CN113543241A

CN113543241A - Communication interface switching method and communication device

Info

Publication number: CN113543241A
Application number: CN202010303064.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 邢玮俊; 吴问付
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-04-17
Filing date: 2020-04-17
Publication date: 2021-10-22
Also published as: WO2021208659A1

Abstract

The application provides a communication interface switching method and a communication device. The method comprises the following steps: the method comprises the steps that a first network device determines that a first interface switching condition is met, the first interface switching condition is used for switching a communication interface of a first application between a first user device and a second user device, and the first network device is a core network device; the first network device sends first interface switching information, wherein the first interface switching information is used for the first user device to switch the first application from a source communication interface between the first user device and the second user device to a target communication interface. The technical scheme can reduce the time delay of communication interface switching and improve the efficiency of communication interface switching.

Description

Communication interface switching method and communication device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular, to a method and a communication apparatus for switching a communication interface.

Background

In the field of communications, user equipments may communicate directly between user equipments, such as proximity-based services (ProSe), through a direct communication interface, i.e. a near field communication 5 (PC 5) interface, in addition to a cellular communication interface, i.e. a user equipment-universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial access network (UE-UTRAN, Uu) interface. In order to improve the communication performance of the user equipment, the user equipment is allowed to select a more appropriate communication interface for communication according to the requirement of an application or the network performance of a currently accessed network, and switching is carried out between a Uu interface and a PC5 interface.

Therefore, how to realize efficient switching between communication interfaces becomes a problem to be solved.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a communication interface switching method and a communication device, which can reduce the time delay of communication interface switching and improve the efficiency of communication interface switching.

In a first aspect, a method for switching communication interfaces is provided, where the method includes:

the method comprises the steps that a first network device determines that a first interface switching condition is met, the first interface switching condition is used for switching a communication interface of a first application between a first user device and a second user device, and the first network device is a core network device; the first network device sends first interface switching information, wherein the first interface switching information is used for the first user device to switch the first application from a source communication interface between the first user device and the second user device to a target communication interface.

In the interface switching control of ProSe communication, in the embodiment of the present application, when it is determined that the first interface switching condition is satisfied, the core network device sends the interface switching information to the user equipment, and instructs the user equipment to switch the communication interface.

It should be understood that the source communication interface may be a Uu interface and the target communication interface may be a PC5 interface; alternatively, the source communication interface may be a PC5 interface and the destination communication interface may be a Uu interface.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the determining, by the first network device, that the first interface switching condition is satisfied includes: the first network device receiving status information from a second network device, the status information indicating that the first interface switching condition is satisfied; the first network device determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the state information.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: the first network device sends the first interface switching condition to the second network device.

In this technical solution, the first interface switching condition is favorable for the second network device to determine the communication state of the source communication interface.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: the first network equipment acquires the communication performance of the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the source communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the source communication interface; the first network device determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the communication performance of the source communication interface.

In the technical scheme, the first network device may determine that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the communication performance of the source communication interface, so that the first network device may initiate a switching indication to the user equipment.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the handover indication information includes an identification of the first user equipment and an identification of the first application.

Optionally, the handover indication information includes an identifier of the first user equipment and a packet data unit, PDU, session identifier; or the handover indication information includes the identifier of the first user equipment, the identifier of the first application, and a PDU session identifier; or the handover indication information includes an identity of the first user equipment, an identity of the second user equipment and an identity of the first application.

In the technical scheme, the first network device can accurately initiate a switching instruction to the user equipment which needs to perform communication interface switching.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first interface switching condition includes one or more of: the communication performance of the source communication interface does not meet the QoS requirements of the first application; the communication performance of the source communication interface does not meet the QoS requirement of the first interface; the communication performance of the source communication interface and the communication performance of the target communication interface both meet the QoS requirement of the first application, and the priority of the target communication interface is higher than that of the source communication interface; the communication performance of the source communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the target communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the target communication interface.

Optionally, the communication performance of the source communication interface may also be used to characterize a communication state of data of the first application transmitted using the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the target communication interface may be used to characterize a communication state of data of the first application transmitted using the target communication interface.

Based on the above technical solution, the first network device may initiate a handover instruction to the user equipment when the communication performance of the source communication interface used by the user equipment satisfies the first interface handover condition.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: the first network device sends second interface switching information, and the second interface switching information is used for the second user device to switch the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

In the technical scheme, the second interface switching information indicates the second user equipment to switch the communication interface, which is beneficial for the user equipment to accurately realize the switching of the communication interface.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the source communication interface is a Uu interface, and the target communication interface is a PC5 interface; alternatively, the source communication interface is a PC5 interface and the destination communication interface is a Uu interface.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: the first network device receives the first interface switching condition from the UDR or the first user equipment.

In a second aspect, a method for switching communication interfaces is provided, where the method includes: the first user equipment receives first interface switching information from the first network equipment; and the first user equipment switches the first application from a source communication interface between the first user equipment and the second user equipment to a target communication interface according to the first interface switching information.

In the technical scheme, the first user equipment switches the communication interface according to the first interface switching information, so that a user can obtain better experience.

With reference to the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: the first user equipment sends a first interface switching condition to the first network equipment, wherein the first interface switching condition is used for switching a communication interface of a first application between the first user equipment and second user equipment, and the first network equipment is core network equipment.

In the technical scheme, the user equipment does not need to send the first interface switching condition to the core network equipment through the application server, so that certain signaling consumption can be saved.

With reference to the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first interface switching condition is carried in a discovery parameter request message, where the discovery parameter request message is used for the first user equipment to establish a PC5 connection with the second user equipment.

In the technical scheme, the core network device can acquire the first interface switching condition from the parameter discovery request message of the user equipment, thereby reducing signaling interaction in the switching process.

With reference to the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the source communication interface is a PC5 interface, and the target communication interface is a Uu interface, and the method further includes: and the first user equipment informs the second user equipment of switching the communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment through the source communication interface.

In the technical scheme, the core network equipment only needs to initiate a switching indication to one of two or more pieces of user equipment participating in direct communication, and the user equipment informs other user equipment of switching the communication interface, so that signaling interaction between the network equipment and the user equipment in the switching process can be reduced, and the switching efficiency of the communication interface is improved.

In a third aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, including: a processing unit, configured to determine that a first interface switching condition is met, where the first interface switching condition is used to switch a communication interface of a first application between first user equipment and second user equipment, and the first network device is a core network device; a transceiving unit, configured to send first interface switching information, where the first interface switching information is used for the first user equipment to switch the first application from a source communication interface between the first user equipment and the second user equipment to a target communication interface.

With reference to the third aspect, in certain implementations of the third aspect, the apparatus further includes: the transceiving unit receives status information from a second network device, wherein the status information is used for indicating that the first interface switching condition is met; the processing unit is specifically configured to: the processing unit determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the state information.

With reference to the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the transceiver unit is further configured to: and sending the first interface switching condition to the second network equipment.

With reference to the third aspect, in certain implementations of the third aspect, the apparatus further includes: the receiving and sending unit acquires the communication performance of the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the source communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the source communication interface; the processing unit determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the communication performance of the source communication interface.

With reference to the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the first interface switching information includes an identification of the first user equipment and an identification of the first application.

With reference to the third aspect, in certain implementations of the third aspect, the first interface switching condition includes one or more of: the communication performance of the source communication interface does not meet the QoS requirements of the first application; the communication performance of the source communication interface does not meet the QoS requirement of the source communication interface; the communication performance of the source communication interface and the communication performance of the target communication interface both meet the QoS requirement of the first application, and the priority of the target communication interface is higher than that of the source communication interface; the communication performance of the source communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the target communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the target communication interface.

With reference to the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the transceiver unit is further configured to: and sending second interface switching information, wherein the second interface switching information is used for the second user equipment to switch the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

With reference to the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the source communication interface is a Uu interface, and the target communication interface is a PC5 interface; alternatively, the source communication interface is a PC5 interface and the destination communication interface is a Uu interface.

With reference to the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the transceiver unit is further configured to: the first interface switching condition is received from the UDR or the first user equipment.

In a fourth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, including: a transceiving unit for receiving first interface switching information from a first network device; and the processing unit is used for switching the first application from the source communication interface between the first user equipment and the second user equipment to the target communication interface according to the first interface switching information.

With reference to the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the transceiver unit is further configured to: and sending a first interface switching condition to the first network device, wherein the first interface switching condition is used for switching a communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and the first network device is core network equipment.

With reference to the fourth aspect, in some implementation manners of the fourth aspect, the first interface switching condition is carried in a discovery parameter request message, and the discovery parameter request message is used for the first user equipment to obtain the identifier of the second user equipment.

With reference to the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first interface is a PC5 interface, the second interface is a Uu interface, and the processing unit is further configured to: and informing the second user equipment to switch the communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment through the source communication interface.

