CN109803226B

CN109803226B - Communication method and device

Info

Publication number: CN109803226B
Application number: CN201711148914.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李濛; 吴义壮; 杨艳梅; 孙满利
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-11-17
Filing date: 2017-11-17
Publication date: 2021-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 2037-11-17
Also published as: CN109803226A

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method and a device, wherein the method comprises the following steps: the AMF network element receives service area related information of application service from a Session Management Function (SMF) network element; and the AMF network element determines the paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information. The related information of the service area of the application service can be used for enabling the AMF network element to determine the paging area of the terminal, when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service can be provided for the terminal in the paging area, wherein the paging area can be a specific area determined based on the related information of the service area, and therefore the application service can be effective only in the specific area.

Description

Communication method and device

Technical Field

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

Background

A Data Network (DN) network element provides different application services to a terminal, and a service area of the provided application services is related to a paging area of the terminal. Currently, a paging area of a terminal is related to registration area information of the terminal. The registration area information of the terminal may be a Tracking Area Identity (TAI) List, referred to as TAI List, allocated to the terminal. The TAI List includes identification information of all cells corresponding to a group of Tracking Areas (TAs), where a group of TAs may include 16 TAs, and each TA may include one or more cells. The paging area of the terminal may include all cells identified by the TAI List.

With the development of mobile communication, operators and third parties put forward an application service demand: the application service is valid only in a specific area. For example, an "ad placement" application service is only active in a certain commercial area, and the DN need not provide the "ad placement" application service when the terminal leaves this commercial area. How to realize the application service effectively in a specific area becomes a technical problem to be solved urgently.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method and a communication device, which are used for realizing that an application service is effective only in a specific area. In order to achieve the purpose, the application provides the following technical scheme:

in a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method, performed by an AMF network element, including: the AMF network element receives service area related information of application service from a Session Management Function (SMF) network element; and the AMF network element determines the paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information. The related information of the service area of the application service can be used for enabling the AMF network element to determine the paging area of the terminal, when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service can be provided for the terminal in the paging area, wherein the paging area can be a specific area determined based on the related information of the service area, and therefore the application service can be effective only in the specific area.

In one possible design, the service area related information includes location information of the service area. Wherein the location information of the service area includes identification information of the service area or geographical location information of the service area. For example, the identification information of the service area is TAI list, and one TAI list includes one or more TAIs, which may correspond to one or more Cell IDs. The geographical location information of the service area is one or more Global Positioning System (GPS) information, and a TAI or a Cell identity (Cell ID) corresponding to the service area may be obtained through the one or more GPS information. The location information of the service area may also be used to enable the AMF network element to determine a paging area of the terminal, and when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service may be provided for the terminal in the paging area, where the paging area may be a specific area determined based on the location information of the service area, and thus, the application service may be enabled to be effective only in the specific area.

In another possible design, the service area related information includes index information of a service area, where the index information includes a session identifier or an index number; the session identifier is used for indicating a session between the terminal and an application server, the session is used for bearing data of the application service, and the application service is a service provided by the application server in the service area; the index number is used to indicate location information of the service area. Wherein the application server provides the application service in the service area. The index information of the service area is used for enabling the AMF network element to determine the location information of the service area.

In a possible design, the determining, by the AMF network element, a paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information includes: the AMF network element obtains the position information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to the corresponding relation between the index information and the position information of the service area; and the AMF network element determines the paging area according to the position information of the service area.

In one possible design, before the AMF network element receives the service area related information of the application service of the SMF network element, the method further includes: and the AMF network element receives the corresponding relation between the index information from the SMF network element and the position information of the service area. And the corresponding relation between the index information from the SMF network element and the location information of the service area is used for configuring the corresponding relation between the index information of the service area and the location information of the service area in the AMF network element.

In a possible design, the determining, by the AMF network element, a paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information includes: and the AMF network element determines the paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information and the registration area information of the terminal.

Illustratively, the AMF network element obtains a specific area according to the location information of the service area and the registration area information of the terminal, and uses the specific area as the paging area of the terminal.

Exemplarily, after determining the location information of the service area according to the index information of the service area, the AMF network element obtains a specific area by combining the registration area information of the terminal, and uses the specific area as the paging area of the terminal.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a communication method, performed by an SMF network element, the method including: the SMF network element receives a Data Notification (such as Data Notification) message from a user plane function UPF network element; the SMF network element obtains service area related information of the application service according to the data notification message; and the SMF network element sends the service area related information to an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element. In the method flow, the data notification message is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain the relevant information of the service area of a certain application service configured in the SMF network element, the relevant information of the service area can be used for the AMF network element to determine the paging area of the terminal, when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service can be provided for the terminal in the paging area, wherein the paging area can be a specific area determined based on the relevant information of the service area, and therefore the application service can be only effective in the specific area.

In one possible design, the service area related information includes location information of the service area. The location information of the service area may be used by the AMF network element to determine a paging area of the terminal, and when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service may be provided to the terminal in the paging area, where the paging area may be a specific area determined based on the location information of the service area, and thus, the application service may be enabled to be effective only in the specific area.

Wherein the location information of the service area includes identification information of the service area or geographical location information of the service area. For example, the identification information of the service area is TAI list, and one TAI list includes one or more TAIs, which may correspond to one or more Cell IDs. For example, the geographic location information of the service area is one or more GPS information, and the TAI or Cell ID corresponding to the service area may be obtained through the one or more GPS information.

In one possible design, the service area related information includes index information of the service area. The index information of the service area is used for enabling the AMF network element to determine the location information of the service area. The location information of the service area may also be used to enable the AMF network element to determine a paging area of the terminal, and when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service may be provided for the terminal in the paging area, where the paging area may be a specific area determined based on the location information of the service area, and thus, the application service may be enabled to be effective only in the specific area.

In one possible design, the index information is a session identifier; the session identifier is used for indicating a session between the terminal and an application server, and the session is used for carrying data of the application service. In the prior art, the SMF network element can acquire the associated session identifier according to the data notification message from the UPF network element, so that the session identifier is used as index information of the location information of the service area, and signaling overhead between the network elements can be reduced.

In one possible design, the index information is an index number, and the index number is used to indicate location information of the service area. Because the information amount of the index number is small, the index number is used as the index information of the position information of the service area, and the signaling overhead between network elements can be controlled as much as possible.

In a possible design, the data notification message carries the service area related information, that is, the data notification message carries location information of a service area or carries index information of the service area. The data notification message is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain the service area related information, and processing burden of the SMF network element is reduced.

In a possible design, the data notification message carries index information of the service area, and the service area related information is location information of the service area; the SMF network element obtains service area related information of an application service according to the data notification message, including: and the SMF network element obtains the position information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to the corresponding relation between the index information and the position information of the service area. The data notification message is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain index information of the service area, and the index information of the service area is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain the position information of the service area according to the corresponding relation between the index information of the service area and the position information of the service area.

In a possible design, the data notification message carries index information of the service area, and the service area related information is the index information of the service area. The data notification message is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain index information of a service area, and the index information of the service area is used for enabling the AMF network element to obtain the position information of the service area according to the corresponding relation between the index information of the service area and the position information of the service area.

In one possible design, before the SMF network element receives the data notification message, the method further includes: and the SMF network element sends the corresponding relation between the index information and the position information of the service area to the AMF network element. And sending the corresponding relation between the index information and the position information of the service area to the AMF network element, so that the SMF network element configures the corresponding relation between the index information of the service area and the position information of the service area in the AMF network element.

In one possible design, before the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, the method further includes: and the SMF network element sends the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the index number to the UPF network element. And the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the index number is used for enabling the UPF network element to carry the index number corresponding to the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In another possible design, the data notification message carries data packet filtering set information, and the service area related information is location information of the service area; the SMF network element obtains service area related information of an application service according to the data notification message, including: and the SMF network element obtains the position information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information according to the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area. The data notification message is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain data packet filtering set information, and the data packet filtering set information is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information according to the corresponding relationship between the data packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

The packet filtering set information of the application service is packet filtering rule information of the application service, for example, quintuple information including a protocol identifier, a source IP address, a source port number, a destination IP address, and a destination port number. The packet filtering rule information may also be other forms of related information for filtering packets of the application service.

In one possible design, before the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, the method further includes: and the SMF network element sends the data packet filtering set information and first indication information to the UPF network element, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the UPF network element carries the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving data matched with the data packet filtering set information. And the SMF network element sends the data packet filtering set information and the first indication information to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element carries the data packet filtering set information in a data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In one possible design, before the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, the method further includes: and the SMF network element sends the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area to the UPF network element. And the SMF network element sends the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element carries the position information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information in a data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In one possible design, before the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, the method further includes: and the SMF network element receives the position information of the service area and the session identification from the first network element, and establishes the corresponding relation between the session identification and the position information of the service area. The location information and the session identifier of the service area from the first network element are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between the session identifier and the location information of the service area.

In one possible design, before the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, the method further includes: the SMF network element receives the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from a first network element; according to the identification information of the application service, allocating an index number to the position information of the service area; and establishing a corresponding relation between the index number and the position information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the first network element are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area.

In one possible design, before the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, the method further includes: and the SMF network element receives the position information of the service area and the data packet filtering set information from the first network element, and establishes the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area. And the location information of the service area and the packet filtering set information from the first network element are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a corresponding relation between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

In one possible design, before the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, the method further includes: the SMF network element receives the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from a first network element; and acquiring data packet filtering set information corresponding to the identification information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service, and establishing a corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the first network element are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

In a third aspect, the present application provides a communication method, performed by a user plane function UPF network element, the method including: the UPF network element receives the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information from the session management function SMF network element and the index number; the index number is used for indicating position information of a service area of the application service; and when the UPF network element receives the data matched with the data packet filtering set information, sending a data notification message to the SMF network element, wherein the data notification message carries the index number. And the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the index number from the SMF network element is used for enabling the UPF network element to carry the index number corresponding to the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, performed by a UPF network element, including: a UPF network element receives first indication information from a Session Management Function (SMF) network element, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the UPF network element carries data packet filtering set information in a data notification message when receiving data matched with the data packet filtering set information; and when the UPF network element receives data matched with the data packet filtering set information, carrying the data packet filtering set information in a data notification message according to the first indication information, and sending the data notification message to the SMF network element. And the first indication information from the SMF network element is used for enabling the UPF network element to carry the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

Alternatively, the method comprises: and the UPF network element receives the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information from the SMF network element and the position information of the service area. And the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information from the SMF network element and the position information of the service area is used for enabling the UPF network element to carry the position information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, performed by a first network element, the method including: a first network element receives position information of a service area of an application service from a second network element and identification information of the application service; the first network element obtains a session identifier which has a corresponding relation with the identifier information of the application service; and the first network element sends the session identifier and the position information of the service area to a Session Management Function (SMF) network element. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element. And the first network element sends the session identifier and the position information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element establishes a corresponding relationship between the session identifier and the position information of the service area.

Wherein the identification information of the application service at least comprises one of the following options:

the optional items are as follows: IP address field information or IP address information of an application server providing the application service.

Optionally, the second option provides identification information of the application server of the application service, such as triple information of the application server: protocol identification, source IP address, source port number.

And the third option is that the application service is allocated with the exclusive identification number.

Illustratively, when the first network element is a PCF network element, the sending, by the first network element, the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element includes: and when the session identifier does not have a corresponding relationship with the identifier information of any application service except the application service, the first network element sends the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element. The signaling overhead between network elements can be reduced by using the session identifier as index information of the location information of the service area.

In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, performed by a first network element, the method including: a first network element receives position information of a service area of an application service from a second network element and identification information of the application service; and the first network element sends the identification information of the application service and the position information of the service area to a Session Management Function (SMF) network element. The first network element sends the identification information of the application service and the position information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element establishes a corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area; or, the method and the device are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element or a UFDF network element, and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element.

Illustratively, when the first network element is a PCF network element, the sending, by the first network element, the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element specifically includes: the first network element obtains a session identifier which has a corresponding relation with the identifier information of the application service; and when the session identifier also has a corresponding relationship with the identifier information of any application service except the application service, the first network element sends the identifier information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a communication method, performed by a first network element, the method including: a first network element receives position information of a service area of an application service from a second network element and identification information of the application service; the first network element obtains the data packet filtering set information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service; and the first network element sends the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the position information of the service area to a Session Management Function (SMF) network element. And the first network element sends the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the position information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element establishes the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area.

Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element or a UFDF network element, and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element.

Illustratively, when the first network element is a PCF network element, the sending, by the first network element, the packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element specifically includes: the first network element obtains a session identifier which has a corresponding relation with the identifier information of the application service; and when the session identifier also has a corresponding relationship with the identifier information of any application service except the application service, the first network element sends the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the position information of the service area to the SMF network element.

In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, performed by a second network element, the method including: the second network element obtains the position information of the service area of the application service and the identification information of the application service; and the second network element sends the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element. And the second network element sends the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element, so that the first network element establishes the corresponding relation between the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service. Illustratively, the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element. The corresponding relation between the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service is configured in the first network element.

In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an apparatus having a function of implementing the AMF network element in the first aspect. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible design, the apparatus includes: a processor, a transceiver, a memory; the memory is used for storing computer execution instructions, the transceiver is used for realizing the communication between the device and other communication entities, the processor and the memory are connected through the bus, and when the device runs, the processor executes the computer execution instructions stored in the memory so as to enable the device to execute the communication method of the first aspect.

Specifically, the transceiver is configured to receive service area related information of an application service from a session management function, SMF, network element; and the processor is used for determining the paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information. The related information of the service area of the application service can be used for the AMF network element to determine the paging area of the terminal, and when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service can be provided for the terminal in the paging area, wherein the paging area can be a specific area determined based on the related information of the service area, so that the application service can be effective only in the specific area.

