CN114650294A - Data communication method and communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present application discloses a data communication method and a communication system. The method includes: the application function module in the mobile edge platform receives service request information sent from the user equipment; the application function module obtains network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the core network device; the application function module obtains the network capability information according to the network capability information A service corresponding to the service request information is provided for the user equipment. This application solves the technical problems that the interface between different equipment products designed by different enterprises is difficult to customize due to the separate design of CT and IT in the 5G private network scenario, and it is inconvenient to expand and transmit network capability information.

Description

Data communication method and communication system

technical field

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

Background technique

In the 5G private network scenario, the traditional communication implementation method is generally provided by CT (Communication Technology, communication technology) companies to provide 5GC (5G Core network, 5G core network), and cloud computing or other IT (Internet Technology, Internet technology) companies provide MEP (Mobile Edge Platform, mobile edge platform), wherein, the 5GC and the MEP are distributed and transmitted through a standard Internet interface protocol. However, with this implementation of the separation design of CT and IT, due to the different equipment products designed by different enterprises, the interface between 5GC and MEP is difficult to customize, which will lead to inconvenient transmission of network capability information and difficulty in customization and expansion. .

For the above problems, no effective solution has been proposed yet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the present application provide a data communication method and communication system, so as to at least solve the problem that interfaces between different equipment products designed by different enterprises are difficult to customize due to the separate design of CT and IT in a 5G private network scenario, and expand transmission network capabilities Technical issues with inconvenient information.

According to an aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a data communication method is provided, including: an application function module in a mobile edge platform receives service request information sent from a user equipment; network capability information corresponding to the service request information; the application function module provides the user equipment with a service corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information.

According to another aspect of the embodiments of the present application, another data communication method is provided, including: a user plane function entity in a core network device receives service request information of an application function module in a mobile edge platform; the user plane function entity is based on The service request information sends network capability information corresponding to the service request information to the application function module.

According to another aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a communication system is also provided, including: a mobile edge platform, a core network device, and a user equipment; wherein, the mobile edge platform is provided with an application function module for receiving data from the mobile edge platform. The service request information sent by the user equipment, obtain network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the user plane functional entity in the core network device, and provide the user equipment with the service request information according to the network capability information. The service corresponding to the information; the core network device includes: a user plane function entity, which is used to receive the service request information of the application function module; send the service request information corresponding to the service request information to the application function module according to the service request information network capability information.

Optionally, in the communication system, the core network device further includes: a session management functional entity, configured to send the network capability information to the user plane functional entity; The session management function entity sends the network capability information, wherein the network capability exposure function entity determines the network capability information according to preset configuration information.

In the embodiment of the present application, the application function module in the mobile edge platform is used to receive the service request information sent from the user equipment; the application function module obtains the network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the core network device; the application function module is based on the network The capability information provides the user equipment with a service corresponding to the service request information. Among them, by customizing the interface protocol between the user plane functional entity in the core network device and the application functional module in the mobile edge platform, the network information required by the mobile edge platform can be easily transmitted, thus solving the problems in the 5G private network scenario. The separate design of CT and IT makes it difficult to customize the interface between different equipment and products designed by different companies, and it is a technical problem that it is inconvenient to expand and transmit network capability information.

Description of drawings

The drawings described herein are used to provide further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The schematic embodiments and descriptions of the present application are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present application. In the attached image:

Fig. 1 is a kind of scene framework schematic diagram of linkage between 5GC and MEP according to the related art;

2 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication system in which 5GC and MEP are linked according to an embodiment of the present application;

3 is a schematic flowchart of a data communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

4 is a block diagram of a hardware structure of a computer terminal according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 5 is a kind of schematic flowchart of interaction between 5GC and MEP according to an embodiment of the present application;

6 is a schematic flowchart of another data communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

7 is a schematic flowchart of another data communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

8a is a schematic structural diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8b is a schematic structural diagram of another communication system according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed ways

In order to make those skilled in the art better understand the solutions of the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only The embodiments are part of the present application, but not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative work shall fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the description and claims of the present application and the above drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific sequence or sequence. It is to be understood that data so used may be interchanged under appropriate circumstances so that the embodiments of the application described herein can be practiced in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having" and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a process, method, system, product or device comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those expressly listed Rather, those steps or units may include other steps or units not expressly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

It should also be noted that several functional entities involved in the embodiments of the present application include a user plane function entity (User Plane Function, referred to as UPF), a network exposure function entity (Network Exposure Function, NEF), a session management function entity ( Session Management Function, SMF), which can be a specific network function instantiated on the same core network server. Optionally, the above entities may also be a separate server, and in some cases, it may also be expressed as a server shared by multiple functional entities.

