CN116709168A

CN116709168A - Communication method and device

Info

Publication number: CN116709168A
Application number: CN202210188474.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 贾建鑫; 吴问付; 宗在峰; 周润泽
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-02-28
Filing date: 2022-02-28
Publication date: 2023-09-05
Also published as: WO2023160624A1

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method and device. The method comprises the following steps: the access network device receives a radio resource control message from the terminal device, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a first indication and further comprises a non-access layer message, and the first indication is used for indicating that the non-access layer message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information. And the access network equipment sends the non-access layer message to first network equipment according to the first indication, wherein the first network equipment is park network equipment. Therefore, based on the method, the access network device can forward the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to the first network device according to the first indication, so that the positioning request and/or the positioning information related to the positioning service can be prevented from being exposed to the core network element of the public network, and the safety of the positioning service can be improved.

Description

Communication method and device

Technical Field

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

Background

Along with the rise of intelligent rattle, the vertical industry has increasingly stringent requirements for positioning. Currently, in 3GPP Release 16, a positioning function of a fifth generation mobile communication (5 th-generation, 5G) base station is introduced. The application scenes are mainly divided into two main categories: wide area location scenarios and local area location scenarios.

For the above positioning scenario, the industry proposes a need for information related to public network sensing positioning, which is not desirable for protecting private data.

At present, positioning data related to a terminal need to pass through a network element of a public network core network aiming at a positioning service flow of the terminal equipment, so that the risk of exposing the positioning data of the terminal exists. Therefore, the security of the positioning service flow of the current terminal device needs to be improved.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a communication method and a communication device, which are used for improving the safety of a positioning service flow of terminal equipment.

In a first aspect, a communication method is provided. The communication method may be implemented by an access network device or a component in an access network device, such as at least one of a processor, transceiver, processing module, or transceiver module. Taking the example that the execution subject is an access network device, the method comprises the following steps: an Access network device receives a radio resource control (Radio Resource Control, RRC) message from a terminal device, the radio resource control message including a first indication, the radio resource control message further including a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, the first indication being for indicating that the Non-Access Stratum message includes a positioning request (location/positioning Request) and/or first positioning information (positioning message); and the access network equipment sends the non-access layer message to first network equipment according to the first indication, wherein the first network equipment is park network equipment.

According to the method, the access network device can forward the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to the first network device according to the first indication, so that the positioning request and/or the positioning information related to the positioning service can be prevented from being exposed to the core network element of the public network, and the safety of the positioning service can be improved.

Optionally, the method further comprises: the section of the description may also be replaced with any one of the following:

the access network device receives a radio resource control message from the terminal device, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a first indication, and the radio resource control message further comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information, and the first indication is used for indicating that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is sent to a first network device in a park. And the access network equipment sends the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to first network equipment according to the first indication, wherein the first network equipment is park network equipment. "or, alternatively,

the access network equipment receives a radio resource control message from the terminal equipment, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a first indication, and the radio resource control message also comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information, and the first indication is used for indicating that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is sent to first network equipment in a park; and the access network equipment sends the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to the first network equipment according to the first indication. "or, alternatively,

The Access network device receives a radio resource control message from the terminal device, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a first indication, the radio resource control (Radio Resource Control, RRC) message further comprises a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, and the first indication is used for indicating that the Non-Access Stratum message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information; and the access network equipment sends the non-access layer message to first network equipment according to the first indication. "or, alternatively,

an access network device receives a radio resource control message from a terminal device, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a non-access stratum message, and the non-access stratum message comprises a first indication, and the first indication is used for indicating that the non-access stratum message comprises a positioning request (positioning/positioning Request) and/or first positioning information (positioning message); and the access network equipment sends the non-access layer message to first network equipment according to the first indication, wherein the first network equipment is park network equipment. ". That is, the first indication may be carried in a non-access stratum message.

The "NAS message" described herein may be replaced with "NAS message container (NAS message container)", "NAS protocol data unit (NAS Packet Data Unit, NAS PDU)", "NAS container", etc.

The "Radio Resource Control (RRC) message" described in the present application may be replaced with a "Radio (Radio) message", "Radio Resource (Radio Resource) message", or the like.

The "Location Request (Positioning Request)" may be replaced with "Location Request (Location Request)", for example, may be a Location Request (Mobile Originated Location Request, MO-LR) message initiated by the terminal.

The "positioning information (Positioning Message)" may be replaced by "positioning information (positioning message/Location information)", for example, long term evolution positioning protocol information (Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol message, LPP message), new wireless positioning protocol a information (NR Positioning Protocol A, NRPP message), new wireless positioning information (New Radio Positioning message, NRP message), new wireless positioning protocol information (New Radio Positioning Protocol message, NRPP message), new wireless enhanced positioning information (New Radio Advance Positioning Protocol message, NRAPP message), LPP protocol data unit PDU (LPP PDU), positioning protocol PDU (Positioning Protocol PDU, PP PDU), new wireless positioning protocol PDU (New Radio Positioning Protocol PDU, NPP PDU), new wireless enhanced positioning protocol PDU (New Radio Advance Positioning Protocol PDU, NRAPP PDU), and the like.

The access network device sends the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to the first network device according to the first indication, where the first network device is a campus network device, and alternatively sends the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to the first network device according to the first indication, that is, the application does not limit that the first network device is a campus network device. For example, the first network device may be a network device in a public network, or in other words, the first network device may be a network device that is not a campus. As an alternative embodiment of the present application, the first network device may be a campus network device. The "first network device is a campus network device" may alternatively be deployed in a (mapped in) campus, or alternatively, the first network device belongs to/is located in a (mapped) campus. The access network device sends the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to the first network device according to the first indication, and the first network device is park network device, or alternatively, the access network device sends the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to the park network device according to the first indication.

The "campus (campus) network or the" campus "in the present application may be replaced by any of the following words, without limitation:

Non-Public networks (NPN), non-operator networks, factory networks (factory networks), vertical industry networks (vertical networks), edge networks (Edge networks), edge hosting environments (Edge Hosting Environment), edge computing networks (Edge computing Network), business networks (premises networks), business sites (premises), and the like.

The term "public network or non-campus" in the present application may be replaced by any one of the following terms, and is not limited:

public network (Public network), operator network, etc.

In addition, the present application "the first indication is used to indicate that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is sent to the first network device in the campus", alternatively, the first indication is used to indicate that the NAS message includes the positioning request and/or the first positioning information.

In one possible implementation, the access network device may also receive a location request reply and/or second location information from the first network device. The access network device may also send the location request reply and/or the second location information to the terminal device.

According to the implementation mode, the access network equipment can receive the positioning request reply from the first network equipment and/or the second positioning information and forward the second positioning information to the terminal equipment, so that the interaction of the terminal equipment and the network side about the positioning information is realized, and the communication reliability and the communication efficiency are improved.

In one possible implementation, the access network device may further send first information to a second network device, where the first information is used to instruct the second network device to provide or select information of the first network device, or the first information is used to request information of the first network device; the access network device may also receive information from the first network device of the second network device.

According to the implementation manner, the access network device can request the information of the first network device from the second network device to establish a connection with the first network device, so as to improve communication reliability and communication efficiency.

The "information of the first network device" in the present application may refer to any one or more of the following, and is not limited to:

an IP address of the first network device, an FQDN of the first network device, an Identification (ID) of the first network device, a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of the first network device, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the first network device, network function configuration information (Network Function Profile, NF Profile) of the first network device, context information of the first network device, and the like.

The first network device may include an access function network element, which may be an access and mobility management function network element (AMF); alternatively, the first network device may comprise a location function network element, which may be a location management function network element (LMF); or, the first network device may include a network element configured by an access function network element and a location function network element, for example, may be a network element configured by an AMF and an LMF; alternatively, the first network device may comprise a gateway mobile location center (Gateway Mobile Location Center, GMLC); alternatively, the first network device may include a network element configured by the LMF and the GMLC; alternatively, the first network device may comprise a location extraction function network element (Location Retrieval Function, LRF); alternatively, the first network device may include a network element in which the LMF is collocated with the GMLC and the LRF; alternatively, the first network device may include a network element in which the LRF and the GMLC are co-located; alternatively, the first network device may comprise a server, for example, a campus server; alternatively, the first network device may comprise a client location services client (Location Service client, LCS client); alternatively, the first network device may comprise a client; alternatively, the first network device may comprise a session management network element, e.g. a session management function network element SMF; alternatively, the first network device may comprise a user plane network element, e.g., a UPF; alternatively, the first network device may include an N2 Proxy (N2 Proxy), etc., without limitation.

The "second network device" in the present application may include an access function network element, where the access function network element may be an access and mobility management function network element (AMF), a Public network (AMF), an operator network AMF, a non-campus AMF, or the like.

In one possible implementation, the access network device establishes a stream control transmission protocol coupling (SCTP association) with the first network device.

By adopting the implementation mode, the access network equipment can establish SCTP coupling with the first network equipment after obtaining the information of the first network equipment so as to be used for transmitting the positioning information of the terminal equipment subsequently, thereby improving the communication reliability and the communication efficiency.

Optionally, the "connection between the access network device and the first network device to establish a stream control transmission protocol (SCTP association)" may be replaced by the following descriptions, and the following descriptions may also be replaced with each other:

"access network device establishes a connection with the first network device"; or alternatively, the process may be performed,

"an access network device establishes an association with the first network device"; or alternatively, the process may be performed,

"access network device establishes control plane connection with the first network device"; or alternatively, the process may be performed,

"access network device establishes a transport network layer association (Transport Network Layer association, TNL association) with the first network device"

It should be noted that the "indication/indication" of the present application may also be replaced with "notification/representation/characterization (presentation)",

in a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method. The communication method may be implemented by a terminal device or a component of a terminal device, such as at least one of a processor, transceiver, processing module or transceiver module. Taking the example that the execution subject is a terminal device, the method comprises the following steps: the terminal equipment sends a radio resource control message to the access network equipment, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a first indication, the radio resource control message also comprises a NAS message, and the first indication is used for indicating that the NAS message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information.

the terminal equipment sends a radio resource control message to the access network equipment, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a first indication, the radio resource control message further comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information, and the first indication is used for indicating the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to be sent to first network equipment in a park. "

The terminal equipment sends a radio resource control message to the access network equipment, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a first indication, and the radio resource control message also comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information, and the first indication is used for indicating the access network equipment to send the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to first network equipment in a park. "

In a possible implementation, the terminal device may also receive a positioning request reply and/or second positioning information from the access network device.

