DELAY BUDGET IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to a communication network, and relates more particularly to a delay budget in such a network.

BACKGROUND

A quality of service (QoS) profile for a QoS flow in a communication network specifies a delay budget for sets of packets belonging to the QoS flow, e.g., where packets in a set carry respective parts of a unit of application layer information. The delay budget appropriate for sets of packets belonging to the QoS flow may change, though, such as may be the case where the packets in a set carry respective parts of the same video frame and the frame rate changes. Problematically, updating the delay budget heretofore requires setting up another QoS flow, which consumes signaling resources and increases latency. To avoid consuming signaling resources or increasing latency, the delay budget could be kept the same, but keeping the delay budget static for the QoS flow jeopardizes scheduling optimality, e.g., scheduling sets of packets for quicker delivery than required by an application proves sub-optimal from a scheduling perspective and limits network capacity.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments herein enable a variable delay budget for sets of packets belonging to a QoS flow. Some embodiments in this regard enable different sets of packets belonging to the same QoS flow to have different delay budgets, e.g., as triggered and/or signaling by the application whose information is carried by the packets. Some embodiments herein accordingly provide signaling, e.g., in-band with at least some of the packets in a set, to indicate the delay budget of the packets in the set. Some embodiments herein also provide control plane signaling as needed to configure nodes in a communication network to handle the variable delay budget of packet sets belonging to a QoS flow.

More particularly, embodiments herein include a method performed by a communication device configured for use in a communication network. The method comprises transmitting, to an access network node in an access network of the communication network, a buffer status report that reports an amount of uplink data available at the communication device and that indicates a delay budget of the uplink data. In some embodiments, the method also comprises generating the buffer status report.

In some embodiments, the uplink data includes one or more sets of one or more packets, and the indicated delay budget is a packet set delay budget that comprises a delay budget of each of the one or more sets of one or more packets. In some embodiments, for each of the one or more sets of one or more packets, the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information. In some embodiments, an application layer unit of information is a video frame. In some embodiments, the method further comprises generating one or more video frames at an application layer of the communication device, and adapting a delay budget of the uplink data responsive to adaptations in a frame rate of the one or more video frames. In some embodiments, a set of packets is a set of PDlls.

In some embodiments, transmitting the buffer status report comprises transmitting the buffer status report from a first layer of a protocol stack at the communication device. In some embodiments, the first layer is a Medium Access Control, MAC, layer. In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving, at the first layer, from a second layer of the protocol stack, signaling indicating the delay budget. In this case, the method further comprises, at the first layer, generating the buffer status report based on the received signaling.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report reports an amount of uplink data available at the communication device for a group of one or more logical channels.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises selecting the delay budget from a set of multiple candidate values defined for an application that generated the uplink data.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the uplink data.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the uplink data.

Other embodiments herein include a method performed by an access network node in an access network of a communication network. The method comprises receiving, from a communication device, a buffer status report that reports an amount of uplink data available at the communication device and that indicates a delay budget of the uplink data.

In some embodiments, the uplink data includes one or more sets of one or more packets, and the indicated delay budget is a packet set delay budget that comprises a delay budget of each of the one or more sets of one or more packets. In some embodiments, for each of the one or more sets of one or more packets, the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information. In some embodiments, an application layer unit of information is a video frame. In some embodiments, a set of packets is a set of PDlls.

In some embodiments, receiving the buffer status report comprises receiving the buffer status report at a first layer of a protocol stack at the access network node. In some embodiments, the first layer is a Medium Access Control, MAC, layer.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report reports an amount of uplink data available at the communication device for a group of one or more logical channels.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the uplink data. In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining the delay budget of the uplink data by adjusting the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment value to which the adjusted delay budget pointer field points.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the uplink data.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises scheduling the uplink data based on the delay budget indicated by the buffer status report.

Other embodiments herein include a method performed by a core network node in a core network of a communication network. The method comprises generating a quality of service, QoS, profile that contains QoS parameters for a QoS flow. In some embodiments, the QoS profile indicates a set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for a delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow. In this case, the method also comprises providing the QoS profile to an access network of the communication network.

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates the set of multiple candidate values. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter.

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter and an adjusted delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates a nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget parameter indicates a set of candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter and wherein the adjusted delay budget parameter is an Adjusted Delay Budget parameter.

In some embodiments, during a packet session, the delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow is variable between the multiple candidate values.

In some embodiments, the core network node implements a Session Management Function, SMF.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving, from an application function, information indicating the set of multiple candidate values and wherein the QoS profile is generated based on the received information.

In some embodiments, a set of packets is a set of PDUs. In some embodiments, the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information. In some embodiments, the application layer unit of information is a video frame.

Other embodiments herein include a method performed by an access network node in an access network of a communication network. The method comprises receiving, from a control plane network node in a core network of the communication network, a quality of service, QoS, profile that contains QoS parameters for a QoS flow. In some embodiments, the QoS profile indicates a set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for a delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow. In this case, the method also comprises handling a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow according to the QoS profile for the QoS flow.

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates the set of multiple candidate values. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter.

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter and an adjusted delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates a nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget parameter indicates a set of candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter and the adjusted delay budget parameter is an Adjusted Delay Budget parameter.

In some embodiments, during a packet session, the delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow is variable between the multiple candidate values.

In some embodiments, the control plane network node implements a Session Management Function, SMF.

In some embodiments, a set of packets is a set of PDUs.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving a packet in a set of packets that belongs to the QoS flow, and determining the delay budget of the set of packets from a header of the received packet and from the QoS profile for the QoS flow. In this case, the method further comprises handling the packet based on the determined delay budget. In some embodiments, receiving the packet comprises receiving the packet from a user plane network node in the core network over a user plane tunnel between the user plane network node and the access network node. In some embodiments, the header of the received packet is a tunnel extension header of the received packet. In some embodiments, the user plane tunnel is a General Packet Radio Service, GPRS, Tunnelling Protocol, GTP, and the tunnel extension header is a GTP user plane extension header. In some embodiments, the tunnel extension header of the received packet includes a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, determining the delay budget comprises determining the delay budget from a field in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame and from the QoS profile for the QoS flow. In some embodiments, the user plane network node implements a User Plane Function, UPF. In some embodiments, the access network node is split into a centralized unit and one or more distributed units, and receiving the packet comprises receiving the packet from the centralized unit at one of the one or more distributed units. In some embodiments, the header indicates which of the multiple candidate values in the QoS profile is the delay budget for the set of packets. In some embodiments, the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter and an adjusted delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates a nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget parameter indicates a set of candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values. In some embodiments, the header of the received packet includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field, and determining the delay budget comprises identifying to which one of the candidate adjustment values the adjusted delay budget pointer field points. In this case, determining the delay budget also comprises adjusting the nominal delay budget value by the identified candidate adjustment value, to obtain the delay budget for the set of packets. In some embodiments, the header comprises a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame that includes control information associated with transfer of the packet over an interface to the access network node, and the adjusted delay budget pointer field is included in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates the set of multiple candidate values. In some embodiments, the header of the received packet includes a packet set delay budget pointer field, and determining the delay budget comprises identifying to which one of the multiple candidate values the packet set delay budget pointer field points. In some embodiments, the header comprises a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame that includes control information associated with transfer of the packet over an interface to the access network node, and the packet set delay budget pointer field is included in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, handling the packet based on the determined delay budget comprises scheduling the packet based on the determined delay budget. In some embodiments, handling the packet based on the determined delay budget comprises transmitting or dropping the received packet depending respectively on whether or not all packets in the set of packets are able to be delivered within the determined delay budget.

In some embodiments, the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information. In some embodiments, the application layer unit of information is a video frame.

Other embodiments herein include a method performed by a network node in a communication network. The method comprises receiving a packet in a set of packets that belongs to a quality of service, QoS, flow. In this case, the method also comprises adding, to the packet, header information that indicates a delay budget of the set of packets, from among multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow. In this case, the method also comprises forwarding the packet along with the added header information.

In some embodiments, the network node is a user plane network node in a core network of the communication network. In some embodiments, the user plane network node implements a User Plane Function, UPF. In some embodiments, forwarding the packet comprises forwarding the packet to an access network node in an access network of the communication network. In some embodiments, forwarding the packet comprises transmitting the packet over a user plane tunnel between the user plane network node and the access network node. In some embodiments, the header information is added to a tunnel extension header of the packet. In some embodiments, the user plane tunnel is a General Packet Radio Service, GPRS, Tunnelling Protocol, GTP, and the tunnel extension header is a GTP user plane extension header. In some embodiments, the tunnel extension header of the received packet includes a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, the header information is added to a field in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame.

In some embodiments, the multiple candidate values are defined in a QoS profile for the QoS flow.

In some embodiments, the header information includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value for the QoS flow. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget pointer field is included in a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame includes control information associated with transfer of the packet over an interface to the access network node.

In some embodiments, the header information includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of the multiple candidate values. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget pointer field is included in a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame includes control information associated with transfer of the packet over an interface to the access network node. In some embodiments, the packet is received from an application server.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining the header information from a header of the received packet. In some embodiments, the received packet is a Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, and the header of the received packet is an RTP extension header. In some embodiments, the header of the received packet includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value for the QoS flow. In some embodiments, the header of the received packet includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of the multiple candidate values.

In some embodiments, the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information. In some embodiments, the application layer unit of information is a video frame.

Other embodiments herein include a method performed by an application server. The method comprises generating a set of packets. In some embodiments, the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same unit of information from an application layer of the application server. In some embodiments, each of one or more of the packets in the set have a header that indicates a delay budget of the set of packets. In this case, the method also comprises transmitting the set of packets to a communication network.

In some embodiments, generating the set of packets is performed as part of generating multiple sets of packets for respective units of information from the application layer, and at least some of the sets of packets have different delay budgets.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises selecting the delay budget of the set of packets from a set of multiple candidate values defined for an application that generated the unit of information. In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving the set of multiple candidate values from an application function, AF.

In some embodiments, the header of a packet includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the unit of information. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget pointer field is included in a Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, extension header of a packet.

In some embodiments, the header of a packet includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the unit of information. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget pointer field is included in a Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, extension header of a packet.

Other embodiments herein include a method performed by equipment configured to implement an application function. The method comprises generating, for an application, QoS parameters that indicate a set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for a delay budget of the application, and providing the QoS parameters to a control plane network node of a communication network.

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters include a nominal delay budget parameter indicating a nominal delay budget of the application. In this case, the QoS parameters also include a delay budget adjustment parameter indicating a set of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value of the application. In some embodiments, the set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values.

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters include a delay budget parameter indicating the set of multiple candidate values for the delay budget.

In some embodiments, the application is an extended Reality, XR, application.

Embodiments herein also include corresponding apparatus, computer programs, and carriers of those computer programs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a communication network according to some embodiments.