The specific structure of the above server includes, but is not limited to: a processor, a memory for storing data, and a transmission module for a communication function. In addition, may also include: display, input/output interface (I/O interface), universal serial bus (USB) port (may be included as one of the ports of the I/O interface), network interface, power supply and/or camera.

It should be noted that the above-described processor may be generally referred to herein as a "data processing circuit," which may be embodied, in whole or in part, in software, hardware, firmware, or any other combination. Furthermore, the data processing circuitry may be a single, stand-alone processing module, or incorporated in whole or in part into any of the other elements of the server. As referred to in the embodiments of the present application, the data processing circuit acts as a kind of processor control (eg, selection of a variable resistance termination path connected to an interface).

The memory can be used to store software programs and modules of application software, such as a program instruction/data storage device corresponding to QoS (Quality of Service, quality of service) in the embodiments of the present application, and the processor runs the software programs and modules stored in the memory by running the software programs and modules. , so as to perform various functional applications and data processing.

The transmission module is used to receive or send data via a network. In an optional embodiment, the transmission device includes a network adapter (Network Interface Controller, NIC), which can be connected to other network devices through the base station so as to communicate with the Internet; in another optional embodiment, the transmission module can It is a radio frequency (RadioFrequency, RF) module, which is used to communicate with the Internet in a wireless manner.

First of all, some nouns or terms that appear in the process of describing the embodiments of the present application are suitable for the following explanations:

User Equipment (User Equipment, referred to as UE for short): In this embodiment of the present application, it may be an electronic communication device such as a mobile phone, a tablet, and a computer.

Mobile Edge Platform (MEP): A cloud server platform that runs at the edge of a mobile network and runs specific tasks. Specifically, the wireless access network can be used to provide the IT services and cloud computing functions required by telecom users, and create a carrier-class service environment with high performance, low latency and high bandwidth, and accelerate various contents and services in the network. And fast download of applications, allowing consumers to enjoy an uninterrupted high-quality network experience.

Application Function (AF): Refers to various services at the application layer, which can be internal applications such as Volte AF (similar to 4G Volte As), or third-party AF (such as video servers, games, etc.) Server), if it is an AF within the operator, it is in a trusted domain with other NFs (Network Function, network function), and can directly interact with other NFs for access, while the third-party AF is not in the trusted domain and must be accessed through NEF Other NFs.

User plane function (UPF): including routing and forwarding of user data packets, data interaction with external data network DN, QoS processing of user plane, flow control rule implementation (such as gating, redirection, traffic diversion), etc.

Session Management Function (SMF): SMF is a functional unit of the 5G service-based architecture, which is mainly responsible for interacting with the separated data plane, creating, updating and deleting PDU (Protocol Data Unit) sessions, and managing the session environment with the UPF.

Network capability exposure function (NEF): located between the 5G core network and external third-party application functions (there may also be some internal AF), responsible for managing all external applications that open network data to the outside world, and want to access the internal data of the 5G core network , must be through NEF, NEF provides corresponding security guarantees to ensure the security of external applications to 3gpp network, provides external application QoS customization capability opening, mobility status event subscription, AF request distribution and other functions.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): refers to a service model in which IT infrastructure is provided as a service through the network, and is billed according to the actual usage or occupancy of resources by users. In this service model, ordinary users do not need to build a hardware facility such as a data center by themselves, but obtain computer infrastructure services, including server, storage, and network services, from IaaS service providers by leasing them through the Internet.

