RELAY SELECTION IN CELLULAR SLICED NETWORKS

摘要

A cellular communication system supports network slicing and has a network relay function (140) for managing the indirect connections. A mobile device (110) may send a request message to a relay device (120), the request message including a slice to access. A response message indicating available slice(s) and relay device(s). The device selects a slice and relay device in dependence of the response message. The relay device receives the request message and sends a transfer request message to the cellular communication system indicating a request to transfer data via an indirect connection and including the requested slice, and sends the response message. The network relay function receives the transfer request message, obtains relay capability data regarding relay device(s) capable of data transfer for available slice(s) in dependence of the requested slice; and sends a transfer response message including network relay information indicating the available slice(s) and relay device(s).