CN110798294A

CN110798294A - Method and device for acquiring and sending capability information

Info

Publication number: CN110798294A
Application number: CN201810878681.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 邝奕如; 王键
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-08-03
Filing date: 2018-08-03
Publication date: 2020-02-14
Also published as: WO2020025047A1

Abstract

The application relates to a method and a device for acquiring and sending capability information, which are used for reducing signaling overhead when terminal equipment reports the capability information. One of the methods for acquiring capability information includes: the first equipment receives a capability identifier from the terminal equipment; if the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the first equipment sends the capability identifier and first indication information to second equipment, and the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the first equipment acquires first capability information corresponding to the capability identification. The terminal equipment can only send the capability identification to the access network equipment without directly reporting the specific content of the capability information, and the data volume of the capability identification is obviously smaller than that of the capability information, so that the signaling overhead is reduced, and the transmission resource is saved.

Description

Method and device for acquiring and sending capability information

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a method and an apparatus for acquiring and sending capability information.

Background

After accessing a certain network, the terminal device needs to report capability information of the terminal device to the base station and the core network device. The capability information reported by the terminal device may include capability information of multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs) of the terminal device, for example, the capability information of the RATs including a new radio technology (NR) and an evolved-UMTS terrestrial radio access technology (E-UTRA) of the terminal device.

As the standard evolves, versions of Release9, Release 10, Release 11, Release 12, Release 13, Release 14, and Release 15, which are now being standardized, are introduced after Release8, and different versions are included within each Release, such as versions v920, v940, and v9a0, v9c0, v9d0, v9e0, and v9h0, for example. Each version introduces new capability information, that is, each new version of terminal device has new capability information that the old version of terminal device does not have, in addition to the capability information of the old version of terminal device, so that for the new version of terminal device, it is necessary to report the capability information of the old version of terminal device and the new capability information introduced by the new version.

Then, with gradual evolution of Release 15 and further versions, the capability information that the terminal device needs to report includes more and more contents, resulting in a large signaling overhead.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a method and a device for acquiring and sending capability information, which are used for reducing signaling overhead when terminal equipment reports the capability information.

In a first aspect, a first method for obtaining capability information is provided, where the method may be performed by a first device, and the first device may be, for example, an access network device, such as a base station, or the first device may also be another device. The method comprises the following steps: the first equipment receives a capability identifier from the terminal equipment; if the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the first equipment sends the capability identifier and first indication information to second equipment, and the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the first equipment acquires first capability information corresponding to the capability identification.

In the embodiment of the application, the terminal device may only send the capability identifier to the first device, where the capability identifier corresponds to the capability information of the terminal device, and then the first device may determine the capability information reported by the terminal device after acquiring the capability identifier as long as storing a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, so that the terminal device is not required to directly report specific content of the capability information, and the data volume of the capability identifier is obviously smaller than that of the capability information, thereby reducing signaling overhead and saving transmission resources. In addition, if the first device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, the first device may also request the second device to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so that the first device can acquire the corresponding capability information.

With reference to the first aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the method further includes: and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the first equipment sends the capability identification to the second equipment.

If the first device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, the first device may directly send the capability identifier to the second device, which may be understood that the first device implicitly indicates that the first device does not need to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the second device by sending the capability information. The indication mode does not need to send extra information, and transmission resources are saved.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the method further includes: and the first equipment sends second indication information to the second equipment, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier does not need to be acquired.

In addition to the implicit indication manner, the first device may also select the explicit indication manner, for example, if the first device stores the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, the first device may also send second indication information to the second device, where the second indication information is used to explicitly inform the second device, and the first device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. This way of indication may be more explicit.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a third possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the method further includes: the first device receives third indication information from the second device, wherein the third indication information is used for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the first equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the second equipment.

In a case that the first device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the second device may not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, and then the second device may send third indication information to the first device to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the first device, and then the first device may send the first capability information to the second device, so that the second device may also obtain the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

With reference to the first aspect, in a fourth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the acquiring, by the first device, first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier includes: the first equipment receives first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the second equipment; or, the first device acquires the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device.

If the first device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the first device may obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. For example, the first device may obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device, or the first device may also obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the second device, or may also obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier in another manner. The embodiment of the present application is not limited to what manner the first device obtains the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

With reference to the first aspect, in a fifth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, after the first device sends the first indication information to the second device, the method further includes: the first device receives third indication information from the second device, wherein the third indication information is used for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; the first equipment acquires first capacity information corresponding to the capacity identification from the terminal equipment; and the first equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the second equipment.

In the case that the first device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the second device may also not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, and then the second device may request the first device to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. At this time, the first device knows that the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, so that the first device can obtain the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device, so that the first device obtains the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the first device can also send the first capability information to the second device, so that both the first device and the second device obtain the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

With reference to the fourth possible implementation manner of the first aspect or the fifth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a sixth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the acquiring, by the first device, first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device includes: the first device sends a request message for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the terminal device; and the first equipment receives first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the terminal equipment.

If the first device selects to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device, the first device may obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device by sending a request message to the terminal device, which is relatively simple to implement.

In a second aspect, a second method for obtaining capability information is provided, where the method may be performed by a second device, and the second device is, for example, a core network device, or the second device may be another device. The method comprises the following steps: the second equipment receives the capability identification of the terminal equipment from the first equipment; if the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the second equipment sends third indication information to the first equipment, and the third indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the second equipment receives first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the first equipment.

The second device can directly receive the capability identifier, the capability identifier corresponds to the capability information of the terminal device, and the second device can determine the capability information reported by the terminal device after acquiring the capability identifier as long as the second device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, so that the terminal device is not required to directly report the specific content of the capability information, and the data volume of the capability identifier is obviously smaller than that of the capability information, thereby reducing signaling overhead and saving transmission resources. In addition, if the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, the second device may also request the first device to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so that the second device can acquire the corresponding capability information.

With reference to the second aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the receiving, by the second device, the capability identifier of the terminal device from the first device further includes: and the second equipment receives first indication information from the first equipment, wherein the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identification.

If the first device does not store the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, the first device may send first indication information to the second device to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the second device.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the second aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the method further includes: and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the second equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

If the second device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the second device may directly send the first capability information to the first device, so that the first device obtains the first capability information.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the second aspect, in a third possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the receiving, by the second device, the capability identifier of the terminal device from the first device further includes: and the second device receives second indication information from the first device, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier does not need to be acquired.

If the first device stores the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, the first device may send the capability identifier to the second device without sending the second indication information, and in this way, the second device is implicitly indicated, the first device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the implicit indication mode is helpful for saving transmission resources. Or, if the first device stores the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, the first device may send second indication information to the second device in addition to sending the capability identifier to the second device, and explicitly indicate that the first device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier through the second indication information, so that the indication is more explicit in an explicit indication manner.

In a third aspect, a third method for obtaining capability information is provided, where the method may be performed by a first device, and the first device is, for example, an access network device, such as a base station, or the first device may be another device. The method comprises the following steps: the method comprises the steps that first equipment receives a capability identifier and first indication information of terminal equipment from second equipment, wherein the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the first equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to second equipment.

The second device obtains the capability identifier first, if the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the second device may send the capability identifier and the first indication information to the first device to request to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and if the first device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the first device may directly send the first capability information to the second device. It can be seen that the second device only needs to obtain the capability identifier, where the capability identifier corresponds to the capability information of the terminal device, and even if the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the second device can also obtain the corresponding first capability information through the capability identifier, thereby reducing the probability that the terminal device directly reports the specific content of the capability information, and the data volume of the capability identifier is obviously smaller than that of the capability information, thereby reducing signaling overhead and saving transmission resources.

With reference to the third aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the third aspect, the method further includes: and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the first equipment acquires the first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the terminal equipment.

Under the condition that the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, if the first device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the first device may acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device, so that the first device can acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the third aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the third aspect, the acquiring, by the first device, first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device includes: the first device sends a request message for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the terminal device; and the first equipment receives first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the terminal equipment.

The first device may obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier by sending a request message to the terminal device, which is relatively simple.

In a fourth aspect, a fourth method for obtaining capability information is provided, where the method is performed by a second device, and the second device is, for example, a core network device, or may be another device. The method comprises the following steps: the second equipment receives the capability identification of the terminal equipment; if the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the second equipment sends the capability identifier and first indication information to the first equipment, and the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the second equipment receives first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the first equipment.

The terminal device can only send the capability identifier to the second device, the capability identifier corresponds to the capability information of the terminal device, and then the second device can determine the capability information reported by the terminal device after acquiring the capability identifier as long as the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored, so that the terminal device is not required to directly report the specific content of the capability information, and the data volume of the capability identifier is obviously smaller than that of the capability information, thereby reducing signaling overhead and saving transmission resources. In addition, if the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, the second device may also request the first device to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so that the second device can acquire the corresponding capability information.

With reference to the fourth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, the method further includes: and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the second equipment sends the capability identification to the first equipment.

And if the second equipment stores the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment, the second equipment sends the capability identification to the first equipment, so that the first equipment can obtain the capability identification, and the first equipment further obtains the capability information corresponding to the capability identification.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, the method further includes: the second device receives second indication information from the first device, wherein the second indication information is used for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the second equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

Under the condition that the second device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, if the first device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the first device may send second indication information to the second device to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the second device, and the second device may directly send the first capability information to the first device, so that the first device can acquire the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

In a fifth aspect, a fifth method for acquiring capability information is provided, where the method is performed by a first device, and the first device is, for example, an access network device, such as a base station, or the first device may be another device. The method comprises the following steps: the first equipment receives the capability identification of the terminal equipment from the second equipment; if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the first equipment sends second indication information to second equipment, and the second indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identification; the first device receives the first capability information from the second device.

If the first device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the first device may obtain the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier by sending the second indication information to the second device, that is, the first device may obtain the corresponding first capability information through the capability identifier, which changes a mechanism that the terminal device needs to report specific capability information each time, reduces a probability of reporting the specific capability information by the terminal device, and saves transmission resources.

With reference to the fifth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the receiving, by the first device, the capability identifier of the terminal device from the second device further includes: and the first device receives third indication information from the second device, wherein the third indication information is used for indicating that the second device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

In a case where the second device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the second device may implicitly indicate the first device by sending the capability identifier to the first device, and the second device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, or the second device may send third indication information to the first device in addition to sending the capability identifier to the first device, so as to explicitly indicate the first device through the third indication information, and the second device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. The second device indicates in what manner, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited.

In a sixth aspect, a sixth method for obtaining capability information is provided, where the method is performed by a second device, and the second device is, for example, a core network device, or may be another device. The method comprises the following steps: the second equipment receives the capability identification of the terminal equipment; and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the second equipment sends the capability identification to the first equipment.

The terminal equipment can only send the capability identification to the second equipment, and the second equipment can determine the capability information reported by the terminal equipment after acquiring the capability identification as long as the second equipment stores the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment, so that the terminal equipment is not required to directly report the specific content of the capability information, and the data volume of the capability identification is obviously smaller than that of the capability information, thereby reducing signaling overhead and saving transmission resources.

With reference to the sixth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect, the method further includes: and the second equipment sends third indication information to the first equipment, wherein the third indication information is used for indicating that the second equipment does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

With reference to the sixth aspect or the first possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect, the method further includes: the second device receives second indication information from the first device, wherein the second indication information is used for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the second equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

Under the condition that the second device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, if the first device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, the first device may send the second indication information to the second device, and after receiving the second indication information, the second device may send the first capability information to the first device, so that the first device may also obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

In a seventh aspect, a method for transmitting capability information is provided, which may be performed by a terminal device or may be performed by another device. The method comprises the following steps: the terminal equipment determines a capability identifier corresponding to first capability information of the terminal equipment; and the terminal equipment sends the capability identification.

The terminal equipment only needs to report the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information, and does not need to report the specific first capability information.

With reference to the seventh aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect, the sending, by the terminal device, the capability identifier includes: the terminal equipment carries the capability identification in an access layer message and sends the capability identification to first equipment; or, the terminal device carries the capability identifier in a non-access stratum message and sends the capability identifier to the second device through the first device.

The terminal device may report the capability information to the first device, and may also report the capability information to the second device, which may be specific according to the requirement of the device or other factors, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited.

With reference to the seventh aspect or the first possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect, the method further includes: if the first device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, the terminal device receives a request message from the first device for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the terminal equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

With reference to the second possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect, in a third possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect, the method further includes: if the first device sends first indication information to the second device, the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, the terminal device receives a request message from the first device for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the terminal equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

With reference to the second possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect, in a fourth possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect, the method further includes: if the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, and the first device receives first indication information from the second device, the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the terminal device receives a request message from the first device for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; and the terminal equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

For technical effects brought by various possible implementation manners of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect, reference may be made to technical effects brought by the first aspect or different implementation manners of the first aspect to the sixth aspect or different implementation manners of the first aspect, and details are not repeated here.