In one possible implementation, the terminal device may further receive a second indication, where the second indication is used to indicate to send the first indication.

Based on the implementation manner, the terminal device can send the first instruction according to the second instruction, so that the management of the network on the behavior of the terminal device is realized. Optionally, the second indication may be from a second network device, and explanation of the second network device is explained in the same manner as that of the first aspect of the present application, which is not repeated here. Furthermore, the application also does not limit the terminal device to send the first indication according to the local configuration, i.e. for example the terminal device may not receive the second indication, the first indication may still be sent, or in other words the terminal device may not need to send the first indication according to the second indication, the terminal device itself may send the first indication.

In the present application, "the second indication is used for indicating to send the first indication" alternatively, "the second indication can be used for triggering or indicating or configuring the sending of the first indication," or "the second indication can be used for sending the first indication," etc.

In one possible implementation, the second indication may be used to indicate that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is not encrypted; or, the second instruction is used for indicating that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information are encrypted according to a first encryption mode.

Based on the implementation, the terminal device may encrypt the positioning request and/or the first positioning information in an unencrypted or encrypted manner, so that the first network device can accurately parse.

It should be appreciated that the first encryption scheme may be, for example, an encryption scheme that the first network device may decrypt.

In one possible implementation, the second indication is carried in a non-access stratum (NAS) security mode command (Security Mode Command, SMC) or registration accept (Registration Accept) message.

In one possible implementation, the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is carried in a non-access stratum protocol data unit (NAS PDU).

It should be understood that the NAS PDU may be replaced by "NAS message", "NAS information", "NAS container", "NAS message container", etc., and the above terms may be replaced by each other, which is not limited thereto.

It should be noted that the NAS message, the radio resource control message, the positioning request, the positioning message, the park network or park, the first network device, and the like described in the second aspect are explained in the same manner as those in the first aspect of the present application, and are not repeated here.

The advantages of the above second aspect and any possible implementation thereof may be seen from the description of the advantages of the corresponding implementation of the first aspect.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method. The communication method may be implemented by the second network device or a component of the second network device, such as at least one of a processor, transceiver, processing module, or transceiver module. The second network device may comprise an AMF or other network element in a core network public network. Taking the example that the execution subject is the second network device, the method includes: the second network equipment receives a fourth message of the terminal equipment; the second network device sends a second indication to the terminal device according to the fourth message; the second indication is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send a first indication, and the first indication is used for indicating or representing or characterizing that the NAS message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information.

According to the method, the second network equipment can instruct the terminal equipment to send the first instruction, so that the management of the network on the behavior of the terminal equipment is realized.

Optionally, the method further comprises: the section of the description may also be replaced with the following description:

"the second network device receives the fourth message of the terminal device; the second network device sends a second indication to the terminal device; the second indication is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send a first indication, and the first indication is used for indicating or representing or characterizing that the NAS message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information. ", or,

"the second network device receives the fourth message of the terminal device; the second network device sends a second indication to the terminal device; the second indication is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send a first indication, and the first indication is used for indicating or representing or characterizing that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information are sent to first network equipment in a park. "

It should be understood that the second network device may send the second indication after receiving the fourth message, or may send the second indication simultaneously with receiving the fourth message, which is not particularly limited.

It should be appreciated that the fourth message may be any of the following:

registration request (registration request), registration completion (registration complete), deregistration accept (deregistration accept), deregistration request (deregistration request), service request (service request), service reject (service reject), service accept (service accept), control plane service request (control plane service request), uplink non-access stratum transport (UL NAS transport), mobile originated location request (mobile originated location request, MO-LR), authentication reply (Authentication response), authentication failure (Authentication failure), configuration update completion (configuration update complete), identity reply (identity response), notification reply (notification response), security mode completion (security mode complete), security mode rejection (security mode reject), secured 5G non-access stratum message (security protected GS NAS message), 5G mobility management state (5G mobility management status,5GMM status), network slice specific authentication completion (network slice-specific authentication complete), LPP protocol data unit (LTE positioning protocol packet data unit, LPP PDU), NR protocol data unit (NR positioning protocol packet data unit, NPP/NRPP), LPP message (LPP message), request capability (request capabilities), provisioning request capability (6723), provisioning request for assistance data (provide assistance data), provisioning of assistance data (633), and provisioning of assistance data (633 Providing location information (provide location information), LPP request or providing location information message (LPP request/provide location information message), LPP capability transmission (LPP capability transfer), LPP request or providing assistance data message (LPP request/provide assistance data message), LPP request or providing capability message (LPP request/provide capability message), LPP procedure (LPP procedure), LPP capability transmission (LPP capability transfer), NR message (NR message), NR request or providing location information message (NR request/provide location information message), NR capability transmission (NR capability transfer), NR request or providing assistance data message (NR request/provide assistance data message), NR request or providing capability message (NR request/provide capability message), NR procedure (NR procedure), NR capability transmission (NR capability transfer), PDU session establishment request (PDU session establishment request), PDU session modification request (PDU session modification request), PDU session release request (PDU session release request), remote UE reporting (remote UE report NG), establishment request (NG session request), transmission point information (TRP information response), capability exchange (capability exchange), and the like.

It should be understood that, in the first encryption manner, the corresponding explanation of the vocabulary in the second aspect is omitted here.

In one possible implementation, the second network device may also determine that the terminal device is associated with a location service.

According to the implementation manner, the second network device can send the second instruction to the terminal device after determining that the terminal device is associated with the positioning service, so as to accurately determine the terminal device needing to send the first instruction, and further improve the safety of the positioning service.

In one possible implementation, the second network device may determine (determine) that the subscription information of the terminal device includes location service information.

It should be understood that the location service information may include information related to the location service, for example, whether the terminal device has parameters of the campus service; for another example, whether the terminal device signs up for a parameter of a campus service (To B); for another example, the terminal device signs up for parameters of the campus service; for another example, the terminal device has parameters of the campus service; etc. Alternatively, the location service information may be understood as or replaced with related parameters for the enterprise client (to B).

In one possible implementation, the second network device may also send information of the first network device to the access network device, the first network device being a campus network device.

It should be understood that the explanation of the information of the first network device, the second network device, the campus, etc. is the same as the corresponding explanation in the first aspect of the present application, and will not be repeated here.

In one possible implementation, the second network device may further receive first information from the access network device, where the first information is used to instruct the second network device to provide information of the first network device, or the first information is used to request information of the first network device.

In one possible implementation manner, the second network device receives a fifth message of the first network device, where the fifth message is used to extract or obtain information of the terminal device, and the fifth message carries an identifier of the terminal device. And the second network equipment sends a reply message of a fifth message to the first network equipment, wherein the reply message of the fifth message carries information of the terminal equipment.

It should be understood that the information of the terminal device may be any of the following:

Part or all of a context (UE context) of the terminal device, part or all of subscription information of the terminal device, part or all of registration information of the terminal device, part or all of configuration information of the terminal device, and the like.

It should be appreciated that the identity of the terminal device may be a subscriber permanent identity (subscription permanent identifier, SUPI), a subscriber hidden identifier (subscription concealed identifier, sui), a general public subscription identifier (generic public subscription identifier, GPSI), a permanent device identity (permanent equipment identifier, PEI), an international mobile subscriber identity (international mobile subscriber identity, IMSI), a globally unique temporary identity (globally unique temporary identity, GUTI), etc., and the application is not limited thereto. The identity of the terminal device may also include an NG application layer protocol (NG application protocol, NGAP) identity (NGAP UE ID). The NGAP UE ID may include a RAN NGAP UE ID allocated by the access network device (e.g., a RAN NGAP UE ID allocated by the RAN to the UE after receiving the first message) and/or an AMF NGAP UE ID allocated by the public network AMF.

It should be understood that the fifth message may be a context (Namf Communication uecontext transfer) of the request transmission terminal device, or the fifth message may be a new message or other message, but its function is to request the context of the transmission terminal device; accordingly, the reply message of the fifth message may be a reply (namf_communication_ UEContextTransfer response) of the context of the requesting terminal device, or the reply of the fifth message may be a new message or other message, but its function is to transmit the context of the terminal device.

The advantages of the above third aspect and any possible implementation thereof may be seen from the description of the advantages of the corresponding implementation in the first or second aspect.

In a fourth aspect, the present application also provides a communication apparatus, which may be an access network device or a component in an access network device. The communication device has the functionality to implement the method of the first aspect or of the various possible implementations of the first aspect. The functions may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible implementation manner, the structure of the communication apparatus includes a communication module and a processing module, and these modules or units may perform corresponding functions in the foregoing first aspect or each possible implementation manner of the first aspect, and specific reference is made to the detailed description in the method example, which is not repeated herein. For example, the communication module may include a receiving module and/or a transmitting module.

In a possible implementation manner, the structure of the communication apparatus includes a communication interface and a processor, and optionally further includes a memory, where the communication interface is used to send and receive information or data, and is used to perform communication interaction with other devices in a communication network, and the processor is configured to support the communication apparatus to perform the corresponding function in the foregoing first aspect or each possible implementation manner of the first aspect. The memory is coupled to the processor that holds the program instructions and data necessary for the communication device.

In a fifth aspect, the present application also provides a communication apparatus, which may be a terminal device or a component in a terminal device. The communication device has the functionality to implement the method of the second aspect or each of the possible implementations of the second aspect. The functions may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible implementation manner, the structure of the communication apparatus includes a communication module and a processing module, and these modules or units may perform corresponding functions in the second aspect or each possible implementation manner of the second aspect, which is specifically referred to in the method example and is not described herein in detail. For example, the communication module may include a receiving module and/or a transmitting module.

