Background
In order to support traffic offload, a 3GPP 5G core network specifies a plurality of PDU session anchor points in a Protocol Data Unit (PDU session). Wherein the ssc (session and service continuity) mode 1 is applied only to the PDU session anchor point (i.e., macro anchor point) of the centralized service.
In the prior art, to implement traffic offload in a network, a solution for allocating an additional branch to a PDU session is proposed, and specifically, an Uplink classifier UL CL mode (i.e., Uplink classifier) and a multi-home protocol data unit session mode (i.e., multi-homed PDU session mode) are defined.
For the UL Classifier scheme, the network determines to insert an Uplink Classifier in the data path of a PDU session. The Uplink classifier functions to offload a corresponding traffic flow to an anchor point of a local service according to traffic filter information provided by a Session Management Function (SMF).
For the Multi-homed PDU Session mode, one PDU Session is associated with more than one IPv6 prefix, and access to the data network is provided through more than one PDU Session anchor point. A branch Point (Branching Point) is a branch Point of data paths of different User planes, and the Branching Point provides forwarding of upstream data streams to different IP anchor points and merges downstream data streams of different IPv6 anchor points to User Equipment (i.e., UE). The SMF may decide to insert and delete a UPF (User Plane Function) supporting the terminating Point Function on the data path of a PDU session, where different IPv6 prefixes identify different UPFs.
In both UL Classifier and multi-homed PDU session, the anchor point corresponding to traffic offload is a local service anchor point, and thus has its service scope. When the UE moves, the change of the UE location may cause the network to reselect a new PDU session anchor point. For example, a reselection process of a local PDU session anchor point (SSC mode 3) of a Multi-homed PDU session is shown in fig. 1, where PSA1 represents a local PDU session anchor point, and PSA2 represents a reselected new PDU session anchor point, and the specific processing flow is as follows:
s1: the UE has determined a local PDU session anchor 1 (a local PDU session anchor other than the SSC mode 1PDU session macro anchor).
S2: when the UE moves, the network decides to reselect PDU session anchor 2 for the UE because the service range of the previous anchor is very limited.
S3: the SMF sets a branch Point Branching Point to the PDU session anchor Point 2.
S4: the SMF specifies a new IP address/prefix specification to the UE.
S5: the UE starts using the new IP address/prefix.
S6: the old UE IP address/prefix is released.
S7: the SMF releases the old branch of PDU session anchor 1.
S8: SMF releases the Branching Point function.
It can be seen that, in the prior art, a local traffic offload branch of PDU session has no perfect processing mechanism, for example, when the UE is in an idle state and moves, a lot of network signaling overhead is caused by constantly replacing a local PDU session anchor point. That is to say, the processing mechanism of the local traffic offload branch for the PDU session in the prior art has a technical problem of large network signaling overhead.
Disclosure of Invention
The embodiment of the invention provides a method for processing a PDU session flow unloading branch, which is used for solving the technical problem of higher network signaling cost of a processing mechanism aiming at a PDU session local flow unloading branch in the prior art and effectively reducing the network signaling cost.
In one aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for processing a PDU session traffic offload branch, including:
a Session Management Function (SMF) obtains a management strategy of a PDU session flow unloading branch;
when the PDU session with the flow unloading branch of the user equipment UE is changed from an activated state to a deactivated state, the SMF judges whether the PDU session meets a preset condition or not based on the management strategy;
and if so, deleting the PDU session flow unloading branch by the SMF.
Optionally, the method further comprises:
the management strategy comprises one or more of a strategy based on a mobile mode, a strategy based on a service use mode and a strategy aiming at the PDU session flow unloading branch, wherein the strategy is set by an operator, and when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, the SMF deletes the PDU session flow unloading branch.
Optionally, when the SMF performs traffic offload on the PDU session in an uplink classifier UL CL manner, the method further includes:
when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, the SMF sends a PDU session traffic offload branch anchor point to a protocol data unit session, and the UL CL sends a message for deleting the PDU session traffic offload branch to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch.