In a fifth aspect, a network device is provided, which includes: a processor, a memory, and instructions stored on the memory and executable on the processor, which when executed, cause the network device to perform the method of any of the first aspects.

In a sixth aspect, a user equipment is provided, including: a processor, a memory, and instructions stored on the memory and executable on the processor, which when executed, cause the user equipment to perform the method of any of the second aspects.

In a seventh aspect, a chip is provided, which includes a processor, and is configured to call and run a computer program from a memory, so that a device on which the chip is installed performs the method of any one of the first aspect.

In an eighth aspect, a chip is provided, which includes a processor for calling and running a computer program from a memory, so that a device in which the chip is installed executes the method of any one of the second aspects.

In a ninth aspect, there is provided a communication system comprising: a processor and a memory for storing a computer program, the processor being configured to invoke and execute the computer program stored in the memory to perform the method of any of the first to second aspects.

In a tenth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided for storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the instructions of the method of any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

In an eleventh aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the instructions of the method of any one of the above aspects or possible implementations of the second aspect of the aspects.

In a twelfth aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising: computer program (also called code, or instructions), which when executed, causes a computer to perform the method of any of the possible implementations of the first to second aspects described above.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system framework provided in an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 2 is a schematic flow chart of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 3 is a schematic flow chart of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 4 is a schematic interaction diagram of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 5 is a schematic interaction diagram of another method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 6 is a schematic interaction diagram of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 7 is a schematic interaction diagram of another method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 8 is a schematic interaction diagram of another method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 9 is a schematic flow chart of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The technical solution in the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The technical scheme of the embodiment of the application can be applied to various communication systems, for example: a global system for mobile communication (GSM) system, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), a long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE) system, a LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system, a LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) system, a universal mobile telecommunications system (universal mobile telecommunications system, UMTS), a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication system, a future fifth generation (5G) system, or a new radio NR (UMTS) system, etc.

A terminal device in this embodiment may refer to a User Equipment (UE), an access terminal, a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a mobile station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a wireless communication device, a user agent, or a user equipment. The terminal device may also be a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a handheld device with wireless communication function, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a terminal device in a future 5G network or a terminal device in a future evolved Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), and the like, which are not limited in this embodiment.

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

In addition, in the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device may also be a terminal device in an internet of things (IoT) system, where IoT is an important component of future information technology development, and a main technical feature of the present application is to connect an article with a network through a communication technology, so as to implement an intelligent network with interconnected human-computer and interconnected objects.

The network device in this embodiment may be a device for communicating with a terminal device, where the network device may be a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) system or a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, may also be a base station (nodeB, NB) in a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, may also be an evolved node b (eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, may also be a wireless controller in a Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN) scenario, or may be a relay station, an access point, a vehicle-mounted device, a network device in a future 5G network, or a network device in a future evolved PLMN network, and the like, and the present embodiment is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment of the present application, the PC5 interface may be a reference point between two UEs, and may be used to complete signaling and data transmission of the control plane and the user plane, proximity service discovery, direct communication, and the like. The PC5 interface may be used for short-range direct communication or direct communication between UEs, which may be referred to as PC5 communication or PC5 interface communication for short. The UE communicating through the PC5 interface may be located within a network coverage range, or may not have a network coverage range, where the network may be a 4G communication network or a 5G communication network, and this is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

In this embodiment, the Uu interface may be an interface between the UE and the access network device. The access network device may be a base station in a universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial access network (UTRAN), or a base station in a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), or an evolved node B (eNodeB or eNB) in a 4G network, a base station in a 5G network (generation node B, nodeb or gNB), or a base station in a subsequent evolved network, which is not limited. The Uu interface may be used for communication between two or more UEs through the access network device, which may be referred to as Uu communication or Uu interface communication for short.

Fig. 1 (a) is a schematic diagram of a fourth generation (4G) system architecture for ProSe communication. As shown in fig. 1 (a), the system framework may include the following network elements:

1. a User Equipment (UE) may also be referred to as a terminal equipment.

2. Evolved universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN), i.e., a mobile communication radio network in Long Term Evolution (LTE).

3. Serving Gateway (SGW): the gateway is terminated at an E-UTRAN interface, and the main functions of the equipment comprise that the gateway can be used as a local anchor point when switching between evolved node Bs (eNodeBs) and assists in completing the reordering function of the eNodeBs; has the reordering function; performing a lawful interception function; routing and forwarding the data packet; grouping and marking are carried out on an uplink transmission layer and a downlink transmission layer; in idle state, the downlink packet buffer and the service request function triggered by the initiation network; for inter-operator charging, etc.

4. Packet data network gateway (PGW): the method and the device are mainly used for providing functions of session management and bearer control of users, data forwarding, Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation of interconnection between networks, non-3 GPP user access and the like.

5. Mobility Management Entity (MME): the method is mainly used for taking charge of functions such as mobility management, bearer management, authentication and authentication of users, selection of MME (mobility management entity) during cross-MME switching, selection of SGW (serving gateway) and PGW (packet gateway).

6. Home Subscriber Server (HSS): a primary user database of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network entity, primarily for handling calls/sessions. It contains a user profile, performs authentication and authorization of the user, and may provide information about the user's physical location, etc.

7. Secure user plane location platform (SLP): the method and the device are mainly used for providing the positioning information of the UE for the network side network element.

In the 4G architecture defined by the 3rd generation partnership project (3 GPP), the ProSe communication of the UE is managed and controlled by a user plane logical network element ProSe Function (ProSe Function), which mainly includes:

ProSe communication parameter allocation, including the range in which ProSe communication can be used by the UE, i.e. which Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs) the UE can use ProSe communication, the ProSe communication frequency band that can be used when the UE is out of network coverage, etc.

ProSe communication discovery management functions including assigning parameters for ProSe communication node discovery to UEs, etc.

And interacting with a 4G core network, namely an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network element, including interacting with an HSS to perform ProSe communication authorization authentication of the UE.

Only one user plane network element with a ProSe Function deployed in each PLMN is needed, and when the UE needs to use ProSe communication, the UE needs to apply for ProSe service related parameters such as ProSe discovery parameters to a home PLMN (home PLMN, HPLMN) of the UE. If the UE is in service of another PLMN (i.e., visited PLMN, visiting PLMN, VPLMN), the UE needs to apply for ProSe service-related parameters such as ProSe discovery parameters from ProSe Function in the HPLMN through ProSe Function in the VPLMN.

Since the method for switching the communication interface of the present application may be based on the 5th generation (5G) mobile communication technology and other future mobile communication technologies, a further system architecture of the embodiment of the present application will be described below with reference to (b) in fig. 1.

Fig. 1 (b) is a schematic diagram of a 5G system architecture according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 1 (b), the system framework may include the following network elements:

1、UE。

2. radio Access Network (RAN): an access network that implements an access network function based on a wireless communication technology may be referred to as a RAN, where the RAN is mainly used to provide an interface for a UE to wirelessly access a mobile network, manage radio resources, provide access services for the UE, and further complete forwarding of control signals and user data between the UE and a core network, for example, the RAN device may be a base station. The radio access network used in the 5G system is a next generation radio access network (NG-RAN), for example, the access network equipment in the 5G system is called a next generation Base station (gNB).

3. Access and mobility management function (AMF): the method is mainly used for mobility management, access management and the like. Specifically, the AMF may be configured to implement other functions besides session management, such as functions of lawful interception, or access authorization (or authentication), among functions of a Mobility Management Entity (MME).

4. Session Management Function (SMF): the method is mainly used for session management, Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation and management of the UE, selecting a termination point capable of managing a user plane function, policy control, or charging function interface, notifying downlink data, configuring routing information for the user plane function, and the like.

5. Policy Control Function (PCF): the unified policy framework is used for guiding network behaviors, providing policy rule information for control plane function network elements (such as AMF and SMF network elements) and the like.

6. Unified Data Management (UDM): for handling subscriber identification, access authentication, registration, or mobility management, etc.

7. User Plane Function (UPF): for packet routing and forwarding, or quality of service (QoS) handling of user plane data, etc. The UPFs are specifically classified as intermediate-UPF (I-UPF) and anchor-UPF (anchor-UPF, A-UPF). The I-UPF is connected to the RAN, the a-UPF is a UPF of a session anchor point, and the a-UPF may also be referred to as a PDU Session Anchor (PSA).

8. Application Function (AF): mainly supports the interaction with the 3rd generation partnership project (3 GPP) core network to provide services, for example, some services that affect data routing decisions, policy control functions, or provide third parties to the network side. It is understood that a third party server, for example, an application server in the Internet, provides relevant service information, including information on quality of service requirements for providing the service to the PCF, and user plane data information for sending the service to the PSA-UPF. The AF may also be a service provider (CP). In the embodiment of the present application, the ProSe application server is an AF.

