CN110831088B

CN110831088B - Policy control method, device and system

Info

Publication number: CN110831088B
Application number: CN201810916262.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 宗在峰
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-08-13
Filing date: 2018-08-13
Publication date: 2021-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 2038-08-13
Also published as: CN110831088A; WO2020034817A1

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a policy control method, a policy control device and a policy control system, so that storage resources of a V-UDR network element can be saved. The strategy control method comprises the following steps: a first mobile management network element of a first visited network determines that the terminal leaves the first visited network; the first mobile management network element sends instruction information to the policy control network element of the first visited network, where the instruction information is used to instruct the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network.

Description

Policy control method, device and system

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a policy control method, device, and system.

Background

Currently, in a fifth generation (5G) network discussed in the 3rd generation partnership project (3 GPP) standards group, an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element and a Policy Control Function (PCF) network element may interact to obtain a policy of a terminal and an access and mobility management policy, etc.

For example, in two roaming scenarios, i.e., home routing or local breakout, in the process of registering a terminal of a roaming user in a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN), an AMF network element located at a visited place of the terminal interacts with a PCF (home-PCF, H-PCF) network element at a home place of the terminal through a PCF (visited-PCF, V-PCF) network element at the visited place of the terminal, so that the AMF network element located at the visited place of the terminal can obtain a policy of the terminal, an access and mobility management policy, and the like. The policy of the terminal may be formulated by the V-PCF network element for the terminal, and the V-PCF network element may store the policy of the terminal formulated by the V-PCF network element in a visited-area unified database (V-UDR).

However, when the terminal of the roaming user leaves from the VPLMN where the current AMF network element is located, it is unknown whether the terminal will be accessed to the VPLMN in the future because the original (old) AMF network element and the new (new) AMF network element are not in the same VPLMN, that is, the terminal has left the original VPLMN. Therefore, how to deal with the problem of saving the storage resources of the V-UDR network element is an urgent need to be solved at present.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a policy control method, a policy control device and a policy control system, so that storage resources of a V-UDR network element can be saved.

In order to achieve the above purpose, the embodiment of the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

in a first aspect, a policy control method is provided, where the policy control method includes: a first mobile management network element of a first visited network determines that the terminal leaves the first visited network; the first mobile management network element sends instruction information to the policy control network element of the first visited network, where the instruction information is used to instruct the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network. Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the application, the first mobility management network element can instruct the policy control network element to delete the terminal policy stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network in time after determining that the terminal leaves the first visited network, so that the storage resource in the unified database network element of the first visited network can be saved.

In a possible design, the determining, by the first mobility management element, that the terminal leaves the first visited network specifically includes: the first mobility management element receives a first context transmission request message from a second mobility management element of a second visited network, wherein the first context transmission request message is used for requesting to acquire the context of the terminal. That is to say, in this embodiment of the present application, the terminal may move from one visited network to another visited network, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

In a possible design, the determining, by the first mobility management element, that the terminal leaves the first visited network specifically includes: the first mobility management element receives a second context transmission request message from a third mobility management element of the home network of the terminal, where the second context transmission request message is used to request to acquire the context of the terminal. That is to say, in this embodiment of the present application, the terminal may move from the visited network to the home network of the terminal, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

In a possible design, the determining, by the first mobility management element, that the terminal leaves the first visited network specifically includes: the first mobility management network element receives a deregistration request from the terminal, the deregistration request requesting that deregistration of the terminal be performed. That is to say, in this embodiment of the present application, the terminal may initiate de-registration of the terminal, so that the terminal leaves the first visited network where the terminal is currently located, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

In a possible design, the determining, by the first mobility management element, that the terminal leaves the first visited network specifically includes: the first mobility management element receives a deregistration notification from a data management element, the deregistration notification being used for notifying the first mobility management element to perform deregistration of the terminal. That is to say, in this embodiment of the present application, the network side may initiate de-registration of the terminal, so that the terminal leaves the first visited network where the terminal is currently located.

In one possible design, before the first mobility management element determines that the terminal leaves the first visited network, the policy control method further includes: the first mobile management network element receives a registration request from the terminal; the first mobility management element sends a third context transmission request message to a fourth mobility management element in the first visited network, where the third context transmission request message is used to request to acquire the context of the terminal; the first mobility management element receiving a context transfer response from the fourth mobility management element, the context transfer response including the identity of the unified database element; the first mobility management network element sends the identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element, where the identifier of the unified database network element is used to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element. Based on the policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the registration request from the terminal, the first mobility management network element of the first visited network may obtain the identifier of the unified database network element of the first visited network from the fourth mobility management network element of the first visited network, and send the identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element when creating the policy association, so that the policy control network element may obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element. Therefore, based on the scheme, when the terminal moves among different mobility management network elements of the same visited network, different policy control network elements can be ensured to find the same unified database network element, and then the policy of the terminal can be obtained from the unified database network element.

In one possible design, before the first mobility management element determines that the terminal leaves the first visited network, the policy control method further includes: the first mobile management network element receives a registration request from the terminal; the first mobile management network element sends a policy association creation request message to the policy control network element; the first mobility management network element receives the identity of the unified database network element from the policy control network element. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, when the terminal is registered in the first visited network, the first mobility management network element to which the terminal is initially accessed may obtain the identifier of the unified database network element selected by the policy control network element selected when the terminal is initially accessed in the first visited network.

In one possible design, the policy control method further includes: the first mobility management element receives a fourth context transmission request message from a fifth mobility management element in the first visited network, where the fourth context transmission request message is used to request to acquire the context of the terminal; the first mobility management network element sends a context transmission response to the fifth mobility management network element, where the context transmission response includes an identifier of the unified database network element, and the identifier of the unified database network element is used to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element. Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the application, when the terminal is registered in the first visited network, the first mobility management network element to which the terminal is initially accessed can obtain the identifier of the unified database network element selected by the policy control network element selected when the terminal is initially accessed in the first visited network, so that when the subsequent terminal reselects the mobility management network element in the first visited network, the identifier of the unified database network element can be provided to the latest mobility management network element, the latest mobility management network element is provided to the policy control network element of the latest first visited network, and the policy control network element of the latest first visited network can obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element. Therefore, based on the scheme, when the terminal moves among different mobility management network elements of the same visited network, different policy control network elements can be ensured to find the same unified database network element, and then the policy of the terminal can be obtained from the unified database network element.

In a second aspect, a policy control method is provided, which includes: a policy control network element of a first visited network receives indication information from a first mobility management network element of the first visited network, wherein the indication information is used for indicating the policy control network element to delete a terminal policy stored in a unified database network element of the first visited network; and the policy control network element sends a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, wherein the deletion request message is used for requesting to delete the terminal policy stored in the unified database network element. Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the application, the first mobility management network element can instruct the policy control network element to delete the terminal policy stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network in time after determining that the terminal leaves the first visited network, so that the storage resource in the unified database network element of the first visited network can be saved.

In one possible design, before the policy control network element receives the indication information from the first mobility management network element of the first visited network, the policy control method further includes: the policy control network element receiving the identity of the unified database network element from the first mobility management network element; the policy control network element obtains the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element. Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the application, because the first mobility management network element of the first visited network can send the identifier of the unified database network element of the first visited network to the policy control network element when creating the policy association, the policy control network element can obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element. Therefore, based on the scheme, when the terminal moves among different mobility management network elements of the same visited network, different policy control network elements can be ensured to find the same unified database network element, and then the policy of the terminal can be obtained from the unified database network element.

In one possible design, before the policy control network element receives the indication information from the first mobility management network element of the first visited network, the policy control method further includes: the policy control network element receives a policy association creation request message from the first mobility management network element; the strategy control network element selects the unified database network element to store the strategy of the terminal; the policy control network element sends the identity of the unified database network element to the first mobility management network element. Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the present application, the first mobility management network element may obtain the identifier of the unified database network element when creating the policy association.

In a third aspect, a policy control method is provided, where the policy control method includes: a first mobile management network element of a first visited place network receives a registration request from a terminal; the first mobility management network element sends a first context transmission request to a second mobility management network element in the first visited network, wherein the first context transmission request message is used for requesting to acquire the context of the terminal; the first mobility management element receives a context transmission response from the second mobility management element, wherein the context transmission response comprises an identifier of a unified database element of the first visited network; the first mobility management network element sends the identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element of the first visited network, and the identifier of the unified database network element is used for acquiring the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element. Based on the policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the registration request from the terminal, the first mobility management network element of the first visited network may obtain the identifier of the unified database network element of the first visited network from the second mobility management network element of the first visited network, and may send the identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element, so that the policy control network element may obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element.

In one possible design, the policy control method further includes: the first mobile management network element determines that the terminal leaves the first visited network; the first mobility management network element sends indication information to the policy control network element, where the indication information is used to indicate the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element. Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the application, the first mobility management network element can instruct the policy control network element to delete the terminal policy stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network in time after determining that the terminal leaves the first visited network, so that the storage resource in the unified database network element of the first visited network can be saved.

In a fourth aspect, a policy control method is provided, the policy control method comprising: a policy control network element of a first visited place network receives an identifier of a unified database network element of the first visited place network from a first mobility management network element of the first visited place network; the policy control network element obtains the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element. Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the application, because the first mobility management network element of the first visited network can send the identifier of the unified database network element of the first visited network to the policy control network element, the policy control network element can obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element. Therefore, based on the scheme, when the terminal moves among different mobility management network elements of the same visited network, different policy control network elements can be ensured to find the same unified database network element, and then the policy of the terminal can be obtained from the unified database network element.

In one possible design, the policy control method includes: the policy control network element receives indication information from the first mobility management network element, where the indication information is used to indicate the policy control network element to delete a policy of a terminal stored in the unified database network element; and the policy control network element sends a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, wherein the deletion request message is used for requesting to delete the terminal policy stored in the unified database network element. Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the application, the first mobility management network element can instruct the policy control network element to delete the terminal policy stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network in time after determining that the terminal leaves the first visited network, so that the storage resource in the unified database network element of the first visited network can be saved.

In a fifth aspect, there is provided a first mobility management element having the functionality of implementing the method of the first or third aspect. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In a sixth aspect, there is provided a first mobility management element, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer executable instructions, and when the first mobility management element is running, the processor executes the computer executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the first mobility management element to perform the policy control method according to any one of the first aspect or the third aspect.