Figure 2 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a communication device configured for use in a communication network in accordance with particular embodiments.

Figure 3 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by an access network node configured for use in a communication network in accordance with particular embodiments.

Figure 4 is a block diagram of a communication network according to other embodiments.

Figure 5 is a block diagram of a header including a delay budget for each of one or more of packets according to some embodiments.

Figure 6 is a block diagram of an alternative header including a delay budget for each of one or more of packets according to other embodiments.

Figure 7 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a core network node in a core network of a communication network in accordance with particular embodiments.

Figure 8 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by an access network node in an access network of a communication network in accordance with particular embodiments.

Figure 9 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a network node in a communication network in accordance with particular embodiments.

Figure 10 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by an application server in accordance with particular embodiments. Figure 11 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by equipment configured to implement an application function in accordance with particular embodiments.

Figure 12 illustrates an example of a buffer status report format according to some embodiments.

Figure 13 illustrates an example of a buffer status report format according to other embodiments.

Figure 14 is a block diagram of a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame according to some embodiments.

Figure 15 is a block diagram of a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame according to other embodiments.

Figure 16 is a block diagram of 5G network according to some embodiments.

Figure 17 is a block diagram of a buffer status report format according to some embodiments.

Figure 18 is a block diagram of a communication device transmitting a BSR from a lower layer based on signaling from a higher layer, according to some embodiments.

Figure 19 is a block diagram of a communication device according to some embodiments.

Figure 20 is a block diagram of a network node according to some embodiments.

Figure 21 is a block diagram of an application server according to some embodiments.

Figure 22 is a block diagram of a node according to some embodiments.

Figure 23 is a block diagram of a communication system in accordance with some embodiments.

Figure 24 is a block diagram of a user equipment according to some embodiments.

Figure 25 is a block diagram of a network node according to some embodiments.

Figure 26 is a block diagram of a host according to some embodiments.

Figure 27 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a communication network 10 according to some embodiments, e.g., a 5G network. The communication network 10 provides communication service to a communication device 12, e.g., a user equipment (UE). The communication network 10 in this regard includes an access network 10A which provides access to the communication device 12, e.g., the access network 10A may be a radio access network (RAN). The access network 10A may for instance provide a downlink 10D over which to send transmissions to the communication device 12, and provide an uplink 10U over which to receive transmissions from the communication device 12.

In some embodiments, the communication device 12 generates a buffer status report (BSR) 16 and transmits the BSR 16 to an access network node 14 in the access network 10A, e.g., over a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH). The BSR 16 reports an amount 16A of uplink data available at the communication device 12, e.g., for a group of one or more logical channels. The amount 16A of uplink data may for instance represent an amount of data in an uplink buffer at the communication device 12, waiting for transmission towards the access network 10A over the uplink 10U. The communication device 12 may transmit the BSR 16 to the access network node 14, to assist the access network node 14 with scheduling the uplink data for transmission to the access network node 14.

Notably, some embodiments herein enhance the BSR 16 with delay budget information, e.g., to further assist the access network node 14 with scheduling. As shown in Figure 1 in this regard, the buffer status report 16 further indicates a delay budget 16B of the uplink data (whose amount is reported by the buffer status report 16). The delay budget 16B of the uplink data is the maximum duration of delay budgeted for transport of the uplink data, e.g., in order to meet quality of service (QoS) requirements for the uplink data. Equipped with such a delay budget 16B, the access network node 14 may schedule the uplink data in a way that advantageously accounts for the delay budget 16B.

In fact, in some embodiments where the BSR 16 is transmitted from a relatively lower layer of its protocol stack, e.g., at the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, the delay budget 16B is included in the BSR 15 because such enables the delay budget 16B to be updated on a fairly dynamic basis. For example, rather than the delay budget being somewhat static or semi-static, as memorialized in a QoS profile for a QoS flow to which the uplink data belongs, the delay budget 16B may be updated or varied with transmission of the BSR 16. Some embodiments thereby enable different uplink data belonging to the same QoS flow to have different delay budgets, e.g., as triggered and/or signaling by the application whose information is carried by the uplink data. This may in turn provide improved scheduling by the access network node 14.

As shown in Figure 1 , for instance, the communication device 12 transmits the BSR 16 from a first layer 12-1 of a protocol stack at the communication device 12. Where the first layer 12-1 is a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, for instance, the BSR 16 may be a MAC Control Element (CE) Buffer Status Report (BSR), as described more fully hereinafter. In one such embodiment, the first layer 12-1 generates the BSR 16 based on signaling from a second layer 12-2 (e.g., an application layer) indicating the delay budget 16B. In this case, then, the delay budget 16B reflects the delay budget from the perspective of the second layer 12-2, but is signaled more dynamically at the first layer 12-1 for assisting with scheduling. In fact, where the second layer 12-2 is the application layer, the access network node 14 may adapt scheduling in response to application-triggered events.

In one example, the uplink data (whose amount is reported by the BSR 16) includes set(s) of packet(s), where the packet(s) in each set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information. For instance, where an application layer unit of information is a video frame, the packet(s) in each set carry respective parts of the same video frame. In this example, then, the communication device 12 may generate one or more video frames at the application layer 12-2, and adapt a delay budget 16B of the uplink data responsive to adaptations in a frame rate of the video frame(s). With this adapted delay budget 16B signaled quickly via a lower, first layer 12-2 (e.g., MAC layer), the access network node 14 may adapt its scheduling accordingly.

In these and other embodiments where the uplink data includes set(s) of packet(s), the indicated delay budget 16B may be referred to as a packet set delay budget (PSDB). Here, the PSDB is a delay budget of each of the set(s) of packet(s).

The BSR 16 may in any event indicate the delay budget 16B in any number of ways. In one embodiment, for example, the BSR 16 includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field (ADBPF) that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the uplink data. Effectively, then, the BSR 16 indicates the delay budget 16B by indicating an amount by which the delay budget 16B is adjusted relative to the nominal delay budget value. In another example, the BSR 16 includes a packet set delay budget pointer field (PSDBPF) that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the uplink data. In this case, the BSR 16 effectively indicates the delay budget 16B by indicating the absolute amount of the delay budget 16B, i.e., not a relative amount.

In view of the modifications and variations herein, Figure 2 depicts a method in accordance with particular embodiments. The method is performed by a communication device 12 configured for use in a communication network 10. The method includes transmitting, to an access network node 14 in an access network 10A of the communication network 10, a buffer status report 16 that reports an amount 16A of uplink data available at the communication device 12 and that indicates a delay budget 16B of the uplink data (Block 200).

In some embodiments, the method also includes generating the buffer status report 16, e.g., for transmission (Block 230). In one embodiment, for instance, the buffer status report 16 is generated at a first layer 12-1 of a protocol stack at the communication device 12, e.g., a MAC layer. In these and other embodiments, the method may comprise receiving, at the first layer 12-1, from a second layer 12-2 of the protocol stack, signaling indicating the delay budget 16B (Block 220), and then, at the first layer 12-1 , generating the buffer status report 16 based on the received signaling (Block 230).

Alternatively or additionally, the method may include generating one or more video frames at an application layer of the communication device 12, and adapting a delay budget 16 of the uplink data responsive to adaptations in a frame rate of the one or more video frames (Block 210).

In some embodiments, the uplink data includes one or more sets 24 of one or more packets 26, and the indicated delay budget 16B is a packet set delay budget that comprises a delay budget 16B of each of the one or more sets 24 of one or more packets 26. In some embodiments, for each of the one or more sets 24 of one or more packets 26, the packets 26 in the set 24 carry respective parts of the same application layer unit 22 of information. In some embodiments, an application layer unit 22 of information is a video frame. In some embodiments, a set of packets 26 is a set of PDlls.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report 16 reports an amount 16A of uplink data available at the communication device 12 for a group of one or more logical channels.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises selecting the delay budget 16B from a set of multiple candidate values 40 defined for an application that generated the uplink data.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report 16 includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the uplink data.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report 16 includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the uplink data.

Figure 3 depicts a method in accordance with other particular embodiments. The method is performed by an access network node 14 in an access network 10A of a communication network 10. The method includes receiving, from a communication device 12, a buffer status report 16 that reports an amount 16A of uplink data available at the communication device 12 and that indicates a delay budget 16B of the uplink data (Block 300).

In some embodiments, the method also includes scheduling the uplink data based on the delay budget 16B indicated by the buffer status report 16 (Block 320).

In some embodiments, the uplink data includes one or more sets 24 of one or more packets 26, and the indicated delay budget 16B is a packet set delay budget that comprises a delay budget 16B of each of the one or more sets 24 of one or more packets 26. In some embodiments, for each of the one or more sets 24 of one or more packets 26, the packets 26 in the set 24 carry respective parts of the same application layer unit 22 of information. In some embodiments, an application layer unit 22 of information is a video frame. In some embodiments, a set of packets 26 is a set of PDlls.

In some embodiments, receiving the buffer status report 16 comprises receiving the buffer status report 16 at a first layer 12-1 of a protocol stack at the access network node 14. In some embodiments, the first layer 12-1 is a Medium Access Control, MAC, layer. In some embodiments, the buffer status report 16 reports an amount 16A of uplink data available at the communication device 12 for a group of one or more logical channels.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report 16 includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the uplink data. In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining the delay budget 16B of the uplink data by adjusting the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment value to which the adjusted delay budget pointer field points.

In some embodiments, the buffer status report 16 includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the uplink data.

Figure 4 illustrates other embodiments applicable for the downlink 10D. As shown, an application server 20 executes an application (e.g., an XR application) which generates a unit 22 of information at an application layer of the application server 20. This unit 22 of information from the application layer is shown as an application layer information unit 22. The application layer information unit 22 may for instance be or represent a video frame. Regardless, the application server 20 generates a set 24 of packets 26 for conveying the application layer information unit 22. As shown in this regard, the packets 26 in the set 24 carry respective parts of the same application layer information unit 22. Packet 26-1 carries a first part of the application layer information unit 22 in payload 28-1 , packet 26-2 carries a second part of the application layer information unit 22 in payload 28-2, and so on until packet 26-N carries a last part of the application layer information unit 22 in payload 28-N. The nth packet in the set 24 is correspondingly referred to as packet 26-n. Each packet 26-n includes a corresponding header H 15-n, with packet 26-1 having header 15-1 , packet 15-2 having a header 15-2, and so on. Where the application layer information unit 22 is a video frame, for example, each packet 26-n may be a Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) packet, with the header 15-n being an RTP extension header. Either way, having generates this set 24 of packets 26, the application server 20 transmits the set of packets to the communication network 10.