In an eighth aspect, a first communication device is provided, which can implement the function of the first device, for example. The communication device may include a processor and a transceiver, such as a radio frequency processing component. The transceiver is used for receiving a capability identifier from a terminal device; the processor is used for determining whether the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored; the transceiver is further configured to send the capability identifier and first indication information to a second device if the processor determines that the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, where the first indication information is used to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; the processor is further configured to obtain first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

With reference to the eighth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: and if the processor determines that the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the second equipment sends the capability identification.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: and sending second indication information to the second device, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier does not need to be acquired.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, in a third possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: and receiving third indication information from the second device, where the third indication information is used to request to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and sending first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the second device.

With reference to the eighth aspect, in a fourth possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, the acquiring, by the processor, first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier includes: the processor obtains first capability information corresponding to the capability identification received by the transceiver from the second device; or the processor acquires the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal equipment.

With reference to the eighth aspect, in a fifth possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to receive third indication information from a second device after the first indication information is sent to the second device, where the third indication information is used to request to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; the processor is further configured to obtain first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device; the transceiver is further configured to send first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the second device.

With reference to the fourth possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect or the fifth possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, in a sixth possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, the acquiring, by the processor, first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device includes: the processor sends a request message for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the terminal equipment through the transceiver; the processor obtains first capability information corresponding to the capability identification received by the transceiver from the terminal equipment.

A ninth aspect provides a second communication apparatus, which may implement the function of a second device, for example. The communication device may include a processor and a transceiver, such as a radio frequency processing component. The transceiver is used for receiving the capability identification of the terminal equipment from the first equipment; the processor is used for determining whether the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored; the transceiver is further configured to send third indication information to the first device if the processor determines that the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, where the third indication information is used to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; the transceiver is further configured to receive first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the first device.

With reference to the ninth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the ninth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: and receiving first indication information from first equipment, wherein the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the ninth aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the ninth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: and if the processor determines that the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, sending first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

With reference to the ninth aspect, in a third possible implementation manner of the ninth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: and receiving second indication information from the first device, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier does not need to be acquired.

In a tenth aspect, a third communication device is provided, which may, for example, implement the functionality of the first device. The communication device may include a processor and a transceiver, such as a radio frequency processing component. The transceiver is configured to receive a capability identifier and first indication information of a terminal device from a second device, where the first indication information is used to request to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; the processor is used for determining whether the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored; the transceiver is further configured to send first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to a second device if the processor determines that the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored.

With reference to the tenth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the tenth aspect, the processor is further configured to: and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, acquiring first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the terminal equipment.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the tenth aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the tenth aspect, the acquiring, by the processor, first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device includes: sending a request message for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the terminal equipment through the transceiver; and acquiring first capability information corresponding to the capability identification received by the transceiver from the terminal equipment.

In an eleventh aspect, a fourth communication apparatus is provided, which can implement the function of the second device, for example. The communication device may include a processor and a transceiver, such as a radio frequency processing component. The transceiver is used for receiving a capability identifier of the terminal equipment; the processor is used for determining whether the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored; the transceiver is further configured to send the capability identifier and first indication information to a first device if the processor determines that the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, where the first indication information is used to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; the transceiver is further configured to receive first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the first device.

With reference to the eleventh aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the eleventh aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: and if the processor determines that the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, sending the capability identification to the first equipment.

With reference to the first possible implementation manner of the eleventh aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the eleventh aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: and receiving second indication information from the first equipment, wherein the second indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier and sending first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the first equipment.

In a twelfth aspect, a fifth communication apparatus is provided, which can implement the function of the first device, for example. The communication device may include a processor and a transceiver, such as a radio frequency processing component. The transceiver is used for receiving the capability identification of the terminal equipment from the second equipment; the processor is used for determining whether the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored; the transceiver is further configured to send second indication information to a second device if the processor determines that the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, where the second indication information is used to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier; the transceiver is further configured to receive the first capability information from the second device.

With reference to the twelfth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the twelfth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to receive third indication information from the second device, where the third indication information is used to indicate that the second device does not need to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

In a thirteenth aspect, a sixth communication apparatus is provided, which can implement the function of the second device, for example. The communication device may include a processor and a transceiver, such as a radio frequency processing component. The transceiver is used for receiving a capability identifier of the terminal equipment; the processor is used for determining whether the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored; the transceiver is further configured to send a capability identifier to the first device if the processor determines that the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored.

With reference to the thirteenth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the thirteenth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to send third indication information to the first device, where the third indication information is used to indicate that the second device does not need to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

With reference to the thirteenth aspect or the first possible implementation manner of the thirteenth aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the thirteenth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: and receiving second indication information from the first equipment, wherein the second indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier and sending first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the first equipment.

In a fourteenth aspect, a seventh communication apparatus is provided, which can implement the functions of a terminal device, for example. The communication device may include a processor and a transceiver, such as a radio frequency processing component. The processor is configured to determine a capability identifier corresponding to first capability information of the terminal device; the transceiver is used for transmitting the capability identification.

With reference to the fourteenth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the fourteenth aspect, the sending, by the transceiver, the capability identifier includes: carrying the capability identification in an access stratum message and sending the capability identification to first equipment; or, the capability identifier is carried in a non-access stratum message and is sent to the second device through the first device.

With reference to the fourteenth aspect or the first possible implementation manner of the fourteenth aspect, in a second possible implementation manner of the fourteenth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: if the first device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, receiving a request message from the first device for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and sending first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the first device.

With reference to the second possible implementation manner of the fourteenth aspect, in a third possible implementation manner of the fourteenth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: if the first device sends first indication information to the second device, the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the second device does not store the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, receives a request message from the first device for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the first device.

With reference to the second possible implementation manner of the fourteenth aspect, in a fourth possible implementation manner of the fourteenth aspect, the transceiver is further configured to: if the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, and the first device receives first indication information from the second device, where the first indication information is used to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, receives a request message from the first device to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the first device.

In a fifteenth aspect, an eighth communication apparatus is provided, for example, a first device. The communication device has the function of implementing the first device in the above method design. These functions may be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above functions.

In one possible design, the specific structure of the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module and the transceiver module may perform the corresponding functions in the method provided in the first aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

In a sixteenth aspect, a ninth communications apparatus, for example, a second device, is provided. The communication device has the function of implementing the second device in the above method design. These functions may be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above functions.

In one possible design, the specific structure of the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module and the transceiver module may perform the corresponding functions in the method provided by the second aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the second aspect.

A seventeenth aspect provides a tenth communications apparatus, for example, a first device. The communication device has the function of implementing the first device in the above method design. These functions may be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above functions.

In one possible design, the specific structure of the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module and the transceiver module may perform corresponding functions in the method provided by the third aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the third aspect.

In an eighteenth aspect, an eleventh communication apparatus, for example, a second device, is provided. The communication device has the function of implementing the second device in the above method design. These functions may be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above functions.

In one possible design, the specific structure of the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module and the transceiver module may perform the corresponding functions in the method provided by the fourth aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the fourth aspect.

A nineteenth aspect provides a twelfth communication device, for example, a first apparatus. The communication device has the function of implementing the first device in the above method design. These functions may be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above functions.

In one possible design, the specific structure of the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module and the transceiver module may perform corresponding functions in the method provided by any one of the possible implementations of the fifth aspect or the third aspect.

A twentieth aspect provides a thirteenth communication apparatus, for example, a second device. The communication device has the function of implementing the second device in the above method design. These functions may be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above functions.

In one possible design, the specific structure of the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module and the transceiver module may perform the corresponding functions in the method provided by the sixth aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the sixth aspect.

In a twenty-first aspect, a fourteenth communication apparatus is provided, and the communication apparatus is, for example, a terminal device. The communication device has the function of realizing the terminal equipment in the method design. These functions may be implemented by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above functions.

In one possible design, the specific structure of the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module and the transceiver module may perform corresponding functions in the methods provided in any one of the possible implementations of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect.

A twenty-second aspect provides a fifteenth communications apparatus. The communication device may be the first device in the above method design, or a chip provided in the first device. The communication device includes: a memory for storing computer executable program code; and a processor coupled with the memory. Wherein the program code stored by the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the fifteenth communication device to perform the method of the first aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

A twenty-third aspect provides a sixteenth communication device. The communication means may be the second device in the above-described method design, or a chip provided in the second device. The communication device includes: a memory for storing computer executable program code; and a processor coupled with the memory. Wherein the program code stored by the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the sixteenth communication device to perform the method of the second aspect or any one of the possible embodiments of the second aspect.

A twenty-fourth aspect provides a seventeenth communication device. The communication device may be the first device in the above method design, or a chip provided in the first device. The communication device includes: a memory for storing computer executable program code; and a processor coupled with the memory. Wherein the program code stored by the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the seventeenth communication device to perform the method of the third aspect or any one of the possible embodiments of the third aspect.

In a twenty-fifth aspect, an eighteenth communication device is provided. The communication means may be the second device in the above-described method design, or a chip provided in the second device. The communication device includes: a memory for storing computer executable program code; and a processor coupled with the memory. Wherein the program code stored by the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the eighteenth communication device to perform the method of the fourth aspect or any one of the possible embodiments of the fourth aspect.

In a twenty-sixth aspect, a nineteenth communications device is provided. The communication device may be the first device in the above method design, or a chip provided in the first device. The communication device includes: a memory for storing computer executable program code; and a processor coupled with the memory. Wherein the program code stored by the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the nineteenth communication device to perform the method of any one of the possible embodiments of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect described above.

A twenty-seventh aspect provides a twentieth communications device. The communication means may be the second device in the above-described method design, or a chip provided in the second device. The communication device includes: a memory for storing computer executable program code; and a processor coupled with the memory. Wherein the program code stored by the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the twentieth communication device to carry out the method of the sixth aspect or any one of the possible embodiments of the sixth aspect.

In a twenty-eighth aspect, a twenty-first communications device is provided. The communication device may be the terminal device designed in the above method, or a chip provided in the terminal device. The communication device includes: a memory for storing computer executable program code; and a processor coupled with the memory. Wherein the program code stored by the memory comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the twenty-first communication device to perform the method of any one of the possible implementations of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect.

A twenty-ninth aspect provides a first communication system, which may comprise the first communication apparatus of the eighth aspect and the second communication apparatus of the ninth aspect. Optionally, the seventh communication device according to the fourteenth aspect may also be included.

A thirtieth aspect provides a second communication system that may include the third communication apparatus according to the tenth aspect and the fourth communication apparatus according to the eleventh aspect. Optionally, the seventh communication device according to the fourteenth aspect may also be included.

A thirty-first aspect provides a third communication system, which may include the fifth communication apparatus of the twelfth aspect and the sixth communication apparatus of the thirteenth aspect. Optionally, the seventh communication device according to the fourteenth aspect may also be included.

A thirty-second aspect provides a fourth communication system, which may include the eighth communication apparatus of the fifteenth aspect and the ninth communication apparatus of the sixteenth aspect. Optionally, the fourteenth communication device according to the twenty-first aspect may also be included.

A thirty-third aspect provides a fifth communication system, which may include the tenth communication apparatus of the seventeenth aspect and the eleventh communication apparatus of the eighteenth aspect. Optionally, the fourteenth communication device according to the twenty-first aspect may also be included.

A thirty-third aspect provides a sixth communication system, which may comprise the twelfth communication apparatus of the nineteenth aspect and the thirteenth communication apparatus of the twentieth aspect. Optionally, the fourteenth communication device according to the twenty-first aspect may also be included.

A thirty-fourth aspect provides a seventh communication system, which may include the fifteenth communication device of the twenty-second aspect and the sixteenth communication device of the twenty-third aspect. Optionally, the twenty-first communication device according to the twenty-eighth aspect may also be included.

A thirty-fifth aspect provides an eighth communication system, which may comprise the seventeenth communication device of the twenty-fourth aspect and the eighteenth communication device of the twenty-fifth aspect. Optionally, the twenty-first communication device according to the twenty-eighth aspect may also be included.

A thirty-sixth aspect provides a ninth communications system that may include the nineteenth communications apparatus of the twenty-sixth aspect and the twentieth communications apparatus of the twenty-seventh aspect. Optionally, the twenty-first communication device according to the twenty-first aspect may be further included.

A thirty-seventh aspect provides a computer storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of the first aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

In a thirty-eighth aspect, a computer storage medium is provided, having stored therein instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in the second aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the second aspect.