A seventh aspect provides a first mobility management element, comprising: a processor; the processor is configured to be coupled to the memory, and after reading the instruction in the memory, execute the policy control method according to any one of the first aspect or the third aspect.

In an eighth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores instructions that, when executed on a computer, enable the computer to perform the policy control method according to any one of the first aspect or the third aspect.

In a ninth aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the policy control method of any one of the first or third aspects.

In a tenth aspect, an apparatus (e.g., the apparatus may be a system-on-chip) is provided that includes a processor configured to enable a first mobility management element to implement the functionality referred to in the first or third aspects above, e.g., to determine that the terminal leaves the first visited network. In one possible design, the apparatus further includes a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the first mobility management element. When the device is a chip system, the device may be composed of a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

For technical effects brought by any one of the design manners in the fifth aspect to the tenth aspect, reference may be made to technical effects brought by different design manners in the first aspect or the third aspect, and details are not described herein again.

In an eleventh aspect, a policy control network element is provided, which has the function of implementing the method of the second or fourth aspect. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In a twelfth aspect, there is provided a policy control network element, including: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer executable instructions, and when the policy control network element is running, the processor executes the computer executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the policy control network element to perform the policy control method according to any one of the second aspect or the fourth aspect.

In a thirteenth aspect, a policy control network element is provided, including: a processor; the processor is configured to be coupled with the memory, and after reading the instruction in the memory, execute the policy control method according to any one of the second aspect and the fourth aspect.

In a fourteenth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which has instructions stored therein, which when run on a computer, enable the computer to perform the policy control method of any one of the second or fourth aspects described above.

In a fifteenth aspect, there is provided a computer program product containing instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the policy control method of any one of the second or fourth aspects above.

In a sixteenth aspect, an apparatus (for example, the apparatus may be a system on a chip) is provided, which includes a processor configured to enable a policy control network element to implement the functions referred to in the second aspect or the fourth aspect, for example, to obtain a policy of the terminal from a unified database network element corresponding to an identifier of the unified database network element. In one possible design, the apparatus further includes a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the policy control network element. When the device is a chip system, the device may be composed of a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

For technical effects brought by any one of the design manners in the eleventh aspect to the sixteenth aspect, reference may be made to technical effects brought by different design manners in the second aspect or the fourth aspect, and details are not described herein again.

In a seventeenth aspect, a policy control system is provided, comprising: a first mobile management network element of a first visited network and a policy control network element of the first visited network; the first mobility management network element is configured to determine that the terminal leaves the first visited network; the first mobility management network element is further configured to send instruction information to a policy control network element of the first visited network, where the instruction information is used to instruct the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network; the policy control network element is configured to receive the indication information from the first mobility management network element, and send a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, where the deletion request message is used to request to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element.

In one possible design, the policy control system further includes the unified database network element; the unified database network element is configured to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element according to the deletion request message.

In a possible design, the unified database network element is configured to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element according to the deletion request message, and specifically includes: and the terminal is used for deleting the strategy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element under the condition that the strategy request or the strategy updating request of the terminal is not received within the preset time according to the deletion request message.

In one possible design, the first mobility management element is further configured to receive a registration request from the terminal; the first mobility management element is further configured to send a third context transmission request to a fourth mobility management element in the first visited network, where the third context transmission request message is used to request to acquire a context of the terminal; the first mobility management element is further configured to receive a context transfer response from the fourth mobility management element, where the context transfer response includes the identifier of the unified database element; the first mobility management network element is further configured to send the identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element; the policy control network element is further configured to receive the identifier of the unified database network element from the first mobility management network element, and obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element.

In one possible design, the first mobility management element is further configured to receive a registration request from the terminal; the first mobility management network element is further configured to send a policy association creation request message to the policy control network element; the policy control network element is further configured to receive the policy association creation request message from the first mobility management network element, and select the unified database network element to store the policy of the terminal; the policy control network element is further configured to send the identifier of the unified database network element to the first mobility management network element; the first mobility management network element is further configured to receive an identification of the unified database network element from the policy control network element.

For technical effects brought by any one of the design manners in the seventeenth aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects brought by different design manners in the first aspect or the second aspect, and details are not described here.

In an eighteenth aspect, there is provided a policy control system comprising: the mobile management system comprises a first mobile management network element of a first visited place network, a second mobile management network element of the first visited place network and a strategy control network element of the first visited place network; a first mobility management element, configured to receive a registration request from a terminal and send a first context transmission request to a second mobility management element, where the first context transmission request message is used to request to acquire a context of the terminal; the second mobility management network element is used for receiving the first context transmission request from the first mobility management network element and sending a context transmission response to the first mobility management network element, wherein the context transmission response comprises the identifier of the unified database network element of the first visited place network; the first mobility management element is further configured to receive a context transmission response from the second mobility management element, and send the identifier of the unified database element to the policy control element; the policy control network element is configured to receive the identifier of the unified database network element from the first mobility management network element, and obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element.

In a possible design, the first mobility management element is further configured to determine that the terminal leaves the first visited network; the first mobility management network element is further configured to send instruction information to the policy control network element, where the instruction information is used to instruct the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element; the policy control network element is further configured to receive the indication information from the first mobility management network element, and send a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, where the deletion request message is used to request to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element.

In a possible design, the deleting, by the unified database network element, the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element according to the deletion request message specifically includes: and the unified database network element deletes the strategy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element under the condition that the strategy request or the strategy updating request of the terminal is not received within the preset time according to the deletion request message.

The technical effects brought by any one of the design manners in the eighteenth aspect can be referred to the technical effects brought by different design manners in the third aspect or the fourth aspect, and are not described herein again.

These and other aspects of the present application will be more readily apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture in a home routing roaming scenario in the prior art;

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture in a conventional local breakout roaming scenario;

FIG. 3 is a first schematic diagram illustrating an architecture of a policy control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a policy control system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic hardware structure diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a first flowchart of a policy control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic flowchart illustrating a policy control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a third schematic flowchart of a policy control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a fourth schematic flowchart of a policy control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic flowchart of a policy control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a sixth schematic flowchart of a policy control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a first schematic structural diagram of a first mobility management element according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a first schematic structural diagram of a policy control network element according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of a first mobility management element according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 15 is a schematic structural diagram of a policy control network element according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, a brief description of the related art of the present application is first given as follows.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture in a home routing roaming scenario. The network architecture includes a VPLMN of the terminal and a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) of the terminal. The terminal is currently located in a VPLMN of the terminal, and the VPLMN of the terminal includes an access device, a User Plane Function (UPF) 1 network element, an AMF network element, a visited Session Management Function (SMF) network element, a V-PCF network element, or a V-UDR network element, and the like; the HPLMN of the terminal includes a UPF2 network element, a home-SMF (home-SMF, H-SMF) network element, an H-PCF network element, a home-UDR (home-UDR, H-UDR) network element, a Unified Data Management (UDM) network element, or an Application Function (AF) network element, and the like.

The terminal accesses the 5G network through the access equipment, and communicates with the AMF network element through a next generation network (N) interface 1 (N1 for short); the access equipment communicates with the AMF network element through an N2 interface (N2 for short) and communicates with the UPF1 network element through an N3 interface (N3 for short); the AMF network element communicates with the V-SMF network element through an N11 interface (N11 for short), communicates with the V-PCF network element through an N15 interface (N15 for short), and communicates with the UDM network element through an N8 interface (N8 for short); the V-SMF network element communicates with the H-SMF network element through an N16 interface (N16 for short), communicates with the V-PCF network element through an N7 interface (N7 for short), and communicates with the UPF1 network element through an N4 interface (N4 for short); the UPF1 network element communicates with the UPF2 network element through an N9 interface (N9 for short); the H-SMF network element communicates with the H-PCF network element through an N7 interface (N7 for short) and communicates with the UDM network element through an N10 interface (N10 for short); the V-PCF network element communicates with the H-PCF network element through an N24 interface (N24 for short); the V-UDR network element communicates with the V-PCF network element; the H-UDR network element is communicated with the H-PCF network element; the H-PCF network element communicates with the AF network element through an N5 interface (N5 for short); the UPF2 network element accesses the data network through N6 interface (N6 for short).

It should be noted that control plane network elements such as the AMF network element, the V-SMF network element, the H-SMF network element, the V-PCF network element, the H-PCF network element, or the UDM network element in the 5G network shown in fig. 1 may also use a service interface for interaction. For example, the service interface provided by the AMF network element to the outside may be Namf; the service interface provided by the V-SMF network element to the outside can be Nvsmf; the serving interface provided by the H-SMF network element to the outside can be Nhsmf; the serving interface provided by the H-PCF network element to the outside may be Nhpcf; the service interface provided by the V-PCF network element to the outside can be Nvpcf; the serving interface externally provided by the UDM network element may be Nudm, etc. For a related description, reference may be made to the 5G system architecture (5G system architecture) diagram in the 23501 standard, which is not repeated herein.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture in a conventional local breakout roaming scenario. The network architecture includes a VPLMN of the terminal and a HPLMN of the terminal. The terminal is currently located in a VPLMN of the terminal, and the VPLMN of the terminal comprises access equipment, a UPF network element, an AMF network element, an SMF network element, a V-PCF network element, a V-UDR network element, an AF network element and the like; the HPLMN of the terminal comprises an H-PCF network element, an UDM network element or an H-UDR network element and the like.

The terminal accesses the 5G network through the access equipment, and communicates with the AMF network element through N1; the access equipment communicates with the AMF network element through N2 and communicates with the UPF network element through N3; the AMF network element communicates with the SMF network element through N11, communicates with the V-PCF network element through N15, and communicates with the UDM network element through N8; the SMF network element communicates with the V-PCF network element through N7, communicates with the UPF network element through N4, and communicates with the UDM network element through N10; the UPF network element accesses the data network through an N6 interface (N6 for short); the V-PCF network element communicates with the H-PCF network element through N24 and communicates with the AF network element through N5; the V-UDR network element communicates with the V-PCF network element; the H-UDR network element communicates with the H-PCF network element.