A network node 30 in the communication network 10 (e.g., implementing a user pane function, UPF, in a 5G network) receives the set of packets 26 as belonging to a QoS flow. The network node 30 forwards the set of packets 26 towards the access network node 14. The network node 30 may do so for example by transmitting the packets 26 over a user plane tunnel T between the network node 30 and the access network node 14, e.g., where the user plane tunnel T may be a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunnelling Protocol (GTP) tunnel. As part of conditioning each packet 26-n for transport, the network node 30 adds a header 17-n to each packet 26-n. In embodiments for example where the network node 30 transmits the packets 26 over a user plane tunnel T, the header 17-n may be a tunnel extension header, e.g., a GTP user plane extension header.

The access network node 14 correspondingly receives the packets 26 from the network node 30 and schedules the packets 26 for transmission to the communication device 12 over the downlink 10D. To assist the access network node 14 with how to handle the packets 26 in this regard, a node 32 (e.g., implementing an application function, AF) generates QoS parameters 34 for the application which generates the packets 26. The node 32 transmits these QoS parameters 34 to a core network node 36 (e.g., implementing a Session Management Function, SMF). The core network node 36 in turn generates a QoS profile 38 that contains the QoS parameters 34 for the QoS flow to which the packets 26 belong. The core network node 36 provides this QoS profile 38 to the access network node 14, so that the access network node 14 can handle the set 24 of packets 26 belonging to the QoS flow according to the QoS profile 38 for that QoS flow. Such handling may encompass scheduling packets 26 in the set 24 and/or transmitting or dropping packets 26 in the set 24.

Although illustrated with respect to a single application layer information unit 22 conveyed by a single set 24 of packets 26, there may be multiple application layer information units 22 conveyed by multiple respective sets 24 of packets 26. These multiple sets 24 of packets 26 all belong to the same QoS flow (since they are all carrying information from the same application).

Notably, some embodiments herein enable a variable delay budget for these sets 24 of packets 26 belonging to the QoS flow. In fact, some embodiments in this regard enable different sets 24 of packets 26 belonging to the same QoS flow to have different delay budgets, e.g., as triggered and/or signaling by the application whose information is carried by the packets 26. Some embodiments herein accordingly provide signaling, e.g., in-band with at least some of the packets 26 in a set 24, to indicate the delay budget of the packets 26 in the set 24. Some embodiments herein also provide control plane signaling as needed to configure nodes in the communication network 10 to handle the variable delay budget of packet sets 24 belonging to a QoS flow.

Figure 5 more particularly shows that, when generating the header 15-n for each of one or more of the packets 26, the application server 20 includes in the header 15-n a delay budget 16B of the set 24 of packets 26. In some embodiments, the application server 20 selects the delay budget 16B from a set of multiple candidate values defined for the application that generated the unit 22 of information, e.g., where the application server 20 may receive the candidate values from the node 32. In these and other embodiments, the application server 20 may include in the header 15-n an adjusted delay budget pointer field (ADBPF) that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of the application that generated the unit 22 of information. Alternatively, the application server 20 may include in the header 15-n a packet set delay budget (PSDB) pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for the application that generated the unit 22 of information.

In the context where there are multiple sets 24 of packets 26 for multiple respective application layer information units 22, then, the application server 20 may advantageously accommodate at least some of the sets 24 of packets 26 having different delay budgets 16B, e.g., even though the sets 24 belong to the same QoS flow. In particular, the application server 20 may advantageously generate the header 15-n for each of one or more of the packets 26 in a set 24-1 carrying parts of one application layer information unit 22-1 to indicate one delay budget value 16B-1 , but generate the header 15-n for each of one or more of the packets 26 in a different set 24-2 carrying parts of another application layer information unit 22-2 to indicate a different delay budget value 16B-2.

As applied to the example where the application layer information units 22 represents video frames of an application, for instance, the application server 20 may adapt the delay budget (in the header 15-n) from one set 24 of packets 26 to another responsive to or based on adapting the video frame rate for the application. Accordingly, different sets 24 of packets 26 belonging to the same QoS flow may advantageously have different delay budgets to reflect different video frame rates.

Correspondingly, the network node 30 receiving each packet 26-n may propagate the delay budget 16B to the header 17-n that the network node 30 adds to each packet 26-n. Figure 6 in this regard shows that the header 17-n may likewise indicate a delay budget 16B of the set 24 of packets 26, e.g., as selected from among multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow.

For example, in some embodiments where the header 17-n is a tunnel extension header which includes a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame, header information is added to a field (e.g., ADBPF or PSDBPF) in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. The DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame may include control information associated with transfer of the packet over an interface to the access network node 14.

To assist the access network node 14 with how to handle the packets 26 with this header 17-n, the node 32 generates the QoS parameters 34 to indicate a set of multiple candidate values 40 defined as candidates for the delay budget 16B of the application. In some embodiments, for example, the QoS parameters 34 include a delay budget parameter indicating the set of multiple candidate values 40 for the delay budget 16B. In other embodiments, the QoS parameters 34 include: (i) a nominal delay budget parameter indicating a nominal delay budget of the application; and (ii) a delay budget adjustment parameter indicating a set of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value of the application. Here, the set of multiple candidate values 40 defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values. Regardless, these candidate values 40 for the delay budget are propagated in the QoS profile 38 to the access network node 14 via the core network node 36.

Equipped with the QoS profile 38 that defines the candidate values 40 for the delay budget 16B, the access network node 14 may receive a packet in a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow. The access network node 14 determines the delay budget 16B of the set 24 of packets 26 from a header of the received packet and from the QoS profile 38 for the QoS flow, and then handles the packet 26 based on the determined delay budget.

In view of the modifications and variations herein, Figure 7 depicts a method in accordance with particular embodiments. The method is performed by a core network node 36 in a core network of a communication network 10. The method includes generating a quality of service, QoS, profile 38 that contains QoS parameters 34 for a QoS flow (Block 700). The method also includes providing the QoS profile 38 to an access network 10A of the communication network 10 (Block 710).

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters 34 include a packet set delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates the set of multiple candidate values 40. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter.

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters 34 include a packet set delay budget parameter and an adjusted delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates a nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget parameter indicates a set of candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the set of multiple candidate values 40 defined as candidates for the delay budget 16B comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter and wherein the adjusted delay budget parameter is an Adjusted Delay Budget parameter.

In some embodiments, during a packet session, the delay budget 16B of a set of packets 26 belonging to the QoS flow is variable between the multiple candidate values 40.

In some embodiments, the core network node 36 implements a Session Management Function, SMF.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving, from an application function, information indicating the set of multiple candidate values 40 (Block 720). In this case, the QoS profile 38 is generated based on the received information.

In some embodiments, a set of packets 26 is a set of PDUs. In some embodiments, the packets 26 in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit 22 of information. In some embodiments, the application layer unit 22 of information is a video frame.

Figure 8 depicts a method in accordance with other particular embodiments. The method is performed by an access network node 14 in an access network 10A of a communication network 10. The method includes receiving, from a control plane network node in a core network of the communication network 10, a quality of service, QoS, profile 38 that contains QoS parameters 34 for a QoS flow (Block 800). The method also includes handling a set of packets 26 belonging to the QoS flow according to the QoS profile 38 for the QoS flow (Block 810).

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters 34 include a packet set delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates the set of multiple candidate values 40. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter.

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters 34 include a packet set delay budget parameter and an adjusted delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates a nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget parameter indicates a set of candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the set of multiple candidate values 40 defined as candidates for the delay budget 16B comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter and the adjusted delay budget parameter is an Adjusted Delay Budget parameter.

In some embodiments, during a packet session, the delay budget 16B of a set of packets 26 belonging to the QoS flow is variable between the multiple candidate values 40.

In some embodiments, the control plane network node implements a Session Management Function, SMF.

In some embodiments, a set of packets 26 is a set of PDUs.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving a packet 26 in a set of packets 26 that belongs to the QoS flow (Block 820), and determining the delay budget 16B of the set of packets 26 from a header 15 of the received packet 26 and from the QoS profile 38 for the QoS flow (Block 830). In this case, the method further comprises handling the packet 26 based on the determined delay budget 16B (Block 840).

In some embodiments, receiving the packet 26 comprises receiving the packet 26 from a user plane network node in the core network over a user plane tunnel between the user plane network node and the access network node 14. In some embodiments, the header 17 of the received packet 26 is a tunnel extension header of the received packet 26. In some embodiments, the user plane tunnel is a General Packet Radio Service, GPRS, Tunnelling Protocol, GTP, and the tunnel extension header is a GTP user plane extension header. In some embodiments, the tunnel extension header of the received packet 26 includes a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, determining the delay budget 16B comprises determining the delay budget 16B from a field in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame and from the QoS profile 38 for the QoS flow. In some embodiments, the user plane network node implements a User Plane Function, UPF. In some embodiments, the access network node 14 is split into a centralized unit and one or more distributed units, and receiving the packet 26 comprises receiving the packet 26 from the centralized unit at one of the one or more distributed units. In some embodiments, the header 17 indicates which of the multiple candidate values 40 in the QoS profile 38 is the delay budget 16B for the set of packets 26. In some embodiments, the QoS parameters 34 include a packet set delay budget parameter and an adjusted delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates a nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget parameter indicates a set of candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value. In some embodiments, the set of multiple candidate values 40 defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values. In some embodiments, the header 17 of the received packet 26 includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field, and determining the delay budget 16B comprises identifying to which one of the candidate adjustment values the adjusted delay budget pointer field points. In this case, determining the delay budget 16B also comprises adjusting the nominal delay budget value by the identified candidate adjustment value, to obtain the delay budget 16B for the set of packets 26. In some embodiments, the header 17 comprises a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame that includes control information associated with transfer of the packet 26 over an interface to the access network node 14, and the adjusted delay budget pointer field is included in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, the QoS parameters 34 include a packet set delay budget parameter. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget parameter indicates the set of multiple candidate values 40. In some embodiments, the header 17 of the received packet 26 includes a packet set delay budget pointer field, and determining the delay budget 16B comprises identifying to which one of the multiple candidate values 40 the packet set delay budget pointer field points. In some embodiments, the header 17 comprises a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame that includes control information associated with transfer of the packet 26 over an interface to the access network node 14, and the packet set delay budget pointer field is included in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, handling the packet 26 based on the determined delay budget 16B comprises scheduling the packet 26 based on the determined delay budget 16B. In some embodiments, handling the packet 26 based on the determined delay budget 16B comprises transmitting or dropping the received packet 26 depending respectively on whether or not all packets in the set of packets 26 are able to be delivered within the determined delay budget 16B.

In some embodiments, the packets 26 in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit 22 of information. In some embodiments, the application layer unit 22 of information is a video frame.

Figure 9 depicts a method in accordance with other particular embodiments. The method is performed by a network node 30 in a communication network 10. The method includes receiving a packet 26 in a set of packets 26 that belongs to a quality of service, QoS, flow (Block 900). The method also includes adding, to the packet 26, header information that indicates a delay budget 16B of the set of packets 26, from among multiple candidate values 40 defined as candidates for the delay budget 16B of a set of packets 26 belonging to the QoS flow (Block 910). The method also includes forwarding the packet 26 along with the added header information (Block 920).

