User plane transmission system and method based on cloud core network EPC
Technical Field
The invention relates to the technical field of wireless communication, in particular to a user plane transmission system and method based on a cloud core network EPC.
Background
In a conventional network layout, a core network is a dedicated device, there is a physical entity, there is a one-to-many relationship between the core network and a base station, and a dedicated network connection is required between the core network and the base station, for example, a dedicated transmission channel VLAN (virtual local area network) is set in a backbone optical fiber network or a direct connection is performed through a network cable.
According to the 3GPP specifications, LTE system networking must be done in a fixed mode, and all data (control plane data and user plane data) must be transmitted over the specified paths, i.e.: uplink data reaches a base station eNodeB from a terminal UE through an air interface, and then reaches a core network EPC through a private network connection, wherein user plane data is sent to the Internet from the EPC; the downlink data arrives from the internet to the core network EPC, this part being user plane data, together with control plane data, through a private network connection to the base station eNodeB and then through the air interface to the terminal UE. The network architecture is single, which results in a great amount of resource waste when different network requirements are met.
The core network in the industry at present evolves towards a service-based architecture defined in 5G, eventually achieving a thorough separation of control plane and user plane. Currently, the core network of 4G LTE is still in a physical mode, and the industry is advancing the core network cloud process, and has achieved certain performance, but the core network is limited to the definition of the core network function, and the separation of the control plane and the user plane cannot be achieved.
Disclosure of Invention
Aiming at the defects of the prior art, the invention provides a system and a method for user plane transmission based on a cloud core network EPC, aiming at realizing the separation of a control plane and a user plane.
The technical scheme adopted by the invention for realizing the purpose is as follows:
a user plane transmission system based on a cloud core network EPC comprises:
the core network virtualization equipment is erected at the cloud end and used for distributing IP (Internet protocol) for the terminalEPC_UEIn the X2 handover, the user plane address IP of the terminal UEEPC_UETransferring from the source base station to the target base station, and supporting user plane transmission controlled by the base station;
the terminal UE sends user plane data and control plane data to the LTE base station through a wireless link; receiving user plane data and control plane data returned by the LTE base station;
the LTE base station receives user plane data and control plane data sent by the terminal UE, performs path selection, sends the control plane data to a cloud core network EPC through Internet \ private network connection, and sends the user plane data to the Internet \ private network; receiving control plane data and user plane data from the Internet \ private network, and sending the control plane data and the user plane data to the terminal UE;
the Internet \ private network is used for sending user plane data to the LTE base station and receiving the user plane data sent by the LTE base station;
the cloud core network EPC is a virtualized device arranged at a cloud, is connected through the Internet/a private network, sends control plane data to the LTE base station, and receives the control plane data sent by the LTE base station.
The LTE base station identifies an infinite bearer E-RAB in the special signaling, analyzes NAS-PDU signaling in the infinite bearer E-RAB, and acquires an IP address IP (Internet protocol) allocated by a core network EPC (evolved packet core) for the terminal UEEPC_UERecord C-RNTI and IPEPC_UEAnd C-RNTI and IPEPC_UEThe corresponding relation between them.
An IP address pool is set in the base station, and an IP address IP allocated to the terminal UE by the LTE base station is selected from the IP address pooleNB_UEAnd C-RNTI and IP are established in the base stationEPC_UE、IPeNB_UEThe corresponding relation between them.
The LTE base station sends the user plane data to the Internet \ private network comprises the following steps:
the LTE base station analyzes a source IP address in an IP datagram in user plane data sent by the terminal UE and carries out IP address mapping according to C-RNTI and IPEPC_UE、IPeNB_UEThe source IP address is modified into the IP address IP allocated to the terminal UE by the LTE base station according to the corresponding relation between the source IP address and the IP addresseNB_UEAnd if the target IP address is not changed, the user plane data is directly sent to the Internet \ private network from the base station network card.
The LTE base station receiving the user plane data sent by the Internet \ private network comprises the following steps:
the LTE base station analyzes a target IP address in an IP datagram in user plane data sent by the Internet \ private network and sends the target IP address according to the C-RNTI and the IPEPC_UE、IPeNB_UEThe target IP address is modified into the IP address allocated to the terminal UE by the core network EPC according to the corresponding relation between the target IP address and the core network EPCEPC_UEAnd if the source IP address is not changed, the user plane data sent by the Internet \ private network is received and processed by the LTE base station and then can be sent to the terminal UE through an air interface.
The core network EPC is an entity device or a virtualization device arranged at the cloud, and receives and transmits control plane data with the LTE base station through the Internet \ a private network.
