Patent Description:
The standard of service that is expected or tolerable from a telecommunications network may vary for different users. In one aspect, this is because certain users are less sensitive to (at least, in the sense of perceiving) lower standards of service than other users, and vice versa. Variation in this degree of sensitivity may be particularly pronounced in relation to telehaptics (i.e. the use of a telecommunications network to communicate, to appropriate apparatus, the generation of tactile sensations to users) or for other telecommunication experiences that rely on sensory responses.

For example, due to humans' sensitivity to asynchronicity between sensory inputs, such as between visual and/or aural inputs versus tactile inputs, telehaptic applications require especially low latencies for the full duration of the telehaptic session. However, not all users have the same sensitivity to such sensory asynchronicity, and therefore not all users have the same latency requirements. In one such example, a visually-impaired individual may have a higher sensitivity to asynchronicity between tactile and aural inputs compared to a user who does not have any visual impairment.

To deliver the same level of service (e.g. for telehaptics) irrespective of the variation in users' sensitivity to their level of service may, on the one hand, constitute an inefficient use of network resources for some users, and, on the other hand, may result in an unsatisfactory (or even unfair) level of service for other users.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention at least to alleviate some of the aforementioned problems.

<CIT> discloses an NR network slicing architecture that is used to facilitate network slice discovery and selection.

<CIT> discloses a system that receives user speech captured at a second end user device during a communication session between the second end user device and a first end user device, applies speech recognition to the user speech, identifies an unclear word in the user speech based on the speech recognition, adjusts the user speech to generate adjusted user speech by replacing all or a portion of the unclear word with replacement audio content, and provides the adjusted user speech to the first end user device during the communication session.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of configuring a telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a User Equipment (UE) utilising the telecommunications network; ascertaining physical capability information associated with a user of the identified UE wherein the physical capability information is indicative of a physical capability of the user; determining a network configuration in dependence upon the ascertained physical capability information; and configuring a network connection for the identified UE according to the determined network configuration.

As used herein, the term "physical capability information" preferably connotes an indicator or a measure of an extent to which a user of the UE is capable of detecting, processing and/or responding to a stimulus from the UE (and/or an apparatus that is in communication with the UE) in an accurate and timely manner (i.e. a "physical capability").

Preferably, the network configuration is determined so as to improve or to maintain a quality of experience for the user in dependence upon the ascertained physical capability information. Optionally, the network connection is determined so as to increase or to decrease utilisation of network resources for the network connection. Optionally, configuring the network connection is performed in dependence upon identifying that the network configuration for the identified UE is unsuitable, for example in dependence upon said determined network configuration.

Optionally, identifying the UE comprises identifying a unique identifier of the UE, such as a network address. Optionally, the association of a network configuration and physical capability information is predefined. Optionally, the UE is a telehaptic device and/or is communicatively connected to at least one telehaptic device. Optionally, the determined network configuration is a reconfiguration, and said method is a method of reconfiguring a telecommunications network.

Preferably, the method further comprises the step of identifying an application that the identified UE is, or will be, engaged over the telecommunications network. Optionally, the method is performed (and may only be performed) in response to identifying that the application is a telehaptic application. Optionally, the method is performed in response to identifying that the application is an application for media streaming and/or remote control. Optionally, the network configuration is further determined in dependence upon the identified application.

Preferably, the physical capability information is uniquely associated with the identified UE and/or a uniquely identified user of the UE (such as by means of a user account). Preferably, the physical capability information is indicative of an impairment of the user of the UE. Preferably, the physical capability information is indicative of a heightened skill of the user of the UE.

Preferably, the physical capability information is ascertained by the telecommunications network, and more preferably by a core of the telecommunications network. The physical capability information may be ascertained by the UE and/or by a server that is remote to the telecommunications network. Optionally, the physical capability information is ascertained from information provided by: the user of the UE; the UE; a remote server that is in communication with the UE; and/or the telecommunications network. Preferably, the physical capability information is ascertained from a flag that is communicated from the identified UE. Optionally, the physical capability information is available to be selected by the user.

