CN114079983B

CN114079983B - Network switching method, network equipment and device

Info

Publication number: CN114079983B
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: 2023-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 2040-08-14
Also published as: CN114079983A

Abstract

The invention discloses 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 PDU session identification to perform 4G-to-5G switching. The method comprises the following steps: if the network equipment does not receive the PDU session identifier of the original protocol data unit sent by the UE in the process of switching into the 5G network from the 4G network, the network equipment distributes a new PDU session identifier for the UE; and the network equipment maps the load of the UE in the 4G network to the PDU session of the 5G network according to the new PDU session identifier.

Description

Network switching method, network equipment and device

Technical Field

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

Background

Currently, in the 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 under 4G, 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 under the 4G network to a 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, through a series of interactions between network elements, the terminal can be switched to the 5G network.

However, for some terminals, when the terminals attach under 4G, the PDU session identifier is not carried in the message sent to the core network device, which results in that the core network cannot map the bearer used under the 4G network to the PDU session of the 5G network, which results in failure of 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 PDU session identification to perform 4G-to-5G switching.

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

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

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

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

As an optional implementation manner, the network device allocates new PDU session identification information to the UE, including:

the network equipment distributes a new PDU session identifier for the UE according to the bearer identifier of the UE; or alternatively, the first and second heat exchangers may be,

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

The present embodiment provides a plurality of methods for allocating new PDU session identifiers, one is based on the bearer identifier of the UE, the method does not need to modify the original 3Gpp protocol, and the other is according to the value range of the preset PDU session identifier, the method needs to allocate the PDU session identifier according to the preset method, and may need to modify the 3Gpp protocol, so that no matter what method is provided, the new PDU session identifier can be allocated to the UE, and the UE is ensured to successfully access 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 number of the groups of groups,

the bearing identifiers of the UE are in one-to-one correspondence with the UE.

The embodiment of the invention further provides the characteristic of the bearing identifier of the UE, and the novel PDU session identifier distributed by the network equipment for the UE can be ensured to accord with the 3Gpp protocol standard through the characteristic, so that the network equipment uses the novel PDU session identifier to correlate the 4G bearing with the 5G PDU session, thereby realizing 5G access.

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

the network device uses the bearer identification of the UE as the new PDU session identification.

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

As an alternative embodiment, the method further comprises:

the network equipment receives an original protocol data unit PDU session identifier sent by a user terminal UE in the process of switching into a 5G network from a 4G network;

the network equipment compares the original PDU session identifier with a stored new PDU session identifier;

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 repeated attachment flow of the UE by deleting the stored new PDU session identifier and the PDU session corresponding to the stored new PDU session identifier, thereby ensuring the normal access of the 5G network.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a network device, including: 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 specifically configured to perform:

the bearing identifiers of the UE are in one-to-one correspondence with the UE.

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

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

an allocation unit, configured to allocate a new PDU session identifier for a UE if an original PDU session identifier sent by the UE is not received in a process of switching into a 5G network from a 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 identifier.

As an alternative embodiment, the dispensing unit is specifically configured to:

the bearing identifiers of the UE are in one-to-one correspondence with the UE.

As an alternative embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a deletion unit for:

In a fourth aspect, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for carrying out the steps of the method of the first aspect described above when executed by a processor.

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

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings that are needed in the description of the embodiments will be briefly described below, it will be apparent that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and that other drawings can be obtained according to these drawings without inventive effort for a person skilled in the art.

Fig. 1 is a 4G to 5G switching flowchart provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a switching scenario provided in an embodiment of the present application;

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

fig. 4 is a specific flow chart for switching from 4G to 5G according to an embodiment of the present application;

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

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

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more apparent, the present application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, and it is apparent that the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, not all embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the application without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the application.

The technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the application can be suitable for various systems, in particular to a 5G system. For example, suitable systems may be global system for mobile communications (global system of mobile communication, GSM), code division multiple access (code division multiple access, CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA) universal packet Radio service (general packet Radio service, GPRS), long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE), LTE frequency division duplex (frequency division duplex, FDD), LTE time division duplex (time division duplex, TDD), long term evolution-advanced (long term evolution advanced, LTE-a), universal mobile system (universal mobile telecommunication system, UMTS), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (worldwide interoperability for microwave access, wiMAX), 5G New air interface (New Radio, NR), and the like. Terminal devices and network devices are included in these various systems. Core network parts such as evolved packet system (Evloved Packet System, EPS), 5G system (5 GS) etc. may also be included in the system.