9. A network capability exposure function (NEF) connects a core network element and an external application server, and provides services such as authentication and data forwarding when the external application server initiates a service request to the core network.

10. Data Network (DN): for providing a network for transmitting data, e.g. an Internet network or the like.

11. Unified data storage function (UDR): and the system is used for providing storage and retrieval for PCF strategies, storage and retrieval of open structured data, user information storage requested by application functions and the like.

In this embodiment of the present application, an operator may deploy multiple PCFs in a PLMN, and in this case, one PCF may be specified in the 5G ProSe architecture to assume generation and release functions of dynamic parameters such as ProSe discovery parameters of a ProSe Function. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, the PCF that allocates the cellular communication session policy to the UE and the PCF that allocates the direct communication parameter to the UE (i.e., the PCF that executes the ProSe Function) may not be the same PCF, or may be the same PCF.

In addition, in the 5G system, the ProSe Function may also follow the deployment mode of 4G, that is, there is a user plane network element integrated with the ProSe Function in each PLMN, and the specific Function of the ProSe Function is the same as that of the user plane network element deployed with the ProSe Function in 4G described above.

In some cases, when the UE is capable of PC5 interface communication and Uu interface communication, the UE may make the selection of the communication interface according to the requirements of the application used or the network performance situation. For example, both the UE1 and the UE2 may communicate using the PC5 interface, and when the UE1 needs to communicate with the UE2, the UE may communicate using the PC5 interface or the Uu interface. For different communication scenarios, communication quality achieved by different communication interfaces may be different, for example, when the number of UEs using the Uu interface to communicate in a cell is large, the communication quality of the Uu interface may not be guaranteed, at this time, experience of the UEs is not good, and if the UEs may directly communicate through the PC5 interface, better communication experience may be obtained, at this time, the UEs may switch the used communication interface from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface. Accordingly, the distance between UEs communicating directly through the PC5 interface may become large due to movement, so that the communication quality of the UEs communicating through the PC5 interface may not be guaranteed.

Whether the communication interface used by the UE is switched is generally determined by the third-party application server, and the application server may determine whether to instruct the UE to switch the communication interface according to a feedback report given by the UE or the 3GPP core network, where such a switching manner may consume additional signaling interaction and increase the time delay for switching the communication interface of the UE.

The embodiment of the application provides a method for switching a communication interface, which can reduce the time delay of switching the communication interface and improve the efficiency of switching the communication interface.

The method for switching communication interfaces of the present application will be described with reference to specific embodiments.

Fig. 2 is a schematic flow chart of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 2, the method includes steps S210 to S240.

S210, the first network device determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied.

The first interface switching condition may be used to switch a communication interface of a first application between first user equipment and second user equipment, where the first network device is a core network device.

It should be understood that the first network device may be a core network device (core network element), and the core network may be a 5G core network or a 4G core network. For example, the first network device is a core network element PCF, AMF or SMF.

The first interface switching condition is used for switching a communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment.

The first interface switching condition may be used to indicate a condition that needs to be satisfied when the UE1 and the UE2 perform data transmission of the first application, and a communication interface used for transmitting a service of the first application is switched (for example, from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface, or from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface).

In one example, the transmission state of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the traffic of the first application cannot meet the requirements of the first application. For example, the transmission delay of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the service of the first application is greater than the delay requirement of the first application, or the packet loss rate of the transmission data of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the service of the first application is greater than the packet loss rate requirement of the first application.

In another example, the transmission state of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the traffic of the first application cannot satisfy the requirement of the communication interface. The requirement of the communication interface may be a quality of service (QoS) requirement, for example, a transmission delay of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the service of the first application is greater than a delay requirement of the current communication interface, or a packet loss rate of transmission data of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the service of the first application is greater than a packet loss rate requirement of the current communication interface.

In another example, the priority of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the traffic of the first application is lower than the priority of the target communication interface to be handed over to. For example, the communication interface currently used for transmitting the traffic of the first application is a Uu interface, the target communication interface is a PC5 interface, and the priority of the Uu interface is lower than that of the PC5 interface.

Optionally, the first network device receives status information from a second network device, where the status information is used to indicate that the first interface switching condition is satisfied; the first network device determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the state information.

In one example, the first network device is a PCF, and the second network device is an AMF, that is, the PCF receives status information sent by the AMF, where the status information is used to indicate that the first interface switching condition is met; the PCF determines from the status information that the first interface switching condition is satisfied.

In another example, the first network device is a PCF, and the second network device is an SMF, that is, the PCF receives status information sent by the AMF, where the status information is used to indicate that the first interface switching condition is met; the PCF determines from the status information that the first interface switching condition is satisfied.

In another example, the first network device is an SMF, and the second network device is an AMF, that is, the SMF receives status information sent by the AMF, where the status information is used to indicate that the first interface switching condition is met; the SMF determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the state information.

In this embodiment, the AMF may send, to the RAN device, indication information for indicating that the RAN device feeds back, to the AMF, the communication performance of the communication interface that transmits the service data of the first application between the UEs. And when the AMF judges that the communication performance of the source communication interface meets the first interface switching condition according to the feedback information of the RAN equipment, the AMF sends state information that the communication performance of the source communication interface meets the first interface switching condition to the PCF or the SMF.

The AMF may also carry the first interface switching condition in the indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate that, when the RAN device is to monitor that the communication performance of the communication interface that transmits the service data of the first application between the UEs meets the first interface switching condition, the AMF is fed back with information that the communication performance of the source communication interface meets the first interface switching condition, where the information may be the aforementioned state information.

Optionally, the first network device sends the first interface switching condition to a second network device.

For example, the first network device may be a PCF and the second network device may be an SMF.

Optionally, the first network device obtains a communication performance of the source communication interface, where the communication performance of the source communication interface is used to characterize a communication state using the source communication interface; the first network device determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the communication performance of the source communication interface.

It should be understood that the communication performance of the source communication interface may be used to characterize the communication state using the source communication interface, and may also be used to characterize the communication state of the source communication interface for transmitting the data of the first application, without limitation.

The first network device may obtain the communication capabilities of the source communication interface from the RAN device. The communication performance can be characterized by QoS parameters such as bandwidth, delay, packet loss rate, and the like when the source communication interface transmits data. And the first network equipment determines that the first interface switching condition is met according to the communication performance of the source communication interface.

In one example, the communication performance is characterized by a bandwidth, and when the bandwidth of the source communication interface acquired (received) by the first network device is less than the bandwidth requirement of the source communication interface, or less than the bandwidth requirement of the communication interface for transmitting data of the first application, the first network device determines that the first interface condition is satisfied. Alternatively, the bandwidth of the source communication interface may satisfy the bandwidth requirement of the source communication interface and/or the bandwidth requirement of the source communication interface for transmitting the data of the first application, but the priority of the target communication interface is higher than the priority of the source communication interface, and at this time, the first network device may also determine that the first interface switching condition is satisfied.

In another example, the communication performance is characterized by a latency, and the first network device determines that the first interface condition is satisfied when a latency of the source communication interface, to which the first network device acquires (receives), is greater than a latency requirement of the source communication interface, or greater than a latency requirement of the communication interface to transmit data of the first application. Or the delay of the source communication interface can meet the delay requirement of the source communication interface and/or the delay requirement of the source communication interface for transmitting the data of the first application, but the priority of the target communication interface is higher than that of the source communication interface, and at this time, the first network device may also determine that the first interface switching condition is met.

In another example, the communication performance is characterized by a packet loss rate, and when the packet loss rate of the source communication interface obtained (received) by the first network device is greater than the packet loss rate requirement of the source communication interface or greater than the packet loss rate requirement of the communication interface for transmitting data of the first application, the first network device determines that the first interface condition is satisfied. Or the packet loss rate of the source communication interface may satisfy the packet loss rate requirement of the source communication interface and/or the packet loss rate requirement of the source communication interface for transmitting the data of the first application, but the priority of the target communication interface is higher than the priority of the source communication interface, and at this time, the first network device may also determine that the first interface switching condition is satisfied.

Optionally, the first network device receives the first interface switching condition from the UDR or the first user equipment. It should be understood that the first network device may also receive the first interface switch condition from the second user device.

S220, the first network device sends the first interface switching information.

Wherein the first interface switching information may be for the first user equipment to switch the first application from a source communication interface between the first user equipment (UE1) and the second user equipment (UE2) to a target communication interface.

It should be understood that the first interface switching information may be used to instruct the first user equipment or the second user equipment to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the service of the first application. A source communication interface, which is a communication interface used by the first user equipment and the second user equipment for transmitting the service of the first application at present, may be a PC5 interface or a Uu interface; after the target communication interface is the source communication interface, the first user equipment and the second user equipment are used to transmit the communication interface used by the service of the first application, and the target communication interface may be a Uu interface or a PC5 interface.

Illustratively, when the source communication interface is a PC5 interface, the target communication interface is a Uu interface; when the source communication interface is a Uu interface, the target communication interface is a PC5 interface.

