WO2021128225A1

WO2021128225A1 - Method for processing service flow, apparatus, and system

Info

Publication number: WO2021128225A1
Application number: PCT/CN2019/128910
Authority: WO
Inventors: 雷骜; 倪慧; 李岩
Original assignee: 华为技术有限公司
Priority date: 2019-12-26
Filing date: 2019-12-26
Publication date: 2021-07-01

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communications technology and provide a method for processing service flow, an apparatus, and a system, used for achieving service flow continuity when service flow is routed to a local application. The method comprises: a session management network element diverts a first service flow of a terminal from a first application server to a second application server, the first application server and the second application server having a first application for which access is requested by the first service flow. The session management network element sends first instruction information to a first network element, the first instruction information instructing the first network element to process the address of the first service flow as a second address; the first network element is determined by the session management network element according to a correspondence relationship between an identifier of the first application, the corresponding address of the first application on the second application server, and network location information of the second application server; wherein, the second address is the address of the second application server or the second address is the corresponding address of the first application on the second application server.

Description

Method, device and system for processing business flow

Technical field

The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communication technologies, and in particular, to a method, device, and system for processing a service flow.

Background technique

Edge computing technology can provide cloud computing capabilities at the edge of mobile networks. The edge computing platform is set up closer to the gateway, so that the terminal can interact with the local server through a short physical distance without accessing the remote server, thereby reducing delay and obtaining a better service experience. At the same time, the remote server only needs to process a small amount of data processed by the edge computing platform, reducing network load. In the fifth generation of mobile communication technology (5th generation mobile networks or 5th generation wireless systems, 5th-Generation, 5G) network, the edge computing platform is combined with the operator's 5G system to maximize service efficiency.

In the prior art, when the network detects that the terminal needs to be connected to a local server where the local application is deployed (for example, the network detects that the physical location of the terminal moves), the service message of the terminal can be offloaded to the local server for processing. The core network decides to connect the service message to the local application.

The session establishment process between the terminal and the local application may cause additional delays and thus cannot guarantee business continuity. Therefore, the core network considers inserting an uplink classifier (ULCL) to split the original service packets and pass the new data The network access identifier (DNAI) accesses local applications to avoid the delay of re-establishing the session. As shown in Figure 1, the terminal uses the source IP-1a to send service packets to the application address IP-A, and the service packets go through the original path through the remote session anchor point and the remote application server (application service, AS) and are finally delivered to the deployment site. Application (APP) on the remote AS (abbreviation: remote APP). When connecting service messages to local applications, the context of the original remote APP or the remote APP needs to be migrated to the local AS to ensure that the terminal can obtain consistent services from the remote application through the local application. However, after the remote APP's context or remote APP migrates to the local AS, it may not be able to perceive the change of the server IP address from IP-X to IP-Y, and the local application cannot recognize the service packets from the local AS, thus introducing additional Delay, resulting in the continuity of business packets cannot be guaranteed.

Summary of the invention

The embodiments of the present application provide a method, device, and system for processing a service flow to realize the continuity of the service flow when the service flow is routed to a local application.

In order to achieve the foregoing objectives, the embodiments of the present application provide the following technical solutions:

In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a service flow processing method, including: a session management network element offloads a first service flow of a terminal from a first application server to a second application server, the first application server and the second application The server has a first application that the first service flow requests to access; the session management network element sends to the first network element first instruction information instructing the first network element to process the address of the first service flow into the second address. The first network element is determined by the session management network element according to the network location information of the second application server. Wherein, the second address is the address of the second application server, or the second address is the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

The embodiment of the application provides a service flow processing method, in which the session management network element diverges the first service flow of the terminal from the first application server to the second application server, because the first application server and the second application server are With the first application that the first service flow requests to access, the session management network element may send the first indication information to the first network element, so that the first network element processes the address of the first service flow as the second according to the first indication information address. When the first application deployed on the second application server supports its own IP address change, the second address is the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and when the first application deployed on the second application server does not support its own IP When changing, the second address is the address of the second application server, which can ensure that the first service flow is diverted from the first application server to the second application server to ensure the continuity of the first service flow.

In a possible implementation manner, the first network element is a first user plane network element corresponding to the second application server, or the first network element is a first functional entity.

In a possible implementation manner, the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and the first indication information instructs the first network element to process the address of the first service flow as the second address. In this way, the first application deployed on the second application server can recognize the first service flow, thereby ensuring the continuity of the first service flow.

In a possible implementation manner, the first network element is the first user plane network element corresponding to the second application server, and the first indication information instructs the first user plane network element to establish the first user plane network element to the destination address of the first user plane network element. 2. The data tunnel of the address of the application server, the data tunnel is used to transmit the first service flow. In this way, the first service flow can carry the address of the second application server in the outsourcing header, while the destination address of the inner header is still the address corresponding to the first application on the first application server. In the embodiment of the present application, the address of one end of the data tunnel between the first user plane network element and the second application server is: the address of the first user plane network element, and the other end address is: the address of the second application server. The data tunnel whose destination address is the address of the second application server may also mean that the address at the other end of the data tunnel is the address of the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the first indication information is further used to instruct the first user plane network element to send a service flow directed to the first application buffered by the first user plane network element over the data tunnel. This facilitates the first user plane network element to determine that the data tunnel can be used to send a service flow directed to the first application to the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: the session management network element sends an instruction to the second application server by the second application server to send the second service flow to the first user plane network element through the data tunnel The second instruction information. At this time, the destination address of the external header of the second service flow is the address of the first user plane network element, and the source address is the address of the second application server. The destination address of the internal header of the second service flow is the address of the terminal, and the source address may be the first address.

In a possible implementation, the second address is the address of the second application server, and the first indication information instructs the first network element to replace the destination address of the first service flow from the first address to the second address. The address is the address corresponding to the first application on the first application server. In this way, the first service stream can be successfully transmitted to the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: the session management network element sends an instruction to the second application server to instruct the second application server to replace the destination address of the first service flow from the second address to the first The third indication information of an address. The third indication information facilitates the second application server to replace the destination address of the first service flow from the second address to the first address, so that the first application deployed on the second application server can identify the first service flow.

In a possible implementation manner, the third indication information further instructs the second application server to replace the address of the second service flow from the third address with the address of the first user plane network element, and the third address is the address of the terminal or the first user plane network element. An external address assigned by a user plane network element to the terminal. This facilitates the second application server to send the second service flow to the first user plane network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: the session management network element sends to the first user plane network element fourth instruction information instructing the first user plane network element to cache the first service flow.

In a possible implementation manner, before the session management network element sends the first indication information to the first network element, the method provided in this embodiment of the present application further includes: the session management network element obtains the identifier of the first application and the first application is in Correspondence between the corresponding address on the second application server and the network location information of the first application.

In a possible implementation manner, the identifier of the first application also corresponds to the address of the second application server or the corresponding port number of the first application on the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: the session management network element sends to the first network element the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, which is convenient for the first network element to determine The address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: the session management network element sends the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server to the first network element, which is convenient for the first network element Determine the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: the session management network element sends fifth indication information to the second network element, and the fifth indication information instructs the second network element to send the first service flow To the third network element; where the second network element is the second user plane network element corresponding to the first application server, the third network element is the first functional entity, or the second network element is the first functional entity, and the third The network element is the first user plane network element.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a service flow processing method, including: a first network element receives first indication information from a session management network element, where the first indication information indicates that the first network element will request access to the first network element. The address of the first service flow of an application is processed as the second address; the first application is deployed on the first application server and the second application server; the first network element processes the received first service according to the first instruction information Stream; where the second address is the address of the second application server, or the second address is the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

In a possible implementation, the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and the first indication information instructs the first network element to replace the destination address of the first service flow from the first address to the first address. The second address, the first address is the address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.

In a possible implementation, the first network element is the first user plane network element corresponding to the second application server, the second address is the address of the second application server, and the first indication information instructs the first user plane network element to establish A data tunnel from the first user plane network element to the destination address of the second application server. The data tunnel is used to transmit the first service flow.

In a possible implementation, the second address is the address of the second application server, and the first indication information instructs the first network element to replace the destination address of the first service flow from the first address to the second address, and the first address It is the address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the first network element is a first user plane network element, and the method provided in this embodiment of the present application further includes: the first network element receives an instruction from the session management network element; the first user plane network element cache The fourth indication information of the first service flow.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the first network element receives from the session management network element the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the first network element receives a port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server from the session management network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the first network element is the first functional entity, and the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the first network element receives an instruction from the session management network element that the first functional entity sends an instruction to the first user plane The network element sends the fifth indication information of the first service flow.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a service flow routing method, including: the application function AF network element obtains the location information of the second application server of the first application and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server. The AF network element sends the identifier of the first application, the location information, and the address of the first application to the network function opening network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the AF network element sends the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application to the network function opening network element.

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a service flow routing method, including: the network function opening network element receives the identification of the first application from the application function AF network element, the location information of the second application server of the first application, and The address of the first application. The network function opening network element determines the network location information of the second application server according to the location information. The identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the first application correspond to each other.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the network function opening network element receives the address of the second application server from the AF network element and the port number of the first application. Wherein, the identifier of the first application also corresponds to the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the network function opening network element sends the identification of the first application and the network location information of the first application to the data storage network element or the policy control network element. And the corresponding relationship between the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application.

In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a policy update method, including: the policy control network element obtains the correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the second application server of the first application relationship. The policy control network element determines the PCC rules. Wherein, the PCC rule includes at least the mutual correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the second application server of the first application.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the policy control network element sends the PCC rule to the session management network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the identifier of the first application further corresponds to the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application.

In a possible implementation, the policy control network element obtains the correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the second application server of the first application, including: the policy control network element Receive the correspondence between the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application from the data storage network element, or the network function opening network element, and the network location information of the second application server of the first application.

In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for processing a service flow. The method includes: a terminal obtains an address on a second application server corresponding to a first application. The terminal processes the service flow sent to the first application according to the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the terminal obtains the port number of the first application on the second application server corresponding to the identifier of the first application, and the address of the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, acquiring the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application by the terminal includes: the terminal receiving from the session management network element the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the terminal receives from the session management network element the corresponding port number of the first application on the second application server and the port number of the first application on the second application server The corresponding address.

In a possible implementation, the terminal acquiring the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application includes: the terminal acquiring one or more application servers and the service area information corresponding to each application server, and the terminal according to each application server The service area information corresponding to the application server determines the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application. The service area information corresponding to the application server includes the identification of the first application deployed on the application server and the address of the first application on the application server. The corresponding address.

Optionally, the service area information corresponding to the application server may further include: a port number corresponding to the first application on the application server and corresponding address information or location information on the application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the terminal acquiring one or more application servers and the service area information corresponding to each application server includes: the terminal sends a configuration request to the edge data network configuration server. Wherein, the configuration request carries the identification of the terminal and the identification of the first application that the terminal requests to access. The terminal receives a configuration response from the edge data network configuration server. The configuration response includes one or more application servers and service area information corresponding to each application server.

In a possible implementation, the terminal acquiring the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application includes: the terminal receiving information from the second application server of the edge-enabled server and the corresponding service of the second application server Regional information. The service area information corresponding to the second application server includes the identifier of the first application deployed on the second application server, and the address of the first application corresponding to the second application server.

Optionally, the service area information corresponding to the second application server may further include: a port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server and address information or location information corresponding to the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, before the terminal receives the information of the second application server from the edge-enabled server and the corresponding service area information of the second application server, it may further include: the terminal sends a configuration request to the edge-enabled server. Wherein, the configuration request carries the identification of the terminal and the identification of the first application that the terminal requests to access.

