WO2024108535A1 - 通信方法、装置、系统、存储介质及程序产品 - Google Patents

通信方法、装置、系统、存储介质及程序产品 Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024108535A1
WO2024108535A1 PCT/CN2022/134275 CN2022134275W WO2024108535A1 WO 2024108535 A1 WO2024108535 A1 WO 2024108535A1 CN 2022134275 W CN2022134275 W CN 2022134275W WO 2024108535 A1 WO2024108535 A1 WO 2024108535A1
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Prior art keywords
network element
service
network
request
session
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PCT/CN2022/134275
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
邢玮俊
武绍芸
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华为技术有限公司
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Priority to PCT/CN2022/134275 priority Critical patent/WO2024108535A1/zh
Publication of WO2024108535A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024108535A1/zh

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W36/00—Hand-off or reselection arrangements

Definitions

  • the present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, device, system, storage medium and program product.
  • the entire network architecture is designed based on network elements (or network functions), and each network element has a specific function.
  • a network element communicates with one or more specific network elements, and the coupling relationship between network elements is strong, and the network functions are too "heavy”.
  • the network architecture logic is complex and disaster recovery is difficult. Each network element needs to maintain user-related context separately. Once the network element fails, the context will be lost. Therefore, the design of the existing network architecture cannot flexibly perform network deployment and management.
  • the present application provides a communication method, device, system, storage medium and program product to improve the flexibility of network deployment and management.
  • a communication method comprising: a first network element obtaining service input data or a credential for obtaining the service input data from a second network element based on a received service trigger event; the first network element sending a service request to at least one third network element, the service request including the service input data or the credential for obtaining the service input data; and the first network element receiving service feedback from the at least one third network element, the service feedback including an execution result of the service.
  • a new core network architecture implemented by a serverless architecture in which a first network element can process different service requests and call at least one third network element in the network. There is no coupling or weak coupling relationship between the third network elements, thereby improving the flexibility of network deployment and management.
  • the first network element is used to process different service requests in the network
  • the second network element is used to provide data storage services for the first network element and/or the at least one third network element
  • the at least one third network element is a network element that provides network functions; wherein the at least one third network element includes: a session management function network element, an access and mobility management function network element, and a policy and control function network element.
  • the first network element sends a service request to at least one third network element, including: the first network element sends the service request to the at least one third network element according to the execution logic of the service; wherein the execution logic of the service includes at least one of the following information: at least one third network element required to be called for each service, the scheduling order of the at least one third network element, the format of the service input data corresponding to each third network element, and the content of the service input data corresponding to each third network element.
  • the execution logic of the service may correspond to a certain service provided by the network to the terminal.
  • the network functions required to be called for each service, the order of calling, the format and content of the input data required to be provided by each network function, etc. can be referred to as the execution logic of the service.
  • the implementation form of the execution logic of the service can be a script, a piece of code, etc., which is pre-configured or configured to the first network element by a certain network function.
  • the method further includes: the first network element sends a scheduling request to a fourth network element, wherein the fourth network element is used to provide a network function discovery and selection service for the first network element; and the first network element receives a scheduling response from the fourth network element, wherein the scheduling response includes at least one of the following information of the at least one third network element: the capability, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the at least one third network element.
  • the fourth network element provides a network function discovery and selection service for the first network element.
  • the service feedback also includes the update result of the service input data; the method also includes: the first network element sends a data synchronization request to the second network element, the data synchronization request includes the update result of the service input data; and the first network element receives a data synchronization response from the second network element.
  • the service feedback can also include the update result of the service input data.
  • the service triggering event includes a service request from a fifth network element; the method further includes: the first network element sending the service feedback to the fifth network element.
  • the first network element can also process the service request from the fifth network element to implement service calls between sub-networks.
  • the first network element and the fifth network element belong to different networks; the different networks are user-level networks or operator networks, or different user-level networks, or different network slices.
  • the service input data is processed user data.
  • the security of the service input data transmission process can be improved.
  • the service input data is unprocessed user data; and the method further includes: the first network element processes the service input data to obtain processed user data.
  • the processed user data includes at least one of the following: encrypted user data, user data with user identification information removed, a temporary user identification, and an encrypted user identification.
  • the service triggering event includes at least one of the following: a communication service request initiated by a terminal, a communication service request initiated by the fifth network element, a periodic communication service, and an event-triggered communication service; the first network element sends a service request to at least one third network element, including: the first network element sends the service request to at least one third network element associated with the service triggering event, respectively, and the service request includes the service input data obtained by the first network element from the second network element and the execution result of the service obtained from other third network elements in the at least one third network element; and the first network element receives service feedback from the at least one third network element, including: the first network element receives service feedback from the at least one third network element, respectively.
  • the service triggering event is a session establishment request
  • the service input data includes session subscription data
  • the first network element sends a service request to at least one third network element, including: the first network element sends a session policy request to the PCF, and the session policy request includes at least one of the following information: data network name DNN, network slice information
  • the first network element receives service feedback from the at least one third network element, including: the first network receives a session policy response from the PCF, and the session policy response includes a session policy, and the session policy is generated based on the DNN and/or the network slice information.
  • the first network element sends a service request to at least one third network element, further comprising: the first network element sends a session establishment request to the SMF, the session establishment request includes session policy information or session subscription information; the first network element receives service feedback from the at least one third network element, further comprising: the first network element receives a session establishment response from the SMF, the session establishment response includes a session context.
  • the RAN forwards it to the SMF.
  • the SMF After receiving the session creation request from the terminal, the SMF obtains the terminal subscription data related to the session from the UDM/UDR, that is, the SMF can directly access the terminal subscription data, and then the SMF interacts with other network elements based on the terminal subscription data to perform subsequent session creation, so that the user's privacy data is frequently transmitted in the network, reducing security.
  • the first network element uniformly obtains the session-related subscription data from the second network element and sends it to the SMF, and the SMF cannot directly access the session-related terminal subscription data, thereby avoiding the frequent transmission of the user's privacy data in the network and improving the security of the data.
  • the first network element sends a service request to at least one third network element, further comprising: the first network element performs user plane configuration on a user plane function network element.
  • a communication method comprising: a second network element receives an acquisition request from a first network element, the acquisition request is used to request to obtain service input data or an acquisition credential of the service input data, the acquisition credential of the service input data being a credential for obtaining the service input data; and the second network element sends an acquisition response to the first network element, the acquisition response includes the service input data or the acquisition credential of the service input data.
  • the first network element uniformly obtains the service input data or the acquisition credential of the service input data from the second network element, and the third network element cannot directly access the service input data, thereby avoiding frequent transmission of user privacy data in the network and improving data security.
  • the first network element is used to process different service requests in the network
  • the second network element is used to provide data storage services for the first network element and/or at least one third network element
  • the at least one third network element is a network element that provides network functions; wherein the at least one third network element includes: a session management function network element, an access and mobility management function network element, and a policy and control function network element.
  • each third network element needs to maintain the user plane context separately. Once any third network element fails, the user plane context maintained by the third network element may be lost.
  • a separate second network element provides data storage services for the first network element and/or the third network element, and the first network element and each third network element do not need to maintain the relevant service data separately, thereby improving storage efficiency and data security.
  • the service input data is processed user data; and the method further includes: the second network element processes the service input data to obtain the processed user data.
  • the processed user data includes at least one of the following: encrypted user data, user data with user identification information removed, a temporary user identification, and an encrypted user identification.
  • a communication method comprising: a third network element receives a service request, the service request includes service input data or a credential for obtaining the service input data; and the third network element executes the requested service according to the service request.
  • a new core network architecture implemented by a serverless architecture wherein the first network element uniformly processes service requests and calls at least one third network element in the network, and there is no coupling or weak coupling relationship between the third network elements, thereby improving the flexibility of network deployment and management; and the first network element uniformly obtains the service input data and sends it to the relevant third network element, or the first network element obtains the credential for obtaining the service input data and sends the credential to the relevant third network element, and the relevant third network element obtains the service input data, while the third network element cannot directly access the service input data, thereby avoiding frequent transmission of user privacy data in the network and improving data security.
  • the method further includes: the third network element sending service feedback to the first network element, where the service feedback includes an execution result of the service.
  • the first network element is used to process different service requests in the network
  • the third network element is a network element that provides network functions; wherein the third network element includes any one of the following: a session management function network element, an access and mobility management function network element, and a policy and control function network element.
  • the third network element receiving the service request includes: the third network element receiving the service request from the first network element.
  • the method also includes: the third network element sends a registration request to a fourth network element, the registration request including at least one of the following information: the capability, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the third network element, wherein the fourth network element is used to provide network function discovery and selection services for the first network element; and the third network element receives a registration response from the fourth network element.
  • the third network element receiving the service request includes: the third network element receiving the service request from the fourth network element.
  • the service request includes the acquisition credentials of the service input data
  • the third network element receives the service request, including: the third network element sends an acquisition request to a second network element based on the acquisition credentials, and the second network element is used to provide data storage services for the first network element and/or the third network element; and the third network element receives an acquisition response from the second network element, and the acquisition response includes the service input data.
  • the service input data is processed user data.
  • the processed user data includes at least one of the following: encrypted user data, user data with user identification information removed, a temporary user identification, and an encrypted user identification.
  • the service request includes the service input data obtained by the first network element from the second network element and an execution result of the service obtained from other third network elements among the at least one third network element.
  • the third network element is a PCF network element
  • the service input data includes session subscription data
  • the third network element receives a service request, including: the third network element receives a session policy request, and the session policy request includes at least one of the following information: data network name DNN, network slice information
  • the third network element sends service feedback to the first network element, including: the third network element sends a session policy response to the first network element, and the session policy response includes a session policy, and the session policy is generated according to the DNN and/or the network slice information.
  • the third network element is an SMF network element; the third network element receives a service request, including: the third network element receives a session establishment request, and the session establishment request includes session policy information or session contract information; the third network element sends service feedback to the first network element, including: the third network element sends a session establishment response to the first network element, and the session establishment response includes a session context.
  • a communication method comprising: a fourth network element receives a registration request from at least one third network element, the registration request comprising at least one of the following information: capability, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the third network element; the fourth network element sends a registration response to the at least one third network element; the fourth network element receives a scheduling request from a first network element; the fourth network element determines at least one third network element to be scheduled according to the scheduling request; and the fourth network element sends a scheduling response to the first network element, the scheduling response comprising at least one of the following information of at least one third network element to be scheduled: capability, identification, address information, and status information of the at least one third network element; or the fourth network element sends the scheduling request to at least one third network element to be scheduled.
  • the fourth network element provides a discovery and selection service for a network function for the first network element.
  • a third network element that provides a single network service can register the capability, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the third network element in the fourth network element.
  • the first network element is used to process different service requests in the network
  • the at least one third network element is a network element that provides network functions
  • the fourth network element is used to provide network function discovery and selection services for the first network element; wherein the at least one third network element includes: a session management function network element, an access and mobility management function network element, and a policy and control function network element.
  • a communication device which can implement the communication method in the first aspect.
  • the communication device can be a chip or a first network element.
  • the method can be implemented by software, hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software.
  • the communication device includes a transceiver unit and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is used to obtain service input data or a credential for obtaining the service input data from a second network element based on a received service trigger event; the transceiver unit is used to send a service request to at least one third network element, the service request including the service input data or a credential for obtaining the service input data; and the transceiver unit is further used to receive service feedback from the at least one third network element, the service feedback including an execution result of the service.
  • the processing unit is used to obtain service input data or a credential for obtaining the service input data from a second network element based on a received service trigger event
  • the transceiver unit is used to send a service request to at least one third network element, the service request including the service input data or a credential for obtaining the service input data
  • the transceiver unit is further used to receive service feedback from the at least one third network element, the service feedback including an execution result of the service.
  • the communication device is used to process service requests in the network
  • the second network element is used to provide data storage services for the first network element and/or the at least one third network element
  • the at least one third network element is a network element that provides network functions; wherein the at least one third network element includes: a session management function network element, an access and mobility management function network element, and a policy and control function network element.
  • the transceiver unit is also used to send the service request to the at least one third network element according to the execution logic of the service; wherein the execution logic of the service includes at least one of the following information: at least one third network element required to be called for each service, the scheduling order of the at least one third network element, the format of the service input data corresponding to each third network element, and the content of the service input data corresponding to each third network element.
  • the transceiver unit is further used to send a scheduling request to a fourth network element, wherein the fourth network element is used to provide network function discovery and selection services for the first network element; and the transceiver unit is further used to receive a scheduling response from the fourth network element, the scheduling response including at least one of the following information of the at least one third network element: capability, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the at least one third network element.
  • the service feedback also includes the update result of the service input data; the transceiver unit is further used to send a data synchronization request to the second network element, the data synchronization request includes the update result of the service input data; and the transceiver unit is further used to receive a data synchronization response from the second network element.
  • the service triggering event includes a service request from a fifth network element; and the transceiver unit is further used to send the service feedback to the fifth network element.
  • the first network element and the fifth network element belong to different networks; the different networks are user-level networks or operator networks, or different user-level networks, or different network slices.
  • the service input data is processed user data.
  • the service input data is unprocessed user data; and the processing unit is further used to process the service input data to obtain processed user data.
  • the processed user data includes at least one of the following: encrypted user data, user data with user identification information removed, a temporary user identification, and an encrypted user identification.
  • the service triggering event is a session establishment request, and the service input data includes session signing data; the transceiver unit is also used to send a session policy request to the PCF, and the session policy request includes at least one of the following information: data network name DNN, network slice information; the transceiver unit is also used to receive a session policy response from the PCF, and the session policy response includes a session policy, and the session policy is generated based on the DNN and/or the network slice information.
  • the transceiver unit is further used to send a session establishment request to the SMF, wherein the session establishment request includes session policy information or session contract information; the transceiver unit is further used to receive a session establishment response from the SMF, wherein the session establishment response includes a session context.
  • a communication device which can implement the communication method in the second aspect.
  • the communication device can be a chip or a second network element.
  • the method can be implemented by software, hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software.
  • the communication device includes a transceiver unit and a processing unit; wherein the transceiver unit is used to receive an acquisition request from a first network element, the acquisition request is used to request to obtain service input data or an acquisition credential for the service input data, and the acquisition credential for the service input data is a credential for obtaining the service input data; and the transceiver unit is further used to send an acquisition response to the first network element, the acquisition response including the service input data or the acquisition credential for the service input data.
  • the first network element is used to process different service requests in the network
  • the communication device is used to provide data storage services for the first network element and/or at least one third network element
  • the at least one third network element is a network element that provides network functions; wherein the at least one third network element includes: a session management function network element, an access and mobility management function network element, and a policy and control function network element.
  • the service input data is processed user data; and the processing unit is used to process the service input data to obtain the processed user data.
  • the processed user data includes at least one of the following: encrypted user data, user data with user identification information removed, a temporary user identification, and an encrypted user identification.
  • a communication device which can implement the communication method in the third aspect.
  • the communication device can be a chip or a third network element.
  • the method can be implemented by software, hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software.
  • the communication device includes a transceiver unit and a processing unit; wherein the transceiver unit is used to receive a service request, the service request includes service input data or a credential for obtaining the service input data; and the processing unit is used to execute the requested service according to the service request.
  • the transceiver unit is further used to send service feedback to the first network element, where the service feedback includes an execution result of the service.
  • the first network element is used to process different service requests in the network
  • the communication device is a device that provides network functions; wherein the communication device includes any one of the following: a session management function network element, an access and mobility management function network element, and a policy and control function network element.
  • the transceiver unit is further used to receive a service request from the first network element.
  • the transceiver unit is also used to send a registration request to a fourth network element, the registration request including at least one of the following information: capabilities, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the third network element, wherein the fourth network element is used to provide network function discovery and selection services for the first network element; and the third network element receives a registration response from the fourth network element.
  • the transceiver unit is further used to receive the service request from the fourth network element.
  • the service request includes acquisition credentials for the service input data
  • the transceiver unit is further used to send an acquisition request to a second network element based on the acquisition credentials, and the second network element is used to provide data storage services for the first network element and/or the communication device; and the transceiver unit is further used to receive an acquisition response from the second network element, and the acquisition response includes the service input data.
  • the service input data is processed user data.
  • the processed user data includes at least one of the following: encrypted user data, user data with user identification information removed, a temporary user identification, and an encrypted user identification.
  • the third network element is a PCF network element
  • the service input data includes session subscription data
  • the transceiver unit is also used to receive a session policy request, and the session policy request includes at least one of the following information: data network name DNN, network slice information
  • the transceiver unit is also used to send a session policy response to the first network element, and the session policy response includes a session policy, and the session policy is generated based on the DNN and/or the network slice information.
  • the third network element is an SMF network element; the transceiver unit is further used to receive a session establishment request, the session establishment request includes session policy information or session contract information; the transceiver unit is further used to send a session establishment response to the first network element, the session establishment response includes a session context.
  • a communication device which can implement the communication method in the fourth aspect.
  • the communication device can be a chip or a fourth network element.
  • the method can be implemented by software, hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software.
  • the communication device includes a transceiver unit and a processing unit; wherein the transceiver unit is used to receive a registration request from at least one third network element, and the registration request includes at least one of the following information: the capability, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the third network element; the transceiver unit is also used to send a registration response to the at least one third network element; the transceiver unit is also used to receive a scheduling request from the first network element; the processing unit is used to determine at least one third network element to be scheduled according to the scheduling request; and the transceiver unit is also used to send a scheduling response to the first network element, and the scheduling response includes at least one of the following information of the at least one third network element to be scheduled: the capability, identification, address information, and status information of the at least one third network element; or the transceiver unit is also used to send the scheduling request to the at least one third network element to be scheduled.
  • the first network element is used to process different service requests in the network
  • the at least one third network element is a network element that provides network functions
  • the communication device is used to provide network function discovery and selection services for the first network element; wherein the at least one third network element includes: a session management function network element, an access and mobility management function network element, and a policy and control function network element.
  • the communication device in any aspect of the fifth to eighth aspects includes a processor coupled to a memory; the processor is configured to support the device to perform corresponding functions in the above communication method.
  • the memory is used to couple with the processor, which stores the necessary programs (instructions) and/or data for the device.
  • the communication device may further include a communication interface for supporting communication between the device and other network elements.
  • the memory may be located inside the communication device or outside the communication device.
  • the memory and the processor may be integrated together.
  • the communication device in any one of the fifth to eighth aspects includes a processor and a transceiver, the processor is coupled to the transceiver, and the processor is used to execute a computer program or instruction to control the transceiver to receive and send information; when the processor executes the computer program or instruction, the processor is also used to implement the above method through a logic circuit or execute code instructions.
  • the transceiver may be a transceiver, a transceiver circuit, or an input-output interface, which is used to receive signals from other devices outside the communication device and transmit them to the processor or send signals from the processor to other devices outside the communication device.
  • the transceiver is a transceiver circuit or an input-output interface.
  • the sending unit may be an output unit, such as an output circuit or a communication interface; the receiving unit may be an input unit, such as an input circuit or a communication interface.
  • the sending unit may be a transmitter or a transmitter; the receiving unit may be a receiver or a receiver.
  • a computer-readable storage medium in which a computer program or instructions are stored.
  • a computer executes the computer program or instructions, the methods described in the above aspects are implemented.
  • a computer program product comprising instructions, which, when executed on a communication device, enables the communication device to execute the methods described in the above aspects.
  • a communication system which includes the communication device in any one of the fifth to eighth aspects.
  • FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG2a is a schematic diagram of a communication system architecture based on a 5G network provided in an embodiment of the present application
  • FIG2b is a schematic diagram of another communication system architecture based on a 5G network provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG2c is a schematic diagram of another communication system architecture based on a 5G network provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the evolution of mobile network core network technology
  • FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the interaction logic between some network elements of a 5G core network
  • FIG5 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG6 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a multi-level network architecture provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG8 is a flow chart of a communication method in a session establishment scenario according to an example of an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG9 is a flow chart of another communication method in a session establishment scenario according to an example of an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG10 is a flow chart of a communication method in a terminal registration scenario according to an example of an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG11 is a flow chart of a communication method in a service request scenario according to an example of an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • the present application can be applicable to, used in or integrated into the core network architecture of a mobile network, including the core network architecture of a fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system, a sixth generation (6G) mobile communication system, a future evolved communication system or other communication systems, and the present application does not impose any restrictions on this.
  • 5G fifth generation
  • 6G sixth generation
  • the communication system 100 may include: a first network element 101, a second network element 102, and at least one third network element 103 (n third network elements are illustrated in the figure).