Preferably, the physical capability information is ascertained from an identity of hardware and/or software operating on the UE. Optionally, the method further comprises the step of identifying hardware and/or software of the UE. Optionally, said hardware and/or software is configured to improve user accessibility (such as for users having an impairment or heightened skill). Optionally, the identity of hardware and/or software may include a configuration for said hardware and/or software, and said configuration may be for improving user accessibility. Optionally, the identity of software operating on the UE includes a configuration of the software, and for example user settings and/or preferences, and the user settings and preferences may be user accessibility options. Optionally, the physical capability information is ascertained from an identity of hardware and/or software operating on a peripheral device that is in communication with the UE, wherein the peripheral device may be a telehaptic device.

Preferably, the physical capability information is ascertained from user information that is associated with the UE. Optionally, the user information is associated with the UE as part of a user account or profile (which may include a unique and/or secure user account or profile). Optionally, the UE is available for use by a plurality of user accounts, each user account having associated with it user information.

Preferably, the physical capability information is ascertained from inputs received from the UE. Optionally, said inputs are measured so as to derive a measure of a physical capability of a user of the UE, and may include a speed and/or accuracy of such inputs. Optionally, said inputs are measured by means of keylogging.

Preferably, the physical capability information further comprises a grading that is indicative of a level of a physical capability, and wherein the network configuration is determined so as to achieve a level of network performance for the UE in dependence on said grading. Preferably, the physical capability information is associated with a unique Personal Area Network (PAN) that is accessed by the UE, wherein the physical capability information for the UE is identified from the identity of the Personal Area Network.

Preferably, the step of determining the network connection, and preferably configuring the network connection, is performed so as to improve network performance of the network connection for the identified UE, and more preferably, only for the identified UE. Optionally, the network performance includes latency, jitter, and/or bandwidth. Optionally, at least one network configuration is associated with the ascertained physical capability information, and the network configuration is determined based on a cost (for example, a monetary and/or processing cost) associated with each network configuration, and wherein the telecommunications network is configured to minimise said cost when effecting the network configuration.

Preferably, the step of determining the network connection, and preferably configuring the network connection, is performed so as to reduce network performance of the network connection for the identified UE, and more preferably, only for the identified UE. Preferably, the network configuration comprises changing a network slice onto which the UE is allocated.

Preferably, the network configuration comprises: moving a network resource that is to be accessed by the UE closer to, or further away from, the UE; increasing or decreasing the priority of a network communication to and/or from the UE; and increasing or decreasing processing resources allocated to processing a network communication to and/or from the UE. As used herein, reference to "closer to, or further away from, the UE" preferably connotes topological distance in a networking sense, for example as to the number of nodes in a connection.

Preferably, the method further comprises the step of subsequently reversing the network configuration. Preferably, said reversing is performed upon detecting termination of the identified application or in response to a user input.

Preferably, the method further comprises the step of ascertaining an eligibility of the identified UE to have the network connection of the UE configured in dependence upon the associated physical capability information, and wherein said configuring is performed in response to identifying that the UE is eligible. Optionally, said eligibility is determined by means of a flag, and the flag may be stored on the UE and/or in the telecommunications network in association with the UE. Optionally, said eligibility is available to be user-controlled.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a telecommunications network comprising: a processor for: identifying a User Equipment (UE) utilising the telecommunications network; ascertaining physical capability information associated with a user of the identified UE; and determining a network reconfiguration in dependence upon the ascertained physical capability information; and an orchestrator for configuring a network connection for the identified UE according to the determined network configuration.

As used throughout, the word 'or' can be interpreted in the exclusive and/or inclusive sense, unless otherwise specified.

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

<FIG> shows an exemplary telecommunications network <NUM>. The network <NUM> is, in this example, a mobile cellular network comprising a plurality of User Equipment (UEs) <NUM> (e.g. in the form of a mobile cellular device, a laptop, a tablet, a smart wearable device, an 'Internet of Things' device, or a connected implant or medical aid). Each UE <NUM> is configured to utilise the telecommunications network <NUM> by accessing a Radio Access Network (RAN) <NUM>, as provided by a RAN access point <NUM> (e.g. in the form of a macro-, micro-, pico- or femto-cell site). In turn, the RAN access point <NUM> is connected to a core of the network <NUM>.

