U.S. patent application number 17/021439 was filed with the patent office on 2021-03-04 for method, apparatus, and system for establishing session.
The applicant listed for this patent is Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Fenghui Dou, Yue He, Hui Jin, Guowei Ouyang, Haorui Yang.
Application Number | 20210068190 17/021439 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005222130 |
Filed Date | 2021-03-04 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210068190 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dou; Fenghui ; et
al. |
March 4, 2021 |
Method, Apparatus, and System for Establishing Session
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of
communications technologies, and in particular, to a method, an
apparatus, and a system for establishing a session, to resolve a
problem in the prior art that efficiency is low because an AMF
entity needs to reselect an SMF entity when forwarding a first
message. The method includes: receiving, by a mobility management
function AMF entity, a first message sent by user equipment UE,
where the first message carries identifier information, the
identifier information is used to instruct the AMF entity to send
the first message to a session management function SMF entity, and
the first message is used to instruct the SMF entity to
re-establish a session with the UE based on the identifier
information by using a first user plane function UPF entity; and
sending, by the AMF entity based on the identifier information, the
first message to the SMF entity associated with the identifier
information. The embodiments of the present invention are applied
to a system for establishing a session.
Inventors: |
Dou; Fenghui; (Beijing,
CN) ; Jin; Hui; (Beijing, CN) ; Ouyang;
Guowei; (Beijing, CN) ; He; Yue; (Beijing,
CN) ; Yang; Haorui; (Shenzhen, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. |
Shenzhen |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005222130 |
Appl. No.: |
17/021439 |
Filed: |
September 15, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16495667 |
Sep 19, 2019 |
10798770 |
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PCT/CN2017/077384 |
Mar 20, 2017 |
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17021439 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 76/38 20180201;
H04W 8/02 20130101; H04W 80/02 20130101; H04W 84/042 20130101; H04W
76/19 20180201; H04W 72/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 76/19 20060101
H04W076/19; H04W 76/38 20060101 H04W076/38; H04W 8/02 20060101
H04W008/02; H04W 72/04 20060101 H04W072/04 |
Claims
1. An apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory
coupled to the at least one processor and configured to store
programming instructions that, when executed by the at least one
processor, cause the apparatus to: establish a first protocol data
unit (PDU) session by communicating with a session management
function (SMF) entity; receive a first message indicating a PDU
session re-establishment from an access and mobility management
function (AMF) entity, wherein the first message comprises a first
PDU session identifier (ID) of the first PDU session; make a
determination that a session and service continuity (SSC) mode for
the first PDU session is a mode in which a network allows the
apparatus to establish a new PDU session before an old PDU session
is released, wherein the old PDU session and the new PDU session
have a same data network (DN); transmit, in response to the
determination, a second message comprising a PDU session
establishment request and the first PDU session ID; and establish a
second PDU session by communicating with the SMF entity.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises a
PDU session release time of the first PDU session.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first message indicates
that the apparatus is to release the first PDU session within the
PDU session release time.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second message comprises a
second PDU session ID of the second PDU session.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises a
cause value indicating the PDU session re-establishment.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first PDU session is
served by a second user plane function (UPF), and wherein the
second PDU session is served by a first UPF.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the AMF entity stores an
association between the first PDU session ID and an SMF ID
associated with the SMF entity.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least
one processor, the programming instructions further cause the
apparatus to release the first PDU session.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first PDU session ID
indicates that the AMF entity selected the SMF entity for
establishing the second PDU session.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first PDU session and the
second PDU session have a same DN.
11. A method, comprising: establishing a first protocol data unit
(PDU) session by communicating with a session management function
(SMF) entity; receiving a first message indicating a PDU session
re-establishment from an access and mobility management function
(AMF) entity, wherein the first message comprises a first PDU
session identifier (ID) of the first PDU session; making a
determination that a session and service continuity (SSC) mode for
the first PDU session is a mode in which a network allows
establishing a new PDU session before releasing an old PDU session,
wherein the old PDU session and the new PDU session have a same
data network (DN); transmitting, in response to the determination,
a second message comprising a PDU session establishment request and
the first PDU session ID; and establishing a second PDU session by
communicating with the SMF entity.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first message comprises a
PDU session release time of the first PDU session.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second message comprises a
second PDU session ID of the second PDU session.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first message comprises a
cause value indicating the PDU session re-establishment.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first PDU session is served
by a second user plane function (UPF), and wherein the second PDU
session is served by a first UPF.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the AMF entity stores an
association between the first PDU session ID and an SMF ID
associated with the SMF entity.
17. The method of claim 11, further comprising releasing the first
PDU session.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first PDU session ID
indicates that the AMF entity selected the SMF entity for
establishing the second PDU session.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first PDU session and the
second PDU session have a same DN.
20. A computer program product comprising instructions stored on a
non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by a
processor, cause an apparatus to: establish a first protocol data
unit (PDU) session by communicating with a session management
function (SMF) entity; receive a first message indicating a PDU
session re-establishment from an access and mobility management
function (AMF) entity, wherein the first message comprises a first
PDU session identifier (ID) of the first PDU session; make a
determination that a session and service continuity (SSC) mode for
the first PDU session is a mode in which a network allows the
apparatus to establish a new PDU session before an old PDU session
is released, wherein the old PDU session and the new PDU session
have a same data network (DN); transmit, in response to the
determination, a second message comprising a PDU session
establishment request and the first PDU session ID; and establish a
second PDU session by communicating with the SMF entity.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/495,667, filed on Sep. 19, 2019, which is a
National Stage of International Patent Application No.
PCT/CN2017/077384, filed on Mar. 20, 2017. Both of the
aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference in
their entireties.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of
communications technologies, and in particular, to a method, an
apparatus, and a system for establishing a session.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In a 5th Generation (5G) mobile communications technology, a
PDU session used to provide a protocol data unit (PDU) connectivity
service exists between user equipment (UE) and a data network (DN).
Usually a session and service continuity mode used by the PDU
session is a session and service continuity mode (SSC mode) 1 and
an SSC mode 2.
[0004] FIG 1a shows a procedure for establishing a session in SSC
mode 1. To be specific, a network side (for example, a session
management function (SMF) entity releases a PDU session and
instructs UE to immediately establish a new PDU session to a same
DN; and then when the SMF entity receives a first message sent by
the UE, the SMF entity selects a new user plane function (UPF)
entity to implement establishment of the PDU session. In other
words, when a session is established in SSC mode 1, because one UPF
entity corresponds to one IP address, not only the UPF entity may
change, but also the IP address may change. FIG lb shows a
procedure for establishing a session in SSC mode 2. An SMF entity
instructs UE to establish a new PDU session within a preset time;
then when receiving a first message sent by the UE, the SMF entity
selects a new SMF entity and establishes the new PDU session; and
finally the SMF releases an old PDU session after the preset
time.
[0005] However, in the prior art, because the first message sent by
the UE is sent to the SMF entity by using a mobility management
function (AMF) entity, the AMF entity performs a process of
selecting an SMF entity again when the AMF entity forwards the
first message, and the newly selected SMF entity also performs a
process of selecting a UPF entity. Consequently, processing
efficiency is relatively low. In addition, if the SMF entity
selected by the AMF entity and the SMF entity triggered to
re-establish the PDU session are not a same SMF entity, the UPF
selected by the newly selected SMF entity and the UPF entity
selected by the SMF entity triggered to re-establish the PDU
session are inconsistent. Consequently, optimization of a user
plane cannot be ensured after the PDU session is
re-established.
SUMMARY
[0006] This application provides a method, an apparatus, and a
system for establishing a session, to resolve a problem in the
prior art that efficiency is low because an AMF entity needs to
reselect an SMF entity when forwarding a first message.
[0007] To achieve the foregoing objectives, the following technical
solutions are used in this application:
[0008] According to a first aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a method for establishing a session, where the
method includes: establishing, by user equipment UE, a first
session by using a session management function SMF entity;
receiving, by the UE, a first message sent by a mobility management
function AMF entity, where the first message is used to instruct
the UE to send a request for establishing a second session;
allocating, by the UE, an identifier same as an identifier of the
first session to the second session; and sending, by the UE to the
AMF entity, a second message used by the UE to request to establish
the second session, where the second message carries the identifier
of the second session, and the identifier of the second session is
used to instruct the AMF entity to send the second message to the
SMF entity.
[0009] In the method for establishing a session according to this
embodiment of the present invention, the identifier information is
carried in the second message, and then the AMF entity sends, based
on the identifier information, the second message to the SMF entity
specified by the identifier information. This is because a purpose
of triggering, by the SMF entity, the user equipment to send the
second message is to re-establish a session. However, in a system
for establishing a session, the second message sent by the user
equipment can be forwarded to the SMF entity only by the AMF
entity, and when forwarding the second message, the AMF entity
needs to perform a process of selecting an SMF entity. Therefore,
in this embodiment of the present invention, the identifier
information may be used to avoid a problem that processing
efficiency is low because the AMF entity needs to perform the
process of selecting an SMF entity again when receiving the second
message, and avoid a problem that the SMF entity selected by the
AMF entity is inconsistent with the SMF entity that triggers the
user equipment to send the second message. Further, in this
embodiment of the present invention, the identifier information may
be used to enable the SMF entity not to perform a process of
reselecting a UPF entity again after the SMF entity receives the
identifier information. The reason is that the SMF entity triggers
the UE to send the second message usually because the SMF entity
has determined, before triggering the UE to send the second
message, that a UPF entity (for example, a first UPF entity)
establishing a session with the UE at this time already cannot
satisfy a user requirement, and has selected an appropriate UPF
entity (for example, the first UPF entity) to re-establish the
second session with the UE. This can further optimize a user plane
finally after the second session is established.
[0010] With reference to the first aspect, in a first possible
implementation of the first aspect, the first message carries first
indication information used to instruct the UE to allocate the
identifier same as the identifier of the first session to the
second session, and the allocating, by the UE, an identifier same
as an identifier of the first session to the second session
includes: allocating, by the UE, the identifier same as the
identifier of the first session to the second session according to
the first indication information.