In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a service flow processing apparatus, and the service flow processing apparatus may be a session management network element or a chip applied to a session management network element. The service flow processing device includes a communication unit and a processing unit. When the session management network element executes the first aspect and any one of the optional design methods in the first aspect, the communication unit is used to perform receiving and sending operations, and the processing unit is used To perform operations other than sending and receiving. For example, when the session management network element executes the method of the first aspect, the processing unit is configured to divert the first service flow of the terminal from the first application server to the second application server, and the first application server and the second application server have The first application that the first service flow requests to access. The communication unit is configured to send to the first network element first instruction information that instructs the first network element to process the address of the first service flow into the second address. The first network element is determined by the session management network element according to the network location information of the second application server. Wherein, the second address is the address of the second application server, or the second address is the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a service flow processing apparatus. The service flow processing apparatus may be a first network element or a chip applied to the first network element. The processing device for the service flow includes a communication unit and a processing unit. When the first network element executes the second aspect and any one of the optional design methods in the second aspect, the communication unit is used to perform receiving and sending operations, and the processing unit is used To perform operations other than sending and receiving. For example, when the first network element executes the method of the second aspect, the communication unit is configured to receive first indication information from the session management network element, where the first indication information indicates that the first network element will request access to the first application The address of the first service flow is processed as the second address. The processing unit processes the received first service flow according to the first instruction information; wherein the second address is the address of the second application server, or the second address is the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a service flow routing device. The service flow routing device may be an AF network element or a chip applied to the AF network element. The service flow routing device includes a communication unit and a processing unit. When the AF network element executes the third aspect and any one of the optional design methods in the third aspect, the communication unit is used to perform receiving and sending operations, and the processing unit is used to Perform operations other than sending and receiving. For example, when the AF network element executes the method of the third aspect, the processing unit is configured to obtain the location information of the second application server of the first application and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server. The communication unit is configured to send the identification of the first application, the location information, and the address of the first application to the network function opening network element.

In a tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a service flow routing device. The service flow routing device may be a network function open network element or a chip applied to the network function open network element. The service flow routing device includes a communication unit and a processing unit. When the network function opening network element executes any of the above-mentioned fourth aspect and the method under design in the fourth aspect, the communication unit is used to perform receiving and sending operations, and the processing unit Used to perform operations other than sending and receiving. For example, when the network function opening network element executes the method of the fourth aspect, the communication unit is configured to receive the identification of the first application from the application function AF network element, the location information of the second application server of the first application, and the first application the address of. The processing unit is configured to determine the network location information of the second application server according to the location information; the identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the first application correspond to each other.

In an eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a policy update device. The policy update device may be a policy control network element or a chip applied to a policy control network element. The policy update device includes a communication unit and a processing unit. When the policy control network element executes the fifth aspect and any one of the optional design methods in the fifth aspect, the communication unit is used to perform receiving and sending operations, and the processing unit is used to perform Operations other than sending and receiving. For example, when the policy control network element executes the method of the fifth aspect, the communication unit is configured to obtain the correspondence between the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application and the network location information of the second application server of the first application . The processing unit is configured to determine the PCC rule; where the PCC rule includes at least the correspondence between the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application and the network location information of the second application server of the first application.

In a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a service flow processing apparatus. The service flow processing apparatus may be a terminal or a chip applied to the terminal. The service flow processing device includes a communication unit and a processing unit. When the terminal executes any one of the above-mentioned sixth aspect and the method in the sixth aspect optionally designed, the communication unit is used to perform transceiving operations, and the processing unit is used to perform transceiving operations. Other operations. For example, when the terminal executes the method of the sixth aspect, the communication unit is configured to obtain the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application. The processing unit is configured to process the service flow sent to the first application according to the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application.

In a thirteenth aspect, the present application provides a session management network element, including a processor, and the processor is connected to a memory. The processor reads the instructions stored in the memory, so that the session management network element executes the above-mentioned first aspect and any one of the optional design methods in the first aspect. The session management network element may also include memory.

Optionally, the session management network element may further include a communication interface.

In a fourteenth aspect, the present application provides a first network element, including a processor, and the processor is connected to a memory. The processor reads the instructions stored in the memory, so that the first network element executes the above-mentioned second aspect and any one of the optional design methods in the second aspect. The first network element may also include a memory.

Optionally, the first network element may further include a communication interface.

In a fifteenth aspect, this application provides an AF network element, including a processor, and the processor is connected to a memory. The processor reads the instructions stored in the memory, so that the AF network element executes the above-mentioned third aspect and any one of the optional design methods in the third aspect. The AF network element may also include memory.

Optionally, the AF network element may also include a communication interface.

In a sixteenth aspect, the present application provides a network element with open network functions, including a processor, and the processor is connected to a memory. The processor reads the instructions stored in the memory, so that the network function opening network element executes the foregoing fourth aspect and any one of the optional design methods in the fourth aspect. The open network element of the network function may also include a memory.

Optionally, the network element with open network functions may also include a communication interface.

In a seventeenth aspect, this application provides a policy control network element including a processor connected to a memory. The processor reads the instructions stored in the memory, so that the policy control network element executes the above-mentioned fifth aspect and any one of the optional design methods in the fifth aspect. The policy control network element may also include memory.

Optionally, the policy control network element may further include a communication interface.

In an eighteenth aspect, the present application provides a terminal, including a processor, and the processor is connected to a memory. The processor reads the instructions stored in the memory, so that the terminal executes any one of the aforementioned sixth aspect and the method under design in the sixth aspect. The terminal may also include memory.

Optionally, the terminal may also include a communication interface.

In a nineteenth aspect, this application provides a session management network element, including a processor and a communication interface connected to the processor. Through the communication interface and the processor, the session management network element executes any one of the first aspect and the first aspect. An alternative design method described in.

In a twentieth aspect, this application provides a first network element, including a processor and a communication interface connected to the processor. Through the communication interface and the processor, the first network element is used to execute the second aspect and the second aspect described above. Any one of the methods described in the optional design.

In the twenty-first aspect, the present application provides an AF network element, including a processor and a communication interface connected to the processor. Through the communication interface and the processor, the AF network element is used to execute the third aspect and any of the third aspects. An alternative design method described in.

In the twenty-second aspect, the present application provides a network function open network element, including a processor and a communication interface connected to the processor. Through the communication interface and the processor, the network function open network element is used to perform the fourth aspect and In the fourth aspect, any one of the methods described in the optional design.

In the twenty-third aspect, the present application provides a policy control network element, including a processor and a communication interface connected to the processor. Through the communication interface and the processor, the policy control network element is used to execute the fifth aspect and the fifth aspect described above. Any one of the methods described in the aspect can be optionally designed.

In a twenty-fourth aspect, the present application provides a terminal, including a processor and a communication interface connected to the processor. Through the communication interface and the processor, the terminal is used to execute any one of the aforementioned sixth aspect and the sixth aspect. The method described in ground design.

In the twenty-fifth aspect, this application provides a communication system, including the session management network element described in the seventh aspect, or the thirteenth aspect, or the nineteenth aspect, and the eighth or tenth aspect described above. The first network element described in any aspect of the fourth aspect or the twentieth aspect.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication system may further include: the AF network element described in any one of the ninth aspect, the fifteenth aspect, or the twenty-first aspect, and the tenth aspect, the sixteenth aspect, or the second aspect. The network function open network element described in any aspect of the twelfth aspect, and the policy control network element described in any aspect of the eleventh aspect, the seventeenth aspect, or the twenty-third aspect.

In the twenty-sixth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, including computer-readable instructions, when the instructions run on a computer, the computer executes the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, and the fourth aspect. Aspect, any possible design method of the fifth aspect or the sixth aspect.

In the twenty-seventh aspect, this application provides a computer program product, including a computer program, which when the program runs on a computer, causes the computer to execute the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, the fourth aspect, and the fifth aspect. Aspect or any one of the possible design methods of the sixth aspect.

In a twenty-eighth aspect, the present application provides a chip that is applied to a session management network element. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface, the communication interface is coupled to at least one processor, and the processor is used to run computer programs or instructions, In order to implement the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, the communication interface is used to communicate with modules other than the chip.

In a twenty-ninth aspect, the present application provides a chip that is applied to a first network element. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface, the communication interface is coupled to at least one processor, and the processor is used to run computer programs or instructions, In order to execute the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect, the communication interface is used to communicate with modules other than the chip.

In a thirtieth aspect, this application provides a chip that is used in an AF network element. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to the at least one processor. The processor is used to run computer programs or instructions to execute In the third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect, the communication interface is used to communicate with other modules outside the chip.

In a thirty-first aspect, the present application provides a chip that is used in a network element with open network functions. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface, the communication interface is coupled to at least one processor, and the processor is used to run computer programs or instructions. In order to execute the fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the communication interface is used to communicate with other modules outside the chip.

In the thirty-second aspect, the present application provides a chip that is used in a policy control network element. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface, the communication interface is coupled to at least one processor, and the processor is used to run computer programs or instructions, To execute the fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the communication interface is used to communicate with other modules outside the chip.

In the thirty-third aspect, the present application provides a chip that is used in a terminal. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface, the communication interface is coupled to the at least one processor, and the processor is used to run a computer program or instruction to execute the first In the sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect, the communication interface is used to communicate with modules other than the chip.

Optionally, the chip described in any aspect of the twenty-eighth aspect to the thirty-third aspect of the embodiments of the present application may further include at least one memory, and the at least one memory stores instructions or computer programs.

In the thirty-fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which may be any of the session management network element, or the terminal, or the first network element, or the policy control network element, or the network function open network element. One may also be a chip applied to any one of the session management network element, or the terminal, or the first network element, or the policy control network element, or the network function opening network element. The communication device has the function of implementing the method described in any one of the foregoing first aspect, second aspect, third aspect, fourth aspect, fifth aspect, and sixth aspect. This function can be realized by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above-mentioned functions.

Description of the drawings

Figure 1 is an architecture diagram applicable to service flow routing;

2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 3a is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 3b is a schematic diagram of another 5G network architecture provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 5 is a first flowchart of a method for processing a service flow provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 6 is a second schematic flowchart of a method for processing a service flow according to an embodiment of the application;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an address change of a service flow routing provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 8 is a third schematic flowchart of a method for processing a service flow according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an address change of another service flow routing provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 10 is a fourth schematic flowchart of a method for processing a service flow according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of address change of yet another service flow routing provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 12 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 13 is a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart of yet another communication method provided by an embodiment of this application;

15 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 16 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication device provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 17 is a schematic structural diagram of a chip provided by an embodiment of the application.

Detailed ways

In order to clearly describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish the same items or similar items that have substantially the same function and effect. For example, the first application server and the second application server are only used to distinguish different application servers, and the sequence of the application servers is not limited. Those skilled in the art can understand that words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity and order of execution, and words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the difference.

It should be noted that in this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or illustrations. Any embodiment or design solution described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferable or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. To be precise, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to present related concepts in a specific manner.

In this application, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "multiple" refers to two or more. "And/or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships, for example, A and/or B, which can mean: A alone exists, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A, B can be singular or plural. The character "/" generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. "The following at least one item (a)" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of a single item (a) or a plurality of items (a). For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple .

The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (frequency division multiple access, TDMA) access, FDMA), orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA), single carrier frequency-division multiple access (single carrier FDMA, SC-FDMA) and other systems. The term "system" can be used interchangeably with "network". 3GPP is a new version of UMTS using E-UTRA in long term evolution (LTE) and various versions based on LTE evolution. 5G communication system and new radio (NR) are the next generation communication systems under study, and non3GPP access systems, such as WLAN access network, wireline access network, etc. In addition, the communication system may also be applicable to future-oriented communication technologies, all of which are applicable to the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application.

The system architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. Those of ordinary skill in the art will know that with the network With the evolution of architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are equally applicable to similar technical problems.

In order to effectively meet the high-bandwidth and low-latency requirements for the rapid development of the mobile Internet and the Internet of Things and reduce network load, the European Telecommunication Standard Institute (ETSI) proposed mobile edge computing in 2014. , MEC) technology. MEC is based on the 5G evolution architecture and is a technology that deeply integrates base stations and Internet services. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has MEC related projects in the radio access network (RAN)3 and service and architecture (SA)2 subgroups.

Based on the above description, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows a communication system to which a method for processing a service flow provided by an embodiment of the present application is applicable. The communication system includes: a session management network element 10, a first functional entity 20, The user plane network element 30 and the user plane network element 40 that communicate with the first functional entity 20, the MEC platform 50 that communicates with the user plane network element 30, and the remote application server 60 that communicates with the user plane network element 40.

In the embodiment of the present application, the MEC platform 50 may be a hardware device, and then the computing resource logic of the hardware device is divided into multiple regions, and each region runs a local application server. Of course, it is also possible that one MEC platform 50 is a single local application server.

In order to realize the offloading of the service flow from the remote application server 60 to the local application server, the session management network element 10 may insert the first functional entity 20 as a offload point in the user plane path of the session of the terminal. That is, the network element or entity corresponding to the first functional entity 20 may be a network element that offloads the service flow of the session. For example, the first functional entity 20 may be an uplink classifier (uplink classifier, UL CL) or a branch point network element (branching point, BP).