It should be noted that control plane network elements such as the AMF network element, the V-SMF network element, the H-SMF network element, the V-PCF network element, the H-PCF network element, or the UDM network element in the 5G network shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2 may also use a service interface for interaction. For example, the service interface provided by the AMF network element to the outside may be Namf; the service interface externally provided by the SMF network element can be Nsmf; the service interface provided by the V-SMF network element to the outside can be Nvsmf; the serving interface provided by the H-SMF network element to the outside can be Nhsmf; the serving interface provided by the H-PCF network element to the outside may be Nhpcf; the service interface provided by the V-PCF network element to the outside can be Nvpcf; the serving interface externally provided by the UDM network element may be Nudm, etc. For a related description, reference may be made to the 5G system architecture (5G system architecture) diagram in the 23501 standard, which is not repeated herein.

It should be noted that the name of the network element or each interface in the 5G network architecture shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2 is only an example, and other names may be used in the specific implementation, and this is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that, one VPLMN is only exemplarily given in the 5G network architecture shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2, and of course, the terminal may also move from one VPLMN to another VPLMN, and the network element and the connection manner in the VPLMN in different scenarios may refer to the network element and the connection manner in the VPLMN in the 5G network architecture shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2, which is not described herein again.

It should be noted that, in the 5G network architecture shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2, only one VPLMN includes an AMF network element, a V-SMF network element, a V-PCF network element, or a V-UDR network element for example. Certainly, one VPLMN may include multiple AMF network elements, multiple V-SMF network elements, multiple V-PCF network elements, or multiple V-UDR network elements, and different AMF network elements may communicate with each other through an N14 interface (abbreviated as N14); different V-PCF network elements may communicate with each other through N24, etc., which may be described with reference to the existing 5G network architecture and will not be described herein again.

It should be noted that, in the 5G network architecture shown in fig. 1 or fig. 2, only an example that the HPLMN includes an H-PCF network element or an H-UDR network element is described. Certainly, the HPLMN may include multiple H-PCF network elements or H-UDR network elements, different H-PCF network elements may communicate with each other through N24, and the like, which may be described with reference to the existing 5G network architecture specifically, and details are not described here.

Optionally, the terminal (terminal) referred to in the embodiments of the present application may include various handheld devices with wireless communication functions, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, computing devices, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem; a subscriber unit (subscriber unit), a cellular phone (cellular phone), a smart phone (smart phone), a wireless data card, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) computer, a tablet computer, a wireless modem (modem), a handheld device (dhhand), a laptop computer (laptop computer), a cordless phone (cordless phone) or a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, a Machine Type Communication (MTC) terminal, a User Equipment (UE), a Mobile Station (MS), a terminal equipment (terminal device) or a relay user equipment, etc. may also be included. The relay user equipment may be, for example, a 5G home gateway (RG). For convenience of description, the above-mentioned devices are collectively referred to as a terminal in this application.

Optionally, the access device referred to in this embodiment of the present application refers to a device accessing a core network, and may be, for example, a base station, a broadband network service gateway (BNG), a convergence switch, a non-third generation partnership project (3rd generation partnership project, 3GPP) access device, and the like. The base stations may include various forms of base stations, such as: macro base stations, micro base stations (also referred to as small stations), relay stations, access points, etc.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Where in the description of the present application, "/" indicates a relationship where the objects associated before and after are an "or", unless otherwise stated, for example, a/B may indicate a or B; in the present application, "and/or" is only an association relationship describing an associated object, and means that there may be three relationships, for example, a and/or B, and may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone, wherein A and B can be singular or plural. Also, in the description of the present application, "a plurality" means two or more than two unless otherwise specified. "at least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of the singular or plural items. For example, at least one (one) of a, b, or c, may represent: a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, or a-b-c, wherein a, b, c may be single or multiple. In addition, in order to facilitate clear description of technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish the same items or similar items having substantially the same functions and actions. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the terms "first," "second," etc. do not denote any order or quantity, nor do the terms "first," "second," etc. denote any order or importance.

In addition, the network architecture and the service scenario described in the embodiment of the present application are for more clearly illustrating the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation to the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application, and it can be known by a person skilled in the art that the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is also applicable to similar technical problems along with the evolution of the network architecture and the appearance of a new service scenario.

As shown in fig. 3, for a policy control system 30 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the policy control system 30 includes a first mobility management element 301 of a first visited network and a policy control element 302 of the first visited network.

The first mobility management network element 301 is configured to send, after determining that the terminal leaves the first visited network, indication information to the policy control network element 302, where the indication information is used to instruct the policy control network element 302 to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network.

And the policy control network element 302 is configured to receive the indication information from the first mobility management network element 301, and send a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, where the deletion request message is used to request to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the first mobility management network element 301 and the policy control network element 302 may communicate directly or may communicate through forwarding of other devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

In the existing policy control method, when a terminal of a roaming user leaves from a visited network where a current mobility management network element is located, for example, when the terminal deregisters or the terminal performs inter-network mobility management network element reselection, the policy of the terminal is still stored in an original unified database network element. However, when the terminal of the roaming user leaves from the visited network where the current mobility management network element is located, since the original mobility management network element and the newly selected mobility management network element are not in the same network, that is, the terminal has left the original visited network, and it is unknown whether the terminal will be accessed to the visited network in the future, the policies of the terminals of the roaming users stored in the original unified database network element may not be used in the future or may be used after a long time, even if the policies are used, the policies may be outdated, and thus the storage resources of the unified database network element will be wasted. Based on the policy control system provided by the embodiment of the application, after determining that the terminal leaves the first visited network, the first mobility management network element can instruct the policy control network element to delete the terminal policy stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network in time, so that the storage resource in the unified database network element of the first visited network can be saved.

Optionally, as shown in fig. 3, the policy control system 30 provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include a unified database network element 303. The unified database network element 303 is configured to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element according to the deletion request message, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Or, optionally, as shown in fig. 4, for a policy control system 40 provided in this embodiment of the application, the policy control system 40 includes a first mobility management network element 401 of a first visited network, a second mobility management network element 402 of the first visited network, and a policy control network element 403 of the first visited network.

The first mobility management element 401 is configured to receive a registration request from a terminal, and send a first context transmission request to the second mobility management element 402, where the first context transmission request message is used to request to acquire a context (context) of the terminal.

The first mobility management element 401 is further configured to receive a context transfer response from the second mobility management element 402, the context transfer response including an identification of the unified database element of the first visited network.

The first mobility management element 401 is further configured to send an identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element 403.

The policy control network element 403 is configured to receive the identifier of the unified database network element from the first mobility management network element 401, and obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the first mobility management network element 401 and the policy control network element 403 may communicate directly or may communicate through forwarding of other devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the first mobility management network element 401 and the second mobility management network element 402 may communicate directly or may communicate through forwarding of other devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

Based on the policy control system provided in the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the registration request from the terminal, the first mobility management network element of the first visited network may obtain the identifier of the unified database network element of the first visited network from the second mobility management network element of the first visited network, and send the identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element, so that the policy control network element may obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element.

Optionally, the policy control system shown in fig. 3 or fig. 4 may be applied to the 5G network architecture in the home routing roaming scenario shown in fig. 1 or the 5G network architecture in the local breakout roaming scenario shown in fig. 2, and may also be applied to other future roaming network architectures, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

For example, if the policy control system shown in fig. 3 or fig. 4 is applied to the 5G network architecture in the home routing roaming scenario shown in fig. 1 or the 5G network architecture in the local breakout roaming scenario shown in fig. 2, the network element or entity corresponding to the first mobility management network element 301 in fig. 3, the first mobility management network element 401 in fig. 4, or the second mobility management network element 402 may be an AMF network element in a VPLMN in the 5G network architecture; the network element or entity corresponding to the policy control network element 302 in fig. 3 or the policy control network element 403 in fig. 4 may be a V-PCF network element in a VPLMN in the above 5G network architecture, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the first mobility management network element 301 or the policy control network element 302 in fig. 3, or the first mobility management network element 401 or the policy control network element 403 in fig. 4 may be implemented by one device, or implemented by multiple devices together, or implemented as a functional module in one device, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application. It is understood that the above functions may be either network elements in a hardware device, software functions running on dedicated hardware, or virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform).

For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the first mobility management network element 301 or the policy control network element 302 in fig. 3, or the first mobility management network element 401 or the policy control network element 403 in fig. 4 may be implemented by the communication device in fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a hardware structure of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 500 comprises a processor 501, a communication line 502, a memory 503 and at least one communication interface (fig. 5 illustrates an example of a communication interface 504).

The processor 501 may be a general-purpose Central Processing Unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more ics for controlling the execution of programs in accordance with the present disclosure.

The communication link 502 may include a path for transmitting information between the aforementioned components.

The communication interface 504 may be any device, such as a transceiver, for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as an ethernet, a Radio Access Network (RAN), a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), etc.

The memory 503 may be, but is not limited to, a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that may store static information and instructions, a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, optical disk storage (including compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, blu-ray disc, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory may be separate and coupled to the processor via a communication line 502. The memory may also be integral to the processor.

The memory 503 is used for storing computer-executable instructions for executing the present application, and is controlled by the processor 501 to execute. The processor 501 is configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 503, so as to implement the policy control method provided by the following embodiments of the present application.

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

In particular implementations, processor 501 may include one or more CPUs such as CPU0 and CPU1 in fig. 5 as an example.

In particular implementations, communication device 500 may include multiple processors, such as processor 501 and processor 508 in fig. 5, for example, as an example. Each of these processors may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. A processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

In particular implementations, communication device 500 may also include an output device 505 and an input device 506, as one embodiment. An output device 505, which is in communication with the processor 501, may display information in a variety of ways. For example, the output device 505 may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display device, a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display device, a projector (projector), or the like. The input device 506 is in communication with the processor 501 and may receive user input in a variety of ways. For example, the input device 506 may be a mouse, a keyboard, a touch screen device, or a sensing device, among others.

The communication device 500 may be a general purpose device or a special purpose device. In a specific implementation, the communication device 500 may be a desktop, a laptop, a web server, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a tablet, a wireless terminal device, an embedded device, or a device with a similar structure as in fig. 5. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the type of the communication device 500.

The following describes the policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application in detail with reference to fig. 1 to 5.