In one possible design, the service area related information includes location information of the service area or index information of the service area. The index information of the service area is used for enabling the AMF network element to determine the position information of the service area, and the position information of the service area can also be used for enabling the AMF network element to determine the paging area of the terminal.

In one possible design, the index information includes a session identification or an index number; the session identifier is used for indicating a session between the terminal and an application server, and the session is used for carrying data of the application service; the index number is used to indicate location information of the service area.

In one possible design, the processor is to: acquiring the position information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to the corresponding relation between the index information and the position information of the service area; and determining the paging area according to the position information of the service area. And configuring the corresponding relation between the index information of the service area and the position information of the service area in the AMF network element.

In one possible design, the processor is to: and determining the paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information and the registration area information of the terminal.

In a tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an apparatus having a function of implementing the SMF network element in the second aspect. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible design, the apparatus includes: a processor, a transceiver, a memory; the memory is used for storing computer execution instructions, the transceiver is used for realizing the communication between the device and other communication entities, the processor and the memory are connected through the bus, and when the device runs, the processor executes the computer execution instructions stored in the memory so as to enable the device to execute the communication method of the second aspect.

Specifically, the transceiver is configured to receive a data notification message from a UPF network element; the processor is used for acquiring service area related information of the application service according to the data notification message; the transceiver is further configured to send the service area related information to an AMF network element. The data notification message is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain relevant information of a service area of a certain application service configured in the SMF network element, the relevant information of the service area can be used for the AMF network element to determine a paging area of the terminal, when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service can be provided for the terminal in the paging area, wherein the paging area can be a specific area determined based on the relevant information of the service area, and therefore the application service can be enabled to be effective only in the specific area.

In one possible design, the index information is a session identifier or an index number; the session identifier is used for indicating a session between the terminal and an application server, the session is used for carrying data of the application service, and the index number is used for indicating location information of the service area. The signaling overhead between network elements can be reduced by using the session identifier as index information of the location information of the service area. Because the information amount of the index number is small, the index number is used as the index information of the position information of the service area, and the signaling overhead between network elements can be controlled as much as possible.

In one possible design, the data notification message carries the service area related information. The SMF network element directly obtains the relevant information of the service area according to the data notification message from the UPF network element, and the processing load of the SMF network element is reduced.

In a possible design, the data notification message carries index information of the service area, and the service area related information is location information of the service area; and the processor is used for acquiring the position information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to the corresponding relation between the index information and the position information of the service area. The data notification message is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain index information of the service area, and the index information of the service area is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain position information of the service area.

In one possible design, the data notification message carries data packet filtering set information; the service area related information is position information of the service area; and the processor is used for acquiring the position information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information according to the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area. The data notification message is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain data packet filtering set information, and the data packet filtering set information is used for enabling the SMF network element to obtain the position information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information according to the corresponding relationship between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area.

In one possible design, the service area related information is an index number, and the index number is used to indicate location information of the service area; the transceiver is further configured to send a correspondence between packet filter set information and the index number to the UPF network element before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element. The SMF network element sends the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the index number to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element carries the index number corresponding to the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In one possible design, the transceiver is further configured to send, to the UPF network element, the packet filter set information and first indication information before receiving a data notification message from the UPF network element, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the UPF network element carries the packet filter set information in the data notification message when receiving data matching the packet filter set information. And the SMF network element sends the data packet filtering set information and the first indication information to the UPF network element so that the UPF network element carries the data packet filtering set information in a data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In one possible design, the transceiver is further configured to send, to the UPF network element, a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element. And the SMF network element sends the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element carries the position information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In one possible design, the transceiver is further configured to receive location information of the service area and a session identifier from a first network element before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element, and the processor is configured to establish a correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the session identifier from the first network element are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element.

In one possible design, the transceiver is further configured to receive location information of the service area and identification information of the application service from a first network element before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element; the processor is used for allocating an index number to the position information of the service area according to the identification information of the application service; and establishing a corresponding relation between the index number and the position information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the first network element are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a UFDF network element.

In one possible design, the transceiver is further configured to receive location information of the service area and packet filter set information from the first network element before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element, and the processor is configured to establish a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the packet filter set information from the first network element are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a UFDF network element.

In one possible design, the transceiver is further configured to receive location information of the service area and identification information of the application service from a first network element before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element; the processor is used for acquiring data packet filtering set information corresponding to the identification information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service, and establishing a corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the first network element are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a UFDF network element.

In an eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an apparatus having a function of implementing a UPF network element in the third aspect or the fourth aspect. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible design, the apparatus includes: a processor, a transceiver, a memory; the memory is used for storing computer-executable instructions, the transceiver is used for realizing the communication between the device and other communication entities, the processor is connected with the memory through the bus, and when the device runs, the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory so as to enable the device to execute the communication method of the third aspect or the fourth aspect.

In one embodiment, the transceiver is configured to: receiving the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information from the SMF network element and the index number; the index number is used for indicating position information of a service area of the application service; and the processor is configured to instruct the transceiver to send a data notification message to the SMF network element when it is determined that the transceiver receives data matching the data packet filtering set information, where the data notification message carries the index number. And the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the index number from the SMF network element is used for enabling the UPF network element to carry the index number corresponding to the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In another embodiment, the transceiver is configured to: receiving first indication information from an SMF network element, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the UPF network element carries data packet filtering set information in a data notification message when receiving data matched with the data packet filtering set information; and the processor is configured to, when it is determined that the transceiver receives data matching the packet filtering set information, carry the packet filtering set information in a data notification message according to the first indication information, and send the data notification message to the SMF network element. And the first indication information from the SMF network element is used for enabling the UPF network element to carry the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In another embodiment, the transceiver is configured to: and receiving the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information from the SMF network element and the position information of the service area. And the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area is used for enabling the UPF network element to carry the position information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

In a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an apparatus having a function of implementing the first network element in the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, or the seventh aspect. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible design, the apparatus includes: a processor, a transceiver, a memory; the memory is used for storing computer-executable instructions, the transceiver is used for realizing the communication between the device and other communication entities, the processor is connected with the memory through the bus, and when the device runs, the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory so as to enable the device to execute the communication method in the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect or the seventh aspect.

In one embodiment, the transceiver is configured to: receiving location information of a service area of an application service from a second network element and identification information of the application service; the processor is configured to: obtaining a session identifier corresponding to the identifier information of the application service; the transceiver is further configured to: and sending the session identifier and the location information of the service area to an SMF network element. And the first network element sends the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element establishes a corresponding relationship between the session identifier and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element.

In one possible design, when the processor determines that the session identifier does not have a correspondence with identifier information of any application service other than the application service, the processor instructs the transceiver to send the session identifier and location information of the service area to the SMF network element. The signaling overhead between network elements can be reduced by using the session identifier as index information of the location information of the service area.

In another embodiment, the transceiver is configured to: receiving location information of a service area of an application service from a second network element and identification information of the application service; the transceiver is further configured to: and sending the identification information of the application service and the position information of the service area to an SMF network element. The first network element sends the identification information of the application service and the position information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element establishes a corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area; or, the method and the device are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area. In one possible design, the processor is to: obtaining a session identifier corresponding to the identifier information of the application service; and when the processor determines that the session identifier also has a corresponding relationship with the identifier information of any application service except the application service, the processor instructs the transceiver to send the identifier information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

In another embodiment, the transceiver is configured to: receiving location information of a service area of an application service from a second network element and identification information of the application service; the processor is used for acquiring the data packet filtering set information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service; the transceiver is further configured to: and sending the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the position information of the service area to an SMF network element. And the first network element sends the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the position information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element establishes the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area.

In one possible design, the processor is to: obtaining a session identifier corresponding to the identifier information of the application service; and when the processor determines that the session identifier further has a corresponding relationship with identifier information of any application service except the application service, the processor instructs the transceiver to send data packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

In a thirteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an apparatus having a function of implementing the second network element in the above eighth aspect. The function can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the functions described above.

In one possible design, the apparatus includes: a processor, a transceiver, a memory; the memory is used for storing computer execution instructions, the transceiver is used for realizing the communication between the device and other communication entities, the processor and the memory are connected through the bus, and when the device runs, the processor executes the computer execution instructions stored in the memory so as to enable the device to execute the communication method in the eighth aspect.

In particular, the processor is configured to: obtaining location information of a service area of an application service and identification information of the application service; the transceiver is to: and sending the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to a first network element. And the second network element sends the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element, so that the first network element establishes the corresponding relation between the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a UFDF network element.

In a fourteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip, which includes a processor, a transceiver component, and optionally a memory, and is configured to execute the communication method of the first aspect.

In a fifteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip, which includes a processor, a transceiver component, and optionally a memory, and is configured to execute the communication method of the second aspect.

In a sixteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip, which includes a processor, a transceiver component, and optionally, a memory, and is configured to execute the communication method of the third aspect or the fourth aspect.

In a seventeenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip, which includes a processor, a transceiver component, and optionally a memory, and is configured to execute the communication method of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, or the seventh aspect.

In an eighteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip, which includes a processor, a transceiver component, and optionally a memory, and is configured to execute the communication method of the eighth aspect.

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

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 3 is a schematic method flow diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a method for dynamically configuring a correspondence between a session identifier and location information of a service area to an SMF network element according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating granularity of location information of a service area according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a method for dynamically configuring a corresponding relationship between an index number and location information of a service area to an SMF network element according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a method for dynamically configuring a corresponding relationship between packet filter set information and location information of a service area to an SMF network element according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic flowchart of another method for dynamically configuring a corresponding relationship between packet filter set information and location information of a service area to an SMF network element according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a second flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

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

fig. 11 is a fourth flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a fifth flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a sixth flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a seventh schematic flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 15 is a schematic structural diagram of another apparatus provided in the embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. The particular methods of operation in the method embodiments may also be applied to apparatus embodiments or system embodiments. In the description of the present application, the term "plurality" means two or more unless otherwise specified.

Fig. 1 is a schematic network architecture diagram of a 3GPP system that introduces a network data analysis function (NWDAF) network element from the perspective of a "service architecture" according to an embodiment of the present application. The network architecture in fig. 1 includes a terminal, a (radio) access network (R) AN network element, a User Plane Function (UPF) network element, a DN network element, AN access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, a Session Management Function (SMF) network element, a Policy Control Function (PCF) network element, AN Application Function (AF) network element, a network open function (NEF) network element, AN authentication server function (AUSF) network element, AN AUSF inter-connected network element, AN nwf network element, a user database (user data relocation, UDR) network element, and a packet flow description function (packet flow description, PFDF) network element, which are implemented by a logic bus on these network elements.

The system comprises AN AN network element, AN UPF network element, a terminal, AN AMF network element, AN N6 interface, AN UDR network element, a PFDF network element and a PFDF network element, wherein (R) the AN network element and the UPF network element realize logical interconnection through the N3 interface, the DN network element and the UPF network element realize logical interconnection through the N6 interface, the terminal and the AMF network element realize logical interconnection through the N1 interface, the AN network element and the AMF network element realize logical interconnection through the N2 interface, the SMF network element and the UPF network element realize logical interconnection through the N4 interface, the UDR network element can be logically connected with the PCF network element, the PFDF network element can be connected with the NEF network element through a corresponding interface, and the PFDF network element can be further connected with the SMF network element through a corresponding interface.

For ease of understanding the present application, the main functions of some network elements that the present application may relate to are described below:

the terminal is a device with a wireless transceiving function, can be deployed on land, and comprises an indoor or outdoor terminal, a handheld terminal or a vehicle-mounted terminal; can also be deployed on the water surface (such as a ship and the like); and may also be deployed in the air (e.g., airplanes, balloons, satellites, etc.). The terminal may be a UE, a mobile phone (mobile phone), a tablet (pad), a computer with wireless transceiving function, a Virtual Reality (VR) terminal, an Augmented Reality (AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in industrial control (industrial control), a wireless terminal in self driving (self driving), a wireless terminal in remote medical (remote medical), a wireless terminal in smart grid (smart grid), a wireless terminal in transportation safety (transportation safety), a wireless terminal in smart city (smart city), a wireless terminal in home (smart home), and so on.

The DN network element may include a plurality of different application servers, and may provide different application services for the terminal, for example, an internet network, etc.

And the (R) AN network element is used for providing network resources for the terminal. The (R) AN network element is a base station in AN LTE or 5G system and is responsible for wireless resource management, uplink and downlink data classification and quality of service (QoS) application, signaling processing together with a control plane network element, data forwarding together with a UPF network element and other functions. It is noted that in LTE networks, this network element may also be referred to as eNodeB or eNB, which in this application both denote (R) AN network elements.

And the UPF network element is used for packet routing and forwarding, QoS processing of user plane data and the like.

AMF network element: the mobility management module is responsible for access management and mobility management of a terminal, and in practical application, the mobility management module includes a mobility management function of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) in a network framework in LTE, and adds the access management function. The main functions include the termination of the control plane of the wireless access network, the termination of the non-access signaling, the mobility management, the legal monitoring, the access authorization/authentication and so on.

SMF network element: the main functions include session management, Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation and management of the terminal, selection of a terminal node for managing a user plane function, policy control and charging function interface, downlink data notification, and the like. The session management function may include a session management function of a mobility management element MME, or include a control plane function of a serving gateway (S-GW) and a public data network (PDN-GW) in LTE.

PCF network element: the main Function is to execute Policy control, which is similar to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) network element in LTE, and is mainly responsible for Policy authorization, generation of service quality and Charging Rules, and issuing the corresponding Rules to a UPF network element through an SMF network element, thereby completing installation of the corresponding policies and Rules.