[0011] With reference to the first aspect or the first possible
implementation of the first aspect, in a second possible
implementation of the first aspect, the allocating, by the UE, an
identifier same as an identifier of the first session to the second
session includes: obtaining, by the UE, a session and service
continuity mode of the first session; and determining, by the UE,
that the session and service continuity mode of the first session
is a first mode, and allocating the identifier same as the
identifier of the first session to the second session.
[0012] With reference to any one of the first aspect to the second
possible implementation of the first aspect, in a third possible
implementation of the first aspect, the first message carries
identifier information, and the identifier information is used by
the AMF entity to send the second message to the SMF entity; and
the second message carries the identifier information.
Specifically, the AMF entity stores a correspondence between the
identifier information and the SMF entity.
[0013] With reference to any one of the first aspect to the third
possible implementation of the first aspect, in a fourth possible
implementation of the first aspect, the first message carries
second indication information used to indicate that a data network
DN of the second session is the same as a DN of the first
session.
[0014] According to a second aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a method for establishing a session, where the
method includes: establishing, by user equipment UE, a first
session by using a session management function SMF entity;
receiving, by the UE, a first message sent by a mobility management
function AMF entity and used to instruct the UE to send a request
for establishing a second session; and sending, by the UE, a second
message to the AMF entity, where the second message is used to
request to establish the second session, and the first message
carries identifier information used to instruct the AMF entity to
send the second message to the SMF entity associated with the
identifier information.
[0015] With reference to the second aspect, in a first possible
implementation of the second aspect, the first message carries
third indication information used to instruct the UE to add the
identifier information to the second message. Specifically, after
receiving the third indication information, the UE adds the
identifier information to the second message.
[0016] With reference to the second aspect or the first possible
implementation of the second aspect, in a second possible
implementation of the second aspect, the UE obtains a session and
service continuity mode of the first session, the UE determines
that the session and service continuity mode of the first session
is a second mode, and the UE determines an identifier of the first
session as the identifier information. The second mode is a session
and service continuity mode SSC 2, the SSC 2 indicates that a
network side allows the UE to first establish the second session
before the first session is released, and a data network DN of the
second session is the same as a DN of the first session. In SSC 2,
the first session and the first session coexist for a period of
time.
[0017] With reference to any one of the second aspect to the second
possible implementation of the second aspect, in a third possible
implementation of the second aspect, the UE receives, by using the
AMF entity, the identifier information configured by the SMF
entity.
[0018] With reference to any one of the second aspect to the third
possible implementation of the second aspect, in a fourth possible
implementation of the second aspect, the first message carries
fourth indication information, the fourth indication information is
used to instruct the UE to use an identifier of the first session
as the identifier information, and the user equipment determines
the identifier of the first session as the identifier information
according to the fourth indication information. To be specific, the
second message used by the UE to request to establish the second
session carries at least the identifier of the first session. For
example, the second message carries both an identifier of the
second session and the identifier of the first session.
[0019] With reference to any one of the second aspect to the fourth
possible implementation of the second aspect, in a fifth possible
implementation of the second aspect, the first message carries
second indication information used to instruct the UE to establish
the second session to the same data network DN as the first
session.
[0020] According to a third aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a method for establishing a session, where the
method includes: sending, by a mobility management function AMF
entity to user equipment UE, a first message used to instruct the
UE to send a request for establishing a second session; receiving,
by the mobility management function AMF entity, a second message
sent by the user equipment and carrying identifier information,
where the identifier information is used to instruct the AMF entity
to send the second message to a session management function SMF
entity associated with the identifier information, and the second
message is used to request to establish the second session; and
sending, by the AMF entity, the second message to the SMF entity
based on the identifier information.
[0021] With reference to the third aspect, in a first possible
implementation of the third aspect, the first message carries third
indication information used to instruct the UE to add the
identifier information to the second message.
[0022] With reference to the third aspect or the first possible
implementation of the third aspect, in a second possible
implementation of the third aspect, the identifier information is
configured by the SMF entity; before the sending, by an AMF entity,
a first message to UE, the method provided by this embodiment of
the present invention further includes: receiving, by the AMF
entity, a first request message sent by the SMF entity and used to
instruct the AMF entity to establish a mapping relationship between
the identifier information and an identifier of the SMF entity; and
sending, by the AMF entity based on the identifier information, the
second message to the SMF entity associated with the identifier
information includes: obtaining, by the AMF entity based on the
identifier information, the identifier of the SMF entity
corresponding to the identifier information; and sending, by the
AMF entity, the second message to the SMF entity indicated by the
identifier of the SMF entity corresponding to the identifier
information.
[0023] With reference to any one of the third aspect to the second
possible implementation of the third aspect, in a third possible
implementation of the third aspect, before the sending, by a
mobility management function AMF entity, a first message to user
equipment UE, the method provided by this embodiment of the present
invention further includes: receiving, by the AMF entity, a first
request message sent by the SMF entity and used to instruct the AMF
entity to store a mapping relationship between an identifier of the
first session and the SMF entity, where the first session is a
session established between the SMF entity and the UE before the
SMF entity sends the first request message; and storing, by the AMF
entity, the mapping relationship between the identifier of the
first session and the SMF entity based on the first request
message.
[0024] With reference to any one of the third aspect to the third
possible implementation of the third aspect, in a fourth possible
implementation of the third aspect, the first message further
carries first indication information used to instruct the UE to
allocate an identifier same as the identifier of the first session
to the second session, and the identifier information is the
identifier of the second session.
[0025] With reference to any one of the third aspect to the fourth
possible implementation of the third aspect, in a fifth possible
implementation of the third aspect, the first message carries
fourth indication information used to instruct the UE to use an
identifier of the first session as the identifier information.
[0026] With reference to any one of the third aspect to the fifth
possible implementation of the third aspect, in a sixth possible
implementation of the third aspect, the first message carries
second indication information used to instruct the UE to establish
the second session to a same data network DN as the first
session.
[0027] According to a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a method for establishing a session, where the
method includes: sending, by a session management function SMF
entity to a mobility management function AMF entity, a first
request message used to instruct the AMF entity to send a first
message to user equipment UE, where the first message is used to
instruct the UE to send a second message for establishing a second
session; receiving, by the session management function SMF entity,
the second message sent by the mobility management function AMF
entity and used to instruct to establish the second session; and
establishing, by the SMF entity, the second session between the SMF
entity and the user equipment UE based on the second message.
[0028] With reference to the fourth aspect, in a first possible
implementation of the fourth aspect, the first message carries
third indication information used to instruct the UE to add
identifier information to the second message.
[0029] With reference to the fourth aspect or the first possible
implementation of the fourth aspect, in a second possible
implementation of the fourth aspect, before the sending, by a
session management function SMF entity, a first request message to
an AMF entity, the method provided by this embodiment of the
present invention further includes: configuring, by the SMF entity,
identifier information used to instruct the AMF entity to send the
second message to the SMF entity, where the first request message
is further used to instruct the AMF entity to establish a mapping
relationship between the identifier information and an identifier
of the SMF entity.
[0030] With reference to any one of the fourth aspect to the second
possible implementation of the fourth aspect, in a third possible
implementation of the fourth aspect, the first request message is
further used to instruct the AMF entity to establish a relationship
between an identifier of the first session and the SMF entity, the
second message further carries third indication information used to
instruct the UE to allocate a same session identifier to the first
session and the second session, identifier information is an
identifier of the second session, and the first session is a
session established between the SMF entity and the UE before the
SMF entity sends the first request message.
[0031] With reference to any one of the fourth aspect to the third
possible implementation of the fourth aspect, in a fourth possible
implementation of the fourth aspect, the first message carries
fourth indication information used to instruct the UE to use an
identifier of the first session as identifier information, and the
identifier information is the identifier of the first session.
[0032] With reference to any one of the fourth aspect to the fourth
possible implementation of the fourth aspect, in a fifth possible
implementation of the fourth aspect, the first message further
carries second indication information used to instruct the UE to
establish the second session to a same data network DN as the first
session.
[0033] According to a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides user equipment, including: an establishing unit,
configured to establish a first session by using a session
management function SMF entity; a receiving unit, configured to
receive a first message sent by a mobility management function AMF
entity and used to instruct the user equipment UE to send a request
for establishing a second session; an allocation unit, configured
to allocate an identifier same as an identifier of the first
session to the second session; and a sending unit, configured to
send, to the AMF entity, a second message used to indicate that the
UE requests to establish the second session, where the second
message carries the identifier of the second session, and the
identifier of the second session is used to instruct the AMF entity
to send the second message to the SMF entity.
[0034] With reference to the fifth aspect, in a first possible
implementation of the fifth aspect, the first message carries first
indication information used to instruct the UE to allocate the
identifier same as the identifier of the first session to the
second session, and the allocation unit is specifically configured
to allocate the identifier same as the identifier of the first
session to the second session according to the first indication
information.
[0035] With reference to the fifth aspect or the first possible
implementation of the fifth aspect, in a second possible
implementation of the fifth aspect, the user equipment further
includes an obtaining unit, configured to obtain a session and
service continuity mode of the first session; and the allocation
unit is specifically configured to determine that the session and
service continuity mode of the first session is a first mode, and
allocate the identifier same as the identifier of the first session
to the second session as identifier information.
[0036] According to a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides user equipment, including: an establishing unit,
configured to establish a first session by using a session
management function SMF entity; a receiving unit, configured to
receive a first message sent by a mobility management function AMF
entity and used to instruct the user equipment UE to send a request
for establishing a second session; and a sending unit, configured
to send, to the AMF entity, a second message used to instruct to
establish the second session, where the first message carries
identifier information used to instruct the AMF entity to send the
second message to the SMF entity associated with the identifier
information.
[0037] With reference to the sixth aspect, in a first possible
implementation of the sixth aspect, the user equipment further
includes: an obtaining unit, configured to obtain a session and
service continuity mode of the first session; and a determining
unit, configured to determine that the session and service
continuity mode of the first session is a second mode, and
determine an identifier of the first session as the identifier
information.
