CN114071374A

CN114071374A - Communication method, device and system

Info

Publication number: CN114071374A
Application number: CN202010790979.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 邓娟
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-08-07
Filing date: 2020-08-07
Publication date: 2022-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2040-08-07
Also published as: CN114071374B; WO2022028256A1

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, a communication device and a communication system, which are used for realizing Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) service authorization of terminal equipment under a 5G MBS framework. The method comprises the following steps: the first control plane network element receives a first message from the second control plane network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for requesting to authorize the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service; the first control plane network element determines an authorization result of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment, wherein the authorization result comprises successful authorization or failed authorization; the first control plane network element sends the identifier and the authorization result of the first MBS service to the second control plane network element, and then the second control plane network element determines the success or failure of the authorization of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment according to the identifier and the authorization result of the first MBS service. The embodiment of the application is suitable for the MBS field.

Description

Communication method, device and system

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a communication method, apparatus, and system.

Background

A multicast-broadcast service (MBS) service is a service that transmits data from one data source to a plurality of recipients. The MBS service includes an MBS multicast service and an MBS broadcast service. MBS multicast service refers to sending data from one data source to a group of users. The MBS broadcast service refers to transmitting data from one data source to all users in a service domain of the MBS broadcast service.

The 3rd-generation (3G)/fourth-generation (4G) multimedia multicast broadcast service (MBMS) architecture and a flow based on the 3G/4G MBMS architecture are defined in the 3rd generation partnership project (3 GPP) standard, wherein: when the terminal device wants to use an MBS service, the network side carries out the process of MBS service authorization to the terminal device through the user surface.

With the evolution of the technology, a fifth-generation (5G) MBS architecture is proposed in 3GPP research projects, and compared with a 3G/4G MBMS architecture, a new network element and a new MBS service establishment flow are introduced in the 5G MBS architecture. The mechanism for performing the MBS service authorization on the terminal device under the 3G/4G MBS architecture cannot be migrated to the 5G MBS architecture. Therefore, how to implement MBS service authorization of a terminal device under a 5G MBS architecture is a problem to be urgently solved at present.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, a communication device and a communication system, which are used for realizing MBS service authorization of terminal equipment under a 5G MBS framework.

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

in a first aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method includes: a first control plane network element receives a first message from a second control plane network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of a first Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) service and an identifier of a first terminal device and is used for requesting to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; the first control plane network element determines an authorization result of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment, wherein the authorization result comprises successful authorization or failed authorization; and the first control plane network element sends the identification and the authorization result of the first MBS service to the second control plane network element. The scheme is based on the flow in the 5G MBS framework, and the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service is realized in the flow, so the MBS service authorization of the terminal equipment under the 5G MBS framework can be realized based on the scheme.

In a possible implementation manner, the first terminal device uses the authorization result of the first MBS service as successful authorization; the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application further comprises the following steps: and the first control plane network element sends the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service to the second control plane network element. Thus, after the validity period of the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is over, the second control plane network element may release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal device all the time.

In a possible implementation manner, the determining, by the first control plane network element, the authorization result according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device includes: the first control plane network element sends a second message to the third control plane network element, wherein the second message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for requesting to authorize the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service; and the first control plane network element receives the identification and the authorization result of the first MBS service from the third control plane network element. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the first control plane network element may obtain, from another control plane network element, an authorization result of the first terminal device using the first MBS service.

In one possible implementation, the authorization result is successful authorization; the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application further comprises the following steps: and the first control plane network element receives the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service from the third control plane network element. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the first control plane network element may obtain, from other control plane network elements, an authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the first control plane network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service; and the first control plane network element sends a third message to the session management network element, wherein the third message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for notifying the release of the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment. The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application is based on a 5G MBS framework, introduces a mechanism for canceling the MBS service authorization, and can cancel the authorization of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service under the 5G MBS framework, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal equipment all the time.

In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, which includes: the first control plane network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service; the first control plane network element sends a first message to the session management network element, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify the release of the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device. The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application is based on a 5G MBS framework, introduces a mechanism for canceling the MBS service authorization, and can cancel the authorization of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service under the 5G MBS framework, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal equipment all the time.

With reference to the first aspect or the second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, the determining, by the first control plane network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes: the first control plane network element determines that the authorization validity period of the first terminal device using the first MBS service is over. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the first control plane network element may revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service after the expiration of the authorization validity period of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

With reference to the first aspect or the second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application further includes: and the first control plane network element receives the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service from the fourth control plane network element.

With reference to the first aspect or the second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, the determining, by the first control plane network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes: the first control plane network element determines that the authorization information of the first MBS service changes. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the first control plane network element may revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service after the authorization information of the first MBS service changes (for example, the new authorization information is used to indicate that the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is not allowed).

With reference to the first aspect or the second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application further includes: the first control plane network element receives authorization information of the first MBS service from the fourth control plane network element.

With reference to the first aspect or the second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, the determining, by the first control plane network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes: the first control plane network element receives a fourth message from the fourth control plane network element, wherein the fourth message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used for notifying that the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is revoked. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the first control plane network element may revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service based on the revocation indication of the other network element.

With reference to the first aspect or the second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, before the determining, by the first control plane network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application further includes: and the first control plane network element sends a fifth message to the fourth control plane network element, wherein the fifth message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and is used for requesting to subscribe the authorization change event of the first MBS service. That is to say, in this embodiment of the present application, the first control plane network element may learn, based on the subscription, the first MBS service authorization change event, where the first MBS service authorization change event may include, for example, at least one of the following events: the first terminal equipment changes the authorization validity period of the first MBS service, changes the authorization information of the first MBS service or cancels the authorization event of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service.

With reference to the first aspect or the second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, a first control plane network element in this embodiment includes a unified data storage network element, a unified data management network element, an MBS control plane network element, a policy control function network element, a network open function network element, or an application function network element; the second control plane network element comprises a session management network element or a mobility management network element.

In a third aspect, a communication method is provided, and the communication method includes: the second control plane network element sends a first message to the first control plane network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the first Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) service and an identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for requesting to authorize the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service; the second control plane network element receives the identifier of the first MBS service from the first control plane network element and the authorization result of the first MBS service used by the first terminal equipment, wherein the authorization result comprises successful authorization or failed authorization; and the second control plane network element determines that the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment is successfully authorized or unsuccessfully authorized according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service. The scheme is based on the flow in the 5G MBS framework, and the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service is realized in the flow, so the MBS service authorization of the terminal equipment under the 5G MBS framework can be realized based on the scheme.

In one possible implementation, the authorization result is an authorization failure; the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application further comprises the following steps: and the second control plane network element sends first indication information to the first terminal equipment, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the first terminal equipment is authorized to use the first MBS service failure. Based on the scheme, the first terminal device can know that the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service fails.

In one possible implementation, the authorization result is successful authorization; the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application further comprises the following steps: the second control plane network element establishes or updates the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment; or, the second control plane network element sends a sixth message to the session management network element, where the sixth message is used to request to establish or update the session of the first MBS service. That is to say, in the embodiment of the present application, if the authorization result of the first terminal device using the first MBS service is successful, the subsequent session establishment or update of the first MBS service may be continued.

In one possible implementation, the authorization result is successful authorization; the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application further comprises the following steps: the second control plane network element receives the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service from the first control plane network element; after the validity period of the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is over, the second control plane network element may release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal device all the time.

In a possible implementation manner, the second control plane network element is a session management network element; the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application further comprises the following steps: the second control plane network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service; the second control plane network element releases the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment or deletes (or deactivates) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment. The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application is based on a 5G MBS framework, introduces a mechanism for canceling the MBS service authorization, and can cancel the authorization of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service under the 5G MBS framework, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal equipment all the time.

In a possible implementation manner, the second control plane network element is a mobility management network element; the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application further comprises the following steps: the second control plane network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service; and the second control plane network element sends a seventh message to the session management network element, where the seventh message includes the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify the release of the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device. The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application is based on a 5G MBS framework, introduces a mechanism for canceling the MBS service authorization, and can cancel the authorization of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service under the 5G MBS framework, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal equipment all the time.

In a fourth aspect, a communication method is provided, the communication method including: the session management network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first multicast broadcast service MBS service; and the session management network element releases the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment. The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application is based on a 5G MBS framework, introduces a mechanism for canceling the MBS service authorization, and can cancel the authorization of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service under the 5G MBS framework, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal equipment all the time.

In a possible implementation manner, the determining, by the session management network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes: the session management network element determines that the authorization validity period of the first terminal device using the first MBS service is over. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the session management network element may revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service after the expiration of the authorization period of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: and the session management network element receives the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service from the fourth control plane network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the determining, by the session management network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes: the session management network element determines that the authorization information of the first MBS service changes. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the session management network element may revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service after the authorization information of the first MBS service is changed (for example, the new authorization information is used to indicate that the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is not allowed).

In a possible implementation manner, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the session management network element receives authorization information of the first MBS service from the fourth control plane network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the determining, by the session management network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes: and the session management network element receives a fourth message from the fourth control plane network element, wherein the fourth message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for notifying that the authorization of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service is cancelled. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the session management network element may revoke, based on the revocation indication of the other network element, the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

In a possible implementation manner, before the session management network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application further includes: and the session management network element sends a fifth message to the fourth control plane network element, wherein the fifth message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and is used for requesting to subscribe the authorization change event of the first MBS service. That is to say, in this embodiment of the present application, the session management network element may learn, based on the subscription, the first MBS service authorization change event, where the first MBS service authorization change event may include, for example, at least one of the following events: the first terminal equipment changes the authorization validity period of the first MBS service, changes the authorization information of the first MBS service or cancels the authorization event of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service.

In a fifth aspect, a communication method is provided, and the communication method includes: a first control plane network element acquires subscription data of a first MBS service; and the first control plane network element determines whether to authorize the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service according to the subscription data. The scheme is based on the flow in the 5G MBS framework, and the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service is realized in the flow, so the MBS service authorization of the terminal equipment under the 5G MBS framework can be realized based on the scheme.

In a possible implementation manner, the subscription data of the first MBS service includes authorization information of the first MBS service; the first control plane network element determines whether to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the subscription data, including: when the information of the first MBS service authorization indicates that the first terminal equipment is not allowed to be authorized to use the first MBS service, the first control plane network element determines that the first terminal equipment is not authorized to use the first MBS service. Based on the scheme, the first control plane network element may know whether the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: and the first control plane network element sends first indication information to the first terminal equipment, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the first terminal equipment is authorized to use the first MBS service failure. Based on the scheme, the first terminal device can know that the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service fails.

In a possible implementation manner, the subscription data of the first MBS service includes authorization information of the first MBS service; the first control plane network element determines whether to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the subscription data, including: when the information of the first MBS service authorization indicates that the first terminal equipment is authorized to use the first MBS service, the first control plane network element determines to authorize the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service.

In a possible implementation manner, the acquiring, by a first control plane network element, subscription data of a first MBS service includes: the first control plane network element receives a second message from the second control plane network element, wherein the second message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for requesting to acquire subscription data of the first MBS service; the first control plane network element determines the subscription data of the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service; the communication method provided by the embodiment of the application further comprises the following steps: and the first control plane network element sends the subscription data of the first MBS service to the second control plane network element. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the first control plane network element may obtain the subscription data of the first MBS service based on the request message of the other network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the acquiring, by a first control plane network element, subscription data of a first MBS service includes: the first control plane network element sends a first message to the second control plane network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and is used for requesting to acquire subscription data of the first MBS service; the first control plane network element receives subscription data from the second control plane network element. That is to say, in this embodiment of the application, the first control plane network element may obtain subscription data of the first MBS service from another network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service. In this way, the second control plane network element can acquire that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service according to the second indication information.

In a possible implementation manner, the subscription data of the first MBS service further includes a validity period of the first MBS service authorization. Thus, after the validity period of the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is over, the first control plane network element or the second control plane network element may release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal device all the time.

In a sixth aspect, a communication method is provided, which includes: the second control plane network element receives a first message from the first control plane network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and is used for requesting to acquire subscription data of the first MBS service; the second control surface network element searches the subscription data of the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service; and the second control plane network element sends subscription data of the first MBS service to the first control plane network element, wherein the subscription data comprises the information of the first MBS service authorization. In this way, the first control plane network element may determine whether to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the subscription data. The scheme is based on the flow in the 5G MBS framework, and the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service is realized in the flow, so the MBS service authorization of the terminal equipment under the 5G MBS framework can be realized based on the scheme.