AF network element: for providing application services (also called services) to users, the functions of the application services are the same AS service capability servers/application servers (SCS/AS), and only names of the application services are different. In this application, the AF network element may be an application server deployed by an operator, or may be an application server deployed by a third party.

An NWDAF network element: the system is used for collecting and storing data periodically reported from a terminal, (R) AN network element, PCF network element, UPF network element, SMF network element and the like, analyzing historical data reported by the network elements, generating context information and the like related to users, and distributing the generated data. Exemplarily, the NWDAF network element represented by the solid line in fig. 1 is an operator configured NWDAF network element, and the NWDAF network element and the PCF network element are connected through an NWDAF interface (interface in the service architecture) or an N23 interface (interface in the reference point architecture). The NWDAF network elements indicated by dotted lines in fig. 1 are NWDAF network elements in a future stage, where the NWDAF network elements have a finer granularity for network optimization and can be directly invoked by other network elements.

NEF network element: for performing security verification on data from the AF network element, securely opening services and capabilities provided by a third generation partnership project (3 GPP) network function to the outside, and the like.

AUSF network element: its main functions include user authentication, etc.

UDR network element: the data storage server is a data storage server for user subscription, and can provide user subscription data including subscription identification, security credit, user subscription information related to access/mobility management and user subscription information related to session management to a Unified Data Management (UDM) network element, and also can provide policy data to a PCF network element.

PFDF network element: the method includes monitoring Packet Flow Description (PFD) information of a packet of an application service, and reporting the monitored PFD information to an AMF network element or an SMF network element.

For the above network elements, it should be noted that a network formed by all operator network elements except the (R) AN network element is referred to as a Core Network (CN), in AN LTE network, the CN includes network elements such as a Mobility Management Entity (MME) network element, AN S-GW network element, a packet data gateway (PDN gateway, P-GW) network element, and a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) network element, and in a 5G network, the CN includes network elements such as AN AMF network element, AN SMF network element, AN UPF network element, AN UDM network element, and a PCF network element.

In this application, the network element may be a physical entity network element or a virtual network element, which is not limited herein.

As shown in fig. 2, an apparatus 200 provided for the embodiment of the present application includes at least one processor 21, a communication bus 22, a memory 23, and at least one communication interface 24. The apparatus 200 may be any functional network element in the embodiments of the present application, and the apparatus 200 may be configured to execute the communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application.

The processor 21 may be a general purpose Central Processing Unit (CPU), microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more ics for controlling the execution of programs in accordance with the teachings of the present application.

Communication bus 22 may include a path that transfers information between the aforementioned components. The communication interface 24 may be any transceiver or other communication device for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as ethernet, Radio Access Network (RAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), etc.

The memory 23 may be, but is not limited to, a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disc storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by the apparatus. The memory may be self-contained and coupled to the processor via a bus. The memory may also be integral to the processor.

The memory 23 is used for storing application program codes for executing the scheme of the application, and is controlled by the processor 21 to execute. The processor 21 is configured to execute application program code stored in the memory 23.

In particular implementations, processor 21 may include one or more CPUs such as CPU0 and CPU1 in fig. 2, for example, as one embodiment.

In one implementation, the apparatus 200 may comprise a plurality of processors, such as the processor 21 and the processor 28 in fig. 2, for example. Each of these processors may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. A processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

The apparatus shown in fig. 2 may be, for example, an AMF network element or a component of an AMF network element, and one or more software modules are stored in a memory of the apparatus shown in fig. 2. The apparatus shown in fig. 2 may implement the communication method performed by the AMF network element in the embodiments of the present application by executing program codes in a memory through a processor.

For example, the apparatus shown in fig. 2 may be an SMF network element or a component of an SMF network element, and one or more software modules are stored in a memory of the apparatus shown in fig. 2. The apparatus shown in fig. 2 may implement the communication method performed by the SMF network element in the embodiments of the present application by executing the program code in the memory through the processor.

Illustratively, the apparatus shown in fig. 2 may be a UPF network element or a component of a UPF network element, and the memory of the apparatus shown in fig. 2 stores one or more software modules. The apparatus shown in fig. 2 may implement the communication method performed by the UPF network element in the embodiments of the present application by executing the program code in the memory through the processor.

Illustratively, the apparatus shown in fig. 2 may be the first network element or an integral part of the first network element, and the memory of the apparatus shown in fig. 2 stores one or more software modules. The apparatus shown in fig. 2 may implement the communication method performed by the first network element in the embodiments of the present application by executing the program code in the memory through the processor. The first network element may be a network element having access and mobility management functions, for example, a PCF network element, a network element having a user data storage function, such as a UDR network element, or a network element having a packet flow description function, such as a PFDF network element.

The apparatus shown in fig. 2 may be, for example, a second network element or a component of a second network element, and one or more software modules are stored in a memory of the apparatus shown in fig. 2. The apparatus shown in fig. 2 may implement the communication method performed by the second network element in the embodiments of the present application by executing the program code in the memory through the processor. The second network element may be a network element with an application function, such as an AF network element, or a network element with a network data analysis function, such as an NWDAF network element.

In the following embodiments, the step numbers are merely for convenience of description, and there is no strict execution precedence relationship between the steps.

As shown in fig. 3, a communication method provided in the present application mainly includes the following steps:

step 101, the UPF network element receives the data packet filtering set information from the SMF network element.

The packet filtering set information may be packet filtering rule information of an application service, for example, five-tuple information, which may include a protocol identifier, a source IP address, a source port number, a destination IP address, and a destination port number.

It should be noted that, in the present application, the packet filtering rule information is not limited to quintuple information, and the packet filtering rule information may also be other related information for filtering packets of the application service.

The application service may be a service provided by a certain application server, or may be understood as a certain service. The service area of the application service may be an area where the application service is effective or an area covered by the application service.

And step 102, when the UPF network element receives the data matched with the data packet filtering set information, the UPF network element sends a data notification message to the SMF network element.

The data notification message may be a downlink data notification message (data notification message), a newly defined message in the 5G system, or a service message.

Step 103, the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, and obtains the service area related information of the application service according to the data notification message.

The service area related information may include location information of the service area or index information of the service area.

Specifically, the location information of the service area may include identification information of the service area. The identification information of the service area may be TAI list, where one TAI list includes one or more TAIs, and each TA may include one or more cells (cells); the identification information of the service area may also be a cell ID.

Specifically, the location information of the service area may include geographical location information of the service area. The geographical location information of the service area may be one or more Global Positioning System (GPS) information, and a TAI or a Cell identity (Cell ID) corresponding to the service area may be obtained through the one or more GPS information.

Specifically, the index information of the service area may include a session identification or an index number. Specifically, the session identifier may be used to indicate a session between the terminal and the application server, where the session is used to carry data of the application service; the index number may be used to indicate location information of the service area, for example, the index number may uniquely identify location information of one service area.

And step 104, the SMF network element sends service area related information to the AMF network element.

Step 105, the AMF network element receives the service area related information of the application service from the SMF network element, and determines the paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information.

Specifically, when the service area related information is location information of the service area, the AMF network element may determine a paging area of the terminal according to the location information of the service area and registration area information of the terminal.

When the service area related information is the index information of the service area, the AMF network element may determine the location information of the service area according to the index information of the service area; and determining a paging area of the terminal according to the location information of the service area and the registration area information of the terminal.

In the above method flow, the related information of the service area may be used to enable the apparatus 2000 to determine a paging area of the terminal, and when the apparatus 2000 pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service may be provided to the terminal in the paging area, where the paging area may be a specific area determined based on the related information of the service area, and therefore, the application service may be enabled to be effective only in the specific area.

Optionally, in a first implementation scenario of the foregoing embodiment, when the data notification message includes index information of a service area, and the service area related information includes location information of the service area, the step 103 includes that the SMF network element obtains, according to the data notification message, related information of the service area of the application service, where the method includes: the SMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the index information of the service area according to a correspondence between the index information of the service area and the location information of the service area.

When the index information of the service area is the session identifier or the index number, the SMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the index information of the service area according to the correspondence between the index information of the service area and the location information of the service area, and may adopt the following implementation manner:

the first method is as follows: the SMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the session identifier according to the session identifier carried in the data notification message and the correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area of the application service.

The corresponding relationship between the session identifier and the location information of the service area may be pre-configured on the SMF network element, or may be established and stored by the SMF network element before step 103, which is not limited in this application. The specific process of the SMF network element establishing the correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area may refer to the method flow shown in fig. 4.

The second method comprises the following steps: the SMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the index number according to the index number carried by the data notification message and the correspondence between the index number and the location information of the service area of the application service.

The corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area may be configured in advance on the SMF network element, or may be established and stored by the SMF network element before step 103, which is not limited in this application. The specific process of the SMF network element establishing the corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area may refer to the method flow shown in fig. 6.

It should be noted that the index number may be sent to the SMF network element by the UPF network element through a data notification message, and specifically, steps 101 and 102 in the embodiment shown in fig. 1 may be replaced by the following steps. The above step 101 may be replaced by: the UPF network element can receive the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information from the SMF network element and the index number; correspondingly, the step 102 may specifically be: when the UPF network element receives data matched with the packet filter set information, the index number corresponding to the packet filter set information may be carried in the data notification message.

Optionally, in a second implementation scenario of the foregoing embodiment, when the data notification message includes packet filtering set information and the service area related information includes location information of a service area, the step 103 includes that the SMF network element obtains the related information of the service area of the application service according to the data notification message, where the method includes: the SMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the packet filtering set information according to the packet filtering set information carried by the data notification message and the correspondence between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

The corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area may be pre-configured on the SMF network element, or may be established and stored by the SMF network element before step 103, which is not limited in this application. The specific process of the SMF network element establishing the correspondence between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area may refer to the method flow shown in fig. 7 or fig. 8.

It should be noted that the packet filter set information may be sent to the SMF network element by the UPF network element through a data notification message, and specifically, steps 101 and 102 in the embodiment shown in fig. 1 may be replaced by the following steps. The above step 101 may be replaced by: the UPF network element may receive the packet filtering set information and the first indication information from the SMF network element, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the UPF network element may carry the packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the packet filtering set information. Accordingly, the step 102 may be replaced by: when the UPF network element receives data matched with the packet filter set information, the UPF network element may carry the packet filter set information in the data notification message according to the first indication information. For example, when the first indication information is the identification bit "1", the UPF network element is indicated to carry the packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving data matching the packet filtering set information.

Optionally, in a third implementation scenario of the foregoing embodiment, when the data notification message carries service area related information, where the service area related information includes index information of a service area, in step 104, the determining, by the AMF network element, a paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information includes: the AMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to a correspondence between the index information and the location information of the service area; the AMF network element may determine the paging area according to the location information of the service area.

The corresponding relationship between the index information of the service area and the location information of the service area may be pre-configured on the AMF network element, or the corresponding relationship between the index information of the service area and the location information of the service area from the SMF network element may be received and stored before step 104.

Before step 102, the method may further include: and the AMF network element receives the corresponding relation between the index information of the service area from the SMF network element and the position information of the service area. The corresponding relationship may be used to enable the AMF network element to establish and store a corresponding relationship between the index information of the service area and the location information of the service area.

When the index information of the service area includes the session identifier or the index number, the AMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the index information of the service area according to the correspondence between the index information of the service area and the location information of the service area, and may implement the following method:

the first method is as follows: the AMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the session identifier according to the session identifier from the SMF network element and the correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area.

The corresponding relationship between the session identifier and the location information of the service area may be pre-configured on the AMF network element, or the corresponding relationship between the session identifier from the SMF network element and the location information of the service area may be received and stored before step 104, which is not limited in this application.

Before step 102, the method may further include: and the AMF network element receives the corresponding relation between the session identification from the SMF network element and the position information of the service area. The correspondence may be used to enable the AMF network element to establish and store a correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area.

The second method comprises the following steps: and the AMF network element obtains the position information of the service area corresponding to the index number according to the index number from the SMF network element and the corresponding relation between the index number and the position information of the service area.

The corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area may be pre-configured on the AMF network element, or before step 104, the AMF network element receives and stores the corresponding relationship between the index number from the SMF network element and the location information of the service area, which is not limited in this application.

It should be noted that the index number may be sent to the SMF network element by the UPF network element through a data notification message, and specifically, the following steps may be adopted instead of the above steps 101 and 102 in the embodiment shown in fig. 1. For example, the above step 101 may be replaced by: and the UPF network element receives the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the index number from the SMF network element. The above step 102 may be replaced by: and when the UPF network element receives the data matched with the data packet filtering set information, carrying the index number corresponding to the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message.

Before step 102, the method may further include: and the AMF network element receives the corresponding relation between the index number from the SMF network element and the position information of the service area. The correspondence may be used to enable the AMF network element to store a correspondence between the index number and the location information of the service area.

Optionally, in a fourth implementation scenario of the foregoing embodiment, when the data notification message carries service area related information, and the service area related information includes location information of a service area, the location information of the service area may be sent to the SMF network element by the UPF network element through the notification message, and specifically, the step 102 in the embodiment shown in fig. 1 may be replaced with the following step. Step 102 may be replaced by: when the UPF network element receives data matched with the packet filter set information, the location information of the service area corresponding to the packet filter set information may be determined according to a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area, and the UPF network element may send a data notification message to the SMF network element, where the data notification message includes the location information of the service area.

The corresponding relationship between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area may be pre-configured on the UPF network element, or the UPF network element receives and stores the corresponding relationship between the packet filter set information from the SMF network element and the location information of the service area before step 102, which is not limited in this application.