It should be noted that, in the following embodiments of the present application, names of messages between network elements or names of parameters in messages are only an example, and other names may also be used in a specific implementation, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, taking the policy control system shown in fig. 3 as an example, where the policy control system is applied in a 5G network architecture in the home routing roaming scenario shown in fig. 1 or the local breakout roaming scenario shown in fig. 2, assuming that an HPLMN of a terminal includes a UDM network element, an H-PCF1 network element, an H-PCF2 network element, and an H-UDR network element, and the terminal leaves from a VPLMN1 where an AMF1 network element, a V-PCF1 network element, and a V-UDR1 network element are located, and enters a VPLMN2 where an AMF2 network element, a V-PCF2 network element, and a V-UDR2 network element are located, as shown in fig. 6, the policy control method provided for the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

s601, the terminal moves, and a registration request (registration request) message is sent to the AMF2 network element through the access equipment in the VPLMN2, so that the AMF2 network element receives the registration request message from the terminal.

S602, the AMF2 network element sends a context transfer request (context transfer request) message to the AMF1 network element, so that the AMF1 network element receives the context transfer request message from the AMF2 network element, where the context transfer request message is used to request to acquire the context of the terminal.

In this embodiment, after receiving the context transmission request message from the AMF2 network element, the AMF1 network element may learn that the terminal leaves the VPLMN1 where the AMF1 network element is located, which is described in a unified manner herein and will not be described in detail below.

S603, the AMF1 network element sends a context transfer response (context transfer response) message to the AMF2 network element, so that the AMF2 network element receives the context transfer response message from the AMF1 network element. Wherein the context transmission response message includes the context of the terminal.

In the embodiment of the present application, since the AMF1 network element and the AMF2 network element are not in the same VPLMN, the context in which the AMF1 network element sends to the terminal of the AMF2 network element does not include the identifier of the V-PCF1 network element in the VPLMN 1.

And S604, registering the network element AMF2 with the UDM network element, and acquiring the subscription data of the terminal.

S605, the AMF2 network element sends a registration complete notification (registration complete notification) to the AMF1 network element, so that the AMF1 network element receives the registration complete notification from the AMF2 network element. The deregistration completion notification is used to notify the AMF1 that the registration of the network element at the AMF2 network element is completed.

In this embodiment of the present application, after registering the AMF2 network element with the UDM network element, the AMF2 network element may also subscribe to a subscription data modification notification, which may specifically refer to the existing implementation manner and is not described herein again.

S606, the UDM network element sends a deregistration notification request (deregistration notification request) to the AMF1 network element, so that the AMF1 network element receives the deregistration notification request from the UDM network element. Wherein the deregistration notification request is used for the AMF1 network element to delete the context of the terminal.

S607, the AMF1 network element sends a deregistration notification response (deregistration notification response) to the UDM network element so that the UDM network element receives the deregistration notification response from the AMF1 network element.

Of course, after receiving the deregistration notification request from the UDM network element, the AMF1 network element may also cancel the subscription data modification notification, which may specifically refer to the existing implementation and is not described herein again.

S608, because the AMF2 network element does not receive the identification of the V-PCF1 network element, the AMF2 network element reselects the V-PCF network element and the H-PCF network element, and assuming that the network elements are the V-PCF2 network element and the H-PCF2 network element respectively, the AMF2 network element sends a policy association creation request 1 to the V-PCF2 network element, so that the V-PCF2 network element receives a policy association creation request message 1 from the AMF2 network element, and the policy association creation request message 1 is used for requesting to create a policy association.

The policy association refers to an association between the AMF2 network element and the V-PCF2 network element, where the association is used for the AMF2 network element to transfer the current access-related parameters of the terminal to the V-PCF2 network element, and the V-PCF2 network element to provide the terminal policy to the AMF2 network element, and the related description may refer to the definition of the existing policy association, and is not described herein again.

For example, the policy association creation request message 1 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, a policy control creation request (policy control request) message 1, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the policy association creating request message 1 may further include indication information 1, where the indication information 1 is used to indicate that the terminal moves from another Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) to the VPLMN2 where the V-PCF2 network element is located, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

And S609, the network element of the V-PCF2 sends a policy association creation response message 1 to the AMF2 network element, so that the AMF2 network element receives the policy association creation response message 1 from the V-PCF2 network element.

The policy association creation response message 1 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, a policy control creation response (policy control response) message 1, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

S610, optionally, the V-PCF2 network element sends a query request (query request)1 to the V-UDR2 network element, so that the V-UDR2 network element receives the query request 1 from the V-PCF2 network element. The query request 1 is used to request the acquisition of the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR2 network element.

S611, optionally, the V-UDR2 network element sends a query response (query response)1 to the V-PCF2 network element, so that the V-PCF2 network element receives the query response 1 from the V-UDR2 network element.

If the policy of the terminal is stored in the V-UDR2 network element, the query response 1 includes the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR2 network element; otherwise, the policy of the terminal is not included in the query response 1.

It should be noted that, in the case that the policy association creation request 1 in the step S608 includes the indication information 1, the steps S609 to S610 may not be executed in the embodiment of the present application, which is described in a unified manner here and will not be described again below.

S612, the network element of V-PCF2 sends a policy association creation request message 2 to the network element of H-PCF2, so that the network element of H-PCF2 receives the policy association creation request message 2 from the network element of V-PCF2, where the policy association creation request message 2 is used for requesting to create a policy association.

The policy association refers to an association between the V-PCF2 network element and the H-PCF2 network element, where the association is used for the H-PCF2 network element to provide the policy of the terminal to the V-PCF2 network element, and the related description may refer to the definition of the existing policy association, which is not described herein again.

The policy association creation request message 2 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, the policy control creation request message 2, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

And S613, the network element of the H-PCF2 sends the query request 2 to the network element of the H-UDR, so that the network element of the H-UDR receives the query request 2 from the network element of the H-PCF 2. The query request 2 is used to request the acquisition of the policy of the terminal stored in the H-UDR network element.

And S614, the H-UDR network element sends the query response 2 to the H-PCF2 network element, so that the H-PCF2 network element receives the query response 2 from the H-UDR network element.

If the strategy of the terminal is stored in the H-UDR network element, the inquiry response 2 comprises the strategy of the terminal stored in the H-UDR network element; otherwise, the policy of the terminal is not included in the query response 2.

And S615, the network element of the H-PCF2 sends a response message 2 of the creation of the policy association to the network element of the V-PCF2, so that the network element of the V-PCF2 receives the response message 2 of the creation of the policy association from the network element of the H-PCF 2.

If the policy of the terminal is stored in the H-UDR network element and the H-PCF2 network element determines to update the policy of the terminal, the policy association creation response message 2 includes the policy of the terminal updated by the H-PCF2 network element, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the updated policy of the terminal may also be referred to as a terminal policy made for the terminal, which is described in a unified manner herein and will not be described in detail below.

The policy association creation response message 2 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, the policy control creation response message 2, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

S616, optionally, if the V-PCF2 network element formulates a policy of the terminal for the terminal, or the H-PCF2 network element updates the policy of the terminal, the V-PCF2 network element sends an N1N2message transmission request (N1N2message transmission request) to the AMF2 network element, so that the AMF2 network element receives the N1N2message transmission request from the V-PCF2 network element.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, if the V-PCF2 network element formulates a policy of the terminal for the terminal, the N1N2message transmission request includes the policy of the terminal formulated by the V-PCF2 network element for the terminal.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, if the H-PCF2 network element updates the policy of the terminal, the N1N2message transmission request includes the policy of the terminal updated by the H-PCF2 network element, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the application, if the V-PCF2 network element does not receive the policy of the terminal in the query response 1, or the V-PCF2 network element 2 receives the policy of the terminal, but the V-PCF2 network element needs to update the policy of the terminal, then the V-PCF2 network element makes the policy of the terminal for the terminal at this time, which is described in a unified manner and is not described below.

For example, the policy association creation response message 1 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, the policy control creation response message 1, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

S617, the AMF1 network element sends a policy association deletion request 1 to the V-PCF1 network element, so that the V-PCF1 network element receives the policy association deletion request 1 from the AMF1 network element. Wherein the policy association deletion request 1 is used for requesting the policy association created by the AMF1 network element and the V-PCF1 network element before the V-PCF1 network element is deleted. In addition, the policy association deletion request 1 includes indication information 2, where the indication information 2 is used to indicate the V-PCF1 network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element.

For example, the policy association deletion request 1 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, a policy control deletion request (policy control delete request) message 1, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

S618, the V-PCF1 network element sends a delete request (delete request) to the V-UDR1 network element, so that the V-UDR1 network element receives the delete request from the V-PCF1 network element. Wherein the deletion request is used for requesting deletion of the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, after receiving the deletion request from the V-PCF1 network element, the V-UDR1 network element may directly delete the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element.

Or, in this embodiment of the application, after receiving the deletion request from the V-PCF1 network element, the V-UDR1 network element may delete the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element, when the policy request or the policy update request of the terminal sent by another V-PCF network element is not received within a preset time. For example, after receiving the deletion request from the V-PCF1 network element, the V-UDR1 network element may start a timer, and if the V-UDR1 network element does not receive the policy request or the policy update request of the terminal sent by another V-PCF network element before the timer expires, the V-UDR1 network element may delete the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the determination manner of the timer time.

The S619, V-UDR1 network element sends a delete response to the V-PCF1 network element so that the V-PCF1 network element receives the delete response from the V-UDR1 network element. The delete response is used to indicate that the V-UDR1 network element has deleted the stored policy for that terminal.

And S620, the network element of the V-PCF1 sends a policy association deletion response 1 to the AMF1 network element, so that the AMF1 network element receives the policy association deletion response 1 from the V-PCF1 network element. Wherein the policy association deletion response 1 is used for indicating that the AMF1 network element is associated with the policy association created by the V-PCF1 network element before the V-PCF1 network element is deleted.

For example, the policy association deletion response 1 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, a policy control deletion response (policy control deletion response) message 1, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

And S621, the network element of the V-PCF1 sends a policy association deletion request 2 to the network element of the H-PCF 1. The policy association deletion request 2 is used for requesting the H-PCF1 to delete the policy association created by the H-PCF1 network element and the H-PCF1 network element before the H-PCF1 network element is deleted.