In one example, the UEs <NUM> are communication devices that have telehaptic-capabilities and/or that are in turn associated with a peripheral haptic device for causing physical interaction with a subject (such as a 'telesurgery', 'teleoperation', 'telerehabilitation' or 'telepresence' robot or device), and therefore comprise one or more of a: motor; actuator; heater; cooler; electrical generator; fan; compressor; and speaker (e.g. an ultrasound generator).

The core network <NUM> comprises the following functional components:.

By means of the telecommunications network <NUM>, each UE <NUM> is capable of accessing application servers <NUM>, which provide, for example, a telehaptic service to a UE <NUM>.

The network <NUM> is further configured to reconfigure a network connection for a given UE <NUM> in dependence upon "Physical Capability Information" (PCI) associated with the given UE so as to provide a network connection that is suited to (and proportionate to) the capabilities of a user of the UE. The network connection may be improved or reduced, but, at least, without detriment to the quality of experience for that user (to the extent that the user is capable of perceiving the quality of an experience, as informed by the PCI). In this way, network resource utilisation may be improved, as well as the quality of service and/or experience that is delivered to a user. <FIG> illustrates a process <NUM> of performing such reconfiguration.

Individuals detect stimuli by means of their senses (which may or may not be augmented by means of aids, such as a hearing aid). Such senses include senses for: tactile sensation, including force, touch and/or temperature; visual inputs; aural (or acoustic) inputs; chemical inputs (olfactory and/or taste); and/or orientation and/or equilibrium (or balance).

The extent to which an individual is capable of perceiving and then appropriately reacting to a stimulus varies, and is determined, not least, by an individual's physical capabilities. As used herein, the term "physical capabilities" is used to refer to characteristics of an individual that affect the extent to which they are able to detect, process and/or respond to a stimulus in an accurate and timely manner. A user's physical capabilities may be quantified or qualified as "Physical Capability Information" (PCI), and such information is accessible by the telecommunications network to determine a suitable reconfiguration for a network connection.

The process <NUM> commences at a first step <NUM>, in which the telecommunications network <NUM> (specifically, the core network <NUM>) identifies whether a given UE <NUM> has been elected to participate in the ensuing steps of the process <NUM>, as identified, for example, from a table that maps a unique identity of a UE (for example, an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier) to a flag indicating whether or not this UE has opted in. If a UE is not opted in, then the process ends without performing network reconfiguration based on PCI <NUM>. In one example (not shown in <FIG>), a communication is issued to the UE to provide the option of opting into the process <NUM>, and the process resets upon receiving a response to the communication.

If, however, the UE has elected to participate in the process <NUM>, the process continues to a next step in which the PCI associated with the UE is ascertained <NUM>.

For brevity, reference is herein made to PCI being associated with a given UE, but it will be appreciated that the PCI is available to be associated with another UE that communicates with the given UE, and/or with a user (for example, by means of a unique user account or profile) that is in turn associated with the given UE.

In one example, PCI is ascertained from parameters including:.

In one example, a selection of the aforementioned parameters is stored in the UE <NUM>, an application server <NUM> and/or a portion of the core network <NUM>.

The PCI is then derived, for a given UE, from the stored parameters, as performed by the UE <NUM>, an application server <NUM> and/or a portion of the core network <NUM>. The PCI for a given UE is communicated to the PCIRF <NUM> and stored in a table; an exemplary such table is shown in Table <NUM> below.

Once the PCI for a given UE <NUM> has been ascertained in step <NUM>, the process <NUM> continues to step <NUM> to ascertain the application that the UE is utilising over the telecommunications network. This is, for example, ascertained from the identity of an application server <NUM> that the UE is accessing (for example from network address information). The type of application is then communicated to the PCIRF <NUM> and uniquely associated with the UE for the duration of the UE's session.

Accordingly, by step <NUM>, the PCIRF has knowledge of, for a given UE <NUM>, the PCI and the application that the UE is running or in which the UE is otherwise engaged. The PCIRF thereby identifies, at step <NUM>, an appropriate network reconfiguration for a UE, given its PCI and the application in which it is engaged. To do so, the PCIRF <NUM> comprises a database in which network reconfigurations that are to be performed for a given PCI, and for a given UE, engaged in a particular application, are pre-defined; Table <NUM> below shows (a non-exhaustive) exemplary set of such mappings.

The mappings are determined so as at least to maintain (including to improve) a quality of experience for a user by changing the performance of the network connection (including reducing that performance).