Optionally, when the SMF performs traffic offload on a Multi-homed PDU session in a Multi-homed PDU session manner, the method further includes:
when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, the SMF sends a message for deleting the PDU session traffic offload Branch to a protocol data unit session PDU traffic offload Branch anchor Point and a Branch Point Branch Point to delete the PDU session traffic offload Branch.
On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application further provides a device for processing a PDU session traffic offload branch, including:
the session management function SMF comprises a management strategy acquisition and storage module and a management module connected with the management strategy acquisition and storage module; the management strategy acquisition and storage module is used for acquiring and storing the management strategy of the PDU session flow unloading branch; the management module is used for judging whether the PDU session with the flow unloading branch of the User Equipment (UE) meets a preset condition or not based on the management strategy when the PDU session is changed from an activated state to a deactivated state; and if so, the management module is used for deleting the PDU session flow unloading branch.
Optionally, the management module is specifically configured to: the management strategy comprises one or more of a strategy based on a mobile mode, a strategy based on a service use mode and a strategy aiming at the PDU session flow unloading branch, wherein the strategy is set by an operator, and when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, the management module deletes the PDU session flow unloading branch.
When the SMF performs traffic offload on the PDU session in an uplink classifier UL CL manner, the management module is further configured to:
and when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, sending a message for deleting the PDU session traffic offload branch to a protocol data unit session PDU traffic offload branch anchor point by the UL CL, so as to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch.
Optionally, when the SMF performs traffic offload on a Multi-homed PDU session in a Multi-homed PDU session manner, the management module is further configured to:
and when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, sending a message for deleting the PDU session traffic offload Branch to a protocol data unit session PDU traffic offload Branch anchor Point and a Branch Point Branch Point to delete the PDU session traffic offload Branch.
On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application further provides a core network device, which includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program that is stored on the memory and is executable on the processor, where the processor implements the steps of the method for processing the PDU session traffic offload branch as described above when executing the computer program.
On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, where the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method for processing the PDU session traffic offload branch as described above.
One or more technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application have at least one or more of the following technical effects:
in the technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, a management strategy of a PDU session flow unloading branch is obtained by adopting a Session Management Function (SMF); when the PDU session with the flow unloading branch of the user equipment UE is changed from an activated state to a deactivated state, the SMF judges whether the PDU session meets a preset condition or not based on the management strategy; and if so, deleting the PDU session flow unloading branch by the SMF. That is, once the PDU session with traffic offload branch of the UE changes from active state to inactive state, the session management function SMF may determine whether the PDU session satisfies a preset condition based on the obtained management policy of the PDU session traffic offload branch. For example, the management policy is to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch when the current characteristic of the PDU session satisfies that the UE is in the high-speed mobile mode. Once the current characteristics of the PDU session satisfy the conditions set by the management policy, the SMF may delete the PDU session traffic offload branch. Furthermore, the technical problem that the network signaling overhead is large in a processing mechanism of a local traffic offload branch for PDU session in the prior art is effectively solved, and the network signaling overhead is effectively reduced.
Detailed Description
The embodiment of the invention provides a method for processing a PDU session flow unloading branch, which is used for solving the technical problem of higher network signaling cost of a processing mechanism aiming at a local flow unloading branch of the PDU session in the prior art and effectively reducing the network signaling cost.
In order to solve the technical problems, the general idea of the embodiment of the present application is as follows:
a method for processing protocol data unit session PDU session traffic offload branches includes:
a Session Management Function (SMF) obtains a management strategy of a PDU session flow unloading branch;
when the PDU session with the flow unloading branch of the user equipment UE is changed from an activated state to a deactivated state, the SMF judges whether the PDU session meets a preset condition or not based on the management strategy;
and if so, deleting the PDU session flow unloading branch by the SMF.