The session management network element 10 may communicate with the first functional entity 20, the user plane network element 30, and the user plane network element 40.

In a possible embodiment, the communication system may further include: a data storage network element (also may be referred to as a data management network element), an application function network element, and a policy control network element.

Exemplarily, if the above communication system is applied to a 5G network, as shown in FIG. 3a or FIG. 3b, the network element or entity corresponding to the first functional entity 20 may be UL CL or BP. The network element or entity corresponding to the session management network element 10 may be a session management function (SMF) network element. The network element or entity corresponding to the user plane network element 30 may be a first user plan function (UPF) anchor point (achor), and may also be referred to as a local session anchor (Local PDU session anchor, L-PSA) . The network element or entity corresponding to the user plane network element 40 may be a second user plan function (UPF) anchor point, and may also be called a remote session anchor (remote PDU session anchor, PSA for short). The network element or entity corresponding to the remote application server 60 may be a data network (DN) 1. The network element or entity corresponding to the MEC platform 50 may be a data network (DN) 2. The network element or entity corresponding to the policy control network element may be a policy control function (PCF) network element. The network element or entity corresponding to the data storage network element may be a unified data repository (UDR) (not shown in FIG. 3a or FIG. 3b), or unified data management (UDM).

In addition, as shown in Figure 3a or Figure 3b, the 5G network architecture may also include: access and mobility management function (AMF) network elements, application function (AF) network elements, and data network (data network, DN), authentication server function or authentication server function (authentication server function, AUSF) network element, network exposure function (NEF) network element, etc. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this .

Among them, as shown in FIG. 3a, the terminal communicates with the AMF network element through a next generation network (Next generation, N1) interface (N1 for short). The access device communicates with the AMF network element through the N2 interface (N2 for short). The access device communicates with ULCL/BP through the N3 interface (N3 for short). The ULCL/BP communicates with the second UPF network element and the first UPF network element through the N9 interface. The first UPF network element communicates with the MEC platform through the N6 interface (N6 for short). The second UPF network element communicates with the DN through an N6 interface (abbreviated as N6) and any two UPF network elements communicate through an N9 interface (abbreviated as N9). ULCL/BP communicates with SMF network elements through the N4 interface (N4 for short). The AMF network element communicates with the SMF network element through the N11 interface (N11 for short). The AMF network element communicates with the UDM network element through the N8 interface (N8 for short). The SMF network element communicates with the PCF network element through the N7 interface (N7 for short). The SMF network element communicates with the UDM network element through the N10 interface (N10 for short). The AMF network element communicates with the AUSF network element through the N12 interface (N12 for short). The AMF network element communicates with the NSSF network element through the N22 interface (N22 for short). The AUSF network element communicates with the UDM network element through the N13 interface (N13 for short). The UDM network element communicates with the UDR network element. The PCF network element communicates with the UDR network element. ULCL/BP can be implemented through UPF.

Fig. 3b shows an architecture based on a service-oriented interface in a 5G network architecture. The difference between this architecture and Fig. 3a is that the control plane network elements in the 5GC in Fig. 3b can also interact with a service-oriented interface. For example, AMF network elements, AUSF network elements, SMF network elements, UDM network elements, UDR network elements, or PCF network elements interact with each other using service-oriented interfaces. For example, the service-oriented interface provided by the AMF network element to the outside may be Namf. The service-oriented interface provided by the SMF network element to the outside may be Nsmf. The service-oriented interface provided by the UDM network element to the outside may be Nudm. The service-oriented interface provided by the UDR network element to the outside may be Nudr. The service-oriented interface provided by the PCF network element to the outside may be Npcf. It should be understood that the relevant description of the names of various service-oriented interfaces in FIG. 3b can refer to the 5G system architecture diagram in the 23501 standard, which will not be repeated here.

It should be noted that the name of the interface between the network elements in FIG. 3a or FIG. 3b is only an example, and the name of the interface may be other names in a specific implementation, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that the access device, AF network element, AMF network element, SMF network element, AUSF network element, UDM network element, UPF network element, and PCF network element in Figure 3a or Figure 3b are just one name. The equipment itself does not constitute a limitation. In the 5G network and other networks in the future, the network elements corresponding to the access equipment, AF network elements, AMF network elements, SMF network elements, AUSF network elements, UDM network elements, UPF network elements, and PCF network elements can also be other The name of this application does not specifically limit this. For example, the UDM network element may also be replaced with a user home server (home subscriber server, HSS) or user subscription database (user subscription database, USD) or a database entity, etc., which will be uniformly explained here and will not be repeated in the following .

The terminal, (R)AN, UPF, and DN in Figure 3a or Figure 3b are generally called user layer network functional entities. The data traffic of the terminal can pass through the protocol data unit (PDU) established between the terminal and the DN. The session is transmitted, and the transmission will pass through the two network functions (entities) (R)AN and UPF; the other parts are called the control layer network functions and entities, which are mainly responsible for authentication and authentication, registration management, Functions such as session management, mobility management, and policy control enable reliable and stable transmission of user-level traffic. The PDU session involved in the embodiments of this application refers to a connection (association between the UE and a Data Network that provides a PDU connectivity service) that provides PDU connection services between the terminal and the data network.

Figures 3a-3b are network architectures applied to embodiments of the present application. Each part involved in the network architecture or the function of the network element in the 5G network will be described below as examples.

As shown in Figure 3a, one session of the terminal has multiple anchor points (PDU session anchors). For example, the first UPF network element and the second UPF network element. For uplink service flow (UL data/traffic), BP/ULCL sends the received uplink service flow to different anchor points according to forwarding rules; for downlink service flow (DL data/traffic), BP/ULCL sends downlink traffic according to forwarding rules. The service flow is sent to the terminal.

1) Terminals can include various handheld devices, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, computing devices, or other processing devices connected to wireless modems with wireless communication functions; they can also include subscriber units and cellular phones. (cellular phone), smart phone (smart phone), wireless data card, personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant, PDA) computer, tablet computer, wireless modem (modem), handheld device (handheld), laptop computer (laptop) computer), cordless phone or wireless local loop (wireless local loop, WLL) station, machine type communication (MTC) terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile station (mobile station, MS), terminal device (terminal device) or relay user equipment, etc. The relay user equipment may be, for example, a 5G residential gateway (RG). For ease of description, in this application, the devices mentioned above are collectively referred to as terminals.

It should be understood that the terminals in the embodiments of the present application may be terminals in various vertical industry application fields such as Internet of Things terminal equipment, ports, smart factories, railway transportation, logistics, drones, and unmanned vehicles. For example: Mobile Robot (Mobile Robot), Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), driverless cars, control equipment and sensors on trains, control equipment and sensors (Sensors) deployed in factories, etc.

As an example, in the embodiment of the present application, the terminal may also be a wearable device. Wearable devices can also be called wearable smart devices. It is a general term for using wearable technology to intelligently design everyday wear and develop wearable devices, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing and shoes. A wearable device is a portable device that is directly worn on the body or integrated into the user's clothes or accessories. Wearable devices are not only a kind of hardware device, but also realize powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. In a broad sense, wearable smart devices include full-featured, large-sized, complete or partial functions that can be achieved without relying on smart phones, such as smart watches or smart glasses, and only focus on a certain type of application function, and need to cooperate with other devices such as smart phones. Use, such as all kinds of smart bracelets and smart jewelry for physical sign monitoring. The terminal can also be a sensor device used in a factory.

(2) The access device is used to provide network access functions for authorized terminals in a specific area, and can use transmission tunnels of different quality according to the level of the terminal and service requirements. Access equipment can manage wireless resources, provide access services for terminal equipment, and then complete the forwarding of control signals and terminal equipment data between the terminal equipment and the core network. The access equipment can also be understood as a base station in a traditional network. For example, it can be responsible for functions such as radio resource management, quality of service (QoS) management, data compression and encryption on the air interface side.

The access device can be a device in a wireless network. Access equipment may also be referred to as wireless access equipment or network equipment. For example, the terminal is connected to the radio access network (RAN) node of the wireless network. At present, some examples of access devices are: The Next Generation Node B (gNB) in the fifth generation (5G) system, the transmission reception point (TRP), and the LTE system Evolved Node B (evolved Node B, eNB), radio network controller (RNC), Node B (Node B, NB), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (base transceiver station, BTS), home base station (for example, home evolved NodeB, or home Node B, HNB), baseband unit (BBU), or wireless fidelity (Wifi) access point (access point, AP) and so on. In a network structure, the network device may include a centralized unit (CU) node, or a distributed unit (DU) node, or a RAN device including a CU node and a DU node. The access device may also be a wireless backhaul device, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, and a network device in a future 5G network or a network device in a future evolved PLMN network. In the third generation (3rd generation, 3G) system, it is called Node B (Node B) and so on.

(3) Mobility management network element, which belongs to the core network network element, is mainly responsible for signaling processing, such as access control, mobility management, attachment and detachment, and gateway selection. When the mobile management network element provides services for the session of the terminal, it will provide storage resources of the control plane for the session to store the session identifier, the SMF network element identifier associated with the session identifier, and so on.

In a 5G communication system, the mobility management network element may be an AMF network element. In the future communication system, the mobility management network element may still be an AMF network element, or may also have other names, which is not limited in this application.

(4) The session management network element is responsible for user-plane network element selection, user-plane network element redirection, internet protocol (IP) address allocation, bearer establishment, modification and release, and QoS control. Session management, terminal Internet protocol (IP) address allocation and management, selection of end points that can manage user plane functions, policy control and charging function interfaces, and downlink data notifications.

In a 5G communication system, the session management network element may be an SMF network element. In the future communication system, the session management network element may still be an SMF network element, or may also have other names, which is not limited in this application.

(5) The user plane network element is responsible for forwarding and receiving user data (for example, service flow) in the terminal. User data can be received from the data network and transmitted to the terminal through the access device; the user plane network element can also receive user data from the terminal through the access device and forwarded to the data network. The transmission resources and scheduling functions of the user plane network element that provide services for the terminal are managed and controlled by the session management network element.

In a 5G communication system, the user plane network element may be a UPF network element or a UPF module. In the future communication system, the user plane network element may still be a UPF network element or a UPF module, or may also have other names, which is not limited by this application.

(6) The authentication server function network element mainly provides authentication functions and supports authentication of 3GPP access and Non-3GPP access. For details, please refer to 3GPP TS 33.501.

In the future communication system, the authentication server function network element may still be an AUSF network element, or may also have other names, which is not limited by this application.

(7) NEF network elements mainly support the secure interaction between 3GPP networks and third-party applications. NEF can safely expose network capabilities and events to third parties to strengthen or improve application service quality. 3GPP networks can also safely follow the third party. The three parties obtain relevant data to enhance the intelligent decision-making of the network; at the same time, the network element supports the restoration of structured data from the unified database or the storage of structured data in the unified database.

(8) UDR network element is mainly responsible for storing structured data. The stored content includes contract data and policy data, structured data exposed to the outside, and application-related data.

(9) The AF network element mainly supports interaction with the 3GPP core network to provide services, such as influencing data routing decisions, policy control functions, or providing third-party services to the network side.

(10) Network storage network element, used to maintain real-time information of all network function services in the network. NRF stores the information of deployed network function (NF) components, such as NF component identification and network address, supported network slice identification, or data plane instance information, etc. NRF provides registration of NF components to other NFs And discovery services.

In the future communication system, the network storage network element may still be an NRF network element, or may also have other names, which are not limited by this application.

It is understandable that the aforementioned network elements or functions may be network elements in hardware devices, software functions running on dedicated hardware, or virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (for example, a cloud platform).

(11) Data network (DN) refers to an operator network that provides data transmission services for terminals, such as IMS (IP Multi-media Service, IP multimedia service), Internet, etc.

The terminal accesses the data network by establishing a session (PDU session) from the terminal to the RAN to the UPF to the DN.

As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a communication device in an embodiment of the present application. The structure of the session management network element 10, the first functional entity 20, the AF network element, and the network function opening network element may refer to the structure shown in FIG. 4. The communication device includes a processor 41, a communication line 44, and at least one communication interface (in FIG. 4, the communication interface 43 is included as an example for illustration).

Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory 42.

The processor 41 can be a general-purpose central processing unit (central processing unit, CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more programs for controlling the execution of the program of this application. integrated circuit.

The communication line 44 may include a path to transmit information between the aforementioned components.