The IP is distributed to the terminal based on the core network EPCEPC_UEIn the X2 switching, the base station borrows the TraceActivation in the message HandoverRequest IE through protocol software>The TraceCollectionEntityIPAddress transmits the IP address allocated by the core network for the terminalEPC_UEIP address of user plane of terminal UEEPC_UEFrom the source base station to the target base station.
A user plane transmission method based on a cloud core network EPC,
the terminal UE sends user plane data to an LTE base station through a wireless link, and the LTE base station sends the user plane data to the Internet \ a private network; the LTE base station sends user plane data sent by the Internet \ private network to the terminal UE;
the terminal UE sends control plane data to an LTE base station through a wireless link, and the LTE base station sends the control plane data to a core network EPC through the Internet \ a private network; and the LTE base station sends the control plane data sent by the core network EPC of the cloud to the terminal UE.
The LTE base station identifies an infinite bearer E-RAB in the special signaling, analyzes NAS-PDU in the infinite bearer E-RAB, and acquires an IP address IP (Internet protocol) address allocated by a core network EPC (evolved packet core) for the terminal UEEPC_UERecord C-RNTI and IPEPC_UEAnd C-RNTI and IPEPC_UEThe corresponding relation between the two; an IP address pool is set in the base station, and an IP address IP allocated to the terminal UE by the LTE base station is selected from the IP address pooleNB_UEAnd C-RNTI and IP are established in the base stationEPC_UE、IPeNB_UEThe corresponding relation between them.
The LTE base station sends the user plane data to the Internet \ private network comprises the following steps:
the LTE base station analyzes the IP datagram in the user plane data sent by the terminal UE to obtain a source IP address, and according to the C-RNTI and the IP addressEPC_UE、IPeNB_UEThe source IP address is modified into the IP address IP allocated to the terminal UE by the LTE base station according to the corresponding relation between the source IP address and the IP addresseNB_UEAnd if the target IP address is not changed, the user plane data is directly sent to the Internet \ private network from the base station network card.
The receiving, by the LTE base station, user plane data sent by the internet \ private network includes:
the LTE base station analyzes a target IP address in an IP datagram in user plane data sent by the Internet \ private network and sends the target IP address according to the C-RNTI and the IPEPC_UE、IPeNB_UEThe target IP address is modified into the IP address allocated to the terminal UE by the core network EPC according to the corresponding relation between the target IP address and the core network EPCEPC_UEAnd if the source IP address is not changed, the user plane data sent by the Internet \ private network is received and processed by the LTE base station and then can be sent to the terminal UE through an air interface.
The invention has the following beneficial effects and advantages:
1. the core network is arranged in the cloud end in a virtualized mode and can provide services across geographic areas.
2. The invention controls the flow direction of the user plane data through the base station, and reduces the transmission pressure of the backbone network.
3. The network topology capability of the LTE network is expanded.
4. The monitoring capability support foundation of the base station side for the user data is increased, and a corresponding means is provided.
5. The charging capability support base of the base station side for the user data is increased, and a corresponding means is provided.
Drawings
FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a signaling flow diagram of a 3GPP protocol service request procedure followed by the present invention;
fig. 4 is a signaling flow diagram of a handover procedure of 3GPP protocol X2 followed by the present invention.
Detailed Description
The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.
In order to make the aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but rather should be construed as modified in the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. When an element is referred to as being "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or intervening elements may also be present.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.
The invention technically controls the flow direction of the user plane data through the base station, reduces the transmission pressure of the backbone network, enriches the application scenes of the LTE network, and simultaneously provides an effective user data use monitoring analysis means and a network safety monitoring means by controlling the flow direction of the user plane data to the outside through the base station.
Fig. 1 shows a system configuration of the present invention.
The system comprises:
the core network EPC only provides a control plane function and is arranged at the cloud;
the terminal UE sends user plane data and control plane data to the LTE base station through a wireless link; receiving user plane data returned by the LTE base station;
the LTE base station receives user plane data and control plane data sent by the terminal UE, performs path selection, sends the control plane data to the core network EPC, and sends the user plane data to the Internet \ private network; receiving user plane data sent by the Internet \ private network and then sending the user plane data to the terminal UE;
the Internet \ private network is used for sending user plane data to the LTE base station and receiving the user plane data sent by the LTE base station;
and the core network EPC transmits the control plane data to the LTE base station and receives the control plane data transmitted by the LTE base station.
The internet is wide in range, and when people access web pages by using a mobile phone, shop in Taobao and Jingdong by using the mobile phone, watch online movies by using Youkou and Aiqiyi of the mobile phone and play games by using the mobile phone, user plane data are interacted with the internet.