[0038] With reference to the sixth aspect or the first possible
implementation of the sixth aspect, in a second possible
implementation of the sixth aspect, the user equipment further
includes: a determining unit, configured to determine that the
first message carries fourth indication information used to
instruct the UE to use an identifier of the first session as the
identifier information, determine the identifier of the first
session as the identifier information, and add the identifier
information to the second message, where the fourth indication
information is used to instruct the UE to use the identifier of the
first session as the identifier information.
[0039] With reference to the sixth aspect to the second possible
implementation of the sixth aspect, in a third possible
implementation of the sixth aspect, the receiving unit is further
configured to receive, by using the AMF entity, the identifier
information configured by the SMF entity.
[0040] With reference to any one of the sixth aspect to the third
possible implementation of the sixth aspect, in a fourth possible
implementation of the sixth aspect, the first message carries
second indication information used to instruct the UE to establish
the second session to a same data network DN as the first
session.
[0041] According to a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a mobility management function AMF entity,
including: a sending unit, configured to send, to user equipment
UE, a first message used to instruct the UE to send a request for
establishing a second session; and a receiving unit, configured to
receive a second message sent by the user equipment and carrying
identifier information, where the identifier information is used to
instruct the AMF entity to send the second message to a session
management function SMF entity associated with the identifier
information, and the second message is used to instruct to
establish the second session, where the sending unit is configured
to send, based on the identifier information, the second message to
the SMF entity associated with the identifier information.
[0042] With reference to the seventh aspect, in a first possible
implementation of the seventh aspect, the first message carries
third indication information used to instruct the UE to add the
identifier information to the second message.
[0043] With reference to the seventh aspect or the first possible
implementation of the seventh aspect, in a second possible
implementation of the seventh aspect, the identifier information is
configured by the SMF entity, and the receiving unit is further
configured to receive a first request message sent by the SMF
entity and used to instruct the AMF entity to establish a mapping
relationship between the identifier information and an identifier
of the SMF entity; the AMF entity further includes an establishing
unit, configured to establish the mapping relationship between the
identifier information and the identifier of the SMF entity based
on the first request message; the AMF entity further includes an
obtaining unit, configured to obtain, based on the identifier
information, the identifier of the SMF entity corresponding to the
identifier information; and the sending unit is specifically
configured to send the second message to the SMF entity associated
with the identifier of the SMF entity.
[0044] With reference to any one of the seventh aspect to the
second possible implementation of the seventh aspect, in a third
possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the receiving unit
is further configured to receive a first request message sent by
the SMF entity and used to instruct the AMF entity to store a
mapping relationship between an identifier of the first session and
an identifier of the SMF entity, where the first session is a
session established between the SMF entity and the UE before the
SMF entity sends the first request message; and the AMF entity
further includes a storage unit, configured to store a mapping
relationship between the identifier of the first session and the
SMF entity based on the first request message.
[0045] According to an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a session management function SMF entity,
including: a sending unit, configured to send, to a mobility
management function AMF entity, a first request message used to
instruct the AMF entity to send a first message to user equipment
UE, where the first message is used to instruct the UE to send a
second message for establishing a second session; a receiving unit,
configured to receive the second message sent by the mobility
management function AMF entity and used to instruct to establish
the second session; and an establishing unit, configured to
establish the second session between the SMF entity and the user
equipment UE based on the second message.
[0046] With reference to the eighth aspect, in a first possible
implementation of the eighth aspect, the first message carries
third indication information used to instruct the UE to add
identifier information to the second message.
[0047] With reference to the eighth aspect or the first possible
implementation of the eighth aspect, in a second possible
implementation of the eighth aspect, the SMF entity further
includes: a configuration unit, configured to configure identifier
information used to instruct the AMF entity to send the second
message to the SMF entity, where the first request message is
further used to instruct the AMF entity to establish a mapping
relationship between the identifier information and the SMF
entity.
[0048] According to a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a mobility management function AMF entity,
including a memory, a processor, a bus, and a transceiver, where
the memory stores code and data, the processor is connected to the
memory by the bus, and the processor runs the code in the memory so
that the AMF entity performs the method for establishing a session
according to any one of the third aspect to the sixth possible
implementation of the third aspect.
[0049] According to a tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a session management function SMF entity,
including a memory, a processor, a bus, and a transceiver, where
the memory stores code and data, the processor is connected to the
memory by the bus, and the processor runs the code in the memory so
that the SMF entity performs the method for establishing a session
according to any one of the fourth aspect to the fifth possible
implementation of the fourth aspect.
[0050] According to an eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the
present invention provides user equipment, including a memory, a
processor, a bus, and a transceiver, where the memory stores code
and data, the processor is connected to the memory by the bus, and
the processor runs the code in the memory so that the user
equipment performs the method for establishing a session according
to any one of the first aspect to the fourth possible
implementation of the first aspect or the method for establishing a
session according to any one of the second aspect to the fourth
possible implementation of the second aspect.
[0051] According to a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a computer-readable storage medium, including an
instruction, where when the instruction runs on an AMF entity, the
AMF entity is enabled to perform the method for establishing a
session according to any one of the third aspect to the sixth
possible implementation of the third aspect, or when the
instruction is executed on an SMF entity, the SMF entity is enabled
to perform the method for establishing a session according to any
one of the fourth aspect to the fifth possible implementation of
the fourth aspect, or when the instruction runs on user equipment,
the user equipment is enabled to perform the method for
establishing a session according to any one of the first aspect to
the fourth possible implementation of the first aspect or the
method for establishing a session according to any one of the
second aspect to the fourth possible implementation of the second
aspect.
[0052] According to a thirteenth aspect, an embodiment of the
present invention provides a system for establishing a session,
where the system includes the AMF entity according to any one of
the seventh aspect to the third possible implementation of the
seventh aspect, the SMF entity according to any one of the eighth
aspect to the second possible implementation of the eighth aspect,
and the user equipment according to any one of the fifth aspect to
the second possible implementation of the fifth aspect or the user
equipment according to any one of the sixth aspect to the fourth
possible implementation of the sixth aspect.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0053] FIG 1a is a first schematic flowchart of a method for
establishing a session according to the prior art;
[0054] FIG 1b is a second schematic flowchart of a method for
establishing a session according to the prior art;
[0055] FIG. 2a is an architectural diagram of a system to which a
method for establishing a session is applied according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0056] FIG. 2b is a schematic structural diagram of an AMF entity
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0057] FIG. 2c is a schematic structural diagram of an SMF entity
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0058] FIG. 2d is a schematic structural diagram of UE according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0059] FIG. 3 is a first schematic flowchart of a method for
establishing a session according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0060] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are a second schematic flowchart of a
method for establishing a session according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0061] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are a third schematic flowchart of a
method for establishing a session according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0062] FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are a fourth schematic flowchart of a
method for establishing a session according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0063] FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are a fifth schematic flowchart of a
method for establishing a session according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0064] FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of specific use of a method
for establishing a session according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0065] FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart of specific use of another
method for establishing a session according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0066] FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are a schematic flowchart of specific
use of another method for establishing a session according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0067] FIG 11a is a first schematic structural diagram of an AMF
entity according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0068] FIG. 11b is a second schematic structural diagram of an AMF
entity according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0069] FIG. 12a is a first schematic structural diagram of an SMF
entity according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0070] FIG. 12b is a second schematic structural diagram of an SMF
entity according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0071] FIG. 13a is a first schematic structural diagram of user
equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0072] FIG. 13b is a second schematic structural diagram of user
equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0073] FIG. 13c is a third schematic structural diagram of user
equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0074] To clearly describe the technical solutions of the
embodiments of the present invention, terms such as "first" and
"second" are used in the embodiments of the present invention to
distinguish between same items or similar items that have basically
the same functions or purposes. A person skilled in the art may
understand that the terms such as "first" and "second" do not limit
a quantity or an execution sequence.
[0075] It should be noted that, a session and service continuity
mode 1 in the embodiments of the present invention indicates that
when an SMF entity determines that a UPF entity needs to be
reselected to establish a new session, the SMF entity first
releases a first session established between user equipment and a
first UPF entity, as shown in FIG. 1a, and then the SMF entity
immediately sends, to the user equipment by using an AMF entity, a
request message (for example, a first message shown in FIG. 1a)
used to instruct to re-establish a session. Finally, the SMF entity
establishes a second session between the user equipment and a
second UPF entity based on a session establishment connection
request (for example, a second message in the following embodiment)
sent by the user equipment, and finally sends data by using the
second UPF entity serving the second session. In other words, the
first session has been released by the SMF entity before the second
session is established.
[0076] A session and service continuity mode 2 indicates that when
an SMF entity determines that a UPF entity needs to be reselected
to establish a new session, the SMF entity first sends a first
message to user equipment by using an AMF entity, where the first
message is used to instruct the user equipment to send a session
establishment connection request (for example, a second message)
within a preset time so that the SMF entity establishes a second
session between a second UPF entity and the user equipment by using
the second UPF entity; and the SMF entity releases a first session
after the preset time, that is, a first session established between
a first UPF entity and the user equipment. In other words, the
first session is released by the SMF entity after the preset time
after establishment of the second session.
[0077] It should be noted that, a first mode in the embodiments of
the present invention is the session and service continuity mode 1,
that is, the SSC 1, and a second session and service continuity
mode is the session and service continuity mode 2, that is, the SSC
2.
[0078] The SSC 1 indicates that a network side may trigger
releasing of the first session and instruct the UE to immediately
establish the second session, and a data network DN of the second
session is the same as a DN of the first session. In SSC 1, the
first session is released first, and then the second session is
established.
[0079] The SSC 2 indicates that the network side may trigger the UE
to establish the second session, and the data network DN of the
second session is the same as the DN of the first session. In SSC
2, the second session is established first, and then the first
session is released.
[0080] However, in the prior art, regardless of whether the SMF
entity establishes the session between the user equipment and the
UPF entity in session and service continuity mode 1 or session and
service continuity mode 2, the session establishment connection
request needs to be forwarded to the SMF entity by the AMF entity.