When the first user equipment switches the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface, that is, when the UE1 and the UE2 transmit the traffic data of the first application, the UE1 switches the communication interface used for transmitting the traffic data of the first application from the current source communication interface to the target communication interface.

Illustratively, the first application is WeChat, the source communication interface is a Uu interface, and the target communication interface is a PC5 interface. The communication interface used for currently transmitting the service data of the WeChat between the UE1 and the UE2 is a Uu interface, and the first interface switching indication information is used for indicating the UE1 and/or the UE2 to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the WeChat data from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface.

It should be noted that the transmission mentioned in the present application may include transmission and/or reception, without limitation.

Optionally, the first interface switching information includes an identifier of the first user equipment and an identifier of the first application.

The first interface switching information may further include an identifier of the first user equipment and a PDU session identifier, or the first interface switching information may further include an identifier of the first user equipment, an identifier of the first application, and a PDU session identifier.

Optionally, the method further comprises: the first network device sends second interface switching information, and the second interface switching information is used for the second user device to switch the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

Illustratively, the first network device sends the first interface switching information to the UE1 and the second interface switching information to the UE 2.

It should be understood that the first interface switching information and the second interface switching information may be the same interface switching information or different interface switching information, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

S230, the first user equipment receives the first interface switching information from the first network device.

It should be understood that, in this embodiment of the application, the second user equipment may also receive the first interface switching information from the first network equipment, or both the first user equipment and the second user equipment receive the first interface switching information, which is not limited.

It should be understood that the first network device may be a PCF, an AMF, or an SMF, without limitation.

S240, the first user equipment switches the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface according to the first interface switching information.

It should be understood that, in this embodiment, the second user equipment may also switch, according to the first interface switching information, the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

For example, the interface switching information may be switching indication information for indicating the UE to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface, or the interface switching information may be notification information for notifying the UE to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application.

It should be understood that the source communication interface may be a Uu interface and the target communication interface may be a PC5 interface; alternatively, the source communication interface may be a PC5 interface, and the target communication interface may be a Uu interface, which is not particularly limited.

Based on the technical scheme, the core network equipment determines that the first interface condition is met, and sends the interface switching information to the UE according to the first interface condition, so that the switching control of the core network equipment on the communication interface can be realized.

Fig. 3 is a schematic flow chart of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 3, the method may include steps S310 to S330.

S310, the AMF acquires the communication performance of the source communication interface.

Optionally, the AMF obtains (or receives) the communication capability of the source communication interface from a radio access network RAN device.

Specifically, when the source communication interface between the UEs is a Uu interface, the AMF may periodically receive the communication performance of the source communication interface sent by the RAN device, or send the interface switching condition to the RAN device, and instruct the RAN device to report the state information that reaches the interface switching condition to the AMF when the communication performance of the network to which the UE accesses meets the interface switching condition, so that the AMF initiates a switching instruction to the UE according to the state information. When the source communication interface between the UEs is the PC5 interface, the UEs may periodically report the communication performance of the PC5 interface to the RAN device (e.g., a base station), and the AMF may periodically receive the communication performance of the PC5 interface from the RAN device, or the AMF may also send an interface switching condition to the RAN device and report status information indicating that the communication performance of the PC5 interface meets the interface switching condition to the AMF.

The communication performance may be used to characterize a communication state of the communication interface or a communication state of the communication interface used for transmitting data of the first application, and may include: bandwidth, time delay, packet loss rate, etc.

The first application may also be referred to as a first application service, and may be, for example, file transfer, video transfer, game, or the like.

The AMF determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the communication performance of the source communication interface S320.

Optionally, the AMF may obtain the first interface switching condition from the SMF, and the AMF may also obtain the first interface switching condition from the PCF.

It should be understood that the interface switching condition may be used to indicate a condition that needs to be satisfied when the UE performs data transmission of the first application, and a communication interface used for transmitting traffic of the first application is switched (for example, from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface, or from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface).

The communication performance may be a bandwidth, a delay, a packet loss rate, or the like.

In one example, the transmission state of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the traffic of the first application cannot meet the QoS requirements of the first application. For example, the transmission delay of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the service of the first application is greater than the delay requirement of the first application, or the packet loss rate is greater than the packet loss rate requirement of the first application, or the bandwidth is less than the bandwidth requirement of the first application.

In another example, the transmission state of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the traffic of the first application cannot meet the QoS requirement of the communication interface. For example, the transmission delay of the communication interface currently used for transmitting the service of the first application is greater than the delay requirement of the communication interface, or the packet loss rate is greater than the packet loss rate requirement of the communication interface, or the bandwidth is less than the bandwidth requirement of the communication interface.

In another example, the transmission states of the source communication interface and the target communication interface used for transmitting the traffic of the first application may both satisfy the QoS requirements of the first application, but the priority of the target communication interface is higher than the priority of the source communication interface.

For example, if the source communication interface is a Uu interface, the destination communication interface is a PC5 interface, and the communication performance of both the Uu interface and the PC5 interface can meet the latency requirement of the first application, the UE may preferentially use the PC5 interface.

S330, the AMF sends first interface switching information, where the first interface switching information is used for the first ue to switch the first application from a source communication interface between the first ue and the second ue to a target communication interface.

The interface switching information is used for the UE to switch a communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from a source communication interface to a target communication interface. For example, the interface switching information may be switching indication information for indicating that the UE switches the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface, or the interface switching information may be notification information for notifying the UE that the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application is switched.

Optionally, the handover indication information may include an Identity (ID) of the UE and an identity of the first application; or the handover indication information may include an identity of the UE and a packet data unit PDU session identity; or the handover indication information may include an identity of the UE, an identity of the first application, and a PDU session identity.

Optionally, the AMF sends second interface switching information, where the second interface switching information is used for the second user equipment to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

In the technical scheme, when the communication performance of a source communication interface for transmitting the data of the first application by the UE meets an interface switching condition, the network side equipment AMF controls the UE to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application.

Fig. 4 is a schematic interaction diagram of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application. The method includes steps S410 to S450. In this embodiment, the first interface switching information is taken as the first switching indication information, the first UE is UE1, and the second UE is UE2, which are not limited.

S410, the first network device sends the first interface switching condition to the AMF.

The first interface switching condition may be used to indicate a condition that needs to be satisfied when the UE1 performs data transmission of the first application, and a communication interface used for transmitting a service of the first application is switched (for example, from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface, or from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface).

Optionally, the first network device may be an SMF or a PCF.

When the first network device is a PCF, the method may further comprise:

the PCF receives the first interface switching condition from the unified data storage function UDR.

Optionally, the PCF may also receive the first interface switching condition from UE 1. For example, UE1 may initiate a PC5 connection discovery parameter request message, where the discovery parameter request message carries a first interface switching condition, and through the PC5 connection discovery parameter request message, the PCF may acquire the first interface switching condition.

S420, the AMF acquires the communication performance of the source communication interface.

In a possible implementation manner, the AMF may send, to the RAN device, indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate that the RAN device periodically reports the communication performance of the source communication interface detected by the RAN device, where the communication performance may be bandwidth, delay, or packet loss rate.

In another possible implementation manner, the AMF may send an interface handover condition to the RAN device, and instruct the RAN device to send, to the AMF, status information that the communication performance satisfies the interface handover condition when the RAN device detects that the communication performance of the source communication interface satisfies the interface handover condition.

Illustratively, when the RAN device detects that a bandwidth of a network to which the UE is connected is smaller than a preset value, or the RAN device detects that a delay or a packet loss rate of the network to which the UE is connected is larger than a preset value, it indicates that a communication state of a source communication interface used by the UE to transmit data of the first application is not good at this time, and it is necessary to switch from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

According to the specific situation, the source communication interface can be a PC5 interface, and the target communication interface can be a Uu interface; alternatively, the source communication interface is a Uu interface and the destination communication interface is a PC5 interface.

S430, the first network device receives the status information sent by the AMF.

Wherein the status information may be used to indicate that the first interface switching condition is satisfied.

It should be appreciated that the status information may be used to indicate that the first interface switching condition is satisfied, i.e. that the communication performance of the source communication interface satisfies the first interface switching condition.

Optionally, the AMF determines whether the communication performance of the source communication interface satisfies the first interface switching condition according to the communication performance of the source communication interface received from the RAN device. And if the communication performance meets the first interface switching condition, sending state information to the PCF or the SMF, wherein the state information is used for indicating that the communication performance of the source communication interface meets the first interface switching condition.

Optionally, the AMF receives, from the RAN device, indication information that the communication performance satisfies the first interface switching condition, and sends, to the PCF or SMF, the status information according to the indication information.

S440, the first network device sends the first handover indication information to the UE1 according to the status information.

