CN114079983A

CN114079983A - Network switching method, network equipment and device

Info

Publication number: CN114079983A
Application number: CN202010818369.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 王勃群
Original assignee: Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co Ltd
Current assignee: Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-08-14
Filing date: 2020-08-14
Publication date: 2022-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 2040-08-14
Also published as: CN114079983B

Abstract

The invention discloses a network switching method, network equipment and a network switching device, which are used for solving the problem of switching failure when a terminal does not carry a PDU session identifier to carry out 4G to 5G switching. The method comprises the following steps: if the network equipment does not receive the original Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identification sent by User Equipment (UE) in the process of switching into a 5G network from a 4G network, the network equipment allocates a new PDU session identification for the UE; and the network equipment maps the bearing of the UE in the 4G network to the PDU session of the 5G network according to the new PDU session identification.

Description

Network switching method, network equipment and device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of wireless communication technologies, and in particular, to a network switching method, a network device, and an apparatus.

Background

At present, in a scenario of interoperation between a 4G network and a 5G network, if a terminal needs to be switched from the 4G network to the 5G network, when the terminal needs to attach to the 4G network, a message sent to a core network device carries a PDU (Protocol Data Unit) session identifier, and the core network device maps a bearer used in the 4G network to a PDU session in the 5G network according to the PDU session identifier, so that the bearer used in the 4G network is associated with the PDU session in the 5G network, and finally, through interaction among a series of network elements, the terminal can be switched to the 5G network.

However, for some terminals, when attaching to the 4G network, the message sent to the core network device does not carry the PDU session identifier, which results in that the core network cannot map the bearer used in the 4G network to the PDU session in the 5G network, which results in a failure in switching the 4G network to the 5G network, and affects the service experience of the user.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a network switching method, network equipment and a device, which are used for solving the problem of switching failure when a terminal does not carry a PDU session identifier to carry out 4G-to-5G switching.

In a first aspect, a method for network handover provided in an embodiment of the present invention includes:

if the network equipment does not receive the original Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identification sent by User Equipment (UE) in the process of switching into a 5G network from a 4G network, the network equipment allocates a new PDU session identification for the UE;

and the network equipment maps the bearing of the UE in the 4G network to the PDU session of the 5G network according to the new PDU session identification.

The method provided by the embodiment of the invention can ensure that the UE can be successfully switched from 4G to 5G through the new PDU session identification distributed by the network equipment even if the UE does not carry the PDU session identification in the process of switching into the 5G network from the 4G network.

As an optional implementation manner, the allocating, by the network device, new PDU session identification information to the UE includes:

the network equipment distributes a new PDU session identifier to the UE according to the bearing identifier of the UE; or the like, or, alternatively,

and the network equipment distributes a new PDU session identifier for the UE according to the value range of the preset PDU session identifier.

The embodiment provides multiple methods for allocating new PDU session identifiers, one method is based on a bearer identifier of the UE, the method does not need to modify an original 3Gpp protocol, and the other method is based on a preset value range of the PDU session identifier, the method needs to allocate PDU session identifiers according to a preset method, the 3Gpp protocol may need to be modified, no matter which method is provided, a new PDU session identifier can be allocated for the UE, and the UE is guaranteed to be successfully accessed to 5G.

As an optional implementation manner, the value range of the bearer identifier of the UE is the same as the value range of the preset PDU session identifier; and/or the presence of a gas in the gas,

and the bearing identification of the UE corresponds to the UE one by one.

The embodiment of the invention further provides the characteristics of the bearing identifier of the UE, and the characteristics can ensure that the new PDU session identifier distributed by the network equipment for the UE conforms to the 3Gpp protocol standard, so that the network equipment uses the new PDU session identifier to associate the 4G bearing with the 5G PDU session, and the 5G access is realized.

As an optional implementation manner, the allocating, by the network device, a new PDU session identifier to the UE according to the bearer identifier of the UE includes:

and the network equipment takes the bearing identification of the UE as the new PDU session identification.

The embodiment of the invention provides a method for taking the bearing identification of UE as the new PDU session identification, which can ensure that the new PDU session identification has uniqueness aiming at the same UE, so that network equipment uses the new PDU session identification to associate 4G bearing with 5G PDU session, thereby realizing the switching from 4G to 5G.

