WO2024074095A1

WO2024074095A1 - Communication method and apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2024074095A1
Application number: PCT/CN2023/120642
Authority: WO
Inventors: 魏鑫鹏; 朱奋勤; 王丹
Original assignee: 华为技术有限公司
Priority date: 2022-10-03
Filing date: 2023-09-22
Publication date: 2024-04-11
Also published as: CN117835175A

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and apparatus, for use in avoiding the problem that service flows of other application services cannot be normally transmitted due to collaborative management of a plurality of service flows of an application service. In the method, an SMF network element receives a first PCC rule from a PCF network element, the first PCC rule comprising first information, and the first information being used for associating one or more QoS flows corresponding to a first application service; the first PCC rule is bound with a first QoS flow, the first QoS flow being not bound with a PCC rule which does not comprise the first information; and information of the first QoS flow is sent to a first network element.

Description

A communication method and device

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on October 3, 2022, with application number 202211217390.9 and application name “A Communication Method and Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference in this application.

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and device.

Background technique

Quality of service (QoS) control is a technology used to solve problems such as network delay, congestion, packet loss, jitter, etc., to provide better service capabilities for specified network communications. The finest granularity of QoS control is QoS flow. The service flow of application services is carried by QoS flow. Among them, multiple service flows with the same QoS requirements can be mapped to the same QoS flow.

An application service can correspond to multiple service flows, such as video data flows and audio data flows corresponding to game applications. The QoS requirements of these service flows can be different, which means that multiple service flows of the same application service can be mapped to different QoS flows, that is, one application service can correspond to multiple QoS flows. The QoS flows corresponding to an application service need to be managed collaboratively to ensure the normal operation of the service flows of the application service. For example, if some of the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the application service cannot be transmitted due to transmission resources and other reasons, then there is no need to continue to transmit the remaining QoS flows, and the transmission of the remaining QoS flows can be interrupted. A QoS flow can be mapped to multiple service flows with the same QoS requirements and belonging to different application services. Multiple QoS flows corresponding to an application service may carry service flows of other application services. Then, when multiple QoS flows corresponding to the application service are collaboratively managed, the normal transmission of service flows of other application services carried by the multiple QoS flows will be affected.

Summary of the invention

The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and apparatus for avoiding the problem that the service flows of other application services cannot be transmitted normally due to the collaborative management of multiple QoS flows corresponding to one application service.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a session management function network element, or by a component of the session management function network element. In the method, the session management function network element receives a first policy and charging control rule from a policy control function network element, the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate one or more policies and charging control rules corresponding to a first application service; binds the first policy and charging control rule to a first quality of service flow, the first quality of service flow is not bound to the policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information; and sends information of the first quality of service flow to the first network element.

Alternatively, the session management function network element receives a first policy and charging control rule from a policy control function network element, the first policy and charging control rule including first information, the first information being used to associate one or more policy and charging control rules corresponding to a first application service; binds the first policy and charging control rule to a first quality of service flow; determines that the first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information; and sends information about the first quality of service flow to the first network element.

The first network element is an access network element or a user plane function network element. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the execution order of the session management function network element sending the information of the first service quality flow to the first network element and the session management function network element determining that the first service quality flow is not bound to the policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information. For example, the session management function network element may send the information of the first service quality flow to the first network element after binding the first policy and charging control rule to the first service quality flow.

In an embodiment of the present application, the first application service is an application service used on a terminal. The first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information, and the first information is used to associate one or more policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. The first information may also indicate that the first quality of service flow established according to the policy and charging control rule including the first information is not bound to the policy and charging control corresponding to other application services. That is, the policy and charging control rule bound to the first quality of service flow only corresponds to the first application service, that is, the first quality of service flow carries the service flow of the first application service, and does not carry the service flow of other application services, so that one or more quality of service flows of the multiple service flows carrying the first application service do not carry the service flow of other application services. Since one or more quality of service flows of the multiple service flows carrying the first application service do not carry the service flow of other application services, the normal transmission of the service flow of other application services will not be affected when the multiple service flows of the first application service are collaboratively managed. In addition, since the first information can also be used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, it is also possible to allow service flows with the same QoS requirements in the same application service to be carried through the same QoS, thereby reducing the number of QoS flows.

In a possible implementation manner, each of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service includes first information.

By including the first information in each of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, the QoS flow created for the multiple service flows of the first application service is not bound to the policies and charging control corresponding to other application services. Therefore, the management of the multiple QoS flows of the first application will not affect the transmission of service flows of other applications, thereby improving the accuracy of QoS management and improving user experience.

In a possible implementation manner, the application service corresponding to the policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service.

The application service corresponding to the policy and billing control rules that do not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service, which can avoid binding the service flows of other applications to the QoS flow corresponding to the first application, so that the management of multiple QoS flows of the first application will not affect the transmission of service flows of other applications, thereby improving the accuracy of QoS management and improving user experience.

In a possible implementation, the method may further include: the session management function network element determines, according to the first information in the PCC rule, that the first quality of service flow is not bound to the policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information. Through the above implementation, the session management function network element does not bind the policy and charging control rule of the application service to the first quality of service flow, so that the quality of service flow carrying the first service flow does not carry the service flow of other application services.

In a possible implementation, the method may also include: before binding the first policy and charging control rule to the first quality of service flow, the session management function network element creates the first quality of service flow; or, the first information is used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and before binding the first policy and charging control rule to the first quality of service flow, the session management function network element determines that the first quality of service flow has been created based on a policy and charging control rule that has the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule and includes the first information. Through the above implementation, a quality of service flow can be bound to a policy and charging control rule, or the flow can be bound to multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the same application service and having the same binding parameters.

In a possible implementation, the first policy and charging control rule may further include second information;

The second information may be used to indicate that the first policy and charging control rule is bound to a quality of service flow, and the quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that includes the first information and has the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule;

Alternatively, the second information may be used to indicate that the first policy and charging control rule and the policy and charging control rule including the first information and having the same binding parameters as the first measurement and charging control rule are bound to the same service quality flow. The policy and charging control rule including the first information and having the same binding parameters as the first measurement and charging control rule is bound to the same service quality flow, which can be understood as the policy and charging control rule corresponding to the service flow that has the same service quality requirement as the service flow corresponding to the first policy and charging control rule and belongs to the first application service.

Through the above implementation, a service quality flow can be bound to a policy and charging control rule by explicit indication, or a service quality flow can be bound to multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the same application service and having the same binding parameters, and the implementation method is flexible.

In a possible implementation, the method may further include: the session management function network element determines the association relationship between the multiple service flows of the first application service according to the first information. Optionally, the session management function network element may maintain or store the association relationship between the multiple service flows of the first application service. Through the above implementation, the session management function network element may determine the multiple service flows belonging to the first application service according to the first information.

In a possible implementation, multiple measurement and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are bound to multiple service quality flows, and the first network element is an access network element; the method may also include: a session management function network element receives a first message from the access network element, the first message is used to indicate that the first service quality flow is released; and, releasing the unreleased service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow, wherein at least one service quality flow is a service quality flow in the multiple service quality flows other than the first service quality flow. Through the above implementation, the session management function network element can realize the collaborative management of the multiple service flows of the first application service.