Platform as a Service (Platform as a Service, referred to as PaaS): refers to the business model that provides the server platform as a service, and the service provided by the program through the network is called SaaS (Software as a Service, software as a service), and The corresponding server platform or development environment provided as a service in the cloud computing era becomes PaaS. The PaaS platform is located in the middle layer in the cloud architecture, the upper layer is SaaS, and the lower layer is IaaS. PaaS is a complete development and deployment environment in the cloud with resources that enable organizations to deliver everything from simple cloud-based applications to complex cloud-enabled enterprise applications.

Example 1

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an optional scenario architecture of linkage between 5GC and MEP according to related technologies, wherein 5GC is usually provided by CT companies, and MEP is usually provided by cloud computing or other IT companies. The interface protocol is used for offloading transmission; however, in the 5G private network scenario, if the CT and IT separation design scheme is still adopted, due to the different equipment products designed by different enterprises, the interface between the two is difficult to customize, and the transmission network will appear. The capability information is inconvenient, for example, the 5GC capability information required by the MEP cannot be transmitted, and its flexibility and scalability are poor.

In order to solve the above problems, the embodiment of the present application provides a new communication system for linkage between 5GC and MEP. As shown in FIG. 2 , the system includes:

The 5GC module 20, including the UPF entity 200, is used to receive the service request information of the AF module 220, and send the network capability information corresponding to the service request information to the AF module 220 according to the service request information;

The 5GC module 20 may further include: NEF entity, SMF entity and so on.

The MEP module 22, including the AF module 220, is used to receive the service request information sent from the UE, obtain the network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the UPF entity 200, and provide the UE with the service request information corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information. service.

It should be noted that the functions of the AF module in the MEP and the AF entity in the core network may be the same or different, and the AF module is a virtual function module designed based on IaaS.

As can be seen from Figure 3, 5GC and MEP are both designed based on IaaS, and both carry functional modules on them. The UPF entity 200 and the AF module 220 can realize fast and convenient transmission of network capability information through a custom protocol. , in some optional embodiments of the present application, the network capability information includes at least one of the following: cell load capability (CellLoad), signal-to-noise ratio (SINR), quality of service (QoS), throughput (Throughput), location (Location) ).

Specifically, the AF module 220 can receive network capability information in various ways, for example:

The AF module 220 receives the IP data message from the UPF entity 200; obtains the network capability information from the extension header of the IP data message, that is, adopts the mode of in-band flow, which can be customized or encapsulation protocols such as GRE or IPv6. The above information is encapsulated into the original data stream in a specific format by extending the header.

Optionally, the network capability information may also be received in an out-of-band proprietary manner: the AF module 220 receives a dedicated message from the UPF entity 200, where the dedicated message is a message dedicated to transmitting network capability information; obtains from the dedicated message Network capability information, wherein the dedicated message carries an IP data flow identifier corresponding to the network capability information. It can be seen that the out-of-band proprietary method can use customized protocols and specific data flow identifiers to correlate IP data flows and transfer the above information.

In the operating environment shown in FIG. 2, an embodiment of the present application provides a data communication method. As shown in FIG. 3, the method includes at least steps S302-S306, wherein:

Step S302, the AF module in the MEP receives the service request information sent from the UE.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the AF module in the MEP receives service request information sent by the UE, where the service request information carries target network capability information. For example, after starting the corresponding video playback APP, the UE detects the user's selection instruction on the definition, that is, the user has a requirement for the definition of the played video, generates service request information based on the definition selected by the user, and sends it to the MEP. The AF module, the AF module completes the adjustment of the definition according to the acquired network capability information of the core network device.

Step S304, the AF module acquires network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the core network device.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the AF module receives network capability information from a UPF entity in the core network device, where the network capability information includes at least one of the following: cell load capability, signal-to-noise ratio, throughput, positioning information, QoS implementation, etc.

After the AF module obtains the network capability information from the UPF entity, it encapsulates the network capability information according to the format supported by the PaaS, and uses the encapsulated network capability information as the capability information of the PaaS device.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the UPF entity receives network capability information from the NEF entity in the core network device, and then transmits the network capability information to the AF module of the MEP, where the NEF entity is based on preset configuration information Where the network capability information is determined, the preset configuration information includes: network capability information collected and formulated regularly according to a preset period.