As an optional implementation, the method further comprises:

the method comprises the steps that in the process of switching into a 5G network from a 4G network, network equipment receives an original Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identification sent by User Equipment (UE);

the network equipment compares the original PDU session identification with the stored new PDU session identification;

and if the original PDU session identifier is the same as the stored new PDU session identifier, deleting the stored new PDU session identifier and the session corresponding to the stored new PDU session identifier.

The embodiment of the invention avoids the UE from repeatedly attaching the process by deleting the stored new PDU session identification and the PDU session corresponding to the stored new PDU session identification, thereby ensuring the normal access of the 5G network.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a network device, where the network device includes: memory, transceiver, processor:

a memory for storing a computer program; a transceiver for transceiving data under control of the processor; a processor for reading the computer program in the memory and performing the following operations:

As an alternative embodiment, the processor is configured to perform:

and the bearing identification of the UE corresponds to the UE one by one.

As an alternative embodiment, the processor is configured to perform:

As an optional implementation manner, the processor is specifically further configured to perform:

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a network switching apparatus, where the apparatus includes:

the distribution unit is used for distributing a new PDU session identifier for the UE if the original PDU session identifier sent by the user terminal UE is not received in the process of switching into the 5G network from the 4G network;

and the hand-in unit is used for mapping the bearing of the UE in the 4G network to the PDU session of the 5G network according to the new PDU session identification.

As an optional implementation manner, the allocation unit is specifically configured to:

and the bearing identification of the UE corresponds to the UE one by one.

As an optional implementation manner, the apparatus further includes a deleting unit configured to:

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, where the computer program is used to implement the steps of the method in the first aspect when the computer program is executed by a processor.

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

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious for those skilled in the art to obtain other drawings based on these drawings without inventive exercise.

Fig. 1 is a flow chart of handover from 4G to 5G according to an embodiment of the present invention;

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

fig. 3 is a flowchart of a network handover method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a specific flowchart of switching from 4G to 5G according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a network switching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and it is apparent that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

The technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the application can be suitable for various systems, particularly 5G systems. For example, the applicable system may be a global system for mobile communication (GSM) system, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) system, a long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE) system, an LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system, an LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) system, an LTE-a (long term evolution) system, a universal mobile system (universal mobile telecommunications system, UMTS), a Worldwide Interoperability for Mobile Access (WiMAX) system, a New Radio network (NR 5) system, etc. These various systems include terminal devices and network devices. The System may further include a core network portion, such as an Evolved Packet System (EPS), a 5G System (5GS), and the like.

The terminal device referred to in the embodiments of the present application may refer to a device providing voice and/or data connectivity to a user, a handheld device having a wireless connection function, or another processing device connected to a wireless modem. In different systems, the names of the terminal devices may be different, for example, in a 5G system, the terminal device may be called a User Equipment (UE). A wireless terminal device, which may be a mobile terminal device such as a mobile telephone (or "cellular" telephone) and a computer having a mobile terminal device, for example, a portable, pocket, hand-held, computer-included, or vehicle-mounted mobile device, may communicate with one or more Core Networks (CNs) via a Radio Access Network (RAN). Examples of such devices include Personal Communication Service (PCS) phones, cordless phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) stations, and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). The wireless terminal device may also be referred to as a system, a subscriber unit (subscriber unit), a subscriber station (subscriber station), a mobile station (mobile), a remote station (remote station), an access point (access point), a remote terminal device (remote terminal), an access terminal device (access terminal), a user terminal device (user terminal), a user agent (user agent), and a user device (user device), which are not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

The network device according to the embodiment of the present application may be a base station, and the base station may include a plurality of cells for providing services to a terminal. A base station may also be referred to as an access point, or a device in an access network that communicates over the air-interface, through one or more sectors, with wireless terminal devices, or by other names, depending on the particular application. The network device may be configured to exchange received air frames with Internet Protocol (IP) packets as a router between the wireless terminal device and the rest of the access network, which may include an Internet Protocol (IP) communication network. The network device may also coordinate attribute management for the air interface. For example, the network device according to the embodiment of the present application may be a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) in a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) or a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), may be a network device (NodeB) in a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), may be an evolved Node B (eNB or e-NodeB) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) System, may be a 5G Base Station (gbb) in a 5G network architecture (next evolution System), may be a Home evolved Node B (HeNB), a relay Node (relay Node), a Home Base Station (femto), a pico Base Station (pico Base Station), and the like, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application. In some network architectures, a network device may include a Centralized Unit (CU) node and a Distributed Unit (DU) node, which may also be geographically separated.