The terminal device according to the embodiment of the present application may be a device that provides voice and/or data connectivity to a user, a handheld device with a wireless connection function, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, etc. The names of the terminal devices may also be different in different systems, for example in a 5G system, the terminal devices may be referred to as User Equipment (UE). The wireless terminal device may communicate with one or more Core Networks (CNs) via a radio access Network (Radio Access Network, RAN), which may be mobile terminal devices such as mobile phones (or "cellular" phones) and computers with mobile terminal devices, e.g., portable, pocket, hand-held, computer-built-in or vehicle-mounted mobile devices that exchange voice and/or data with the radio access Network. Such as personal communication services (Personal Communication Service, PCS) phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (Session Initiated Protocol, SIP) phones, wireless local loop (Wireless Local Loop, WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (Personal Digital Assistant, PDAs), and the like. The wireless terminal device may also be referred to as a system, subscriber unit (subscriber unit), subscriber station (subscriber station), mobile station (mobile), remote station (remote station), access point (access point), remote terminal device (remote terminal), access terminal device (access terminal), user terminal device (user terminal), user agent (user agent), user equipment (user device), and embodiments of the present application are not limited in this respect.

The network device according to the embodiment of the present application may be a base station, where the base station may include a plurality of cells for providing services for the terminal. A base station may also be called an access point or may be a device in an access network that communicates over the air-interface, through one or more sectors, with wireless terminal devices, or other names, depending on the particular application. The network device may be operable to exchange received air frames with internet protocol (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 network device (Base Transceiver Station, BTS) in a global system for mobile communications (Global System for Mobile communications, GSM) or code division multiple access (Code Division Multiple Access, CDMA), a network device (NodeB) in a wideband code division multiple access (Wide-band Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA), an evolved network device (evolutional Node B, eNB or e-NodeB) in a long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE) system, a 5G base station (gNB) in a 5G network architecture (next generation system), a home evolved base station (Home evolved Node B, heNB), a relay node (relay node), a home base station (femto), a pico base station (pico), etc., which are not limited in the embodiment of the present application. In some network structures, the 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 (Multi Input Multi Output, MIMO) transmissions may each be made between a network device and a terminal device using one or more antennas, and the MIMO transmissions may be Single User MIMO (SU-MIMO) or Multiple 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 the root antenna combinations.

In the embodiment of the application, the term "and/or" describes the association relation of the association objects, which means that three relations can exist, for example, a and/or B can be expressed as follows: a exists alone, A and B exist together, and B exists alone. The character "/" generally indicates that the context-dependent object is an "or" relationship.

The term "plurality" in embodiments of the present application means two or more, and other adjectives are similar.

The application scenario described in the embodiment of the present application is for more clearly describing the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present application, and as a person of ordinary skill in the art can know that the technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present application is applicable to similar technical problems as the new application scenario appears.

The following description of the embodiments of the present application will be made clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is apparent that the embodiments described are only some embodiments, but not all embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the application without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the application.

The network switching method provided in embodiment 1 of the present application can 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 devices, etc.

With the continuous development of wireless communication technology, users have put more urgent demands on ultra-high traffic density, ultra-high connection density, low latency, and ultra-high mobility. In this regard, a fifth generation mobile communication 5G NR (New radio) technology, i.e., a New wireless technology having a larger data capacity, a smaller time delay, and a faster data processing speed, is introduced after the third generation mobile communication technology and the fourth generation mobile communication 4G technology, so as to cope with the demands of a larger data capacity and a smaller transmission time delay.

Currently, since LTE (Long Term Evolution ) networks have excellent performance, operators have widely deployed LTE networks. The LTE network system architecture can greatly reduce the complexity of network nodes and systems, reduce network delay, reduce network deployment and maintenance cost, and support global mainstream 2G/3G frequency bands and newly-added frequency bands so as to realize interoperation with other 3GPP systems. In a scenario where large capacity data transmission is required, NR technology can be tightly coordinated with LTE networks.

With the commercial use of 5G technology and the gradual maturation of 4G technology, in daily use, the terminal performs handover between 4G network and 5G network more and more frequently. The rapid switching between the 4G network and the 5G network is realized, the problems of voice communication call drop and jamming are not caused, and the 4G network and the 5G network can coexist for a long time under the condition of not influencing service experience.

In a scene, 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, medium and low speed data service, and automatically switch to the 4G network; when high-speed data transmission is required, switching to a high-frequency 5G network; in another scenario, there is a terminal with a medium-high speed data service requirement, but the 4G network is heavy in load and too slow in network speed, and then the network is automatically switched to the high-frequency band 5G network.