In a possible implementation manner, the subscription data further includes a validity period of the first MBS service authorization. Thus, after the validity period of the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is over, the first control plane network element may release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal device all the time.

In a seventh aspect, a communication method is provided, where the communication method includes: the second control plane network element receives a first message from the first control plane network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and is used for requesting to acquire subscription data of the first MBS service; the second control surface network element searches the subscription data of the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service; and the second control plane network element sends third indication information to the first control plane network element, wherein the third indication information is used for indicating that the acquisition of the subscription data of the first MBS service fails. In this way, the first control plane network element may determine that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service to fail according to the third indication information.

With reference to the sixth aspect or the seventh aspect, in a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the requested subscription data is subscription data of an MBS service. In this way, the second control plane network element can acquire that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service according to the second indication information.

In an eighth aspect, a communication device is provided for implementing the above method. The communication device may be the first control plane network element in the first aspect, the second aspect, or the fifth aspect, or a device including the first control plane network element; alternatively, the communication device may be the second control plane network element in the third aspect, the sixth aspect, or the seventh aspect, or a device including the second control plane network element; alternatively, the communication device may be the session management network element in the fourth aspect, or a device including the session management network element. The communication device comprises corresponding modules, units or means (means) for implementing the above method, and the modules, units or means can be implemented by hardware, software or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions.

In a ninth aspect, there is provided a communication apparatus comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform the method of any of the above aspects. The communication device may be the first control plane network element in the first aspect, the second aspect, or the fifth aspect, or a device including the first control plane network element; alternatively, the communication device may be the second control plane network element in the third aspect, the sixth aspect, or the seventh aspect, or a device including the second control plane network element; alternatively, the communication device may be the session management network element in the fourth aspect, or a device including the session management network element.

In a tenth aspect, there is provided a communication apparatus comprising: a processor; the processor is configured to be coupled to the memory, and to execute the method according to any one of the above aspects after reading the instruction in the memory. The communication device may be the first control plane network element in the first aspect, the second aspect, or the fifth aspect, or a device including the first control plane network element; alternatively, the communication device may be the second control plane network element in the third aspect, the sixth aspect, or the seventh aspect, or a device including the second control plane network element; alternatively, the communication device may be the session management network element in the fourth aspect, or a device including the session management network element.

In an eleventh aspect, there is provided a communication apparatus comprising: a processor interface circuit; an interface circuit for receiving a computer program or instructions and transmitting the same to a processor; the processor is configured to execute the computer program or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the method according to any of the above aspects.

In a twelfth aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any of the above aspects.

In a thirteenth aspect, there is provided a computer program product containing instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any of the above aspects.

In a fourteenth aspect, a communication device (which may be a chip or a system of chips, for example) is provided, which comprises a processor for implementing the functionality referred to in any of the above aspects. In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data. When the communication device is a chip system, the communication device may be constituted by a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

For technical effects brought by any possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect to the fourteenth aspect, reference may be made to technical effects brought by different design manners in the first aspect, and details are not described here.

A fifteenth aspect provides a communication system comprising a first control plane network element and a second control plane network element; a second control plane network element, configured to send a first message to the first control plane network element, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; a first control plane network element, configured to receive a first message from a second control plane network element, and determine, according to an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, an authorization result for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, where the authorization result includes success or failure of authorization; the first control plane network element is further configured to send the identifier and the authorization result of the first MBS service to the second control plane network element; the second control plane network element is further configured to receive the identifier and the authorization result of the first MBS service from the first control plane network element, and determine that the authorization of the first MBS service of the first terminal device succeeds or fails according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service. For technical effects of the fifteenth aspect, reference may be made to the first aspect or the third aspect, which is not described herein again.

A sixteenth aspect provides a communication system comprising a first control plane network element and a session management network element; the first control plane network element is configured to send a first message to the session management network element after determining that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is revoked, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released. And the session management network element is used for receiving the first message from the first control plane network element and releasing the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment. For technical effects of the sixteenth aspect, reference may be made to the second aspect or the fourth aspect, which is not repeated herein.

A seventeenth aspect provides a communication system comprising a first control plane network element and a second control plane network element; a first control plane network element, configured to send a first message to a second control plane network element, where the first message includes an identifier of a first MBS service, and is used to request to acquire subscription data of the first MBS service; the second control plane network element is used for receiving the first message from the first control plane network element and searching the subscription data of the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service; the second control plane network element is further configured to send subscription data of the first MBS service to the first control plane network element, where the subscription data includes information of the first MBS service authorization; the first control plane network element is further configured to determine whether to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to subscription data of the first MBS service. For technical effects of the seventeenth aspect, reference may be made to the fifth aspect or the sixth aspect, which is not described herein again.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a 3G/4G MBMS architecture as defined in the 3GPP standard;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a possible architecture of a 5G MBS baseline architecture 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of another possible architecture of a 5G MBS baseline architecture 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a possible architecture of a 5G MBS baseline architecture 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another possible architecture of 5G MBS baseline architecture 2;

fig. 6 is a first schematic block diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a second schematic architecture diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a first schematic interaction flow diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a first schematic interaction flow diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a schematic interaction flow diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a third schematic interaction flow diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic interaction flow diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a schematic interaction flow diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 15 is a sixth schematic interaction flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 16 is a schematic interaction flow diagram seven of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 17 is an interaction flow diagram eight of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 18 is a schematic interaction flow diagram nine of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 19 is a schematic interaction flow diagram ten of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 20 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

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

First, 3G/4G MBMS architecture:

the 3G/4G MBMS architecture is defined in the 3GPP standard. As shown in fig. 1, the 3G/4G MBMS architecture includes a terminal device, a 3G/4G radio access network device, a user plane network element, a control plane network element, a multicast-multicast service center (BM-SC) and an Application Function (AF). Wherein, the BM-SC is used for authorizing the MBMS bearing service. When the terminal device wants to use an MBS service, the network side carries out MBS service authorization to the terminal device through the user surface. Specifically, the terminal device sends a request message to the user plane network element through the 3G/4G radio access network device, where the request message is used to request to acquire data of a certain MBS service. After receiving the request message, the user plane network element sends an authorization request to the BM-SC, where the authorization request is used to request an authorization terminal device to obtain the data of the first MBS service. Further, after determining whether to authorize the terminal device to use the first MBS service, the BM-SC returns an authorization result to the user plane network element, where the authorization result includes success or failure of authorization. And when the authorization result is successful, the user plane network element creates or activates the bearer for transmitting the first MBS data.

Second, 5G MBS architecture:

based on the 3 GPP-defined 5G communication architecture (hereinafter referred to as existing 5G architecture) in the 3GPP research project report, a 5G MBS architecture is proposed, which includes: 5G MBS

base line architecture

1 and 5G MBS base line architecture 2.

The 5G MBS baseline architecture 1 is based on the existing 5G architecture, and performs Function enhancement on some Network Functions (NFs) in the existing 5G architecture. As shown in fig. 2, the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 includes: AF. Network open function (NEF)/Policy Control Function (PCF), Session Management Function (SMF), User Plane Function (UPF), access and mobility management function (AMF), unified data storage (UDR) network element/Unified Data Management (UDM) network element, next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) device, and User Equipment (UE).

The AF in the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 is a multicast and/or broadcast data source, invokes an MBS service provided by the 5G system, and sends multicast and/or multicast data to the multiple UEs through the 5G system.

The NEF in the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 is based on the NEF in the existing 5G architecture, and performs function enhancement on the NEF in the existing 5G architecture, including: 5G MBS is opened; the 5G MBS is negotiated with the AF, and the negotiated contents include quality of service (QoS), 5G MBS service domain, etc.

The PCF in the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 is based on the PCF in the existing 5G architecture, and performs function enhancement on the PCF in the existing 5G architecture, including: support 5G MBS; providing MBS conversation related strategy information to SMF; MBS service information is received from the AF directly, or indirectly (e.g., through the NEF), etc.

The SMF in the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 is based on the SMF in the existing 5G architecture, and enhances the SMF function in the existing 5G architecture, including: controlling MBS transmission based on MBS strategy received from PCF; configuring MBS flow and point-to-point or point-to-multipoint transmission on UPF; configuring MBS flow and QoS information on NG-RAN equipment; configuring session management of MBS flow on UE.

The UPF in the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 is based on the UPF in the existing 5G architecture, and performs function enhancement on the UPF in the existing 5G architecture, including: supporting packet filtering of MBS flow; transmitting MBS flow to NG-RAN equipment in a point-to-point or point-to-multipoint mode; receiving MBS configuration from the SMF; checking an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) packet and notifying the SMF of the IGMP packet; unicast or multicast streams for receiving AFs, etc.

The NG-RAN device in the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 is based on the NG-RAN device in the existing 5G architecture, and performs function enhancement on the NG-RAN device in the existing 5G architecture, including: receiving UPF to send MBS flow, switching transmission MBS flow in multicast and unicast, etc.

The method for enhancing the functions of the UE in the existing 5G architecture based on the UE in the existing 5G architecture in the 5G MBS baseline architecture 1 comprises the following steps: supporting MBS strategy configuration; supporting the session management of the MBS flow; supporting the use of MBS flows; MBS support of the access layer, etc.

The AMF in the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 is used for managing access and mobility of the UE, and specifically includes: UE registration, UE mobility management, NAS connection, access authentication and authorization, transmission for the UE and the SMF and the like.

The UDM in the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 is used to handle user equipment identification, access authentication, registration, mobility management, etc.

The UDR in the 5G MBS baseline architecture 1 is used to store data, including subscription data, policy data, application data, and the like.

On the basis of the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 shown in fig. 2, a service mode architecture based on the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 is also proposed in the 3GPP research project report, that is, the 5G MBS base line architecture 1 with a Multicast Service Function (MSF) added on the basis of the 5G MBS base line architecture 1, as shown in fig. 3. The MSF includes an MSF control plane (MSF-C) function and an MSF user plane (MSF-U) function. MSF-C is used to transmit and process MBS related signaling between AF and 5G core network, such as multicast service configuration, MBS bearing activation, etc.; the MSF-U is used for user plane data transmission, user plane data coding and the like.

The 5G MBS base line architecture 2 introduces a new NF on the existing 5G system architecture, and performs function enhancement on the existing UE, NG-RAN equipment and the like to support the 5G MBS. As shown in fig. 4, the 5G MBS baseline architecture 2 includes AF, NEF, PCF, UDM/UDR, AMF, multicast/broadcast session management function (MB-SMF) and multicast/broadcast user plane function (MB-UPF), NG-RAN device, and UE.

The descriptions of the AF, UDM/UDR, AMF, NG-RAN devices or UE in the 5G MBS base line architecture 2 may refer to the 5G MBS base line architecture 1, and are not described herein again.

The PCF in the 5G MBS base line architecture 2 is based on the PCF in the existing 5G architecture, and performs function enhancement on the PCF in the existing 5G architecture, including: and supporting MBS-related strategies, charging and the like.

The MB-SMF in the 5G MBS basic line framework 2 and the MB-UPF in the 5G MBS basic line framework 2 are newly introduced NF. The MB-SMF in the 5G MBS base line architecture 2 is used for MBS session management and the like. The MB-UPF in the 5G MBS baseline architecture 2 is used to transport multicast and broadcast data.

On the basis of the 5G MBS base line architecture 2 shown in fig. 4, a service mode architecture based on the 5G MBS base line architecture 2 is also proposed in the 3GPP research project report, that is, a multicast/broadcast service user plane (MBSU) function and a Multicast and Broadcast Service Function (MBSF) are added on the basis of the 5G MBS base line architecture 2, as shown in fig. 5. The MBSF is used for transmitting and processing MBS-related signaling between the AF and the 5G core network. The MBSU is used to transmit multicast and broadcast data, etc. The MBSF may be an independent network deployment function, or may be deployed as a part of the NEF, and this is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Currently, it is proposed in the 3GPP research project report that in the 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to 5, MBS-related signaling is passed through the control plane. The authorization of the MBS service also belongs to signaling and should be transferred at the control plane. Obviously, the process of performing MBS service authorization on the terminal device under the 3G/4G MBMS architecture cannot be migrated to the 5G MBS architecture.