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transmission may be performed between the network device and the terminal device by using one or more antennas, where the MIMO transmission may be Single User MIMO (SU-MIMO) or Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO). The MIMO transmission may be 2D-MIMO, 3D-MIMO, FD-MIMO, or massive-MIMO, or may be diversity transmission, precoding transmission, beamforming transmission, or the like, depending on the form and number of root antenna combinations.

The term "and/or" in the embodiments of the present invention describes an association relationship of associated objects, and indicates that three relationships may exist, for example, a and/or B may indicate: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. The character "/" generally indicates that the former and latter associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

In the embodiments of the present application, the term "plurality" means two or more, and other terms are similar thereto.

The application scenario described in the embodiment of the present invention is for more clearly illustrating the technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention, and does not form a limitation on the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present invention, and it can be known by a person skilled in the art that with the occurrence of a new application scenario, the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present invention is also applicable to similar technical problems.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

Embodiment 1 and the network switching method provided in the embodiments of the present invention may be applied to a network side device. The network side device may be a core network device, such as a session management function SMF; a packet data network gateway control plane PGW-C; SMF/PGW-C fusion equipment and the like.

With the continuous development of wireless communication technology, users have made more urgent demands for ultra-high traffic density, ultra-high connection density, low time delay and ultra-high mobility. For this reason, following the third generation mobile communication technology and the fourth generation mobile communication 4G technology, a fifth generation mobile communication 5G NR (New radio) technology, that is, a New radio technology with a larger data capacity, a smaller delay, and a faster data processing speed, is introduced to meet the requirements of the larger data capacity and the smaller transmission delay.

At present, operators have widely deployed LTE (Long Term Evolution) networks due to their excellent performance. The LTE network system architecture can greatly reduce the complexity of network nodes and systems, not only can reduce network delay and reduce network deployment and maintenance cost, but also can support the global mainstream 2G/3G frequency band and newly added frequency band, and realize interoperation with other 3GPP systems. In scenarios requiring large capacity data transmission, NR technology can work closely with LTE networks.

With the commercial use of 5G technology and the gradual maturity of 4G technology, the terminal performs switching between the 4G network and the 5G network more and more frequently in the daily use process. The method and the device realize the quick switching between the 4G network and the 5G network, can not cause the problems of call drop and clamping stagnation of voice communication, and can ensure that the 4G network and the 5G network coexist for a long time under the condition of not influencing service experience.

In one scenario, a 4G network is adopted in a low frequency band, and a 5G network is adopted in a high frequency band; for example, standby, call making, and medium and low speed data services, automatically switch to the 4G network; when high-speed data transmission is required, switching to a high-frequency 5G network; in another scenario, a terminal with medium-high speed data service requirement exists, but the 4G network is loaded and the network speed is too slow, and the terminal is automatically switched to the high-frequency band 5G network.

Due to the adoption of a high-frequency-band 5G network, if a nationwide coverage network is constructed, the cost is huge and the power consumption is huge; if the 4G network of the low frequency band covers and the 5G network of the high frequency band is built in the hot spot area as required, the construction and maintenance cost can be reduced, and the power consumption can be reduced. Therefore, the realization of the fast switching between the 4G network and the 5G network has important significance.

The handover procedure from 4G to 5G means that the UE attaches to the 4G and establishes a default bearer, and moves to the handover procedure triggered by the coverage of 5G in a connected state (i.e., during the internet access).

It should be noted that, when the UE is attached to the 4G network, it may be understood that the UE has accessed to the 4G network, and the 4G network has established a channel for data service for the UE (i.e., a default bearer (also referred to as a default bearer) is established), so that the UE transmits data on the default bearer at any time.

As shown in fig. 1, the embodiment of the present invention describes a switching process from 4G to 5G:

step 100, UE has attached and established a default bearer under 4G and has accessed to LTE/EPC through source eNB; wherein the EPC is a 4G core network.

