204 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the third node 113. The computer program 1208 product may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium 1209. The computer-readable storage medium 1209, having stored thereon the computer program 1208, may comprise instructions which, when executed on at least one processor 1204, cause the at least one processor 1204 to carry out the actions described herein, as performed by the third node 113. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium 1209 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a CD ROM disc, a memory stick, or stored in the cloud space. In other embodiments, the computer program 1208 product may be stored on a carrier containing the computer program, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or the computer-readable storage medium 1209, as described above.

The third node 113 may comprise an interface unit to facilitate communications between the third node 113 and other nodes or devices, e.g., the first node 111, the second node 112, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 1200, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133, another node or device and/or another structure in the communications system 100. In some particular examples, the interface may, for example, include a transceiver configured to transmit and receive radio signals over an air interface in accordance with a suitable standard.

In other embodiments, the third node 113 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in Figure 12b. The third node 113 may comprise a processing circuitry 1204, e.g., one or more processors such as the processor 1204, in the third node 113 and the memory 1205. The third node 113 may also comprise a radio circuitry 1210, which may comprise e.g., the receiving port 1206 and the sending port 1207. The processing circuitry 1204 may be configured to, or operable to, perform the method actions according to Figure 5, and/or any of Figures 6-9, in a similar manner as that described in relation to Figure 12a. The radio circuitry 1210 may be configured to set up and maintain at least a wireless connection with the first node 111 , the second node 112, the fourth node 114, the fifth node 115, the sixth node 116, the another node 117, the AS 1200, the radio network node 140, the one or more devices 130, the first device 133, another node or device and/or another structure in the communications system 100.

Hence, embodiments herein also relate to the third node 113, e.g., operative for handling traffic, the third node 113 being operative to operate in the communications system 100. The third node 113 may comprise the processing circuitry 1204 and the memory 1205, said memory 1205 containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry 1204, whereby the third node 113 is further operative to perform the actions described herein in relation to the third node 113, e.g., in Figure 5, and/or any of Figures 6-9.

When using the word "comprise" or “comprising”, it shall be interpreted as non- limiting, i.e. meaning "consist at least of".

The embodiments herein are not limited to the above described preferred embodiments. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be used. Therefore, the above embodiments should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.

Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is clearly given and/or is implied from the context in which it is used. All references to a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methods disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following or preceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step must follow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may apply to any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from the following description.

As used herein, the expression “at least one of:” followed by a list of alternatives separated by commas, and wherein the last alternative is preceded by the “and” term, may be understood to mean that only one of the list of alternatives may apply, more than one of the list of alternatives may apply or all of the list of alternatives may apply. This expression may be understood to be equivalent to the expression “at least one of:” followed by a list of alternatives separated by commas, and wherein the last alternative is preceded by the “or” term. Any of the terms processor and circuitry may be understood herein as a hardware component.

As used herein, the expression “in some embodiments” has been used to indicate that the features of the embodiment described may be combined with any other embodiment or example disclosed herein. As used herein, the expression “in some examples” has been used to indicate that the features of the example described may be combined with any other embodiment or example disclosed herein.

REFERENCES 1. 3GPP TS 29.522 v17.3.0 (Sept 2021): 5G System; Network Exposure Function Northbound APIs; Stage 3

2. 3GPP TS 23.288 v17.2.0 (Sept 2021) Architecture enhancements for 5G System (5GS) to support network data analytics services (Release 17).