Therefore, a problem that the AMF entity selects an SMF entity
exists. Consequently, not only processing efficiency is low, but
also a problem that the newly selected SMF entity reselects a UPF
entity when the newly selected SMF entity is inconsistent with the
SMF entity triggering re-establishment of a session exists. For
example, the first SMF entity triggers the user equipment to send
the session establishment connection request (before the first SMF
entity triggers the user equipment to send the session
establishment connection request, the second UPF entity has been
selected to serve the user equipment, and the second UPF entity is
a UPF entity that can improve a user plane function and is selected
by the first SMF entity for the user equipment based on a location
of the user equipment, a feature of sent data, and a location of
the second UPF entity), and the session establishment connection
request is forwarded by the AMF entity to the SMF entity.
Therefore, the AMF entity may send the session establishment
connection request to the second SMF entity. Therefore, the second
SMF entity reselects a UPF entity after receiving the session
establishment connection request. The UPF entity reselected by the
second SMF entity may be a third UPF entity, or may be the first
UPF entity, and therefore is inconsistent with the UPF entity that
the first SMF entity expects to serve the user equipment.
[0081] In conclusion, in the embodiments of the present invention,
identifier information is carried in a session establishment
connection request (that is, a second message), so that an AMF
entity can forward, based on the identifier information after
receiving the session establishment connection request sent by user
equipment, the session establishment connection request to an SMF
entity that triggers the user equipment to send the session
establishment connection request. In this way, a problem of low
efficiency because the AMF entity reselects an SMF entity and the
SMF entity reselects a UPF entity is avoided.
[0082] FIG. 2a is an architectural diagram of a system to which a
method for establishing a session is applied according to an
embodiment of the present invention. The system includes a mobility
management function AMF entity 10, one or more session management
function SMF entities 20, one or more user equipments UEs 30, a
data network (DN) 40, one or more user plane function entities 50,
an access station ((Radio) Access Node, (radio) access station) 60,
a packet control function (PCF) entity 70, an application function
(AF) entity 80, a unified data management (Unified Data Management,
UDM) entity 90 configured to store user subscription information,
and an authentication server function (AUSF) entity 00.
[0083] The mobility management function AMF entity 10 is configured
to select an SMF entity based on a session connection establishment
request sent by the UE 30, so that the selected SMF entity
establishes a session between the UE 30 and the UPF entity 50. The
AMF entity 10 is further configured to forward a first message sent
by the SMF entity to the user equipment, where the first message is
used to instruct the user equipment to send a second message (for
example, a session connection establishment request message) for
requesting to establish a second session, and the second message is
used to instruct to establish the second session. Therefore, after
receiving the second message, the SMF entity may establish the
second session between the UE 30 and the UPF entity based on the
second message.
[0084] Optionally, the AMF entity 10 stores a mapping relationship
between an identifier of a session and an SMF entity establishing
the session, and is configured to establish, based on identifier
information configured by the SMF entity, a mapping relationship
between the identifier information and the SMF entity.
[0085] The SMF entity 20 is configured to reallocate a UPF to the
UE based on location information of the UE 30 or a feature of data
sent by the UE 30 or a location between the UPF 50 and the UE 30,
and quality of service of the UPF, to re-establish a session
between the UE and the newly allocated UPF, so that a user plane
can be optimized after the session is re-established. The SMF
entity 20 is further configured to configure identifier
information, where the identifier information is used to instruct
the AMF entity to send the second message to the SMF entity. The
session management function entity 20 is further configured to
establish a session between the UE 30 and the UPF entity 50, for
example, a protocol data unit (PDU) session, where the PDU session
is used to connect the UE 30 to the DN 40, and the PDU session is
used to provide a PDU data packet.
[0086] A plurality of user equipments UEs 30 are configured to
communicate with the DN based on established sessions.
[0087] The data network DN 40 is an external network configured to
provide a data service.
[0088] The access station 60 is configured to provide a data
service for the UE 30, for example, receiving data sent by the UE
30, or sending data to the UE 30. In an actual use process, the
access station 60 may be a base station. In this embodiment of the
present invention, a base station (BS) may be a device that
communicates with user equipment (UE) or another communications
station such as a relay station, and the base station may provide
communication coverage in a specific physical area.
[0089] The PCF entity 70 is configured to serve as an interface
between a radio frequency part and a packet network (IP
network).
[0090] The AF entity 80 has a function of an application and is
configured to affect routing.
[0091] For example, as shown in FIG. 2a, the AMF entity 10
communicates with the SMF entity 20 by using an interface N11. The
AMF entity 10 communicates with the UE 30 by using the interface
N1. The AMF entity 10 communicates with the access station 60 by
using an interface N2. The AMF entity 10 communicates with the AUSF
entity 00 by using an interface N12. The AMF entity 10 communicates
with the UDM entity by using an interface N8. The AMF entity 10
communicates with the PCF entity by using an interface N15. The SMF
entity 20 communicates with the UDM entity 90 by using an interface
N10. The SMF entity 20 communicates with the UPF entity 50 by using
an interface N4. The UPF entity 50 communicates with the data
network 40 by using an interface N6. The PCF entity communicates
with the AF entity by using an interface N5.
[0092] FIG. 2b is a schematic structural diagram of an AMF entity
according to an embodiment of the present invention. As can be
learned from FIG. 2b, the AMF entity 10 includes a processor 101, a
transceiver 102, a memory 104, and a bus 103. The transceiver 102,
the processor 101, and the memory 104 are interconnected by the bus
103. The bus 103 may be a PCI bus or an EISA bus, or the like. The
bus may be classified into an address bus, a data bus, a control
bus, and the like. For ease of indication, the bus is indicated by
using only one thick line in FIG. 2b. However, it does not mean
that there is only one bus or only one type of bus. The memory 104
is configured to store program code and data of the AMF entity 10.
The transceiver 102 is configured to support the AMF entity 10 in
communicating with another device. The processor 101 is configured
to support the AMF entity 10 in executing the program code and data
stored in the memory 104 to implement a method for establishing a
session according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0093] FIG. 2c is a schematic structural diagram of an SMF entity
according to an embodiment of the present invention. As can be
learned from FIG. 2c, the SMF entity 20 includes a processor 201, a
transceiver 202, a memory 204, and a bus 203. The transceiver 202,
the processor 201, and the memory 204 are interconnected by the bus
203. The bus 203 may be a PCI bus or an EISA bus, or the like. The
bus may be classified into an address bus, a data bus, a control
bus, and the like. For ease of indication, the bus is indicated by
using only one thick line in FIG. 2c. However, it does not mean
that there is only one bus or only one type of bus. The memory 204
is configured to store program code and data of the SMF entity 20.
The transceiver 202 is configured to support the SMF entity 20 in
communicating with another device. The processor 201 is configured
to support the SMF entity 20 in executing the program code and data
stored in the memory 204 to implement a method for establishing a
session according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0094] FIG. 2d is a schematic structural diagram of user equipment
according to an embodiment of the present invention. As can be
learned from FIG. 2d, the user equipment 30 includes a processor
301, a transceiver 302, a memory 304, and a bus 303. The
transceiver 302, the processor 301, and the memory 304 are
interconnected by the bus 303. The bus 303 may be a PCI bus or an
EISA bus, or the like. The bus may be classified into an address
bus, a data bus, a control bus, and the like. For ease of
indication, the bus is indicated by using only one thick line in
FIG. 2d. However, it does not mean that there is only one bus or
only one type of bus. The memory 304 is configured to store program
code and data of the user equipment 30. The transceiver 302 is
configured to support the user equipment 30 in communicating with
another device. The processor 301 is configured to support the user
equipment 30 in executing the program code and data stored in the
memory 304 to implement a method for establishing a session
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0095] In the embodiments of the present invention, UEs may be
distributed in a whole wireless network, and each UE may be
motionless or mobile.
[0096] The UE may be a terminal (terminal), a mobile station
(mobile station), a subscriber unit (subscriber unit), a station
(station), or the like. The UE may be a cellular phone (cellular
phone), a personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant,
PDA), a wireless modem (Modem), a wireless communications device, a
handheld (handheld) device, a laptop computer (laptop computer), a
cordless phone (cordless phone), a wireless local loop (wireless
local loop, WLL) station, or the like. When the UE is applied to
M2M communication, the UE may be referred to as an M2M terminal,
and may be specifically a smart meter or a smart appliance
supporting M2M communication, or the like.
[0097] As shown in FIG. 3, a method for establishing a session
according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the
following steps.
[0098] S101a. User equipment establishes a first session by using a
session management function SMF entity.
[0099] S101. The session management function SMF entity sends a
first request message to a mobility management function AMF entity,
where the first request message is used to instruct the AMF entity
to send a first message to the user equipment UE, and the first
message is used to instruct the UE to send a request for
establishing a second session.
[0100] The first message in this embodiment of the present
invention may be a session release notification message, and the
session release notification message is used to instruct the UE to
send a second message, that is, a session connection establishment
request message.
[0101] It may be understood that, when the SMF entity uses
different session and service continuity modes to establish a
session with the user equipment, content carried in the first
message may also be different. For example, if the SMF entity uses
a session and service continuity mode 1 to establish a session with
the user equipment, the first message carries a session cause
value, where the session cause value may be re-establishing the
second session; or if the SMF entity uses a session and service
continuity mode 2 to establish a session with the user equipment,
the first message carries a session release time and identifier
information configured by the SMF entity, or the first message
carries a session release time and a session release cause value,
where the session release cause value may be replacing a UPF
entity.
[0102] S102. The AMF entity receives the first request message.
[0103] S103. The AMF entity sends the first message to the UE,
where the first message is used to instruct the UE to send the
request for establishing the second session.
[0104] S104. The UE sends a second message to the AMF entity, where
the second message carries identifier information, the identifier
information is used to instruct the AMF entity to send the second
message to the SMF entity, and the second message is used to
instruct to re-establish the second session.
[0105] S105. The AMF entity receives the second message.