In some embodiments, the method also includes determining the header information from a header 15 of the received packet 26 (Block 930). In some embodiments, the received packet 26 is a Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, and the header 15 of the received packet 26 is an RTP extension header. In some embodiments, the header 15 of the received packet 26 includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value for the QoS flow. In some embodiments, the header 15 of the received packet 26 includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of the multiple candidate values 40.

In some embodiments, the network node 30 is a user plane network node in a core network of the communication network 10. In some embodiments, the user plane network node implements a User Plane Function, UPF. In some embodiments, forwarding the packet 26 comprises forwarding the packet 26 to an access network node 14 in an access network 10A of the communication network 10. In some embodiments, forwarding the packet 26 comprises transmitting the packet 26 over a user plane tunnel between the user plane network node and the access network node 14. In some embodiments, the header information is added to a tunnel extension header of the packet. In some embodiments, the user plane tunnel is a General Packet Radio Service, GPRS, Tunnelling Protocol, GTP, and the tunnel extension header is a GTP user plane extension header. In some embodiments, the tunnel extension header of the received packet includes a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, the header information is added to a field in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, the multiple candidate values 40 are defined in a QoS profile 38 for the QoS flow.

In some embodiments, the header information includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value for the QoS flow. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget pointer field is included in a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame includes control information associated with transfer of the packet 26 over an interface to the access network node 14.

In some embodiments, the header information includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of the multiple candidate values 40. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget pointer field is included in a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. In some embodiments, the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame includes control information associated with transfer of the packet 26 over an interface to the access network node 14.

In some embodiments, the packet 26 is received from an application server 20.

In some embodiments, the packets 26 in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit 22 of information. In some embodiments, the application layer unit 22 of information is a video frame.

Figure 10 depicts a method in accordance with other particular embodiments. The method is performed by an application server 20. The method includes generating a set of packets 26 (Block 1000). The method also includes transmitting the set of packets 26 to a communication network 10 (Block 1010).

In some embodiments, generating the set of packets 26 is performed as part of generating multiple sets 24 of packets 26 for respective units of information from the application layer, and at least some of the sets 24 of packets 26 have different delay budgets.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises selecting the delay budget 16B of the set of packets 26 from a set of multiple candidate values 40 defined for an application that generated the unit 22 of information (Block 1020). In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving the set of multiple candidate values 40 from an application function, AF (Block 1030).

In some embodiments, the header 15 of a packet 26 includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the unit 22 of information. In some embodiments, the adjusted delay budget pointer field is included in a Realtime Transport Protocol, RTP, extension header 15 of a packet 26.

In some embodiments, the header 15 of a packet 26 includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the unit 22 of information. In some embodiments, the packet set delay budget pointer field is included in a Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, extension header 15 of a packet 26.

Figure 11 depicts a method in accordance with other particular embodiments. The method is performed by equipment configured to implement an application function. The method includes generating, for an application, QoS parameters 34 that indicate a set of multiple candidate values 40 defined as candidates for a delay budget 16B of the application (Block 1100). The method also includes providing the QoS parameters 34 to a control plane network node of a communication network 10 (Block 1110).

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters 34 include a nominal delay budget parameter indicating a nominal delay budget of the application. In this case, the QoS parameters 34 also include a delay budget adjustment parameter indicating a set of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value of the application. In some embodiments, the set of multiple candidate values 40 defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values.

In some embodiments, the QoS parameters 34 include a delay budget parameter indicating the set of multiple candidate values 40 for the delay budget 16B.

In some embodiments, the application is an extended Reality, XR, application.

Some embodiments herein are applicable where the communication device 12 takes the form of a user equipment (UE).

Alternatively or additionally, some embodiments herein are applicable in the context of extended Reality (XR) services, media services, or any other type of service where the Internet Protocol (IP) traffic is inherently periodic, large, and latency critical. IP packets in such a case may be highly dependent such that independent treatment of each packet in the access network according to the existing quality of service (QoS) framework is not optimal. In these and other cases, embodiments herein are applicable to a QoS framework that treats packets on a packet set basis instead, e.g., a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) Set basis.

Furthermore, some embodiments herein operate on the basis of XR-awareness whereby an application shares traffic information with the access network. In embodiments herein, then, the application server 20 can deliver a combination of both static parameters (parameters which are expected to remain fairly constant throughout an XR session) and dynamic parameters (application information which is given on per packet/PDU Set basis). Information Unit

In some embodiments, an application layer instance can produce units of information that can be used by another application layer instance, e.g. to construct a usable information unit and one example of such information unit can be a video frame. Dependent on its size and the maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the transport network, that information unit may need to be segmented and transferred in multiple transport units, e.g. multiple IP packets. When all segments are received, the receiving application layer instance uses the information unit. Hence the quality of experience is dependent on the reception of the information unit rather than individual segments constituting it. Therefore, the forwarding treatment described by the QoS parameters herein may be associated with the information unit. Such information unit may exemplify the application layer information unit 22 herein.

According to some embodiments, a packet 26 is a Packet Data Unit (PDU) or a Protocol Data Unit (PDU). PDU Set

Correspondingly, in some embodiments, a set 24 of packets 26 is a set of PDUs, also referred to as a PDU Set. That is, a PDU Set exemplifies the set 24 of packets 26 herein.

PDU Set: In some embodiments, a PDU Set is composed of one or more PDUs carrying the payload of one unit of information generated at the application level (e.g., a frame or video slice for XRM Services, as used in TR 26.926 v1.1.0). In some implementations, all PDUs in a PDU Set are needed by the application layer to use the corresponding unit of information. In other implementations, the application layer can still recover parts or all of the information unit, event when some PDUs are missing. PDU Set Level QoS

Some embodiments herein are applicable in any QoS framework proposed by any of the solutions in TR 23.700 - 060 for PDU Set level QoS. In any such QoS framework, ‘PDU Set Level QoS’ describes parameters and requirements on a per-‘PDU Set basis’, in contrast to a QoS framework that describes parameters and requirements on per-‘packet’ basis. The existing per-packet QoS framework is detailed in TS 23.501 v17.5.0 section 5.7.

In some embodiments, the ‘PDU Set level QoS framework’ includes a PDU Set Delay Budget (PSDB) and a PDU Set Error Rate (PSER).

In some embodiments, a group of packets is used to carry payloads of a PDU Set (e.g. a frame, video slice/tile). In a media layer, packets in such a PDU Set are decoded/handled as a whole. For example, the frame/video slice may only be decoded in case all or certain amount of the packets carrying the frame/video slice are successfully delivered. For example, a frame within a GOP (Group of Pictures) can only be decoded by the client in case all frames on which that frame depends are successfully received. Hence the groups of packets within the PDU Set have inherent dependency on each other in the media layer. Without considering such dependencies between the packets within the PDU set, the 5G System (5GS) may perform a scheduling with low efficiency. For example, the 5GS may randomly drop packet(s) but try to deliver other packets of the same PDU set which are useless to the client and thus waste radio resources. Also audio samples, haptics applications or remote control operations may benefit if the 5GS considers the PDU Set characteristics. Some embodiments herein account for such dependency between packets of a PDU Set (e.g. a frame/video slice) as needed to enhance the efficiency and promote user experience. Generally in this regard, some embodiments herein facilitate PDU Set integrated packet handling, e.g., in 5G network, in which the packets in a group of packets belonging to the same PDU Set will be handled in an integrated manner.

Given that the number of PDUs constituting a PDU Set changes dynamically, some embodiments use in-band signalling to identify the packets constituting a PDU-Set, e.g., at N6 interface/UPF.

Dynamic PDU Set related parameters

In some embodiments, dynamic parameters related to the PDU Set may be signaled inside un-encrypted packet headers programmed directly by the application itself. The packet headers may be carried on every packet constituting the PDU Set or only a subset of them. For example, the dynamic PDU Set related information may be carried inside RTP extension headers.

Examples of PDU Set related information may be: (i) PDU sequence number within PDU Set; (ii) PDU Set size i.e. , number of bytes contained in the PDU Set; and/or (iii) PDU Set delay information, i.e., information related to when the PDU Set is consumed at the receiving end.

Some embodiments in this regard concern the dynamic PDU Set delay information provided inside PDU Set packet headers. Here, the PDU Set packet headers exemplify the headers 15-1 ... 15-N in Figure 4. XR traffic characteristics

Some embodiments herein are applicable for XR. XR applications typically generate traffic flows which are in principle periodic, e.g., video traffic with 30, 60, 90, or 120 fps. However, the traffic arrival moment at the radio access network (RAN) is affected by jitter around the periodicity value, due to processing of the frames at the application (e.g., for compression) and the capabilities of the platform used by the application, as well as transmission through the Core Network. This is modelled in 3GPP TR 38.838 v17.0.0, by assuming that each data frame arriving at the RAN has a random jitter of [-4; +4] ms (optionally [-5; +5] ms) around the main periodicity. The probability of the jitter value within this interval is given by a truncated Gaussian distribution with mean 0 ms and standard deviation 2 ms.

XR traffic has strict delay requirements, in terms of packet delay budget (PDB), as an example of the delay budget 16B herein. This is the maximum tolerable delay for a packet to be transmitted from a gNB to a UE. The PDB value depends on the XR traffic type and is overall between 5 ms and 30 ms (See TR 38.838 v17.0.0). Application behavior In some embodiments, video traffic will be generated by a video encoder in an application server or UE device and received/consumed by a video decoder inside a UE or application server. Video codec(s) operate differently depending on application implementation. In any event, according to some embodiments herein, the application may, in response to certain signaling of events, change/adapt the framerate and bitrate dynamically. For example, the application may, in response to a congestion notification, lower its output bitrate and/or frame rate. The application may also trigger resending of certain information, for example Key-frames, in the event that information was not received properly e.g., packets where very late or lost.

For example, in some embodiments, the application has information related to the various types of PDU Sets such as delay requirements. In response to certain events (e.g., congestion or resending of packets/PDU Sets), the application may adjust the delay requirement for certain types of PDU Sets. For example in the case the application adapts its frame rate from 90 fps to 30 fps, the delay requirement is expected to increase from roughly 1/90 = 11.11 ms to 1/30 = 33.33 ms, such increase may relax the PSDB on the associated PDU Sets.

In some embodiments, the application has information related to the various types of PDU Set’s such as delay requirements.

Buffer status report for uplink dynamic grant

In some embodiments, a buffer status report 16 herein refers to a MAC Control Element (CE) Buffer Status Report (BSR) as described below. In this regard, a UE reports to the network the buffer status waiting for transmission in the MAC Control Element (CE) Buffer Status Report (BSR). The BSR may have different BSR formats which UEs can send to the network, including for example Short BSR format (fixed size), Short Truncated BSR format (fixed size), Long Truncated BSR format (variable size), and Long BSR format (variable size), as shown in Figures 12 and 13.

