CN115701089A

CN115701089A - Communication method and device

Info

Publication number: CN115701089A
Application number: CN202111094796.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 于游洋; 高晓峰
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-07-22
Filing date: 2021-09-17
Publication date: 2023-02-07

Abstract

A communication method and a device are provided, the method comprises the steps that an access gateway receives a first data packet from a terminal, the first data packet comprises a first IP packet header, a first GTP-U packet header and a first load, the first IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the first GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the access gateway; and the access gateway determines that the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the IP address of the access gateway and the TEID of the access gateway. By the application, the access gateway can distinguish whether the uplink signal is control plane data or user plane data.

Description

Communication method and device

The present application claims priority of chinese patent application having application number 202110831818.8 and entitled "a method and apparatus for communication" filed at 22/07/2021 by the chinese patent office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

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

Background

A fifth generation core (5 th generation core,5 GC) supports access to third generation partnership project (3 rd generation partnership project,3 GPP) networks and non-3GPP (non-3 GPP) networks. The non-3GPP access technologies include trusted non-3GPP (trusted non-3 GPP) access, untrusted non-3GPP (untrusted non-3 GPP) access, and wired access. The terminal may access the core network by establishing a connection with a non-3GPP access gateway. For trusted non-3GPP access, the access gateway may be a trusted non-3GPP access gateway function (TNGF); for untrusted non-3GPP access, the access gateway may be a non-3GPP conversion function (non-3 GPP interworking function, N3IWF); for wired access, the access gateway may be a wired-access gateway function (W-AGF).

In a non-3GPP access scenario, an access gateway receives uplink information from a terminal, where the uplink information may be control plane data or user plane data. If the uplink information is control plane data, the access gateway may send the uplink information to an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element; if the uplink information is user plane data, the access gateway needs to send the uplink information to a User Plane Function (UPF) network element. How the access gateway distinguishes whether the uplink information from the terminal is control plane data or user plane data is a problem to be solved.

Disclosure of Invention

The present application provides a communication method and apparatus, where the method is used to enable an access gateway to distinguish whether uplink information is control plane data or user plane data.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a method of communication, which may be performed by an access gateway or by a component of an access gateway. In the method, an access gateway receives a first data packet from a terminal, wherein the first data packet comprises a first IP packet header, a first GTP-U packet header and a first load, the first IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the first GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the access gateway; and the access gateway determines whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the access gateway and a TEID of the access gateway. The first load is externally packaged with a first GTP-U packet header, the first GTP-U packet header is externally packaged with a first UDP packet header, and the first UDP packet header is externally packaged with a first IP packet header.

Optionally, the control plane data may include control plane messages, such as NAS messages, or other control plane messages in addition to NAS messages. The user plane data may include remote control service data and the like.

In the above embodiment, the access gateway may distinguish whether the uplink load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of a TEID of the access gateway included in a GTP-U packet header encapsulated outside the uplink load and an IP address of the access gateway included in the IP packet header, and a GTP-U tunnel is established between the access gateway and the terminal, which may simplify a procedure for the terminal to access the core network compared to an IPsec tunnel. In addition, when user plane data is transmitted, a double-layer IP packet header needs to be encapsulated outside the user plane data based on an IPsec tunnel encapsulation mode, and a layer of IP packet header needs to be encapsulated outside the user plane data based on a GTP-U tunnel encapsulation mode.

In one possible design, the determining, by the access gateway, that the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the access gateway and a TEID of the access gateway may include one or more of:

when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the access gateway determines that the first payload is the user plane data.

Or, when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the user plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the user plane data.

By the above design, the access gateway can flexibly judge whether the load is the control plane data or the user plane data by performing the pair of the TEID in the GTP-U packet header externally encapsulated by the load, the TEID allocated to the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the TEID allocated to the user plane data, and/or the pair of the IP address of the access gateway in the IP packet header, the IP address allocated to the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address allocated to the user plane data.

In one possible design, the first GTP-U packet header further includes a message type field, the first data packet further includes a first message, and the first message includes the first payload; the message type field is to indicate a message type of the first message when the first load is the control plane data.

By the above design, the GTP-U packet header can be encapsulated outside the load, or can be used as a parameter of the first message, that is, the first message is encapsulated outside the load, and then the GTP-U packet header is encapsulated outside the first message.

In one possible design, before the access gateway receives the first packet from the terminal, the method may further include: the access gateway sends a first request message to the terminal, wherein the first request message comprises a TEID of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; and the access gateway receives a first response message from the terminal, wherein the first response message comprises the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data. Optionally, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

Through the design, the access gateway interacts with the terminal, and the TEID and the IP address distributed for the transmission control plane data can be sent to the terminal so as to be used for identifying whether the uplink load is the control plane data or not in the following process, and the TEID distributed by the terminal for the transmission control plane data is obtained so as to be used for sending the control plane data to the terminal through a GTP-U tunnel in the following process.

In one possible design, the method may further include: the access gateway sends a second request message to the terminal, wherein the second request message comprises a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier and a TEID of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID distributed by the access gateway for user plane data of the PDU session; and the access gateway receives a second response message from the terminal, wherein the second response message comprises the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for the user plane data of the PDU session.

Through the design, the access gateway interacts with the terminal, and can send the TEID distributed to the user plane data for transmitting the PDU session to the terminal so as to be used for identifying whether the uplink load is the user plane data for the PDU session or not in the following and obtain the TEID distributed by the terminal to the user plane data for transmitting the PDU session so as to be used for sending the user plane data for the PDU session to the terminal through the GTP-U tunnel in the following.

In one possible design, the second request message further includes an IP address of the access gateway, where the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for user plane data of the PDU session. Optionally, the IP address allocated by the access gateway to the user plane data of the PDU session may be the same as or different from the IP address allocated by the access gateway to the control plane data.

Through the design, the access gateway can also allocate an IP address for the user plane data of the PDU session, so as to be used for identifying whether the uplink load is the user plane data of the PDU session in the following.

In one possible design, before the access gateway receives the first packet from the terminal, the method may further include: the access gateway receives indication information from an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, wherein the indication information is used for indicating that an internet protocol security (IPsec) tunnel does not need to be established between the access gateway and the terminal.

Through the design, the access gateway can determine not to establish the IPsec tunnel with the terminal according to the indication information of the AMF so as to simplify the process of accessing the core network by the terminal.

In one possible design, the first IP header further includes an IP address of the terminal, and the method may further include: the access gateway determines the identification information of the terminal according to the IP address of the terminal and the corresponding relation between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal; and the access gateway determines the context information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

Through the above design, the access gateway may determine, according to the IP address, which terminal the uplink load comes from, and the context information of the terminal, so as to determine a control plane network element for establishing an N2 connection with the terminal or determine a user plane network element for establishing an N3 connection with the terminal.

In one possible design, the method may further include: and the access gateway receives a second message from an access node, wherein the second message comprises the corresponding relation between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal.

In one possible design, the method may further include: the access gateway sends a second data packet to the terminal, wherein the second data packet comprises a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header and a second load, the second IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the second GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the terminal; when the second load is the control plane data, the TEID of the terminal is a TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the second load is the user plane data, the TEID of the terminal is a TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the user plane data, and/or the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data.

In one possible design, the method may further include: the access gateway sends a second data packet to the terminal, wherein the second data packet comprises a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header and a second load, the second IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the second GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the access gateway; the second load is the control plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

Through the design, the access gateway can send the control plane data to the terminal by using the TEID which is allocated for transmitting the control plane data. Further, the terminal can acquire the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and can send the control plane data to the access gateway based on the TEID, so that the TEID for transmitting the control plane data is not required to be allocated to the UE through extra messages, signaling interaction between the access gateway and the UE can be reduced, and the utilization rate of network resources is improved.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which may be performed by a terminal or by a component of a terminal. The method comprises the following steps: the terminal receiving a second data packet from the access gateway, the second data packet comprising a second Internet Protocol (IP) header, a second general packet radio service tunneling protocol-user plane (GTP-U) header and a second payload, the second IP header comprising an IP address of the access gateway, the second GTP-U header comprising a Tunnel Endpoint Identification (TEID) of the terminal; and the terminal determines whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the IP address of the access gateway and the TEID of the terminal.

In one possible design, the determining, by the terminal, that the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the access gateway and a TEID of the terminal may include one or more of the following:

when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

Or when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the user plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the user plane data.

Or, when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the user plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the user plane data and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the user plane data.

In one possible design, the second GTP-U packet header further includes a message type field, the second data packet further includes a third message, and the third message includes the second payload; the message type field is to indicate a message type of the third message when the second load is the control plane data.

In one possible design, before the terminal receives the second packet from the access gateway, the method further includes: the terminal receives a first request message from the access gateway, wherein the first request message comprises a TEID of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; and the terminal sends a first response message to the access gateway, wherein the first response message comprises the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data.

In one possible design, the method may further include: the terminal receives a second request message from the access gateway, wherein the second request message comprises a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier and a TEID of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID distributed by the access gateway for user plane data of the PDU session; and the terminal sends a second response message to the access gateway, wherein the second response message comprises the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for the user plane data of the PDU session.

In one possible design, the second request message further includes an IP address of the access gateway, where the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for user plane data of the PDU session.

In one possible design, the method may further include: the terminal sends a first data packet to the access gateway, wherein the first data packet comprises a first IP packet header, a first GTP-U packet header and a first load, the first IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the first GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the access gateway; when the first load is the control plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the first load is the user plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, and/or the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data.

In a third aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which may be performed by a terminal or by a component of a terminal. The method comprises the following steps: a terminal generates a first data packet, wherein the first data packet comprises a first Internet Protocol (IP) packet header, a first general packet radio service tunneling protocol-user plane (GTP-U) and a first load, the first IP packet header comprises an IP address of an access gateway, and the first GTP-U packet header comprises a Tunnel Endpoint Identification (TEID) of the access gateway; the first load is control plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, the first load is user plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data; and the terminal sends a first data packet to the access gateway.

In one possible design, the method may further include: the terminal receives a second data packet from the access gateway, wherein the second data packet comprises a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header and a second load, the second IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the second GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the access gateway.

In one possible design, the method may further include: the terminal determines that the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the IP address of the access gateway and the TEID of the access gateway; or the terminal determines that the second load is control plane data or user plane data by analyzing the second load.

In one possible design, the terminal determines that the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the access gateway and a TEID of the access gateway, and may include one or more of the following:

when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

In one possible design, the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data is the same as the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data.

In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a method of communication, which method may be performed by an access gateway or by a component of an access gateway. The method comprises the following steps: an access gateway receives a first data packet from a terminal, wherein the first data packet comprises a first Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol header and a first load, and the first GRE protocol header comprises a first GRE keyword and a first protocol type field; and, the access gateway determining whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of the first GRE key and the first protocol type field.

In the above embodiment, the access gateway may distinguish whether the uplink load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of a GRE keyword and a protocol type field included in a GRE protocol header encapsulated outside the uplink load, and a GRE tunnel is established between the access gateway and the terminal, which may simplify a procedure of accessing the terminal to the core network compared to an IPsec tunnel. In addition, when user plane data is transmitted, a double-layer IP packet header needs to be encapsulated outside the user plane data based on an IPsec tunnel encapsulation mode, and a layer of IP packet header needs to be encapsulated outside the user plane data based on a GRE tunnel encapsulation mode.

In one possible design, the determining, by the access gateway, that the first load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of the first GRE key and the first protocol type field may include one or more of:

when the first GRE keyword is a keyword distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data.

Alternatively, when the first protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the first GRE key is a key allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data and the first protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data.

Alternatively, when the first GRE key includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identification, the access gateway determines that the first payload is user-plane data for the PDU session.

Through the design, the access gateway can flexibly judge whether the load is control plane data or user plane data by comparing GRE keywords in a GRE protocol packet header encapsulated outside the load with keywords and PDU session identifiers distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data and/or analyzing a protocol type field in the GRE protocol packet header.

In one possible design, before the access gateway receives the first packet from the terminal, the method further includes: the access gateway sends a first request message to the terminal, wherein the first request message comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the access gateway and a keyword allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

Through the design, the access gateway interacts with the terminal, and keywords distributed for transmitting control plane data can be sent to the terminal so as to be used for identifying whether uplink load is the control plane data or not in the following process.

In one possible design, before the access gateway receives the first packet from the terminal, the method further includes: the access gateway receives indication information from an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, wherein the indication information is used for indicating that an internet protocol security (IPsec) tunnel does not need to be established between the access gateway and the terminal.

In one possible design, the first packet further includes a first IP header, and the first IP header includes an IP address of the terminal, and the method further includes: the access gateway determines the identification information of the terminal according to the IP address of the terminal and the corresponding relation between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal; and the access gateway determines the context information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

In one possible design, the method further includes: and the access gateway receives a second message from an access node, wherein the second message comprises the corresponding relation between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal.

In one possible design, the method further includes: the access gateway sends a second data packet to the terminal, wherein the second data packet comprises a second GRE protocol packet header and a second load, and the second GRE protocol packet header comprises a second GRE keyword and a second protocol type field; wherein, when the second load is the control message, the second GRE key is a key allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the second protocol type field is used for indicating that the second load is the control plane data; alternatively, when the second payload is user plane data for a PDU session, the second GRE key includes the PDU session identification.

In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which may be performed by a terminal or by a component of a terminal. The method comprises the following steps: the terminal receives a second data packet from the access gateway, wherein the second data packet comprises a second Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol header and a second load, and the second GRE protocol header comprises a second GRE keyword and a second protocol type field; and the terminal determines whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the second GRE keyword and the second protocol type field.

In one possible design, the terminal determines whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the second GRE keyword and the second protocol type field, where the determining includes one or more of:

and when the second GRE keyword is a keyword distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the second protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the second GRE keyword is a keyword allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the second protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

Alternatively, when the second GRE key includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identification, the terminal determines that the second payload is user-plane data for the PDU session.

In one possible design, before the terminal receives the second packet from the access gateway, the method further includes: the terminal receives a first request message from the access gateway, wherein the first request message comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the access gateway and the second GRE keyword, and the second GRE keyword is a keyword distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

In one possible design, the method further includes: the terminal sends a first data packet to the access gateway, wherein the first data packet comprises a first GRE protocol packet header and a first load, and the first GRE protocol packet header comprises a first GRE keyword and a first protocol type field; wherein, when the first load is the control message, the first GRE key is a key allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the first protocol type field is used for indicating that the first load is the control plane data; alternatively, when the first payload is user plane data for a PDU session, the first GRE key includes the PDU session identification.

In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a method of communication, which method may be performed by an access gateway, or by a component of an access gateway. The method comprises the following steps: an access gateway receives a first load from a terminal, wherein the first load is encapsulated with a first Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) packet header or the first load is encapsulated with a first Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol packet header; and the access gateway determines that the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to the encapsulation mode of the first load.

In the above embodiment, for the control plane data and the user plane data, the load adopts different encapsulation manners, so that the access gateway can distinguish whether the uplink load is the control plane data or the user plane data according to the encapsulation manner of the received load. No matter the TCP connection or the GRE tunnel is established between the terminal and the access gateway, compared with the IPsec tunnel, the flow of the terminal accessing the core network can be simplified, and the reliability of data transmission can be improved by the TCP connection. Moreover, when user plane data is transmitted, a dual-layer IP packet header needs to be encapsulated outside the user plane data based on the IPsec tunnel encapsulation mode, and a layer of IP packet header needs to be encapsulated outside the user plane data based on the GRE tunnel encapsulation mode (or the TCP encapsulation mode).

In one possible design, the first TCP header includes a port number allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the GRE key in the first GRE protocol header includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier.

In a possible design, the determining, by the access gateway according to the encapsulation manner of the first load, that the first load is control plane data or user plane data may include one or more of the following:

when the first load is externally encapsulated with the first TCP packet header, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the first payload encapsulates the first GRE protocol header, the access gateway determines that the first payload is user plane data of a PDU session.

Through the design, the access gateway can distinguish whether the load is user plane data or control plane data through the encapsulation mode of the load.

In a possible design, the first payload is encapsulated in the first TCP header, and may be: and a third GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the first load, and the third GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated in the first TCP packet header.

In one possible design, the third GRE protocol header includes a third GRE key, where the third GRE key is a key assigned by the access node to the terminal, and the method further includes: the access gateway determines the identification information of the terminal according to the third GRE keyword and the corresponding relation between the third GRE keyword and the identification information of the terminal; and the access gateway determines the context information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

Through the design, the access gateway can determine which terminal the uplink load comes from according to the GRE keyword in the GRE protocol packet header encapsulated outside the load, and the context information of the terminal, so as to determine a control plane network element for establishing N2 connection with the terminal or determine a user plane network element for establishing N3 connection with the terminal.

In one possible design, the method further includes: and the access gateway receives a second message from an access node, wherein the second message comprises the corresponding relation between the third GRE keyword and the identification information of the terminal.

Through the design, the access gateway can acquire the GRE keyword distributed by the access node for the terminal, so as to be used for determining which terminal the uplink load comes from in the following.

In one possible design, the first TCP header is encapsulated with a first Internet Protocol (IP) header, or the first GRE protocol header is encapsulated with a first IP header, the first IP header including an IP address of the terminal, and the method further includes: the access gateway determines the identification information of the terminal according to the IP address of the terminal and the corresponding relation between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal; and the access gateway determines the context information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

In one possible design, before the access gateway receives the first load from the terminal, the method further includes: the access gateway sends a first request message to the terminal, wherein the first request message comprises a port number of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, the port number of the access gateway is a port number allocated to the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated to the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

In one possible design, the first request message includes an IP address assigned by the access gateway for transmitting user plane data.