In a possible implementation manner, the session management function network element may release the unreleased service flow among the multiple service flows of the first application service from the at least one quality of service flow in the following manner:

The session management function network element determines an association relationship between multiple service flows of a first application service, determines an unreleased service flow among the multiple service flows of the first application service based on an association relationship between the service flow corresponding to the first quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, and releases the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one quality of service flow based on the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service.

Optionally, the session management function network element may also send a second message to the policy control function network element, and the second message is used to request to deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. The second message can be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the second message is one message, and the one message can be used to request to deactivate all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the second message is multiple messages, one of which is used to request to deactivate one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

Alternatively, the session management function network element may send a third message to the policy control function network element, the third message being used to request deactivation of the policy and charging control rules bound to the first quality of service flow; receive a fourth message from the policy control function network element, the fourth message being used to indicate deactivation of multiple policy and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message being used to request release of unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service; determine multiple service flows of the first application service according to the fourth message; and release the unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one quality of service flow. For example, the session management function network element may determine the unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service according to the service flows of the first application service corresponding to the first QoS flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, and release the unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one quality of service flow according to the unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service. The fourth message may be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the fourth message is one message, and the one message may be used to indicate deactivation of all policy and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the fourth message is a plurality of messages, one of which is used to indicate deactivation of one of a plurality of policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the plurality of messages correspond one-to-one to the plurality of policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

Through the above implementation method, the session management function network element can trigger itself to release the unreleased service flows from the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow, or can respond to the fourth message of the policy control function network element to release the unreleased service flows from the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow, and the implementation method is flexible.

In a possible implementation, multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are bound to multiple service quality flows, and the information of the first service quality flow may include third information; or the session management function network element may send third information to the first network element; wherein the third information is used to indicate the association of multiple service quality flows corresponding to the first application service. Through the above implementation, the first network element can determine, based on the third information, that multiple service flows corresponding to the multiple service quality flows belong to the same application service.

In the second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which can be executed by a policy control function network element, or by a component of a policy control function network element. In this method, the policy control function network element receives a request message from an application function network element, the request message is used to request to provide quality service for a first service flow, wherein the request message includes fourth information, the first information is used to associate multiple service flows of a first application service, and the first service flow is one of the multiple service flows of the first application service; according to the request message, a first policy and charging control rule is generated, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate one or more policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service; and the first policy and charging control rule is sent to a session management function network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the policy and charging control rule including the first information is not bound to the policy and charging control rule not including the first information.

In a possible implementation manner, each of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service includes the first information.

In a possible implementation manner, the method further includes: a policy control function network element determining the first information according to the fourth information.

In a possible implementation, the method may further include: the session management function network element determines the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service according to the first information. Optionally, the session management function network element may maintain or store the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the method may also include: the policy control function network element receives a third message from the session management function network element, the third message is used to request deactivation of the policy and billing control rules bound to the first service quality flow; according to the policy and billing control rules bound to the first service quality flow including the first information and fourth information, determine multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service; and, deactivate the multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the method may also include: the policy control function network element sends a fourth message to the session management function network element, the fourth message is used to indicate the deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message is used to request the release of unreleased service flows among multiple service flows of the first application service. The fourth message can be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the fourth message is one message, and the one message can be used to indicate the deactivation of all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the fourth message is multiple messages, one of which is used to indicate the deactivation of one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the method may also include: the policy control function network element receives a second message from the session management function network element, the second message is used to request to deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service; and, according to the second message, deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. The second message can be understood as one message, and can also be understood as multiple messages. For example, the second message is one message, and the one message can be used to request to deactivate all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the second message is multiple messages, one of which is used to request to deactivate one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

For the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned second aspect and each possible implementation method of the second aspect, please refer to the beneficial effects of the first aspect and each possible implementation method of the first aspect, which will not be repeated here.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which can be executed by an access network element or by a component of an access network element. In the method, the access network element receives information about a first quality of service flow from a session management function element, the information about the first quality of service flow includes third information, and the third information is used to associate multiple quality of service flows corresponding to a first application service; when the first quality of service flow is created, at least one quality of service flow is created according to the third information; or when the first quality of service flow is released, at least one quality of service flow is released according to the third information; wherein the at least one quality of service flow is a quality of service flow among the multiple quality of service flows corresponding to the first application service except the first quality of service flow.

In a possible implementation manner, the method may further include: the access network element determining the at least one quality of service flow according to the first quality of service flow and the third information.

For the beneficial effects of the third aspect and each possible implementation method of the third aspect, please refer to the beneficial effects of the first aspect and each possible implementation method of the first aspect, which will not be repeated here.

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which can be executed by a session management function network element, or by a component of the session management function network element. In the method, the session management function network element receives a fifth message from an access network network element, the fifth message is used to indicate that the second quality of service flow is released; and, releases the unreleased service flow in multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one quality of service flow, wherein the at least one quality of service flow is a quality of service flow other than the second quality of service flow in the multiple quality of service flows corresponding to the first application service.

In the embodiment of the present application, the session management function network element releases the unreleased service flows from the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow, thereby realizing the coordinated management of multiple service flows of an application service with service flow as the granularity. Since the session management function network element releases with service flow as the granularity, compared with releasing the entire service quality flow, the transmission of service flows of other application services carried by the same service quality flow will not be terminated, thereby avoiding affecting the normal transmission of service flows of other application services carried by the same service quality flow.

In a possible implementation, the method may further include: before receiving the fifth message from the access network element, the session management function element receives a first policy and charging control rule from the policy control function element, the first policy and charging control rule including first information, the first information being used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service; binding the first policy and charging control rule to the second quality of service flow; and sending information of the second quality of service flow to the first network element. Through this implementation, the session management function element may bind the policy and charging control rule corresponding to the first service flow to the second quality of service flow, and the second quality of service flow may carry service flows of other application services in addition to the first service flow.

In a possible implementation, the method may further include: the session management function network element determines the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service, and determines the unreleased service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service according to the association relationship between the service flow corresponding to the first quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service. Through the above implementation, the session management function network element can determine the unreleased service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service by itself, and based on the determined unreleased service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service, release the unreleased service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one quality of service flow, thereby realizing the collaborative management of the multiple service flows of the first application service with the service flow as the granularity.

In a possible implementation, the method may also include: the session management function network element sends a second message to the policy control function network element, and the second message is used to request to deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, so that the policy control function network element can respond to the second message and deactivate the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. The second message can be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the second message is one message, and the one message can be used to request to deactivate all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the second message is multiple messages, one of which is used to request to deactivate one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the method may also include: the session management function network element sends a sixth message to the policy control function network element, the sixth message is used to request to deactivate the policy and charging control rules bound to the second service quality flow; and, receiving a fourth message from the policy control function network element, the fourth message is used to indicate the deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message can be used to request the release of unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service. The fourth message can be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the fourth message is one message, and the one message can be used to indicate the deactivation of all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the fourth message is multiple messages, one of which is used to indicate the deactivation of one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

Optionally, the method may also include: the session management function network element determines the service flow of the first application service based on the fourth message, and determines the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service based on the service flow corresponding to the second service quality flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service.

Through the above-mentioned implementation method, the session management function network element can determine the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service in response to the fourth message of the policy control function network element, and based on the determined unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service, release the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow, thereby realizing collaborative management of the multiple service flows of the first application service with the service flow as the granularity.