[0106] S106. The AMF entity sends, based on the identifier
information, the second message to the SMF entity associated with
the identifier information.
[0107] S107a. The SMF entity receives the second message sent by
the AMF entity.
[0108] S107. The SMF entity re-establishes the second session
between the SMF entity and the UE based on the second message by
using a first user plane function UPF entity.
[0109] In the method for establishing a session according to this
embodiment of the present invention, the identifier information is
carried in the second message, and then the AMF entity sends, based
on the identifier information, the second message to the SMF entity
specified by the identifier information. This is because a purpose
of triggering, by the SMF entity, the user equipment to send the
second message is to re-establish a session. However, in a system
for establishing a session, the second message sent by the user
equipment can be forwarded to the SMF entity only by the AMF
entity, and when forwarding the second message, the AMF entity
needs to perform a process of selecting an SMF entity. Therefore,
in this embodiment of the present invention, the identifier
information may be used to avoid a problem that processing
efficiency is low because the AMF entity needs to perform the
process of selecting an SMF entity again when receiving the second
message, and avoid a problem that the SMF entity selected by the
AMF entity is inconsistent with the SMF entity that triggers the
user equipment to send the second message. Further, in this
embodiment of the present invention, the identifier information may
be used to enable the SMF entity not to perform a process of
reselecting a UPF entity again after the SMF entity receives the
identifier information. The reason is that the SMF entity triggers
the UE to send the second message usually because the SMF entity
has determined, before triggering the UE to send the second
message, that a UPF entity (for example, a first UPF entity)
establishing a session with the UE at this time already cannot
satisfy a user requirement, and has selected an appropriate UPF
entity (for example, the first UPF entity) to re-establish the
second session with the UE. This can further optimize a user plane
finally after the second session is established.
[0110] It may be understood that, a scenario to which this
embodiment of the present invention is applied is that the UE and
the SMF have established the first session. However, in a data
exchange process, the SMF entity determines that a UPF entity
providing a service for the first session cannot satisfy a
requirement, and selects the appropriate first UPF entity for the
UE for establishing the second session.
[0111] A session and service continuity mode formed between the UE
and the UPF entity may be the session and service continuity mode 1
and the session and service continuity mode 2, but different
session and service continuity modes cause content of information
sent when the SMF entity communicates with the UE to be different,
and occasions on which the SMF entity releases the first session
are also different. For example, in session and service continuity
mode 1, the SMF entity has released the first session before the
second session is established, and in session and service
continuity mode 2, the SMF entity releases the first session only
after the second session is established and when the session
release time arrives.
[0112] Therefore, the following describes the method for
establishing a session in session and service continuity mode 1 and
session and service continuity mode 2 separately.
[0113] First, an example in which a first scenario is the session
and service continuity mode 1 is used for description.
[0114] As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the first request message
in this embodiment of the present invention is further used to
instruct the AMF entity to establish a mapping relationship between
an identifier of the SMF entity and an identifier of the first
session. Specifically, the first request message carries the first
message and a notification message. The first message carries the
session cause value, and the session cause value is re-establishing
the second session. The notification message is used to indicate
that a cause of re-establishing the session by the AMF entity is
replacing the UPF entity. In this case, before step S103, this
embodiment of the present invention further includes:
[0115] S108. The AMF entity stores a mapping relationship between
an identifier of the first session and the SMF entity based on a
notification message.
[0116] The identifier of the first session is used to uniquely
identify the first session. The identifier of the first session in
this embodiment of the present invention may be set based on a
requirement, and the mapping relationship between the identifier of
the first session and the SMF entity may be stored in a storage
device of the AMF entity in a form of a table.
[0117] Correspondingly, before step 5104, this embodiment of the
present invention may further include:
[0118] S109. The user equipment allocates an identifier same as the
identifier of the first session to the second session, and adds the
identifier of the second session to the second message as
identifier information.
[0119] The identifier of the second session is used to uniquely
identify the second session.
[0120] It may be understood that, after the user equipment performs
S109, the user equipment determines the identifier of the second
session as the identifier information and adds the identifier
information to the second message, where the identifier of the
second session is used to instruct the AMF entity to send the
second message to the SMF entity, and the SMF entity is an SMF
entity associated with a second identifier.
[0121] The user equipment may determine, based on first indication
information carried in the first message, the identifier same as
the identifier of the first session to the second session, or may
determine by itself to allocate the identifier same as the
identifier of the first session to the second session. Therefore,
in one aspect, step S109 in this embodiment of the present
invention may be implemented in the following manner:
[0122] S1091a. The UE allocates the identifier same as the
identifier of the first session to the second session based on
first indication information.
[0123] The first indication information is sent to the user
equipment by using the first message, and the first indication
information is used to instruct the UE to allocate the identifier
same as the identifier of the first session to the second
session.
[0124] In another aspect, step S109 in this embodiment of the
present invention may be further implemented in the following
manner:
[0125] S1091b. The user equipment obtains a session and service
continuity mode of the first session.
[0126] It may be understood that, the user equipment may obtain the
session and service continuity mode of the first session by
interacting with another device.
[0127] The session and service continuity mode of the first session
obtained by the UE may be specifically configured by the SMF entity
when the UE establishes the first session, or may be updated by the
SMF entity to the UE after the first session is established. A
specific implementation includes:
[0128] An SSC mode selection policy may be configured for the UE,
where the SSC mode selection policy is used to determine an
association relationship between an application or a group of
applications and the SSC mode. When an application requests to
transmit data, the UE determines, based on the SSC mode selection
policy, an SSC mode of a session to be established, and the UE adds
a requested SSC mode to a session establishment request message;
the SMF entity accepts the SSC mode requested by the UE, or
modifies the requested SSC mode based on a subscription and a
policy of an operator or the like; and finally, the SMF entity
notifies, after determining the SSC mode of the session, the UE of
the selected or accepted SSC mode.
[0129] Alternatively, the UE may not add an SSC mode to a session
establishment request message, but the SMF directly determines the
SSC mode of the session based on a UE subscription and a policy of
an operator or the like, and finally, the SMF entity notifies the
UE of the selected or accepted SSC mode.
[0130] S1092b. The user equipment determines that the session and
service continuity mode of the first session is a first mode, and
allocates the identifier same as the identifier of the first
session to the second session.
[0131] Optionally, the second message in this embodiment of the
present invention further carries the identifier information, and
the identifier information is used to instruct the AMF entity to
send the second message to the SMF entity associated with the
identifier information.
[0132] In this case, with reference to FIG. 3, as shown in FIG. 5A
and FIG. 5B, before step S101, this embodiment of the present
invention further includes:
[0133] S110. The SMF entity configures the identifier
information.
[0134] The identifier information configured by the SMF entity is
forwarded by the AMF entity to the user equipment in a form of the
first message, the first message further carries the identifier
information, and the first message is further used to instruct the
user equipment to add the identifier information to the second
message.
[0135] Optionally, the first request message further carries the
identifier information, and the first request message is further
used to instruct the AMF entity to establish a mapping relationship
between the identifier information and the identifier of the SMF
entity. Therefore, before step S106, the method provided by this
embodiment of the present invention further includes:
[0136] Optionally, the identifier information is indication
information used to uniquely identify the identifier of the SMF
entity, and may be a number or may be other information. This is
not limited in this embodiment of the present invention. The
identifier of the SMF entity is used to uniquely identify the SMF
entity, and may be a MAC address of the SMF entity, or may be a
product number of the SMF entity. For example, the identifier
information is 101, and the identifier of the SMF entity is a first
identifier, and in this case, the AMF entity may establish the
following mapping relationship in a storage apparatus of the AMF
entity, as shown in Table 1.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Mapping relationship table Identifier
information Identifier of the SMF entity 101 First identifier
[0137] S111. The AMF entity establishes a mapping relationship
between the identifier information and the identifier of the SMF
entity based on the first request message.
[0138] Because the second message may carry the identifier
information, or may carry the identifier of the second session, an
implementation of step 5106 may vary, and is hereinafter described
in detail with reference to content of the second message:
[0139] In one aspect, if the second message carries the identifier
information, step S106 may be implemented in the following
manner:
[0140] S1061a. The AMF entity determines, based on the identifier
information, the SMF entity having a mapping relationship with the
identifier information.
[0141] Optionally, the AMF entity may determine, based on the
identifier information, in a pre-established mapping relationship
between the identifier information and the SMF entity, the SMF
entity having the mapping relationship with the identifier
information.
[0142] S1062a. The AMF entity sends the second message to the SMF
entity having the mapping relationship with the identifier
information.
[0143] In another aspect, if the second message carries the
identifier of the second session, step S106 may be implemented in
the following manner:
[0144] S1061b. The AMF entity determines, based on the identifier
of the second session, the SMF entity associated with the
identifier of the second session.
[0145] Optionally, the AMF entity determines, based on the
identifier of the second session, in the mapping relationship
between the identifier of the first session and the SMF entity that
is established in step S108, the SMF entity associated with the
identifier of the second session. Because the identifier of the
second session is the same as the identifier of the first session,
the identifier of the second session may be used to determine the
SMF entity associated with the identifier of the second
session.
[0146] S1062b. The AMF entity sends the second message to the SMF
entity associated with the identifier of the second session.
[0147] In conclusion, in the scenario of the session and service
continuity mode 1, the second message may carry the identifier of
the second session. In this case, the mapping relationship between
the identifier of the first session and the identifier of the SMF
entity needs to be established in the AMF entity. Alternatively,
the second message may carry the identifier information. In this
case, the mapping relationship between the identifier information
and the SMF entity needs to be established in the AMF entity.
Alternatively, the second message may carry both the identifier of
the first session and the identifier information. In this case, the
AMF entity needs to establish at least one of the mapping
relationship between the identifier of the first session and the
SMF entity and the mapping relationship between the identifier
information and the SMF entity.
[0148] Optionally, the first message in this embodiment of the
present invention further carries second indication information,
and the second indication information is used to indicate that a
data network DN of the second session is the same as a DN of the
first session. After receiving the second message, the user
equipment may determine, according to the second indication
information, that the data network DN of the second session is the
same as the DN of the first session.