  • the first network element 101 is used to process different service requests in the network
  • the second network element 102 is used to provide data storage services for the first network element 101 and/or at least one third network element 103
  • at least one third network element 103 is a network element that provides network functions.
  • the first network element 101 is used to obtain service input data or service input data acquisition credentials from the second network element 102 according to the received service trigger event.
  • the first network element 101 is also used to send a service request to at least one third network element 103, and the service request includes the above-mentioned service input data or service input data acquisition credentials. Accordingly, the third network element 103 is used to execute the requested service according to the service request after receiving the service request. Accordingly, the third network element 103 is also used to send service feedback to the first network element 101, and the service feedback includes the execution result of the service.
  • the communication system 100 may further include a fourth network element 104 (indicated by a dotted line in the figure).
  • the fourth network element 104 is used to provide a discovery and selection service for a network function for the first network element 101.
  • at least one third network element 103 is also used to send a registration request to the fourth network element 104, and the registration request includes at least one of the following information: capability, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the third network element 103.
  • the fourth network element 104 is used to send a registration response to at least one third network element 103.
  • the fourth network element 104 is also used to receive a scheduling request from the first network element 101.
  • the fourth network element 104 is also used to determine at least one third network element to be scheduled according to the scheduling request.
  • the fourth network element 104 is also used to send a scheduling response to the first network element 101, and the scheduling response includes at least one of the following information of at least one third network element to be scheduled: capability, identification, address information, and status information of at least one third network element; or the fourth network element 104 is also used to send the above scheduling request to at least one third network element to be scheduled.
  • the above-mentioned first network element 101 in this embodiment can also be called an execution node (EN), an execution network element, an execution network function, an execution device or an execution module, and this application does not limit the name of the network element.
  • EN execution node
  • an execution network element an execution network function
  • an execution device an execution module
  • this application does not limit the name of the network element.
  • the above-mentioned second network element 102 in this embodiment can also be called a database (database, DB), a data storage network element, a data storage network function, a data storage module or a data storage device.
  • database database
  • DB database
  • This application does not limit the name of this network element.
  • the third network element 103 in this embodiment may also be referred to as a network function (NF), and this application does not limit the name of this network element.
  • NF network function
  • the fourth network element 104 in this embodiment may also be referred to as a scheduling function, a scheduling module or a scheduling device, and this application does not limit the name of the network element.
  • the first network element 101 can be used as a network function of the system, located at the network entrance between the core network and the access network; the unified data management (UDM) and/or unified data repository (UDR) in the system can be used as the second network element 102 (DB); other network functions in the architecture can be used as the third network element 103; and the network storage function (NRF) and/or service communication proxy (SCP) in the system can be used as the fourth network element 104.
  • the unified data management (UDM) and/or unified data repository (UDR) in the system can be used as the second network element 102 (DB); other network functions in the architecture can be used as the third network element 103; and the network storage function (NRF) and/or service communication proxy (SCP) in the system can be used as the fourth network element 104.
  • NRF network storage function
  • SCP service communication proxy
  • FIG2b another schematic diagram of a communication system architecture based on a 5G network is provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • the first network element 101 (EN) can also be integrated into an existing access network function.
  • the first network element 101 (EN) is integrated into a (radio) access network ((radio) access network, (R)AN).
  • FIG2c another schematic diagram of a communication system architecture based on a 5G network is provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • the first network element 101 (EN) can also be integrated into an existing core network function.
  • the first network element 101 (EN) is integrated into an access and mobility management function (AMF).
  • AMF access and mobility management function
  • FIG 3 it is a schematic diagram of the evolution of mobile network core network technology. From the development trend of the core network technology of the second generation (2G) to 5G mobile communication network, the physical machine implementation of 2G to the partial cloudification of the core network of 5G, the Internet technology (IT) of mobile networks has become a major trend of network development.
  • the software and hardware are implemented on the same or multiple physical machines. The one or multiple physical machines are dedicated servers.
  • a single physical network cannot support all business requirements (for example, the Internet of Things (IoT), mobile broadband (MBB), and vehicle to X (V2X)), or can only support these business requirements inefficiently; for the core network of 5G, the functions of different network elements can be implemented on the same general physical machine. Through the implementation of network equipment with IT technology, operators can use general hardware to load different software-based network functions, thereby simplifying deployment and reducing costs.
  • IoT Internet of Things
  • MBB mobile broadband
  • V2X vehicle to X
  • virtualization technology can be used to logically divide physical networks into different virtual networks (i.e., network slices) (as shown in Figure 3, a physical machine can be logically divided into three sub-networks, namely, network 1 (e.g., IoT), network 2 (e.g., MBB), and network 3 (e.g., V2X)), to provide users with differentiated network connection services.
  • network 1 e.g., IoT
  • network 2 e.g., MBB
  • network 3 e.g., V2X
  • the entire network architecture is designed based on network elements (or network functions), and each network element has a specific function.
  • AMF is responsible for the access and mobility management of the terminal, forwarding messages between the network element and the terminal for other network elements in the network, etc.
  • the session management function (session management function, SMF) is responsible for managing the protocol data unit (PDU) session of the terminal
  • PDU protocol data unit
  • the user plane function user plane function, UPF
  • policy control function policy control function, PCF
  • Policy control function policy control function, PCF
  • FIG 4 it is a schematic diagram of the interaction logic between some network elements of the existing 5G core network, which is the interaction logic of the above-menti
  • the above functional entity is only a name, and the name itself does not limit the entity.
  • the session management function entity may also be replaced by "session management function" or other names.
  • the session management function entity may also correspond to an entity including other functions in addition to the session management function.
  • the user plane function entity may also be replaced by "user plane function” or other names, and the user plane function entity may also correspond to an entity including other functions in addition to the user plane function.
  • the access and mobility management function can also be divided into two functions: access management function (access management) and mobility management function (mobility management function). A unified explanation is given here and no further elaboration is given below.
  • the existing network logical architecture requires strong coupling between network elements. For example, for PDU session 1, AMF can only interact with SMF1. If SMF1 fails, the session management (SM) context is lost.
  • SMF1 session management
  • each network element needs to maintain user-related contexts separately and can directly access the user's contract data (each network element obtains contract information from UDM/UDR based on the contract data obtained, and generates relevant contexts based on the contract information), which makes the user's privacy data frequently transmitted in the network, reducing security.
  • Serverless computing also known as Function-as-a-Service (FaaS)
  • FaaS Function-as-a-Service
  • PaaS platform as a service
  • serverless computing provides a micro-architecture. End customers do not need to deploy, configure or manage server services.
  • the server services required for code execution are all provided by the cloud platform.
  • serverless computing is mainly applicable to event-based and short-time task-based applications.
  • the functions of user-written tasks have constraints on execution time and resources.
  • platform providers obtain the greatest scheduling authority, so they provide a pay-per-use and pay-per-demand pricing strategy. It has been well applied in service-driven scenarios with massive terminals, giving full play to the benefits of on-demand elasticity and on-demand billing of serverless computing. Obviously, such an application scope is not enough to meet the expectations of cloud vendors.
  • serverless computing is widely used, it also has limitations. Serverless computing is more suitable for the following scenarios:
  • serverless computing is very suitable for real-time file processing, periodic data processing, and mobile and world wide web (Web) application backends.
  • Web world wide web
  • the present application provides a communication solution, the first network element obtains service input data or service input data acquisition credentials from the second network element according to the received service trigger event, and sends a service request to at least one third network element, at least one third network element executes the requested service according to the service request, and sends service feedback to the first network element.
  • the communication solution of the present application provides a core network architecture implemented by a new serverless architecture, which can realize the unified processing of service requests or processing of different service requests by the first network element, calling at least one third network element in the network, and there is no coupling or weak coupling relationship between the third network elements, which improves the flexibility of network deployment and management.
  • FIG5 it is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • the method can be applied to the communication system shown in FIG1 .
  • the method can include the following steps:
  • the first network element obtains service input data or a credential for obtaining the service input data from the second network element according to a received service triggering event.
  • the first network element is used to process different service requests in the network.
  • the first network element can make subsequent service calls based on the logical relationship of business processing, or based on a type of template or a type of script, which contains the logical relationship of business processing.
  • the first network element can provide services for different network types or business types. For example, there can be a first network element for a personal home network; there can be a corresponding first network element for a private network (such as a campus private network, Internet of Vehicles, etc.). Different first network elements can call different network services.
  • the first network element of a home network basically calls connection-type network services (such as session establishment or management services for large-bandwidth transmission); in addition to calling connection-type services, the first network element of the Internet of Vehicles can also call services such as network environment perception, artificial intelligence (AI) services, etc.
  • connection-type network services such as session establishment or management services for large-bandwidth transmission
  • AI artificial intelligence
  • the functional granularity of the first network element can be determined according to the specific services provided, so that the functional granularity of the first network element deployment is more flexible and meets different service requirements.
  • the first network element can be terminal (group) granularity, service granularity or network level granularity. For example:
  • the first network element is at the terminal (group) granularity.
  • the first network element only serves the following specific terminals (groups):
  • LAN local area network
  • the first network element may be service-granular.
  • the first network element provides services for a terminal that executes a specific service:
  • AF application function
  • the first network element provides services to terminals in the following networks:
  • Services of special networks such as Internet of Vehicles, Internet of Things, satellite communication networks, etc.
  • the service triggering event received by the first network element may be any one or more service triggering events initiated by the terminal, initiated by other nodes in the network (for example, the fifth network element), internally initiated periodically, or initiated by an event. Specific examples may be, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Terminal initiation can be when the first network element receives a request message or indication message from the terminal, such as a non-access stratum (NAS) message, session establishment request, service request message, registration request message, etc.
  • NAS non-access stratum
  • Other nodes in the network may initiate the service request message or control message that the first network element receives from the network function, the fifth network element or the management function in the operator-level network.
  • the management function in the operator-level network can notify the first network element to stop serving the terminal; or if the fifth network element needs to obtain the data of the terminal, it can initiate a terminal data request message to the first network element; or if the air interface resources on the access network side change, the access network element can notify the first network element to change the session parameters of the terminal, etc.
  • the fifth network element and the first network element belong to different networks, such as different subnetworks, different network slices, different network domains, etc.
  • Internal periodic initiations can be periodic registration updates of terminals, terminal policy updates (such as session policies, access management policies, mobility management policies, etc.), network service policy updates (such as updates on the number of terminals the network can accommodate, updates on the geographical locations served by the network, updates on the quality of service (QoS) parameters that the network can provide, etc.), etc.
  • terminal policy updates such as session policies, access management policies, mobility management policies, etc.
  • network service policy updates such as updates on the number of terminals the network can accommodate, updates on the geographical locations served by the network, updates on the quality of service (QoS) parameters that the network can provide, etc.
  • Event-triggered initiation may be a service behavior triggered by certain events, such as triggering the update of access policies for the terminal when the terminal moves to a certain location.
  • the first network element After the first network element receives any one or more of the above service triggering events, it can obtain service input data from the second network element. Among them, the second network element provides data storage services for the first network element and/or the third network element, which are retrieved by the first network element and/or the third network element.
  • the data stored by the second network element can be terminal granularity data, such as the contract data of the terminal, the policy information of the terminal in the network, the context data of the terminal in the network (such as the context of the session, the context related to mobile management), etc.; it can also be a storage service for temporary files provided to the third network element, such as the user plane context maintained by the SMF, the data analysis file maintained by the data analysis network element, etc.; it can also be service granularity data, such as the parameters of a certain application (such as QoS parameters, location information of the application server, address information, terminal list information, etc.). In the existing communication system, each third network element needs to maintain the user plane context separately.
  • a separate second network element provides data storage services for the first network element and/or the third network element, and there is no need for the first network element and each third network element to separately maintain the relevant service data, thereby improving storage efficiency and data security.
  • the second network element can be deployed separately based on the type of data.
  • the second network element that stores the terminal contract data can be centrally deployed by the operator; the terminal-specific data can be deployed nearby or separately on the terminal side; the data of the park in the industrial scenario can be deployed separately in the park; the terminal data of the home network can be deployed at home or in a nearby community, etc.
  • the second network element can also be deployed together with the first network element.
  • the first network element serving a home network terminal can be deployed together with the second network element at home; or the same hardware or software can realize both functions (similar to a home network server or set-top box, etc.).
  • the service input data retrieved by the first network element and/or the third network element is data required for network services, such as obtaining session-related policies or providing a data network name (DNN) and/or slice information when creating a session.
  • the first network element obtains the service input data from the second network element according to the received service trigger event, and the first network element may send an acquisition request to the second network element according to the received service trigger event, and the acquisition request is used to request to obtain the service input data.
  • the second network element After receiving the acquisition request, the second network element sends an acquisition response to the first network element, and the acquisition response includes the service input data.
  • the second network element can also process the service input data to be sent to obtain processed user data, which can improve the security of the service input data transmission process. That is, the service input data provided by the second network element is processed user data.
  • the processed user data includes at least one of the following: encrypting the user's identification information in the user data or using a temporary identification to replace the user's permanent identification (subscription permanent identifier, SUIP) or international mobile subscriber identity (international mobile subscriber identity, IMSI), etc., removing the user identification information from the provided user data, and performing integrity protection on the user data (such as using encryption methods such as homomorphic encryption), etc.
  • UDM/UDR does not perform security processing on the user contract data it provides, and each third network element can directly access the user contract data.
  • the first network element may also process the service input data in a similar manner to the second network element to obtain processed user data.
  • the second network element may also return a (temporary) service input data voucher to the first network element, and the service input data acquisition voucher is a voucher for acquiring the service input data, such as a certain identification, key or token. That is, after the first network element receives any one or more of the above service triggering events, it can acquire the service input data acquisition voucher from the second network element, so that the subsequent third network element can acquire the corresponding data from the second network element based on the service input data voucher.
  • the first network element may also allocate a (temporary) service input data voucher and inform the second network element, so that a subsequent third network element may obtain corresponding data from the second network element based on the service input data voucher.
  • the first network element obtains service input data from the second network element according to the received service trigger event.
  • acquisition There are two forms of acquisition: one is to obtain data on demand. For example, when it is necessary to execute access management services, the contract data related to terminal access is obtained; when it is necessary to create a session for the terminal, the contract data related to the session is obtained.
  • the other is global acquisition, that is, when the terminal accesses the network or passes the network authentication, the first network element obtains all relevant data of the terminal from the second network element, such as all contract data of the terminal. When executing the task later, the first network element selects the relevant contract information according to the obtained terminal contract to make subsequent service calls.
  • the first network element sends a service request to at least one third network element.
  • At least one third network element receives the service request.
  • the first network element requests at least one third network element to call a corresponding network service and provide service input data required for the service.
  • the first network element sends a service request to at least one third network element, and the service request includes the above service input data obtained by the first network element from the second network element.
  • the service request may include a service input data acquisition credential
  • the at least one third network element may acquire the service input data from the second network element according to the service input data acquisition credential.
  • the service input data may be unprocessed user data or processed user data.
  • the service triggering event includes at least one of the following: a communication service request initiated by the terminal, a communication service request initiated by the fifth network element, a periodic communication service, and an event-triggered communication service.
  • a service triggering event may be associated with one or more third network elements.
  • the service triggering event is a session creation request initiated by the terminal, and the third network elements associated with the service triggering event include PCF, SMF, and UPF; in a registration scenario, the service triggering event is a registration request initiated by the terminal, and the third network elements associated with the service triggering event include PCF and AMF; in a business service scenario, the service triggering event is a business request initiated by the terminal, and the third network elements associated with the service triggering event include SMF and AMF.
  • the first network element sends a service request to at least one third network element associated with the service triggering event, respectively, and the service request includes the service input data obtained by the first network element from the second network element and the execution result of the service obtained from other third network elements in the at least one third network element.
  • the service input data sent by the first network element to the SMF includes the session-related subscription data of the terminal obtained from the second network element and the session policy information obtained from the PCF.
  • the first network element receives service feedback from at least one third network element respectively.
  • the third network element is used to provide network services.
  • the third network element has a corresponding name.
  • AMF provides access and mobility management services
  • SMF provides session management functions
  • PCF provides user-related, session-related, access and management-related network policies.
  • at least one third network element can be the above-mentioned SMF, AMF, PCF, etc.
  • the service provided by the third network element is not limited, and may be a network function in the prior art or a new function defined in the future network, such as a network function that provides computing services or a network function that provides data processing, etc.
  • the difference is that the logic of the third network element processing the service request will change. For example, in the existing session creation scenario, after the SMF receives the session creation request from the terminal, the SMF obtains the terminal subscription data related to the session from the UDM/UDR, and the SMF interacts with other network elements to perform subsequent session creation.
  • the first network element can uniformly process the session creation request, call the SMF, PCF and UPF for the session service, and there is no coupling or weak coupling relationship between the SMF, PCF and UPF, so as to improve the flexibility of network deployment and management; and the first network element uniformly obtains the service input data from the second network element and sends it to the relevant third network element, or the first network element obtains the service input data acquisition certificate, and sends the acquisition certificate to the relevant third network element, and the relevant third network element obtains the service input data from the second network element, and the third network element cannot directly access the service input data, so as to avoid the frequent transmission of the user's privacy data in the network and improve the security of the data.
  • the first network element sends a service request to at least one third network element, which may be that the first network element sends the above service request to at least one third network element according to the execution logic of the service.
  • the execution logic of the service includes at least one of the following information: at least one third network element required to be called for each service, the scheduling order of at least one third network element, the format of the service input data corresponding to each third network element, the content of the service input data corresponding to each third network element, and the information of each third network element (such as the identification information and address information of the third network element, etc.).
  • the execution logic of the service may correspond to a certain service provided by the network to the terminal, such as a connection service for establishing a terminal to a data network (DN) (called a PDU session connection service in 5G), a data storage service, a data analysis or prediction service, etc.
  • DN data network
  • Different services require different network functions to be called.
  • connection services may require calling SMF, PCF, and UPF;
  • data storage services require calling data storage functions;
  • data analysis or analysis services require calling computing-related network functions (for example, the network data analysis function (NWDAF) in 5G), etc.
  • NWDAF network data analysis function
  • the specific network functions that need to be called for each service, the order of calling, the input data format and content that each network function needs to provide, etc. can be called the execution logic of the service.
  • the implementation form of the execution logic of the service can be a script, a piece of code, etc., which is pre-configured or configured to the first network element by a certain network function.
  • the communication system shown in Figure 1 may also include a fourth network element.
  • the fourth network element provides network function discovery and selection services for the first network element, which is similar to the NRF function in the existing 5G standard.
  • the third network element that provides a single network service can register the capabilities, identification, address information, status information, network information, etc. of the third network element to the fourth network element.
  • the third network element may send a registration request to the fourth network element.
  • the fourth network element receives the registration request.
  • the registration request includes at least one of the following information: the capabilities, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the third network element.
  • the fourth network element saves at least one of the above information and sends a registration response to at least one third network element.
  • the first network element can call the corresponding network function through the fourth network element based on the execution logic of the service.
  • the first network element can initiate a corresponding network function service call request to the fourth network element.
  • the fourth network element can select one or more third network elements that can provide services to the first network element based on the network function information it has learned and the request of the first network element, and feed back the address or identification information of the third network element to the first network element, and the first network element initiates a subsequent service request.
  • the first network element sending a service request to at least one third network element can also be replaced by: the first network element sending a scheduling request to the fourth network element.
  • the fourth network element determines at least one third network element to be scheduled according to the received scheduling request.
  • the fourth network element sends a scheduling response to the first network element.
  • the first network element receives the scheduling response.
  • the scheduling response includes at least one of the following information of the at least one third network element to be scheduled: the capability of the at least one third network element or the network service provided, identification, address information, and status information.
  • the first network element sending a service request to at least one third network element may also be replaced by: the first network element sending a scheduling request to a fourth network element.
  • the fourth network element determines at least one third network element to be scheduled according to the received scheduling request.
  • the fourth network element sends a scheduling request to at least one third network element to be scheduled.
  • the fourth network element may also send a scheduling response to the first network element.
  • the scheduling function can also be configured in the first network element in a static or dynamic manner.
  • the information of the network function is preconfigured in the first network element (such as the identification information, address information, status, etc. of the network function).
  • the network function information to be called can be determined based on the preconfigured information.
  • the fourth network element is optional, which is represented by a dotted line in the figure.
  • the above service input data can be processed user data.
  • the third network element no longer obtains unprocessed user data. Instead, the first network element sends the processed user data to the third network element, and the third network element provides the corresponding service.