In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, which can be executed by a policy control function network element or by a component of the policy control function network element. In the method, the policy control function network element receives a sixth message from a session management function network element, the sixth message is used to request to deactivate the policy and charging control rules bound to the second quality of service flow, the first service flow corresponding to the second quality of service flow is one of the multiple service flows of the first application service; determine the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service; and deactivate the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the method may also include: a policy control function network element receives a request message from an application function network element, the request message being used to request quality of service for a first service flow, wherein the request message includes fourth information, and the fourth information is used to associate multiple service flows of the first application service; based on the request message, generating a first policy and billing control rule, wherein the first policy and billing control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service; and sending the first policy and billing control rule to a session management function network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the method may further include: a policy control function network element determines the first information according to the fourth information.

In a possible implementation, the method may further include: the policy control function network element determines the association relationship between the multiple service flows of the first application service. Optionally, the policy control function network element may maintain or store the association relationship between the multiple service flows of the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the method may also include: the policy control function network element determines the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, which may be: the policy control function network element determines the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service based on the fourth information and the PCC rules bound to the second service quality flow.

In a possible implementation, the method may further include: the policy control function network element sends a fourth message to the session management function network element, the fourth message is used to indicate the deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message can be used to request the release of unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service. The fourth message is used to indicate the deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message can be used to request the release of unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service. The fourth message can be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the fourth message is one message, and the one message can be used to indicate the deactivation of all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the fourth message is multiple messages, one of which is used to indicate the deactivation of one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

For the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned fifth aspect and each possible implementation method of the fifth aspect, please refer to the beneficial effects of the fourth aspect and each possible implementation method of the fourth aspect, which will not be repeated here.

In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device. The communication device is used to execute the method described in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, or to execute the method described in the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect. The communication device is, for example, a session management function network element, or a functional module in a session management function network element, such as a baseband device or a chip system. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device.

In another possible implementation, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also referred to as a processing module) and a transceiver unit (sometimes also referred to as a transceiver module). The transceiver unit can implement a sending function and a receiving function. When the transceiver unit implements the sending function, it can be called a sending unit (sometimes also referred to as a sending module), and when the transceiver unit implements the receiving function, it can be called a receiving unit (sometimes also referred to as a receiving module). The sending unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional unit, which is called a transceiver unit, and the functional unit can implement a sending function and a receiving function; or, the sending unit and the receiving unit can be different functional units, and the transceiver unit is a general term for these functional units.

In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device. The communication device is used to execute the method described in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, or to execute the method described in the fifth aspect and any possible implementation of the fifth aspect. The communication device is, for example, a policy control function network element, or a functional module in a policy control function network element, such as a baseband device or a chip system. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device.

In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device. The communication device is used to execute the method described in the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect. The communication device is, for example, an access network element, or a functional module in an access network element, such as a baseband device or a chip system. In one possible implementation, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device.

In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may include one or more processors. Optionally, the communication device may also include a memory. The memory is used to store one or more computer programs or instructions. The one or more processors are used to execute the one or more computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the communication device executes the method described in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect, or executes the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect. The method described in the possible implementation.

In the tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device. The communication device may include one or more processors. Optionally, the communication device may also include a memory. The memory is used to store one or more computer programs or instructions. The one or more processors are used to execute the one or more computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the communication device executes the method described in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, or executes the method described in the fifth aspect and any possible implementation of the fifth aspect.

In the eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication device. The communication device may include one or more processors. Optionally, the communication device may also include a memory. The memory is used to store one or more computer programs or instructions. The one or more processors are used to execute the one or more computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the communication device performs the method described in the third aspect and any possible implementation of the third aspect.

In a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication system, wherein the communication system comprises at least one of the communication device described in the sixth aspect, the communication device described in the seventh aspect, or the communication device described in the eighth aspect.

In the thirteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is used to store computer programs or instructions. When the computer-readable storage medium is executed, the method described in the first aspect and any possible implementation of the first aspect is implemented, or the method described in the fourth aspect and any possible implementation of the fourth aspect is implemented.

In the fourteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is used to store computer programs or instructions. When the computer-readable storage medium is executed, the method described in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect is implemented, or the method described in the fifth aspect and any possible implementation of the fifth aspect is implemented.

In the fifteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is used to store computer programs or instructions. When the computer-readable storage medium is executed, the method described in the above-mentioned third aspect and any possible implementation method of the third aspect is implemented.

In the sixteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product comprising instructions, which, when executed on a computer, enables the method described in the above-mentioned first aspect and any possible implementation method of the first aspect to be implemented, or enables the method described in the above-mentioned fourth aspect and any possible implementation method of the fourth aspect to be implemented.

In the seventeenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product comprising instructions, which, when executed on a computer, enables the method described in the above-mentioned second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect to be implemented, or enables the method described in the above-mentioned fifth aspect and any possible implementation of the fifth aspect to be implemented.

In the eighteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product comprising instructions, which, when executed on a computer, enables the method described in the third aspect and any possible implementation method of the third aspect to be implemented.

In the nineteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application also provides a chip, which is coupled to a memory and is used to read and execute program instructions in the memory, so that the device where the chip is located implements the method described in the above-mentioned first aspect and any possible implementation method of the first aspect, or implements the above-mentioned fourth aspect and any possible implementation method of the fourth aspect.

In the twentieth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, which is coupled to a memory and is used to read and execute program instructions in the memory, so that the device where the chip is located implements the method described in the second aspect and any possible implementation of the second aspect, or implements the method described in the fifth aspect and any possible implementation of the fifth aspect.

In the twenty-first aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, which is coupled to a memory and is used to read and execute program instructions in the memory, so that the device where the chip is located implements the method described in the above-mentioned third aspect and any possible implementation method of the third aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a service flow in which a QoS flow carries different application services in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG3 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG4 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG5A is a schematic diagram of a QoS flow carrying at least one service flow of an application service provided by an embodiment of the present application;

FIG5B is a schematic diagram of a service flow of an application service carried by a QoS flow provided by an embodiment of the present application;

FIG6 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG7 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG8 is a schematic diagram of collaborative management of multiple service flows of application service 1 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG9 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed ways

In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The terms "system" and "network" in the embodiments of the present application can be used interchangeably. "Multiple" refers to two or more than two. In view of this, in the embodiments of the present application, "multiple" can also be understood as "at least two". "At least one" can be understood as one or more, for example, one, two or more. For example, including at least one means including one, two or more, and there is no limit on which ones are included. For example, including at least one of A, B and C, then A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. Similarly, the understanding of descriptions such as "at least one" is also similar. "At least one of the following" or its similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single items or plural items. For example, "at least one of A, B and C" includes A, B, C, AB, AC, BC or ABC. "And/or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and/or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character “/”, unless otherwise specified, generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an “or” relationship.

Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of the present application mention ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" for distinguishing between multiple objects, and are not used to limit the order, timing, priority or importance of multiple objects, and the descriptions of "first" and "second" do not limit the objects to be different.

In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, the word "exemplary" is used to indicate an example, illustration or description. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" in the present application should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the word "exemplary" is intended to present concepts in a concrete way.