Specifically, the NEF entity periodically collects and formulates the relevant network information and capabilities of the user (such as positioning information, QoS implementation, etc.), and then sends it to the SMF entity through the service interface, and the SMF entity sends it to the UPF entity, and then provides it to the MEP. AF module call.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the UPF entity may also generate network capability information locally. Specifically: the UPF entity generates network capability information based on a local traffic management policy, and sends the generated network capability information to the AF module; or, the UPF entity receives the network capability information from the base station device. Among them, the local traffic management strategy is a strategy based on network traffic conditions and traffic management and control strategies, identifying and classifying data flows, and implementing traffic control, optimization and traffic assurance for key services, including but not limited to QoS management. , which can include the management of the following dimensions:

1) Latency: Latency refers to the transmission time required for an IP packet to travel from a network entry point to a network exit point. Some time-sensitive applications, such as real-time voice services and video services, have the most stringent latency requirements. The main factors that cause network delay can be simply divided into network-generated delay and device-generated delay. The delay generated by the device generally refers to the delay generated when the device processes the service data, which is closely related to the performance of the device, including devices at all levels of the network, such as SDH devices, routing devices, and media gateways. The delay generated by the network includes the basic transmission delay (that is, the inherent delay required for the transmission of electrical or optical signals on the physical medium) and the link rate delay (that is, when the link rate is lower than the data transmission rate. time delay). Due to the best-effort characteristics of IP networks, the delays caused by devices and the network are also related to the data traffic conditions in the actual network. When the amount of data is large and the network and devices are running at full capacity. The resulting congestion and queuing, scheduling and forwarding delays will increase significantly.

2) Jitter: The voice signal is continuous. When the sending end is compressed and packaged and then transmitted in the IP network, since the transmission paths of the data packets may be different, the time for different data packets to reach the receiving end may also be different, resulting in The intermittent situation when playing back the voice is called jitter. The receiving end can make up for the impact of jitter by increasing the receiving buffer. But the size of the jitter buffer will affect both jitter and latency. If the jitter affects the voice quality, increasing the size of the jitter buffer can reduce the jitter to an acceptable level; but if the buffer is too large, it will increase the delay, which will also make it difficult for users to accept. A typical jitter buffer produces latency of 20ms, but typically 80ms. The size of the jitter buffer needs to be set according to the specific network conditions.

3) Packet loss rate: Under normal circumstances, data packets are dropped at the point where congestion occurs in the network, and error packets generated in the transmission line are also dropped. Congestion usually occurs when the number of received packets exceeds the size limit of the output port, resulting in packet loss. Packet loss can also result if there is insufficient input buffering at the end where the packet arrives. The packet loss rate is usually defined as the percentage of packets that are lost when several consecutive packets are transmitted in the network at a certain time interval. From the perspective of user experience, generally a packet loss rate higher than 2% is unacceptable.

4) Throughput: Throughput refers to the transmission rate of IP packets in the network, which can be expressed as an average rate or a peak rate. The throughput of the network is a measure of the ability of the network to forward IP packets, which mainly depends on the link rate, the port rate of the node device and the service volume of the network.

5) Availability: Availability refers to the percentage of the time interval during which the user can use the IP service availability function to the total time interval of the IP service. For example, within 5 minutes in a row, if the packet loss rate provided by an IP network is less than or equal to 75%, it is considered that the time period is available, otherwise it is unavailable. Availability is mainly used to measure the ability of network devices and links to provide services normally, and to determine whether the network devices and links can support continuously available data packet transmission services.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the AF module receives a custom communication protocol message from a core network device, where the custom communication protocol message carries network capability information corresponding to the service request information.

Specifically, the AF module receives the IP data packet from the UPF entity, wherein the extension field of the IP data packet carries the network capability information. This process is also called in-band flow, that is, a customized or GRE encapsulation protocol can be used. Or the way of IPv6 extension header to encapsulate the network capability information into the original data stream in a specific format.

Optionally, the network capability information can also be transmitted in an out-of-band proprietary manner, and the AF module receives a dedicated message from the UPF entity, where the dedicated message is a message dedicated to transmitting network capability information; obtains the network capability information from the dedicated message, The dedicated message carries the IP data stream identifier corresponding to the network capability information, that is, the out-of-band proprietary method can use a customized protocol and a specific data stream identifier to associate the IP data stream and transmit the network capability information.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, both the MEP and the core network equipment are designed based on IaaS, that is, both the MEP and the 5GC are functional modules carried on the IaaS.