A thirty-ninth aspect provides a computer storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in the third aspect or any one of the possible embodiments of the third aspect.

Fortieth, a computer storage medium is provided, having instructions stored thereon, which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in the fourth aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the fourth aspect.

Fortieth, an aspect provides a computer storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in any one of the possible implementations of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect described above.

A forty-second aspect provides a computer storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in the sixth aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the sixth aspect.

A forty-third aspect provides a computer storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any one of the possible implementations of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect described above.

A forty-fourth aspect provides a computer program product containing instructions stored therein, which when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of the first aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

A forty-fifth aspect provides a computer program product comprising instructions stored thereon, which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of the second aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the second aspect.

A forty-sixth aspect provides a computer program product containing instructions stored therein, which when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of the third aspect or any one of the possible embodiments of the third aspect.

A forty-seventh aspect provides a computer program product containing instructions stored therein, which when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of the fourth aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the fourth aspect.

A forty-eighth aspect provides a computer program product containing instructions stored therein, which when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method as described in the fifth aspect or any one of the possible embodiments of the fifth aspect.

A forty-ninth aspect provides a computer program product containing instructions stored therein, which when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of the sixth aspect or any one of the possible embodiments of the sixth aspect.

A fifty-fifth aspect provides a computer program product comprising instructions stored thereon, which when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any one of the possible embodiments of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect.

In short, in the embodiment of the present application, the reporting capability identifier may be used instead of reporting specific capability information, thereby saving transmission resources.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a flowchart of a method for reporting terminal device capability;

fig. 2 is a schematic view of an application scenario according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a schematic view of another application scenario according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a flowchart of a first method for acquiring and sending capability information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 5 is another flowchart of a first method for acquiring and sending capability information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 6 is a flowchart of a second method for acquiring and sending capability information according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is another flowchart of a second method for acquiring and sending capability information according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication apparatus capable of implementing the function of an access network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication apparatus capable of implementing the function of a core network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication apparatus capable of implementing the function of an access network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication apparatus capable of implementing the function of a core network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication apparatus capable of implementing functions of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13A to 13B are schematic diagrams illustrating two structures of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the embodiments of the present application will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, some terms in the embodiments of the present application are explained to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

1) Terminal equipment, including devices that provide voice and/or data connectivity to a user, may include, for example, handheld devices with wireless connection capability or processing devices connected to wireless modems. The terminal device may communicate with a core network via a Radio Access Network (RAN), exchanging voice and/or data with the RAN. The terminal device may include a User Equipment (UE), a wireless terminal device, a mobile terminal device, a subscriber unit (subscriber unit), a subscriber station (subscriber station), a mobile station (mobile), a remote station (remote station), an Access Point (AP), a remote terminal device (remote), an access terminal device (access terminal), a user terminal device (user terminal), a user agent (user agent), a user equipment (user device), or the like. For example, mobile phones (or so-called "cellular" phones), computers with mobile terminal equipment, portable, pocket, hand-held, computer-included or vehicle-mounted mobile devices, smart wearable devices, and the like may be included. For example, Personal Communication Service (PCS) phones, cordless phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) stations, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and the like. Also included are constrained devices, such as devices that consume less power, or devices that have limited storage capabilities, or devices that have limited computing capabilities, etc. Examples of information sensing devices include bar codes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), sensors, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), laser scanners, and the like.

By way of example and not limitation, in the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device may also be a wearable device. Wearable equipment can also be called wearable intelligent equipment, is the general term of applying wearable technique to carry out intelligent design, develop the equipment that can dress to daily wearing, like glasses, gloves, wrist-watch, dress and shoes etc.. A wearable device is a portable device that is worn directly on the body or integrated into the clothing or accessories of the user. The wearable device is not only a hardware device, but also realizes powerful functions through software support, data interaction and cloud interaction. The generalized wearable smart device includes full functionality, large size, and can implement full or partial functionality without relying on a smart phone, such as: smart watches or smart glasses and the like, and only focus on a certain type of application functions, and need to be used in cooperation with other devices such as smart phones, such as various smart bracelets, smart helmets, smart jewelry and the like for monitoring physical signs.

2) Network devices include, for example, Access Network (AN) devices and core network devices. An access network device, such as a base station (e.g., access point), may refer to a device in an access network that communicates over the air-interface, through one or more cells, with wireless terminal devices. The network device may be configured to interconvert received air frames and Internet Protocol (IP) packets as a router between the terminal device and the rest of the access network, which may include an IP network. The network device may also coordinate attribute management for the air interface. For example, the network device may include an evolved Node B (NodeB or eNB or e-NodeB) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system or an evolved LTE system (LTE-Advanced, LTE-a), or may also include a next generation Node B (gNB) in a fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G) New Radio (NR) system, or may also include a Centralized Unit (CU) and a Distributed Unit (DU) in a cloud access network (cloud ran) system, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

If in the LTE system, the core network device is, for example, a Mobility Management Entity (MME); in the NR system, the core network device is, for example, an access and mobility management function (AMF).

3) The capability of the terminal device may be embodied by capability information of the terminal device, where if the terminal device is implemented by the UE, the capability information of the terminal device may also be referred to as UE capability information. The capability information of the terminal device includes, for example: packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) parameters, physical layer parameters, radio frequency parameters, measurement parameters, and the like, where the capability parameters specifically correspond to capability information such as a band combination (band combination), a baseband processing capability (baseband processing capability), a supported carrier aggregation frequency band level (ca-baseband) and a modulation and coding scheme (modulation and coding scheme). Of course, the capability parameters or the capability information are exemplary capability parameters or capability information, and the capability information of the terminal device may include one or more of the capability parameters and one or more of the capability information, and the specific and complete capability information is not described herein again.

4) With the development of the fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G), in the deployment of operators, a base station operating in an evolved universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system and a base station operating in a 5G New Radio (NR) system may be configured to communicate with a terminal device together, that is, the terminal device may be connected to both a base station operating in an E-UTRA system (hereinafter, referred to as an E-UTRA base station) and a base station operating in an NR system (hereinafter, referred to as an NR base station), so that data may be transmitted using both frequencies of the E-UTRA system and the NR system, thereby improving the throughput of the terminal device. The scenario in which such a terminal device is connected to base stations of two different access technologies simultaneously may be referred to as MR-DC.

When the terminal equipment is connected to the E-UTRA base station and the NR base station at the same time, if the E-UTRA base station is used as a main base station and the NR base station is used as an auxiliary base station, the scene is specifically called E-UTRA-NR dual connectivity (EN-DC) in the MR-DC; and if the NR base station serves as a main base station and the E-UTRA base station serves as a secondary base station, the scenario is specifically referred to as NR-E-UTRA dual connectivity (NE-DC) in MR-DC. In the LTE system, the access network part may be referred to as E-UTRA, i.e. a mobile communication wireless network in LTE, and the E-UTRA may be regarded as an air interface technology of LTE to some extent. The E-UTRA comprises the E-UTRA, terminal equipment and an evolved node B (eNodeB).

5) The terms "system" and "network" in the embodiments of the present application may be used interchangeably. The "plurality" means two or more, and in view of this, the "plurality" may also be understood as "at least two" in the embodiments of the present application. "at least one" is to be understood as meaning one or more, for example one, two or more. For example, including at least one means including one, two, or more, and does not limit which ones are included, for example, including at least one of A, B and C, then included may be A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. "at least two", two or more are to be understood. Similarly, the understanding of the description of "at least one" and the like is similar. "and/or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, meaning that there may be three relationships, e.g., a and/or B, which may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone. In addition, the character "/" generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship, unless otherwise specified.

And, unless stated to the contrary, the embodiments of the present application refer to the ordinal numbers "first", "second", etc., for distinguishing a plurality of objects, and do not limit the sequence, timing, priority, or importance of the plurality of objects. For example, the first capability message and the second capability message are only used for distinguishing different messages, and do not indicate the difference of the content, priority, importance, or the like of the two capability messages.

The foregoing has described some of the concepts related to the embodiments of the present application and the following features related to the embodiments of the present application, which are described in detail below with reference to fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a schematic flow chart of the present method for a terminal device to send capability information to an access network device, where the capability information may be wireless access capability information of the terminal device, and steps of fig. 1 include S11 and S12, which are described in detail below. It should be noted that the steps described in fig. 1 mainly refer to a signaling flow between the terminal device and the access network device, and omit a signaling flow between the access network device and the core network device.

S11: the access network device sends a UE capability request message to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the UE capability request message from the access network device, where the UE capability request message is used to request the terminal device to send radio access capability information of the terminal device in a certain Radio Access Technology (RAT). The UE capability request message may indicate that one or more RATs (e.g., one or more of E-UTRA technology, NR technology, and E-UTRA-NR) indicate that capability information of a terminal device under the RAT is requested.

For example, the UE capability request message is, for example, a UE capability query (UE capability inquiry) message.

For a terminal device in a connected state, when the core network device needs the capability information of the terminal device and does not store the capability information of the terminal device, the core network device may trigger the access network device to initiate a UE capability request process, that is, initiate the flow shown in fig. 1 to request the capability information of the terminal device, or, when the access network device needs the capability information of the terminal device and does not store the capability information of the terminal device, the access network device may initiate a UE capability request process, that is, initiate the flow shown in fig. 1 to request the capability information of the terminal device. After the access network device initiates the request, the terminal device sends the capability information of the terminal device to the access network device.

Alternatively, the terminal device may send the capability information of the terminal device to the access network device when the initial connection setup is completed, and if this is the case, S11 may not be performed.

S12: and the terminal equipment sends the UE capability message to the access network equipment, and the access network equipment receives the UE capability message from the terminal equipment.

The UE capability message carries radio access capability information of the terminal device, for example, if a certain RAT(s) is included in a UE capability request message sent by the access network device, the terminal device needs to include the capability information of the RAT(s) in the UE capability message and set the RAT type parameter in the UE capability message to the RAT(s). For example: UE capability information of E-UTRA-NR is requested in the UE capability request message, the terminal equipment needs to include the capability information of E-UTRA-NR in the UE capability message, and the RAT type parameter in the UE capability message is set to eutra-NR.

The UE capability message is implemented by, for example, a UE capability information (UE capability information) message, and may be a message dedicated to reporting capability information of a terminal device, and the UE capability message may include capability information of at least one radio access technology of the terminal device. The radio access capability information of the terminal device may specifically include, for example: PDCP parameters, physical layer parameters, radio frequency parameters, measurement parameters, and the like, where the capability parameters specifically correspond to capability information such as a band combination (band combination), a supported carrier aggregation bandwidth class (ca-bandwidth class), and a modulation and coding scheme (modulation and coding scheme). The capability parameters or the capability information are exemplary capability parameters or capability information, and specific and complete capability information is not described herein again in this embodiment of the present application.

After receiving the UE capability message, the access network device may configure PDCP configuration, physical layer configuration, radio frequency configuration, measurement configuration, and the like of the terminal device according to specific parameters of the radio access capability information, so as to ensure that the configuration of the terminal device can meet the capability of the terminal device itself, that is, the terminal device can normally operate under the configuration of the access network device.

As described in the process shown in fig. 1, the access network device sends a UE capability request message to the terminal device to request capability information of one or more RATs of the terminal device, and the terminal device needs to report the capability information of the one or more RATs of the terminal device in the UE capability message. That is, all the capability information that the terminal device needs to report must be carried in a UE capability message, which is an undetachable and complete message, and sent to the network device, where the UE capability message may be an RRC message. Wherein, the RRC message is carried in PDCP SDU for transmission.

As the standard evolves, the terminal devices have multiple versions, or the technologies supported by the terminal devices have multiple versions. For example, Release8 is followed by Release9, Release 10, Release 11, Release 12, Release 13, Release 14, and Release 15 now being standardized, and different versions can be included in each Release, such as versions comprising v920, v940, and v9a0, v9c0, v9d0, v9e0, and v9h0 in Release 9. It is understood that a Release is a series, and a plurality of versions are included in a series, for example, Release9 can be understood as a series 9, and v920, v940, and v9a0, v9c0, v9d0, v9e0 and v9h0 are included in the series 9. Each version introduces new capability information, that is, each new version of terminal device has new capability information that the old version of terminal device does not have, in addition to the capability information of the old version of terminal device. Then, for the new version of terminal device, when sending the capability information of the terminal device to the network device, it is necessary to send the capability information of the old version of terminal device and the new capability information introduced by the new version. Obviously, as the version of the terminal device gradually evolves, the capability information that the terminal device of the new version needs to send to the network device will include more and more contents, and the data size of the capability information of the terminal device will be larger and larger, resulting in larger and larger signaling overhead.