Step 101, UE starts to surf the Internet and is always in a connected state;

102, the UE sends a position movement, leaves 4G coverage and enters a hot spot coverage area of 5G (which is responsible for gNB);

step 103, the UE provides a measurement report to the eNB and triggers a handover procedure, and the network side needs to seamlessly handover the context established by the UE in 4G to 5G.

It should be noted that when the UE attaches to the 4G, the UE needs to carry a protocol data unit PDU Session identifier (PDU Session ID) in a protocol configuration option PCO, so that the SMF/PGW-C convergence device extracts the PDU Session identifier through the PCO in a create Session request message in a GTPCV2(GPRS control plane tunnel protocol) message of the 4G, thereby mapping an evolved packet system EPS bearer of the 4G to a PDU Session of the 5G, and finally switching the UE from the 4G to the 5G through interaction among a series of network elements.

In addition, in the scenario of switching between 4G and 5G, the network elements change as follows:

and (3) accessing a network side: eNB becomes gbb;

core network side: the mobility management node function MME becomes the access and mobility management function AMF;

core network side: a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and a Unified Data Management (UDM) are combined (a fusion device) and are not changed;

core network side: the SMF/PCW-C is combined and unchanged;

core network side: the user plane functional entity UPF/packet data network gateway user plane PGW-U is combined and unchanged.

As shown in fig. 2, a user equipment UE prepares to go from a location 1 to a location 2, where the location 1 is covered by 4G and the location 2 is covered by a 5G hotspot, the UE first performs 4G attachment at the location 1, establishes a 4G default bearer, starts to surf the internet and is in a connected state, and when the UE moves from the location 1 to the location 2, and enters into the 5G hotspot coverage, a handover procedure is triggered.

At present, in a scenario of switching between a 4G network and a 5G network, if a terminal needs to be switched from the 4G network to the 5G network, when the terminal is attached under the 4G network, a PDU session identifier is carried in a message sent to a core network device, and the core network device maps a bearer used under the 4G network to the PDU session of the 5G network according to the PDU session identifier, so that the bearer used under the 4G network is associated with the PDU session of the 5G network, and finally, the terminal can be switched to the 5G network through interaction among a series of network elements.

In view of the above drawbacks, the network switching method provided in the embodiment of the present invention can solve the problem that a terminal needs to switch from 4G to 5G when the terminal does not carry a PDU session identifier during 4G attachment.

As shown in fig. 3, an embodiment of the present invention provides a network switching method, which includes the following specific implementation steps:

step 300, if the network equipment does not receive the original protocol data unit PDU session identification sent by the user equipment UE in the process of switching into the 5G network from the 4G network, the network equipment distributes a new PDU session identification for the UE;

in an optional implementation manner, if, in the process of switching from the 4G network to the 5G network, the network device does not receive the original protocol data unit PDU session identifier sent by the UE when the 4G network is attached, the network device allocates a new PDU session identifier to the UE;

in implementation, if the UE is attached to the 4G and does not carry a PDU Session identifier (PDU Session ID) in the PCO, a new PDU Session identifier is allocated to the UE, so that the SMF/PGW-C convergence device extracts the new PDU Session identifier through the PCO in the create Session request message in the GTPCV2(GPRS control plane tunneling protocol) message of the 4G, thereby mapping the evolved packet system EPS bearer of the 4G to the PDU Session of the 5G, and finally switching the UE from the 4G to the 5G through interaction among a series of network elements.

The embodiment of the invention can distribute the new PDU session identification for the UE in the following modes:

in an optional implementation manner, the network device allocates a new PDU session identifier to the UE according to the bearer identifier of the UE.

The method provided by the embodiment of the invention can directly distribute the new PDU session identification to the UE according to the bearing identification of the UE, does not need to modify the content of the 3GPP protocol, improves the defects of the prior art on the basis of not changing the original protocol, and realizes that the UE can still be switched from 4G to 5G under the condition of not carrying the PDU session identification.

Optionally, the bearer of the UE provided in the embodiment of the present invention includes at least one bearer, such as an EPS bearer, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention.