  • the data provided by the first network element or obtained by the third network element from the second network element is processed user data, that is, desensitized data, which can avoid excessive exposure of the terminal's privacy data.
  • each of the at least one third network element may also obtain service input data from the second network element according to the voucher.
  • at least one third network element may send an acquisition request to the second network element according to the acquisition voucher.
  • the second network element After receiving the acquisition request, the second network element sends an acquisition response to the at least one third network element, and the acquisition response includes the service input data.
  • Each third network element of the at least one third network element executes the requested service according to the service request.
  • One or more third network elements may be involved in a service request. After each third network element receives a service request from the first network element or a scheduling request from the fourth network element, it can execute the requested service based on the service request and the service input data carried in the service request.
  • the third network element may be an SMF, and the service request is a session establishment request initiated by the terminal.
  • the SMF can generate a corresponding session context based on session-related parameters (DNN, network slice information), RAN side information to which the terminal is connected (base station address information, port number, etc.), and session-related subscription data of the terminal obtained by the first network element from the second network element.
  • Each third network element of the at least one third network element sends service feedback to the first network element.
  • the first network element receives the service feedback.
  • the service feedback includes the execution result of the service.
  • the third network element After the third network element completes the service, it can also update the data in the second network element, for example, update the context of the terminal. Therefore, the service feedback can also include the update result of the service input data.
  • the method can also include the following steps (indicated by dotted lines in the figure):
  • the first network element sends a data synchronization request to the second network element.
  • the second network element receives the data synchronization request.
  • the data synchronization request includes the update result of the service input data.
  • the second network element sends a data synchronization response to the first network element.
  • the service feedback sent by each of the at least one third network element to the first network element may only include the execution result of the service, and each of the at least one third network element sends a data synchronization request to the second network element, and the data synchronization request includes the update result of the service input data; and after receiving the data synchronization request, the second network element updates the data and sends a data synchronization response to each third network element, thereby completing the data update.
  • the third network element does not need to maintain the context of the terminal for a long time, and can store the data in the second network element and call it when needed later.
  • the advantage of this is that the third network element can provide instant services without having to maintain the context of the terminal for a long period of time, thereby improving service efficiency.
  • the third network element fails, the impact on the terminal data can be reduced, and only other function instances need to be called, thereby improving the robustness of the network.
  • a new core network architecture implemented by a serverless architecture in which a first network element uniformly processes service requests and calls at least one third network element in the network. There is no coupling or weak coupling relationship between the third network elements, thereby improving the flexibility of network deployment and management.
  • the above embodiment describes a scheme for calling a network service or data in a sub-network.
  • the following embodiment describes how to call a network service or data between different sub-networks:
  • FIG 6 it is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application.
  • the method can be applied to the communication system shown in Figure 1.
  • Exemplarily, the method may include the following steps:
  • the fifth network element sends a service triggering event to the first network element.
  • the first network element receives the service triggering event.
  • the service triggering event comes from the fifth network element.
  • the service triggering event includes a service request from the fifth network element.
  • the first network element and the fifth network element belong to different networks, such as different subnetworks, different network slices, different network domains, etc.
  • the fifth network element is used to uniformly process business services in the network to which it belongs.
  • the first network element and the fifth network element may belong to different network slices.
  • the first network element belongs to network slice 1
  • the fifth network element belongs to network slice 2.
  • Operator-level network can provide initial access authentication and authorization functions, access management (AM), charging function (CHF), user-level network mutual discovery, network control function (NCF) and other functions for user-level network access; user-level network can provide differentiated network services based on terminal needs and network characteristics (for example, existing network slices provide differentiated connection services).
  • AM access management
  • CHF charging function
  • NCF network control function
  • user-level network can provide differentiated network services based on terminal needs and network characteristics (for example, existing network slices provide differentiated connection services).
  • FIG. 7 a schematic diagram of the architecture of a multi-level network provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown, in which several sub-network (ie, user-level network) deployment schemes are provided:
  • User-level network 1 may include complete network service functions, including a first network element, a second network element, a third network element, and a fourth network element.
  • the fourth network element may be an NRF or an SCP.
  • the first network element and the third network element or the third network element may directly discover and interact with each other through the NRF or the SCP.
  • User-level network 2 which includes the first network element, the second network element, the third network element, and the fourth network element.
  • User-level network 2 adopts a service-oriented architecture, and each network element communicates with each other in the same way as the existing 5G network.
  • user-level network 2 can be an enterprise campus, where some third network elements are deployed inside the enterprise to manage the network functions within the enterprise, without the need to use the operator's services; or the third network elements of the operator's network can be borrowed.
  • User-level network 3 which only includes the first network element and the second network element.
  • the first network element serves as the execution node of the sub-network, processing user requests in the network and opening external services;
  • the second network element can store private data in the sub-network, such as the contract, policy and other information of the terminal in the sub-network.
  • this networking method it can be ensured that the terminal data does not leave the network, and the terminal data security is guaranteed.
  • the user-level network 3 can be an enterprise campus, and the second network element is deployed inside the enterprise. This networking method does not include a third network element, so it is necessary to call the third network element of the operator network or other sub-networks to perform corresponding network services.
  • User-level network 4 which only includes the first network element, that is, the user-level network 4 can control the service processing logic of the sub-network by itself through the first network element, but needs to use the third network element and the second network element of the operator network to perform specific services. It can be found that the deployment method based on the user-level network 4 can make the function of the sub-network very simple, and the first network element can even be deployed on the access network side.
  • the user-level network 4 can be a home network.
  • the network functions in the user-level network may be limited. When the services of other sub-networks or the services of the operator-level network are needed, the services of other networks can be applied for through the service request call between the first network elements. Other networks or corresponding first network elements and supported network functions can obtain the information of the corresponding network or first network element by querying NRF or other similar query servers.
  • a terminal can access multiple subnetworks (user-level networks/network slices) at the same time, and can have a separate identity in each subnetwork (for example, the terminal has a temporary identity/identification in each user-level network).
  • the terminal can control the first network element in each subnetwork so that service calls or data sharing can be performed between different subnetworks.
  • the terminal can access user-level network 1 and user-level network 3 at the same time.
  • User-level network 1 corresponds to the public network (that is, it provides Internet connection, voice communication and other services)
  • user-level network 3 corresponds to the private network (for example, home network).
  • the user can authorize user-level network 1 to obtain terminal data from user-level network 3, such as data on Internet behavior habits in the home network.
  • the first network element 1 can obtain data information in user-level network 3 through the first network element 3. Similarly, if the network function service in user-level network 1 is needed in user-level network 3, the first network element 3 in user-level network 3 can also initiate a request for the corresponding network service to user-level network 1.
  • operators can provide services to different sub-networks as network access service providers and network function service providers. Only an independent first network element (or an additional independent second network element) needs to be deployed inside the sub-network to enjoy the operator's network services. Compared with the existing network slicing, private network and other implementation methods, it is easier to deploy, and the user's data can be better protected (the data only exists inside the sub-network).
  • the first network element and the fifth network element may belong to different user-level networks.
  • the first network element belongs to a user-level network, and the fifth network element belongs to an operator-level network; or the first network element belongs to an operator-level network, and the fifth network element belongs to a user-level network.
  • the association between the first network element and the fifth network element can be configured locally through a script.
  • the fifth network element needs to use certain services of the first network element, and the specific services and the information of the first network element corresponding to the services (or the subnet information where the services are located) can be configured in the fifth network element.
  • the business triggers the fifth network element to call certain services, it will initiate a service request to the first network element based on the local configuration.
  • the fifth network element can also obtain the service and the information of the first network element corresponding to the service (or the subnet information where the services are located) by querying (for example, through NRF, a server with query function, etc.).
  • the subnetwork can provide services unique to this subnetwork for other subnetworks, operator networks or external networks (such as third-party application servers), such as data services (sharing data in the subnetwork, including user behavior data, AI model data, etc.), computing services (providing computing power services for other networks or users) or other special network services.
  • the AI model trained by the subnetwork can be open to other networks for use, and some subnetworks may deploy computing power servers for their own use, which can provide computing power services for other subnetworks, etc.
  • the subnetwork where the first network element is located may have trained some AI models and opened them to other subnetworks).
  • the fifth network element is located in a home network and needs to create a session, and requests the first network element to create the session.
  • the first network element may refer to the process in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 to execute the service request.
  • the first network element sends service feedback to the fifth network element.
  • the fifth network element receives the service feedback.
  • a service calling method between sub-networks is provided.
  • the main corresponding scenario is that in addition to operator-level network services, sub-networks can also provide services to the outside (other sub-networks or outside the core network), such as data sharing services, computing services, etc.
  • a more flexible business model can be provided for future networks.
  • the existing communication system does not involve this multi-level network deployment architecture, but a unified network deployment architecture, the network deployment is not flexible enough, and the development scale is large.
  • the above embodiment describes a solution for calling a network service or data in a sub-network or between sub-networks.
  • the following describes how the first network element calls a network service or data in a specific communication scenario through an example:
  • FIG. 8 it is a flow chart of a communication method in a session establishment scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the third network element involved in the session establishment scenario includes: PCF, SMF and UPF.
  • the method may include the following steps:
  • PCF S801.
  • SMF SMF and UPF register their capabilities with the fourth network element respectively.
  • PCF, SMF, and UPF When PCF, SMF, and UPF register their capabilities, they carry at least one of the following information: the capabilities, identification, address information, status information, and network information of the PCF/SMF/UPF.
  • the terminal sends a session establishment request to the first network element.
  • the session establishment request is used to request the establishment of a session.
  • the session establishment request includes at least one of the following information: a terminal identifier, a session identifier, a data network name (DNN), and slice information.
  • the first network element After receiving the session establishment request, the first network element sends a subscription data acquisition request to the second network element.
  • the contract data acquisition request is used to request the acquisition of the session-related contract data of the terminal.
  • the second network element After receiving the subscription data acquisition request, the second network element sends a subscription data acquisition response to the first network element.
  • the contract data acquisition response includes the session-related contract data of the terminal.
  • RAN forwards it to SMF.
  • SMF obtains the terminal subscription data related to the session from UDM/UDR, that is, SMF can directly access the terminal subscription data, and then SMF interacts with other network elements based on the terminal subscription data to perform subsequent session creation, which makes the user's privacy data frequently transmitted in the network, reducing security.
  • the first network element uniformly obtains session-related subscription data from the second network element and sends it to the SMF, while the SMF cannot directly access the session-related terminal subscription data, thereby avoiding frequent transmission of user privacy data in the network and improving data security.
  • the first network element sends a scheduling request to the fourth network element.
  • the scheduling request is used to obtain information of all third network elements related to the service from the fourth network element based on the service requested by the terminal.
  • the scheduling request may include processing logic of the service of the first network element.
  • the first network element may send a scheduling request to the fourth network element in multiple times based on the service processing logic.
  • the fourth network element After receiving the scheduling request, the fourth network element determines at least one third network element to be scheduled according to the scheduling request, and sends a scheduling response to the first network element.
  • the scheduling response includes at least one of the following information of at least one third network element scheduled: capability, identification, address information, and status information of at least one third network element.
  • the fourth network element determines that the scheduled third network element includes a PCF and an SMF.
  • the scheduling response includes the capability, identification, address information, and status information of the PCF and SMF that can provide services to the first network element.
  • the network elements that may be involved are different.
  • the first network element sends a session policy request to the PCF.
  • the session policy request is used to request the PCF for the session policy of the session.
  • the session policy request includes at least one of the following information: DNN, network slice information.
  • the network slice information may be single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI).
  • the first network element may also have pre-acquired or stored the session policy of the session, so this step is optional and is indicated by a dotted line in the figure.
  • the PCF After receiving the session policy request, the PCF sends a session policy response to the first network element.
  • the PCF After receiving the session policy request, the PCF generates a session policy according to the DNN and/or network slice information carried in the session policy request, and sends a session policy response to the first network element.
  • the session policy response includes the above-mentioned session policy (SM policy).
  • the corresponding session policy request is optional, and this step may also be optional, which is indicated by a dotted line in the figure.
  • the first network element updates the session policy.
  • the update here can be understood as the first network element further modifying the session policy obtained from the PCF based on the session-related subscription data of the terminal.
  • the session bandwidth of the terminal is allowed to be 10Mbps in the session-related subscription data of the terminal, and the session bandwidth of the terminal is allowed to be 8Mbps in the session policy.
  • the first network element can update the session policy according to the pre-set standard, based on the session-related subscription data of the terminal or the session policy obtained from the PCF.
  • the first network element also configures some policies locally, and the session policy can be updated with the first network element's local policy as the highest priority.
  • the corresponding session policy request and session policy response are optional, and this step may also be optional, which is indicated by a dotted line in the figure.
  • the first network element sends a session establishment request to the SMF.
  • the first network element calls the session establishment service of the SMF and sends a session establishment request to the SMF.
  • the session establishment request includes at least one of the following information: session policy information, session-related subscription data of the terminal, session-related parameters (DNN, network slice information), RAN side information accessed by the terminal (base station address information, port number, etc.), etc.
  • SMF After receiving the session establishment request, SMF performs user plane configuration on UPF.
  • SMF and UPF can still maintain the existing coupling mode, that is, SMF manages a specific UPF.
  • SMF generates session configuration information based on session policy information or session-related subscription data of the terminal, and performs user plane configuration on UPF. After SMF completes the user plane configuration of UPF, it generates the corresponding session context.
  • SMF sends a session establishment response to the first network element.
  • the SMF feeds back the generated session context to the first network element, that is, the session establishment response includes the session context.
  • the SMF may also send the user plane configuration information to the first network element.
  • the user plane configuration information may be sent to the selected new SMF.
  • the SMF and the re-invoked SMF may not be the same SMF.
  • the SMF may also store the generated user plane configuration information in the second network element, and then return to the first network element an indication of the completion of the operation or identification information of the stored data (such as PDU session identification information or the identification of the user plane configuration information). Later, when the first network element selects a new SMF, the identification information of the user plane configuration information may be sent to the new SMF, which obtains the user plane configuration information from the second network element and performs corresponding session parameter modifications.
  • the SMF does not need to maintain user-related contexts separately, but is uniformly stored by the second network element. Even if the SMF fails, the user-related context will not be lost.
  • the first network element updates the session context, and stores the updated session context in the second network element.
  • the first network element sends user plane configuration information to the RAN.
  • the user plane configuration information includes at least one of the following information: UPF address information and QoS configuration information.
  • the first network element sends a session establishment completion message to the terminal.
  • the session establishment completion message includes session-related parameters, such as uplink data packet QoS execution rules, etc.
  • the terminal sends a session creation request to the SMF.
  • the SMF obtains the terminal subscription data related to the session from the UDM/UDR, and the SMF performs subsequent session creation.
  • the interaction between the SMF and the PCF and UPF is reduced, and most of the execution logic is normalized to be processed by the first network element, which improves the flexibility of network deployment and management.
  • a flow chart of a communication method in another session establishment scenario provided in an embodiment of the present application is provided.
  • the third network element involved in the session establishment scenario includes: PCF, SMF and UPF.
  • PCF, SMF and UPF are decoupled from each other.
  • the method may include the following steps:
  • PCF S901.
  • SMF SMF
  • UPF register their capabilities with the fourth network element respectively.
  • step S801 in the embodiment shown in FIG8 .
  • the terminal sends a session establishment request to the first network element.
  • step S802 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 .
  • the first network element After receiving the session establishment request, the first network element sends a subscription data acquisition request to the second network element.
  • step S803a in the embodiment shown in FIG8 .
  • the second network element After receiving the subscription data acquisition request, the second network element sends a subscription data acquisition response to the first network element, wherein the subscription data acquisition response includes the session-related subscription data of the terminal.
  • step S803b in the embodiment shown in FIG8 .
  • the first network element sends a scheduling request to the fourth network element.
  • step S804a in the embodiment shown in FIG8 .
  • the fourth network element determines at least one third network element to be scheduled according to the scheduling request, and sends a scheduling response to the first network element, wherein the scheduling response includes at least one of the following information of the at least one third network element to be scheduled: capability, identification, address information, and status information of the at least one third network element.
  • step S804b in the embodiment shown in FIG8 .
  • the first network element sends a session policy request to the PCF, wherein the session policy request includes at least one of the following information: data network name DNN, network slice information.
  • step S805a in the embodiment shown in FIG8 .
  • the PCF After receiving the session policy request, the PCF sends a session policy response to the first network element, wherein the session policy response includes a session policy generated according to the DNN and/or network slice information.
  • step S805b in the embodiment shown in FIG8 .
  • the first network element updates the session policy.
  • step S806 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 .
  • the first network element sends a session establishment request to the SMF.
  • step S807 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 .
  • the SMF After receiving the session establishment request, the SMF sends a session establishment response to the first network element.
  • SMF and UPF are independent of each other.
  • SMF completes session configuration based on session policy, session-related subscription data of the terminal, RAN side information, etc., and sends session management context, N2 information and user plane configuration information to the first network element. That is, the session establishment response includes session management context, N2 information and user plane configuration information.
  • the session configuration information may include at least one of the following information: user plane path information (RAN address information, port information, etc., DNN, slice information, etc.), QoS execution rules of data packets, charging rules, and monitoring rules.
  • the SMF may also store the session management context, N2 information and user plane configuration information in the second network element, and only return an operation completion indication or identification information of the stored data to the first network element.
  • the first network element sends a user plane resource request to the fourth network element.
  • the user plane resource request is used by the first network element to request user plane resources from the fourth network element based on user configuration information.
  • the user plane resource request may include at least one of the following information: RAN side information, DNN, network slice information, QoS information (such as session bandwidth, rate guaranteed bandwidth, scheduling priority, etc.).
  • the fourth network element After receiving the user plane resource request, the fourth network element sends a user plane resource response to the first network element.
  • the fourth network element feeds back to the first network element the UPF information that can execute the session, such as the address information of the UPF, based on the user plane resource request of the first network element.
  • the first network element performs user plane configuration on the UPF.
  • the first network element performs user plane configuration on the UPF scheduled by the fourth network element according to the received user plane resource response, and carries the user plane configuration information.
  • the first network element can send the configured user plane context (similar to the N4 session in 5G) to the UPF, and the UPF processes the terminal data packet based on the configuration information.
  • the first network element updates the session context, and stores the updated session context in the second network element.
  • step S810 in the embodiment shown in FIG8 .
  • the first network element sends user plane configuration information to the RAN.
  • step S811 in the embodiment shown in FIG8 .
  • the first network element sends a session establishment completion message to the terminal.
  • step S812 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 .
  • the terminal sends a session creation request to the SMF.
  • the SMF obtains the terminal subscription data related to the session from the UDM/UDR, and the SMF performs subsequent session creation.
  • the above embodiment shows how the first network element calls a network service or data in a session creation scenario.
  • the following example shows how the first network element calls a network service or data in a terminal access scenario:
  • FIG. 10 it is a flow chart of a communication method in a terminal registration scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the third network element involved in the terminal registration scenario includes: PCF, AMF.
  • the method may include the following steps:
  • PCF and AMF register their capabilities with the fourth network element respectively.
  • PCF and AMF When PCF and AMF register their capabilities, they carry at least one of the following information: PCF/AMF's capabilities, identification, address information, status information, and network information.
  • the terminal sends a registration request to the first network element.
  • the registration request is used to request registration with the network.
  • the registration request may include an identifier of the terminal.
  • the first network element After receiving the registration request, the first network element sends an access authentication/subscription data acquisition request to the second network element.
  • the access authentication/contract data acquisition request is used to request the acquisition of the terminal's access and/or mobile management related contract data.
  • the second network element After receiving the access authentication/subscription data acquisition request, the second network element sends an access authentication/subscription data acquisition response to the first network element.
  • the access authentication/contract data acquisition response includes the user's access and/or mobility management related contract data.
  • AMF/PCF obtains access and/or mobile management-related subscription data from UDM/UDR, and then AMF/PCF interacts with other network elements based on the access and/or mobile management-related subscription data to carry out subsequent registration processes, causing the user's privacy data to be frequently transmitted in the network, reducing security.
  • the first network element uniformly obtains session-related subscription data from the second network element and sends it to the PCF, while the PCF cannot directly access access and/or mobility management-related subscription data, thereby avoiding frequent transmission of user privacy data in the network and improving data security.
  • the first network element sends a scheduling request to the fourth network element.
  • the scheduling request is used to obtain information of all third network elements related to the service from the fourth network element based on the service requested by the terminal.
  • the scheduling request may include processing logic of the service of the first network element.