The present application will present various aspects, embodiments or features around a system that may include multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that each system may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and/or may not include all of the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in conjunction with the figures. In addition, combinations of these schemes may also be used.

The foregoing introduces some of the terms involved in the embodiments of the present application, and the following introduces a communication system to which the embodiments of the present application are applicable.

It should be noted that the network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of the present application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can know that with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

The technical solution of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to various communication systems. In a communication system, the part operated by the operator can be called a public land mobile network (PLMN) (also referred to as an operator network, a mobile communication network, etc.). PLMN is a network created and operated by the government or an operator approved by it for the purpose of providing land mobile communication services to the public. It is mainly a public network for mobile network operators (MNO) to provide mobile broadband access services to users. The PLMN described in this application can specifically be a network that meets the requirements of the third generation partnership project (3GPP) standard, referred to as a 3GPP network. 3GPP networks generally include but are not limited to fifth-generation mobile communication (5th-generation, 5G) networks (referred to as 5G networks), fourth-generation mobile communication (4th-generation, 4G) networks (referred to as 4G networks) and other future communication systems such as 6G networks. For the convenience of description, the embodiments of the present application will be described by taking PLMN or 5G networks as examples.

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture of an embodiment of the present application, which takes the 5G network architecture based on the service-oriented architecture in the non-roaming scenario defined in the 3GPP standardization process as an example. The network architecture may include three parts, namely, the terminal device part, the data network (DN) part and the PLMN part.

The terminal device part may include a terminal device, which can establish a connection with the operator network through an interface provided by the operator network (such as N1, etc.), and use data and/or voice services provided by the operator network. The terminal device can also access the data network through the operator network, use the operator services deployed on the data network, and/or services provided by a third party. Among them, the above-mentioned third party may be a service provider other than the operator network and the terminal device, and can provide other data and/or voice services to the terminal device. Among them, the specific form of expression of the above-mentioned third party can be determined according to the actual application scenario, and is not limited here.

Terminal equipment, also known as terminal, is a device with wireless transceiver function. It can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; it can also be deployed on the water (such as ships); it can also be deployed in the air (such as airplanes, balloons and satellites). The terminal device may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a computer with wireless transceiver function, an extended reality (XR) terminal (such as a virtual reality (VR) terminal, an augmented reality (AR) terminal, etc.), a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical, a wireless terminal in smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in a smart city, a wireless terminal in a smart home, a user equipment (UE), a terminal device adapted for the Internet of Things (IoT) (such as a terminal device in a smart factory, a terminal device in the smart manufacturing industry, etc.), etc.

A data network, also known as a packet data network (PDN), is usually a network located outside of an operator network, such as a third-party network. An operator network can access multiple data networks, and a variety of services can be deployed on the data network, which can provide data and/or voice services to terminal devices. For example, a data network can be a private network of a smart factory, and the sensors installed in the workshop of the smart factory can be terminal devices. The control server of the sensors is deployed in the data network, and the control server can provide services for the sensors. The sensor can communicate with the control server, obtain instructions from the control server, and transmit the collected sensor data to the control server according to the instructions. For another example, the data network can be the internal office network of a company, and the mobile phones or computers of the company's employees can be terminal devices. The employees' mobile phones or computers can access information, data resources, etc. on the company's internal office network.

The PLMN may include, but is not limited to: network slice selection function (NSSF) network element, authentication server function (AUSF) network element, network exposure function (NEF) network element, network repository function (NRF) network element, access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, policy control function (PCF) network element, unified data management (UDM) network element, session management function (SMF) network element, access network (AN) or radio access network (RAN), and user plane function (UPF) network element, etc. In the above PLMN, the part other than the (wireless) access network part may be referred to as the core network (CN) part.

By way of example, the following briefly introduces the network functions that may be involved in the various embodiments of the present application. In addition, FIG. 1 also involves other network elements, which will not be introduced in detail here.

AN, also known as Radio AN, can be regarded as a sub-network of the operator network. It is the implementation system between the service nodes and terminal devices in the operator network. To access the operator network, the terminal device first passes through (R)AN, and then can connect to the service nodes of the operator network through (R)AN. The access network equipment (RAN equipment) in the embodiment of the present application is a device that provides wireless communication functions for terminal equipment, and may also be referred to as network equipment, access network element, etc. The RAN equipment includes but is not limited to: the next generation node base station (gNB) in the 5G system, the evolved node B (eNB) in the long term evolution (LTE), the radio network controller (RNC), the node B (NB), the base station controller (BSC), the base transceiver station (BTS), the home base station (e.g., home evolved node B, or home node B, HNB), the base band unit (BBU), the transmission point (TRP), the transmitting point (TP), the small base station equipment (pico), the mobile switching center, or the network equipment in the future network, etc. In the system using different wireless access technologies, the name of the equipment with the access network equipment function may be different. For the convenience of description, in all embodiments of the present application, the above-mentioned apparatuses providing wireless communication functions for terminal devices are collectively referred to as access network devices or RAN or AN for short. It should be understood that the specific type of access network devices is not limited herein.

The application function is a control plane function deployed on the application service side. It can be deployed by the operator or by an external third party. The application function supports services such as traffic routing control, policy control function interaction, and access network function opening by interacting with other network functions of the core network. For example, in a 5G communication system, the application function may be AF, as shown in Figure 1; in future communication systems, such as 6G communication systems, the application function may still be AF, or may have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

The network open function is responsible for providing some network-related status information before applying services. For example, in a 5G communication system, the network open function may be NEF, as shown in FIG1 ; in future communication systems, such as a 6G communication system, the network open function may still be NEF, or may have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

The policy control function is a control plane function provided by the operator, which supports a unified policy framework to govern network behavior, provide policy rules to other control functions, contract information related to policy decisions, etc. For example, in a 5G communication system, the policy control function may be a PCF, as shown in FIG1 ; in future communication systems, such as a 6G communication system, the policy control function may still be a PCF, or may have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

The session management function is a control plane network function provided by the PLMN, responsible for managing the protocol data unit (protocol Data unit (PDU). A PDU session is a channel for transmitting PDU, and the terminal device needs to transmit data to and from the DN through the PDU session. The PDU session can be created, maintained, and deleted by the session management function. The session management function includes session management (such as session creation, modification, and release, including tunnel maintenance between user plane functions and AN, etc.), selection and control of user plane functions, service and session continuity (SSC) mode selection, roaming, and other session-related functions. For example, in a 5G communication system, the session management function may be an SMF, as shown in FIG1 ; in future communication systems, such as a 6G communication system, the session management function may still be an SMF, or may have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

The user plane function is a gateway provided by the PLMN to communicate with the data network DN. The user plane function includes data packet routing and transmission, data packet detection, service usage reporting, quality of service (QoS) processing, legal monitoring, uplink data packet detection, downlink data packet storage and other user plane related functions. For example, in a 5G communication system, the user plane function may be UPF, as shown in FIG1 ; in future communication systems, such as a 6G communication system, the user plane function may still be UPF, or may have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

The access and mobility management function is a control plane network function provided by the PLMN, which is responsible for the access control and mobility management of the terminal device accessing the PLMN, including, for example, mobile state management, allocation of user temporary identity, authentication and authorization of users, etc. For example, in a 5G communication system, the access and mobility management function may be AMF, as shown in Figure 1; in future communication systems, such as 6G communication systems, the access and mobility management function may still be AMF, or may have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

Among them, each network function in the PLMN can be a network element implemented on dedicated hardware, or a software instance running on dedicated hardware, or an instance of a virtualized function on an appropriate platform, for example, the above-mentioned virtualization platform can be a cloud platform. In addition, each network function in the PLMN can also be called a network element, a functional entity or a device, for example, the policy control function can also be called a policy control function network element, a policy control function entity or a policy control function device, etc., and the session management function can also be called a session management function network element, a session management function entity or a session management function device, etc., which will not be listed one by one here.