In a possible implementation manner, the structure of the communication apparatus includes a communication interface and a processor, and optionally further includes a memory, where the communication interface is used to send and receive information or data, and is used to perform communication interaction with other devices in a communication network, and the processor is configured to support the communication apparatus to perform the corresponding function in the foregoing second aspect or each possible implementation manner of the second aspect. The memory is coupled to the processor that holds the program instructions and data necessary for the communication device.

In a sixth aspect, the present application also provides a communication apparatus, which may be the second network device or a component in the second network device. The communication device has the functionality to implement the method in the third aspect or in each of the possible implementations of the third aspect. The functions may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible implementation manner, the structure of the communication apparatus includes a communication module and a processing module, and these modules or units may perform corresponding functions in the foregoing third aspect or each possible implementation manner example of the third aspect, and specific reference is made to the detailed description in the method example, which is not repeated herein. For example, the communication module may include a receiving module and/or a transmitting module.

In a possible implementation manner, the structure of the communication apparatus includes a communication interface and a processor, and optionally further includes a memory, where the communication interface is used to send and receive information or data, and is used to perform communication interaction with other devices in a communication network, and the processor is configured to support the communication apparatus to perform the corresponding function in the foregoing third aspect or each possible implementation manner example of the third aspect. The memory is coupled to the processor that holds the program instructions and data necessary for the communication device.

In a seventh aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication system, which may include a communication apparatus as described in the fourth, fifth and sixth aspects and any possible implementation manners thereof.

In an eighth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in any one of the first to third aspects of the embodiments of the present application and any one of the possible implementations thereof. By way of example, computer-readable storage media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. Taking this as an example but not limited to: the computer readable medium may include non-transitory computer readable media, random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer.

In a ninth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product comprising computer program code or instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the method described in any one of the above first to third aspects or any one of the possible implementations to be performed.

In a tenth aspect, the present application also provides a chip comprising a processor coupled to a memory for reading and executing program instructions stored in the memory to cause the chip to implement the method as described in the first to third aspects or any one of the possible implementations.

The foregoing second to tenth aspects and technical effects that may be achieved by the foregoing second to tenth aspects are referred to the foregoing description of the beneficial effects of the method described in any one of the foregoing first to third aspects and any possible implementation manner thereof, and are not repeated here.

Drawings

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

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

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

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of another architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4A is a schematic flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4B is a flow chart of another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4C is a flow chart of another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

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

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

fig. 7 is a flow chart of 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 apparent, the present application will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In order to facilitate understanding of the technical scheme of the present application, technical terms related to the present application are briefly described below.

The following is a description of some of the terms used in embodiments of the present application to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

1) A user equipment, also called a terminal equipment, is a device with a radio transceiving function, which can communicate with one or more Core Network (CN) devices (or also called core devices) via AN access network device (or also called access device) in a (R) AN access network device (radio access network).

User equipment may also be called an access terminal, subscriber unit, subscriber station, mobile station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, user agent, user device, or the like. User devices may be deployed (wired) on land, including indoors or outdoors, hand-held or vehicle-mounted; can also be deployed on the water surface (such as ships, etc.); but may also be deployed in the air (e.g., on aircraft, balloon, satellite, etc.). The user equipment may be a cellular phone (cellular phone), cordless phone, session initiation protocol (session initiation protocol, SIP) phone, smart phone (smart phone), mobile phone (mobile phone), wireless local loop (wireless local loop, WLL) station, personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant, PDA), etc. Alternatively, the user equipment may also be a handheld device, a computing device or other device connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, an unmanned aerial vehicle device or an internet of things, a terminal in the internet of things, a terminal in any form of a fifth generation mobile communication (5 th-generation, 5G) network and a future network, a relay user equipment or a terminal in a future evolved PLMN, etc. The relay user equipment may be, for example, a 5G home gateway (residential gateway, RG). For example, the user device may be a Virtual Reality (VR) terminal, an augmented reality (augmented reality, AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in an industrial control (industrial control), a wireless terminal in a self driving (self driving), a wireless terminal in a remote medical (remote medical), a wireless terminal in a smart grid (smart grid), a wireless terminal in transportation security (transportation safety), a wireless terminal in a smart city (smart city), a wireless terminal in a smart home (smart home), and the like. The embodiment of the application is not limited to the type or the kind of the terminal equipment and the like.

The user equipment may also include end side devices such as Local Switches (LSWs), and/or customer premise equipment (customer premise equipment, CPE), etc., or the user equipment may access the network through the LSEs or CPEs.

In the embodiment of the present application, user Equipment (UE) registered to the network may be understood as a user. One of the UEs may correspond to one subscriber identity module (subscriber identity module, SIM) card, i.e. one user UE when the terminal device is equipped with one SIM card, and a plurality of user UEs when the terminal device is equipped with a plurality of SIM cards.

In the present application, the network device refers to a device that can provide a wireless access function for a terminal. Wherein the network device may support at least one wireless communication technology, such as long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE), new Radio (NR), wideband code division multiple access (wideband code division multiple access, WCDMA), etc.

As another example, the network device may comprise a Core Network (CN) device, including, for example, an AMF or the like.

In the present application, the (radio) access network device may be used to provide a network access function for authorized user devices in a specific area, and may use transmission tunnels of different qualities according to the level of the user devices, the service requirements, etc.

The (R) AN can manage radio resources, provide access services for the ue, and further complete forwarding of control signals and ue data between the ue and the core network.

The access network device in the embodiment of the present application may be any communication device with a wireless transceiver function for communicating with the user equipment. The access network device includes, but is not limited to: an evolved Node B (eNB), a radio network controller (radio network controller, RNC), a Node B (Node B, NB), a base station controller (base station controller, BSC), a base transceiver station (base transceiver station, BTS), a home evolved Node B, heNB, or home Node B, HNB), a Base Band Unit (BBU), an Access Point (AP) in a wireless fidelity (wireless fidelity, WIFI) system, a wireless relay Node, a wireless backhaul Node, a transmission point (transmission point, TP), or a transmission reception point (transmission and reception point, TRP), etc., may also be 5G, such as NR, a gNB in a system, or a transmission point (TRP or TP), one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a base station in a 5G system, or may also be a network Node constituting a gNB or a transmission point, such as a distributed unit (BBU), or a distributed unit (BBU), etc.

In some deployments, the gNB may include a Centralized Unit (CU) and DUs. The gNB may also include an active antenna unit (active antenna unit, AAU). The CU implements part of the functionality of the gNB and the DU implements part of the functionality of the gNB. For example, the CU is responsible for handling non-real time protocols and services, implementing the functions of the radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC), packet data convergence layer protocol (packet data convergence protocol, PDCP) layer. The DUs are responsible for handling physical layer protocols and real-time services, implementing the functions of the radio link control (radio link control, RLC), medium access control (media access control, MAC) and Physical (PHY) layers. The AAU realizes part of physical layer processing function, radio frequency processing and related functions of the active antenna. Since the information of the RRC layer may eventually become information of the PHY layer or be converted from the information of the PHY layer, under this architecture, higher layer signaling, such as RRC layer signaling, may also be considered to be transmitted by the DU or by the du+aau. It is understood that the access network device may be a device comprising one or more of a CU node, a DU node, an AAU node. In addition, the CU may be divided into access network devices in an access network (radio access network, RAN), or may be divided into access network devices in a Core Network (CN), which is not limited by the present application.

User plane network element: quality of service (quality of service, qoS) handling for packet routing and forwarding, user plane data, etc.

In a 5G communication system, the user plane network element may be a user plane function (user plane function, UPF) network element. In future communication systems, the user plane network element may still be a UPF network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

Data network element: for providing a network for transmitting data.

In the 5G communication system, the data network element may be a Data Network (DN) element. In future communication systems, the data network element may still be a DN network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

The authentication server: for performing security authentication of the user. In a 5G communication system, the authentication server may be an authentication server function network element (authentication server function, AUSF).

Mobility management network element: the method is mainly used for mobility management, access management and the like. In a 5G communication system, the access management network element may be an access and mobility management function (access and mobility management function, AMF), mainly performing mobility management, access authentication/authorization, etc. In addition, it is responsible for passing user policies between the terminal and the policy control function (policy control function, PCF) network elements.

Session management network element: the method is mainly used for session management, network interconnection protocol (internet protocol, IP) address allocation and management of user equipment, terminal node of selecting manageable user plane functions, strategy control and charging function interfaces, downlink data notification and the like.

In the 5G communication system, the session management network element may be a session management function (session management function, SMF) network element, which performs terminal IP address allocation, UPF selection, charging and QoS policy control, and the like.

Application network element: in the 5G communication system, the application network element may be an application function (application function, AF) network element, which represents an application function of a third party or an operator, and is an interface for the 5G network to obtain external application data, and is mainly used for transferring a requirement of an application side on a network side.

Unified data management network element: and the management of user identification, subscription data and authentication data is responsible for the registration management of the service network element of the user. In a 5G communication system, the unified data management network element may be a unified data management (unified data management, UDM).

Policy control network element: the system comprises a user subscription data management function, a policy control function, a charging policy control function, a quality of service (quality of service, qoS) control function and the like, and is used for guiding a unified policy framework of network behaviors and providing policy rule information and the like for control plane function network elements (such as AMF, SMF network elements and the like).

In a 5G communication system, the policy control network element may be a PCF.

Network function repository function network element: and providing a storage function and a selection function of network function entity information for other core network elements. In a 5G communication system, the network element may be a network function repository function network element (network function repository function, NRF).

Network opening network element: in the 5G communication system, the network element may be a network element with a network opening function (network element function, NEF), which is mainly used for exposing services and capabilities of the 3GPP network function to the AF, and may also enable the AF to provide information to the 3GPP network function.

