阅读说明：本技术 网络管理 (Network management ) 是由 R·布朗 J·哈特 M·奎瓦斯·拉米雷斯 于 2020-01-30 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种管理电信网络的方法,该电信网络具有第一用户和第二用户,所述方法包括以下步骤：确定与第一用户相关联的竞争性特征和与第二用户相关联的竞争性特征(210)；比较所确定的竞争性特征(220)；识别所述竞争性特征之间是否存在超过阈值的差异(230),从而识别处与所述第一或第二用户相关联的竞争优势；以及如果识别出该差异超过阈值,则调整与第一用户相关联的网络连接的网络配置,以抵消与第一或第二用户相关联的竞争优势(240)。(A method of managing a telecommunications network having a first user and a second user, said method comprising the steps of: determining a competitive feature associated with a first user and a competitive feature associated with a second user (210); comparing the determined competitive features (220); identifying whether there is a difference between the competitive features that exceeds a threshold (230), thereby identifying a competitive advantage associated with the first or second user; and if the difference is identified to exceed the threshold, adjusting a network configuration of a network connection associated with the first user to counteract a competitive advantage associated with the first or second user (240).)

1. A method of managing a telecommunications network having a first user and a second user, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a competitive feature associated with the first user and a competitive feature associated with the second user;

comparing the determined competitive features;

identifying whether there is a difference between the competitive features that exceeds a threshold, thereby identifying a competitive advantage associated with the first user or the second user; and

if the difference is identified to exceed the threshold, adjusting a network configuration of a network connection associated with the first user to counteract the competitive advantage associated with the first user or the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the network configuration comprises reducing network performance of the network connection associated with the first user.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein adjusting the network configuration comprises improving network performance of the network connection associated with the first user.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein adjusting the network configuration comprises changing the path of network communications from and/or to the first user over the telecommunications network.

5. The method of any preceding claim, wherein adjusting the network configuration comprises changing a location within the telecommunications network of a network resource to be accessed by the first user.

6. The method of any preceding claim, wherein adjusting the network configuration comprises degrading network communications from and/or to the first user.

7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein adjusting the network configuration comprises assigning the first user to a network slice.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of: determining a degree of the difference, and adjusting the network configuration according to the determined degree of difference.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of: limiting the extent to which the network configuration is adjusted.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the competitive features is indicative of a skill level.

11. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the competitive features represents hardware and/or software.

12. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the competitive features comprises a plurality of values, and wherein the network configuration is adjusted according to a weighting and/or ordering of the plurality of values.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of: identifying an activity in which the first user and the second user are or will be involved over the telecommunications network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a degree to which the network performance is adjusted depends on the identified activity.

15. The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein at least one of the competitive features is selected according to the identified activity.

16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of: identifying that both the first user and the second user compete in a competitive activity over the telecommunications network, and performing the method in the event that both the first user and the second user have been identified to compete in the competitive activity.

17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of: reversing the adjusting of the network configuration.

18. A telecommunications network for facilitating interaction between a first user and a second user over the telecommunications network, the telecommunications network comprising:

a receiver for receiving a competitive feature associated with the first user and a competitive feature associated with the second user;

a processor configured to: comparing the received competitive features and identifying whether there is a difference between the competitive features that exceeds a threshold, thereby identifying a competitive advantage associated with the first user or the second user; and

a controller configured to: in response to identifying a difference that exceeds the threshold, adjusting a network configuration of a network connection associated with the first user to offset the competitive advantage associated with the first user or the second user.

19. The telecommunications network of claim 18, wherein the processor and/or the controller is provided at: in a core of the telecommunications network; an edge of the telecommunications network; and/or at a User Equipment (UE) associated with the first user and/or the second user.

20. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor associated with a telecommunications network, cause the telecommunications network to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 17.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method of managing a telecommunications network, and more particularly to a method of managing a telecommunications network to improve fairness among competing users; the invention also relates to a telecommunications network.

Background

In competitive multi-user activities performed over a network, unfairness (including an imbalance in user enjoyment) can occur where users with different skills and/or devices (e.g., hardware) are competing against each other (all other things being equal). However, in a limited pool of users wishing to engage in such activities, there may be no choice but to have users with significantly different skills and/or devices fight each other.