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

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

As shown in fig. 6, for a communication system 60 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the communication system 60 includes a first control plane network element 601 and a second control plane network element 602. The first control plane network element 601 and the second control plane network element 602 may communicate directly or may communicate through forwarding of other devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It should be noted that, the control plane network element in this embodiment (including the first control plane network element or the second control plane network element or other control plane network elements in this embodiment) is used to receive, send, or process a message of a signaling plane, and is described in a unified manner herein and will not be described in detail below.

The second control plane network element 602 is configured to send a first message to the first control plane network element 601, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service. The first control plane network element 601, configured to determine, after receiving the first message, an authorization result for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, and send the identifier of the first MBS service and the authorization result to the second control plane network element, where the authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure. The second control plane network element 602 is configured to receive the identifier of the first MBS service and the authorization result from the first control plane network element, and determine, according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service, that the first terminal device successfully authorizes or fails to authorize the first MBS service. The specific implementation of the scheme will be described in detail in the following method embodiments, and will not be described herein again. The scheme is based on the flow in the 5G MBS framework, and the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service is realized in the flow, so the MBS service authorization of the terminal equipment under the 5G MBS framework can be realized based on the scheme.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, using the first MBS service may also be replaced by acquiring data of the first MBS service, joining the first MBS service, or joining a multicast group of the first MBS service, or the like. That is, in the embodiment of the present application, the multicast groups that use the first MBS service, acquire data of the first MBS service, join the first MBS service, or join the first MBS service all express the same meaning and may be used alternately. The description is unified here and will not be repeated below.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the first control plane network element 601 may include a unified data storage network element, a unified data management network element, an MBS control plane (MBS-C) network element, a policy control function network element, a network open function network element, or an application function network element.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the second control plane network element 602 includes a session management network element or a mobility management network element.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, when the second control plane network element 602 is a session management network element, the first control plane network element 601 is further configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, and send a third message to the second control plane network element 602, where the third message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released. The specific implementation of the scheme will be described in detail in the following method embodiments, and will not be described herein again. The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application is based on a 5G MBS framework, introduces a mechanism for canceling the MBS service authorization, and can cancel the authorization of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service under the 5G MBS framework, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal equipment all the time.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, when the second control plane network element 602 is a mobility management network element, as shown in fig. 6, the communication system 60 in this embodiment of the application may further include a session management network element 603. The first control plane network element 601 is further configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, and send a third message to the session management network element 603, where the third message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released. The session management network element 603 is configured to receive the third message and release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device. The specific implementation of the scheme will be described in detail in the following method embodiments, and will not be described herein again. Based on the scheme, the problem that the first MBS service is always used by the first terminal equipment can be avoided.

As shown in fig. 7, for another communication system 70 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the communication system 70 includes a first control plane network element 701 and a session management network element 702. The first control plane network element 701 and the session management network element 702 may communicate directly or may communicate through forwarding of other devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

The first control plane network element 601 is configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, and send a first message to the session management network element, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released. The specific implementation of the scheme will be described in detail in the following method embodiments, and will not be described herein again. The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application is based on a 5G MBS framework, introduces a mechanism for canceling the MBS service authorization, and can cancel the authorization of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service under the 5G MBS framework, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal equipment all the time.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the first control plane network element 701 may include a unified data storage network element, a unified data management network element, an MBS-C network element, a policy control function network element, a network open function network element, or an application function network element.

Taking the example that the communication system 60 shown in fig. 6 or the communication system 70 shown in fig. 7 is applied to a 5G MBS architecture, the network element or entity corresponding to the unified data storage network element may be the UDR network element in fig. 2 to 5; the network element or entity corresponding to the unified data management network element may be the UDM network element in fig. 2 to 5; the network element or entity corresponding to the policy control function network element may be the PCF in fig. 2 to 5; the network element or entity corresponding to the network open function network element may be the NEF in fig. 2 to 5; the network element or entity corresponding to the application function network element may be the AF in fig. 2 to 5; the MBS-C network element may be the MSF-C in fig. 3 or the MBSF in fig. 5; the network element or entity corresponding to the session management network element may be the SMF network element in fig. 2 or fig. 3, or may be the MB-SMF network element in fig. 4 or fig. 5, which is described herein in a unified manner and will not be described again.

It should be noted that, the embodiment of the present application is only described by taking the example that the communication system 60 shown in fig. 6 or the communication system 70 shown in fig. 7 is applied to the 5G MBS architecture. Of course, the communication system 60 shown in fig. 6 or the communication system 70 shown in fig. 7 may also be applied to other future network architectures, and this embodiment of the present application is not particularly limited thereto.

Optionally, the terminal device in this embodiment may be a device for implementing a wireless communication function, for example, a terminal or a chip that can be used in the terminal. The terminal may be a User Equipment (UE), an access terminal, a terminal unit, a terminal station, a mobile station, a distant station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a wireless communication device, a terminal agent or a terminal device, etc. in a 5G network or a PLMN which is evolved in the future. An access terminal may be a cellular telephone, a cordless telephone, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a handheld device having wireless communication capabilities, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, a vehicle mounted device, or a wearable device, a Virtual Reality (VR) terminal device, an Augmented Reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless terminal in industrial control (industrial control), a wireless terminal in self driving (self driving), a wireless terminal in remote medical (remote medical), a wireless terminal in smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in smart city (smart city), a wireless terminal in smart home (smart home), and the like. The terminal may be mobile or stationary.

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

Optionally, the first control plane network element, the second control plane network element, or the session management network element in this embodiment may also be referred to as a communication device, which may be a general device or a special device, and this is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, related functions of the first control plane network element, the second control plane network element, or the session management network element in this embodiment of the application may be implemented by one device, or implemented by multiple devices together, or implemented by one or more functional modules in one device, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application. It is understood that the above functions may be network elements in a hardware device, or software functions running on dedicated hardware, or a combination of hardware and software, or virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform).

For example, the related functions of the first control plane network element, the second control plane network element, or the session management network element in the embodiment of the present application may be implemented by the communication device (also referred to as communication means) 800 in fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 800 according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 800 includes one or more processors 801, a communication link 802, and at least one communication interface (which is illustrated in fig. 8 by way of example only as including a communication interface 804 and one processor 801), and optionally may also include a memory 803.

The processor 801 may be a general-purpose Central Processing Unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more ics for controlling the execution of programs in accordance with the present disclosure.

The communication link 802 may include a path for connecting different components.

The communication interface 804 may be a transceiver module for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as ethernet, RAN, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), and so on. For example, the transceiver module may be a transceiver, or the like. Optionally, the communication interface 804 may also be a transceiver circuit located in the processor 801 to realize signal input and signal output of the processor.

The memory 803 may be a device having a storage function. Such as, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices that may store static information and instructions, Random Access Memory (RAM) or other types of dynamic storage devices that may store information and instructions, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, optical disk storage (including compact disk, laser disk, optical disk, digital versatile disk, blu-ray disk, etc.), magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory may be separate and coupled to the processor via a communication line 802. The memory may also be integral to the processor.

The memory 803 is used for storing computer-executable instructions for executing the present invention, and is controlled by the processor 801. The processor 801 is configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 803, thereby implementing the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application.

Alternatively, in this embodiment of the application, the processor 801 may also perform functions related to processing in a communication method provided in the following embodiments of the application, and the communication interface 804 is responsible for communicating with other devices or a communication network, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

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

In particular implementations, processor 801 may include one or more CPUs such as CPU0 and CPU1 in fig. 8, for example, as an example.

In particular implementations, communication device 800 may include multiple processors, such as processor 801 and processor 808 of fig. 8, for one embodiment. Each of these processors may be a single-core (si) processor or a multi-core (multi-core) processor. The processor herein may include, but is not limited to, at least one of: various computing devices that run software, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Microcontroller (MCU), or an artificial intelligence processor, may each include one or more cores for executing software instructions to perform operations or processing.

In particular implementations, communication device 800 may also include an output device 805 and an input device 806, as one embodiment. The output device 805 is in communication with the processor 801 and may display information in a variety of ways. For example, the output device 805 may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display device, a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display device, a projector (projector), or the like. The input device 806 is in communication with the processor 801 and may receive user input in a variety of ways. For example, the input device 806 may be a mouse, a keyboard, a touch screen device, or a sensing device, among others.

The communication device 800 may also be sometimes referred to as a communication apparatus, which may be a general-purpose device or a special-purpose device. For example, the communication device 800 may be a desktop computer, a portable computer, a network server, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a wireless terminal device, an embedded device, the terminal device, the network device, or a device having a similar structure as in fig. 8. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the type of the communication apparatus 800.

The communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application will be specifically described below with reference to fig. 2 to 8.

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

First, taking the application of the communication system shown in fig. 6 or fig. 7 to any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5 as an example, assuming that the first control plane network element is the UDM/UDR network element in fig. 2 to fig. 5, and the second control plane network element is an SMF network element (where the SMF network element may be the SMF in fig. 2 or fig. 3, or may be the MB-SMF in fig. 4 or fig. 5), the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application may be as shown in fig. 9, and includes the following steps:

s901, service announcement (service announcement) flow. The specific implementation can refer to the prior art and is not described herein.

Through the service broadcast process, the first terminal device can acquire the information of the MBS user service.

It should be noted that the first terminal device in this embodiment may be any UE in any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5, which is described herein in a unified manner and is not described again below.

S902, the first terminal device registers to the network. The specific implementation can refer to the prior art and is not described herein.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, there is no inevitable execution sequence between the step S901 and the step S902, and the step S901 may be executed first, and then the step S902 may be executed; step S902 may be executed first, and then step S901 is executed; step S901 and step S902 may also be executed simultaneously, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

Further, when the first terminal device uses the first MBS service, the first terminal device performs any one of the following operations:

operation one, joining the first MBS service through the control plane, includes the following steps S903-S904:

and S903, the first terminal equipment sends an N1 message to the AMF network element. Accordingly, the AMF network element receives the N1 message from the first terminal device. Among them, the N1 message is used for requesting establishment (or modification) of a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session, or for requesting use of the first MBS service, or for requesting reception of data of the first MBS service, or for requesting joining of a multicast group, or for requesting activation of a context of the first MBS service.

In this embodiment, the N1 message includes an identifier (MBS service identifier) of the first MBS service. The identity of the first MBS service is used to identify the first MBS service. For example, the identifier of the first MBS service may be a multicast Internet Protocol (IP) address of the first MBS service, or a Temporary Mobile Group Identity (TMGI) of the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the N1 message may further include single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) and/or a Data Network Name (DNN). The S-NSSAI is used to indicate a slice used by the first MBS service. The DNN is used to identify a data network where the first MBS service is located.

For example, the N1 message in the embodiment of the present application may be a PDU session establishment request (PDU session establishment request) message.

Optionally, the AMF network element in this embodiment may be an AMF in any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5, which is described herein in a unified manner and is not described again below.

And S904, the AMF network element sends a message 2 to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives message 2 from the AMF network element. Wherein the message 2 is used for requesting creation (or modification) of a PDU session or for requesting activation and creation of a first MBS service context. This message 2 includes the identity of the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, if the N1 message includes S-NSSAI and/or DNN, the message 2 may further include S-NSSAI and/or DNN in the N1 message.

Operation two, joining the first MBS service through the control plane, includes the following steps S905-S907:

and S905, the first terminal equipment sends an N1 message to the AMF network element. Accordingly, the AMF network element receives the N1 message from the first terminal device.

The related description of step S905 refers to step S903, and is not repeated herein.

S906, the AMF network element sends a message 2 to an intermediate SMF (I-SMF) network element. Accordingly, the I-SMF network element receives message 2 from the AMF network element. Wherein message 2 is used to request the creation (or modification) of a PDU session context.

It should be noted that, in this scenario, the SMF network element serves as an anchor SMF corresponding to the first MBS service or controls the SMF, and the I-SMF network element is a PDU session management network element capable of serving the first terminal device and selected by the AMF network element.

For the related description of step S906, reference may be made to step S904, for example, the difference is that the SMF network element in step S904 is replaced by the I-SMF network element in step S906, and details are not described here again.

S907, the I-SMF network element sends message 3 to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF receives message 3 from the I-SMF network element. Wherein message 3 is used to request the creation (or modification) of a PDU session context.

In the embodiment of the present application, the message 3 includes an identifier of the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, if the N1 message includes S-NSSAI and/or DNN, the message 3 may further include S-NSSAI and/or DNN in the N1 message.

Operation three, joining the first MBS service through the user plane, includes the following steps S908-S909:

s908, the first terminal device sends a message 4 to the UPF network element. Accordingly, the UPF network element receives the message 4 from the first terminal device. Where message 4 is used to request to join a multicast group.