Step S306, the AF module provides the UE with a service corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the AF module first determines the target network capability information required by the service request; after acquiring the network capability information from the UPF entity, it compares the network capability information with the target network capability information; if the network capability If the information is consistent with the target network capability information, the AF module provides the UE with a service corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information; Prompt information with inconsistent capability information, and send the prompt information to the UE. By adopting the above-mentioned means, the capability matching between the MEP and the core network equipment can be realized, which is beneficial to ensure the reliability of the communication.

The above-mentioned AF module may run in the computer terminal (or mobile device) shown in FIG. 4 . As shown in FIG. 4, the computer terminal 40 (or the mobile device 40) may include one or more processors 402 (represented by 402a, 402b, . A processor MCU or a processing device such as a programmable logic device FPGA), a memory 404 for storing data, and a transmission module 406 for communication functions. In addition, may also include: display, input/output interface (I/O interface), universal serial bus (USB) port (may be included as one of the ports of the I/O interface), network interface, power supply and/or camera. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that the structure shown in FIG. 4 is only a schematic diagram, which does not limit the structure of the above-mentioned electronic device. For example, the computer terminal 40 may also include more or fewer components than shown in FIG. 4 , or have a different configuration than that shown in FIG. 4 .

It should be noted that the one or more processors 402 and/or other data processing circuits described above may generally be referred to herein as "data processing circuits." The data processing circuit may be embodied in whole or in part as software, hardware, firmware or any other combination. Furthermore, the data processing circuitry may be a single stand-alone processing module, or incorporated in whole or in part into any of the other elements in the computer terminal 40 (or mobile device). As referred to in the embodiments of the present application, the data processing circuit acts as a kind of processor control (eg, selection of a variable resistance termination path connected to an interface).

The memory 404 can be used to store software programs and modules of the application software, such as a program instruction/data storage device corresponding to the method in the embodiment of the present application, the processor 402 executes various software programs and modules stored in the memory 404 by running the Function application and data processing, namely, to realize the above-mentioned vulnerability detection method of the application program. Memory 404 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or other non-volatile solid-state memory. In some instances, memory 404 may further include memory located remotely from processor 402, which may be connected to computer terminal 40 through a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

The transmission module 406 is used to receive or transmit data via a network. The specific example of the above-mentioned network may include a wireless network provided by the communication provider of the computer terminal 40 . In one example, the transmission device 406 includes a network adapter (Network Interface Controller, NIC), which can be connected to other network devices through the base station so as to communicate with the Internet. In one example, the transmission device 406 may be a radio frequency (Radio Frequency, RF) module, which is used for wirelessly communicating with the Internet.

The display may be, for example, a touch screen type liquid crystal display (LCD) that enables a user to interact with the user interface of the computer terminal 40 (or mobile device).

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the specific process of the interaction between the 5GC and the MEP is shown in FIG. 5 , and the process includes steps S502-S512, wherein:

Step S502, the AF module in the MEP receives the service request information sent from the UE.

Step S504, the AF module sends the service request information to the UPF entity in the 5GC.

Step S506, the UPF entity sends a request for acquiring network capability information to the SMF entity.

Step S508, the SMF entity acquires the network capability information from the NEF entity, and sends the network capability information to the UPF entity.

Step S510, the UPF entity sends the corresponding network capability information to the AF module.

Step S512, the AF module provides the UE with a service corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information.

In the embodiment of the present application, the AF module in the MEP is used to receive the service request information sent from the UE; the AF module obtains the network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the core network equipment; the AF module provides the UE with the corresponding service request information according to the network capability information. The service corresponding to the service request information. Among them, by customizing the interface protocol between the UPF entity in the core network device and the AF module in the MEP, the network information required by the MEP can be easily transmitted, thus solving the problem of the separation of CT and IT in the 5G private network scenario. The interface between different equipment products designed by different enterprises is difficult to customize, and it is a technical problem that it is inconvenient to expand and transmit network capability information.

Example 2

According to an embodiment of the present application, another embodiment of a data communication method is also provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings may be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions, and , although a logical order is shown in the flowcharts, in some cases steps shown or described may be performed in an order different from that herein.