Before step 102, the method may further include: and the UPF network element receives the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information from the SMF network element and the position information of the service area. The correspondence may be used to enable the UPF network element to store a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area.

As shown in fig. 4, the present application provides a method flow for an SMF network element to establish a correspondence between a session identifier and location information of a service area, which is specifically as follows:

step 201, the second network element obtains the location information of the service area of the application service and the identification information of the application service, and sends the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element.

The first network element may be a PCF network element; the second network element may be an AF network element, or an NWDAF network element.

The identification information of the application service may include one or more of the following options:

the optional items are as follows: internet Protocol (IP) address field information or IP address information of an application server providing an application service.

Optionally, the second option is identification information of the application server providing the application service, such as triplet information of the application server: protocol identification, source IP address, source port number.

In step 202, after receiving the location information of the service area of the application service and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, the first network element obtains a session identifier having a correspondence with the identification information of the application service, and sends the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

In step 203, after receiving the location information and the session identifier of the service area from the first network element, the SMF network element establishes a corresponding relationship between the session identifier and the location information of the service area.

In the above method flow, when the first network element is a PCF network element and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element, the position information of the service area of the application service provided by the AF network element or the NWDAF network element can be dynamically configured to the PCF network element through step 201; by the steps 202 and 203, the SMF network element may establish a correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area, so that the session identifier is used as an index of the location information of the service area of the application service.

Optionally, when the second network element is an AF network element and the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 201, the second network element obtains the location information of the service area and the identifier information of the application service, including: the AF network element may configure a service area of an application service according to a requirement of the application service, obtain location information of the service area according to a relevant configuration of the service area, and obtain identification information of the application service according to the relevant information of the application service.

For example, the application service may be an advertisement placement, and the requirements of the application service may be: this ad placement may only be valid in a certain commercial area, and the DN need not provide the ad placement to the terminal when the terminal leaves this commercial area. The AF network element may obtain the location information of the service area according to the geographical location information of a certain business area or the cell identification information where the business area is located. The AF network element may obtain its dedicated identification number or obtain identification information or IP address information of an application server providing the advertisement delivery according to the application service of advertisement delivery.

Optionally, when the second network element is an NWDAF network element and the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 201, the second network element obtains the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service, including: the NWDAF network element may obtain data periodically reported from network elements such as PCF network element, UPF network element, SMF and the like, predict relevant information of some application services according to the reported historical data, and obtain identification information of the application services and location information of the service area according to the predicted relevant information of the application services based on the requirements of the application services.

Optionally, in step 201, when the second network element sends the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element, the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service may be sent through a newly defined message (e.g., a service-oriented message) or some existing message (e.g., a message for session establishment on the N5 interface) that may be used to implement the paging configuration function. These newly defined messages or existing messages are sent over an interface between the first network element and the second network element.

Optionally, when the second network element is an NWDAF network element and the first network element is a PCF network element, according to the network architecture shown in fig. 1, the NWDAF network element may directly access the PCF network element, for example, the NWDAF network element may send, through an NWDAF service interface, location information of a service area of an application service of the NWDAF network element to the PCF network element through a service of "providing parameters".

Optionally, when the second network element is an AF network element and the first network element is a PCF network element, the AF network element may access the PCF network element through the NEF network element, or may directly access the PCF network element.

Optionally, when the second network element accesses the first network element through the NEF network element, in step 201, the second network element sends the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element, which may be replaced with: the second network element sends the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the NEF network element; the NEF network element receives the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, and verifies whether the second network element has the authority of sending the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element according to the signing data of the application service and an operator; when the NEF network element verifies that the second network element has the authority to send the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element, the NEF network element may send the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element.

Optionally, when the location information of the service area is GPS information, before the NEF network element sends the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element, the NEF network element may further convert the GPS information into a corresponding TAI or Cell ID, so that the first network element may identify the location information of the service area.

It should be noted that, if the subscription data is stored in the UDR network element or the UDM network element, the authentication process of the NEF network element may also involve interaction between the NEF network element and the UDR network element or the UDM network element. For example, the NEF network element sends the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the UDR network element or the UDM network element, and the UDR network element or the UDM network element performs verification, and then feeds back a verification result to the NEF network element. For another example, the NEF network element may further obtain subscription data of the application service from the UDR network element or the UDM network element, and perform verification by the NEF network element.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element, in step 202, the sending, by the first network element, the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element includes: when the first network element determines that the session identifier does not have a corresponding relationship with the identifier information of any application service except the application service, the first network element may send the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

It should be noted that, according to the application object of the location information of the service area provided by the second network element, the application object of the location information of the service area provided by the second network element may be a certain session or may serve a certain application in a certain session. As shown in fig. 5, when a session is solely used to carry data of an application service, the location information of the service area provided by the second network element may be for a certain session. When one session carries data of a plurality of different application services, the location information of the service area provided by the second network element may be for a certain application service in a certain session.

It should be noted that, whether the application object of the location information of the service area is a session or data of an application service in a session, the session and the data of the application service carried in the session are resources for a terminal. When the second network element sends the location information of the provided service area to the PCF network element, it means that the PCF network element will apply the location information of the service area to all terminals in the network that use a session with a certain Data Network Name (DNN), or to all terminals in the network that use data of a certain application service belonging to the session.

It should be noted that, data of an application service may be carried in a session, and when a session is used to separately carry data of an application service, location information of a service area of the application service may be in one-to-one correspondence with the session, and based on this, the SMF network element may establish a correspondence between a session identifier and location information of a service area of the application service, so as to use the session identifier as an index of the location information of the service area.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 202, after receiving the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service, the first network element further includes: and acquiring service policy information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service, and establishing and storing an association relation between the position information of the service area and the service policy information.

For example, the PCF network element maintains a policy information table related to the application service, and the PCF network element finds out a service policy corresponding to the identification information of the application service from the policy information table according to the identification information of the application service, where the corresponding relationship may include, in addition to the service policy corresponding to the identification information of the application service, location information of a service area, or the corresponding relationship may include, in addition to the service policy corresponding to the identification information of the application service, the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area of the application service.

For example, as shown in table 1, the policy information table includes: the corresponding relation between the service A, the Cell list Cell 1,2 and the service strategy information 1; the service policy information 1 and the service policy information 2 are service policies for application services, and the Cell lists Cell 1 and Cell3 and the service policy information 2 are location information of service areas.

TABLE 1

Service policy	Location information of service area	Identification information of application service
			Service policy 1	Cell 1,2	Service A
Service policy 2	Cell 3	Service B

It should be noted that the location information of the service area of the application service provided by the AF network element may be valid only for one terminal using the application service, or may be valid for all terminals using the application service. In this application, if no specific description is given, the location information of the service area provided by the AF network element is valid for all terminals using the application service provided by the AF network element.

Optionally, the second Network element further sends identification information of the terminal to the first Network element, where the identification information of the terminal may be mobile international subscriber identity (MSISDN) information, mobile phone number information, or IP address information of the terminal, where the ISDN is an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), which is an abbreviation of Integrated Service Digital Network.

Specifically, the second network element sends the identification information of the terminal to the first network element, which may be implemented by replacing step 201 and step 202 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4 with the following steps. The above step 201 may be replaced by: the second network element obtains the position information of the service area of the application service, the identification information of the application service and the identification information of the terminal, and sends the position information of the service area, the identification information of the application service and the identification information of the terminal to the first network element. The above step 202 may be replaced by: after receiving the location information of the service area of the application service, the identification information of the application service and the identification information of the terminal from the second network element, the first network element obtains a session identifier which has a corresponding relationship with the identification information of the application service and the identification information of the terminal, and sends the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

For example, before the PCF network element sends the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element through a PDU session establishment request response message (e.g., Npcf _ SMPolicyControl _ Get message or Npcf _ SMPolicyControl _ Update notification message) or a PDU session modification request response message (e.g., the PCF sends the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element through the Npcf _ SMPolicyControl _ Update notification message), the PCF network element compares the identifier information of the terminal in the PDU session establishment request message or the PDU session modification request message with the identifier information of the terminal received from the second network element, and may send the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element only when they are the same.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 202, after receiving the location information of the service area of the application service, the identification information of the application service, and the identification information of the terminal from the second network element, the first network element further includes: and acquiring service policy information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service and the identification information of the terminal, and establishing and storing an association relation between the position information of the service area and the service policy information.

Optionally, the establishing and storing an association relationship between the location information of the service area and the service policy information may further include: and the PCF network element establishes and stores the association relation among the position information of the service area, the service strategy information and the identification information of the terminal according to the identification information of the terminal.

Optionally, when the PCF network element establishes and stores the association relationship between the location information of the service area, the service policy information, and the identification information of the terminal, the identification information of the terminal in the association relationship may also be mapped to the identification information of the UE. For example, the MSISDN information is mapped to an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or a temporary identifier (5G-GUTI) allocated to the subscriber by the 5G system.

Referring to table 2, the service policy information table includes, in addition to the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area, the identification information of the terminal, for example, the identification information of the application service is service a, the location information of the service area is Cell lists Cell 1 and Cell 2, and the identification information of the terminal is UE a. And if the identification information of the UE corresponding to the service policy is NULL, indicating that the service policy is suitable for all the UEs registered with the application service. For convenience of description, the UE identity information in table 2 is denoted by UE a, and in fact, UE a represents the internal identity after the identity mapping of the terminal.

TABLE 2

Service policy	Location information of service area	Identification information of application service	Identity information of a UE
				Service policy 1	Cell 1,2	Service A	UE a
Service policy 2	Cell 3	Service B	NULL

Optionally, when the location information of the service area is geographic location information of the service area, in step 202, before the first network element sends the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element, the method may further include: and converting the geographical position information of the service area into the identification information of the service area. At this time, the location information of the service area sent by the first network element to the SMF network element in step 202 refers to the identification information of the service area.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 202, the sending, by the first network element, the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element includes: when receiving the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, the first network element may send the session identification and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element; or, when the first network element sends the session message to the SMF network element, the first network element may send the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element through the session message; or, when the SMF network element sends the session message to the first network element, the first network element may send the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element through a response message of the session message.

For example, when the PCF network element actively initiates a PDU session modification procedure, the session identifier and the location information of the service area may be sent to the SMF network element via a PDU session modification response message. For another example, when the SMF network element actively initiates the PDU session modification process, when the PCF network element receives a PDU session establishment request message (e.g., Npcf _ SMPolicyControl _ Get message or Npcf _ SMPolicyControl _ UpdateNotify message) sent by the SMF network element, the session identifier and the location information of the service area may also be sent to the SMF network element through a PDU session establishment response message (e.g., Npcf _ SMPolicyControl _ UpdateNotify message). Or, when the SMF network element actively initiates the PDU session modification procedure, and when the PCF network element receives a PDU session modification request message (e.g., an Nsmf _ EventExposure notification message) sent by the SMF network element, the PCF network element may also send the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element through a PDU session modification response message (e.g., an Npcf _ SMPolicyControl _ UpdateNotify message).

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 202, the obtaining, by the first network element, a session identifier having a correspondence relationship with the identifier information of the application service includes: the session identifier having a correspondence with the identifier information of the application service may be obtained according to a correspondence between the identifier information of the application service and the session identifier stored in advance.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 202, the obtaining, by the first network element, a session identifier having a correspondence relationship with the identifier information of the application service includes: the method can obtain the data packet filtering set information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service, and obtain the session identification corresponding to the data packet filtering set information according to the corresponding relationship between the pre-stored data packet filtering set information and the session identification.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 202, the obtaining, by the first network element, a session identifier having a correspondence relationship with the identifier information of the application service includes: the session identifier having a correspondence with the DN identifier information and the identifier information of the terminal may be obtained according to the DN identifier information and the identifier information of the terminal in the request message from the SMF network element.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 202, the obtaining, by the first network element, a session identifier having a correspondence relationship with the identifier information of the application service includes: the session identifier carried in the request message from the SMF network element may be acquired.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, the first network element may further indicate, to the SMF network element, a processing manner of the session identifier and the location information of the service area, which are sent by the SMF network element to the first network element. Specifically, the step 202 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4 may be replaced by the following step. The above step 202 may be replaced by: after receiving the location information of the service area of the application service and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, the first network element obtains a session identifier corresponding to the identification information of the application service, and sends the session identifier, the location information of the service area and indication information to the SMF network element, wherein the indication information is used for indicating a processing mode of the SMF network element on the session identifier and the location information of the service area.

For example, the indication information carried in the PDU session establishment response message or the PDU session modification response message may be flag bit information, and when the flag bit information is 0, the SMF network element is notified to establish a correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area.

Optionally, in step 203, a specific implementation manner of the SMF network element establishing the correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area is as follows:

based on the local session correlation list, the SMF network element may maintain a paging location information table, where the paging location information table may include one or more corresponding relationships, and each corresponding relationship includes PDU session identification information and service area location information. In the paging location information table, the location information of the service area corresponding to each session is different, a one-to-one correspondence relationship exists between the session identifier and the location information of the service area, and the session identifier can be used as an index of the location information of the service area.

As shown in table 3-1, the paging location information table includes 3 corresponding relationships, which are respectively: session 1 to Cell 1,2, session 2 to Cell3, and session 3 to Cell 4. Session 1, session 2, and session 3 are session identifiers of PDU sessions carrying data of application service a, application service C, and application service D, respectively, and Cell 1, Cell 2, Cell3, and Cell4 are location information of service areas of application service a, application service C, and application service D, respectively.

TABLE 3-1

Location information of service area	Identification information of PDU session
		Cell 1,2	Session 1
Cell 3	Session 2
		Cell 4	Session 3

Optionally, the corresponding relationship of the paging location information table may further include identification information of all application services carried by the PDU session, so as to modify the location information of the service area.