For example, the policy association deletion request 2 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, a policy control deletion request message 2, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

S622, the H-PCF1 network element sends an update request (update request)1 to the H-UDR network element, so that the H-UDR network element receives the update request 1 from the H-PCF1 network element. Wherein the update request 1 is used for the H-UDR network element that stores the policy of the terminal maintained by the H-PCF1 network element.

S623, the H-UDR network element sends an update response (update response)1 to the H-PCF1 network element, so that the H-PCF1 network element receives the update response 1 from the H-UDR network element.

And S624, the network element of the H-PCF1 sends a strategy association deletion response 2 to the network element of the V-PCF 1. Wherein the policy association deletion response 2 is used for indicating that the H-PCF1 network element has deleted the policy association created by the H-PCF1 network element and the H-PCF1 network element before the deletion.

For example, the policy association deletion response 2 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, the policy control deletion request response 2, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

S625, the AMF2 network element sends a registration accept (registration accept) message to the terminal through the access device, so that the terminal receives the registration accept message from the AMF2 network element.

Based on the policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the context transmission request message from the AMF2 network element, the AMF1 network element may know that the terminal leaves the VPLMN1, and may further instruct the V-PCF1 network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the-UDR 1 network element in the VPLMN1 in time, so that the storage resource in the V-UDR1 network element may be saved.

The actions of the AMF1 network element or the V-PCF1 network element in steps S601 to S625 may be executed by the processor 501 in the communication device 500 shown in fig. 5 invoking application program codes stored in the memory 503, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Or, optionally, taking the policy control system shown in fig. 3 as an example when applied to a 5G network architecture in the home routing roaming scenario shown in fig. 1 or the local breakout roaming scenario shown in fig. 2, assuming that a terminal leaves from a VPLMN1 where an AMF1 network element, a V-PCF1 network element, a V-UDR1 network element, and enters an HPLMN where an AMF3 network element, an H-PCF1 network element, a UDM network element, an H-UDR network element, and the like are located, as shown in fig. 7, a policy control method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

s701, the terminal moves, and a registration request message is sent to the AMF3 network element through the access equipment in the HPLMN, so that the AMF3 network element receives the registration request message from the terminal.

S702 to S707 are similar to steps S602 to S607 in fig. 6, except that, for example, the AMF2 network element in the VPLMN2 in steps S602 to S607 is replaced by the AMF3 network element in the HPLMN in the embodiment of the present application, and the rest of the related description may refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 6, which is not described herein again.

And S708, because the AMF3 network element does not receive the identifier of the V-PCF1 network element, the AMF3 network element reselects the H-PCF network element, and if the network element is the H-PCF2 network element, the AMF3 network element sends a policy association creation request message to the H-PCF2 network element, so that the H-PCF2 network element receives a policy association creation request from the AMF3 network element, and the policy association creation request message is used for requesting to create a policy association.

For example, the policy association creation request message in the embodiment of the present application may be a policy control creation request message, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

And S709, the network element of the H-PCF2 sends a response message of creating the policy association to the AMF3 network element, so that the AMF3 network element receives the response message of creating the policy association from the H-PCF2 network element.

For example, the policy association creation response message in the embodiment of the present application may be a policy control creation response message, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

And S710, the network element of the H-PCF2 sends a query request to the network element of the H-UDR, so that the network element of the H-UDR receives the query request from the network element of the H-PCF 2. The query request is used for requesting to obtain the policy of the terminal stored in the H-UDR network element.

And S711, the H-UDR network element sends a query response to the H-PCF2 network element, so that the H-PCF2 network element receives the query response 2 from the H-UDR network element.

If the strategy of the terminal is stored in the H-UDR network element, the inquiry response comprises the strategy of the terminal stored in the H-UDR network element; otherwise, the strategy of the terminal is not included in the inquiry response.

S712, optionally, if the network element of H-PCF2 determines to update the policy of the terminal, the network element of H-PCF2 sends a N1N2message transmission request to the AMF3 network element, so that the AMF3 network element receives the N1N2message transmission request from the network element of H-PCF 2. The N1N2message transmission request includes a policy of the terminal updated by the H-PCF2 network element, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

S713-S720, similar to steps S617-S624 in fig. 6, for the related description, refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and are not repeated herein.

S721, the AMF3 network element sends a registration accept message to the terminal through the access device, so that the terminal receives the registration accept message from the AMF3 network element.

Based on the policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the context transmission request message from the AMF3 network element, the AMF1 network element may know that the terminal leaves the VPLMN1, and may further instruct the V-PCF1 network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element in time, so that the storage resource in the V-UDR1 network element may be saved.

The actions of the AMF1 network element or the V-PCF1 network element in steps S701 to S721 above may be executed by the processor 501 in the communication device 500 shown in fig. 5 calling application program codes stored in the memory 503, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, taking the policy control system shown in fig. 3 as an example when applied to a 5G network architecture in the home routing roaming scenario shown in fig. 1 or the local breakout roaming scenario shown in fig. 2, assuming that the HPLMN of the terminal includes an H-PCF1 network element and an H-UDR network element, and the terminal initiates a de-registration (de-registration) flow at a VPLMN1 where an AMF1 network element, a V-PCF1 network element, a V-UDR1 network element, and the like are located, as shown in fig. 8, a policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

s801, the terminal sends a de-registration request (de-registration request) message to the AMF1 network element through the access device in the VPLMN1, so that the AMF1 network element receives the de-registration request message from the terminal. Wherein the deregistration request message is for requesting to perform deregistration of the terminal.

In this embodiment, after receiving the deregistration request message from the terminal, the AMF1 network element may learn that the terminal leaves the VPLMN1 where the AMF1 network element is located, which is described in a unified manner herein and will not be described in detail below.

S802-S809, similar to steps S617-S624 in FIG. 6, for the related description, refer to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, and are not repeated here.

S810, the AMF1 network element sends a de-registration accept (de-registration accept) message to the terminal through the access device, so that the terminal receives the de-registration accept message from the AMF1 network element.

S811, releasing the connection between the terminal, the access device and the AMF1 network element, and the related description may refer to the implementation manner in the existing de-registration procedure, which is not described herein again.

Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the deregistration request message from the terminal, the AMF1 network element can know that the terminal leaves the VPLMN1, and can further instruct the V-PCF1 network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element in time, so that the storage resource in the V-UDR1 network element can be saved.

The actions of the AMF1 network element or the V-PCF1 network element in steps S801 to S811 may be executed by the processor 501 in the communication device 500 shown in fig. 5 calling the application program code stored in the memory 503, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, taking the policy control system shown in fig. 3 as an example when applied to a 5G network architecture in the home routing roaming scenario shown in fig. 1 or the local breakout roaming scenario shown in fig. 2, assuming that the HPLMN of the terminal includes a UDM network element, an H-PCF1 network element, an H-UDR network element, an AMF1 network element, a V-PCF1 network element, a V-UDR1 network element, and the like, and initiates a de-registration (de-registration) flow of the terminal at the VPLMN1 side, as shown in fig. 9, the policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

s901, the UDM network element sends a de-registration notification (de-registration notification) to the AMF1 network element, so that the AMF1 network element receives the de-registration notification from the UDM network element. The deregistration notification is used to inform the AMF1 network element to perform deregistration of the terminal.

In this embodiment of the present application, after receiving the deregistration notification from the UDM network element, the AMF1 network element may learn that the terminal leaves the VPLMN1 where the AMF1 network element is located, which is described in a unified manner herein and will not be described in detail below.

S902, the AMF1 network element sends a de-registration acknowledgement (de-registration acknowledgement) to the UDM network element, so that the UDM network element receives the de-registration acknowledgement from the AMF1 network element.

S903, optionally, the terminal sends a de-registration request (de-registration request) message to the AMF1 network element through the access device in the VPLMN1, so that the AMF1 network element receives the de-registration request message from the terminal. Wherein the deregistration request message is for requesting to perform deregistration of the terminal.

Of course, in this embodiment of the present application, the step S903 does not need to be executed, but the AMF1 network element executes implicit de-registration, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

S904-S911, similar to steps S617-S624 in fig. 6, the related description may refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and will not be repeated herein.

S912, optionally, if the step S903 is executed, the AMF1 network element sends a de-registration accept (de-registration accept) message to the terminal through the access device, so that the terminal receives the de-registration accept message from the AMF1 network element.

S913, releasing the connection between the terminal, the access device and the AMF1 network element, and the related description may refer to an implementation manner in the existing de-registration procedure, which is not described herein again.

Based on the policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the deregistration notification from the UDM network element, the AMF1 network element can know that the terminal leaves the VPLMN1, and can further instruct the V-PCF1 network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element in time, so that the storage resource in the V-UDR1 network element can be saved.

The actions of the AMF1 network element or the V-PCF1 network element in the above steps S901 to S913 may be executed by the processor 501 in the communication device 500 shown in fig. 5 calling the application program code stored in the memory 503, which is not limited in this embodiment of the application.

Optionally, taking the policy control system shown in fig. 4 as an example applied to a 5G network architecture in the home routing roaming scenario shown in fig. 1 or the local breakout roaming scenario shown in fig. 2, assuming that an HPLMN of a terminal includes a UDM network element, an H-PCF1 network element, an H-PCF2 network element, and an H-UDR network element, the terminal performs reselection (relocation) of an AMF network element in a VPLMN1, reselects from an AMF4 network element of a source area in the VPLMN1 to an AMF1 network element of a target area in the VPLMN1, the source area in the VPLMN1 further includes a V-PCF4 network element and a V-UDR1 network element, and the target area in the VPLMN1 further includes a V-PCF1 network element and a V-UDR1 network element, as shown in fig. 10, a policy control method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

and S1001, the terminal moves, and a registration request message is sent to the AMF1 network element through the access equipment in the VPLMN1, so that the AMF1 network element receives the registration request message from the terminal.

And S1002, the AMF1 network element sends a context transmission request message to the AMF4 network element, so that the AMF4 network element receives the context transmission request message from the AMF1 network element, wherein the context transmission request message is used for requesting to acquire the context of the terminal.