The message 4 in the embodiment of the present application includes an identification of the first MBS service.

Optionally, the message 4 in the embodiment of the present application may further include S-NSSAI and/or DNN. The S-NSSAI is used to indicate a slice used by the first MBS service. The DNN is used to identify a data network where the first MBS service is located.

For example, the message 4 in the embodiment of the present application may be, for example, an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) join (IGMP join) message or a Multicast Listener Report (MLR) message.

Optionally, the UPF network element in this embodiment may be a UPF in the 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 or fig. 3, or may also be an MB-UPF in the 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 4 or fig. 5, which is described herein in a unified manner and will not be described again below.

S909, the UPF network element sends a user plane event notification (user plane event notification) to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives a user plane event notification from the UPF network element. The user plane event notification includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to notify the SMF network element of receiving an IGMP Join or MLR message.

Optionally, if the message 4 further includes S-NSSAI and/or DNN, the user plane event notification may further include S-NSSAI and/or DNN.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the present application, the UPF network element may send the user plane event notification to the SMF network element through another SMF network element (for example, the SMF1 network element), which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application. In this case, the SMF network element serves an anchor SMF or a control SMF corresponding to the first MBS, and the SMF1 is a PDU session management network element serving the first terminal device.

Through the above-mentioned operation one or operation two or operation three, the first terminal device may request to join the first MBS service.

Further, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include, as shown in steps S910 to S915, an authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service:

s910, the SMF network element sends an authorization request (authorization request) to the UDM/UDR network element. Accordingly, the UDM/UDR network element receives an authorization request from the SMF network element. Wherein the authorization request is used for requesting the first terminal equipment to be authorized to use the first MBS service.

In the embodiment of the present application, the authorization request includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the identifier of the first terminal device may include, for example, a subscription hidden identifier (suici), a 5G-Global Unique Temporary Identifier (GUTI), a general public user identifier (GPSI), a permanent device identifier (PEI), a user identifier when the first terminal device uses the first MBS service, or an MBS subscription user identifier of the user, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the application, using the first MBS service by the first terminal device may include the first terminal device obtaining data of the first MBS service, which is described herein in a unified manner and is not described in detail below.

And S911, the UDM/UDR network element determines the authorization result of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment. The authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure.

In a possible implementation manner, the determining, by the UDM/UDR network element, an authorization result for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device includes: and the UDM/UDR network element acquires the subscription data of the corresponding first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service, where the subscription data includes authorization information (which may also be understood as permission information) of the first MBS service. Furthermore, the UDM/UDR network element checks the authorization information of the first MBS service, and if the authorization information indicates that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS user service, the authorization result is successful; or, if the authorization information indicates that the first terminal device is not authorized to use the first MBS user service, the authorization result is an authorization failure.

For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the authorization result may be indicated by 1 bit, for example, "0" indicates successful authorization, and "1" indicates failed authorization; alternatively, "1" indicates successful authorization, and "0" indicates failed authorization, etc., which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

S912, the UDM/UDR network element sends an authorization response (authorization response) to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives an authorization response from the UDM/UDR network element. Wherein, the authorization response includes the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the authorization response may further include an identifier of the first terminal device, where the identifier is used by the SMF network element to determine that an applicable object of the authorization result is the first terminal device. Of course, if the authorization response does not include the identifier of the first terminal device, the SMF network element may also determine, according to the session identifier between the SMF network element and the UDM/UDR network element, that the object to which the authorization result is applicable is the first terminal device, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, if the authorization result is that the authorization is successful, the authorization response may further include an authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

S913, the SMF network element determines that the authorization of the first terminal device using the first MBS service is successful or failed according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service.

Further, in this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S914:

s914, the SMF network element establishes or updates a session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device.

For example, in this embodiment of the present application, the establishment or update of the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device by the SMF network element specifically includes any one or more of the following:

the SMF network element sends a message for establishing or modifying the N4 session to the UPF network element;

the SMF network element sends a message for establishing policy association to the PCF network element;

the SMF network element sends an N2 message to the NG-RAN equipment through the AMF network element;

the SMF network element sends an N1 message to the first terminal equipment through the AMF network element;

the SMF network element sends a session establishment or modification response message or an MBS context establishment or activation response message to the I-SMF network element or the SMF1 network element;

the SMF network element sends a message for requesting to establish a session to the MBS-C; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

and the SMF network element sends an MBS context creating or activating response message to the AMF network element.

In this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service fails, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S915:

s915, the SMF network element sends the indication information 1 to the first terminal device. Accordingly, the first terminal device receives the indication information 1 from the SMF network element. The indication information 1 is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element receives the authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, after the authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is ended, the SMF network element may further release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

The above steps S910-S915 are based on the flow in the 5G MBS architecture, in which the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is implemented.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, after the authorization procedure of the first MBS service is ended, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include a procedure of revoking authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, as shown in steps S916-S918:

s916, the UDM/UDR network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

For example, in this embodiment of the present application, the condition that the UDM/UDR network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes any one of:

the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service is ended; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the authorization information of the first MBS service changes; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

and the UDM/UDR network element receives a notification message from the AF/NEF network element, wherein the notification message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for notifying the revocation of the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, before the UDM/UDR network element receives the notification message of the AF network element or the NEF network element, the UDM/UDR network element may further send a subscription message to the AF network element or the NEF network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event. For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the first MBS service authorization change event may include at least one of the following events: the first terminal equipment changes the authorization validity period of the first MBS service, changes the authorization information of the first MBS service or cancels the authorization event of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service. The description applies to all embodiments of the present application, which are described herein in a unified manner and will not be described in detail below.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the present application, when the AF network element belongs to a third party, the AF network element and the UDM/UDR network element need to interact through a NEF network element or a Proxy (Proxy) and other network elements, which are described in a unified manner herein and will not be described in detail below.

S917, the UDM/UDR network element sends a revocation request message to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives a revocation request message from the UDM/UDR network element. The revocation request message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request to release the PDU session related to the first MBS service or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the UDM/UDR network element may further obtain the corresponding S-NSSAI and/or DNN according to the received identifier of the first MBS service. Wherein the S-NSSAI is used to indicate a slice used by the first MBS service. The DNN is used to identify a data network where the first MBS service is located. Furthermore, the revocation request message may include an S-NSSAI and/or a DNN corresponding to the first MBS service, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

S918, the SMF network element revokes the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device.

In this embodiment of the present application, revoking the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service may be understood as releasing the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or deleting (or deactivating) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, which is described in a unified manner herein and will not be described in detail below.

For example, in this embodiment of the present application, the revoking, by the SMF network element, the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes at least one of:

the SMF network element sends a request message to the UPF network element, wherein the request message is used for requesting to release the user plane resource of the PDU session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the SMF network element sends a request message to the AMF network element or the first terminal equipment, wherein the request message is used for requesting to release the PDU session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the SMF network element sends a request message to the AMF network element or the NG-RAN equipment, wherein the request message is used for requesting to delete or deactivate the first MBS service context of the first terminal equipment; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the SMF network element sends a notification message to the first terminal device, wherein the notification message is used for notifying the first terminal device of the revocation of the authorization for using the first MBS service or the end of the validity period of the authorization for using the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, before the SMF network element sends the message, it needs to determine, according to the received identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, a PDU session corresponding to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or an identifier of the PDU session, or an identifier of a context of the PDU session, and carry, in the message, the PDU session corresponding to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or the identifier of the PDU session, or the identifier of the context of the PDU session. Of course, the message further includes an identifier of the first terminal device, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. Based on the above steps S916-S918, the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service under the 5G MBS architecture may be revoked, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is always used by the first terminal device.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S910 to S915 and the authorization procedure for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S916 to S918 are independent from each other, and may be decoupled from each other. That is to say, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S910 to S915 of the embodiment of the present application may also use other authorization procedures for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; or, the authorization procedure for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S916 to S918 of the embodiment of the present application may also use an authorization procedure for other first terminal devices to use the first MBS service, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

The actions of the UDM/UDR network element or the SMF network element in the above steps S901 to S918 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 by calling the application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the UDM/UDR network element or the SMF network element to execute, which is not limited in this embodiment.

Optionally, taking the communication system shown in fig. 6 or fig. 7 applied to any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5 as an example, assuming that the first control plane network element is an MBS-C network element (where the MBS-C network element may be an MSF-C in fig. 3 or an MBSF in fig. 5) or a PCF network element, and the second control plane network element is an SMF network element (where the SMF network element may be an SMF in fig. 2 or fig. 3, or an MB-SMF in fig. 4 or fig. 5), the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application may be as shown in fig. 10, and includes the following steps:

s1001 to S1009 are the same as steps S901 to S909 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 for details, which are not described herein again.

Further, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include, as shown in steps S1010-S1015, an authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service:

s1010, the SMF network element sends an authorization request (authorization request) to the MBS-C/PCF network element. Correspondingly, the MBS-C/PCF network element receives the authorization request from the SMF network element. Wherein the authorization request is used for requesting the first terminal equipment to be authorized to use the first MBS service. The authorization request includes an identification of the first MBS service and an identification of the first terminal device.

The related description of step S1010 may refer to step S910 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and the differences are: the UDM/UDR network element in step S910 is replaced with the MBS-C/PCF network element in step S1010, which is not described herein again.

S1011, the MBS-C/PCF network element determines the authorization result of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service according to the identification of the first MBS service and the identification of the first terminal equipment. The authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure.

In a possible implementation manner, the MBS-C/PCF network element determining, according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, an authorization result for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, including: the MBS-C/PCF network element sends a request message to the UDM/UDR network element, wherein the request message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and is used for requesting the subscription data of the first MBS service; and the MBS-C/PCF network element receives the subscription data of the first MBS service from the UDM/UDR network element, wherein the subscription data comprises the authorization information of the first MBS service. Furthermore, the MBS-C/PCF checks the authorization information of the first MBS service, if the authorization information indicates that the first terminal equipment is authorized to use the first MBS user service, the authorization result is successful; or, if the authorization information indicates that the first terminal device is not authorized to use the first MBS user service, the authorization result is an authorization failure.

In another possible implementation manner, the determining, by the MBS-C/PCF network element, the authorization result for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device includes: the MBS-C/PCF network element sends a request message to the AF/NEF network element, wherein the request message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for requesting to authorize the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service; and the MBS-C/PCF network element receives the authorization result of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service from the AF/NEF network element. Optionally, if the authorization result is that the authorization is successful, the MBS-C/PCF network element receives an authorization validity period for the first terminal device from the AF/NEF network element to use the first MBS service.

S1012, the MBS-C/PCF network element sends an authorization response (authorization response) to the SMF network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the authorization response from the MBS-C/PCF network element. Wherein, the authorization response includes the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service.

The related description of step S1012 may refer to step S912 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and the differences are: the UDM/UDR network element in step S912 is replaced with the MBS-C/PCF network element in step S1012, which is not described herein again.

S1013, the SMF network element determines the success or failure of the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service.

Further, in this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1014:

s1014, the SMF network element establishes or updates a session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device.

Step S914 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9 may be referred to for the implementation of the SMF network element establishing or updating the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, which is not described herein again.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the SMF network element may further send the authorization result, the identifier of the first MBS service, and the identifier of the first terminal device to the UDM/UDR network element; or, the SMF network element may further send the authorization result, the identifier of the first MBS service, the identifier of the first terminal device, and the authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service to the UDM/UDR network element.

In this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service fails, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1015:

s1015, the SMF network element sends the indication information 1 to the first terminal device. Accordingly, the first terminal device receives the indication information 1 from the SMF network element. The indication information 1 is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service.

The above steps S1010-S1015 are based on the flow in the 5G MBS architecture, in which the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is implemented.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, after the authorization procedure of the first MBS service is ended, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include a procedure of revoking authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, as shown in steps S1016 to S1018:

s1016, MBS-C/PCF network element determines to withdraw the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

For example, in this embodiment of the present application, the condition that the MBS-C/PCF network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes any one of the following:

the MBS-C/PCF network element receives a notification message from the AF/NEF network element, wherein the notification message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for notifying that the authorization of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service is cancelled; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the MBS-C/PCF network element receives the notification message from the UDM/UDR network element, wherein the notification message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for notifying the revocation of the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, before the MBS-C/PCF network element receives the notification message of the AF/NEF network element, the MBS-C/PCF network element may further send a subscription message to the AF/NEF network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, before the MBS-C/PCF network element receives the notification message of the UDM/UDR network element, the MBS-C/PCF network element may further send a subscription message to the UDM/UDR network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event. Certainly, the UDM/UDR network element may further send a subscription message to the AF/NEF network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application. For an example of the first MBS service authorization change event, reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9, which is not described herein again.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the present application, when the AF network element belongs to a third party, interaction between the AF network element and the UDM/UDR network element, or interaction between the AF network element and the MBS-C/PCF network element needs to be performed through network elements such as an NEF network element or a Proxy (Proxy), which is described in a unified manner herein and will not be described in detail below.