In one possible design, before the access gateway receives the first load from the terminal, the method further includes: the access gateway receives indication information from an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, wherein the indication information is used for indicating that an internet protocol security (IPsec) tunnel does not need to be established between the access gateway and the terminal.

In one possible design, the method further includes: the access gateway sends a second load to the terminal, and a second TCP packet header is encapsulated outside the second load, or a second GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the second load; when the second load is the control plane data, the second load is encapsulated with the second TCP packet header, and the second TCP packet header includes a port number allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the second load is user plane data of the PDU, a second GRE protocol header is encapsulated outside the second load, and a GRE keyword in the second GRE protocol header includes the PDU session identifier.

In a possible design, the second payload encapsulates the second TCP header, and may be: and a fourth GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the second load, and the second TCP packet header is encapsulated outside the fourth GRE protocol packet header, wherein GRE keywords in the fourth GRE protocol packet header are keywords distributed to the terminal by the access node.

In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which may be performed by a terminal or by a component of a terminal, the method comprising: a terminal receives a second load from an access gateway, wherein a second Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) packet header is encapsulated outside the second load, or a second Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the second load; and the terminal determines whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to the encapsulation mode of the second load.

In one possible design, the second TCP header includes a port number allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data, and the GRE key in the second GRE protocol header includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier.

In a possible design, the terminal determines, according to the encapsulation manner of the second load, that the second load is control plane data or user plane data, and may include one or more of the following:

when the second load is encapsulated with the second TCP packet header, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the second load encapsulates the header of the second GRE protocol, the terminal determines that the first load is the user plane data of the PDU session.

In one possible design, the second payload encapsulates the second TCP header, including: and a fourth GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the second load, and the second TCP packet header is encapsulated outside the fourth GRE protocol packet header, wherein GRE keywords in the fourth GRE protocol packet header are keywords distributed to the terminal by the access node.

In one possible design, before the terminal receives the second load from the access gateway, the method further includes: the terminal receives a first request message from the access gateway, wherein the first request message comprises a port number of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, the port number of the access gateway is a port number allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

In one possible design, the first request message further includes an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting user plane data.

In one possible design, the method further includes: the terminal sends a first load to the access gateway, wherein the first load is externally packaged with a first TCP packet header or the first load is externally packaged with a first GRE protocol packet header; when the first load is the control plane data, the first load is externally packaged with the first TCP packet header, where the first TCP packet header includes a port number allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the first load is user plane data of a PDU, a first GRE protocol header is encapsulated outside the first load, and a GRE keyword in the first GRE protocol header includes the PDU session identifier.

In a possible design, the first payload is encapsulated with the first TCP header, and may be: and a third GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the first load, the first TCP packet header is encapsulated outside the third GRE protocol packet header, and GRE keywords in the third GRE protocol packet header are keywords distributed to the terminal by an access node.

In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a method of communication, which method may be performed by an access node or by a component of an access node. The method comprises the following steps: an access node receives a first load from a terminal, wherein a first Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) packet header is encapsulated outside the first load; and the access node sends the first load to an access gateway, wherein a third Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol header is encapsulated outside the first load, and the third TCP header is encapsulated outside the third GRE protocol header.

The third GRE protocol packet header includes a third GRE keyword, where the third GRE keyword is a keyword allocated by the access node to the terminal, and the third GRE keyword is used to determine the identification information of the terminal.

In the above embodiment, the TCP connection between the UE and the TNGF is disconnected at the access node, that is, the TCP connection is established between the UE and the access node, and the access node then establishes a TCP connection with the TNGF. After receiving the first load from the terminal, the access node encapsulates a GRE protocol packet header outside the first load, fills a GRE keyword in the GRE protocol packet header as a keyword allocated to the terminal by the access node, and then sends the encapsulated first load to the TNGF to identify which terminal the first load comes from. Thus, the TNGF can determine, according to the GRE keyword in the GRE protocol packet header, the identification information of the terminal that sent the first load, and determine, based on the identification information of the terminal, a control plane network element that establishes N2 connection with the terminal, or a user plane network element that establishes N3 connection with the terminal.

In one possible design, the method may further include: the access node distributes a third GRE keyword to the terminal; and the access node sends a second message to the access gateway, wherein the second message comprises the corresponding relation between the third GRE keyword and the identification information of the terminal.

In one possible design, the method may further include: the access node sends a second message to the access gateway, the second message including a correspondence between an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the terminal and identification information of the terminal.

In one possible design, a first IP packet header is encapsulated outside the first TCP packet header, a source address in the first IP packet header is an IP address of the terminal, and a destination address in the first IP packet header is an IP address of the access node; and a third IP packet header is encapsulated outside the third TCP packet header, a source address in the third IP packet header is an IP address of the access node, and a destination address in the first IP packet header is an IP address of the access gateway.

In a ninth aspect, the present application provides a method of communication, which may be performed by an access and mobility management function network element, or by a component of an access and mobility management function network element. The method comprises the following steps: an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element determines that an internet protocol security (IPsec) tunnel is not required to be established between a terminal and an access gateway according to at least one of the type of the terminal and the service type of the terminal; and the AMF network element sends indication information to the access gateway, wherein the indication information is used for indicating that the IPsec tunnel does not need to be established between the terminal and the access gateway.

The type of the terminal is, for example, a terminal of an intelligent factory (such as a mechanical arm, a mobile cart, etc.), an oT device, or a low power consumption device, etc. The service type of the terminal is remote control service, etc.

In the above embodiment, the AMF determines, according to at least one of the type of the terminal and the service type of the terminal, that the IPsec tunnel does not need to be established between the terminal and the access gateway, that is, a simplified 5G core network access flow can be performed, and sends the indication information to the access gateway to indicate that the access gateway does not need to establish the IPsec tunnel with the terminal, so that the flow of the terminal accessing the 5G core network can be simplified, and problems of transmission resource waste, time delay, and large device power consumption caused by the IPsec encapsulation mode in the user plane data transmission process can be reduced.

In a tenth aspect, the present application provides a communications apparatus comprising a memory, and one or more processors, the memory coupled with the one or more processors; the memory is for storing a computer program or instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communication apparatus to perform the method as set forth in the first aspect or any design of the first aspect, or cause the communication apparatus to perform the method as set forth in the fourth aspect or any design of the fourth aspect, or cause the communication apparatus to perform the method as set forth in any design of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect.

In an eleventh aspect, the present application provides a communications apparatus comprising a memory, and one or more processors, the memory coupled with the one or more processors; the memory is configured to store a computer program or instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communication apparatus to perform the method of any of the second or second aspects above, or cause the communication apparatus to perform the method of any of the third or third aspects above, or cause the communication apparatus to perform the method of any of the fifth or fifth aspects above, or cause the communication apparatus to perform the method of any of the seventh or seventh aspects above.

In a twelfth aspect, the present application provides a communications apparatus comprising a memory, and one or more processors, the memory coupled with the one or more processors; the memory is for storing a computer program or instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communication apparatus to perform the method as set forth in any of the above-mentioned eighth or eighth aspects.

In a thirteenth aspect, the present application provides a communications apparatus comprising a memory, and one or more processors, the memory coupled with the one or more processors; the memory is for storing a computer program or instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communication apparatus to perform the method of the ninth aspect described above.

In a fourteenth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which includes a communication unit and a processing unit, where these units or modules may perform corresponding functions performed by the access gateway in any design example of the first aspect or the first aspect, or perform corresponding functions performed by the access gateway in any design example of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect, or perform corresponding functions performed by the access gateway in any design example of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect.

In a fifteenth aspect, the present application provides a communication device, which includes a communication unit and a processing unit, where these units or modules may perform corresponding functions performed by the terminal in any design example of the second aspect or the second aspect, or perform corresponding functions performed by the terminal in any design example of the third aspect or the third aspect, or perform corresponding functions performed by the terminal in any design example of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect, or perform corresponding functions performed by the terminal in any design example of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect.

In a sixteenth aspect, the present application provides a communication device, which includes a communication unit and a processing unit, and these units or modules may perform corresponding functions performed by the access node in any design example of the eighth aspect or the eighth aspect.

In a seventeenth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which includes a communication unit and a processing unit, where these units or modules may perform corresponding functions performed by the access and mobility management function network element in the ninth aspect.

In an eighteenth aspect, the present application provides a communication system comprising the communication apparatus of the tenth aspect and/or the communication apparatus of the eleventh aspect; or comprises the communication apparatus of the fourteenth aspect and/or the communication apparatus of the fifteenth aspect.

A nineteenth aspect, the present application provides a communication system comprising the communication apparatus of the tenth aspect and/or the communication apparatus of the twelfth aspect; or comprises the communication device of the fourteenth aspect and/or the communication device of the sixteenth aspect.

In a twentieth aspect, the present application provides a communication system comprising the communication apparatus of the tenth aspect and/or the communication apparatus of the thirteenth aspect; or comprises the communication device of the fourteenth aspect and/or the communication device of the seventeenth aspect.

In a twenty-first aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program or instructions which, when executed, implement the method of any of the above-mentioned first aspect or first aspect, or implement the method of any of the above-mentioned fourth aspect or fourth aspect, or implement the method of any of the above-mentioned sixth aspect or sixth aspect.

In a twenty-second aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program or instructions which, when executed, implement the method of any of the above second or second aspects, or implement the method of any of the above third or third aspects, or implement the method of any of the above fifth or fifth aspects, or implement the method of any of the above seventh or seventh aspects.

In a twenty-third aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program or instructions which, when executed, implement the method of any of the above-mentioned eighth or eighth aspects.

In a twenty-fourth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program or instructions which, when executed, implement the method of the above-mentioned ninth aspect.

In a twenty-fifth aspect, the present application provides a terminal device, which may implement the method as set forth in any one of the above-mentioned first aspect or first aspect, or implement the method as set forth in any one of the above-mentioned fourth aspect or fourth aspect, or implement the method as set forth in any one of the above-mentioned sixth aspect or sixth aspect.

Drawings

FIG. 1a is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture based on a service architecture in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 1b is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture based on a point-to-point interface in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 1c is another schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture based on a point-to-point interface in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for obtaining an IP address and a TEID for transmitting control plane data according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a method for acquiring an IP address and a TEID for transmitting user plane data according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic flowchart of another method for acquiring an IP address and a TEID for transmitting user plane data according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a GRE protocol header according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a GRE key in a header of a GRE protocol according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for acquiring a GRE key for transmitting control plane data according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for obtaining a TCP port number used for transmitting control plane data according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 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 clear, the present application will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The particular methods of operation in the method embodiments may also be applied in device embodiments or system embodiments.

The terms "system" and "network" in the embodiments of the present application may be used interchangeably. The "plurality" means two or more, and in view of this, the "plurality" may also be understood as "at least two" in the embodiments of the present application. "at least one", is to be understood as meaning one or more, for example one, two or more. For example, the inclusion of at least one means that one, two or more are included, and does not limit which is included. For example, including A, B and C, then included may be A, B, C, a and B, a and C, B and C, or a and B and C. Similarly, the understanding of the description of "at least one" and the like is similar. "at least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single item(s) or plural items. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" includes A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC. "and/or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, meaning that there may be three relationships, e.g., a and/or B, which may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character "/" generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship, unless otherwise specified.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, the present embodiments refer to the ordinal numbers "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc., for distinguishing between a plurality of objects, and do not limit the order, timing, priority, or importance of the plurality of objects, and the descriptions of "first", "second", "third", and "fourth" do not limit the objects to be necessarily different.

FIG. 1a is a schematic diagram of a fifth generation (5G) network architecture based on a service architecture. The 5G network architecture shown in fig. 1a may include three parts, a terminal part, a Data Network (DN) and a carrier network part. The functions of some of the network elements will be briefly described below.

The operator network may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following network elements: a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) network element, AN authentication server function (AUSF) network element, a network open function (NEF) network element, a network storage function (NRF) network element, AN access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, a Policy Control Function (PCF) network element, a unified data management network element (UDM), a Session Management Function (SMF) network element, AN Access Network (AN) or Radio Access Network (RAN), and a user plane function (user function, UPF) network element, etc. In the operator network described above, the parts other than the radio access network part may be referred to as core network parts. In a possible implementation method, the operator network further includes an Application Function (AF) network element.

A terminal device (terminal device), which may be referred to as a terminal for short, is a device with a wireless transceiving function, and can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; can also be deployed on the water surface (such as a ship and the like); and may also be deployed in the air (e.g., airplanes, balloons, satellites, etc.). The terminal device may be a tablet computer (pad), a computer with a wireless transceiving function, a Virtual Reality (VR) terminal, an Augmented Reality (AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in industrial control (industrial control), a wireless terminal in self driving (self driving), a wireless terminal in remote medical (remote medical), a wireless terminal in smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation security (transportation security), a wireless terminal in smart city (smart city), a wireless terminal in smart home (smart home), a user equipment (user equipment, UE), a terminal device adapted to the Internet of Things (Internet of Things, ioT) (e.g., a terminal device of a smart factory, a terminal device of a smart manufacturing industry, etc.), a terminal device supporting a flash (spark) short-distance communication technology, etc.

The terminal may establish a connection with the carrier network through an interface (e.g., N1) provided by the carrier network, and use services such as data and/or voice provided by the carrier network. The terminal may also access the DN through the operator network, use operator services deployed on the DN, and/or services provided by third parties. The third party may be a service party other than the operator network and the terminal device, and may provide services such as data and/or voice for the terminal device. The specific expression form of the third party may be specifically determined according to an actual application scenario, and is not limited herein.

The RAN is a sub-network of the operator network and is an implementation system between the service node and the terminal device in the operator network. The terminal device is to access the operator network, first through the RAN, and then may be connected to a service node of the operator network through the RAN. A RAN device is a device that provides a terminal device with a wireless communication function, and is also called an access network device. RAN equipment includes, but is not limited to: next generation base station (G node B, gNB), evolved node B (eNB), radio Network Controller (RNC), node B (NB), base Station Controller (BSC), base Transceiver Station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved node B, or home node B, HNB), base Band Unit (BBU), transmission point (TRP), transmission Point (TP), mobile switching center, etc. in 5G.

The AMF network element mainly performs functions of mobility management, access authentication/authorization and the like. In addition, the method is also responsible for transferring the user policy between the UE and the PCF.

The SMF network element mainly performs functions such as session management, execution of control strategies issued by the PCF, selection of the UPF, and allocation of an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the UE.

The UPF network element is used as an interface with a data network to complete functions of user plane data forwarding, session/stream level-based charging statistics, bandwidth limitation and the like.

And the UDM network element is mainly responsible for functions of managing subscription data, user access authorization and the like.

And the NSSF network element is mainly responsible for managing the information related to the network slice.

The NEF network element is mainly used for supporting the opening of the capability and the event.

The AF network element mainly transfers requirements of an application side on a network side, such as Quality of Service (QoS) requirements or user status event subscriptions. The AF may be a third party functional entity, or may be an application service deployed by an operator, such as an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) voice call service.

The PCF network element is mainly responsible for performing policy control functions such as charging, qoS bandwidth guarantee, mobility management, UE policy decision and the like aiming at the levels of sessions and service data streams. In the framework, PCFs connected to the AMF and SMF correspond to AM PCF (PCF for Access and Mobility Control) and SM PCF (PCF for Session Management), respectively, and may not be the same PCF entity in an actual deployment scenario.

The NRF network element can be used for providing a network element discovery function and providing network element information corresponding to the network element type based on the request of other network elements. NRF also provides network element management services such as network element registration, update, de-registration, and network element status subscription and push.

AUSF network element: it is primarily responsible for authenticating a user to determine whether the user or device is allowed to access the network.

The DN is a network outside the operator network, the operator network can access a plurality of DNs, and the DN can deploy a plurality of services and provide services such as data and/or voice for the terminal device. For example, the DN is a private network of a certain intelligent factory, a sensor installed in a workshop of the intelligent factory can be a terminal device, a control server of the sensor is deployed in the DN, and the control server can provide services for the sensor. The sensor can communicate with the control server, obtain the instruction of the control server, transmit the sensor data gathered to the control server, etc. according to the instruction. For another example, the DN is an internal office network of a company, the mobile phone or computer of the employee of the company may be a terminal device, and the mobile phone or computer of the employee may access information, data resources, and the like on the internal office network of the company.

In fig. 1a, nssf, nausf, nnef, nrf, namf, npcf, nsmf, nudm, naf, N1, N2, N3, N4, and N6 are interface serial numbers. The meaning of these interface sequence numbers can be referred to as that defined in the 3GPP standard protocol, and is not limited herein.

When the 5G core network supports untrusted non-3GPP access, the 5G network architecture based on point-to-point interface is shown in fig. 1 b. The access network comprises a 3GPP access network and an untrusted non-3GPP access network. An access device in a 3GPP access network may be referred to as a Radio Access Network (RAN) device. An access device in an untrusted non-3GPP access network may be referred to as a non-3GPP interworking function (n 3GPP interworking function, n3 iwf) device. The N3IWF device may comprise, for example, a router or the like.

As shown in fig. 1b, the schematic diagram is a 5G network architecture based on a point-to-point interface, where introduction of functions of a network element may refer to introduction of functions of a corresponding network element in fig. 1a, and details are not described again. The main differences between fig. 1b and fig. 1a are: the interfaces between the various network elements in fig. 1b are point-to-point interfaces, while the interfaces between the various network elements in fig. 1a are serviced interfaces.