The network functions in the PLMN shown in FIG. 1 may also include other network functions. For example, the PLMN also includes a unified data repository (UDR) and the like (not shown in FIG. 1 ). The embodiments of the present application do not limit other network functions included in the PLMN. In addition, the names of the network functions shown in FIG. 1 are only used as an example here and are not used as a limitation on the network functions included in the network architecture to which the method of the embodiments of the present application is applicable. The names of devices that implement network functions in systems with different access technologies may be different, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

In Figure 1, Nnssf, Nausf, Nnef, Nnrf, Namf, Npcf, Nsmf, Nudm, Naf, N1, N2, N3, N4, and N6 are interface serial numbers. The meanings of these interface serial numbers can be found in the meanings defined in the standard protocol of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and are not limited here. It should be noted that the interface names between the various network functions in Figure 1 are only examples. In specific implementations, the interface names of the system architecture may also be other names, which are not limited in this application.

It should be noted that the network architecture shown in FIG1 does not constitute a limitation on the communication system to which the embodiments of the present application can be applied. The network architecture shown in FIG1 is a 5G system architecture. Optionally, the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to the 4th generation mobile communication technology (4G) system, such as the LTE system, in addition to the 5G system, or can also be applied to the next generation mobile communication system or other similar communication systems, without specific limitation.

Next, the technical features related to the embodiments of the present application are introduced.

Policy and charging control (PCC) rules can be used to perform policy control on the service flow of application services. The PCC rule is generated by the PCF network element and sent to the SMF network. After the SMF network element receives the PCC rule from the PCF network element, it binds the PCC rule to the corresponding QoS flow through the QoS flow binding mechanism. After that, the service flow corresponding to the PCC rule can be carried by the QoS flow bound to the PCC rule. The principle of the QoS flow binding mechanism is: if the binding parameters of the PCC rule (such as 5G QoS identifier (5G QoS identifier, 5QI), priority, etc.) are consistent with the parameters of the QoS flow, the PCC rule can be bound to the QoS flow. In the current QoS flow binding mechanism, multiple PCC rules with the same binding parameters can be bound to the same QoS flow.

It should be noted that the PCF may generate a PCC rule for one service flow, that is, one service flow corresponds to one PCC rule; or may generate a PCC rule for multiple service flows, that is, multiple service flows correspond to one PCC rule. That is, multiple service flows may correspond to one or more PCC rules. In order to facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the following text takes one service flow corresponding to one PCC rule as an example without special explanation.

Among them, binding the PCC rule with the QoS flow in the embodiment of the present application can be understood as associating the PCC rule with the QoS flow, or can also be understood as mapping the PCC rule to the QoS flow.

In the embodiment of the present application, multiple PCC rules with corresponding binding parameters can be understood as multiple PCC rules having one or more identical binding parameters. The binding parameters may include, for example, at least one of the following parameters: 5G QoS identifier (5G QoS identifier, 5QI), allocation and retention priority (allocation and retention priority, ARP), QoS notification control (QoS notification control, QNC), priority (priority level), averaging window, and maximum data burst volume, etc.

In the embodiment of the present application, multiple PCC rules with the same binding parameters can be understood as multiple service flows corresponding to the multiple PCC rules having the same QoS requirements. Accordingly, multiple PCC rules with the same binding parameters can be bound to the same QoS flow, which can be understood as multiple service flows with the same QoS requirements can be mapped to the same QoS flow, or can also be understood as multiple service flows with the same QoS requirements can be carried by one QoS flow.

The application service involved in the embodiment of the present application may be an XR service used on the terminal, or may be a game service used on the terminal, etc. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation method of the application service. The service flow involved in the embodiment of the present application may be a video data stream, an audio data stream, and/or a sensor data stream, etc. sent to the terminal, or may be a video data stream, an audio data stream, and/or a sensor data stream, etc. sent by the terminal to the server. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation method of the service flow. In addition, the service flow involved in the embodiment of the present application may be an IP stream with an independent Internet protocol (IP) quintuple, and different service flows may also have the same IP quintuple. For example, the I frame in the video data stream identified by an IP quintuple constitutes one service flow, and the P frame in the video data stream constitutes another service flow.

An application service can correspond to multiple service flows. For example, a game application can generate not only video data but also audio data. The QoS requirements of these service flows can be different, which means that multiple PCC rules corresponding to the same application service are bound to different QoS flows, that is, multiple service flows of the same application service can be mapped to different QoS flows, that is, an application service including multiple service flows can correspond to multiple QoS flows. Figure 2 takes application service 1, application service 2 and application service 3 as examples. Application service 1 includes three service flows, which are respectively recorded as service flow 1, service flow 2 and service flow 3; application service 2 includes one service flow, which is recorded as service flow 4; application service 3 includes one service flow, which is recorded as service flow 5. As shown in Figure 2, service flows 1, service flow 2 and service flow 4 have the same QoS requirements. Service flows 1, service flow 2 and service flow 4 are mapped to QoS flow 1, that is, QoS flow 1 carries the service flow of application service 1 and the service flow of application service 2; service flows 3 and service flow 5 have the same QoS requirements. Service flows 3 and service flow 5 are mapped to QoS flow 2, that is, QoS flow 2 carries the service flow of application service 1 and the service flow of application service 3.

In order to ensure that an application service to which multiple service flows belong can operate normally, it is necessary to coordinately manage the multiple service flows of the application service. For example, some of the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the application service cannot be transmitted due to transmission resources and other reasons. In this case, there is no need to continue transmitting the remaining QoS flows, and the transmission of the remaining QoS flows can be interrupted, that is, the remaining QoS flows can be released. However, a QoS flow can be mapped by multiple service flows with the same QoS requirements and belonging to different application services. In this case, when the remaining QoS flows are released, the normal transmission of service flows of other application services carried by the remaining QoS flows will be affected.

Taking Figure 2 as an example, assuming that the service flow carried by QoS flow 1 can be transmitted, but the service flow carried by QoS flow 2 cannot be transmitted due to transmission resources and other reasons, QoS flow 2 is released. QoS flow 2 carries part of the service flow of application service 1, so there is no need to transmit service flow 1 and service flow 2 of application service 1, and there is no need to reserve resources for service flow 1 and service flow 2. QoS flow 1 can be released, but QoS flow 1 also carries service flow 4 of application service 2. Releasing QoS flow 1 will affect the normal transmission of service flow 4 of application service 2.

In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method and apparatus, in which multiple PCC rules having the same binding parameters but corresponding to different application services are not bound to the same QoS flow, that is, one QoS flow carries one or more service flows of an application service, so that each QoS flow in the multiple QoS flows corresponding to one application service does not carry the service flows of other application services, which means that when the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the one application service are collaboratively managed, the normal transmission of the service flows of other application services will not be affected, thereby avoiding the problem that the service flows of other application services cannot be transmitted normally due to the collaborative management of the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the one application service.

