CN116801227A

CN116801227A - Communication method, device and system

Info

Publication number: CN116801227A
Application number: CN202210967015.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 夏林瑾; 尤正刚; 姜传奎
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-03-18
Filing date: 2022-08-11
Publication date: 2023-09-22

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, a communication device and a communication system. Wherein the method comprises the following steps: if the first SMF network element deployed at the UE access place does not support the target DNAI, the first SMF network element transmits the target DNAI to the AMF network element so as to determine the address of the second SMF network element deployed at the location where the UE signs up for service through the AMF network element, and the AMF network element transmits the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element or the AMF network element transmits the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element to enable the two parties to establish contact; or the first SMF network element determines the address of the second SMF network element and establishes contact with the second SMF network element, so that the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can autonomously negotiate a target DNAI which the UE requests to access. The scheme of the application can still continuously access the service of the local area network where the subscribed service is located when the UE moves out of the subscribed service location.

Description

Communication method, device and system

The present application claims priority from chinese patent office, application number 202210271758.3, application name "communication method, apparatus and system," filed at 18, 2022, 03, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The embodiment of the application relates to the field of communication, and more particularly relates to a communication method, device and system.

Background

In the current technology, if a service subscribed by a User Equipment (UE) is in a home location, and the subscribed home location service is deployed in a local area network. When the UE moves out of home to access, for example, moves across provinces to visit and saves time, the location of the UE at the access is no longer within the service area of the session management function (session management function, SMF) network element of the place where the UE signs up for service, and is not reachable by the public network for the lan, resulting in that the UE cannot continue to access the lan service at the place where the sign up service is located.

Therefore, how to enable the UE to continue to access the lan service of the subscription service location when the UE moves out of the subscription service location is a technical problem to be solved.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, a device and a system, which can enable a User Equipment (UE) to continuously access local area network service of a subscription service place when the UE moves out of the subscription service place.

In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to a first SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location, and the first SMF network element does not support a target data network access identifier DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, and the method includes: the target DNAI is sent to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, and is used for determining the address of a second SMF network element which is deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service; receiving one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element and sent by the second SMF network element, where the one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element include the target DNAI; and sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

It should be understood that, in the embodiment of the present application, the target DNAI may be an access identifier of a local area network where the UE subscribed service is located, and the first SMF network element not supporting the target DNAI refers to that the first SMF network element does not support DNAI corresponding to the local area network where the UE subscribed service is located.

The scheme of the application can be applied to the following scenes: the current location of the UE is not in the service area of the SMF network element where the UE subscribed to the service (i.e. the UE subscribed to the service and the current location of the UE are not in the same SMF POOL), but still needs to access the lan service where the UE subscribed to the service.

It should be understood that the first SMF network element sends a target DNAI to the AMF network element, and the target DNAI is used to determine the address of the second SMF network element, so that after the AMF network element receives the target DNAI, the address of the second SMF network element may be determined according to the target DNAI. After the AMF network element confirms the address of the second SMF network element, a connection between the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can be established, so that the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can autonomously negotiate a target DNAI for the UE to request access. Specifically, the autonomous negotiation may be performed by: the first SMF network element may receive one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element and sent by the second SMF network element, where the one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element include the target DNAI; the first SMF network element sends the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

Optionally, after the first SMF network element receives the one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element sent by the second SMF network element, it may be determined that the target DNAI is supported by the second SMF network element based on an intersection of the one or more DNAIs with the target DNAI.

In the embodiment of the application, when the first SMF network element deployed at the UE access place does not support the target DNAI, the first SMF network element can send the target DNAI to the AMF network element, so that the AMF network element determines the address of the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service according to the target DNAI. After the AMF network element confirms the address of the second SMF network element, the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can be made to establish contact and interact, in the interaction, the first SMF network element knows that the second SMF network element is the SMF network element corresponding to the target DNAI, and negotiates with the first SMF network element to determine the target DNAI to be accessed by the UE (i.e., the first SMF network element firstly receives one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element and then determines that the target DNAI currently requested to be accessed by the UE is supported by the second SMF network element based on the one or more DNAIs, and then sends the target DNAIs to the second SMF network element), so that the UE can access the local area network service of the subscription service of the UE even if the UE leaves the subscription service, that is, the UE can access the local area network service deployed at the designated location when the UE moves to a different location.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, after the sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element, the method further includes: receiving an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor user plane function UPF sent by the second SMF network element, wherein the auxiliary anchor UPF is determined according to the target DNAI; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

In the embodiment of the application, a first SMF network element deployed at a UE access place can receive an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor point UPF of a subscription service place sent by a second SMF network element deployed at a UE subscription service place, wherein the auxiliary anchor point UPF is determined according to a target DNAI; and then sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE. When the UE requests to access the target DNAI, the split UPF of the UE access ground can be matched with the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, then the auxiliary anchor UPF is accessed based on the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and further access of a local area network where the UE subscription service is located can be realized through the auxiliary anchor UPF.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: and sending an update request message to the RAN network element of the wireless access network through the AMF network element, wherein the update request message is used for requesting to update the N3 address from the primary anchor point UPF of the UE access place to the shunt UPF.

In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to a second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a UE subscribed service location, and the method includes: receiving an address of a first SMF network element sent by an AMF network element, wherein the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access place; transmitting one or more DNAI supported by the self to the first SMF network element, wherein the one or more DNAI supported by the self comprises a target DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs up for service; and receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element.

Optionally, before the method is executed, the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service also needs to register DNAI supported by itself with the network storage function NRF network element.

In the embodiment of the application, the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service can receive the address of the first SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE accesses and sent by the AMF network element, so that the second SMF network element can autonomously establish contact with the first SMF network element and perform interactive negotiation to determine the target DNAI which the UE requests to access (namely, the second SMF network element can send one or more DNAI supported by itself to the first SMF network element and then receive the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element). The scheme of the application ensures that the UE can access the local area network service of the contracted service place of the UE even if the UE leaves the contracted service place, namely, the UE can access the local area network service deployed at the appointed position when moving to different positions.

With reference to the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, after the receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, the method further includes: determining an auxiliary anchor point UPF according to the target DNAI; and sending the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

In the embodiment of the application, the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service can determine the auxiliary anchor point UPF according to the target DNAI; and sending the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element. The access place of the UE can access the auxiliary anchor point UPF of the place where the UE signs up for service based on the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF, and further access of the local area network where the UE signs up for service can be realized through the auxiliary anchor point UPF.

In a third aspect, a communication method is provided, the method being applied to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the method comprising: receiving a target data network access identifier DNAI sent by a first SMF network element, wherein the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscription service is located, and the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access place; determining an address of a second SMF network element according to the target DNAI, wherein the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service; and sending the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element.

It should be appreciated that the AMF network element sends the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element such that the second SMF network element may communicate with the first SMF network element based on the address of the first SMF network element.

In the embodiment of the application, the AMF network element can receive the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element deployed at the access place of the UE, then determine the address of the second SMF network element deployed at the subscription place of the UE according to the target DNAI, and then send the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element, so that the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can establish contact and interact, and further the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element autonomously negotiate to determine the target DNAI requested to be accessed by the UE in the interaction. The scheme of the application ensures that the UE can access the local area network service of the contracted service place of the UE even if the UE leaves the contracted service place, namely, the UE can access the local area network service deployed at the appointed position when moving to different positions.

With reference to the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the determining the address of the second SMF network element according to the target DNAI includes: transmitting the target DNAI to a network storage function NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

With reference to the third aspect, in certain implementations of the third aspect, the method further includes: receiving an update request message sent by the first SMF network element, wherein the update request message is used for requesting to update a primary anchor point UPF of an N3 address accessed by the UE into the split UPF; the update request message is sent to the radio access network RAN.

In a fourth aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to a first SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location, and the first SMF network element does not support a target data network access identifier DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, and the method includes: the target DNAI is sent to an AMF network element, and is used for determining the address of a second SMF network element which is deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service; receiving an address of the second SMF network element sent by the AMF network element; and sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

It should be understood that, in the embodiment of the present application, the target DNAI may be an access identifier of a local area network where the UE signs up for services.

It should be appreciated that sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element may also be described as sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element based on an address of the second SMF network element.

It should be understood that the first SMF network element sends a target DNAI to the AMF network element, and the target DNAI is used to determine the address of the second SMF network element, so that after the AMF network element receives the target DNAI, the address of the second SMF network element may be determined according to the target DNAI. After the AMF network element confirms the address of the second SMF network element, a connection between the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can be established, so that the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can autonomously negotiate a target DNAI for the UE to request access. Specifically, the autonomous negotiation may be performed by: the first SMF network element may receive the address of the second SMF network element from the AMF network element and then send the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

In the embodiment of the application, when the first SMF network element deployed at the UE access place does not support the target DNAI, the first SMF network element can send the target DNAI to the AMF network element, so that the AMF network element determines the address of the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service according to the target DNAI. After the AMF network element confirms the address of the second SMF network element, the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can be connected and interacted, and in the interaction, the target DNAI requested to be accessed by the UE is autonomously negotiated (i.e. the first SMF network element can receive the address of the second SMF network element from the AMF network element and then send the target DNAI to the second SMF network element), so that the UE can access the local area network service of the subscription service of the UE even if leaving the subscription service, that is, when the UE moves to a different position, the UE can access the local area network service deployed at the designated position.

With reference to the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, after the sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element, the method further includes: receiving an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor point UPF sent by the second SMF network element, wherein the auxiliary anchor point UPF is determined according to the target DNAI; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

With reference to the fourth aspect, in certain implementations of the fourth aspect, the method further includes: and sending an update request message to the RAN network element of the wireless access network through the AMF network element, wherein the update request message is used for requesting to update the N3 address from the primary anchor point UPF of the UE access place to the shunt UPF.

In a fifth aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to a second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a UE subscribed service location, and the method includes: and receiving a target data network access identifier DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, wherein the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs up for service.

In the embodiment of the application, the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up can receive the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE accesses, so that the UE can access the local area network service deployed at the designated position even if the UE leaves the place where the UE signs up, that is to say, when the UE moves to different positions, the UE can access the local area network service deployed at the designated position.

With reference to the fifth aspect, in certain implementations of the fifth aspect, after the receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, the method further includes: determining an auxiliary anchor point user plane function UPF according to the target DNAI; and sending the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

In a sixth aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to an AMF network element, and the method includes: receiving a target DNAI sent by a first SMF network element, wherein the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscription service is located, and the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access place; determining an address of a second SMF network element according to the target DNAI, wherein the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service; and sending the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element.

It should be appreciated that the AMF network element sends the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element such that the first SMF network element may communicate with the second SMF network element based on the address of the second SMF network element.

In the embodiment of the application, the AMF network element can receive the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element deployed at the access place of the UE, then determine the address of the second SMF network element deployed at the subscription place of the UE according to the target DNAI, and then send the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element, so that the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can establish contact and interact, and further the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can autonomously negotiate to determine the target DNAI requested to be accessed by the UE in interaction. The scheme of the application ensures that the UE can access the local area network service of the contracted service place of the UE even if the UE leaves the contracted service place, namely, the UE can access the local area network service deployed at the appointed position when moving to different positions.

With reference to the sixth aspect, in some implementations of the sixth aspect, the determining the address of the second SMF network element according to the target DNAI includes: transmitting the target DNAI to a network storage function NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

With reference to the sixth aspect, in certain implementations of the sixth aspect, the method further includes: receiving an update request message sent by the first SMF network element, wherein the update request message is used for requesting to update a main anchor point UPF of an N3 address accessed by the UE into the split UPF; the update request message is sent to the radio access network RAN.

In a seventh aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to a first SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location, and the first SMF network element does not support a target DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, and the method includes: determining an address of a second SMF network element according to the target DNAI, wherein the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service; and sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

In the embodiment of the application, when the first SMF network element deployed at the UE access place does not support the target DNAI, the first SMF network element can determine the address of the second SMF network element deployed at the UE subscription service place according to the target DNAI, so that the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can establish contact and interact, and autonomously negotiate the target DNAI which the UE requests to access in the interaction (namely, the first SMF network element sends the target DNAI to the second SMF network element), thereby enabling the UE to access the local area network service of the UE subscription service place even if the UE leaves the subscription service place, namely, enabling the UE to access the local area network service deployed at the designated position when the UE moves to different positions.