As shown in table 3-2, the paging location information table includes 3 corresponding relationships, which are respectively: session 1 corresponds to Cell 1,2 and service a, session 2 corresponds to Cell3 and service C, and session 3 corresponds to Cell4 and service D. The session 1, the session 2 and the session 3 are session identifiers of PDI sessions for carrying data of the application service a, the application service C and the application service D, the Cell 1, the Cell 2, the Cell3 and the Cell4 are location information of service areas of the application service a, the application service C and the application service D, and the service a, the service C and the service D are identification information of the application service a, the application service C and the application service D.

TABLE 3-2

It should be noted that the paging location information table may be a separate table, or may be a table obtained by adding relevant information on the basis of a session related list of the terminal stored in the SMF network element. The corresponding relationship of the session related list may include information such as the identification information of the terminal, the session identification related to the terminal, and the activation state of the terminal, and optionally, the corresponding relationship of the paging location information table in the above embodiment of the present application may further include elements such as the identification information of the terminal, the related session identification, and the activation state of the terminal.

Optionally, the correspondence of the paging location information table may further include identification information of the terminal.

As shown in fig. 6, the present application provides a method flow for an SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between an index number and location information of a service area, which is specifically as follows:

step 301, the second network element obtains the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service, and sends the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element.

The first network element may be a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a PFDF network element, and the second network element may be an AF network element or an NWDAF network element.

Step 302, after receiving the location information of the service area of the application service and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, the first network element sends the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

Step 303, after receiving the location information of the service area from the first network element and the identification information of the application service, the SMF network element allocates an index number to the location information of the service area according to the identification information of the application service, and establishes a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area.

In the above method flow, when the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element or a PFDF network element, and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element, the position information of the service area of the application service provided by the AF network element or the NWDAF network element can be dynamically configured to the PCF network element through step 301; by the

steps

302 and 303, the SMF network element may establish and store a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area, so that the index number is used as an index of the location information of the service area to which the service is applied.

Optionally, the content of step 301 and the specific content of step 201 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4 may be referred to each other, and are not described herein again.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element, in step 302, the sending, by the first network element, the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element specifically includes: a first network element obtains a session identifier which has a corresponding relation with identifier information of an application service; and when the session identifier also has a corresponding relation with the identifier information of any application service except the application service, the first network element sends the identifier information of the application service and the position information of the service area to the SMF network element.

It should be noted that, when the session identifier further has a corresponding relationship with the identifier information of any application service except the application service, it indicates that one session carries data of a plurality of different application services, and at this time, in step 302, the first network element sends the identifier information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element can establish and store the corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area of the application service.

Optionally, when the first network element is an UDR network element or a PFDF network element, and the second network element is an AF network element, the AF network element may access the UDR network element or the PFDF network element through the NEF network element, or the AF network element may directly access the UDR network element or the PFDF network element.

Optionally, when the first network element is a UDR network element or a PFDF network element, and the second network element is an NWDAF network element, the PFDF network element and the NWDAF network element may not be directly accessible, and an interface may be created between the PFDF network element and the NWDAF network element in the future, and may be directly accessible through the interface. Or there may be an interface between the NWDAF network element and the NEF network element in the future through which the PFDF network element may be accessed.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 302, the sending, by the first network element, the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element includes: when receiving the position information of the service area from the second network element and the identification information of the application service, the first network element sends the identification information of the application service and the position information of the service area to the SMF network element; or when the first network element sends a session message to the SMF network element, the first network element sends the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element through the session message; or, when the SMF network element sends the session message to the first network element, the first network element sends the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element through the response message of the session message.

For example, when the PCF network element actively initiates a PDU session modification procedure, the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area may be sent to the SMF network element through a PDU session modification response message. For another example, when the SMF network element actively initiates the PDU session modification process, the PDU session establishment response message may be used to send the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element when the PCF network element receives the PDU session establishment request message sent by the SMF network element. Or, when the SMF network element actively initiates the PDU session modification process, when the PCF network element receives the PDU session modification request message sent by the SMF network element, the PDU session modification response message may send the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

Optionally, when the first network element is a UDR network element or a PFDF network element and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element, in step 302, the sending, by the first network element, the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element includes: when the first network element receives the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, the first network element may send the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element; or, when the first network element sends a message reporting the PFD related information to the SMF network element, the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area may be sent to the SMF network element by the message reporting the PFD related information; or, when the SMF network element sends a request message for reporting the PFD-related information to the first network element, the first network element may send the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element through a response message of the request message.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, the first network element may further indicate, to the SMF network element, a processing manner of the SMF network element to the received identification information of the application service from the first network element and the location information of the service area. Specifically, the step 302 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6 may be replaced by the following step. The above step 302 may be replaced by: after receiving the location information of the service area of the application service and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, the first network element may send the identification information of the application service, the location information of the service area, and indication information to the SMF network element, where the indication information is used to indicate a processing manner of the SMF network element on the received identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area.

For example, the indication information carried in the PDU session establishment response message or the PDU session modification response message may be flag bit information, and when the flag bit information is 0, the SMF network element may be notified to establish a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area, and when the flag bit information is 1, the SMF network element may be notified to establish a corresponding relationship between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area.

Optionally, in step 303, the SMF network element allocates an index number to the location information of the service area according to the identification information of the application service, and establishes a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area, including:

the SMF network element can maintain a paging position information table based on a local session related list, wherein the session related list comprises identification information of a terminal, session identification related to the terminal, activation state of the terminal and the like, the paging position information table is an independent table, the paging position information table can comprise one or more corresponding relations, each corresponding relation comprises position information and an index number of a service area of application service, and the index number and the position information of the service area of the application service have one-to-one mapping relation.

As shown in table 4-1, the paging location information table includes 3 corresponding relationships, which are respectively the corresponding relationship between Cell 1 and Cell 2 and index number 0, the corresponding relationship between Cell3 and index number 1, and the corresponding relationship between Cell4 and index number 2, where Cell 1, Cell 2, Cell3, and Cell4 are respectively the location information of the service areas of application service a, application service C, and application service D.

TABLE 4-1

Location information of service area	Index numbering
		Cell 1,2	0
Cell 3	1
		Cell 4	2

Optionally, each corresponding relationship may further include identification information of the application service in addition to the location information and the index number of the service area, so that the SMF network element may know which location information of the service area of the application service needs to be modified. The index number and the position information of the service area of the application service have a one-to-one mapping relation, and the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service have a one-to-one mapping relation.

As shown in table 4-2, the paging location information table includes 3 corresponding relationships, which are respectively a corresponding relationship between index number 0 and Cell 1,2 and service a, a corresponding relationship between index number 1 and Cell3 and service C, and a corresponding relationship between index number 2 and Cell4 and service D, where Cell 1,2, Cell3 and Cell4 are respectively location information of service areas of application service a, application service C and application service D, and service a, service C and service D are respectively identification information of application service a, application service C and application service D.

TABLE 4-2

Location information of service area	Identification information of application service	Index numbering
			Cell 1,2	Service A	0
Cell 3	Service C	1
			Cell 4	Service D	2

Optionally, the paging location information table may also be a table obtained by adding relevant information on the basis of a session relevant list of the terminal stored in the SMF network element, and therefore, each corresponding relationship may further include a session identifier in addition to the location information and the index number of the service area. At this time, the index number may have a one-to-one mapping relationship with not only the location information of the service area but also an identifier of a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session carrying data of the application service.

As shown in table 4-3, the paging location information table includes 3 corresponding relationships, which are: the PDU session identifier includes a correspondence relationship between an index number 0 and Cell 1,2 and session 1, a correspondence relationship between an index number 1 and Cell3 and session 2, and a correspondence relationship between an index number 2 and Cell4 and session 3, where Cell 1,2, Cell3 and Cell4 are location information of service areas of application service a, application service C and application service D, respectively, and session 1, session 2 and session 3 are identifiers of PDU sessions carrying data of application service a, application service C and application service D, respectively.

Tables 4 to 3

Location information of service area	Identification information of PDU session	Index numbering
			Cell 1,2	Session 1	0
Cell 3	Session 2	1
			Cell 4	Session 3	2

As shown in fig. 7, the present application provides a method flow for an SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between packet filtering set information and location information of a service area, which is specifically as follows:

step 401, the second network element obtains the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service, and sends the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element.

In step 402, after receiving the location information of the service area of the application service and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, the first network element may obtain the packet filtering set information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service, and send the packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

In step 403, after receiving the location information of the service area and the packet filtering set information from the first network element, the SMF network element establishes a corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

steps

302 and 303, the SMF network element may establish and store a corresponding relationship between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area, so as to use the packet filter set information as an index of the location information of the service area of the application service.

Optionally, the content of step 401 and the specific content of step 201 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4 may be referred to each other, and are not described herein again.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element, in step 402, the first network element sends packet filtering set information of the application service and location information of the service area to the SMF network element, which specifically includes: a first network element obtains a session identifier which has a corresponding relation with identifier information of an application service; when the session identifier further has a corresponding relationship with identifier information of any application service other than the application service, the first network element may send packet filtering set information of the application service and location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

It should be noted that, when the session identifier further has a corresponding relationship with the identifier information of any application service except the application service, it indicates that one session carries data of a plurality of different application services, and at this time, in step 402, the first network element sends the packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element, and it may be implemented to establish and store a corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area of the application service in the SMF network element, so as to use the packet filtering set information as an index of the location information of the service area.

Optionally, when the first network element is a UDR network element or a PFDF network element, and the second network element is an NWDAF network element, the PFDF network element and the NWDAF network element may not be directly accessible, and an interface may be made between the PFDF network element and the NWDAF network element in the future, and may be directly accessible through the interface. Or there may be an interface between the NWDAF network element and the NEF network element in the future through which the PFDF network element may be accessed.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, in step 402, the sending, by the first network element, packet filtering set information of the application service and location information of the service area to the SMF network element includes: when receiving the location information of the service area from the second network element and the packet filter set information of the application service, the first network element may send the packet filter set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element; or, when the first network element sends a session message to the SMF network element, the first network element may send packet filtering set information of the application service and location information of the service area to the SMF network element through the session message; or, when the SMF network element sends the session message to the first network element, the first network element may send the packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element through a response message of the session message.

For example, when the PCF network element actively initiates a PDU session modification procedure, the packet filter set information of the application service and the location information of the service area may be sent to the SMF network element through a PDU session modification response message. For another example, when the SMF network element actively initiates the PDU session modification process, when the PCF network element receives the PDU session establishment request message sent by the SMF network element, the PDU session establishment response message may send the packet filter set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element. Or, when the SMF network element actively initiates the PDU session modification process, when the PCF network element receives the PDU session modification request message sent by the SMF network element, the PDU session modification response message may send the packet filter set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

Optionally, when the first network element is a UDR network element or a PFDF network element and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element, in step 302, the sending, by the first network element, the packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element includes: when the first network element receives the location information of the service area from the second network element and the packet filtering set information of the application service, the first network element may send the packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element; or, when the first network element sends a message reporting the PFD related information to the SMF network element, the first network element may send packet filtering set information of the application service and location information of the service area to the SMF network element through the message reporting the PFD related information; or, when the SMF network element sends a request message for reporting the PFD-related information to the first network element, the first network element may send packet filtering set information of the application service and location information of the service area to the SMF network element through a response message of the request message.

Optionally, when the first network element is a PCF network element, the first network element may further indicate, to the SMF network element, a processing manner of the SMF network element for filtering set information of a packet of the application service received from the first network element and location information of the service area. Specifically, the method can be implemented by replacing the step 402 in the embodiment shown in fig. 7 with the following step. The above step 402 may be replaced by: after receiving the location information of the service area of the application service and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, the first network element sends the packet filtering set information of the application service, the location information of the service area and indication information to the SMF network element, wherein the indication information is used for indicating the processing mode of the SMF network element on the received packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area.

For example, the indication information carried in the PDU session establishment response message or the PDU session modification response message may be flag bit information, and when the flag bit information is 1, the SMF network element is indicated to establish a corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

Optionally, in step 403, the step of establishing, by the SMF network element, a correspondence between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area includes:

the SMF network element may maintain a paging location information table based on the local session correlation list, where the paging location information table may be an independent table, the paging location information table may include a plurality of corresponding relationships, each corresponding relationship may include packet filtering set information of an application service and location information of a service area, and the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area have a one-to-one mapping relationship.

As shown in table 5-1, the paging location information table includes 3 corresponding relationships, which are: the mapping relationship of quintuple A and Cell 1,2, the mapping relationship of quintuple C and Cell3, and the mapping relationship of quintuple D and Cell4, wherein quintuple A, quintuple C and quintuple D are respectively packet filtering set information of application service A, application service C and application service D, and Cell 1,2, Cell3 and Cell4 are respectively location information of service areas of application service A, application service C and application service D.

TABLE 5-1

Location information of service area	Packet filtering aggregation information
		Cell 1,2	Quinary A
Cell 3	Quinary C
		Cell 4	Quintuple D

Optionally, each corresponding relationship in the paging location information table may include, in addition to the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area, identification information of the application service, so that the SMF network element can know which location information of the service area of the application service needs to be modified.

As shown in table 5-2, the paging location information table includes 3 corresponding relationships, which are respectively: the service information management method comprises the corresponding relation between a quintuple A and Cell 1, the corresponding relation between a quintuple C and Cell3 and the corresponding relation between a quintuple D and Cell4 and the corresponding relation between a quintuple D and service D, wherein the quintuple A, the quintuple C and the quintuple D respectively filter set information for data packets of the application service A, the application service C and the application service D, the Cell 1,2, the Cell3 and the Cell4 respectively filter position information of service areas of the application service A, the application service C and the application service D, and the service A, the service C and the service D respectively apply identification information of the application service A, the application service C and the application service D.