The method embodiments provided by the embodiments of the present application can also run in the operating environment shown in FIG. 2 . As shown in FIG. 6 , the method includes at least steps S602-S604, wherein:

Step S602, the UPF entity in the core network device receives the service request information of the AF module in the MEP.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, after receiving the service request information sent by the UE, the AF module in the MEP sends the service request information to the UPF entity in the core network device, and requests to obtain the corresponding network capability information .

Step S604, the UPF entity sends the network capability information corresponding to the service request information to the AF module according to the service request information.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the UPF entity acquires network capability information from the SMF entity, and stores the network capability information, where the network capability information includes at least one of the following: cell load capability, signal-to-noise ratio, throughput volume, positioning information, QoS implementation, etc.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the SMF entity receives the network capability information from the NEF entity, and sends the network capability information to the UPF entity, wherein the NEF entity determines the network capability information according to the preset configuration information, and the NEF entity determines the network capability information according to the preset configuration information. The preset configuration information includes: network capability information that is periodically collected and formulated according to a preset period. Specifically, the NEF entity periodically collects and formulates the relevant network information and capabilities of the user (such as positioning information, QoS implementation, etc.), and then sends it to the SMF entity through the service interface, and the SMF entity sends it to the UPF entity, and then provides it to the MEP. AF module call.

Specifically, the UPF entity can send an IP data packet to the AF module, wherein the extension field of the IP data packet carries network capability information, and this process is also called in-band flow, that is, a customized or GRE encapsulation protocol or The IPv6 extension header is used to encapsulate the network capability information into the original data stream in a specific format.

Optionally, the network capability information can also be transmitted in an out-of-band exclusive manner, and the UPF entity sends a message dedicated to transmitting the network capability information to the AF module; obtains the network capability information from the dedicated message, wherein the dedicated message carries the The IP data stream identifier corresponding to the network capability information, that is, the out-of-band proprietary method can use a customized protocol and a specific data stream identifier to associate the IP data stream and transmit the network capability information.

In the embodiment of the present application, the UPF entity in the core network device is used to receive the service request information of the AF module in the MEP; the UPF entity sends the network capability information corresponding to the service request information to the AF module according to the service request information. Among them, by customizing the interface protocol between the UPF entity in the core network device and the AF module in the MEP, the network information required by the MEP can be easily transmitted, thus solving the problem of the separation of CT and IT in the 5G private network scenario. The interface between different equipment products designed by different enterprises is difficult to customize, and it is a technical problem that it is inconvenient to expand and transmit network capability information.

Example 3

According to an embodiment of the present application, another embodiment of a data communication method is also provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings may be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions, and , although a logical order is shown in the flowcharts, in some cases steps shown or described may be performed in an order different from that herein.

The method embodiments provided by the embodiments of the present application can also run in the operating environment shown in FIG. 2 . As shown in FIG. 7 , the method includes at least steps S702-S704, wherein:

Step S702, the UE sends service request information to the AF module in the MEP. The AF module is used to acquire network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the core network device.

When the UE sends service request information to the AF module in the MEP, the service request information carries target network capability information. For example, after the UE starts the corresponding video playback APP, the user is not satisfied with the definition of the video and needs to adjust, that is, a corresponding selection instruction is given, and the UE detects the user's selection instruction for the definition, and generates a service based on the definition selected by the user. The request information is sent to the AF module in the MEP, and the AF module adjusts the definition according to the acquired network capability information of the core network device.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the AF module receives the network capability information from the UPF entity in the core network device, where the UPF entity obtains the network capability information from the NEF entity through the SMF entity.

Specifically, the SMF entity receives the network capability information from the NEF entity, and sends the network capability information to the UPF entity, where the NEF entity determines the network capability information according to preset configuration information, and the preset configuration information includes: Periodically collect and develop network capability information periodically. Specifically, the NEF entity periodically collects and formulates the relevant network information and capabilities of the user (such as positioning information, QoS implementation, etc.), and then sends it to the SMF entity through the service interface, and the SMF entity sends it to the UPF entity, and then provides it to the MEP. AF module call.

