CN113472651B

CN113472651B - Communication method and device

Info

Publication number: CN113472651B
Application number: CN202010501124.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 宗在峰; 朱奋勤; 周晓云
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-03-31
Filing date: 2020-06-04
Publication date: 2023-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2040-06-04
Also published as: WO2021197156A1; CN113472651A

Abstract

The application provides a communication method and device. The session management network element may send the first information to the first user plane network element, and the first user plane network element may send the target data packet to the target application server through the target user plane network element according to the first information after receiving the target data packet. The target application server is no longer limited to the application server in the data network accessed by the first user plane network element, and the range of selecting the application server according to the anycast internet protocol address is enlarged, so that the routing path of the uplink data packet can be optimized.

Description

Communication method and device

The present application claims priority from chinese patent application having a filing date of 2020, 03 and 31, having a filing number of 202010245710.1, entitled "a method and apparatus for communication," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a communication method and apparatus.

Background

In current mobile communication technology, a plurality of Application Servers (AS) supporting a core network side and having the same function have the same Internet Protocol (IP) address, and the IP address may be referred to AS an anycast IP address. For User Equipment (UE), it is not necessary to sense multiple deployed application servers, and it is only necessary to send an uplink data packet according to an anycast IP address, and then forward the data packet corresponding to the anycast IP address to the application server by a user plane network element (UPF). The user plane network element may serve as a Branch Point (BP) and/or an uplink classifier (UL CL), or may serve as a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session anchor (or session anchor UPF).

However, at present, the UPF can only know the anycast IP address of the application server in the data network (e.g., mobile Edge Computing (MEC)) to which the UPF is connected, and therefore, in the process of forwarding the data packet by the UPF according to the anycast IP address, the application server capable of receiving the data packet is limited, and only the application server deployed in the data network to which the UPF is connected can be the application server.

To sum up, when forwarding an uplink data packet to an application server through an anycast IP address, the selection range of the application server is limited, and the transmission path of the uplink data packet is not optimal, so that a corresponding application server cannot be selected or an application server close to the terminal cannot be selected.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a communication method and a communication device, which are used for optimizing a transmission path of an uplink data packet when the uplink data packet is forwarded to a server through an anycast IP address.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which may be performed by a session management network element or a chip in the session management network element. A session management network element, such as a Session Management Function (SMF).

According to the method, the session management network element can determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address. The session management network element may further send first information to the first user plane network element, where the first information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send the target data packet to the target application server through the target user plane network element, and the at least one user plane network element includes the target user plane network element.

By adopting the method, the session management network element can send the first information to the first user plane network element. The first user plane network element can send the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the indication of the first information after receiving the target data packet according to the first information, so that the target user plane network element forwards the target data packet to the target application server. Because the target application server is no longer limited to the application server in the data network accessed by the first user plane network element, the range of selecting the application server according to the anycast IP address is expanded, and therefore the routing path of the uplink data packet can be optimized. Where the target IP address is an anycast address and the target application server is the application server or servers to which the anycast address corresponds.

In one possible example, the session management network element may receive information (hereinafter may be referred to as seventh information) from the at least one user plane network element, the information indicating that the user plane network element that sent the information supports routing the target data packet.

In another example, the session management network element may receive information from an application function network element, where the information includes at least one data network access identifier corresponding to the target IP address, and the session management network element may determine the at least one user plane network element according to the at least one data network access identifier. Wherein the session management network element may determine the at least one data network access identifier according to the information and the target IP address.

In one possible example, the session management network element may determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element and indicate the determined target user plane network element to the first user plane network element. Specifically, the first information may include information of the determined target user plane network element. The information of the target user plane network element may be an IP address and/or tunnel information of the target user plane network element.

In another example, the first information may include information in at least one user plane network element, and the first user plane network element may subsequently determine a target user plane network element according to the information in the at least one user plane network element, and send the target data packet to the target user plane network element. For example, the first information may include information of all or part of the user plane network elements corresponding to the target IP address. Specifically, the first information may include priority information of each of the at least one user plane network element, which is used to determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element. For example, the target user plane network element is the user plane network element with the highest priority indicated by the first information.

In this example, the first information may further indicate that, after detecting the data packet with the target address being the target IP address, the first user plane network element determines the target user plane network element according to information of at least one user plane network element, and sends the data packet with the target address being the target IP address to the determined target user plane network element.

In addition, the first information may further indicate that a third packet detection rule is installed after the first user plane network element determines the target user plane network element. The third packet detection rule includes a packet filtering rule, the packet filtering rule includes quintuple information of the target packet, the quintuple information includes one or more of the source address, the target address, the source port number, the target port number, and the protocol number of the target packet, and the third packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is sent to the target user plane network element. Therefore, when the first user plane network element detects a certain target data packet for the first time and forwards the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the target data packet indicated by the first information, after the first user plane network element receives the target data packet with the same quintuple information again, the target data packet is still guided to the previously determined target user plane network element to support the stateful scheme of the application server.

In this example, the target application server may be selected by the target user plane network element from the application servers of the target IP address that are supported by the target user plane network element. Further, the session management network element may send sixth information to the target user plane network element, where the sixth information is used to instruct the target user plane network element to install a fourth packet detection rule after determining a target application server from one or more application servers corresponding to the target IP address. The fourth packet detection rule includes a packet filtering rule, where the packet filtering rule includes quintuple information of the destination packet, where the quintuple information includes one or more of the destination IP address and a source address, a destination address, a source port number, a destination port number, and a protocol number of the destination packet, and the fourth packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is to be sent to the destination application server, for example, the fourth packet detection rule may carry a unicast address of the destination application server. In addition, when the first user plane network element detects a certain target data packet for the first time and sends the target data packet to a certain target application server through the target user plane network element, based on the fourth message detection rule, after the first user plane network element receives the target data packet with the same quintuple information again, the target data packet is still guided to the target application server receiving the first target data packet, so that the stateful scheme of the application server is realized.

Optionally, the session management network element may further obtain a unicast address of the target application server. The session management network element may send second information to the target user plane network element, where the second information includes the unicast address, and is used for the target user plane network element to send the target data packet to the target application server according to the unicast address, so AS to support an AS stateful scheme.

Illustratively, the session management network element receives, from the application function network element or the target user plane network element, unicast addresses of one or more application servers corresponding to the target IP address; and the session management network element determines an application server corresponding to a unicast address from the unicast addresses of the one or more application servers as the target application server.

In addition, the second information is further used to instruct the target user plane network element to carry the unicast address of the target application server in the source routing option of the target data packet; or, the second information is further used to instruct the target user plane network element to replace the target address of the target data packet with the unicast address of the target application server. So that the target packet can be forwarded to the selected application server.

The session management network element may receive third information from the first user plane network element, where the third information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet, so that the session management network element feeds back the first information. In a specific implementation, the session management network element may send fourth information to the first user plane network element, where the fourth information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element sends the third information after receiving the target data packet.

In one possible example, the second information and the third information respectively include five-tuple information of the destination packet, the five-tuple information including one or more of source address information, destination address information, source port number information, destination port number information, and protocol number information of the destination packet.

In one possible example, the first information may include five-tuple information of the destination packet, the five-tuple information including one or more of source address information, destination address information, source port number information, destination port number information, and protocol number information of the destination packet for supporting the AS stateful scheme.

Specifically, the first information may include a first packet detection rule, where the first packet detection rule is used to instruct the first user plane network element to detect data whose target address is the target IP address, and to instruct the first user plane network element to send the data to the target user plane network element. The fourth information may include a second packet detection rule, where the second packet detection rule is used to instruct the first user plane network element to detect data whose target address is the target IP address, and to instruct the first user plane network element to send the third information to the session management network element. The priority of the first message detection rule is higher than that of the second message detection rule, so that the message forwarding efficiency is improved and the AS stateful scheme is supported.

Optionally, the session management network element may obtain a stateful indication corresponding to the target IP address, where the stateful indication is used to indicate that an application of the application server corresponding to the target IP address is a stateful application, so AS to support an AS stateful scheme. The stateful indication corresponding to the target IP address may come from an application function network element.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a method of communication. The method may be performed by the first user plane network element or a chip in the first user plane network element. The first user plane network element may be a user plane network element (UPF).

According to the method, a first user plane network element may receive first information from a session management network element. After receiving the target data packet, the first user plane network element may forward the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the first information. The first information is used for instructing the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, and a target address of the target user plane network element is the target IP address.

Illustratively, the first information may include information of the at least one user plane network element.

The first information may also be used to indicate that, after detecting a data packet with a target address being the target IP address, the first user plane network element determines a target user plane network element from at least one user plane network element according to the first message, and sends the data packet with the target address being the target IP address to the target user plane network element. The first user plane network element may determine the target user plane network element from at least one user plane network element after detecting the data packet whose target address is the target IP address, and send the data packet whose target address is the target IP address to the target user plane network element.

In addition, the first information may further include priority information of each user plane network element of the at least one user plane network element, where the priority information is used to determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element. The first user plane network element may determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the priority information.

The first user plane network element may further install a third message detection rule after determining a target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the first message. The third packet detection rule may include a packet filtering rule, where the packet filtering rule includes quintuple information of the target packet, the quintuple information includes one or more of the target IP address and a source address, a target address, a source port number, a target port number, and a protocol number of the target packet, and the third packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is to be sent to the target user plane network element. Optionally, the first information may also be used to instruct the first user plane network element to install the third packet detection rule after determining the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the first message.

The first user plane network element may further send third information to the session management network element, indicating that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet. The third information may be sent based on fourth information from the session management network element. The fourth information may be used to instruct the first user plane network element to send the third information after receiving the target data packet.

In a third aspect, the present application provides a communication method. The method may be performed by a user plane network element (e.g., UPF) or a chip in a user plane network element.

According to the method, the user plane network element can determine and send seventh information to the session management network element, wherein the seventh information is used for indicating target IP addresses supported by the user plane network element, the target IP addresses are IP addresses of one or more application servers, and the one or more application servers support the same service. The seventh information may be used for the session management network element to determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address, where the at least one user plane network element includes the user plane network element.

In one possible design, the seventh information includes respective unicast addresses of the one or more application servers. May be used to support AS stateful schemes.

In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a method of communication. The method may be performed by a session management network element (or a chip in a session management network element), a first user plane network element (or a chip in a first user plane network element), a target user plane network element (or a chip in a user plane network element), and a target application server.

According to the method, a session management network element determines at least one user plane network element corresponding to a target IP address;

the session management network element may send first information to a first user plane network element, where the first information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, a target address of the target user plane network element is the target IP address, and the at least one user plane network element includes the target user plane network element. And the first user plane network element receives the first information and sends the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the first information after receiving the target data packet. The target data packet may then be forwarded by the target user plane network element to the target application server.

In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a method of communication. The present application provides a communication method, which may be performed by a session management network element or a chip in a session management network element. A session management network element such as AMF.