Network slice selection function network element: is responsible for selecting a network slice for the UE, which in a 5G communication system may be a network slice selection function (network slice selection function, NSSF) network element.

In future communication systems, such as 6G communication systems, the network element or device may still use its name in the 5G communication system, or may have other names, which are not limited by the embodiments of the present application. The functions of the network element or the device can be completed by one independent network element or can be completed by a plurality of network elements together. In an actual deployment, the network elements in the core network may be deployed on the same or different physical devices. For example, as one possible deployment, the AMF and SMF may be deployed on the same physical device. For another example, the network element of the 5G core network may be deployed on the same physical device as the network element of the 4G core network. The embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

In a 5G communication system, the application network element may be an application function (application function, AF) network element. In future communication systems, the application network element may still be an AF network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

Fig. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of a fifth generation (5th generation,5G) network architecture, in which fig. 1A is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture under a non-service architecture, and fig. 1B is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture under a service-based architecture (SBA) architecture. Wherein the serviced architecture is an infrastructure of the 5G network. The service is mainly embodied on a control plane. The essence of SBA is that network functions are defined as a plurality of flexibly-called service modules according to the three principles of self-contained, reusable and independent management. Based on this, operators can flexibly customize networking according to business requirements. The interaction between the network functions is realized by service call, and each network function presents a universal service interface to the outside and can be called by authorized network functions or services. An exemplary service architecture of a 5G network is shown in fig. 1B, where a core network element may communicate with other core network elements through a service interface, for example, a service interface corresponding to an AMF is called a Namf interface, and an interface corresponding to an LMF may be called an Nlmf interface.

The 5G network architecture shown in fig. 1A and 1B may include three parts, a terminal, a DN, and an operator network, respectively. The following provides a brief description of the functionality of some of the network elements.

Wherein the operator network may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following network elements: AUSF, PCF, UDM, AF, AMF, SMF network element, (R) AN) device, UPF, NSSF, etc. In the above-mentioned operator network, the network elements or devices other than the radio access network device may be referred to as core network elements or core network devices.

In addition, part of the communication interface shown in fig. 1A includes:

the N1 interface is a signaling interface between the AMF and the UE and is used for exchanging signaling messages between the core network and the UE, such as UE registration network access, UE establishment of PDU session, network side configuration of UE strategy and the like.

And the N2 interface is an interface between the AMF and the RAN and is used for transmitting radio bearer control information and the like from the core network to the RAN.

The N3 interface, which is AN interface between the (R) AN and the UPF, is used to transfer UE traffic data between the RAN and the UPF.

And the N4 interface is an interface between the SMF and the UPF and is used for transmitting information between the control plane and the user plane, and comprises the step that the control plane terminal equipment completes network access operation according to subscription information with an operator.

And the N6 interface is an interface between the UPF and the DN and is used for transmitting the UE service data between the UPF and the DN.

And N5 interface is an interface between PCF and AF.

And the N7 interface is an interface between the PCF and the SMF and is used for issuing PDU session granularity and service data flow granularity control strategies.

The N8 interface is an interface between the AMF and the UDM, and is used for the AMF to acquire subscription data and authentication data related to access and mobility management from the UDM, and registering current mobility management related information of the UE from the UDM.

The N9 interface is an interface between two UPFs. For example, as shown in fig. 1A, the N9 interface is an interface between an intermediate UPF (I-UPF) and a UPF that is a PDU session anchor (PDU session anchor, PSA).

The N10 interface is an interface between the SMF and the UDM, and is configured to obtain session management related subscription data from the SMF to the UDM, and register current session related information of the UE to the UDM by the SMF.

And the N11 interface is an interface between the SMF and the AMF and is used for transmitting PDU session tunnel information between the RAN and the UPF, transmitting control information sent to the UE, transmitting radio resource control information sent to the RAN and the like.

And an N12 interface comprising an interface between the AMF and the AUSF.

The N13 interface includes an interface between AUSF and UDM.

The N22 interface includes an interface between NSSF and AMF.

It will be appreciated that the network elements or functions described above may be either network elements in a hardware device, software functions running on dedicated hardware, or virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). Alternatively, the network element or the function may be implemented by one device, or may be implemented by a plurality of devices together, or may be a functional module in one device, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

The session management network element, the user plane network element, and the mobility management network element in the present application may be SMF, UPF, AMF in fig. 1A, or may be a network element having the function of SMF, UPF, AMF in future communications such as a sixth generation (6th generation,6G) network, which is not limited in this aspect of the present application. In the embodiment of the present application, SMF, UPF, AMF is described as an example of a session management network element, a user plane network element, and a mobility management network element, respectively.

Current technical specifications provide network architecture for supporting location services. The architecture may be extended on the basis of the architecture shown in fig. 1A or 1B. For example, in the architecture shown in fig. 2, the gateway mobile location center (gateway mobile location center, GMLC) may be responsible for location request handling of location services and select the appropriate AMF network element for the location services. The location extraction function (location retrieval function, LRF) may be configured with the GMLC or separately and is responsible for retrieving or verifying location information of the UE. A location service (LCS) Client (LCS Client) may send a location request to the GMLC over a Le interface between the GMLC and the LCS Client to initiate a location service for the UE. The location management function (location management function, LMF) network element is mainly responsible for location request management, location resource allocation and location determination of the terminal device during location services.

As shown in fig. 2, NL1 is the interface between the AMF and the LMF. NL7 is the interface between LMF and LMF. N52 is the interface between UDM and NEF. NL2 is the interface between AMF and GMLC. NL5 is the interface between NEF and GMLC. N33 is the interface between NEF and AF. N51 is the interface of AMF and NEF.

In general, for park location services needs, the LMF may be deployed closer to the UE, such as in the park where the UE is located (otherwise known as a park network). In the present application, the campus may also be replaced with a combination of one or more of the following: operator network, public network, non-operator network, factory network (factory network), vertical industry network (SNPN), stand alone non-public network (SNPN), PIN-NPN, public network integrated mode non-public network (PNI-NPN), business place (premises), or edge application environment (edge hosting environment, EHE). For example, as shown in fig. 3, the LMF may be deployed in a campus network for locating UEs in the campus network. In the scenario shown in fig. 3, the UE may also access the operator network through the NG-RAN, and a positioning message or positioning information between the LMF and the UE (hereinafter may be referred to as a positioning service related message) may be transmitted through the public network AMF, which may cause an exposure problem of the positioning message or positioning information. Therefore, the security of the UE location service is currently required to be improved.

As shown in fig. 3, the interface between the public network AMF and the N2 campus agent may be NL1 or N14 (not shown). The interface between the AMF and the campus LMF may be NL1.NL5 is the interface between NEF and GMLC. N33 is the interface between the NEF and a positioning application (e.g. AF).

In the present application, the location message or location information of the UE may include a location request (mobile originated location request, MO-LR) message generated by the UE, a location request (mobile terminated location request, MT-LR) message based on termination at the UE, an LTE location protocol (LTE positioning protocol, LPP) message, an NR location protocol (NR positioning protocol, NR PP) message, etc. compared to the MT-LR message, the MO-LR message being initiated by the UE.

The explanation of the positioning message or positioning information is as described above, and is not described here again.

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method for improving the safety of UE positioning service. The method can send the message related to the positioning initiated by the UE to the park AMF (or the park N2 agency) without the perception of the public network AMF, so that the safety of the positioning service of the UE can be improved. The method may be implemented by at least one of a terminal device (hereinafter, described as UE), an access network device, a first network device, and a second network device. The first network device may be an AMF in a campus, an agent, or an LMF integrated with the AMF. The second network device may be an AMF or other network element in the core network public network.

As shown in fig. 4A, the communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application may include the following steps:

s101: the terminal device sends a radio resource control message to the access network device.

Correspondingly, the access network device receives the radio resource control message from the terminal device.

Wherein the radio resource control message includes a first indication, and the radio resource control message may further include a non-access stratum (NAS) PDU. The radio resource control message may be an RRC message. The first indication may be used to indicate that the NAS PDU includes a positioning request and/or first positioning information.

The first positioning information belongs to positioning information, and the positioning information can be explained in the present application and is not described herein.

As an example, S101 may be replaced by: the radio resource control message comprises a first indication and second information, the second information comprising a positioning request and/or positioning information (which may be referred to as first positioning information hereinafter). The first indication may be used to indicate that the second information includes a positioning request and/or positioning information. Wherein the positioning request may be an MO-LR message. Alternatively, the second information may be carried in a NAS PDU of the radio resource control message.

It will be appreciated that when the terminal device needs to send a positioning request and/or positioning information, the first indication may be sent together with the positioning request and/or positioning information. The terminal device needs to send a positioning request and/or positioning information, which may be because it needs to initiate a positioning service for the terminal device by sending the positioning request, or it needs to send positioning information (i.e. first positioning information) to the network side, for example, the terminal device receives a request for positioning information from the network side.

Optionally, in S101, the NAS PDU or the second information includes a positioning request and/or first positioning information, and then the first indication may be used to indicate that the content carried by the NAS PDU or the second information includes the positioning request and/or the first positioning information, in other words, in the prior art, the access network device cannot identify or see the content in the NAS PDU or the second information, and the role of the first indication may be understood as telling or indicating to the access network device that the content in the NAS PDU or the second information includes the positioning request and/or the first positioning information.

Or alternatively, the process may be performed,

the first indication may be used to indicate that the NAS PDU or the second information is sent to a first network device on the campus. For example, if the second information includes a location request, the first indication may be used to indicate that the location request is sent to a first network device of the campus; and/or, if the second information includes first positioning information, the first indication may indicate that the first positioning information is sent to a first network device of the campus.

In addition, in the present application, the first indication may also be used to indicate that the above NAS PDU or the second information does not go out of the park, or may be used to indicate that the above NAS PDU or the second information is forwarded to the first network device, etc.