In this embodiment, after receiving the context transmission request message from the AMF1 network element, the AMF4 network element may learn that the terminal reselects the AMF network element in the VPLMN1, which is described in this embodiment in a unified manner and will not be described in detail below.

The S1003, the AMF4 network element sends a context transfer response message to the AMF1 network element, so that the AMF1 network element receives the context transfer response message from the AMF4 network element. Wherein the context transmission response message includes the context of the terminal.

In this embodiment of the present application, since the AMF1 network element and the AMF4 network element are in the same VPLMN, the context sent by the AMF4 network element to the terminal of the AMF1 network element includes the identifier of the V-PCF4 network element in the source area.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present application, the context transfer response message further includes an identifier of the V-UDR1 network element that stores the policy of the terminal in the VPLMN 1. The V-UDR1 network element is a V-UDR network element selected by a V-PCF network element selected when the terminal initially accesses the VPLMN1, and the initially selected V-PCF network element sends the identity of the V-UDR1 network element to an AMF network element selected when the terminal initially accesses the VPLMN 1. When the terminal performs reselection of an AMF network element in VPLMN1, the initial AMF network element provides the identifier of the V-UDR1 network element to the latest AMF network element, in this embodiment of the present application, an example is described in which the identifier of the V-UDR1 network element is stored in the current AMF4 network element, where the AMF4 network element may be an AMF network element selected when the terminal initially accesses the VPLMN1, or may be the current latest AMF network element before reselection of the current AMF network element occurs, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

S1004-S1007 are similar to steps S604-S607 in fig. 6, except that, for example, the AMF2 network element in VPLMN2 in steps S604-S607 is replaced by the AMF1 network element in VPLMN1 in the embodiment of the present application, and the AMF1 network element in VPLMN1 in steps S604-S607 is replaced by the AMF4 network element in VPLMN1 in the embodiment of the present application, and the rest of the related description may refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 6 and will not be described herein again.

S1008, although the AMF1 network element receives the identification of the V-PCF4 network element, the AMF1 network element reselects the V-PCF network element and the H-PCF network element, and assuming that the V-PCF1 network element and the H-PCF2 network element are respectively the V-PCF1 network element and the H-PCF2 network element, the AMF1 network element sends a policy association creation request message 1 to the V-PCF1 network element, so that the V-PCF1 network element receives a policy association creation request message 1 from the AMF1 network element, and the policy association creation request message 1 is used for requesting to create a. In addition, the policy association creation request message 1 also includes the identifier of the V-UDR1 network element obtained in step S1003.

For example, the policy association creation request message 1 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, a policy control creation request message 1, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

S1009, the V-PCF1 network element sends a policy association creation response message 1 to the AMF1 network element, so that the AMF1 network element receives the policy association creation response message 1 from the V-PCF1 network element.

And S1010, the network element of the V-PCF1 sends a query request 1 to the network element of the V-UDR1 corresponding to the identifier of the network element of the V-UDR1, so that the network element of the V-UDR1 receives the query request 1 from the network element of the V-PCF 1. The query request 1 is used to request the acquisition of the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element.

The S1011, V-UDR1 network element sends an inquiry response 1 to the V-PCF1 network element, so that the V-PCF1 network element receives the inquiry response 1 from the V-UDR1 network element.

In the embodiment of the application, if the policy of the terminal is stored in the V-UDR1 network element, the query response 1 includes the policy of the terminal stored in the V-UDR1 network element; otherwise, the policy of the terminal is not included in the query response 1.

S1012-S1015 are similar to steps S612-S615 in fig. 6, for example, the difference is that the V-PCF2 network element in steps S612-S615 is replaced by a V-PCF1 network element in the embodiment of the present application, and the rest of the related description may refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and is not described herein again.

S1016, optionally, if the policy of the terminal is stored in the V-UDR1 network element and the policy of the terminal is determined to be updated by the V-PCF1 network element, or if the policy of the terminal is stored in the H-UDR network element and the policy of the terminal is determined to be updated by the H-PCF2 network element, the V-PCF1 network element sends an N1N2message transmission request to the AMF1 network element, so that the AMF1 network element receives the N1N2message transmission request from the V-PCF1 network element.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, if the policy of the terminal is stored in the V-UDR1 network element and the V-PCF1 network element determines to update the policy of the terminal, the N1N2message transmission request includes the policy of the terminal updated by the V-PCF1 network element.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, if the policy of the terminal is stored in the H-UDR network element and the H-PCF2 network element determines to update the policy of the terminal, the N1N2message transmission request includes the policy of the terminal updated by the H-PCF2 network element, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

And S1017, the AMF4 network element sends a policy association deletion request 1 to the V-PCF4 network element, so that the V-PCF4 network element receives the policy association deletion request 1 from the AMF4 network element. Wherein the policy association deletion request 1 is used for requesting the policy association created by the AMF4 network element and the V-PCF4 network element before the V-PCF4 network element is deleted.

For example, the policy association deletion request 1 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, a policy control deletion request message 1, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

And S1018, the network element of the V-PCF4 sends a policy association deletion response 1 to the AMF4 network element, so that the AMF4 network element receives the policy association deletion response 1 from the V-PCF4 network element. Wherein the policy association deletion response 1 is used for indicating that the AMF4 network element is associated with the policy association created by the V-PCF4 network element before the V-PCF4 network element is deleted.

For example, the policy association deletion response 1 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, a policy control deletion response message 1, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

S1019-S1022 are similar to steps S621-S624 in fig. 6, except that, for example, the V-PCF1 network element in steps S621-S624 is replaced by a V-PCF4 network element in the embodiment of the present application, and the rest of the related description may refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and will not be described again here.

S1023, the AMF1 network element sends a registration accept message to the terminal through the access device, so that the terminal receives the registration accept message from the AMF1 network element.

Based on the policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application, after receiving the registration request from the terminal, the AMF1 network element in the VPLMN1 may obtain the identifier of the V-UDR1 network element in the VPLMN1 from the AMF4 network element in the VPLMN1, and send the identifier of the V-UDR1 network element to the newly selected V-PCF1 network element when creating the policy association, so that the V-PCF1 network element may obtain the policy of the terminal from the V-UDR1 network element corresponding to the identifier of the V-UDR1 network element, and therefore, based on the scheme, when the terminal moves between different AMF network elements in the VPLMN1, it is ensured that different V-PCFs may find the same V-UDR1 network element, and further, the policy of the terminal may be obtained from the V-UDR 1.

The actions of the AMF1 network element or the V-PCF1 network element in the above steps S1001 to S1023 may be executed by the processor 501 in the communication device 500 shown in fig. 5 calling the application program code stored in the memory 503, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

In the following, with reference to the step S1003, taking an example that the HPLMN of the terminal includes the UDM network element, the H-PCF1 network element, and the H-UDR network element in fig. 10, and an AMF network element selected when the terminal initially accesses the VPLMN1 shown in fig. 10 is an AMF4 network element, a policy control method provided in the embodiment of the present application is given, as shown in fig. 11, and includes the following steps:

s1101, the terminal sends a registration request message to the AMF4 network element through the access device in the VPLMN1, so that the AMF4 network element receives the registration request message from the terminal.

And S1102, registering the network element of the AMF4 with the UDM network element, and acquiring the subscription data of the terminal.

In this embodiment of the present application, after registering the AMF4 network element with the UDM network element, the AMF4 network element may also subscribe to a subscription data modification notification, which may specifically refer to the existing implementation manner and is not described herein again.

S1103, the AMF4 network element selects a V-PCF network element and an H-PCF network element, and assuming that the network elements are a V-PCF4 network element and an H-PCF1 network element, respectively, the AMF4 network element sends a policy association creation request 1 to the V-PCF4 network element, so that the V-PCF4 network element receives a policy association creation request message 1 from the AMF4 network element, where the policy association creation request message 1 is used to request to create a policy association.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the policy association creating request message 1 may further include indication information 1, where the indication information 1 is used to indicate that the terminal is registered to the VPLMN1 where the V-PCF4 network element is located, and this embodiment of the present application is not specifically limited to this.

S1104-S1111 is similar to the steps S609-S616 in fig. 6, and the differences include, for example, replacing the V-PCF2 network element in the steps S609-S616 with the V-PCF4 network element in the embodiment of the present application, replacing the AMF2 network element in the steps S609-S616 with the AMF4 network element in the embodiment of the present application, replacing the V-UDR2 network element in the steps S609-S616 with the V-UDR1 network element in the embodiment of the present application, replacing the H-2 network element in the steps S609-S616 with the H-PCF1 network element in the embodiment of the present application, and the rest of the related descriptions may refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and will not be described herein again.

In addition, the policy association creation response message 1 in step S1104 in this embodiment may further include an identifier of the V-UDR1 network element, so that the AMF4 network element stores the identifier of the V-UDR1 network element, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the V-PCF4 network element may also send the identifier of the V-UDR1 network element to the AMF4 network element through a newly defined message, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that, in the case that the policy association creation request 1 in step S1103 includes the indication information 1, steps S1105 to S1106 may not be executed in the embodiment of the present application, which is described in a unified manner herein and will not be described again.

S1112, the AMF4 network element sends a registration accept message to the terminal through the access device, so that the terminal receives the registration accept message from the AMF4 network element.

S1113, if the terminal is in an idle state and is accessible in 3GPP access, the AMF4 network element initiates paging, and the terminal initiates a service request procedure to enter a connected state, and the related description may refer to the existing implementation manner, which is not described herein again.

And S1114, when the terminal is in a connection state, the AMF4 network element provides the received terminal policy to the terminal.

And S1115, the terminal updates the strategy of the terminal and returns the strategy updating result of the terminal to the AMF4 network element.

S1116, the AMF4 network element sends an N1 message notification to the V-PCF4 network element, so that the V-PCF4 network element receives an N1 message notification from the AMF4 network element. Wherein the N1 message informs of a result indicating policy update of the terminal.