In fig. 1b, N1, N2, N3, N4, N6, N11, NWu, Y1, and Y2 are interface serial numbers. The meaning of these interface sequence numbers can be referred to as that defined in the 3GPP standard protocol, and is not limited herein.

When the 5G core network supports trusted non-3GPP access, or supports wired network access, or supports both trusted non-3GPP and wired network access, its 5G network architecture is similar to that of fig. 1 b. The untrusted non-3GPP access in FIG. 1b may be replaced with a trusted non-3GPP access and the N3IWF may be replaced with a trusted non-3GPP access gateway (TNGF); alternatively, the untrusted non-3GPP access in fig. 1b is replaced with a wired network access, and the N3IWF is replaced with a wired access gateway (W-AGF).

As shown in fig. 1c, the schematic diagram is a 5G network architecture based on a point-to-point interface, where introduction of functions of a network element may refer to introduction of functions of a corresponding network element in fig. 1a, and details are not described again. The main difference between fig. 1c and fig. 1a is that: the interfaces between the various network elements in fig. 1c are point-to-point interfaces, while the interfaces between the various network elements in fig. 1a are serviced interfaces.

In fig. 1c, N1, N2, N3, N4, N6, N11, NWu, and Uu are interface serial numbers. The meaning of these interface sequence numbers can be referred to as that defined in the 3GPP standard protocol, and is not limited herein.

It is to be understood that the above network elements or functions may be network elements in a hardware device, or may be software functions running on dedicated hardware, or virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). Optionally, the network element or the function may be implemented by one device, or may be implemented by multiple devices together, or may be a functional module in one device, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

In the foregoing, application scenarios to which the embodiments of the present application are adapted are introduced, and then a communication method provided by the embodiments of the present application is introduced with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which may be applied to a non-3GPP access scenario shown in fig. 1b or fig. 1 c. When the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is applied to the untrusted non-3GPP access scenario shown in fig. 1b, the access Gateway is an N3IWF or a next generation access Gateway (ngPDG). When the communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application is applied to the trusted non-3GPP access scenario shown in fig. 1c, the access gateway is TNGF. When the communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application is applied to the wired access scenario shown in fig. 1c, the access gateway is a W-AGF. An access node (also referred to as an access device) between the terminal and the access gateway may be a wireless local area network access node (WLAN AP), a Fixed Access Network (FAN) device, a G-node (G-node) supporting satellite flash short-distance communication, a wifi AP, a bluetooth access node, a switch, a router, or the like. For convenience of description, in the embodiments of the present application, a trusted non-3GPP access scenario, that is, an access gateway is TNGF, is taken as an example for description.

In addition, the access and mobility management network element, the unified data management network element, and the user plane network element in the embodiment of the present application may be the AMF, the UDM, and the UPF in fig. 1a, fig. 1b, or fig. 1c, respectively, or may be a network element having the functions of the AMF, the UDM, and the UPF in future communication, for example, in a sixth generation (6 generation,6 g) network, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application. For convenience of description, in the embodiments of the present application, the access and mobility management network element, the unified data management network element, and the user plane network element are respectively the AMF, the UDM, and the UPF, which are taken as examples for description. Further, the present application takes a terminal as an example of a UE for description.

Example one

Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 2, the present embodiment describes the communication method provided by the present embodiment from the uplink direction and the downlink direction, respectively.

It should be noted that, for convenience of understanding, a Tunnel End Identifier (TEID) allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data is hereinafter referred to as TNGF TEID _1, a TEID allocated by the TNGF for transmitting user plane data is referred to as TNGF TEID _2, an Internet Protocol (IP) address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data is referred to as TNGF IP address 1, an IP address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting user plane data is referred to as TNGF IP address 2, a TEID allocated by the UE for transmitting control plane data is referred to as UE TEID _1, and a TEID allocated by the UE for transmitting user plane data is referred to as UE TEID _2.

For convenience of description, a general packet radio service tunnel Protocol-User plane (GTP-U) packet header is encapsulated outside a load, a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet header is encapsulated outside the GTP-U packet header, and an encapsulation mode in which an IP packet header is encapsulated outside the UDP packet header is denoted as GTP-U/UDP/IP. And, the first message (or the third message) is encapsulated with a GTP-U packet header, the GTP-U packet header is encapsulated with a UDP packet header, and the encapsulation mode in which the UDP packet header is encapsulated with an IP packet header is denoted as message/GTP-U/UDP/IP.

S201: the UE sends a first data packet to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the first packet.

The UE may send the first data packet to the TNGF via the GTP-U tunnel. The first data packet comprises a first IP packet header, a first GTP-U packet header and a first load. For example, the first payload is encapsulated with a first GTP-U packet header, the first GTP-U packet header is encapsulated with a first UDP packet header, and the first UDP packet header is encapsulated with a first IP packet header. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load with a first GTP-U packet header, encapsulate the first UDP packet header with the first GTP-U packet header, encapsulate the first IP packet header with the first UDP packet header, obtain a first data packet, and send the first data packet to the TNGF through the GTP-U tunnel. The load may be control plane data, where the control plane data includes control plane messages, such as Non Access Stratum (NAS) messages, or other control plane data interacted between the UE and the TNGF except for NAS messages; or user plane data such as remote control service data.

The first IP packet header comprises a destination IP address and a source IP address, wherein the destination IP address and the source IP address are respectively an IP address of the TNGF and an IP address of the UE. The first GTP-U packet header includes the TEID of the TNGF. The IP address of the TNGF may be an IP address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data (denoted as TNGF IP address 1), or an IP address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting user plane data (denoted as TNGF IP address 2). The TEID of the TNGF may be a TEID allocated by the TNGF for transport control plane data (denoted as TNGF TEID _ 1) or a TEID allocated by the TNGF for transport user plane data (denoted as TNGF TEID _ 2). At least one of an IP address of the TNGF or a TEID of the TNGF may be used to identify whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data.

For example, when the first load is control plane data, the TEID of the TNGF is the TEID that the TNGF allocates for transmission of the control plane data. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill the TEID in the GTP-U packet header as TNGF TEID _1, so as to indicate that the first load is control plane data.

Alternatively, when the first load is control plane data, the IP address of the TNGF is an IP address that the TNGF allocates for transporting the control plane data. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill a destination IP address in the IP packet header as a TNGF IP address 1, so as to indicate that the first load is control plane data.

Alternatively, when the first load is control plane data, the TEID of the TNGF is a TEID assigned by the TNGF for transport control plane data, and the IP address of the TNGF is an IP address assigned by the TNGF for transport control plane data. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill the TEID in the GTP-U packet header as TNGF TEID _1, and fill the destination IP address in the IP packet header as TNGF IP address 1, so as to indicate that the first load is control plane data.

For another example, when the first payload is user plane data, the TEID of the TNGF is the TEID assigned by the TNGF for transmitting user plane data. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill the TEID in the GTP-U packet header as TNGF TEID _2, so as to indicate that the first load is user plane data.

Alternatively, when the first payload is user plane data, the IP address of the TNGF is an IP address assigned by the TNGF for transmitting user plane data. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill the destination IP address in the IP packet header as TNGF to TNGF IP address 2, so as to indicate that the first load is user plane data.

Alternatively, when the first payload is user plane data, the TEID of the TNGF is the TEID assigned by the TNGF for transport user plane data, and the IP address of the TNGF is the IP address assigned by the TNGF for transport user plane data. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill the TEID in the GTP-U packet header as TNGF TEID _2, and fill the destination IP address in the IP packet header as TNGF IP address 2, so as to indicate that the first load is user plane data.

It should be noted that the IP address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data may be the same as or different from the IP address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting user plane data, that is, the TNGF IP address 1 may be the same as or different from the TNGF IP address 2, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. For example, the TNGF allocates the same IP address for transport control plane data and user plane data. For another example, the TNGF allocates an IP address to the transport control plane data and does not allocate an IP address to the transport user plane data, and in this scenario, the IP address used for transporting the user plane data is the same as the IP address used for transporting the control plane data.

As mentioned above, the UE may indicate that the first load is control plane data or user plane data by filling the destination IP address of the IP header in the IP address allocated by the TNGF for transport control plane data or the IP address allocated by the TNGF for transport user plane data, and/or filling the TEID in the GTP-U header in the TEID allocated by the TNGF for transport control plane data or the TEID allocated by the TNGF for transport user plane data. In a possible implementation manner, the UE may obtain, through negotiation with the TNGF, an IP address and a TEID allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data, and an IP address and a TEID allocated by the TNGF for transmitting user plane data; correspondingly, the TNGF may also acquire, through negotiation with the UE, the TEID allocated by the UE for transmitting the control plane data and the TEID allocated by the UE for transmitting the user plane data.

For example, the UE may receive a first request message from the TNGF, the first request message including a TEID allocated by the TNGF for transport control plane data and an IP address allocated by the TNGF for transport control plane data. Accordingly, the UE may send a first response message to the TNGF, where the first response message includes a TEID allocated by the UE for transmission of control plane data. The first request message and the first response message may be Extended Authentication Protocol (EAP) messages or 5G notification (5G-notification) messages. For example, the first request message is an extended authentication request (EAP-request) message and the first response message is an extended authentication response (EAP-response) message. For another example, the first request message and the first response message are both 5G notification messages. Optionally, the first request message may further include a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) used for transmitting the control plane data.

For another example, the UE may receive a second request message from the TNGF, where the second request message includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier and a TEID allocated by the TNGF for user plane data transmitting the PDU session. Accordingly, the UE may send a second response message to the TNGF, the second response message including the TEID assigned by the UE for the user plane data of the session transporting the PDU.

A specific implementation of the UE negotiating the IP address and TEID for transmitting control plane data with the TNGF is described below with reference to fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a method for acquiring an IP address and a TEID for transmitting control plane data according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 3, the method may include the following steps.

S301: a layer (L) 2 connection is established between the UE and the access node.

For example, the UE may establish an L2 connection with the access node through bluetooth, wifi, radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, or short-range communication over star, or the like. The access node may be a G node (G-node), a wifi AP, or a bluetooth access point, etc. supporting the short-range communication technology.

S302: the access node sends an extended authentication request message to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the extended authentication request message.

The access node may send an extended authentication request message or identity (identity) message to the UE. Wherein, the extended authentication request message or the identity message is used for requesting the identification information of the UE. The UE identification information at least includes a Network Access Identifier (NAI) of the UE. The NAI includes a device identity and Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) information of the UE, or includes a device identity and service provider information of the UE, or includes the device identity, PLMN information, and service provider information of the UE. For example, if the device identifier of the UE is denoted as device ID, PLMN information is denoted as PLMN, and Service provider information is denoted as Service provider name, the NAI may be represented as: NAI = device ID@PLMN.Service provider name. Alternatively, the service provider information may be a star flash alliance identification.

S303: the UE sends an extended authentication response message to the access node. Accordingly, the access node receives the extended authentication response message. Wherein the extended authentication response message includes identification information of the UE.

S304: the access node sends the identity information of the UE to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the identity information of the UE.

The access node may select the TNGF for the UE according to the identification information of the UE, for example, the access node may select the TNGF according to PLMN information or service provider information included in the NAI, and send the identification information of the UE to the TNGF. For example, the access node may send the UE identification information to the TNGF via an Authentication Authorization Accounting (AAA) message.

S305: the TNGF sends a 5G Start (5G-Start) message to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the 5G start message.

Specifically, the TNGF may determine, according to the identifier information of the UE, that the UE needs to access the 5G core network, for example, the NAI of the UE includes PLMN information of 5G, and then the TNGF determines that the UE needs to access the 5G core network, and sends the extended authentication request message or the 5G start message to the UE (fig. 3 takes the 5G start message as an example). The extended authentication request message or 5G start message may be used to instruct the UE to start accessing the 5G core network.

S306: the UE transmits a registration request message (registration request message) to the AMF. Accordingly, the AMF receives the registration request message.

Illustratively, the UE initiates a registration procedure for accessing the 5G core network, e.g., the UE sends a registration request message to the AMF through the access node, TNGF. Wherein, the registration request message may be a NAS message. The registration request message includes UE type indication information and service type indication information. The UE type indication information may be used to indicate the type of the UE, such as indicating that the UE is a UE of an intelligent factory (e.g., a robot arm, a mobile cart, etc.); or indicating that the UE is an IoT device; or indicate that the UE is a low power consumption device, and the like, and the type of the UE is not limited in this embodiment of the application. The service type indication information may be used to indicate a service type of the UE, for example, to indicate that the service type of the UE is a remote control service, and the service type of the UE in the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

It should be noted that, the UE sending the registration request message to the AMF through the access node and the TNGF may be understood as follows: the UE sends a registration request message to the access node, the access node forwards the registration request message to the TNGF after receiving the registration request message, and the TNGF forwards the registration request message to the AMF, namely the registration request message is transmitted at the access node and the TNGF.

S307: the AMF sends an authentication message to the UDM. Accordingly, the UDM receives the authentication message. Wherein, the authentication message is used for carrying out the authentication process of the UE.

S308: and carrying out authentication and authentication flow between the UE and the UDM.

S309: the UDM sends subscription data to the AMF. Accordingly, the AMF receives the subscription data.

After the UE successfully authenticates, the UDM may send subscription data associated with the UE to the AMF. Optionally, the subscription data may include at least one of UE type indication information and service type indication information.

S310: the AMF sends indication information to the TNGF. The TNGF receives the indication information.

The indication information is used for indicating that the IPsec tunnel does not need to be established between the UE and the TNGF. Specifically, the AMF may determine, according to at least one of the UE type indication information and the service type indication information, a 5G core network access procedure that the UE performs simplification. For example, the UE is a UE of a smart factory, or an IoT device, or a low power device, and the like, and the AMF may determine that the UE performs a simplified 5G core network access procedure. For another example, the service type of the UE is remote control service, and the AMF may determine that the UE performs a simplified 5G core network access procedure. The simplified 5G core network access flow means that an IPsec tunnel does not need to be established between the UE and the TNGF.

At present, for a trusted non-3GPP access scene, an unencrypted IPsec tunnel is established between UE and TNGF; for an untrusted non-3GPP access scenario, an encrypted IPsec tunnel is established between the UE and the N3 IWF. That is, no matter in the trusted non-3GPP access scenario or the untrusted non-3GPP access scenario, the IPsec tunnel can be established between the UE and the corresponding access gateway. However, in the IPsec tunnel establishment process, multiple signaling interactions between multiple network elements are required, which is highly complex. Moreover, when user plane data is transmitted based on the IPsec tunnel, a double-layer IP packet header needs to be encapsulated outside the user plane data based on the IPsec tunnel encapsulation mode, which results in a long packet header of the encapsulated data packet, a large amount of transmission resources need to be consumed, and a delay required for encapsulating or decapsulating the device may be increased, thereby increasing power consumption of the device. In step S310, the AMF determines, according to at least one of the type of the UE and the service type of the UE, that the UE may perform a simplified 5G core network access procedure, that is, an IPsec tunnel procedure does not need to be established, and sends indication information to the TNGF to indicate that the TNGF does not need to establish the IPsec tunnel with the UE, so that the procedure for the UE to access the 5G core network may be simplified, and problems of transmission resource waste, time delay, and large device power consumption caused by the IPsec encapsulation mode in the user plane data transmission process may be reduced.

Further, the AMF may send an N2 message to the TNGF, the N2 message including the indication information to indicate that the TNGF need not establish an IPsec tunnel with the UE. Optionally, the N2 message may further include information such as a security key.

S311: the TNGF sends a first request message to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the first request message.

The first request message may be an extended authentication request message or a 5G notification message. The first request message includes TNGF IP address 1, TNGF TEID _1, and DSCP. And after the TNGF receives the indication information, the TNGF determines that the IPsec tunnel does not need to be established with the UE. Further, the TNGF may determine to establish a GTP-U tunnel with the UE. Specifically, the TNGF allocates an IP address of the TNGF and a TEID of the TNGF for the UE, and carries the IP address of the TNGF and the TEID of the TNGF in an extended authentication request message or a 5G notification message and sends the extended authentication request message or the 5G notification message to the UE. In this embodiment, the IP address of the TNGF is an IP address (i.e., TNGF IP address 1) for transmitting control plane data subsequently, and the TEID of the TNGF is a TEID (i.e., TNGF TEID _ 1) for transmitting control plane data subsequently. Optionally, the TNGF may further determine a DSCP subsequently used for transmitting the control plane data, and send the DSCP to the UE by carrying the DSCP in an extended authentication request message or a 5G notification message. And after receiving the extended authentication request message or the 5G notification message, the UE stores the TNGF IP address 1, the TNGF TEID _1 and the DSCP so as to send control plane data to the TNGF through a GTP-U tunnel.

S312: the UE sends a first response message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the first response message.

The first response message may be an extended authentication response message or a 5G notification message. The first response message includes UE TEID _1. And after receiving the first request message, the UE determines to establish a GTP-U tunnel with the TNGF. Specifically, the UE allocates the TEID of the UE for the TNGF, and carries the TEID of the UE in the extended authentication response message or the 5G notification message and sends the TEID to the TNGF. In this embodiment, the TEID of the UE is the TEID subsequently used for transmitting the control plane data (i.e. UE TEID _ 1). And after the TNGF receives the expanded authentication response message or the 5G notification message, the TEID _1 of the UE is stored so as to send control plane data to the UE through a GTP-U tunnel in the following.