For example, where users with different capabilities compete in a peer-to-peer online multiplayer game, where a team consists of users with significantly higher skills than other users, an imbalance may occur in the game. This may reduce fairness and user enjoyment of the experience, and may also result in abandoning the game if enough users become frustrated and choose to leave the game due to a mismatch in skills. It is therefore an object of the present invention to at least alleviate the above problems.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of managing a telecommunications network having a first user and a second user, the method comprising the steps of: determining a competitive feature associated with the first user and a competitive feature associated with the second user; comparing the determined competitive features; identifying whether there is a difference between the competitive features that exceeds a threshold, thereby identifying a competitive advantage associated with the first user or the second user; if the difference is identified to exceed a threshold, a network configuration of a network connection associated with the first user is adjusted to counteract a competitive advantage associated with the first user or the second user.

Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of: the network configuration of the network connection associated with the second user is adjusted to offset a competitive advantage associated with the first user or the second user. More preferably, the network configuration of the network connection associated with the second user is adjusted in a manner opposite to the manner in which the network configuration of the network connection associated with the first user is adjusted.

Preferably, as used herein, the term "competitive feature" means a measure of a user's skill in a competitive activity and/or a means associated with the user for participating in the competitive activity over a telecommunications network, wherein the competitive feature may affect the outcome of the competitive activity in favor of a given user (in the form of a competitive advantage or disadvantage). Optionally, the competitive feature is associated with a user and/or UE participating in the competitive activity. Optionally, the network configuration is adjusted only for the first user. Preferably, as used herein, the term "user" means the human user itself (and/or a user account or profile associated with the human user) and/or the UE used by (or associated with) the human user.

Preferably, adjusting the network configuration comprises reducing network performance of a network connection associated with the first user. Optionally, adjusting the network configuration comprises preventing processing of network communications to and/or from the first user. Optionally, the network performance includes: delaying time; bandwidth (downlink and/or uplink); round Trip Time (RTT) delay; and/or bit error rate.

Preferably, adjusting the network configuration comprises improving network performance of a network connection associated with the first user. Optionally, adjusting the network configuration comprises prioritizing the handling of network communications to and/or from the first user. Preferably, adjusting the network configuration comprises changing the path of network communications through the telecommunications network from the first user and/or the second user to the first user and/or the second user. Preferably, adjusting the network configuration comprises changing the location of network resources within the telecommunications network to be accessed by the first user and/or the second user.

Preferably, adjusting the network configuration comprises degrading network communications from and/or to the first user and/or the second user. Preferably, adjusting the network configuration comprises assigning the first user to a (optionally new) network slice. Optionally, the first user is assigned to a network slice, and wherein adjusting the network configuration comprises reconfiguring processing resources available to the network slice. Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of: determining a degree of difference, and adjusting the network configuration in accordance with the determined degree of difference. Preferably, the method further comprises the step of limiting the extent to which the network configuration is adjusted. Optionally, the method further comprises the step of limiting the frequency of adjusting the network configuration.

Preferably, the at least one competitive feature is indicative of a skill level, and more preferably, a skill level at a specified competitive activity. Optionally, the at least one competitive feature comprises: ranking/scoring lists; empirical measures (e.g., total time to perform competitive activities); win-loss ratio; with rewards, authentication and/or approval; metrics relating to motor skills (e.g., reaction time, movements per minute, and coordination); and/or a measure of knowledge and/or intelligence (e.g., IQ). Preferably, the at least one competitive feature represents hardware and/or software. Optionally, the hardware and/or software is a means for engaging in a competitive activity for use by the first user and/or the second user. Optionally, the hardware and/or software is a means for providing a network connection for the first user and/or the second user. In particular, the competitive features may represent: calculating and processing; a memory; network performance; the presence (if any, the type thereof) or absence of peripheral computer input and/or output devices and/or specifications for such input and/or output devices; and/or the presence (if any, its type) or absence of software for assisting or automating functions within the competitive activity.