  • the first network element may send a scheduling request to the fourth network element in multiple times based on the service processing logic.
  • the fourth network element After receiving the scheduling request, the fourth network element determines at least one third network element to be scheduled according to the scheduling request, and sends a scheduling response to the first network element.
  • the scheduling response includes at least one of the following information of at least one third network element scheduled: capability, identification, address information, and status information of at least one third network element.
  • the fourth network element determines that the scheduled third network element includes PCF and AMF.
  • the scheduling response includes the capabilities, identification, address information, and status information of the PCF and AMF that can provide services to the first network element.
  • the first network element sends an access and/or mobility management policy request to the PCF.
  • the access and/or mobility management policy request is used to request the PCF to obtain the access and/or mobility management policy.
  • the first network element may also have pre-acquired or stored the access and/or mobility management policy, so this step is optional and is indicated by a dotted line in the figure.
  • the PCF After receiving the access and/or mobility management policy request, the PCF sends an access and/or mobility management policy response to the first network element.
  • the PCF After receiving the access and/or mobility management policy request, the PCF generates an access and/or mobility management policy and sends the access and/or mobility management policy to the first network element.
  • the access and/or mobility management policy response includes an access and/or mobility management policy.
  • this step may also be optional, as indicated by a dotted line in the figure.
  • the first network element updates access and/or mobility management policy.
  • the update here can be understood as the first network element further modifying the access and/or mobility management policy obtained from the PCF based on the access and/or mobility management related subscription data.
  • access and/or mobility management policy response is optional, and this step may also be optional, which is indicated by a dotted line in the figure.
  • the first network element sends an access and/or mobility management context creation request to the AMF.
  • the first network element invokes the access and/or mobility management service of the AMF and sends an access and/or mobility management context creation request to the AMF, wherein the access and/or mobility management context creation request is used to request the AMF to create an access and/or mobility management context.
  • the access and mobility management function network element may be divided into two network elements, namely the access management function network element and the mobility management function network element.
  • the first network element may respectively send an access management context creation request to the access management function network element and a mobility management context creation request to the mobility management function network element.
  • S1107b.AMF sends an access and/or mobility management context creation response to the first network element.
  • the AMF After receiving the access and/or mobility management context creation request, the AMF creates an access and/or mobility management context, wherein the access and/or mobility management context creation response includes the access and/or mobility management context.
  • the first network element creates/stores an access and/or mobility management context in the second network element.
  • the first network element sends a registration response to the terminal.
  • the registration response is used to indicate that the terminal has been registered with the network.
  • the terminal sends a registration request to the AMF.
  • the AMF obtains the access and/or mobility management-related contract data from the UDM/UDR, and then performs the subsequent registration process.
  • the interaction between the AMF and the PCF is reduced, and most of the execution logic is normalized to be processed by the first network element, which improves the flexibility of network deployment and management.
  • the above embodiments illustrate how the first network element calls network services or data in session creation scenarios and registration scenarios.
  • the following example illustrates how the first network element calls network services or data in a service request scenario:
  • FIG. 11 it is a flow chart of a communication method in a service request scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the third network element involved in the service request scenario includes: SMF, AMF.
  • the method may include the following steps:
  • S1101.SMF and AMF register their capabilities with the fourth network element respectively.
  • SMF and AMF When SMF and AMF register their capabilities, they carry at least one of the following information: SMF/AMF's capabilities, identification, address information, status information, and network information.
  • the terminal sends a service request to the first network element.
  • the service request is used to request to connect to the network to obtain the network's service.
  • the corresponding operation of the network element in the network is to change the terminal's state from idle to connected, and then the terminal's suspended session will be activated. Therefore, the process of this embodiment involves requesting AMF to change the terminal's access and/or mobility management context (terminal status update), and SMF to update the terminal's PDU session.
  • the service request includes at least one of the following information: terminal identification, session identification, DNN, and slice information.
  • the first network element After receiving the service request, the first network element sends an access authentication/user context acquisition request to the second network element.
  • the access authentication/user context acquisition request is used to request to acquire the user context.
  • the second network element After receiving the access authentication/user context acquisition request, the second network element sends an access authentication/user context acquisition response to the first network element.
  • the access authentication/user context acquisition response includes a mobility management context and a session management context.
  • AMF After receiving the service request from the terminal, AMF obtains the user context from UDM/UDR, that is, AMF can directly access the user context. Then, AMF interacts with other network elements based on the user context to perform subsequent business services, causing the user's privacy data to be frequently transmitted in the network, reducing security.
  • the first network element uniformly obtains the user context from the second network element and sends it to the AMF, and the AMF cannot directly access the user context, thereby avoiding frequent transmission of user privacy data in the network and improving data security.
  • the first network element sends a scheduling request to the fourth network element.
  • the scheduling request is used to obtain information of all third network elements related to the service from the fourth network element based on the service requested by the terminal.
  • the scheduling request may include processing logic of the service of the first network element.
  • the first network element may send a scheduling request to the fourth network element in multiple times based on the service processing logic.
  • the fourth network element After receiving the scheduling request, the fourth network element determines at least one third network element to be scheduled according to the scheduling request, and sends a scheduling response to the first network element.
  • the scheduling response includes at least one of the following information of at least one third network element scheduled: capability, identification, address information, and status information of at least one third network element.
  • the fourth network element determines that the scheduled third network element includes AMF and SMF.
  • the scheduling response includes the capabilities, identification, address information, and status information of the AMF and SMF that can provide services to the first network element.
  • the first network element sends a user session update request to the SMF.
  • the user session update request is used to request the SMF to update the protocol data unit (PDU) session of the terminal.
  • the user session update request includes a session management context obtained by the first network element from the second network element.
  • the SMF After receiving the user session update request, the SMF sends a user session update response to the first network element.
  • the SMF After receiving the user session update request, the SMF updates the PDU session of the terminal, and after completing the user plane configuration of the UPF, updates the above session management context.
  • the user session update response is used to indicate that the PDU session of the terminal has been updated.
  • the user session update response includes the updated session management context.
  • the updated session management context includes user plane configuration information.
  • the first network element updates the session management context.
  • the first network element After receiving the updated session management context, the first network element stores it in the second network element.
  • the first network element sends user plane configuration information to the RAN.
  • the first network element sends the user plane configuration information included in the session management context to the RAN.
  • the first network element sends an access and/or mobility management context update request to the AMF.
  • the first network element invokes the access and/or mobility management service of the AMF and sends an access and/or mobility management context update request to the AMF, wherein the access and/or mobility management context update request is used to request the AMF to update the access and/or mobility management context.
  • the access and mobility management function network element may be divided into two network elements: an access management function network element and a mobility management function network element.
  • the first network element may send an access management context update request to the access management function network element and a mobility management context update request to the mobility management function network element respectively.
  • S1108b.AMF sends an access and/or mobility management context update response to the first network element.
  • the AMF After receiving the access and/or mobility management context update request, the AMF updates the access and/or mobility management context, wherein the access and/or mobility management context update response includes the updated access and/or mobility management context.
  • the first network element updates/stores the access and/or mobility management context.
  • the first network element sends a service response to the terminal.
  • the business response includes the business service result.
  • the terminal sends a service request to AMF.
  • AMF obtains the user context from UDM/UDR and then performs the subsequent business service process.
  • the interaction between AMF and SMF is reduced, and most of the execution logic is normalized to be processed by the first network element, which improves the flexibility of network deployment and management.
  • each network element includes a hardware structure and/or software module corresponding to each function.
  • the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.
  • Figures 12 and 13 are schematic diagrams of possible communication devices provided in embodiments of the present application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of each network element in the above method embodiments, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments.
  • the communication device 1200 includes a processing unit 1210 and a transceiver unit 1220.
  • the communication device 1200 is used to implement the functions of each network element in the method embodiments shown in Figs. 5 to 11 above.
  • the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operations of the first network element in S501, S502, S504 ⁇ S506 in the embodiment shown in Figure 5; or when the communication device 1200 is used to implement the function of the first network element in the method embodiment shown in Figure 6: the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operations of the first network element in S601 ⁇ S603 in the embodiment shown in Figure 6.
  • the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operation of the second network element in S501, S504 ⁇ S506 in the embodiment shown in Figure 5; or when the communication device 1200 is used to implement the function of the second network element in the method embodiment shown in Figure 6: the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operation of the second network element in S602 in the embodiment shown in Figure 6.