Illustratively, the PCF or SMF may send, to the UE1, first handover indication information indicating that the UE1 switches the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface, according to the status indication information (i.e., status information) that the communication performance of the source communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application by the UE1 satisfies the first interface switching condition.

Optionally, the method may further include:

s441, the first network device sends second switching indication information (i.e., second interface switching information) to the UE2 according to the status information.

Wherein the second switching indication information is used for instructing the UE2 to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

Or S442, the UE1 transmits the second handover indication information to the UE2 according to the first handover indication information.

Optionally, the handover indication information includes an identifier of the UE and an identifier of the first application; or the handover indication information comprises an identifier of the UE and a Packet Data Unit (PDU) session identifier; or the handover indication information includes an identity of the UE, an identity of the first application, and a PDU session identity.

S450, the UE1 receives the first switching indication information, and switches the source communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application to the target communication interface according to the first switching indication information.

Illustratively, the source communication interface being used for transmitting the data of the first application between the UE1 and the UE2 is the Uu interface, and at a certain time point, the UE1 receives the first switching indication information, and then the UE1 switches the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface.

Optionally, the method may further include:

s451, the UE2 receives second switching indication information sent by the first network device, and the UE2 switches the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface according to the second switching indication information.

Or S452, the UE2 receives the second handover indication information sent by the UE1, and the UE2 switches the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface according to the second handover indication information.

Illustratively, a communication interface used for transmitting data of a first application between the UE1 and the UE2 is a PC5 interface, and at a certain time, when both the UE1 and the UE2 receive switching indication information sent by a PCF or an SMF (for example, when the UE1 receives first interface switching information and the UE2 receives second interface switching information; or when the UE1 receives second interface switching information and the UE2 receives the first interface switching information; or when the first interface switching information and the second interface switching information are the same interface switching information), the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application is switched from the PC5 interface to a Uu interface; alternatively, the UE1 receives the handover indication information (the first interface handover information or the second interface handover information) sent by the PCF or SMF, and at this time, the UE1 may send the handover indication information to the UE2 via the established PC5 link, and instruct the UE2 to handover the communication interface used by the first application from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface.

Illustratively, the plurality of

UEs

1, 2, … …, uens in the embodiments of the present application are in the same communication group, e.g., multiplayer online gaming. There may be a server-like UE1 (primary user equipment) within the communication group that transmits game data for other terminal devices (secondary user equipment) in the communication group. The transmission mode between the master UE and the slave UE device may be direct communication through a PC5 interface, or may be cellular communication through a Uu interface. In order to ensure the continuity of communication and the game experience of each UE, when the communication quality of the PC5 interface between the master UE and the slave UE is poor, after the master UE receives the switching indication information of the PCF or SMF, the master UE may notify other slave UEs in the communication group to switch the currently used communication interface from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface through the PC5 link.

In the above technical solution, when the communication performance of the source communication interface through which the UE transmits the data of the first application satisfies the interface switching condition, the network side device PCF or SMF controls the UE to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application.

Fig. 5 is a schematic interaction diagram of another method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application. In the embodiment of the present application, taking the switching from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface as an example, in addition, the PCF1 that allocates the cellular communication session policy to the UE and the PCF2 that allocates the direct communication parameter to the UE (i.e., the PCF that executes the ProSe Function) may not be the same PCF, or may be the same PCF, which is not limited. The interface switching condition in the embodiment of the present application may also be referred to as an interface switching trigger condition or a switching trigger condition, and the communication performance in the present application may also be referred to as a network performance, which is not limited.

Next, a first switching manner in the embodiment of the present application is described, and as shown in (a) of fig. 5, the method may include steps S501a to S506 a.

And S501a, establishing a PC5 interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE 2.

This step is optional, i.e., the present embodiment may be based on the PC5 connection having been established between the UE1 and the UE 2.

S502a, the UE1 and/or the UE2 transmit communication performance of the PC5 interface to the RAN device.

For example, UE1 and/or UE2 may periodically send respective location information, PC5 link quality, etc., to the RAN equipment.

S503a, the RAN device transmits the communication capability of the PC5 interface to the AMF.

In one example, the RAN device may periodically send the communication capabilities of the PC5 interface to the AMF. For example, the RAN device periodically sends the AMF the time delay, bandwidth, packet loss rate, etc. when the PC5 interface transmits data.

In another example, the RAN device may send status information to the AMF indicating that the communication performance of the PC5 interface satisfies the interface switching condition.

S504a, the AMF sends status information that the communication performance satisfies the interface switching condition to the PCF 2.

In one possible implementation, the AMF determines that the communication performance satisfies the interface switching condition according to the communication performance of the PC5 received from the RAN device, and then sends the status information to the PCF 2.

In another possible implementation, the AMF receives the status information directly from the RAN equipment and then sends the status information to PCF 2.

As an alternative implementation of step S504 a:

s504a1, the AMF sends the state information to the SMF;

s504a2, the SMF sends the status information to the PCF 2.

As another alternative implementation manner of step S504a, if the ProSe Function is integrated in a user plane network element, the AMF sends the status information to the user plane network element, or the AMF forwards the status information to the user plane network element through the PCF 1.

S505a, the PCF2 sends interface switch indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE 2.

Wherein the interface switching indication information is used for the UE1 and/or the UE2 to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface.

As an alternative implementation manner of step S505a, the ProSe Function is integrated in a certain user plane network element, and then the user plane network element may send interface switching indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE2 through the user plane interface.

At S506a, the UE1 and/or the UE2 switch the communication interface from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface according to the interface switch indication information.

In one example, if a Uu interface communication connection already exists, i.e., the Uu interface communication connection is established before the PC5 interface communication connection is established, the UE1 and/or the UE2 switch the communication interface from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface.

In another example, if the Uu interface communication connection does not exist, before the communication interface switching, the method further includes: and a Uu interface communication connection is established between the UE1 and the UE 2.

The process of establishing the Uu interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE2 is as follows, and the Uu interface communication connection established by the UE1 is taken as an example for explanation.

S507a, the UE1 sends a PDU session setup request message to the AMF.

For example, the UE1 sends a PDU session setup request message to the AMF through the base station through a non-access-stratum (NAS) message.

S508a, the AMF selects an SMF according to the PDU session setup request message, and transmits the PDU session setup request message to the selected SMF.

For example, the AMF may select the SMF through single network slice selection establishment information (S-NSSAI), a Data Network Name (DNN), a PDU session ID, and the like, which are carried in the PDU session establishment request message by the UE 1.

S509a, the SMF creates a session management packet according to the PDU session setup request message sent by the AMF.

For example, the SMF generates a session management message for UE1 and sends the message ID to the AMF.

S510a, the PCF1 sends application information for the first application to the SMF.

The application information may be newly created application information or application information obtained by updating a previously created first application. The application information may include interface switching conditions, UE1 identification, and the like.

S511a, the SMF selects a UPF according to the application information, and provides a routing service for data transmission between the UE1 and the AF.

For example, the SMF may select a UPF closer to the AF that is used to provide routing services for data transmissions between the UE1 and the AF.

S512a, the SMF sends the interface switching condition and the N2 information to the AMF.

The N2 information may include: core network tunnel information, QoS configuration information, DNN and/or S-NSSAI associated with PDU session, and the like.

S513a, the AMF sends the N2 information, or the N2 information and the interface switching condition to the RAN device.

In one example, the AMF sends N2 information to the RAN device and indicates that the RAN device periodically sends the communication capabilities of the PC5 interface to the AMF.

In another example, the AMF transmits the N2 information and the interface switching condition to the RAN device, and instructs the RAN device to transmit the status information to the AMF when the communication performance of the PC5 interface satisfies the interface switching condition.

S514a, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection is established between the RAN device and the UE1, and a communication resource of the Uu interface is allocated to the UE.

It should be understood that the process of the UE2 establishing the Uu interface communication connection is the same as that of the UE1, and is not described in detail.

To this end, when the Uu interface communication connection is already established between the UE1 and the UE2, the UE1 and/or the UE2 switch the communication interface from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface according to the interface switching indication information.

It should also be understood that the Uu interface communication connection already existing before the PC5 interface communication connection is established through the above steps.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the application information sent by the PCF1 may be obtained from an AF, and specifically, the process may include the following steps.

Step one, the AF sends the application information to the NEF.

The application information may include an interface switching condition.

And step two, the NEF verifies the application information, and stores the application information in the UDR after the application information passes the verification.

Step three, the UDR sends the application information to PCF 1.

Next, a second switching manner in the embodiment of the present application is described, and as shown in (b) of fig. 5, the method may include steps S501b to S505 b.

S501b, the UE1 and the UE2 establish a PC5 interface communication connection.

S502b, the UE1 and/or the UE2 transmit communication performance of the PC5 interface to the RAN device.

S503b, the RAN device transmits the communication capability of the PC5 interface to the AMF.

It should be understood that the implementation process in steps S501b to S503b is the same as the implementation process in steps S501a to S503a, and is not described in detail.