Optionally, the at least one competitive feature is determined (or inferred) from: physical layer, network layer, transport layer and/or application layer types and/or values; payload data type, format, and/or content (e.g., whether video, sound, voice, text, image, etc.); an encryption protocol; a user agent string; and/or the source and/or destination of the network communication. Optionally, the competitive features are retrieved from: a user device associated with the first user and/or the second user; a server remote from the telecommunications network; and/or a telecommunications network. Optionally, the competitive feature is associated with a user account, which in turn is associated with the user (i.e., the first user and/or the second user). Preferably, at least one of the competing characteristics comprises a plurality of values, and wherein the network configuration is adjusted according to a weighting and/or ordering of the plurality of values. Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of: activities engaged in by a first user and a second user on a telecommunications network are identified. Preferably, the extent to which the network performance is adjusted depends on the identified activity.

Preferably, at least one competitive feature is selected in accordance with the identified activity. The competitive features to be determined and/or compared may be selected based on the identified activity. Optionally, a plurality of competing features is selected, wherein the plurality of competing features are compared. Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of: identifying that both the first user and the second user compete in a competitive activity on the telecommunications network, and performing the method if it has been identified that both the first user and the second user compete in the competitive activity. Preferably, when it is identified that the first user and the second user compete with each other. Preferably, the method further comprises the step of reversing the network configuration adjustment. Preferably, the reversing is performed when the first user and the second user are no longer in competition.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a telecommunications network for facilitating interaction between a first user and a second user over the telecommunications network, the telecommunications network comprising: a receiver for receiving a competitive feature associated with a first user and a competitive feature associated with a second user; a processor configured to: comparing the received competitive features and identifying whether there is a difference between the competitive features that exceeds a threshold, thereby identifying a competitive advantage associated with the first user or the second user; and a controller configured to: adjusting a network configuration of a network connection associated with the first user to counteract a competitive advantage associated with the first user or the second user in response to identifying a difference that exceeds the threshold. Preferably, the processor and/or the controller are arranged to: in a core of the telecommunications network; at the edge of a telecommunications network; and/or at a User Equipment (UE) associated with the first user and/or the second user.

In yet another aspect of the invention, a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor associated with a telecommunications network, cause the telecommunications network to perform the method as described above.

The invention extends to any novel aspect or feature described and/or illustrated herein. The invention extends to a method and/or apparatus substantially as described herein and/or as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention also provides a computer program and a computer program product for performing any of the methods described herein and/or for implementing any of the apparatus features described herein, and a computer readable medium having stored thereon a program for performing any of the methods described herein and/or for implementing any of the apparatus features described herein.

The invention also provides a signal comprising a computer program for performing any of the methods described herein and/or for implementing any of the apparatus features described herein, a method of transmitting such a signal, and a computer product having an operating system supporting a computer program for performing any of the methods described herein and/or for implementing any of the apparatus features described herein.

Any device feature described herein may also be provided as a method feature, and vice versa. As used herein, device plus function features may alternatively be expressed in terms of their respective structures, such as a suitably programmed processor and associated memory.

Any feature in one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention in any suitable combination. In particular, method aspects may apply to apparatus aspects and vice versa. Furthermore, any, some, and/or all features of one aspect may be applied to any, some, and/or all features of any other aspect in any suitable combination. It should also be understood that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspect of the invention may be implemented and/or provided and/or used independently.

In this specification, unless otherwise indicated, the word "or" may be construed in an exclusive or inclusive sense. Furthermore, features implemented in hardware may typically be implemented in software, and vice versa. Any reference herein to software and hardware features should be construed accordingly.

The present invention extends to a method of managing a telecommunications network and a telecommunications network substantially as herein described and/or illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a telecommunications network;

FIG. 2 illustrates a process for improving fairness for network users;

figure 3 is a signalling diagram illustrating signalling between a user equipment and a network;

FIG. 4 illustrates a table that stores competitive features associated with various users and that is used to improve fairness; and

fig. 5 shows in more detail a process for improving fairness for network users.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary telecommunications network 100. The network 100 is a mobile cellular network comprising a plurality of User Equipments (UEs) 110, for example in the form of mobile cellular devices, laptops or tablets. Each UE110 is configured to utilize the telecommunications network 100 by accessing a Radio Access Network (RAN)115 provided by a RAN access point 120 (e.g., in the form of a macro, micro, pico, or femto cell site). The RAN access point 120 is in turn connected to the core of a network 125.

The core network 125 may be used to connect to remote networks and/or services 170, not just the internet. Thus, multiple UEs 110-1 through 110-4 may also be able to communicate with UE 110-5 on remote network 170.