Because the 5G network with high frequency band is adopted, if a national coverage network is constructed, the cost and the power consumption are huge; if the 4G network of the low frequency band is covered, the 5G network of the high frequency band is built in the hot spot area as required, so that the construction and maintenance cost and the power consumption can be reduced. Therefore, the realization of the rapid switching between the 4G network and the 5G network is of great significance.

The switching process from 4G to 5G refers to a switching process triggered by the user terminal UE attaching and establishing a default bearer in 4G, and moving to 5G coverage in a connection state (i.e. in the internet surfing process).

It should be noted that, the UE attaches to the 4G, which is understood to be that the UE has accessed to the 4G network, and the 4G network has established a channel for the data service for the UE (i.e. established a default bearer (also referred to as a default bearer)), 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 procedure from 4G to 5G:

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

Step 101, UE starts surfing the internet and is always in a connected state;

step 102, the UE sends a position shift, leaves the 4G coverage, and enters a hotspot coverage area (responsible for the gNB) of 5G;

Step 103, the UE provides a measurement report to the eNB and triggers a handover procedure, and the network side needs to handover the UE to 5G on the upper and lower Wen Mofeng established by 4G.

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

In addition, it should be noted that, in the scenario of 4G handover 5G, the network element changes as follows:

an access network side: the eNB becomes a gNB;

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

core network side: the home subscriber server HSS and the unified data management UDM are integrated (are integrated equipment) and are unchanged;

core network side: SMF/PCW-C combination is unchanged;

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

As shown in fig. 2, in the switching scenario, the UE is ready to go from the location 1 to the location 2, where the location 1 is covered by 4G, and the location 2 is covered by a 5G hot spot, then the UE first performs 4G attachment at the location 1, establishes a 4G default bearer, starts surfing the internet and is in a connection state, and when the UE moves from the location 1 to the location 2, if entering the 5G hot spot coverage, triggers a switching procedure.

At present, in the scene 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 needs to be attached under 4G, a message sent to core network equipment carries PDU session identification, and the core network equipment maps a bearer used under the 4G network to a PDU session of the 5G network according to the PDU session identification, 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 a series of interaction among network elements.

Aiming at the defects, the network switching method provided by the embodiment of the invention can solve the problem that the terminal needs to switch from 4G to 5G under the condition that the terminal does not carry PDU session identification when the terminal is attached to 4G.

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

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

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

in implementation, if the UE does not carry a PDU Session identifier (PDU Session ID) in the PCO when the UE attaches to the 4G, 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 a create Session request message in a GTPCV2 (GPRS control plane tunneling protocol) message of the 4G, thereby mapping an EPS bearer of the 4G to a PDU Session of the 5G, and finally switching the UE from the 4G to the 5G through a series of interactions between network elements.

The embodiment of the invention can allocate a new PDU session identifier for the UE by the following method:

an alternative implementation manner is that the network equipment distributes 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 identifier to the UE according to the bearer identifier of the UE, does not need to modify 3GPP protocol content, improves the defects of the prior art on the basis of not changing the original protocol, and realizes that the UE can still switch from 4G to 5G under the condition of not carrying the PDU session identifier.

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

In practice, the bearer identification of the UE has any one or more of the following characteristics:

the value range of the bearing identifier of the UE is the same as the value range of the preset PDU session identifier;

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

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 method and the device can ensure that the new PDU session identifier distributed to the UE accords with the 3GPP 29.512 protocol specification, so that AMF and PCF are carried in a service message in the flow of 4G switching 5G, and finally 5G session is created for the UE, and the access of 5G users is ensured.

And the characteristic 2 is that the bearing identifiers of the UE are in one-to-one correspondence with the UE.

The characteristic 2 provided by the embodiment of the invention can ensure that the bearing identifier of one UE is unique, and because the network equipment distributes a new PDU session identifier for the UE according to the bearing identifier of the UE in the embodiment of the invention, the unique new PDU session identifier distributed for the UE can be ensured, the successful switching from 4G to 5G can be ensured, and the access of the 5G user is not affected.

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

An alternative 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, where the new PDU session identifier uses the bearer identifier of the UE as its own identifier.

An alternative implementation manner is that 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 may be a value range customized based on the 3gpp 29.512 protocol, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present invention.

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

Optionally, the network device uses the selected different values as new PDU session identifications of different UEs according to a rule that the selection is not repeated in the preset time within the value range of the preset PDU session identifications. That is, the network device has uniqueness for the value selected by the same UE in the preset value range of the PDU session identifier, so that the uniqueness of the new PDU session identifier allocated to the UE can be ensured, and the establishment of the 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 the new PDU session identifier of the UE. In this way, the value selected for the same UE has uniqueness, so that the uniqueness of the new PDU session identifier allocated to the UE can be ensured, and the establishment of the 5G session is ensured.