With reference to the seventh aspect, in certain implementations of the seventh aspect, the determining the address of the second SMF network element according to the target DNAI includes: transmitting the target DNAI to an NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

With reference to the seventh aspect, in certain implementations of the seventh aspect, after the sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element, the method further includes: receiving an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor user plane function UPF sent by the second SMF network element, wherein the auxiliary anchor UPF is determined according to the target DNAI; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

With reference to the seventh aspect, in certain implementations of the seventh aspect, the method further includes: and sending an update request message to the RAN network element of the wireless access network through the AMF network element, wherein the update request message is used for requesting to update the N3 address from the primary anchor point UPF of the UE access place to the shunt UPF.

In an eighth aspect, a communication method is provided, where the method is applied to a second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a UE subscribed service location, and the method includes: and receiving a target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, wherein the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs up for service.

With reference to the eighth aspect, in certain implementations of the eighth aspect, after the receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, the method further includes: determining an auxiliary anchor point user plane function UPF according to the target DNAI; and sending the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

In a ninth aspect, a communication device is provided, where the device may be a first SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the first SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is disposed at a UE access location, and the first SMF network element does not support a target data network access identifier DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed to the service. The device comprises: the receiving and transmitting module is used for transmitting the target DNAI to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the target DNAI is used for determining an address of a second SMF network element, and the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service; receiving one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element and sent by the second SMF network element, where the one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element include the target DNAI; and sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

With reference to the ninth aspect, in some implementations of the ninth aspect, after the sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element, the transceiver module is further configured to receive an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor UPF sent by the second SMF network element, where the auxiliary anchor UPF is determined according to the target DNAI; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

With reference to the ninth aspect, in certain implementations of the ninth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to send an update request message to the radio access network RAN network element through the AMF network element, where the update request message is used to request updating the N3 address from the primary anchor UPF of the UE access point to the split UPF.

In a tenth aspect, a communication device is provided, where the device may be a second SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed in a UE subscription service location. The device comprises: the receiving and transmitting module is used for receiving an address of a first SMF network element sent by an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, and the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access place; transmitting one or more data network access identifiers DNAI supported by the self to the first SMF network element, wherein the one or more DNAI supported by the self comprises a target DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs up for service; and receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element.

With reference to the tenth aspect, in certain implementations of the tenth aspect, the apparatus further includes: a processing module, after the receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, the processing module is configured to determine an auxiliary anchor point UPF according to the target DNAI; the transceiver module is further configured to send an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

In an eleventh aspect, a communication device is provided, where the device may be an AMF network element, or may be a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the AMF network element. The device comprises a receiving and transmitting module and a processing module, wherein the receiving and transmitting module is used for receiving a target data network access identifier DNAI sent by a first SMF network element, the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscription service is located, and the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access place; the processing module is used for determining an address of a second SMF network element according to the target DNAI, wherein the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service; the transceiver module is further configured to send the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element.

With reference to the eleventh aspect, in certain implementations of the eleventh aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to send the target DNAI to a network storage function NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

With reference to the eleventh aspect, in some implementations of the eleventh aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to receive an update request message sent by the first SMF network element, where the update request message is used to request that an N3 address be updated from a primary anchor UPF where the UE accesses to the split UPF; the update request message is sent to the radio access network RAN.

In a twelfth aspect, a communication device is provided, where the device may be a first SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the first SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is disposed at a UE access location, and the first SMF network element does not support a target data network access identifier DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed to the service. The device comprises: the receiving and transmitting module is used for transmitting the target DNAI to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the target DNAI is used for determining an address of a second SMF network element, and the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service; receiving an address of the second SMF network element sent by the AMF network element; and sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

With reference to the twelfth aspect, in some implementations of the twelfth aspect, after the sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element, the transceiver module is further configured to receive an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor UPF sent by the second SMF network element, where the auxiliary anchor UPF is determined according to the target DNAI; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

With reference to the twelfth aspect, in some implementations of the twelfth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to send an update request message to the radio access network RAN network element through the AMF network element, where the update request message is used to request updating the N3 address from the primary anchor UPF of the UE access point to the split UPF.

In a thirteenth aspect, a communication device is provided, where the device may be a second SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed in a UE subscription service location. The device comprises: and the receiving and transmitting module is used for receiving a target data network access identifier DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, wherein the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs service.

With reference to the thirteenth aspect, in certain implementations of the thirteenth aspect, the apparatus further includes: the processing module is used for determining an auxiliary anchor point UPF according to the target DNAI after the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element is received; the transceiver module is further configured to send an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

In a fourteenth aspect, a communication device is provided, where the device may be an AMF network element, or may be a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the AMF network element. The device comprises a receiving and transmitting module and a processing module, wherein the receiving and transmitting module is used for receiving a target data network access identifier DNAI sent by a first SMF network element, the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscription service is located, and the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access place; the processing module is used for determining an address of a second SMF network element according to the target DNAI, wherein the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service; the transceiver module is further configured to send an address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element.

With reference to the fourteenth aspect, in some implementations of the fourteenth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to send the target DNAI to a network storage function NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

With reference to the fourteenth aspect, in some implementations of the fourteenth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to receive an update request message sent by the first SMF network element, where the update request message is used to request updating the primary anchor UPF to which the N3 address is accessed by the UE to the split UPF; the update request message is sent to the radio access network RAN.

A fifteenth aspect provides a communication device, which may be a first SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the first SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is disposed at a UE access location, and the first SMF network element does not support a target DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, where the device includes: the processing module is used for determining the address of a second SMF network element according to the target DNAI, and the second SMF network element is deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service; the transceiver module is configured to send the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

With reference to the fifteenth aspect, in certain implementations of the fifteenth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to send the target DNAI to an NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

With reference to the fifteenth aspect, in some implementations of the fifteenth aspect, after the sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element, the transceiver module is further configured to receive an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor UPF sent by the second SMF network element, where the auxiliary anchor UPF is determined according to the target DNAI; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

In a sixteenth aspect, a communication device is provided, where the device may be a second SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is disposed in a UE subscription service location, where the device includes: and the receiving and transmitting module is used for receiving a target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, wherein the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE subscription service is located.

With reference to the sixteenth aspect, in certain implementations of the sixteenth aspect, the apparatus further comprises: the processing module is used for determining an auxiliary anchor point UPF according to the target DNAI after the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element is received; the transceiver module is further configured to send an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

A seventeenth aspect provides a communications device comprising at least one processor for coupling with a memory, reading and executing instructions in the memory to implement a method as in the first aspect or any of the possible implementations of the first aspect; or implementing a method as in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect; or implementing a method as in the third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect; or implementing a method as in the fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect; or implementing a method as in the fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect; or implementing a method as in the sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect; or implementing a method as in the seventh aspect or any possible implementation of the seventh aspect; or implementing a method as in the eighth aspect or any possible implementation of the eighth aspect.

In an eighteenth aspect, there is provided a communication system comprising: a communication device as described in the ninth aspect or any possible implementation of the ninth aspect, a communication device as described in the tenth aspect or any possible implementation of the tenth aspect and a communication device as described in the eleventh aspect or any possible implementation of the eleventh aspect.

In a nineteenth aspect, there is provided a communication system comprising: a communication device as claimed in the twelfth aspect or any possible implementation of the twelfth aspect, a communication device as claimed in the thirteenth aspect or any possible implementation of the thirteenth aspect and a communication device as claimed in the fourteenth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourteenth aspect.

In a twentieth aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising: a communication device as described in the fifteenth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifteenth aspect and a communication device as described in the sixteenth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixteenth aspect.

In a twenty-first aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein computer instructions which, when run on a computer, implement a method as in the first aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect; or implementing a method as in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect; or implementing a method as in the third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect; or implementing a method as in the fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect; or implementing a method as in the fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect; or implementing a method as in the sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect; or implementing a method as in the seventh aspect or any possible implementation of the seventh aspect; or implementing a method as in the eighth aspect or any possible implementation of the eighth aspect.

In a twenty-second aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising instructions which, when run on a computer, perform the method as in the first aspect or any of the possible implementations of the first aspect; or as in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect; or as in the third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect; or as in the fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect; or as in the fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect; or as in the sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect; or as in the seventh aspect or any possible implementation of the seventh aspect; or as in the eighth aspect or any possible implementation of the eighth aspect.

Drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates a network architecture suitable for use with embodiments of the present application.

Fig. 2 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 200 provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 3 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 300 provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 4 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 400 provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 500 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 600 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 700 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 800 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 900 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram of a communication system 1100 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of a communication system 1200 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1300 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 14 is a schematic flow chart diagram of a communication method 1400 provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 15 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 1500 provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 16 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 1600 provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 17 is a schematic diagram of a communication apparatus 1700 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1800 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 19 is a schematic diagram of a communication system 1900 according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The technical scheme of the application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will be apparent that the described embodiments are some, but not all, embodiments of the application.

As shown in fig. 1, the respective parts involved in the network architecture are described separately below.

1. Terminal equipment: may include various handheld, in-vehicle, wearable, computing or other processing devices with wireless communication capabilities, as well as various forms of terminals or devices, mobile Stations (MSs), user Equipment (UE), soft terminals, etc., such as water meters, electricity meters, sensors, etc.

By way of example, a terminal device in an embodiment of the present application may refer to an access terminal, a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a mobile station, a relay station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal (user terminal), a terminal device, a wireless communication device, a user agent, or a user equipment. The user equipment may also be a cellular telephone, cordless telephone, session initiation protocol (session initiation protocol, SIP) phone, wireless local loop (wireless local loop, WLL) station, personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant, PDA), handheld device with wireless communication capability, computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle device, wearable device, user equipment in future 5G networks or user equipment in future evolved public land mobile network (public land mobile network, PLMN) or user equipment in future car networks, etc., as the embodiments of the present application are not limited in this regard. The terminal device in the embodiment of the present application may also be a device, such as a chip and/or a circuit structure, disposed or installed in the above-mentioned various devices.

As an example and not by way of limitation, in the embodiments of the present application, the wearable device may also be referred to as a wearable intelligent device, which is a generic term for applying wearable technology to intelligently design daily wear and develop wearable devices, such as glasses, gloves, watches, apparel, shoes, and the like. The wearable device is a portable device that is worn directly on the body or integrated into the clothing or accessories of the user. The wearable device is not only a hardware device, but also can realize a powerful function through software support, data interaction and cloud interaction. The generalized wearable intelligent device includes full functionality, large size, and may not rely on the smart phone to implement complete or partial functionality, such as: smart watches or smart glasses, etc., and focus on only certain types of application functions, and need to be used in combination with other devices, such as smart phones, for example, various smart bracelets, smart jewelry, etc. for physical sign monitoring.

In addition, in the embodiment of the application, the terminal equipment can also be terminal equipment in an internet of things (internet of Things, ioT) system, and the IoT is an important component of the development of future information technology, and the main technical characteristics are that the object is connected with the network through a communication technology, so that the man-machine interconnection and the intelligent network of the internet of things are realized. In the embodiment of the application, the IOT technology can achieve mass connection, deep coverage and terminal power saving through a Narrow Band (NB) technology, for example. In addition, in the embodiment of the application, the terminal equipment can also comprise sensors such as an intelligent printer, a train detector, a gas station and the like, and the main functions comprise collecting data (part of the terminal equipment), receiving control information and downlink data of the access network equipment, sending electromagnetic waves and transmitting the uplink data to the access network equipment.

2. (radio) access network (radio access network, (R) AN): the system is used for providing network access functions for authorized terminal equipment in a specific area, and can use transmission tunnels with different qualities according to the level of the terminal equipment, the service requirements and the like.

The (R) AN can manage radio resources, provide access services for the terminal device, and further complete forwarding of control signals and terminal device data between the terminal device and the core network, and may include a base station in a conventional network, or other network elements or entities that may implement the access network function.