S1017, the MBS-C/PCF network element sends a withdrawal request message to the SMF network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the withdrawal request message from the MBS-C/PCF network element. The revocation request message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request to release the PDU session related to the first MBS service or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service.

The related description of step S1017 may refer to step S917 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, for example, the difference is that the UDM/UDR network element in step S917 is replaced with the MBS-C/PCF network element in step S1017, which is not described herein again.

1018. And the SMF network element cancels the authorization of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment.

Step S1018 is the same as step S918 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 for details, which are not repeated herein.

The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. Based on the above steps S1016-S1018, the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service under the 5G MBS architecture may be revoked, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is always used by the first terminal device.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, provided in steps S1010-S1015, is independent from the authorization procedure for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, provided in steps S1016-S1018, and may be decoupled from each other. That is to say, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1010-S1015 of the embodiment of the present application may also use other authorization procedures for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; or, the authorization procedure provided in steps S1016 to S1018 of the present application for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service may also use an authorization procedure for other first terminal devices to use the first MBS service, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

The actions of the MBS-C/PCF network element or the SMF network element in steps S1001 to S1018 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 calling an application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the MBS-C/PCF network element or the SMF network element to execute, which is not limited in this embodiment.

Optionally, taking the example that the communication system shown in fig. 6 or fig. 7 is applied to any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5, assuming that the first control plane network element is an AF network element (where the AF may be the AF in fig. 2 to fig. 5), and the second control plane network element is an SMF network element (where the SMF network element may be the SMF in fig. 2 or fig. 3, or may be the MB-SMF in fig. 4 or fig. 5), the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application may be shown in fig. 11, and includes the following steps:

S1101-S1109 are the same as steps S901-S909 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 for details, which are not described herein again.

Further, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include, as shown in steps S1110 to S1115, an authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service:

s1110, the SMF network element sends an authorization request (authorization request) to the AF network element. Correspondingly, the AF network element receives an authorization request from the SMF network element. Wherein the authorization request is used for requesting the first terminal equipment to be authorized to use the first MBS service. The authorization request includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device.

The related description of step S1110 may refer to step S910 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and the differences are: the UDM/UDR network element in step S910 is replaced by the AF network element in step S1010, which is not described herein again.

S1111, the AF network element determines the authorization result of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service according to the identification of the first MBS service and the identification of the first terminal equipment. The authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, if the AF network element determines that the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the AF network element may further send the authorization result, the identifier of the first MBS service, and the identifier of the first terminal device to the UDM/UDR network element; or, the SMF network element may further send the authorization result, the identifier of the first MBS service, the identifier of the first terminal device, and the authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service to the UDM/UDR network element.

S1112, the AF network element sends an authorization response (authorization response) to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives an authorization response from the AF network element. Wherein, the authorization response includes the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service.

The related description of step S1112 may refer to step S912 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and the differences are: the UDM/UDR network element in step S912 is replaced by the AF network element in step S1112, which is not described herein again.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the application, when the AF network element belongs to a third party, the AF network element and the SMF network element need to interact through network elements such as an NEF network element or a Proxy (Proxy), which is described in a unified manner herein and is not described in detail below.

S1113, the SMF network element determines the success or failure of the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service according to the authorization result and the identification of the first MBS service.

Further, in this embodiment of the application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the application may further include the following step S1114:

s1114, the SMF network element establishes or updates a session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device.

s1115, the SMF network element sends the indication information 1 to the first terminal device. Accordingly, the first terminal device receives the indication information 1 from the SMF network element. The indication information 1 is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service.

The above steps S1110-S1115 are based on a flow in the 5G MBS architecture, in which authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is implemented.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, after the authorization procedure of the first MBS service is ended, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include a procedure of revoking the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, as shown in steps S1116-S1118:

s1116, the AF network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

For example, in this embodiment of the present application, the condition that the AF network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes any one of the following:

the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service is ended;

or, the authorization information of the first MBS service is changed.

And S1117, the AF network element sends a withdrawal request message to the SMF network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the withdrawal request message from the AF network element. The revocation request message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request to release the PDU session related to the first MBS service or delete (or deactivate) the context of the PDU session related to the first MBS service.

The related description of step S1117 may refer to step S917 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, for example, the difference is that the UDM/UDR network element in step S917 is replaced by the AF network element in step S1117, and details are not described here.

S1118, the SMF network element revokes the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device.

Step S1118 is the same as step S918 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 for details, which are not repeated herein.

The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. Based on the above steps S1116-S1118, the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service under the 5G MBS architecture can be revoked, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is always used by the first terminal device.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1110 to S1115 and the authorization procedure for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1116 to S1118 are independent from each other and may be decoupled from each other. That is to say, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1110 to S1115 in the embodiment of the present application may also use other authorization procedures for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; or, the authorization procedure for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1116-S1118 of the embodiment of the present application may also use an authorization procedure for other first terminal devices to use the first MBS service, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

The processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 may call the application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the AF network element or the SMF network element to perform the actions of the AF network element or the SMF network element in the above steps S1101 to S1118, which is not limited in this embodiment.

Optionally, taking the example that the communication system shown in fig. 6 or fig. 7 is applied to any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5, assuming that the first control plane network element is an AF network element (where the AF may be the AF in fig. 2 to fig. 5), and the second control plane network element is an SMF network element (where the SMF network element may be the SMF in fig. 2 or fig. 3, or may be the MB-SMF in fig. 4 or fig. 5), the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application may be shown in fig. 12, and includes the following steps:

S1201-S1202 are the same as steps S901-S902 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 for details, which are not repeated herein.

Further, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include an authorization procedure that the first terminal device uses the first MBS service, as shown in steps S1203 to S1209:

and S1203, the first terminal equipment sends an N1 message to the AMF network element. Accordingly, the AMF network element receives the N1 message from the first terminal device. Among them, the N1 message is used for requesting establishment (or modification) of a PDU session, or for requesting use of the first MBS service, or for requesting reception of data of the first MBS service, or for requesting joining of a multicast group, or for requesting activation of a context of the first MBS service.

Step S1203 is the same as step S903 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, which may specifically refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 and is not repeated herein.

S1204, the AMF network element sends an authorization request (authorization request) to the UDM/UDR network element. Accordingly, the UDM/UDR network element receives an authorization request from the SMF network element. Wherein the authorization request is used for requesting the first terminal equipment to be authorized to use the first MBS service.

And S1205, the UDM/UDR network element determines the authorization result of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment. The authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure.

S1206, the UDM/UDR network element sends an authorization response (authorization response) to the AMF network element. Accordingly, the AMF network element receives an authorization response from the UDM/UDR network element. Wherein, the authorization response includes the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service.

S1207, the AMF network element determines the authorization success or the authorization failure of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service according to the authorization result and the identification of the first MBS service.

The steps S1204-S1207 may refer to the steps S910-S913 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, for example, the difference is that the SMF network element in the steps S910-S913 is replaced by the AMF network element in the steps S1204-S1207, and details are not repeated here.

Further, in this embodiment of the present application, if the AMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1208:

and S1208, the AMF network element sends a message 2 to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives message 2 from the AMF network element. Wherein the message 2 includes an identification of the first MBS service for requesting creation (or modification) of a PDU session or for requesting activation and creation of a first MBS service context.

Optionally, the SMF network element in this embodiment may be an SMF in the 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 or fig. 3, or may be an MB-SMF in the 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 4 or fig. 5, which is described herein in a unified manner and is not described again below.

In this embodiment of the present application, if the AMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service fails, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1209:

s1209, the AMF network element sends indication information 2 to the first terminal device. Accordingly, the first terminal device receives the indication information 2 from the AMF network element. The indication information 2 is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, if the AMF network element receives the authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, after the authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is ended, the AMF network element may further release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device.

The above steps S1203-S1209 are based on the flow in the 5G MBS architecture, in which the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is implemented.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, after the authorization procedure of the first MBS service is ended, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include a procedure of revoking authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, as shown in steps S1210-S1211:

s1210, the AMF network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

For example, in this embodiment of the present application, the condition that the AMF network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes any one of:

the AMF network element receives a notification message of the UDM/UDR network element, wherein the notification message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for notifying that the authorization of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service is cancelled; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the AMF network element receives a notification message of the MBS-C/PCF/AF/NEF network element, wherein the notification message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for notifying that the authorization of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service is cancelled.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, before the AMF network element receives the notification message of the UDM/UDR network element, the AMF network element may further send a subscription message to the UDM/UDR network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to an authorization change event of the first MBS service. Certainly, the UDM/UDR network element may further send a subscription message to the AF/NEF network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, before the AMF network element receives the notification message of the MBS-C/PCF/AF/NEF network element, the AMF network element may further send a subscription message to the MBS-C/PCF/AF/NEF network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event. Certainly, the MBS-C/PCF may further send a subscription message to the AF/NEF network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event. For an example of the first MBS service authorization change event, reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9, which is not described herein again.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the present application, when the AF network element belongs to a third party, interaction needs to be performed between the AF network element and the UDM/UDR network element, or between the AF network element and the MBS-C/PCF network element, or between the AF network element and the AMF network element through network elements such as an NEF network element or a Proxy (Proxy), which is described in the unified description herein and is not described in detail below.

S1211 and the AMF network element initiates to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device.

In this embodiment of the present application, initiating the revocation of the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service may be understood as initiating the session of releasing the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or initiating the context of deleting (or deactivating) the PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, which is described in a unified manner herein and will not be described in detail below.

For example, in this embodiment of the present application, the initiating, by the AMF network element, the authorization to revoke the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes at least one of:

the AMF network element sends a request message to the SMF network element, the request message requesting release of a PDU session for the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or,

the AMF network element sends a request message to the SMF network element, wherein the request message is used for requesting to delete or deactivate the first MBS service context of the first terminal equipment; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the AMF network element deletes the first MBS service context of the local first terminal equipment; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

and the AMF network element sends an N2 message to the NG-RAN equipment, wherein the N2 message is used for requesting the NG-RAN equipment to release the bearer corresponding to the first MBS service or requesting the NG-RAN equipment to delete or deactivate the context of the PDU session corresponding to the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, before initiating an authorization to revoke the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, the AMF network element needs to determine, according to the received identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, a PDU session corresponding to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or an identifier of the PDU session, or an identifier of a context of the PDU session, and carry, in the message, the PDU session corresponding to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or the identifier of the PDU session, or the identifier of the context of the PDU session. Of course, the message further includes an identifier of the first terminal device, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the application.

The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. Based on the above steps S1210-S1211, the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service under the 5G MBS architecture may be revoked, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is always used by the first terminal device.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, provided in steps S1203 to S1209, and the authorization procedure for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, provided in steps S1210 to S1211, are independent from each other and may be decoupled from each other. That is to say, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1203 to S1209 in the embodiment of the present application may also use another authorization procedure for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; alternatively, the authorization procedure for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1210 to S1211 of the embodiment of the present application may also use an authorization procedure for other first terminal devices to use the first MBS service, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

The actions of the UDM/UDR network element or the AMF network element in the above steps S1201 to S1211 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 by calling the application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the UDM/UDR network element or the AMF network element to perform, which is not limited in this embodiment.

Optionally, taking the example that the communication system shown in fig. 6 or fig. 7 is applied to any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 13, including the following steps:

s1301 to S1309 are the same as steps S901 to S909 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 specifically, which is not described herein again.

Further, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include, as shown in steps S1310-S1316, an authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service:

s1310, the SMF network element determines whether to store the subscription data of the first MBS service locally according to the received identifier of the first MBS service.

If the SMF network element determines that the subscription data of the first MBS service is not stored locally, after steps S1311 to S1313 are performed, the following step S1314 is continuously performed;

if the SMF network element determines that the subscription data of the first MBS service has been stored locally, the following step S1314 is performed after steps S1311 to S1313 are skipped.