Through steps S311 and S312, a GTP-U tunnel may be established between the UE and the TNGF, and information for subsequently transmitting control plane data, such as TNGF IP address 1, TNGF TEID _1, UE TEID _1, and DSCP, may be negotiated. The interactive signaling in the building process of the GTP-U tunnel is less, the complexity of accessing the UE to the 5G core network can be reduced, and the length of the packet header of the data packet packaged in the GTP-U packaging mode is smaller than that of the packet header packaged in the Psec packaging mode, so that the problems of transmission resource waste, time delay and high equipment power consumption caused by the IPsec packaging mode can be reduced.

The UE TEID _1 is included in the first response message sent by the UE to the TNGF in step S312. In another possible implementation method, the UE TEID _1 may also not be included in the first response message. For example, the UE TEID _1 may be a pre-configured fixed value. That is, the first response message may include the UE TEID _1, or may not include the UE TEID _1, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

So far, the UE and TNGF negotiate the IP address and TEID for transmission of control plane data. The following steps S313 to S317 are for completing registration with the UE.

S313: a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) process is performed between the UE and the access node.

For example, the UE sends a configuration request message to the access node requesting the IP address of the UE. After receiving the configuration request message, the access node configures an IP address for the UE and sends a configuration response message to the UE, wherein the configuration response message comprises the IP address of the UE.

It is noted that the IP address of the UE may include an IP address acquired by the UE for transmitting control plane data (denoted as UE IP address 1), and an IP address acquired by the UE for transmitting user plane data (denoted as UE IP address 2). For example, the UE may respectively acquire an IP address for transmitting control plane data and an IP address for transmitting user plane data through step 313. The UE IP address 1 and the UE IP address 2 may be the same or different, and this is not limited in this embodiment of the application. For convenience of understanding, in the embodiments of the present application, the UE IP address 1 is the same as the UE IP address 2.

S314: the access node sends a second message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the second message.

And the second message comprises the corresponding relation between the IP address of the UE and the identification information of the UE. The second message may be an AAA message. For example, the access node may carry the correspondence between the IP address of the UE and the identification information of the UE in an AAA message and send the AAA message to the TNGF. After receiving the second message, the TNGF stores the correspondence between the IP address of the UE and the identification information of the UE, so that after the TNGF subsequently receives uplink information (control plane data or user plane data), the TNGF can determine the identification information of the UE that sent the uplink information. Table 1 shows an example of a correspondence relationship between an IP address of a UE and identification information of the UE maintained by the TNGF. As shown in table 1, the TNGF establishes connections with three UEs, wherein the identification information of the UE corresponding to the IP address 1 is identification information 1, the identification information of the UE corresponding to the IP address 2 is identification information 2, and the identification information of the UE corresponding to the IP address 3 is identification information 3. It is understood that table 1 is not limited to the specific implementation of the correspondence relationship between the IP address of the UE and the identification information of the UE, which is maintained by the TNGF, as an example.

TABLE 1

IP address	Identity information of a UE
		IP address
1	Identification information 1
		IP address 2	Identification information 2
IP address 3	Identification information 3

Step S314 is an optional step, and is indicated by a dotted line in fig. 3. For example, the TNGF may also obtain the correspondence between the IP address of the UE and the identification information of the UE through other manners, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

S315: the TNGF and the AMF send an N2 connection establishment request message. Accordingly, the AMF receives the N2 connection setup request message.

The N2 connection setup request message is used to establish an N2 connection between the TNGF and the AMF for the UE.

S316: the AMF sends an N2 connection setup response message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the N2 connection setup response message.

The N2 connection setup response message is used to indicate that the setup of the N2 connection for the UE is completed. The N2 connection setup response message may include a registration completed NAS message. The registration complete NAS message is used to indicate that the UE registration is successful.

S317: the TNGF sends a third packet to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the third data packet.

And after receiving the N2 connection establishment response message, the TNGF decapsulates the message to obtain a registered NAS message, encapsulates the registered NAS message according to a GTP-U/UDP/IP encapsulation mode to obtain a third data packet, and sends the third data packet to the UE. Specifically, the TNGF encapsulates a GTP-U packet header outside the registered NAS message, and fills the TEID in the GTP-U packet header into UE TEID _1; encapsulating a UDP packet head outside the GTP-U packet head; and encapsulating an IP packet header outside the UDP packet header, and filling a source IP address and a destination IP address in the IP packet header as a TNGF IP address 1 and an IP address of the UE respectively to obtain a third data packet.

So far, the UE registration is completed.

The foregoing describes a specific implementation manner of negotiating the IP address and the TEID for transmitting the control plane data by the UE and the TNGF, and next, a specific implementation manner of negotiating the IP address and the TEID for transmitting the user plane data by the UE and the TNGF is described with reference to fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for acquiring an IP address and a TEID for transmitting user plane data according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 4, the method may include the following steps.

S401: the UE sends a session setup request message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the PDU session setup request message.

The UE initiates a PDU session establishment process and sends a PDU session establishment request message (PDU session establishment request) to the TNGF. For example, the UE sends a PDU session setup request message to the TNGF via the GTP-U tunnel. The PDU session establishment request message is control plane data, and the UE can encapsulate the PDU session establishment request message according to a GTP-U/UDP/IP encapsulation mode to obtain an encapsulated data packet and send the encapsulated data packet to the TNGF. Specifically, the UE encapsulates a GTP-U packet header outside the PDU session establishment request message, fills the TEID in the GTP-U to the TNGF TEID _1 obtained in the step S311, encapsulates a PDU packet header outside the GTP-U packet header, encapsulates an IP packet header outside the PDU packet header, and fills the source IP address and the target IP address in the IP packet header to the IP address of the UE and the TNGF IP address 1 obtained in the step S311, respectively, to obtain an encapsulated data packet. Further, after receiving the encapsulated packet, the TNGF decapsulates the encapsulated packet to obtain a PDU session establishment request message, and sends the PDU session establishment request message to the AMF, that is, executes the content shown in step S402.

Alternatively, another implementation is that the UE sends a PDU session setup request message to the TNGF via the GTP-U tunnel. The PDU session establishment request message is control plane data, and the UE may encapsulate the PDU session establishment request message in a message/GTP-U/UDP/IP encapsulation manner to obtain an encapsulated data packet, and send the encapsulated data packet to the TNGF. Specifically, the UE uses the PDU session establishment request message as a parameter of the first message; encapsulating a GTP-U packet header outside the first message, filling the TEID in the GTP-U as the TNGF TEID _1 obtained in the step S311, and indicating the message type of the first message by using a message type field in the GTP-U packet header; then, encapsulating the PDU header outside the GTP-U header, encapsulating the IP header outside the PDU header, and filling the source IP address and the target IP address in the IP header as the IP address of the UE and the TNGF IP address 1 obtained in the step S311, respectively, to obtain an encapsulated data packet. Further, after receiving the encapsulated packet, the TNGF decapsulates the encapsulated packet to obtain a PDU session establishment request message, and sends the PDU session establishment request message to the AMF, that is, executes the content shown in step S402.

S402: the TNGF sends a PDU session setup request message to the AMF. Accordingly, the AMF receives the PDU session setup request message.

S403: and the AMF network element performs a PDU session establishment process.

After receiving the PDU session establishment request message, the AMF may perform a PDU session establishment procedure by interacting with other control plane network elements (such as the AMF) and a user plane network element (UPF), where fig. 4 takes the UPF as an example.

S404: the AMF sends an N2 PDU session setup request message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the N2 PDU session setup request message.

Wherein, the N2 PDU session establishment request message includes a PDU session identification (PDU session ID). Optionally, the N2 PDU session setup request message may further include quality of service (QoS) parameters related to the PDU session, a NAS message that the PDU session setup is successful, and the like.

S405: the TNGF sends a second request message to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the second request message.

The second request message comprises the PDU session identity and TNGF TEID _2. Optionally, the second request message may further include TNGF IP address _2. Specifically, the TNGF may allocate the TEID of the TNGF to the UE according to the PDU session identifier, and send the TEID of the TNGF to the UE by carrying it in the second request message. Optionally, the TNGF may also allocate an IP address of the TNGF for the UE according to the PDU session identifier, and send the IP address of the TNGF to the UE by carrying it in the second request message. In this embodiment, the TEID of the TNGF is a TEID (i.e., TNGF TEID _ 2) of the user plane data subsequently used for transmitting the PDU session, and the IP address of the TNGF is an IP address (i.e., TNGF IP address 2) of the user plane data subsequently used for transmitting the PDU session. And after receiving the second request message, the UE stores the TNGF TEID _2 and the TNGF IP address 2 so as to send the user plane data of the PDU conversation to the TNGF through a GTP-U tunnel.

S406: the UE sends a second response message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the second response message.

The second response message includes UE TEID _2. Specifically, the UE may allocate the TEID of the UE for the TNGF, and send the TEID of the UE to the UE by carrying it in the second response message. In this embodiment, the TEID of the UE is the TEID of the user plane data subsequently used for transmitting the PDU session (i.e. UE TEID _ 2). And after receiving the second response message, the TNGF stores the UE TEID _2 so as to send the user plane data of the PDU conversation to the UE through a GTP-U tunnel.

Optionally, the second response message may further include an IP address of the UE, where the IP address may be the IP address acquired by the UE in the step S313 or an IP address acquired by the UE through another method, which is not limited in this embodiment of the application.

Through steps S405 and S406, a GTP-U tunnel may be established between the UE and the TNGF, and information of the user plane data for subsequent PDU session transmission, such as TNGF IP address 2, TNGF TEID _2, and UE TEID _2, may be negotiated. Moreover, the length of the packet header of the data packet encapsulated based on the GTP-U encapsulation mode is smaller than that of the data packet encapsulated based on the Psec encapsulation mode, so that the problems of transmission resource waste, time delay and high equipment power consumption caused by the IPsec encapsulation mode can be solved.

The UE TEID _2 is included in the second response message that the UE sends to the TNGF in step S406. In another possible implementation, the UE TEID _2 may also not be included in the second response message. For example, the UE TEID _2 may be a pre-configured fixed value. That is, the second response message may include the UE TEID _2 or may not include the UE TEID _2, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. In addition, the UE TEID _1 and the UE TEID _2 may be the same or different, and this is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

S407: the TNGF sends a NAS message that the PDU session establishment is successful to the UE. Correspondingly, the UE receives the NAS message that the PDU session is successfully established.

And the TNGF encapsulates the NAS message successfully established for the PDU session according to the encapsulation mode of GTP-U/UDP/IP to obtain an encapsulated data packet, and sends the encapsulated data packet to the UE. For a specific implementation process of step S407, reference may be made to the description of step S317, which is not described herein again.

S408: the TNGF sends an N2 PDU session setup response message to the AMF. Accordingly, the AMF receives the N2 PDU session setup response message.

After step S408, the AMF interacts with other network elements to continue the PDU session establishment procedure until the PDU session establishment is completed, and the implementation process is not described herein again.

Notably, one or more PDU sessions may be established between the TNGF and the UE. When the TNGF establishes multiple PDU sessions with the UE, the TNGF may assign multiple TNGF TEID _2 for the multiple PDUs and the UE may assign multiple UE TEID _2 for the multiple PDUs. Wherein each TNGF TEID _2 of the plurality of TNGF TEID _2 is different, i.e. the TNGF may assign different TEIDs for different PDU sessions. The multiple UE TEIDs _2 may be the same or different, i.e. the UE may assign the same TEID or different TEIDs for different PDU sessions. In order to facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, without specific explanation, the following description will take the case where the TNGF establishes a PDU session with the UE as an example.

The foregoing describes that the UE encapsulates the GTP-U header outside the load. In another possible implementation, the UE may encapsulate a GTP-U header outside the first message, and the load is a parameter of the first message (i.e. the first message includes the load). Specifically, the GTE-U packet header may further include a first message and a message type (message type) field. The message type field may be used to indicate a message type of the first message. For example, when the load is control plane data, the value of the message type field is a first value; when the load is user plane data, the value of the message type field is a second value, and the message type field can be used for indicating the message type of the first message. The first value and the second value may be the same or different.

When the first value is the same as the second value, such as both values are 255, the message type field is used to indicate that the encapsulated load in the GTP header is the user plane data or the control plane data, that is, the message type field is not changed whether the encapsulated load in the GTP header is the user plane data or the control plane data.

When the first value is different from the second value, the message type field is used to indicate a message type of a first message encapsulated by the GTP header, where the first message includes control plane data, and the control plane data is at least one of an NAS message and other parameters of the access side. In this case, the message type field (i.e., the second value) may be used to indicate a message type of the first message. For example, the second value is 256, and the message type of the first message may be a GTP-U message (GTP-U message); or, the second value is 257, and the message type of the first message may be a GTP-U request message (GTP-U request message); alternatively, the second value is 258, and the message type of the first message may be a GTP-U response message (GTP-response message), and the like, which is not limited in this embodiment of the application. By the method, the parameters between the TNGF and the UE and the control plane data can be encapsulated in a GTP-U packet header for interaction, so that the number of signaling interaction between the TNGF and the UE can be reduced, and the utilization rate of network resources is improved.

Taking the flow shown in fig. 4 as an example, fig. 5 shows another flow diagram for obtaining an IP address and a TEID for transmitting user plane data. Steps 502, S503, S504, and S507 in fig. 5 correspond to steps S402, S403, S404, and S408 in fig. 4, respectively, and are different in that:

s501: the UE sends a GTP-U message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the GTP-U message.

The GTP-U message comprises a PDU session establishment request message. The UE initiates a PDU session establishment procedure, and the UE may encapsulate the PDU session establishment request message according to the encapsulation method in step S401, that is, the PDU session establishment request message is encapsulated in a GTP-U packet header, the GTP-U packet header is encapsulated in a UDP packet header, and the UDP packet header is encapsulated in an IP packet header. In this case, the message type field in the GTP-U packet header may be 255.

Or, in this embodiment, the UE may also use the PDU session setup request message as a parameter of the first message, and encapsulate the first message according to the encapsulation manner of the message/GTP-U/UDP/IP. Wherein, the first message can be a GTP-U message. Specifically, the UE encapsulates the PDU session establishment request message in a GTP-U message; encapsulating a GTP-U packet header outside a GTP-U message, and filling a message type field in the GTP-U packet header into 256; and then encapsulating a UDP header outside the GTP-U header and encapsulating an IP header outside the UDP header. In this case, the message type field in the GTP-U packet header may be 256.

Wherein, TEID in GTP-U packet header is TNGF TEID-1, and destination IP address in IP packet header is TNGF IP address 1.

Correspondingly, the TNGF may determine that the received uplink information is control plane data according to at least one of the TEID in the GTP-U packet header and the destination IP address in the IP packet header. Further, when the message type field is 255, the TNGF may determine that the content carried by the GTP-U packet header is control plane data; when the message type field is 256, the TNGF may determine that the content carried in the GTP-U packet header is a GTP-U message, and then the TNGF continues to analyze the GTP-U message to obtain control plane data (i.e., a PDU session establishment request message).

S505: the TNGF sends a GTP-U request message to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the GTP-U request message.

The GTP-U request message comprises an NAS message of successful PDU session establishment and TNGF IP address 2 and TNGF TEID _2 used for transmitting user plane data of the PDU. The TNGF may use the NAS message in which the PDU session establishment is successful as a parameter of the third message, and encapsulate the third message in an encapsulation manner of message/GTP-U/UDP/IP. In this embodiment, the third message may be a GTP-U request message. For example, the TNGF may encapsulate the NAS message that the PDU session establishment was successful, TNGF IP address 2, and TNGF TEID _2 in the GTP-U request message; encapsulating a GTP-U packet header outside the GTP-U request message, and filling a message type field in the GTP-U packet header into 257; and then encapsulating a UDP header outside the GTP-U header and encapsulating an IP header outside the UDP header. Wherein, the TEID in the GTP-U packet header is UE TEID-1, the destination IP address in the IP packet header is TNGF IP address 1.

Correspondingly, the UE may determine that the received downlink information is control plane data according to at least one of the TEID in the GTP-U packet header and the source IP address in the IP packet header. The message type field is 257, the UE can determine that the content carried by the GTP-U packet header is a GTP-U request message, and then the UE continues to analyze the GTP-U request message to obtain control plane data (i.e., NAS message for successful PDU session establishment) and parameters (i.e., TNGF IP address 2 and TNGF TEID _ 2).

S506: the UE sends a GTP-U response message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the GTP-U response message.

The GTP-U response message includes the UE TEID _2. The UE may also encapsulate UE TEID _2 in a GTP-U response message, encapsulate the GTP-U response message in a GTP-U header, encapsulate the GTP-U header in a UDP header, and encapsulate the UDP header in an IP header. In this case, the message type field in the GTP-U packet header may be 258. Wherein, TEID in GTP-U packet header is TNGF TEID-1, and destination IP address in IP packet header is TNGF IP address 1.

Correspondingly, the TNGF may determine that the received uplink information is control plane data according to at least one of the TEID in the GTP-U packet header and the destination IP address in the IP packet header. The message type field is 258, the TNGF can determine that the content carried by the GTP-U packet header is a GTP-U response message, and then the TNGF continues to analyze the GTP-U response message to obtain a parameter (i.e., UE TEID _ 2).

The foregoing describes the UE sending a first packet to the TNGF via a GTP-U tunnel. After the TNGF receives the first packet, the contents shown in step S202 to step S204 may be executed.

S202: the TNGF determines whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of an IP address of the TNGF and a TEID of the TNGF. If the TNGF determines that the first load is user plane data, the TNGF executes the contents shown in step S203; if the TNGF determines that the first load is control plane data, the TNGF performs the process shown in step S204.