  • the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operation of the third network element in S502 and S504 in the embodiment shown in Figure 5; the processing unit 1210 is used to execute S503 in the embodiment shown in Figure 5; or when the communication device 1200 is used to implement the function of the third network element in the method embodiment shown in Figure 6: the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operation of the third network element in S602 in the embodiment shown in Figure 6.
  • the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operation of the fourth network element in S801 in the embodiment shown in Figure 8; or when the communication device 1200 is used to implement the function of the fourth network element in the method embodiment shown in Figure 9: the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operation of the fourth network element in S901 in the embodiment shown in Figure 9; or when the communication device 1200 is used to implement the function of the fourth network element in the method embodiment shown in Figure 10: the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operation of the fourth network element in S1001 in the embodiment shown in Figure 10; or when the communication device 1200 is used to implement the function of the fourth network element in the method embodiment shown in Figure 11: the transceiver unit 1220 is used to execute the operation of the fourth network element in S1101 in the embodiment shown in Figure 11.
  • processing unit 1210 and the transceiver unit 1220 can be directly obtained by referring to the relevant descriptions in the method embodiments shown in Figures 5 to 11, and will not be repeated here.
  • the communication device 1300 includes a processor 1310 and an interface circuit 1320.
  • the processor 1310 and the interface circuit 1320 are coupled to each other.
  • the interface circuit 1320 may be a transceiver or an input/output interface.
  • the communication device 1300 may further include a memory 1330 for storing instructions executed by the processor 1310 or storing input data required by the processor 1310 to execute instructions or storing data generated after the processor 1310 executes instructions.
  • the processor 1310 is used to implement the functions of the processing unit 1210
  • the interface circuit 1320 is used to implement the functions of the transceiver unit 1220 .
  • the first network element chip implements the function of the first network element in the above-mentioned method embodiment.
  • the first network element chip receives information from other modules (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna) in the first network element, and the information is sent to the first network element by the second network element, the third network element, or the fourth network element; or, the first network element chip sends information to other modules (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna) in the first network element, and the information is sent by the first network element to the second network element, the third network element, or the fourth network element.
  • modules such as a radio frequency module or an antenna
  • the second network element chip implements the function of the second network element in the above method embodiment.
  • the second network element chip receives information from other modules (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna) in the second network element, and the information is sent to the second network element by the first network element or the third network element; or the second network element chip sends information to other modules (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna) in the second network element, and the information is sent to the first network element or the third network element by the second network element.
  • the third network element chip implements the function of the third network element in the above-mentioned method embodiment.
  • the third network element chip receives information from other modules (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna) in the third network element, and the information is sent to the third network element by the first network element, the second network element, or the fourth network element; or the third network element chip sends information to other modules (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna) in the third network element, and the information is sent to the first network element, the second network element, or the fourth network element by the third network element.
  • the fourth network element chip implements the function of the fourth network element in the above-mentioned method embodiment.
  • the fourth network element chip receives information from other modules (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna) in the fourth network element, and the information is sent to the fourth network element by the first network element or the third network element; or the fourth network element chip sends information to other modules (such as a radio frequency module or an antenna) in the fourth network element, and the information is sent to the first network element or the third network element by the fourth network element.
  • processors in the embodiments of the present application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components or any combination thereof.
  • the general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.
  • the method steps in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by hardware, or by a processor executing software instructions.
  • the software instructions can be composed of corresponding software modules, and the software modules can be stored in a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory, an erasable programmable read-only memory, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, a register, a hard disk, a mobile hard disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium well known in the art.
  • An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and can write information to the storage medium.
  • the storage medium can also be a component of the processor.
  • the processor and the storage medium can be located in an ASIC.
  • the ASIC can be located in a network device or a terminal device.
  • the processor and the storage medium can also be present in a network device or a terminal device as discrete components.
  • the computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions.
  • the computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user device or other programmable device.
  • the computer program or instruction may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium, for example, the computer program or instruction may be transmitted from one website site, computer, server or data center to another website site, computer, server or data center by wired or wireless means.
  • the computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server, data center, etc. that integrates one or more available media.
  • the available medium may be a magnetic medium, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a tape; it may also be an optical medium, for example, a digital video disc; it may also be a semiconductor medium, for example, a solid-state hard disk.
  • “at least one” means one or more, and “more than one” means two or more.
  • “And/or” describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist.
  • a and/or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural.
  • the character “/” generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an “or” relationship; in the formula of this application, the character “/” indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in a "division” relationship.

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Abstract

本申请公开了一种通信方法、装置、系统、存储介质及程序产品。第一网元根据接收到的服务触发事件从第二网元获取服务输入数据或服务输入数据的获取凭证，并向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，至少一个第三网元根据服务请求，执行所请求的服务，并向第一网元发送服务反馈。本申请给出了一种新的无服务器架构实现的核心网架构，由第一网元统一处理服务请求，调用网络中的至少一个第三网元，各个第三网元间无耦合或耦合关系弱，提高了网络部署与管理的灵活性。

Description

通信方法、装置、系统、存储介质及程序产品 技术领域
本申请涉及通信技术领域，尤其涉及一种通信方法、装置、系统、存储介质及程序产品。
背景技术
现有网络架构中，整个网络架构基于网元(或者称为网络功能)设计，每个网元具备一类特定的功能。一个网元与特定的一个或多个网元进行通信，网元间的耦合关系强，网络功能太“厚重”。且网络架构逻辑复杂，容灾恢复困难，每个网元需要单独维护用户相关的上下文，一旦该网元出现故障，会造成上下文丢失。因此，现有的网络架构的设计，不能灵活地进行网络部署与管理。
发明内容
本申请提供一种通信方法、装置、系统、存储介质及程序产品，以提高网络部署与管理的灵活性。
第一方面，提供了一种通信方法，所述方法包括：第一网元根据接收到的服务触发事件从第二网元获取服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证；所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，所述服务请求包括所述服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证；以及所述第一网元接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈，所述服务反馈包括服务的执行结果。
在该方面中，给出了一种新的无服务器架构实现的核心网架构，第一网元可以处理不同的服务请求，调用网络中的至少一个第三网元，各个第三网元间无耦合或耦合关系弱，提高了网络部署与管理的灵活性。
在一种可能的实现中，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述第二网元用于为所述第一网元和/或所述至少一个第三网元提供数据存储服务，所述至少一个第三网元为提供网络功能的网元；其中，所述至少一个第三网元包括：会话管理功能网元，接入与移动性管理功能网元，策略与控制功能网元。
在另一种可能的实现中，所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，包括：所述第一网元根据服务的执行逻辑，向所述至少一个第三网元发送所述服务请求；其中，所述服务的执行逻辑包括以下至少一个信息：每种服务所需要调用的至少一个第三网元，所述至少一个第三网元的调度的先后顺序，每个第三网元对应的服务输入数据的格式，每个第三网元对应的服务输入数据的内容。在该实现中，服务的执行逻辑可以对应于网络为终端提供的某种服务。具体每种服务所需要调用的网络功能、调用的先后顺序、每个网络功能所需要提供的输入数据格式和内容等等可以称为服务的执行逻辑。服务的执行逻辑的实现形式可以是一种脚本，一段代码等，预配置或者由某个网络功能配置给第一网元。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述方法还包括：所述第一网元向第四网元发送调度请求，其中，所述第四网元用于为所述第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务；以及所述第一网元接收来自所述第四网元的调度响应，所述调度响应包括所述至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：所述至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息。在该实现中，第四网元为第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述服务反馈还包括所述服务输入数据的更新结果；所述方法还包括：所述第一网元向所述第二网元发送数据同步请求，所述数据同步请求包括所述服务输入数据的更新结果；以及所述第一网元接收来自所述第二网元的数据同步响应。在该实现中，第三网元完成服务后，还可以更新第二网元中的数据，例如更新终端的上下文。因此，该服务反馈还可以包括服务输入数据的更新结果。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述服务触发事件包括来自第五网元的服务请求；所述方法还包括：所述第一网元向所述第五网元发送所述服务反馈。在该实现中，第一网元还可以处理来自第五网元的服务请求，实现子网络之间的服务调用。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述第一网元和所述第五网元属于不同的网络；所述不同的网络是用户级网络或运营商网络，或者不同的用户级网络，或者是不同的网络切片。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据。在该实现中，可以提高服务输入数据传输过程中的安全性。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述服务输入数据为未经处理的用户数据；所述方法还包括：所述第一网元对所述服务输入数据进行处理，得到经过处理的用户数据。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：经过加密处理的用户数据，被去除用户标识信息的用户数据，临时用户标识，加密后的用户标识。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述服务触发事件包括以下至少一种：由终端发起的通信服务请求，由所述第五网元发起的通信服务请求，周期性通信服务，事件触发的通信服务；所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，包括：所述第一网元分别向与所述服务触发事件关联的至少一个第三网元发送所述服务请求，所述服务请求包括所述第一网元从所述第二网元获取的所述服务输入数据和从所述至少一个第三网元中的其它第三网元获取的服务的执行结果；以及所述第一网元接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈，包括：所述第一网元分别接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述服务触发事件为会话建立请求，所述服务输入数据包括会话签约数据；所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，包括：所述第一网元向PCF发送会话策略请求，所述会话策略请求包括以下至少一个信息：数据网络名称DNN，网络切片信息；所述第一网元接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈，包括：所述第一网络接收来自所述PCF的会话策略响应，所述会话策略响应包括会话策略，所述会话策略是根据所述DNN和/或所述网络切片信息生成的。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，还包括：所述第一网元向SMF发送会话建立请求，所述会话建立请求包括会话策略信息或会话签约信息；所述第一网元接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈，还包括：所述第一网元接收来自所述SMF的会话建立响应，所述会话建立响应包括会话上下文。在现有的会话创建场景中，RAN接收到终端的会话建立请求后，转发给SMF。SMF接收到终端的会话创建请求后，向UDM/UDR获取会话相关的终端签约数据，即SMF可以直接访问终端签约数据，然后SMF基于该终端签约数据与其它网元进行交互以进行后续的会话创建，使得用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，降低了安全性。在该实现中，由第一网元统一从第二网元获取会话相关签约数据并发送给SMF，而SMF不可以直接访问会话相关的终端签约数据，避免用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，提高了数据的安全性。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，还包括：所述第一网元对用户面功能网元进行用户面配置。
第二方面，提供了一种通信方法，所述方法包括：第二网元接收来自第一网元的获取请求，所述获取请求用于请求获取服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证，所述服务输入数据的获取凭证为获取所述服务输入数据的凭证；以及所述第二网元向所述第一网元发送获取响应，所述获取响应包括所述服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证。在该方面中，由第一网元统一从第二网元获取服务输入数据或由服务输入数据的获取凭证，而第三网元不可以直接访问服务输入数据，避免用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，提高了数据的安全性。
在一种可能的实现中，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述第二网元用于为所述第一网元和/或至少一个第三网元提供数据存储服务，所述至少一个第三网元为提供网络功能的网元；其中，所述至少一个第三网元包括：会话管理功能网元，接入与移动性管理功能网元，策略与控制功能网元。
在现有的通信系统中，各个第三网元需要单独维护用户面上下文。一旦任意一个第三网元发生故障，可能丢失该第三网元维护的用户面上下文。上述实现方式中，通过单独的第二网元为第一网元和/或第三网元提供数据存储服务，无需第一网元和各个第三网元单独维护相关服务数据，提高了存储效率和数据的安全性。
在另一种可能的实现中，所述服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据；所述方法还包括：所述第二网元对所述服务输入数据进行处理，得到经过处理的用户数据。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：经过加密处理的用户数据，被去除用户标识信息的用户数据，临时用户标识，加密后的用户标识。
第三方面，提供了一种通信方法，所述方法包括：第三网元接收服务请求，所述服务请求包括服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证；以及所述第三网元根据所述服务请求，执行所请求的服务。在该方面中，给出了一种新的无服务器架构实现的核心网架构，由第一网元统一处理服务请求，调用网络中的至少一个第三网元，各个第三网元间无耦合或耦合关系弱，提高了网络部署与管理的灵活性；且由第一网元统一获取服务输入数据并发送给相关的第三网元，或由第一网元获取服务输入数据的获取凭证，并发送获取凭证给相关的第三网元，由相关的第三网元获取服务输入数据，而第三网元不可以直接访问服务输入数据，避免用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，提高了数据的安全性。
在一种可能的实现中，所述方法还包括：所述第三网元向第一网元发送服务反馈，所述服务反馈包括服务的执行结果。
在另一种可能的实现中，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述第三网元为提供网络功能的网元；其中，所述第三网元包括以下任意一个：会话管理功能网元，接入与移动性管理功能网元，策略与控制功能网元。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述第三网元接收服务请求，包括：所述第三网元接收来自所述第一网元的服务请求。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述方法还包括：所述第三网元向第四网元发送注册请求，所述注册请求包括以下至少一个信息：所述第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息，其中，所述第四网元用于为所述第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务；以及所述第三网元接收来自所述第四网元的注册响应。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述第三网元接收服务请求，包括：所述第三网元接收来自所述第四网元的所述服务请求。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述服务请求包括所述服务输入数据的获取凭证，所述第三网 元接收服务请求，包括：所述第三网元根据所述获取凭证，向第二网元发送获取请求，所述第二网元用于为所述第一网元和/或所述第三网元提供数据存储服务；以及所述第三网元接收来自所述第二网元的获取响应，所述获取响应包括所述服务输入数据。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：经过加密处理的用户数据，被去除用户标识信息的用户数据，临时用户标识，加密后的用户标识。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述服务请求包括所述第一网元从所述第二网元获取的所述服务输入数据和从所述至少一个第三网元中的其它第三网元获取的服务的执行结果。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述第三网元为PCF网元，所述服务输入数据包括会话签约数据；所述第三网元接收服务请求，包括：所述第三网元接收会话策略请求，所述会话策略请求包括以下至少一个信息：数据网络名称DNN，网络切片信息；所述第三网元向第一网元发送服务反馈，包括：所述第三网元向所述第一网元发送会话策略响应，所述会话策略响应包括会话策略，所述会话策略是根据所述DNN和/或所述网络切片信息生成的。