S504b, the AMF sends interface switch indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE 2.

In one possible implementation manner, after determining that the communication performance of the PC5 interface meets the interface switching condition according to the communication performance of the interface received from the RAN device, the AMF sends interface switching indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE 2.

In another possible implementation, the AMF sends interface switching indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE2 according to the status information received from the RAN device.

As an alternative step to step S504 b:

s504b1, the AMF sends the state information of which the communication performance meets the interface switching condition to the SMF;

in one possible implementation, the AMF determines that the communication performance of the PC5 interface satisfies the interface switching condition according to the communication performance received from the RAN device, and then sends the status information to the SMF.

In another possible implementation, the AMF receives the status information directly from the RAN device and then sends the status information to the SMF.

S504b2, the SMF sends interface switch indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE 2.

S505b, the UE1 and/or the UE2 switch the communication interface from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface according to the interface switching indication information.

In another example, if the Uu interface communication connection does not exist, the method further comprises: and a Uu interface communication connection is established between the UE1 and the UE 2.

It should be understood that the process of establishing the Uu interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE2 is the same as the establishment process in the first handover mode, and is not described in detail again.

Based on the above scheme, the 5G core network device PCF or AMF or SMF instructs the UE to switch the PC5 interface to the Uu interface when the communication performance of the Uu interface satisfies the interface switching condition. The technical scheme can realize the switching control of the communication interface from the core network side, avoid additional signaling interaction, reduce the time delay of communication interface switching and improve the user experience.

Fig. 6 is a schematic interaction diagram of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application. In the embodiment of the present application, taking the switching from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface as an example, in addition, the PCF1 that allocates the cellular communication session policy to the UE and the PCF2 that allocates the direct communication parameter to the UE (i.e., the PCF that executes the ProSe Function) may not be the same PCF, or may be the same PCF, which is not limited.

Next, a first switching manner of the embodiment of the present application is described, and as shown in (a) of fig. 6, the method may include steps S601a to S605 a.

S601a, a Uu interface communication connection is established between the UE1 and the UE 2.

It should be understood that, in the embodiment of the present application, a procedure for establishing a Uu interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE2 may refer to a procedure for establishing a Uu interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE2 in fig. 5, and is not described again.

S602a, the RAN device sends the communication capability of the Uu interface to the AMF.

S603a, the AMF sends status information that the communication performance satisfies the interface switching condition to the PCF 2.

As an alternative implementation of step S603 a:

s603a1, the AMF sends the status information to the SMF;

s603a2, the SMF sends the status information to the PCF 2.

As another alternative implementation manner of step S603a, if the ProSe Function is integrated in a user plane network element, the AMF sends the status information to the user plane network element, or the AMF forwards the status information to the user plane network element through the PCF 1.

S604a, the PCF2 sends interface switch indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE 2.

As an alternative implementation manner of step S604a, the ProSe Function is integrated in a user plane network element, and then the user plane network element may send interface switching indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE2 through the user plane interface.

At S605a, the UE1 and/or the UE2 switch the communication interface from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface according to the interface switching indication information.

In one example, the UE1 and/or UE2 switch the communications interface from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface if the PC5 interface communications connection already exists, i.e., the PC5 interface communications connection is established prior to the Uu interface communications connection.

In another example, if the PC5 interface communication connection does not exist, before the communication interface switching, the method further comprises:

and S606a, establishing a PC5 interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE 2.

For example, the UE1 and/or the UE2 may send a PC5 connection discovery parameters request message to the PCF2 for establishing a PC5 interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE 2.

It should be understood that, in the embodiments of the present application, the steps in the above-described step are the same as the steps in the embodiment in fig. 5, and reference may be made to the description in fig. 5, which is not repeated for brevity.

Next, a second switching manner of the embodiment of the present application is described, and as shown in (b) of fig. 6, the method may include steps S601b to S604 b.

S601b, a Uu interface communication connection is established between the UE1 and the UE 2.

S602b, the RAN device sends the communication capability of the Uu interface to the AMF.

S603b, the AMF sends interface switching indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE 2.

As an alternative step to step S603 b:

s603b1, the AMF sends the state information of which the communication performance meets the interface switching condition to the SMF;

s603b2, the SMF sends interface switching indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE 2.

S604b, the UE1 and/or the UE2 switch the communication interface from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface according to the interface switching indication information.

and S605b, establishing a PC5 interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE 2.

It should be understood that the procedure for establishing the PC5 interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE2 in this step is the same as that described in the first handover manner in this embodiment, and is not described in detail herein.

It should also be understood that, in the embodiments of the present application, the steps in the above-described step are the same as those in the embodiment of fig. 5, and reference may be made to the description in fig. 5, which is not repeated for brevity.

Based on the above scheme, the 5G core network device PCF or AMF or SMF instructs the UE to switch the Uu interface to the PC5 interface when the communication performance of the Uu interface satisfies the interface switching condition. The technical scheme can realize the switching control of the communication interface from the core network side, avoid additional signaling interaction, reduce the time delay of communication interface switching and improve the user experience.

Fig. 7 is a schematic interaction diagram of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 7, the method may include: step S701 to step S707. In the embodiment of the present application, taking the switching from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface as an example, in addition, the PCF1 that allocates the cellular communication session policy to the UE and the PCF2 that allocates the direct communication parameter to the UE (i.e., the PCF that executes the ProSe Function) may not be the same PCF, or may be the same PCF, which is not limited.

And S701, a Uu interface communication connection is established between the UE1 and the UE 2.

It should be understood that, the specific process of establishing the Uu interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE2 may refer to the process of establishing the Uu interface communication connection in fig. 5, and is not described in detail again.

S702, the UE1 and/or UE2 send a PC5 connection discovery parameter request message to the PCF 2.

Wherein, the UE sends the application information of the first application to the PCF2 through the discovery parameter request message, and the application information may include the identity of the PC5 communication peer UE, the interface switching condition, and the like.

It should be understood that communicating peer UEs are UEs that are engaged in PC5 interface communication, for example, UE1 and UE2 communicate using PC5 interface, then communicating peer UE of UE1 is UE2 and communicating peer UE of UE2 is UE 1.

As an alternative step of S702, if the ProSe Function is integrated in a certain user plane network element, the UE1 and/or UE2 sends a PC5 connection discovery parameter request message to the user plane network element.

S703, the PCF2 sends the application information to the AMF.

The AMF transmits the application information to the RAN device S704.

For example, the AMF transmits the application information to the RAN device to which the UE is connected. Specifically, the AMF may determine, according to the identification information of the UE, RAN equipment to which the UE is connected, and instruct the RAN equipment to send the state information (that the communication performance satisfies the interface switching condition) to the AMF when detecting that the communication performance of the communication interface of the UE satisfies the interface switching condition.

Alternatively, the AMF sends indication information to the RAN device, the indication information indicating the communication performance of the communication interface periodically sent to the AMF by the RAN device.

For example, the AMF sends indication information to the RAN device, where the indication information is used to indicate communication performance, such as bandwidth, delay, packet loss rate, and the like, of a communication interface used by the UE for periodic transmission by the RAN device.

Alternatively, the ProSe Function is integrated in the user plane network element, the user plane network element may directly send the interface switching condition or indication information to the RAN device, or the user plane network element and the PCF2 act the same, that is, send the interface switching condition or indication information to the RAN device through the AMF.

S705, the RAN device sends the state information that the communication performance of the Uu interface satisfies the interface switching condition to the AMF.

For example, if the RAN device monitors that the communication performance of the UE1 and/or the UE2 using the Uu interface satisfies the interface condition, the RAN device sends the status information to the AMF.

Alternatively, the RAN device periodically transmits the communication performance of the Uu interface to the AMF according to the indication information of the RAN device.

For example, the RAN device periodically sends the time delay, the bandwidth, the packet loss rate, and the like of the Uu interface transmission data to the AMF.

The AMF transmits interface switching indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE2 according to the status information S706.

Alternatively, the AMF determines that the communication performance meets the interface switching condition according to the received communication performance of the Uu interface, and then the AMF sends interface switching indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE 2.

As an alternative step of S706:

s706a1, the AMF sending the status information to the PCF 2;

s706a2, PCF2 sends interface switch indication information to UE1 and/or UE 2.

And S707, the UE1 and/or the UE2 switches the communication interface from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface according to the interface switching indication information.

In one example, if the PC5 interface communication connection already exists, i.e., the PC5 interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE2 has been established through the PC5 connection discovery parameter request message in step S702, the UE1 and/or the UE2 switches the communication interface from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface.

and S708, establishing a PC5 interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE 2.

It should be understood that, in the embodiments of the present application, the steps in the above-described step are the same as those in the embodiment of fig. 5, and reference may be made to the description in fig. 5, which is not repeated for brevity.