The communication interface 43 uses any device such as a transceiver to communicate with other devices or communication networks, such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), etc. .

The memory 42 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM), or other types that can store information and instructions The dynamic storage device can also be electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, optical disc storage (Including compact discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or can be used to carry or store desired program codes in the form of instructions or data structures and can be used by a computer Any other media accessed, but not limited to this. The memory can exist independently and is connected to the processor through the communication line 44. The memory can also be integrated with the processor.

The memory 42 is used to store computer-executable instructions for executing the solution of the present application, and the processor 41 controls the execution. The processor 41 is configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 42 to implement a service flow processing method provided in the following embodiments of the present application.

Optionally, the computer-executed instructions in the embodiments of the present application may also be referred to as application program codes, which are not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the processor 41 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in FIG. 4.

In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the communication device may include multiple processors, such as the processor 41 and the processor 45 in FIG. 4. Each of these processors can be a single-CPU (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. The processor here may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores for processing data (for example, computer program instructions).

In the embodiment of this application, the specific structure of the execution body of a method for processing a business flow is not particularly limited in the embodiment of this application, as long as the code of a method for processing a business flow of the embodiment of this application can be recorded by running For the program, the communication can be performed using a service flow processing method according to an embodiment of the present application. For example, the execution subject of a service flow processing method provided by the embodiment of the present application may be a functional module in the session management network element that can call and execute the program, or a communication device applied to the session management network element, for example, chip. The execution subject of the service flow processing method provided by the embodiment of the present application may be a functional module in the first network element that can call and execute the program, or a communication device, such as a chip, applied to the first network element. This application does not limit this. The following embodiments are described with an example in which the execution subject of a method for processing a service flow is a session management network element and the first network element.

It should be noted that the various embodiments of the present application can be used for reference or mutual reference, for example, the same or similar steps, method embodiments, device embodiments, or system embodiments can all be referred to each other without limitation.

In the embodiment of this application, if a certain service flow X of the terminal needs to access the application Y deployed on the remote application server 60, if the MEC platform 50 has application Y, then the application Y can be installed on the remote application server 60. The context (for example, the context related to the terminal) is migrated to the MEC platform 50, or when the MEC platform 50 exists, the application Y can be migrated to the MEC platform 50, so that the terminal can be obtained by the application Y deployed on the MEC platform 50 A service consistent with the application Y deployed on the remote application server 60. However, after the application Y or the context of application Y is migrated to the MEC platform 50, it may not be able to perceive the change of the server address from the remote application server 60 to the MEC platform 50 (specifically the address of the local application server to which application Y is migrated), so that deployment The application Y on the local application server cannot identify the service flow from the local application server, which introduces additional time delay and causes the upper-layer service continuity cannot be guaranteed.

In view of this, as shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 5 shows a service flow processing method provided by an embodiment of the present application, and the method includes:

Step 501: The session management network element 10 offloads the first service flow of the terminal from the first application server to the second application server.

Wherein, the first application server and the second application server have the first application that the first service flow requests to access. The first address refers to the address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.

In the embodiments of the present application, the first application is deployed on both the first application server and the second application server, that is, the same application can be deployed on the first application server and the second application server together. But the same application has different addresses on different application servers.

In the embodiment of the present application, the address corresponding to the application server may be an IP address or a MAC address, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

Exemplarily, the first application server corresponds to the aforementioned remote application server 60. The second application server corresponds to the aforementioned MEC platform 50. That is, the first address may be an IP address A or a media access control (media access control, MAC) address A. It is understandable that when the first service flow is offloaded from the first application server to the second application server, the session for transmitting the first service flow may not change.

It can be understood that the first address that the first service flow requests to access is the destination address of the first service flow.

Step 502: The session management network element 10 sends first indication information to the first network element, so that the first network element receives the first indication information from the session management network element 10. The first indication information indicates that the first network element processes the address of the first service flow as the second address.

Wherein, the second address is the address of the second application server, or the second address is the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

For example, the address of the second application server may be IP address C or MAC address C. The address corresponding to the first application on the second application server may be IP address B.

The first service flow in the embodiment of the present application may refer to a part or all of the service flow sent by the terminal to the first application deployed on the first application server. Since the quintuple information such as the IP address and port number of the first service stream has been determined after the first application on the first application server is specified, once it is determined to migrate the first service stream to the second application server, the first functional entity 20 can forward the service flow originally directed to the first application deployed on the first application server to the first user plane network element.

As a possible implementation manner, the first network element is determined by the session management network element 10 according to the network location information (for example, DNAI) of the second application server.

The first network element in the embodiment of the present application may be the first functional entity 20 or the first user plane network element. For example, the first user plane network element may be the user plane network element 30.

Step 503: The first network element processes the received first service flow according to the first indication information.

In the embodiment of the present application, when the terminal moves or the session management network element 10 detects that the first application accessed by the first service flow of the terminal is deployed on the second application server, the session management network element 10 decides to change the first service of the terminal The stream is diverted from the first application server to the second application server. The session management network element 10 checks whether the PDU session of the first application to be accessed complies with the application ID deployed on the second application server in the PCC rule. If so, the session management network element 10 obtains the identification of the first application from the PCC rules, the network location information of the second application server (may be DNAI), the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, (optional) The address of the second application server and (optionally) the corresponding port number of the first application on the second application server, and generate packet detection rules (PDR) and forwarding action rules (FAR).

Wherein, the PDR includes at least the identifier of the first application deployed on the second application server, and the first address of the first application. In addition, the PDR may also include the identification of the first service flow. The FAR contains the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server. As an optional implementation manner, the FAR may also include the address of the second application server and the corresponding port number of the first application on the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the session management network element 10 also sends a PDR to the first network element, so that the PDR and the first indication information received by the first network element can be determined to process the PDR-compliant service flow address Is the second address.

As a possible embodiment, before step 502, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: the session management network element 10 determines the first network element.

Exemplarily, the session management network element 10 determines the first network element according to the network location information of the second application server. Wherein, the network location information of the second application server is used to reflect the topology structure of the second application server in the network. The network location information of the second application server may be pre-configured in the session management network element 10, or may be acquired by the session management network element 10 through the description in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 or FIG. 13, where No longer.

For example, the session management network element 10 selects a UPF meeting the required distance from the second application server as the first functional entity 20 and selects the second user plane network element for the terminal according to the network location information of the second application server. The session management network element 10 establishes and configures the first functional entity 20 through the N4 interface. The session management network element 10 configures the PDR on the first functional entity 20, so that the first functional entity 20 can forward the PDR-compliant service flow as the first service flow to the second user plane network element. The session management network element 10 establishes and configures a connection between the second application server and the first user plane network element through the N4 interface.

In a possible embodiment, before step 502, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the session management network element 10 obtains the identifier of the first application and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server and the second application server. Correspondence between the network location information of the application server.

In the first manner, the session management network element 10 is configured with a correspondence between the identifier of the first application and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server and the network location information of the second application server.

In the second manner, the session management network element 10 may obtain the correspondence between the identification of the first application and the corresponding address of the first application on the second application server and the network location information of the second application server from the policy control network element .

For the implementation of the second manner, reference may be made to the description in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 or FIG. 11, which is not repeated here.

Since whether the first application supports the change of its own IP address may affect the specific content of the first indication information, based on this, the content of the first indication information in the embodiment of the present application is as follows:

Based on the outline method flow shown in FIG. 5, the following takes FIGS. 6 to 8 as examples to further describe the processing flow of the service flow provided by the embodiment of the present application.

Example 1). The first application deployed on the second application server supports (perceives) its own IP change.

As a possible implementation, as shown in Figure 6, Figure 6 uses the second address as the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and the first indication information instructs the first network element to change the address of the first service flow from The first address is replaced with the second address, and the first address is the address corresponding to the first application on the first application server. As an example, a method for processing a service flow provided by an embodiment of the present application is described. The method includes: step 601 , Step 602 and Step 607. Among them, step 601, step 602, and step 607 refer to step 501, step 502, and step 503 in the foregoing embodiment, respectively, which will not be repeated here.

As a possible implementation, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, step 607 can be implemented in the following manner: the first network element replaces the target address of the first service flow from the first address to the second address according to the first indication information. Address (that is, the first network element replaces the target address of the first service flow from the first address with the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server).

In the embodiment of the present application, the session management network element 10 may decide to perform address replacement by one of the first functional entity 20 or the first user plane network element. FIG. 6 takes the address replacement performed by the first functional entity 20 as an example.

If the session management network element 10 sends the first indication information to the first network element, the following situation may exist: the first application or the context of the first application may not be completely migrated from the first application server to the second application server. In this case, in order to maintain the continuity of the first service flow, in a possible embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include after step 602:

Step 603: The session management network element 10 sends fourth instruction information to the first user plane network element, so that the first user plane network element receives the fourth instruction information.

Wherein, the fourth indication information indicates that the first user plane network element caches the first service flow. In this way, the first user plane network element can first cache the first service flow when the first application or the context of the first application is not completely migrated from the first application server to the second application server.

As a possible implementation manner, when the session management network element 10 sends the fourth instruction information to the first user plane network element, it may also send a PDR to the first user plane network element. At this time, the fourth indication information indicates that the first user plane network element caches the service flow that complies with the PDR.

In addition, in order to enable the first user plane network element to know the timing to end the cache, the first user plane network element in the embodiment of the present application may also wait for the end of the cache notification from the session management network element 10. As an example, the fourth indication information itself also has an end buffer notification instructing the first user plane network element to wait for the session management network element 10. Of course, the cache ending notification may also be sent to the first user plane network element through a separate message, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

The PDR-compliant service flow in the embodiment of the present application is the first service flow, which is described here in a unified manner, and will not be repeated in the following.

As a possible implementation: in the scenario where the address replacement of the first service flow is performed by the first functional entity 20, the first service flow cached by the first user plane network element refers to: the first user plane network element cache comes from the first The first service flow of the functional entity 20 that has undergone address replacement. That is, the first functional entity 20 performs address replacement of the first service flow carrying the first address and sends it to the first user plane network element, and the first user plane network element caches the first service flow.

For example, if the first service flow is service flow 1, the source address of service flow 1 is the IP address or MAC address of the terminal, and the destination address is IP1 (the address of the first application on the first application server). The functional entity 20 replaces the destination address of service flow 1 with IP2 (the address of the first application on the second application server). At this time, the description information of the service flow cached by the first user plane network element is: the source address is the address of the terminal , The destination address is IP2.

As a possible implementation: in the scenario where the address replacement of the first service flow is performed by the first user plane network element, the first service flow cached by the first user plane network element refers to: the first user plane network element caches from the first user plane network element. The first service flow of a functional entity 20, at this time the first service flow carries the first address. Or, in a scenario where the address replacement of the first service flow is performed by the first user plane network element, the first service flow cached by the first user plane network element refers to: the first user plane network element receives the information from the first functional entity 20 The first service flow. At this time, the first service flow carries the first address, and the first user plane network element replaces the first address of the first service flow with the second address before buffering.

It should be noted that, in a scenario where the first user plane network element performs address replacement of the first service flow, the first user plane network element may perform address replacement first and then cache. Or the first user plane network element may first buffer the first service flow, and after receiving an instruction to send the buffered first service flow to the second application server, perform address replacement and send, which is not limited in this embodiment of the application.

In order for the first network element to know the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server when performing address replacement, as a possible embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes:

Step 604: The session management network element 10 sends to the first user plane network element or the first functional entity 20 the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, so that the first user plane network element or the first functional entity 20 receives The address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

By performing step 604, it is convenient for the first user plane network element or the first functional entity 20 to determine that the replaced address of the first service flow is the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

If the session management network element 10 decides to perform address replacement by the first user plane network element, in step 604, the session management network element 10 sends to the first user plane network element the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

If the session management network element 10 decides to perform the address replacement by the first functional entity 20, the session management network element 10 sends to the first functional entity 20 the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server in step 604.

The address corresponding to the first application on the second application server and the first indication information may be carried in the same message. Of course, the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server may be carried in a different message from the first indication information, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

In order for the first network element to know the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server when performing address replacement, as a possible embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes:

Step 605: The session management network element 10 sends the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server to the first user plane network element or the first functional entity 20, so that the first user plane network element or the first functional entity 20 Receive the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

Step 605 is convenient for the first user plane network element or the first functional entity 20 to replace the destination port number of the first service flow from the first port number to the corresponding port of the first application on the second application server when performing address replacement. number. The first port number is a port number corresponding to the first application on the first application server. This is because the port numbers of the same application deployed on different application servers may be different.