The core network 125 in turn comprises the following functional components:

an access and mobility management function (AMF) 130;

a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) 135;

competitive feature determination function (CCAF) 137;

authentication server function (AUSF) 140;

unified Data Management (UDM) 145;

a Session Management Function (SMF) 150;

policy Control Function (PCF) 155;

user Plane Function (UPF) 160; and

a Data Network (DN) 165.

With the above functional components, the network 100 provides and manages multiple network slices. Network slices provide a virtualized network that includes multiple logical networks ("network slices") within a single physical network. This is typically used to provide different service models, which may include varying performance and/or stability characteristics within the network. NSSF 135 is configured to identify and select an appropriate network slice for the UE.

In summary, the network 100 adjusts its configuration in order to improve fairness for users competing on the network; this is accomplished by affecting the performance of the network 100 in order to offset the significant inequality in the competitive features associated with the UE/its user when the UE and/or its user jointly participate in an appropriate competitive activity through the network 100 and/or rely on the network to support the competitive activity.

The competitive feature is an indication of competitive advantage and includes a measure of skill in the competitive activity and/or an indication of a device for participating in the competitive activity.

Skill, in turn, is a measure of the user's (actual or anticipated) ability/experience in a given competitive activity or competitive activity.

Skills are associated with a user via a user account and include, for example:

rank/position in the scoring board;

total time to perform competitive activities (i.e., experience);

win-loss ratio;

have rewards, certifications and/or endorsements;

metrics relating to motor skills (e.g., reaction time, movements per minute, and coordination); and/or

A measure of knowledge and/or intelligence (e.g., IQ).

The parameter indicative of skill may vary with different competitive activities. Thus, skills are measured in a manner that depends on the competitive activity the user is or will be performing over the network.

Further, for some competitive activities, the skill may be difficult to measure with any reliability, or the skill may be a determining factor that is not important in the outcome of the competitive activity (e.g., only few factors attributable to the skill can be used to determine the ability of the user to influence the outcome of the auction with his or her liking as compared to a competition game). Thus, the degree to which skills are used to counteract unfairness is weighted by the reliability of the skills that can be measured for a given competitive activity and/or the ability of a given skill to affect the outcome of a competitive activity.

The apparatus is a measure of the (actual or expected) competitive advantage that will be obtained for a given competitive activity as a result of hardware and/or software associated with the UE (and its network connection) being used to participate in network contention; this includes the following hardware and/or software: the UE110 itself; the RAN 115; a core network 125; and a remote network 170 accessed by the UE.

In particular, aspects of hardware that may affect a user's ability to compete in competitive activities over a network include: processors (e.g., central and graphics processors); a memory; a network card; a transceiver; a router; a repeater; a modem; and/or peripheral devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.). Similarly, software aspects that may affect a user's ability to compete in competitive activities over a network include: automation programs and software (e.g., robots, scripts, and macros, such as for automatic bidding in auctions); operating system type and version; and/or the type and version of drivers for the hardware (e.g., graphics processing unit drivers).

The parameters of the pointing device may vary with different competitive activities and are therefore selected according to the competitive activity being performed.

As used herein, a competitive feature associated with UE110 means a competitive feature that is suitably associated with: the UE110 itself; a user thereof; network 100 accessed by UE 110; and/or a remote service/network 170 accessed by UE 110.

Fig. 2 summarizes a process 200 for managing the network 100 to improve fairness for users performing competitive activities through the network 100 via the first UE 110-1 and the second UE 110-2. In a first step 210, the competitive features associated with the first UE 110-1 and the second UE110-2 are determined by the UE and/or the core network 125, and in particular by the CCAF137 by means of an interface with (among others) the UPF 160 and/or a remote server (e.g. via the remote service/network 170) storing data related to the competitive features.

In a next step 220, the determined competitive feature for the first UE 110-1 is compared with the competitive feature for the second UE110-2 in order to assess whether there is a difference (i.e., not equal) in the competitive features of the UEs. If so, an evaluation is made as to whether the difference is significant, for example by evaluating whether the difference exceeds a threshold 230.

If the difference is significant, this may indicate that either first UE 110-1 or second UE110-2 has an important contention advantage that may affect the outcome of the contention activity. Thus, in step 240, the network 100 is reconfigured to improve the fairness of the first UE and the second UE. Performing reconfiguration of the network to reduce network performance of first UE 110-1 or second UE110-2 and/or to reduce the benefit of first UE 110-1 or second UE110-2, which in turn can affect performance in competitive activities and thus help offset the identified competitive advantage.