In addition, according to the current mode, all capability information that the terminal device needs to report must be put in a message and reported to the network device, where the message is an undetachable and complete message, and the message is, for example, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, where the RRC message is carried in a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) Service Data Unit (SDU) and sent. In a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, the maximum capacity of one PDCP SDU is 8188 bytes (bytes), and in an NR system, the maximum capacity of one PDCP SDU is 9000 bytes. With gradual evolution of Release 15 and further versions, the capability information that the terminal device needs to report includes more and more contents, and it is likely to exceed the maximum capacity of the PDCP SDU. Once the capability information that the terminal device needs to report exceeds the maximum capacity of the PDCP SDU, the capability information cannot be put into the PDCP SDU, so that the terminal device cannot report the capability information of the terminal device correctly. The network device cannot obtain the capability information of the terminal device, and the terminal device cannot be normally scheduled, so that the scheduling of the network device is influenced, and the normal work of the terminal device is also influenced.

In view of this, the present application embodiment provides a method for acquiring and sending capability information, in the present application embodiment, a terminal device may only send a capability identifier to an access network device, and does not need to directly report specific content of the capability information, and a data amount of the capability identifier is obviously smaller than a data amount of the capability information, so that signaling overhead is reduced, and transmission resources are saved.

The technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application may be applied to a scenario in which a terminal device is connected to an access network device, or may also be applied to an MR-DC scenario, or may also be applied to other scenarios, which is not limited specifically.

Please refer to fig. 2, which illustrates an application scenario of the present application. Fig. 2 includes an access network device and a terminal device, and the terminal device is connected to an access network device. Of course, the number of the terminal devices in fig. 2 is only an example, in practical application, the access network device may provide services for a plurality of terminal devices, and all or part of the terminal devices in the plurality of terminal devices may send the capability information to the access network device by using the method provided in the embodiment of the present application.

The access network device in fig. 2 is, for example, a base station. The access network device corresponds to different devices in different systems, for example, in a fourth generation mobile communication technology (4G) system, the access network device may correspond to an eNB, and in a fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G) system, the access network device in 5G, for example, a gNB.

Referring to fig. 3, in another application scenario of the embodiment of the present application, the scenario shown in fig. 3 can be understood as an MR-DC scenario. In fig. 3, two access network devices and a terminal device are included, where the two access network devices are a first access network device and a second access network device respectively, the first access network device is, for example, a main access network device of the terminal device, and the second access network device is an auxiliary access network device of the terminal device, or the first access network device is an auxiliary access network device of the terminal device, and the second access network device is a main network device of the terminal device. For example, both the access network devices are base stations, and then the main access network device is the main base station, and the auxiliary access network device is the auxiliary base station. The first access network device operates in an E-UTRA system, for example, and the second access network device operates in an NR system, for example, that is, the first access network device operates in an E-UTRA system, for example, and the second access network device operates in an NR system, for example, or the first access network device operates in an NR system, for example, and the second access network device operates in an E-UTRA system, for example, that is, the first access network device operates in an NR access network device, for example, and the second access network device operates in an E-UTRA system, for example, and the second access network device operates in an E-UTRA access network device, for example. Wherein the terminal device is connected to both access network devices simultaneously, and the terminal device can communicate with both access network devices. The terminal device may send the capability information to the first access network device, or send the capability information to the second access network device, or send the capability information to both the first access network device and the second access network device by using the method provided in the embodiment of the present application.

In both fig. 2 and fig. 3, the core network device is not shown, and in fact, the access network device in fig. 2 is capable of communicating with the core network device, and both the first access network device and the second access network device in fig. 3 are capable of communicating with the core network device.

The technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the embodiment of the application, a concept of the capability identifier is introduced, and the capability identifier corresponds to the capability information of the terminal device, which can be understood as that the capability identifier is used for indicating the capability information of the terminal device. One terminal device may correspond to one piece of capability information (or referred to as one piece of capability information), or may correspond to a plurality of pieces of capability information, and each piece of capability information may correspond to one capability identifier, so that the corresponding capability information may be determined by the capability identifier. Each of the plurality of capability information may be all capability information of the terminal device, or each of the plurality of capability information is partial capability information of the terminal device, and the plurality of capability information together constitute all capability information of the terminal device. The terminal device may store all the corresponding relationships between the capability information and the capability identifier of the terminal device. The capability identifiers corresponding to the capability information of different terminal devices may also be different, so that one capability information can be uniquely determined by one capability identifier. For example, if the terminal device is a UE, one capability identifier is a UE capability identifier (UE capability ID), which may be referred to as UE cid for short.

For example, a piece of capability information of a terminal device may be capability information of the terminal device under a radio access technology, or may be capability information of a version of the terminal device, or one terminal device corresponds to only one piece of capability information, and the capability information is all capability information of the terminal device. A capability information may correspond to a set of capability parameters that are used to determine the capability information. The types of the capability parameters corresponding to different capability information may be the same, or may be completely different, or may also be partially the same, and for the same terminal device, if the types of the capability parameters corresponding to different capability information are the same, the value of at least one of the corresponding capability parameters may be different, so as to distinguish different capability information.

Capability identification includes but is not limited to the following two implementations:

(1) the capability identifier is determined based on an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of the terminal device. For example, the identifier may be a Type Allocation Code (TAC) and a Software Version Number (SVN) in the IMEI of the terminal device, that is, a certain software version of a certain terminal model of a certain manufacturer is a capability identifier and corresponds to a capability information.

(2) The identification information allocated by the core network device or the access network device may not have a direct binding relationship with the IMEI of the terminal device, as long as the length of the identification information is large enough to distinguish different capability information.

Other implementation manners of the capability identifier are possible as long as different capability information can be distinguished, and the implementation manner of the capability identifier is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

The embodiment of the present application provides a method for acquiring and sending capability information, please refer to fig. 4, which is a flowchart of the method. The method can be applied to the scenario shown in fig. 2 or fig. 3, and in the following description, the application of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application to the scenario shown in fig. 2 or fig. 3 is taken as an example. If the method provided by the embodiment of the present application is applied to the scenario shown in fig. 2, the access network device described below is the access network device in fig. 2, and the terminal device described below is the terminal device in fig. 2, or if the method provided by the embodiment of the present application is applied to the scenario shown in fig. 3, the access network device described below is the first access network device or the second access network device in fig. 3, and the terminal device described below is the terminal device in fig. 3. In addition, the method may be performed by three communication apparatuses, such as a first communication apparatus, a second communication apparatus, and a third communication apparatus, wherein the first communication apparatus may be a first device or a communication apparatus capable of supporting the first device to implement the functions required by the method, and may of course be other communication apparatuses, such as a system on a chip. The second communication means may be the second device or a communication means capable of supporting the second device to implement the functions required by the method, but may of course also be other communication means, such as a system-on-a-chip. The third communication device may be a terminal device or a communication device capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the functions required by the method, but may also be other communication devices, such as a system-on-chip. The implementation manners of the first communication device, the second communication device, and the third communication device are not limited, for example, the first communication device may be a first device, the second communication device may be a second device, and the third communication device may be a terminal device, or the first communication device may be a first device, the second communication device may be a communication device capable of supporting the second device to implement the functions required by the method, and the third communication device may be a terminal device, or the first communication device may be a communication device capable of supporting the first device to implement the functions required by the method, the second communication device may be a second device, and the third communication device may be a communication device capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the functions required by the method, and so on.

The first device is, for example, an access network device, and the second device is, for example, a core network device, which is not limited to this embodiment of the present application. For convenience of introduction, in the following, the method is performed by an access network device, a core network device and a terminal device as an example, that is, the first communication device is an access network device, the second communication device is a core network device, and the third communication device is a terminal device as an example.

And S41, the terminal device sends the capability identifier to the access network device, and the access network device receives the capability identifier from the terminal device.

Of course, if the terminal device only corresponds to one piece of capability information, the terminal device may send one capability identifier corresponding to the capability information to the access network device, or if the terminal device corresponds to multiple pieces of capability information, the terminal device may also send one or more capability identifiers to the access network device, and if the terminal device sends multiple capability identifiers to the access network device, the processing manner of each capability identifier is the same, so that this application embodiment only uses one capability identifier as an example, but this application embodiment does not limit the number of capability identifiers sent by the terminal device.

The terminal device may carry the capability identifier in an Access Stratum (AS) message and send the capability identifier to the access network device. For example, the terminal device may send the capability identifier to the access network device when the initial connection is completed or during the initial connection setup, and the terminal device may reuse an existing message in the prior art to send the capability identifier to the access network device, for example, the terminal device may carry the capability identifier in a radio resource control connection setup complete (radio resource control connection setup) message and send the capability identifier to the access network device. Of course, the RRC connection setup complete message may also carry a non-access stratum (NAS) message, such as a registration request (attachrequest) message, and in this embodiment, the capability identifier is not included in the NAS message. Or, if the terminal device sends the capability identifier to the access network device in other processes, the terminal device may also multiplex other existing messages in the corresponding processes to send the capability identifier.

Optionally, if the terminal device sends the capability identifier to the access network device when the initial connection is completed or in the process of establishing the initial connection, the terminal device may further perform a random access process before sending the capability identifier to the access network device, and the specific random access process is not described again.

Or, when the terminal device sends the capability identifier to the access network device, it may also use a dedicated message to send the capability identifier to the access network device instead of multiplexing a message in the prior art, so that it is not limited when the terminal device sends the capability identifier to the access network device, for example, the terminal device may send the capability identifier to the access network device when the initial connection setup is completed or in the process of the initial connection setup, or may send the capability identifier to the access network device in other processes.

After the access network device receives the capability identifier, it can determine whether the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored through query. The access network device may only query whether to store the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, or the access network device may also query the correspondence between all the capability identifiers of the terminal device and the capability information, and determine whether to include the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, or the access network device may query the correspondence between all the capability identifiers of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability information, and determine whether to include the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, where what range the access network device queries may be the correspondence depending on what range the access network device stores.

If the access network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored, S42 is executed, at this time, the access network device already knows the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, for example, the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier is the first capability information; alternatively, if the access network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, step S46 is executed, in this case, the access network device does not know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier may be acquired through subsequent steps. It should be noted that, if the access network device performs S42, according to whether the core network device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, one or more steps of S43-S45 are performed subsequently; if the access network device performs S46, according to whether the core network device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, one or more steps of S47-S51 are performed subsequently.

S42, the access network device sends the capability identifier to the core network device, and the core network device receives the capability identifier from the access network device.

The access network device may reuse a message existing in the prior art to send the capability identifier to the core network device, for example, the access network device may send the capability identifier to the core network device through an initial UE (initial UE message) message. Of course, if the terminal device carries the capability identifier in the RRC connection setup complete message and sends the capability identifier to the access network device in S41, the RRC connection setup complete message further includes the NAS message, and then the initial UE message may further include the NAS message. Alternatively, the access network device may send the capability identifier to the core network device through a dedicated message instead of multiplexing the existing message.

As an optional manner, the access network device only needs to send the capability identifier to the core network device, and by only sending the capability identifier, the access network device may implicitly indicate that the access network device has already acquired the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, or that is, implicitly indicate that the access network device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

As another optional manner, the access network device may send, in addition to the capability identifier to the core network device, indication information, for example, referred to as second indication information, to the core network device, where the second indication information may be used to explicitly indicate that the access network device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, or may be more fully understood as "the access network device has already acquired the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier through the core network device". If the access network device is to send the capability identifier and the second indication information to the core network device, the access network device may send the capability identifier and the second indication information together through one message, for example, the capability identifier and the second indication information are carried in an initial UE message and sent to the core network device together, or the capability identifier and the second indication information may also be carried in different messages and sent respectively, and if the capability identifier and the second indication information are sent through different messages respectively, the two messages may be sent simultaneously or sent in a time-sharing manner.

After the core network device receives the capability identifier, it can determine whether the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored through query. The core network device may only query whether the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored, or the core network device may also query the correspondence between all the capability identifiers of the terminal device and the capability information, and determine whether the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is included, or the core network device may also query the correspondence between all the capability identifiers of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability information, and determine whether the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is included, where what range of correspondence is queried by the specific core network device may depend on what range of correspondence stored by the core network device.

If the core network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored, at this time, both the access network device and the core network device already know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, that is, know the first capability information, that is, both the access network device and the core network device already complete the acquisition of the capability information, a subsequent step may be performed to complete other functions, for example, S43 is performed; or, if the core network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, S44 is executed, in this case, the access network device does not know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the core network device may obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier through subsequent steps.

S43, including S43a and S43 b.

S43a, the core network device sends an initial UE context setup request (initial UE context setup request) message to the access network device according to the normal procedure, and the access network device receives the initial UE context setup request message from the core network device.