Next, a communication method and device provided by an embodiment of the present application will be introduced in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The method can be applied to the communication system shown in Figure 1. For ease of understanding, the following description is given by taking the embodiment of the present application applied to the communication system shown in Figure 1 as an example. The access network element, application function network element, network open function network element, policy control function network element, session management function network element, user plane function network element, and access and mobility management function network element involved in the embodiment of the present application can be the RAN, AF network element, NEF network element, PCF network element, SMF network element, UPF network element, and AMF network element in Figure 1, respectively, or it can be a network element with the functions of the above-mentioned RAN, AF network element, NEF network element, PCF network element, SMF network element, UPF network element, and AMF network element in future communications such as the sixth generation (6th generation, 6G) network. The implementation of this application For the convenience of explanation, the embodiment of the present application is described by taking the access network element, application function element, network open function element, policy control function element, session management function element, user plane function element, access and mobility management function element as the above-mentioned RAN, AF element, NEF element, PCF element, SMF element, UPF element, and AMF element as an example. Also, the terminal device involved in the embodiment of the present application may be the UE in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a process flow of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 3, the process may include the following contents.

S301: The AF network element sends a request message 1 to the PCF network element; correspondingly, the PCF network element receives the request message 1 from the AF network element.

The request message 1 can be used to request that quality service be provided for the first service flow. The request message 1 includes fourth information. The fourth information can be used to associate one or more service flows of the first application service. In the embodiment of the present application, the first application service corresponds to one or more service flows. In order to facilitate the understanding of the embodiment of the present application, the following text will take the first application service corresponding to multiple service flows as an example for description without explanation. Among them, the first service flow is one of the multiple service flows of the first application service. For the description of the application service and the service flow, please refer to the description of the related technical features above, which will not be repeated here. For example, the AF network element can send a request message 1 to the PCF network element to request that quality service be provided for the first service flow during the process of the UE registering the first application service or during the process of the UE running the first application service.

In S301, the AF network element sends a request message 1 to the PCF network element to request that quality service be provided for the first service flow. It should be understood that the AF network element may send multiple request messages to the PCF network element to request that quality service be provided for multiple service flows of the first application service, that is, the AF network element sends a request message to the PCF network element for each service flow of the multiple service flows of the first application service to request that quality service be provided. The multiple request messages include request message 1. The multiple request messages may be sent one by one or together, and this is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

The multiple service flows associated with the first application service involved in the embodiment of the present application can be understood as the multiple service flows belonging to the same application service, or as the QoS requirements of the multiple service flows need to be guaranteed at the same time. When the fourth information is associated with a service flow of the first application service, it indicates that the one service flow belongs to the service flow of the first application service, and the first application service does not have other service flows.

The fourth information involved in the embodiment of the present application is used to associate multiple business flows of the first application business. It can be understood that the fourth information is used to indicate the association relationship between multiple business flows of the first application business; or it can also be understood that the fourth information is used to indicate that multiple business flows belong to the same application business; or it can also be understood that the fourth information is used to indicate that the first business flow is one of the multiple business flows of the first application business.

In one implementation, the fourth information may be identification information. For example, the fourth information may be identification information of the first application service, used to indicate the first application service; or the fourth information may also be pre-configured or defined identification information, in which case, multiple service flows of the same application service correspond to the same identification information. For example, the AF network element sends multiple request messages to the PCF network element to request that quality services be provided for multiple service flows of the first application service, and each of the multiple request messages includes the fourth information. After the PCF network element receives the multiple request messages, it can determine that the multiple service flows corresponding to the multiple request messages belong to the same application service based on the fact that each of the multiple request messages carries the fourth information.

In one example, the request message 1 may also include at least one of the identification information of the first service flow and the QoS parameter corresponding to the first service flow. The identification information of the first service flow may be used to identify the first service flow, for example, it may be IP five-tuple information, or three-tuple information. The QoS parameter corresponding to the first service flow is a parameter corresponding to the QoS requirement of the first service flow, for example, it may include but is not limited to packet loss rate, bandwidth requirement, or delay requirement.

In S301, the request message 1 sent by the AF network element to the PCF network element may reach the PCF network element through the NEF network element or not through the NEF network element. Figure 3 takes the case where the request message 1 does not pass through the NEF network element as an example. For example, the AF network element may send the request message 1 to the NEF network element, and after receiving the request message 1, the NEF network element forwards the request message 1 to the PCF network element.

S302: The PCF network element generates a first PCC rule according to the request message 1.

Among them, the first PCC rule includes the first information. The first information can be used to associate one or more PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. The multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service include the first PCC rule. In S302, the PCF network element can generate a first PCC rule for the first service flow in response to the request message 1. The first PCC rule can be used to perform policy control on the first service flow. For example, the PCF network element can generate the first PCC rule based on the fourth information, the identification information of the first service flow, and the QoS parameters corresponding to the first service flow in response to the request message 1.

As mentioned above, the first application service involved in the embodiment of the present application corresponds to one or more service flows. If the first application service corresponds to one service flow, the first application service may correspond to one PCC rule. If the first application service corresponds to multiple service flows, the first application service may correspond to one or more PCC rules. That is, the first application service involved in the embodiment of the present application corresponds to one or more PCC rules. In the embodiment of the present application, unless otherwise specified, the following text takes the case where a first application service corresponds to multiple PCC rules as an example.

The first information involved in the embodiment of the present application is used to associate multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, which can be understood as the first information being used to indicate the association relationship between the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the application service; or it can also be understood as using the first information to indicate that multiple PCC rules correspond to the same application service; or it can also be understood as the first information being used to indicate that the first PCC rule is one of the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. Among them, the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service can be replaced by PCC rules corresponding to multiple service flows of the first application service.

Exemplarily, the PCF network element may determine the first information according to the fourth information. For example, the PCF network element may determine the first information according to the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service. The first information may be, for example, identification information, such as identification information of the first application service, or pre-configured or predetermined identification information. The specific implementation method may refer to the implementation method of the fourth information, which will not be described in detail here.

In the embodiment of the present application, each of the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service may include the first information, and the PCC rules corresponding to other application services do not include the first information, that is, the application service corresponding to the PCC rule that does not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service. In this way, after the SMF network element receives the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service from the PCF network element, it can be determined that the service flows corresponding to the multiple PCC rules are associated based on the fact that each of the multiple PCC rules includes the first information.

The first PCC rule may also include a binding parameter of the first PCC rule, where the binding parameter is used to bind the first PCC rule to the QoS flow. Please refer to the above description for the binding parameter, which will not be repeated here.

Optionally, the first PCC rule may further include at least one of identification information of the first service flow and QoS parameters corresponding to the first service flow. For a description of the identification information of the first service flow and the QoS parameters corresponding to the first service flow, please refer to the content of S301, which will not be repeated here.

In a possible implementation manner, the first PCC rule may further include second information, where the second information may be used to indicate that the first PCC rule is bound to one or more QoS flows.