In one possible implementation, the first indication may be specifically used to indicate that the second information is a positioning request and/or the first positioning information, or the first indication may be specifically used to indicate that the second information is related to a positioning service of the UE. For example, if the second information includes a positioning request, the first indication may be used to indicate that the second information includes a positioning request, in particular, if the second information is carried in a NAS PDU of the first message and the second information includes an MO-LR message, the first indication may be used to indicate the MO-LR message carried by or included in the NAS PDU; and/or, if the second information comprises the first positioning information, the first indication may indicate that the second information comprises the first positioning information, in particular, if the second information is carried in a NAS PDU of the first message and the second information comprises an LPP message (or an NR PP message), the first indication may be used to indicate the LPP message (or the NR PP message) carried or included by the NAS PDU. It should be understood that the LPP message in the present application may include an LPP message or an LPP PDU, and the NR PP message may include an NRPP message.

Upon or after obtaining the radio resource control message in S101, the terminal device may optionally not encrypt the second information, or may use a different encryption algorithm than when sending information to the operator' S public network element (e.g. AMF), or may use the same encryption algorithm as when sending information to the network element of the campus network (e.g. AMF), i.e. the network element of the campus network (e.g. AMF) may decrypt. Taking the NAS PDU carried by the second information in the RRC message as an example, if the terminal device encrypts the NAS PDU by using a certain encryption algorithm (called a second encryption algorithm) when sending the NAS PDU to the public network AMF, another set of encryption algorithm may be adopted to encrypt the second information when sending the second information, and correspondingly, the first network device may decrypt the second information according to a decryption algorithm corresponding to the other set of encryption algorithm, so that the content of the second information in the NAS PDU can be read. Meanwhile, when another set of encryption algorithm is adopted, different NAS encryption algorithms can be adopted in the public network and the park of the operator, so that the security of the positioning service is further improved, namely, when the terminal equipment respectively sends NAS PDU to the public network AMF and the first network equipment, the adopted encryption algorithms are different, and the security is further improved. In S102, the second information does not need to be sent to the public network AMF, so that the terminal device does not need to encrypt the second information according to a mode corresponding to the public network AMF, thereby avoiding that the first network device cannot normally read the second information.

S102: the access network device sends a positioning request and/or first positioning information to the first network device according to the first indication. Optionally, S102 may also be replaced by the access network device sending the second information to the first network device according to the first indication. Alternatively, S102 may also be replaced by the access network device sending the first indication and the second information to the first network device according to the first indication.

The following description will take an example in which the access network device sends the second information to the first network device according to the first indication.

Accordingly, the first network device receives the second information.

Wherein the first network device is a campus network device, or the first network device is deployed in a campus, or the first network device belongs to a campus network device, or the first network device is located in a (located inside) campus.

It should be appreciated that the first network device may be used to provide services to UEs in a campus. The first network device is, for example, an AMF or AMF agent (or referred to as agent) in the campus. For example, taking a campus network as an example, the first network device may be a campus agent or a campus AMF deployed on the campus network. Alternatively, in the case where the AMF in the campus is integrated with the LMF, the first network device may be the LMF in the campus. Referring to fig. 3, the first network device may be an N2 agent deployed in a campus network or a campus AMF.

Taking the example that the first indication and the second information are carried in an RRC message, the access network device may perform the following operations: upon identifying that the first indication is included in the RRC message, the NAS PDU in the RRC message may be sent to the first network device without parsing the content and the information type of the content contained in the NAS PDU.

For example, the first indication may be indicated by means of binary bits, e.g. when the bit position is 1, indicating that the NAS PDU or the second message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information, and when the bit position is 0, indicating that the NAS PDU or the second message does not comprise a positioning request and/or first positioning information; or when the bit position is 0, the NAS PDU or the second information comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information, and when the bit position is 1, the NAS PDU or the second information does not comprise the positioning request and/or the first positioning information; or when carrying a bit indicating whether the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is included, indicating that the NAS PDU or the second information includes the positioning request and/or the first positioning information; or when the bit indicating whether the positioning request and/or the first positioning information are included is not carried, indicating that the NAS PDU or the second information does not include the positioning request and/or the first positioning information; alternatively, the indication may be indicated by carrying other relevant information, for example carrying one or more cells (information element, IE) indicating that the NAS PDU or the second information comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information, not carrying one or more cells indicating that the NAS PDU or the second information does not comprise a positioning request and/or first positioning information; or, the NAS PDU or the second information is not represented by the one or more cells, and/or the first positioning information is included, and the NAS PDU or the second information is not represented by the one or more cells.

When the access network device determines a first indication in a message from the terminal device, the access network device determines to send the NAS PDU or the second information in the message to the first network device.

Based on the above or the flow described in the present application, the access network device may forward the positioning request and/or the first positioning information to the first network device according to the first indication. In the application, as an optional implementation manner, the first network device may be a campus network device, so that the sending of the messages (such as the positioning request and the positioning information) related to the positioning service initiated by the UE to the core network element of the public network can be avoided, and the security of the positioning service can be improved.

Wherein the positioning request and/or the first positioning information may be carried in a NAS PDU of the RRC message, and thus the method may be implemented by control plane signaling.

Optionally, prior to S102, the access network device may establish a stream control transmission protocol (streamcontrol transmissio protocol, SCTP) coupling (SCTP association) or TNL association with the first network device, or the access network device may have acquired or stored information with the first network device. Taking a first network device as a park AMF (or a park agent) as an example, when the UE registers in the access network device, the public network AMF can send information such as an identity or an address of the AMF (or the park agent) to the access network device through N2 signaling with the granularity of the UE; or when the AMF in the park is combined with the LMF, the information such as the LMF ID or the LMF address is sent to the access network equipment through the N2 signaling of the granularity of the UE, and then the access network equipment establishes SCTP coupling or TNL coupling with the AMF in the park.

Further optionally, if the access network device has not established an SCTP connection with the first network device before receiving the radio resource control message in S101, e.g. the access network device determines that the identity of the first network device is not queried after receiving the radio resource control message, the access network device may request, from the public network AMF, information of the first network device associated with the UE (e.g. the identity or address of the first network device, etc.). Illustratively, if the access network device discovers that the UE is in a connection management (connection management, CM) connected state and that the UE does not have an AMF, proxy, and LMF for the associated park (e.g., the access network device does not store the AMF ID, proxy ID, and LMF ID for the park with which the UE is associated), the access network device may send first information to a second network device (e.g., a public network AMF) that may be used to instruct the second network device to provide information for the first network device or may be used to request information for the first network device. For example, the access network device may instruct or request, through the first information, the public network AMF to send information of the first network device to the access network device through the UE-granularity N2 signaling. For example, the access network device may send a request for information of the first network device to the public network AMF through an N2 message with a UE granularity, where the request may carry the first information. The first information may be specifically used to inform the public network AMF to select at least one of an AMF, an agent and an LMF of the associated campus for the UE as the first network device.

Correspondingly, the public network AMF may send the UE granularity N2 signaling to the access network device according to the first information of the access network device, where the N2 signaling may carry the identity or address of the campus AMF (or the identity or address of the campus agent), or when the AMF is combined with the LMF, the N2 signaling may carry the identity or address of the LMF. In addition, in addition to carrying information of the first network device, the N2 signaling may also carry indication information for notifying the first network device that the first network device is an LMF deployed in a campus AMF, a campus agent, or in combination with the AMF.

As shown in fig. 4B, the above communication method as shown in fig. 4A may further include steps as shown in S201 and S202.

S201: the access network device receives third information from the first network device.

Correspondingly, the access network device receives the third information.

In the present application, the third information includes a positioning request reply or second positioning information.

The location request reply may include an MO-LR response (response) message, among other things.

In addition, the second positioning information may include at least one of capability request (request capabilities) information, assistance data request (request assistance data) information, or location information request (request location information) information.

Alternatively, the third information may correspond to the second information.

For example, if the second positioning information includes Provide Capabilities, the first positioning information may include Request Capabilities; if the second positioning information includes Provide Assistance Data, the first positioning information includes Request Assistance Data. If the second positioning information includes Provide Location Information, the first positioning information may include Request Location Information.

It should be understood that the second positioning information belongs to positioning information, which may be referred to in the description of the present application.

It should be understood that the execution of S201 and S202 after S102 in fig. 4B is only one possible example, and it is not excluded that S201 and S202 are executed before S101. For example, if the second information is a positioning request, S201 and S202 may be performed after S102, wherein the third information in S201 and S202 may comprise a positioning request reply, so that the sending of the third information by the first network device to the terminal device may be a positioning request reply. As another example, if the second information is the first positioning information, S201 and S202 may be performed before S101, wherein the third information may include positioning request information.

S202: the access network device sends third information to the terminal device.

Correspondingly, the terminal equipment receives the third information.

Based on the flow shown in fig. 4B, the access network device may forward second positioning information of the first network device to the UE, where the second positioning information may request positioning related parameters of the UE, and correspondingly, the UE sends the first positioning information to the first network device through the access network device. Therefore, the positioning information of the UE does not need to pass through the core network parameters of the public network, and the transmission delay in the positioning process can be reduced, so that the positioning accuracy is improved.

In a possible example, the communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application may also be implemented by the second network device, and the second network device may be used to instruct the terminal device to perform S101.

Alternatively, when the terminal device is instructed to perform S101 by the second network device, the second network device may instruct the terminal device not to encrypt the second information. Or the second network device may instruct the terminal device to encrypt the second information in the first encryption manner, and the terminal device may employ the first encryption as long as receiving the corresponding first instruction. Optionally, the first encryption mode is different from an encryption mode when the access network device sends a message to a core network element (such as an AMF) of the public network. Further optionally, the first encryption mode corresponds to the first network device, for example, the first encryption mode is associated with a campus where the first network device is located, so that when different first network devices do not belong to different parks, the terminal device encrypts the second information in a different mode, thereby further improving security.

As shown in fig. 4C, S301 may also be performed before S101 shown in fig. 4A, or steps shown in S301 and S302 may be performed.