According to the method, a session management network element can determine a PDU session that inserts a target user plane network element into a terminal device, the target user plane network element being connected to a data network. The session management network element may further obtain, from the target user plane network element or a network storage function NRF, the first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element, or the session management network element may determine, according to the data network access identifier corresponding to the data network, the first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element. The session management network element may further send fifth information to a first user plane network element, where the fifth information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to the target user plane network element, a target address of the target data packet is included in a second target IP address, the first user plane network element is an upstream filter user plane network element or a branch point user plane network element of the PDU session, and the second target IP address is a subset of the first target IP address.

In one possible example, the session management network element may receive information from an application function network element, the information including an IP address range of the data network corresponding to the data network access identification. The session management network element may further determine the first target IP address according to an IP address range of the data network corresponding to the data network access identifier.

In one possible example, the session management network element may receive information from the target user plane network element, the information including a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element.

In one possible example, the session management network element may receive a profile of the target user plane network element from the NRF, the profile including the first target IP address.

In one possible example, the first target IP address comprises a target unicast address and/or a target anycast address.

In one possible example, when the target user plane element is configured to send a packet with a destination address of a first anycast address, and the target anycast address includes the first anycast address, the second target IP address includes the first anycast address.

In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may be adapted to perform the steps performed by the session management network element in the first aspect described above or in any possible design of the first aspect. The communication device may implement each function or step or operation in each method described above in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a hardware structure plus a software module. For example, functional modules corresponding to functions or steps or operations in the above methods may be provided in the communication apparatus to support the communication apparatus to execute the above methods.

Illustratively, the communication device may be a chip in a session management network element or a session management network element.

When the communication device of the sixth aspect is implemented by a software module, the communication device may include a processing module and a communication module. Illustratively, the communication module may be intercoupled with the processing module, wherein the communication module may be configured to enable the communication device to communicate. The processing module may be used for the communication device to perform processing operations, such as generating information/messages that need to be transmitted or processing received signals to obtain information/messages.

The above communication module may be configured to perform the sending and/or receiving actions of the session management network element in the above method, such as for performing the action of the session management network element sending information, message or signaling to the first user plane network element. Furthermore, the processing module may be configured to perform processing actions of the session management network element in the above method, such as determining the first information, or the like, or to control the communication module to perform operations such as receiving and/or sending information, messages, or signaling, and processing and storing information.

In an implementation, the processing module may determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address. The communication module may send first information to a first user plane network element, where the first information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, an IP address of the target application server is the target IP address, and the at least one user plane network element includes the target user plane network element.

In one possible example, the communication module may receive information from the at least one user plane network element indicating that the user plane network element sending the information supports routing the destination data packet.

In another example, the communication module may receive information from an application function network element, where the information includes at least one data network access identifier corresponding to the target IP address, and the processing module may determine the at least one user plane network element according to the at least one data network access identifier. Wherein the processing module may determine the at least one data network access identifier according to the information and the target IP address.

In one possible example, the processing module may determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element and indicate the determined target user plane network element to the first user plane network element. Specifically, the first information may include information of the determined target user plane network element. The information of the target user plane network element may be an IP address and/or tunnel information of the target user plane network element.

In another example, the first information may include information in at least one user plane network element, and the first user plane network element may subsequently determine, according to the information of the at least one user plane network element, a target user plane network element, that is, a next-hop user plane network element of the first user plane network element, and send the target data packet to the target user plane network element. Specifically, the first information may include priority information of each of the at least one user plane network element, which is used to determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element. For example, the target user plane network element is the user plane network element with the highest priority indicated by the first information.

In addition, the first information may further indicate that a third packet detection rule is installed after the first user plane network element determines the target user plane network element. The third packet detection rule includes a packet filtering rule, the packet filtering rule includes quintuple information of the target packet, the quintuple information includes one or more of the source address, the target address, the source port number, the target port number, and the protocol number of the target packet, and the third packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is sent to the target user plane network element. Therefore, when the first user plane network element detects a certain target data packet for the first time and forwards the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the target data packet indicated by the first information, after the first user plane network element receives the target data packet with the same quintuple information again, the target data packet is still guided to the previously determined target user plane network element so as to support the stateful scheme of the application server.

In this example, the target application server may be selected by the target user plane network element from the application servers of the target IP address that are supported by the target user plane network element. Further, the communication module may send sixth information to the target user plane network element, where the sixth information is used to instruct the target user plane network element to install a fourth packet detection rule after determining a target application server from one or more application servers corresponding to the target IP address. The fourth packet detection rule includes a packet filtering rule, the packet filtering rule includes five-tuple information of the target packet, the five-tuple information includes one or more of the source address, the target address, the source port number, the target port number, and the protocol number of the target packet, and the fourth packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is to be sent to the target application server, for example, the fourth packet detection rule may carry a unicast address of the target application server. In addition, when the first user plane network element detects a certain target data packet for the first time and sends the target data packet to a certain target application server through the target user plane network element, based on the fourth message detection rule, after the first user plane network element receives the target data packet with the same quintuple information again, the target data packet is still guided to the target application server receiving the first target data packet, so that the stateful scheme of the application server is realized.

Optionally, the processing module may further obtain a unicast address of the target application server. The communication module may send second information to the target user plane network element, where the second information includes the unicast address, and is used for the target user plane network element to send the target data packet to the target application server according to the unicast address, so AS to support an AS stateful scheme.

For example, the communication module may receive, from the application function network element or the target user plane network element, a unicast address of one or more application servers corresponding to the target IP address; and the processing module may determine, from the unicast addresses of the one or more application servers, an application server corresponding to a unicast address as the target application server.

The communication module may receive third information from the first user plane network element, where the third information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet, so that the session management network element feeds back the first information. In a specific implementation, the session management network element may send fourth information to the first user plane network element, where the fourth information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element sends the third information after receiving the target data packet.

In one possible example, the first information may include five-tuple information of the destination packet, the five-tuple information including one or more of source address information, destination address information, source port number information, destination port number information, and protocol number information of the destination packet for supporting a stateful scheme of the AS.

Specifically, the first information may include a first packet detection rule, where the first packet detection rule is used to instruct the first user plane network element to detect data whose target address is the target IP address, and to instruct the first user plane network element to send the data to the target user plane network element. The fourth information may include a second packet detection rule, where the second packet detection rule is used to instruct the first user plane network element to detect data whose target address is the target IP address, and is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send the third information to the session management network element. The priority of the first message detection rule is higher than that of the second message detection rule, so that the message forwarding efficiency is improved and the AS stateful scheme is supported.

Optionally, the communication module may obtain a stateful indication corresponding to the target IP address, where the stateful indication is used to indicate that an application of the application server corresponding to the target IP address is a stateful application, so AS to support an AS stateful scheme. The stateful indication corresponding to the target IP address may come from an application function network element.

When the communication device of the sixth aspect is implemented by hardware components, the communication device may include a processor and a communication interface. Illustratively, a communication interface may be intercoupled with the processor, where the communication interface may be used to support communication for the communication device. The processor may be used for the communication device to perform processing operations such as generating information/messages that need to be transmitted or processing received signals to derive information/messages.

The above communication interface may be used for performing the actions of sending and/or receiving of the session management network element in the above method, such as for performing the actions of the session management network element sending information, messages or signaling to the first user plane network element. Further, the processor may be configured to perform processing actions of the session management network element in the method, such as determining the first information, and the like, controlling the communication interface to perform operations of receiving and/or sending information, messages or signaling, and processing and storing information, messages or signaling.

In particular, the communication interface may be adapted to perform the steps illustrated in the sixth aspect as being performed by a communication module. The processor may be configured to perform the steps illustrated in the sixth aspect as performed by the processing module.

In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may be adapted to perform the steps performed by the first user plane network element in the second aspect described above or in any of the possible designs of the second aspect. The communication device may implement each function or step or operation of the above methods in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a hardware structure plus a software module. For example, functional modules corresponding to functions or steps or operations in the above methods may be provided in the communication apparatus to support the communication apparatus to execute the above methods.

Illustratively, the communication device may be the first user plane network element or a chip in the first user plane network element.

When the communication device of the seventh aspect is implemented by software modules, the communication device may include a processing module and a communication module. Illustratively, the communication module may be intercoupled with the processing module, wherein the communication module may be configured to support communication with the communication device. The processing module may be used for the communication device to perform processing operations, such as generating information/messages that need to be transmitted or processing received signals to obtain information/messages.

The above communication module may be used to perform the actions of sending and/or receiving of the first user plane network element in the above method, such as for performing the actions of receiving information, messages or signaling from the session management network element. Furthermore, the processing module may be configured to perform processing actions of the first user plane network element in the above method, such as controlling the communication module to perform operations of receiving and/or sending information, message or signaling, and processing and storing information.

In particular, the communication module may be configured to receive the first information from the session management network element. After receiving the target packet, the communication module may forward the target packet to the target user plane network element according to the first information. The first information is used for instructing the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, and a target address of the target user plane network element is the target IP address.

The first information may also be used to instruct the first user plane network element to determine a target user plane network element from at least one user plane network element according to the first message after detecting a data packet with a target address as the target IP address, and send the data packet with the target address as the target IP address to the target user plane network element. The processing module may determine a target user plane network element from at least one user plane network element after detecting a data packet whose target address is the target IP address, and send the data packet whose target address is the target IP address to the target user plane network element.

The processing module may further install a third message detection rule after determining a target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the first message. The third packet detection rule may include a packet filtering rule, where the packet filtering rule includes quintuple information of the target packet, the quintuple information includes one or more of the target IP address and a source address, a target address, a source port number, a target port number, and a protocol number of the target packet, and the third packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is sent to the target user plane network element. Optionally, the first information may also be used to instruct the first user plane network element to install the third packet detection rule after determining the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the first message.

The communication module may further send third information to the session management network element, indicating that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet. The third information may be sent based on fourth information received by the communication module from the session management network element. The fourth information may be used to instruct the first user plane network element to send the third information after receiving the target data packet.

When the communication device according to the seventh aspect is implemented by hardware components, the communication device may include a processor and a communication interface. Illustratively, a communication interface may be intercoupled with the processor, wherein the communication interface may be used to support communication by the communication device. The processor may be used for the communication device to perform processing operations such as generating information/messages to be transmitted or processing received signals to obtain information/messages.

The above communication interface may be used for performing the actions of sending and/or receiving of the session management network element in the above method, such as for performing the actions of the session management network element sending information, messages or signaling to the first user plane network element. Furthermore, the processor may be configured to perform processing actions of the session management network element in the method, such as determining the first information, and the like, controlling the communication interface to perform operations of receiving and/or sending information, messages, or signaling, and processing and storing information, messages, or signaling.

In particular, the communication interface may be adapted to perform the steps performed by the communication module as shown in the seventh aspect. The processor may be configured to perform the steps performed by the processing module as set forth in the seventh aspect.

In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a communication device. The communications apparatus may be configured to perform the steps performed by the user plane network element in any one of the possible designs of the third aspect or the third aspect. The communication device may implement each function or step or operation in each method described above in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a hardware structure plus a software module. For example, functional modules corresponding to functions or steps or operations in the above methods may be provided in the communication device to support the communication device to execute the above methods.