In one example, the second information can be used to indicate that the first PCC rule is bound to a QoS flow, and the QoS flow is no longer bound to other PCC rules, which is equivalent to the first PCC rule being bound to a QoS, and the QoS flow is only bound to the first PCC rule. Among them, the other PCC rule and the first PCC rule can correspond to the same application service, or can also correspond to different application services. The binding parameters of the other PCC rules can be the same as or different from the binding parameters of the first PCC rule. For example, the first information can be used to indicate that the first PCC rule is bound to a QoS flow, and the QoS flow is not bound to the PCC rule that has the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and includes the first information, so that multiple PCC rules corresponding to the same application service and having the same binding parameters are not bound to the same QoS flow. For example, the PCF network element determines that the first application service corresponds to a service flow based on the fourth information, and generates the second information to indicate that the first PCC rule is bound to a QoS flow, and the QoS flow is no longer bound to other PCC rules. In addition, the second information and the first information can be one information, in which case the first information is used to associate multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, and to indicate that the first PCC rule is bound to a QoS flow, and the one QoS flow is no longer bound to other PCC rules; or they can be two different information, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

In another example, the second information can be used to indicate that the PCC rule having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and including the first information is bound to the same QoS flow as the first PCC rule, so that multiple PCC rules corresponding to the same application service and having the same binding parameters can be bound to the same QoS flow. For example, the PCF network element can determine that the QoS requirement of at least one service flow other than the first service flow in the first application service is the same as the QoS of the first service flow based on the QoS requirements of multiple service flows of the first application service, and generate the second information to indicate that the first PCC rule can be bound to a QoS flow with other PCC rules including the first information and having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule. In addition, the second information and the first information can be one information, in which case the first information is used to associate multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, and indicate that the PCC rule having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and including the first information is bound to the same QoS flow as the first PCC rule; or it can be two different information, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

S303: The PCF network element sends the first PCC rule to the SMF network element; correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the first PCC rule from the PCF network element.

After receiving the first PCC rule from the PCF network element, the SMF network element may execute the content of S304a or the content of S304b. That is, S304a and S304b are two parallel steps, which are indicated by dotted lines in FIG3 .

S304a: The SMF network element determines a first QoS flow that has been created according to a PCC rule that has the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and includes the first information.

Among them, the first QoS flow is not bound to the PCC rule that does not include the first information. For example, the SMF determines that the first QoS flow is not bound to the PCC rule that does not include the first information based on the first information. The first application service corresponding to the PCC rule that does not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service. The binding parameters of the PCC rule that does not include the first information may be the same as or different from the binding parameters of the first PCC rule, and the embodiment of the present application does not limit this. For example, the SMF network element may determine that the QoS flow that has been created according to the PCC rule that includes the first information is not bound to the PCC rule that does not include the first information, that is, the SMF network element may determine that the QoS flow that has been created according to the PCC rule that includes the first information is not bound to the PCC rule that does not include the first information, that is, the SMF network element may determine that the QoS flow that has been created according to the PCC rule that includes the first information is not bound to the PCC rule corresponding to other application services. For example, the SMF network element binds the PCC rule to the QoS flow based on the QoS flow binding mechanism, and maintains or stores the binding relationship between the PCC rule and the QoS flow, and the binding relationship between the PCC rule and the QoS flow may include the PCC rule and the QoS flow created based on the PCC rule or bound to the PCC rule. Further, the SMF network element can determine the QoS flow that has been created according to the PCC rule including the first information based on the association relationship between the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application and the binding relationship between the PCC rule and the QoS flow. Please refer to the above description for the QoS flow binding mechanism, which will not be repeated here.

Optionally, the SMF network element determines the association relationship between the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service based on the first information, and maintains or stores the association relationship between the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. Optionally, the SMF network element may determine the association relationship between the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service based on the association relationship between the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service and the binding relationship between the PCC rules and the QoS flows, and maintain or store the association relationship between the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. Optionally, the SMF network element may determine the association relationship of the first application service based on the association relationship between the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service or the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, and maintain or store the association relationship of the first application service.

In one example, after receiving the first PCC rule, the SMF network element can determine, based on the first information, whether there is a first QoS flow that has been created based on a PCC rule that has the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and includes the first information. In this example, the SMF network element determines that there is a first QoS flow that has been created based on a PCC rule that has the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and includes the first information, and further the SMF network element can determine the first QoS flow, such as obtaining information, parameters, etc. of the first QoS flow.

In another example, the first PCC rule includes second information, and the second information can be used to indicate that the PCC rule having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and including the first information is bound to the same QoS flow as the first PCC rule. In this case, the SMF network element can determine whether there is a first QoS flow that has been created according to the PCC rule having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and including the first information based on the second information. In this example, the SMF network element determines that there is a first QoS flow that has been created according to the PCC rule having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and including the first information, and further the SMF network element can determine the first QoS flow.

S304b: The SMF network element creates a first QoS flow according to the first PCC rule.

In one example, after receiving the first PCC rule, the SMF network element can determine, according to the first information, that the first application service corresponds to a service flow. In this case, the SMF network element creates a first QoS flow according to the first PCC rule.

In one example, after receiving the first PCC rule, the SMF network element can determine, based on the first information, whether there is a first QoS flow that has been created based on a PCC rule that has the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and includes the first information. In this example, the SMF network element determines that there is no first QoS flow that has been created based on a PCC rule that has the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and includes the first information, and further the SMF network element can create a first QoS flow based on the first PCC rule.

In another example, the first PCC rule includes second information, and the second information can be used to indicate that a PCC rule having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and including the first information is bound to the same QoS flow as the first PCC rule. In this case, the SMF network element can determine, based on the second information, whether there is a first QoS flow that has been created based on a PCC rule having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and including the first information. In this example, the SMF network element determines that there is no first QoS flow that has been created based on a PCC rule having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and including the first information, and further the SMF network element can create a first QoS flow based on the first PCC rule.

In another example, the first PCC rule includes second information, which can be used to indicate that the first PCC rule is bound to a QoS flow, and the QoS flow is no longer bound to other PCC rules. In this case, the SMF network element responds to the second information and creates a first QoS flow according to the first PCC rule.

In the embodiment of the present application, creating a first QoS flow can be understood as generating a first QoS flow, or can be understood as configuring network resources for the first QoS flow.

S305: The SMF network element binds the first PCC rule to the first QoS flow.

The SMF network element binds the first PCC rule to the first QoS flow, indicating that the first service flow corresponding to the first PCC rule is bound by the first QoS Flow carrying.

Among them, the first QoS flow can carry a service flow of the first application service, that is, only carry the first service flow. In this case, the first QoS flow is only bound to the first PCC rule. For example, there is no service flow with the same QoS requirement as the first service flow in the first application service. For another example, the second information included in the first PCC rule is used to indicate that the first PCC rule is bound to a QoS flow, and the one QoS flow is no longer bound to other PCC rules. For another example, the first application service corresponds to a service flow.

Alternatively, the first QoS flow may carry the first service flow and a service flow that has the same QoS requirement as the first service flow and belongs to the first application service. In this case, in addition to being bound to the first PCC rule, the first QoS flow is also bound to a PCC rule corresponding to the first application service and having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule. For example, there is a service flow in the first application service that has the same QoS requirement as the first service flow. For another example, the first PCC rule includes second information, which can be used to indicate that a PCC rule that has the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule and includes the first information is bound to the same QoS flow as the first PCC rule.