And after receiving the first data packet, the TNGF analyzes the first data packet to obtain the IP address of the TNGF, the TEID of the TNGF and the first load in the first data packet. Further, the TNGF may determine whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of an IP address of the TNGF and a TEID of the TNGF. Specifically, the TNGF may determine whether the first load is the control plane data or the user plane data by comparing the IP address of the TNGF in the first packet with the TNGF IP address 1 in the step S311 and the TNGF IP address 2 in the step S405, or comparing the TNGF TEID in the first packet with the TNGF TEID _1 in the step S311 and the TNGF TEID _2 in the step S405.

For example, the TEID of the TNGF is TNGF TEID _1, the TNGF may determine that the first load is control plane data; or if the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 1, the TNGF may determine that the first load is control plane data; alternatively, if the TEID of the TNGF is TNGF TEID _1 and the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 1, the TNGF may determine that the first load is control plane data.

For another example, if the TEID of the TNGF is TNGF TEID _2, the TNGF may determine that the first load is user plane data; or if the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 2, the TNGF may determine that the first load is user plane data; alternatively, the TEID of the TNGF is TNGF TEID _2 and the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 2, the TNGF may determine that the first payload is user plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, the first IP packet header includes an IP address of the UE, and the TNGF may determine the identity information of the UE according to the IP address of the UE and a correspondence between the IP address of the UE and the identity information of the UE, and determine context information of the UE according to the identity information of the UE. The context information of the UE includes identification information of the UE, an N2 interface identification of the UE, N2 interface information, N3 interface information, and the like. The N2 interface information may be used to determine a control plane network element that establishes an N2 connection for the UE, and the N3 interface information may be used to determine a user plane network element that establishes an N3 connection for the UE. For example, the first load is control plane data, and the TNGF may determine, according to the context information of the UE, a control plane network element that establishes an N2 connection for the UE, and then send the first load to the control plane network element through the N2 connection (fig. 2 takes the control plane network element as an AMF as an example). For another example, the first load is user plane data, and the TNGF may determine, according to the context information of the UE, a user plane network element that establishes an N3 connection for the UE, and then send the first load to the user plane network element through the N3 connection (fig. 2 takes the user plane network element as an UPF as an example).

S203: the TNGF sends a first payload to the UPF. Accordingly, the UPF receives the first load.

After the TNGF determines that the first payload is user plane data, the TNGF may send the first payload to the UPF over the N3 connection.

S204: the TNGF sends a first payload to the AMF. Accordingly, the AMF receives the first load.

After the TNGF determines that the first load is control plane data, the TNGF may send the first load to the AMF over the N2 connection.

The above steps S201 to S204 describe a specific implementation process of the TNGF distinguishing whether the uplink information is control plane data or user plane data in the uplink direction. Next, a specific implementation flow of the UE distinguishing whether the downlink information is control plane data or user plane data in the downlink direction will be described with reference to steps S205a to S208.

S205a: the UPF sends the second payload to the TNGF. Or, S205b: the AMF sends a second payload to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the second load.

Wherein the second payload may be user plane data or control plane data. For example, when the second payload is user plane data, the TNGF may receive the second payload from the UPF over the N3 connection, as shown in step S205 a. For another example, the second load is control plane data, and the TNGF may receive the second load from the control plane network element (fig. 2 takes the AMF as an example) through the N2 connection, as shown in step S205 b.

It should be understood that step S205b is an optional step, indicated by the dashed line in fig. 2. For example, when the second load is control plane data, the second load may be control plane data received by the TNGF from another control plane network element, or the TNGF itself may generate the control plane data.

S206: the TNGF generates a second packet based on the second payload.

The second data packet comprises a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header and a second load. For example, the second payload encapsulates a second GTP-U packet header, the second GTP-U packet header encapsulates a second UDP packet header, and the second UDP packet header encapsulates a second IP packet header. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate a second GTP-U packet header outside the second load, encapsulate a second UDP packet header outside the second GTP-U packet header, and encapsulate a second IP packet header outside the second UDP packet header, to obtain a second data packet.

The second IP packet header includes a destination IP address and a source IP address, which are the IP address of the UE and the IP address of the TNGF, respectively. The second GTP-U header includes the TEID of the UE. The IP address of the TNGF may be an IP address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data (denoted as TNGF IP address 1), or an IP address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting user plane data (denoted as TNGF IP address 2). The TEID of the UE may be the TEID allocated by the UE for transmitting control plane data (denoted as UE TEID _ 1) or the TEID allocated by the UE for transmitting user plane data (denoted as UE TEID _ 2). At least one of the IP address of the TNGF and the TEID of the UE may be used to identify whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data.

For example, when the second load is control plane data, the TEID of the UE is the TEID allocated by the UE for transmission of the control plane data. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill the TEID in the GTP-U packet header as UE TEID _1, so as to indicate that the second load is control plane data.

Alternatively, when the second payload is control plane data, the IP address of the TNGF is an IP address that the TNGF allocates for transporting the control plane data. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill a source IP address in the IP packet header as TNGF IP address 1 to indicate that the second load is control plane data.

Alternatively, when the second load is the control plane data, the TEID of the UE is the TEID allocated by the UE for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the TNGF is the IP address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting the control plane data. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill the TEID in the GTP-U packet header as the UE TEID _1, and fill the source IP address in the IP packet header as the TNGF IP address 1, so as to indicate that the second load is control plane data.

For another example, when the second payload is user plane data, the TEID of the UE is the TEID allocated by the UE for transmitting the user plane data. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill the TEID in the GTP-U packet header as the UE TEID _2, so as to indicate that the second load is user plane data.

Alternatively, when the second payload is user plane data, the IP address of the TNGF is an IP address assigned by the TNGF for transmitting user plane data. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load according to an encapsulation manner of GTP-U/UDP/IP, and fill the source IP address in the IP packet header as TNGF to TNGF IP address 2 to indicate that the second load is user plane data.

Or, when the second payload is user plane data, the TEID of the UE is the TEID allocated by the UE for transmitting the user plane data, and the IP address of the TNGF is the IP address allocated by the TNGF for transmitting the user plane data. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load in a GTP-U/UDP/IP encapsulation manner, and fill the TEID in the GTP-U packet header as the UE TEID _2, and fill the source IP address in the IP packet header as the TNGF IP address 2, so as to indicate that the second load is user plane data.

S207: the TNGF sends a second packet to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the second data packet.

For example, the TNGF sends the second packet to the UE through the GTP-U tunnel.

S208: the UE determines whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the TNGF and a TEID of the UE.

And after receiving the second data packet, the UE analyzes the second data packet to obtain the IP address of the TNGF, the TEID of the UE and the second load in the second data packet. Further, the UE may determine whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the TNGF and a TEID of the UE. Specifically, the UE may determine whether the second load is the control plane data or the user plane data by comparing the IP address of the TNGF in the second packet with the TNGF IP address 1 in the step S311 and the TNGF IP address 2 in the step S405, or comparing the UE TEID in the second packet with the UE TEID _1 in the step S312 and the UE TEID _2 in the step S406.

For example, the TEID of the UE is UE TEID _1, the UE may determine that the second load is control plane data; or, if the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 1, the UE may determine that the second load is control plane data; alternatively, the TEID of the UE is UE TEID _1 and the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 1, the UE may determine that the second load is control plane data.

For another example, if the TEID of the UE is UE TEID _2, the UE may determine that the second load is user plane data; or, if the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 2, the UE may determine that the second load is user plane data; alternatively, the TEID of the UE is UE TEID _2 and the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 2, then the UE may determine that the second payload is user plane data.

Example two

Fig. 14 shows a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. In this embodiment, the first load and the second load are both control plane data. As shown in fig. 14, the present embodiment describes the communication method provided by the present embodiment from the downlink direction and the uplink direction, respectively.

For convenience of understanding, the TEID allocated by the TNGF to the transport control plane data is hereinafter referred to as TNGF TEID _1, and the IP address allocated by the TNGF to the transport control plane data is hereinafter referred to as TNGF IP address 1. For convenience of description, a GTP-U packet header is encapsulated outside the load, a UDP packet header is encapsulated outside the GTP-U packet header, and an encapsulation method in which an IP packet header is encapsulated outside the UDP packet header is denoted as GTP-U/UDP/IP.

Steps S1401 to S1410 and S1411 to S1414 in this embodiment are respectively the same as steps S301 to S310 and S313 to S316 in fig. 3, except that:

s1415: the TNGF generates a second packet.

The second data packet comprises a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header and a second load. In this embodiment, the second payload is a registration-completed NAS message. For example, a second GTP-U packet header is encapsulated outside the NAS message after the registration is completed, a second UDP packet header is encapsulated outside the second GTP-U packet header, and a second IP packet header is encapsulated outside the second UDP packet header. For example, after receiving the N2 connection establishment response message, the TNGF decapsulates the message to obtain a registered NAS message, and encapsulates the registered NAS message according to a GTP-U/UDP/IP encapsulation method to obtain a second data packet. Specifically, the TNGF encapsulates a second GTP-U packet header outside the NAS message after the registration is completed, encapsulates a second UDP packet header outside the second GTP-packet header, and encapsulates a second IP packet header outside the second UDP packet header, thereby obtaining a second data packet.

The second IP packet header includes a destination IP address and a source IP address, where the destination IP address and the source IP address are an IP address of the UE and an IP address of the TNGF, respectively. The second GTP-U packet header includes the TEID of the TNGF. In this embodiment, the second payload is a NAS message for which registration is completed, that is, the second payload is control plane data. The TNGF IP address is TNGF IP address 1. And the TEID of TNGF is TNGF TEID _1.

Illustratively, after receiving the N2 connection establishment response message, the TNGF analyzes the N2 connection establishment response message to obtain an NAS message for which registration is completed; and determining to establish a GTP-U tunnel with the UE according to the indication information received in step S1410, and determining to send a registration-completed NAS message to the UE through the GTP-U tunnel. Specifically, the TNGF may allocate an IP address of the TNGF and a TEID of the TNGF for the UE, fill the IP address of the TNGF and the TEID of the TNGF in the second IP packet header and the second GTP-U packet header, respectively, and encapsulate the NAS message after registration in a GTP-U/UDP/IP encapsulation manner to obtain the second data packet. In this embodiment, the IP address of the TNGF allocated by the TNGF for the UE is an IP address (i.e., TNGF IP address 1) subsequently used for transmitting control plane data; the TEID of the TNGF allocated by the TNGF for the UE is the TEID subsequently used for transmitting control plane data (i.e., TNGF TEID _ 1). Optionally, the TNGF may further determine a DSCP to be subsequently used for transmitting the control plane data, and send the DSCP to the UE by carrying the DSCP in the second data packet.

It is noted that the IP address of the UE may include an IP address for transmitting control plane data (denoted as UE IP address 1) and an IP address for transmitting user plane data (denoted as UE IP address 2). The manner of acquiring the IP address of the UE may refer to the related description of step S313, and is not described herein again. The UE IP address 1 and the UE IP address 2 may be the same or different, and this is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

Similarly, the IP address of the TNGF may include an IP address for transmitting control plane data (denoted as TNGF IP address 1) and an IP address for transmitting user plane data (denoted as TNGF IP address 2). The TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF IP address 2 may be the same or different, and this is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

S1416: the TNGF sends a second packet to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the second data packet.

S1417: the UE stores TNGF IP address 1 and TNGF TEID _1.

For example, the UE may determine that the TNGF IP address 1 is an IP address for transmitting control plane data and TNGF TEID _1 is a TEID for transmitting control plane data, and store the TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF TEID _1. For example, after receiving the second packet, the UE decapsulates the second packet to obtain the TNGF IP address 1, the TNGF TEID _1, and the second payload. In this embodiment, the second payload is a registration-completed NAS message. Further, the UE may determine that the TNGF IP address 1 is an IP address for transmitting control plane data and that the TNGF TEID _1 is a TEID for transmitting control plane data according to the NAS message for registration completion, and store the TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF TEID _1, so that the UE may subsequently transmit the control plane data to the TNGF through a GTP-U tunnel based on the TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF TEID _1. Optionally, the UE parses the second data packet, may further obtain a DSCP, and stores the DSCP, so that the subsequent UE sends the control plane data to the TNGF through the GTP-U tunnel based on the DSCP.

In one possible implementation, after step S1417, the TNGF may send a fourth packet to the UE based on the TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF TEID _1, the fourth packet including a fourth payload that is control plane data. For example, the TNGF fills the TNGF IP address 1 and TNGF TEID _1 in the IP packet header and the GTP-U packet header, respectively, and encapsulates the fourth load according to the GTP-U/UDP/IP encapsulation method to obtain a fourth data packet, and the GTP-U tunnel sends the fourth data packet to the TNGF.

Correspondingly, after receiving the fourth data packet, the UE parses the fourth data packet to obtain the IP address of the TNGF, the TEID of the TNGF, and the fourth load in the fourth data packet. The UE may determine whether the fourth load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of an IP address of the TNGF and a TEID of the TNGF. In this embodiment, the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 1 and the TEID of the TNGF is TNGF TEID _1. Further, the UE may determine that the fourth load is control plane data according to the TNGF IP address 1, or according to the TNGF TEID _1, or according to the TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF TEID _1.

In another possible embodiment, the UE may also determine whether the fourth load is control plane data or user plane data by analyzing the fourth load. That is, for the UE side, the UE may determine whether the fourth load is control plane data or user plane data through at least one of the IP address of the TNGF and the TEID of the TNGF, or may determine whether the fourth load is control plane data or user plane data through analyzing the fourth load, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

In the downlink direction introduced in the foregoing step S1414 to step S1417, the TNGF sends the TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF TEID _1 to the UE through the NAS message that the registration is completed, so that the UE obtains the IP address and TEID allocated by the TNGF for transmitting the control plane data. In this way, the TNGF does not need to allocate the TNGF IP address 1 and TNGF TEID _1 to the UE through other messages (e.g., the extended authentication request message or the 5G notification message in step S311), which can reduce signaling interaction between the TNGF and the UE and improve the utilization rate of network resources. During subsequent communications, the TNGF may send control plane data to the UE through the GTP-U tunnel based on TNGF IP address 1 and TNGF TEID _1. Next, referring to the uplink direction with reference to steps S1418 to S1420, the UE sends control plane data to the TNGF through the GTP-U tunnel based on the TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF TEID _1.

S1418: the UE sends a first data packet to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the first packet.

The UE may send the first data packet to the TNGF via the GTP-U tunnel. The first data packet comprises a first IP packet header, a first GTP-U packet header and a first load. In this embodiment, the first payload is control plane data, such as a NAS message (e.g. a PDU session establishment request, etc.). For example, the first payload is encapsulated with a first GTP-U packet header, the first GTP-U packet header is encapsulated with a first UDP packet header, and the first UDP packet header is encapsulated with a first IP packet header. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load with a first GTP-U packet header, encapsulate the first UDP packet header outside the first GTP-packet header, encapsulate the first IP packet header outside the first UDP packet header, obtain a first data packet, and send the first data packet to the TNGF through the GTP-U tunnel.

The first IP packet header comprises a destination IP address and a source IP address, wherein the destination IP address and the source IP address are respectively an IP address of the TNGF and an IP address of the UE. The first GTP-U packet header includes the TEID of the TNGF. In this embodiment, the IP address of the TNGF is an IP address (denoted as TNGF IP address 1) that the TNGF allocates for transmitting control plane data; and the TEID of the TNGF is a TEID (denoted as TNGF TEID _ 1) that the TNGF allocates for transmission control plane data. For example, the UE determines that the first load sent to the TNGF is control plane data. Further, the UE may fill the first IP packet header and the first GTP-U packet header according to the TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF TEID _1 obtained in step S1417, encapsulate the first load according to a GTP-U/UDP/IP encapsulation method, obtain a first data packet, and send the first data packet to the TNGF.

S1419: the TNGF determines that the first load is control plane data based on at least one of TNGF IP address 1 and TNGF TEID _1.

And after receiving the first data packet, the TNGF analyzes the first data packet to obtain the IP address of the TNGF, the TEID of the TNGF and the first load in the first data packet, and determines whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the IP address of the TNGF and the TEID of the TNGF. In this embodiment, the IP address of the TNGF is TNGF IP address 1 and the TEID of the TNGF is TNGF TEID _1. Further, the TNGF may determine that the first load is control plane data based on the TNGF IP address 1, or based on the TNGF TEID _1, or based on the TNGF IP address 1 and the TNGF TEID _1.

S1420: the TNGF sends a first payload to the AMF. Accordingly, the AMF receives the first load.

EXAMPLE III

Fig. 6 shows a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 6, the present embodiment introduces the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application from the uplink direction and the downlink direction, respectively.

For convenience of description, a Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol header is encapsulated outside the load, and an encapsulation manner in which an IP header is encapsulated outside the GRE protocol header is denoted as GRE/IP.

S601: the UE sends a first data packet to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the first packet.

The UE may send the first packet to the TNGF via the GRE tunnel. The first data packet includes a first GRE protocol header and a first payload. For example, a GRE protocol header is encapsulated outside the first load, and a first IP header is encapsulated outside the first GRE protocol header. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate a first GRE protocol packet header outside the first load, encapsulate a first IP packet header outside the first GRE protocol packet header, obtain a first data packet, and send the first data packet to the TNGF through the GRE tunnel.