Illustratively, the communication device may comprise a user plane network element (e.g., UPF) or a chip in a user plane network element.

When the communication device of the eighth aspect is implemented by a software module, the communication device may include a processing module and a communication module. Illustratively, the communication module may be intercoupled with the processing module, wherein the communication module may be configured to support communication with the communication device. The processing module may be used for the communication device to perform processing operations, such as generating information/messages that need to be transmitted or processing received signals to obtain information/messages.

The above communication module may be configured to perform the actions of sending and/or receiving by the user plane network element in the above method, for example, to perform the actions of sending information, messages or signaling to the session management network element. Furthermore, the processing module may be configured to perform processing actions of the user plane network element in the above method, such as controlling the communication module to perform operations of receiving and/or sending information, message or signaling, and processing and storing information.

Specifically, the processing module may determine seventh information, and send the seventh information to the session management network element by the communication module, where the seventh information is used to indicate a target IP address supported by the user plane network element, where the target IP address is an IP address of one or more application servers, and the one or more application servers support the same service. The seventh information may be used for the session management network element to determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address, where the at least one user plane network element includes the user plane network element.

When the communication device of the eighth aspect is implemented by hardware components, the communication device may include a processor and a communication interface. Illustratively, a communication interface may be intercoupled with the processor, where the communication interface may be used to support communication for the communication device. The processor may be used for the communication device to perform processing operations such as generating information/messages to be transmitted or processing received signals to obtain information/messages.

The above communication interface may be used to perform actions of sending and/or receiving by the user plane network element in the above method, such as actions of sending information, messages or signaling by the user plane network element to the session management network element. Furthermore, the processor may be configured to perform processing actions of the user plane network element in the method, such as determining seventh information, and the like, for controlling the communication interface to perform operations of receiving and/or sending information, messages, or signaling, and processing and storing information, messages, or signaling.

In particular, the communication interface may be adapted to perform the steps performed by the communication module as shown in the eighth aspect. The processor may be adapted to perform the steps illustrated in the eighth aspect as performed by the processing module.

In a ninth aspect, the present application provides a communication system. The system may comprise a communication device as shown in the sixth and seventh aspects. Optionally, the communication system may further include the communication apparatus shown in the eighth aspect.

In a tenth aspect, the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may be adapted to perform the steps performed by the session management network element in the fifth aspect described above or in any possible design of the fifth aspect. The communication device may implement each function or step or operation in each method described above in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a hardware structure plus a software module. For example, functional modules corresponding to functions or steps or operations in the above methods may be provided in the communication apparatus to support the communication apparatus to execute the above methods.

When the communication device of the tenth aspect is implemented by a software module, the communication device may include a processing module and a communication module. Illustratively, the communication module may be intercoupled with the processing module, wherein the communication module may be configured to support communication with the communication device. The processing module may be used for the communication device to perform processing operations, such as generating information/messages that need to be transmitted or processing received signals to obtain information/messages.

In an implementation, the processing module may be configured to determine that a target user plane network element is inserted into a PDU session of the terminal device, the target user plane network element being connected to the data network. The communication module may be configured to obtain a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element from the target user plane network element or a network storage function NRF; or, the processing module may be further configured to determine, according to the data network access identifier corresponding to the data network, a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element. The communication module may be further configured to send fifth information to a first user plane network element, where the fifth information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to the target user plane network element, a target address of the target data packet is included in a second target IP address, the first user plane network element is an uplink filter user plane network element or a branch point user plane network element of the PDU session, and the second target IP address is a subset of the first target IP address.

In one possible design, the communication module may be further configured to receive information from an application function network element, where the information includes an IP address range of a data network corresponding to the data network access identifier. The processing module is specifically configured to determine the first target IP address according to an IP address range of the data network corresponding to the data network access identifier.

In one possible design, the communication module is specifically configured to receive information from the target user plane network element, where the information includes a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element.

In one possible design, the communication module is specifically configured to receive a configuration file of the target user plane network element from the NRF, where the configuration file includes the first target IP address.

In one possible design, the first target IP address includes a target unicast address and/or a target anycast address.

In one possible design, when the target user plane element is configured to send a packet with a destination address of a first anycast address, and the target anycast address includes the first anycast address, the second target IP address includes the first anycast address.

When the communication device of the tenth aspect is implemented by hardware components, the communication device may include a processor and a communication interface. Illustratively, a communication interface may be intercoupled with the processor, wherein the communication interface may be used to support communication by the communication device. The processor may be used for the communication device to perform processing operations such as generating information/messages to be transmitted or processing received signals to obtain information/messages.

The above communication interface may be used for performing the sending and/or receiving actions of the session management network element in the above method, such as for performing the actions of the session management network element sending information, messages or signaling to the first user plane network element. Furthermore, the processor may be configured to perform processing actions of the session management network element in the method, such as determining the first information, and the like, controlling the communication interface to perform operations of receiving and/or sending information, messages, or signaling, and processing and storing information, messages, or signaling.

In particular, the communication interface may be used to perform the steps shown in the tenth aspect as being performed by the communication module. The processor may be adapted to perform the steps illustrated in the tenth aspect as performed by the processing module.

In an eleventh aspect, the present application provides a communication system. The system may comprise a communication device as shown in the tenth aspect, a user plane network element, an NRF, and a first user plane network element.

The following takes the communication device shown in the tenth aspect as a session management network element as an example.

Illustratively, in the communication system, the user plane network element may send a target IP address supported by the user plane network element to the NRF. And the session management network element determines to insert the user plane network element into the PDU session of the terminal equipment, wherein the user plane network element is connected with a data network. The session management network element may obtain a target IP address supported by the user plane network element from the NRF. The session management network element may send fifth information to a first user plane network element, where the fifth information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to the user plane network element, the target IP address includes a target address of the target data packet, and the first user plane network element is an uplink filter user plane network element or a branch point user plane network element of the PDU session.

In a twelfth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program or instructions, which when executed, enable the method shown in the first, second, third or fifth aspect to be implemented.

In a thirteenth aspect, the present application provides a computer program product including a computer program or instructions, which when executed, causes the method shown in the first, second, third or fifth aspect to be implemented.

In a fourteenth aspect, the present application provides a chip and/or a chip system comprising a chip, which chip may comprise a processor. The method as in the first, second, third or fifth aspect is performed when the chip executes a computer program in a memory. The chip system may be formed by the above chip, and may also include the above chip and other discrete devices, such as a memory (or a storage module) and/or a transceiver (or a communication module).

The advantageous effects of the above second to fourteenth aspects can be seen in the advantageous effects of the first aspect.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic architecture diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic architecture diagram of another communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7A is a flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7B is a flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more clear, the present application will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The particular methods of operation in the method embodiments may also be applied to apparatus embodiments or system embodiments.

The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application can be used for the scene shown in fig. 2.

The network architecture shown in fig. 1 may include three parts: terminals, data Networks (DNs), and operator networks.

The operator network may include a Policy Control Function (PCF), a Unified Data Management (UDM), AN Application Function (AF), AN access and mobility management function (AMF), a Session Management Function (SMF), a (radio) access network (R) AN, and AN UPF. In the above operator network, the parts other than the (radio) access network may be included in the category of a Core Network (CN). For convenience of description, the (R) AN will be referred to as RAN as AN example.

The mobility management network element shown above is a control plane network element provided by an operator network, and is responsible for access control and mobility management when a terminal accesses the operator network, and has functions such as mobility state management, user temporary identity assignment, user authentication and authorization, and the like. In 5G, the mobility management element may be an AMF, and in future communications such as the sixth generation (6G), the mobility management element may still be an AMF, or have another name, which is not limited in this application.

The above policy control network element is a control plane function provided by an operator, and is used for providing a policy of a PDU session to a session management network element. The policies may include charging related policies, quality of service (QoS) related policies, data flow identification and direction (or forwarding) policies, authorization related policies, and the like. In 5G, the policy control network element may be a PCF, and in future communications such as 6G, the policy control network element may still be a PCF, or have another name, which is not limited in this application.

The session management network element is a control plane network element provided by an operator network and is responsible for managing a PDU session of a terminal, or called, a PDU session in which the session management network element serves the terminal. The PDU session is a channel for transmitting PDUs, and the terminal needs to transfer the PDUs with the DN through the PDU session. The PDU session is responsible for establishment, maintenance, deletion, etc. by the SMF. SMF includes session-related functions such as session establishment, modification, and release, including tunnel maintenance between the UPF and RAN, UPF selection and control, service and Session Continuity (SSC) mode selection, roaming, and so on. The SMF may be used to select a UPF to serve a user, such as a UPF closer to the base station where the user is located, to reduce the user packet transmission and reception delay. In 5G, the session management network element may be an SMF, and in future communications such as 6G, the session management network element may still be an SMF, or may have another name, which is not limited in this application.

In the application, the session management network element may further insert BP/UL CLs between the access network element of the terminal and the session anchor point UPF as needed, and each BP/UL CL may be connected to multiple UPFs to implement service offloading. It is understood that BP/UL CL may be implemented by UPF.

The UPF is mainly responsible for forwarding user data.

The UDM stores subscription data of the user, such as QoS data for the user subscription.

The above AFs may be used to select, reselect, locate, relocate an AS for an application, and interact with a core network. In practical applications, the AF may be a separate device independent from the AS, or the AF may be combined with the AS, which is not specifically limited in the present invention.

In fig. 1, N2, N3, N4, N5, N6, N7, N8, N9, N11, N15, and the like are interface serial numbers. The meaning of these interface sequence numbers can be referred to the meaning defined in the 3GPP related standard protocol, and is not limited herein.

As shown in fig. 1, the UE may access the DN through a PDU session managed by the SMF. Taking fig. 1 as an example, the UE may access the data network DN1 connected to the UPF1 through one PDU session to obtain data of an application server in the data network. In addition, the UE can access the data network DN2 to which the UPF2 is connected through the same PDU session to obtain data of an application server in the data network.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2, the UPF may be connected to a data network, such as a MEC. In particular, different UPFs may connect different DNs. For example, UPF1 may be connected to DN1 shown in fig. 2, which DN1 may be an MEC; UPF2 may be connected to DN2 shown in fig. 2, DN2 may be another MEC; UPF3 may be connected to DN3 shown in fig. 2, and DN3 may be a Data Center (DC) (or center DC). In addition, one or more application servers may be deployed in each DN, the application servers in each DN may be provided with the same or different anycast IP addresses, and each application server may also be provided with a unicast address, each unicast address being used to uniquely identify (or uniquely address) one application server. Application servers with the same anycast IP address may also be deployed in different DNs, e.g., application server a deployed in DN1, application server B deployed in DN2, and application server C deployed in DN3 have the same anycast IP address. It should be noted that, a DN herein refers to a Network in which an application server is deployed, and one DN may support one or more DNNs (Data Network names), which is not limited. In some implementations, a DN may refer to an edge computing network, and the DN may be identified by a Data Network Access Identifier (DNAI).