If the session management network element 10 decides to perform address replacement by the first user plane network element, in step 605 the session management network element 10 sends to the first user plane network element the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

If the session management network element 10 decides to perform the address replacement by the first functional entity 20, the session management network element 10 sends to the first functional entity 20 the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server in step 605.

In the embodiments of this application, the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server can be carried in the same message and sent, of course, can also be carried in different messages. This embodiment of the application does not limit this.

Since the first service flow of the terminal arrives at the base station first, if the base station does not know to send the first service flow to the first functional entity 20, there may be the base station following the original path (terminal → base station → second user plane network element). A service flow is sent to the second user plane network element. After the introduction of the first functional entity 20, the first service flow actually needs to be sent to the first user plane network element. Based on this, in order to enable the first service The flow can be successfully forwarded to the first user plane network element. In a possible embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, after step 601, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes:

Step 606: The session management network element 10 sends fifth indication information to the second network element, so that the second network element receives the fifth indication information from the session management network element 10.

Wherein, the fifth indication information indicates that the second network element sends the first service flow to the third network element.

In an example, the second network element is a second user plane network element corresponding to the first application server, and the third network element is the first functional entity 20.

In another example, the second network element is the first functional entity 20, and the third network element is the first user plane network element. For example, the second user plane network element may be the user plane network element 40.

It is understandable that after the session management network element 10 has configured the tunnel between the second user plane network element and the first functional entity 20 and the tunnel between the first functional entity 20 and the first user plane network element, the session management The network element 10 updates the downlink user plane channel of the second user plane network element, configures the PDR and the forwarding rule corresponding to the PDR on the second user plane network element, and instructs the second user plane network element to send the corresponding data to the first functional entity 20 For the first service flow of the PDR, the first functional entity 20 sends the first service flow that complies with the PDR to the first user plane network element.

In order to trigger the first application or the context of the first application to be migrated to the second application server, in a possible embodiment, after step 601, the method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include: session management network element 10 notification The AF network element migrates the first application or the context of the first application to the second application server.

As shown in Figure 6, in the process of migrating the first application or the context of the first application from the first application server to the second application server, the first service flow of the terminal (may go through path 1: terminal→base station→second user Plane network element→first functional entity→first user plane network element, or path 2: terminal→base station→first functional entity→first user plane network element) is sent to the second user plane network element. The second user plane network element sends the PDR-compliant service flow to the first functional entity 20 according to the fifth instruction information. The first functional entity 20 replaces the address of the first service flow from the first address to the second address before sending it to the first user plane network element, and the first user plane network element buffers the first service flow according to the fourth instruction information. If the session management network element 10 determines that the AF network element reports that the first application or the context of the first application has been successfully migrated from the first application server to the second application server, the session management network element 10 can notify the first user plane network element to The second application server sends the service flow cached according to the PDR.

Or, in the process of migrating the first application or the context of the first application from the first application server to the second application server, after the first service flow of the terminal is sent to the second user plane network element, the second user plane network element determines If the first service flow complies with the PDR, the first service flow is sent to the first functional entity 20, and the first functional entity 20 sends the first service flow to the first user plane network element. An indication information replaces the address of the first service flow from the first address to the second address. In addition, the first user plane network element caches the first service flow in the PDU session of the first application according to the fourth indication information. If the session management When the network element 10 determines that the AF network element reports that the first application or the context of the first application has been successfully migrated from the first application server to the second application server, the session management network element can notify the first user plane network element to the second application server Send the first service flow buffered according to the PDR.

Based on this, as a possible embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include:

Step 608: The session management network element 10 sends seventh indication information to the first user plane network element, so that the first user plane network element receives the seventh indication information, and the seventh indication information instructs the first user plane network element to send the first The user plane network element buffers the first service flow according to the PDR.

It is understandable that the seventh indication information may also indicate that the first application or the context of the first application has been successfully migrated from the first application server to the second application server.

It should be noted that, before the first application or the context of the first application is successfully migrated from the first application server to the second application server, the first user plane network element buffers the received uplink service flow/downlink service flow.

In a possible embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include after step 608:

Step 609: The first user plane network element sends the buffered first service flow to the second application server according to the seventh indication information.

In Example 1, the first network element may be the first user plane network element, or the first network element may be the first functional entity 20. If the address replacement is performed by the first user plane network element, the first functional entity 20 does not perform the address replacement. If the address replacement is performed by the first functional entity 20, the first user plane network element does not perform the address replacement.

For example, taking the session management network element 10 decides to perform address replacement by the first user plane network element as an example, referring to FIG. 7, as shown in Table 1, the source IP address of the service flow a from the terminal is: IP-1a, the service The destination IP address of the flow is: IP-A, and the destination port number is: Port (port number)-x. At this time, the terminal sends the service flow a to the user plane network element 40. After receiving the service flow a, the user plane network element 40 sends the service flow a to the first functional entity 20 according to the fifth instruction information. The first functional entity 20 determines that the service flow a complies with the PDR, and executes the service flow a according to the fifth instruction information. Sent to the first user plane network element. The first user plane network element performs address replacement after receiving the service flow a from the first functional entity 20, as shown in Table 1: That is, the first user plane network element replaces the destination address of the service flow a from IP-A to IP -B, the destination port number is replaced from Port-x to Port-y and sent to the second application server.

Table 1 The initial IP header of the first service flow from the terminal

Table 2 IP header replaced by IP header in the first service flow

In addition, for the downlink service flow sent to the terminal by the first application deployed on the second application server, the session management network element 10 may also instruct the second application server to replace the destination address of the downlink service flow with that of the first user plane network element. In addition, the session management network element 10 may also instruct the first user plane network element to replace the destination address of the received downlink service flow with the terminal, so as to successfully send the downlink service flow to the terminal.

Example 2) The first application deployed on the second application server does not support (perceive) IP address changes.

As shown in FIG. 8, in FIG. 8, the second address is the address of the second application server, and the first network element is the first user plane network element corresponding to the second application server.

As another possible implementation, the first indication information instructs the first user plane network element to establish a data tunnel from the first user plane network element to the destination address of the second application server. The data tunnel is used to transmit the first service flow. An example describes a service flow processing method provided by an embodiment of the present application, and the method includes: step 801, step 802, and step 805. Among them, step 801 and step 802 respectively refer to step 501 and step 502 in the above-mentioned embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

Step 803 to step 804 are the same as step 603 and step 606, and will not be repeated here.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, step 805 can be implemented in the following manner: the first user plane network element establishes a data tunnel, so as to subsequently transmit the first service flow on the data tunnel. In this way, the address of the second application server can be carried in the external header of the first service flow, so that the first service flow can be successfully sent to the second application server.

For example, the first user plane network element performs data tunneling technology on the first service flow, and the data tunneling technology encapsulates the first service flow in another data packet. As shown in Table 3, add external to the header of the first service flow. The packet header makes the destination IP address point to the second application server. After the first service flow reaches the second application server, the second application server decapsulates the external header and sends the first service flow to the second application server. The first application on the site. For example, the data tunnel technology can be but not limited to GRE, IP in IP, SRv6, etc.

table 3

As shown in Figure 9, as shown in Table 1, the source IP address of the service flow a from the terminal is: IP-1a, the destination IP address of the service flow is: IP-A, and the destination port number is: Port-x. At this time, the terminal sends the service flow a to the second user plane network element. After receiving the service flow a, the second user plane network element sends the service flow a to the first functional entity 20 according to the fifth instruction information, and the first functional entity 20 determines that the service flow a conforms to the PDR, and according to the fifth instruction information, the service flow a The execution is sent to the first user plane network element. The first user plane network element performs address replacement after receiving the service flow a from the first functional entity 20, as shown in Table 3: That is, the first user plane network element adds an external header to the service flow a, and the source IP address of the external header It is: IP-2 (the address of the first user plane network element), and the destination IP address is IP-Y.

Step 806 is the same as step 608, and will not be repeated here.

In addition, in Example 2, the seventh indication information may also instruct the first user plane network element to send the uplink service flow (for example, the first service flow) and the downlink service (for example, the first service flow) buffered by the first user plane network element through the data tunnel. 2. Business flow) flow.

As a possible implementation manner, the session management network element in the embodiment of the present application may also notify the second application server to send a downlink service flow (for example, the second service flow) directed to the terminal to the first user plane network element through the data tunnel.

Example 3) The first application deployed on the second application server does not support (perceive) IP address changes.

As shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 10 uses the second address as the address of the second application server as an example to describe a service flow processing method provided by an embodiment of the present application. The method includes: step 1001, step 1002, and step 1007 , Wherein, step 1001, step 1002, and step 1007 refer to step 501, step 502, and step 503 in the above-mentioned embodiment respectively, which will not be repeated here. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, step 1007 can be implemented in the following manner: the first network element replaces the target address of the first service flow from the first address with the address of the second application server according to the first indication information.

Step 1003: The session management network element 10 sends third indication information to the second application server, so that the second application server receives the third indication information. The third indication information instructs the second application server to replace the destination address of the first service flow from the second address to the first address.

In this way, when the second application server receives the first service flow from the first user plane network element, it can replace the destination address of the first service flow from the second address to the first address, and then send it to the second application server. In this way, the first application can determine that the address of the first service flow is the first address.

Step 1004 is the same as step 603, and will not be repeated here.

Step 1005: The session management network element 10 sends the address of the second application server to the first network element.

Step 1006 is the same as step 606, and will not be repeated here.

Step 1008 to step 1009 are the same as step 608 to step 609, and will not be repeated here.

In step 1009, the destination address carried in the buffered first service flow sent by the first user plane network element to the second application server is the address of the second application server.

In a possible embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes:

Step 1010: After receiving the first service flow carrying the destination address of the second application server from the first user plane network element, the second application server changes the destination address of the first service flow from the address of the second application server Replace with the first address.

For example, in conjunction with FIG. 11, taking the session management network element 10 decides to perform address replacement by the first functional entity 20 as an example, referring to FIG. 11, as shown in Table 1, the source IP address of the service flow a from the terminal is: IP-1a , The destination IP address of the service flow is: IP-A, and the destination port number is: Port-x. At this time, the terminal sends the service flow a to the second user plane network element. After receiving the service flow a, the second user plane network element sends the service flow a to the uplink classifier according to the fifth instruction information. The uplink classifier determines that service flow a conforms to the PDR, and performs address replacement for service flow a according to the fifth instruction information, as shown in Table 4: That is, the destination address of service flow a is replaced from IP-A to IP-Y and then sent to the first User plane network element. After that, the first user plane network element sends the service flow a shown in Table 4 to the second application server according to the seventh instruction information, that is, the source IP of the service flow a sent by the first user plane network element to the second application server The address is IP-1a, and the destination address is IP-Y.

Table 4

As shown in Table 5, Table 5 shows that after the second application server receives the service flow a shown in Table 4 (the source IP address is IP-1a and the destination address is IP-Y), the second application server performs a pair according to the third instruction information. Service flow a performs address reverse mapping, that is, the second application server replaces the destination address of service flow a from IP-Y to IP-A.

table 5

In a possible implementation, the third indication information further instructs the second application server to replace the address of the second service flow from the third address to the address of the first user plane network element, where the third address is the address of the terminal or The external address allocated by the first user plane network element to the terminal. The second service flow is a downlink service flow sent by the first application to the terminal.

Correspondingly, as shown in FIG. 10, as a possible embodiment, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes:

Step 1011, the second application server replaces the destination address of the second service flow from the third address with the address of the first user plane network element to obtain the processed second service flow.

Step 1012: The second application server sends the processed second service flow to the first user plane network element.

Step 1013: The first user plane network element replaces the destination address of the second service flow from the second application server from the address of the first user plane network element to the address of the terminal.

Table 6

Table 7

With reference to Table 6 or Table 7, for the second service flow, the second application server replaces the destination address of the second service flow from IP-1a to IP-2 and sends it to the first user plane network element. After receiving the second service flow, the first user plane network element replaces the destination address of the second service flow from IP-2 to IP-1a, and then sends it to the terminal through the first functional entity 20.

It should be noted that, in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the method provided by the embodiment of the present application further includes: the session management network element 10 configures the user plane channel between the access device and the first functional entity 20, The user plane channel between the first user plane network element and the first functional entity 20 is configured, and the user plane channel between the second user plane network element and the first functional entity 20 is configured.