S301: the terminal device receives a second indication from the second network device, which may be used to indicate to send the first indication, or the second indication may be used to trigger or indicate or configure the sending of the first indication, or the second indication may be used to send the first indication. For example, the method is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send the first indication when the positioning request and/or the first positioning information need to be sent. So that the terminal device can send the first indication according to the second indication. That is, if the terminal device receives the second indication, the terminal device sends a radio resource control message to the access network device when the terminal device needs to send the positioning request and/or the first positioning information, where the radio resource control message carries the first indication and carries the positioning request and/or the first positioning information. For example, the second indication may be specific information, and when the specific information is received, the terminal device performs S101. The explanation of the second indication is the same as that of the first indication, and will not be repeated here.

The second network device may be a core network element of a public network, such as a public network AMF. Alternatively, the second network device may be an access network device corresponding to the public network AMF.

In one possible implementation, the second indication may be used to indicate that the second information in the radio resource control message is unencrypted, so that the terminal device does not need to encrypt the second information when sending the second information. Taking the example that the second information is carried in the NAS PDU in the radio resource control message, the terminal device does not need to encrypt the second information when obtaining the NAS PDU according to the second information. At this time, the terminal device may default to also need to transmit the first indication when transmitting the second information, i.e., perform S101. It can also be said that "the second indication" in the present application may be used to indicate that the first indication is transmitted "alternatively," the second indication is used to indicate that the second information in the radio resource control message is unencrypted ".

In another possible implementation, the second indication may be used to indicate that the second information in the radio resource control message is encrypted in the first encryption mode, and the terminal device may encrypt the second information in the first encryption mode. Taking the example that the second information is carried in the NAS PDU in the radio resource control message, the first ciphering mode may correspond to the first network device, or the first network device supports decrypting the NAS PDU according to the deciphering mode corresponding to the first ciphering mode, so that the first network device may parse the NAS PDU to obtain the second information. At this time, the terminal device may default to also need to transmit the first indication when transmitting the second information, i.e., perform S101. It can also be said that "the second indication" in the present application may be used to indicate that the first indication is transmitted "alternatively," the second indication is used to indicate that the second information in the radio resource control message is encrypted in the first encryption manner.

Optionally, the first ciphering mode is different from a ciphering mode (which may be referred to as a second ciphering mode) corresponding to a NAS PDU sent to a core network element of the public network (such as a public network AMF), where if the terminal device needs to send the NAS PDU to the core network element of the public network, the information needs to be ciphered according to the second ciphering mode to obtain the NAS PDU.

In this way, in the present application, since the NAS PDU carrying the second information does not need to be sent to the core network element of the public network, the terminal device does not need to encrypt the second information in a manner corresponding to the core network element of the public network, for example, the NAS PDU carrying the second information may be generated by encrypting the second information in a manner of not encrypting the second information or encrypting the second information in a new encryption manner, so that the first network device can parse the NAS PDU to obtain the second information. In addition, in this implementation, the second network device may instruct the terminal device to send the first indication by means of implicit indication.

Alternatively, if the second network device is a public network AMF, S302 may also be performed before S301.

S302: the terminal device sends a fourth message to the second network device. The fourth message may be a registration request, which may be used to request registration to the public network core network.

The second network device may send a second indication to the terminal device during registration of the terminal device. The registration request may be sent to the second network device through the access network device where the terminal device is located.

Alternatively, the second network device may send the second indication after determining that the terminal device is associated with the location service. For example, the second network device sends a second indication to the terminal device after determining that the subscription information of the terminal device includes positioning service information. Wherein the subscription information of the terminal device may come from the UDM. The location services information may include related parameters for the enterprise clients (to B).

In addition, the present application does not exclude that the second network device does not make a judgment, and transmits the second indication to all the terminal devices, so that all the terminal devices requesting registration to the second network device can execute S101 when transmitting the positioning request and/or the positioning information.

Alternatively, fig. 4B and fig. 4C may be implemented in combination, for example, for the description of fig. 4B, S201 and S202 may be performed after S102 shown in fig. 4C, or S201 and S202 may be performed before S101. Here, if S201 and S202 are performed before S101, the present application is not particularly limited with respect to the timing between S201 and S202 and S302 and S301, for example, S201 and S202 may be performed before S302, and S201 and S202 may be performed after S301 and before S101.

In one possible implementation, if the second network device is a public network AMF, the second network device may send a second indication to the access network device via a non-access stratum security mode command (NAS security mode command, SMC) during UE registration, the SMC being sent to the UE by the access network device. Wherein the access network device may send the SMC before sending a registration accept (registration accept) message to the terminal device.

Next, embodiments of S302 and S301 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in fig. 5 to 7.

For example, when the second indication is carried through the SMC, S302 and S301 shown in fig. 4C may be implemented in the registration process of the terminal device shown in fig. 5. As shown in fig. 5, S302 may be implemented through S401 and S402, and S301 may be implemented through S404 and S405. In fig. 5, the second network device is a public network AMF and the terminal device is a UE.

S401: the UE sends an RRC message to the access network device, where the RRC message may carry a fourth message, which may be a registration request (registration request) message.

For example, in the scenario shown in fig. 5, the UE may send the RRC message to the NG-RAN over the Uu interface.

Accordingly, the access network device receives the RRC message.

S402: the access network device sends a fourth message to the public network AMF.

For example, in the scenario shown in fig. 5, the NG-RAN may send the registration request message to the public network AMF through the N2 interface.

Correspondingly, the public network AMF receives the fourth message.

S403: and the public network AMF selects AUSF for the UE, and authenticates the UE through the AUSF.

S404: and the public network AMF sends SMC to the access network equipment, wherein the SMC carries the second indication.

For example, in the scenario shown in fig. 5, the public network AMF may send the SMC to the NG-RAN over the N2 interface.

Accordingly, the access network device may receive the SMC.

S405: the access network device sends the SMC to the UE.

For example, in the scenario shown in fig. 5, the NG-RAN may send the SMC to the UE over the Uu interface.

Correspondingly, the UE receives the SMC and obtains a second indication.

S406: the UE sends a non-access stratum security mode complete (NAS security mode complete) message to the access network device indicating receipt of the SMC.

Correspondingly, the access network equipment receives the non-access layer security mode completion message.

S407: the access network device sends the non-access layer security mode completion message to the public network AMF.

Correspondingly, the public network AMF receives the non-access layer security mode completion message. The public network AMF may perform registration of the UE according to a related registration procedure.

S408: if the UE registration is successful, the public network AMF may send a registration accept (registration accept) message to the UE.

Accordingly, the UE receives the registration accept message.

By adopting the method shown in fig. 5, the public network AMF may carry the second indication through the SMC during the registration process of the UE, so that the UE is enabled to execute the step shown in S101. Wherein, optionally, the public network AMF does not need to identify whether the UE is related to the positioning service, so that the processing difficulty of the public network AMF can be reduced, and the processing load can be reduced.

In another possible implementation, if the second network device is a public network AMF, the second network device may send a registration accept message to the UE, where the registration accept message may carry the second indication.

For example, when the second indication is carried by the registration acceptance message, S302 and S301 may be implemented in the registration process of the terminal device shown in fig. 6. In fig. 6, an example is described in which the second network device is a public network AMF and the terminal device is a UE.

As shown in fig. 6, S302 may be implemented by S401 and S402, and S301 may be implemented by S503.

S501: in the registration process, the public network AMF acquires the subscription information of the UE from the UDM.

Alternatively, the AMF may send a subscription information extraction message (nudm_sdm_get) to the UDM to extract the subscription information of the UE.

Wherein, prior to S501, registration of the UE may be performed according to an existing UE registration procedure. For example, the steps shown in S401 to S403 in fig. 5 may be performed before S501.

S502: the public network AMF determines that the subscription information of the UE includes relevant parameters for enterprise clients (to B).

S503: the public network AMF carries a second instruction in a registration acceptance message corresponding to the UE.

Alternatively, the AMF may skip S501 to S502 and perform S503, that is, it is not necessary to determine whether the UE is related to the unit service, but the second indication is always carried in the registration accept message of the UE, or the SMC carrying the second indication is always sent.

With the method shown in fig. 6, the public network AMF may carry a second indication through the SMC or the registration accept message in the registration process of the UE, so as to instruct the UE to execute the step shown in S101. Wherein, the public network AMF can identify whether the UE is related to the positioning service; alternatively, the second indication may be sent to all registered UEs, and S501 to S502 may be skipped at this time.

In addition, another difference between the flow shown in fig. 6 and the flow shown in fig. 5 is that in the flow shown in fig. 6, the public network AMF may identify whether the UE is related to the positioning service according to the subscription information of the UE in the UE registration process, so as to determine whether to send the second instruction, so that the public network AMF does not need to send the second instruction for all UEs, and signaling overhead may be reduced. It should be understood that it is not excluded that before S404 shown in fig. 5, the UE is determined by the public network AMF to be related to the positioning service, for example, steps shown in S501 to S502 may be performed before S404, so that the transmission of the second indication is achieved through S403 and S405.

It is to be understood that the application does not exclude that the terminal device performs S101 without receiving the above-mentioned second indication. For example, the terminal device may be configured (including preconfigured or configured based on other signaling) to perform S101, or the terminal device may perform S101 by default.

A communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application may include steps as shown in fig. 7.

It should be understood that S101 in the flow shown in fig. 4A to 4C may be implemented by S601 shown in fig. 7, and S102 in the flow shown in fig. 4A to 4C may be implemented by S602 shown in fig. 7. S201 and S202 in fig. 4B may be implemented by S605 and S606 in fig. 7, respectively.

As shown in fig. 7, the communication method may include the steps of:

s601: the UE sends a radio resource control message (which may be referred to as a first message for convenience of description later) to the access network device, the first message including the first indication, and the first message may further include a positioning request. Optionally, the location request in the first message is not encrypted or encrypted in the first encryption manner. S601 refers to the description of S101 above.

Taking fig. 3 as an example, the access network device may be an NG-RAN deployed on a campus. In one possible implementation, taking the scenario shown in fig. 3 as an example, the UE may send a first message to the NG-RAN over the Uu interface. The first message may be an RRC message. For example, the RRC message may include a first indication and a NAS PDU carrying the positioning request, and the NAS PDU may include or carry an LPP PDU or an NR PP PDU, etc.