As shown in fig. 2, the UE may access UPF1 through the RAN. UPF1 can then be treated as BP/UL CL and PSA. When the UE sends an uplink data packet of a certain service, the UE may query a Domain Name Server (DNS) for an IP address of an application server of the service, and the IP address returned by the DNS to the UE may be an anycast IP address of the application server of the service, for example, the anycast IP address is an anycast IP address of an application server B and an application server C shown in fig. 2. The UE may carry the anycast IP address in an uplink packet. In the process of transmitting an uplink data packet through a PDU session, when the data packet arrives at the UPF1, since the UPF1 can only know the IP address of the application server a in the DN1, but cannot know that the application servers B and C in the DN2 and DN3 have the anycast IP address, when the application server a in the DN1 is unavailable, the UPF1 cannot send the data packet to the application servers in the DN2 or DN3, resulting in that the data packet cannot be sent to the corresponding application servers. It can be seen that, when UPF1 is used as BP/UL CL, the data packet sent by the anycast IP address can only be sent to the application server a, but not to the application server B and the application server C, and the application server a, the application server B, and the application server C cannot achieve the cooperative processing of the same service data, so the processing efficiency of the service data is low.

In addition, if there is a UPF3 between the RAN and the UPF1 shown in fig. 2, the UPF3 is used as BP/UL CL, and the UPF1 is used as PSA, the BP/UL CL cannot know which anycast IP addresses the DN1, DN2, and DN3 respectively support, so that the BP/UL CL can only route according to the default routing rule, which may result in that the path of the data that cannot be sent to the application server or the application server selected according to the default routing rule is not optimal.

In order to increase the selectable range of an application server when forwarding a data packet through an anycast IP address and improve the processing efficiency of the data packet, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method. The communication method can be implemented based on the architecture shown in fig. 1.

As shown in fig. 3, the communication method may include the steps of:

s101: and the session management network element determines at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address.

Wherein, the target IP address is an arbitrary broadcast IP address. The correspondence between the destination IP address and the at least one user plane network element may mean that the at least one user plane network element is capable of routing a data packet whose destination address is the anycast IP address. Thus, each of the at least one user plane network element is capable of sending the data packet to the application server having the destination IP address. For example, if the DN connected to the user plane network element includes an application server having the target IP address, the user plane network element may send a data packet with the target IP address to the DN, so that the data packet may be sent to the application server having the target IP address, and at this time, the user plane network element corresponds to the target IP address.

S102: the session management network element sends the first information to the first user plane network element.

Wherein, the first user plane network element is BP/UL CL shown in fig. 1.

The first information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, where the target user plane network element is one of the at least one user plane network element, or at least one user plane network element includes the target user plane network element. The target data packet is from the UE, and the target address of the target data packet is a target IP address, or the target data packet carries the target IP address and the target IP address is a target address of the target data packet. The target user plane network element is used for sending the target data packet to a target application server. The IP address of the target application server may be the target IP address, or the application server is one of the application servers whose at least one IP address supported by the target user plane network element is the target IP address. The target user plane network element is a PSA (e.g., UPF1 and/or UPF2 in fig. 1).

Accordingly, the first user plane network element receives the first information.

By adopting the method, the session management network element can send the first information to the first user plane network element. The first user plane network element can send the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the indication of the first information after receiving the target data packet according to the first information, so that the target user plane network element forwards the target data packet to the target application server. The method enables the first user plane network element to know the user plane network element supporting the routing target IP address, so that the target data packet can be sent to the target user plane network element and sent to the application server with the target IP address by the target user plane network element, therefore, the selectable application server is not limited to the application server in the data network accessed by the first user plane network element any more, the range of selecting the application server according to the anycast IP address is expanded, and the routing path of the uplink data packet can be optimized.

In the implementation of S101, in one implementation, the session management network element may receive information (hereinafter, may be referred to as seventh information) from the at least one user plane network element, where the information may indicate a target IP address supported by the user plane network element that sent the information. There is a connection between the at least one user plane network element and the data network, that is, the at least one user plane network element is an anchor point user plane network element or a local anchor point user plane network element (e.g., UPF1 and/or UPF2 of fig. 1) of the PDU session. The seventh information may be used to indicate that the user plane network element that sent the information supports routing the destination data packet. Or in other words, the seventh information may be used to indicate that the user plane network element sending the information is capable of forwarding the target packet to the application server having the target IP address. Therefore, the session management network element can know which user plane network elements can route the data packet to the application server with the target IP address according to the received information.

In one possible example, the information may include an anycast IP address that the user plane network element can route. Optionally, the information may further include a unicast address of the application server corresponding to the anycast IP address.

In another implementation, the session management network element may receive information from the AF, where the information may be used to indicate a correspondence between the target IP address and a Data Network Access Identifier (DNAI), where the DNAI may be used to identify the data network (or MEC). And according to the corresponding relation between the target IP address and the DNAI, the session management network element can determine at least one DNAI corresponding to the target IP address. Thereafter, the session management network element may determine at least one user plane network element in S101 from the at least one DNAI. Wherein, the user plane network element in at least one user plane network element can access a data network corresponding to the DNAI. Optionally, the information may further include a correspondence between the anycast IP address and the unicast address of the application server.

When at least one user plane network element is determined according to at least one DNAI, the session management network element may query a network storage function (NRF) to obtain at least one user plane network element corresponding to the DNAI, or the session management network element may also be configured with a correspondence between the DNAI and the at least one user plane network element, and determine the at least one user plane network element according to the correspondence.

In a specific implementation of S101, the first information may include information of the target user plane network element. The information of the target user plane network element may specifically be an IP address of the target user plane network element and/or tunnel information of the target user plane network element, so that the first user plane network element forwards the target data packet to the target user plane network element.

In one possible example, a target user plane network element may be determined by the session management network element from the at least one user plane network element.

The session management network element may select a target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to location information of the UE and/or cost (cost) information between the user plane network element and the application server, and the like. The position information of the UE can be used for selecting a user plane network element close to the current position of the UE as a target user plane network element; the cost information between the user plane network element and the application server may be used to indicate the length of the path from the user plane network element to the application server, the load of the application server, etc. The session management network element may collect load information of an application server whose IP address is a target IP address. For example, the load information of the application server may be carried in information from at least one user plane network element and/or information from the AF. As another example, when the load indicated by the load information of the application server exceeds the threshold, a notification may be sent to the SMF by a network element (AF, e.g., MEC platform) in the MEC to indicate the load information, or indicate that the application server is overloaded, and the notification may carry an identifier such as a unicast address, an anycast IP address, or a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) of the application server.

In particular, the session management network element may select the UPF closest to the UE as the target user plane network element. In addition, the session management network element may also select, according to the load information of the user plane network element, a user plane network element with a smaller load (for example, a load lower than or not higher than a load threshold) as the target user plane network element and/or select, according to a path length from the user plane network element to an application server corresponding to the anycast IP address, a user plane network element with a short path length (for example, a path length that is shortest or a path length that is shorter than a path length threshold) as the target user plane network element.

In this example, the first information may carry information of a selected target user plane network element, and the first user plane network element may send a target data packet to the target user plane network element after receiving the target data packet each time, so that data packets of the same service are sent by the same target user plane network element. Meanwhile, the first user plane network element does not need to determine the user plane network element for receiving the target data packet, so that the processing difficulty of the first user plane network element and the uncertainty of the user plane network element for receiving the target data packet are reduced.

In further examples, the first information may carry information of at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address to indicate one or more user plane network elements. It is to be understood that the information of the at least one user plane network element comprises information of the target user plane network element. The first user plane network element may determine a target user plane network element according to the first information.

Specifically in this example, the first information may further indicate that, after the first user plane network element detects the data packet whose target address is the target IP address, the target user plane network element is determined from the at least one user plane network element according to the information of the at least one user plane network element.

Accordingly, the first user plane network element may determine, according to the first information, one target user plane network element from the user plane network elements indicated by the first information each time the target packet is forwarded, for example, randomly select or select the target user plane network element from the user plane network elements indicated by the first information in a polling manner, and forward the target packet to the target user plane network element.

In this example, the first information may further include priority information of each of the at least one user plane network element, so that the first user plane network element determines the target user plane network element from the target user plane network element according to the priority information. For example, the determined target user plane network element may be a user plane network element with the highest priority.

The following describes in detail possible implementations of the first information.

The first information may include a Packet Detection Rule (PDR) (hereinafter, may be referred to as a first PDR). The PDR may be used to instruct the first user plane network element how to detect the target packet.

In a possible example, the PDR may further include a Forwarding Action Rule (FAR), where each FAR may be used to instruct the first user plane network element to forward the destination data packet to a destination user plane network element. For example, the FAR carries the tunnel information of the target user plane network element.

If the first user plane network element determines the target user plane network element according to the information of the one or more user plane network elements in the first information, the PDR may include one or more FAR, where each user plane network element in the user plane network elements indicated by the first information corresponds to one FAR. Each FAR may be configured to instruct the first user plane network element to send the destination data packet to a user plane network element corresponding to the FAR, for example, each FAR may include an IP address and/or tunnel information of the user plane network element. Each time the first user plane network element forwards the target data packet, the first user plane network element may select (e.g., randomly select or poll) one FAR according to the PDR to perform, so as to send the target data packet to the corresponding user plane network element (i.e., the target user plane network element).

In addition, if the first user plane network element determines the target user plane network element according to the information of the one or more user plane network elements in the first information, the first information may further include priority information of the plurality of user plane network elements, for example, the SMF may specify the priority of the FAR corresponding to each user plane network element through the first information. The first user plane network element may determine one user plane network element as the target user plane network element according to the priority of at least one user plane network element in the target user plane network element.

It should be understood that, in the present application, if the application server is in a state, it is required that after a connection related to a certain service is first established between the target application server and the UE, the UE sends uplink data packets of the service to the target application server in subsequent sending.

Further, the application function network element may send indication information to the session management network element, where the indication information is used to indicate that the application server is in a stateful state, so that the session management network element may learn that the application is in a stateful state, so that the session management network element determines, according to the AS stateful state, content included in the PDR, and/or determines whether to instruct the first user plane network element to generate the third detection rule.

In addition, if the AS is stateless, different target data packets may be sent to the same or different application servers, and the first user plane network element may select different user plane network elements when sending different target data packets, so that different target data tables may be sent to different application servers through different user plane network elements (the IP addresses of the application servers are all the same multicast address), without limitation.

In this example, if the AS has a status, the first information may further include five-tuple information of the destination packet, where the five-tuple information includes one or more of source address information, source port number information, destination port number information, or protocol number information of the destination packet. The quintuple information of the destination packet is used to match the packet, for example, the PDR of the first message carries the quintuple information of the destination packet, and the first user plane network element may filter out a packet that is consistent with the quintuple information of the destination packet according to the quintuple information.

In another implementation, if the AS has a status, the session management network element may instruct the first user plane network element to create (or install) a new PDR (hereinafter, may be referred to AS a third PDR) after selecting an FAR, where the new PDR includes the FAR selected by the first user plane network element.