In some embodiments, there are 3 types of BSRs: regular BSR, periodic BSR, and padding BSR.

The regular BSR is triggered if UL data, for a logical channel which belongs to a logical channel group (LCG), becomes available to the MAC entity, and either this UL data belongs to a logical channel with higher priority than the priority of any logical channel containing available UL data which belong to any LCG, or none of the logical channels which belong to an LCG contains any available UL data. When more than one LCG has data available for transmission, then the UE uses the long BSR format and reports all LCGs which have data. However, if only one LCG has data, the short BSR format is used.

The periodic BSR is configured by the network. When configured, the UE reports periodically the BSR. When more than one LCG has data available for transmission, then the UE uses the long BSR format and reports all LCGs which have data. However, if only one LCG has data, the short BSR format is used.

The padding BSR is an opportunistic method to provide buffer status information to the network when the MAC PDU would contain a number of padding bits equal to or larger than one of the BSR formats. In this case, the UE would add the padding BSR replacing the corresponding padding bits. In this case, the BSR format to be used depends on the number of padding bits, the number of logical channels which have data for transmissions, and the size of the BSR format. When more than one LCG has data for transmission, one of the following three formats is used: the short truncated BSR, the long BSR, or the long truncated BSR. The selection of the BSR format depends on the number of available padding bits. When only one LCG has data for transmission, then the short BSR format is used.

Regardless of the BSR type, though, the BSR makes available information of data size in a buffer connected to the LCG which is configured with a static QoS profile.

Some embodiments herein effectively provide for a dynamic ‘PDU Set Delay Budget’ in the QoS profile, e.g., the value for PSDB may be adapted for different PDU Sets belonging to the QoS/traffic flow. In some embodiments, then, the PSDB is dynamic and may change when triggered by certain application events, e.g., for different frame rates. The PSDB may thereby exemplify the delay budget 16B herein.

Some embodiments herein are accordingly applicable during congestion whereby an application may adapt its bitrate and framerate on the fly, e.g., using network feedback mechanisms like L4S, by relaxing the requirements. Some embodiments in this regard enable updating the PSDB for different PDU sets without setting up another QoS Flow onto which the PDU Sets are mapped, which would consume a lot of signaling resources and increase latency. Some embodiments thereby encourage changing the PSDB as needed, rather than keeping the PSDB static to avoid wasting resources or increasing latency. Some embodiments moreover facilitate optimal scheduling to reflect the fact that some packets/PDU Sets will anyway not be consumed by the application right away. For example, when application runs video traffic at 90 fps, frames arrive every 1/90 = 11.11 ms. In this case, the PSDB is configured to 10 ms in the QoS profile. In a different scenario, the application may run video traffic at 30 fps, i.e. , frame arrives every 1/30=33.33 ms, in this case the PSDB may be relaxed to 30ms in the QoS framework. In other words, the frame rate is coupled with the PSDB.

Some embodiments herein prove advantageous from the RAN perspective by informing the RAN of the delivery targets for all packets/PDU Sets. Radio resources are scarce, and some embodiments equip the RAN scheduler with information for optimally utilizing those resources to meet the application requirements and reach high capacity in the network. Precise knowledge about the delay budget, and dynamic changes to it, will enable consistency of such solutions. For uplink, some embodiments provide a new way to indicate from the UE to the network information about changes to the delay budget.

More particularly, some embodiments herein introduce a new attribute in the PDU Set Level QoS profiles as well as new dynamic PDU Set related information included in the packet/PDU headers programmed by the application. For example, some embodiments include additional parameters in the QoS characteristics/profile of the PDU Set level QoS framework that can be dynamically adjusted based on information received from in-band parameters carried in packet/PDU Set headers.

Advantageously, as applied to XR, some embodiments herein provide XR traffic information to the RAN packet scheduler resulting in more efficient time and frequency resource allocation leading to a higher system capacity.

Embodiment 1

Consider now one particular example of some embodiments herein, referred to as Embodiment 1. This embodiment extends the ‘PDU Set level’ QoS framework to include a parameter in the QoS profile called the ‘Adjusted Delay budget’ (ADB), as an example implementation for indicating candidate values 40 for the delay budget in the QoS profile 38. The ADB is a set of real numbers expressed in milliseconds (ms) provided by the Application Function (AF) to the 5G Core Network (CN), for example:

ADB = {-20, -10, 0, 10, 20} ms

In one embodiment it is proposed that the application configures a packet/PDU Set header field pointing towards an entry in the ADB set, called ADB Pointer Field (ADBPF). ADBPF may, as one example, be carried inside an RTP extension header. When Downlink (DL) packets/PDU Sets, originating from the XR application server, arrive in the 5GS, the User Plane Function (UPF) extracts the ADBPF header information (as an example of information in header 15-n indicating the delay budget 16B) and forwards the information together with the packet/PDU Set inside a GTP-U extension header on the N3 interface (as an example of information in header 17-n indicating the delay budget 16B). Upon reception in RAN, the RAN re-configures the PSDB for the individual packet/PDU set according to PSDB = PSDB + ADB.

Example 1

• The ADB QoS parameter is configured to {-5, -1 , 0, 10, 20} ms and PSDB is configured to 10 ms

• The application is running 90 fps video traffic (normal operation)

• PDU Set arrive periodically every 1/90 = 11.11 ms

• For each PDU Set the UPF inspect the packet/PDU Set header and extract the ADB info

• Under normal 90 fps operation the ADBPF=2, meaning it points to the third entry in the ADB set (=0ms) • The PSDB is computed as PSDB = PSDB + ADB (10 + 0 = 10 ms)

• Event occurs and application changes the frame rate to 30 fps

• PDU set now arrive periodically every 1/30 = 33.33 ms

• The application programs the ADBPF=4, pointing towards to 20 ms

• PDU Set arrive with the updated ADBPF information, the UPF extract the ADB information

• The new PSDB is computed as PSDB = PSDB + ADB (10 + 20 = 30 ms)

In some embodiments, in the case that the ADBPF header information is not present in the packet/PDU set header, it is assumed that the PSDB maintains its default value configured in the QoS profile.

In another embodiment, the ADBDF is signaled over user plane (UP) interfaces (e.g., NG-U, Xn-U and F1-U).

Without loss of generality, below an example from TS 38.415 v17.0.0 where such assistance information can be added over NG-U:

5.5.2.1 DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION (PDU Type 0)

This frame format is defined to allow the NG-RAN to receive some control information elements which are associated with the transfer of a packet over the interface.

Figure 14 shows one example of the respective DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame. As shown, the ADBPF field indicates the downlink Adjusted Delay budget Pointer Field for the involved PDU Set QoS flow. It is used only in the downlink direction and encoded as an integer value. The NG-RAN shall if supported use this information to adjust the PSDB. In some embodiments, the ADBPF field has a value range of (0— 2 ⁿ -1 ) and a field length of n bits.

In one embodiment, this ADBPF information can be signaled from the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) entity to the Radio Link Control (RLC) entity in case of split gNB and Dual connectivity architecture, e.g., from a central unit (CU) to a distributed unit (DU) of a split gNB.

In one embodiment, the ADBPF is signaled over control plane (CP) interfaces from one network node to another network node (e.g., over NG-C, Xn-C, F1-C and E1 interfaces) within the QoS flow information.

Without loss of generality, below is an example from TS 38.423 v17.0.0 where such PDU Set QoS flow information on ADBPF can be added:

9.2.3.8 Non dynamic 5QI Descriptor

This information element (IE) defines QoS characteristics for a standardized or preconfigured 5QI for downlink and uplink.

Embodiment 2

A different embodiment is to redefine the current PSDB to be a set of values expressed in milliseconds containing different ‘PDU Set Delay Budgets’, the pointer field inside the packet/PDU Set header now called ‘PSDB Pointer’ (PSDBP) would then point to an entry in the PSDB applicable for the current packet/PDU Set.

For example,

• The PSDB may be configured to: PSDB = {10, 15, 30}

• The application is running 90 fps video traffic (normal operation) • PDU Set arrive periodically every 1/90 = 11.11 ms

• For each PDU Set the UPF inspect the packet/PDU Set header and extract the PSDB pointer info

• Under normal 90 fps operation the ‘PSDB Pointer’=0 meaning it points to the first entry in the PSDB set (=10ms)

• The PSDB is computed as 10ms in RAN/UPF

• Event occurs and application changes the frame rate to 30 fps

• PDU set now arrive periodically every 1/30 = 33.33 ms

• The application programs the ‘PSDB Pointer=2’, pointing towards to 30 ms

• PDU Set arrive with the updated PSDB Pointer information, the UPF extract the PSDB information

• The new PSDB is set to 10ms in RAN/UPF

In one embodiment, the PSDBP is signaled over UP interfaces (e.g., NG-U, Xn-U and F1-U).

Without loss of generality, below is an example from TS 38.415 v17.0.0 where such assistance information can be added:

5.5.2.1 DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION (PDU Type 0)

This frame format is defined to allow the NG-RAN to receive some control information elements which are associated with the transfer of a packet over the interface.

Figure 15 shows the respective DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame.

In this case, the PSDBP field indicates the PDU Set Delay Budgets Pointer of the PSDB for the involved PDU Set QoS flow. The PSDBP field may have a value range of (0-2 ⁿ -1) and a field length of n bits.

In one embodiment, this PSDBP information can be signaled from the PDCP entity to the RLC entity in case of split gNB and Dual connectivity architecture.

In one embodiment, in case the PSDBP header information is not present in the packet/PDU set header, it is assumed that the PSDB maintains its default value configured in the PDU Set QoS profile.

In one embodiment, the PSDBP is signaled over CP interfaces from one network node to another network node (e.g., over NG-C, Xn-C , F1-C and E1 interfaces) within the QoS flow information.

Network-Level Configuration

In some embodiments, the new QoS parameter herein related to delay budget is configured by the application function (AF) and sent across the core network illustrated by Figure 16. Here, the Application Server exemplifies the application server 20 in Figure 4, the UPF exemplifies the network node 30 in Figure 4, the RAN exemplifies the access network node 14 in Figure 4, the UE exemplifies the communication device 12 in Figure 4, the SMF exemplifies the core network node 36 in Figure 4, and the AF exemplifies the node 32 in Figure 4. 1. The QoS characteristic is configured by the AF.

2. The AF forwards the information to the Policy Control Function (PCF) on the Naf/Npcf/N5 interface or optionally through the Network Exposure Function on the Naf/Nnef/N33 and Nnef/Npcf/N30 interface.

3. The PCF configures the Policy and Charging Control Rule (PCC Rule) containing the AF information.

4. The PCC rule is forwarded to the SMF on the Npcf/Nsmf/N7 interface.

5. The SMF configures the QoS profile 38. The QoS profile 38 is provided by the SMF to the RAN via the AMF, through Namf/N11 and N2 interface.