In this way, the access device can subsequently send the first service flow from the terminal to the first functional entity, and send the first service flow from the first functional entity to the terminal. Similarly, the first functional entity may subsequently send the first service flow to the first user plane network element, and the first user plane network element may send the first service flow to the first functional entity. Similarly, the second user plane network element may send the first service flow to the first functional entity.

With reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, before the session management network element 10 sends the first indication information to the first network element, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the session management network element 10 obtains the information of the first application The corresponding relationship between the identifier, the network location information of the second application server, and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

On the one hand, the session management network element 10 is locally configured with a correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the network location information of the second application server, and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

On the other hand, the session management network element 10 may obtain the identity of the first application, the network location information of the second application server, and the correspondence between the address of the first application on the second application server from the PCF network element.

As shown in FIG. 12, FIG. 12 shows the process of generating the corresponding relationship between the identifier of the first application, the network location information of the second application server, and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server. The method includes :

Step 1201: The AF network element obtains the location information of the second application server of the first application and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

Wherein, the second application server of the first application refers to: the first application is deployed on the second application server. The location information of the second application server may refer to the logical address or network address of the second application server.

On the one hand, the AF network element is locally configured with the location information of the second application server of the first application and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

On the other hand, the AF network element may obtain the location information of the second application server of the first application and the corresponding address of the first application on the second application server from the second application server.

Step 1202: The AF network element sends the identification and location information of the first application and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server to the network function opening network element, so that the network function opening network element receives the identification and location of the first application Information and the corresponding address of the first application on the second application server.

For example, in the original AF request (Request), the AF network element AF_Service_Identifier carries the location information of the second application server of the first application and the corresponding address of the first application on the second application server, (optional) the address of the second application server, and (Optional) The port number of the first application.

Step 1203: The network function opening network element determines the network location information of the second application server according to the location information. The identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the first application correspond to each other.

It should be understood that the network location information of the second application server refers to the physical address of the second application server, and may refer to the specific location where the second application server is deployed, for example, which district or city is located in. The network location information can be DNAI and the like.

As a possible embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes:

Step 1204: The AF network element sends the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application to the network function opening network element, so that the network function opening network element receives the address of the second application server and the first application server from the AF network element. An application port number. Correspondingly, the identification of the first application also corresponds to the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application.

Exemplarily, the AF network element sends Nnef_TrafficInfluence_Create/Update/Delete information to the NEF network element. Among them, Nnef_TrafficInfluence_Create/Update/Delete information carries AF_Service_Identifier.

As shown in Table 8, Table 8 shows the process of the NEF network element establishing the correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the first application:

Table 8

Step 1205: The network function opening network element sends the corresponding relationship between the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application and the network location information of the first application to the policy control network element, so that the policy control network element receives the information of the first application. The corresponding relationship between the identifier and the address of the first application and the network location information of the first application.

Exemplarily, the network function opening network element sends the content in Table 6 to the policy control network element through Npcf_PolicyAuthorization_Create/Update Request information.

Step 1206: The policy control network element obtains the correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the second application server of the first application.

As a possible implementation manner, step 1206 can be implemented in the following manner: the policy control network element receives the identification of the first application and the address of the first application from the data storage network element and the network location of the second application server of the first application Correspondence between information. For the specific process, refer to the embodiment shown in FIG. 13.

As another possible implementation manner, step 1206 can be implemented in the following manner: the policy control network element receives the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application from the network function opening network element and the address of the second application server of the first application. Correspondence between network location information.

Step 1207: The policy control network element determines a PCC rule; where the PCC rule includes at least the correspondence between the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application and the network location information of the second application server of the first application.

As a possible implementation, step 1207 can be specifically implemented in the following manner: the policy control network element determines whether the changed AF Requests information affects the existing PDU session. If an existing PDU session is affected, the policy control network element updates the PCC rules to change the settings of these PDU sessions, and carries the identification of the first application and the address of the first application related to the affected PDU session in the Npcf_SMPolicyControl_UpdateNotify information. The correspondence between the network location information of the second application server of the first application, (optional) the address of the second application server, and (optional) the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server. After receiving the updated PCC rules, the session management network element performs subsequent configuration on the user plane channel.

Step 1208: The policy control network element sends the PCC rule to the session management network element 10.

As a possible implementation manner, the identifier of the first application in the PCC rule also corresponds to the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the AF network element notifies the core network to update the method for the network side to process the PDU session corresponding to the terminal for a specific terminal. In this method, the AF network element uses the position of the second application server of the first application The information and the address of the first application are sent to NEF. NEF determines the correspondence between the network location information of the second application server and the address of the first application according to the information provided by the AF network element and sends it to the policy control network element, which is controlled by the policy The network element notifies the session management network element to perform subsequent user plane channel configuration.

As shown in FIG. 13, FIG. 13 shows another process of generating the correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the network location information of the second application server, and the address of the first application. The method includes:

Step 1301 to step 1304 are the same as step 1201 to step 1204, and will not be repeated here.

Step 1305: The network function opening network element sends the corresponding relationship between the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application and the network location information of the first application to the data storage network element (for example, UDR network element), so that the data is stored The network element receives the correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the first application.

Step 1306: The data storage network element sends the corresponding relationship between the identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the first application to the policy control network element, so that the policy control network element receives the identifier of the first application Correspondence with the address of the first application and the network location information of the first application.

Specifically, the data storage network element notifies the policy control network element of the change of the AF Requests information subscribed to by the Nudr_DM_Notify information, and executes step 1306.

Step 1307-step 1309 are the same as step 1206-step 1208, and will not be repeated here.

It is understandable that if the data storage network element obtains the correspondence between the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application and the network location information of the first application from the network function opening network element, the data storage network element passes The Nudr_DM_Notify information notification policy controls changes to the AF Requests information that the network element subscribes to. The data storage network element stores the identification of the first application, the network location information of the second application server, the address of the first application, (optional) the address of the second application server, and (optional) the first application on the second application server The mutual correspondence between the corresponding port numbers is sent to the policy control network element.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the AF network element notifies the core network to update the network-side processing strategy for one or more applications. In this method, the AF network element combines the location information of the second application server of the first application and the second application server. The address of an application is sent to NEF. According to the information provided by the AF network element, NEF determines that the network location information of the second application server corresponds to the local application IP of the first application and stores it in the data storage network element. When the core network decides that there is a PDU session, it needs to be offloaded to the second application server. When the first application on the second application server is used, subsequent user plane channel configuration can be performed according to the corresponding relationship pre-stored in the data storage network element.

As shown in FIG. 14, FIG. 14 shows that the present application provides another method for processing a service flow. The method includes: step 1401, a terminal obtains an address on a second application server corresponding to a first application.

Step 1402: The terminal processes the service flow sent to the first application according to the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application.

That is, if the terminal determines that the first application is deployed on the second application server, the service stream sent to the first application can be encapsulated with the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application, so as to facilitate access to the device The service flow is sent to the user plane network element corresponding to the second application server.

The manner in which the terminal obtains the address on the second application server corresponding to the first application can be implemented in the following manner:

Realize 1-1, get through the control plane.

That is, step 1401 can be implemented through step 1401a. Step 1401a: The session management network element or the policy control network element sends the identification of the first application, the network location information of the second application server, and the corresponding address of the first application on the second application server to the terminal. The terminal is enabled to receive the mutual correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the network location information of the second application server, and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.

In a possible implementation manner, the session management network element or the policy control network element also sends the address of the second application server and the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server to the terminal.

Through this step 1401a, the subsequent terminal can determine to replace the destination address of the service flow originally sent to the first application deployed on the first application server from the first address to the address of the first application on the second application server. In this way, the subsequent address replacement or the process of encapsulating the outer header for the first service flow can be avoided.

Realize 1-2, get through the user interface.

As a possible implementation, step 1401 can be implemented through step 1401b: the terminal obtains one or more application servers and the service area information corresponding to each application server, and the terminal determines the first application corresponding to the service area information corresponding to each application server The address on the second application server, and the service area information corresponding to the application server includes the identifier of the first application deployed on the application server. The first application belongs to one or more applications.

Optionally, the service area information corresponding to the application server may further include: a port number corresponding to the first application on the application server, an address corresponding to the first application on the application server, location information of the application server, and address information of the application server.

For example, the terminal obtains application server 1, application server 2, and application server 3. Application server 1, application server 2, and application server 3 are all deployed with the first application, so that the terminal can download application server 1, application server 2, and application server 3. Select an application server as the second application server.

Exemplarily, the terminal may select the application server closest to the terminal from one or more application servers as the second application server, and/or, the terminal may select the application server with the lowest load from the one or more application servers as the second application server application server.

Before step 1401b, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include:

1401c. The terminal sends a provisioning request (provisioning request) to an edge data network configuration server (edge data network configuration server), so that the edge data network configuration server receives the configuration request. Wherein, the configuration request carries the identification of the terminal and the identification of the first application that the terminal requests to access. The configuration request requests information about one or more application servers on which the first application is deployed.

Step 1401d: The edge data network configuration server sends the information of one or more application servers and the service area information corresponding to each application server to the terminal.

Realize 1-3,

As a possible implementation, step 1401 can be implemented through step 1401e and step 1401f:

Step 1401e: The terminal sends a provisioning request (provisioning request) to the edge enabler server, so that the edge enabler server receives the configuration request. The configuration request carries the identification of the terminal and the identification of the first application that the terminal requests to access.

Step 1401f: The edge-enabled server sends the information of the second application server and the service area information corresponding to the second application server to the terminal.

It should be understood that since the edge-enabled server is arranged in a distributed manner, if the terminal can already determine the edge-enabled server, it means that the terminal can request the information of the application server managed by the edge-enabled server. Of course, the edge-enabled server can send multiple application servers to the terminal, and the first application is deployed on the multiple application servers. At this time, the terminal can also select one application server from multiple application servers fed back by the edge-enabled server. As the second application server.

In the embodiment of the present application, the terminal may obtain the address information or identification information of the edge-enabled server from the edge data network configuration server.

The foregoing mainly introduces the solution of the embodiment of the present application from the perspective of interaction between various network elements. It is understandable that each network element, such as the session management network element, the first functional entity, the first user plane network element, the second application server, etc., in order to realize the above functions, includes the corresponding hardware structure and/or Software module. Those skilled in the art should easily realize that in combination with the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a certain function is executed by hardware or computer software-driven hardware depends on the specific application and design constraint conditions of the technical solution. Professionals and technicians can use different methods for each specific application to implement the described functions, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

The embodiment of the present application can divide the functional units according to the above-mentioned method examples, the session management network element, the first functional entity, the first user plane network element, and the second application server. For example, each functional unit can be divided corresponding to each function, or Two or more functions are integrated in one processing unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit can be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional unit. It should be noted that the division of units in the embodiments of the present application is illustrative, and is only a logical function division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation.

The method of the embodiment of the present application is described above in conjunction with FIG. 6 to FIG. 14, and the communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application for performing the foregoing method is described below. Those skilled in the art can understand that the method and the device can be combined and referenced with each other, and the communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application can execute the steps performed by the session management network element and the first offloading entity in the above-mentioned communication method.

In the case of using an integrated unit, FIG. 15 shows a communication device involved in the foregoing embodiment, and the communication device may include: a communication unit 102 and a processing unit 101.

In an example, the communication device is a session management network element, or a chip applied to the session management network element. In this case, the processing unit 101 is configured to support the communication device to execute step 501 in FIG. 5 by the session management network element in FIG. 5 of the foregoing embodiment. The communication unit 102 is configured to support the communication device to perform the action sent by the session management network element in step 502 in FIG. 5.

In a possible embodiment, the communication unit 102 is further configured to support the communication device to execute the actions sent by the session management network element in step 603, step 604, step 605, step 606, and step 608 in the foregoing embodiment. Alternatively, the communication unit 102 is further configured to support the communication device to perform the actions sent by the session management network element in step 803, step 804, and step 806 in the foregoing embodiment. Alternatively, the communication unit 102 is further configured to support the communication device to perform the actions sent by the session management network element in step 1003, step 1004, step 1005, step 1006, and step 1008 in the foregoing embodiment.

In another example, the communication device is a first functional entity or a chip applied to the first functional entity. In this case, the communication unit 102 is configured to support the communication device to perform the action received by the first network element in step 502 in the foregoing embodiment. The processing unit 101 is configured to support the communication device to execute step 503 in the foregoing embodiment.