S43b, the access network device sends an initial UE context setup feedback (initial UE context setup response) message to the core network device according to the normal procedure, and the core network device receives the initial UE context setup feedback message from the access network device.

Optionally, the initial UE context setup request message sent by the core network device to the access network device may further include other information such as security capability information of the terminal device. It should be noted that the initial UE context setup request message may not include the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, because the core network device knows that the access network device has already acquired the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier in S42, the core network device does not need to send the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the access network device again.

Of course, the execution of S43 is based on that the access network device in S42 multiplexes the initial UE message to send the capability identifier to the core network device, and if the access network device in S42 multiplexes other messages to send the capability identifier to the core network device, or if the access network device in S42 does not multiplex the existing message but sends the capability identifier to the core network device by using a dedicated message, S43 may change according to the flow to which the message multiplexed by the access network device belongs, and then it may happen that: s43 is executed after S42, or S43 is executed before S42, then S43 does not need to be executed after S42, that is, the sequence of executing S42 and S43 is not limited, or S43 does not need to be executed, it may be considered that since both the access network device and the core network device store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information, the process is ended after S42 is executed.

S44, the core network device sends third indication information to the access network device, the access network device receives the third indication information from the core network device, and the third indication information may be used to request (or indicate) to obtain capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. Specifically, the third indication information may be used for the core network device to request (or indicate) the access network device to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

In this case, the core network device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, and therefore needs to request to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. The core network device may multiplex an existing message in the prior art to send the third indication information to the access network device, for example, the third indication information may be carried in the initial UE context setup request message and sent to the access network device, and optionally, the initial UE context setup request message may further include other information such as security capability information of the terminal device. Alternatively, the core network device may send the third indication information to the access network device through a special message instead of multiplexing the existing message in the prior art.

In S42, the access network device has already sent the capability identifier to the core network device, so in S44, the core network device only needs to send the third indication information to the access network device, and the access network device naturally knows which capability identifier the core network device requests for the corresponding capability information. Or, for better insurance, the core network device may send the capability identifier to the access network device in addition to sending the third indication information to the access network device. If the core network device is to send the capability identifier and the third indication information to the access network device, the core device may send the capability identifier and the third indication information together through one message, for example, the capability identifier and the third indication information are carried in the initial UE context setup request message and sent to the access network device together, or the capability identifier and the third indication information may also be carried in different messages and sent respectively, and if the capability identifier and the third indication information are sent through different messages respectively, the two messages may be sent simultaneously or may be sent in a time-sharing manner.

S45, the access network device sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the core network device, and the core network device receives the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the access network device.

Under the branch, the access network device knows the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so the access network device can directly send the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the core network device.

If the access network device only stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information, the access network device may send the first capability information to the core network device; or, if the access network device stores the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier, the access network device may send only the first capability information to the core network device, or may send the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the core network device; or, if the access network device stores the correspondence between all the capability information and the capability identifier of the plurality of terminal devices, the access network device may send only the first capability information to the core network device, or may send the correspondence between all the capability information and the capability identifier of the terminal device to the core network device, or may send the correspondence between all the capability information and the capability identifier of the plurality of terminal devices to the core network device.

It should be noted that, when the capability identifier is multiple capability identifiers (at least two capability identifiers), the access network device sends first capability information corresponding to the multiple capability identifiers to the core network device, and further needs to indicate a correspondence between the multiple first capability information and the multiple capability identifiers. For example, the capability identifier includes a capability identifier 1 and a capability identifier 2, which correspond to the first capability information 1 and the first capability information 2, respectively, the access network device needs to send the first capability information 1 and the first capability information 2 to the core network device, and send the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information 1 as the capability identifier 1 and the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information 2 as the capability identifier 2.

Taking the first capability information sent by the access network device to the core network device as an example, the access network device may multiplex an existing message in the prior art and send the first capability information to the core network device, for example, the first capability information may be carried in an initial UE context setup feedback message and sent to the core network device, or the access network device may also send the first capability information to the core network device through a dedicated message without multiplexing the existing message.

After receiving the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the access network device, the core network device may store the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and optionally, may also store a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information; or, if the core network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier from the access network device, the core network device may store all the capability information of the terminal device, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier; or, if the core network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices from the access network device and the capability identifier, the core network device may store all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier.

S46, the access network device sends the capability identifier and the first indication information to the core network device, and the core network device receives the capability identifier and the first indication information from the access network device, where the first indication information is used to request (or is used to indicate) to obtain capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. Specifically, the first indication information may be used for the access network device to request (or indicate) the core network device to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

Under the branch, the access network device does not know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so the access network device can send the capability identifier to the core network device, and can also send the first indication information to the core network device to request to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. The access network device may multiplex an existing message in the prior art to send the capability identifier and the first indication information to the core network device, for example, the access network device may send the capability identifier and the first indication information to the core network device through an initial UE message. Optionally, the initial UE message may further include a NAS message. Alternatively, the access network device may send the capability identifier and the first indication information to the core network device through a dedicated message instead of multiplexing the existing message.

In addition, the access network device may send the capability identifier and the first indication information to the core network device through one message, for example, both the capability identifier and the first indication information may be carried in an initial UE message and sent to the core network device, or the access network device may also send the capability identifier and the first indication information carried in different messages to the core network device, for example, send the capability identifier carried in the initial UE message to the core network device, and send the first indication information carried in a dedicated message to the core network device. Moreover, if the access network device carries the capability identifier and the first indication information in different messages and sends the messages to the core network device, the two messages may be sent simultaneously or in a time-sharing manner.

After receiving the capability identifier and the first indication information, the core network device may determine whether a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored by querying. The core network device may only query whether the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored, or the core network device may also query the correspondence between all the capability identifiers of the terminal device and the capability information, and determine whether the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is included, or the core network device may also query the correspondence between all the capability identifiers of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability information, and determine whether the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is included, where what range of correspondence is queried by the specific core network device may depend on what range of correspondence stored by the core network device.

If the core network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored, S47 is executed, at this time, the access network device does not know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, but the core network device knows the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, that is, knows the first capability information; or, if the core network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, S48 is executed, in this case, neither the access network device nor the core network device knows the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the core network device may obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier through subsequent steps.

S47, the core network device sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the access network device, and the access network device receives the first capability information from the core network device.

In this case, the core network device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information, and the core network device may directly send the first capability information to the access network device.

If the core network device only stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information, the core network device may send the first capability information to the access network device; or, if the core network device stores the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier, the core network device may send only the first capability information to the access network device, or may send the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the access network device; or, if the core network device stores the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier, the core network device may send only the first capability information to the access network device, or may send the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the access network device, or may send the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier to the access network device.

It should be noted that, when the capability identifier is multiple capability identifiers (at least two capability identifiers), the core network device sends first capability information corresponding to the multiple capability identifiers to the access network device, and further needs to indicate a correspondence between the multiple first capability information and the multiple capability identifiers. For example, the capability identifier includes a capability identifier 1 and a capability identifier 2, which correspond to the first capability information 1 and the first capability information 2, respectively, the access network device needs to send the first capability information 1 and the first capability information 2 to the core network device, and send the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information 1 as the capability identifier 1 and the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information 2 as the capability identifier 2.

Taking the example that the core network device sends the first capability information to the access network device, the core network device may send the first capability information to the access network device by multiplexing an existing message, for example, the core network sends an initial UE context setup request message to the access network device according to a normal flow, where the initial UE context setup request message may include the first capability information. Optionally, the initial UE context setup request message may further include other information such as security capability information of the terminal device. If the core network device sends the initial UE context setup request message to the access network device, the access network device also sends an initial UE context setup feedback message to the core network device according to the normal procedure.

Or, the core network device may also send the first capability information to the access network device through a dedicated message without multiplexing an existing message, which is not limited specifically.

After receiving the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the core network device, the access network device may store the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and optionally, may also store a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information; or, if the access network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier from the core network device, the access network device may store all the capability information of the terminal device, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier; or, if the access network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices from the core network device and the capability identifier, the access network device may store all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier.

S48, the core network device sends third indication information to the access network device, and the access network device receives the third indication information from the core network device, where the third indication information is used to request (or is used to indicate) to obtain capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. Specifically, the third indication information may be used for the core network device to request (or indicate) the access network device to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

In this case, the core network device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information, and the core network device also needs to request the access network device to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so the core network device may send the third indication information to the access network device.

The core network device may multiplex an existing message to send the third indication information to the access network device, for example, the third indication information may be carried in the initial UE context setup request message and sent to the access network device. Alternatively, the core network device may multiplex an existing message and send the third indication information to the access network device through a dedicated message.

S49, the access network device sends a request message for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the request message from the access network device.

Under the branch, the access network device does not store the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so the access network device can obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device. For example, the access network device may execute the procedure shown in fig. 1, and the request message in S49 may be understood as the UE capability request message in fig. 1.

The request message sent by the access network device may be used only to request the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, or may be used to request the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier.

And S50, the terminal device sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the access network device.

After receiving the request message sent by the access network device, the terminal device may query to obtain the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so as to send the first capability information to the access network device. If the request message sent by the access network device is only used for requesting the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, the terminal device may only send the first capability information to the access network device, and after the access network device obtains the first capability information, the access network device naturally knows the corresponding relationship between the first capability information and the capability identifier, and the access network device may send the corresponding relationship between the first capability information and the capability identifier to the core network device. Or, if the request message sent by the access network device is used to request the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier, the terminal device may also send the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the access network device, and after the access network device obtains the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier, it naturally knows that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier is the first capability information, and the access network device may send the correspondence between the first capability information and the capability identifier to the core network device, or send the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the core network device.

It should be noted that, when the capability identifier is a plurality of capability identifiers (at least two capability identifiers), the terminal device sends first capability information corresponding to the plurality of capability identifiers to the access network device, and further needs to indicate a correspondence between the plurality of first capability information and the plurality of capability identifiers. For example, the capability identifier includes a capability identifier 1 and a capability identifier 2, which correspond to the first capability information 1 and the first capability information 2, respectively, the access network device needs to send the first capability information 1 and the first capability information 2 to the core network device, and send the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information 1 as the capability identifier 1 and the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information 2 as the capability identifier 2.

After receiving the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device, the access network device may store the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and optionally, may also store a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information; or, if the access network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier from the terminal device, the access network device may store all the capability information of the terminal device, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier; or, if the access network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices from the terminal device and the capability identifier, the access network device may store all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier.

S51, the access network device sends the first capability information to the core network device, and the core network device receives the first capability information from the access network device.

The access network device may multiplex an existing message to send the first capability information to the core network device, or send the corresponding relationship between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier, for example, the access network device may send an initial UE context setup feedback message to the core network device according to a normal flow, and may send the first capability information or the corresponding relationship between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the core network device by carrying the first capability information or the corresponding relationship between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier in the initial UE context setup feedback message, or the access network device may send the first capability information or the corresponding relationship between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the core network device by using a dedicated message without multiplexing the existing message.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 4, S41 may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a first portion, S42 may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a second portion, S43a and S43b may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a third portion, S44 and S45 may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a fourth portion, S46 may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a fifth portion, S47 may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a sixth portion, and S48 to S51 may be regarded as portions, for example, referred to as a seventh portion. The seven parts may be independently applied, and may be understood as seven independent embodiments, or may be arbitrarily combined among the seven parts, for example, the first part and the second part may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first part, the second part, and the third part may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first part, the second part, and the fourth part may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first part and the fifth part may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first part, the fifth part, and the sixth part may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first part, the second part, and the seventh part may be combined to form an embodiment, and the like, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited to the combination manner of the parts.

Regarding the technical solution provided by the embodiment shown in fig. 4, in addition to fig. 4, fig. 5 may also be referred to, and there is no step number in fig. 5, that is, each step included in fig. 4 is not in one-to-one correspondence with what is shown in fig. 5, and fig. 5 only gives the flow of the solution of the embodiment shown in fig. 4 as a whole. The content described in fig. 5 has already been described when introducing the steps involved in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and therefore, the description is omitted. It will be appreciated that fig. 4 and 5 describe the same embodiment by way of two flowcharts. In fig. 5, it is described that "the process of acquiring capability information is ended", which means that the process of acquiring capability information provided in the embodiment of the present application is ended up to this point, if a corresponding device further needs to execute other processes, for example, an initial connection establishment process is to be continuously executed, other processes may be continuously executed, and of course, if other processes are ended, all the processes may also be considered to be ended, and specific details are not limited.