TABLE 5-2

Location information of service area	Packet filtering aggregation information	Identification information of application service
			Cell 1,2	Quinary A	Service A
Cell 3	Quinary C	Service C
			Cell 4	Quintuple D	Service D

Optionally, each corresponding relationship in the paging location information table may further include, in addition to the packet filter set information of the application service and the location information of the service area, identification information of a PDU session carrying data of the application service. The SMF network element may obtain a session identifier of the PDU session carrying data of each application service through session management.

As shown in table 5-3, the paging location information table includes 4 corresponding relationships, which are: the correspondence between quintuple a and Cell 1 and session 1, the correspondence between quintuple B and Cell 2 and session 1, the correspondence between quintuple C and Cell3 and session 2, and the correspondence between quintuple D and Cell4 and session 3. The session 1, the session 2 and the session 3 are respectively identification information of a PDU session carrying the application service a, the application service B, the application service C and the application service D. Although data satisfying both of the quintuple a and the quintuple B is carried in the session 1, location information of service areas corresponding to the quintuple a and the quintuple B, respectively, is different. Accordingly, the quintuple a and the quintuple B can be used as indexes of location information of service areas of the application service a and the application service B, respectively.

Tables 5 to 3

Location information of service area	Packet filtering aggregation information	Identification information of PDU session
			Cell 1	Quinary A	Session 1
Cell 2	Quinary B	Session 1
			Cell 3	Quinary C	Session 2
Cell 4	Quintuple D	Session 3

The paging location information table may be an independent table, or may be a table obtained by adding related information on the basis of a session related list of the terminal stored in the SMF network element. As the corresponding relationship of the session correlation list includes the identification information of the terminal, the session identification related to the terminal, the activation state of the terminal, and the like, optionally, each corresponding relationship of the paging location information table in the above embodiment of the present application may also include the identification information of the terminal, the related session identification, the activation state of the terminal, and the like.

As shown in fig. 8, the present application provides another method flow for an SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between packet filtering set information and location information of a service area, which is specifically as follows:

step 501, the second network element obtains the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service, and sends the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the first network element. The first network element may be a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a PFDF network element, and the second network element may be an AF network element or an NWDAF network element.

Step 502, after receiving the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the second network element, the first network element sends the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service to the SMF network element.

In step 503, after receiving the location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the first network element, the SMF network element obtains the packet filtering set information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service, and establishes a corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

In the above method flow, when the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element or a PFDF network element, and the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element, the position information of the service area of the application service provided by the AF network element or the NWDAF network element can be dynamically configured to the PCF network element through step 501; by the

steps

502 and 503, the SMF network element may establish and store a corresponding relationship between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area, so as to use the packet filter set information as an index of the location information of the service area of the application service.

Optionally, the content of step 501 may refer to the specific content of step 201 in the embodiment shown in fig. 4, and is not described herein again. The content of step 502 may be referred to the specific content of step 302 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, and is not described herein again.

Optionally, in step 503, the content of the correspondence between the data packet filtering set information established by the SMF network element and the location information of the service area may be mutually referred to in step 403 in the embodiment shown in fig. 7, and is not described herein again.

Based on the correspondence between the session identifier established and stored in the SMF network element and the location information of the service area of the application service, as shown in fig. 9, a communication method provided by the present application includes the following steps:

step J1: and the SMF network element sends the data packet filtering set information of the application service to the UPF network element.

Optionally, the SMF network element may also send the packet filtering set information of the application service to the UPF network element through the N4 interface.

The purpose of sending the packet filtering set information of the application service to the UPF network element by the SMF network element is to enable the UPF network element to update a local Service Data Flow (SDF) template, where the SDF template is a table of filtering rules about packets stored in the UPF network element, and is used to map the packets meeting the filtering rules to a certain SDF, and then perform QoS processing corresponding to the SDF.

As shown in table 6-1, in the prior art, the SDF template does not include index number information, and the local SDF template may include 3 corresponding relationships, where each corresponding relationship includes packet filter set information, such as quintuple information, and also includes Qos flow identifier and SDF identifier corresponding to the packet filter set information. Wherein, 3 corresponding relations are respectively: the corresponding relation between the quintuple A and the Qos flow identifier 0 and the SDF1, the corresponding relation between the quintuple B and the Qos flow identifier 1 and the SDF2, and the corresponding relation between the quintuple C and the Qos flow identifier 2 and the SDF3 are respectively the data packet filtering set information of the application service A, the application service B and the application service C.

TABLE 6-1

Packet filtering aggregation information	Qos Flow identification (Qos Flow ID)	SDF identification
			Quinary A	0	SDF1
Quinary B	1	SDF2
			Quinary C	2	SDF3

Step J2: and the UPF network element receives the data from the DN network element and sends a data notification message to the SMF network element, wherein the data notification message comprises a session identifier of a session bearing the data.

The UPF network element can filter the set information according to the data packet of the data to obtain the session identifier of the session carrying the data.

The data notification message may be a downlink data notification message, or may be a newly defined data notification message, such as a service message.

Step J3: the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, and the SMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the session identifier according to the session identifier carried in the data notification message and the corresponding relationship between the session identifier established by the SMF network element and the location information of the service area.

Step J4: and the SMF network element sends the position information of the service area to the AMF network element.

When the SMF network element sends the location information of the service area to the AMF network element, the location information of the service area may be carried in the data notification message, and then the data notification message is sent to the AMF network element.

Step J5: and the AMF network element determines the paging area of the terminal according to the position information of the service area and the registration area information of the terminal.

Step J6: the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the paging area of the terminal, that is, sends the paging message of the terminal to the RAN network element, so that the RAN network element performs the operation of paging the terminal.

For example, the AMF network element may determine an overlap area according to the location information of the service area and the registration area information of the terminal, where the overlap area may be a paging area of the terminal.

Based on the correspondence between the index number established and stored by the SMF network element and the location information of the service area of the application service, as shown in fig. 10, a communication method provided by the present application includes the following steps:

step K1: after the SMF network element establishes the correspondence between the index number and the location information of the service area of the application service, the SMF network element obtains the packet filter set information of the application service, can establish the correspondence between the packet filter set information and the index number, and sends the correspondence between the packet filter set information and the index number to the UPF network element.

Optionally, the SMF network element may also send the correspondence between the packet filter set information and the index number to the UPF network element through an N4 interface.

The purpose of the SMF network element sending the correspondence between the packet filter set information and the index number to the UPF network element is to store the correspondence between the packet filter set information and the index number in the SDF template when the UPF network element updates the local SDF template.

As shown in table 6-2, the updated SDF template may include 3 corresponding relationships, where each corresponding relationship includes packet filtering set information, such as quintuple information, and may further include Qos flow identifier, SDF identifier, and index number corresponding to the packet filtering set information. Wherein, 3 corresponding relations are respectively: the corresponding relationship between quintuple a and Qos flow id 0, SDF1 and index number 0, the corresponding relationship between quintuple B and Qos flow id 1, SDF2 and index number 1, and the corresponding relationship between quintuple C and Qos flow id 2, SDF3 and index number NULL (NULL means that there is no index number corresponding to quintuple C), wherein quintuple a, quintuple B and quintuple C are packet filter set information of application service a, application service B and application service C, respectively.

TABLE 6-2

Packet filtering aggregation information	Qos Flow identification (Qos Flow ID)	SDF identification	Index numbering
				Quinary A	0	SDF1	0
Quinary B	1	SDF2	1
				Quinary C	2	SDF3	NULL

Step K2: and the UPF network element receives data from the DN network element, and when the UPF network element receives data matched with certain data packet filtering set information in the local SDF template, the UPF network element sends a data notification message to the SMF network element, wherein the data notification message carries an index number corresponding to the data packet filtering set information.

For example, when the UPF network element receives data matched with the five-tuple a in the local SDF template, the data notification message sent to the SMF network element carries the index number 0 corresponding to the five-tuple a.

Step K3: after the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, the SMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the index number according to the index number carried in the data notification message and the corresponding relationship between the index number established by the SMF network element and the location information of the service area to which the service is applied.

Step K4: and the SMF network element sends the position information of the service area to the AMF network element.

Step K5: the AMF network element may determine the paging area of the terminal according to the location information of the service area and the registration area information of the terminal.

Step K6: the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the paging area of the terminal, that is, sends the paging message of the terminal to the RAN network element, so that the RAN network element performs the operation of paging the terminal.

Based on the correspondence between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area, which is established and stored in the SMF network element, as shown in fig. 11, a communication method provided by the present application includes the following steps:

step L1: and the SMF network element sends the data packet filtering set information and the first indication information of the application service to the UPF network element.

The purpose of sending the packet filter set information of the application service to the UPF network element by the SMF network element is to update the UPF network element with a local SDF template, where the content in the SDF template is the same as the example in step J1, and is not described here again. The first indication information is used for indicating that the UPF network element carries the data packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the data packet filtering set information.

Optionally, the SMF network element may also send the packet filtering set information and the first indication information of the application service to the UPF network element through the N4 interface.

Step L2: and the UPF network element receives data from the DN network element, when the UPF network element receives data matched with certain data packet filtering set information in the local SDF template, the UPF network element sends a data notification message to the SMF network element, and the data notification message carries the data packet filtering set information according to the first indication information.

For example, when the UPF network element receives data matching with the five tuple a in the local SDF template, the data notification message sent to the SMF network element carries the five tuple a.

Step L3: the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, and the SMF network element may obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information according to the data packet filtering set information carried by the data notification message and the corresponding relationship between the data packet filtering set information established by the SMF network element and the location information of the service area.

Step L4: and the SMF network element sends the position information of the service area to the AMF network element.

Step L5: and the AMF network element determines the paging area of the terminal according to the position information of the service area and the registration area information of the terminal.

Step L6: the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the paging area of the terminal, that is, sends the paging message of the terminal to the RAN network element, so that the RAN network element performs the operation of paging the terminal.

Based on the correspondence between the session identifier stored in the AMF network element and the location information of the service area, as shown in fig. 12, a communication method provided by the present application includes the following steps:

step M0: after establishing and storing the correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area of the application service, the SMF network element may send the correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area of the application service to the AMF network element, so that the AMF network element stores the correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area of the application service.

Optionally, the SMF network element may also send, to the UPF network element through the N11 interface, a correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area of the application service.

Step M1: the SMF network element may send packet filter set information of the application service to the UPF network element.

The purpose of sending the packet filter set information of the application service to the UPF network element by the SMF network element is to update the local SDF template by the UPF network element, for a specific example, refer to step J1, which is not described herein again.

Step M2: and when the UPF network element receives the data from the DN network element, sending a data notification message to the SMF network element, wherein the data notification message comprises a session identifier of the session bearing the data, and the UPF network element can filter the set information according to the data packet of the data to obtain the session identifier of the session bearing the data.

Step M3: and the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element and sends the data notification message to the AMF network element, wherein the data notification message carries the session identifier.

Step M4: and the AMF network element receives the data notification message from the SMF network element, and acquires the position information of the service area corresponding to the session identifier according to the session identifier carried by the data notification message and the corresponding relation between the session identifier stored by the AMF network element and the position information of the service area of the application service.

Step M5: the AMF network element determines a paging area of the terminal according to the position information of the service area and the registration area information of the terminal;

step M6: the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the paging area of the terminal, that is, sends the paging message of the terminal to the RAN network element, so that the RAN network element performs the operation of paging the terminal.

Based on the correspondence between the index number stored in the AMF network element and the location information of the service area, as shown in fig. 13, a communication method provided by the present application includes the following steps:

step N0: after the SMF network element establishes and stores the correspondence between the index number and the location information of the service area of the application service, the SMF network element may send the correspondence between the index number and the location information of the service area of the application service to the AMF network element, so that the AMF network element stores the correspondence between the index number and the location information of the service area of the application service.

Optionally, the SMF network element may also send, through the N11 interface, the correspondence between the index number and the location information of the service area of the application service to the AMF network element.

Step N1: after the SMF network element establishes and stores the corresponding relation between the index number and the position information of the service area of the application service, the SMF network element obtains the data packet filtering set information of the application service, establishes the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the index number, and sends the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the index number to the UPF network element.

Optionally, the SMF network element may also send the correspondence between the packet filter set information of the application service and the index number to the UPF network element through the N4 interface.

The purpose of sending the corresponding relationship between the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the index number to the UPF network element by the SMF network element is to store the corresponding relationship between the data packet filtering set information and the index number in the SDF template when the UPF network element updates the local SDF template. For an exemplary, the relevant content of the SDF template can be referred to table 6-2 in the foregoing step K1, and will not be described herein again.

Step N2: and when the UPF network element receives the data from the DN network element and the data is matched with one data packet filtering set information in the SDF template, sending a data notification message to the SMF network element, wherein the data notification message carries an index number corresponding to the data packet filtering set information.

For example, when the UPF receives data matching with the five-tuple a in the local SDF template, the data notification message sent to the SMF network element carries the index number 0 corresponding to the five-tuple a.

Step N3: and the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element and sends the data notification message to the AMF network element, wherein the data notification message carries the index number.

Step N4: the AMF network element receives a data notification message from the SMF network element, and obtains the position information of the service area corresponding to the index number according to the index number carried by the data notification message and the corresponding relation between the index number stored by the AMF network element and the position information of the service area of the application service;

step N5: and the AMF network element determines the paging area of the terminal according to the position information of the service area and the registration area information of the terminal.

Step N6: the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the paging area of the terminal, that is, sends the paging message of the terminal to the RAN network element, so that the RAN network element performs the operation of paging the terminal.