The access network device in the embodiment of the present application may be any communication device having a wireless transceiver function for communicating with a terminal device. The access network device includes, but is not limited to: an evolved Node B (eNB), a radio network controller (radio network controller, RNC), a Node B (Node B, NB), a base station controller (base first AMFtion controller, BSC), a base transceiver station (base transceiver station first amf), a home base station (home evolved Node B, heNB, or home Node B, HNB), a baseBand unit (BBU), an Access Point (AP) in a wireless fidelity (wireless fidelity, WIFI) system, a wireless relay Node, a wireless backhaul Node, a transmission point (transmission point, TP), or a transmission reception point (transmission and reception point, TRP), etc., may also be 5G, e.g., NR, a gcb in a system, or a transmission point (TRP or TP), one or a group of antenna panels (including a plurality of antenna panels) of a base station in a 5G system, or may also be a network Node constituting a gcb or transmission point, e.g., a baseBand unit (BBU), or a Distributed Unit (DU), etc.

In some deployments, the gNB may include a Centralized Unit (CU) and DUs. The gNB may also include an active antenna unit (active antenna unit, AAU). The CU implements part of the functionality of the gNB and the DU implements part of the functionality of the gNB. For example, the CU is responsible for handling non-real time protocols and services, implementing the functions of the radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC), packet data convergence layer protocol (packet data convergence protocol, PDCP) layer. The DUs are responsible for handling physical layer protocols and real-time services, implementing the functions of the radio link control (radio link control, RLC), medium access control (media access control, MAC) and Physical (PHY) layers. The AAU realizes part of physical layer processing function, radio frequency processing and related functions of the active antenna. Since the information of the RRC layer may eventually become information of the PHY layer or be converted from the information of the PHY layer, under this architecture, higher layer signaling, such as RRC layer signaling, may also be considered to be transmitted by the DU or by the du+aau. It is understood that the access network device may be a device comprising one or more of a CU node, a DU node, an AAU node. In addition, the CU may be divided into access network devices in an access network (radio access network, RAN), or may be divided into access network devices in a Core Network (CN), which is not limited by the present application.

3. User plane network element: quality of service (quality of service, qoS) handling for packet routing and forwarding, user plane data, etc.

In a 5G communication system, the user plane elements may be user plane function (user plane function, UPF) elements, which may include intermediate user plane function (intermediate user plane function, I-UPF) elements, anchor user plane function (PDU Session anchor user plane function, PSA-UPF) elements. In future communication systems, the user plane network element may still be a UPF network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

4. Data network element: for providing a network for transmitting data.

In the 5G communication system, the data network element may be a Data Network (DN) element. In future communication systems, the data network element may still be a DN network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

In a 5G communication system, a protocol data unit (protocol data unit, PDU) session may be established after a terminal device accesses a network, and an application function network element (e.g., an application server) deployed in the DN may be interacted with by accessing the DN through the PDU session. Depending on the DN accessed by the user, the network may select the UPF accessing the DN as a PDU session anchor (PDU Session Anchor, PSA) according to the network policy and access the application function network element through the N6 interface of the PSA.

5. Access management network element: the method is mainly used for mobility management, access management and the like, and can be used for realizing other functions besides session management in the functions of a mobility management entity (mobility management entity, MME), such as legal interception, access authorization/authentication and the like.

In a 5G communication system, the access management network element may be an access management function (access and mobility management function, AMF). In future communication systems, the access management network element may still be an AMF, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

6. Session management network element: the method is mainly used for session management, network interconnection protocol (internet protocol, IP) address allocation and management of terminal equipment, terminal node for selecting manageable user plane functions, strategy control and charging function interfaces, downlink data notification and the like.

In the 5G communication system, the session management network element may be an SMF network element, may include an intermediate session management function (intermediate session management function, I-SMF) network element, an anchor session management function (anchor session management function, a-SMF) network element, and may further include an SMF network element (abbreviated as a D-SMF network element in the present application) selected based on a data network access identifier (DN Access Identifier, DNAI) as mentioned in the embodiment of the present application. In future communication systems, the session management network element may still be an SMF network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

7. Policy control network element: a unified policy framework for guiding network behavior, providing policy rule information for control plane function network elements (e.g., AMF, SMF network elements, etc.), and the like.

In a 4G communication system, the policy control network element may be a policy and charging rules function (policy and charging rules function, PCRF) network element. In a 5G communication system, the policy control network element may be a policy control function (policy control function, PCF) network element. In future communication systems, the policy control network element may still be a PCF network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

8. The authentication server: the method is used for realizing the bidirectional authentication of the terminal equipment by the authentication service and the generation of the secret key, and supports a unified authentication framework.

In a 5G communication system, the authentication server may be an authentication server function (authentication server function, AUSF) network element. In future communication systems, the authentication server function network element may still be an AUSF network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

9. Data management network element: the method is used for processing the terminal equipment identification, access authentication, registration, mobility management and the like.

In a 5G communication system, the data management network element may be a unified data management (unified data management, UDM) network element; in the 4G communication system, the data management network element may be a home subscriber server (home subscriber server, HSS) network element, and in the future communication system, the unified data management may still be a UDM network element, or may also have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

10. Application network element: the application network element can interact with the 5G system through the application function network element, and is used for accessing the network open function network element or interacting with the policy framework to perform policy control and the like.

In a 5G communication system, the application network element may be an application function (application function, AF) network element. In future communication systems, the application network element may still be an AF network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

11. Network slice selection network element: mainly comprises the following functions: selecting a set of network slice instances for the UE, determining allowed network slice selection assistance information (network slice selection assistance information, NSSAI), and determining a set of AMFs that can serve the UE, etc.

In a 5G communication system, the application network element may be a network slice selection function (network slice selection function, NSSF) network element. In future communication systems, the application network element may still be an NSSF network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

It should also be understood that fig. 1 is only an example and does not limit the scope of the present application. The communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application may also relate to a network element not shown in fig. 1, for example, and may also relate to a network storage network element, where the network storage network element is used to maintain real-time information of all network function services in a network.

In a 5G communication system, the network storage element may be a network registration function (network repository function, NRF) element. In future communication systems, the network storage network element may still be an NRF network element, or may have other names, which is not limited by the present application.

It will be appreciated that the network elements or functions described above may be either network elements in a hardware device, software functions running on dedicated hardware, or virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). For convenience of explanation, the following description will be given by taking an access management network element as an AMF network element, a data management network element as a UDM network element, a session management network element as an SMF network element, and a user plane network element as a UPF network element.

Further, the AMF network element is abbreviated as AMF, the UDM network element is abbreviated as UDM, the SMF network element is abbreviated as SMF, and the UPF network element is abbreviated as UPF. Namely, the AMF described later in the application can be replaced by an access management network element, the UDM can be replaced by a data management network element, the SMF can be replaced by a session management network element, and the UPF can be replaced by a user plane network element.

As can be seen from fig. 1, the interface between the individual control plane network elements in fig. 1 is a point-to-point interface. In the architecture shown in fig. 1, the interface names and functions between the network elements are as follows:

1) N1: the interface between the AMF and the terminal may be used to deliver QoS control rules, etc. to the terminal.

2) N2: the interface between the AMF and the RAN may be used to transfer radio bearer control information, etc., from the core network side to the RAN.

3) And N3: the interface between the RAN and the UPF is mainly used for transmitting uplink and downlink user plane data between the RAN and the UPF.

4) N4: the interface between SMF and UPF can be used to transfer information between control plane and user plane, including control plane-oriented forwarding rule, qoS control rule, flow statistics rule, etc. and user plane information reporting.

5) N5: the interface between AF and PCF can be used for application service request issue and network event report.

6) N6: and the interface of the UPF and the DN is used for transmitting uplink and downlink user data streams between the UPF and the DN.

7) N7: the interface between PCF and SMF may be used to deliver protocol data unit (protocol data unit, PDU) session granularity and traffic data flow granularity control policies.

8) N8: the interface between the AMF and the UDM can be used for the AMF to acquire subscription data and authentication data related to access and mobility management from the UDM, register current mobility management related information of the terminal from the AMF to the UDM, and the like.

9) N9: the user interface between UPF and UPF is used to transfer the uplink and downlink user data flow between UPF.

10 N10: the interface between the SMF and the UDM may be used for the SMF to obtain session management related subscription data from the UDM, and the SMF registers current session related information of the terminal to the UDM.

11 N11: the interface between the SMF and the AMF may be used to convey PDU session tunnel information between the RAN and the UPF, control messages sent to the terminal, radio resource control information sent to the RAN, etc.

12 N12: the interface between the AMF and the AUSF can be used for initiating an authentication flow to the AUSF by the AMF, wherein the authentication flow can carry SUCI as a subscription identifier;

13 N13): the interface between the UDM and the AUSF may be used for the AUSF to obtain the user authentication vector from the UDM to execute the authentication procedure.

It should be appreciated that other interfaces may be referred to in fig. 1 and are not listed one by one. It should be understood that the above interfaces are merely examples, and the communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application may relate to more or fewer interfaces, which is not limited in this respect. For example, an N16a interface between SMF and D-SMF may also be included.

It should be understood that the network architecture applied to the embodiments of the present application is merely illustrative, and the network architecture to which the embodiments of the present application are applied is not limited to this, and any network architecture capable of implementing the functions of the respective network elements described above is applicable to the embodiments of the present application.

For example, in some network architectures, network function network element entities such as AMF, SMF, PCF, BSF, and UDM are all called Network Function (NF) network elements; alternatively, in other network architectures, the set of AMF, SMF, PCF, BSF, UDM, etc. network elements may be referred to as control plane function network elements.

The technical scheme of the embodiment of the application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: a long term evolution (long term evolution, LTE) system, an LTE frequency division duplex (frequency division duplex, FDD) system, an LTE time division duplex (time division duplex, TDD) system, a universal mobile telecommunications system (universal mobile telecommunication system, UMTS), a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (worldwide interoperability for microwave access, wiMAX) telecommunications system, a fifth generation (5th generation,5G) system, a New Radio (NR) or a future network, etc., the 5G mobile telecommunications system of the present application includes a non-independent Networking (NSA) 5G mobile telecommunications system or an independent networking (first AMFndalone, SA) 5G mobile telecommunications system. The technical scheme provided by the application can also be applied to future communication systems, such as a sixth generation mobile communication system. The communication system may also be a public land mobile network (public land mobile network, PLMN) network, a device-to-device (D2D) communication system, a machine-to-machine (machine to machine, M2M) communication system, an internet of things (internet of Things, ioT) communication system, or other communication systems.

In the embodiment of the application, the terminal equipment or the access network equipment comprises a hardware layer, an operating system layer running on the hardware layer and an application layer running on the operating system layer. The hardware layer includes hardware such as a central processing unit (central processing unit, CPU), a memory management unit (memory management unit, MMU), and a memory (also referred to as a main memory). The operating system may be any one or more computer operating systems that implement business processes through processes (processes), such as a Linux operating system, a Unix operating system, an Android operating system, an iOS operating system, or a windows operating system. The application layer comprises applications such as a browser, an address book, word processing software, instant messaging software and the like. Further, the embodiment of the present application is not particularly limited to the specific structure of the execution body of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application, as long as the communication can be performed by the method provided in the embodiment of the present application by running the program recorded with the code of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application, and for example, the execution body of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application may be a terminal device or an access network device, or may be a functional module in the terminal device or the access network device that can call the program and execute the program.

Furthermore, various aspects or features of the application may be implemented as a method, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard programming and/or engineering techniques. The term "article of manufacture" as used herein encompasses a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device, carrier, or media. For example, computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk, or magnetic tape, etc.), optical disks (e.g., compact Disk (CD), digital versatile disk (digital versatile disc, DVD), etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), cards, sticks, key drives, etc.). Additionally, various storage media described herein can represent one or more devices and/or other machine-readable media for storing information. The term "machine-readable storage medium" can include, without being limited to, wireless channels and various other media capable of storing, containing, and/or carrying instruction(s) and/or data.

In the current technology, if a service subscribed by a User Equipment (UE) is in a home location, and the subscribed home location service is deployed in a local area network. When the UE moves out of home to access, for example, moves across provinces to visit and saves time, the location of the UE at the access is no longer within the service area of the session management function (session management function, SMF) network element of the place where the UE signs up for service, and is not reachable by the public network for the lan, resulting in that the UE cannot continue to access the lan service at the place where the sign up service is located. Therefore, how to enable the UE to continue to access the lan service of the subscription service location when the UE moves out of the subscription service location is a technical problem to be solved.