For example, as shown in Table <NUM> above, a PCI that is indicative of a user having enhanced auditory perception (such as a highly-skilled musician) is associated with a requirement for low latency and high bandwidth network performance when a UE, being associated with such a PCI, is engaged in an application to perform as part of an online orchestra. The reasoning for this network performance requirement is owed to the presumption that a user having enhanced auditory perception and engaging in an online orchestra is - to a greater extent than users not having such enhanced auditory perception - sensitive to, for example, detecting delays in sound.

In another example, a PCI that is indicative of visual impairment is associated with a requirement to lower bandwidth when engaging in video media streaming; this is with the aim of improving network resource efficiency (both across the network as a whole and for individual users), but without reducing the quality of experience for the user. In contrast, when the network is used for remote telehaptic training or therapy (e.g. 'telerehabilitation'), a requirement is recorded to lower latency and to increase bandwidth, given the general sensitivity to asynchronicity between touch and other senses and to the high volume of data that is demanded of telehaptics, respectively.

In the example in Table <NUM> of throttling-up bandwidth for video media streaming, where PCI indicates a motion sickness (or kinesia) sufferer, relief from such a condition may be realised by the process of network reconfiguration.

Although not shown in Table <NUM>, the "Network performance requirement" is available to be quantified, such that, for example, a specific target value of latency (e.g. less than <NUM>) is provided.

In turn, a given mapping of PCI, application and network performance requirement is further mapped to a specific network reconfiguration response so as to achieve the desired network performance requirement. In the example of a PCI indicating enhanced auditory perception and associated with a UE engaging in an online orchestra, the prescribed network reconfiguration response is to re-allocate the UE to an appropriate Ultra-Reliable, Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) network slice so as to effect the requirement of a lower latency and higher bandwidth.

In another example, where there is a requirement to lower bandwidth, the network is reconfigured by throttling down (but no less than a pre-defined threshold) a bandwidth allowance allocated to the UE.

In another example, the network reconfigurations that are available to be performed include:.

Accordingly, at step <NUM> an appropriate network reconfiguration response is determined, which is then effected by the telecommunications network <NUM> at step <NUM>.

If an application cannot be identified, or has not yet been associated with a PCI, network performance requirement and/or network reconfiguration response, then a default network performance requirement and a corresponding default network reconfiguration response is provided and effected by the telecommunications network, and such defaults are available to prescribe no performance requirement and/or network reconfiguration.

Upon termination of a session for which the network was reconfigured at step <NUM>, the network resets the network configuration for the UE <NUM>.

In the aforementioned, the telecommunications network <NUM> is generally shown and described as a cellular wide area network (and specifically in accordance with <NUM> technology). However, in one alternative the telecommunications network <NUM> is any kind of telecommunications network, including a wired network, a local area network, a satellite network, or combination of network types (or a 'HetNet').

With reference to the process <NUM> of <FIG>, in an alternative, the step of ascertaining the application that the UE is engaged is optional, and available to be omitted such that the process continues directly from step <NUM> to step <NUM>, and the step of identifying the network reconfiguration response <NUM> is performed independently of the application that the UE is running or in which the UE is engaged.

In one example, the PCI includes an extent value that is indicative of an extent of a user's physical capability. For example, in the context of visual impairment, the extent is an indication that the visual impairment is: near-normal; mild; moderate; severe; profound; near-total; or total. In such an example, the network configuration response is performed in dependence upon the extent value, such that a more significant network configuration response is available to be taken where the extent value warrants such a response.

In one example, for a given UE, the PCI is available to be static or dynamic, such that is updated at pre-defined intervals or based on pre-determined events.

In an alternative, a common set of PCI is allocated to a plurality of UEs within a given Personal Area Network (PAN), which is available to help reduce the extent of signalling required to ascertain PCI for a given device.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) of configuring a telecommunications network (<NUM>), the method comprising the steps of:
identifying a User Equipment (<NUM>), UE, utilising the telecommunications network;
ascertaining physical capability information associated with a user of the identified UE, wherein the physical capability information is indicative of a physical capability of the user (<NUM>);
determining a network configuration in dependence upon the ascertained physical capability information (<NUM>); and
configuring a network connection for the identified UE according to the determined network configuration (<NUM>).