Based on the policy control method provided by the embodiment of the application, since the terminal is registered to the VPLMN1, the AMF4 network element initially accessed by the terminal may obtain the identity of the V-UDR1 network element selected by the V-PCF4 network element selected when the terminal initially accessed the VPLMN1, so that when a subsequent reselection of the AMF network element occurs within the VPLMN1 by the terminal, the identification of the V-UDR1 network element may be provided to the latest AMF network element, provided by the latest AMF network element to the latest V-PCF network element, and the latest V-PCF network element can obtain the policy of the terminal from the V-UDR1 network element corresponding to the identification of the V-UDR1 network element, so based on this scheme, the method can ensure that different V-PCFs can find the same V-UDR1 network element when the terminal moves among different AMF network elements in the VPLMN1, and further can acquire the policy of the terminal from the V-UDR 1.

The actions of the AMF4 network element or the V-PCF4 network element in the above steps S1101 to S1116 may be executed by the processor 501 in the communication device 500 shown in fig. 5 calling the application program code stored in the memory 503, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the policy control method shown in fig. 11 may be executed first, so that the terminal is accessed to the VPLMN1 network, and further, the policy control method shown in fig. 10 is executed when reselection of an AMF network element occurs in the VPLMN 1; furthermore, when the terminal leaves the VPLMN1 where the AMF1 network element is located, the policy control method shown in fig. 6, 7, 8, or 9 is executed, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

The above-mentioned scheme provided by the embodiment of the present application is introduced mainly from the perspective of interaction between network elements. It is to be understood that the first mobility management element or the policy control element comprises a hardware structure and/or a software module for performing the above functions. Those of skill in the art would readily appreciate that the various illustrative elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as hardware or combinations of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is performed as hardware or computer software drives hardware depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

In the embodiment of the present application, the first mobility management element or the policy control element may be divided into functional modules according to the above method example, for example, each functional module may be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the division of the module is schematic, and is only one logic function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation.

For example, in the case of dividing the functional modules in an integrated manner, fig. 12 shows a schematic structural diagram of the first mobility management network element 120. The first mobility management element 120 is a mobility management element of a first visited network, and includes: a processing module 1201 and a transceiver module 1202. A processing module 1201, configured to determine that the terminal leaves the first visited network; the transceiver module 1202 is configured to send instruction information to a policy control network element of the first visited network, where the instruction information is used to instruct the policy control network element to delete a policy of a terminal stored in a unified database network element of the first visited network.

Optionally, the processing module 1201 is specifically configured to: and receiving a first context transmission request message from a second mobility management network element of a second visited network, wherein the first context transmission request message is used for requesting to acquire the context of the terminal.

Or, optionally, the processing module 1201 is specifically configured to: and receiving a second context transmission request message from a third mobility management network element of the home network of the terminal, wherein the second context transmission request message is used for requesting to acquire the context of the terminal.

Or, optionally, the processing module 1201 is specifically configured to: and receiving a deregistration request from the terminal, wherein the deregistration request is used for requesting to execute deregistration of the terminal.

Or, optionally, the processing module 1201 is specifically configured to: and receiving a deregistration notice from the data management network element, wherein the deregistration notice is used for informing the first mobility management network element to execute deregistration of the terminal.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1202 is further configured to receive a registration request from the terminal. The transceiver module 1202 is further configured to send a third context transmission request message to a fourth mobility management element in the first visited network, where the third context transmission request message is used to request to acquire the context of the terminal. The transceiver module 1202 is further configured to receive a context transfer response from the fourth mobility management element, where the context transfer response includes an identification of the unified database element. The transceiver module 1202 is further configured to send an identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element, where the identifier of the unified database network element is used to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1202 is further configured to receive a registration request from the terminal. The transceiver module 1202 is further configured to send a policy association creation request message to the policy control network element. The transceiver module 1202 is further configured to receive an identifier of the unified database network element from the policy control network element.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1202 is further configured to receive a fourth context transmission request message from a fifth mobility management element in the first visited network, where the fourth context transmission request message is used to request to acquire the context of the terminal. The transceiver module 1202 is further configured to send a context transmission response to the fifth mobility management element, where the context transmission response includes an identifier of the unified database network element, and the identifier of the unified database network element is used to obtain a policy of the terminal from the unified database network element.

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.

In this embodiment, the first mobility management element 120 is presented in the form of dividing the respective functional modules in an integrated manner. A "module" herein may refer to a particular ASIC, a circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other device that provides the described functionality. In a simple embodiment, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the first mobility management element 120 may take the form shown in fig. 5.

For example, the processor 501 in fig. 5 may cause the first mobility management element 120 to execute the policy control method in the above-described method embodiment by calling a computer stored in the memory 503 to execute the instructions.

In particular, the functions/implementation procedures of the transceiver module 1202 and the processing module 1201 in fig. 12 may be implemented by the processor 501 in fig. 5 calling a computer executing instructions stored in the memory 503. Alternatively, the functions/implementation procedures of the processing module 1201 in fig. 12 may be implemented by the processor 501 in fig. 5 calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 503, and the functions/implementation procedures of the transceiver module 1202 in fig. 12 may be implemented by the communication interface 504 in fig. 5.

Since the first mobility management element 120 provided in this embodiment may execute the policy control method, the technical effect obtained by the first mobility management element 120 may refer to the method embodiment described above, and is not described herein again.

Optionally, an apparatus (for example, the apparatus may be a system on a chip) is further provided in this embodiment of the present application, where the apparatus includes a processor, configured to support the first mobility management element to implement the policy control method, for example, to determine that the terminal leaves the first visited network. In one possible design, the apparatus further includes a memory. The memory is used for storing program instructions and data necessary for the first mobility management element. Of course, the memory may not be in the device. When the device is a chip system, the device may be composed of a chip, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this application embodiment.

Alternatively, for example, in the case that the functional modules are divided in an integrated manner, fig. 13 shows a schematic structural diagram of the policy control network element 130. The policy control network element 130 is a policy control network element of a first visited network, and includes a receiving module 1301 and a sending module 1302. A receiving module 1301, configured to receive indication information from a first mobility management network element of the first visited network, where the indication information is used to instruct the policy control network element 130 to delete a policy of a terminal stored in a unified database network element of the first visited network. A sending module 1302, configured to send a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, where the deletion request message is used to request to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element.

Optionally, as shown in fig. 13, the policy control network element 130 further includes: and a processing module 1303. The receiving module 1301 is further configured to receive an identifier of the unified database network element from the first mobility management network element. And the processing module 1303 is configured to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element.

Optionally, the receiving module 1301 is further configured to receive a policy association creation request message from the first mobility management network element. The processing module 1303 is further configured to select a policy of the unified database network element storage terminal. The sending module 1302 is further configured to send the identifier of the unified database network element to the first mobility management network element.

In the present embodiment, the policy control network element 130 is presented in a form of dividing each functional module in an integrated manner. A "module" herein may refer to a particular ASIC, a circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other device that provides the described functionality. In a simple embodiment, the policy control network element 130 may take the form shown in fig. 5, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

For example, the processor 501 in fig. 5 may execute the instructions by calling a computer stored in the memory 503, so that the policy control network element 130 executes the policy control method in the above method embodiment.

Specifically, the functions/implementation procedures of the receiving module 1301, the sending module 1302 and the processing module 1303 in fig. 13 may be implemented by the processor 501 in fig. 5 calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 503. Alternatively, the function/implementation procedure of the processing module 1303 in fig. 13 may be implemented by the processor 501 in fig. 5 calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 503, and the function/implementation procedures of the receiving module 1301 and the sending module 1302 in fig. 13 may be implemented by the communication interface 504 in fig. 5.

Since the policy control network element 130 provided in this embodiment can execute the policy control method, the technical effect obtained by the policy control network element 130 may refer to the above method embodiment, and is not described herein again.

Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides an apparatus (for example, the apparatus may be a system on a chip), where the apparatus includes a processor, configured to support a policy control network element to implement the policy control method, for example, to select a policy of a unified database network element storage terminal. In one possible design, the apparatus further includes a memory. The memory is used for storing program instructions and data necessary for the policy control network element. Of course, the memory may not be in the device. When the device is a chip system, the device may be composed of a chip, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this application embodiment.

Alternatively, for example, in the case that the functional modules are divided in an integrated manner, fig. 14 shows a schematic structural diagram of the first mobility management network element 140. The first mobility management element 140 is a mobility management element of a first visited network and includes a receiving module 1401 and a sending module 1402. A receiving module 1401, configured to receive a registration request from a terminal. A sending module 1402, configured to send a first context transmission request to a second mobility management element in the first visited network, where the first context transmission request message is used to request to acquire a context of the terminal. The receiving module 1401 is further configured to receive a context transfer response from the second mobility management element, where the context transfer response includes an identification of the unified database element of the first visited network. The sending module 1402 is further configured to send an identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element of the first visited network, where the identifier of the unified database network element is used to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element.

Optionally, as shown in fig. 14, the first mobility management element 140 further includes: a processing block 1403. A processing module 1403, configured to determine that the terminal leaves the first visited network. A sending module 1402, configured to send, to the policy control network element, indication information, where the indication information is used to instruct the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element.

Optionally, the processing module 1403 is specifically configured to: and receiving a second context transmission request message from a third mobility management network element of the second visited network, wherein the second context transmission request message is used for requesting to acquire the context of the terminal.

Or, optionally, the processing module 1403 is specifically configured to: and receiving a third context transmission request message from a fourth mobility management network element of the home network of the terminal, wherein the third context transmission request message is used for requesting to acquire the context of the terminal.

Or, optionally, the processing module 1403 is specifically configured to: and receiving a deregistration request from the terminal, wherein the deregistration request is used for requesting to execute deregistration of the terminal.

Or, optionally, the processing module 1403 is specifically configured to: and receiving a deregistration notice from the data management network element, wherein the deregistration notice is used for informing the first mobility management network element to execute deregistration of the terminal.

In this embodiment, the first mobility management element 140 is presented in the form of dividing the respective functional modules in an integrated manner. A "module" herein may refer to a particular ASIC, a circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other device that provides the described functionality. In a simple embodiment, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the first mobility management element 140 may take the form shown in fig. 5.

For example, the processor 501 in fig. 5 may cause the first mobility management element 140 to execute the policy control method in the above-described method embodiment by calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 503.

Specifically, the functions/implementation procedures of the receiving module 1401, the sending module 1402 and the processing module 1403 in fig. 14 can be implemented by the processor 501 in fig. 5 calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 503. Alternatively, the function/implementation procedure of the processing module 1403 in fig. 14 may be implemented by the processor 501 in fig. 5 calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 503, and the function/implementation procedures of the receiving module 1401 and the sending module 1402 in fig. 14 may be implemented by the communication interface 504 in fig. 5.