In the technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, a management strategy of a PDU session flow unloading branch is obtained by adopting a Session Management Function (SMF); when the PDU session with the flow unloading branch of the user equipment UE is changed from an activated state to a deactivated state, the SMF judges whether the PDU session meets a preset condition or not based on the management strategy; and if so, deleting the PDU session flow unloading branch by the SMF. That is, once the PDU session with traffic offload branch of the UE changes from active state to inactive state, the session management function SMF may determine whether the PDU session satisfies a preset condition based on the obtained management policy of the PDU session traffic offload branch. For example, the management policy is to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch when the current characteristic of the PDU session satisfies that the UE is in the high-speed mobile mode. Once the current characteristics of the PDU session satisfy the conditions set by the management policy, the SMF may delete the PDU session traffic offload branch. Furthermore, the technical problem that the network signaling overhead is large in a processing mechanism of a local traffic offload branch for PDU session in the prior art is effectively solved, and the network signaling overhead is effectively reduced.
In order to better understand the technical solutions, the technical solutions of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the specific features in the embodiments and examples of the present invention are detailed descriptions of the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not limitations of the technical solutions of the present invention, and the technical features in the embodiments and examples of the present invention may be combined with each other without conflict.
Example one
Referring to fig. 2, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for processing a PDU session traffic offload branch, including:
s101: a Session Management Function (SMF) obtains a management strategy of a PDU session flow unloading branch;
s102: when the PDU session with the flow unloading branch of the user equipment UE is changed from an activated state to a deactivated state, the SMF judges whether the PDU session meets a preset condition or not based on the management strategy;
s103: and if so, deleting the PDU session flow unloading branch by the SMF.
In the specific implementation process, the specific implementation process from step S101 to step S103 is as follows:
first, the session management function SMF obtains a management policy of the PDU session traffic offload branch. In a specific implementation process, the management policy of the PDU session traffic offload branch obtained by the SMF may specifically be a management policy previously stored in the SMF. The management Policy temporarily obtained by the SMF may also be the management Policy temporarily obtained by the SMF when the PDU session with the traffic offload branch of the UE is changed from an active state to a deactivated state, specifically, the management Policy temporarily obtained by the SMF from a PCF (Policy Control Function, i.e., PCF). Of course, those skilled in the art may also design a specific obtaining way of the management policy according to actual needs, which is not described herein again. After the SMF obtains the management policy by any means, once the PDU session with the traffic offload branch of the UE is changed from the active state to the inactive state, the SMF determines whether the PDU session meets a preset condition based on the management policy. And if so, deleting the PDU session flow unloading branch by the SMF. For a specific example, the management policy is that the SMF deletes the PDU session traffic offload branch when the current characteristic of the PDU session satisfies that the user of the UE does not use the traffic usage mode of traffic offload during the period of 2:00-5: 00. When the UE is in the period of 2:00-5:00, the current characteristic of the PDU session meets the management strategy, and the SMF deletes the PDU session traffic offload branch.
In this embodiment of the present application, in order to further optimize the processing mechanism of the PDU session traffic offload branch, the method further includes:
the management strategy comprises one or more of a strategy based on a mobile mode, a strategy based on a service use mode and a strategy aiming at the PDU session flow unloading branch, wherein the strategy is set by an operator, and when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, the SMF deletes the PDU session flow unloading branch. That is, the SMF may determine whether the PDU session satisfies the preset condition according to the following management policy obtained. Specifically, the management policy includes a policy based on a Mobility Pattern (Mobility Pattern) of the UE, a policy based on a service Usage Pattern (Usage Pattern) of the UE, a policy of a PDU session traffic offload branch made by an operator, and the like. The UE movement mode is specifically a UE movement characteristic determined according to the statistical data of the UE movement, UE subscription information, a network local policy, and the like. For example, the management policy is that when the mobility mode of the UE is a user moving in a small range, the SMF refuses to delete the local PDU session traffic offload branch anchor. If the UE is a user moving in a large range, for example, the UE is in a high-speed railway mode, the local PDU session traffic offload branch anchor point is deleted at the same time. And once the current UE is detected to be in a high-speed railway mode, the SMF deletes the local PDU session flow unloading branch anchor point according to the management strategy. The service usage pattern of the UE indicates the behavior habits of the user for using the network and the service. The management policy may also be that the SMF decides to delete a local PDU session traffic offload branch anchor according to a service usage pattern of a user. For example, according to a service that a certain user does not use traffic offload in a certain period of time, the local PDU session traffic offload branch anchor point is directly deleted when entering an idle state. The management strategy of the local PDU session traffic offload branch anchor of the operator may be that the SMF should delete all local PDU session traffic offload branch anchors as long as the UE enters an idle state from a connected state. In a specific implementation process, the management policy may be one or a combination of the above policies, and as long as the PDU session satisfies one of the deletion conditions, the SMF deletes the PDU session traffic offload branch. Of course, those skilled in the art may also design the management policy according to the actual usage habit of the user, which is not limited to the above policies, and is not described herein again.