Step 301, the network device maps the bearer of the UE in the 4G network to a PDU session of 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, where an identifier of the EPS bearer is an LBI (Linked EPS Bearer ID, an associated evolved packet system bearer identifier);

The network equipment searches a public data network PDN instance of 4G of the UE according to LBI when the UE is ready to start executing a 4G to 5G switching process, namely when the UE is attached to the 4G, the PDU session identifier carried by the UE is not received, but EPS bearing information of the 4G carried by the UE is received; since the PDN instance mapped by the UE in 4G and the PDN instance mapped by the UE in 5G are the same, a new PDU session identifier allocated to the UE is added to the PDN instance, so that the AMF and PCF are carried in the service message in the flow of the handover, and the bearer of 4G is mapped to the PDU session of 5G.

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

1) The network equipment receives an original protocol data unit PDU session identifier sent by a user terminal UE in the process of switching into a 5G network from a 4G network;

optionally, if the UE is attached to the 4G 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 a PDU session of the 5G network.

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

When it needs to be described, the new PDU session identifier allocated to the UE in the embodiment of the present invention is stored for comparison with the original PDU session identifier carried by the UE without receiving the UE deletion instruction.

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 is noted that the network device allocates the new PDU session identifier to the UE, so as to ensure normal access of the 5G network, it is necessary to delete the stored new PDU session identifier and the PDU session corresponding to the stored new PDU session identifier.

As shown in fig. 4, the embodiment of the present invention further provides a specific flow 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 to execute a 4G to 5G handover procedure; if the SMF does not receive the PDU session identifier sent by the UE when the 4G is attached, a new PDU session identifier is distributed to the UE;

wherein, the UE EPS PDN connection field is in a coding and decoding mode according to gtpc+base64, and 4G bearing information is carried in the UE EPS PDN connection field; the identification of the carrying information of the 4G is LBI, and the PGW-C/SMF fusion device searches the PDN instance of the 4G according to the LBI.

Step 402, the SMF sends a session modification request message to the user plane function UPF to indicate to create a 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 handover request confirm message to the SMF, where the handover request confirm message includes a service tunnel and a forwarding tunnel on 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 at 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 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 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 handover is completed;

Step 410, the SMF sends a session modification request message to the UPF to indicate to delete the traffic tunnel of the 4G;

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, and the 4G switching to the 5G flow fails, the SMF may delete the already established 5G tunnel and the context information, the state of the state machine transitions to the 4G state, and the 4G switching to the 5G fails;

step 413, the PCF sends an update confirm message to the 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, NRF sends discovery confirm message carrying UDM information to 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 to acquire 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 subscription;

Step 422, UDM sends an acknowledgement message to SMF.

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

Embodiment 2, based on the same inventive concept, further provides a network device in the embodiments of the present invention, and because the device is a device corresponding to the method in the embodiments of the present invention, and the principle of the device for solving the problem is similar to that of the method, the implementation of the device may refer to the implementation of the method, and the repetition is omitted.

As shown in fig. 5, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a network device, where the 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:

Wherein in fig. 5, a bus architecture may comprise any number of interconnected buses and bridges, and 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 peripheral devices, voltage regulators, power management circuits, etc., which are well known in the art and, therefore, will not be described further herein. The bus interface provides an interface. Transceiver 500 may be a number of elements, including a transmitter and a receiver, providing a means for communicating with various other apparatus over a transmission medium, including wireless channels, wired channels, optical cables, etc. 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 (Application Specific Integrated Circuit, ASIC), a Field programmable gate array (Field-Programmable Gate Array, FPGA), or a complex programmable logic device (Complex Programmable Logic Device, CPLD), or the processor may employ a multi-core architecture.

As an alternative embodiment, the processor 501 is specifically configured to perform:

the bearing identifiers of the UE are in one-to-one correspondence with the UE.

As an alternative embodiment, the processor 501 is specifically further configured to perform:

It should be noted that, the above device provided in the embodiment of the present application can implement all the method steps implemented in the method embodiment and achieve the same technical effects, and detailed descriptions of the same parts and beneficial effects as those of the method embodiment in the embodiment are omitted herein.

Embodiment 3, based on the same inventive concept, further provides a network switching device in the embodiments of the present application, because the device is a device corresponding to the method in the embodiments of the present application, and the principle of the device for solving the problem is similar to that of the method, the implementation of the device may refer to the implementation of the method, and the repetition is omitted.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the division of the units is schematic, which is merely a logic function division, and other division manners may be implemented in actual practice. In addition, each functional unit in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated in one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units may be integrated in one unit. The integrated units may be implemented in hardware or in software functional units.