In order to solve the above problems, the present application provides a communication method, when a UE moves out of a place where a subscription service exists, a first SMF network element deployed at a place where the UE accesses is used to send a target DNAI corresponding to a request of the UE to access the subscription service to an AMF network element, then the AMF network element is used to determine an address of a second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs the subscription service according to the target DNAI, and then a connection between the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element is established based on the address (specifically, the AMF network element may send the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element or send the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element, so that the first SMF network element or the second SMF network element may establish a connection with a counterpart based on the address of the counterpart); or the first SMF network element can also determine the address of the second SMF network element by itself and establish contact with the second SMF network element, so that the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can interact and autonomously negotiate the target DNAI that the UE requests to access, and the local area network service where the UE can access the subscription service is also realized.

Fig. 2 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 200 provided by an embodiment of the present application. It should be appreciated that the method 200 may be applied to the following scenarios: the current location of the UE is not in the service area of the SMF network element where the UE subscribed service is located (i.e. the UE subscribed service and the current location of the UE are not in the same SMF POOL), but still needs to access the local area network where the UE subscribed service is located. It should be appreciated that the method 200 is mainly applied to a system including a first SMF network element, a second SMF network element, and an AMF network element, where the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location and the second SMF network element is deployed at a UE subscription service location. In the embodiment of the present application, the AMF network element is used as an example, and other NF network elements may be used in actual operation. As shown in fig. 2, the method 200 includes steps S210 to S230, which are described in detail below.

S210, the first SMF network element sends a target DNAI to the AMF network element.

Accordingly, the AMF network element receives the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element. The first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access place, the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs up for service, and the first SMF network element does not support the target DNAI.

It should be understood that, in the embodiment of the present application, the target DNAI may be an access identifier of a local area network where the UE signs up for service, where the first SMF network element does not support the target DNAI refers to that the first SMF network element does not support DNAI corresponding to the local area network where the UE signs up for service.

Optionally, before the step S210 is performed, the method 200 may further include: the first SMF network element requests the user policy from the PCF network element; the first SMF network element receives a user policy sent by the PCF network element, wherein the user policy comprises a distribution rule of the UE subscription service and DNAI of a data network where the subscription service is located; the first SMF network element determines whether the first SMF network element supports DNAI of the data network where the subscription service is located, if DNAI of the data network where the subscription service is located in the user policy is DNAI corresponding to the local area network, the first SMF network element determines that the first SMF network element does not support DNAI, marks the non-supported DNAI as a target DNAI, and then continues to execute step S210. See steps S304 to S308 in embodiment 1 or steps S404 to S408 in embodiment 2 below.

Optionally, before the first SMF network element requests the PCF network element for user policy enforcement, the method 200 may further include: the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service also needs to register DNAI supported by itself with the NRF network element. See the description related to steps S301 and S302 in example 1 or to steps S401 and S402 in example 2 below.

Optionally, the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service may register the key words such as the global name (fully qualified domain name, FQDN) and the policy name supported by itself while registering the DNAI supported by itself with the NRF network element. Based on this, the above-mentioned user policy may include a diversion rule of the UE subscribed service and keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, policy name, etc. Based on this, in the interaction of the network elements involved in the method 200, all the steps involved in transceiving the DNAI or further performing other operations based on the DNAI need to consider the keywords such as FQDN and policy name at the same time. For example, the step of transmitting and receiving the DNAI requires a key such as the DNAI, FQDN, policy name, etc. to be transmitted and received; steps involving further performing other operations based on the DNAI, requiring becoming further performing other operations based on the DNAI, FQDN, policy name, etc. keywords; the first SMF network element not supporting the target DNAI may be changed to the first SMF network element not supporting the keywords such as the target DNAI, the target FQDN, the target policy name, etc. That is, in this case, the "target DNAI" involved in the method 200 may be directly replaced by "target keyword", where the target keyword includes keywords such as target DNAI, target FQDN, and target policy name, where the target FQDN and the target policy name refer to the FQDN and the policy name of the UE subscribed service.

It should be understood that if the UE leaves the place where the service subscription is located to the visited place (i.e. the UE access place), the UE needs to be activated, and the AMF needs to select the access place SMF network element (i.e. the first SMF network element), and then the access place SMF network element selects the access place anchor point UPF (i.e. the anchor point UPF PSA1 deployed at the access place hereinafter) to create the user session, see the description related to step S303 in embodiment 1 or step S403 in embodiment 2 below.

Alternatively, the UE may sign up for a generic data network name (Data Network Name, DNN) and then activate based on the generic DNN.

S220, the AMF network element determines the address of the second SMF network element according to the target DNAI. The second SMF network element is deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service.

Optionally, the determining, by the AMF network element, the address of the second SMF network element according to the target DNAI includes: the AMF network element sends a target DNAI to the NRF network element; the AMF network element receives the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element. Alternatively, the AMF network element may send a discovery request message carrying the target DNAI to the NRF network element to determine the address of the second SMF network element. See steps S309 and S310 in example 1 or steps S409 and S410 in example 2 below.

Optionally, step S230 may include two implementations, a and B, mainly used to describe a manner in which the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element establish contact, and a procedure for determining, by autonomous negotiation, a target DNAI that the UE requests to access. These two implementations are described in detail below.

In implementation a, S230 includes steps S230a1 to S230a3.

S230a1, the AMF network element sends the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element. Accordingly, the second SMF network element receives the address of the first SMF network element sent by the AMF network element.

Alternatively, in step S230a1, the "address of the first SMF network element" may also be sent carried by the create context request message, see the description related to step S311 in embodiment 1 below.

Alternatively, after step S230a1, the second SMF network element may create a context from the received address of the first SMF network element, see steps S312 and S313 in embodiment 1 below.

It should be understood that the AMF network element sends the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element, so that the second SMF network element can communicate with the first SMF network element based on the address of the first SMF network element and autonomously negotiate the target DNAI that the UE requests to access, see steps S230a2 and S230a3.

S230a2, the second SMF network element sends one or more DNAIs supported by itself to the first SMF network element.

Accordingly, the first SMF network element receives one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element sent by the second SMF network element. Wherein the one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element include a target DNAI.

Optionally, in step S230a2, the "DNAI or DNAI supported by the second SMF network element" may also be sent carried by a session creation request message, see the description related to step S314 in embodiment 1 below.

Optionally, after the first SMF network element receives the one or more DNAIs supported by the second SMF network element sent by the second SMF network element, it may be determined that the target DNAI is supported by the second SMF network element based on an intersection between the one or more DNAIs and the target DNAI included in the user policy, and then step S230a3 is performed.

Optionally, the above mentioned: the second SMF network element may register the keyword such as FQDN and policy name supported by itself while registering DNAI supported by itself with the NRF network element. Based on this, in step S230a2, the second SMF network element may send the self-supported keyword list to the first SMF network element, and then the first SMF network element may send the keywords obtained by the intersection to the second SMF network element based on the intersection of the keyword list and the keywords included in the user policy, and then step S230a3 is performed.

S230a3, the first SMF network element sends the target DNAI to the second SMF network element. Accordingly, the second SMF network element receives the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element.

Alternatively, in step S230a3, the "target DNAI" may also be sent carried by a response message of the session creation request message, see the description related to step S315 in embodiment 1 below.

Optionally, in step S230a3, the first SMF network element may further send a data structure acquired by N7, such as a charging rule, a policy rule, etc., to the second SMF network element.

In the embodiment of the application, when a first SMF network element deployed at a UE access place does not support a target DNAI, the first SMF network element can send the target DNAI to the AMF network element, so that the AMF network element can determine the address of a second SMF network element deployed at the UE subscription service place according to the target DNAI, then send the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element, then the second SMF network element can independently establish contact with the first SMF network element based on the address of the first SMF network element and perform interaction, the first SMF network element can know that the second SMF network element is the SMF network element corresponding to the target DNAI in the interaction and negotiates with the target DNAI to determine that the UE needs to access (in the implementation mode A, the negotiation process can be that the second SMF network element sends one or more DNAI supported by the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element, and then the first SMF network element determines that the UE currently requests to access the target DNAI is based on one or more DNAI) and the second SMF network element can access the local area network service to the UE subscription service place, namely the UE can still be accessed to the local area network place when the UE subscription service is not accessed, and the local area network service can be accessed to the local area network can be still be accessed.

In implementation B, S230 includes steps S230B1 and S230B2.

S230b1, the AMF network element sends the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element. Accordingly, the first SMF network element receives the address of the second SMF network element sent by the AMF network element. See the description of steps S411 to S412 in example 2 below.

It should be understood that the AMF network element sends the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element, so that the first SMF network element may communicate with the second SMF network element based on the address of the second SMF network element and autonomously negotiate the target DNAI for the access requested by the UE, see step S230b2.

S230b2, the first SMF network element sends the target DNAI to the second SMF network element. Accordingly, the second SMF network element receives the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element.

It should be understood that the first SMF network element sends the target DNAI to the second SMF network element may also be described as the first SMF network element sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element based on the address of the second SMF network element.

Alternatively, in step S230b2, the "target DNAI" may also be sent carried by the create context request message, see the description related to step S413 in embodiment 2 below.

Optionally, in step S230b2, the first SMF network element may further send a data structure acquired by N7, such as a charging rule, a policy rule, etc., to the second SMF network element.

Alternatively, after step S230b2, the second SMF network element may create a user context, see steps S414 and S415 in embodiment 2 below.

In the embodiment of the application, when a first SMF network element deployed at a UE access place does not support a target DNAI, the first SMF network element can send the target DNAI to an AMF network element, so that the AMF network element can determine the address of a second SMF network element deployed at the UE subscription service place according to the target DNAI, then send the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element, then the first SMF network element establishes contact with the second SMF network element based on the address of the second SMF network element and performs interaction, and in the interaction, the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can negotiate a target DNAI (in the implementation mode B, the negotiation process can be that the first SMF network element can receive the address of the second SMF network element from the AMF network element and then send the target DNAI to the second SMF network element), so that the UE can access to a local area network service where the UE subscription service is located even if the UE subscription service is left, that is not located, that is, the local area network service can be accessed to the UE subscription service can be deployed at the same location.

Optionally, after step S230, the method 200 may further include: the second SMF network element determines an auxiliary anchor point UPF (namely an auxiliary anchor point UPF PSA2 which is deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service) according to the target DNAI; the second SMF network element sends the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF to the first SMF network element, and correspondingly, the first SMF network element receives the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF sent by the second network element; the first SMF network element determines a split UPF (namely UPF Uplink-Classifier (ULCL) deployed at the place where the UE signs up according to the current position of the UE; the first SMF network element sends a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF. Optionally, before the second SMF network element sends the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element, the second SMF network element may also create an N4 session with the auxiliary anchor UPF, or may create a session with a charging function (charging function, CHF) network element, so that a ticket generated by the subsequent second SMF network element may be directly reported to the CHF network element. Optionally, before the first SMF network element sends the splitting rule to the splitting UPF, the first SMF network element may also create an N4 session with the splitting UPF. Optionally, after the first SMF network element sends the splitting rule to the splitting UPF, the first SMF network element may further send an N9 interface address of the splitting UPF to the second SMF network element, and accordingly, the second SMF network element receives the N9 interface address of the splitting UPF sent by the first SMF network element. It should be understood that the above method can be seen from the following description of steps S316 to S323 in embodiment 1 or steps S416 to S423 in embodiment 2.

In the embodiment of the application, the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service can determine the auxiliary anchor point UPF according to the target DNAI, and then send the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF to the first SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE accesses; the first SMF network element deployed at the UE access location may determine a split UPF according to the current location of the UE, and send a split rule for the UE subscription service to the split UPF, where the split rule includes a correspondence between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF. When the UE requests to access the target DNAI, the split UPF of the UE access ground can be matched with the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, then the auxiliary anchor UPF is accessed based on the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and further access of a local area network where the UE subscription service is located can be realized through the auxiliary anchor UPF.

Optionally, the method 200 may further include: the first SMF network element sends an update request message to the RAN network element through the AMF network element, the update request message being used to request that the primary anchor UPF where the N3 address is accessed by the UE is updated to a forked UPF, so that the RAN can communicate with the forked UPF, see the relevant description of steps S324 and S325 in embodiment 1 or steps S424 and S425 in embodiment 2 below.