Network performance measurements are based on (among others): delaying time; bandwidth (downlink and/or uplink); round Trip Time (RTT) delay; and/or bit error rate.

For example, to improve fairness, the network configuration is adjusted to affect network performance in the following way:

in the event that it is determined that first UE 110-1 has a competitive feature that may provide an objectively present competitive advantage over second UE110-2, reducing network performance for first UE 110-1 (i.e., interfering with the first UE); and/or

Improving network performance for the second UE110-2 (i.e., assisting the second UE) upon determining that the first UE 110-1 has a competitive feature that can provide an objectively present competitive advantage over the second UE 110-2.

Adjusting the network configuration to counteract differences in the competitive features is performed, for example, by:

change the network or portion thereof (e.g., wireless wide area cellular network, fixed line network, or wireless local area network) in which the first UE 110-1 and/or the second UE110-2 are engaged in competitive activity;

specifically, this includes changing a network slice associated with the first UE 110-1 and/or the second UE 110-2.

Changing the network communication path from a given UE110 and/or to a given UE110 so that the network paths for multiple UEs are different (beyond inherent need), including for example:

register each UE with a different Mobile Network Operator (MNO) or Internet Service Provider (ISP);

let each UE utilize a different RAN access point 120; and

accessing resources from different network locations, e.g., a first UE 110-1 accesses resources from a server via remote network 170, while a second UE110-2 accesses the same resources from the edge of network 100 (e.g., RAN access point 120), including first changing the resources (in a networked sense) by, for example, moving the resources

The position of (2):

closer to the second UE 110-2; and/or

Farther away from the first UE 110-2.

Increasing or decreasing the priority of the network handling network communications associated with a given UE;

reducing or causing delays in the processing of network communications associated with a given UE (and thereby changing latency and/or jitter), for example by buffering such network communications;

increasing or decreasing bandwidth and/or transmission speed (i.e., throttling) for a given UE; and/or

Cause errors (e.g., corrupt data packets) in processing network communications associated with a given UE (thereby increasing the bit error rate).

Any combination of the above approaches is used to improve or reduce network performance for a given UE, thereby helping to offset the competitive advantage associated with that UE in an effort to improve fairness.

The network configuration for a given UE, particularly the configuration of the network slice associated or to be associated with the UE, is adjusted by the network core 125 and/or the remote network 170. Specifically, the network configuration is suitably adjusted by the AMF 130, the SMF 150, and/or the UPF 160.

Once the network configuration is adjusted per step 240, process 200 repeats by returning to first step 210. Likewise, if there is no difference at step 220, or if the difference is insignificant at step 230 (because it does not exceed the threshold), the process also repeats by returning to first step 210.

Fig. 3 shows in more detail a process 300 for improving fairness (particularly signaling over network 100) for a given UE by reallocating the UE to different network slices in order to improve fairness.

In this example, a first UE 110-1 and a second UE110-2 compete with each other in a competitive activity on the network 100.

In a first step 310, the first UE 110-1 and the core network 125 (in particular the AMF 130) participate in signaling via the RAN120 in order to establish a connection. The first UE 110-1 is assigned to the first network slice via NSSF 135. A Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session is thereby established and this is achieved, for example, as outlined in third generation partnership project (3GPP) technical specification 23.502, release 15.2.0, section 4.3.2.2, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

In a next step 320, the CCAF137 determines (at least via an interface with the UPF 160 and/or the remote server 170) a competitive feature for the first UE 110-1 and reports the determined competitive feature to the AMF 130.

In a corresponding manner, steps 310 and 320 are repeated for a second UE110-2 (not shown in fig. 3) in order to connect the second UE110-2 to the network 100 (or another network) and determine a competitive feature associated with the second UE 110-2.

In accordance with the process described with reference to fig. 2, and as shown in fig. 2, the CCAF137 compares the determined competitive features of the first UE 110-1 and the second UE110-2 in order to identify any significant differences in the competitive features. In this example, the competitive feature associated with second UE110-2 is determined to be significantly better than the competitive feature associated with first UE 110-1.