Accordingly, the access network device receives the first message.

S602: the access network device sends a positioning request to the first network device according to the first indication. S602 refers to the previous description of S102.

After receiving the first message carrying the first indication, the access network device may send the positioning request to the first network device according to the first indication, or determine to send the positioning request to the first network device according to the first indication.

Alternatively, the access network device may send an NX message to the first network device, where the positioning request is carried. The NX message may further include at least one of an identity of the UE and an identity of a public network AMF that manages the UE. Wherein the identity of the UE may include GUTI or 5G-GUTI) and/or NGAP UE ID of the UE.

Accordingly, the first network device receives the positioning request.

Optionally, before S602, the access network device may send first information to a second network device (such as a public network AMF), where the first information may be used to instruct the second network device to provide information of the first network device, or may be used to request information of the first network device. Accordingly, the access network device may receive information from the first network device of the second network device, such that the access network device establishes an SCTP connection with the first network device. The information of the first network device is as described above and will not be described here again.

S603: the first network device sends a location request and an identification of the UE to the LMF.

The identity of the UE in S103 may be a user permanent identifier (subscription permanent identifier, SUPI) or a general public user identity (generic public subscription identifier, GPSI) of the UE. The SUPI or GPSI of the UE may be obtained from the GUTI or NGAP UE ID of the UE.

Wherein the first network device may be a campus AMF, a campus agent. Wherein, the campus AMF can be combined with the campus LMF.

In one possible implementation of S603, the first network device may send a position Location request (nlmf_location_ DetermineLocation request) to the campus LMF, including the Location request and the identity of the UE. The location request may further include identification information related to the location service, which is used to identify the current location service or location session or location request. Location services related identification information such as LCS association identity (LCS correlation ID), LCS session identity (LCS session ID), enhanced LCS (LCS) session identity (LCS session ID), LCS association identity (eLCS correlation ID), LCS service identity (LCS service ID), NR positioning protocol a (NRPPa) transaction identity (NRPPa transaction ID), etc.

Optionally, before the execution of S603, the first network device may send a third message to the second network device for acquiring the relevant information of the UE from the second network device. The second network device may be a network element in a public network of an operator, such as a public network AMF. The third message may include a UE context extraction (Namf Communication uecontext transfer) message. The third message may carry a UE identity, such as a 5G-GUTI or NGAP UE ID. The second network device may send a response message of the third message to the first network device, where the response message carries UE-related information.

S604: the LMF transmits the second location information to the first network device. The second positioning information may be used to make positioning measurements of the UE. The second positioning information may be determined according to the positioning request and/or related information of the UE. The second positioning information can be found in the foregoing description.

The second positioning information may be carried in a positioning protocol data unit sent by the LMF. Alternatively, the positioning protocol data unit is, for example, an LPP PDU or an NR PP PDU, etc.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 3, the LMF may send an N1N2message transfer (namf_communication_n1n2message transfer) to the campus AMF or the campus agent and carry the protocol data unit. Optionally, the N1N2message transmission may also carry identification information related to the positioning service.

Accordingly, the first network device receives second location information from the LMF.

S605: the first network device sends second positioning information to the access network device. S605 may refer to S201 described above.

Optionally, the first network device may further send identification information related to the positioning service to the access network device.

Illustratively, a campus AMF or a campus agent as shown in FIG. 3 may send an NGAP downstream non-access stratum transport (NGAP downlink NAS transport) message to the NG-RAN. The message may carry a location protocol data unit. Optionally, the message may also carry identification information related to the positioning service.

Accordingly, the access network device receives second positioning information from the first network device.

S606: the access network equipment sends second positioning information to the UE. S605 may refer to S202 described above.

For example, the NG-RAN as shown in fig. 3 may send a downlink RRC information transmission (RRC downlink information transfer) to the UE, carrying a positioning protocol data unit comprising the second positioning information or carrying a second positioning information sum.

Correspondingly, the UE receives the second positioning information.

S607: the UE sends a second message to the access network device, the second message comprising the first indication and the first positioning information. The first indication may be referred to the description in S102. Optionally, the first positioning information in the second message is not encrypted or is encrypted in a first encryption manner. The first positioning information corresponds to the second positioning information, see in particular the description above, which is not expanded here.

The embodiment of S607 can be described with reference to S101. For example, the second message in S107 may be an uplink RRC message, and the first positioning information may be carried in a NAS PDU, which may include or carry an LPP message or an NR PP message.

For example, as shown in fig. 3, the UE may send an uplink RRC message transmission (RRC uplink information transfer) (i.e., a second message) to the NG-RAN, where the uplink RRC message transmission may carry the first indication and the NAS PDU. The NAS PDU may include first positioning information.

Accordingly, the access network device receives the second message.

S608: the access network device sends first positioning information to the first network device according to the first indication.

Optionally, the access network device may also send location service related identification information to the first network device to indicate the location service with which the first location information is associated (e.g., to indicate which location service or location session or location measurement the first location information is corresponding to which UE).

For example, the NG-RAN shown in fig. 3 may send an upstream non-access stratum message transmission (NGAP uplink NAS transport) to the campus AMF or the campus agent, where the NAS PDU including the first positioning information is carried, which may include or carry an LPP message or an NR PP message. Optionally, the uplink non-access stratum message transmission seed may further include identification information related to the positioning service.

Accordingly, the first network device receives first positioning information from the access network device.

S609: the first network device sends first location information to the LMF.

Optionally, the first network device may further send identification information related to the positioning service to the first network device.

Still taking fig. 3 as an example, a campus AMF or a campus agent may send an N1 message notification to the campus LMF, where the NAS PDU including the first positioning information is carried, which may include or carry an LPP message or an NR PP message. Optionally, the N1 message notification may further include identification information related to the positioning service.

It should be appreciated that after S609, the first network device may also send a positioning request reply to the terminal device through the access network device. The process of the first network device sending the positioning request reply to the terminal device may refer to the descriptions in S201, S202 and S604 to S606, which are not described herein.

With the flow shown in fig. 7, when the UE initiates the positioning message, the positioning message and the first indication may be sent to the access network device, so that the access network device sends the positioning related message (such as the positioning request and/or the first positioning information) to the first network device according to the first indication, and does not send the positioning related message to the core network element such as the AMF in the public network of the operator. Thereafter, the first network device may send the positioning message to the LMF in the campus, thereby implementing forwarding the positioning message and/or the positioning information to the network device in the campus, capable of avoiding that the positioning event, the positioning information, the positioning request, the position information, the positioning measurement result, etc. are exposed to network elements in the public network of the operator, thereby improving the security of the positioning service.

It is to be understood that the steps of the same description in the various embodiments of the application may be referred to each other, and that various terms and concepts may be referred to each other.

In the embodiments of the present application, the schemes of the communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application are described from the respective functional modules or devices themselves and from the point of interaction between the respective functional modules or devices. It is understood that each functional module or device, such as the service control network element, the calculation network element and the access network device, for implementing the above functions, includes a corresponding hardware structure and/or software module for performing each function. Those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that the various illustrative elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as hardware or combinations of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is implemented as hardware or computer software driven hardware depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

For example, when the above functional modules or apparatuses implement corresponding functions through software modules, a communication device provided by an embodiment of the present application may be as shown in fig. 8. Referring to fig. 8, the communication device 800 may include a communication module 801 and a processing module 802. Wherein the communication module 801 is configured to receive information (message or data) and/or send information (message or data) from the communication device 800, and the processing module 802 is configured to control and manage actions of the communication device 800. The processing module 802 may also control the steps performed by the communication module 801. For example, the communication module 801 may include a receiving module and/or a transmitting module.

Optionally, the communication apparatus 800 may specifically be an access network device, a terminal device, or a second network device in the foregoing embodiment, or a processor in the access network device, the terminal device, or the second network device, or a chip system, or a functional module, etc.; alternatively, the communication apparatus 800 may be a processor, a chip system, or a functional module of the service control network element, the calculation network element, or the access network device in the foregoing embodiments.

In an embodiment, when the communication apparatus 800 is configured to implement the function of the access network device in the foregoing embodiment, the communication module 801 may be configured to receive a radio resource control message from a terminal device, where the radio resource control message includes a first indication, and the radio resource control message further includes a non-access stratum message, and the first indication is configured to indicate that the non-access stratum message includes a positioning request and/or first positioning information; the communication module 801 may be further configured to send the non-access stratum message to a first network device according to the first indication, the first network device being a campus network device.

In a possible implementation, the communication module 801 may be further configured to receive a positioning request reply and/or second positioning information from the first network device; the communication module 801 may be further configured to send the positioning request reply and/or the second positioning information to the terminal device.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication module 801 may be further configured to send first information to a second network device, where the first information is used to instruct the second network device to provide information of the first network device, or the first information is used to request information of the first network device; the communication module 801 may also be used to receive information from the first network device of the second network device.

In one possible implementation, the communication module 801 may also be used to establish a flow control transmission protocol coupling with the first network device.

In an embodiment, when the communication apparatus 800 is configured to implement the functions of the terminal device in the foregoing embodiment, the communication module 801 may be configured to send a radio resource control message to an access network device, where the radio resource control message includes a first indication, and the radio resource control message further includes a non-access stratum message, where the first indication is configured to indicate that the non-access stratum message includes a positioning request and/or first positioning information.

In a possible implementation, the communication module 801 may be further configured to receive a positioning request reply and/or second positioning information from the access network device.

In one possible implementation, the communication module 801 may also be configured to receive a second indication, where the second indication is configured to indicate that the first indication is sent.

In a possible implementation, the second indication is used to indicate that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is not encrypted; or, the second instruction is used for indicating that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information are encrypted according to a first encryption mode.

In one possible implementation, the second indication is carried in a non-access stratum security mode command or a registration accept message.