In particular, the session management network element may indicate to the first user plane network element how to generate the new PDR. For example, the session management network element may indicate which fields (e.g., source address, source port number, etc.) should be included in the packet filter in the new PDR, or the session management network element may indicate a template identifier used by the first user plane network element to generate the new PDR, and the first user plane network element obtains a locally configured template according to the template identifier to generate the new PDR. In addition, the new PDR includes the FAR selected by the first user plane network element. Thus, after the first user plane network element receives a new target data packet, if the new target data packet matches the PDR, the first user plane network element may send the target data packet to the target user plane network element selected before according to the FAR, so that data matching the new PDR are all sent to the user plane network element subsequently, and different application servers are prevented from being selected for subsequent data packets when the AS is in a state. The new PDR may include quintuple information of the destination packet, for identifying the destination packet, where the quintuple information includes: at least one of a source IP address, a source port number, a destination port number, a protocol number of the destination packet.

Further, the session management network element may further receive third information of the first user plane network element, where the third information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element has received the target data packet. And after receiving the third information, the session management network element can determine a target user plane network element and send the first information to the first user plane network element, so that the first user plane network element generates a target data packet to the target user plane network element.

Illustratively, S101 and/or S102 may be performed after the session management network element receives the third information from the first user plane network element.

Specifically, the first user plane network element inserts a BP/UL CL for the session management network element, and the session management network element may instruct the BP/UL CL to send the third information after detecting the target data packet in the process of configuring the BP/UL CL, so as to trigger the session management network element to send the first information to the BP/UL CL.

Optionally, in order to receive the third information, the session management network element may send fourth information to the first user plane network element, where the fourth information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send the third information after receiving the target data packet. Specifically, the fourth information may include a second packet detection rule (second PDR), where the second packet detection rule is used to indicate that the first user plane network element detects data whose target address is the target IP address, and to indicate that the first user plane network element sends the third information to the session management network element.

It should be noted that, the first PDR and the second PDR may coexist (i.e., are installed in the first user plane network element at the same time), and the third PDR and the second PDR may also coexist. When the first PDR coexists with the second PDR, or the third PDR coexists with the second PDR, the second PDR is set to have a lower priority than the first PDR or the third PDR. Thus, when a new uplink data packet is received, the first user plane network element matches the data packet according to the first PDR or the third PDR, and if the matching is not successful, the first user plane network element detects the data packet according to the first PDR. And when the new uplink data packet is successfully matched with the first PDR or the third PDR, the first user plane network element sends the data packet to a corresponding target user plane network element according to the FAR corresponding to the first PDR or the third PDR.

In addition to the steps shown in fig. 3, when the AS is in a state, the session management network element may further send second information to the target user plane network element, where the second information may carry a unicast address of the target application server, so AS to instruct the target user plane network element to send the target data packet to the target application server. The second information may indicate one target application server, and the target application server may be selected by the session management network element from a plurality of target application servers according to the location information and/or the load information.

Specifically, the second information may include a PDR, where the PDR may include a destination address of the destination packet, that is, a destination IP address, and the PDR may further include other five-tuple information of the destination packet, where the five-tuple information may be referred to above. The PDR may also be configured to instruct the target user plane network element to forward the target packet to a target application server, for example, a target application server addressed to the unicast address. For example, the PDR may include a FAR, which may include a unicast address of the target application server.

It should be understood that, if the first information carries information of at least one application server corresponding to the target IP address, the session management network element may send second information to the at least one application server, respectively, where each second information is used to indicate a unicast address of an application server connected to one application server. If the first information indicates the target user plane network element determined by the session management network element, the session management network element may send second information to the target user plane network element to indicate a unicast address of an application server supported by the target user plane network element.

Optionally, the session management network element may obtain the unicast address of the target application server according to the following method. The session management network element may receive a unicast address of the target application server. For example, the session management network element may obtain information from at least one user plane network element, where the information may carry a unicast address of an application server corresponding to an anycast IP address where the user plane network element that sent the information can route, and the session management network element may determine a unicast address of a target application server according to the information, and send the unicast address of the target application server to the target user plane network element after selecting the target application server.

For another example, the session management network element may receive information from the application function network element, where the information may carry a correspondence between an anycast IP address, a DNAI, and a unicast address of the application server. The session management network element can determine the DNAI corresponding to the target IP address and the unicast address of the application server according to the corresponding relation, so that the unicast address of the target application server can be sent to the target user plane network element.

In addition, the second information may also be used to instruct the target user plane network element to carry the unicast address of the target server in the source routing option of the header of the target data packet, and/or to instruct the target user plane network element to replace the target address of the target data packet with the unicast address of the target application server. Since the source routing option of the target data packet carries a complete unicast address, and/or the target address of the target data packet is the unicast address of the target application server, the target data packet is forwarded to the target application server according to the unicast address.

In a possible example, the first information may be used to indicate a target user plane network element, and the second information may include a unicast address of a target application server, so that after receiving a matched target data packet each time, the target user plane network element sends the target data packet to the same target application server according to the second information, thereby implementing the AS stateful scheme.

In another possible example, if the second information includes unicast addresses of a plurality of target application servers, the target user plane network element may select an application server that receives the target data packet from the plurality of target application servers (i.e., select one of the unicast addresses), and forward the target data packet to the application server according to the unicast address of the application server. For example, the target user plane network element sends the target data packet to a target application server according to information of the target application server selected randomly or in a polling manner.

If the AS is in the state, in this example, the session management network element may instruct the target user plane network element to forward the target data packet according to the selected information of the target application server after selecting the information of the target application server and receiving the target data packet each time in the following.

Specifically, the session management network element may instruct the target user plane network element to create (or install) a new PDR (hereinafter, may be referred to as a fourth PDR) after selecting the target application server, where the new PDR includes the unicast address of the target application server selected by the target user plane network element. The priority of the new PDR is higher than that of the PDR configured by the session management network element through the second information, so that when a new uplink data packet is received, the target user plane network element matches the data packet according to the new PDR, and if the matching is not successful, the target user plane network element detects the data packet according to the PDR configured by the second information. The new PDR may include quintuple information of the destination packet identifying the destination packet.

In particular, the session management network element may indicate to the first user plane network element how to generate the new PDR. For example, the session management network element may indicate which fields (e.g., source address, source port number, etc.) the packet filter in the new PDR should include, or the session management network element may indicate a template identifier used by the first user plane network element to generate the new PDR, the first user plane network element generating the new PDR according to a locally configured template. In addition, the new PDR includes the unicast address of the target application server selected by the target user plane cell. Thus, after the first user plane network element receives the new target data packet, the target data packet can be sent to the application server which is the same as the previous target data packet according to the PDR.

The following describes a specific implementation process of the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, by taking the system shown in fig. 1 as an example.

AS shown in fig. 4, if an AS stateful scheme is adopted and a session management network element determines a target user plane network element that receives a target data packet, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application may include the following steps:

s201: the SMF (corresponding to the above session management network element) determines at least one UPF (corresponding to the above user plane network element) corresponding to the target IP address, and acquires a unicast address of an AS that each UPF can route.

Wherein, the target IP address is an anycast IP address. Wherein the SMF may determine the at least one UPF according to the information from the at least one UPF and/or the information from the AF (for the above application function network element), which may be specifically referred to the foregoing description of the step shown in S101. The at least one UPF can include at least one PSA.

S202: the SMF receives indication information from the AF, which may be used to indicate that the AS (for the above application server) whose IP address is the target IP address is a stateful AS. So that the SMF can learn that the AS is stateful.

S203: the SMF inserts a BP/UL CL (for the first user plane network element above) between the RAN and the PSA.

S204: the SMF sends the fourth information to the BP/UL CL.

The fourth information may be used to instruct BP/UL CL to detect a target packet whose target address is a target IP address, and send the third information to the SMF after detecting the target packet.

The fourth information may include a second PDR.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the fourth information.

S205: the UE transmits the target data packet.

The destination address of the destination packet is the destination IP address.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the target packet.

S206: the BP/UL CL sends third information to the SMF.

Accordingly, the SMF receives the third information.

S207: the SMF selects a target UPF (for the above target user plane network element) from the at least one UPF corresponding to the target IP address and selects a target AS from the ASs for which the target UPF supports routing.

The target UPF is one of the at least one UPF. The target AS is an AS whose IP address is the target IP address.

S208: the SMF sends the second information to the target UPF.

The second information may include a PDR for detecting the target packet. The PDR may include a FAR, and the FAR may include a unicast address of the target AS, where the FAR is used to instruct the target UPF to send the target packet to the target AS after detecting the target packet. Wherein the target AS may be one AS selected by the SMF from a plurality of target ASs having the IP address AS the target IP address.

Accordingly, the target UPF receives the second information.

S209: the SMF sends the first information to the BP/UL CL.

The first information may include a first PDR. The first PDR may include a FAR that includes the IP address and/or tunnel information of the target UPF for the BP/UL CL to send the target packet to the target UPF.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the first information.

S210: and the BP/UL CL forwards the target data packet to the target UPF according to the first information.

Accordingly, the target UPF receives the target packet.

S211: and the target UPF forwards the target data packet to the target AS according to the second information.

Accordingly, the target AS receives the target data packet. The target data packet may be subsequently processed by the target AS.

AS shown in fig. 5, if the AS is stateless and the session management network element determines the target user plane network element that receives the target data packet, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application may include the following steps:

s301: the SMF (corresponding to the above session management network element) determines at least one UPF (corresponding to the above user plane network element) to which the target IP address corresponds.

Wherein, the target IP address is an arbitrary broadcast IP address. Wherein the SMF may determine the at least one UPF based on information from the at least one UPF and/or information from the AF (for the above application function network element). The at least one UPF can include at least one PSA.

S302: the SMF inserts a BP/UL CL (for the first user plane network element above) between the RAN and the PSA.

S303: the SMF sends the fourth information to the BP/UL CL.

The fourth information may include a second PDR.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the fourth information.

S304: the UE transmits the target data packet.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the target packet.

S305: the BP/UL CL transmits the third information to the SMF.

Accordingly, the SMF receives the third information.

S306: the SMF selects a target UPF (for the above target user plane network element) from the at least one UPF corresponding to the target IP address.

The target UPF is one of the at least one UPF.

S307: optionally, the SMF sends the second information to the target UPF.

The second information may include a PDR for detecting the target packet. The PDR may include at least one FAR, and each FAR may include a unicast address of the target AS, where the unicast address is used to instruct the target UPF to send the target packet to the target AS after detecting the target packet. The IP address of each target AS is a target IP address. Alternatively, the destination data packet may be forwarded by the destination UPF based on the destination IP address.

In an implementation, the PDR in the second information may include only one FAR, which may be used to indicate a target application server. Therefore, the target UPF sends the target data packet to the same target application server after detecting the target data packet each time.

Alternatively, if the PDR in the second information includes multiple FARs, the target UPF may randomly select a FAR, or poll a FAR, or select a FAR according to the load of the target AS after receiving the target packet each time.

Accordingly, the target UPF receives the second information.