S1311, SMF network element sends request message 1 to UDM/UDR network element. Accordingly, the UDM/UDR network element receives the request message 1 from the SMF network element. Wherein, the request message 1 includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request subscription data related to the first MBS service.

Optionally, the request message 1 in this embodiment of the application may further include indication information 3, where the indication information 3 is used to indicate that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service. Illustratively, the indication information 3 may be the received S-NSSAI and/or DNN.

Optionally, the UDM/UDR network element in this embodiment may be a UDM/UDR network element in any 5G MBS architecture from fig. 2 to fig. 5, which is described in a unified manner herein and is not described in detail below.

S1312, the UDM/UDR network element searches the subscription data of the first MBS service according to the identification of the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, if the request message 1 may further include indication information 3, the UDM/UDR network element may determine, according to the indication information 3, that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service.

And S1313, the UDM/UDR network element sends a response message 1 to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives a response message 1 from the UDM/UDR network element.

In this embodiment of the present application, if the UDM/UDR network element can find the subscription data of the first MBS service, the response message 1 includes the subscription data of the first MBS service. If the UDM/UDR network element cannot find the subscription data of the first MBS service, the response message 1 may include indication information 4, where the indication information 4 is used to indicate that the acquisition of the subscription data of the first MBS service fails.

In the embodiment of the present application, the subscription data of the first MBS service includes authorization information of the first MBS service, where the authorization information of the first MBS service is used to indicate whether to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the subscription data of the first MBS service includes an authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

Further, in this embodiment of the application, if the response message 1 includes the indication information 4, the SMF network element may determine that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service failure according to the indication information 4. If the response message 1 includes the subscription data of the first MBS service, further, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application further includes the following step S1314.

S1314, the SMF network element determines whether to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the subscription data of the first MBS service.

In a possible implementation manner, the determining, by an SMF network element, whether to authorize a first terminal device to use a first MBS service according to subscription data of the first MBS service includes: when the information of the first MBS service authorization indicates that the first terminal equipment is not allowed to be authorized to use the first MBS service, the SMF network element determines that the first terminal equipment is not authorized to use the first MBS service; or, when the information of the first MBS service authorization indicates that the first terminal device is allowed to use the first MBS service, the SMF network element determines that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service successfully.

Further, in this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1315:

s1315, the SMF network element establishes or updates a session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device.

In this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service fails, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1316:

s1316, the SMF network element sends indication information 1 to the first terminal device. Accordingly, the first terminal device receives the indication information 1 from the SMF network element. The indication information 1 is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, if the subscription data of the first MBS service includes an authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, after the authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is ended, the SMF network element may further release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device, or delete (or deactivate) a context of a PDU session related to the first MBS service of the first terminal device, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

The above steps S1310-S1316 are based on the flow in the 5G MBS architecture, in which the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is implemented.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, after the authorization procedure of the first MBS service is ended, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include a procedure of revoking authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, as shown in steps S1317-S1318:

s1317, the SMF network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

For example, in this embodiment of the present application, the condition that the SMF network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service includes any one of:

the SMF network element receives a notification message from the MBS-C/PCF/AF/NEF network element, wherein the notification message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for notifying that the authorization of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service is cancelled; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the SMF network element receives a notification message from the UDM/UDR network element, wherein the notification message comprises an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal equipment and is used for notifying that the authorization of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service is cancelled.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, before the SMF network element receives the notification message of the UDM/UDR network element, the SMF network element may further send a subscription message to the UDM/UDR network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to an authorization change event of the first MBS service. Certainly, the UDM/UDR network element may further send a subscription message to the AF/NEF network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, before the SMF network element receives the notification message of the MBS-C/PCF/AF/NEF network element, the SMF network element may further send a subscription message to the MBS-C/PCF/AF/NEF network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event. Certainly, the MBS-C/PCF may further send a subscription message to the AF/NEF network element, where the subscription message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event. For an example of the first MBS service authorization change event, reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9, which is not described herein again.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the present application, when the AF network element belongs to a third party, interaction needs to be performed between the AF network element and the UDM/UDR network element, or between the AF network element and the MBS-C/PCF network element, or between the AF network element and the SMF network element through network elements such as an NEF network element or a Proxy (Proxy), which is described in the unified description herein and is not described in detail below.

S1318, the SMF network element revokes the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device.

Step S1318 is the same as step S918 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be specifically made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9, which is not repeated herein.

The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. Based on the above steps S1317-S1318, the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service under the 5G MBS architecture may be revoked, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal device all the time.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1310 to S1316 is independent from the authorization procedure for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1317 to S1318, and may be decoupled from each other. That is to say, the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in steps S1310-S1316 in the embodiment of the present application may also use other authorization procedures for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; or, the authorization procedure provided in steps S1317-S1318 of the embodiment of the present application to revoke that the first terminal device uses the first MBS service may also use an authorization procedure for other first terminal devices to use the first MBS service, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

The actions of the UDM/UDR network element or the SMF network element in the above steps S1301 to S1318 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 by calling an application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the UDM/UDR network element or the SMF network element to execute, which is not limited in this embodiment.

Optionally, taking the example that the communication system shown in fig. 6 or fig. 7 is applied to any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 14, including the following steps:

s1401 to S1409 are the same as steps S901 to S909 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 for details, which are not repeated herein.

Further, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include, as shown in steps S1410-S1416, an authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service:

s1410, the SMF network element sends a request message 2 to the UDM/UDR network element. Accordingly, the UDM/UDR network element receives the request message 2 from the SMF network element. Wherein, the request message 2 includes the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, and is used for requesting the subscription data related to the first MBS service.

Optionally, the request message 2 in this embodiment of the application may further include indication information 3, where the indication information 3 is used to indicate that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service. Illustratively, the indication information 3 may be the received S-NSSAI and/or DNN.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, before performing step S1410, the SMF network element may determine whether to store the subscription data of the first MBS service locally according to the received identifier of the first MBS service. When the SMF network element determines that the subscription data of the first MBS service is not stored locally, step S1410 is executed again, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

S1411, the UDM/UDR network element searches the subscription data of the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, if the request message 2 may further include indication information 3, the UDM/UDR network element may determine, according to the indication information 3, that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service.

In this embodiment of the application, if the UDM/UDR network element can find the subscription data of the first MBS service, the following step S1412 is continuously executed, and then step S1413 is executed; otherwise, the UDM/UDR network element determines that the authorization result of the first terminal device using the first MBS service is an authorization failure, and executes step S1413 after skipping step S1412.

S1412, the UDM/UDR determines an authorization result of the first terminal device for using the first MBS service according to the subscription data of the first MBS service. The authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure.

In a possible implementation manner, the determining, by the UDM/UDR, whether to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to subscription data of the first MBS service includes: when the information of the first MBS service authorization indicates that the first terminal equipment is not allowed to be authorized to use the first MBS service, the UDM/UDR determines that the first terminal equipment is not authorized to use the first MBS service; or, when the information of the first MBS service authorization indicates that the first terminal device is allowed to use the first MBS service, the UDM/UDR network element determines that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service successfully.

S1413, the UDM/UDR network element sends a response message 2 to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives a response message 2 from the UDM/UDR network element. Wherein, the response message 2 includes an authorization result of the first terminal device using the first MBS service, and the authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure.

In addition, in this embodiment of the application, if the UDM/UDR network element may find the subscription data of the first MBS service or the UDM/UDR network element determines that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service successfully, the response message 2 includes the subscription data of the first MBS service.

S1414, the SMF network element determines the success or failure of the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service.

Further, in this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1415:

s1415, the SMF network element establishes or updates the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device. Step S1415 is the same as step S914 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and the related description may refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 9, which is not repeated herein.

In this embodiment of the present application, if the SMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service fails, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1416:

s1416, the SMF network element sends indication information 1 to the first terminal device. Accordingly, the first terminal device receives the indication information 1 from the SMF network element. The indication information 1 is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service. Step S1416 is the same as step S915 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and the related description may refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 9, which is not repeated herein.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, after the authorization procedure of the first MBS service is ended, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include revoking the authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, which may specifically refer to any embodiment of fig. 9-13, and this embodiment of the present application is not described herein again. Of course, based on the authorization flow for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service provided in this embodiment of the application, other authorization flows for revoking the first terminal device to use the first MBS service may also be used to revoke the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

The actions of the UDM/UDR network element or the SMF network element in the above steps S1401 to S1416 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 by calling the application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the UDM/UDR network element or the SMF network element to execute, which is not limited in this embodiment.

Optionally, taking the example that the communication system shown in fig. 6 or fig. 7 is applied to any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 15, including the following steps:

s1501 to S1502 are the same as steps S901 to S902 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, which can be referred to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 specifically and will not be described again here.

Further, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include, as shown in steps S1503 to S1510, an authorization procedure for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service:

and S1503, the first terminal equipment sends an N1 message to the AMF network element. Accordingly, the AMF network element receives the N1 message from the first terminal device. Among them, the N1 message is used for requesting establishment (or modification) of a PDU session, or for requesting use of the first MBS service, or for requesting reception of data of the first MBS service, or for requesting joining of a multicast group, or for requesting activation of a context of the first MBS service.

Step S1503 is the same as step S903 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 for details, which are not repeated herein.

S1504, the AMF network element sends a request message 3 to the UDM/UDR network element. Accordingly, the UDM/UDR network element receives the request message 3 from the AMF network element. Wherein, the request message 3 includes the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, and is used for requesting the subscription data related to the first MBS service.

Optionally, the request message 3 in this embodiment may further include indication information 3, where the indication information 3 is used to indicate that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service. Illustratively, the indication information 3 may be the received S-NSSAI and/or DNN.

S1505, the UDM/UDR network element searches the subscription data of the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, if the request message 3 may further include the indication information 3, the UDM/UDR network element may determine, according to the indication information 3, that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service.

In the embodiment of the present application, if the UDM/UDR network element can find the subscription data of the first MBS service, the following step S1506 is continuously executed, and then step S1507 is executed; otherwise, the UDM/UDR network element determines that the authorization result of the first terminal device using the first MBS service is an authorization failure, and performs step S1507 after skipping step S1506.

S1506, UDM/UDR determines the authorization result of first terminal device using first MBS service according to the signing data of first MBS service. The authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure.

Step S1506 is the same as step S1412 in the embodiment shown in fig. 14, which can be referred to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 for details, and is not repeated here.

S1507, the UDM/UDR network element sends a response message 3 to the AMF network element. Correspondingly, the AMF network element receives the response message 3 from the UDM/UDR network element. Wherein, the response message 3 includes the identifier of the first terminal device and the authorization result of the first terminal device using the first MBS service, and the authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure.

In addition, in this embodiment of the application, if the UDM/UDR network element may find the subscription data of the first MBS service or the UDM/UDR network element determines that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service successfully, the response message 3 includes the subscription data of the first MBS service.

S1508, the AMF network element determines, according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service, that the authorization of the first terminal device using the first MBS service is successful or unsuccessful.

Further, in this embodiment of the present application, if the AMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1509:

s1509, the AMF network element sends a message 2 to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives message 2 from the AMF network element. Wherein the message 2 includes an identification of the first MBS service for requesting creation (or modification) of a PDU session or for requesting activation and creation of a first MBS service context.

In this embodiment of the present application, if the AMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service fails, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1510:

s1510, the AMF network element sends indication information 2 to the first terminal device. Accordingly, the first terminal device receives the indication information 2 from the AMF network element. The indication information 2 is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service.

The above steps S1503-S1510 are based on a flow in the 5G MBS architecture, in which authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is implemented.

The actions of the UDM/UDR network element or the AMF network element in the above steps S1501 to S1510 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 by calling application program codes stored in the memory 803 to instruct the UDM/UDR network element or the AMF network element to execute, which is not limited in this embodiment.

Optionally, taking the example that the communication system shown in fig. 6 or fig. 7 is applied to any 5G MBS architecture shown in fig. 2 to fig. 5, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication method, as shown in fig. 16, including the following steps:

s1601 to S1602 are the same as steps S901 to S902 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and reference may be made to the embodiment shown in fig. 9 for details, which are not described herein again.