In an implementation, the bearer identity of the UE has any one or more of the following characteristics:

the characteristic 1 is that the value range of the bearing identification of the UE is the same as the value range of the preset PDU session identification;

it should be noted that the PDU session identifier preset in the embodiment of the present invention may be a value range specified in the 3GPP 29.512 protocol, or a value range customized based on the 3GPP 29.512 protocol, and the embodiment of the present invention is not limited too much.

Because the value range of the bearer identifier of the UE is the same as the value range of the preset PDU session identifier, the embodiment of the invention can ensure that the new PDU session identifier distributed for the UE conforms to the 3GPP 29.512 protocol regulation, so that AMF and PCF are carried in the service message in the 4G switching 5G process, and finally, a 5G session is established for the UE, and the access of a 5G user is ensured.

And the characteristic 2 corresponds to the bearing identification of the UE one by one.

The characteristic 2 provided by the embodiment of the present invention can ensure that the bearer identifier of one UE is unique, and since the network device in the embodiment of the present invention allocates a new PDU session identifier to the UE according to the bearer identifier of the UE, it can ensure that the new PDU session identifier allocated to the UE is unique, ensure that the UE can be successfully switched from 4G to 5G, and ensure that the access of the 5G user is not affected.

As long as the bearer provided in the embodiment of the present invention satisfies any one or more of the above characteristics, the bearer may be used as the bearer for determining the new PDU session identifier in the embodiment of the present invention.

An optional implementation manner is that the network device allocates a new PDU session identifier to the UE according to the bearer identifier of the UE by:

It is easy to understand that, in the embodiment of the present invention, a new PDU session identifier is created for the UE, and the new PDU session identifier uses the bearer identifier of the UE as its own identifier.

In an optional implementation manner, the network device allocates a new PDU session identifier to the UE according to a preset value range of the PDU session identifier.

In this way, the preset PDU session identifier may be a value range specified in the 3GPP 29.512 protocol, or a value range customized based on the 3GPP 29.512 protocol, and the embodiment of the present invention is not limited too much.

Optionally, the network device selects values in a sequence from small to large or from large to small within a value range of the preset PDU session identifier, and uses the selected values as a new PDU session identifier of the UE;

optionally, the network device uses different selected values as new PDU session identifiers of different UEs according to a rule that the selection is not repeated within a preset time within the value range of the preset PDU session identifier. That is to say, the network device has uniqueness on the value selected by the same UE within the value range of the preset PDU session identifier, so that it can be ensured that the new PDU session identifier allocated to the UE has uniqueness, and the establishment of a 5G session is ensured.

Optionally, the network device selects a value according to a preset algorithm within the value range of the preset PDU session identifier, and uses the selected value as a new PDU session identifier of the UE. It should be noted that, in this manner, the value selected for the same UE has uniqueness, which can ensure uniqueness of the new PDU session identifier allocated to the UE and ensure establishment of the 5G session.

Step 301, the network device maps the bearer of the UE in the 4G network to the PDU session in the 5G network according to the new PDU session identifier.

It should be noted that, in practical application, the Bearer of the UE in the 4G network may be an EPS Bearer, and the identifier of the EPS Bearer is LBI (Linked EPS Bearer ID, associated evolved packet system Bearer identifier);

when the network equipment prepares to start to execute a 4G-to-5G switching process according to the UE, namely the UE does not receive a PDU session identifier carried by the UE when the UE is attached to the 4G, but receives EPS bearing information of the 4G carried by the UE, searching a PDN instance of the 4G public data network of the UE according to the LBI; because the PDN instance mapped by the UE in 4G and the PDN instance mapped by the UE in 5G are the same, the new PDU session identifier allocated to the UE is added to the PDN instance, so that the AMF and the PCF are carried in the service message in the handover procedure, thereby mapping the bearer of 4G to the PDU session of 5G.

The embodiment of the invention also provides a method for processing the PDU session identifier sent by the UE received by the network equipment, which comprises the following steps:

1) the method comprises the steps that in the process of switching into a 5G network from a 4G network, network equipment receives an original Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identification sent by User Equipment (UE);

optionally, if the UE is attached to the 4G network and the message sent to the core network device carries the PDU session identifier, the method provided by the embodiment of the present invention may further perform the following steps to ensure that the UE accesses the 5G network and creates the PDU session of the 5G network.