S308: the SMF transmits the first information to the BP/UL CL.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the first information.

S309: and the BP/UL CL forwards the target data packet to the target UPF according to the first information.

Accordingly, the target UPF receives the target data packet.

S310: the target UPF forwards the target packet to the target AS.

If the target UPF receives the second information in S307, the target packet is forwarded according to the second information. If the second information is not received, the target UPF can forward the target data packet according to the target IP address.

AS shown in fig. 6, if an AS stateful scheme is adopted and a session management network element determines a target user plane network element that receives a target data packet, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application may include the following steps:

s401: the SMF (corresponding to the above session management network element) determines at least one UPF (for the above user plane network element) to which the target IP address corresponds.

S402: the SMF receives indication information from the AF, which may be used to indicate that the AS (for the above application server) whose IP address is the target IP address is a stateful AS. So that the SMF can learn that the AS is stateful.

S403: the SMF inserts a BP/UL CL (for the first user plane network element above) between the RAN and the PSA.

S404: the SMF sends first information to the BP/UL CL, wherein the first information comprises information of one or more UPFs, and at least one UPF corresponding to the target IP address comprises the one or more UPFs.

It should be noted that the one or more UPFs corresponding to the target IP address included in the first message may be UPFs providing a connection to a data network accessible by the current location of the UE (i.e., there is an interface between these UPFs and the data network accessible by the current location of the UE).

The first information may specifically include a first PDR, and the first PDR may include at least one FAR. Each FAR may be used for BP/UL CL to forward the target packet to one UPF. Illustratively, each FAR may include the IP address and/or tunneling information of one UPF. The BP/UL CL may select one FAR for execution for the target packet after detecting the target packet, so as to send the target packet to the target UPF.

If there are more FARs, the PDR is also used to instruct the BP/UL CL to install a third PDR after the FAR is selected for the target packet for the first time. The third PDR may include quintuple information of a target packet for detecting the target packet and a FAR including BP/UL CL selection, and has a higher priority than the first PDR.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the first information.

S405: the SMF sends the second information to each UPF indicated by the first information.

Each second message may include a PDR therein, which may include one or more FAR. Each FAR may include a unicast address for one AS that may be used to instruct the UPF to send the target packet to one AS.

If the PDR in the second information includes multiple FARs, the PDR in the second information may be further configured to instruct the UPF to install a fourth PDR after selecting one FAR for the first time, where the fourth PDR may include quintuple information of the destination packet, detect the destination packet, and include the FAR selected by the UPF. The fourth PDR has a higher priority than the PDR configured by the second information.

Accordingly, the UPF receives the second information.

The execution timing of S405 may be before S404 or S403.

S406: the UE transmits the target data packet.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the target packet.

S407: and the BP/UL CL determines a target UPF according to the first information and installs a third PDR.

And the third PDR is used for indicating the BP/UL CL to send the target data packet to the target UPF after detecting the target data packet again.

S408: the BP/UL CL sends the target packet to the target UPF.

Accordingly, the target UPF receives the target data packet.

S409: the target UPF selects a target AS according to the second information and installs a fourth PDR.

And the fourth PDR is used for indicating the target UPF to send the target data packet to the target AS after detecting the target data packet.

S410: the target UPF forwards the target packet to the target AS.

Accordingly, the target AS receives the target data packet. The target data packet may then be processed by the target AS.

When the subsequent BP/UL CL receives the target data packet matched with the third PDR again, the BP/UL CL sends the target data packet to the target UPF according to the third PDR; the target UPF sends the target data packet to the selected target AS according to the fourth PDR. In this way, it is ensured that subsequent data packets are all sent to the same AS for processing.

AS shown in fig. 7A, in case of an AS stateless scheme, and a first user plane network element determines a target user plane network element that receives a target data packet, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application may include the following steps:

s501: the SMF (corresponding to the above session management network element) determines at least one UPF (for the above user plane network element) to which the target IP address corresponds.

Wherein, the target IP address is an anycast IP address. Wherein the SMF may determine the at least one UPF based on information from the at least one UPF and/or information from the AF (for the above application function network element). The at least one UPF can include at least one PSA.

S502: the SMF inserts a BP/UL CL (for the first user plane network element above) between the RAN and the PSA.

S503: the SMF sends first information to the BP/UL CL, wherein the first information comprises information of one or more UPFs, and at least one UPF corresponding to the target IP address comprises the one or more UPFs.

The first information may specifically include a first PDR, and the first PDR may include at least one FAR. Each FAR may be used for BP/UL CL to forward the target packet to one UPF. Illustratively, each FAR may include the IP address and/or tunneling information of one target UPF. The BP/UL CL may select a FAR for execution with respect to the target packet after detecting the target packet, thereby sending the target packet to the target UPF.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the first information.

S504: optionally, the SMF sends the second information to each UPF indicated by the first information.

Each second information may include a PDR therein, which may include one or more FAR. Each FAR may include a unicast address for one AS that may be used to instruct the UPF to send the target packet to one AS.

Accordingly, the UPF receives the second information.

The execution timing of S405 may be before S404 or S403.

S505: the UE transmits the target data packet.

Accordingly, the BP/UL CL receives the target packet.

S506: and the BP/UL CL determines a target UPF according to the first information.

S507: the BP/UL CL sends the target packet to the target UPF.

Accordingly, the target UPF receives the target packet.

S508: the target UPF selects a target AS according to the second information.

S509: the target UPF forwards the target packet to the target AS.

If the target UPF receives the second information in S507, the target data packet is forwarded according to the second information. If the second information is not received, the target UPF can forward the target data packet according to the target IP address.

As shown in fig. 7B, another communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application may include the following steps:

s1001: the session management network element determines a PDU session that inserts the target user plane network element into the terminal device.

And the target user plane network element is connected with a data network.

For example, when the data network can be accessed at the position of the terminal device, the session management network element determines to insert the target user plane network element into the PDU session of the terminal device.

And the session management determines a target user plane network element according to the data network access identifier corresponding to the data network, wherein the target user plane network element is connected with the data network.

S1002: and the session management network element acquires a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element.

The first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element refers to an IP address corresponding to the data network, that is, an IP address of an application server deployed in the data network is included in the first target IP address, that is, the first target IP address refers to a target address of a data packet that can be routed to the data network by the target user plane network element. The first destination IP address may also be considered an IP address of the data network. The target IP address (i.e., the first target IP address or the second target IP address) includes: one or more of one or more IP addresses, one or more IP address segments, one or more IP prefixes and lengths, one or more IP network segment information (subnet address and mask). The destination IP address includes a destination unicast address and/or a destination anycast address. The definition of the target unicast address and the target anycast address refers to the target IP address, except that the IP addresses in the target unicast address are unicast addresses, and the IP addresses in the target anycast address are anycast addresses.

In a first embodiment, a session management network element obtains a first target IP address from a target user plane network element.

And the session management network element receives information from the target user plane network element, wherein the information comprises a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element.

In this embodiment, the session management network element may obtain, from the target user plane network element, the first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element before the occurrence of the process. For example, when the session management network element establishes an N4 Association (N4 Association) with the target user plane network element, the target user plane network element sends the first target IP address to the session management network element. Or, the target user plane network element may also send the first target IP address to the session management network element after the N4 association is established. Optionally, the target user plane network element may send the data network access identifier of the data network corresponding to the first target IP address while sending the first target IP address.

The target user plane network element may configure the target IP address, or the target user plane network element may also obtain the first target IP address in other manners, for example, the target user plane network element may obtain the first target IP address of the data network from the data network through a routing protocol. Of course, the target user plane network element may also obtain the first target IP address in other ways, which is not limited in this embodiment.

In a second embodiment, the session management network element obtains the first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element from the NRF.

In this embodiment, the session management network element obtains a configuration file of the target user plane network element from the NRF, where the configuration file of the target user plane network element includes the first target IP address.

The session management network element may obtain the profile of the target user plane network element from the NRF when the target user plane network element is selected by the NRF. For example, the session management network element sends the data network access identity to the NRF and receives from the NRF a profile of at least one user plane network element supporting the data network access identity, the at least one user plane network element comprising the target user plane network element.

The target user plane network element may send the first target IP address to the NRF after acquiring the first target IP address, so as to store the first target IP address in the configuration file of the target user plane network element. The method for acquiring the first target IP address by the target user plane network element may refer to the description of the first embodiment. When the first target IP address changes, the target user plane element may also send the updated first target IP address to the NRF, so as to update the first target IP address in its configuration file.

Optionally, the configuration file of the target user plane network element may further include a data network access identifier of the data network corresponding to the first target IP address, and accordingly, the session management network element may obtain the data network access identifier corresponding to the first target IP address from the NRF, and the target user plane network element sends the data network access identifier corresponding to the first target IP address to the NRF.

In a third embodiment, the session management network element determines, according to the data network access identifier of the data network, a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element.

And the session management network element receives information from an application function network element, wherein the information comprises an address range of the data network corresponding to the data network access identifier. The application function network element may be a network element deployed in the data network, for example, the application function network element is a platform function in the data network. The address range includes: one or more of one or more IP addresses, one or more IP address segments, one or more IP prefixes and lengths, one or more IP segment information (subnet address and mask).

And the session management network element determines the first target IP address according to the address range of the data network corresponding to the data network access identifier. And the session management network element determines the address range of the data network as the first target IP address.

Optionally, the information from the application function network element may further include a data network access identifier of the data network. I.e. the information comprises a data network access identification and a corresponding first target IP address.

The method of the step can avoid configuring the first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element on the SMF, thereby reducing network configuration and realizing network automatic operation.

S1003, carrying out: and the session management network element sends fifth information to the first user plane network element.

The fifth information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to the target user plane network element, where a target address of the target data packet is included in the second target IP address, the first user plane network element is an uplink filter user plane network element or a branch point user plane network element of the PDU session, and the second target IP address is a subset of the first target IP address.

In this way, the first user plane network element may send the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the fifth information, so that the target user plane network element sends the target data packet to the data network.

And if the session management network element determines that the destination address sent by the target user plane network element is a data packet of a first anycast address, and the target anycast address comprises the first anycast address, the second target IP address comprises the first anycast address. If the plurality of anchor user plane network elements of the PDU session support the first anycast address, the session management network element determines the anchor user plane network element which sends the data packet with the destination address of the first anycast address, and informs the first user plane network element to send the data packet to the selected anchor user plane network element. If the session management network element determines that the target user plane network element sends the data packet, the second target IP address comprises the first anycast address.

S1004: and the terminal equipment sends the target data packet.

The destination address of the destination data packet is a destination IP address.

Accordingly, the first user plane network element receives the destination data packet.

S1005: and the first user plane network element sends the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the fifth information.

S1006: and the first user plane network element sends the target data packet to the target user plane network element.

Accordingly, the target user plane network element receives the target data packet.

S1007: and the target user plane network element sends the target data packet to the data network.

The target user plane network element can forward the target data packet according to the target IP address.