Based on the above description, in actual operation, if a user requests to access the subscription service of the local area network, the user can match the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF to the split UPF, then access the auxiliary anchor point UPF based on the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF, and further access the local area network where the subscription service of the UE is located can be realized through the auxiliary anchor point UPF. If the user requests to access the public network service, the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF cannot be matched through the shunt UPF, and in this case, the user can directly forward the service to the main anchor point UPF of the UE access place through the N9 interface of the shunt UPF, and the service is routed to the public network through the N6 interface of the main anchor point UPF of the UE access place. See the description of the steps S326 to S333 in embodiment 1 or the description of the steps S426 to S433 in embodiment 2 below.

For ease of understanding, a specific embodiment of the communication method 200 provided by the present application is described below in conjunction with fig. 3 and 4. It should be understood that the methods shown in fig. 3 and 4 are merely examples, and that more or fewer steps may be included in actual operation, and the application is not limited in this respect. It should be understood that in the following embodiments, network elements such as RAN, AMF, SMF, UPF ULCL, UPF PSA1, D-SMF, UPF PSA2, PCF, NRF, etc., are referred to, and for ease of description, the above network elements will be abbreviated directly as RAN, AMF, SMF, UPF ULCL, UPF PSA1, D-SMF, UPF PSA2, PCF, NRF, etc.

Example 1:

fig. 3 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 300 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 3, the method 300 includes S301 to S333, and these steps are described in detail below.

Firstly, it should be noted that, in this embodiment, the SMF deployed at the UE access point is the first SMF network element; the D-SMF deployed at the place where the subscription service is located is the second SMF network element; the UPF ULCL deployed at the UE access place is the shunting UPF; the UPF PSA1 deployed at the UE access place is the main anchor UPF; the UPF PSA2 deployed at the signing service location is the auxiliary anchor UPF.

S301, the D-SMF sends a registration request message to the NRF, and accordingly, the NRF receives the registration request message sent by the D-SMF.

The registration request message includes keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name supported by the D-SMF.

In an embodiment of the present application, the D-SMF may register with the NRF by transmitting a registration request message. Alternatively, the registration request message may also be described as an nrf_nfmanagement_ NFRegister Request message, which is not limited by the present application.

S302, the NRF transmits a response message of the registration request message to the D-SMF, and accordingly, the D-SMF receives the response message of the registration request message transmitted by the NRF.

In the embodiment of the present application, the response message of the registration request message may also be described as an nrf_nfmanagement_ NFRegister Response message, which is not limited in the present application.

S303, activating the UE, wherein the AMF selects an SMF of the UE access place, and the SMF selects a UPF PSA1 of the UE access place to create a user session.

S304, the SMF sends a policy request message to the PCF, and correspondingly, the PCF receives the policy request message sent by the SMF.

It should be appreciated that the policy request message is used to request a user session management SM policy. Alternatively, in the embodiment of the present application, the policy Request message may also be described as an npcf_smplicycontrol_create Request message.

S305, the PCF sends a response message of the policy request message to the SMF, and accordingly, the SMF receives the response message of the policy request message sent by the PCF.

The response message of the policy request message includes a user policy, where the user policy includes a distribution rule of the subscription service and keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, a policy name, etc., and the DNAI is used to identify DN access point information where the UE subscription service is located.

In the embodiment of the present application, the Response message of the policy request message may also be described as an npcf_smpolicy control_create Response message.

S306, SMF judges that keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, policy name and the like issued by PCF are not supported.

If the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name issued by the PCF are the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name corresponding to the local area network, the SMF determines that the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name issued by the PCF are not supported by the SMF, and continues to execute step S307.

S307, the SMF sends keywords such as DNAI, FQDN and policy name which are not supported by the SMF to the AMF, and accordingly, the AMF receives the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN and policy name which are sent by the SMF.

S308, the AMF sends a response message to the SMF, and accordingly, the SMF receives the response message sent by the AMF.

S309, the AMF sends a discovery request message to the NRF, and accordingly, the NRF receives the discovery request message sent by the AMF.

The discovery request message comprises keywords such as DNAI, FQDN and policy name, and the AMF sends the discovery request message carrying the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN and policy name to the D-SMF where the NRF can discover the subscribed service.

In the embodiment of the present application, the discovery request message may also be described as an nnrf_nfdiscovery_ NFDiscover Request message.

S310, the NRF transmits a response message of the discovery request message to the AMF, and accordingly, the AMF receives the response message of the discovery request message transmitted by the NRF.

The response message for sending the discovery request message includes an address of the D-SMF where the subscribed service is located, where the address includes information such as an Instance (Instance) identification number (ID) of the D-SMF, a global name (Fully Qualified Domain Name, FQDN), and an Interconnection Protocol (IP) between networks.

In the embodiment of the present application, the response message of the discovery request message may also be described as an nrf_nfdiscovery_ NFDiscover Response message.

S311, the AMF sends a creation context request message to the D-SMF, and correspondingly, the D-SMF receives the creation context request message sent by the AMF.

The create context request message includes an address of the SMF, where the address may include information such as an Instance ID, FQDN, IP, etc. of the SMF, and is not limited.

It should be appreciated that the AMF sending a create context request message to the D-SMF may trigger the D-SMF to create a context, i.e. perform step S312.

In the embodiment of the present application, the create context request message may also be described as an nsmf_pduse_ CreateSMContext Request message.

S312, D-SMF creates a context.

S313, the D-SMF sends a response message for creating the context request message to the AMF, and correspondingly, the AMF receives the response message for creating the context request message sent by the D-SMF.

In the embodiment of the present application, the response message for creating the context request message may also be described as an nsmf_pduse_ CreateSMContext Response message.

S314, the D-SMF sends a session creation request message to the SMF, and accordingly, the SMF receives the session creation request message sent by the D-SMF.

The session creation request message includes a keyword list such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name supported by the D-SMF.

It should be understood that, after the D-SMF receives the address of the SMF in step S311, an N16a session may be established between the SMF and the SMF based on the address of the SMF, and a keyword list such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name supported by the D-SMF is reported to the SMF.

In the embodiment of the present application, the session creation Request message may also be described as an nsmf_pduse_create Request message.

S315, the SMF sends a response message of the session creation request message to the D-SMF, and correspondingly, the D-SMF receives the response message of the session creation request message sent by the SMF.

The response message of the session creation request message includes keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name after the SMF negotiates with the D-SMF, where the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name after negotiations are included in a keyword list supported by the D-SMF, such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name. Specifically, in actual operation, the SMF may negotiate and determine the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name according to the intersection between the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name issued by the PCF and the keyword list such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name reported by the D-SMF, and then send the negotiated keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name to the D-SMF through the response message of the session creation request message, and meanwhile, the response message of the session creation request message may also carry a data structure acquired by the N7 interface, such as a charging rule, a policy rule, and so on, and send the data structure to the D-SMF.

In the embodiment of the present application, the Response message of the session creation request message may also be described as an nsmf_pduse_create Response message.

S316, the D-SMF determines the auxiliary anchor point UPF PSA2 based on keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, policy name and the like. That is, the D-SMF selects the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2 based on the negotiated DNAI, FQDN, and policy name keywords.

S317, the D-SMF creates an N4 session with the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2.

Optionally, the D-SMF may also create a session with the CHF network element so that subsequent D-SMF generated tickets may be reported directly to the CHF network element.

S318, the D-SMF sends a session update request message to the SMF, and accordingly, the SMF receives the session update request message sent by the D-SMF.

Wherein the session update request message includes the N9 interface address (i.e., upstream N9) of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2.

That is, the D-SMF may carry the N9 interface address (upstream N9) of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2 to the SMF through the session update request message.

In the embodiment of the present application, the session Update Request message may also be described as an nsmf_pduse_update Request message.

S319, the SMF sends a response message of the session update request message to the D-SMF, and correspondingly, the D-SMF receives the response message of the session update request message sent by the SMF.

In the embodiment of the present application, the Response message of the session Update request message may also be described as an nsmf_pdustion_update Response message.

S320, the SMF determines the UPF ULCL.

Specifically, the SMF may select the ULCL UPF based on the UE location.

S321, SMF creates an N4 session with UPF ULCL.

It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the SMF also needs to issue a splitting rule for the subscribed service to the UPF ULCL, where the splitting rule includes a correspondence between keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name subscribed by the user and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF PSA 2. So that in actual operation, when the UE requests to access the subscribed service, the UPF ULCL may be matched to the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2, and then access the subscribed service based on the matched N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA 2.

S322, the SMF sends a session update request message to the D-SMF, and correspondingly, the D-SMF receives a second session update request message sent by the SMF.

Wherein the session update request message includes the N9 interface address of the UPF ULCL (i.e., downstream N9).

That is, the SMF may carry the N9 interface address (downstream N9) of the UPF ULCL to the D-SMF through the session update request message.

S323, the D-SMF sends a response message of the session update request message to the SMF, and correspondingly, the SMF receives the response message of the session update request message sent by the D-SMF.

S324, the SMF sends a message for updating the N3 address to the RAN through the AMF, and accordingly, the RAN receives the message for updating the N3 address sent by the SMF through the AMF.

Specifically, the SMF may send a message to the RAN (e.g., the gNB) to update the N3 address via the AMF to update the upstream N3 interface address from the primary anchor UPF PSA1 to the UPF ULCL.

S325, the RAN sends a message of successful update to the SMF through the AMF, and correspondingly, the SMF receives the message of successful update sent by the RAN through the AMF.

It should be understood that, based on the above design, if the UE requests to access the subscription service, the access request can match the offloading rule of the subscription service when passing through the UPF ul cl, and then forward the access request to the auxiliary anchor point UPF PSA2 at the location of the subscription service through the N9 interface, and route the access request to the network at the location of the subscription service (i.e. the local DN deployed at the location of the subscription service of the UE) through the N6 interface of the auxiliary anchor point UPF PSA 2. Specifically, see the following steps S326 to S330:

S326, the UE sends a request for accessing the subscription service to the UPF ULCL.

It should be understood that, the access subscription service request generally includes keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name corresponding to the subscription service that needs to be accessed.

S327, the UPF ULCL matches the splitting rule, that is, matches the splitting rule of the subscription service.

Specifically, the UPF ULCL needs to determine whether there is a correspondence between the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, policy name, etc. that request access and the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2, and if so, matches the splitting rule; if not, the branching rule is not matched.

In this implementation manner, in step S326, since the UE needs to access the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name corresponding to the subscribed service, there is a correspondence between the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name that request access and the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF PSA2, and the UPF ULCL matches the splitting rule.

S328, the UPF ULCL sends an access subscription service request to the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA 2.

It should be appreciated that sending the access subscription service request to the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2 by the UPF ULCL is mainly achieved through the N9 interface mentioned above.

S329, the auxiliary anchor point UPF PSA2 sends a subscription service response to the UPF ULCL.

S330, the UPF ULCL sends a subscription service response to the UE.

In addition, if the UE requests to access the public network service, the access request cannot match the upper splitting rule when passing through the UPF ULCL, and then the access request is forwarded to the main anchor point UPF PSA1 of the UE access place through the N9 interface, and then routed to the public network through the N6 interface of the main anchor point UPF PSA 1. Specifically, see the following steps S331 to S333:

s331, the UE sends a request for accessing the public network to the UPF ULCL.

It should be understood that the access public network request includes keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name of the public network.

S332, the UPF ULCL does not match the splitting rule, i.e. does not match the splitting rule of the subscribed service.

In this implementation manner, in step S331, since the UE needs to access the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name corresponding to the public network service, the UPF ULCL will not match the splitting rule, and thus the UPF ULCL may access the public network through the primary anchor UPF PSA 1.

S333, the UPF ULCL sends a public network response to the UE.

Example 2:

fig. 4 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 400 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 4, the method 400 includes S401 to S433, and these steps are described in detail below.

Steps S401 to S410 can be referred to steps S301 to S310, and will not be described again.

S411, the AMF sends the address of the D-SMF to the SMF, and accordingly, the SMF receives the address of the D-SMF sent by the AMF.

Similarly, the address of the D-SMF includes information such as Instance ID, FQDN, IP, etc. of the D-SMF.