In this embodiment of the present application, when the SMF performs traffic offload on the PDU session in an uplink classifier UL CL manner, to implement deletion of the PDU session traffic offload branch by the SMF, the method further includes:
when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, the SMF sends a PDU session traffic offload branch anchor point to a protocol data unit session, and the UL CL sends a message for deleting the PDU session traffic offload branch to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch. Taking the management policy as an example that when the mobility mode of the UE is a high-speed mobility mode and the Uplink Classifier is adopted for traffic offload, the PDU session traffic offload branch of the UE is determined to be deleted, and a specific implementation process is shown in fig. 3.
Specifically, when the PDU session of the UE with the traffic offload branch is changed from an activated state to a deactivated state, the AMF informs the SMF of a release message of the PDU session traffic offload branch. And the SMF is based on the current characteristics of the obtained PDU session, such as the moving mode of the UE. Further, the SMF determines whether to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch according to the mobility characteristics of the UE. And when the mobile mode is determined to be a high-speed mobile mode, the SMF decides to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch, and the SMF sends a deletion instruction for deleting the PDU session traffic offload branch to the UPF. Specifically, the SMF sends a delete instruction to delete an SSC mode2PDU session traffic offload branch anchor (i.e., a local PDU session traffic offload branch anchor in the UL CL implementation), and sends a delete instruction to delete an Uplink Classifier, while sending a tunnel instruction to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch to the UPF. And the UPF responds to the deletion instruction and deletes the corresponding PDU session flow unloading branch. Further, the network side continues to execute the procedure of other PDU session traffic offload branches, which is not repeated herein because the specific procedure is the same as that in the prior art.
In this embodiment of the present application, when the SMF performs traffic offload on a Multi-homed PDU session in a Multi-homed PDU session manner, in order to delete a PDU session traffic offload branch by the SMF, the method further includes:
when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, the SMF sends a message for deleting the PDU session traffic offload Branch to a protocol data unit session PDU traffic offload Branch anchor Point and a Branch Point Branch Point to delete the PDU session traffic offload Branch. Taking the management policy as an example that once the UE changes from the active state to the inactive state, the SMF determines to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch of the UE, and a specific implementation process is shown in fig. 4.
Specifically, when the operator makes a policy for the PDU session traffic offload branch, that is, once the UE switches from the active state to the inactive state, the SMF deletes the PDU session traffic offload branch. In the specific implementation process, when the PDU session of the UE with the traffic offload branch is changed from the active state to the inactive state, the AMF notifies the SMF of a release message of the PDU session traffic offload branch. The SMF determines whether to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch according to the obtained current characteristics of the PDU session, such as a management policy for the PDU session traffic offload branch made by an operator. And when the current characteristic of the PDU session meets the management strategy formulated by the operator, the SMF sends a deleting instruction for deleting the PDU session flow unloading branch to the UPF. Specifically, the SMF sends a delete instruction to delete an SSC mode3PDU session traffic offload branch anchor Point (i.e., a local PDU session traffic offload branch anchor Point in a Multi-homed PDU session implementation) and a delete instruction to delete a branch Point Branching Point, while sending a tunnel instruction to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch to the UPF. And the UPF responds to the deletion instruction and deletes the corresponding PDU session flow unloading branch. Further, the network side continues to execute the procedure of other PDU session traffic offload branches, which is not repeated herein because the specific procedure is the same as that in the prior art.