Based on the same concept, in order to implement each function in the method provided by the embodiment of the present application, the present application further provides a communication device. The communication device can be used for realizing the function of at least one UPF connected with the session management network element, the first user plane network element and the session management network element. The communication means may comprise a hardware structure and/or a software module, and the functions described above are implemented in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a hardware structure plus a software module. Whether any of the above functions is implemented as a hardware structure, a software module, or a combination of a hardware structure and a software module depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the technical solution.

As shown in fig. 8, a communication apparatus provided in this embodiment of the present application may include a communication module 801 and a processing module 802, where the communication module 801 and the processing module 802 are coupled to each other. The communication device 800 may be configured to perform the steps performed by the session management network element as illustrated in fig. 3 to 7B above. The communication module 801 may be used to support the communication device 800 for communication, and the communication module 801 may also be referred to as a communication unit, a communication interface, a transceiver module, or a transceiver unit. The communication module 801 may have a wireless communication function, and may communicate with another communication device by a wireless communication method, for example. The processing module 802 may also be referred to as a processing unit, and may be configured to support the communication apparatus 800 to perform the processing actions of the session management network element in the above method embodiments, including but not limited to: generate information, messages to be sent by the communication module 801, and/or demodulate and decode signals received by the communication module 801, and so on.

Specifically, when the steps performed by the session management network element in fig. 3 to fig. 7A in the foregoing method embodiment are performed, the processing module 802 may determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address. The communication module 801 may send first information to a first user plane network element, where the first information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, an IP address of the target application server is the target IP address, and the at least one user plane network element includes the target user plane network element.

In one possible example, the communication module 801 may receive information from the at least one user plane network element indicating that the user plane network element sending the information supports routing the destination data packet.

In another example, the communication module 801 may receive information from an application function network element, where the information includes at least one data network access identifier corresponding to the target IP address, and the processing module 802 may determine the at least one user plane network element according to the at least one data network access identifier. Wherein the processing module 802 may determine the at least one data network access identifier according to the information and the target IP address.

In one possible example, the processing module 802 may determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element and indicate the determined target user plane network element to the first user plane network element. Specifically, the first information may include information of the determined target user plane network element. The information of the target user plane network element may be an IP address and/or tunnel information of the target user plane network element.

In this example, the first information may further indicate that, after detecting a data packet with a target address of the target IP address, the first user plane network element determines a target user plane network element according to information of at least one user plane network element, and sends the data packet with the target address of the target IP address to the determined target user plane network element.

In this example, the target application server may be selected by the target user plane network element from the application servers of the target IP address that are supported by itself. Further, the communication module 801 may send sixth information to the target user plane network element, where the sixth information is used to instruct the target user plane network element to install a fourth packet detection rule after determining a target application server from one or more application servers corresponding to the target IP address. The fourth packet detection rule includes a packet filtering rule, where the packet filtering rule includes quintuple information of the destination packet, where the quintuple information includes one or more of the destination IP address and a source address, a destination address, a source port number, a destination port number, and a protocol number of the destination packet, and the fourth packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is to be sent to the destination application server, for example, the fourth packet detection rule may carry a unicast address of the destination application server. In addition, when the first user plane network element detects a certain target data packet for the first time and sends the target data packet to a certain target application server through the target user plane network element, based on the fourth message detection rule, after the first user plane network element receives the target data packet with the same quintuple information again, the target data packet can be still guided to the target application server receiving the first target data packet, and the stateful scheme of the application server is realized.

Optionally, the processing module 802 may further obtain a unicast address of the target application server. The communication module 801 may send second information to the target user plane network element, where the second information includes the unicast address, and is used for the target user plane network element to send the target data packet to the target application server according to the unicast address, so AS to support an AS stateful scheme.

For example, the communication module 801 may receive, from the application function network element or the target user plane network element, a unicast address of one or more application servers corresponding to the target IP address; and the processing module 802 may determine, from the unicast addresses of the one or more application servers, an application server corresponding to a unicast address as the target application server.

In addition, the second information is further used to instruct the target user plane network element to carry the unicast address of the target application server in the source routing option of the target data packet; or, the second information is further used to instruct the target user plane network element to replace the target address of the target data packet with the unicast address of the target application server. So that the destination packet can be forwarded to the selected application server.

The communication module 801 may receive third information from the first user plane network element, where the third information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet, so that the session management network element feeds back the first information. In a specific implementation, the session management network element may send fourth information to the first user plane network element, where the fourth information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element sends the third information after receiving the target data packet.

Optionally, the communication module 801 may obtain a stateful indication corresponding to the target IP address, where the stateful indication is used to indicate that an application of the application server corresponding to the target IP address is a stateful application, so AS to support an AS stateful scheme. The stateful indication corresponding to the target IP address may be from an application function network element.

In particular, when the steps performed by the first user plane network element in fig. 3 to 7A in the above method embodiment are performed, the communication module 801 may be configured to receive the first information from the session management network element. After receiving the destination data packet, the communication module 801 may forward the destination data packet to the destination user plane network element according to the first information. The first information is used for instructing the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, and a target address of the target user plane network element is the target IP address.

The first information may also be used to indicate that, after detecting a data packet with a target address of the target IP address, the first user plane network element determines a target user plane network element from at least one user plane network element according to the first message, and sends the data packet with the target address of the target IP address to the target user plane network element. The processing module 802 may determine a target user plane network element from at least one user plane network element after detecting a data packet with a target address as the target IP address, and send the data packet with the target address as the target IP address to the target user plane network element.

In addition, the first information may further include priority information of each user plane network element in the at least one user plane network element, where the priority information is used to determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element. The first user plane network element may determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the priority information.

The processing module 802 may further install a third message detection rule after determining a target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the first message. The third packet detection rule may include a packet filtering rule, where the packet filtering rule includes quintuple information of the target packet, the quintuple information includes one or more of the target IP address and a source address, a target address, a source port number, a target port number, and a protocol number of the target packet, and the third packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is sent to the target user plane network element. Optionally, the first information may also be used to instruct the first user plane network element to install the third packet detection rule after determining the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the first message.

The communication module 801 may further send third information to the session management network element, indicating that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet. The third information may be sent based on the fourth information received by the communication module 801 from the session management network element. The fourth information may be used to instruct the first user plane network element to send the third information after receiving the target data packet.

In performing the steps performed by the at least one UPF connected by the session management network element, the processing module 802 may determine seventh information, and send the seventh information to the session management network element by the communication module 801, where the seventh information is used to indicate a target IP address supported by the user plane network element, and the target IP address is an IP address of one or more application servers, and the one or more application servers support the same service. The seventh information may be used for the session management network element to determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address, where the at least one user plane network element includes the user plane network element.

In performing the steps performed by the session management network element in the communication method shown in fig. 7B, the processing module 802 may be configured to determine that a target user plane network element is inserted into a PDU session of the terminal device, where the target user plane network element is connected to the data network. The communication module 801 may be configured to obtain, from the target user plane network element or a network storage function NRF, a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element; alternatively, the processing module 802 may be further configured to determine the first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element according to the data network access identifier corresponding to the data network. The communication module 801 may be further configured to send fifth information to a first user plane network element, where the fifth information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to the target user plane network element, a target address of the target data packet is included in a second target IP address, the first user plane network element is an uplink filter user plane network element or a branch point user plane network element of the PDU session, and the second target IP address is a subset of the first target IP address.

In one possible design, the communication module 801 may be further configured to receive information from an application function network element, where the information includes an IP address range of a data network corresponding to the data network access identifier. The processing module 802 may be specifically configured to determine the first target IP address according to an IP address range of the data network corresponding to the data network access identifier.

In one possible design, the communication module 801 may be specifically configured to receive information from the target user plane network element, where the information includes a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element.

In one possible design, the communication module 801 may be specifically configured to receive a configuration file of the target user plane network element from the NRF, where the configuration file includes the first target IP address.

In addition, in another possible implementation manner, if the session management network element is implemented by a hardware component, its structure may also be as shown in fig. 9. For ease of understanding, fig. 9 only shows the structure necessary to perform the method shown in the present application, which does not limit the communication apparatus to have more components. The communication device 900 may include a communication interface 901, a memory 902, and a processor 903. The communication interface 901 may be used for communication devices to communicate, such as to send or receive signals. The memory 902 is coupled to the processor 903 and is used for storing programs and data necessary for the communication device 900 to perform various functions. The processor 903 is configured to support the communication device 900 to perform processing functions performed by the session management network element in the above-described method, such as determining to generate information, messages sent by the communication interface 901, and/or demodulating and decoding signals received by the communication interface 901, and so on. The memory 902 and the processor 903 may be integrated or separate.

Illustratively, the communication interface 901 may be a wired communication interface operable to enable the communication device 900 to receive and transmit signaling and/or data via a wired manner. The communication interface 901 may also be referred to as a transceiving unit or a communication unit. The processor 903 may be implemented by a processing chip or processing circuit.

In performing the communication method of the present application, the above communication interface 901 can be used to execute the steps performed by the communication module 801, and the processor 903 can call the program in the memory 902 to execute the steps performed by the processing module 802.

Specifically, when the steps performed by the session management network element in fig. 3 to fig. 7A in the foregoing method embodiment are performed, the processor 903 may determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address. The communication interface 901 may send first information to a first user plane network element, where the first information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, an IP address of the target application server is the target IP address, and the at least one user plane network element includes the target user plane network element.

In one possible example, the communication interface 901 may receive information from the at least one user plane network element indicating that the user plane network element sending the information supports routing the target data packet.

In another example, the communication interface 901 may receive information from an application function network element, where the information includes at least one data network access identifier corresponding to the target IP address, and the processor 903 may determine the at least one user plane network element according to the at least one data network access identifier. Wherein the processor 903 may determine the at least one data network access identity based on the information and the target IP address.

In one possible example, the processor 903 can determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element and indicate the determined target user plane network element to the first user plane network element. Specifically, the first information may include information of the determined target user plane network element. The information of the target user plane network element may be an IP address and/or tunnel information of the target user plane network element.

In another example, the first information may include information in at least one user plane network element, and the target user plane network element, that is, the next-hop user plane network element of the first user plane network element, may be subsequently determined by the first user plane network element according to the information in the at least one user plane network element, and the target data packet is sent to the target user plane network element. Specifically, the first information may include priority information of each of the at least one user plane network element, which is used to determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element. For example, the target user plane network element is a user plane network element with the highest priority indicated by the first information.

In this example, the target application server may be selected by the target user plane network element from the application servers of the target IP address that are supported by the target user plane network element. Further, the communication interface 901 may send sixth information to the target user plane network element, where the sixth information is used to instruct the target user plane network element to install a fourth packet detection rule after determining a target application server from one or more application servers corresponding to the target IP address. The fourth packet detection rule includes a packet filtering rule, the packet filtering rule includes five-tuple information of the target packet, the five-tuple information includes one or more of the source address, the target address, the source port number, the target port number, and the protocol number of the target packet, and the fourth packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is to be sent to the target application server, for example, the fourth packet detection rule may carry a unicast address of the target application server. In addition, when the first user plane network element detects a certain target data packet for the first time and sends the target data packet to a certain target application server through the target user plane network element, based on the fourth message detection rule, after the first user plane network element receives the target data packet with the same quintuple information again, the target data packet is still guided to the target application server receiving the first target data packet, so that the stateful scheme of the application server is realized.