6. The SMF configures the Packet Detection Rules (PDR) and forwards them to the UPF

7. The PDRs are used to map DL XR traffic flow to the AF configured QoS.

8. Packets/PDU Sets from the Application server are received in UPF on the N6 interface

9. The UPF extract the packet/PDU Set header information and forwards the information inside the GTP-U extension header towards RAN on the N3 interface

10. The RAN receives the packet/PDU Set together with the associated information and calculates the new PSDB taking the information into account.

11. The RAN performs efficient radio resource scheduling and delivers the packets/PDU Set to the UE

UL signaling of ADBPF

In uplink the UE may deliver rate-adapted video traffic to an application server. Thus, it may be beneficial to signal the same information about changes to QoS parameters described in earlier embodiments for DL, e.g., adjusted delay budget, also in UL to the network in response to UE application triggered events. For the radio access network (RAN) to guickly act upon such changes this information needs to be received fast and a suitable way for this is through the BSR (as an example of the buffer status report 16 in Figure 1).

Consider one embodiment for how UL signaling of such information through BSR can be achieved.

The lower layers (e.g., MAC/PHY layer) in the UE may receive an indication from higher layers (e.g., application layer) that the application has triggered an event (e.g., frame rate adaption from 90fps to 30fps). The higher layer may then signal, through for example, an API call, the ADBPF as described above to the lower layers. The lower layers may then forward the ADBPF information inside a new BSR format going on the PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel). A non-limiting example of such new BSR format is shown in Figure 17, as an example of the buffer status report 16 in Figure 1. Upon reception of the BSR the RAN extracts the ADBPF information and configures a modified version of the PSDB in the same way described in Embodiment 1. This modified version is only applicable for UL traffic. The scheduler may then use this optimized PSDB for UL scheduling.

Figure 17 more particularly shows an example of a new BSR format in which one LCG ID (or LCID) field with 3 bits is included, followed by the ADBPF field with 5 bits. In addition, the buffer size of the reported data units can be included. In this example, 1 byte is used for this purpose, though it could be larger.

Figure 18 shows additional details for the UL. Higher layers (e.g., Application layer) in the UE configures the ADBPF in response to an application triggered event, (e.g., Frame rate adaptation from 90 fps to 30 fps). The lower layer receives the ADBPF from the higher layers, trough for example and API call. The lower layer configures the BSR to include ADBPF.

Upon reception of the BSR in RAN, the RAN configures the UL PSDB and performs optimized scheduling considering the updated information.

In view of the variations and modifications described with respect to the processing above, embodiments herein include corresponding apparatuses. Embodiments herein for instance include a communication device 12 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12.

Embodiments also include a communication device 12 comprising processing circuitry 1910 and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry 1910 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the communication device 12.

Embodiments further include a communication device 12 comprising processing circuitry 1910. The processing circuitry 1910 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12. In some embodiments, the communication device 12 further comprises communication circuitry 1920.

Embodiments further include a communication device 12 comprising processing circuitry 1910 and memory 1930. The memory 1930 contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry 1910 whereby the communication device 12 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12.

Embodiments moreover include a user equipment (UE). The UE comprises an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals. The UE also comprises radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry 1910, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry 1910 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 12. In some embodiments, the UE also comprises an input interface connected to the processing circuitry 1910 and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry 1910. The UE may comprise an output interface connected to the processing circuitry 1910 and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry 1910. The UE may also comprise a battery connected to the processing circuitry 1910 and configured to supply power to the UE.

Embodiments herein also include a network node 2000 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a network node 30, e.g., a core network node 36 or an access network node 14.

Embodiments also include a network node 2000 comprising processing circuitry 2010 and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry 2010 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 30. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to a network node 2000, e.g., a core network node 36 or an access network node 14.

Embodiments further include a network node 2000 comprising processing circuitry 2010. The processing circuitry 2010 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a network node 30, e.g., a core network node 36 or an access network node 14. In some embodiments, the network node 30 further comprises communication circuitry 2020.

Embodiments further include a network node 2000 comprising processing circuitry 2010 and memory 2030. The memory 2030 contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry 2010 whereby the network node 2000 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for a network node 30, e.g., a core network node 36 or an access network node 14.

Embodiments herein also include an application server 20 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the application server 20.

Embodiments also include an application server 20 comprising processing circuitry 2110 and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry 2110 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the application server 20. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the application server 20.

Embodiments further include an application server 20 comprising processing circuitry 2110. The processing circuitry 2110 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the application server 20. In some embodiments, the application server 20 further comprises communication circuitry 2120.

Embodiments further include an application server 20 comprising processing circuitry 2110 and memory 2130. The memory 2130 contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry 2110 whereby the application server 20 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the application server 20.

Embodiments herein also include a node 32 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for an application function. Embodiments also include a node 32 comprising processing circuitry 2210 and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry 2210 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the application function. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to a node 32.

Embodiments further include a node 32 comprising processing circuitry 2210. The processing circuitry 2210 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the application function. In some embodiments, the node 32 further comprises communication circuitry 2220.

Embodiments further include a node 32 comprising processing circuitry 2210 and memory 2230. The memory 2230 contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry 2210 whereby the node 32 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the application function.

More particularly, the apparatuses described above may perform the methods herein and any other processing by implementing any functional means, modules, units, or circuitry. In one embodiment, for example, the apparatuses comprise respective circuits or circuitry configured to perform the steps shown in the method figures. The circuits or circuitry in this regard may comprise circuits dedicated to performing certain functional processing and/or one or more microprocessors in conjunction with memory. For instance, the circuitry may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory may include program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein, in several embodiments. In embodiments that employ memory, the memory stores program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, carries out the techniques described herein.

Figure 19 for example illustrates a communication device 12 as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the communication device 12 includes processing circuitry 1910 and communication circuitry 1920. The communication circuitry 1920 (e.g., radio circuitry) is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. Such communication may occur via one or more antennas that are either internal or external to the wireless communication device 1900. The processing circuitry 1910 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in Figure 2, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 1930. The processing circuitry 1910 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules. Figure 20 illustrates a network node 2000 as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. The network node 2000 may for instance be network node 30, access network node 14, or core network node 36. As shown, the network node 2000 includes processing circuitry 2010 and communication circuitry 2020. The communication circuitry 2020 is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. The processing circuitry 2010 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in any of Figures 7, 8, 3, and/or 9, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 2030. The processing circuitry 2010 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

Figure 21 illustrates an application server 20 as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the application server 20 includes processing circuitry 2110 and communication circuitry 2120. The communication circuitry 2020 is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. The processing circuitry 2110 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in any of Figures 10, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 2130. The processing circuitry 2110 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

Figure 22 illustrates a node 32 for implementing an application function (AF) in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the node 32 includes processing circuitry 2210 and communication circuitry 2220. The communication circuitry 2020 is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. The processing circuitry 2210 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in any of Figures 11, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 2230. The processing circuitry 2210 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that embodiments herein further include corresponding computer programs.

A computer program comprises instructions which, when executed on at least one processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to carry out any of the respective processing described above. A computer program in this regard may comprise one or more code modules corresponding to the means or units described above.

Embodiments further include a carrier containing such a computer program. This carrier may comprise one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

In this regard, embodiments herein also include a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable (storage or recording) medium and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform as described above.

Embodiments further include a computer program product comprising program code portions for performing the steps of any of the embodiments herein when the computer program product is executed by a computing device. This computer program product may be stored on a computer readable recording medium.

Figure 23 shows an example of a communication system 2300 in accordance with some embodiments.

In the example, the communication system 2300 includes a telecommunication network 2302 that includes an access network 2304, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 2306, which includes one or more core network nodes 2308. The access network 2304 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 2310a and 2310b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 2310), or any other similar 3 ^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access node or non-3GPP access point. The network nodes 2310 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 2312a, 2312b, 2312c, and 2312d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 2312) to the core network 2306 over one or more wireless connections.

Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 2300 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections. The communication system 2300 may include and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and/or other similar type of system.

The UEs 2312 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 2310 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 2310 are arranged, capable, configured, and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 2312 and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 2302 to enable and/or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and/or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 2302.

In the depicted example, the core network 2306 connects the network nodes 2310 to one or more hosts, such as host 2316. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 2306 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 2308) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and/or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 2308. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (ALISF), Subscription Identifier De-concealing function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and/or a User Plane Function (UPF).

The host 2316 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 2304 and/or the telecommunication network 2302, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The host 2316 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio/video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.

As a whole, the communication system 2300 of Figure 23 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and/or any low- power wide-area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

In some examples, the telecommunication network 2302 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunications network 2302 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 2302. For example, the telecommunications network 2302 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and/or Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC)/Massive loT services to yet further UEs. In some examples, the UEs 2312 are configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 2304 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 2304. Additionally, a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi-RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio) and LTE, i.e. being configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

In the example, the hub 2314 communicates with the access network 2304 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 2312c and/or 2312d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 2310b). In some examples, the hub 2314 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 2314 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 2306 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 2314 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 2310, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 2314. As another example, the hub 2314 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 2314 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 2314 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 2314 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and/or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 2314 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular in if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.

The hub 2314 may have a consta”t/pe’sistent or intermittent connection to the network node 2310b. The hub 2314 may also allow for a different communication scheme and/or schedule between the hub 2314 and UEs (e.g., UE 2312c and/or 2312d), and between the hub 2314 and the core network 2306. In other examples, the hub 2314 is connected to the core network 2306 and/or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 2314 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 2304 and/or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 2310 while still connected via the hub 2314 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 2314 may be a dedicated hub - that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to/from the UEs from/to the network node 2310b. In other embodiments, the hub 2314 may be a non-dedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 2310b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and/or end point for certain data channels.

Figure 24 shows a UE 2400 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), smart device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded/integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by th ^e 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a narrow band internet of things (NB-loT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

The UE 2400 includes processing circuitry 2402 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2404 to an input/output interface 2406, a power source 2408, a memory 2410, a communication interface 2412, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 24. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

The processing circuitry 2402 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 2410. The processing circuitry 2402 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 2402 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

In the example, the input/output interface 2406 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and/or output devices. Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 2400. Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device.

In some embodiments, the power source 2408 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 2408 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 2408 itself, and/or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 2400 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 2408. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 2408 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 2400 to which power is supplied.

The memory 2410 may be or be c”nfig’red includeo include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable readonly memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 2410 includes one or more application programs 2414, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 2416. The memory 2410 may store, for use by the UE 2400, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

The memory 2410 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as tamper resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (IIICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a IISIM and/or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof. The IIICC may for example be an embedded IIICC (elllCC), integrated IIICC (illlCC) or a removable IIICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’ The memory 2410 may allow the UE 2400 to access instructions, application programs and the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 2410, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

The processing circuitry 2402 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 2412. The communication interface 2412 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2422. The communication interface 2412 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 2418 and/or a receiver 2420 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 2418 and receiver 2420 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2422) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 2412 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and/or standards, such as IEEE 802.11 , Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 2412, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch, related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.