[0149] Optionally, after step S103, the method provided by this
embodiment of the present invention further includes:
[0150] S112. The SMF entity releases the first session established
between the user equipment and a second UPF entity.
[0151] Next, an example in which a second scenario is the session
and service continuity mode 2 is used for description.
[0152] In the second scenario, the SMF entity may configure the
identifier information or may not configure the identifier
information. Depending on whether the SMF entity configures the
identifier information or not, content of the first request message
may vary. Therefore, separate descriptions are provided
hereinafter.
[0153] Assuming that the SMF entity configures the identifier
information, with reference to FIG. 3, before step S101, the method
provided by the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.
6A and FIG. 6B further includes:
[0154] S113. The SMF entity configures the identifier information,
where the identifier information is used to instruct the AMF entity
to send the second message to the SMF entity associated with the
identifier information.
[0155] It may be understood that, in this case, the first request
message sent by the SMF entity to the AMF entity carries the
identifier information and the first message, where the first
message carries the identifier information and the session release
time, and the first message is used to instruct the UE to send,
within the session release time, the request for establishing the
second session.
[0156] Specifically, before step S103, the method provided by this
embodiment of the present invention further includes step S111.
Specifically, for an implementation of step S111, refer to
descriptions of the foregoing embodiment. Details are not described
again herein in this embodiment of the present invention.
[0157] Optionally, the first message further carries third
indication information, and the third indication information is
used to instruct the UE to add the identifier information to the
second message. Therefore, before step S104, the method in this
embodiment of the present invention may further include the
following step:
[0158] S114. If the UE determines that the first message carries
third indication information, where the third indication
information is used to instruct the UE to add the identifier
information to the second message, the UE adds the identifier
information to the second message.
[0159] Optionally, after determining that the received first
message carries the identifier information, the user equipment adds
the identifier information to the second message.
[0160] Optionally, the identifier information is the identifier
information configured by the SMF entity and received by the UE by
using the AMF entity.
[0161] Specifically, the user equipment may actively add the
identifier information to the second message, or may add the
identifier information to the second message based on a trigger
message (for example, the third indication information) carried in
the first message.
[0162] Optionally, in one aspect, step S114 may be implemented in
the following manner:
[0163] S1141a. If the first message carries the third indication
information, where the third indication information is used to
instruct the UE to add the identifier information to the second
message, the UE adds the identifier information to the second
message according to the third indication information.
[0164] In another aspect, step S114 may be implemented in the
following manner:
[0165] S1141b. The UE obtains the session and service continuity
mode of the first session.
[0166] S1142b. If the UE determines that the session and service
continuity mode of the first session is the second mode, the UE
determines the identifier of the first session as the identifier
information and adds the identifier information to the second
message.
[0167] In another aspect, step S114 may be implemented in the
following manner:
[0168] S1141c. If the first message carries fourth indication
information, and the fourth indication information is used to
instruct the UE to use the identifier of the first session as the
identifier information, the user equipment determines, according to
the fourth indication information, the identifier of the first
session as the identifier information and adds the identifier
information to the second message.
[0169] The second mode is a session and service continuity mode SSC
2, the SSC 2 indicates that a network side allows the UE to first
establish the second session before the first session is released,
and the data network DN of the second session is the same as the DN
of the first session. In SSC 2, the first session and the first
session coexist for a period of time.
[0170] Optionally, in the second scenario, for an implementation of
step S106, refer to implementations of steps S1061a and S1062a in
the foregoing embodiment. Details are not described again herein in
this embodiment of the present invention.
[0171] Assuming that the SMF entity does not configure the
identifier information, with reference to FIG. 3, as shown in FIG.
7A and FIG. 7B, a difference between FIG. 7A and FIG. 6A lies in
that the first request message in step S101 carries only the first
message, where the first message carries the session release time
and the session release cause value that is changing the UPF
entity. The first message is used to instruct the user equipment to
send the second message within the session release time, and step
S111 is omitted in FIG. 7A. However, the first request message in
FIG. 6A carries not only the first message but also the identifier
information, the first request message is not only used to instruct
the AMF entity to send the first message to the UE, but also used
to instruct the AMF entity to establish the mapping relationship
between the identifier information and the SMF entity, and the
first message carries the identifier information and the session
release time.
[0172] Optionally, before step S104, the method in this embodiment
of the present invention may further include the following
step:
[0173] S115. After receiving the session release cause value
carried in the first message, the user equipment adds the
identifier of the first session to the second message.
[0174] Optionally, the second message may further carry the
identifier of the second session.
[0175] In other words, the identifier information carried in the
second message after the UE performs S115 is the identifier of the
first session.
[0176] In this case, step 5106 may be implemented in the following
manner:
[0177] S1061c. The AMF entity sends, based on the identifier of the
first session, the second message to the SMF entity associated with
the identifier of the first session.
[0178] It may be understood that, because the SMF entity does not
release the first session established between the SMF entity and
the user equipment, the AMF entity stores the mapping relationship
between the identifier of the first session and the SMF entity.
Therefore, the AMF entity may send, based on the identifier of the
first session, the second message to the SMF entity associated with
the identifier of the first session.
[0179] It may be understood that, a common point between the
embodiments described in FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B, FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7B
lies in that after step 5107, the method further includes:
[0180] S116. After the session release time, the SMF entity
releases the first session established between the second UPF
entity and the user equipment.
[0181] Optionally, the first message in the embodiments described
in FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B, FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7B further carries the
second indication information, and the second indication
information is used to indicate, to the UE, that the DN of the
second session is the same as the DN of the first session.
[0182] It may be understood that, regardless of whether the SMF
entity re-establishes the second session in session and service
continuity mode 1 or session and service continuity mode 2, before
the SMF entity triggers the user equipment to send the second
message, the first session exists between the user equipment and
the SMF entity. In other words, the first session is a session
established between the SMF entity and the user equipment by the
SMF entity by using the second UPF entity before the SMF entity
triggers the user equipment to send the second message.
[0183] Optionally, the second message in this embodiment of the
present invention may further carry the identifier information, the
identifier of the first session, or the identifier of the second
session that is the same as the identifier of the first session (in
this case, the session is a session established between the SMF
entity and the user equipment by the SMF entity in session and
service continuity mode 2). Therefore, after receiving the
identifier information, the SMF entity may directly determine to
select the first UPF entity to establish the second session between
the SMF entity and the user equipment.
[0184] It may be understood that, the first UPF entity in this
embodiment of the present invention has been selected before the
SMF entity triggers the UE to send the second message.
[0185] It may be understood that, in the foregoing embodiment of
the present invention, the UE may determine, based on the
indication information sent by the SMF entity and received by using
the AMF entity, the identifier of the first session as the
identifier information, and add the identifier information to the
second message (this case is used in SS 1 mode), or add the
identifier of the second session to the second message as the
identifier information (this case is used in SS 2 mode), or may add
the identifier information configured by the SMF entity to the
second message as the identifier information (in this case, the
first message should carry the identifier information configured by
the SMF entity); in another aspect, the UE determines, based on the
session and service continuity mode of the first session, the
identifier of the first session as the identifier information and
adds the identifier information to the second message (this case is
used in SS 1 mode), or adds the identifier of the second session to
the second message as the identifier information (this case is used
in SS 2 mode).
[0186] FIG. 8 shows a specific implementation of a method for
establishing a session according to an embodiment of the present
invention. The manner shown in FIG. 8 is applicable to the session
and service continuity mode 2 described in the foregoing
embodiment. To be specific, an SMF entity first establishes a
second session, and then the SMF entity releases a first
session.
[0187] The SMF entity determines to reselect a UPF entity to
establish a new session, and performs S801: Configure identifier
information.
[0188] S802. The SMF entity sends a first request message to an AMF
entity, where the first request message carries a first message and
the identifier information, the first message carries a session
release time and the identifier information, and the first message
is used to instruct user equipment to send a message for requesting
to establish a second session.
[0189] Specifically, the first request message is used to instruct
the AMF entity to establish a mapping relationship between the
identifier information and an identifier of the SMF entity and send
the first message to the user equipment.
[0190] S803. The AMF entity establishes a mapping relationship
between the identifier information and an identifier of the SMF
entity based on the first request message.
[0191] S804. The AMF entity sends the first message to the user
equipment.
[0192] It may be understood that, in an actual process, a sequence
of steps S803 and S804 may be changed. To be specific, the AMF
entity first performs S804 and then performs S803, or the AMF
entity performs S803 and S804 simultaneously. The sequence of steps
S803 and S804 does not affect the solution of this embodiment of
the present invention.
[0193] S805. The user equipment sends a second message carrying the
identifier information to the AMF entity, where the identifier
information is used to instruct the AMF entity to send the second
message to the SMF entity associated with the identifier
information, and the second message is used to instruct the SMF
entity to establish a session between a first UPF and the SMF
entity.
[0194] It may be understood that:
[0195] S806. The AMF entity receives the second message, where the
second message carries the identifier information.
[0196] S807. The AMF entity sends, based on the identifier
information, the second message to the SMF entity associated with
the identifier information.
[0197] S808. After receiving the second message, the SMF entity
establishes the second session between the first UPF entity and the
user equipment.
[0198] S809. After the session release time, the SMF entity
releases a first session established between the user equipment and
a second UPF entity.
[0199] FIG. 9 shows a specific implementation of another method for
establishing a session according to an embodiment of the present
invention. A common point between FIG. 9 and FIG. 8 lies in that
both are applicable to the session and service continuity mode 2
described in the foregoing embodiment. To be specific, an SMF
entity first establishes a second session, and then the SMF entity
releases a first session.