Taking into account the determined difference in the competitive feature, it is sought to counteract the imbalance in the competitive feature between the UEs by improving the network performance of the first UE 110-1. Thus, NSSF identifies a network slice that will help achieve this result-the second network slice; to this end, AMF 130 requests Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) from NSSF 137 based on the desired specification of the second network slice as provided by AMF 130. Thus, the AMF 130 indicates 330 that the first UE is detached from the first network slice and attached to the second network slice instead, as identified by the NSSF. The first UE 110-1 then requests attachment to the second network slice 340 and, once the request is accepted, establishes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session with the second network slice 350, e.g., as outlined in third generation partnership project (3GPP) technical specification 23.502, release 15.2.0, section 4.3.2.2.

The second network slice provides improved network performance over the first network slice to which the first UE was initially assigned, as determined by the NSSF, and network performance that exceeds the network performance experienced by the second UE. In this way, the first UE 110-1 obtains a contention advantage over its default network configuration.

Some networks allow UEs to participate in activities that do not involve contention between UEs. Thus, attempting to improve fairness as outlined herein is not applicable for all activities or for all UEs.

In this case, the network 100 is configured to distinguish between activities that are suitable for improving fairness ("competitive activities") and activities that are not possible and/or suitable for improving fairness ("non-competitive activities"). Thus, the network 100 will only improve the fairness of such competitive activities. Examples of competitive activities include: a multi-player peer-to-peer game; a financial transaction; auction; voting; and data communications to support competitive activities and/or "real life" competitions (e.g., professional sporting events, such as racing cars).

The non-competitive activity is the following: no internal competition; information communication involving only an inability to affect competitive activities and/or "real life" competition results; serving only a single UE; and/or the result is driven only by chance. Thus, examples of non-competitive activities typically include: streaming of media on demand; and pure games of chance.

To distinguish between competitive and non-competitive activities, the network 100 identifies (or infers) the activity (either explicitly or simply whether it is a competitive activity) by examining network communications traversing the network 100, such as by evaluating:

physical layer, network layer, transport layer and/or application layer types and/or values;

payload data type, format, and/or content (e.g., whether video, sound, voice, text, image, etc.);

an encryption protocol;

the source and/or destination of the network communication;

the identity of the remote service or network 170 being accessed;

whether traffic has been allocated to an active dedicated network slice (e.g., a low-latency gaming network slice); and/or

The type of UE (e.g., hardware type and/or operating software version) that receives or transmits network communications.

The identification of the activity is performed by the core network 125 (especially by means of the UPF 160, which then reports the identified activity to the AMF 130 and/or the CCAF 137) and/or by the UEs participating in the activity. Additionally, or alternatively, the activity is communicated to the network by the UE and/or by a remote network 170 that facilitates the activity. Accordingly, an interface is provided for notifying AMF 130 and/or CCAF137 that traffic associated with a particular session and/or competitive activity is to be monitored in order to identify the competitive activity.

It should be understood that where the network is limited to access only to competitive activities (such as a dedicated network or network slice dedicated to financial transactions), it is not necessary to distinguish between competitive and non-competitive activities as described above.

In some networks, the network 100 is configured to distinguish between competing and non-competing UEs, where the competing UEs participate together in the same competitive activity (whether or not against each other). Non-competing UEs are UEs that do not participate in the activity together (whether or not in a competitive activity). Competing UEs may compete simultaneously or at different times.

When there are at least two competing UEs, the process described herein is performed.

Thus, to improve fairness among competing UEs, the network 100 is configured to identify a set of competing UEs, e.g., by using a method similar to that used to identify competing activities (as described above), as performed by the core network 125, by the remote network 170, and/or by the UEs, which may be assisted by a network server (or node) that facilitates the competing activities, and preferably, the impact of the change in network configuration is not directly perceived by the user.

In one example, the competing features are retrieved directly from memory. Alternatively or additionally, competitive features are estimated or inferred, for example, from: dynamic analysis of performance during competitive activities; a network address (e.g., a MAC code indicating the type of hardware); and/or network configuration (e.g., network slice to which the UE is assigned).

The degree to which the network configuration is adjusted to improve fairness between competing UEs depends at least on the degree of difference in the competing characteristics. In particular, the network 100 is intended to offset significant differences in competitive features without significantly compromising the utility and/or co-enjoyment of competitive activities.