The first IP packet header comprises a destination IP address and a source IP address, wherein the destination IP address and the source IP address are respectively an IP address of the TNGF and an IP address of the UE. The first GRE protocol header includes a first GRE key and a first protocol type field. Fig. 7 shows an exemplary diagram of a GRE protocol header. As shown in fig. 7, the GRE protocol header includes 8 octets (octets). Wherein, octet 1 of GRE protocol header includes check bit, key bit and sequence number bit; octet 2 of the GRE protocol header includes a version number (version); octet 3-4 of the GRE protocol header is the protocol type field; the octet 5-8 of the GRE protocol header is the GRE key. The check bit is used for indicating whether a checksum (checksum) field is inserted into the GRE protocol header, and if the check bit takes the value of 0, the check bit indicates that the checksum field is not inserted into the GRE protocol header; if the check bit value is 1, it indicates that the header of the GRE protocol is inserted with the checksum field. The key bit is used for indicating whether a GRE key is inserted into the GRE protocol header, if the value of the key bit is 0, the GRE key is not inserted into the GRE protocol header; if the value of the key bit is 1, it means that the GRE key is inserted into the header of the GRE protocol.

The first GRE key may be a key allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data, or the first GRE key includes a PDU session identification. The first protocol type field may be used to indicate that the first load is control plane data. At least one of the first GRE key and the first protocol type field may be used to identify whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data.

For example, the first load is control plane data, and the first GRE key is a key allocated by the TNGF for transmitting the control plane data. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to a GRE/IP encapsulation manner, and fill a GRE key in a GRE protocol header as a key allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data, so as to indicate that the first load is the control plane data.

Alternatively, the first load is control plane data and the first protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is control plane data. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to the encapsulation manner of GRE/IP, and use a protocol type field in a header of the GRE protocol to indicate that the first load is control plane data. The protocol type field may be predefined, or pre-negotiated between the UE and the TNGF, and the like, which is not limited in this embodiment.

Alternatively, the first load is control plane data, the first GRE key is a key allocated by the TNGF for transmitting the control plane data, and the first protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is the control plane data. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to a GRE/IP encapsulation manner, fill a GRE key in a GRE protocol header as a key allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data, and use a protocol type field in the GRE protocol header to indicate that the first load is control plane data.

As another example, the first payload is user plane data for a PDU session and the first GRE key includes an identification of the PDU session. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to a GRE/IP encapsulation manner, and fill a GRE key in a GRE protocol header as a PDU session identifier, so as to indicate that the first load is user plane data of the PDU session. FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary diagram of a GRE key. As shown in FIG. 8, the UE can fill in octet 6 of the GRE key as the PDU session identity. In addition, octet 5 of the GRE key includes a QoS flow identification (QoS flow ID, QFI) for identifying the QoS flow in the PDU session; octet 8 of the GRE key includes a Reflective QoS Indicator (RQI) for QoS control of the packet.

As mentioned above, the UE can identify whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data through the GRE key field or the protocol type field in the GRE protocol header. In one possible implementation, the UE may obtain a key allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data by negotiating with the TNGF. For example, the UE may receive a first request message from the TNGF that includes a key allocated by the TNGF for transmission of control plane data. Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for acquiring a keyword for transmitting control plane data according to an embodiment of the present application. Steps S901 to S910 and S913 to S916 in fig. 9 are the same as steps S301 to S310 and S313 to S316 in fig. 3, respectively, except that:

s911: the TNGF sends a first request message to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the first request message.

The first request message may be an extended authentication request message or a 5G notification message. The first request message includes the TNGF IP address 1, GRE key, and DSCP for transmitting control plane data. And after the TNGF receives the indication information, the TNGF determines that the IPsec tunnel does not need to be established with the UE. Further, the TNGF may determine to establish a GRE tunnel with the UE. Specifically, the TNGF allocates, to the UE, a TNGF IP address 1, a GRE key, and a DSCP used for transmitting control plane data, and carries the TNGF IP address 1, the GRE key, and the DSCP in an extended authentication request message (or a 5G notification message) to send to the UE. After receiving the extended authentication request message (or 5G notification message), the UE stores the TNGF IP address 1, GRE key, and DSCP, so as to subsequently send control plane data to the TNGF through the GRE tunnel.

Optionally, the first request message may further include a TNGF IP address 2 for transmitting user plane data. For example, the TNGF may allocate, in the registration procedure, a TNGF IP address 2 for transmitting the user plane data to the UE, for example, the TNGF IP address 2 is carried in the first request message and sent to the UE, or the TNGF may also allocate, in the PDU session establishment procedure, the TNGF IP address 2 for transmitting the user plane data to the UE, as shown in step S405.

S912: the UE sends a first response message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the first response message.

The first response message may be an extended authentication response message or a 5G notification message. For example, the UE may send a first response message to the TNGF after receiving the first request message.

S917: the TNGF sends a third packet to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the third data packet.

And after receiving the N2 connection establishment response message, the TNGF decapsulates the message to obtain a registered NAS message, encapsulates the registered NAS message according to a GRE/IP encapsulation mode to obtain a third data packet, and sends the third data packet to the UE. Specifically, the TNGF encapsulates a GRE protocol packet header outside the NAS message after registration is completed, and fills a GRE key in the GRE protocol packet header as a keyword allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data (and/or, a protocol type field of the GRE protocol packet header indicates that the GRE protocol packet header includes control plane data); and encapsulating an IP packet header outside the GRE protocol packet header, and filling a source IP address and a destination IP address in the IP packet header into a TNGF IP address 1 and an IP address of the UE respectively to obtain a third data packet.

The foregoing describes the UE sending a first packet to the TNGF over a GRE tunnel. After the TNGF receives the first packet, the contents shown in steps S602 to S604 may be executed.

S602: the TNGF determines whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of the first GRE key and the first protocol type field. If the TNGF determines that the first load is user plane data, the TNGF executes the contents shown in step S603; if the TNGF determines that the first load is control plane data, the TNGF performs the process shown in step S604.

And after receiving the first data packet, the TNGF analyzes the first data packet to obtain a first GRE key, a first protocol type field and a first load in the first data packet. Further, the TNGF may determine whether the first payload is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of the first GRE key and the first protocol type field. For example, the TNGF may determine whether the first load is the control plane data by comparing the first GRE key with the GRE key acquired in the foregoing step S911.

For example, if the first GRE key is the GRE key obtained in step S911, the TNGF may determine that the first load is control plane data; alternatively, the first protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is control plane data, the TNGF may determine that the first load is control plane data; alternatively, if the first GRE key is the GRE key obtained in the foregoing step S911 and the first protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is control plane data, the TNGF may determine that the first load is control plane data. For another example, if the first GRE key includes a PDU session identifier, the TNGF may determine that the first payload is user plane data for the PDU session.

In a possible implementation manner, the first IP packet header includes an IP address of the UE, and the TNGF may determine the identity information of the UE according to the IP address of the UE and a correspondence between the IP address of the UE and the identity information of the UE, and determine context information of the UE according to the identity information of the UE, where the specific implementation process may refer to the description corresponding to the foregoing step S202, and is not described herein again.

S603: the TNGF sends a first payload to the UPF. Accordingly, the UPF receives the first load.

S604: the TNGF sends a first payload to the AMF. Accordingly, the AMF receives the first load.

After the TNGF determines that the first payload is user plane data, the TNGF may send the first payload to the AMF over the N2 connection.

The above steps S601 to S604 describe a specific implementation procedure in which the TNGF distinguishes whether the uplink information is control plane data or user plane data in the uplink direction. Next, a specific implementation flow of the UE distinguishing whether the downlink information is control plane data or user plane data in the downlink direction will be described with reference to steps S605a to S608.

S605a: the UPF sends the second payload to the TNGF. Or, S605b: the AMF sends a second payload to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the second load.

For the specific implementation process of step S605a and step S605b, reference may be made to the description corresponding to step S205a and step S205b, which is not described herein again.

S606: the TNGF generates a second packet.

The second data packet includes a second GRE protocol header and a second payload. For example, the second load encapsulates a second GRE protocol header, and the second GRE protocol header encapsulates a second IP header. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate a second GRE protocol packet header outside the second load, and encapsulate a second IP packet header outside the second GRE protocol packet header, to obtain a second data packet, and send the second data packet to the UE through the GRE tunnel.

The second IP packet header includes a destination IP address and a source IP address, which are the IP address of the UE and the IP address of the TNGF, respectively. The second GRE protocol header includes a second GRE key and a second protocol type field. The second GRE key may be a key allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data, or the second GRE key may include a PDU session identification. The second protocol type field may be used to indicate that the second load is control plane data. At least one of the second GRE key and the second protocol type field may be used to identify whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data.

For example, when the second load is control plane data, the second GRE key is a key that the TNGF allocates for transporting the control plane data. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load according to a GRE/IP encapsulation manner, and fill a GRE key in a GRE protocol packet header as a keyword allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data, so as to indicate that the second load is the control plane data.

Alternatively, when the second load is control plane data, the second protocol type field is used to indicate that the second load is control plane data. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load according to the GRE/IP encapsulation method, and use the protocol type field in the GRE protocol header to indicate that the second load is the control plane data.

Alternatively, when the second load is the control plane data, the second GRE key is a key allocated by the TNGF for transmitting the control plane data, and the second protocol type field is used to indicate that the second load is the control plane data. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load in a GRE/IP encapsulation manner, fill a GRE key in a GRE protocol header as a key allocated by the TNGF for transmitting control plane data, and use a protocol type field in the GRE protocol header to indicate that the second load is control plane data.

For another example, when the second payload is user-plane data for a PDU session, the second GRE key includes the PDU session identification. Specifically, the TNGF may encapsulate the second load according to a GRE/IP encapsulation method, and fill a GRE key in a GRE protocol header as a PDU session identifier, so as to indicate that the second load is user plane data of the PDU session.

S607: the TNGF sends a second packet to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the second data packet.

For example, the TNGF sends a second packet to the UE through the GRE tunnel.

S608: the UE determines whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of the second GRE key and the second protocol type field.

And after receiving the second data packet, the UE analyzes the second data packet to obtain a second GRE key, a second protocol type field and a second load in the second data packet. Further, the UE may determine whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the second GRE key and the second protocol type field. For example, the UE may determine whether the first load is the control plane data by using the second GRE key and the GRE key obtained in the foregoing step S911.

For example, if the second GRE key is the GRE key obtained in the foregoing step S911, the UE may determine that the second load is control plane data; or, the second protocol type field is used to indicate that the second load is control plane data, the UE may determine that the second load is control plane data; alternatively, if the second GRE key is the GRE key obtained in the foregoing step S911 and the second protocol type field is used to indicate that the second load is control plane data, the UE may determine that the second load is control plane data. For another example, if the second GRE key includes a PDU session identifier, the UE can determine that the second payload is user-plane data for the PDU session.

Example four

Fig. 10 shows a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 10, the present embodiment describes a communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application from an uplink direction and a downlink direction, respectively.

For convenience of description, the load is encapsulated in a GRE protocol header, and an encapsulation mode of encapsulating the GRE protocol header in an IP header is denoted as GRE/IP; encapsulating the load in a TCP packet header, and recording the encapsulation mode of encapsulating the TCP packet header in an IP packet header as TCP/IP; and encapsulating the load in a GRE protocol header, encapsulating the GRE protocol header in a TCP header, and marking the encapsulation mode of encapsulating the TCP header in the IP header as GRE/TCP/IP.

S1001: the UE sends the first load to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the first load.

The first load is encapsulated with a first TCP packet header, and the first TCP packet header is encapsulated with a first IP address. For example, the UE may encapsulate a first TCP header outside the first payload, encapsulate a first IP header outside the first TCP header to obtain an encapsulated first payload, and send the encapsulated first payload to the TNGF via the PCT connection. The first TCP header includes a source port number and a destination port number, where the source port number and the destination port number are a TCP port number of the UE and a TCP port number of the TNGF, respectively. The TCP port number of the UE is the port number allocated by the UE for transmitting control plane data. The TCP port number of the TNGF is the port number that the TNGF assigns for transmission of control plane data.

Or, a first GRE protocol header is encapsulated outside the first load, and a first IP address is encapsulated outside the first GRE protocol header. For example, the UE may encapsulate a first GRE protocol header outside the first load, encapsulate a first IP header outside the first GRE protocol header, obtain an encapsulated first load, and send the encapsulated first load to the TNGF through the GRE tunnel. The GRE key in the first GRE protocol header comprises a PDU session identification.

The encapsulation mode of the first load comprises that the first load is encapsulated in a first TCP packet header or comprises that the first load is encapsulated in a first GRE protocol packet header. The encapsulation of the first load may be used to identify whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data. For example, when the first payload is control plane data, the first payload is encapsulated with a first TCP header. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to an encapsulation manner of TCP \ IP, and fill a source port number and a destination port number in the TCP header as a TCP port number of the UE and a TCP port number of the TNGF, respectively, so as to identify that the first load is control plane data. For another example, when the first payload is user plane data, the first payload is encapsulated with a first GRE protocol header. Specifically, the UE may encapsulate the first load according to a GRE/IP encapsulation manner, and fill a GRE key in a GRE protocol header as a PDU session identifier, so as to identify that the first load is user plane data of the PDU session.

In one possible implementation, a GRE tunnel may be established between the UE and the TNGF, and the GRE tunnel is used for transmitting user plane data. For example, in step 1001, the first payload is user plane data of a PDU session, and the UE may send a first packet to the TNGF through a GRE tunnel. The first load is externally packaged with a first GRE protocol header, and the GRE key of the first GRE protocol header comprises a PDU session identifier.

In another possible implementation, a TCP connection may be established between the UE and the TNGF, the TCP connection being used for transporting control plane data. For example, in step 1001, the first payload is control plane data, and the UE may send a first packet to the TNGF over the TCP connection. The TCP connection between the UE and the TNGF may be established in the following two ways.

In mode 1, an end-to-end TCP connection is established between the ue and the TNGF, denoted as TCP connection 1.

The IP header in the data packet transmitted over the TCP connection 1 includes IP addresses of the UE and the TNGF. For example, in step 1001, the UE may send a first packet to the TNGF through the TCP connection 1, where a source IP address and a destination IP address of a first IP header of the first packet are an IP address of the UE and an IP address of the TNGF, respectively. In mode 1, data packets between the UE and the TNGF are transmitted through at the access node.

In the mode 2, a TCP connection is established between the UE and the access node and is marked as a TCP connection 2; and the access node establishes a TCP connection with the TNGF, and the TCP connection is marked as a TCP connection 3.

Wherein, the IP address included in the IP header of the data packet transmitted on the TCP connection 2 is the IP address of the UE and the IP address of the access node. The IP header in the data packets transmitted on the TCP connection 3 comprises an IP address which is the IP address of the access node and the IP address of the TNGF. For example, in step 1001, the UE may send the first payload to the TNGF over TCP connection 2 and TCP connection 3. Specifically, the UE encapsulates a TCP header outside the first load, encapsulates an IP header outside the TCP header, fills a source IP address and a destination IP address of the IP header into an IP address of the UE and an IP address of the access node, respectively, obtains an encapsulated first load 1, and sends the encapsulated first load 1 to the access node through a TCP connection 2; the access node receives the encapsulated first load 1 and analyzes the first load to obtain a first load; the access node encapsulates a GRE protocol packet header outside the first load, encapsulates the GRE protocol packet header in a TCP packet header, encapsulates an IP packet header outside the TCP packet header, and fills a source IP address and a destination IP address of the IP packet header into an IP address of the access node and an IP address of the TNGF respectively to obtain an encapsulated first load 2, and sends the encapsulated first load 2 to the TNGF through a TCP connection 3. The GRE key in the GRE protocol header is a keyword distributed to the UE by the access node.

When the TCP connection is established between the UE and the TNGF by adopting the mode 2, the UE firstly encapsulates control plane data according to the encapsulation mode of TCP/IP in the uplink direction and sends the encapsulated control plane data to an access node through the TCP connection 2; and after receiving the control plane data, the access node encapsulates the control plane data according to a GRE/TCP/IP encapsulation mode, and sends the encapsulated control plane data to the TNGF through the TCP connection 3. In the downlink direction, the TNGF encapsulates the control surface data according to an encapsulation mode of GRE/TCP/IP, and sends the encapsulated control surface data to an access node through a TCP connection 3; after receiving the control plane data, the access node encapsulates the control plane data according to a TCP/IP encapsulation manner, and sends the encapsulated control plane data to the UE through the TCP connection 2.

When the TCP connection is established between the UE and the TNGF by using the above method 2, the first load may be encapsulated with a first TCP header: and a third GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the first load, and a first TCP packet header is encapsulated outside the third GRE protocol packet header. That is, the access node encapsulates the third GRE protocol header outside the first load, encapsulates the first TCP header outside the third GRE protocol header, and encapsulates the first IP header outside the first TCP header. And the GRE key in the third GRE protocol header is a keyword distributed by the access node for the UE and is marked as the third GRE key.

In one possible implementation, the UE may obtain a port number for transmitting the control plane data allocation by negotiating with the TNGF. For example, the UE may receive a first request message from the TNGF that includes a port number allocated by the TNGF for transmission of control plane data. Fig. 11 shows a flowchart of a method for obtaining a port number used for transmitting control plane data according to an embodiment of the present application. Steps S1101 to S1110, S1113, S1116 and S1117 in fig. 11 correspond to steps S301 to S310, S313, S315 and S316 in fig. 3, respectively, and the difference is that:

s1111: the TNGF sends a first request message to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the first request message.

The first request message may be an extended authentication request message or a 5G notification message. The first request message includes TNGF IP address 1 for transmitting control plane data and a TCP port number of the TNGF. And after the TNGF receives the indication information, the TNGF determines that the IPsec tunnel is not required to be established with the UE. Further, the TNGF may determine to establish a TCP connection with the UE. Specifically, the TNGF allocates, to the UE, a TNGF IP address 1 and a TCP port number of the TNGF for transmitting control plane data, and carries the TNGF IP address 1 and the TCP port number of the TNGF in the extended authentication request message (or the 5G notification message) and sends them to the UE. And after receiving the extended authentication request message (or the 5G notification message), the UE stores the TNGF IP address 1 and the TCP port number of the TNGF so as to send control plane data to the TNGF through a TCP connection subsequently.