In a possible embodiment, the communication unit 102 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first functional entity in step 604, step 605, and step 606 in the foregoing embodiment. Alternatively, the communication unit 102 is also used for the communication device to execute the action received by the first functional entity in step 804 in the foregoing embodiment. Alternatively, the communication unit 102 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first functional entity in step 1004, step 1005, and step 1006 in the foregoing embodiment.

In another example, the communication device is a first user plane network element, or a chip applied to the first user plane network element. The communication unit 102 is configured to support the communication device to perform the action received by the first network element in step 502 in the foregoing embodiment. The processing unit 101 is configured to support the communication device to execute the action processed by the first network element in step 503 of the foregoing embodiment.

In a possible embodiment, the communication unit 102 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first user plane network element in step 603, step 604, step 605, and step 608 and step 609 in the foregoing embodiment. In the action sent by the first user plane network element. Alternatively, the communication unit 102 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first user plane network element in step 803, step 806, and the actions sent by the first user plane network element in step 807, The processing unit 101 is also used for the communication device to execute the above step 805. Alternatively, the communication unit 102 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first user plane network element in step 1004, step 1005, step 1008, and step 1012 in the above-mentioned embodiment, and the action received by the first user plane network element in step 1009. For the meta-sending action, the processing unit 101 is also used for the communication device to execute the above step 1013.

In another example, the communication device is an AF network element, or a chip applied to an AF network element. The communication unit 102 is configured to support the communication device to perform the action sent in step 1202 in the foregoing embodiment. The processing unit 101 is configured to support the communication device to execute step 1201 of the foregoing embodiment.

In a possible embodiment, the communication unit 102 is also used for the communication device to execute the action sent in step 1204 in the foregoing embodiment.

In another example, the communication device is an open network element for a network function, or a chip in an open network element for a network function. The communication unit 102 is configured to support the communication device to perform the action received in step 1202 in the foregoing embodiment. The processing unit 101 is configured to support the communication device to execute step 1203 of the foregoing embodiment.

In a possible embodiment, the communication unit 102 is also used for the communication device to execute the action received in step 1204, the action sent in step 1205, and step 1305 in the foregoing embodiment.

In the case of using an integrated unit, FIG. 16 shows a schematic diagram of a possible logical structure of the communication device involved in the foregoing embodiment. The communication device includes: a processing module 112 and a communication module 113. The processing module 112 is used to control and manage the actions of the communication device. For example, the processing module 112 is used to perform information/data processing steps on the communication device. The communication module 113 is used to support the communication device to send or receive information/data.

In a possible embodiment, the communication device may further include a storage module 111 for storing program codes and data that can be used by the communication device.

In an example, the communication device is a session management network element, or a chip applied to the session management network element. In this case, the processing module 112 is configured to support the communication device to execute step 501 in FIG. 5 by the session management network element in FIG. 5 of the foregoing embodiment. The communication module 113 is configured to support the communication device to perform the action sent by the session management network element in step 502 in FIG. 5.

In a possible embodiment, the communication module 113 is further configured to support the communication device to perform the actions sent by the session management network element in step 603, step 604, step 605, step 606, and step 608 in the foregoing embodiment. Alternatively, the communication module 113 is further configured to support the communication device to perform the actions sent by the session management network element in step 803, step 804, and step 806 in the foregoing embodiment. Alternatively, the communication module 113 is further configured to support the communication device to perform the actions sent by the session management network element in step 1003, step 1004, step 1005, step 1006, and step 1008 in the foregoing embodiment.

In another example, the communication device is a first functional entity or a chip applied to the first functional entity. In this case, the communication module 113 is used to support the communication device to perform the action received by the first network element in step 502 in the foregoing embodiment. The processing module 112 is configured to support the communication device to execute step 503 in the foregoing embodiment.

In a possible embodiment, the communication module 113 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first functional entity in step 604, step 605, and step 606 in the foregoing embodiment. Alternatively, the communication module 113 is also used for the communication device to execute the action received by the first functional entity in step 804 in the foregoing embodiment. Alternatively, the communication module 113 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first functional entity in step 1004, step 1005, and step 1006 in the foregoing embodiment.

In another example, the communication device is a first user plane network element, or a chip applied to the first user plane network element. The communication module 113 is configured to support the communication device to perform the action received by the first network element in step 502 in the foregoing embodiment. The processing module 112 is configured to support the communication device to execute the action processed by the first network element in step 503 of the foregoing embodiment.

In a possible embodiment, the communication module 113 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first user plane network element in step 603, step 604, step 605, and step 608 and step 609 in the foregoing embodiment. In the action sent by the first user plane network element. Alternatively, the communication module 113 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first user plane network element in step 803, step 806, and the actions sent by the first user plane network element in step 807, The processing module 112 is also used for the communication device to execute the above step 805. Alternatively, the communication module 113 is also used for the communication device to execute the actions received by the first user plane network element in step 1004, step 1005, step 1008, and step 1012 in the above-mentioned embodiment, and the action received by the first user plane network element in step 1009 For the meta-sending action, the processing module 112 is also used for the communication device to execute the above step 1013.

In another example, the communication device is an AF network element, or a chip applied to an AF network element. The communication module 113 is configured to support the communication device to execute the action sent in step 1202 in the foregoing embodiment. The processing module 112 is configured to support the communication device to execute step 1201 of the foregoing embodiment.

In a possible embodiment, the communication module 113 is also used for the communication device to execute the action sent in step 1204 in the foregoing embodiment.

In another example, the communication device is an open network element for a network function, or a chip in an open network element for a network function. The communication module 113 is configured to support the communication device to execute the action received in step 1202 in the above-mentioned embodiment. The processing module 112 is configured to support the communication device to execute step 1203 of the foregoing embodiment.

In a possible embodiment, the communication module 113 is also used for the communication device to execute the action received in step 1204, the action sent in step 1205, and step 1305 in the foregoing embodiment.

The processing module 112 may be a processor or a controller, for example, a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, Hardware components or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute various exemplary logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor may also be a combination of computing functions, for example, a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, and so on. The communication module 113 may be a transceiver, a transceiver circuit, or a communication interface. The storage module 111 may be a memory.

When the processing module 112 is the processor 41 or the processor 45, the communication module 113 is the communication interface 43, and the storage module 111 is the memory 42, the communication device involved in this application may be the communication device shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 17 is a schematic structural diagram of a chip 150 provided by an embodiment of the present application. The chip 150 includes one or more (including two) processors 1510 and a communication interface 1530.

Optionally, the chip 150 further includes a memory 1540. The memory 1540 may include a read-only memory and a random access memory, and provides operation instructions and data to the processor 1510. A part of the memory 1540 may also include a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM).

In some embodiments, the memory 1540 stores the following elements, execution modules or data structures, or their subsets, or their extended sets.

In the embodiment of the present application, the corresponding operation is executed by calling the operation instruction stored in the memory 1540 (the operation instruction may be stored in the operating system).

One possible implementation is that the chips used in the session management network element, the first functional entity, and the first user plane network element have similar structures, and different devices can use different chips to implement their respective functions.

The processor 1510 controls processing operations of any one of the session management network element, the first functional entity, and the first user plane network element. The processor 1510 may also be referred to as a central processing unit (CPU).

The memory 1540 may include a read-only memory and a random access memory, and provides instructions and data to the processor 1510. A part of the memory 1540 may also include NVRAM. For example, in an application, the memory 1540, the communication interface 1530, and the memory 1540 are coupled together by a bus system 1520, where the bus system 1520 may include a power bus, a control bus, and a status signal bus in addition to a data bus. However, for clarity of description, various buses are marked as the bus system 1520 in FIG. 17.

The methods disclosed in the foregoing embodiments of the present application may be applied to the processor 1510 or implemented by the processor 1510. The processor 1510 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, each step of the above method can be completed by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in the processor 1510 or instructions in the form of software. The aforementioned processor 1510 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processing (digital signal processing, DSP), an ASIC, an off-the-shelf programmable gate array (field-programmable gate array, FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistors. Logic devices, discrete hardware components. The methods, steps, and logical block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented or executed. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or the processor may also be any conventional processor or the like. The steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of the present application may be directly embodied as being executed and completed by a hardware decoding processor, or executed and completed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software module can be located in a mature storage medium in the field, such as random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, or electrically erasable programmable memory, registers. The storage medium is located in the memory 1540, and the processor 1510 reads the information in the memory 1540, and completes the steps of the foregoing method in combination with its hardware.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication interface 1530 is used to perform the steps of receiving and sending the session management network element, the first functional entity, and the first user plane network element in the embodiments shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 14. The processor 1510 is configured to execute the processing steps of the session management network element, the first functional entity, and the first user plane network element in the embodiments shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 14.

The above communication unit may be a communication interface of the device for receiving signals from other devices. For example, when the device is implemented in the form of a chip, the communication unit is a communication interface for the chip to receive signals or send signals from other chips or devices.

On the one hand, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. The computer-readable storage medium stores instructions. When the instructions are executed, the session management in Figure 6, Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 12, Figure 13, and Figure 14 are implemented. The function of the network element.

On the one hand, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, and instructions are stored in the computer-readable storage medium. When the instructions are executed, the first steps shown in Figure 6, Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 12, Figure 13, and Figure 14 are realized. The function of the user plane network element.

On the one hand, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, and instructions are stored in the computer-readable storage medium. When the instructions are executed, the first steps shown in Fig. 6, Fig. 8, Fig. 10, Fig. 12, Fig. 13, and Fig. 14 are realized. The function of the functional entity.

On the one hand, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. The computer-readable storage medium stores instructions. When the instructions are executed, the functions of the terminal as shown in FIG. 14 are realized.

On the one hand, a computer program product including instructions is provided. The computer program product includes instructions. When the instructions are executed, the session management network elements in Figure 6, Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 12, Figure 13, and Figure 14 are implemented. Function.

In another aspect, a computer program product including instructions is provided. The computer program product includes instructions. When the instructions are executed, the first user plane network element shown in Figure 6, Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 12, and Figure 13 is realized. Function.

In yet another aspect, a computer program product including instructions is provided. The computer program product includes instructions. When the instructions are executed, the functions of the first functional entity in Figure 6, Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 12, and Figure 13 are realized. .

In another aspect, a computer program product including instructions is provided. The computer program product includes instructions. When the instructions are executed, the functions as shown in FIG. 14 are realized.

On the one hand, a chip is provided. The chip is applied to a session management network element. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to the at least one processor. 8. The functions of the session management network elements in Figure 10, Figure 12, Figure 13, and Figure 14.

In yet another aspect, a chip is provided. The chip is applied to a first user plane network element. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to the at least one processor. 6. The functions of the first user plane network element in Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 12, and Figure 13.

In yet another aspect, a chip is provided. The chip is applied to a first functional entity. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to the at least one processor. The functions of the first functional entity in Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 12, and Figure 13.

In yet another aspect, a chip is provided. The chip is applied to a first functional entity. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to the at least one processor. The function of the terminal.

In yet another aspect, a chip is provided. The chip is applied to a first functional entity. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to the at least one processor. The function of the AF network element in Figure 13.

In yet another aspect, a chip is provided. The chip is applied to a first functional entity. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to the at least one processor. The function of NEF network element in Fig. 13.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, which includes: a session management network element and a first network element. Among them, the session management network element is used to perform the functions of the session management network elements shown in Figure 6, Figure 8, Figure 10, Figure 12, Figure 13, and Figure 14, and the first network element is used to perform Figure 6, Figure 8, Figure 10. Steps performed by the first functional entity or the first user plane network element in any one of FIG. 12 and FIG. 13.

Optionally, the communication system may also include AF network elements and NEF network elements. Among them, the AF and NEF network elements are used to perform the corresponding functions in FIG. 12 or FIG. 13.

In the above embodiments, it may be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented by software, it can be implemented in the form of a computer program product in whole or in part. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instruction is loaded and executed on the computer, the process or function described in the embodiment of the present application is executed in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, network equipment, user equipment, or other programmable devices. The computer program or instruction may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer program or instruction may be downloaded from a website, computer, The server or data center transmits to another website site, computer, server or data center through wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or a data center that integrates one or more available media. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, and a magnetic tape; it may also be an optical medium, such as a digital video disc (digital video disc, DVD); and it may also be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid state drive (solid state drive). , SSD).