The embodiment of the application discusses the problem of how to report the capability information by the terminal equipment in various scenes, wherein the scenes comprise a scene that the core equipment reports that the access network equipment stores the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal equipment, a scene that the core network equipment stores that the access network equipment does not store the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal equipment, a scene that the core network equipment does not store that the access network equipment stores that the capability identifier corresponds to the capability information of the terminal equipment, and a scene that the core network equipment stores that the access network equipment does not store that the capability identifier corresponds to the capability information of the terminal equipment. Moreover, the terminal equipment reports the capability information in a capability identification mode, so that the signaling overhead is reduced, and the transmission resources are saved.

In order to solve the same technical problem, another method for acquiring and sending capability information is provided below, please refer to fig. 6, which is a flowchart of the method. The method can be applied to the scenario shown in fig. 2 or fig. 3, and in the following description, the application of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application to the scenario shown in fig. 2 or fig. 3 is taken as an example. If the method provided by the embodiment of the present application is applied to the scenario shown in fig. 2, the access network device described below is the access network device in fig. 2, and the terminal device described below is the terminal device in fig. 2, or if the method provided by the embodiment of the present application is applied to the scenario shown in fig. 3, the access network device described below is the first access network device or the second access network device in fig. 3, and the terminal device described below is the terminal device in fig. 3. In addition, the method may be performed by three communication apparatuses, such as a first communication apparatus, a second communication apparatus, and a third communication apparatus, wherein the first communication apparatus may be a first device or a communication apparatus capable of supporting the first device to implement the functions required by the method, and may of course be other communication apparatuses, such as a system on a chip. The second communication means may be the second device or a communication means capable of supporting the second device to implement the functions required by the method, but may of course also be other communication means, such as a system-on-a-chip. The third communication device may be a terminal device or a communication device capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the functions required by the method, but may also be other communication devices, such as a system-on-chip. The implementation manners of the first communication device, the second communication device, and the third communication device are not limited, for example, the first communication device may be a first device, the second communication device may be a second device, and the third communication device may be a terminal device, or the first communication device may be a first device, the second communication device may be a communication device capable of supporting the second device to implement the functions required by the method, and the third communication device may be a terminal device, or the first communication device may be a communication device capable of supporting the first device to implement the functions required by the method, the second communication device may be a second device, and the third communication device may be a communication device capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the functions required by the method, and so on.

S61, the terminal device sends the capability identifier to the core network device, and the core network device receives the capability identifier from the terminal device.

If the terminal device only corresponds to one piece of capability information, the terminal device may send one capability identifier corresponding to the capability information to the core network device, or if the terminal device corresponds to a plurality of pieces of capability information, the terminal device may also send one or more capability identifiers to the core network device, and if the terminal device sends a plurality of capability identifiers to the core network device, the processing manner of each capability identifier is the same.

For example, the terminal device may carry the capability identifier in a NAS message and send the NAS message to the core network device. For example, the terminal device may send the capability identifier to the core network device when the initial connection setup is completed or in the process of the initial connection setup, and the terminal device may reuse an existing message in the prior art to send the capability identifier to the core network device, for example, the terminal device may carry a NAS message in the RRC connection setup complete message, where the NAS message is, for example, a registration request message, and the NAS message may carry the capability identifier. Or, if the terminal device sends the capability identifier to the core network device in other processes, the terminal device may also multiplex other existing messages in the corresponding processes to send the capability identifier. Or, the terminal device may send the capability identifier to the core network device through a dedicated message instead of multiplexing the existing message, so that the terminal device is not limited to send the capability identifier to the core network device in any process.

Certainly, the NAS message sent by the terminal device may first reach the access network device, the access network device receives the NAS message and then forwards the NAS message to the core network device, and the core network device receives the NAS message from the access network device, so in fig. 6, S61 includes two processes, which are a process of identifying the transmission capability between the terminal device and the access network device and a process of identifying the transmission capability between the access network device and the core network device. The access network device may multiplex an existing message and forward the NAS message to the core network device, for example, the access network device may forward the NAS message to the core network device through an initial UE message, where the NAS message includes the capability identifier. Or, if the terminal device sends the capability identifier to the core network device through the access network device in other processes, the access network device may also multiplex other existing messages in the corresponding processes to send the capability identifier, and the embodiment of the present application does not limit the multiplexed messages. Or, when the terminal device sends the capability identifier to the core network device through the access network device, the access network device may also send the capability identifier to the access network device by using a dedicated message without multiplexing the message in the prior art, regardless of whether the message in the prior art is multiplexed or not, so that the access network device is not limited when forwarding the capability identifier to the core network device.

If the core network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored, S62 is executed, at this time, the core network device already knows the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, for example, the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier is the first capability information; alternatively, if the core network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, step S65 is executed, in this case, the core network device does not know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier may be acquired through subsequent steps. It should be noted that, if the core network device executes S62, according to whether the access network device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, one or more steps of S63-S64 are executed subsequently; if the access network device performs S65, according to whether the core network device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, one or more steps of S66-S69 are performed subsequently.

And S62, the core network equipment sends the capability identifier to the access network equipment, and the access network equipment receives the capability identifier from the core network equipment.

The core network device may multiplex existing messages in the prior art to send the capability identifier to the access network device, for example, the core network sends the capability identifier to the access network device through an initial UE context setup request message, and optionally, the initial UE context setup request message may further include other information such as security capability information of the terminal device. It should be noted that the initial UE context setup request message may not include the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, but only include the capability identifier. Or, the core network device may send the capability identifier to the core network device through a dedicated message instead of multiplexing the existing message.

As an optional manner, the core network device only needs to send the capability identifier to the access network device, and may implicitly indicate that the core network device has already acquired the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier by only sending the capability identifier, or implicitly indicate that the core network device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

As another optional manner, the core network device may send, in addition to the capability identifier to the access network device, indication information, for example, referred to as third indication information, to the access network device, where the third indication information may be used to explicitly indicate that the core network device does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, or may be more fully understood as "the core network device has already acquired the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and does not need to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier through the access network device". If the core network device is to send the capability identifier and the third indication information to the access network device, the core network device may send the capability identifier and the third indication information together through one message, for example, the capability identifier and the third indication information are carried in the initial UE context setup request message and sent to the access network device together, or the capability identifier and the third indication information may also be carried in different messages and sent respectively, and if the capability identifier and the third indication information are sent through different messages respectively, the two messages may be sent simultaneously or may be sent in a time-sharing manner.

If the access network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored, at this time, both the access network device and the core network device already know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, for example, the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier is the first capability information, that is, both the access network device and the core network device have already completed acquiring the capability information, and may perform subsequent steps to complete other functions, for example, perform S63; or, if the access network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, step S64 is executed, in this case, the core network device knows the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, the access network device does not know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the access network device may obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier through subsequent steps.

S63, including S63a and S63 b.

S63a, the core network device sends an initial UE context establishment request message to the access network device according to the normal flow, and the access network device receives the initial UE context establishment request message from the core network device.

S63b, the access network device sends an initial UE context setup feedback message to the core network device according to the normal procedure, it should be noted that the core network device receives the initial UE context setup feedback message from the access network device.

Optionally, the initial UE context setup request message sent by the core network device to the access network device may further include other information such as security capability information of the terminal device. It should be noted that the initial UE context setup request message in S63a may not include the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, because the access network device knows that the core network device has acquired the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier in S62, the access network device does not need to send the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the core network device.

Of course, the execution of S63a is based on that the core network device in S62 sends the capability identifier to the access network device without multiplexing the initial UE context setup request message, and if the core network device in S62 sends the capability identifier to the access network device with multiplexing other messages, or if the core network device in S62 sends the capability identifier to the access network device with a dedicated message without multiplexing the existing message, then it may happen that: s63 is executed after S62, or S63 is executed before S62, so that S63 does not need to be executed after S62, that is, the order of executing S62 and S63 is not limited, or S63 may not be executed. In addition, if the core network device multiplexes the initial UE context setup request message and sends the capability identifier to the access network device in S62, the flow to which the message multiplexed by the access network device in S63 belongs may be changed, in which case S62 and S63a are the same step, and S63b may be directly executed after S62. It can be considered that, since both the access network device and the core network device store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information, the process is ended after the execution of S62 is completed.

And S64, the access network equipment acquires the capability information corresponding to the capability identification.

In this case, the access network device does not know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and therefore the access network device may obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. In this embodiment of the present application, the manner for the access network device to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier includes, but is not limited to, the following two manners:

in the mode 1, the access network equipment acquires the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal equipment.

S64a, the access network device sends a request message for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the terminal device, and then the terminal device receives the request message from the access network device. Specifically, the request message is used for the access network device to request (or indicate) the terminal device to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

For example, if the access network device executes the procedure shown in fig. 1 to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device, the request message may be a UE capability request message in the procedure shown in fig. 1. The request message sent by the access network device may carry the capability identifier, or because the capability identifier is sent by the terminal device, the request message may not carry the capability identifier, and the terminal device naturally knows that the access network device requests the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

S64b, the terminal device sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the access network device, and the access network device receives the first capability information from the terminal device.

After receiving the request message sent by the access network device, the terminal device may query to obtain the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so as to send the first capability information to the access network device. If the request message sent by the access network device is only used for requesting the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, the terminal device may send only the first capability information to the access network device, and after the access network device obtains the first capability information, the access network device naturally knows the corresponding relationship between the first capability information and the capability identifier, and may also send the corresponding relationship between the first capability information and the capability identifier to the core network device. Or, if the request message sent by the access network device is used to request the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier, the terminal device may also send the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the access network device, and after the access network device obtains the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier, it naturally knows that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier is the first capability information, and may also send the correspondence between the first capability information and the capability identifier to the core network device, or send the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the core network device.

If the core network sends the capability identifier to the access network device through the initial UE context setup request message in S62, the access network device further needs to send an initial UE context setup feedback message to the core network device according to the normal procedure. It should be noted that, the access network device sends the initial UE context setup feedback message to the core network device, and the access network device obtains the first capability information from the terminal device.

And 2, the access network equipment acquires the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the core network equipment.

S64c, the access network device sends the second indication information to the core network device, and the core network device receives the second indication information from the access network device, where the second indication information is used to request (or indicate) to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and specifically, the second indication information may be used to request (or indicate), from the core network device, the access network device to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

The second indication message sent by the access network device may be used only to request the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, or may be used to request the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier.

The access network device may multiplex the existing message to send the second indication information, for example, the second indication information may be carried in the initial UE context setup feedback message and sent to the core network device. Alternatively, the access network device may send the second indication information to the core network device through a dedicated short message instead of multiplexing the existing message. It should be noted that, because the access network device already knows in S62 that the core network device has acquired the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, the access network device may request the core network device to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

S64d, the core network device sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the access network device, and the access network device receives the first capability information from the core network device.

After receiving the request message sent by the access network device, the core network device may query to obtain the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so as to send the first capability information to the access network device. If the request message sent by the access network device is only used for requesting the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, the core network device may only send the first capability information to the access network device, and after the access network device obtains the first capability information, the access network device naturally knows the corresponding relationship between the first capability information and the capability identifier. Or, if the request message sent by the access network device is used to request the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier, the core network device may also send the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier to the access network device, and after the access network device obtains the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier, it naturally knows that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier is the first capability information. Or, if the request message sent by the access network device is used to request the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier, the core network device may also send the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier to the access network device, and after the access network device obtains the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier, it naturally knows that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier is the first capability information.

After receiving the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the core network device, the access network device may store the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and optionally, may also store a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information; or, if the access network device receives the corresponding relationship between all the capability information of the terminal device from the core network device and the capability identifier, the access network device may store all the capability information of the terminal device, and optionally, may also store the corresponding relationship between all the capability information and the capability identifier; or, if the access network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices from the core network device and the capability identifier, the access network device may store all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier.

As described above, two ways for the access network device to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier are introduced, the access network device may use which way to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and may be predefined by a protocol, or may be indicated by the core network device in advance, or may be determined by the access network device itself, and the like.

S65, the core network device sends the capability identifier and the first indication information to the access network device, and the access network device receives the capability identifier and the first indication information from the core network device, where the first indication information is used to request (or indicate) to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and specifically, the first indication information may be used to request (or indicate) the access network device to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier by the core network device.

Under the branch, the core network device does not know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, so the core network device can send the capability identifier to the access network device, and can also send the first indication information to the access network device to request to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. The core device may multiplex an existing message in the prior art to send the capability identifier and the first indication information to the access network device, for example, the core network device may send the capability identifier and the first indication information to the access network device through an initial UE context setup request message, and optionally, the initial UE context setup request message may further include other information such as security capability information of the terminal device. Or, the core network device may send the capability identifier and the first indication information to the access network device through a dedicated message instead of multiplexing the existing message.