Since the first mobility management element 140 provided in this embodiment may execute the policy control method, the technical effect obtained by the first mobility management element may refer to the method embodiment described above, and is not described herein again.

Alternatively, for example, in the case that the functional modules are divided in an integrated manner, fig. 15 shows a schematic structural diagram of the policy control network element 150. The policy control network element 150 is a policy control network element of the first visited network, and includes: a transceiver module 1502 and a processing module 1501. A transceiver module 1502 is configured to receive a policy association creation request message from a first mobility management element of a first visited network, where the policy association creation request message includes an identifier of a unified database element of the first visited network. The processing module 1501 is configured to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1502 is further configured to receive indication information from the first mobility management network element, where the indication information is used to instruct the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element. The transceiver module 1502 is further configured to send a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, where the deletion request message is used to request to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element.

In the present embodiment, the policy control network element 150 is presented in a form of dividing each functional module in an integrated manner. A "module" herein may refer to a particular ASIC, a circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other device that provides the described functionality. In a simple embodiment, the policy control network element 150 may take the form shown in fig. 5, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

For example, the processor 501 in fig. 5 may execute the instructions by calling a computer stored in the memory 503, so that the policy control network element 150 executes the policy control method in the above method embodiment.

In particular, the functions/implementation procedures of the transceiver module 1502 and the processing module 1501 in fig. 15 can be implemented by the processor 501 in fig. 5 calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 503. Alternatively, the function/implementation procedure of the processing module 1501 in fig. 15 may be implemented by the processor 501 in fig. 5 calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 503, and the function/implementation procedure of the transceiver module 1502 in fig. 15 may be implemented by the communication interface 504 in fig. 5.

Since the policy control network element 150 provided in this embodiment can execute the policy control method, the technical effect obtained by the policy control network element 150 can refer to the above method embodiment, and is not described herein again.

Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides an apparatus (for example, the apparatus may be a chip system), where the apparatus includes a processor, configured to support a policy control network element to implement the policy control method, for example, to obtain a policy of a terminal from a unified database network element corresponding to an identifier of the unified database network element. In one possible design, the apparatus further includes a memory. The memory is used for storing program instructions and data necessary for the policy control network element. Of course, the memory may not be in the device. When the device is a chip system, the device may be composed of a chip, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this application embodiment.

In the above embodiments, the implementation may be wholly or partially realized by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using a software program, 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. The procedures or functions described in accordance with the embodiments of the present application are all or partially generated upon loading and execution of computer program instructions on a computer. 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 can comprise one or more data storage devices, such as a server, a data center, etc., that can be integrated with the medium. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., Solid State Disk (SSD)), among others.

While the present application has been described in connection with various embodiments, other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed application, from a review of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the word "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Although the present application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments thereof, it will be evident that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. Accordingly, the specification and figures are merely exemplary of the present application as defined in the appended claims and are intended to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of the present application. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is intended to include such modifications and variations as well.

Claims

1. A policy control method, comprising:

a first mobile management network element of a first visited place network determines that a terminal leaves the first visited place network;

and the first mobile management network element sends indication information to a policy control network element of the first visited place network, wherein the indication information is used for indicating the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element of the first visited place network.

2. The policy control method according to claim 1, wherein the determining, by the first mobility management element, that the terminal leaves the first visited network specifically includes:

the first mobility management network element receives a first context transmission request message from a second mobility management network element of a second visited network, wherein the first context transmission request message is used for requesting to acquire the context of the terminal;

or, the first mobility management element receives a second context transmission request message from a third mobility management element of the home network of the terminal, where the second context transmission request message is used to request to acquire the context of the terminal;

or, the first mobility management network element receives a deregistration request from the terminal, where the deregistration request is used to request to perform deregistration of the terminal;

or, the first mobility management element receives a deregistration notification from a data management element, where the deregistration notification is used to notify the first mobility management element to execute deregistration of the terminal.

3. The policy control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein before the first mobility management element determines that the terminal leaves the first visited network, the policy control method further comprises:

the first mobile management network element receives a registration request from the terminal;

the first mobility management network element sends a third context transmission request message to a fourth mobility management network element in the first visited network, where the third context transmission request message is used to request to acquire the context of the terminal;

the first mobility management element receiving a context transfer response from the fourth mobility management element, the context transfer response including an identifier of the unified database element;

and the first mobility management network element sends the identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element, wherein the identifier of the unified database network element is used for acquiring the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element.

4. The policy control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein before the first mobility management element determines that the terminal leaves the first visited network, the policy control method further comprises:

the first mobile management network element sends a policy association creation request message to the policy control network element;

the first mobility management network element receives an identification of the unified database network element from the policy control network element.

5. The policy control method according to claim 4, further comprising:

the first mobility management element receives a fourth context transmission request message from a fifth mobility management element in the first visited network, where the fourth context transmission request message is used to request to acquire a context of the terminal;

the first mobility management network element sends a context transmission response to the fifth mobility management network element, where the context transmission response includes an identifier of the unified database network element, and the identifier of the unified database network element is used to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element.

6. A policy control method, comprising:

a policy control network element of a first visited place network receives indication information sent to a policy control network element of the first visited place network from a first mobile management network element of the first visited place network, wherein the indication information is used for indicating the policy control network element to delete a policy of a terminal stored in a unified database network element of the first visited place network;

and the strategy control network element sends a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, wherein the deletion request message is used for requesting to delete the strategy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element.

7. The policy control method according to claim 6, wherein before the policy control network element receives the indication information from the first mobility management network element of the first visited network, the policy control method further comprises:

the policy control network element receives an identifier of the unified database network element from the first mobility management network element;

and the strategy control network element acquires the strategy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element.

8. The policy control method according to claim 6, wherein before the policy control network element receives the indication information from the first mobility management network element of the first visited network, the policy control method further comprises:

the policy control network element receives a policy association creation request message from the first mobility management network element;

the strategy control network element selects the unified database network element to store the strategy of the terminal;

and the policy control network element sends the identifier of the unified database network element to the first mobility management network element.

9. A first mobility management element, where the first mobility management element is a mobility management element of a first visited network, and the first mobility management element includes: the device comprises a processing module and a transmitting-receiving module;

the processing module is used for determining that the terminal leaves the first visited network;

the transceiver module is configured to send instruction information to a policy control network element of the first visited network, where the instruction information is used to instruct the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network.

10. The first mobility management element according to claim 9, wherein the processing module is specifically configured to:

receiving a first context transmission request message from a second mobility management network element of a second visited network, wherein the first context transmission request message is used for requesting to acquire the context of the terminal;

or receiving a second context transmission request message from a third mobility management network element of the home network of the terminal, where the second context transmission request message is used to request to acquire the context of the terminal;

or receiving a deregistration request from the terminal, wherein the deregistration request is used for requesting to execute deregistration of the terminal;

or receiving a deregistration notification from a data management network element, wherein the deregistration notification is used for notifying the first mobility management network element to execute deregistration of the terminal.

11. The first mobility management element according to claim 9 or 10,

the transceiver module is further configured to receive a registration request from the terminal;

the transceiver module is further configured to send a third context transmission request message to a fourth mobility management network element in the first visited network, where the third context transmission request message is used to request to acquire a context of the terminal;

the transceiver module is further configured to receive a context transmission response from the fourth mobility management element, where the context transmission response includes an identifier of the unified database element;

the transceiver module is further configured to send an identifier of the unified database network element to the policy control network element, where the identifier of the unified database network element is used to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element.

12. The first mobility management element according to claim 9 or 10,

the receiving and sending module is further configured to send a policy association creation request message to the policy control network element;

the transceiver module is further configured to receive an identifier of the unified database network element from the policy control network element.

13. The first mobility management network element of claim 12,

the transceiver module is further configured to receive a fourth context transmission request message from a fifth mobility management element in the first visited network, where the fourth context transmission request message is used to request to acquire a context of the terminal;

the transceiver module is further configured to send a context transmission response to the fifth mobility management element, where the context transmission response includes an identifier of the unified database network element, and the identifier of the unified database network element is used to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element.

14. A policy control network element, where the policy control network element is a policy control network element of a first visited network, and the policy control network element includes: the device comprises a receiving module and a sending module;

the receiving module is configured to receive indication information sent to a policy control network element of the first visited place network from a first mobility management network element of the first visited place network, where the indication information is used to indicate the policy control network element to delete a policy of a terminal stored in a unified database network element of the first visited place network;

and the sending module is configured to send a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, where the deletion request message is used to request to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element.

15. The policy control network element of claim 14, wherein said policy control network element further comprises: a first processing module;

the receiving module is further configured to receive an identifier of the unified database network element from the first mobility management network element;

the first processing module is configured to obtain the policy of the terminal from the unified database network element corresponding to the identifier of the unified database network element.

16. The policy control network element of claim 14, wherein said policy control network element further comprises: a second processing module;

the receiving module is further configured to receive a policy association creation request message from the first mobility management network element;

the second processing module is further configured to select the unified database network element to store the policy of the terminal;

the sending module is further configured to send the identifier of the unified database network element to the first mobility management network element.

17. A policy control system, characterized in that the policy control system comprises: a first mobile management network element of a first visited network and a policy control network element of the first visited network;

the first mobility management network element is used for determining that the terminal leaves the first visited network;

the first mobility management network element is further configured to send instruction information to a policy control network element of the first visited network, where the instruction information is used to instruct the policy control network element to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element of the first visited network;

the policy control network element is configured to receive the indication information from the first mobility management network element, and send a deletion request message to the unified database network element according to the indication information, where the deletion request message is used to request to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element.

18. The policy control system according to claim 17, further comprising said unified database network element;

and the unified database network element is used for deleting the strategy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element according to the deletion request message.

19. The policy control system according to claim 18, wherein the unified database network element is configured to delete the policy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element according to the deletion request message, and specifically:

and the terminal is used for deleting the strategy of the terminal stored in the unified database network element under the condition that the strategy request or the strategy updating request of the terminal is not received within the preset time according to the deletion request message.