Page 50 - Kaleidoscope Academic Conference Proceedings 2022

2022 ITU Kaleidoscope Academic Conference

Network control plane
Integrated network
control system
Individual network segment control systems

RAN control NTN control Core network control Data network control

HAPS Satellites Physical network components
in different network segments

Satellite/HAPS Legend -
Option 1
Option 2 NTN components
UE
TN components
Cellular RAN NTN SOC
/ Local B5G terminal GST
UE FSO link
NOC
RF link
NTN-TN
GW
Core Data
network network
RAN Radio RAN
Head Central Unit

HAPS: High-altitude platform system, SOC: Satellite operation center, NOC: Network operation center, GST: Ground station,
GW: Gateway, RAN: Radio access network, UE: User equipment, FSO: Free-space optical, RF: Radio frequency

Figure 2 – Physical network and control plane components of TN and NTN convergence

Radio Frequencies (RFs) and Free Space Optical (FSO) and assess the end-to-end network’s status in terms of
communication wavelengths. The control decisions are resource availability, utilization, and performance. They
given to underlying network elements via network control predict the future states of networks and resource demands
internal interfaces. The individual network segment’s of the service. They then make appropriate control
control plane also possesses network control external decisions (e.g. network reconfiguration or adjustment of
interfaces, which provide control data to and obtain control resources) while fulfilling the requirements of keeping the
commands from the integrated network control system. performance at a desired level, optimally utilizing available
resources, and maintaining the operational overheads low.
The integrated network control system is mainly composed
of three sets of functional components: integrated network 3.2 Physical network and control plane components
control interfaces, integrated control data service, and
integrated network control functions. The integrated Figure 2 illustrates the components of various network
network control interfaces possess the capabilities to collect segments and their control planes.
control data from the heterogeneous types of individual
network segments and to provide network control Physical networks are data networks, cellular core networks,
commands to them. They can collect monitoring data from NTN, and access networks. Data networks are composed of
an individual network segment’s control plane either on an the Internet, cloud computing infrastructure, data storage,
on-demand basis (i.e. by sending a request and receiving and application servers. The cellular core network is
the data in response) or on a subscription basis (i.e. by composed of various functions for user authentication,
subscribing the data of a specific event or topic by using a mobility management, resource management, session
publish-subscribe paradigm and regularly obtaining the management, etc. of cellular networks as defined and
relevant data). Control data is managed (i.e. collected, specified in 3GPP standards. Similarly, NTN contains
stored, updated, processed, and shared) by the integrated satellites and HAPS in space and Satellite Operation Center
control data service function. It provides control data to the (SOC), Network Operation Center (NOC), Ground Stations
integrated network control functions. The integrated (GSTs), Non-Terrestrial Network and Terrestrial Network
network control functions process control data using closed Gateways (NTN-TN GWs), and NTN terminals on the earth.
loop operations of advanced data processing techniques The RF or FSO links are used to communicate between the
such as artificial intelligence and machine learning models GST and satellites/HAPS or among satellites and HAPS.

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