The extent of network configuration adjustments is limited when reducing network performance for a given UE, particularly in order to maintain acceptable network performance and to comply with service level agreements. This is related to, for example, increasing the waiting time when the user is competing in a fast-spaced action game. Thus, the network 100 is prohibited (according to predetermined rules accessible to the core network 125) from adjusting the network configuration to the extent that the network performance changes beyond a threshold, and thus the network configuration is only available to change within a range of values.

In one example, the threshold is absolute (e.g., a fixed value of network performance, such as a change in latency of no more than 100 ms) and/or relative (e.g., a proportion of the user's network performance, such as a change of no more than 50% of the latency of a given UE).

To reduce computational processing, the frequency at which the network 100 adjusts is limited.

In one example, decreasing network performance is selected as the least preferred (last resort) option. Instead, the network first evaluates whether the UE with the worse (or worst) competitive feature among a set of competing UEs can help offset the competitive advantage of the UE with the better (or best) competitive feature by improving network performance; if this improvement is not sufficient to offset the competitive advantage, then only the network performance with respect to the UE with the better (or best) competitive feature is reconfigured in a way that reduces its network performance.

Fig. 4 illustrates an exemplary table 400 storing contention characteristics for various UEs 110.

Table 400 includes a plurality of fields for various UEs, including, for example, fields for:

a unique UE and/or user identifier, such as an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number 410 and/or a user account (not shown);

network characteristics, including the network slice 415 to which the user is currently assigned;

competitive features for a given competitive activity, in the form of measures related to skill:

omicron ranking 420;

a ratio of win to loss 425;

omicron the number of experience hours involved in a particular competitive activity 430;

a team or organization (or "opponent group") 440 for specifying the current competitive activity 440 to which the UE is assigned; and

an identifier 445 specifying the competitive activity the UE is currently (or will) participate in, such as multiplayer peer-to-peer games, auctions, financial transactions and votes.

Thus, table 400 identifies individual UEs and associates them with competitive features in order to evaluate when to adjust and then how to adjust the network configuration in order to improve fairness.

For example, a first UE 110-1 and a second UE110-2 participate in the same multiplayer peer-to-peer game ("Game A") and are assigned to the same opponent group (group "1"). The third UE 110-3 and the fourth UE 110-4 also participate in "Game A," but are together assigned to a different competitor group (group "2") than the first UE 110-1 and the second UE 110-2.

The network core 125 identifies from table 400 a significant difference in competitive characteristics between the participating UEs of "game a" as evidenced by at least the superior competitive characteristics of opponent group "1" (supported by higher ranking, win-loss ratio, and experience hours) and opponent group "2".

Thus, to help improve fairness, a network reconfiguration is performed to penalize opponent-group "1" and/or opponent-group "2", and applied to any selection of competing UEs, e.g.: a first 110-1UE and/or a second 110-2 UE; and/or to a third 110-3UE and/or a fourth 110-4 UE.

For example, the reconfiguration is applied to effect minimal changes to the network performance of individual competing UEs and/or to affect a minimal number of competing UEs.

In one example, fairness is evaluated using a number of competing features, such as leader board ranking 420 and win-loss ratio 425. In particular, a single metric (not shown in FIG. 4) is derived from a plurality of competing features using a formula. Such a formula includes a weighting of the plurality of competing features to give an appropriate weight to the expected competing effect provided by a given competing feature.

As shown in fig. 4, the competitive feature is specific to the current activity 440. Moreover, not all of the listed competing characteristics apply to a given current activity. For example, the leaderboard ranking 420 and win-loss ratio 425 are not suitable for financial transactions or votes (although, for example, latency and/or jitter may be used). Additionally or alternatively, the competitive feature may be independent of the current activity, particularly if it involves a device (although not shown in fig. 4) rather than skill.

In another example, fig. 5 illustrates a process 500 for improving fairness in competing for UEs 110 in peer-to-peer gaming over the network 100.

In a first step 505, a first UE 110-1 and a second UE110-2 access the network 100, the network identifying the UEs eligible to participate in network reconfiguration to improve fairness; this is identified, for example, by a flag communicated to the network when the UE attaches to the network. The absence of such a flag (for one, some or all UEs) would preclude network reconfiguration in order to affect the UE's network performance to improve fairness.