S412, the SMF sends a response message to the AMF, and accordingly, the AMF receives the response message sent by the SMF.

It should be appreciated that the response message is used to indicate that the SMF received the address of the D-SMF.

S413, the SMF sends a creation context request message to the D-SMF, and accordingly, the D-SMF receives the creation context request message sent by the SMF.

The creation context request message includes keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name of the UE subscribed service. Meanwhile, the creation context request message may also carry a data structure acquired by the N7 interface, such as a charging rule, a policy rule, and the like, and send the data structure to the D-SMF.

It should be appreciated that the SMF sending a create context request message to the D-SMF may trigger the D-SMF to create a context, i.e. perform step S412.

S414, D-SMF creates a context.

S415, the D-SMF sends a response message for creating the context request message to the SMF, and correspondingly, the SMF receives the response message for creating the context request message sent by the D-SMF.

Steps S416 to S417 can be referred to steps S316 to S317, and are not described in detail.

S418, the D-SMF sends a session creation request message to the SMF, and accordingly, the SMF receives the session creation request message sent by the D-SMF.

Wherein the session creation request message includes the N9 interface address (i.e., upstream N9) of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA 2.

That is, the D-SMF may carry the N9 interface address (upstream N9) of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2 to the SMF through the session creation request message.

S419, the SMF sends a response message of the session creation request message to the D-SMF, and correspondingly, the D-SMF receives the response message of the session creation request message sent by the SMF.

Steps S420 to S433 can be referred to steps S320 to S333, and will not be described again.

Fig. 14 is a schematic flow chart diagram of a communication method 1400 provided by an embodiment of the present application. It should be appreciated that the method 1400 is equally applicable to the following scenarios: the current location of the UE is not in the service area of the SMF network element where the UE subscribed service is located (i.e. the UE subscribed service and the current location of the UE are not in the same SMF POOL), but still needs to access the local area network where the UE subscribed service is located. It should be appreciated that the method 1400 is mainly applied to a system including a first SMF network element and a second SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location and the second SMF network element is deployed at a UE subscription service location. As shown in fig. 14, the method 1400 includes steps S1410 and S1420, which are described in detail below.

S1410, the first SMF network element determines the address of the second SMF network element according to the target DNAI.

Optionally, the determining, by the first SMF network element, the address of the second SMF network element according to the target DNAI may include: the first SMF network element sends a target DNAI to the NRF network element; the first SMF network element receives the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element. Alternatively, the first SMF network element may send a discovery request message carrying the target DNAI to the NRF network element to determine the address of the second SMF network element. See steps S1507 and S1508 in example 3 below.

Optionally, before step S1410 is performed, method 1400 may further include: the first SMF network element requests the user policy from the PCF network element; the first SMF network element receives a user policy sent by the PCF network element, wherein the user policy comprises a distribution rule of the UE subscription service and DNAI of a data network where the subscription service is located; the first SMF network element determines whether the first SMF network element supports DNAI of the data network where the subscription service is located, if DNAI of the data network where the subscription service is located in the user policy is DNAI corresponding to the local area network, the first SMF network element determines that the first SMF network element does not support DNAI, marks the non-supported DNAI as a target DNAI, and then continues to execute step S1410. See steps S1504 to S1508 in example 3 below.

Optionally, before the first SMF network element requests the PCF network element for user policy enforcement, the method 1400 may further include: the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service also needs to register DNAI supported by itself with the NRF network element. See steps S1501 and S1502 in example 3 below.

Optionally, the second SMF network element deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service may register the keyword such as the FQDN and the policy name supported by itself while registering the DNAI supported by itself with the NRF network element. Based on this, the above-mentioned user policy may include a diversion rule of the UE subscribed service and keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, policy name, etc. Based on this, in the interaction of each network element involved in the method 1400, all the steps involved in transceiving the DNAI or further performing other operations based on the DNAI need to consider the keywords such as FQDN and policy name at the same time. For example, the step of transmitting and receiving the DNAI requires a key such as the DNAI, FQDN, policy name, etc. to be transmitted and received; steps involving further performing other operations based on the DNAI, requiring becoming further performing other operations based on the DNAI, FQDN, policy name, etc. keywords; the first SMF network element not supporting the target DNAI may be changed to the first SMF network element not supporting the keywords such as the target DNAI, the target FQDN, the target policy name, etc. That is, in this case, the "target DNAI" related to the method 1400 may be directly replaced by "target keyword", where the target keyword includes keywords such as target DNAI, target FQDN, and target policy name, where the target FQDN and the target policy name refer to the FQDN and the policy name of the UE subscribed service.

It should be understood that if the UE leaves the place where the service subscription is located to the visited place (i.e. the UE access place), the UE needs to be activated, and the AMF needs to select the access place SMF network element (i.e. the first SMF network element), and then the access place SMF network element selects the access place anchor point UPF (i.e. the anchor point UPF PSA1 deployed at the access place hereinafter) to create the user session, see step S1503 in embodiment 3 below.

Alternatively, the UE may sign up for the generic DNN and then activate based on the generic DNN.

S1420, the first SMF network element sends the target DNAI to the second SMF network element. Accordingly, the second SMF network element receives the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element.

Alternatively, in step S1420, the "target DNAI" may also be sent carried by the create context request message, see step S1509 in embodiment 3 below.

Optionally, in step S1420, the first SMF network element may further send a data structure acquired by N7, such as a charging rule, a policy rule, etc., to the second SMF network element.

Alternatively, after step S1420, the second SMF network element may create a user context, see steps S1510 and S1511 in embodiment 3 below.

In the embodiment of the application, when the first SMF network element deployed at the UE access place does not support the target DNAI, the first SMF network element can determine the address of the second SMF network element and establish contact with the second SMF network element, so that the first SMF network element and the second SMF network element can interact and autonomously negotiate the target DNAI which the UE requests to access, thereby realizing that the UE can access the local area network service of the UE subscription service place even leaving the subscription service place, namely, the UE can access the local area network service deployed at the designated position when moving to different positions.

Optionally, after step S1420, the method 1400 may further include: the second SMF network element determines an auxiliary anchor point UPF (namely an auxiliary anchor point UPF PSA2 deployed at the place where the UE signs up for service) according to the target DNAI; the second SMF network element sends the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF to the first SMF network element, and correspondingly, the first SMF network element receives the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF sent by the second network element; the first SMF network element determines a split UPF (namely a UPF Uplink Classifier (ULCL) deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service) according to the current position of the UE; the first SMF network element sends a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF. Optionally, before the second SMF network element sends the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element, the second SMF network element may also create an N4 session with the auxiliary anchor UPF, or may create a session with the CHF network element, so that a call ticket generated by the second SMF network element may be directly reported to the CHF network element. Optionally, before the first SMF network element sends the splitting rule to the splitting UPF, the first SMF network element may also create an N4 session with the splitting UPF. Optionally, after the first SMF network element sends the splitting rule to the splitting UPF, the first SMF network element may further send an N9 interface address of the splitting UPF to the second SMF network element, and accordingly, the second SMF network element receives the N9 interface address of the splitting UPF sent by the first SMF network element. It is to be understood that the above method can be seen from steps S1512 to S1519 in example 3 below.

Optionally, the method 1400 may further include: the first SMF network element sends an update request message to the RAN network element through the AMF network element, the update request message being used to request that the primary anchor UPF where the N3 address is accessed by the UE is updated to a split UPF, so that the RAN can communicate with the split UPF, see steps S1520 and S1521 in embodiment 3 below.

Based on the above description, in actual operation, if a user requests to access the subscription service of the local area network, the user can match the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF to the split UPF, then access the auxiliary anchor point UPF based on the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF, and further access the local area network where the subscription service of the UE is located can be realized through the auxiliary anchor point UPF. If the user requests to access the public network service, the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor point UPF cannot be matched through the shunt UPF, and in this case, the user can directly forward the service to the main anchor point UPF of the UE access place through the N9 interface of the shunt UPF, and the service is routed to the public network through the N6 interface of the main anchor point UPF of the UE access place. See steps S1522 to S1529 in example 3 below.

Alternatively, the first SMF network element may be an SMF converged node, where the SMF converged node may be used for any multiple access from 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G.

For ease of understanding, a specific embodiment of the communication method 1400 provided by the present application is described in conjunction with fig. 15. It should be understood that the method shown in fig. 15 is merely an example, and that more or fewer steps may be included in actual operation, and the application is not limited in this respect. It should be understood that in the following embodiments, network elements such as RAN, AMF, SMF, UPF ULCL, UPF PSA1, D-SMF, UPF PSA2, PCF, NRF, etc., are referred to, and for ease of description, the above network elements will be abbreviated directly as RAN, AMF, SMF, UPF ULCL, UPF PSA1, D-SMF, UPF PSA2, PCF, NRF, etc.

Example 3:

fig. 15 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 1500 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 15, the method 1500 includes S1501 to S1529, which are described in detail below.

Steps S1501 to S1506 can be referred to steps S401 to S406 (i.e. steps S301 to S306), and will not be described again.

In step S1507, the SMF transmits a discovery request message to the NRF, and accordingly, the NRF receives the discovery request message transmitted by the SMF.

The discovery request message comprises keywords such as DNAI, FQDN and policy name, and the SMF sends the discovery request message carrying the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN and policy name to the D-SMF where the NRF can discover the subscribed service.

S1508, the NRF transmits a response message of the discovery request message to the SMF, and accordingly, the SMF receives the response message of the discovery request message transmitted by the NRF.

The response message for sending the discovery request message includes an address of the D-SMF where the subscribed service is located, where the address includes information such as ID, FQDN, IP of the D-SMF.

Steps S1509 to S1529 may be referred to as steps S413 to S433 (i.e., steps S413 to S419, and steps S320 to S333), and will not be described again.

It should be understood that the method 1400 and the method 1500 are mainly examples of communication methods when the user accesses from 5G, and similarly, if the first SMF network element involved in the method 1400 and the SMF involved in the method 1500 are replaced by a converged node such as GW-C/SMF or GGSN/PGW/SMF, and the AMF involved in the method 1400 and the method 1500 are replaced by a converged node such as SGSN/MME, the user can access the lan service where the subscription service is located when accessing from 2G/3G/4G.

It should be understood that the specific composition of the above-mentioned fusion node may be considered in combination with practical situations, and in practical operation, more or fewer network elements may be included to perform fusion, so as to implement access of the user to the lan service where the subscription service is located in different scenarios. Illustratively, the AMFs involved in the methods 1400 and 1500 may be replaced by SGSN/MME/AMF fusion nodes, which may enable the user to access the lan service at the subscription service location when accessing from 2G/3G/4G/5G.

Wherein GW-C is gateway-control (GW-C) for short; GGSN is the abbreviation for gateway GPRS support node (gateway GPRS support node, GGSN); GPRS is an acronym for general packet radio service (general packet radio service, GPRS); PGW is an abbreviation for PDN GateWay (PDN GateWay); PDN is short for public data network (public data network, PDN); SGSN is short for serving GPRS support node (service GPRS support node); the MME is a short for mobility management entity (mobility management entity, MME).

Illustratively, fig. 16 is a schematic flow chart diagram of a communication method 1600 provided by an embodiment of the present application. It should be appreciated that the main difference between this method 1600 and the above-described method 1500 is that the SMF involved in the method 1500 is replaced with a GW-C/SMF fusion node, and the involved AMF is replaced with an SGSN/MME fusion node to exemplify the scenario of user access from 2G/3G/4G. As shown in fig. 16, method 1600 includes S1601 to S1629, which are described below.

S1601 to S1602 refer to steps S1501 to S1502 (i.e. refer to steps S401 to S402 or steps S301 to S302), and are not described again.

S1603, the UE is activated, SGSN/MME selects GW-C/SMF of UE access place, GW-C/SMF selects UPF PSA1 of UE access place to create user session.

S1604, GW-C/SMF sends policy request message to PCF, which receives policy request message sent by GW-C/SMF correspondingly.

It should be appreciated that the policy request message is used to request the SM policy. Alternatively, in the embodiment of the present application, the policy Request message may also be described as an npcf_smplicycontrol_create Request message.

S1605, PCF sends response message of policy request message to GW-C/SMF, and accordingly GW-C/SMF receives response message of policy request message sent by PCF.