Step S704, the UE receives the service corresponding to the service request information provided by the AF module according to the network capability information.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the AF module first determines the target network capability information required by the service request; after acquiring the network capability information from the UPF entity, it compares the network capability information with the target network capability information; if the network capability If the information is consistent with the target network capability information, the AF module provides the UE with a service corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information; Prompt information with inconsistent capability information, and send the prompt information to the UE.

In the embodiment of this application, the UE is used to send the service request information to the AF module in the MEP; the AF module receives the network capability information from the UPF entity in the core network device; the UE receives the service request information provided by the AF module according to the network capability information corresponding to the service request information. service. Among them, by customizing the interface protocol between the UPF entity in the core network device and the AF module in the MEP, the network information required by the MEP can be easily transmitted, thus solving the problem of the separation of CT and IT in the 5G private network scenario. The interface between different equipment products designed by different enterprises is difficult to customize, and it is a technical problem that it is inconvenient to expand and transmit network capability information.

Example 4

According to an embodiment of the present application, a communication system is also provided. As shown in FIG. 8a, the communication system at least includes: a mobile edge platform 80, a core network device 82 and a user equipment 84, wherein:

The mobile edge platform 80 is provided with an AF module 800, which is used to receive service request information sent from the user equipment 84; obtain network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the UPF entity 820 in the core network device 82; The device 84 provides the service corresponding to the service request information.

The core network device 82 includes: a UPF entity 820, configured to receive service request information from the AF module 800; and send network capability information corresponding to the service request information to the AF module 800 according to the service request information.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, the AF module 800 in the MEP 80 receives the service request information sent by the UE 84, where the service request information carries the target network capability information.

After receiving the service request information, the AF module 800 receives network capability information from the UPF entity 820 in the core network device 82, where the network capability information includes at least one of the following: cell load capability, signal-to-noise ratio, throughput, positioning information, QoS implementation, etc. Specifically, the AF module 800 receives the IP data packet from the UPF entity 820, wherein the extension field of the IP data packet carries the network capability information, and this process is also called in-band flow, that is, customization or GRE can be used. Encapsulation protocol or IPv6 extension header to encapsulate the network capability information into the original data stream in a specific format; optionally, the network capability information can also be transmitted in an out-of-band proprietary way, and the AF module receives the information from the UPF entity. Dedicated message, the dedicated message is a message dedicated to transmitting network capability information; network capability information is obtained from the dedicated message, wherein the dedicated message carries the IP data stream identifier corresponding to the network capability information, that is, an out-of-band proprietary method Customized protocols and specific data flow identifications can be used to correlate IP data flows and communicate network capability information.

After acquiring the network capability information, the AF module 800 provides the UE 84 with services corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information, wherein the AF module 800 first determines the target network capability information required by the service request; after acquiring the network capability information from the UPF entity 820 , compare the network capability information with the target network capability information; if the network capability information and the target network capability information are consistent, the AF module 800 provides the UE 84 with a service corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information; if the network capability information and the target network capability information are consistent If the network capability information is inconsistent, generate prompt information indicating that the network capability information and the target network capability information are inconsistent, and send the prompt information to the UE 84 . By using the above-mentioned means, the capability matching between the MEP 80 and the core network device 82 can be realized, which is beneficial to ensure the reliability of communication.

In an optional embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 8b, in the communication system, the core network device 82 further includes: an SMF entity 822 and a NEF entity 824, wherein:

The SMF entity 822 is configured to send the network capability information to the UPF entity 820 .

The NEF entity 824 is configured to send the network capability information to the SMF entity 822, wherein the NEF entity 824 determines the network capability information according to the preset configuration information.

Specifically, the SMF entity 822 receives the network capability information from the NEF entity 824, and sends the network capability information to the UPF entity 820, wherein the NEF entity 824 determines the network capability information according to the preset configuration information, and the preset configuration information includes : Network capability information that is regularly collected and formulated according to a preset period. Specifically, the NEF entity 824 periodically collects and formulates the relevant network information and capabilities of the user (such as positioning information, QoS implementation, etc.), and then sends it to the SMF entity 822 through the service interface, and the SMF entity 822 sends it to the UPF entity 820, and then It is then called by the AF module 800 in the MEP80.