在又一种可能的实现中，所述第三网元为SMF网元；所述第三网元接收服务请求，包括：所述第三网元接收会话建立请求，所述会话建立请求包括会话策略信息或会话签约信息；所述第三网元向第一网元发送服务反馈，包括：所述第三网元向所述第一网元发送会话建立响应，所述会话建立响应包括会话上下文。
第四方面，提供了一种通信方法，所述方法包括：第四网元接收来自至少一个第三网元的注册请求，所述注册请求包括以下至少一个信息：所述第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息；所述第四网元向所述至少一个第三网元发送注册响应；所述第四网元接收来自第一网元的调度请求；所述第四网元根据所述调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元；以及所述第四网元向所述第一网元发送调度响应，所述调度响应包括所调度的至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：所述至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息；或所述第四网元向所调度的至少一个第三网元发送所述调度请求。在该方面中，第四网元为第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务。提供单一网络服务的第三网元可以将第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息等注册到第四网元中。
在一种可能的实现中，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述至少一个第三网元为提供网络功能的网元，所述第四网元用于为所述第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务；其中，所述至少一个第三网元包括：会话管理功能网元，接入与移动性管理功能网元，策略与控制功能网元。
第五方面，提供了一种通信装置，可以实现上述第一方面中的通信方法。例如所述通信装置可以是芯片或者第一网元。可以通过软件、硬件、或者通过硬件执行相应的软件实现上述方法。
在一种可能的实现方式中，所述通信装置包括收发单元和处理单元，其中，所述处理单元，用于根据接收到的服务触发事件从第二网元获取服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证；所述收发单元，用于向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，所述服务请求包括所述服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证；以及所述收发单元，还用于接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈，所述服务反馈包括服务的执行结果。
可选地，所述通信装置用于处理网络中的服务请求，所述第二网元用于为所述第一网元和/或所述至少一个第三网元提供数据存储服务，所述至少一个第三网元为提供网络功能的网元；其中，所述至少一个第三网元包括：会话管理功能网元，接入与移动性管理功能网元， 策略与控制功能网元。
可选地，所述收发单元，还用于根据服务的执行逻辑，向所述至少一个第三网元发送所述服务请求；其中，所述服务的执行逻辑包括以下至少一个信息：每种服务所需要调用的至少一个第三网元，所述至少一个第三网元的调度的先后顺序，每个第三网元对应的服务输入数据的格式，每个第三网元对应的服务输入数据的内容。
可选地，所述收发单元，还用于向第四网元发送调度请求，其中，所述第四网元用于为所述第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务；以及所述收发单元，还用于接收来自所述第四网元的调度响应，所述调度响应包括所述至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：所述至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息。
可选地，所述服务反馈还包括所述服务输入数据的更新结果；所述收发单元，还用于向所述第二网元发送数据同步请求，所述数据同步请求包括所述服务输入数据的更新结果；以及所述收发单元，还用于接收来自所述第二网元的数据同步响应。
可选地，所述服务触发事件包括来自第五网元的服务请求；所述收发单元，还用于向所述第五网元发送所述服务反馈。
可选地，所述第一网元和所述第五网元属于不同的网络；所述不同的网络是用户级网络或运营商网络，或者不同的用户级网络，或者是不同的网络切片。
可选地，所述服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据。
可选地，所述服务输入数据为未经处理的用户数据；所述处理单元，还用于对所述服务输入数据进行处理，得到经过处理的用户数据。
可选地，所述经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：经过加密处理的用户数据，被去除用户标识信息的用户数据，临时用户标识，加密后的用户标识。
可选地，所述服务触发事件为会话建立请求，所述服务输入数据包括会话签约数据；所述收发单元，还用于向PCF发送会话策略请求，所述会话策略请求包括以下至少一个信息：数据网络名称DNN，网络切片信息；所述收发单元，还用于接收来自所述PCF的会话策略响应，所述会话策略响应包括会话策略，所述会话策略是根据所述DNN和/或所述网络切片信息生成的。
可选地，所述收发单元，还用于向SMF发送会话建立请求，所述会话建立请求包括会话策略信息或会话签约信息；所述收发单元，还用于接收来自所述SMF的会话建立响应，所述会话建立响应包括会话上下文。
第六方面，提供了一种通信装置，可以实现上述第二方面中的通信方法。例如所述通信装置可以是芯片或者第二网元。可以通过软件、硬件、或者通过硬件执行相应的软件实现上述方法。
在一种可能的实现方式中，所述通信装置包括收发单元和处理单元；其中，所述收发单元，用于接收来自第一网元的获取请求，所述获取请求用于请求获取服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证，所述服务输入数据的获取凭证为获取所述服务输入数据的凭证；以及所述收发单元，还用于向所述第一网元发送获取响应，所述获取响应包括所述服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证。
可选地，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述通信装置用于为所述第一网元和/或至少一个第三网元提供数据存储服务，所述至少一个第三网元为提供网络功能的网元；其中，所述至少一个第三网元包括：会话管理功能网元，接入与移动性管理功能网元，策略与控制功能网元。
可选地，所述服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据；所述处理单元，用于对所述服务输入数据进行处理，得到经过处理的用户数据。
可选地，所述经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：经过加密处理的用户数据，被去除用户标识信息的用户数据，临时用户标识，加密后的用户标识。
第七方面，提供了一种通信装置，可以实现上述第三方面中的通信方法。例如所述通信装置可以是芯片或者第三网元。可以通过软件、硬件、或者通过硬件执行相应的软件实现上述方法。
在一种可能的实现方式中，所述通信装置包括收发单元和处理单元；其中，所述收发单元，用于接收服务请求，所述服务请求包括服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证；以及所述处理单元，用于根据所述服务请求，执行所请求的服务。
可选地，所述收发单元，还用于向第一网元发送服务反馈，所述服务反馈包括服务的执行结果。
可选地，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述通信装置为提供网络功能的装置；其中，所述通信装置包括以下任意一个：会话管理功能网元，接入与移动性管理功能网元，策略与控制功能网元。
可选地，所述收发单元，还用于接收来自所述第一网元的服务请求。
可选地，所述收发单元，还用于向第四网元发送注册请求，所述注册请求包括以下至少一个信息：所述第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息，其中，所述第四网元用于为所述第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务；以及所述第三网元接收来自所述第四网元的注册响应。
可选地，所述收发单元，还用于接收来自所述第四网元的所述服务请求。
可选地，所述服务请求包括所述服务输入数据的获取凭证，所述收发单元，还用于根据所述获取凭证，向第二网元发送获取请求，所述第二网元用于为所述第一网元和/或所述通信装置提供数据存储服务；以及所述收发单元，还用于接收来自所述第二网元的获取响应，所述获取响应包括所述服务输入数据。
可选地，所述服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据。
可选地，所述经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：经过加密处理的用户数据，被去除用户标识信息的用户数据，临时用户标识，加密后的用户标识。
可选地，所述第三网元为PCF网元，所述服务输入数据包括会话签约数据；所述收发单元，还用于接收会话策略请求，所述会话策略请求包括以下至少一个信息：数据网络名称DNN，网络切片信息；所述收发单元，还用于向所述第一网元发送会话策略响应，所述会话策略响应包括会话策略，所述会话策略是根据所述DNN和/或所述网络切片信息生成的。
可选地，所述第三网元为SMF网元；所述收发单元，还用于接收会话建立请求，所述会话建立请求包括会话策略信息或会话签约信息；所述收发单元，还用于向所述第一网元发送会话建立响应，所述会话建立响应包括会话上下文。
第八方面，提供了一种通信装置，可以实现上述第四方面中的通信方法。例如所述通信装置可以是芯片或者第四网元。可以通过软件、硬件、或者通过硬件执行相应的软件实现上述方法。
在一种可能的实现方式中，所述通信装置包括收发单元和处理单元；其中，所述收发单元，用于接收来自至少一个第三网元的注册请求，所述注册请求包括以下至少一个信息：所述第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息；所述收发单元，还用 于向所述至少一个第三网元发送注册响应；所述收发单元，还用于接收来自第一网元的调度请求；所述处理单元，用于根据所述调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元；以及所述收发单元，还用于向所述第一网元发送调度响应，所述调度响应包括所调度的至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：所述至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息；或所述收发单元，还用于向所调度的至少一个第三网元发送所述调度请求。
可选地，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述至少一个第三网元为提供网络功能的网元，所述通信装置用于为所述第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务；其中，所述至少一个第三网元包括：会话管理功能网元，接入与移动性管理功能网元，策略与控制功能网元。
结合第五方面至第八方面中的任一方面，在又一种可能的实现方式中，上述第五方面至第八方面中的任一方面中的通信装置包括与存储器耦合的处理器；所述处理器被配置为支持所述装置执行上述通信方法中相应的功能。存储器用于与处理器耦合，其保存所述装置必要的程序(指令)和/或数据。可选的，所述通信装置还可以包括通信接口用于支持所述装置与其它网元之间的通信。可选的，该存储器可以位于该通信装置内部，也可以位于该通信装置外部。可选的，该存储器与处理器可以集成在一起。
结合第五方面至第八方面中的任一方面，在又一种可能的实现方式中，上述第五方面至第八方面中的任一方面中的通信装置包括处理器和收发装置，所述处理器与所述收发装置耦合，所述处理器用于执行计算机程序或指令，以控制所述收发装置进行信息的接收和发送；当所述处理器执行所述计算机程序或指令时，所述处理器还用于通过逻辑电路或执行代码指令实现上述方法。其中，所述收发装置可以为收发器、收发电路或输入输出接口，用于接收来自所述通信装置之外的其它装置的信号并传输至所述处理器或将来自所述处理器的信号发送给所述通信装置之外的其它装置。当所述通信装置为芯片时，所述收发装置为收发电路或输入输出接口。
当上述第五方面至第八方面中的任一方面中的通信装置为芯片或芯片模组时，发送单元可以是输出单元，比如输出电路或者通信接口；接收单元可以是输入单元，比如输入电路或者通信接口。当所述通信装置为终端或接入网设备时，发送单元可以是发射器或发射机；接收单元可以是接收器或接收机。
第九方面，提供了一种计算机可读存储介质，所述计算机可读存储介质中存储有计算机程序或指令，当计算机执行所述计算机程序或指令时，实现上述各方面所述的方法。
第十方面，提供了一种包含指令的计算机程序产品，当该指令在通信装置上运行时，使得通信装置执行上述各方面所述的方法。
第十一方面，提供了一种通信系统，该通信系统包括第五方面至第八方面中的通信装置。
附图说明
图1为本申请实施例提供的一种通信系统的架构示意图；
图2a为本申请实施例提供的一种基于5G网络的通信系统架构示意图；
图2b为本申请实施例提供的另一种基于5G网络的通信系统架构示意图；
图2c为本申请实施例提供的又一种基于5G网络的通信系统架构示意图；
图3为移动网络核心网技术的演进示意图；
图4为5G核心网的部分网元之间的交互逻辑示意图；
图5为本申请实施例提供的一种通信方法的流程示意图；
图6为本申请实施例提供的另一种通信方法的流程示意图；
图7为本申请实施例提供的一种多级网络的架构示意图；
图8为本申请实施例示例的一种会话建立场景下的通信方法的流程示意图；
图9为本申请实施例示例的另一种会话建立场景下的通信方法的流程示意图；
图10为本申请实施例示例的一种终端注册场景下的通信方法的流程示意图；
图11为本申请实施例示例的一种业务请求场景下的通信方法的流程示意图；
图12为本申请实施例提供的一种通信装置的结构示意图；
图13为本申请实施例提供的另一种通信装置的结构示意图。
具体实施方式
本申请可以适用于、应用于或者融合于移动网络核心网架构，包括第五代(5 th generation，5G)移动通信系统、第六代(6 th generation，6G)移动通信系统、未来演进的通信系统或者其它通信系统等的核心网架构，本申请对此不作限制。
如图1所示，为本申请实施例提供的一种通信系统的架构示意图。该通信系统100可以包括：第一网元101、第二网元102以及至少一个第三网元103(图中示例了n个第三网元)。其中，第一网元101用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，第二网元102用于为第一网元101和/或至少一个第三网元103提供数据存储服务，至少一个第三网元103为提供网络功能的网元。示例性地，第一网元101用于根据接收到的服务触发事件，从第二网元102获取服务输入数据或服务输入数据的获取凭证。第一网元101还用于向至少一个第三网元103发送服务请求，该服务请求包括上述服务输入数据或服务输入数据的获取凭证。相应地，第三网元103用于接收到服务请求后，根据该服务请求，执行所请求的服务。相应地，第三网元103还用于向第一网元101发送服务反馈，该服务反馈包括服务的执行结果。
可选地，该通信系统100还可以包括第四网元104(图中以虚线表示)。第四网元104用于为第一网元101提供网络功能的发现与选择服务。示例性地，至少一个第三网元103还用于向第四网元104发送注册请求，该注册请求包括以下至少一个信息：第三网元103的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息。第四网元104用于向至少一个第三网元103发送注册响应。第四网元104还用于接收来自第一网元101的调度请求。第四网元104还用于根据调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元。第四网元104还用于向第一网元101发送调度响应，该调度响应包括所调度的至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息；或第四网元104还用于向所调度的至少一个第三网元发送上述调度请求。
示例性地，上述第一网元101在本实施例中又可以称为执行节点(execution node，EN)，执行网元，执行网络功能，执行装置或执行模块，本申请对该网元的名称不作限定。
上述第二网元102在本实施例中又可以称为数据库(database，DB)，数据存储网元，数据存储网络功能，数据存储模块或数据存储装置，本申请对该网元的名称不作限定。
上述第三网元103在本实施例中又可以称为网络功能(network function，NF)，本申请对该网元的名称不作限定。
上述第四网元104在本实施例中又可以称为调度功能，调度模块或调度装置，本申请对该网元的名称不作限定。
下面给出几种基于5G网络的通信系统架构：
如图2a所示，为本申请实施例提供的一种基于5G网络的通信系统架构示意图。在该系 统架构中，上述第一网元101(EN)可以作为该系统的一个网络功能，位于核心网与接入网之间的网络入口；该系统中的统一数据管理(unified data management，UDM)和/或统一数据存储库(unified data repository，UDR)可以作为上述第二网元102(DB)；该架构中的其它网络功能可以作为上述第三网元103；以及该系统中的网络存储功能(network repository function，NRF)和/或服务通信代理(service communication proxy，SCP)可以作为上述第四网元104。
如图2b所示，为本申请实施例提供的另一种基于5G网络的通信系统架构示意图。上述第一网元101(EN)也可以集成在现有的接入网网络功能中。如图2b所示，上述第一网元101(EN)集成在(无线)接入网((radio)access network，(R)AN)中。
如图2c所示，为本申请实施例提供的又一种基于5G网络的通信系统架构示意图。上述第一网元101(EN)也可以集成在现有的核心网网络功能中。如图2c所示，上述第一网元101(EN)集成在接入与移动管理功能(access and mobility management function，AMF)中。
现有网络架构中网络功能(网元)间的耦合关系强，网络功能太“厚重”，网络架构逻辑复杂，容灾恢复困难，对三方不友好，不利于灵活轻便地进行网络部署与管理。
如图3所示，为移动网络核心网技术的演进示意图，从第二代(2 nd generation，2G)到5G的移动通信网络的核心网技术发展趋势来看，2G的物理机实现方式到5G的核心网部分云化，移动网络的网络技术(internet technology，IT)化已经成为了网络发展的大趋势。在图3中，对于2G～4G的核心网，软硬件在同一个或多个物理机上实现，该一个或多个物理机是专属的服务器，单一的物理网络无法支持所有业务需求(例如，物联网(internet of things，IoT)，移动宽带(mobile broadband，MBB)，车联网(vechile to X，V2X))，或者只能低效地支持这些业务需求；对于5G的核心网，可以在同一个通用的物理机上实现不同的网元的功能。通过IT技术对网络设备的实现，运营商可以使用通用硬件加载不同的软件化网络功能，达到简化部署降低成本的目的。
5G网络中，通过虚拟化技术，可以使得物理网络从逻辑上分割为不同的虚拟网络(即网络切片(network slice))(如图3中，一个物理机可以从逻辑上分割为网络1(例如，IoT)、网络2(例如，MBB)和网络3(例如，V2X)共3个子网络)，为用户提供差异化的网络连接服务。如果还是采用原始物理机的实现方式，则对于不同的网络切片需要部署单独的物理网络(如图3中，网络1、网络2、网络3需要分别部署单独的一个或多个物理机)，单一的物理网络无法/低效支持所有业务需求，不利于网络的灵活部署。
以现有5G移动通信系统的核心网为例，整个网络架构基于网元(或者称为网络功能)设计，每个网元具备一类特定的功能。比如AMF负责终端的接入与移动管理，为网络中的其它网元转发网元与终端之间的消息等；会话管理功能(session management function，SMF)负责管理终端的协议数据单元(protocol data unit，PDU)会话；用户面功能(user plane function，UPF)为终端转发用户面数据包；策略控制功能(policy control function，PCF)为AMF、SMF等其它网元配置相关的策略，例如接入与移动管理策略(终端是否可以或者在什么时间什么地点可以接入网络)，会话管理策略(终端的PDU会话可以传输的应用数据，应该采用怎样的规则传输等等)。如图4所示，为现有的5G核心网的部分网元之间的交互逻辑示意图，为上述的AMF、SMF和PCF的交互逻辑。
需要说明的是，以上功能实体仅是一个名字，名字本身对实体不构成限定。例如，该会话管理功能实体也有可能被替换为“会话管理功能”或其它名字。而且，该会话管理功能实体也可以对应一个包括除了会话管理功能外还有其他功能的实体。用户面功能实体也有可能被 替换为“用户面功能”或其它名字，而且，该用户面功能实体也可以对应一个包括除了用户面功能外还有其他功能的实体。接入与移动管理功能也可以分为接入管理功能(access management)和移动管理功能(mobility management function)两个功能。在此进行统一说明，以下不再赘述。
如图4所示的现有网络逻辑架构，网元间需要强耦合。例如，对于PDU会话1，AMF只能与SMF1交互，如果SMF1发生故障，则会话管理(session management，SM)上下文丢失。
可见，目前的通信系统中的网元耦合关系强，网络架构逻辑复杂，容灾恢复困难，对三方不友好。此外，每个网元需要单独维护用户相关的上下文，且可以直接访问用户的签约数据(各网元根据获得的签约数据去UDM/UDR获取签约信息，基于签约信息生成相关的上下文)，使得用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，降低了安全性。
无服务器运算(serverless computing)(简称serverless)，又被称为函数即服务(Function-as-a-Service，FaaS)，是云计算的一种模型。以平台即服务(platform as a service，PaaS)为基础，无服务器运算提供一个微型的架构，终端客户不需要部署、配置或管理服务器服务，代码运行所需要的服务器服务皆由云端平台来提供。
无服务器运算不代表它真的不需要服务器，而是说开发者再也不用过多考虑服务器的问题，计算资源作为服务而不是服务器的概念出现。无服务器运算是一种构建和管理基于微服务架构的技术，允许开发者在服务部署级别而不是服务器部署级别来管理应用部署，甚至可以管理某个具体功能或端口的部署，以便让开发者快速迭代，更快速地开发软件。
然而，在当前阶段的无服务器运算，适用范围还主要是事件式、短时间任务型的应用。用户编写任务的函数，在执行时间、资源上有一个约束。平台提供商基于此获得最大的调度权限，所以提供了按次收费，按需收费的定价策略。在海量终端的服务驱动的场景获得很好的应用，充分发挥了无服务器运算按需弹性，按需计费的好处。显然这样的应用范围，是不足以满足云厂商的期待的。
虽然无服务器运算的应用很广泛，但是也有使用上的局限性，无服务器运算比较适合的场景有以下一些：
-异步的并发，组件可独立部署和扩展；
-应对突发或服务使用量不可预测(主要是为了节约成本，因为无服务器运算应用在不运行时不收费)；
-短暂、无状态的应用，对冷启动时间不敏感；
-需要快速开发迭代的业务。
基于此，无服务器运算非常适合做实时文件处理、周期性的数据处理和移动及全球广域网(world wide web，Web)应用后端等。
然而，无服务器运算的设计思路目前仅用于IT网络，而在移动网络架构设计中还未涉及。
针对现有网络架构中网络功能(网元)间的耦合关系强，网络功能太“厚重”，网络架构逻辑复杂，容灾恢复困难，对三方不友好，不利于灵活轻便地进行网络部署与管理的问题，本申请提供一种通信方案，第一网元根据接收到的服务触发事件从第二网元获取服务输入数据或服务输入数据的获取凭证，并向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，至少一个第三网元根据服务请求，执行所请求的服务，并向第一网元发送服务反馈。本申请的该通信方案给出了一种新的无服务器架构实现的核心网架构，可以实现由第一网元统一处理服务请求或处理不同的服务请求，调用网络中的至少一个第三网元，各个第三网元间无耦合或耦合关系弱，提 高了网络部署与管理的灵活性。
如图5所示，为本申请实施例提供的一种通信方法的流程示意图。该方法可以应用于如图1所示的通信系统。示例性地，该方法可以包括以下步骤：
S501.第一网元根据接收到的服务触发事件从第二网元获取服务输入数据或服务输入数据的获取凭证。
在本实施例中，第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求。
第一网元可以是基于业务处理的逻辑关系进行后续的服务调用，或者基于一类模板或者一类脚本，其中包含了业务处理的逻辑关系，进行后续的服务调用。第一网元可以针对不同的网络类型或业务类型提供服务。例如，针对个人家庭网络可以有用于家庭网络的第一网元；针对专网(例如园区专网，车联网等)可以有对应的第一网元。不同的第一网元可以调用的网络服务不同，比如家庭网络的第一网元基本调用的是连接类的网络服务(比如用于大带宽传输的会话建立或管理服务)；车联网的第一网元除了可以调用连接类的服务外，还可以调用例如网络环境感知的服务，人工智能(artificial intelligence，AI)服务等。
第一网元的功能粒度可以根据具体提供的服务所确定，使得第一网元部署的功能粒度更加灵活，满足不同的服务需求。其中，第一网元可以是终端(组)粒度，业务粒度或网络级粒度的。例如：
(1)第一网元是终端(组)粒度的。
例如，第一网元仅为以下特定终端(组)服务：
家庭网络终端；或
局域网(local area network，LAN)终端；或
工业场景中的终端。
(2)第一网元可以是业务粒度的。
例如，第一网元为执行特定业务的终端提供服务：
应用功能(application function，AF)发起创建的第一网元，例如切片服务。
(3)网络级粒度：
例如，第一网元为以下网络内的终端提供服务：
大网服务，例如，MBB，语音业务等；或
特殊网络的服务，例如，车联网，物联网，卫星通信网等。
第一网元接收到的服务触发事件可以是由终端发起、网络中的其它节点(例如，第五网元)发起、内部的周期性发起或事件触发发起中的任意一种或多种服务触发事件，具体的示例可以是但不限定是如下情况：
终端发起可以是第一网元接收到了终端的请求消息或指示消息，例如终端的非接入层(non-access stratum，NAS)消息，会话建立请求，服务请求消息，注册请求消息等。
网络中的其它节点发起可以是第一网元接收到了运营商级的网络中的网络功能、第五网元或者管理功能的服务请求消息或控制消息。例如，终端的签约或服务到期了，运营商级的网络中的管理功能可以通知第一网元停止为该终端服务；或者第五网元需要获取终端的数据，则可以向第一网元发起终端数据请求消息；或者接入网侧的空口资源发生变化，接入网网元可以通知第一网元更改终端的会话参数等。其中，第五网元与第一网元属于不同的网络，比如是不同的子网络、不同的网络切片、不同的网络域等等。
内部的周期性发起可以是终端的周期性注册更新，终端策略更新(如会话策略，接入管理策略，移动管理策略等)，网络服务的策略更新(如网络可以容纳的终端数量更新，网络所 服务的地理位置更新，网络所能提供的服务质量(quality of service，QoS)参数更新等等)等。
事件触发发起可以是基于某些事件触发的服务行为，例如当终端移动到某个位置时触发为终端更新接入策略等。
第一网元接收到上述任意一种或多种服务触发事件后，可以从第二网元获取服务输入数据。其中，第二网元为第一网元和/或第三网元提供数据存储服务，由第一网元和/或第三网元调取。第二网元所存储的数据可以是终端粒度的数据，例如终端的签约数据，终端在网络中的策略信息，终端在网络中的上下文数据(例如会话的上下文，移动管理相关的上下文)等；也可以是为第三网元提供临时文件的存储服务，例如SMF所维护的用户面上下文，数据分析网元所维护的数据分析文件等；又可以是业务粒度的数据，例如某个应用的参数(例如QoS参数、应用服务器的位置信息、地址信息、终端列表信息等)。在现有的通信系统中，各个第三网元需要单独维护用户面上下文。一旦任意一个第三网元发生故障，可能丢失该第三网元维护的用户面上下文。本实施例中，通过单独的第二网元为第一网元和/或第三网元提供数据存储服务，无需第一网元和各个第三网元单独维护相关服务数据，提高了存储效率和数据的安全性。
第二网元可以基于数据的类型分别部署，例如，存放终端签约数据的第二网元可以由运营商集中部署；终端专属的数据可以在终端侧就近部署或单独部署；工业场景中园区的数据可以单独部署在园区内；家庭网络的终端数据可以部署在家中或就近的社区中等。
第二网元还可以与第一网元共同部署。例如，为家庭网络终端服务的第一网元可以与第二网元共同部署在家中；或者由同一个硬件或软件实现两种功能(类似于家用的网络服务器或机顶盒等)。
第一网元和/或第三网元调取的服务输入数据为用于网络服务所需要的数据，例如获取会话相关策略或者创建会话时提供数据网络名称(data network name，DNN)和/或切片信息等。示例性地，第一网元根据接收到的服务触发事件从第二网元获取服务输入数据，可以是第一网元根据接收到的服务触发事件可以向第二网元发送获取请求，该获取请求用于请求获取服务输入数据。第二网元接收到获取请求后，向第一网元发送获取响应，该获取响应包括服务输入数据。
进一步地，第二网元还可以对待发送的服务输入数据进行处理，得到经过处理的用户数据，可以提高服务输入数据传输过程中的安全性。即第二网元提供的服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据。示例性地，经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：对用户数据中的用户的标识信息进行加密处理或采用临时标识代替用户永久标识(subscription permanent identifier，SUIP)或国际移动用户识别码(international mobile subscriber identity，IMSI)等，所提供的用户数据中去除用户标识信息，对用户数据进行完整性保护(如采用同态加密等加密方式)等。而在现有的通信系统中，UDM/UDR并未对其提供的用户签约数据等进行安全性处理，每个第三网元可以直接访问用户签约数据。