In addition, the core network device may send the capability identifier and the first indication information to the access network device through one message, for example, both the capability identifier and the first indication information may be carried in an initial UE message and sent to the access network device, or the core network device may also send the capability identifier and the first indication information carried in different messages to the access network device, for example, send the capability identifier carried in the initial UE message to the access network device, and send the first indication information carried in a dedicated message to the access network device. Moreover, if the core network device carries the capability identifier and the first indication information in different messages to be sent to the access network device, the two messages may be sent simultaneously or in a time-sharing manner.

After the access network device receives the capability identifier and the first indication information, it can be determined whether the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored through query. The access network device may only query whether to store the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, or the access network device may also query the correspondence between all the capability identifiers of the terminal device and the capability information, and determine whether to include the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, or the access network device may query the correspondence between all the capability identifiers of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability information, and determine whether to include the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, where what range the access network device queries may be the correspondence depending on what range the access network device stores.

If the access network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored, S66 is executed, at this time, the core network device does not know the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the access network device already knows the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, for example, the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier is the first capability information; or, if the access network device determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, step S67 is executed, in this case, neither the access network device nor the core network device knows the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier may be acquired through subsequent steps.

S66, the access network device sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the core network device, and the core network device receives the first capability information from the access network device.

Under the branch, the access network device stores the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, so that the access network device can directly send the first capability information to the core network device. The access network device may multiplex an existing message in the prior art to send the first capability information to the core network device, for example, the access network device may send an initial UE context setup feedback message to the core network device according to a normal flow, and the first capability information may be carried in the initial UE context setup feedback message. Alternatively, the access network device may send the first capability information to the core network device through a dedicated message instead of multiplexing the existing message. In addition, if the access network device sends the first capability information to the core network device through a dedicated message, and the access network device also needs to send an initial UE context establishment feedback message to the core network device, the access network device sends the initial UE context establishment feedback message and sends the first capability information to the core network device, and the order of the two steps is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

After receiving the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the access network device, the core network device may store the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and optionally, may also store a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information; or, if the core network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the terminal device from the access network device and the capability identifier, the core network device may store all the capability information of the terminal device, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information and the capability identifier; or, if the core network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices from the access network device and the capability identifier, the core network device may store all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier.

S67, the access network device sends a request message for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the request message from the access network device. Specifically, the request message is used for the access network device to request (or indicate) the terminal device to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

Under the branch, the access network device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information, and the access network device needs to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier. Since the access network device already knows that the core network device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information in S65, the access network device may choose to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device. For example, if the access network device executes the procedure shown in fig. 1 to obtain the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device, the request message may be a UE capability request message in the procedure shown in fig. 1. The request message sent by the access network device may carry the capability identifier, or because the capability identifier is sent by the terminal device, the request message may not carry the capability identifier, and the terminal device naturally knows that the access network device requests the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

S68, the terminal device sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the access network device, and the access network device receives the first capability information from the terminal device.

After receiving the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device, the access network device may store the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and optionally, may also store a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the first capability information; or, if the access network device receives the corresponding relationship between all the capability information of the terminal device and the capability identifier from the terminal device, the access network device may store all the capability information of the terminal device, and optionally, may also store the corresponding relationship between all the capability information and the capability identifier; or, if the access network device receives the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices from the terminal device and the capability identifier, the access network device may store all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices, and optionally, may also store the correspondence between all the capability information of the plurality of terminal devices and the capability identifier.

S69, the access network device sends the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the core network device, and the core network device receives the first capability information from the access network device.

If the access network device acquires only the first capability information from the terminal device, the access network device may only send the first capability information to the core network device, and the core network device has already acquired the capability identifier in advance, so that it may be naturally determined that the capability identifier corresponds to the first capability information. Or, if the access network device obtains the correspondence between all the capability information and the capability identifier of the terminal device from the terminal device, the access network device may also send the correspondence between all the capability information and the capability identifier of the terminal device to the core network device, and the core network device may store the correspondence between all the capability information and the capability identifier of the terminal device and send the correspondence to the core network device.

Taking the first capability information sent by the access network device to the core network device as an example, the access network device may multiplex an existing message to send the first capability information to the core network device, for example, if the access network device needs to send an initial UE context setup feedback message to the core network device according to a normal flow, the access network device may carry the first capability information in the initial UE context setup feedback message to send to the core network device. Alternatively, the access network device may send the first capability information to the core network device through a dedicated message instead of multiplexing the existing message. If the access network device sends the first capability information to the core network device through a dedicated message and the access network device also sends an initial UE context setup feedback message to the core network device, the sequence of the two processes is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 6, S61 may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a first portion, S62 may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a second portion, S63a and S63b may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a third portion, S64a and S64b may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a fourth portion, S64c and S64d may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a fifth portion, S65 may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a sixth portion, S66 may be regarded as a portion, for example, referred to as a seventh portion, and S67 to S69 may be regarded as an eighth portion. The eight parts may be used independently, and may be understood as eight independent embodiments, or any combination of the eight parts may be used, for example, the first part and the second part may be combined to form one embodiment, or the first section, the second section, and the third section may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first section, the second section, and the fourth section may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first, second and fifth portions may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first and sixth portions may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first part, the sixth part and the seventh part may be combined to form an embodiment, or the first part, the sixth part and the eighth part may be combined to form an embodiment, and so on, and the embodiment of the present application does not limit the combination manner of these parts.

Regarding the technical solution provided by the embodiment shown in fig. 6, in addition to fig. 6, fig. 7 may also be referred to, and there is no step number in fig. 7, that is, each step included in fig. 6 is not in one-to-one correspondence with what is shown in fig. 7, and fig. 7 only gives the flow of the solution of the embodiment shown in fig. 6 as a whole. The content described in fig. 7 has already been described when introducing the steps involved in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and therefore, the description is omitted. It is to be understood that fig. 6 and 7 describe the same embodiment by way of two flowcharts. In fig. 7, it is described that "the process of acquiring capability information is ended", which means that the process of acquiring capability information provided in the embodiment of the present application is ended up to this point, if a corresponding device further needs to execute other processes, for example, an initial connection establishment process is to be continuously executed, the other processes may be continuously executed, and of course, if the other processes are ended, all the processes may also be considered to be ended, and the specific is not limited.

The embodiment of the application also discusses the problem of how to report the capability information of the terminal equipment in various scenes, and the terminal equipment can report the capability information no matter which scene is adopted, so that the core network equipment and the access network equipment can obtain the capability information of the terminal equipment. Moreover, the terminal equipment reports the capability information in a capability identification mode, so that the signaling overhead is reduced, and the transmission resources are saved.

The following describes the apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 8 shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 800. The communication apparatus 800 may implement the functions of the terminal device referred to above. The communication device 800 may be the access network apparatus described above, or may be a chip disposed in the access network apparatus described above. The communication device 800 may include a processor 801 and a transceiver 802. Among other things, the processor 801 may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored, generating (or, determining) the second indication information, generating (or, determining) the first indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein in the embodiments illustrated in fig. 4. The transceiver 802 may be used to perform S41, S42, S43a, S43b, S44, S45, S46, S47, S48, S49, S50, and S51 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes to support the techniques described herein.

For example, the transceiver 802 is configured to receive a capability identifier from a terminal device;

a processor 801, configured to determine whether a correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored;

the transceiver 802 is further configured to send the capability identifier and first indication information to the second device if the processor 801 determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, where the first indication information is used to request to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

the processor 801 is further configured to obtain first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

All relevant contents of each step related to the above method embodiment may be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and are not described herein again.

Fig. 9 shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 900. The communication apparatus 900 may implement the functions of the terminal device referred to above. The communication apparatus 900 may be the core network device described above, or may be a chip disposed in the core network device described above. The communication device 900 may include a processor 901 and a transceiver 902. Among other things, the processor 901 may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, generating (or, determining) the third indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. The transceiver 802 may be used to perform S42, S43a, S43b, S44, S45, S46, S47, S48, and S51 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

For example, a transceiver 902 for receiving a capability identification of a terminal device from a first device;

a processor 901, configured to determine whether a correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored;

the transceiver 902 is further configured to send third indication information to the access network device if the processor 901 determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, where the third indication information is used to request to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

the transceiver 902 is further configured to receive first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the first device.

Fig. 10 shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication apparatus 1000. The communication apparatus 1000 can implement the functions of the terminal device mentioned above. The communication apparatus 1000 may be the access network device described above, or may be a chip disposed in the access network device described above. The communication device 1000 may include a processor 1001 and a transceiver 1002. Among other things, the processor 1001 may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, generating (or, determining) the second indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. The transceiver 1002 may be used to perform S61, S62, S63a, S63b, S64a, S64b, S64c, S64d, S65, S66, S67, S68, and S69 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

For example, the transceiver 1002 is configured to receive a capability identifier of a terminal device from a second device and first indication information, where the first indication information is used to request to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

a processor 1001, configured to determine whether a correspondence between the capability identifier and capability information of the terminal device is stored;

the transceiver 1002 is further configured to send, to the second device, the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier if the processor 1001 determines that the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored.

Fig. 11 shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication apparatus 1100. The communication apparatus 1100 may implement the functions of the terminal device referred to above. The communication apparatus 1100 may be the core network device described above, or may be a chip disposed in the core network device described above. The communication device 1100 may include a processor 1101 and a transceiver 1102. Among other things, the processor 1101 may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, generating (or, determining) the third indication information, generating (or, determining) the first indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. The transceiver 1102 may be used to perform S61, S62, S63a, S63b, S64c, S64d, S65, S66, and S69 in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

For example, the transceiver 1102 is configured to receive a capability identifier of a terminal device from a second device and first indication information, where the first indication information is used to request to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

a processor 1101 configured to determine whether a correspondence between the capability identifier and capability information of the terminal device is stored;

the transceiver 1102 is further configured to send, to the second device, the first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier if the processor 1101 determines that the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored.

Fig. 12 shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication apparatus 1200. The communication apparatus 1200 may implement the functions of the terminal device referred to above. The communication apparatus 1200 may be the terminal device described above, or may be a chip provided in the terminal device described above. The communication device 1200 may include a processor 1201 and a transceiver 1202. The processor 1201 may be configured to perform the step of determining the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information of the terminal device in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. The transceiver 1102 may be configured to perform S41, S49, and S50 in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. Alternatively, the processor 1201 may be configured to perform the step of determining the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information of the terminal device in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. The transceiver 1102 may be configured to perform S61, S64a, S64b, S67, and S68 in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

For example, the processor 1201 is configured to determine a capability identifier corresponding to first capability information of the terminal device;

a transceiver 1202 for transmitting the capability identifier.

In a simple embodiment, those skilled in the art can also realize the communication apparatus 800, the communication apparatus 900, the communication apparatus 1000, the communication apparatus 1100 or the communication apparatus 1200 by the structure of the communication apparatus 1300 shown in fig. 13A. The communication apparatus 1300 may implement the functions of the terminal device or the network device referred to above. The communication device 1300 may include a processor 1301.

Where the communications apparatus 1300 is configured to implement the functionality of the access network device referred to above, the processor 1301 may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, generating (or, determining) the second indication information, generating (or, determining) the first indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein; alternatively, when the communications apparatus 1300 is configured to implement the functionality of the access network device referred to above, the processor 1301 may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, generating (or, determining) the second indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein; alternatively, when the communications apparatus 1300 is configured to implement the functions of the core network device mentioned above, the processor 1301 may be configured to perform the step of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, the step of generating (or, determining) the third indication information, the step of storing the first capability information, and/or other procedures for supporting the techniques described herein; alternatively, when the communications apparatus 1300 is configured to implement the functions of the core network device mentioned above, the processor 1301 may be configured to perform the step of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, the step of generating (or, determining) the third indication information, the step of generating (or, determining) the first indication information, the step of storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the technologies described herein; alternatively, when the communication apparatus 1300 is configured to implement the functions of the terminal device mentioned above, the processor 1301 may be configured to perform the step of determining the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information of the terminal device in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein; alternatively, when the communication apparatus 1300 is configured to implement the functions of the terminal device mentioned above, the processor 1301 may be configured to perform the step of determining the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information of the terminal device in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the technology described herein.

The communication apparatus 1300 may be implemented by a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system on chip (SoC), a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Network Processor (NP), a digital signal processing circuit (DSP), a Micro Controller Unit (MCU), or a programmable controller (PLD) or other integrated chips, so that the communication apparatus 1300 may be disposed in the access network device, the core network device or the terminal device of the embodiment of the present application, so that the access network device, the core network device or the terminal device implements the method provided by the embodiment of the present application.