[0200] A difference between FIG. 9 and FIG. 8 is as follows: In
FIG. 9, step S801 is omitted before S802; the first request message
in step S802 carries only the second message, but content carried
in a second message in FIG. 9 is a session release time and a
session release cause value, where the session release cause value
is used to instruct user equipment to allocate an identifier
different from an identifier of a second session to a first
session, and a first message in S805 in FIG. 9 carries at least the
identifier of the first session (may further carry both the
identifier of the second session and the identifier of the first
session), where the identifier of the first session is used to
instruct an AMF entity to send the second message to an SMF entity
associated with the identifier of the first session (it may be
understood that, in session and service continuity mode 2, the AMF
entity prestores a mapping relationship between each session
established by the SMF entity and the SMF entity establishing the
session, that is, the AMF entity prestores a preset mapping
relationship table, where the table stores at least the identifier
of the first session and the SMF entity associated with the
identifier of the first session, and the SMF entity associated with
the identifier of the first session is an SMF entity establishing
the first session). In this case, the identifier of the second
session is identifier information.
[0201] Specifically, S807 in FIG. 8 may be replaced with step S907
in FIG. 9.
[0202] S907. The AMF entity determines, in the preset mapping
relationship table based on the identifier of the first session,
the SMF entity associated with the identifier of the second
session.
[0203] FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B show a specific implementation of
another method for establishing a session according to an
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B differ
from FIG. 9 and FIG. 8 in that the method provided in FIG. 10A and
FIG. 10B is applicable to the session and service continuity mode 1
in the foregoing embodiment. To be specific, a first session is
released first, and then a second session is established.
[0204] S1101. An SMF entity determines to reselect a UPF entity,
and sends a first request message to an AMF entity, where the first
request message carries a first message and a first session release
notification message, the first message carries a first session
release cause value that is re-establishing a session, the first
message is used to instruct UE to allocate a same identifier to a
second session and a first session, and the first session release
notification message is used to instruct the AMF entity to
establish a mapping relationship between the identifier of the
first session and an identifier of the SMF entity.
[0205] It may be understood that, the first request message is used
to instruct the AMF entity to send the first session release
notification message (that is, the first message) to the UE.
[0206] S1102. The AMF entity stores the mapping relationship
between the identifier of the first session and the identifier of
the SMF entity.
[0207] S1103. The AMF entity sends the first message to the user
equipment.
[0208] S1104. The SMF entity releases the first session established
between the user equipment and a second UPF entity.
[0209] S1105. The user equipment allocates the same identifier to
the first session and the second session.
[0210] S1106. The user equipment sends a second message to the AMF
entity, where the second message carries the identifier of the
first session. The identifier of the first session is used to
instruct the AMF entity to send the second message to the SMF
entity associated with the identifier of the first session, and the
second message is used to instruct the SMF entity to establish the
second session between the SMF entity and the user equipment.
[0211] In other words, identifier information is the identifier of
the first session.
[0212] S1107. The AMF entity determines, based on the identifier of
the first session, the SMF entity associated with the identifier of
the first session.
[0213] S1108. The AMF entity sends the second message to the SMF
entity indicated by the identifier of the first session.
[0214] S1109. The SMF entity establishes the second session between
the user equipment and a first UPF entity based on the second
message.
[0215] In the method for establishing a session according to this
embodiment of the present invention, the identifier information is
carried in the second message, and then the AMF entity sends, based
on the identifier information, the second message to the SMF entity
specified by the identifier information. This is because a purpose
of triggering, by the SMF entity, the user equipment to send the
second message is to re-establish a session. However, in a system
for establishing a session, the second message sent by the user
equipment can be forwarded to the SMF entity only by the AMF
entity, and when forwarding the second message, the AMF entity
needs to perform a process of selecting an SMF entity. Therefore,
in this embodiment of the present invention, the identifier
information may be used to avoid a problem that processing
efficiency is low because the AMF entity needs to perform the
process of selecting an SMF entity again when receiving the second
message, and avoid a problem that the SMF entity selected by the
AMF entity is inconsistent with the SMF entity that triggers the
user equipment to send the second message. Further, in this
embodiment of the present invention, the identifier information may
be used to enable the SMF entity not to perform a process of
reselecting a UPF entity again after the SMF entity receives the
identifier information. The reason is that the SMF entity triggers
the UE to send the second message usually because the SMF entity
has determined, before triggering the UE to send the second
message, that a UPF entity (for example, the first UPF entity)
establishing a session with the UE at this time already cannot
satisfy a user requirement, and has selected an appropriate UPF
entity (for example, the first UPF entity) to re-establish the
second session with the UE. This can further optimize a user plane
finally after the second session is established.
[0216] The solution provided by this application is described above
mainly from a perspective of interaction between the user
equipment, the AMF entity, and the SMF entity. It may be understood
that, to implement the foregoing functions, the user equipment, the
AMF entity, the SMF entity, and the like include corresponding
hardware structures and/or software modules for performing the
functions. A person skilled in the art should be easily aware that,
with reference to the examples described in the embodiments
disclosed in this specification, the user equipment, the AMF
entity, the SMF entity, and the method steps may be implemented by
hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software.
Whether a function is performed by hardware or hardware driven by
computer software depends on particular applications and design
constraints of the technical solutions. A person skilled in the art
may use different methods to implement the described functions for
each particular application, but it should not be considered that
the implementation goes beyond the scope of this application.
[0217] In the embodiments of the present invention, functional
modules may be defined for the user equipment, the AMF entity, and
the SMF entity based on the foregoing methods. For example, each
functional module may be defined in a correspondence to each
function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one
processing module. The integrated module may be implemented in a
form of hardware, or may be implemented in a form of a software
functional module. It should be noted that, division of modules in
the embodiments of the present invention is merely an example, and
is only division of logical functions. Other division manners may
be available in actual implementations.
[0218] When each functional module is defined in a correspondence
to each function, FIG. 11a is a possible schematic structural
diagram of the AMF entity in the foregoing embodiment. The AMF
entity 10 includes a sending unit 401 and a receiving unit 402. The
receiving unit 402 is configured to support the AMF entity 10 in
performing steps S102 and S806 in the foregoing embodiment. The
sending unit 401 is configured to support the AMF entity 10 in
performing steps S103, S804, S807, S1104, and S1108 in the
foregoing embodiment. It may be understood that, the AMF entity 10
provided by this embodiment of the present invention may further
include an establishing unit 403, a storage unit 404, and a
determining unit 405. The establishing unit 403 is configured to
support the AMF entity 10 in performing step S111 in the foregoing
embodiment. The storage unit 404 is configured to support the AMF
entity 10 in performing steps S108 and S1102 in the foregoing
embodiment. The establishing unit 403 is configured to support the
AMF entity 10 in performing steps S111 and S1102 in the foregoing
embodiment. Optionally, the AMF entity further includes a
determining unit 405, configured to support the UE in performing
steps S1061a, S1061b, S1107, and 5907 in the foregoing embodiment.
All related content of steps in the foregoing method embodiment may
be cited in function descriptions of corresponding functional
modules. Details are not described again herein.
[0219] Specifically, in a hardware implementation, the receiving
unit 402 may be a receiver of the AMF entity 10, and the sending
unit 401 may be a transmitter of the AMF entity 10, where the
transmitter and the receiver may be integrated to form a
transceiver, as shown in FIG. 2b. The establishing unit 403, the
storage unit 404, and the determining unit 405 may be integrated in
a processor of the AMF entity 10.
[0220] When an integrated unit is used, FIG. 11b is a possible
schematic diagram of a logical structure of the AMF entity 10 in
the foregoing embodiment. The AMF entity 10 includes a processing
module 512 and a communications module 513. The processing module
512 is configured to control and manage actions of the AMF entity
10. For example, the processing module 512 is configured to perform
steps S102, S806, S103, S106 (S1062a, S1062b, and S1062c), S804,
S807, S1104, S1108, 51061a, 51061b, 51061c, S804, S807, S1104,
S1108, S108, S111, S803, S1102, S1061a, S1061b, S907, and S1107,
and/or is used in other processes of the technology described in
the specification. The communications module 513 is configured to
support the AMF entity 10 in communicating with user equipment and
an SMF entity. The AMF entity 10 may further include a storage
module S11, configured to store program code and data of the AMF
entity 10.
[0221] The processing module 512 may be a processor or a
controller, for example, may be a central processing unit, a
general purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an
application-specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate
array or another programmable logic device, a transistor logic
device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. The
controller/processor may implement or execute various example
logical blocks, modules, and circuits described with reference to
content disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, the
processor may be a combination of processors implementing a
computing function, for example, a combination of one or more
microprocessors, or a combination of the digital signal processor
and a microprocessor. The communications module 513 may be a
transceiver, a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, or the like. The
storage module 511 may be a memory.
[0222] When the processing module 512 is a processor, the
communications module 513 is a transceiver, and the storage module
511 is a memory, the AMF entity in this embodiment of the present
invention may be the device shown in FIG. 2b.
[0223] When each functional module is defined in a correspondence
to each function, FIG. 12a is a possible schematic structural
diagram of the SMF entity in the foregoing embodiment. The SMF
entity 20 includes a sending unit 601, a receiving unit 602, and an
establishing unit 603. The receiving unit 602 is configured to
support the SMF entity 20 in performing steps S107a and S808 in the
foregoing embodiment. The establishing unit 603 is configured to
support the SMF entity 20 in performing steps S107, S112, S116,
S809, S1102, and S1109 in the foregoing embodiment. It may be
understood that, the SMF entity in this embodiment of the present
invention further includes a sending unit 601 and a configuration
unit 604. The sending unit 601 is configured to support the SMF
entity 20 in performing steps S101, S802, and S1101 in the
foregoing embodiment. The configuration unit 604 is configured to
support the SMF entity 20 in performing steps S110, S113, and S801
in the foregoing embodiment. All related content of steps in the
foregoing method embodiment may be cited in function descriptions
of corresponding functional modules. Details are not described
again herein.
[0224] Specifically, in a hardware implementation, the sending unit
601 may be a transmitter of the SMF entity, and the receiving unit
602 may be a receiver of the SMF entity, where the receiver and the
transmitter may be integrated to form a transceiver of the SMF
entity 20, as shown in FIG. 2c. The establishing unit 603 and the
configuration unit 604 may be integrated in a processor of the SMF
entity 20.