A UE, when in the form of an Internet of Things (loT) device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an loT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door/window sensor, a flood/moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR), a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an loT device comprises circuitry and/or software in dependence of the intended application of the loT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 2400 shown in Figure 24.

As yet another specific example, in an loT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another UE and/or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3GPP NB-loT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g. by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and/or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

Figure 25 shows a network node 2500 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and/or with other network nodes or equipment, in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)).

Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cel l/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and/or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).

The network node 2500 includes a processing circuitry 2502, a memory 2504, a communication interface 2506, and a power source 2508. The network node 2500 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 2500 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 2500 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 2504 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 2510 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 2500 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 2500, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 2500.

The processing circuitry 2502 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 2500 components, such as the memory 2504, to provide network node 2500 functionality.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2502 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2502 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2512 and baseband processing circuitry 2514. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2512 and the baseband processing circuitry 2514 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 2512 and baseband processing circuitry 2514 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

The memory 2504 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 2502. The memory 2504 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and/or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 2502 and utilized by the network node 2500. The memory 2504 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 2502 and/or any data received via the communication interface 2506. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2502 and memory 2504 is integrated.

The communication interface 2506 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between a network node, access network, and/or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 2506 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 2516 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 2506 also includes radio front-end circuitry 2518 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 2510. Radio front-end circuitry 2518 comprises filters 2520 and amplifiers 2522. The radio front-end circuitry 2518 may be connected to an antenna 2510 and processing circuitry 2502. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 2510 and processing circuitry 2502. The radio front-end circuitry 2518 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 2518 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 2520 and/or amplifiers 2522. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 2510. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 2510 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 2518. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 2502. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 2500 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 2518, instead, the processing circuitry 2502 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 2510. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 2512 is part of the communication interface 2506. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 2506 includes one or more ports or terminals 2516, the radio front-end circuitry 2518, and the RF transceiver circuitry 2512, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 2506 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 2514, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

The antenna 2510 includincludenclude one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. The antenna 2510 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 2518 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 2510 is separate from the network node 2500 and connectable to the network node 2500 through an interface or port.

The antenna 2510, communication interface 2506, and/or the processing circuitry 2502 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 2510, the communication interface 2506, and/or the processing circuitry 2502 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment.

The power source 2508 provides power to the various components of network node 2500 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 2508 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 2500 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 2500 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid, an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 2508. As a further example, the power source 2508 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.

Embodiments of the network node 2500 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 25 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 2500 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 2500 and to allow output of information from the network node 2500. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 2500.

Figure 26 is a block diagram of a host 2600, which may be an embodiment of the host 2316 of Figure 23, in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, the host 2600 may be or comprise various combinations hardware and/or software, including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, container, or processing resources in a server farm. The host 2600 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

The host 2600 includes processing circuitry 2602 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2604 to an input/output interface 2606, a network interface 2608, a power source 2610, and a memory 2612. Other components may be included in other embodiments. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as Figures 24 and 25, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 2600.

The memory 2612 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 2614 and data 2616, which may include user data, e.g., data generated by a UE for the host 2600 or data generated by the host 2600 for a UE. Embodiments of the host 2600 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. The host application programs 2614 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAG, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, heads-up display systems). The host application programs 2614 may also provide for user authentication and licensing checks and may periodically report health, routes, and content availability to a central node, such as a device in or on the edge of a core network. Accordingly, the host 2600 may select and/or indicate a different host for over-the-top services for a UE. The host application programs 2614 may support various protocols, such as the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), etc.

Figure 27 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 2700 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 2700 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized.

Applications 2702 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Hardware 2704 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and/or instructions executable by hardware processing circuitry, and/or other hardware devices as described herein, such as a network interface, input/output interface, and so forth. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 2706 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 2708a and 2708b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 2708), and/or perform any of the functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 2706 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 2708.

The VMs 2708 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 2706. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 2702 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 2708, and the implementations may be made in different ways. Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, a VM 2708 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of the VMs 2708, and that part of hardware 2704 that executes that VM, be it hardware dedicated to that VM and/or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs, forms separate virtual network elements. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 2708 on top of the hardware 2704 and corresponds to the application 2702.

Hardware 2704 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 2704 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 2704 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 2710, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 2702. In some embodiments, hardware 2704 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 2712 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) may include the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Moreover, while components are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and/or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored on in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium or not, the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole, and/or by end users and a wireless network generally.

Example embodiments of the techniques and apparatus described herein include, but are not limited to, the following enumerated examples:

Group A Embodiments

A1. A method performed by a communication device configured for use in a communication network, the method comprising: transmitting, to an access network node in an access network of the communication network, a buffer status report that reports an amount of uplink data available at the communication device and that indicates a delay budget of the uplink data.

A2. The method of embodiment A1 , wherein the uplink data includes one or more sets of one or more packets, and wherein the indicated delay budget is a packet set delay budget that comprises a delay budget of each of the one or more sets of one or more packets.

A3. The method of embodiment A2, wherein, for each of the one or more sets of one or more packets, the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information.

A4. The method of embodiment A3, wherein an application layer unit of information is a video frame.

A6. The method of embodiment A4, further comprising generating one or more video frames at an application layer of the communication device, and adapting a delay budget of the uplink data responsive to adaptations in a frame rate of the one or more video frames.

A7. The method of any of embodiments A2-A6, wherein a set of packets is a set of PDlls.

A8. The method of any of embodiments A1-A7, wherein transmitting the buffer status report comprises transmitting the buffer status report from a first layer of a protocol stack at the communication device.

A9. The method of embodiment A8, wherein the first layer is a Medium Access Control, MAC, layer.

A10. The method of any of embodiments A8-A9, further comprising; receiving, at the first layer, from a second layer of the protocol stack, signaling indicating the delay budget; and at the first layer, generating the buffer status report based on the received signaling.

A11. The method of any of embodiments A1-A10, wherein the buffer status report reports an amount of uplink data available at the communication device for a group of one or more logical channels.

A12. The method of any of embodiments A1-A11 , further comprising selecting the delay budget from a set of multiple candidate values defined for an application that generated the uplink data.

A13. The method of any of embodiments A1-A12, wherein the buffer status report includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the uplink data.

A14. The method of any of embodiments A1-A12, wherein the buffer status report includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the uplink data.

AA. The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising: providing user data; and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to a base station.

Group B Embodiments B1. A method performed by a core network node in a core network of a communication network, the method comprising: generating a quality of service, QoS, profile that contains QoS parameters for a QoS flow, wherein the QoS profile indicates a set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for a delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow; and providing the QoS profile to an access network of the communication network.

B2. The method of embodiment B1 , wherein the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter indicates the set of multiple candidate values.

B3. The method of embodiment B2, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter.

B4. The method of embodiment B1 , wherein the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter and an adjusted delay budget parameter, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter indicates a nominal delay budget value, wherein the adjusted delay budget parameter indicates a set of candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value, wherein the set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values.

B5. The method of embodiment B4, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter and wherein the adjusted delay budget parameter is an Adjusted Delay Budget parameter.

B6. The method of any of embodiments B1-B5, wherein, during a packet session, the delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow is variable between the multiple candidate values.

B7. The method of any of embodiments B1-B6, wherein the core network node implements a Session Management Function, SMF.

B8. The method of any of embodiments B1-B7, further comprising receiving, from an application function, information indicating the set of multiple candidate values and wherein the QoS profile is generated based on the received information. B9. The method of any of embodiments B1-B8, wherein a set of packets is a set of PDlls.

B10. The method of any of embodiments B1-B9, wherein the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information.

B11. The method of embodiment B10, wherein the application layer unit of information is a video frame.

Group X Embodiments

X1. A method performed by an access network node in an access network of a communication network, the method comprising: receiving, from a control plane network node in a core network of the communication network, a quality of service, QoS, profile that contains QoS parameters for a QoS flow, wherein the QoS profile indicates a set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for a delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow; and handling a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow according to the QoS profile for the QoS flow.

X2. The method of embodiment X1 , wherein the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter indicates the set of multiple candidate values.

X3. The method of embodiment X2, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter.

X4. The method of embodiment X1 , wherein the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter and an adjusted delay budget parameter, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter indicates a nominal delay budget value, wherein the adjusted delay budget parameter indicates a set of candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value, wherein the set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values.

X5. The method of embodiment X4, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter is a Packet Data Unit, PDU, Set Delay Budget parameter and wherein the adjusted delay budget parameter is an Adjusted Delay Budget parameter.

X6. The method of any of embodiments X1-X5, wherein, during a packet session, the delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow is variable between the multiple candidate values.

X7. The method of any of embodiments X1-X6, wherein the control plane network node implements a Session Management Function, SMF.

X8. The method of any of embodiments X1-X7, wherein a set of packets is a set of PDlls.

X9. The method of any of embodiments X1-X8, further comprising: receiving a packet in a set of packets that belongs to the QoS flow; determining the delay budget of the set of packets from a header of the received packet and from the QoS profile for the QoS flow; and handling the packet based on the determined delay budget.

X10. The method of embodiment X9, wherein receiving the packet comprises receiving the packet from a user plane network node in the core network over a user plane tunnel between the user plane network node and the access network node, wherein the header of the received packet is a tunnel extension header of the received packet.

X11. The method of embodiment X10, wherein the user plane tunnel is a General Packet Radio Service, GPRS, Tunnelling Protocol, GTP, and wherein the tunnel extension header is a GTP user plane extension header.

X12. The method of any of embodiments X10-X11 , wherein the tunnel extension header of the received packet includes a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame, wherein determining the delay budget comprises determining the delay budget from a field in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame and from the QoS profile for the QoS flow.

X13. The method of any of embodiments X10-X12, wherein the user plane network node implements a User Plane Function, UPF.

X14. The method of embodiment X9, wherein the access network node is split into a centralized unit and one or more distributed units, and wherein receiving the packet comprises receiving the packet from the centralized unit at one of the one or more distributed units. X15. The method of any of embodiments X9-X14, wherein the header indicates which of the multiple candidate values in the QoS profile is the delay budget for the set of packets.

X16. The method of any of embodiments X9-X15, wherein the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter and an adjusted delay budget parameter, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter indicates a nominal delay budget value, wherein the adjusted delay budget parameter indicates a set of candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value, wherein the set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values, wherein the header of the received packet includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field, and wherein determining the delay budget comprises: identifying to which one of the candidate adjustment values the adjusted delay budget pointer field points; and adjusting the nominal delay budget value by the identified candidate adjustment value, to obtain the delay budget for the set of packets.