2) The network equipment compares the original PDU session identification with the stored new PDU session identification;

when it needs to be described, the new PDU session identifier allocated to the UE in the embodiment of the present invention is stored under the condition that the UE deletion instruction is not received, so as to be used for comparing with the original PDU session identifier carried by the UE.

3) And if the original PDU session identifier is the same as the stored new PDU session identifier, deleting the stored new PDU session identifier and the PDU session corresponding to the stored new PDU session identifier.

It should be noted that, if the original PDU session identifier is the same as the stored new PDU session identifier, it indicates that the network device has allocated the new PDU session identifier to the UE, and in order to ensure normal access of the 5G network, the stored new PDU session identifier and the PDU session corresponding to the stored new PDU session identifier need to be deleted.

As shown in fig. 4, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a specific process for switching from 4G to 5G:

step 401, the SMF receives a PDU session establishment request message sent by the AMF to instruct to start executing a 4G to 5G handover process; if the SMF does not receive a PDU session identifier sent by the UE in the 4G attachment, distributing a new PDU session identifier for the UE;

the UE EPS PDN connection field is coded and decoded according to gtpc + base64, and the UE EPS PDN connection field carries 4G bearing information; the identification of the bearing information of the 4G is LBI, and the PGW-C/SMF fusion equipment searches the PDN instance of the 4G according to the LBI.

Step 402, SMF sends session modification request message to UPF to indicate to create 5G service tunnel;

step 403, the UPF sends a session modification confirmation message carrying the 5G service tunnel to the SMF;

step 404, the SMF sends a session establishment confirmation message carrying a new PDU session identifier to the AMF;

step 405, the AMF sends a switching request confirmation message to the SMF, wherein the switching request confirmation message comprises a service tunnel and a forwarding tunnel of the 4G base station side;

step 406, the SMF sends a session modification request message to the UPF to indicate to update the service tunnel on the 4G base station side to the 5G service tunnel, and establishes a mapping relationship between the 5G forwarding tunnel and the 4G base station side forwarding tunnel.

Step 407, the UPF sends a session modification confirmation message to the SMF;

step 408, the SMF sends a PDU session update request message carrying the EPS bearer information to the AMF, so that the SGW establishes a 5G forwarding tunnel according to the bearer information, and maps the 4G base station side forwarding tunnel to the 5G forwarding tunnel.

The bearing information carries EPS bearing information, 5G forwarding tunnel information, 4G base station side forwarding tunnel information and the mapping relation between the 5G forwarding tunnel and the 4G base station side forwarding tunnel;

step 409, the AMF sends a PDU session update request message to the SMF to indicate that the switching is completed;

step 410, the SMF sends a session modification request message to the UPF to indicate to delete the 4G service tunnel;

step 411, the UPF sends a session modification confirmation message to the SMF;

step 412, the SMF sends an update request message carrying the new PDU session identifier to the PCF;

it should be noted that if the update request message does not carry the new PDU session identifier, json codec failure may be caused, so that 4G to 5G flow fails to be switched, the SMF may delete the established 5G tunnel and context information, the state of the state machine is migrated to the 4G state, and 4G to 5G switching fails;

step 413, PCF sends update confirm message to SMF;

step 414, the SMF sends an update confirm message to the AMF;

step 415, the SMF sends a discovery request message to the NRF indicating to discover the data management system UDM;

step 416, the NRF sends a discovery confirm message carrying the UDM information to the SMF;

step 417, the SMF sends a request message to the UDM to indicate registration;

step 418, the UDM sends an acknowledgement message to the SMF;

step 419, the SMF sends a request message to the UDM to indicate acquisition of the subscription information;

step 420, the UDM sends an acknowledgement message to the SMF;

step 421, the SMF sends a request message to the UDM to indicate to subscribe;

step 422, the UDM sends an acknowledgement message to the SMF.

After the above steps are completed, the switching from 4G to 5G is finally realized, and the EPS bearer of 4G is mapped to the PDU session of 5G.