The above-mentioned serial numbers of the embodiments of the present application are only for description, and do not represent the advantages or disadvantages of the embodiments.

In the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed technical content can be implemented in other ways. The apparatus embodiments described above are only illustrative, for example, the division of the units is only a logical function division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation, for example, multiple units or components may be combined or Integration into another system, or some features can be ignored, or not implemented. On the other hand, the shown or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of units or modules, and may be in electrical or other forms.

The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, may be located in one place, or may be distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution in this embodiment.

In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically alone, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware, or may be implemented in the form of software functional units.

The integrated unit, if implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application can be embodied in the form of a software product in essence, or the part that contributes to the related technology, or all or part of the technical solution, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, Several instructions are included to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), random access memory (RAM, Random Access Memory), mobile hard disk, magnetic disk or optical disk and other media that can store program codes .

The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application. It should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, without departing from the principles of the present application, several improvements and modifications can also be made. It should be regarded as the protection scope of this application.

Claims (16)

1. a data communication method, is characterized in that, comprises: The application function module in the mobile edge platform receives the service request information sent from the user equipment; The application function module acquires network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the core network device; The application function module provides the user equipment with a service corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application function module obtains network capability information corresponding to the service request information from a core network device, comprising: The application function module receives the network capability information from a user plane function entity in the core network device. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises: The application function module encapsulates the network capability information according to a format supported by the platform as a service, and uses the encapsulated network capability information as the capability information of the platform as a service device. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein before the application function module acquires the network capability information corresponding to the service request information from the core network device, the method further comprises: The user plane function entity receives the network capability information from a network opening function entity in the core network device, wherein the network opening function entity determines the network capability information according to preset configuration information. 5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the preset configuration information comprises: periodically collecting and formulating the network capability information according to a preset period. 6 . 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application function module obtains network capability information corresponding to the service request information from a core network device, comprising: The application function module receives a custom communication protocol message from the core network device, wherein the custom communication protocol message carries network capability information corresponding to the service request information. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the receiving, by the application function module, a custom communication protocol message from the core network device comprises: The application function module receives an IP data packet from a user plane function entity, wherein the network capability information is carried in an extension field of the IP data packet. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the mobile edge platform and the core network device are both designed based on an infrastructure-as-a-service model. 9. A data communication method, comprising: The user plane functional entity in the core network device receives the service request information of the application functional module in the mobile edge platform; The user plane function entity sends the network capability information corresponding to the service request information to the application function module according to the service request information. 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein before the user plane functional entity receives the service request information of the application functional module in the mobile edge platform, the method further comprises: The user plane function entity acquires the network capability information from the session management function entity, and stores the network capability information. The method according to claim 10, wherein before the user plane function entity acquires the network capability information from the session management function entity, the method further comprises: The session management functional entity receives the network capability information from the network capability exposure functional entity, and sends the network capability information to the user plane functional entity. 12. A data communication method, comprising: The user equipment sends service request information to an application function module in the mobile edge platform, where the application function module is configured to acquire network capability information corresponding to the service request information from a core network device; The user equipment receives the service corresponding to the service request information provided by the application function module according to the network capability information. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the application function module is configured to acquire network capability information corresponding to the service request information from a core network device, comprising: The application function module receives the network capability information from a user plane function entity in the core network device, wherein the user plane function entity obtains the network capability information from a network capability exposure function entity through a session management function entity of. 14. A communication system, comprising: a mobile edge platform, core network equipment and user equipment; wherein: The mobile edge platform is provided with an application function module for receiving service request information sent from the user equipment; acquiring network capability information corresponding to the service request information from a user plane functional entity in the core network device; Provide the user equipment with a service corresponding to the service request information according to the network capability information; The core network device includes: a user plane function entity, configured to receive service request information of the application function module; and send network capability information corresponding to the service request information to the application function module according to the service request information. 15. The communication system according to claim 14, wherein the core network device further comprises: a session management function entity, configured to send the network capability information to the user plane function entity. 16. The communication system according to claim 15, wherein the core network device further comprises: A network capability exposure functional entity, configured to send the network capability information to the session management functional entity, wherein the network capability exposure functional entity determines the network capability information according to preset configuration information.

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