S1606, GW-C/SMF judges that keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, policy name and the like issued by PCF are not supported.

If the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name issued by the PCF are the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name corresponding to the local area network, the GW-C/SMF determines that the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name issued by the PCF are not supported by itself, and continues to execute step S1607.

S1607, the GW-C/SMF sends a discovery request message to the NRF, and accordingly, the NRF receives the discovery request message sent by the GW-C/SMF.

The discovery request message comprises keywords such as DNAI, FQDN and policy name, and the GW-C/SMF sends the discovery request message carrying the keywords such as DNAI, FQDN and policy name to the D-SMF where the NRF can discover the subscribed service.

S1608, the NRF transmits a response message of the discovery request message to the GW-C/SMF, and accordingly, the GW-C/SMF receives the response message of the discovery request message transmitted by the NRF.

S1609, the GW-C/SMF sends a create context request message to the D-SMF, and accordingly, the D-SMF receives the create context request message sent by the GW-C/SMF.

It should be understood that the GW-C/SMF transmitting the create context request message to the D-SMF may trigger the D-SMF to create a context, i.e., perform step S1610.

S1610, D-SMF creates a context.

S1611, D-SMF sends a response message to GW-C/SMF to create context request message, and accordingly GW-C/SMF receives the response message sent by D-SMF to create context request message.

S1612, the D-SMF determines the auxiliary anchor point UPF PSA2 based on the keywords of DNAI, FQDN, policy name, and the like. That is, the D-SMF selects the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2 based on the negotiated DNAI, FQDN, and policy name keywords.

S1613, the D-SMF creates an N4 session with the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2.

S1614, the D-SMF sends a session creation request message to the GW-C/SMF, and accordingly, the GW-C/SMF receives the session creation request message sent by the D-SMF.

Wherein the session creation request message includes the N9 interface address (i.e., upstream N9) of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2.

That is, the D-SMF may carry the N9 interface address (upstream N9) of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2 to the GW-C/SMF through the session creation request message.

S1615, GW-C/SMF sends a response message of the session creation request message to D-SMF, and D-SMF receives the response message of the session creation request message sent by SMF.

S1616, GW-C/SMF determines UPF ULCL.

Specifically, the GW-C/SMF may select ULCL UPF based on the UE location.

S1617, GW-C/SMF creates N4 session with UPF ULCL.

It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the GW-C/SMF also needs to issue, to the UPF ULCL, a splitting rule of the subscription service, where the splitting rule includes a correspondence between keywords such as DNAI, FQDN, and policy name subscribed by the user and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA 2. So that in actual operation, when the UE requests to access the subscribed service, the UPF ULCL may be matched to the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA2, and then access the subscribed service based on the matched N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF PSA 2.

S1618, GW-C/SMF sends session update request message to D-SMF, and D-SMF receives the session update request message sent by GW-C/SMF.

That is, the GW-C/SMF may carry the N9 interface address (downstream N9) of the UPF ULCL to the D-SMF through a session update request message.

S1619, D-SMF sends response message of session update request message to GW-C/SMF, and accordingly GW-C/SMF receives response message of session update request message sent by D-SMF.

S1620, GW-C/SMF sends the message of updating the user plane address to RAN through SGSN/MME, and the RAN receives the message of updating the user plane address sent by GW-C/SMF through SGSN/MME.

Specifically, the GW-C/SMF may send a message to update the user plane address to the RAN (e.g., gNB) through the SGSN/MME to update the uplink user plane address from the primary anchor point UPF PSA1 to the UPF ul cl.

S1621, the RAN sends a successful update message to the GW-C/SMF through the SGSN/MME, and correspondingly, the GW-C/SMF receives the successful update message sent by the RAN through the SGSN/MME.

S1622 to S1629 may refer to steps S1522 to S1529 (i.e. refer to steps S326 to S333), and will not be described again.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 500 according to an embodiment of the present application. Alternatively, the apparatus 500 may be a first SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the first SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is disposed at a UE access location. The apparatus 500 includes: a transceiver module 510. It should be appreciated that the transceiver module 510 has the capability of data transmission and/or reception.

The first SMF network element does not support a target DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE subscribed service is located, and the transceiver module 510 is configured to send the target DNAI to the AMF network element, where the target DNAI is used to determine an address of a second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a location where the UE subscribed service is located; receiving one or more DNAI supported by a second SMF network element, wherein the one or more DNAI supported by the second SMF network element comprises a target DNAI; and sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

Optionally, after sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element, the transceiver module 510 may be further configured to receive an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor UPF sent by the second SMF network element, where the auxiliary anchor UPF is determined according to the target DNAI; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

Optionally, the transceiver module 510 may be further configured to send an update request message to the RAN network element through the AMF network element, where the update request message is used to request that the primary anchor UPF of the N3 address accessed by the UE is updated to the split UPF.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 600 according to an embodiment of the present application. Optionally, the apparatus 600 may be a second SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a location where the UE signs up for services. The apparatus 600 includes: a transceiver module 610. It should be appreciated that the transceiver module 610 has data transmission and/or reception capabilities.

The transceiver module 610 is configured to receive an address of a first SMF network element sent by an AMF network element, where the first SMF network element is disposed at a UE access location; transmitting one or more DNAI supported by the self to the first SMF network element, wherein the one or more DNAI supported by the self comprises a target DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs up for service; and receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element.

Optionally, the apparatus 600 may further include: a processing module 620, after receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, the processing module 620 may be configured to determine the auxiliary anchor user plane function UPF according to the target DNAI. The transceiver module 610 may also be configured to send the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 700 according to an embodiment of the present application. Alternatively, the apparatus 700 may be an AMF network element, or may be a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the AMF network element. The apparatus 700 includes a transceiver module 710 and a processing module 720, it being understood that the transceiver module 710 has data transmission and/or reception capabilities.

The transceiver module 710 is configured to receive a target DNAI sent by a first SMF network element, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, and the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location. The processing module 720 is configured to determine an address of a second SMF network element according to the target DNAI, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a location where the UE signs up for services. The transceiver module 710 may also be configured to send the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element.

Optionally, the transceiver module 710 may be further configured to send the target DNAI to the NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

Optionally, the transceiver module 710 may be further configured to receive an update request message sent by the first SMF network element, where the update request message is used to request that the primary anchor UPF where the N3 address is accessed by the UE be updated to the split UPF; the update request message is sent to the RAN.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 800 according to an embodiment of the present application. Alternatively, the apparatus 800 may be a first SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the first SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is disposed at a UE access location. The apparatus 800 includes: a transceiver module 810. It should be appreciated that the transceiver module 810 has data transmission and/or reception capabilities.

The first SMF network element does not support a target DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE subscribed service is located, and the transceiver module 810 is configured to send the target DNAI to the AMF network element, where the target DNAI is used to determine an address of a second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a location where the UE subscribed service is located; receiving an address of a second SMF network element sent by the AMF network element; and sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

Optionally, after sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element, the transceiver module 810 may be further configured to receive an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor UPF sent by the second SMF network element, where the auxiliary anchor UPF is determined according to the target DNAI; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

Optionally, the transceiver module 810 may be further configured to send an update request message to the RAN network element through the AMF network element, where the update request message is used to request that the N3 address be updated from the primary anchor UPF of the UE access point to the split UPF.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 900 according to an embodiment of the present application. Optionally, the apparatus 900 may be a second SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a location where the UE signs up for services. The apparatus 900 includes: a transceiver module 910. It should be appreciated that the transceiver module 910 has the capability of data transmission and/or reception.

The transceiver module 910 is configured to receive a target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs up for service.

Optionally, the apparatus 900 may further include: processing module 920, after receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, processing module 920 may be configured to determine an auxiliary anchor user plane function UPF according to the target DNAI. The transceiver module 910 may also be configured to send the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present application. Alternatively, the apparatus 1000 may be an AMF network element, or may be a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the AMF network element. The apparatus 1000 includes a transceiver module 1010 and a processing module 1020. It should be appreciated that the transceiver module 1010 has data transmission and/or reception capabilities.

The transceiver module 1010 is configured to receive a target DNAI sent by a first SMF network element, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, and the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location. The processing module 1020 is configured to determine an address of a second SMF network element according to the target DNAI, where the second SMF network element is deployed in a place where the UE signs up for services. The transceiver module 1010 is further configured to send the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1010 may be further configured to send the target DNAI to the NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1010 may be further configured to receive an update request message sent by the first SMF network element, where the update request message is used to request that the N3 address be updated from the primary anchor UPF where the UE accesses to the split UPF; an update request message is sent to the RAN.

Fig. 17 is a schematic diagram of a communication apparatus 1700 according to an embodiment of the present application. Optionally, the apparatus 1700 may be a first SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the first SMF network element, where the first SMF network element is disposed at a UE access location. The apparatus 1700 includes: a processing module 1710 and a transceiver module 1720, it being understood that the transceiver module 1720 has data transmission and/or reception capabilities.

The first SMF network element does not support a target DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE subscribed service is located, and the processing module 1710 is configured to determine an address of a second SMF network element according to the target DNAI, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a location where the UE subscribed service is located. Transceiver module 1720 is configured to send the target DNAI to the second SMF network element.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1720 may also be configured to send the target DNAI to the NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

Optionally, after sending the target DNAI to the second SMF network element, the transceiver module 1720 may be further configured to receive an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor UPF sent by the second SMF network element, where the auxiliary anchor UPF is determined according to the target DNAI; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target DNAI and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1800 according to an embodiment of the present application. Optionally, the apparatus 1800 may be a second SMF network element, or may be a device such as a chip, a processor, or a module applied to the second SMF network element, where the second SMF network element is deployed at a location where a UE signs up for services. The apparatus 1800 includes: transceiver module 1810. It should be appreciated that the transceiver module 1810 may have data transmission and/or reception capabilities.

The transceiver module 1810 is configured to receive a target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs up for services.

Optionally, the apparatus 1800 may further include: a processing module 1820, after receiving the target DNAI sent by the first SMF network element, the processing module 1820 is configured to determine an auxiliary anchor point UPF according to the target DNAI; the transceiver module 1810 may also be configured to send the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

Likewise, the "target DNAI" referred to in the above apparatus may also be directly replaced by "target keyword", where the target keyword includes keywords such as target DNAI, target FQDN, and target policy name, where the target FQDN and the target policy name refer to the FQDN and the policy name of the UE subscribed service. Reference may be made specifically to the descriptions in the embodiments of the method, and no further description is given.

Fig. 11 is a communication system 1100 provided by an embodiment of the application. As shown in fig. 11, the system 1100 includes the apparatus 500, the apparatus 600, and the apparatus 700 described above.

Fig. 12 is a communication system 1200 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 12, the system 1200 includes the apparatus 800, apparatus 900, and apparatus 1000 described above.

Fig. 19 is a communication system 1900 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 19, the system 1900 includes the apparatus 1700 and the apparatus 1800 described above.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 1300 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 13, the communication apparatus 1300 includes: a transceiver 1310, a processor 1320, and a memory 1330. Wherein the transceiver 1310, the processor 1320 and the memory 1330 communicate with each other via internal communication paths to transfer control and/or data signals.

Alternatively, the transceiver 1310 may also be a communication interface.

Wherein the memory 1330 is used to store application code for performing aspects of the present application, and the processor 1320 is used to execute the application code stored in the memory 1330.

It should be appreciated that the transceiver 1310 may be configured to implement the functions referred to by the transceiver modules in the above embodiments, and the processor 1320 may be configured to implement the functions referred to by the processing modules in the above embodiments.

It should also be appreciated that when the processor 1320 calls and runs the computer program from memory, the processor 1320 may be used to perform the relevant operations performed by the processing modules in the embodiments described above.

In a particular implementation, processor 1320 may include one or more CPUs, as one embodiment.

In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the communications apparatus 1300 can include a plurality of processors, each of which can be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. A processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

The memory 1330 may be, but is not limited to, a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (random access memory, RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, EEPROM), a compact disc (compact disc read-only memory) or other optical disk storage, optical disk storage (including compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, blu-ray disc, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory may be self-contained and coupled to the processor via a connection (e.g., a system bus). The memory may also be integrated with the processor.