S1112: the UE sends a first response message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the first response message.

The first response message may be an extended authentication response message or a 5G notification message. For example, the UE may send a first response message to the TNGF after receiving the first request message. Optionally, the first response message may include a TCP port number of the UE.

S1114: the access node sends a second message to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the second message.

The second message includes a corresponding relationship between the IP address of the UE and the identification information of the UE, or includes a corresponding relationship between the third GRE key and the identification information of the UE, or includes a corresponding relationship between the IP address of the UE and the identification information of the UE and a corresponding relationship between the third GRE key and the identification information of the UE. The second message may be an AAA message. For example, the access node may allocate a GRE key for the UE, record the GRE key as a third GRE key, and send the correspondence between the third GRE key and the identity information of the UE to the TNGF by carrying the correspondence in the AAA message. After receiving the second message, the TNGF stores the corresponding relationship between the third GRE key and the identification information of the UE, so that, after the TNGF subsequently receives the uplink information (control plane data) through the TCP connection 3, the TNGF can determine the identification information of the UE that sends the uplink information according to the corresponding relationship between the third GRE key and the identification information of the UE. Table 2 shows an example of a correspondence relationship between the GRE key maintained by the TNGF and the identification information of the UE. As shown in table 2, the TNGF establishes connections with three UEs, where the identification information of the UE corresponding to GRE key 1 is identification information 1, the identification information of the UE corresponding to GRE key 2 is identification information 2, and the identification information of the UE corresponding to GRE key 3 is identification information 3. It is understood that table 2 is not limited to the specific implementation of the correspondence relationship between the GRE key maintained by the TNGF and the identity information of the UE, as an example.

TABLE 2

GRE key	Identity information of a UE
		GRE key
1	Identification information 1
		GRE key2	Identification information	2
GRE key 3	Identification information 3

Step S1114 is an optional step, and is indicated by a dotted line in fig. 11. For example, the TNGF may also obtain a correspondence between the GRE key and the identity information of the UE through other manners, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. In addition, the corresponding relationship between the IP address of the UE and the identification information of the UE reported by the access node to the TNGF may refer to the content corresponding to the step S314, which is not described herein again.

S1115: and establishing a TCP connection between the UE and the TNGF.

The UE initiates a TCP connection to the TNGF, and a TCP connection is established between the UE and the TNGF and is used for transmitting control plane data. The TCP connection between the UE and the TNGF may be established in the foregoing two manners, which are not described herein again.

S1118: the UE sends the third payload to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the third load.

When the third load is user plane data, the UE may send the third load to the TNGF through the GRE tunnel, and for a specific implementation process, reference is made to the related description of step S1001, which is not described herein again. When the third load is control plane data, the UE may send the third load to the TNGF through the TCP connection 1 (or the TCP connection 2 and the TCP connection 3), and for a specific implementation process, reference is made to the related description of the step S1001, which is not described herein again.

In a possible implementation manner, when the third load is control plane data, a TCP header is encapsulated outside the third encapsulation, and a source port number and a destination port number of the TCP header are a TCP port number of the UE and a TCP port number of the TNGF, respectively. And after receiving the encapsulated third load, the TNGF analyzes the third load to obtain and store the TCP port number of the UE so as to send control plane data to the UE through TCP connection in the following process.

The foregoing describes the UE sending a first payload to the TNGF. After the TNGF receives the first load, the contents shown in step S1102 to step S1104 may be executed.

S1002: the TNGF determines whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to the encapsulation mode of the first load. If the TNGF determines that the first load is the user plane data, the TNGF executes the contents shown in step S1003; if the TNGF determines that the first load is control plane data, the TNGF performs the process shown in step S1004.

And after receiving the first data packet, the TNGF analyzes the first data packet to obtain an encapsulation mode of the first load. Further, the TNGF may determine whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to an encapsulation manner of the first load. For example, if the first load is encapsulated with a first TCP header, the TNGF may determine that the first load is control plane data; or, the third GRE protocol header is encapsulated outside the first load, and the third GRE protocol header is encapsulated in the first TCP header, the TNGF may determine that the first load is control plane data, where the GRE key of the third GRE protocol header includes the third GRE key. For another example, if the first payload encapsulates a first GRE protocol header, and the GRE key in the first GRE protocol header includes a PDU session identifier, the TNGF may determine that the first payload is user plane data for the PDU session.

In another possible implementation manner, the first load is control plane data, the first load is encapsulated in a third GRE protocol packet header, that is, the TNGF receives the first load of the UE through the TCP connection 1 and the TCP connection 2, and the TNGF may determine the identity information of the UE according to the GRE key in the third GRE protocol packet header and the correspondence between the GRE key and the identity information of the UE, and determine the context information of the UE according to the identity information of the UE. The context information of the UE includes identification information of the UE, an identification of an N2 interface of the UE, N2 interface information, and N3 interface information. The N2 interface information may be used to determine a control plane network element that establishes an N2 connection for the UE. For example, the TNGF may determine, according to the context information of the UE, a control plane network element that establishes an N2 connection for the UE, and then send the first load to the control plane network element through the N2 connection (fig. 2 takes the control plane network element as an AMF as an example).

S1003: the TNGF sends a first payload to the UPF. Accordingly, the UPF receives the first load.

S1004: the TNGF sends a first payload to the AMF. Accordingly, the AMF receives the first load.

After the TNGF determines that the first payload is user-plane data, the TNGF may send the first payload to the AMF over the N2 connection.

The above steps S1001 to S1004 introduce a specific implementation procedure that the TNGF distinguishes whether the uplink information is control plane data or user plane data in the uplink direction. Next, a specific implementation flow of the UE distinguishing whether the downlink information is control plane data or user plane data in the downlink direction will be described with reference to steps S605a to S608.

S1005a: the UPF sends the second payload to the TNGF. Or, S1005b: the AMF sends a second payload to the TNGF. Accordingly, the TNGF receives the second load.

For the specific implementation processes of step S1005a and step S1005b, reference may be made to the corresponding descriptions of step S205a and step S205b, which are not described herein again.

S1006: the TNGF sends the second payload to the UE. Accordingly, the UE receives the second load.

And when the second load is the control plane data, a second TCP header is encapsulated outside the second load. For example, the TNGF may encapsulate a second TCP header outside the second payload, encapsulate a second IP header outside the second TCP header to obtain an encapsulated second payload, and send the encapsulated second payload to the UE through the TCP connection. The second TCP header includes a source port number and a destination port number, where the source port number and the destination port number are a TCP port number of the TNGF and a TCP port number of the UE, respectively. The second IP packet header includes a source IP address and a destination IP address, which are the TNGF IP address 1 and the IP address of the UE, respectively.

Or, when the second load is control plane data, the second load is encapsulated with a fourth GRE protocol packet header, and the second load is encapsulated with a second TCP packet header. For example, the TNGF may encapsulate a fourth GRE protocol packet header outside the second load, encapsulate a second TCP packet header outside the fourth GRE protocol packet header, and encapsulate a second IP packet header outside the second TCP packet header, to obtain an encapsulated second load, and then send the encapsulated second load to the access node through the TCP connection 3, and the access node forwards the second load to the UE. And the GRE key of the fourth GRE protocol header comprises the third GRE key. The second TCP header includes a source port number and a destination port number, which are the TCP port number of the TNGF and the TCP port number of the UE, respectively. The second IP packet header includes a source IP address and a destination IP address, which are the TNGF IP address 1 and the IP address of the UE, respectively.

Or, when the second load is user plane data, the second load is encapsulated with a second GRE protocol header. For example, the TNGF may encapsulate a second GRE protocol header outside the second load, encapsulate a second IP header outside the second GRE protocol header, obtain an encapsulated second load, and send the encapsulated second load to the UE through the GRE tunnel. And the GRE key in the second GRE protocol header comprises a PDU session identification. The second IP packet header includes a source IP address and a destination IP address, which are the TNGF IP address 1 and the IP address of the UE, respectively.

S1007: and the UE determines whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to the encapsulation mode of the second load.

And after receiving the packaged second load, the UE analyzes the second load to obtain a packaging mode of the second load. Further, the UE may determine that the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to the encapsulation manner of the second load. For example, the second load is encapsulated with a second TCP header, the UE may determine that the second load is control plane data. For another example, where the second payload is encapsulated with a second GRE protocol header, the UE may determine that the second payload is user plane data.

Through the above description of the present application, it can be understood that each device described above includes a corresponding hardware structure and/or software module for performing each function in order to implement the functions described above. Those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software, with the exemplary elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein. Whether a function is performed as hardware or computer software drives hardware depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present invention.

The method provided by the embodiment of the present application is described in detail above with reference to fig. 1a to 1c and fig. 2 to 11. The device provided by the embodiment of the application is described in detail below with reference to fig. 12 and 13. It should be understood that the description of the apparatus embodiments and the description of the method embodiments may correspond to each other. Therefore, reference may be made to the description in the above method examples for what is not described in detail.

Fig. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a communication apparatus 1200 provided in an embodiment of the present application, and includes a communication unit 1201 and a processing unit 1202. The communication unit 1201 is used for communication with the outside, and may also be referred to as a communication interface, a transmitting and receiving unit, an input or output interface, or the like. The processing unit 1202 may read data or instructions in the storage unit so that the communication apparatus 1200 implements the method in the above-described embodiments.

In one example, communications apparatus 1200 can be an access gateway or a chip in an access gateway.

For example, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a first data packet from a terminal, where the first data packet includes a first IP packet header, a first GTP-U packet header, and a first payload, the first IP packet header includes an IP address of the access gateway, and the first GTP-U packet header includes a TEID of the access gateway. The processing unit 1202 is configured to determine that the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the access gateway and a TEID of the access gateway.

In one possible implementation, the processing unit 1202 is configured to perform one or more of the following:

when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, determining that the first payload is the user plane data.

Or, when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, determining that the first load is the user plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the first load is the control plane data.

Or when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, determining that the first load is the user plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, the first GTP-U packet header further includes a message type field, the first data packet further includes a first message, and the first message includes the first payload; the message type field is to indicate a message type of the first message when the first load is the control plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, before an access gateway receives a first data packet from a terminal, the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a first request message to the terminal, where the first request message includes a TEID of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data. Optionally, the communication unit 1201 may be further configured to receive a first response message from the terminal, where the first response message includes a TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is a TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data.

In one possible implementation, the method may further include: the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a second request message to the terminal, where the second request message includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier and a TEID of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway to user plane data of the PDU session. Optionally, the communication unit 1201 may be further configured to receive a second response message from the terminal, where the second response message includes the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal to the user plane data of the PDU session.

In a possible implementation manner, the second request message further includes an IP address of the access gateway, where the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for the user plane data of the PDU session.

In a possible implementation manner, before the access gateway receives the first packet from the terminal, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive indication information from an access and mobility management function network element, where the indication information is used to indicate that an ipsec tunnel does not need to be established between the access gateway and the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, the first IP packet further includes an IP address of the terminal, and the processing unit 1202 is configured to determine the identification information of the terminal according to the IP address of the terminal and a correspondence between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal; and determining the context information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a second message from an access node, where the second message includes a correspondence between an IP address of the terminal and identification information of the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a second data packet to the terminal, where the second data packet includes a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header, and a second load, the second IP packet header includes an IP address of the access gateway, and the second GTP-U packet header includes a TEID of the terminal; when the second load is the control plane data, the TEID of the terminal is a TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the second load is the user plane data, the TEID of the terminal is a TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the user plane data, and/or the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is further configured to send a second data packet to the terminal, where the second data packet includes a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header, and a second load, the second IP packet header includes an IP address of the access gateway, and the second GTP-U packet header includes a TEID of the access gateway; the second load is the control plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

For another example, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a first data packet from a terminal, where the first data packet includes a first Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol header and a first payload, and the first GRE protocol header includes a first GRE keyword and a first protocol type field. Processing unit 1202 is configured to determine whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of the first GRE key and the first protocol type field.

and when the first GRE keyword is a keyword distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the first protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is the control plane data, determining that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the first GRE keyword is a keyword allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data and the first protocol type field is used for indicating that the first load is the control plane data, determining that the first load is the control plane data.

Alternatively, when the first GRE key includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identification, the first payload is determined to be user plane data of the PDU session.

In a possible implementation manner, before the access gateway receives a first packet from the terminal, the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a first request message to the terminal, where the first request message includes an internet protocol address of the access gateway and a keyword allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, before the access gateway receives the first packet from the terminal, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive indication information from an access and mobility management function network element, where the indication information is used to indicate that an internetworking security protocol tunnel does not need to be established between the access gateway and the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, the first data packet further includes a first IP packet header, where the first IP packet header includes an IP address of the terminal, and the processing unit 1202 is configured to determine the identification information of the terminal according to the IP address of the terminal and a corresponding relationship between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal; and determining the context information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a second data packet to the terminal, where the second data packet includes a second GRE protocol header and a second payload, and the second GRE protocol header includes a second GRE keyword and a second protocol type field; wherein, when the second load is the control message, the second GRE key is a key allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the second protocol type field is used for indicating that the second load is the control plane data; alternatively, when the second payload is user plane data for a PDU session, the second GRE key includes the PDU session identification.

For another example, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a first payload from a terminal, where the first payload is encapsulated with a first Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) header or the first payload is encapsulated with a first Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol header. The processing unit 1202 is configured to determine that the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to a packaging manner of the first load.

In a possible implementation manner, the first TCP header includes a port number allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and a GRE key in the first GRE protocol header includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier.

when the first TCP header is encapsulated outside the first load, determining that the first load is the control plane data.

Or, when the first load is externally encapsulated with the first GRE protocol header, determining that the first load is user plane data of a PDU session.

In a possible implementation manner, the first load is encapsulated in the first TCP packet header, and may be: and a third GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the first load, and the third GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated in the first TCP packet header.

In a possible implementation manner, the third GRE protocol packet header includes a third GRE keyword, where the third GRE keyword is a keyword allocated by an access node to the terminal, and the processing unit 1202 is configured to determine the identifier information of the terminal according to the third GRE keyword and a correspondence between the third GRE keyword and the identifier information of the terminal; and determining the context information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a second message from an access node, where the second message includes a correspondence between the third GRE keyword and the identification information of the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, a first internet interconnection protocol header is encapsulated outside the first TCP header, or a first IP header is encapsulated outside the first GRE protocol header, where the first IP header includes an IP address of the terminal, and the processing unit 1202 is configured to determine the identification information of the terminal according to the IP address of the terminal and a correspondence between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal; and determining the context information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, before an access gateway receives a first payload from a terminal, the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a first request message to the terminal, where the first request message includes a port number of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, where the port number of the access gateway is a port number allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, the first request message includes an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting user plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, before the access gateway receives the first payload from the terminal, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive indication information from an access and mobility management function network element, where the indication information is used to indicate that an ipsec tunnel does not need to be established between the access gateway and the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a second load to the terminal, where the second load is encapsulated with a second TCP packet header, or the second load is encapsulated with a second GRE protocol packet header; when the second load is the control plane data, the second load is encapsulated with the second TCP packet header, and the second TCP packet header includes a port number allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the second load is user plane data of the PDU, a second GRE protocol header is encapsulated outside the second load, and a GRE keyword in the second GRE protocol header includes the PDU session identifier.

In a possible implementation manner, the second load is encapsulated with the second TCP header, and may be: and a fourth GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the second load, and the second TCP packet header is encapsulated outside the fourth GRE protocol packet header, wherein GRE keywords in the fourth GRE protocol packet header are keywords distributed to the terminal by the access node.

In another example, the communication apparatus 1200 may be a terminal or a chip in a terminal.

For example, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a second data packet from an access gateway, the second data packet comprising a second Internet Protocol (IP) header, a second general packet radio service tunneling protocol-user plane (GTP-U) header, and a second payload, the second IP header comprising an IP address of the access gateway, the second GTP-U header comprising a Tunnel Endpoint Identification (TEID) of the terminal or a Tunnel Endpoint Identification (TEID) of the access gateway. The processing unit 1202 is configured to determine that the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the IP address of the access gateway and the TEID of the terminal, or according to at least one of the IP address of the access gateway and the TEID of the access gateway.

and when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the user plane data, determining that the second load is the user plane data.

Or, when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, determining that the second load is the user plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the user plane data and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, determining that the second load is the user plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, the second GTP-U packet header further includes a message type field, the second data packet further includes a third message, and the third message includes the second payload; the message type field is to indicate a message type of the third message when the second load is the control plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, before the terminal receives the second data packet from the access gateway, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a first request message from the access gateway, where the first request message includes a TEID of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data. Optionally, the communication unit 1201 may be further configured to send a first response message to the access gateway, where the first response message includes the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a second request message from the access gateway, where the second request message includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier and a TEID of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for user plane data of the PDU session. Optionally, the communication unit 1201 may be further configured to send a second response message to the access gateway, where the second response message includes the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal to the user plane data of the PDU session.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a first data packet to the access gateway, where the first data packet includes a first IP packet header, a first GTP-U packet header, and a first payload, the first IP packet header includes an IP address of the access gateway, and the first GTP-U packet header includes a TEID of the access gateway; when the first load is the control plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the first load is the user plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, and/or the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data.

when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the second load is the control plane data.