Based on the correspondence between the packet filtering set information stored in the UPF network element and the location information of the service area, as shown in fig. 14, a communication method provided by the present application includes the following steps:

step O1: after the SMF network element establishes and stores the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the position information of the service area of the application service, the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the position information of the service area of the application service is sent to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element updates a local SDF template according to the data packet filtering set information of the application service and stores the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information of the application service and the position information of the service area of the application service in the SDF template.

As shown in table 6-3, the updated SDF template includes 3 corresponding relationships, and each corresponding relationship may include packet filtering set information, such as quintuple information, and may further include a Qos flow identifier, an SDF identifier, and an index number corresponding to the packet filtering set information. One of the corresponding relations includes quintuple A and Qos flow identifier 0, SDF1 and Cell 1, the other one includes quintuple B and Qos flow identifier 1, SDF2 and Cell 2, and the other one includes quintuple C and Qos flow identifier 2, SDF3 and Cell3, wherein quintuple A, quintuple B and quintuple C are packet filtering set information of application service A, application service B and application service C, respectively, and Cell 1, Cell 2 and Cell3 are location information of service areas of application service A, application service B and application service C, respectively.

Tables 6 to 3

Optionally, the SMF network element may also send, to the UPF network element through the N4 interface, a correspondence between the packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area.

Step O2: when the UPF network element receives the data from the DN network element and the packet filter set information of the data matches the packet filter set information in the SDF template, the location information of the service area of the application service corresponding to the packet filter set information may be determined according to the correspondence between the packet filter set information of the application service and the location information of the service area of the application service.

Step O3: and the UPF network element sends a data notification message to the SMF network element, wherein the data notification message can comprise the position information of the service area of the application service.

Step O4: and the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element and sends the data notification message to the AMF network element, wherein the data notification message carries the position information of the service area of the application service.

Step O5: and the AMF network element receives the data notification message from the SMF network element, and determines the paging area of the terminal according to the position information of the service area of the application service and the registration area information of the terminal, which are carried by the data notification message.

Step O6: the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the paging area of the terminal, that is, sends the paging message of the terminal to the RAN network element, so that the RAN network element performs the operation of paging the terminal.

It should be noted that, the foregoing embodiments provided in this application may be applied in the following scenarios: in order to meet the application requirement that the service provided by the application may be only effective at a certain specific location, the AF network element needs to provide location information of a certain service to the core network element. Optionally, the method flow provided by the present application may also be applicable to a scenario where the application provided by the application server is an application related to an operator, and in order to facilitate the operator to reduce signaling overhead, the AF network element needs to provide location information related to a service provided by the application to the core network element. The above scenarios are only examples, and the scenarios to which the method flows are applicable include, but are not limited to, the two scenarios, and may also be other scenarios.

It should be noted that, when a certain application service has other service requirements unrelated to the location relationship, the method and the process are also suitable for configuring information related to other requirements of the application service in core network elements such as a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a PFDF network element. For example, when it is desired to preferentially provide a service for a certain application service or a paging policy of a certain application service needs to be changed, if the application service has a right to configure a priority of paging or a paging policy (for example, to obtain operator trust), the core network may optimize the service according to paging priority information or paging policy information provided by the AF network element or the NWDAF network element (the paging priority information is mainly used to identify the importance degree of data of a certain application service, and the paging policy information is mainly used to identify a paging policy used for a certain application service), and the core network may also optimize the service according to other auxiliary information provided by the AF network element or the NWDAF network element. Specifically, the location information of the service area in the above embodiment is replaced with the paging priority information or the paging policy information, so that the paging priority information of a certain application service can be configured in core network elements such as PCF network elements, UDR network elements or PFDF network elements, when the core network elements interact with the SMF network elements, the SMF network elements can obtain the paging priority information or the paging policy information of a certain application service from the core network elements, and establish a corresponding relationship between the paging priority information (or the paging policy information) and the packet filter set information, or establish a corresponding relationship between the paging priority information (or the paging policy information) and the index number, or establish a corresponding relationship between the paging priority information (or the paging policy information) and the session identifier, so that the SMF network elements filter the set information and the corresponding relationships according to the index number, the session identifier or the packet filter set information in the data notification message, it becomes possible to obtain corresponding paging priority information or paging policy information. By replacing the paging area of the terminal determined according to the location information of the service area of the application service and the registration area information of the terminal with the paging priority information (or paging strategy information) according to the application service, the paging strategy of the terminal is determined, so that the application requirement of preferentially providing service for a certain application service according to the paging priority information can be realized, or the application requirement of providing a specific paging strategy for a certain application service according to the paging strategy information can be realized. The paging priority information provided by the PCF network element to the SMF network element may be a correspondence between a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) included in a header of a downlink IP packet and a Paging Policy Identity (PPI). When the SMF network element receives the data notification message sent by the UPF network element, the SMF network element can obtain the corresponding paging strategy information PPI through the session identifier and the DSCP value in the data notification message, and inform the AMF network element according to the paging strategy specified by the PCF network element, thereby finally providing a differentiated paging strategy for data.

In the embodiment of the present application, the unregistering device may be divided into the functional modules according to the method example, for example, each functional module may be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the division of the module is schematic, and is only one logic function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation.

For example, in the case of dividing each functional module by corresponding functions, fig. 15 shows a possible structural diagram of the apparatus according to the above embodiment. The apparatus 2000 comprises a processing unit 2001 and a transceiver unit 2002. The transceiver 2002 is used for the processing unit 2001 to transmit and receive signals. The apparatus may be an AMF network element, an SMF network element, a UPF network element, a first network element, or a second network element in the foregoing embodiments.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 2000 may be an AMF network element, or may also be a chip or a system on chip within the AMF network element, and the apparatus 2000 may be configured to perform the actions of the AMF network element in the foregoing method embodiment. The details are as follows.

Specifically, the transceiver 2002 is configured to receive service area related information of an application service from a session management function SMF network element; the processing unit 2001 is configured to determine a paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information. The information related to the service area may be used to enable the apparatus 2000 to determine a paging area of the terminal, and when the apparatus 2000 pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, it may be implemented that the terminal is served by the application service within the paging area, wherein the paging area may be a specific area determined based on the information related to the service area, and thus it may be implemented that the application service is valid only within the specific area.

In one possible design, the service area related information includes location information of the service area or index information of the service area. The index information of the service area is used for causing the apparatus 2000 to determine the location information of the service area. The location information of the service area may also be used to enable the apparatus 2000 to determine a paging area of the terminal, and when the apparatus 2000 pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, it may be implemented that the terminal is served by the application service in the paging area, where the paging area may be a specific area determined based on the location information of the service area, and thus it may be implemented that the application service is only effective in the specific area.

In a possible design, the processing unit 2001 is configured to obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to a corresponding relationship between the index information and the location information of the service area; and determining the paging area according to the position information of the service area.

In a possible design, the processing unit 2001 is configured to determine a paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information and registration area information of the terminal.

In another embodiment, the apparatus 2000 may be an SMF network element, or may also be a chip or a system on chip within the SMF network element, and the apparatus 2000 may be configured to perform the actions of the SMF network element in the foregoing method embodiment. The details are as follows.

Specifically, the transceiver 2002 is configured to receive a data notification message from a UPF network element; the processing unit 2001 is configured to obtain service area related information of an application service according to the data notification message; the transceiver 2002 is further configured to send the service area related information to an AMF network element. The data notification message is used to enable the apparatus 2000 to obtain information about a service area of a certain application service configured in the apparatus 2000, where the information about the service area may be used by the AMF network element to determine a paging area of the terminal, and when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service may be provided to the terminal in the paging area, where the paging area may be a specific area determined based on the information about the service area, and thus, the application service may be enabled to be valid only in the specific area.

In one possible design, the service area related information includes location information of the service area or index information of the service area. The location information of the service area may be used by the AMF network element to determine a paging area of the terminal, and when the AMF network element pages the terminal according to the determined paging area, the application service may be provided to the terminal in the paging area, where the paging area may be a specific area determined based on the location information of the service area, and thus, the application service may be enabled to be effective only in the specific area.

In one possible design, the data notification message carries the service area related information. The device 2000 can directly obtain the relevant information of the service area according to the data notification message from the UPF network element, thereby reducing the processing load of the device 2000.

In a possible design, the data notification message carries index information of the service area, and the service area related information is location information of the service area; the processing unit 2001 is configured to obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to the correspondence between the index information and the location information of the service area. The data notification message is used to enable the device 2000 to obtain index information of a service area, and the index information of the service area is used to enable the device 2000 to obtain location information of the service area.

In one possible design, the data notification message carries data packet filtering set information; the service area related information is position information of the service area; the processing unit 2001 is configured to obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the packet filter set information according to the correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area. The data notification message from the UPF network element is used to enable the device 2000 to obtain the packet filtering set information, and the packet filtering set information is used to enable the device 2000 to obtain the location information of the service area corresponding to the packet filtering set information according to the corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

In one possible design, the service area related information is an index number, and the index number is used to indicate location information of the service area; the transceiver 2002 is further configured to send, to the UPF network element, a corresponding relationship between the packet filter set information and the index number before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element. The device 2000 sends the correspondence between the packet filter set information and the index number to the UPF network element, so that when the UPF network element receives the data matched with the packet filter set information, the index number corresponding to the packet filter set information is carried in the data notification message.

In a possible design, the transceiver 2002 is further configured to send, to the UPF network element, the packet filter set information and first indication information before receiving a data notification message from the UPF network element, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the UPF network element carries the packet filter set information in the data notification message when receiving data that matches the packet filter set information. The device 2000 sends the packet filtering set information and the first indication information to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element carries the packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matched with the packet filtering set information.

In a possible design, the transceiver 2002 is further configured to send, to the UPF network element, a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element. The device 2000 sends the correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area to the UPF network element, so that when the UPF network element receives data matched with the packet filter set information, the location information of the service area corresponding to the packet filter set information is carried in the data notification message.

In a possible design, the transceiver 2002 is further configured to receive location information of the service area and a session identifier from the first network element before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element, and the processing unit 2001 is configured to establish a correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the session identity from the first network element are used to enable the apparatus 2000 to establish a correspondence between the session identity and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element.

In one possible design, the transceiver 2002 is further configured to receive location information of the service area and identification information of the application service from the first network element before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element; the processing unit 2001 is configured to allocate an index number to the location information of the service area according to the identification information of the application service; and establishing a corresponding relation between the index number and the position information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the first network element are used to enable the apparatus 2000 to establish a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a UFDF network element.

In a possible design, the transceiver 2002 is further configured to receive, before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element, location information of the service area and packet filter set information from the first network element, and the processing unit 2001 is configured to establish a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the packet filter set information from the first network element are used to enable the apparatus 2000 to establish a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a UFDF network element.

In one possible design, the transceiver 2002 is further configured to receive location information of the service area and identification information of the application service from the first network element before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element; the processing unit 2001 is configured to obtain, according to the identifier information of the application service, packet filter set information corresponding to the identifier information of the application service, and establish a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area. The location information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from the first network element are used for enabling the apparatus 2000 to establish a corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a UFDF network element.

In another embodiment, the apparatus 2000 may be a UPF network element, or may also be a chip or a system on chip within the UPF network element, and the apparatus 2000 may be configured to perform the actions of the UPF network element in the foregoing method embodiment. The details are as follows.

The transceiver 2002 is configured to receive a correspondence between packet filtering set information from an SMF network element and an index number; the index number is used for indicating position information of a service area of the application service; the processing unit 2001 is configured to, when it is determined that the transceiver unit 2002 receives the data that matches the packet filter set information, instruct the transceiver unit 2002 to send a data notification message to the SMF network element, where the data notification message carries the index number.

The correspondence between the packet filtering set information and the index number from the SMF network element is used to enable the apparatus 2000 to carry the index number corresponding to the packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matching with the packet filtering set information.

The transceiver 2002 is configured to receive first indication information from an SMF network element, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the UPF network element carries packet filtering set information in a data notification message when receiving data that matches the packet filtering set information; the processing unit 2001 is configured to, when it is determined that the transceiver unit 2002 receives data that matches the packet filtering set information, carry the packet filtering set information in a data notification message according to the first indication information, and send the data notification message to the SMF network element. The first indication information from the SMF network element is used to enable the apparatus 2000 to carry the packet filtering set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matching with the packet filtering set information.

The transceiver 2002 is configured to receive a correspondence between the packet filtering set information from the SMF network element and the location information of the service area. The correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area is used to enable the apparatus 2000 to carry the location information of the service area corresponding to the packet filter set information in the data notification message when receiving the data matching the packet filter set information.

In another embodiment, the apparatus 2000 may be the first network element, or may be a chip or a system on chip within the first network element, and the apparatus 2000 may be configured to perform the actions of the first network element in the above-described method embodiment. The details are as follows.

The transceiver 2002 is configured to receive location information of a service area of an application service from a second network element and identification information of the application service; the processing unit 2001 is configured to obtain a session identifier having a corresponding relationship with the identifier information of the application service; the transceiver 2002 is further configured to send the session identifier and the location information of the service area to an SMF network element. The apparatus 2000 sends the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element establishes a corresponding relationship between the session identifier and the location information of the service area. Illustratively, the second network element is an AF network element or an NWDAF network element.

In one possible design, when the processing unit 2001 determines that the session identifier does not have a correspondence with identifier information of any application service other than the application service, the transceiver unit 2002 is instructed to send the session identifier and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element. The signaling overhead between network elements can be reduced by using the session identifier as index information of the location information of the service area.

The transceiver 2002 is configured to receive location information of a service area of an application service from a second network element and identification information of the application service; the transceiver 2002 is further configured to send, to an SMF network element, the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area. The device 2000 sends the identification information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element establishes a corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area; or, the method and the device are used for enabling the SMF network element to establish a corresponding relationship between the index number and the location information of the service area.