Regarding the private network, it is just a network closed to the outside, such as a hotel security monitoring system, and after the terminal collects image data, it sends the data to the monitoring screen of the video monitoring room, and through the internal private network. Or a private network in a larger range, such as a traffic monitoring network, and the road vehicle information is collected by the camera and sent to the command center server for analysis.
Fig. 2 shows a flow chart of the method of the present invention.
1. Defining a data structure for storing C-RNTI and IP at a base stationEPC_UE、IPeNB_UEAnd the corresponding relation among the three components:
2. the control plane flow key steps are as follows:
2.1.1 in the process of initiating the service request by the terminal, as shown in FIG. 3, the base station receives the InitialContextSetupRequest message (see message 8) sent by the core network, which contains IE information E-RABToBeSetupListctxtSUReq->E-RABToBeSetupItemCtxtSUReqIEs->E-RABToBeSetupItemCtxtSUReq->NAS-PDU, from which the IP address IP allocated by the core network for the terminal is obtainedEPC_UE。
2.1.2 general IPEPC_UEAssigned to an array arryUeIPUse [ 2 ]]The corresponding member ipfromfpc;
2.1.3 assigning the C-RNTI (because the base station distributes the C-RNTI for the corresponding terminal in the control plane signaling interaction process, the default base station can know the value of the C-RNTI) to the member C-RNTI corresponding to the array arryUeIPUse [ ];
2.1.4 base station selects an unused IP address from IP address pooleNB_UEAnd assigned a value of the array arryUeIpUse [ 2 ]]A corresponding member, ipInEnb;
2.1.5 sets the member isUsed corresponding to the array arryUeIPUse [ ] to "used".
2.2 realize X2 switching in the new frame, borrow IE to realize the new function:
2.2.1 the source side base station initiates the switching, as shown in fig. 4, filling in IE information contained in a message handverrequest (see message 5), and writing a member ipfromanpc corresponding to an array arryueipus [ ] in TraceActivation- > tracecollectionentiipaddress;
2.2.2 after receiving the HandoverRequest message, the target base station acquires TraceActivation- > TraceCollectionEntityIPAddress from IE, writes in a plurality of groups arryUeIpUse [ ] member ipFrompEpc after passing resource admission, and simultaneously records newly allocated C-RNTI;
2.2.3 the target base station selects an unused IP address from the IP address pooleNB_UEAnd assigned a value of the array arryUeIpUse [ 2 ]]A corresponding member, ipInEnb;
2.2.4 the target side sets the member isUsed corresponding to the array arryUeIPUse [ ] to "used".
3. The key steps of the process on the user side are as follows:
3.1, the user plane data sent from the terminal reaches the base station through the interface in the interface, and the base station sends the processed data to the internet \ private network, and the corresponding flow steps are shown in the left side of fig. 2:
3.1.1 terminal UE sends user plane data to air interface;
3.1.2 the base station receives the user's surface data Dataup from the air interface, and analyzes it, mainly analyzes the protocol head of the data report to obtain its source IP addressEPC_UE;
3.1.3 query array arryUeIpUse [ ]]If the member isUsed is marked as "used", the corresponding member ipfromEpc is compared to the IP obtained in 3.1.2EPC_UEComparing, selecting corresponding user C-RNTI and iPINEnb (namely IP)eNB_UE);
3.1.4 replacement of the IP in DataUp with the IP address obtained in 3.1.3eNB_UEObtaining a new datagram dataUpNew;
3.1.5 base station sends dataUpNew to Internet \ private network.
3.2, the user plane data from the internet \ private network arrives at the base station, the base station processes and sends the user plane data to the air interface, the UE receives the user plane data from the air interface, and the corresponding flow steps are shown in the right side of fig. 2:
3.2.1 the base station receives user plane data down from the Internet \ private network;
3.2.2 base station resolves DataDown to obtain target IP address IP in protocol headerdown;
3.2.3 judging IPdownWhether or not in IPeNB_UEThe address pool is in range, if not, the range is discardedData, if the data is within the range, continuing to execute backwards;
3.2.4 query array arryUeIpUse [ ]]If the member isUsed is marked as "used", the corresponding member ipInEnb is compared with the IP obtained in 3.2.2downBy comparison, the corresponding user C-RNTI and ipFromEpc (i.e., IP) are selectedEPC_UE);
3.2.5 replace the IP in DataDown with the IP address obtained in 3.2.4EPC_UEObtaining a new datagram dataDownNew;
3.2.6 base station sends dataDownNew to air interface.
3.2.7 the terminal obtains user plane data from the air interface.