Based on the scheme, the UE sends the interface switching condition and the UE identification to the core network equipment through the PC5 connection discovery parameter request message, and the 5G core network equipment PCF or AMF instructs the UE to switch the Uu interface to the PC5 interface when the communication performance of the Uu interface meets the interface switching condition. The technical scheme can realize the switching control of the communication interface from the core network side, avoid additional signaling interaction, reduce the time delay of communication interface switching and improve the user experience.

Fig. 8 is a schematic interaction diagram of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 8, the method may include steps S801 to S808. In the embodiment of the present application, taking the switching from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface as an example, in addition, the PCF1 that allocates the cellular communication session policy to the UE and the PCF2 that allocates the direct communication parameter to the UE (i.e., the PCF that executes the ProSe Function) may not be the same PCF, or may be the same PCF, which is not limited.

S801, the UE1 and/or the UE2 send a PC5 connection discovery parameter request message to the PCF 2.

And S802, establishing a PC5 interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE 2.

S803, the PCF2 sends the application information to the AMF.

The AMF transmits the application information to the RAN device S804.

S805, the UE1 and/or the UE2 send the communication capabilities of the PC5 interface to the RAN device.

S806, the RAN device sends status information that the communication performance of the PC5 interface satisfies the interface switching condition to the AMF.

The AMF transmits interface switching indication information to the UE1 and/or the UE2 according to the status information S807.

As an alternative step to S807:

s807a1, the AMF sends the status information to the PCF 2;

s807a2, PCF2 sends interface switch indication information to UE1 and/or UE 2.

And S808, the UE1 and/or the UE2 switches the communication interface from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface according to the interface switching indication information.

In one example, if a Uu interface communication connection already exists, the UE1 and/or UE2 switches the communication interface from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface.

In another example, if the Uu interface communication connection does not exist, before the communication interface switching, the method further includes:

and S809, establishing the Uu interface communication connection between the UE1 and the UE 2.

It should be understood that the process of establishing the Uu interface communication connection may refer to the process of establishing in fig. 5, and will not be described in detail.

Based on the scheme, the UE sends the interface switching condition and the UE identification to the core network equipment through the PC5 connection discovery parameter request message, and the 5G core network equipment PCF or AMF instructs the UE to switch the PC5 interface to the Uu interface when the communication performance of the Uu interface meets the interface switching condition. The technical scheme can realize the switching control of the communication interface from the core network side, avoid additional signaling interaction, reduce the time delay of communication interface switching and improve the user experience.

Fig. 9 is a schematic flow chart of a method for switching communication interfaces according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 9, the method includes steps S910 to S920.

S910, the first user equipment receives first interface switching information from the first network device.

The UE1 receives the first interface switch information sent by the PCF or AMF or SMF. The first interface switching information may be switching indication information for instructing the UE1 to switch a communication interface used for transmitting data of a first application from a source communication interface to a target communication interface; the first interface switching information may also be switching notification information for notifying the UE1 to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application.

S920, the first user equipment switches the first application from the source communication interface between the first user equipment and the second user equipment to the target communication interface according to the first interface switching information.

Illustratively, the UE1 switches a communication interface used for transmitting data of the first application from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface according to the received first interface switching information; alternatively, the UE1 switches the communication interface used for transmitting the data of the first application from the Uu interface to the PC5 interface according to the received first interface switching information.

Optionally, the method may further include step S930, where the first user equipment sends a first interface switching condition to the first network equipment, where the first interface switching condition is used to switch a communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment, and the first network equipment is a core network equipment.

In this embodiment of the application, the second user equipment may also send the first interface switching condition to the first network equipment, which is not limited.

In an embodiment of the application, the first network device may be a PCF.

Optionally, the first interface switching condition is carried in a discovery parameter request message, where the discovery parameter request message is used for establishing a PC5 connection between the first user equipment and the second user equipment.

In this embodiment, the first user equipment or the second user equipment may send a discovery parameter request message for connection of the PC5 to the PCF, where the discovery parameter request message may include the first interface switching condition.

Optionally, the source communication interface is a PC5 interface, and the target communication interface is a Uu interface, and the method may further include: the first user equipment informs the second user equipment through a source communication interface, namely a PC5 interface, to switch the communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment.

In the embodiment of the present application, the second user equipment may also notify the first user equipment to switch the communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment through a PC5 interface (PC5 link).

Optionally, after receiving the first interface switching information, the UE1 sends, to the UE2 through the PC5 interface, second interface switching information, where the second interface switching information is used to instruct the UE2 to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the first application from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface.

Or after receiving the first interface switching information, the UE1 sends the second interface switching information to other UEs in the communication group in which the UE1 is located, where the second interface switching information is used to instruct other UEs in the communication group to switch the communication interface used for transmitting the first application from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface.

In the technical scheme, a plurality of UEs may form a communication group, one UE in the communication group receives the handover indication information sent by the network element on the network side, and the UE may indicate, according to the handover indication information, that other UEs in the communication group switch the communication interface used for transmitting the first application from the PC5 interface to the Uu interface. The technical scheme can reduce the signaling interaction between the network equipment and the UE in the switching process of the communication interface, thereby improving the switching efficiency of the communication interface.

Fig. 10 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 10, the apparatus 1000 includes: a processing unit 1010 and a transceiver unit 1020.

The processing unit 1010 is configured to determine that a first interface switching condition is met, where the first interface switching condition is used to switch a communication interface of a first application between first user equipment and second user equipment, and the first network device is a core network device; the transceiver unit 1020 is configured to send first interface switching information, where the first interface switching information is used for the first user equipment to switch the first application from a source communication interface between the first user equipment and the second user equipment to a target communication interface.

Alternatively, the source communication interface may be a Uu interface, and the target communication interface may be a PC5 interface; alternatively, the source communication interface may be a PC5 interface and the destination communication interface may be a Uu interface.

Optionally, the apparatus 1000 further comprises: the transceiving unit 1020 receives status information from a second network device, the status information indicating that the first interface switching condition is satisfied; the processing unit 1010 is specifically configured to determine that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the state information.

Optionally, the transceiver unit 1020 is further configured to send the first interface switching condition to the second network device.

Optionally, the apparatus 1000 further comprises: the transceiver unit 1020 is configured to obtain a communication performance of the source communication interface, where the communication performance of the source communication interface is used to characterize a communication state of the source communication interface; the processing unit 1010 determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the communication performance of the source communication interface.

Optionally, the first interface switching condition includes one or more of: the communication performance of the source communication interface does not meet the QoS requirements of the first application; the communication performance of the source communication interface does not meet the QoS requirement of the source communication interface; the communication performance of the source communication interface and the communication performance of the target communication interface both meet the QoS requirement of the first application, and the priority of the target communication interface is higher than that of the source communication interface; the communication performance of the source communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the target communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the target communication interface.

Optionally, the transceiver unit 1020 is further configured to: and sending second interface switching information, wherein the second interface switching information is used for the second user equipment to switch the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

Optionally, the source communication interface is a Uu interface, and the target communication interface is a PC5 interface; alternatively, the source communication interface is a PC5 interface and the destination communication interface is a Uu interface.

Optionally, the transceiver unit 1020 is further configured to: the first interface switching condition is received from the UDR or the first user equipment.

It should be noted that the communication apparatus 1000 may be a network device or a module in the network device, where the network device may specifically be the first network device in the embodiment shown in fig. 2, and may also be a PCF, an AMF, or an SMF in the embodiments shown in fig. 3 to fig. 9, without limitation.

In addition, the terms or actions mentioned in the embodiment shown in fig. 10 may refer to the related or similar descriptions in the foregoing method embodiments, and are not repeated herein.

Fig. 11 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 11, the apparatus 1100 may include: a transceiving unit 1110 and a processing unit 1120.

The transceiving unit 1110 is configured to receive first interface switching information from a first network device; the processing unit 1120 is configured to switch the first application from a source communication interface between the first user equipment and the second user equipment to a target communication interface according to the first interface switching information.

Alternatively, the source communication interface may be a Uu interface, and the target interface may be a PC5 interface; alternatively, the source communication interface may be a PC5 interface and the destination communication interface may be a Uu interface.

Optionally, the transceiver 1110 may be further configured to send a first interface switching condition to the first network device, where the first interface switching condition is used to switch a communication interface of a first application between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, and the first network device is a core network device.

Optionally, the first interface switching condition is carried in a discovery parameter request message, where the discovery parameter request message is used for the first user equipment to obtain the identifier of the second user equipment.

Optionally, the first interface is a PC5 interface, the second interface is a Uu interface, and the processing unit 1120 is further configured to: and informing the second user equipment to switch the communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment through the source communication interface.

It should be noted that the communication apparatus 1100 may be a user equipment or a module in the user equipment, where the user equipment may specifically be the first user equipment, the second user equipment, the UE1 or the UE2 in the foregoing method embodiments, which is not limited.