In an alternative implementation, the communications apparatus 1300 may include a transceiver component for communicating with other devices. For example, if the communication apparatus 1300 is a chip, one of the transceiving components is, for example, an input/output interface of the chip, and if the communication apparatus 1300 is a device, one of the transceiving components is, for example, a transceiver of the device, such as a radio frequency transceiving system. Wherein, when the communications apparatus 1300 is configured to implement the functionality of the access network device referred to above, the transceiving component may be configured to perform S41, S42, S43a, S43b, S44, S45, S46, S47, S48, S49, S50, and S51 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein; alternatively, when the communications apparatus 1300 is used to implement the functionality of the access network devices referred to above, the transceiving component may be configured to perform S61, S62, S63a, S63b, S64a, S64b, S64c, S64d, S65, S66, S67, S68, and S69 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein; alternatively, when the communications apparatus 1300 is configured to implement the functionality of the core network device referred to above, the transceiving component may be configured to perform S42, S43a, S43b, S44, S45, S46, S47, S48, and S51 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein; alternatively, when the communications apparatus 1300 is configured to implement the functions of the core network device referred to above, the transceiving component may be configured to perform S61, S62, S63a, S63b, S64c, S64d, S65, S66, and S69 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein; alternatively, when the communications apparatus 1300 is used to implement the functions of the terminal device referred to above, the transceiving components may be used to perform S41, S49, and S50 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein; alternatively, when the communications apparatus 1300 is used to implement the functions of the terminal device referred to above, the transceiving component may be used to perform S61, S64a, S64b, S67, and S68 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

In an alternative implementation, the communications apparatus 1300 may further include a memory 1302, see fig. 13B, wherein the memory 1302 is configured to store computer programs or instructions, and the processor 1301 is configured to decode and execute the computer programs or instructions. It will be appreciated that these computer programs or instructions may comprise the functionality of the access network device, core network device or terminal device described above. When the functional program of the access network device is decoded and executed by the processor 1301, the access network device may be enabled to implement the functions of the access network device in the method provided by the embodiment shown in fig. 4 or the embodiment shown in fig. 6 in this application. When the functional program of the core network device is decoded and executed by the processor 1301, the core network device can implement the functions of the core network device in the method provided in the embodiment shown in fig. 4 or the embodiment shown in fig. 6 in this application. When the functional program of the terminal device is decoded and executed by the processor 1301, the terminal device can be enabled to implement the functions of the terminal device in the method provided by the embodiment shown in fig. 4 or the embodiment shown in fig. 6 in the present application.

In another alternative implementation, the functional programs of these access network devices, core network devices, or terminal devices are stored in a memory external to communications apparatus 1300. When the functional program of the access network device is decoded and executed by the processor 1301, part or all of the content of the functional program of the access network device is temporarily stored in the memory 1302, for example, the memory 1302 may further store a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information. When the functional program of the core network device is decoded and executed by the processor 1301, part or all of the content of the functional program of the core network device is temporarily stored in the memory 1302, for example, the memory 1302 may further store a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information. When the terminal device function program is decoded and executed by the processor 1301, part or all of the content of the terminal device function program is temporarily stored in the memory 1302, for example, the memory 1302 may further store a corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information.

In another alternative implementation, the functional programs of these access network devices, core network devices, or terminal devices are provided in a memory 1302 stored inside the communications apparatus 1300. When the memory 1302 inside the communication apparatus 1300 stores the function program of the access network device, the communication apparatus 1300 may be disposed in the access network device according to the embodiment of the present application, for example, the memory 1302 may further store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information. When the memory 1302 inside the communication apparatus 1300 stores the functional program of the core network device, the communication apparatus 1300 may be configured in the core network device according to the embodiment of the present application, and for example, the memory 1302 may further store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information. When the memory 1302 inside the communication apparatus 1300 stores the function program of the terminal device, the communication apparatus 1300 may be provided in the terminal device of the embodiment of the present application, and for example, the memory 1302 may further store the correspondence between the capability identifier and the capability information.

In yet another alternative implementation, part of the contents of the functional programs of the access network devices are stored in a memory external to the communication apparatus 1300, and the other part of the contents of the functional programs of the access network devices are stored in a memory 1302 internal to the communication apparatus 1300. Alternatively, part of the contents of the functional programs of these core network devices are stored in a memory external to the communication apparatus 1300, and the other part of the contents of the functional programs of these core network devices are stored in a memory 1302 internal to the communication apparatus 1300. Alternatively, part of the contents of the function programs of these terminal devices are stored in a memory external to communication apparatus 1300, and the other part of the contents of the function programs of these terminal devices are stored in memory 1302 inside communication apparatus 1300.

In the embodiment of the present application, the communication apparatus 800, the communication apparatus 900, the communication apparatus 1000, the communication apparatus 1100, the communication apparatus 1200, and the communication apparatus 1300 may be presented in a form in which each function is divided into respective functional modules, or may be presented in a form in which each functional module is divided in an integrated manner. As used herein, a "module" may refer to an ASIC, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other components that provide the described functionality.

In addition, the embodiment shown in fig. 8 provides a communication apparatus 800 which can be implemented in other forms. The communication device comprises, for example, a processing module and a transceiver module. For example, the processing module may be implemented by the processor 801 and the transceiver module may be implemented by the transceiver 802. Among other things, the processing module may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, generating (or, determining) the second indication information, generating (or, determining) the first indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. The transceiver module may be used to perform S41, S42, S43a, S43b, S44, S45, S46, S47, S48, S49, S50, and S51 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

For example, the transceiver module is configured to receive a capability identifier from the terminal device;

the processing module is used for determining whether the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored;

the transceiver module is further configured to send the capability identifier and first indication information to a second device if the processing module determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, where the first indication information is used to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

and the processing module is further used for acquiring first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier.

The embodiment shown in fig. 9 provides a communication apparatus 900 that can be implemented in other forms. The communication device comprises, for example, a processing module and a transceiver module. For example, the processing module may be implemented by the processor 901, and the transceiver module may be implemented by the transceiver 902. Wherein the processing module may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, generating (or, determining) the third indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. The transceiver module may be used to perform S42, S43a, S43b, S44, S45, S46, S47, S48, and S51 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

For example, the transceiver module is configured to receive a capability identifier of a terminal device from a first device;

the transceiver module is further configured to send third indication information to the access network device if the processing module determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is not stored, where the third indication information is used to request to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

the transceiver module is further configured to receive first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the first device.

The embodiment shown in fig. 10 provides a communication apparatus 1000 that can also be implemented in other forms. The communication device comprises, for example, a processing module and a transceiver module. For example, the processing module may be implemented by the processor 1001 and the transceiver module may be implemented by the transceiver 1002. Among other things, the processing module may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, generating (or, determining) the second indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. The transceiver module may be used to perform S61, S62, S63a, S63b, S64a, S64b, S64c, S64d, S65, S66, S67, S68, and S69 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

For example, the transceiver module is configured to receive a capability identifier and first indication information of a terminal device from a second device, where the first indication information is used to request to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

and the transceiver module is further configured to send first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the second device if the processing module determines that the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device is stored.

The embodiment shown in fig. 11 provides a communication apparatus 1100 that can also be implemented in other forms. The communication device comprises, for example, a processing module and a transceiver module. For example, the processing module may be implemented by the processor 1101 and the transceiver module may be implemented by the transceiver 1102. Wherein the processing module may be configured to perform the steps of querying whether the first capability information is stored in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, generating (or, determining) the third indication information, generating (or, determining) the first indication information, storing the first capability information, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. The transceiver module may be used to perform S61, S62, S63a, S63b, S64c, S64d, S65, S66, and S69 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

The embodiment shown in fig. 12 provides a communication apparatus 1200 which can be implemented in other forms. The communication device comprises, for example, a processing module and a transceiver module. For example, the processing module may be implemented by the processor 1201, and the transceiver module may be implemented by the transceiver 1202. The processing module may be configured to perform the step of determining the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information of the terminal device in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the technology described herein. The transceiver module may be used to perform S41, S49, and S50 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein. Alternatively, the processing module may be configured to perform the step of determining the capability identifier corresponding to the first capability information of the terminal device in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the technology described herein. The transceiver module may be used to perform S61, S64a, S64b, S67, and S68 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and/or other processes for supporting the techniques described herein.

For example, the processing module is configured to determine a capability identifier corresponding to first capability information of the terminal device;

and the transceiver module is used for transmitting the capability identifier.

Since the communication apparatus 800, the communication apparatus 900, the communication apparatus 1000, the communication apparatus 1100, the communication apparatus 1200, and the communication apparatus 1300 provided in the embodiments of the present application can be used to execute the methods provided in the embodiments shown in fig. 4 or fig. 6, for technical effects obtained by the methods, reference may be made to the above method embodiments, and details are not repeated here.

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

In the above embodiments, the implementation may be wholly or partially realized by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When loaded and executed on a computer, cause the processes or functions described in accordance with the embodiments of the application to occur, in whole or in part. The computer may be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a network of computers, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored on a computer readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer readable storage medium to another, for example, from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wire (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device, such as a server, a data center, etc., that incorporates one or more of the available media. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD)), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., a Solid State Disk (SSD)), among others.

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

Claims

1. A method of obtaining capability information, comprising:

the first equipment receives a capability identifier from the terminal equipment;

if the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the first equipment sends the capability identifier and first indication information to second equipment, and the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

and the first equipment acquires first capability information corresponding to the capability identification.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the first equipment sends the capability identification to the second equipment.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

and the first equipment sends second indication information to the second equipment, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier does not need to be acquired.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

the first device receives third indication information from the second device, wherein the third indication information is used for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

and the first equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the second equipment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining, by the first device, first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier includes:

the first equipment receives first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the second equipment; or the like, or, alternatively,

and the first equipment acquires first capacity information corresponding to the capacity identification from the terminal equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, after the first device sends the first indication information to the second device, further comprising:

the first equipment acquires first capacity information corresponding to the capacity identification from the terminal equipment;

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the obtaining, by the first device, first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device includes:

the first device sends a request message for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier to the terminal device;

and the first equipment receives first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the terminal equipment.

8. A method of obtaining capability information, comprising:

the second equipment receives the capability identification of the terminal equipment from the first equipment;

if the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the second equipment sends third indication information to the first equipment, and the third indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

and the second equipment receives first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the first equipment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second device receives the capability identification of the terminal device from the first device, further comprising:

and the second equipment receives first indication information from the first equipment, wherein the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identification.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the second equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second device receives the capability identification of the terminal device from the first device, further comprising:

and the second device receives second indication information from the first device, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating that the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier does not need to be acquired.

12. A method of obtaining capability information, comprising:

the method comprises the steps that first equipment receives a capability identifier and first indication information of terminal equipment from second equipment, wherein the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the first equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to second equipment.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the first equipment acquires the first capability information corresponding to the capability identification from the terminal equipment.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the obtaining, by the first device, first capability information corresponding to the capability identifier from the terminal device includes:

15. A method of obtaining capability information, comprising:

the second equipment receives the capability identification of the terminal equipment;

if the corresponding relation between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal equipment is not stored, the second equipment sends the capability identifier and first indication information to the first equipment, and the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

and if the corresponding relation between the capability identification and the capability information of the terminal equipment is stored, the second equipment sends the capability identification to the first equipment.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

the second device receives second indication information from the first device, wherein the second indication information is used for requesting to acquire capability information corresponding to the capability identifier;

and the second equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

18. A method of transmitting capability information, comprising:

the terminal equipment determines a capability identifier corresponding to first capability information of the terminal equipment;

and the terminal equipment sends the capability identification.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the terminal device sends the capability identifier, comprising:

the terminal equipment carries the capability identification in an access layer message and sends the capability identification to first equipment; or the like, or, alternatively,

and the terminal equipment carries the capability identification in a non-access stratum message and sends the capability identification to second equipment through first equipment.

20. The method of claim 18 or 19, further comprising:

if the first device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device,

the terminal equipment receives a request message which is from the first equipment and is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identification;

and the terminal equipment sends first capability information corresponding to the capability identification to the first equipment.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

if the first device sends first indication information to the second device, the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier, and the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device,

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

if the second device does not store the corresponding relationship between the capability identifier and the capability information of the terminal device, and the first device receives first indication information from the second device, the first indication information is used for requesting to acquire the capability information corresponding to the capability identifier,

23. A communication device comprising a processor and a transceiver, wherein the processor is coupled to the transceiver for performing the method of any of claims 1-22.

24. A communication apparatus comprising a processing module and a transceiver module, wherein the processing module is coupled to the transceiver module for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, or for performing the method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, or for performing the method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, or for performing the method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, or for performing the method according to any one of claims 18 to 22.