Optionally, the processor 903 may further obtain a unicast address of the target application server. The communication interface 901 may send second information to the target user plane network element, where the second information includes the unicast address, and is used for the target user plane network element to send the target data packet to the target application server according to the unicast address, so AS to support an AS stateful scheme.

For example, the communication interface 901 may receive, from the application function network element or the target user plane network element, unicast addresses of one or more application servers corresponding to the target IP address; and the processor 903 may determine, from the unicast addresses of the one or more application servers, an application server corresponding to a unicast address as the target application server.

The communication interface 901 may receive third information from the first user plane network element, where the third information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet, so that the session management network element feeds back the first information. In a specific implementation, the session management network element may send fourth information to the first user plane network element, where the fourth information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element sends the third information after receiving the target data packet.

Optionally, the communication interface 901 may obtain a stateful indication corresponding to the target IP address, where the stateful indication is used to indicate that an application of the application server corresponding to the target IP address is a stateful application, so AS to support an AS stateful scheme. The stateful indication corresponding to the target IP address may come from an application function network element.

In particular, in performing the steps performed by the first user plane network element in fig. 3 to 7A in the above method embodiment, the communication interface 901 may be configured to receive the first information from the session management network element. After receiving the target packet, the communication interface 901 may forward the target packet to the target user plane network element according to the first information. The first information is used for instructing the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, and a target address of the target user plane network element is the target IP address.

The first information may also be used to instruct the first user plane network element to determine a target user plane network element from at least one user plane network element according to the first message after detecting a data packet with a target address as the target IP address, and send the data packet with the target address as the target IP address to the target user plane network element. The processor 903 may determine a target user plane network element from at least one user plane network element after detecting a data packet with a target address as the target IP address, and send the data packet with the target address as the target IP address to the target user plane network element.

The processor 903 may further install a third packet detection rule after determining a target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the first message. The third packet detection rule may include a packet filtering rule, where the packet filtering rule includes quintuple information of the target packet, the quintuple information includes one or more of the target IP address and a source address, a target address, a source port number, a target port number, and a protocol number of the target packet, and the third packet detection rule indicates that a packet matching the packet filtering rule is to be sent to the target user plane network element. Optionally, the first information may also be used to instruct the first user plane network element to install the third packet detection rule after determining the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to the first message.

The communication interface 901 may further send third information to the session management network element, indicating that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet. The third information may be sent based on fourth information received from the session management network element by the communication interface 901. The fourth information may be used to instruct the first user plane network element to send the third information after receiving the target data packet.

In performing the steps performed by the at least one UPF connected by the session management network element, the processor 903 may determine seventh information, which is used to indicate a target IP address supported by the user plane network element, the target IP address being an IP address of one or more application servers supporting the same service, and send the seventh information to the session management network element by the communication interface 901. The seventh information may be used for the session management network element to determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address, where the at least one user plane network element includes the user plane network element.

In performing the steps performed by the session management network element in the communication method shown in fig. 7B, the processor 903 may be configured to determine that a target user plane network element is inserted into a PDU session of the terminal device, the target user plane network element being connected to the data network. The communication interface 901 may be configured to obtain, from the target user plane network element or a network storage function NRF, a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element; alternatively, the processor 903 may be further configured to determine, according to the data network access identifier corresponding to the data network, a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element. The communication interface 901 may further be configured to send fifth information to a first user plane network element, where the fifth information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to the target user plane network element, a target address of the target data packet is included in a second target IP address, the first user plane network element is an uplink filter user plane network element or a branch point user plane network element of the PDU session, and the second target IP address is a subset of the first target IP address.

In one possible design, the communication interface 901 may further be configured to receive information from an application function network element, where the information includes an IP address range of a data network corresponding to the data network access identifier. The processor 903 may be specifically configured to determine the first target IP address according to an IP address range of the data network corresponding to the data network access identifier.

In one possible design, the communication interface 901 is specifically configured to receive information from the target user plane network element, where the information includes a first target IP address supported by the target user plane network element.

In one possible design, the communication interface 901 may be specifically configured to receive a configuration file of the target user plane network element from the NRF, where the configuration file includes the first target IP address.

Based on the same concept as the above method embodiments, embodiments of the present application further provide a computer-readable storage medium, where a computer program (or instructions) is stored, and when executed by a processor, the computer program causes the computer to perform the operations performed by at least one application server connected to the session management network element, the first user plane network element, and/or the session management network element in any possible implementation manner of the above method embodiments and method embodiments.

Based on the same concept as the method embodiments described above, the present application also provides a computer program product, which when being invoked by a computer, can enable the computer to implement the method embodiments described above, and the operations performed by at least one application server connected to the session management network element, the first user plane network element, and/or the session management network element in any possible implementation manner of the method embodiments.

Based on the same concept as the method embodiment, the present application further provides a chip or a chip system, where the chip is coupled to a transceiver and is configured to implement the method embodiment and any one of the possible implementation manners of the method embodiment, where the operation is performed by at least one application server connected to the session management network element, the first user plane network element, and/or the session management network element. The chip system may include the chip, as well as components including memory, communication interfaces, and the like.

Based on the same concept as the method embodiment, the present application further provides a communication system, which may be used to implement the method embodiment and any one of the possible implementation manners of the method embodiment, where the operation is performed by at least one application server connected to the session management network element, the first user plane network element, and/or the session management network element. Illustratively, the communication system has a structure as shown in any of fig. 1 and/or fig. 2.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, embodiments of the present application may be provided as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present application may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present application may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, and the like) having computer-usable program code embodied therein.

The present application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to the application. It will be understood that each flow and/or block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of flows and/or blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the present application without departing from the scope of the application. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is intended to include such modifications and variations as well.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

the session management network element determines at least one user plane network element corresponding to a target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

the session management network element sends first information to a first user plane network element, where the first information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, a target address of the target data packet is the target IP address, the at least one user plane network element includes the target user plane network element, the target IP address is an IP address of multiple application servers, the multiple application servers support the same service, and the target application server is one of the multiple application servers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, by the session management network element, at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address comprises:

and the session management network element receives information from the at least one user plane network element, wherein the information indicates that the user plane network element which sends the information supports routing the target data packet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, by the session management network element, at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address comprises:

the session management network element receives information from an application function network element, wherein the information comprises at least one data network access identifier corresponding to the target IP address;

and the session management network element determines the at least one user plane network element according to the at least one data network access identifier.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:

and the session management network element determines the at least one data network access identifier according to the information and the target IP address.

5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the method further comprises:

the session management network element determines the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element;

the first information comprises information of the target user plane network element.

6. A method according to any of claims 1-4, wherein said first information comprises information of said at least one user plane network element.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first information is further for:

and after the first user plane network element is indicated to detect the data packet with the target address as the target IP address, determining the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element according to a first message, and sending the data packet with the target address as the target IP address to the target user plane network element.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first information comprises priority information for each of the at least one user plane network element, the priority information being used to determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element.

9. The method of any one of claims 1-4 or 7-8, further comprising:

and the session management network element receives third information from the first user plane network element, where the third information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

and the session management network element sends fourth information to the first user plane network element, where the fourth information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element sends the third information after receiving the target data packet.

11. A method of communication, comprising:

determining seventh information by a user plane network element, wherein the seventh information is used for indicating a target IP address supported by the user plane network element, the target IP address is an IP address of a plurality of application servers, and the plurality of application servers support the same service;

and the user plane network element sends the seventh information to a session management network element, where the seventh information is used for the session management network element to determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address, and the at least one user plane network element includes the user plane network element.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the seventh information comprises unicast addresses of the respective plurality of application servers.

13. A method of communication, comprising:

the session management network element determines at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address;

the session management network element sends first information to a first user plane network element, where the first information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, a target address of the target data packet is the target IP address, the at least one user plane network element includes the target user plane network element, the target IP address is an IP address of multiple application servers, the multiple application servers support the same service, and the target application server is one of the multiple application servers;

the first user plane network element receives the first information;

the first user plane network element receives the target data packet;

and the first user plane network element sends the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the first information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising any of the methods of claims 2-12.

15. A communications apparatus, comprising:

the processing module is used for determining at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target internet interconnection protocol IP address;

a communication module, configured to send first information to a first user plane network element, where the first information is used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a target data packet to a target application server through a target user plane network element, a target address of the target data packet is the target IP address, the at least one user plane network element includes the target user plane network element, the target IP address is an IP address of multiple application servers, the multiple application servers support the same service, and the target application server is one of the multiple application servers.

16. The communications apparatus of claim 15, the communications module further configured to:

receiving information from the at least one user plane network element, wherein the information indicates that the user plane network element which sends the information supports routing the target data packet;

the processing module is specifically configured to:

and determining at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address according to the information of the at least one user plane network element.

17. The communications apparatus of claim 15, the communications module further configured to:

receiving information from an application function network element, wherein the information comprises at least one data network access identifier corresponding to the target IP address;

the processing module is specifically configured to:

and determining the at least one user plane network element according to the at least one data network access identifier.

18. The communications apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

and determining the at least one data network access identifier according to the information and the target IP address.

19. The communications apparatus of any of claims 15-18, wherein the communications module is further configured to:

determining the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element;

20. The communication apparatus according to any of claims 15-18, wherein the first information comprises information of the at least one user plane network element.

21. The communications apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first information is further configured to:

22. The communications apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first information comprises priority information for each of the at least one user plane network element, the priority information being used to determine the target user plane network element from the at least one user plane network element.

23. The communications apparatus of any of claims 15-18 or 21-22, wherein the communications module is further configured to:

and receiving third information from the first user plane network element, where the third information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element receives the target data packet.

24. The communications apparatus of claim 23, the communications module further configured to:

and sending fourth information to the first user plane network element, where the fourth information is used to indicate that the first user plane network element sends the third information after receiving the target data packet.

25. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a processing module, configured to determine seventh information, where the seventh information is used to indicate a target IP address supported by a user plane network element, where the target IP address is an IP address of multiple application servers, and the multiple application servers support the same service;

the communication module, since the seventh information is sent to a session management network element, the seventh information is used for the session management network element to determine at least one user plane network element corresponding to the target IP address, where the at least one user plane network element includes the user plane network element.

26. The communications apparatus of claim 25, wherein the seventh information comprises unicast addresses for the respective plurality of application servers.

27. A communication system, comprising the communication apparatus according to any of claims 15 to 24 and the first user plane network element, wherein the first user plane network element is configured to receive the first information, and after receiving the target data packet, send the target data packet to the target user plane network element according to the first information.

28. The communication system according to claim 27, further comprising a communication device according to claim 25 or 26.

29. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising a computer program which, when run on a communication apparatus, causes the communication apparatus to perform the method of any of claims 1-10 or which, when run on a communication apparatus, causes the communication apparatus to perform the method of claim 11 or 12.