In a possible design, the processing unit 2001 is configured to obtain a session identifier corresponding to the identifier information of the application service; when the processing unit 2001 determines that the session identifier further has a correspondence relationship with identifier information of any application service other than the application service, the processing unit instructs the transceiver unit 2002 to transmit the identifier information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element.

The transceiver 2002 is configured to receive location information of a service area of an application service from a second network element and identification information of the application service; the processing unit 2001 is configured to obtain packet filtering set information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service; the transceiver 2002 is further configured to send, to an SMF network element, packet filtering set information of the application service and location information of the service area.

In a possible design, the processing unit 2001 is configured to obtain a session identifier corresponding to the identifier information of the application service; when the processing unit 2001 determines that the session identifier further has a corresponding relationship with identifier information of any application service other than the application service, the processing unit instructs the transceiver unit 2002 to send packet filter set information of the application service and location information of the service area to the SMF network element. The device 2000 sends the packet filtering set information of the application service and the location information of the service area to the SMF network element, so that the SMF network element establishes a corresponding relationship between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

In another embodiment, the apparatus 2000 may be a second network element, and may also be a chip or a system on chip within the first network element, and the apparatus 2000 may be configured to perform the actions of the first network element in the above-described method embodiment. The details are as follows.

The processing unit 2001, configured to obtain location information of a service area of an application service and identification information of the application service; the transceiver 2002 is configured to send, to the first network element, the location information of the service area and the identifier information of the application service. The apparatus 2000 sends the location information of the service area and the identifier information of the application service to the first network element, so that the first network element establishes a corresponding relationship between the location information of the service area and the identifier information of the application service. Illustratively, the first network element is a PCF network element, a UDR network element, or a UFDF network element.

In one embodiment, the apparatus is presented in the form of dividing the respective functional modules for the respective functions, or in the form of dividing the respective functional modules in an integrated manner. A "module" as used herein may refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and/or other devices that provide the described functionality.

In a simple embodiment, those skilled in the art may think that the processing unit 2001 of the apparatus 2000 can be implemented by a processor, and the transceiver unit 2002 can be implemented by a transceiver, and in particular, the method executed by the processing unit 2001 can be executed by invoking an application program code stored in a memory by the processor, which is not limited in this embodiment.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor, when reading and executing the computer program stored in the memory, causes the communication device to implement the method performed by the AMF network element in the flow shown in fig. 3 to 14.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, where the chip is connected to a memory, where a computer program is stored in the memory, and the chip is configured to read and execute the computer program stored in the memory, so as to implement the method executed by the AMF network element in the flow shown in fig. 3 to 14.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor, when reading and executing the computer program stored in the memory, causes the communication apparatus to implement the method performed by the SMF network element in the flow shown in fig. 3 to 14.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, where the chip is connected to a memory, where a computer program is stored in the memory, and the chip is configured to read and execute the computer program stored in the memory, so as to implement the method executed by the SMF network element in the flow shown in fig. 3 to 14.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor, when reading and executing the computer program stored in the memory, causes the communication apparatus to implement the method performed by the UPF network element in the flow shown in fig. 3 to 14.

The embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, where the chip is connected to a memory, where a computer program is stored in the memory, and the chip is configured to read and execute the computer program stored in the memory, so as to implement the method executed by the UPF network element in the flow shown in fig. 3 to 14.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor, when reading and executing the computer program stored in the memory, causes the communication apparatus to implement the method performed by the first network element in the flows shown in fig. 4 and fig. 6 to 8.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, where the chip is connected to a memory, where a computer program is stored in the memory, and the chip is configured to read and execute the computer program stored in the memory, so as to implement the method executed by the first network element in the flows shown in fig. 4 and fig. 6 to fig. 8.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, which includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor, when reading and executing the computer program stored in the memory, causes the communication apparatus to implement the method executed by the second network element in the flow shown in fig. 4 and fig. 6 to 8.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, where the chip is connected to a memory, where a computer program is stored in the memory, and the chip is configured to read and execute the computer program stored in the memory, so as to implement the method executed by the second network element in the flows shown in fig. 4 and fig. 6 to fig. 8.

The specific implementation manner and the advantageous effects of the above device embodiment correspond to those of the method embodiment, and the related descriptions of the participating method embodiments are provided.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer storage medium storing program code, where the stored program code is used to implement the method of the AMF network element in the processes shown in fig. 3 to fig. 14 in the present application when being executed by a processor.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer storage medium which stores the program codes. The stored program code is adapted to implement the method of the SMF network element in the flow shown in fig. 3 to 14 in the present application when executed by a processor.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer storage medium which stores the program codes. The stored program code is adapted to implement a method of a UPF network element in the flow charts shown in fig. 3 to 14 in the present application when executed by a processor.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer storage medium which stores the program codes. The stored program code is adapted to implement a method of a first network element in the flow shown in fig. 4, 6 to 8 in the present application when executed by a processor.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer storage medium which stores the program codes. The stored program code is adapted to implement a method of the second network element in the flowcharts shown in fig. 4, 6 to 8 in the present application when being executed by a processor.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer program product. The computer program product comprises computer software instructions which can be loaded by a processor to implement the method performed by the AMF network element in the flow chart shown in fig. 3 to 14 in the present application.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer program product. The computer program product comprises computer software instructions which can be loaded by a processor to implement the method performed by the SMF network element in the flow chart shown in fig. 3 to 14 in the present application.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer program product. The computer program product comprises computer software instructions that can be loaded by a processor to implement the method performed by the UPF network element in the flow chart shown in fig. 3 to 14 in the present application.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer program product. The computer program product comprises computer software instructions which can be loaded by a processor to implement the method performed by the first network element in the flow shown in fig. 4, 6 to 8 in the present application.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer program product. The computer program product comprises computer software instructions which can be loaded by a processor to implement the method performed by the second network element in the flow chart shown in fig. 4, fig. 6 to fig. 8 in the present application.

While the present application has been described in connection with various embodiments, other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed application, from a review of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the word "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, embodiments of the present application may be provided as a method, apparatus (device), or computer program product. Accordingly, this application may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a "module" or "system. Furthermore, the present application may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, and the like) having computer-usable program code embodied therein. A computer program stored/distributed on a suitable medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, may also take other distributed forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.

The present application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (devices) and computer program products according to embodiments of the application. It will be understood that each flow and/or block of the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, and combinations of flows and/or blocks in the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

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

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

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

receiving service area related information of application service from a Session Management Function (SMF) network element by an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element;

and the AMF network element determines a paging area of a terminal according to the service area related information, wherein the paging area is an area for providing service for the terminal by the application service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the service area related information comprises location information of a service area or index information of a service area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the index information comprises a session identifier or an index number;

the session identifier is used for indicating a session between the terminal and an application server, and the session is used for carrying data of the application service; the index number is used to indicate location information of the service area.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the determining, by the AMF network element, the paging area of the terminal according to the service area related information comprises:

the AMF network element obtains the position information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to the corresponding relation between the index information and the position information of the service area;

and the AMF network element determines the paging area according to the position information of the service area.

5. A method of communication, comprising:

a Session Management Function (SMF) network element receives a data notification message from a User Plane Function (UPF) network element;

the SMF network element obtains service area related information of the application service according to the data notification message;

and the SMF network element sends the service area related information to an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, wherein the service area related information is used for determining a paging area of a terminal, and the paging area is an area for providing service for the terminal by the application service.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the service area related information comprises location information of a service area or index information of a service area.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the index information is a session identifier or an index number;

the session identifier is used for indicating a session between the terminal and an application server, the session is used for carrying data of the application service, and the index number is used for indicating location information of the service area.

8. The method according to any of claims 5-7, wherein the data notification message carries the service area related information.

9. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the data notification message carries index information of the service area, and the service area-related information is location information of the service area;

the SMF network element obtains service area related information of an application service according to the data notification message, including:

and the SMF network element obtains the position information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to the corresponding relation between the index information and the position information of the service area.

10. The method according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein the data notification message carries packet filtering set information; the service area related information is position information of the service area;

and the SMF network element obtains the position information of the service area corresponding to the data packet filtering set information according to the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area.

11. The method according to any of claims 6 to 7, wherein before the SMF network element receives the data notification message from the UPF network element, the method further comprises:

the SMF network element receives the position information of the service area and a session identifier from a first network element, and establishes a corresponding relation between the session identifier and the position information of the service area; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the SMF network element receives the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from a first network element; according to the identification information of the application service, allocating an index number to the position information of the service area; establishing a corresponding relation between the index number and the position information of the service area; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the SMF network element receives the position information of the service area and the data packet filtering set information from a first network element, and establishes a corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the SMF network element receives the position information of the service area and the identification information of the application service from a first network element; and acquiring data packet filtering set information corresponding to the identification information of the application service according to the identification information of the application service, and establishing a corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information and the position information of the service area.

12. A method of communication, comprising:

a user plane function UPF network element receives the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information from a session management function SMF network element and an index number; the index number is used for indicating position information of a service area of the application service;

when the UPF network element receives data matched with the data packet filtering set information, sending a data notification message to the SMF network element, wherein the data notification message carries the index number; the data notification message is used for the SMF network element to send the location information of the service area of the application service indicated by the index number to an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, where the location information of the service area is used to determine a paging area of a terminal, and the paging area is an area where the application service provides service for the terminal.

13. A method of communication, comprising:

a User Plane Function (UPF) network element receives first indication information from a Session Management Function (SMF) network element, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating that the UPF network element carries data packet filtering set information in a data notification message when receiving data matched with the data packet filtering set information; the data notification message is used for indicating relevant information of a service area of an application service corresponding to the data packet filtering set information, the relevant information of the service area is used for determining a paging area of a terminal, and the paging area is an area where the application service provides service for the terminal;

and when the UPF network element receives data matched with the data packet filtering set information, carrying the data packet filtering set information in a data notification message according to the first indication information, and sending the data notification message to the SMF network element.

14. A communication device comprising a processor and a transceiver;

the transceiver is used for receiving service area related information of the application service from a Session Management Function (SMF) network element;

the processor is configured to determine a paging area of a terminal according to the service area related information, where the paging area is an area where the application service provides a service for the terminal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the service area related information comprises location information of a service area or index information of a service area.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the index information comprises a session identifier or an index number;

17. The apparatus of claim 15 or 16,

the processor is further configured to obtain location information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to a corresponding relationship between the index information and the location information of the service area; and determining the paging area according to the position information of the service area.

18. A communication device comprising a processor and a transceiver;

the transceiver is used for receiving a data notification message from a user plane function UPF network element;

the processor is configured to obtain service area related information of an application service according to the data notification message, where the service area related information is used to determine a paging area of a terminal, and the paging area is an area where the application service provides a service for the terminal;

the transceiver is further configured to send the service area related information to an access and mobility management function AMF network element.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the service area related information comprises location information of a service area or index information of a service area.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the index information is a session identifier or an index number;

21. The apparatus according to any of claims 18-20, wherein the data notification message carries the service area related information.

22. The apparatus according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the data notification message carries index information of the service area, and the service area related information is location information of the service area;

the processor is further configured to obtain location information of the service area corresponding to the index information according to a corresponding relationship between the index information and the location information of the service area.

23. The apparatus according to any one of claims 18-20, wherein the data notification message carries packet filtering set information; the service area related information is position information of the service area;

the processor is further configured to obtain location information of the service area corresponding to the packet filter set information according to a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area.

24. The apparatus according to any of claims 19 to 20, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive location information and a session identity of the service area from a first network element before receiving the data notification message from the UPF network element; the processor is further configured to establish a correspondence between the session identifier and the location information of the service area; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the transceiver is further configured to receive location information of the service area and identification information of the application service from a first network element before receiving a data notification message from the UPF network element; the processor is further configured to allocate an index number to the location information of the service area according to the identification information of the application service; establishing a corresponding relation between the index number and the position information of the service area; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the transceiver is further configured to receive location information of the service area and packet filter set information from a first network element before receiving a data notification message from the UPF network element, and the processor is further configured to establish a correspondence between the packet filter set information and the location information of the service area; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the transceiver is further configured to receive location information of the service area and identification information of the application service from a first network element before receiving a data notification message from the UPF network element; the processor is further configured to obtain, according to the identification information of the application service, packet filtering set information corresponding to the identification information of the application service, and establish a correspondence between the packet filtering set information and the location information of the service area.

25. A communication device comprising a processor and a transceiver;

the transceiver is used for receiving the corresponding relation between the data packet filtering set information from the session management function SMF network element and the index number; the index number is used for indicating position information of a service area of the application service;

the processor is configured to instruct the transceiver to send a data notification message to the SMF network element when it is determined that the transceiver receives data that matches the packet filtering set information, where the data notification message carries the index number; the data notification message is used for the SMF network element to send the location information of the service area of the application service indicated by the index number to an access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, where the location information of the service area is used to determine a paging area of a terminal, and the paging area is an area where the application service provides service for the terminal.

26. A communication device comprising a processor and a transceiver;

the transceiver is configured to receive first indication information from a session management function SMF network element, where the first indication information is used to indicate that a UPF network element carries packet filtering set information in a data notification message when receiving data matched with the packet filtering set information; the data notification message is used for indicating relevant information of a service area of an application service corresponding to the data packet filtering set information, the relevant information of the service area is used for determining a paging area of a terminal, and the paging area is an area where the application service provides service for the terminal;

and the processor is configured to, when it is determined that the transceiver receives data matching the packet filtering set information, carry the packet filtering set information in a data notification message according to the first indication information, and send the data notification message to the SMF network element.