In addition, in this embodiment of the application, when the management policy is specifically one or a combination of some other policies except for the above two cases, the principle of the deletion process of the PDU session traffic offload branch by the SMF is the same as that in the above two cases, and thus the description is not necessarily given here. Of course, those skilled in the art can design the management policy for the PDU session traffic offload branch according to the requirement, which is not illustrated here.
Example two
Based on the same inventive concept as the embodiment of the present application, please refer to fig. 5, an embodiment of the present application further provides a device for processing a PDU session traffic offload branch, including:
the session management function SMF10 comprises a management policy acquisition and storage module 101 and a management module 102 connected with the management policy acquisition and storage module 101; the management policy obtaining and storing module 101 is configured to obtain and store a management policy of a PDU session traffic offload branch; the management module 102 is configured to, when a PDU session with a traffic offload branch of the UE changes from an active state to a deactivated state, based on the management policy, the management module 102 is configured to determine whether the PDU session meets a preset condition; if yes, the management module 102 is configured to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch.
In this embodiment of the present application, the management module 102 is specifically configured to:
the management policy includes one or more combinations of a mobility mode-based policy of the UE, a service usage mode-based policy, and a policy for the PDU session traffic offload branch formulated by an operator, and when the PDU session satisfies at least one condition in the management policy, the management module 102 deletes the PDU session traffic offload branch.
In this embodiment of the present application, when the SMF10 performs traffic offload on the PDU session in an uplink classifier UL CL manner, the management module 102 is further configured to:
and when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, sending a message for deleting the PDU session traffic offload branch to a protocol data unit session PDU traffic offload branch anchor point by the UL CL, so as to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch.
In this embodiment of the present application, when the SMF10 performs traffic offload on a Multi-homed PDU session by using a Multi-homed PDU session mode, the management module 102 is further configured to:
and when the PDU session meets at least one condition in the management strategy, sending a message for deleting the PDU session traffic offload Branch to a protocol data unit session PDU traffic offload Branch anchor Point and a Branch Point Branch Point to delete the PDU session traffic offload Branch.
Yet another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention provides a core network device, which includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, and when the processor executes the computer program, the method according to the above aspects is implemented.
Yet another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program is stored, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to the above-described aspects.
One or more technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application have at least one or more of the following technical effects:
in the technical scheme of the embodiment of the application, a management strategy of a PDU session flow unloading branch is obtained by adopting a Session Management Function (SMF); when the PDU session with the flow unloading branch of the user equipment UE is changed from an activated state to a deactivated state, the SMF judges whether the PDU session meets a preset condition or not based on the management strategy; and if so, deleting the PDU session flow unloading branch by the SMF. That is, once the PDU session with traffic offload branch of the UE changes from active state to inactive state, the session management function SMF may determine whether the PDU session satisfies a preset condition based on the obtained management policy of the PDU session traffic offload branch. For example, the management policy is to delete the PDU session traffic offload branch when the current characteristic of the PDU session satisfies that the UE is in the high-speed mobile mode. Once the current characteristics of the PDU session satisfy the conditions set by the management policy, the SMF may delete the PDU session traffic offload branch. Furthermore, the technical problem that the network signaling overhead is large in a processing mechanism of a local traffic offload branch for PDU session in the prior art is effectively solved, and the network signaling overhead is effectively reduced.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, additional variations and modifications in those embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art once they learn of the basic inventive concepts. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including preferred embodiments and all such alterations and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention is also intended to include such modifications and variations.