Although the present application is described in conjunction with various embodiments, in the process of implementing the claimed application, those skilled in the art can understand and realize the disclosure by looking at the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. Other changes to the embodiment. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "one" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. Certain measures are described in mutually different dependent claims, but this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

Although the application has been described in combination with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are merely exemplary descriptions of the application as defined by the appended claims, and are deemed to cover any and all modifications, changes, combinations or equivalents within the scope of the application. Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the application without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. In this way, if these modifications and variations of this application fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalent technologies, this application is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

A method for processing service flow, which is characterized in that it includes:

The session management network element offloads the first service flow of the terminal from the first application server to the second application server, and the first application server and the second application server have the first application that the first service flow requests to access. ；

The session management network element sends first indication information to a first network element, where the first indication information instructs the first network element to process the address of the first service flow as a second address; the first network The element is determined by the session management network element according to the network location information of the second application server;

Wherein, the second address is an address of the second application server, or the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and the first indication information indicates that the first network element will The destination address of the first service flow is replaced with the second address from the first address, and the first address is an address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the first network element is a first user plane network element corresponding to the second application server, and the second address is an address of the second application server, The first indication information instructs the first user plane network element to establish a data tunnel from the first user plane network element to the destination address of the second application server, and the data tunnel is used to transmit the second application server. One business flow.
The method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:

The session management network element sends second indication information to the second application server, where the second indication information instructs the second application server to send a second service to the first user plane network element through the data tunnel flow.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the second address is an address of the second application server, and the first indication information indicates that the first network element uses the destination of the first service flow The address is replaced from the first address to the second address, and the first address is an address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.
The method according to claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

The session management network element sends third indication information to the second application server, where the third indication information instructs the second application server to replace the destination address of the first service flow from the second address to The first address.
The method according to claim 6, wherein the third indication information further instructs the second application server to replace the address of the second service flow from the third address to the address of the first user plane network element, so The third address is an address of the terminal or an external address allocated by the first user plane network element to the terminal.
The method according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the method further comprises:

The session management network element sends fourth instruction information to the first user plane network element, where the fourth instruction information instructs the first user plane network element to cache the first service flow.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein before the session management network element sends the first indication information to the first network element, the method further comprises:

The session management network element obtains the correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and the network location information of the first application.
The method according to claim 9, wherein the identifier of the first application also corresponds to the address of the second application server or the corresponding port number of the first application on the second application server. .
The method according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein the method further comprises:

The session management network element sends the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server to the first network element.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the method further comprises:

The session management network element sends the port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server to the first network element.
The method according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein the method further comprises:

Sending, by the session management network element, fifth indication information to a second network element, the fifth indication information instructing the second network element to send the first service flow to a third network element;

Wherein, the second network element is a second user plane network element corresponding to the first application server, the third network element is the first functional entity, or the second network element is the first A functional entity, and the third network element is a first user plane network element.
A method for processing service flow, which is characterized in that it includes:

The first network element receives first indication information from the session management network element, where the first indication information instructs the first network element to process the address of the first service flow requesting access to the first application as the second address; The first application is deployed on the first application server and the second application server;

The first network element processes the received first service flow according to the first instruction information;

Wherein, the second address is an address of the second application server, or the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.
The method according to claim 14, wherein the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and the first indication information indicates that the first network element will The destination address of the first service flow is replaced with the second address from the first address, and the first address is an address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.
The method according to claim 14, wherein the first network element is a first user plane network element corresponding to the second application server, and the second address is an address of the second application server, The first indication information instructs the first user plane network element to establish a data tunnel from the first user plane network element to the destination address of the second application server, and the data tunnel is used to transmit the second application server. One business flow.
The method according to claim 14, wherein the second address is an address of the second application server, and the first indication information indicates that the first network element uses the destination of the first service flow The address is replaced from the first address to the second address, and the first address is an address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.
The method according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the first network element is a first user plane network element, and the method further comprises:

The first network element receives fourth indication information from the session management network element, where the fourth indication information instructs the first user plane network element to cache the first service flow.
The method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the method further comprises:

The first network element receives an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server from the session management network element.
The method according to claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

The first network element receives a port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server from the session management network element.
The method according to any one of claims 14, 15, 17, 19-20, wherein the first network element is a first functional entity, and the method further comprises:

The first network element receives fifth instruction information from the session management network element, where the fifth instruction information instructs the first functional entity to send the first service flow to the first user plane network element.
A routing method for service flow, which is characterized in that it includes:

The application function AF network element obtains the location information of the second application server of the first application and the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server;

The AF network element sends the identifier of the first application, the location information, and the address of the first application to the network function opening network element.
The method according to claim 22, wherein the method further comprises:

The AF network element sends the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application to the network function opening network element.
A routing method for service flow, which is characterized in that it includes:

The network function opening network element receives the identifier of the first application from the application function AF network element, the location information of the second application server of the first application, and the address of the first application;

The network function opening network element determines the network location information of the second application server according to the location information; one of the identifier of the first application, the address of the first application, and the network location information of the first application Correspondence between each other.
The method according to claim 24, wherein the method further comprises:

Receiving, by the network function opening network element, the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application from the AF network element;

The identifier of the first application also corresponds to the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application.
The method according to claim 24 or 25, wherein the method further comprises:

The network function opening network element sends the corresponding relationship between the identifier of the first application and the address of the first application and the network location information of the first application to a data storage network element or a policy control network element.
A communication device, characterized in that it comprises:

The processing unit is configured to offload the first service flow of the terminal from the first application server to the second application server, and the first application server and the second application server have the first service flow requesting access to the first application server. application;

The communication unit is configured to send first indication information to a first network element, where the first indication information instructs the first network element to process the address of the first service flow as a second address; the first network element Determined by the processing unit according to the correspondence between the identifier of the first application, the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and the network location information of the second application server;

Wherein, the second address is an address of the second application server, or the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.
The device according to claim 27, wherein the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and the first indication information indicates that the first network element will The destination address of the first service flow is replaced with the second address from the first address, and the first address is an address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.
The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the first network element is a first user plane network element corresponding to the second application server, and the second address is an address of the second application server, The first indication information instructs the first user plane network element to establish a data tunnel from the first user plane network element to the destination address of the second application server, and the data tunnel is used to transmit the second application server. One business flow.
The device according to claim 29, wherein the communication unit is further configured to send second instruction information to the second application server, the second instruction information instructing the second application server to pass the The data tunnel sends a second service flow to the first user plane network element.
The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the second address is an address of the second application server, and the first indication information indicates that the first network element uses the destination of the first service flow The address is replaced from the first address to the second address, and the first address is an address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.
The device according to claim 31, wherein the communication unit is further configured to send third indication information to the second application server, the third indication information instructing the second application server to The destination address of the first service flow is replaced from the second address to the first address.
The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the third indication information further instructs the second application server to replace the address of the second service flow from the third address with the address of the first user plane network element, so The third address is an address of the terminal or an external address allocated by the first user plane network element to the terminal.
The device according to any one of claims 27 to 33, wherein the communication unit is further configured to send fourth indication information to a first user plane network element, the fourth indication information indicating the first The user plane network element buffers the first service flow.
The device according to any one of claims 27 to 34, wherein before the communication unit is used to send the first indication information to the first network element, the communication unit is further used to obtain the first application The corresponding relationship between the identifier of the first application and the corresponding address on the second application server and the network location information of the first application.
The device according to claim 35, wherein the identifier of the first application further corresponds to the address of the second application server or the corresponding port number of the first application on the second application server. .
The device according to any one of claims 27 to 36, wherein the communication unit is further configured to send to the first network element the address corresponding to the first application on the second application server .
The device according to any one of claims 27 to 37, wherein the communication unit is further configured to send to the first network element a port corresponding to the first application on the second application server number.
The apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 38, wherein the communication unit is further configured to send fifth indication information to a second network element, the fifth indication information indicating that the second network element Sending the first service flow to a third network element;

Wherein, the second network element is a second user plane network element corresponding to the first application server, the third network element is the first functional entity, or the second network element is the first A functional entity, and the third network element is a first user plane network element.
A communication device, characterized in that it comprises:

The communication unit is configured to receive first indication information from the session management network element, where the first indication information indicates to process the address of the first service flow requesting access to the first application as a second address; the first application Deployed on the first application server and the second application server;

A processing unit, configured to process the received first service flow according to the first instruction information;

Wherein, the second address is an address of the second application server, or the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server.
The device according to claim 40, wherein the second address is an address corresponding to the first application on the second application server, and the first indication information instructs the device to transfer the first application to the second application server. The destination address of a service flow is replaced with the second address from the first address, and the first address is the address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.
The device according to claim 40, wherein the device is a first user plane network element corresponding to the second application server, the second address is an address of the second application server, and the first An indication information instructs the first user plane network element to establish a data tunnel from the first user plane network element to the destination address of the second application server, where the data tunnel is used to transmit the first service flow .
The device according to claim 40, wherein the second address is an address of the second application server, and the first indication information instructs the device to change the destination address of the first service flow from the first An address is replaced with the second address, and the first address is an address corresponding to the first application on the first application server.
The device according to any one of claims 40 to 43, wherein the device is a first user plane network element, and the communication unit is further configured to receive fourth indication information from the session management network element , The fourth indication information instructs the apparatus to buffer the first service flow.
The device according to any one of claims 40 to 44, wherein the communication unit is further configured to receive the corresponding information on the second application server of the first application from the session management network element. address.
The device according to claim 45, wherein the communication unit is further configured to receive a port number corresponding to the first application on the second application server from the session management network element.
The device according to any one of claims 40, 41, 42, 44 to 46, wherein the device is a first functional entity, and the communication unit is further configured to receive a message from the session management network element Fifth indication information, where the fifth indication information instructs the communication unit to send the first service flow to a first user plane network element.
A communication device, characterized in that it comprises:

A processing unit, configured to obtain the location information of the second application server of the first application and the corresponding address of the first application on the second application server;

The communication unit is configured to send the identifier of the first application, the location information, and the address of the first application to the network function opening network element.
The device according to claim 48, wherein the communication unit is further configured to send the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application to the network function opening network element.
A communication device, characterized in that it comprises:

The communication unit is configured to receive the identifier of the first application from the application function AF network element, the location information of the second application server of the first application, and the address of the first application;

The processing unit is configured to determine the network location information of the second application server according to the location information; the identity of the first application and the address of the first application and the network location information of the first application are mutually connected correspond.
The device according to claim 50, wherein the communication unit is further configured to receive the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application from the AF network element;

The identifier of the first application also corresponds to the address of the second application server and the port number of the first application.
The device according to claim 50 or 51, wherein the communication unit is further configured to send the identification of the first application and the address of the first application to a data storage network element or a policy control network element, and The corresponding relationship between the network location information of the first application.
A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that instructions are stored in the readable storage medium, and when the instructions are executed, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is realized, or, as The method according to any one of claims 14-21, or the method according to any one of claims 22 or 23, or the method according to any one of claims 24 to 26.
A chip, characterized in that the chip comprises a processor and a communication interface, the communication interface is coupled to the processor, and the processor is used to run a computer program or instruction to implement any one of claims 1-13 The method according to item, or the method according to any one of claims 14-21, or the method according to any one of claims 22 or 23, or the method according to any one of claims 24 to 26 In the method described above, the communication interface is used to communicate with modules other than the chip.
A communication device, characterized by comprising: a processor and a communication interface, wherein the communication interface is used to execute the method according to any one of claims 1-13 for message sending and receiving in a session management network element Operation; the processor runs instructions to perform processing or control operations in the session management network element in the method according to any one of claims 1-13;

or,

The communication interface is used to execute the message sending and receiving operations in the first network element in the method according to any one of claims 14-21; the processor runs instructions to execute any one of claims 14-21 In the method, the processing or control operation is performed in the first network element;

or,

The communication interface is used to perform the operation of sending and receiving messages in the AF network element in the method according to any one of claims 22 to 23; the processor runs instructions to execute the operation according to any one of claims 22 to 23 In the method described above, processing or controlling operations are performed in the AF network element, or,

The communication interface is used to execute the operation of sending and receiving messages in the network function open network element in the method according to any one of claims 24 to 26; the processor runs instructions to execute any one of claims 24 to 26 In the method described in the item, the processing or control operation is performed in the network function opening network element.
A communication system, characterized in that the system comprises: the communication device according to any one of claims 27 to 39, the communication device according to any one of claims 40 to 47, such as claim 48 or 49 The communication device and the communication device according to any one of claims 50 to 52.