In one possible implementation, the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is carried in a non-access stratum protocol data unit.

In one embodiment, when the communication apparatus 800 is configured to implement the function of the terminal device in the foregoing embodiment, the communication module 801 may be configured to receive a fourth message of the terminal device; the communication module 801 may be further configured to send a second indication to the terminal device; the second indication is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send a first indication, and the first indication is used for indicating that the non-access layer message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information.

In one possible implementation, the processing module 802 may be further configured to determine that the terminal device is associated with a positioning service.

In a possible implementation, the processing module 802 may be further configured to determine that the subscription information of the terminal device includes location service information.

In one possible implementation, the communication module 801 may be further configured to send information of the first network device to the access network device.

In a possible implementation, the communication module 801 may be further configured to receive first information from the access network device, where the first information is used to instruct the second network device to provide information of the first network device, or the first information is used to request information of the first network device.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the division of the above modules of the communication device is schematic, which is merely a logic function division, and other division manners may be implemented in practice. The functional units in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated in one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units may be integrated in one unit. The integrated units may be implemented in hardware or in software functional units.

The integrated units, if implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as stand-alone products, may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solution of the present application may be embodied in essence or a part contributing to the prior art or all or part of the technical solution in the form of a software product stored in a storage medium, including several instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) or a processor (processor) to execute all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present application. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: a U-disk, a removable hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (randomaccess memory, RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, or other various media capable of storing program codes.

For example, when the above functional modules or devices implement corresponding functions through hardware, a communication apparatus provided by an embodiment of the present application may be as shown in fig. 9. Referring to fig. 9, a communication device 900 may include a communication interface 901 and a processor 902. Optionally, the communication device 900 may further include a memory 903.

In particular, the processor 902 may be a central processing unit (central processing unit, CPU), a network processor (network processor, NP) or a combination of CPU and NP. The processor 902 may further comprise a hardware chip. The hardware chip may be an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (programmable logic device, PLD), or a combination thereof. The PLD may be a complex programmable logic device (complex programmable logic device, CPLD), a field-programmable gate array (field-programmable gate array, FPGA), general-purpose array logic (generic array logic, GAL), or any combination thereof.

Wherein the communication interface 901, the processor 902 and the memory 903 are interconnected. Optionally, the communication interface 901, the processor 902 and the memory 903 are connected to each other by a bus 904; the bus 904 may be a peripheral component interconnect standard (Peripheral Component Interconnect, PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (Extended Industry Standard Architecture, EISA) bus, among others. The buses may be classified as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is shown in fig. 9, but not only one bus or one type of bus.

In an alternative embodiment, the memory 903 is used to store programs and the like. In particular, the program may include program code including computer-operating instructions. The memory 903 may include RAM, and may also include non-volatile memory (non-volatile memory), such as one or more magnetic disk memories. The processor 902 executes the application program stored in the memory 903 to realize the functions described above, thereby realizing the functions of the communication device 900.

Alternatively, the communication apparatus 900 may be an access network device, a terminal device, or a second network device in the foregoing embodiment.

In one embodiment, the communication device 900 may implement the transceiver operation performed by the access network device in the embodiments shown in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5 to 7 when implementing the functions of the access network device in the embodiments shown in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5 to 7; the processor 902 may implement operations other than the transceiving operations performed by the access network device in the embodiments illustrated in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5-7. Specific details concerning this may be found in the embodiments described above in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, 5 to 7, and will not be described in detail here.

In one embodiment, the communication device 900 may implement the transceiving operations performed by the terminal device in the embodiments shown in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5 to 7 when implementing the functions of the terminal device in the embodiments shown in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5 to 7; the processor 1202 may implement operations other than the transceiving operations performed by the intermediate terminal device in the embodiments illustrated in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5 to 7. Specific details concerning this may be found in the embodiments described above in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, 5 to 7, and will not be described in detail here.

In one embodiment, the communication apparatus 1200 may implement the transceiving operations performed by the second network device in the embodiments shown in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5 to 7 when implementing the functions of the second network device in the embodiments shown in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5 to 7; the processor 1202 may implement operations other than the transceiving operations performed by the second network device in the embodiments illustrated in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 5-7. Specific details concerning this may be found in the embodiments described above in fig. 4A, 4B, 4C, 5 to 7, and will not be described in detail here.

Based on the above embodiments, the embodiments of the present application provide a network structure, where the network structure may include an access network device, a terminal device, or a second network device related to the above embodiments.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer readable storage medium for storing a computer program, which when executed by a computer, can implement the communication method provided by the above method embodiment.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer program product, which is used for storing a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a computer, the computer can realize the communication method provided by the embodiment of the method.

The embodiment of the application also provides a chip, which comprises a processor, wherein the processor is coupled with the memory and is used for calling the program in the memory so that the chip can realize the communication method provided by the embodiment of the method.

The embodiment of the application also provides a chip which is coupled with the memory and is used for realizing the communication method provided by the embodiment of the method.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that 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 modifications and variations can be made to the present application without departing from the scope of the application. Thus, it is intended that the present application also include such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

the access network equipment receives a radio resource control message from the terminal equipment, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a first indication, the radio resource control message also comprises a non-access layer message, and the first indication is used for indicating that the non-access layer message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information;

and the access network equipment sends the non-access layer message to first network equipment according to the first indication, wherein the first network equipment is park network equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

the access network equipment receives a positioning request reply and/or second positioning information from the first network equipment;

and the access network equipment sends the positioning request reply and/or the second positioning information to the terminal equipment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

the access network device sends first information to a second network device, wherein the first information is used for indicating the second network device to provide information of the first network device, or the first information is used for requesting the information of the first network device;

the access network device receives information from the first network device of the second network device.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the method further comprises:

the access network device establishes a flow control transmission protocol coupling with the first network device.

5. A method of communication, comprising:

the method comprises the steps that terminal equipment sends a radio resource control message to access network equipment, wherein the radio resource control message comprises a first indication, the radio resource control message further comprises a non-access layer message, and the first indication is used for indicating that the non-access layer message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information;

And the terminal equipment receives the positioning request reply and/or the second positioning information from the access network equipment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

the terminal equipment receives a second indication, wherein the second indication is used for indicating to send the first indication.

7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein,

the second indication is used for indicating that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information are not encrypted; or, the second instruction is used for indicating that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information are encrypted according to a first encryption mode.

8. The method of any one of claim 5 to 7,

the second indication is carried in a non-access stratum security mode command or a registration accept message.

9. The method according to any of claims 5-8, wherein the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is carried in a non-access stratum protocol data unit.

10. A method of communication, comprising:

the second network equipment receives a fourth message of the terminal equipment;

the second network device sends a second indication to the terminal device according to the fourth message;

The second indication is used for indicating the terminal equipment to send a first indication, and the first indication is used for indicating that the non-access layer message comprises a positioning request and/or first positioning information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second indication is to indicate that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is not encrypted; or, the second instruction is used for indicating that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information are encrypted according to a first encryption mode.

12. The method of claim 10 or 11, wherein the method further comprises:

the second network device determines that the terminal device is associated with a location service.

13. The method of claim 10 or 11, wherein the method further comprises:

the second network device determines that the subscription information of the terminal device includes positioning service information.

14. The method of any one of claims 10-13, wherein the method further comprises:

and the second network equipment sends the information of the first network equipment to the access network equipment.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

The second network device receives first information from the access network device, where the first information is used to instruct the second network device to provide information of a first network device, or the first information is used to request information of the first network device.

16. A communication device, comprising a communication module and a processing module:

a communication module, configured to receive a radio resource control message from a terminal device, where the radio resource control message includes a first indication, and the radio resource control message further includes a non-access stratum message, where the first indication is used to indicate that the non-access stratum message includes a positioning request and/or first positioning information;

the communication module is further configured to send the non-access stratum message to a first network device according to the first indication, where the first network device is a campus network device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the communication module is further for:

receiving a positioning request reply and/or second positioning information from the first network equipment;

and sending the positioning request reply and/or the second positioning information to the terminal equipment.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 or 17, wherein the communication module is further to:

transmitting first information to a second network device, wherein the first information is used for indicating the second network device to provide information of the first network device, or the first information is used for requesting the information of the first network device;

information from the first network device of the second network device is received.

19. The apparatus of any one of claims 16-18, wherein the communication module is further to:

a stream control transmission protocol coupling is established with the first network device.

20. A communication device, comprising a communication module and a processing module:

the communication module is configured to send a radio resource control message to an access network device, where the radio resource control message includes a first indication, and the radio resource control message further includes a non-access layer message, where the first indication is used to indicate that the non-access layer message includes a positioning request and/or first positioning information;

the communication module is further configured to receive a positioning request reply and/or second positioning information from the access network device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communication module is further for:

a second indication is received, the second indication being used to indicate the transmission of the first indication.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 or 21, wherein the device comprises a plurality of sensors,

23. The apparatus of any one of claims 20-22,

24. The apparatus according to any of claims 20-23, wherein the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is carried in a non-access stratum protocol data unit.

25. A communication device, comprising a communication module and a processing module:

the communication module is used for receiving a fourth message of the terminal equipment;

the communication module is further configured to send a second indication to the terminal device;

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the second indication is to indicate that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information is not to be encrypted; or, the second instruction is used for indicating that the positioning request and/or the first positioning information are encrypted according to a first encryption mode.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 or 26, wherein the processing module is further to:

and determining that the terminal equipment is associated with a positioning service.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 or 26, wherein the processing module is further to:

and determining that the subscription information of the terminal equipment comprises positioning service information.

29. The apparatus of any one of claims 25-28, wherein the communication module is further to:

and sending the information of the first network equipment to the access network equipment.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the communication module is further for:

first information from the access network device is received, the first information being used to indicate information providing the first network device, or the first information being used to request information of the first network device.

31. A computer readable storage medium, characterized in that the computer readable storage medium has stored thereon a computer program which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method according to any of claims 1-15.

32. A computer program product, characterized in that the computer program product comprises instructions for performing the method according to any of claims 1-15.