X17. The method of embodiment X16, wherein the header comprises a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame that includes control information associated with transfer of the packet over an interface to the access network node, and wherein the adjusted delay budget pointer field is included in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame.

X18. The method of any of embodiments X9-X15, wherein the QoS parameters include a packet set delay budget parameter, wherein the packet set delay budget parameter indicates the set of multiple candidate values, wherein the header of the received packet includes a packet set delay budget pointer field, and wherein determining the delay budget comprises identifying to which one of the multiple candidate values the packet set delay budget pointer field points.

X19. The method of embodiment X18, wherein the header comprises a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame that includes control information associated with transfer of the packet over an interface to the access network node, and wherein the packet set delay budget pointer field is included in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame.

X20. The method of any of embodiments X9-X19, wherein handling the packet based on the determined delay budget comprises scheduling the packet based on the determined delay budget.

X21. The method of any of embodiments X9-X19, wherein handling the packet based on the determined delay budget comprises transmitting or dropping the received packet depending respectively on whether or not all packets in the set of packets are able to be delivered within the determined delay budget.

X22. The method of any of embodiments X1-X21 , wherein the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information.

X23. The method of embodiment X22, wherein the application layer unit of information is a video frame.

XX1. A method performed by an access network node in an access network of a communication network, the method comprising: receiving, from a communication device, a buffer status report that reports an amount of uplink data available at the communication device and that indicates a delay budget of the uplink data.

XX2. The method of embodiment XX1 , wherein the uplink data includes one or more sets of one or more packets, and wherein the indicated delay budget is a packet set delay budget that comprises a delay budget of each of the one or more sets of one or more packets.

XX3. The method of embodiment XX2, wherein, for each of the one or more sets of one or more packets, the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information.

XX4. The method of embodiment XX3, wherein an application layer unit of information is a video frame.

XX5. The method of any of embodiments XX2-XX4, wherein a set of packets is a set of PDlls.

XX6. The method of any of embodiments XX1-XX5, wherein receiving the buffer status report comprises receiving the buffer status report at a first layer of a protocol stack at the access network node.

XX7. The method of embodiment XX6, wherein the first layer is a Medium Access Control, MAC, layer.

XX8. The method of any of embodiments XX1-XX7, wherein the buffer status report reports an amount of uplink data available at the communication device for a group of one or more logical channels.

XX9. The method of any of embodiments XX1-XX8, wherein the buffer status report includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the uplink data.

XX10. The method of embodiment XX9, further comprising determining the delay budget of the uplink data by adjusting the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment value to which the adjusted delay budget pointer field points.

XX11. The method of any of embodiments XX1-XX8, wherein the buffer status report includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the uplink data.

XX12. The method of any of embodiments XX1-XX11, further comprising scheduling the uplink data based on the delay budget indicated by the buffer status report.

Group Y Embodiments

Y1. A method performed by a network node in a communication network, the method comprising: receiving a packet in a set of packets that belongs to a quality of service, QoS, flow; adding, to the packet, header information that indicates a delay budget of the set of packets, from among multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget of a set of packets belonging to the QoS flow; and forwarding the packet along with the added header information.

Y2. The method of embodiment Y1, wherein the network node is a user plane network node in a core network of the communication network.

Y3. The method of embodiment Y2, wherein the user plane network node implements a User Plane Function, UPF. Y4. The method of any of embodiments Y2-Y3, wherein forwarding the packet comprises forwarding the packet to an access network node in an access network of the communication network.

Y5. The method of embodiment Y4, wherein forwarding the packet comprises transmitting the packet over a user plane tunnel between the user plane network node and the access network node, wherein the header information is added to a tunnel extension header of the packet.

Y6. The method of embodiment Y5, wherein the user plane tunnel is a General Packet Radio Service, GPRS, Tunnelling Protocol, GTP, and wherein the tunnel extension header is a GTP user plane extension header.

Y7. The method of any of embodiments Y5-Y6, wherein the tunnel extension header of the received packet includes a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame, wherein the header information is added to a field in the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame.

Y8. The method of any of embodiments Y1-Y7, wherein the multiple candidate values are defined in a QoS profile for the QoS flow.

Y9. The method of any of embodiments Y1-Y8, wherein the header information includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value for the QoS flow.

Y10. The method of embodiment Y9, wherein the adjusted delay budget pointer field is included in a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame, wherein the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame includes control information associated with transfer of the packet over an interface to the access network node.

Y11. The method of any of embodiments Y1-Y8, wherein the header information includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of the multiple candidate values.

Y12. The method of embodiment Y11, wherein the packet set delay budget pointer field is included in a DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame, wherein the DL PDU SESSION INFORMATION frame includes control information associated with transfer of the packet over an interface to the access network node.

Y13. The method of any of embodiments Y1-Y13, wherein the packet is received from an application server.

Y14. The method of any of embodiments Y1-Y13, further comprising determining the header information from a header of the received packet.

Y15. The method of embodiment Y14, wherein the received packet is a Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, and wherein the header of the received packet is an RTP extension header.

Y16. The method of embodiment Y14, wherein the header of the received packet includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value for the QoS flow.

Y17. The method of embodiment Y14, wherein the header of the received packet includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of the multiple candidate values.

Y18. The method of any of embodiments Y1-Y17, wherein the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same application layer unit of information.

Y19. The method of embodiment Y18, wherein the application layer unit of information is a video frame.

Group Z Embodiments

Z1. A method performed by an application server, the method comprising: generating a set of packets, wherein the packets in the set carry respective parts of the same unit of information from an application layer of the application server, wherein each of one or more of the packets in the set have a header that indicates a delay budget of the set of packets; and transmitting the set of packets to a communication network.

Z2. The method of embodiment Z1 , wherein generating the set of packets is performed as part of generating multiple sets of packets for respective units of information from the application layer, and wherein at least some of the sets of packets have different delay budgets.

Z3. The method of any of embodiments Z1-Z2, further comprising selecting the delay budget of the set of packets from a set of multiple candidate values defined for an application that generated the unit of information. Z4. The method of embodiment Z3, further comprising receiving the set of multiple candidate values from an application function, AF.

Z5. The method of any of embodiments Z1-Z4, wherein the header of a packet includes an adjusted delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting a nominal delay budget value of an application that generated the unit of information.

Z6. The method of embodiment Z5, wherein the adjusted delay budget pointer field is included in a Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, extension header of a packet.

Z7. The method of any of embodiments Z1-Z4, wherein the header of a packet includes a packet set delay budget pointer field that points to one of multiple candidate delay budget values defined for an application that generated the unit of information.

Z8. The method of embodiment Z7, wherein the packet set delay budget pointer field is included in a Real-time Transport Protocol, RTP, extension header of a packet.

Z9. The method of any of embodiments Z1-Z8, wherein generating the set of packets is performed as part of generating multiple sets of packets for respective units of information from the application layer, wherein the units of information are video frames from an application, wherein the method further comprises: adapting a video frame rate for the application; and responsive to or based on adapting the video frame rate, adapting a delay budget indicated in the header.

Group V Embodiments

V1. A method performed by a node configured to implement an application function, the method comprising: generating, for an application, QoS parameters that indicate a set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for a delay budget of the application; and providing the QoS parameters to a control plane network node of a communication network.

V2. The method of embodiment V1 , wherein the QoS parameters include: a nominal delay budget parameter indicating a nominal delay budget of the application; and a delay budget adjustment parameter indicating a set of multiple candidate adjustment values defined as candidates for adjusting the nominal delay budget value of the application; wherein the set of multiple candidate values defined as candidates for the delay budget comprises possible values resulting from adjustment of the nominal delay budget value by the candidate adjustment values.

V3. The method of embodiment V1 , wherein the QoS parameters include a delay budget parameter indicating the set of multiple candidate values for the delay budget.

V4. The method of any of embodiments V1-V3, wherein the application is an extended Reality, XR, application.

Group C Embodiments

C1. A communication device configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

C2. A communication device comprising processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

C3. A communication device comprising: communication circuitry; and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

C4. A communication device comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the communication device.

C5. A communication device comprising: processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the communication device is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

C6. The communication device of any of embodiments C1-C5, wherein the communication device is a wireless communication device. C7. A user equipment (UE) comprising: an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry; the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

C8. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a communication device, causes the communication device to carry out the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

C9. A carrier containing the computer program of embodiment C7, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

C10. A network node configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B, Group X, or Group Y embodiments.

C11. A network node comprising processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B, Group X, or Group Y embodiments.

C12. A network node comprising: communication circuitry; and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B, Group X, or Group Y embodiments.

C13. A network node comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B, Group X, or Group Y embodiments; power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the network node. C14. A network node comprising: processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the network node is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B, Group X, or Group Y embodiments.

C15. The network node of any of embodiments C10-C14, wherein the network node is a base station.

C16. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a network node, causes the network node to carry out the steps of any of the Group B, Group X, or Group Y embodiments.

C17. The computer program of embodiment C16, wherein the network node is a base station.

C18. A carrier containing the computer program of any of embodiments C16-C17, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

C19. An application server configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group Z embodiments.

C20. An application server comprising processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group Z embodiments.

C21. An application server comprising: communication circuitry; and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group Z embodiments.

C22. An application server comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group Z embodiments; power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the application server.

C23. An application server comprising: processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the application server is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group Z embodiments.

C24. Reserved

C25. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of an application server, causes the application server to carry out the steps of any of the Group Z embodiments.

C26. Reserved

C27. A carrier containing the computer program of any of embodiments C25-C26, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

C28. A node configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group V embodiments.

C29. A node comprising processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group V embodiments.

C30. A node comprising: communication circuitry; and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group V embodiments.

C31. A node comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group V embodiments; power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the node.

C32. A node comprising: processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the node is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group V embodiments.

C33. Reserved C34. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a node, causes the node to carry out the steps of any of the Group V embodiments.

C35. Reserved

C36. A carrier containing the computer program of any of embodiments C34-C35, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

REFERENCES

1. 3GPP, TR 23.700-60, v0.3.0, (2022-02) Study on XR (Extended Reality) and media services (Release 18)

2. 3GPP, TS 23.501 , V17.3.0 (2021-12), Section 5.7 QoS Model

3. 3GPP, TR 38.838, vO.1.0 (2021-10), “Study on XR (Extended Reality) Evaluations for NR”.

4. 3GPP, TR 38.423, v17.1.0 (2022-06), Xn Application protocol (XnAP)

5. 3GPP, TS 23.503, v17.4.0 (2022-03) Section 6.2.3 Application Function

6. 3GPP, TS 23.503, v17.4.0 (2022-03) Section 6.1.3.22 AF session with required QoS

7. 3GPP, TS 23.503, v17.4.0 (2022-03) Section 6.3 Policy and charging control rule

8. 3GPP, TS 23.501, v17.3.0 (2021-12) Section 5.7.1.1 QoS Flow