示例性地，第一网元在向至少一个第三网元发送未经处理的服务输入数据之前，也可以由第一网元根据上述第二网元类似的方式对服务输入数据进行处理，得到经过处理的用户数据。
为了减少消息中携带终端数据的信令消息开销，避免终端的敏感数据在网络中频繁传输，第二网元也可以返回给第一网元一个(临时)服务输入数据凭证，服务输入数据的获取凭证为获取服务输入数据的凭证，例如某种标识、密钥(key)或令牌(token)。即第一网元接收 到上述任意一种或多种服务触发事件后，可以从第二网元获取服务输入数据的获取凭证，使得后续第三网元可以基于此服务输入数据凭证从第二网元获取相应的数据。
或者，第一网元也可以分配一个(临时)服务输入数据凭证并告知第二网元，使得后续第三网元可以基于此服务输入数据凭证从第二网元获取相应的数据。
第一网元根据接收到的服务触发事件从第二网元获取服务输入数据，获取的形式可以有两种：一种是按需获取数据。例如，当需要执行接入管理服务时，获取终端接入相关的签约数据；当需要为终端创建会话时，获取会话相关的签约数据。另一种是全局获取，即当终端接入网络或者通过网络的认证后，第一网元将该终端的所有相关数据从第二网元中获取，例如终端的所有签约数据，之后执行任务时，由第一网元根据所获取的终端签约选择相关的签约信息进行后续的服务调用。
S502.第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求。
相应地，至少一个第三网元接收该服务请求。
第一网元向至少一个第三网元请求调用相应的网络服务，并提供服务所需要使用的服务输入数据。示例性地，第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，该服务请求包括第一网元从第二网元获取的上述服务输入数据。
可替换地，该服务请求可以包括服务输入数据的获取凭证，则至少一个第三网元可以根据该服务输入数据的获取凭证，从第二网元获取服务输入数据。该服务输入数据可以是未经处理的用户数据或经过处理后的用户数据。
示例性地，服务触发事件包括以下至少一种：由终端发起的通信服务请求，由所述第五网元发起的通信服务请求，周期性通信服务，事件触发的通信服务。一个服务触发事件可能关联一个或多个第三网元。例如，在会话创建场景中，该服务触发事件为由终端发起的会话创建请求，该服务触发事件关联的第三网元包括PCF、SMF和UPF；在注册场景中，该服务触发事件为由终端发起的注册请求，该服务触发事件关联的第三网元包括PCF和AMF；在业务服务场景中，该服务触发事件为由终端发起的业务请求，该服务触发事件关联的第三网元包括SMF和AMF。则，第一网元分别向与该服务触发事件关联的至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，服务请求包括所述第一网元从所述第二网元获取的所述服务输入数据和从所述至少一个第三网元中的其它第三网元获取的服务的执行结果。例如，在会话创建场景中，第一网元发送给SMF的服务输入数据包括从第二网元获取的终端的会话相关签约数据以及从PCF获取的会话策略信息。第一网元分别接收来自至少一个第三网元的服务反馈。
其中，第三网元用于提供网络服务，根据所提供的服务内容不同，第三网元有相应的名称。例如，5G网络中AMF提供接入与移动管理服务，SMF提供会话管理功能，PCF提供用户相关、会话相关、接入与管理相关的网络策略等。示例性地，至少一个第三网元可以是上述SMF、AMF、PCF等。
在本实施例中，第三网元所提供的服务不做限定，可以是沿用现有技术中的网络功能或者未来网络中定义的新功能，例如提供计算服务的网络功能或者提供数据处理的网络功能等等。不同的点在于，第三网元处理服务请求的逻辑会发生变化。例如，在现有的会话创建场景中，SMF接收到终端的会话创建请求后，SMF向UDM/UDR获取会话相关的终端签约数据，SMF与其它网元进行交互以进行后续的会话创建。而本实施例中，可以由第一网元统一处理会话创建请求，调用用于会话服务的SMF、PCF和UPF，SMF、PCF和UPF间无耦合或耦合关系弱，从而可以提高网络部署与管理的灵活性；且由第一网元统一从第二网元获取服务输入数据并发送给相关的第三网元，或由第一网元获取服务输入数据的获取凭证，并发 送获取凭证给相关的第三网元，由相关的第三网元从第二网元获取服务输入数据，而第三网元不可以直接访问服务输入数据，避免用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，提高了数据的安全性。
示例性地，第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，可以是第一网元根据服务的执行逻辑，向至少一个第三网元发送上述服务请求。其中，服务的执行逻辑包括以下至少一个信息：每种服务所需要调用的至少一个第三网元，至少一个第三网元的调度的先后顺序，每个第三网元对应的服务输入数据的格式，每个第三网元对应的服务输入数据的内容，每个第三网元的信息(例如第三网元的标识信息、地址信息等等)。
在这里，服务的执行逻辑可以对应于网络为终端提供的某种服务，例如建立终端至数据网络(data network，DN)的连接服务(5G中称为PDU会话连接服务)，数据的存储服务，数据的分析或预测服务等。不同的服务所需要调用的网络功能不尽相同，例如连接服务可能需要调用SMF、PCF和UPF；数据存储服务需要调用数据存储功能；数据的分析或分析服务需要调用计算相关的网络功能(例如，5G中的网络数据分析功能(network data analytics function，NWDAF))等。具体每种服务所需要调用的网络功能、调用的先后顺序、每个网络功能所需要提供的输入数据格式和内容等等可以称为服务的执行逻辑。服务的执行逻辑的实现形式可以是一种脚本，一段代码等，预配置或者由某个网络功能配置给第一网元。
示例性地，如图1所示的通信系统还可以包括第四网元。第四网元为第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务，类似于现有5G标准中的NRF功能。提供单一网络服务的第三网元可以将第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息等注册到第四网元中。示例性地，第三网元可以向第四网元发送注册请求。相应地，第四网元接收该注册请求。其中，该注册请求包括以下至少一个信息：第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息。第四网元接收到注册请求后，保存上述至少一个信息，向至少一个第三网元发送注册响应。
第一网元可以基于服务的执行逻辑，通过第四网元调用相应的网络功能。当第一网元需要使用某个网络功能时，可以向第四网元发起相应的网络功能服务调用请求。第四网元可以基于其获知的网络功能信息和第一网元的请求，选择一个或多个可以为第一网元提供服务的第三网元，并将第三网元的地址或标识信息反馈给第一网元，由第一网元发起后续的服务请求。
因此，第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，还可以替换为：第一网元向第四网元发送调度请求。第四网元根据接收到的调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元。第四网元向第一网元发送调度响应。相应地，第一网元接收该调度响应。其中，该调度响应包括所调度的至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：至少一个第三网元的能力或所提供的网络服务、标识、地址信息、状态信息。
或者，第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，还可以替换为：第一网元向第四网元发送调度请求。第四网元根据接收到的调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元。第四网元向所调度的至少一个第三网元发送调度请求。示例性地，第四网元还可以向第一网元发送调度响应。
可替换地，调度功能也可以通过静态或动态的方式配置在第一网元中。例如，将网络功能的信息预配置在第一网元中(如网络功能的标识信息、地址信息、状态等)，当第一网元需要调用某个网络功能时，可以基于预配置信息确定所需要调用的网络功能信息。则第四网元是可选的，图中以虚线表示。
上述服务输入数据可以为经过处理的用户数据，第三网元不再获取未经处理的用户数据，而是由第一网元将经过处理的用户数据发送给第三网元，由第三网元提供相应的服务。第一网元所提供的或第三网元从第二网元所获取的数据是经过处理的用户数据，即脱敏的数据，这样可以避免过多地暴露终端的隐私数据。
示例性地，若上述服务请求包括服务输入数据的获取凭证，则进一步地，至少一个第三网元中的每个第三网元还可以根据该获取凭证，从第二网元获取服务输入数据。具体地，至少一个第三网元可以根据该获取凭证，向第二网元发送获取请求。第二网元接收到该获取请求后，向至少一个第三网元发送获取响应，该获取响应包括服务输入数据。
S503.至少一个第三网元中的每个第三网元根据服务请求，执行所请求的服务。
针对一项服务请求，可能涉及一个或多个第三网元。每个第三网元接收到来自第一网元的服务请求或第四网元的调度请求后，可以根据服务请求，基于服务请求中携带的服务输入数据，执行所请求的服务。例如，第三网元可以为SMF，服务请求为终端发起的会话建立请求，则SMF可以基于会话相关参数(DNN，网络切片信息)、终端所接入的RAN侧信息(基站的地址信息，端口号等)、以及第一网元从第二网元获取的终端的会话相关签约数据等，生成相应的会话上下文。
S504.至少一个第三网元中的每个第三网元向第一网元发送服务反馈。
相应地，第一网元接收该服务反馈。
其中，该服务反馈包括服务的执行结果。
进一步地，第三网元完成服务后，还可以更新第二网元中的数据，例如更新终端的上下文。因此，该服务反馈还可以包括服务输入数据的更新结果。该方法还可以包括以下步骤(图中以虚线表示)：
S505.第一网元向第二网元发送数据同步请求。
相应地，第二网元接收该数据同步请求。
其中，该数据同步请求包括服务输入数据的更新结果。
S506.第二网元向第一网元发送数据同步响应。
作为步骤S504～S506的可替换的步骤，至少一个第三网元中的每个第三网元向第一网元发送的服务反馈可以仅包括服务的执行结果，而至少一个第三网元中的每个第三网元向第二网元发送数据同步请求，该数据同步请求包括服务输入数据的更新结果；以及第二网元接收到数据同步请求后，进行数据更新，并向每个第三网元发送数据同步响应，从而完成数据的更新。
从而，第三网元可以不用长时间地维护终端的上下文，将这些数据存储在第二网元中，后续需要使用的时候再调用。这样做的好处是，第三网元可以提供瞬时的服务，而不需要长周期地维护终端的上下文，提高了服务效率。此外，如果第三网元发生故障，可以减少对终端数据的影响，仅需调用其他的功能实例即可，提高了网络的鲁棒性。
根据本申请实施例提供的一种通信方法，给出了一种新的无服务器架构实现的核心网架构，由第一网元统一处理服务请求，调用网络中的至少一个第三网元，各个第三网元间无耦合或耦合关系弱，提高了网络部署与管理的灵活性。
上述实施例描述了一个子网络中调用网络服务或数据的方案。下面实施例描述不同子网络之间如何调用网络服务或数据：
如图6所示，为本申请实施例提供的另一种通信方法的流程示意图。该方法可以应用于如图1所示的通信系统。示例性地，该方法可以包括以下步骤：
S601.第五网元向第一网元发送服务触发事件。
相应地，第一网元接收该服务触发事件。
在本实施例中，该服务触发事件来自于第五网元。该服务触发事件包括第五网元的服务请求。
其中，第一网元和第五网元属于不同的网络，比如是不同的子网络、不同的网络切片、不同的网络域等等。第五网元用于统一处理其所属网络中的业务服务。
在一个实现中，第一网元和第五网元可以属于不同的网络切片。例如，第一网元属于网络切片1，第五网元属于网络切片2。
另外，整个移动网络可以分为运营商级网络和用户级网络两大类。运营商级网络可以提供用户级网络接入的初始接入认证授权功能，接入管理(access management，AM)，计费功能(charging function，CHF)，用户级网络互发现,网络控制功能(network control function，NCF)等功能；用户级网络可以基于终端的需求及网络特性提供差异化的网络服务(例如现有的网络切片提供了差异化的连接服务)。
关于用户级网络、运营商级网络的架构示例如下：
如图7所示，为本申请实施例提供的一种多级网络的架构示意图，该图中给出了几种子网络(即用户级网络)部署方案：
(1)用户级网络1，可以包含完整的网络服务功能，其中包含了第一网元、第二网元、第三网元和第四网元。其中，第四网元可以是NRF或SCP。第一网元与第三网元或者第三网元之间可以通过NRF或SCP直接发现交互。
(2)用户级网络2，其中包含了第一网元、第二网元、第三网元和第四网元。用户级网络2采用服务化架构，各网元沿用现有5G网络的方式进行相互通信。例如，用户级网络2可以是企业园区，企业内部部署了一些第三网元，管理企业内部的网络功能，不需要使用运营商的业务；也可以借用运营商网络的第三网元。
(3)用户级网络3，其中仅包含了第一网元和第二网元，第一网元作为子网络的执行节点，处理网络中的用户请求及对外的服务开放；第二网元可以存储子网络中的隐私数据，例如终端在子网络中的签约，策略等信息。基于该组网方式，可以保证终端的数据不出网络，保障终端的数据安全。例如，该用户级网络3可以是企业园区，将第二网元部署在企业内部。该组网方式中不包含第三网元，所以需要调用运营商网络或者其他子网络的第三网元进行相应的网络业务。
(4)用户级网络4，其中仅包含了第一网元，即用户级网络4可以通过第一网元自行控制子网络的业务处理逻辑，但是需要使用运营商网络的第三网元和第二网元进行具体的业务。可以发现，基于用户级网络4的部署方式可以将子网络的功能做到非常简单，第一网元甚至可以部署在接入网侧。例如，用户级网络4可以是家庭网络。
用户级网络中可能网络功能有限，当需要使用其他子网络的服务或者运营商级网络的服务时，可以通过第一网元之间的服务请求调用来申请使用其他网络的服务。其他网络或相应的第一网元、可以支持的网络功能可以通过查询NRF或其他类似的查询服务器获取对应的网络或第一网元的信息。
一个终端可以同时接入多个子网络(用户级网络/网络切片)，并且在每个子网络中可以拥有单独的身份(例如，每个用户级网络中终端具有一个临时的身份/标识)。终端可以对每个子网络中的第一网元进行控制，使得不同的子网络之间可以进行服务调用或者数据共享等。例如图7中，终端可以同时接入用户级网络1和用户级网络3，用户级网络1对应于公网(即 提供互联网连接，语音通信等服务)，用户级网络3对应于私网(例如家庭网络)。用户可以授权用户级网络1向用户级网络3获取终端的数据，例如在家庭网络中的上网行为习惯的数据。基于网络架构的设计，则第一网元1可以通过第一网元3获取用户级网络3中的数据信息。同样的，如果用户级网络3中需要使用用户级网络1中的网络功能服务，则也可以由用户级网络3中的第一网元3发起向用户级网络1请求相应的网络服务。
基于上述多级网络架构的设计思路，运营商可以作为网络接入服务提供商以及网络功能服务提供商为不同的子网络提供服务。而子网络内部仅需要部署独立的第一网元(或者额外部署独立的第二网元)即可享受运营商的网络服务。相比于现有技术中的网络切片、私网等实现方式，更易于部署，且用户的数据可以得到更好的保护(数据仅存在子网络内部)。
在另一个实现中，第一网元和第五网元可以属于不同的用户级网络。
在又一个实现中，第一网元属于用户级网络，第五网元属于运营商网络；或者第一网元属于运营商级网络，第五网元属于用户级网络。
第一网元与第五网元之间的关联可以通过脚本本地配置。例如第五网元需要使用第一网元的某些服务，而具体哪些服务以及服务所对应的第一网元的信息(或服务所在的子网络信息)可以配置在第五网元中。当业务触发第五网元需要调用某些服务时，即会基于本地配置向第一网元发起服务请求。当然，第五网元也可以通过查询的方式(例如通过NRF，具有查询功能的服务器等)获取服务以及服务所对应的第一网元的信息(或服务所在的子网络信息)。这里子网络可以为其他子网络、运营商网络或者网络外部(例如第三方的应用服务器)提供本子网络所特有的服务，例如数据服务(共享子网络中的数据，包括用户行为数据，AI模型数据等等)、计算服务(为其他网络或用户提供算力服务)或者其他特殊的网络服务。比如说，子网络所训练的AI模型可以开放给其他网络使用，某些子网络可能部署了自用的算力服务器，则可以为其他子网络提供算力服务等等。(第一网元所在的子网络可能训练了一些AI模型，开放给其它子网络)。例如第五网元位于家庭网络中，需要创建会话，向第一网元请求创建会话。
S602.第一网元接收到服务触发事件后，可以参考图5所示实施例中的流程，执行服务请求。
S603.第一网元向第五网元发送服务反馈。
相应地，第五网元接收该服务反馈。
根据本申请实施例提供的一种通信方法，给出了一种子网络之间的服务调用方法。主要对应的场景为除了运营商级的网络服务之外，子网络之间也可以对外(其它子网络或核心网网络外部)提供服务，例如数据共享服务，计算服务等。基于本实施例的方法，可以为未来网络提供更灵活的商业模式。而现有的通信系统中，并未涉及这种多级网络部署架构，是一个统一的网络部署架构，网络部署不够灵活，开发规模大。
上面实施例描述了子网络中或子网络间调用网络服务或数据的方案，下面通过一个示例描述第一网元在具体的通信场景中如何进行网络服务或数据的调用：
如图8所示，为本申请实施例提供的一种会话建立场景下的通信方法的流程示意图。该会话建立场景涉及的第三网元包括：PCF、SMF和UPF。示例性地，该方法可以包括以下步骤：
S801.PCF、SMF、UPF分别向第四网元进行能力注册。
PCF、SMF、UPF在进行能力注册时，其中携带以下至少一个信息：PCF/SMF/UPF的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息。
S802.终端向第一网元发送会话建立请求。
其中，该会话建立请求用于请求建立会话。该会话建立请求包括以下至少一个信息：终端的标识、会话标识、数据网络名称(data network name，DNN)、切片信息。
S803a.第一网元接收到该会话建立请求后，向第二网元发送签约数据获取请求。
其中，该签约数据获取请求用于请求获取终端的会话相关签约数据。
S803b.第二网元接收到该签约数据获取请求后，向第一网元发送签约数据获取响应。
其中，该签约数据获取响应包括终端的会话相关签约数据。
而在现有的会话创建场景中，RAN接收到终端的会话建立请求后，转发给SMF。SMF接收到终端的会话创建请求后，向UDM/UDR获取会话相关的终端签约数据，即SMF可以直接访问终端签约数据，然后SMF基于该终端签约数据与其它网元进行交互以进行后续的会话创建，使得用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，降低了安全性。
本实施例由由第一网元统一从第二网元获取会话相关签约数据并发送给SMF，而SMF不可以直接访问会话相关的终端签约数据，避免用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，提高了数据的安全性。
S804a.第一网元向第四网元发送调度请求。
其中，该调度请求用于基于终端所请求的服务从第四网元获取与该服务相关的所有第三网元的信息。
示例性地，该调度请求可以包括第一网元的业务的处理逻辑。
或者，第一网元可以基于业务处理逻辑，分多次向第四网元发送调度请求。
S804b.第四网元接收到调度请求后，根据调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元，并向第一网元发送调度响应。
其中，该调度响应包括所调度的至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息。
例如，在该会话建立场景中，第四网元确定所调度的第三网元包括PCF和SMF。该调度响应包括可以为该第一网元提供服务的PCF和SMF的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息。
对于其它服务而言，可能会涉及到的网元各不相同。
S805a.第一网元向PCF发送会话策略请求。
其中，该会话策略请求用于向PCF请求该会话的会话策略。该会话策略请求包括以下至少一个信息：DNN，网络切片信息。例如，该网络切片信息可以是单个网络切片选择辅助信息(single network slice selection assistance information，S-NSSAI)。
第一网元也可以预先获取了或存储了该会话的会话策略，因此，该步骤是可选的，图中以虚线表示。
S805b.PCF接收到该会话策略请求后，向第一网元发送会话策略响应。
PCF接收到该会话策略请求后，根据该会话策略请求中携带的DNN和/或网络切片信息生成会话策略，并向第一网元发送会话策略响应。其中，该会话策略响应包括上述会话策略(SM policy)。
对应上述会话策略请求是可选的，该步骤也可以是可选的，图中以虚线表示。
S806.第一网元更新会话策略。
这里的更新可以理解为第一网元基于终端的会话相关签约数据对从PCF获取的会话策略进行了进一步的修改。例如，终端的会话相关签约数据中允许终端的会话带宽为10Mbps，而会话策略中允许终端的会话带宽为8Mbps，则第一网元可以根据预先设定的标准，以终端 的会话相关签约数据或者从PCF获取的会话策略为准进行会话策略的更新。又或者，第一网元本地也配置了一些策略，可以以第一网元本地的策略为最高的优先级对会话策略进行更新。
对应上述会话策略请求和会话策略响应是可选的，该步骤也可以是可选的，图中以虚线表示。
S807.第一网元向SMF发送会话建立请求。
第一网元调用SMF的会话建立服务，向SMF发送会话建立请求。其中，该会话建立请求包括以下至少一个信息：会话策略信息，终端的会话相关签约数据，会话相关参数(DNN，网络切片信息)，终端所接入的RAN侧信息(基站的地址信息，端口号等)等。
S808.SMF接收到会话建立请求后，对UPF进行用户面配置。
在本实施例中，SMF与UPF可以仍维持现有的耦合模式，即由SMF对特定的UPF进行管理。SMF基于会话策略信息或终端的会话相关签约数据生成会话配置信息，并对UPF进行用户面配置。SMF完成UPF的用户面配置之后，生成相应的会话上下文。
S809.SMF向第一网元发送会话建立响应。
SMF将所生成的会话上下文反馈给第一网元。即该会话建立响应包括会话上下文。
此外，可选的，SMF还可以将用户面配置信息一同发送给第一网元。当第一网元需要重新调用新的SMF对会话进行修改时，可以将用户面配置信息一同发送给所选择的新的SMF。此时，SMF和重新调用的SMF可以不是同一个SMF。
此外，SMF也可以将所生成的用户面配置信息存储在第二网元中，之后返回给第一网元操作完成指示或者所存储数据的标识信息(例如PDU会话标识信息或该用户面配置信息的标识)。之后，当第一网元选择了新的SMF时，可以将该用户面配置信息的标识信息发送给新的SMF，由新的SMF从第二网元获取该用户面配置信息，并对其就行相应的会话参数修改。从而，SMF无需单独维护用户相关的上下文，而由第二网元统一存储。即便SMF发生故障，也不会造成用户相关的上下文的丢失。
S810.第一网元更新会话上下文，将更新后的会话上下文存储在第二网元中。
S811.第一网元向RAN发送用户面配置信息。
其中，该用户面配置信息包括以下至少一个信息：UPF的地址信息，QoS配置信息。
S812.第一网元向终端发送会话建立完成消息。
其中，该会话建立完成消息包括会话相关的参数，例如上行的数据包QoS执行规则等。
在现有的会话创建场景中，终端向SMF发送会话创建请求，SMF接收到终端的会话创建请求后，SMF向UDM/UDR获取会话相关的终端签约数据，SMF进行后续的会话创建。而本实施例中，减少了SMF与PCF、UPF之间的交互，大多数的执行逻辑归一到由第一网元处理，提高了网络部署与管理的灵活性。
如图9所示，为本申请实施例提供的另一种会话建立场景下的通信方法的流程示意图。该会话建立场景涉及的第三网元包括：PCF、SMF和UPF。在本实施例中，PCF、SMF和UPF互相解耦。示例性地，该方法可以包括以下步骤：
S901.PCF、SMF、UPF分别向第四网元进行能力注册。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S801。
S902.终端向第一网元发送会话建立请求。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S802。
S903a.第一网元接收到该会话建立请求后，向第二网元发送签约数据获取请求。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S803a。
S903b.第二网元接收到该签约数据获取请求后，向第一网元发送签约数据获取响应。其中，该签约数据获取响应包括终端的会话相关签约数据。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S803b。
S904a.第一网元向第四网元发送调度请求。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S804a。
S904b.第四网元接收到调度请求后，根据调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元，并向第一网元发送调度响应。其中，该调度响应包括所调度的至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S804b。
S905a.第一网元向PCF发送会话策略请求。其中，该会话策略请求包括以下至少一个信息：数据网络名称DNN，网络切片信息。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S805a。
S905b.PCF接收到该会话策略请求后，向第一网元发送会话策略响应。其中，该会话策略响应包括会话策略，该会话策略是根据DNN和/或网络切片信息生成的。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S805b。
S906.第一网元更新会话策略。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S806。
S907.第一网元向SMF发送会话建立请求。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S807。
S908.SMF接收到会话建立请求后，向第一网元发送会话建立响应。
在本实施例中，SMF与UPF相互独立。SMF基于会话策略、终端的会话相关签约数据、RAN侧信息等完成会话配置，并将会话管理上下文、N2信息和用户面配置信息发送给第一网元。即该会话建立响应包括会话管理上下文、N2信息和用户面配置信息。其中，会话配置信息可以包括以下至少一个信息：用户面的路径信息(RAN地址信息、端口信息等，DNN，切片信息等)，数据包的QoS执行规则，计费规则，监控规则。
SMF也可以将会话管理上下文、N2信息和用户面配置信息存储在第二网元中，仅返回操作完成指示或所存储数据的标识信息给第一网元。
S909.第一网元向第四网元发送用户面资源请求。
其中，该用户面资源请求用于第一网元基于用户配置信息向第四网元请求用户面资源。该用户面资源请求可以包括以下至少一个信息：RAN侧信息，DNN，网络切片信息，QoS信息(例如会话带宽，速率保障带宽，调度优先级等)。
S910.第四网元接收到用户面资源请求后，向第一网元发送用户面资源响应。
第四网元根据第一网元的用户面资源请求，向第一网元反馈可以执行该会话的UPF信息，例如UPF的地址信息。
S911.第一网元对UPF进行用户面配置。
第一网元根据接收到的用户面资源响应，对第四网元所调度的UPF进行用户面配置，携带用户面配置信息。
如果用户面也提供服务化功能，则第一网元可以将配置的用户面上下文(类似5G中的N4会话)发送给UPF，由UPF基于该配置信息对终端的数据包进行处理。
S912.第一网元更新会话上下文，将更新后的会话上下文存储在第二网元中。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S810。
S913.第一网元向RAN发送用户面配置信息。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S811。
S914.第一网元向终端发送会话建立完成消息。
该步骤的具体实现可参考图8所示实施例中的步骤S812。
在现有的会话创建场景中，终端向SMF发送会话创建请求，SMF接收到终端的会话创建请求后，SMF向UDM/UDR获取会话相关的终端签约数据，SMF进行后续的会话创建。而本实施例中，SMF与PCF、UPF之间不再有直接交互，所有的执行逻辑归一到由第一网元处理，提高了网络部署与管理的灵活性。
上述实施例给出了第一网元在会话创建场景中如何进行网络服务或数据的调用。下面示例在终端接入场景中第一网元如何进行网络服务或数据的调用：
如图10所示，为本申请实施例提供的一种终端注册场景中的通信方法的流程示意图。该终端注册场景涉及的第三网元包括：PCF、AMF。示例性地，该方法可以包括以下步骤：
S1001.PCF、AMF分别向第四网元进行能力注册。
PCF、AMF在进行能力注册时，其中携带以下至少一个信息：PCF/AMF的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息。
S1002.终端向第一网元发送注册请求。
其中，该注册请求用于请求注册到网络。该注册请求可以包括终端的标识。
S1003a.第一网元接收到该注册请求后，向第二网元发送接入认证/签约数据获取请求。
其中，该接入认证/签约数据获取请求用于请求获取终端的接入和/或移动管理相关签约数据。
S1003b.第二网元接收到接入认证/签约数据获取请求后，向第一网元发送接入认证/签约数据获取响应。
其中，该接入认证/签约数据获取响应包括用户的接入和/或移动管理相关签约数据。
而在现有的终端注册场景中，RAN接收到终端的注册请求后，转发给AMF/PCF。AMF/PCF向UDM/UDR获取接入和/或移动管理相关签约数据，然后AMF/PCF基于该接入和/或移动管理相关签约数据与其它网元进行交互以进行后续的注册流程，使得用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，降低了安全性。
本实施例由由第一网元统一从第二网元获取会话相关签约数据并发送给PCF，而PCF不可以直接访问接入和/或移动管理相关签约数据，避免用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，提高了数据的安全性。
S1004a.第一网元向第四网元发送调度请求。
其中，该调度请求用于基于终端所请求的服务从第四网元获取与该服务相关的所有第三网元的信息。
示例性地，该调度请求可以包括第一网元的业务的处理逻辑。
或者，第一网元可以基于业务处理逻辑，分多次向第四网元发送调度请求。
S1004b.第四网元接收到调度请求后，根据调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元，并向第一网元发送调度响应。
其中，该调度响应包括所调度的至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息。
例如，在该会话建立场景中，第四网元确定所调度的第三网元包括PCF和AMF。该调度响应包括可以为该第一网元提供服务的PCF和AMF的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息。