The integrated units, if implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as stand-alone products, may be stored in a processor-readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solution of the present application may be embodied in essence or a part contributing to the prior art or all or part of the technical solution in the form of a software product stored in a storage medium, including several instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) 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: a U-disk, a removable hard disk, a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a random access Memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, or other various media capable of storing program codes.

As shown in fig. 6, the apparatus includes:

an allocation unit 600, configured to allocate a new PDU session identifier to a UE if an original PDU session identifier sent by the UE is not received in a process of switching into a 5G network from a 4G network;

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

As an alternative embodiment, the dispensing unit 600 is specifically configured to:

the bearing identifiers of the UE are in one-to-one correspondence with the UE.

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

The present embodiment also provides a computer storage medium that can 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 tapes, magneto-optical disks (MOs), etc.), optical memory (e.g., CD, DVD, BD, HVD, etc.), and semiconductor memory (e.g., ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, nonvolatile memory (NAND FLASH), solid State Disk (SSD)), etc.

The present embodiment also provides a computer storage medium, which when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method of:

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 illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, 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 present application may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.). Still further, 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 the present 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 modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention also include such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A network switching method, the method comprising:

if the network equipment does not receive the PDU session identifier of the original protocol data unit sent by the UE in the process of switching into the 5G network from the 4G network, the network equipment distributes a new PDU session identifier for the UE; the network equipment takes the bearing identifier of the UE as the new PDU session identifier, or distributes the new PDU session identifier for the UE according to the value range of the preset PDU session identifier; the value range of the bearing identifier of the UE is the same as the value range of the preset PDU session identifier; the bearing identifiers of the UE are in one-to-one correspondence with the UE; the network device allocates a new PDU session identifier to the UE according to a preset value range of the PDU session identifier in any one of the following modes:

in the mode 1, the network equipment selects values from small to large or from large to small in the value range of the preset PDU session identifier, and takes the selected values as the new PDU session identifier of the UE;

The method 2, the network equipment uses the selected different values as new PDU session identifications of different UE according to the rule that the selection is not repeated in the preset time within the value range of the preset PDU session identifications;

the network equipment selects a numerical value according to a preset algorithm in the value range of the preset PDU session identifier, and takes the selected numerical value as a new PDU session identifier of the UE;

the network equipment maps the load of the UE in the 4G network to the PDU session of the 5G network according to the new PDU session identifier; when the network equipment receives EPS bearing information of 4G carried by UE according to the fact that the UE is ready to start executing a 4G to 5G switching process, searching a public data network PDN instance of 4G of the UE according to an identifier LBI of EPS bearing; and adding the new PDU session identification allocated for the UE to the PDN instance.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method further comprises:

3. A network device comprising a memory, a transceiver, and a processor:

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the processor is specifically further configured to perform:

5. A network switching apparatus, comprising:

an allocation unit, configured to allocate a new PDU session identifier for a UE if an original PDU session identifier sent by the UE is not received in a process of switching into a 5G network from a 4G network; the load identification of the UE is used as the new PDU session identification, or the new PDU session identification is distributed to the UE according to the value range of the preset PDU session identification; the value range of the bearing identifier of the UE is the same as the value range of the preset PDU session identifier; the bearing identifiers of the UE are in one-to-one correspondence with the UE; the new PDU session identifier is distributed to the UE according to the preset value range of the PDU session identifier by any one of the following modes:

In the mode 1, selecting values from small to large or from large to small in the value range of the preset PDU session identifier, and taking the selected values as the new PDU session identifier of the UE;

mode 2, in the value range of the preset PDU session identifier, according to the rule that the selection is not repeated in the preset time, taking the selected different values as new PDU session identifiers of different UE;

mode 3, selecting a numerical value according to a preset algorithm in the value range of the preset PDU session identifier, and taking the selected numerical value as a new PDU session identifier of the UE;

a hand-in unit, configured to map the bearer of the UE in the 4G network to a PDU session of the 5G network according to the new PDU session identifier; when 4G-to-5G switching process is started according to UE being prepared, 4G EPS bearing information carried by the UE is received, and a 4G public data network PDN instance of the UE is searched according to an identifier LBI of the EPS bearing; and adding the new PDU session identification allocated for the UE to the PDN instance.

6. A processor-readable storage medium, characterized in that the processor-readable storage medium stores a computer program for causing the processor to perform the method of claim 1 or 2.