Further, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include an authorization procedure that the first terminal device uses the first MBS service, as shown in steps S1603 to S1610:

s1603, the first terminal equipment sends an N1 message to the AMF network element. Accordingly, the AMF network element receives the N1 message from the first terminal device. Among them, the N1 message is used for requesting establishment (or modification) of a PDU session, or for requesting use of the first MBS service, or for requesting reception of data of the first MBS service, or for requesting joining of a multicast group, or for requesting activation of a context of the first MBS service. Step S1603 is the same as step S903 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, which may be referred to in the embodiment shown in fig. 9 and is not described herein again.

S1604, determining, by the AMF network element, whether to store the subscription data of the first MBS service locally according to the received identifier of the first MBS service.

If the AMF network element determines that the subscription data of the first MBS service is not stored locally, after steps S1605-S1607 are executed, the following step S1608 is continuously executed;

if the AMF network element determines that the subscription data of the first MBS service has been stored locally, the following step S1608 is executed after skipping steps S1605 to S1607.

S1605, the AMF network element sends a request message 4 to the UDM/UDR network element. Accordingly, the UDM/UDR network element receives the request message 4 from the SMF network element. Wherein, the request message 4 includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request subscription data related to the first MBS service.

Optionally, the request message 4 in this embodiment may further include indication information 5, where the indication information 5 is used to indicate that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service. Illustratively, the indication 5 may be the received S-NSSAI and/or DNN.

And S1606, the UDM/UDR network element searches the subscription data of the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, if the request message 4 may further include indication information 5, the UDM/UDR network element may determine, according to the indication information 5, that the requested subscription data is subscription data of the MBS service.

S1607, the UDM/UDR network element sends a response message 4 to the AMF network element. Accordingly, the AMF network element receives the response message 4 from the UDM/UDR network element.

In this embodiment of the present application, if the UDM/UDR network element can find the subscription data of the first MBS service, the response message 4 includes the subscription data of the first MBS service. If the UDM/UDR network element cannot find the subscription data of the first MBS service, the response message 4 may include indication information 6, where the indication information 6 is used to indicate that the acquisition of the subscription data of the first MBS service fails.

Further, in this embodiment of the application, if the response message 4 includes the indication information 6, the AMF network element may determine that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service to fail according to the indication information 6. If the response message 4 includes the subscription data of the first MBS service, further, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes the following step S1608:

s1608, the AMF network element determines whether to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the subscription data of the first MBS service.

In a possible implementation manner, the determining, by an AMF network element, whether to authorize a first terminal device to use a first MBS service according to subscription data of the first MBS service includes: when the information of the first MBS service authorization indicates that the first terminal equipment is not allowed to be authorized to use the first MBS service, the AMF network element determines that the first terminal equipment is not authorized to use the first MBS service; or, when the information of the first MBS service authorization indicates that the first terminal device is allowed to use the first MBS service, the AMF network element determines that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service successfully.

Further, in this embodiment of the present application, if the AMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is successful, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1609:

and S1609, the AMF network element sends a message 2 to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element receives message 2 from the AMF network element. Wherein the message 2 includes an identification of the first MBS service for requesting creation (or modification) of a PDU session or for requesting activation and creation of a first MBS service context.

In this embodiment of the present application, if the AMF network element determines that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service fails, the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present application may further include the following step S1610:

s1610, the AMF network element sends indication information 2 to the first terminal device. Accordingly, the first terminal device receives the indication information 2 from the AMF network element. The indication information 2 is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service.

The above steps S1603-S1610 are based on a procedure in a 5G MBS architecture, in which authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is implemented.

The actions of the UDM/UDR network element or the AMF network element in the above steps S1601 to S1610 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 calling the application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the UDM/UDR network element or the AMF network element to execute, which is not limited in this embodiment.

As shown in fig. 17, a communication method provided for an embodiment of the present application includes:

s1701, the second control plane network element sends a first message to the first control plane network element. Accordingly, the first control plane network element receives a first message from the second control plane network element. The first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request the first terminal device to be authorized to use the first MBS service.

S1702, determining, by the first control plane network element, an authorization result for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, where the authorization result includes an authorization success or an authorization failure.

S1703, the first control plane network element sends the identifier and the authorization result of the first MBS service to the second control plane network element. Correspondingly, the second control plane network element receives the identification and authorization result of the first MBS service from the first control plane network element.

S1704, the second control plane network element determines that the authorization of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is successful or fails according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service.

For the above steps S1701 to S1704:

in a possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, a UDM/UDR network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 9 or fig. 14, the second control plane network element may be, for example, an SMF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 9 or fig. 14, and the first message may be, for example, an authorization request in step S910 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9 or a request message 2 in step S1410 in the embodiment shown in fig. 14.

In another possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, an MBS-C/PCF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 10, the second control plane network element may be, for example, an SMF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 10, and the first message may be, for example, an authorization request in step S1010 in the embodiment shown in fig. 10.

In yet another possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, an AF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 11, the second control plane network element may be, for example, an SMF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 11, and the first message may be, for example, an authorization request in step S1110 in the embodiment shown in fig. 11.

In yet another possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, a UDM/UDR network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 12, the second control plane network element may be, for example, an AMF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 12, and the first message may be, for example, an authorization request in step S1204 in the embodiment shown in fig. 12.

The specific implementation of the embodiment shown in fig. 17 can refer to the embodiments shown in fig. 9, fig. 10, fig. 11, fig. 12, or fig. 14, and is not described herein again. The scheme is based on the flow in the 5G MBS framework, and the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service is realized in the flow, so the MBS service authorization of the terminal equipment under the 5G MBS framework can be realized based on the scheme.

The actions of the first control plane network element or the second control plane network element in steps S1701 to S1704 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 by calling application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the first control plane network element or the second control plane network element to execute, which is not limited in this embodiment.

As shown in fig. 18, another communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes:

s1801, the first control plane network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

S1802, the first control plane network element sends a first message to the session management network element. Accordingly, the session management network element receives a first message from the first control plane network element. The first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released.

S1803, the session management network element releases the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device.

For the above steps S1801-S1803:

in a possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, a UDM/UDR network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 9, and the first message may be, for example, a request for a revocation request in step S917 in the embodiment shown in fig. 9.

In another possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, an MBS-C/PCF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 10, and the first message may be, for example, a request for withdrawal request in step S1017 in the embodiment shown in fig. 10.

In yet another possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, an AF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 11, and the first message may be, for example, a request to cancel in step S1117 in the embodiment shown in fig. 11.

In yet another possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, an AMF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 12, and the first message may be, for example, a message that interacts with the SMF network element when the AMF network element initiates the revocation of the authorization procedure of the first terminal device using the first MBS service in step S1211 of the embodiment shown in fig. 12.

The specific implementation of the embodiment shown in fig. 18 can refer to the embodiments shown in fig. 9, fig. 10, fig. 11, or fig. 12, and is not described herein again. The existing 3G/4GMBMS architecture does not define a revocation mechanism for terminal devices to authorize using MBS services, resulting in a terminal device always having the right to use MBS services once authorized. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the application is based on a 5G MBS framework, introduces a mechanism for canceling the MBS service authorization, and can cancel the authorization of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service under the 5G MBS framework, thereby avoiding the problem that the first MBS service is used by the first terminal equipment all the time.

The actions of the first control plane network element or the session management network element in steps S1801 to S1803 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 calling an application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the first control plane network element or the session management network element to execute, which is not limited in this embodiment.

As shown in fig. 19, another communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes:

s1901, the first control plane network element sends a first message to the second control plane network element. Accordingly, the second control plane network element receives the first message from the first control plane network element. The first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to acquire subscription data of the first MBS service.

S1902, the second control plane network element searches for subscription data of the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service.

S1903, the second control plane network element sends subscription data of the first MBS service to the first control plane network element, where the subscription data includes information of the first MBS service authorization.

S1904, the first control plane network element determines whether to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service according to the subscription data of the first MBS service.

For the above steps S1901-S1904:

in a possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, an SMF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 13, the second control plane network element may be, for example, a UDM/UDR network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 13, and the first message may be, for example, a request message 1 in step S1311 in the embodiment shown in fig. 13.

In another possible implementation manner, the first control plane network element in this embodiment may be, for example, an AMF network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 16, the second control plane network element may be, for example, a UDM/UDR network element in the embodiment shown in fig. 13, and the first message may be, for example, the request message 4 in step S1605 in the embodiment shown in fig. 16.

The specific implementation of the embodiment shown in fig. 19 can refer to the embodiment shown in fig. 13 or fig. 16, and is not described herein again. The scheme is based on the flow in the 5G MBS framework, and the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service is realized in the flow, so the MBS service authorization of the terminal equipment under the 5G MBS framework can be realized based on the scheme.

The actions of the first control plane network element or the second control plane network element in steps S1901 to S1904 may be executed by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 calling application program code stored in the memory 803 to instruct the first control plane network element or the second control plane network element to execute, which is not limited in this embodiment.

It is to be understood that, in the embodiments shown in fig. 17 to fig. 19, the method and/or the steps implemented by the first control plane network element may also be implemented by a component (e.g., a chip or a circuit) available for the first control plane network element; the methods and/or steps implemented by the second control plane network element may also be implemented by components (e.g., chips or circuits) available to the second control plane network element; the methods and/or steps implemented by the session management network element may also be implemented by components (e.g., chips or circuits) that may be used in the session management network element.

The above-mentioned scheme provided by the embodiment of the present application is introduced mainly from the perspective of interaction between network elements. Correspondingly, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication device, where the communication device may be the first control plane network element in the foregoing method embodiment, or a device including the first control plane network element, or a component that can be used in the first control plane network element; or, the communication device may be a second control plane network element in the foregoing method embodiment, or a device including the second control plane network element, or a component that can be used in the second control plane network element; alternatively, the communication device may be a session management network element in the above method embodiment, or a device including the above session management network element, or a component that can be used for the session management network element. It is to be understood that the communication device comprises corresponding hardware structures and/or software modules for performing the respective functions in order to realize the above-mentioned functions. Those of skill in the art would readily appreciate that the various illustrative elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as hardware or combinations of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is performed as hardware or computer software drives hardware depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

Fig. 20 shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication apparatus 200. The communication device 200 includes a transceiver module 2001 and a processing module 2002. The transceiver module 2001, which may also be referred to as a transceiver unit, is used to implement a transceiver function, and may be, for example, a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, or a communication interface.

Taking the communication apparatus 200 as the first control plane network element in the foregoing method embodiment, or a chip or other component arranged in the first control plane network element as an example, in a possible implementation manner:

a transceiving module 2001, configured to receive a first message from a second control plane network element, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service. A processing module 2002, configured to determine, according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, an authorization result that the first terminal device uses the first MBS service, where the authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure. The transceiver module 2001 is further configured to send the identifier of the first MBS service and the authorization result to the second control plane network element.

Optionally, the authorization result is successful authorization; the transceiving module 2001 is further configured to send, to the second control plane network element, an authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

Optionally, the processing module 2002 is configured to determine an authorization result according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, and includes: the transceiver module 2001 is configured to send a second message to the third control plane network element, where the second message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; the identification and authorization result of the first MBS service from the third control plane network element is received through the transceiver module 2001.

Optionally, the authorization result is successful authorization; the transceiver module 2001 is further configured to receive an authorized validity period for the first terminal device using the first MBS service from the third control plane network element.

Optionally, the processing module 2002 is further configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service. The transceiver module 2001 is further configured to send a third message to the session management network element, where the third message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released.

Optionally, the processing module 2002 is configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, and includes: the authorization validity period for determining that the first terminal device uses the first MBS service is over.

Optionally, the transceiver module 2001 is further configured to receive an authorization validity period for the first terminal device using the first MBS service from the fourth control plane network element.

Optionally, the processing module 2002 is configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, and includes: the authorization information for determining the first MBS service is changed.

Optionally, the transceiver module 2001 is further configured to receive authorization information of the first MBS service from the fourth control plane network element.

Optionally, the processing module 2002 is configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, and includes: for receiving, by the transceiving module 2001, a fourth message from the fourth control plane network element, the fourth message including an identity of the first MBS service and an identity of the first terminal device, for notifying that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is revoked.

Optionally, the transceiver module 2001 is further configured to send a fifth message to the fourth control plane network element before the processing module 2002 determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, where the fifth message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event.

In another possible implementation manner, the processing module 2002 is configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service. The transceiving module 2001 is configured to send a first message to the session management network element, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released.