[0225] When an integrated unit is used, FIG. 12b is a possible
schematic diagram of a logical structure of the SMF entity 20 in
the foregoing embodiment. The SMF entity 20 includes a processing
module 712 and a communications module 713. The processing module
712 is configured to control and manage actions of the SMF entity
20. For example, the processing module 712 is configured to support
the SMF entity 20 in performing steps S107a, S808, S107, S112,
S116, S809, S1102, S1109, S101, S802, S1101, S110, s113, and S801
in the foregoing embodiment, and/or is used in another process of
the technology described in the specification. The communications
module 713 is configured to support the SMF entity 20 in
communicating with an AMF entity. The SMF entity 20 may further
include a storage module 711, configured to store program code and
data of the SMF entity 20.
[0226] The processing module 712 may be a processor or a
controller, for example, may be a central processing unit, a
general purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an
application-specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate
array or another programmable logic device, a transistor logic
device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. The
controller/processor may implement or execute various example
logical blocks, modules, and circuits described with reference to
content disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, the
processor may be a combination of processors implementing a
computing function, for example, a combination of one or more
microprocessors, or a combination of the digital signal processor
and a microprocessor. The communications module 713 may be a
transceiver, a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, or the like. The
storage module 711 may be a memory.
[0227] When the processing module 712 is a processor, the
communications module 713 is a transceiver, and the storage module
711 is a memory, the SMF entity in this embodiment of the present
invention may be the device shown in FIG. 2c.
[0228] When each functional module is defined in a correspondence
to each function, FIG. 13a is a possible schematic structural
diagram of the user equipment in the foregoing embodiment. The user
equipment 30 includes an establishing unit 801, a receiving 802, an
allocation unit 803, and a sending unit 804. The establishing unit
801 is configured to instruct the UE to perform S101a in the
foregoing embodiment. The receiving unit 802 is configured to
support the user equipment 30 in performing steps S104, S1102, and
S1105 in the foregoing embodiment. The allocation unit 803 is
configured to support the user equipment 30 in performing steps
S109 (S1091a and S1092b) and S1105 in the foregoing embodiment. The
sending unit 804 is configured to support the user equipment 30 in
performing steps 5104 and S1106 in the foregoing embodiment. It may
be understood that, the user equipment 30 further includes an
obtaining unit 805, configured to instruct the UE to perform
51091b. All related content of steps in the foregoing method
embodiment may be cited in function descriptions of corresponding
functional modules. Details are not described again herein.
[0229] When each functional module is defined in a correspondence
to each function, FIG. 13b is a possible schematic structural
diagram of the user equipment in the foregoing embodiment. The user
equipment 30 includes an establishing unit 901, a receiving unit
902, and a sending unit 903. The establishing unit 901 is
configured to support the UE in performing step S101a in the
foregoing embodiment. The receiving unit 902 is configured to
support the user equipment 30 in performing step 5104 in the
foregoing embodiment. The sending unit 903 is configured to support
the user equipment 30 in performing step S104 and step S805 in the
foregoing embodiment. The user equipment further includes a
determining unit and an obtaining unit. The determining unit is
configured to support the user equipment in performing S114
(S1141a, S1141b, and S1142b), and S115. The obtaining unit is
configured to instruct the user equipment to perform S1141b. All
related content of steps in the foregoing method embodiment may be
cited in function descriptions of corresponding functional modules.
Details are not described again herein.
[0230] Specifically, in a hardware implementation, the sending unit
903 and the sending unit 804 may be a transmitter of the user
equipment 30, and the receiving unit 902 and the allocation unit
803 may be a receiver of the user equipment 30, where the receiver
and the transmitter may be integrated to form a transceiver of the
user equipment 30, as shown in FIG. 2d. The allocation unit 803,
the establishing unit 901, the determining unit, and the allocation
unit 802 may be integrated in a processor of the user equipment
30.
[0231] When an integrated unit is used, FIG. 13c is a possible
schematic diagram of a logical structure of the user equipment 30
in the foregoing embodiment. The user equipment 30 includes a
processing module 1012 and a communications module 1013. The
processing module 1012 is configured to control and manage actions
of the user equipment 30. For example, the processing module 1012
is configured to support the user equipment 30 in performing steps
S101a, S104, S1102, S1105, S109 (S1091a and S1092b) S1105, S104,
S1106, and S1091b or S101a, S104, S104, S805, S114 (S1141a, S1141b,
and S1142b), and S115, and/or is used in another process in the
technology described in the specification. The communications
module 1013 is configured to support the user equipment 30 in
communicating with an AMF entity. The user equipment 30 may further
include a storage module 1011, configured to store program code and
data of the user equipment 30.
[0232] The processing module 1012 may be a processor or a
controller, for example, may be a central processing unit, a
general purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an
application-specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate
array or another programmable logic device, a transistor logic
device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. The
controller/processor may implement or execute various example
logical blocks, modules, and circuits described with reference to
content disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, the
processor may be a combination of processors implementing a
computing function, for example, a combination of one or more
microprocessors, or a combination of the digital signal processor
and a microprocessor. The communications module 1013 may be a
transceiver, a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, or the like. The
storage module 1011 may be a memory.
[0233] When the processing module 1012 is a processor, the
communications module 1013 is a transceiver, and the storage module
1011 is a memory, the SMF entity in this embodiment of the present
invention may be the device shown in FIG. 2d.
[0234] In one aspect, an embodiment of the present invention
provides a computer-readable storage medium, where the
computer-readable storage medium stores an instruction, and when
the computer-readable storage medium runs on an SMF entity, the SMF
entity is enabled to perform steps S107a, S808, S107, S112, S116,
S809, S1102, S1109, S101, S802, S1101, S110, S113, and S801 in the
foregoing embodiment.
[0235] In another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention
provides a computer-readable storage medium, where the
computer-readable storage medium stores an instruction, and when
the computer-readable storage medium runs on an AMF entity, the AMF
entity is enabled to perform steps S102, S806, S103, S106, (S1062a,
S1062b and S1062c), S804, S807, S1104, S1108, S1061a, S1061b,
S1061c, S804, S807, S1104, S1108, S108, S111, S803, S1103, S1061a,
S1061b, 5907, and S1107 in the foregoing embodiment.
[0236] In another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention
provides a computer-readable storage medium, where the
computer-readable storage medium stores an instruction, and when
the computer-readable storage medium runs on user equipment, the
user equipment is enabled to perform steps S101a, S104, S1102,
S1105, S109 (S1091a and S1092b), S1105, S104, S1106, S1091b or
S101a, S104, S104, S805, S114 (S1141a, S1141b, and S1142b), and
S115 in the foregoing embodiment.
[0237] All or some of the foregoing embodiments may be implemented
by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof When a
software program is used to implement the embodiments, the
embodiments may be implemented completely or partially in a form of
a computer program product. The computer program product includes
one or more computer instructions. When the computer program
instruction is loaded and executed on a computer, the procedures or
functions according to the embodiments of the present invention are
all or partially generated. The computer may be a general-purpose
computer, a dedicated computer, a computer network, or another
programmable apparatus. The computer instruction may be stored in a
computer-readable storage medium or may be transmitted from a
computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable
storage medium. For example, the computer instruction may be
transmitted from a website, computer, server, or data center to
another website, computer, server, or data center in a wired (for
example, a coaxial cable, an optical fiber, or a digital subscriber
line DSL) or wireless (for example, infrared, radio, and microwave,
or the like) manner. The computer-readable storage medium may be
any usable medium accessible by a computer, or a data storage
device integrating one or more usable media, such as a server or a
data center. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium (for
example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a magnetic tape), an
optical medium (for example, a DVD), a semiconductor medium (for
example, a solid state disk (Solid State Disk (SSD)), or the
like.
[0238] The foregoing descriptions about implementations allow a
person skilled in the art to understand that, for the purpose of
convenient and brief description, division of the foregoing
functional modules is taken as an example for illustration. In
actual application, the foregoing functions can be allocated to
different modules and implemented according to a requirement, that
is, an inner structure of an apparatus is divided into different
functional modules to implement all or a part of the functions
described above. For a detailed working process of the foregoing
system, apparatus, and unit, reference may be made to a
corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and
details are not described herein again.
[0239] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it
should be understood that the disclosed system, apparatus, and
method may be implemented in other manners. For example, the
described apparatus embodiment is merely an example. For example,
the module or unit division is merely logical function division and
may be other division in actual implementation. For example, a
plurality of units or components may be combined or integrated into
another system, or some features may be ignored or not performed.
In addition, the displayed or discussed mutual couplings or direct
couplings or communication connections may be implemented by using
some interfaces. The indirect couplings or communication
connections between the apparatuses or units may be implemented in
electronic, mechanical, or other forms.
[0240] The units described as separate parts may or may not be
physically separate, and parts displayed as units may or may not be
physical units, may be located in one position, or may be
distributed on a plurality of network units. Some or all of the
units may be selected based on actual requirements to achieve the
objectives of the solutions of the embodiments.
[0241] In addition, functional units in the embodiments of this
application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each of
the units may exist alone physically, or two or more units are
integrated into one unit. The integrated unit may be implemented in
a form of hardware, or may be implemented in a form of a software
functional unit.
[0242] When the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a
software functional unit and sold or used as an independent
product, the integrated unit may be stored in a computer-readable
storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical
solutions of this application essentially, or the part contributing
to the prior art, or all or a part of the technical solutions may
be implemented in the form of a software product. The software
product is stored in a storage medium and includes several
instructions for instructing a computer device (which may be a
personal computer, a server, a network device, or the like) to
perform all or a part of the steps of the methods described in the
embodiments of this application. The foregoing storage medium
includes: any medium that can store program code, such as a flash
memory, a removable hard disk, a read-only memory, a random access
memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disc.
[0243] The foregoing descriptions are merely specific
implementations of this application, but are not intended to limit
the protection scope of this application. Any variation or
replacement within the technical scope disclosed in this
application shall fall within the protection scope of this
application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application
shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.
* * * * *