S1005a.第一网元向PCF发送接入和/或移动管理策略请求。
其中，该接入和/或移动管理策略请求用于向PCF请求获取接入和/或移动管理策略。
第一网元也可以预先获取了或存储了该接入和/或移动管理策略，因此，该步骤是可选的，图中以虚线表示。
S1005b.PCF接收到该接入和/或移动管理策略请求后，向第一网元发送接入和/或移动管理策略响应。
PCF接收到该接入和/或移动管理策略请求后，生成接入和/或移动管理策略，并向第一网元发送该接入和/或移动管理策略。
其中，该接入和/或移动管理策略响应包括接入和/或移动管理策略。
对应于上述接入和/或移动管理策略请求是可选的，该步骤也可以是可选的，图中以虚线表示。
S1006.第一网元更新接入和/或移动管理策略。
这里的更新可以理解为第一网元基于接入和/或移动管理相关签约数据对从PCF获取的接入和/或移动管理策略进行了进一步的修改。
对应于上述接入和/或移动管理策略请求、接入和/或移动管理策略响应是可选的，该步骤也可以是可选的，图中以虚线表示。
S1007a.第一网元向AMF发送接入和/或移动管理上下文创建请求。
第一网元调用AMF的接入和/或移动管理服务，向AMF发送接入和/或移动管理上下文创建请求。其中，该接入和/或移动管理上下文创建请求用于请求AMF创建接入和/或移动管理上下文。
示例性地，如前所述，未来接入与移动管理功能网元可能分为接入管理功能网元和移动管理功能网元两个网元，则第一网元可以分别向接入管理功能网元发送接入管理上下文创建请求，以及向移动管理功能网元发送移动管理上下文创建请求。
S1107b.AMF向第一网元发送接入和/或移动管理上下文创建响应。
AMF接收到接入和/或移动管理上下文创建请求后，创建接入和/或移动管理上下文。其中，该接入和/或移动管理上下文创建响应包括接入和/或移动管理上下文。
S1008.第一网元在第二网元中创建/存储接入和/或移动管理上下文。
S1009.第一网元向终端发送注册响应。
其中，该注册响应用于指示已经将该终端注册到网络。
在现有的注册场景中，终端向AMF发送注册请求，AMF接收到终端的注册请求后，向UDM/UDR获取接入和/或移动管理相关签约数据，再进行后续的注册流程。而本实施例中，减少了AMF与PCF之间的交互，大多数的执行逻辑归一到由第一网元处理，提高了网络部署与管理的灵活性。
上述实施例给出了第一网元在会话创建场景以及注册场景中如何进行网络服务或数据的调用。下面示例在业务请求场景中第一网元如何进行网络服务或数据的调用：
如图11所示，为本申请实施例提供的一种业务请求场景下的通信方法的流程示意图。该业务请求场景涉及的第三网元包括：SMF、AMF。示例性地，该方法可以包括以下步骤：
S1101.SMF、AMF分别向第四网元进行能力注册。
SMF、AMF在进行能力注册时，其中携带以下至少一个信息：SMF/AMF的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息。
S1102.终端向第一网元发送业务请求(service request)。
其中，该业务请求用于请求连接到网络中以获取网络的业务服务。网络中网元的对应操作是把终端的状态从空闲态转变到连接态，然后终端挂起的会话将会被激活。所以，本实施例的流程就涉及请求AMF更改终端的接入和/或移动管理上下文(终端的状态更新)，以及SMF更新终端的PDU会话。
其中，该业务请求包括以下至少一个信息：终端的标识、会话标识、DNN、切片信息。
S1103a.第一网元接收到该业务请求后，向第二网元发送接入认证/用户上下文获取请求。
其中，该接入认证/用户上下文获取请求用于请求获取用户上下文。
S1103b.第二网元接收到该接入认证/用户上下文获取请求后，向第一网元发送接入认证/用户上下文获取响应。
其中，该接入认证/用户上下文获取响应包括移动管理上下文和会话管理上下文。
而在现有的业务服务场景中，AMF接收到终端的业务请求后，向UDM/UDR获取用户上下文，即AMF可以直接访问用户上下文，然后，AMF基于该用户上下文与其它网元进行交互以进行后续的业务服务，使得用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，降低了安全性。
本实施例由由第一网元统一从第二网元获取用户上下文并发送给AMF，而AMF不可以直接访问用户上下文，避免用户的隐私数据在网络中频繁传输，提高了数据的安全性。
S1104a.第一网元向第四网元发送调度请求。
其中，该调度请求用于基于终端所请求的服务从第四网元获取与该服务相关的所有第三网元的信息。
示例性地，该调度请求可以包括第一网元的业务的处理逻辑。
或者，第一网元可以基于业务处理逻辑，分多次向第四网元发送调度请求。
S1104b.第四网元接收到调度请求后，根据调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元，并向第一网元发送调度响应。
其中，该调度响应包括所调度的至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息。
例如，在该业务服务场景中，第四网元确定所调度的第三网元包括AMF和SMF。该调度响应包括可以为该第一网元提供服务的AMF和SMF的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息。
S1105a.第一网元向SMF发送用户会话更新请求。
其中，该用户会话更新请求用于请求SMF更新终端的协议数据单元(protocol data unit，PDU)会话。该用户会话更新请求包括第一网元从第二网元获取的会话管理上下文。
S1105b.SMF接收到该用户会话更新请求后，向第一网元发送用户会话更新响应。
SMF接收到该用户会话更新请求后，对终端的PDU会话进行更新，并完成UPF的用户面配置之后，更新上述会话管理上下文。其中，该用户会话更新响应用于指示已更新终端的PDU会话。且该用户会话更新响应包括更新后的会话管理上下文。该更新后的会话管理上下文包括用户面配置信息。
S1106.第一网元更新会话管理上下文。
第一网元接收到更新后的会话管理上下文后，将其存储到第二网元。
S1107.第一网元向RAN发送用户面配置信息。
第一网元向RAN发送上述会话管理上下文中包括的用户面配置信息。
S1108a.第一网元向AMF发送接入和/或移动管理上下文更新请求。
第一网元调用AMF的接入和/或移动管理服务，向AMF发送接入和/或移动管理上下文更新请求。其中，该接入和/或移动管理上下文更新请求用于请求AMF更新接入和/或移动管 理上下文。
示例性地，如前所述，未来接入与移动管理功能网元可能分为接入管理功能网元和移动管理功能网元两个网元，则第一网元可以分别向接入管理功能网元发送接入管理上下文更新请求，以及向移动管理功能网元发送移动管理上下文更新请求。
S1108b.AMF向第一网元发送接入和/或移动管理上下文更新响应。
AMF接收到接入和/或移动管理上下文更新请求后，更新接入和/或移动管理上下文。其中，该接入和/或移动管理上下文更新响应包括更新后的接入和/或移动管理上下文。
S1109.第一网元更新/存储接入和/或移动管理上下文。
S1110.第一网元向终端发送业务响应。
其中，该业务响应包括业务服务结果。
在现有的业务服务场景中，终端向AMF发送业务请求，AMF接收到终端的业务请求后，向UDM/UDR获取用户上下文，再进行后续的业务服务流程。而本实施例中，减少了AMF与SMF之间的交互，大多数的执行逻辑归一到由第一网元处理，提高了网络部署与管理的灵活性。
可以理解的是，为了实现上述实施例中的功能，各网元包括了执行各个功能相应的硬件结构和/或软件模块。本领域技术人员应该很容易意识到，结合本申请中所公开的实施例描述的各示例的单元及方法步骤，本申请能够以硬件或硬件和计算机软件相结合的形式来实现。某个功能究竟以硬件还是计算机软件驱动硬件的方式来执行，取决于技术方案的特定应用场景和设计约束条件。
图12和图13为本申请的实施例提供的可能的通信装置的结构示意图。这些通信装置可以用于实现上述方法实施例中各网元的功能，因此也能实现上述方法实施例所具备的有益效果。
如图12所示，通信装置1200包括处理单元1210和收发单元1220。通信装置1200用于实现上述图5～图11中所示的方法实施例中各网元的功能。
当通信装置1200用于实现图5中所示的方法实施例中第一网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图5所示实施例中S501、S502、S504～S506中第一网元的操作；或者当通信装置1200用于实现图6中所示的方法实施例中第一网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图6所示实施例中S601～S603中第一网元的操作。
当通信装置1200用于实现图5所示的方法实施例中第二网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图5所示实施例中S501、S504～S506中第二网元的操作；或者当通信装置1200用于实现图6所示的方法实施例中第二网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图6所示实施例中S602中第二网元的操作。
当通信装置1200用于实现图5中所示的方法实施例中第三网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图5所示实施例中S502、S504中第三网元的操作；处理单元1210用于执行图5所示实施例中S503；或者当通信装置1200用于实现图6所示的方法实施例中第三网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图6所示实施例中S602中第三网元的操作。
当通信装置1200用于实现图8中所示的方法实施例中第四网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图8所示实施例中S801中第四网元的操作；或者当通信装置1200用于实现图9中所示的方法实施例中第四网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图9所示实施例中S901中第四网元的操作；或者当通信装置1200用于实现图10中所示的方法实施例中第四网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图10所示实施例中S1001中第四网元的操作；或者当通信装 置1200用于实现图11中所示的方法实施例中第四网元的功能时：收发单元1220用于执行图11所示实施例中S1101中第四网元的操作。
有关上述处理单元1210和收发单元1220更详细的描述可以直接参考图5～图11所示的方法实施例中相关描述直接得到，这里不加赘述。
如图13所示，通信装置1300包括处理器1310和接口电路1320。处理器1310和接口电路1320之间相互耦合。可以理解的是，接口电路1320可以为收发器或输入输出接口。可选的，通信装置1300还可以包括存储器1330，用于存储处理器1310执行的指令或存储处理器1310运行指令所需要的输入数据或存储处理器1310运行指令后产生的数据。
当通信装置1300用于实现图5～图11所示的方法时，处理器1310用于实现上述处理单元1210的功能，接口电路1320用于实现上述收发单元1220的功能。
当上述通信装置为应用于第一网元的芯片时，该第一网元芯片实现上述方法实施例中第一网元的功能。该第一网元芯片从第一网元中的其它模块(如射频模块或天线)接收信息，该信息是第二网元、第三网元或第四网元发送给第一网元的；或者，该第一网元芯片向第一网元中的其它模块(如射频模块或天线)发送信息，该信息是第一网元发送给第二网元、第三网元或第四网元的。
当上述通信装置为应用于第二网元的芯片时，该第二网元芯片实现上述方法实施例中第二网元的功能。该第二网元芯片从第二网元中的其它模块(如射频模块或天线)接收信息，该信息是第一网元或第三网元发送给第二网元的；或者，该第二网元芯片向第二网元中的其它模块(如射频模块或天线)发送信息，该信息是第二网元发送给第一网元或第三网元的。
当上述通信装置为应用于第三网元的芯片时，该第三网元芯片实现上述方法实施例中第三网元的功能。该第三网元芯片从第三网元中的其它模块(如射频模块或天线)接收信息，该信息是第一网元、第二网元或第四网元发送给第三网元的；或者，该第三网元芯片向第三网元中的其它模块(如射频模块或天线)发送信息，该信息是第三网元发送给第一网元、第二网元或第四网元的。
当上述通信装置为应用于第四网元的芯片时，该第四网元芯片实现上述方法实施例中第四网元的功能。该第四网元芯片从第四网元中的其它模块(如射频模块或天线)接收信息，该信息是第一网元或第三网元发送给第四网元的；或者，该第四网元芯片向第四网元中的其它模块(如射频模块或天线)发送信息，该信息是第四网元发送给第一网元或第三网元的。
可以理解的是，本申请的实施例中的处理器可以是中央处理单元(central processing unit，CPU)，还可以是其它通用处理器、数字信号处理器(digital signal processor，DSP)、专用集成电路(application specific integrated circuit，ASIC)、现场可编程门阵列(field programmable gate array，FPGA)或者其它可编程逻辑器件、晶体管逻辑器件，硬件部件或者其任意组合。通用处理器可以是微处理器，也可以是任何常规的处理器。
本申请的实施例中的方法步骤可以通过硬件的方式来实现，也可以由处理器执行软件指令的方式来实现。软件指令可以由相应的软件模块组成，软件模块可以被存放于随机存取存储器、闪存、只读存储器、可编程只读存储器、可擦除可编程只读存储器、电可擦除可编程只读存储器、寄存器、硬盘、移动硬盘、CD-ROM或者本领域熟知的任何其它形式的存储介质中。一种示例性的存储介质耦合至处理器，从而使处理器能够从该存储介质读取信息，且可向该存储介质写入信息。当然，存储介质也可以是处理器的组成部分。处理器和存储介质可以位于ASIC中。另外，该ASIC可以位于网络设备或终端设备中。当然，处理器和存储介质也可以作为分立组件存在于网络设备或终端设备中。
在上述实施例中，可以全部或部分地通过软件、硬件、固件或者其任意组合来实现。当使用软件实现时，可以全部或部分地以计算机程序产品的形式实现。所述计算机程序产品包括一个或多个计算机程序或指令。在计算机上加载和执行所述计算机程序或指令时，全部或部分地执行本申请实施例所述的流程或功能。所述计算机可以是通用计算机、专用计算机、计算机网络、网络设备、用户设备或者其它可编程装置。所述计算机程序或指令可以存储在计算机可读存储介质中，或者从一个计算机可读存储介质向另一个计算机可读存储介质传输，例如，所述计算机程序或指令可以从一个网站站点、计算机、服务器或数据中心通过有线或无线方式向另一个网站站点、计算机、服务器或数据中心进行传输。所述计算机可读存储介质可以是计算机能够存取的任何可用介质或者是集成一个或多个可用介质的服务器、数据中心等数据存储设备。所述可用介质可以是磁性介质，例如，软盘、硬盘、磁带；也可以是光介质，例如，数字视频光盘；还可以是半导体介质，例如，固态硬盘。
在本申请的各个实施例中，如果没有特殊说明以及逻辑冲突，不同的实施例之间的术语和/或描述具有一致性、且可以相互引用，不同的实施例中的技术特征根据其内在的逻辑关系可以组合形成新的实施例。
本申请中，“至少一个”是指一个或者多个，“多个”是指两个或两个以上。“和/或”，描述关联对象的关联关系，表示可以存在三种关系，例如，A和/或B，可以表示：单独存在A，同时存在A和B，单独存在B的情况，其中A，B可以是单数或者复数。在本申请的文字描述中，字符“/”，一般表示前后关联对象是一种“或”的关系；在本申请的公式中，字符“/”，表示前后关联对象是一种“相除”的关系。
可以理解的是，在本申请的实施例中涉及的各种数字编号仅为描述方便进行的区分，并不用来限制本申请的实施例的范围。上述各过程的序号的大小并不意味着执行顺序的先后，各过程的执行顺序应以其功能和内在逻辑确定。

Claims (38)

  1. 一种通信方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    第一网元根据接收到的服务触发事件从第二网元获取服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证；
    所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，所述服务请求包括所述服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证；
    所述第一网元接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈，所述服务反馈包括服务的执行结果。
  2. 根据权利要求1所述的方法，其特征在于，其特征在于，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述第二网元用于为所述第一网元和/或所述至少一个第三网元提供数据存储服务，所述至少一个第三网元为提供网络功能的网元；
    其中，所述至少一个第三网元包括：会话管理功能SMF网元，接入与移动性管理功能AMF网元，策略与控制功能PCF网元。
  3. 根据权利要求1或2所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，包括：
    所述第一网元根据服务的执行逻辑，向所述至少一个第三网元发送所述服务请求；
    其中，所述服务的执行逻辑包括以下至少一个信息：每种服务所需要调用的至少一个第三网元，所述至少一个第三网元的调度的先后顺序，每个第三网元对应的服务输入数据的格式，每个第三网元对应的服务输入数据的内容。
  4. 根据权利要求1-3中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法还包括：
    所述第一网元向第四网元发送调度请求，其中，所述第四网元用于为所述第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务；
    所述第一网元接收来自所述第四网元的调度响应，所述调度响应包括所述至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：所述至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息。
  5. 根据权利要求1-4中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务反馈还包括所述服务输入数据的更新结果；
    所述方法还包括：
    所述第一网元向所述第二网元发送数据同步请求，所述数据同步请求包括所述服务输入数据的更新结果；
    所述第一网元接收来自所述第二网元的数据同步响应。
  6. 根据权利要求1-5中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务触发事件包括来自第五网元的服务请求；
    所述方法还包括：
    所述第一网元向所述第五网元发送所述服务反馈。
  7. 根据权利要求6所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第一网元和所述第五网元属于不同的网络；所述不同的网络是用户级网络或运营商网络，或者不同的用户级网络，或者是不同的网络切片。
  8. 根据权利要求1-7中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据。
  9. 根据权利要求1-7中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务输入数据为未经处理的用户数据；所述方法还包括：
    所述第一网元对所述服务输入数据进行处理，得到经过处理的用户数据。
  10. 根据权利要求8或9所述的方法，其特征在于，所述经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：经过加密处理的用户数据，被去除用户标识信息的用户数据，临时用户标识，加密后的用户标识。
  11. 根据权利要求6-10中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务触发事件包括以下至少一种：由终端发起的通信服务请求，由所述第五网元发起的通信服务请求，周期性通信服务，事件触发的通信服务；
    所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，包括：所述第一网元分别向与所述服务触发事件关联的至少一个第三网元发送所述服务请求，所述服务请求包括所述第一网元从所述第二网元获取的所述服务输入数据和从所述至少一个第三网元中的其它第三网元获取的服务的执行结果；
    所述第一网元接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈，包括：所述第一网元分别接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈。
  12. 根据权利要求1-11中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务触发事件为会话建立请求，所述服务输入数据包括会话签约数据；
    所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，包括：
    所述第一网元向PCF发送会话策略请求，所述会话策略请求包括以下至少一个信息：数据网络名称DNN，网络切片信息；
    所述第一网元接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈，包括：
    所述第一网络接收来自所述PCF的会话策略响应，所述会话策略响应包括会话策略，所述会话策略是根据所述DNN和/或所述网络切片信息生成的。
  13. 根据权利要求12所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第一网元向至少一个第三网元发送服务请求，还包括：
    所述第一网元向SMF发送会话建立请求，所述会话建立请求包括会话策略信息或会话签约信息；
    所述第一网元接收来自所述至少一个第三网元的服务反馈，还包括：
    所述第一网元接收来自所述SMF的会话建立响应，所述会话建立响应包括会话上下文。
  14. 一种通信方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    第二网元接收来自第一网元的获取请求，所述获取请求用于请求获取服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证，所述服务输入数据的获取凭证为获取所述服务输入数据的凭证；
    所述第二网元向所述第一网元发送获取响应，所述获取响应包括所述服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证。
  15. 根据权利要求14所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述第二网元用于为所述第一网元和/或至少一个第三网元提供数据存储服务，所述至少一个第三网元为提供网络功能的网元；
    其中，所述至少一个第三网元包括：会话管理功能SMF网元，接入与移动性管理功能AMF网元，策略与控制功能PCF网元。
  16. 根据权利要求14或15所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据；
    所述方法还包括：
    所述第二网元对所述服务输入数据进行处理，得到经过处理的用户数据。
  17. 根据权利要求16所述的方法，其特征在于，所述经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：经过加密处理的用户数据，被去除用户标识信息的用户数据，临时用户标识，加密后的用户标识。
  18. 一种通信方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    第三网元接收服务请求，所述服务请求包括服务输入数据或所述服务输入数据的获取凭证；
    所述第三网元根据所述服务请求，执行所请求的服务。
  19. 根据权利要求18所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法还包括：
    所述第三网元向第一网元发送服务反馈，所述服务反馈包括服务的执行结果。
  20. 根据权利要求19所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述第三网元为提供网络功能的网元；
    其中，所述第三网元包括以下任意一个：会话管理功能SMF网元，接入与移动性管理功能AMF网元，策略与控制功能PCF网元。
  21. 根据权利要求19或20所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第三网元接收服务请求，包括：
    所述第三网元接收来自所述第一网元的服务请求。
  22. 根据权利要求19-21中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述方法还包括：
    所述第三网元向第四网元发送注册请求，所述注册请求包括以下至少一个信息：所述第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息，其中，所述第四网元用于为所述第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务；
    所述第三网元接收来自所述第四网元的注册响应。
  23. 根据权利要求22所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第三网元接收服务请求，包括：
    所述第三网元接收来自所述第四网元的所述服务请求。
  24. 根据权利要求19-23中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务请求包括所述服务输入数据的获取凭证，所述第三网元接收服务请求，包括：
    所述第三网元根据所述获取凭证，向第二网元发送获取请求，所述第二网元用于为所述第一网元和/或所述第三网元提供数据存储服务；
    所述第三网元接收来自所述第二网元的获取响应，所述获取响应包括所述服务输入数据。
  25. 根据权利要求24所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务输入数据为经过处理的用户数据。
  26. 根据权利要求25所述的方法，其特征在于，所述经过处理的用户数据包括以下至少一种：经过加密处理的用户数据，被去除用户标识信息的用户数据，临时用户标识，加密后的用户标识。
  27. 根据权利要求18-26中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述服务请求包括所述第一网元从所述第二网元获取的所述服务输入数据和从所述至少一个第三网元中的其它第三网元获取的服务的执行结果。
  28. 根据权利要求20-27中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第三网元为PCF网元，所述服务输入数据包括会话签约数据；
    所述第三网元接收服务请求，包括：
    所述第三网元接收会话策略请求，所述会话策略请求包括以下至少一个信息：数据网络名称DNN，网络切片信息；
    所述第三网元向第一网元发送服务反馈，包括：
    所述第三网元向所述第一网元发送会话策略响应，所述会话策略响应包括会话策略，所述会话策略是根据所述DNN和/或所述网络切片信息生成的。
  29. 根据权利要求20-28中任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第三网元为SMF网元；
    所述第三网元接收服务请求，包括：
    所述第三网元接收会话建立请求，所述会话建立请求包括会话策略信息或会话签约信息；
    所述第三网元向第一网元发送服务反馈，包括：
    所述第三网元向所述第一网元发送会话建立响应，所述会话建立响应包括会话上下文。
  30. 一种通信方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    第四网元接收来自至少一个第三网元的注册请求，所述注册请求包括以下至少一个信息：所述第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息、所归属的网络信息；
    所述第四网元向所述至少一个第三网元发送注册响应；
    所述第四网元接收来自第一网元的调度请求；
    所述第四网元根据所述调度请求，确定所调度的至少一个第三网元；
    所述第四网元向所述第一网元发送调度响应，所述调度响应包括所调度的至少一个第三网元的以下至少一个信息：所述至少一个第三网元的能力、标识、地址信息、状态信息；或所述第四网元向所调度的至少一个第三网元发送所述调度请求。
  31. 根据权利要求30所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第一网元用于处理网络中不同的服务请求，所述至少一个第三网元为提供网络功能的网元，所述第四网元用于为所述第一网元提供网络功能的发现与选择服务；
    其中，所述至少一个第三网元包括：会话管理功能SMF网元，接入与移动性管理功能AMF网元，策略与控制功能PCF网元。
  32. 一种通信装置，其特征在于，包括用于执行如权利要求1-31中任一项所述的方法的功能或单元。
  33. 一种通信装置，其特征在于，包括处理器和接口电路，所述接口电路用于接收来自所述通信装置之外的其它装置的信号并传输至所述处理器，或将来自所述处理器的信号发送给所述通信装置之外的其它装置，所述处理器通过逻辑电路或执行代码指令用于实现如权利要求1-31中任一项所述的方法。
  34. 一种通信系统，其特征在于，包括如权利要求32或33所述的通信装置。
  35. 一种芯片，其特征在于，所述芯片，用于执行如权利要求1-13中任一项所述的方法，或用于执行如权利要求14-17中任一项所述的方法，或用于执行如权利要求18-29中任一项所述的方法，或用于执行如权利要求30或31所述的方法。
  36. 一种芯片模组，其特征在于，包括收发组件和芯片，所述芯片，用于执行如权利要求1-13中任一项所述的方法，或用于执行如权利要求14-17中任一项所述的方法，或用于执行如权利要求18-29中任一项所述的方法，或用于执行如权利要求30或31所述的方法。
  37. 一种计算机可读存储介质，其特征在于，所述存储介质中存储有计算机程序或指令，当所述计算机程序或指令被通信装置执行时，实现如权利要求1-31中任一项所述的方法。
  38. 一种计算机程序产品，当其在计算机上运行时，使得如权利要求1-31中任一项所述的方法被执行。
PCT/CN2022/134275 2022-11-25 2022-11-25 通信方法、装置、系统、存储介质及程序产品 WO2024108535A1 (zh)

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