In addition, the terms or actions mentioned in the embodiment shown in fig. 11 may refer to the related or similar descriptions in the foregoing method embodiments, and are not repeated herein.

Embodiments of the present application further provide a network device, which includes a processor and a memory, and instructions stored on the memory and executable on the processor, and when the instructions are executed, the network device is caused to execute the method in the embodiments of the present application.

Optionally, the network device may specifically be a PCF, an AMF, or an SMF in this embodiment, and the network device may implement a corresponding process implemented by the first network device, the PCF, the AMF, or the SMF in each method in this embodiment, and details are not described again for brevity.

Embodiments of the present application further provide a user equipment, which includes a processor, a memory, and instructions stored on the memory and executable on the processor, and when the instructions are executed, the user equipment is caused to execute the method in the embodiments of the present application.

The UE may specifically be the first UE, the second UE, the UE1, or the UE2 in this embodiment, and the UE may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the UE in the methods in this embodiment, which are not described again for brevity.

The embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, which includes a processor, and is configured to call and run a computer program from a memory, so that a device in which the chip is installed executes the method in the embodiment of the present application.

The chip may be applied to PCF, AMF, SMF, or UE in the embodiments of the present application, and the chip may implement a corresponding process implemented by PCF, AMF, SMF, or UE in each method in the embodiments of the present application, and for brevity, no further description is given.

The embodiment of the present application further provides a communication system, which includes a processor and a memory, where the memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to call and run the computer program stored in the memory to execute the method described in the embodiment of the present application.

The communication system may be applied to PCF, AMF, SMF, or UE in this embodiment, and the communication system may implement the corresponding procedures implemented by PCF, AMF, SMF, or UE in each method in this embodiment, which is not described again for brevity.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer readable storage medium for storing the computer program.

The computer-readable storage medium may be applied to a PCF, an AMF, an SMF, or a UE in the embodiment of the present application, and the computer-readable storage medium may implement a corresponding process implemented by the PCF, the AMF, the SMF, or the UE in each method in the embodiment of the present application, and is not described again for brevity.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various illustrative elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware or combinations of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the implementation. 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.

It is clear to those skilled in the art that, for convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the above-described systems, apparatuses and units may refer to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and are not described herein again.

In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed system, apparatus and method may be implemented in other ways. For example, the above-described apparatus embodiments are merely illustrative, and for example, the division of the units is only one logical division, and other divisions may be realized in practice, for example, a plurality of units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be omitted, or not executed. In addition, the shown or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, and may be in an electrical, mechanical or other form.

The units described as separate parts may or may not be physically separate, and parts displayed as units may or may not be physical units, may be located in one place, or may be distributed on a plurality of network units. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of the embodiment.

In addition, functional units in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one unit.

The functions, if implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solution of the present application or portions thereof that substantially contribute to the prior art may be embodied in the form of a software product stored in a storage medium and including instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device) to execute all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present application. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: various media capable of storing program codes, such as a usb disk, a removable hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

The above description is only for the specific embodiments of the present application, but the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of the changes or substitutions within the technical scope of the present application, and shall be covered by the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of communication interface handover, comprising:

the method comprises the steps that a first network device determines that a first interface switching condition is met, the first interface switching condition is used for switching a communication interface of a first application between a first user device and a second user device, and the first network device is a core network device;

the first network device sends first interface switching information, wherein the first interface switching information is used for the first user device to switch the first application from a source communication interface between the first user device and the second user device to a target communication interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first network device receiving status information from a second network device, the status information indicating that the first interface switching condition is satisfied;

the first network device determining that a first interface switching condition is satisfied includes:

the first network device determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the state information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

the first network device sends the first interface switching condition to the second network device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first network equipment acquires the communication performance of the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the source communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the source communication interface;

the first network device determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the communication performance of the source communication interface.

5. The method according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the first interface switch information comprises an identity of the first user equipment and an identity of the first application.

6. The method according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the first interface switching condition comprises one or more of:

the communication performance of the source communication interface does not meet the QoS requirements of the first application;

the communication performance of the source communication interface does not meet the QoS requirement of the source communication interface;

the communication performance of the source communication interface and the communication performance of the target communication interface both meet the QoS requirement of the first application, and the priority of the target communication interface is higher than that of the source communication interface;

the communication performance of the source communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the data of the first application transmitted by using the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the target communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the data of the first application transmitted by using the target communication interface.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, further comprising:

and the first network equipment sends second interface switching information, wherein the second interface switching information is used for the second user equipment to switch the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

8. The method according to any of claims 1-7, wherein the source communication interface is a Uu interface and the target communication interface is a PC5 interface; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the source communication interface is a PC5 interface, and the target communication interface is a Uu interface.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, further comprising:

the first network device receives the first interface switching condition from a UDR or the first user equipment.

10. A method of communication interface handover, comprising:

the first user equipment receives first interface switching information from the first network equipment;

and the first user equipment switches the first application from a source communication interface between the first user equipment and the second user equipment to a target communication interface according to the first interface switching information.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

the first user equipment sends a first interface switching condition to the first network equipment, wherein the first interface switching condition is used for switching a communication interface of a first application between the first user equipment and second user equipment, and the first network equipment is core network equipment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first interface switching condition is carried in a discovery parameter request message, and wherein the discovery parameter request message is used for the first ue to establish a PC5 connection with a second ue.

13. The method of any of claims 10-12, wherein the source communication interface is a PC5 interface and the target communication interface is a Uu interface, the method further comprising:

and the first user equipment informs the second user equipment of switching the communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment through the source communication interface.

14. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a processing unit, configured to determine that a first interface switching condition is met, where the first interface switching condition is used to switch a communication interface of a first application between first user equipment and second user equipment, and the first network device is a core network device;

a transceiving unit, configured to send first interface switching information, where the first interface switching information is used for the first user equipment to switch the first application from a source communication interface between the first user equipment and the second user equipment to a target communication interface.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

the transceiver unit receives status information from a second network device, wherein the status information is used for indicating that the first interface switching condition is met;

the processing unit is specifically configured to determine, according to the state information, that the first interface switching condition is satisfied.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transceiver unit is further configured to:

and sending the first interface switching condition to the second network equipment.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

the receiving and sending unit acquires the communication performance of the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the source communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the source communication interface;

the processing unit determines that the first interface switching condition is satisfied according to the communication performance of the source communication interface.

18. An arrangement according to any of claims 14-17, wherein said first interface switch information comprises an identity of said first user equipment and an identity of said first application.

19. The apparatus according to any of claims 14-18, wherein the first interface switching condition comprises one or more of:

the communication performance of the source communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the source communication interface, and the communication performance of the target communication interface is used for representing the communication state of the target communication interface.

20. The apparatus according to any of claims 14-19, wherein the transceiver unit is further configured to:

and sending second interface switching information, wherein the second interface switching information is used for the second user equipment to switch the first application from the source communication interface to the target communication interface.

21. The apparatus according to any of claims 14-20, wherein the source communication interface is a Uu interface, and the destination communication interface is a PC5 interface; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

22. The apparatus according to any of claims 14-21, wherein the transceiver unit is further configured to:

receiving the first interface switching condition from the UDR or the first user equipment.

23. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a transceiving unit for receiving first interface switching information from a first network device;

and the processing unit is used for switching the first application from a source communication interface between the first user equipment and the second user equipment to a target communication interface according to the first interface switching information.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the transceiver unit is further configured to:

and sending a first interface switching condition to the first network device, wherein the first interface switching condition is used for switching a communication interface of a first application between the first user equipment and second user equipment, and the first network device is core network equipment.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first interface switching condition is carried in a discovery parameter request message, and wherein the discovery parameter request message is used for the first ue to obtain the identifier of the second ue.

26. The apparatus according to any of claims 23-25, wherein the first interface is a PC5 interface, the second interface is a Uu interface, and the processing unit is further configured to:

and informing the second user equipment to switch the communication interface of the first application between the first user equipment and the second user equipment through the source communication interface.

27. A network device, comprising: a processor, a memory, and instructions stored on the memory and executable on the processor, which when executed, cause the network device to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 9.

28. A user device, comprising: a processor, a memory, and instructions stored on the memory and executable on the processor, which when executed, cause the user equipment to perform the method of any of claims 10 to 13.

29. A chip, comprising: a processor for calling and running a computer program from a memory so that a device on which the chip is installed performs the method of any one of claims 1-9.

30. A chip, comprising: a processor for calling and running a computer program from a memory so that a device on which the chip is installed performs the method of any one of claims 10-13.

31. A communication system, comprising: a processor and a memory, the memory for storing a computer program, the processor for invoking and executing the computer program stored in the memory, performing the method of any one of claims 1-13.

32. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program which causes a computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1-9.

33. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program which causes a computer to perform the method of any one of claims 10-13.