In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the communications apparatus 1300 can further include an output device and an input device. An output device communicates with the processor 1320, which can display information in a variety of ways. For example, the output device may be a liquid crystal display (liquid crystal display, LCD), a light emitting diode (light emitting diode, LED) display device, a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display device, or a projector (projector), or the like. The input device(s) communicates with the processor 1320 and may accept user input in a variety of ways. For example, the input device may be a mouse, a keyboard, a touch screen device, a sensing device, or the like.

The communication apparatus 1300 may be a general-purpose computer device or a special-purpose computer device. In a specific implementation, the communications apparatus 1300 can be a desktop, a laptop, a web server, a palmtop (Personal Digital Assistant, PDA), a mobile handset, a tablet, a wireless terminal device, a communications device, or an embedded device. The embodiment of the present application is not limited to the type of communication device 1300.

The embodiments of the present application also provide a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer instructions for implementing the method performed by the network element or the device in the above method embodiments.

For example, the computer program when executed by a computer, enables the computer to implement the method performed by the first SMF network element in the above-described method embodiments.

As another example, the computer program when executed by a computer may enable the computer to implement the method performed by the second SMF network element in the above method embodiments.

For another example, the computer program when executed by a computer may enable the computer to implement the method performed by the AMF network element in the embodiments of the method described above.

The embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement the method performed by the network element or the device in the above method embodiments.

The explanation and beneficial effects of the related content in any of the above-mentioned devices can refer to the corresponding method embodiments provided above, and are not repeated here.

In the several embodiments provided by the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and method may be implemented in other manners. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative, e.g., the division of the units is merely a logical function division, and there may be additional divisions when actually implemented, e.g., multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be omitted or not performed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed with each other may be through some interface, device or unit indirect coupling or communication connection, which may be in electrical, mechanical or other form.

In the above embodiments, it may be implemented in whole or in part 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, produces a flow or function in accordance with embodiments of the present application, in whole or in part. The computer may be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable apparatus. For example, the computer may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc. The computer instructions may be stored in or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another, for example, by wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital Subscriber Line (DSL)), or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.). The computer readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server, data center, etc. that contains an integration of one or more available media. For example, the aforementioned usable media include, but are not limited to, U disk, removable hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (random access memory, RAM), magnetic disk or optical disk and other various media that can store program code.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art will readily recognize that variations or substitutions are within the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, wherein the method is applied to a first session management function SMF network element, the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location, the first SMF network element does not support a target keyword, the target keyword includes a target data network access identifier DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, the method includes:

the target keyword is sent to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the target keyword is used for determining an address of a second SMF network element, and the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service;

receiving a keyword list supported by the second SMF network element and sent by the second SMF network element, wherein the keyword list supported by the second SMF network element comprises the target keyword;

And sending the target keyword to the second SMF network element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein after the sending the target key to the second SMF network element, the method further comprises:

receiving an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor point user plane function UPF sent by the second SMF network element, wherein the auxiliary anchor point UPF is determined according to the target keyword;

and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target keyword and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

and sending an update request message to a Radio Access Network (RAN) network element through the AMF network element, wherein the update request message is used for requesting to update an N3 address from a main anchor point (UPF) of a UE access place to the split UPF.

4. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said sending the target key to the second SMF network element comprises:

and sending the target keyword and a data structure acquired by an N7 interface to the second SMF network element, wherein the data structure comprises a charging rule and/or a policy rule.

5. The method of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

6. The communication method is characterized in that the method is applied to a second Session Management Function (SMF) network element, the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where a service is signed by UE, and the method comprises the following steps:

receiving an address of a first SMF network element sent by an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, wherein the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access place;

transmitting a self-supported keyword list to the first SMF network element, wherein the self-supported keyword list comprises a target keyword, the target keyword comprises a target data network access identifier DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscription service is located;

and receiving the target keyword sent by the first SMF network element.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein after the receiving the target key sent by the first SMF network element, the method further comprises:

determining an auxiliary anchor point user plane function UPF according to the target keyword;

and sending the N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

session is created with the charging function CHF network element to report the ticket generated by itself to the CHF network element.

9. The method of any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

10. A communication method, characterized in that the method is applied to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the method comprising:

receiving a target keyword sent by a first Session Management Function (SMF) network element, wherein the target keyword comprises a target Data Network Access Identifier (DNAI), the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a User Equipment (UE) sign-up service is located, and the first SMF network element is deployed at a User Equipment (UE) access place;

determining an address of a second SMF network element according to the target keyword, wherein the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service;

and sending the address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the address of the second SMF network element based on the target key comprises:

sending the target keyword to a network storage function NRF network element;

And receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the method further comprises:

receiving an update request message sent by the first SMF network element, wherein the update request message is used for requesting to update a primary anchor point UPF of an N3 address accessed by UE into the split UPF;

and sending the update request message to the radio access network RAN.

13. The method of any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

14. A communication method, wherein the method is applied to a first session management function SMF network element, the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location, the first SMF network element does not support a target keyword, the target keyword includes a target data network access identifier DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, the method includes:

Receiving an address of the second SMF network element sent by the AMF network element;

and sending the target keyword to the second SMF network element.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein after the sending the target key to the second SMF network element, the method further comprises:

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the sending the target key to the second SMF network element comprises:

18. The method of any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the target keyword further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

19. The communication method is characterized in that the method is applied to a second Session Management Function (SMF) network element, the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where a service is signed by UE, and the method comprises the following steps:

and receiving a target keyword sent by the first SMF network element, wherein the target keyword comprises a target data network access identifier DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs service.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein after the receiving the target key sent by the first SMF network element, the method further comprises:

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

22. The method of any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

23. A communication method, characterized in that the method is applied to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the method comprising:

and sending the address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the determining the address of the second SMF network element based on the target key comprises:

sending the target keyword to a network storage function NRF network element;

25. The method according to claim 23 or 24, characterized in that the method further comprises:

And sending the update request message to the radio access network RAN.

26. The method of any one of claims 23 to 25, wherein the target keyword further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

27. A communication method, wherein the method is applied to a first session management function SMF network element, the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location, the first SMF network element does not support a target keyword, the target keyword includes a target data network access identifier DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, the method includes:

and sending the target keyword to the second SMF network element.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the determining the address of the second SMF network element based on the target key comprises:

sending the target keyword to a network storage function NRF network element;

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the determining the address of the second SMF network element based on the target key comprises:

And inquiring and obtaining the second SMF network element address from a local configuration list according to the target keyword.

30. The method according to any of claims 27 to 29, wherein after said sending the target key to the second SMF network element, the method further comprises:

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the method further comprises:

and sending an update request message to the RAN network element through an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, wherein the update request message is used for requesting to update the N3 address from the primary anchor point UPF of the UE access place to the shunt UPF.

32. The method according to any of claims 27 to 31, wherein the first SMF network element is an SMF converged node for user access from any of 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G.

33. The method of any of claims 27 to 32, wherein the sending the target key to the second SMF network element comprises:

34. The method of any one of claims 27 to 33, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

35. The communication method is characterized in that the method is applied to a second Session Management Function (SMF) network element, the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where a service is signed by UE, and the method comprises the following steps:

36. The method of claim 35, wherein after the receiving the target key sent by the first SMF network element, the method further comprises:

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises:

38. The method of any one of claims 35 to 37, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

39. A communication device, wherein the device is applied to a first session management function SMF network element, the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location, the first SMF network element does not support a target key, the target key includes a target data network access identifier DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, the device includes: a transceiver module, said transceiver module being configured to,

the target keyword is sent to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the target keyword is used for determining an address of a second SMF network element, and the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service; receiving a keyword list supported by the second SMF network element and sent by the second SMF network element, wherein the keyword list supported by the second SMF network element comprises the target keyword; and sending the target keyword to the second SMF network element.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein after said sending said target key to said second SMF network element, said transceiver module is further configured to,

receiving an N9 interface address of an auxiliary anchor point user plane function UPF sent by the second SMF network element, wherein the auxiliary anchor point UPF is determined according to the target keyword; and sending a shunting rule to a shunting UPF, wherein the shunting rule comprises a corresponding relation between the target keyword and an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF, and the shunting UPF is determined according to the current position of the UE.

41. The apparatus of claim 39 or 40, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

42. A communication device, wherein the device is applied to a second session management function SMF network element, the second SMF network element being deployed at a location where a UE signs up for a service, the device comprising: a transceiver module, said transceiver module being configured to,

receiving an address of a first SMF network element sent by an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, wherein the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access place; transmitting a self-supported keyword list to the first SMF network element, wherein the self-supported keyword list comprises a target keyword, the target keyword comprises a target data network access identifier DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where the UE signs a service; and receiving the target keyword sent by the first SMF network element.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising: a processing module, after receiving the target keyword sent by the first SMF network element, the processing module is configured to,

the transceiver module is further configured to send an N9 interface address of the auxiliary anchor UPF to the first SMF network element.

44. The apparatus of claim 42 or 43, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

45. A communication device is characterized in that the device is applied to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the device comprises a transceiver module and a processing module,

the receiving and transmitting module is configured to receive a target keyword sent by a first session management function SMF network element, where the target keyword includes a target data network access identifier DNAI, where the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, and the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location;

the processing module is used for determining an address of a second SMF network element according to the target keyword, wherein the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service;

The transceiver module is further configured to send an address of the first SMF network element to the second SMF network element.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the transceiver module is further configured to,

sending the target keyword to a network storage function NRF network element; and receiving the address of the second SMF network element sent by the NRF network element.

47. The apparatus of claim 45 or 46, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

48. A communication device, wherein the device is applied to a first session management function SMF network element, the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location, the first SMF network element does not support a target key, the target key includes a target data network access identifier DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, the device includes: a transceiver module, said transceiver module being configured to,

the target keyword is sent to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the target keyword is used for determining an address of a second SMF network element, and the second SMF network element is deployed at a place where the UE signs up for service; receiving an address of the second SMF network element sent by the AMF network element; and sending the target keyword to the second SMF network element.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein after said sending said target key to said second SMF network element, said transceiving module is further configured to,

50. The apparatus of claim 48 or 49, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

51. A communication device, wherein the device is applied to a second session management function SMF network element, the second SMF network element being deployed at a location where a UE signs up for a service, the device comprising: a transceiver module, said transceiver module being configured to,

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a processing module, after receiving the target keyword sent by the first SMF network element, the processing module is configured to,

53. The apparatus of claim 51 or 52, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

54. A communication device is characterized in that the device is applied to an access and mobility management function AMF network element, the device comprises a transceiver module and a processing module,

the transceiver module is further configured to send an address of the second SMF network element to the first SMF network element.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the transceiver module is further configured to,

56. The apparatus of claim 54 or 55, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

57. A communication device, wherein the device is applied to a first session management function SMF network element, the first SMF network element is deployed at a UE access location, the first SMF network element does not support a target key, the target key includes a target data network access identifier DNAI, and the target DNAI is an access identifier of a data network where a UE subscribed service is located, the device includes: the processing module and the receiving-transmitting module are used for processing the data,

the receiving and transmitting module is configured to send the target keyword to the second SMF network element.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the transceiver module is further configured to,

sending the target keyword to a network storage function NRF network element;

59. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the processing module is further configured to,

60. The apparatus of any one of claims 57 to 59, wherein, after said sending said target key to said second SMF network element, said transceiver module is further configured to,

61. The apparatus of any one of claims 57 to 60, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

62. A communication device, wherein the device is applied to a second session management function SMF network element, the second SMF network element being deployed at a location where a UE signs up for a service, the device comprising: a transceiver module, said transceiver module being configured to,

63. The apparatus of claim 62, further comprising: the processing module is used for determining an auxiliary anchor point user plane function UPF according to the target keyword after the target keyword sent by the first SMF network element is received;

64. The apparatus of claim 62 or 63, wherein the target key further comprises a target full domain name and a target policy name.

65. A communication system, comprising: a communication device according to any one of claims 39 to 41, a communication device according to any one of claims 42 to 44 and a communication device according to any one of claims 45 to 47; alternatively, it includes: a communications device according to any one of claims 48 to 50, a communications device according to any one of claims 51 to 53 and a communications device according to any one of claims 54 to 56; alternatively, it includes: a communication device as claimed in any one of claims 57 to 61 and a communication device as claimed in any one of claims 62 to 64.