Taking the communication apparatus 200 as the second control plane network element in the foregoing method embodiment or a chip or other component arranged in the second control plane network element as an example, in a possible implementation manner:

a transceiving module 2001, configured to send a first message to a first control plane network element, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service. The transceiver module 2001 is further configured to receive an identifier of the first MBS service from the first control plane network element and an authorization result of the first terminal device using the first MBS service, where the authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure. The processing module 2002 is configured to determine, according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service, that the first MBS service of the first terminal device is successfully authorized or unsuccessfully authorized.

Optionally, the authorization result is authorization failure; the transceiving module 2001 is further configured to send first indication information to the first terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service failure.

Optionally, the authorization result is successful authorization; a processing module 2002, further configured to establish or update a session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device; or, the transceiver module 2001 is further configured to send a sixth message to the session management network element, where the sixth message is used to request to establish or update the session of the first MBS service.

Optionally, the authorization result is successful authorization; the transceiver module 2001 is further configured to receive an authorization validity period for the first terminal device from the first control plane network element to use the first MBS service. The processing module 2002 is further configured to release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device after the expiration of the authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

Optionally, the second control plane network element is a session management network element; a processing module 2002, further configured to determine to revoke authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; the processing module 2002 is further configured to release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device.

Optionally, the second control plane network element is a mobility management network element; a processing module 2002, further configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; the transceiving module 2001 is further configured to send a seventh message to the session management network element, where the seventh message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released.

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

In the present embodiment, the communication apparatus 200 is presented in a form of dividing each functional module in an integrated manner. A "module" herein may refer to a particular ASIC, a circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other device that provides the described functionality. In a simple embodiment, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the communication apparatus 200 may take the form of the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8.

For example, the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 may cause the communication device 800 to execute the communication method in the above-described method embodiment by calling a computer stored in the memory 803 to execute the instructions.

Specifically, the functions/implementation procedures of the transceiver module 2001 and the processing module 2002 in fig. 20 can be implemented by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 calling a computer execution instruction stored in the memory 803. Alternatively, the function/implementation procedure of the processing module 2002 in fig. 20 may be implemented by the processor 801 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8 calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 803, and the function/implementation procedure of the transceiver module 2001 in fig. 20 may be implemented by the communication interface 804 in the communication device 800 shown in fig. 8.

Since the communication apparatus 200 provided in this embodiment can execute the above-mentioned communication method, the technical effects obtained by the communication apparatus can refer to the above-mentioned method embodiment, which is not described herein again.

It should be noted that one or more of the above modules or units may be implemented in software, hardware or a combination of both. When any of the above modules or units are implemented in software, which is present as computer program instructions and stored in a memory, a processor may be used to execute the program instructions and implement the above method flows. The processor may be built in a SoC (system on chip) or ASIC, or may be a separate semiconductor chip. The processor may further include a necessary hardware accelerator such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a PLD (programmable logic device), or a logic circuit for implementing a dedicated logic operation, in addition to a core for executing software instructions to perform an operation or a process.

When the above modules or units are implemented in hardware, the hardware may be any one or any combination of a CPU, a microprocessor, a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip, a Micro Controller Unit (MCU), an artificial intelligence processor, an ASIC, an SoC, an FPGA, a PLD, a dedicated digital circuit, a hardware accelerator, or a non-integrated discrete device, which may run necessary software or is independent of software to perform the above method flow.

Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication device (for example, the communication device may be a chip or a system-on-chip), where the communication device includes a processor, and is configured to implement the method in any of the above method embodiments. In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes a memory. The memory for storing the necessary program instructions and data, the processor may call the program code stored in the memory to instruct the communication device to perform the method of any of the above-described method embodiments. Of course, the memory may not be in the communication device. When the communication device is a chip system, the communication device may be composed of a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

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

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

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

Claims

1. A method of communication, the method comprising:

a first control plane network element receives a first message from a second control plane network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of a first Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) service and an identifier of a first terminal device and is used for requesting to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service;

the first control plane network element determines an authorization result of the first terminal equipment for using the first MBS service according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal equipment, wherein the authorization result comprises successful authorization or failed authorization;

and the first control plane network element sends the identifier of the first MBS service and the authorization result to the second control plane network element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization result is successful authorization; the method further comprises the following steps:

and the first control plane network element sends the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service to the second control plane network element.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determining, by the first control plane network element, the authorization result according to the identity of the first MBS service and the identity of the first terminal device comprises:

the first control plane network element sends a second message to a third control plane network element, where the second message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service;

the first control plane network element receives the identifier of the first MBS service and the authorization result from the third control plane network element.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the authorization result is successful authorization; the method further comprises the following steps:

the first control plane network element receives an authorization validity period of the first terminal device using the first MBS service from the third control plane network element.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising:

the first control plane network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service;

the first control plane network element sends a third message to a session management network element, where the third message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining, by the first control plane network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service comprises:

and the first control plane network element determines that the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service is over.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

the first control plane network element receives an authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service from a fourth control plane network element.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining, by the first control plane network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service comprises:

the first control plane network element determines that the authorization information of the first MBS service changes.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

the first control plane network element receives authorization information of the first MBS service from a fourth control plane network element.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining, by the first control plane network element, to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service comprises:

the first control plane network element receives a fourth message from a fourth control plane network element, where the fourth message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is revoked.

11. The method according to any of claims 5-10, wherein before the first control plane network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, the method further comprises:

and the first control plane network element sends a fifth message to a fourth control plane network element, wherein the fifth message comprises the identifier of the first MBS service and is used for requesting to subscribe the first MBS service authorization change event.

12. The method according to any of claims 1-11, wherein the first control plane network element comprises a unified data storage network element, a unified data management network element, an MBS control plane network element, a policy control function network element, a network open function network element, or an application function network element;

the second control plane network element comprises a session management network element or a mobility management network element.

13. A method of communication, the method comprising:

a second control plane network element sends a first message to a first control plane network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of a first Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) service and an identifier of first terminal equipment and is used for requesting to authorize the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service;

the second control plane network element receives the identifier of the first MBS service from the first control plane network element and an authorization result of the first terminal device using the first MBS service, where the authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure;

and the second control plane network element determines that the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment is successfully authorized or unsuccessfully authorized according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the authorization result is an authorization failure; the method further comprises the following steps:

and the second control plane network element sends first indication information to the first terminal equipment, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the first terminal equipment is authorized to use the first MBS service failure.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the authorization result is successful authorization; the method further comprises the following steps:

the second control plane network element establishes or updates the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

and the second control plane network element sends a sixth message to a session management network element, wherein the sixth message is used for requesting to establish or update the session of the first MBS service.

16. The method according to claim 13 or 15, wherein the authorization result is successful authorization; the method further comprises the following steps:

the second control plane network element receives an authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service from the first control plane network element;

and after the authorization validity period of the first terminal equipment using the first MBS service is finished, the second control plane network element releases the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment.

17. The method according to any of claims 13-16, characterized in that the second control plane network element is a session management network element; the method further comprises the following steps:

the second control plane network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service;

and the second control plane network element releases the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal equipment.

18. The method according to any of claims 13-16, wherein the second control plane network element is a mobility management network element; the method further comprises the following steps:

and the second control plane network element sends a seventh message to a session management network element, where the seventh message includes the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify the release of the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device.

19. A method of communication, the method comprising:

the first control plane network element determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal equipment to use the first multicast broadcast service MBS service;

the first control plane network element sends a first message to a session management network element, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first control plane network element comprises a unified data storage network element, a unified data management network element, an MBS control plane network element, a policy control function network element, a network open function network element, or a mobility management network element.

21. A first control plane network element, wherein the first control plane network element comprises: a transceiver module and a processing module;

the receiving and sending module is configured to receive a first message from a second control plane network element, where the first message includes an identifier of a first multicast broadcast service, MBS, service and an identifier of a first terminal device, and is used to request that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service;

the processing module is configured to determine, according to an identifier of a first MBS service and an identifier of a first terminal device, an authorization result of the first terminal device for using the first MBS service, where the authorization result includes authorization success or authorization failure;

the transceiver module is further configured to send the identifier of the first MBS service and the authorization result to the second control plane network element.

22. The first control plane network element of claim 21, wherein the authorization result is an authorization success;

the transceiver module is further configured to send, to the second control plane network element, an authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

23. The first control plane network element of claim 21 or 22, wherein the processing module is configured to determine the authorization result according to the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, and includes:

the transceiver module is configured to send a second message to a third control plane network element, where the second message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to request to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service; receiving, by the transceiver module, the identifier of the first MBS service and the authorization result from the third control plane network element.

24. The first control plane network element of claim 23, wherein the result of the authorization is an authorization success; the transceiver module is further configured to receive an authorization validity period for the first terminal device from the third control plane network element to use the first MBS service.

25. The first control plane network element of any of claims 21-24, wherein the processing module is further configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service;

the transceiver module is further configured to send a third message to a session management network element, where the third message includes the identifier of the first MBS service and the identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released.

26. The first control plane network element of claim 25, wherein the processing module configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service comprises:

and determining that the authorization validity period for the first terminal equipment to use the first MBS service is over.

27. The first control plane network element of claim 26, wherein the transceiver module is further configured to receive an authorization validity period for the first terminal device from a fourth control plane network element to use the first MBS service.

28. The first control plane network element of claim 25, wherein the processing module configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service comprises:

and the authorization information used for determining the first MBS service is changed.

29. The first control plane network element of claim 28, wherein the transceiving module is further configured to receive authorization information of the first MBS service from a fourth control plane network element.

30. The first control plane network element of claim 25, wherein the processing module configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service comprises:

the transceiver module is configured to receive a fourth message from a fourth control plane network element, where the fourth message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the authorization for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service is revoked.

31. The first control plane network element of any of claims 25-30,

the transceiver module is further configured to send a fifth message to a fourth control plane network element before the processing module determines to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service, where the fifth message includes an identifier of the first MBS service, and is used to request to subscribe to the first MBS service authorization change event.

32. The first control plane network element of any of claims 21 to 31, wherein the first control plane network element comprises a unified data storage network element, a unified data management network element, an MBS control plane network element, a policy control function network element, a network open function network element, or an application function network element;

33. A second control plane network element, wherein the second control plane network element comprises: the device comprises a processing module and a transmitting-receiving module;

the receiving and sending module is configured to send a first message to a first control plane network element, where the first message includes an identifier of a first multicast broadcast service, MBS, service and an identifier of a first terminal device, and is used to request to authorize the first terminal device to use the first MBS service;

the transceiver module is further configured to receive an identifier of the first MBS service from the first control plane network element and an authorization result of the first terminal device using the first MBS service, where the authorization result includes an authorization success or an authorization failure;

the processing module is configured to determine, according to the authorization result and the identifier of the first MBS service, that the first MBS service of the first terminal device is successfully authorized or unsuccessfully authorized.

34. The second control plane network element of claim 33, wherein the authorization result is an authorization failure; the transceiver module is further configured to send first indication information to the first terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to use the first MBS service failure.

35. The second control plane network element of claim 33, wherein the authorization result is an authorization success; the processing module is further configured to establish or update a session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the transceiver module is further configured to send a sixth message to a session management network element, where the sixth message is used to request to establish or update a session of the first MBS service.

36. A second control plane network element according to claim 33 or 35, characterised in that the result of the authorisation is a successful authorisation; the transceiver module is further configured to receive an authorization validity period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service from the first control plane network element;

the processing module is further configured to release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device after the expiration of the authorization period for the first terminal device to use the first MBS service.

37. A second control plane network element according to any of claims 33-36, characterised in that the second control plane network element is a session management network element; the processing module is further configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service;

the processing module is further configured to release the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device.

38. The second control plane network element of any of claims 33-36, wherein the second control plane network element is a mobility management network element; the processing module is further configured to determine to revoke the authorization of the first terminal device to use the first MBS service;

the transceiver module is further configured to send a seventh message to a session management network element, where the seventh message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released.

39. A first control plane network element, wherein the first control plane network element comprises: the device comprises a processing module and a transmitting-receiving module;

the processing module is used for determining that the authorization of the first terminal device for using the first multicast broadcast service MBS is cancelled;

the transceiver module is configured to send a first message to a session management network element, where the first message includes an identifier of the first MBS service and an identifier of the first terminal device, and is used to notify that the session of the first MBS service of the first terminal device is released.

40. The first control plane network element of claim 39, wherein the first control plane network element comprises a unified data storage network element, a unified data management network element, an MBS control plane network element, a policy control function network element, a network open function network element, or a mobility management network element.