Also for example, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a second data packet from the access gateway, the second data packet including a second Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol header and a second payload, the second GRE protocol header including a second GRE key and a second protocol type field. Processing unit 1202 is configured to determine that the second load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of the second GRE key and the second protocol type field.

and when the second GRE keyword is a keyword distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, determining that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the second protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is the control plane data, determining that the second load is the control plane data.

Or, when the second GRE key is a key allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data and the second protocol type field is used for indicating that the first load is the control plane data, determining that the second load is the control plane data.

Alternatively, when the second GRE key includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identification, it is determined that the second payload is user plane data for the PDU session.

In a possible implementation manner, before the terminal receives the second data packet from the access gateway, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a first request message from the access gateway, where the first request message includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the access gateway and the second GRE keyword, where the second GRE keyword is a keyword allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a first data packet to the access gateway, where the first data packet includes a first GRE protocol header and a first payload, and the first GRE protocol header includes a first GRE keyword and a first protocol type field; wherein, when the first load is the control message, the first GRE key is a key allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the first protocol type field is used for indicating that the first load is the control plane data; alternatively, when the first payload is user plane data for a PDU session, the first GRE key includes the PDU session identification.

For another example, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a second payload from an access gateway, where the second payload is encapsulated with a second Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) packet header or the second payload is encapsulated with a second Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol packet header. The processing unit 1202 is configured to determine that the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to a packaging manner of the second load.

In a possible implementation manner, the second TCP header includes a port number allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data, and a GRE key in the second GRE protocol header includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier.

when the second load is encapsulated with the second TCP header, determining that the second load is the control plane data.

Or when the second load is encapsulated with the second GRE protocol header, determining that the first load is the user plane data of the PDU session.

In a possible implementation manner, the second load encapsulates the second TCP header, and includes: and a fourth GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the second load, and the second TCP packet header is encapsulated outside the fourth GRE protocol packet header, wherein GRE keywords in the fourth GRE protocol packet header are keywords distributed to the terminal by the access node.

In a possible implementation manner, before the terminal receives the second payload from the access gateway, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a first request message from the access gateway, where the first request message includes a port number of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, where the port number of the access gateway is a port number allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, the first request message further includes an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting user plane data.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a first load to the access gateway, where the first load is encapsulated with a first TCP packet header or the first load is encapsulated with a first GRE protocol packet header; when the first load is the control plane data, the first load is externally packaged with the first TCP packet header, where the first TCP packet header includes a port number allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the first payload is user plane data of a PDU, a first GRE protocol header is encapsulated outside the first payload, and a GRE keyword in the first GRE protocol header includes the PDU session identifier.

In a possible implementation manner, the first load is externally encapsulated with the first TCP header, and may be: and a third GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the first load, the first TCP packet header is encapsulated outside the third GRE protocol packet header, and GRE keywords in the third GRE protocol packet header are keywords distributed to the terminal by an access node.

In another example, the communications apparatus 1200 may also be an access node or a chip in an access node.

For example, the communication unit 1201 is configured to receive a first load from a terminal, where the first load is encapsulated with a first TCP header; and sending the first load to an access gateway, wherein a third GRE protocol packet header is encapsulated outside the first load, and the third TCP packet header is encapsulated outside the third GRE protocol packet header.

In a possible implementation manner, the third GRE protocol packet header includes a third GRE keyword, where the third GRE keyword is a keyword that is allocated by the access node to the terminal, and the third GRE keyword is used to determine the identification information of the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, the processing unit 1202 is configured to allocate a third GRE keyword to the terminal; the communication unit 1201 is configured to send a second message to the access gateway, where the second message includes a correspondence between the third GRE keyword and the identification information of the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication unit 1201 is further configured to send a second message to the access gateway, where the second message includes a correspondence between an IP address of the terminal and identification information of the terminal.

In a possible implementation manner, a first IP packet header is encapsulated outside the first TCP packet header, a source address in the first IP packet header is an IP address of the terminal, and a destination address in the first IP packet header is an IP address of the access node; and a third IP packet header is encapsulated outside the third TCP packet header, a source address in the third IP packet header is an IP address of the access node, and a destination address in the first IP packet header is an IP address of the access gateway.

In another example, the communication apparatus 1200 may also be an access and mobility management network element or a chip in an access and mobility management network element.

For example, the processing unit 1202 is configured to determine, according to at least one of a type of the terminal and a service type of the terminal, that an IPsec tunnel does not need to be established between the terminal and the access gateway. The communication unit 1201 is configured to send indication information to the access gateway, where the indication information is used to indicate that the IPsec tunnel does not need to be established between the terminal and the access gateway.

It should be understood that the division of the units in the above devices is only a division of logical functions, and the actual implementation may be wholly or partially integrated into one physical entity or may be physically separated. And the units in the device can be realized in the form of software called by the processing element; or may be implemented entirely in hardware; part of the units can also be realized in the form of software called by a processing element, and part of the units can be realized in the form of hardware. For example, each unit may be a processing element separately set up, or may be implemented by being integrated into a chip of the apparatus, or may be stored in a memory in the form of a program, and a function of the unit may be called and executed by a processing element of the apparatus. In addition, all or part of the units can be integrated together or can be independently realized. The processing element described herein may in turn be a processor, which may be an integrated circuit having signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, the steps of the method or the units above may be implemented by integrated logic circuits of hardware in a processor element or in a form called by software through the processor element.

In one example, the units in any of the above apparatuses may be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the above methods, such as: one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or one or more microprocessors (DSPs), or one or more Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), or a combination of at least two of these integrated circuit forms. As another example, when a unit in a device may be implemented in the form of a processing element scheduler, the processing element may be a general-purpose processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or other processor capable of invoking programs. As another example, these units may be integrated together and implemented in the form of a system-on-a-chip (SOC).

The above communication unit 1201 is an interface circuit of the apparatus for receiving or transmitting a signal from or to another apparatus. For example, when the device is implemented in the form of a chip, the communication unit 1201 is an interface circuit for the chip to receive a signal from another chip or device, or an interface circuit to transmit a signal to another chip or device.

Referring to fig. 13, a schematic diagram of a communication device 1300 provided in an embodiment of the present application, the communication device 1300 includes a processor 1310 and an interface 1330. Optionally, the communications apparatus 1300 can also include a memory 1320. Interface 1330 is used to enable communication with other devices. The interface 1330 may also be a communication module, transceiver unit, transceiver module, or communication circuit, etc.

The method performed by the terminal, access gateway, or access node in the above embodiments may be implemented by the processor 1310 calling a program stored in the memory. I.e., a terminal, access gateway, or access node, may include a processor 1310 that invokes a program in memory to perform the method performed by the terminal, access gateway, or access node in the method embodiments described above. The processor 1310 may be an integrated circuit having signal processing capability, such as a CPU. A terminal, access gateway, or access node may be implemented by one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the above methods. For example one or more ASICs or one or more microprocessors DSP or one or more FPGAs etc. or a combination of at least two of these integrated circuit forms.

Specifically, the functions/implementation procedures of the communication unit 1201 and the processing unit 1202 in fig. 12 can be implemented by the processor 1310 in the communication device 1300 shown in fig. 13 calling the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 1320. Alternatively, the function/implementation procedure of the processing unit 1202 in fig. 12 may be implemented by the processor 1310 in the communication device 1300 shown in fig. 13 calling a computer executing instruction stored in the memory 1320, and the function/implementation procedure of the communication unit 1201 in fig. 12 may be implemented by the interface 1330 in the communication device 1300 shown in fig. 13.

It should be understood that, in the various embodiments of the present application, the sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes do not mean the execution sequence, and the execution sequence of the processes should be determined by their functions and inherent logic, and should not constitute any limitation to the implementation process of the embodiments of the present invention.

The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by a computer, implements the functionality implemented by the UE, TNGF, access node, or AMF of the above embodiments.

The present application also provides a computer program product which, when executed by a computer, implements the functionality implemented by the UE, TNGF, access node, or AMF of the above embodiments.

The present application further provides a chip system, where the chip system includes at least one processor and an interface circuit, and the processor is configured to execute instruction and/or data interaction through the interface circuit, so that a device in which the chip system is located implements functions implemented by the UE, the TNGF, the access node, or the AMF in the foregoing embodiments. The chip system may be formed by a chip, and may also include a chip and other discrete devices.

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

In the above embodiments, the implementation may be wholly or partially realized by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When loaded and executed on a computer, cause the processes or functions described in accordance with the embodiments of the application to occur, in whole or in part. The computer may be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a network of computers, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer readable storage medium to another computer readable storage medium, for example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital Subscriber Line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device including one or more available media integrated servers, data centers, and the like. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid State Disk (SSD)), among others.

The various illustrative logical units and circuits described in this application may be implemented or operated upon by design of a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a digital signal processor core, or any other similar configuration.

The steps of a method or algorithm described in the embodiments herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software element executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. The software cells may be stored in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. For example, a storage medium may be coupled to the processor such the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC.

These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

In one or more exemplary designs, the functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination of the three. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media that facilitate transfer of a computer program from one place to another. Storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. For example, such computer-readable media can include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store program code in the form of instructions or data structures and which can be read by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Additionally, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium, and, thus, is included if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source over a coaxial cable, fiber optic computer, twisted pair, digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or wirelessly, e.g., infrared, radio, and microwave. Such discs (disks) and disks (discs) include compact disks, laser disks, optical disks, digital Versatile Disks (DVDs), floppy disks and blu-ray disks, where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while disks usually reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above may also be included in the computer-readable medium.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that in one or more of the examples described above, the functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.

The above-mentioned embodiments, objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application are further described in detail, it should be understood that the above-mentioned embodiments are only examples of the present application, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, and any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements and the like made on the basis of the technical solutions of the present application should be included in the scope of the present application. The foregoing description of the specification may enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the teachings of the present application, and any modifications based on the disclosed teachings should be considered as obvious in the art, and the general principles described herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments and designs described, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

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

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

an access gateway receiving a first data packet from a terminal, the first data packet comprising a first Internet Protocol (IP) header, a first general packet radio service tunneling protocol-user plane (GTP-U) header, and a first payload, the first IP header comprising an IP address of the access gateway, the first GTP-U header comprising a Tunnel Endpoint Identification (TEID) of the access gateway;

the access gateway determines whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the access gateway and a TEID of the access gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, by the access gateway, that the first load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the access gateway and a TEID of the access gateway comprises:

when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the user plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the user plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

and when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the user plane data.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first GTP-U packet header further comprises a message type field, the first data packet further comprises a first message, and the first message comprises the first payload;

the message type field is to indicate a message type of the first message when the first load is the control plane data.

4. The method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein before the access gateway receives the first data packet from the terminal, the method further comprises:

the access gateway sends a first request message to the terminal, wherein the first request message comprises a TEID of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data;

the access gateway receives a first response message from the terminal, wherein the first response message comprises the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:

the access gateway sends a second request message to the terminal, wherein the second request message comprises a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier and a TEID of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID distributed by the access gateway for user plane data of the PDU session;

and the access gateway receives a second response message from the terminal, wherein the second response message comprises the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for the user plane data of the PDU session.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second request message further comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and wherein the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for user plane data of the PDU session.

7. The method according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein before the access gateway receives the first data packet from the terminal, the method further comprises:

the access gateway receives indication information from an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, wherein the indication information is used for indicating that an internet protocol security (IPsec) tunnel does not need to be established between the access gateway and the terminal.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first IP header further comprises an IP address of the terminal, the method further comprising:

the access gateway determines the identification information of the terminal according to the IP address of the terminal and the corresponding relation between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal;

and the access gateway determines the context information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

and the access gateway receives a second message from an access node, wherein the second message comprises the corresponding relation between the IP address of the terminal and the identification information of the terminal.

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

the access gateway sends a second data packet to the terminal, wherein the second data packet comprises a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header and a second load, the second IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the second GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the terminal;

when the second load is the control plane data, the TEID of the terminal is a TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the second load is the user plane data, the TEID of the terminal is a TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the user plane data, and/or the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the access gateway sends a second data packet to the terminal, wherein the second data packet comprises a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header and a second load, the second IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the second GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the access gateway; the second load is the control plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

12. A method of communication, the method comprising:

the terminal receiving a second data packet from the access gateway, the second data packet comprising a second Internet Protocol (IP) header, a second general packet radio service tunneling protocol-user plane (GTP-U) header and a second payload, the second IP header comprising an IP address of the access gateway, the second GTP-U header comprising a Tunnel Endpoint Identification (TEID) of the terminal;

and the terminal determines that the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the IP address of the access gateway and the TEID of the terminal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the terminal determines whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the access gateway and a TEID of the terminal, comprising:

when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for transmitting the user plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the user plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second liquid crystal display panels may be,

when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the user plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID allocated by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data and the IP address of the access network is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

and when the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for transmitting the user plane data and the IP address of the access network is the IP address distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the user plane data.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the second GTP-U packet header further comprises a message type field, wherein the second data packet further comprises a third message, and wherein the third message comprises the second payload;

the message type field is to indicate a message type of the third message when the second load is the control plane data.

15. The method according to any of claims 12 to 14, wherein before the terminal receives the second data packet from the access gateway, the method further comprises:

the terminal receives a first request message from the access gateway, wherein the first request message comprises a TEID of the access gateway and an IP address of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data;

and the terminal sends a first response message to the access gateway, wherein the first response message comprises the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for transmitting the control plane data.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising:

the terminal receives a second request message from the access gateway, wherein the second request message comprises a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identifier and a TEID of the access gateway, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID distributed by the access gateway for user plane data of the PDU session;

and the terminal sends a second response message to the access gateway, wherein the second response message comprises the TEID of the terminal, and the TEID of the terminal is the TEID distributed by the terminal for the user plane data of the PDU session.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second request message further comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and wherein the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for user plane data of the PDU session.

18. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 17, further comprising:

the terminal sends a first data packet to the access gateway, wherein the first data packet comprises a first IP packet header, a first GTP-U packet header and a first load, the first IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the first GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the access gateway;

when the first load is the control plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, when the first load is the user plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, and/or the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data.

19. A method of communication, comprising:

a terminal generates a first data packet, wherein the first data packet comprises a first Internet Protocol (IP) packet header, a first general packet radio service tunneling protocol-user plane (GTP-U) and a first load, the first IP packet header comprises an IP address of an access gateway, and the first GTP-U packet header comprises a Tunnel Endpoint Identification (TEID) of the access gateway; the first load is control plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data; or, the first load is user plane data, the IP address of the access gateway is an IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data, and the TEID of the access gateway is a TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data;

and the terminal sends a first data packet to the access gateway.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

the terminal receives a second data packet from the access gateway, wherein the second data packet comprises a second IP packet header, a second GTP-U packet header and a second load, the second IP packet header comprises an IP address of the access gateway, and the second GTP-U packet header comprises a TEID of the access gateway.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

the terminal determines that the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of the IP address of the access gateway and the TEID of the access gateway; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

and the terminal determines that the second load is control plane data or user plane data by analyzing the second load.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the terminal determines whether the second load is control plane data or user plane data according to at least one of an IP address of the access gateway and a TEID of the access gateway, comprising:

when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID distributed by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

and when the TEID of the access gateway is the TEID allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and the IP address of the access gateway is the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the terminal determines that the second load is the control plane data.

23. The method according to any of claims 19 to 22, wherein the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data is the same as the IP address allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the user plane data.

24. A method of communication, comprising:

an access gateway receives a first data packet from a terminal, wherein the first data packet comprises a first Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) protocol header and a first load, and the first GRE protocol header comprises a first GRE keyword and a first protocol type field;

the access gateway determines whether the first load is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of the first GRE key and the first protocol type field.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein determining by the access gateway that the first payload is control plane data or user plane data based on at least one of the first GRE key and the first protocol type field comprises:

when the first GRE keyword is a keyword allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the first protocol type field is used to indicate that the first load is the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the first GRE key is a key allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data and the first protocol type field is used for indicating that the first load is the control plane data, the access gateway determines that the first load is the control plane data; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

when the first GRE key includes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session identification, the access gateway determines that the first payload is user plane data for the PDU session.

26. The method of claim 24 or 25, wherein before the access gateway receives the first data packet from the terminal, the method further comprises:

the access gateway sends a first request message to the terminal, wherein the first request message comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the access gateway and a keyword allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data.

27. The method according to any of claims 24 to 26, wherein before the access gateway receives the first data packet from the terminal, the method further comprises:

28. The method according to any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the first data packet further comprises a first IP packet header, the first IP packet header comprising an IP address of the terminal, the method further comprising:

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

30. The method of any one of claims 24 to 29, further comprising:

the access gateway sends a second data packet to the terminal, wherein the second data packet comprises a second GRE protocol packet header and a second load, and the second GRE protocol packet header comprises a second GRE keyword and a second protocol type field;

wherein, when the second load is the control message, the second GRE key is a key allocated by the access gateway for transmitting the control plane data, and/or the second protocol type field is used for indicating that the second load is the control plane data; alternatively, when the second payload is user plane data for a PDU session, the second GRE key includes the PDU session identification.

31. A communications apparatus comprising a memory, and one or more processors, the memory coupled with the one or more processors;

the memory for storing a computer program or instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communication apparatus to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 11 or cause the communication apparatus to perform the method of any of claims 24 to 30.

32. A communications apparatus comprising a memory and one or more processors, the memory coupled with the one or more processors;

the memory for storing a computer program or instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communications apparatus to perform the method of any of claims 12 to 18 or cause the communications apparatus to perform the method of any of claims 19 to 23.

33. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 11 or cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 24 to 30.

34. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 12 to 18, or cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 19 to 23.