Embodiment 2 is based on the same inventive concept, and the embodiment of the present invention further provides a network device, because the device is a device corresponding to the method according to the embodiment of the present invention, and the principle of the device to solve the problem is similar to that of the method, the implementation of the device may refer to the implementation of the method, and repeated details are not repeated.

As shown in fig. 5, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a network device, where the network device includes: memory 502, transceiver 500, processor 501:

a memory 502 for storing a computer program; a transceiver 500 for transceiving data under the control of the processor 501; a processor 501 for reading the computer program in the memory 502 and performing the following operations:

Where in fig. 5 the bus architecture may include any number of interconnected buses and bridges, in particular one or more processors represented by processor 501 and various circuits of memory represented by memory 502, linked together. The bus architecture may also link together various other circuits such as peripherals, voltage regulators, power management circuits, and the like, which are well known in the art, and therefore, will not be described any further herein. The bus interface provides an interface. The transceiver 500 may be a number of elements including a transmitter and a receiver that provide a means for communicating with various other apparatus over a transmission medium including wireless channels, wired channels, fiber optic cables, and the like. The processor 501 is responsible for managing the bus architecture and general processing, and the memory 502 may store data used by the processor 501 in performing operations.

The processor 501 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or a Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), and may also have a multi-core architecture.

As an optional implementation, the processor 501 is specifically configured to perform:

and the bearing identification of the UE corresponds to the UE one by one.

As an optional implementation manner, the processor 501 is specifically further configured to perform:

It should be noted that, the apparatus provided in the embodiment of the present invention can implement all the method steps implemented by the method embodiment and achieve the same technical effect, and detailed descriptions of the same parts and beneficial effects as the method embodiment in this embodiment are omitted here.

Embodiment 3 is based on the same inventive concept, and the embodiment of the present invention further provides a network switching apparatus, because the apparatus is an apparatus corresponding to the method of the embodiment of the present invention, and the principle of the apparatus for solving the problem is similar to the method, the apparatus may be implemented by referring to the method, and repeated details are not repeated.

It should be noted that the division of the unit in the embodiment of the present application is schematic, and is only a logic function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation. In addition, functional units in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be realized in a form of hardware, and can also be realized in a form of a software functional unit.

The integrated unit, if implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a processor readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solution of the present application may be substantially implemented or contributed by the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution may be embodied in a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a network device, or the like) or a processor (processor) to execute all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present application. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: various media capable of storing program codes, such as a usb disk, a removable hard disk, a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

As shown in fig. 6, the apparatus includes:

the distribution unit 600 is configured to distribute a new PDU session identifier to the UE if an original protocol data unit PDU session identifier sent by the UE is not received in the process of switching from the 4G network to the 5G network;

and a hand-in unit 601, configured to map, according to the new PDU session identifier, the bearer of the UE in the 4G network to a PDU session in the 5G network.

As an optional implementation manner, the allocating unit 600 is specifically configured to:

and the bearing identification of the UE corresponds to the UE one by one.

The present embodiments also provide a computer storage medium that may be any available medium or data storage device that can be accessed by a processor, including but not limited to magnetic memory (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, magneto-optical disks (MOs), etc.), optical memory (e.g., CDs, DVDs, BDs, HVDs, etc.), and semiconductor memory (e.g., ROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, non-volatile memory (NAND FLASH), Solid State Disks (SSDs)), etc.

The present embodiments also provide a computer storage medium, which when executed by a processor, performs the steps of the method:

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

Accordingly, the subject application may also be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.). Furthermore, the present application may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable or computer-readable program code embodied in the medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system. In the context of this application, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

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

Claims

1. A method for network handover, the method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device assigns new PDU session identification information for the UE, comprising:

3. The method of claim 2,

the value range of the bearer identifier of the UE is the same as the value range of a preset PDU session identifier; and/or the presence of a gas in the gas,

and the bearing identification of the UE corresponds to the UE one by one.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the network device allocates a new PDU session id to the UE according to the bearer id of the UE, comprising:

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

6. A network device comprising a memory, a transceiver, a processor:

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to perform:

8. The apparatus of claim 7,

and the bearing identification of the UE corresponds to the UE one by one.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to perform:

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

11. A network switching apparatus, comprising:

12. A processor-readable storage medium, characterized in that the processor-readable storage medium stores a computer program for causing a processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 5.