In a next step 510, the first UE 110-1 and the second UE110-2 participate in a multiplayer peer-to-peer game; as described above, this is reported to network core 125 (including CCAF 137) or recognized by network core 125 (including CCAF 137).

Thus, the CCAF137 then determines the competitive feature of the first UE, which depends at least on the current activity 515 in which the first UE is engaged, as identified in step 510. At the same time, and in a similar manner, the CCAF137 (through an interface with, inter alia, the UPF 160) identifies the opponent groups to which the first UE and the second UE are assigned for the participating game.

Based on the information retrieved by CCAF137, the CCAF performs a search to identify competing UEs, e.g., first UE and second UE 520, for the specified UE. In this example, CCAF137 recognizes that only the first UE and the second UE are participating in the same game and have been assigned to different opponent groups; thus, they are relatively competitive.

At step 525, CCAF137 compares the competitive characteristics of the competing UEs; that is, in this example, for a first UE 110-1 and a second UE 110-2. If there is no significant difference between the compared competing characteristics, step 525 is repeated, as the competing characteristics may be time-dynamic and/or the competing UEs may change (e.g., the second UE may exit and be replaced by the third UE 110-3).

However, if it is determined at step 525 that there is a significant difference between the compared competing characteristics, then an appropriate network reconfiguration is determined in order to offset the difference 530. The type and extent of the reconfiguration depends (at least) on the extent of the difference and is determined according to rules regarding allowable reconfigurations.

For transparency, the network reconfiguration determined in step 530 is suggested to at least one competing UE, and for example to:

at least one of the competing UEs, which is to be:

omicron is in trouble;

o is good; and/or

Omicron is not affected;

all competing UEs;

randomly selected competing UEs;

UEs hosting competitive activities; or

Manage/arbitrate the UE.

The at least one competing UE to which the network reconfiguration is proposed may then respond to the proposal and process their response at step 535. If at least one UE accepts the proposal, network reconfiguration 540 is applied and the process repeats back to step 525. If the recommendation is not accepted, no network reconfiguration is applied and the process repeats back to step 525. However, if the at least one UE does not provide a response, then the suggestion is forwarded to an alternative UE or selection of UEs if available, or a default action is taken, such as applying 540 or not applying the network reconfiguration.

Once the UE stops participating in the competitive activity, any network reconfiguration applied to improve fairness and affect the UE during the duration of the competitive activity is performed in reverse. If competitive activity is still in progress, a reevaluation of the balance of the competitive features of the remaining competing UEs is performed, which may result in changing network configurations (e.g., which results in an imbalance in team size across competing teams).

Substitutions and modifications

In the foregoing, telecommunications network 100 is shown and described generally as a cellular wide area network in accordance with 5G technology. However, in the alternative, the telecommunications network 100 is any type of telecommunications network, including a wired network, a local area network, or a combination of network types.

In fig. 1, UE110 is shown accessing the same core network. However, it should be understood that the UEs may access different core networks (and connect to each other via remote network 170).

In one example, the competitive features are compared for each individual competing UE, selection of competing UEs, or teams across UEs (e.g., by aggregating the competitive features for each team member, including calculating an arithmetic mean or total competitive feature for each team).

In another alternative, the above procedure to improve fairness is performed when competing UEs 110 are used to support competing activities (rather than UEs that are directly involved in competing activities). In one example, the UE is associated with a competitor participating in a sport, and the UE is used to communicate with other competitors, a broader team, and/or a referee over the network. In a particular example, the UE is a voice, text, or data (including telematics) communication device, and through the foregoing process, fairness can be improved by, for example, delaying receipt of new information regarding sports results (e.g., changes in rules, conditions, race routes, participants, etc.) for a competitor who has a significant competitive advantage over another competitor.

In yet another alternative, CCAF137 resides at the network edge, e.g., at the RAN access point (e.g., at an eNodeB or a gnnodeb).

In another alternative, the network 100 is further configured to adjust network performance in accordance with the network performance of the network connection associated with the given UE110 in order to improve fairness, for example as outlined in co-pending european patent application No.19151635.0 (applicant's reference a33737), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Each feature disclosed in the description and (where appropriate) the claims and drawings may be provided independently or in any appropriate combination.

Reference signs in the claims are provided merely as a clarifying measure and shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.