After the SMF network element binds the first PCC rule with the first QoS flow, the SMF network element may send information about the first QoS flow to the first network element. The first network element is the RAN, or the UPF network element. Considering that the information about the first QoS flow sent by the SMF network element to the RAN may be different from the information about the first QoS flow sent by the SMF network element to the UPF network element. For ease of distinction, in an embodiment of the present application, the information about the first QoS flow sent by the SMF network element to the RAN is recorded as information 1 of the first QoS flow, and the information about the first QoS flow sent by the SMF network element to the UPF network element is recorded as information 2 of the first QoS flow.

The QoS flow information involved in the embodiments of the present application may include but is not limited to one or more of the following information: QoS flow identity (QFI), 5QI, IP quintuple information, or triplet information, etc.

S306: The SMF network element sends information 1 of the first QoS flow to the RAN; correspondingly, the RAN receives information 1 of the first QoS flow from the SMF network element.

The SMF network element sends information 1 of the first QoS flow to the RAN, so that the RAN creates a QoS flow for carrying the first service flow according to the information 1 of the first QoS flow.

In the embodiment of the present application, multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service are bound to multiple QoS flows, one of which is bound to at least one PCC rule among the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, that is, multiple service flows of the first application service are carried by multiple QoS flows.

Optionally, the information 1 of the first QoS flow may include third information; or, the SMF network element may send the third information to the RAN, such as the third information and the information 1 of the first QoS flow are carried in one message. The third information can be used to associate the association relationship between the multiple QoS flows bound to the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. Among them, the multiple QoS flows bound to the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service can be replaced with the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service, or replaced with the multiple QoS flows used to carry the multiple service flows of the first application service, or can be replaced with the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the multiple service flows of the first application service. The third information can be used to associate the association relationship between the multiple QoS flows bound to the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service; it can be understood that the third information is used to indicate the association relationship between the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service; or it can also be understood that the third information is used to indicate that the first QoS flow is one of the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service; or it can also be understood that the third information is used to indicate that the multiple QoS flows correspond to the same application service. For example, the information of each QoS flow in the information of the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service sent by the SMF network element to the RAN includes the third information. In addition, the third information may be the fourth information, or may be information different from the fourth information, which is not limited in the present embodiment. For the determination of the association relationship between the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service, please refer to the relevant description of S304a, which will not be repeated here.

S307: The SMF network element sends information 2 of the first QoS flow to the UPF network element; correspondingly, the UPF network element receives information 2 of the first QoS flow from the SMF network element.

The SMF network element sends information 1 of the first QoS flow to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element creates a QoS flow for carrying the first service flow according to the information 1 of the first QoS flow.

Optionally, the information 2 of the first QoS flow may include third information; or, the SMF network element may send the third information to the UPF network element, such as the third information and the information 2 of the first QoS flow are carried in one message.

The execution order of S306 and S307 in FIG3 is only an example, and the embodiment of the present application does not limit this. For example, the SMF network element may first send information 1 of the first QoS flow to the RAN, and then send information 2 of the first QoS flow to the UPF network element; or it may first send information 2 of the first QoS flow to the UPF network element and then send information 1 of the first QoS flow to the RAN; or it may simultaneously send information 1 of the first QoS flow to the RAN and send information 2 of the first QoS flow to the UPF network element.

In the process shown in FIG3 , the SMF network element sends information 1 of the first QoS flow to the RAN and sends information 2 of the first QoS flow to the RAN. Then, in the uplink transmission mode, the RAN can create the first QoS flow according to the information 1 of the first QoS flow, so that the first service flow of the UE can be carried by the first QoS flow and transmitted to the AF network element. Alternatively, in the downlink transmission direction, the UPF network element can create the information of the first QoS flow according to the information 2 of the first QoS flow, so that the first service flow from the AF network element can be carried by the first QoS flow and transmitted to the UE.

The following describes the implementation process of the first QoS flow carrying the first service flow from the uplink transmission direction and the downlink transmission direction respectively in conjunction with FIG. 4 .

Fig. 4 shows a schematic flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 4, the method further includes a flow chart. Among them, S401 to 404 are uplink transmission directions, and S405 to S409 are downlink transmission directions.

S401: The SMF network element sends information 1 of a first QoS flow to the RAN; accordingly, the RAN receives information 1 of the first QoS flow from the SMF network element. The first QoS flow is bound to a first PCC rule corresponding to a first service flow. The first service flow is one of multiple service flows of a first application service.

S402: RAN creates a first QoS flow according to information 1 of the first QoS flow.

S403: The UE maps the first service flow to the first QoS flow.

Exemplarily, the UE may map the first service flow to the first QoS flow based on the service flow information of the first service flow. The service flow information of the first service flow may come from the RAN, or from the SMF network element, which is not shown in FIG4 . For example, the UE runs a first application service, generates a first service flow, and maps the first service flow to a first QoS flow. It should be understood that the first application service corresponds to multiple service flows, and the UE runs the first application service, which may generate multiple service flows, and map the multiple service flows to multiple QoS flows bound to multiple PCC rules corresponding to the multiple service flows, and the multiple service flows include the first service flow.

Optionally, the UE may also map the service flow in the first application service that has a corresponding QoS requirement with the first service flow to the first QoS flow. For example, in addition to being bound to the first PCC rule, the first QoS flow is also bound to a PCC rule corresponding to the first application service and having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule. In this case, in addition to being used to carry the first service, the first QoS flow can also be used to carry the service flow in the first application service that has a corresponding QoS requirement with the first service flow.

The service flow information involved in the embodiment of the present application may include but is not limited to at least one of the following information: a quintuple, a triplet, or a data packet filtering rule, etc.

S404: The UE uses the first QoS flow to carry the first service flow, and sends the first service flow to the AF network element.

In S404, the specific implementation process of the UE sending the first service flow to the AF network element through the first QoS flow may be: the UE sends the first service flow to the RAN through the first QoS flow; after the RAN receives the first service flow, it sends the first service flow to the UPF network element through the first QoS flow; after the UPF network element receives the first service flow, it sends the first service flow to the AF network element; the AF network element receives the first service flow.

In the embodiment of the present application, the first QoS flow can carry at least one service flow in the first application service, and does not carry service flows that do not belong to the first application service.

At this point, the uplink transmission is completed.

S405: The SMF network element sends information 2 of the first QoS flow to the UPF network element; correspondingly, the UPF network element receives information 2 of the first QoS flow from the SMF network element.

S406: The UPF network element creates a first QoS flow according to the information 2 of the first QoS flow.

S407: The AF network element sends the first service flow to the UPF network element; correspondingly, the UPF network element receives the first service flow from the AF network element.

For example, the AF network element may generate a first service flow in response to the first application service running on the UE, and send the first service flow to the UPF network element. It should be understood that the first application service corresponds to multiple service flows, and the AF network element may generate multiple service flows and send the multiple service flows to the UPF network element, and the multiple service flows include the first service flow. The AF network element may send the multiple service flows to the UPF network element one by one, or may send the multiple service flows to the UPF network element together, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

S408: The UPF network element maps the first service flow to the first QoS.

Exemplarily, the UPF may map the first service flow to the first QoS flow based on the service flow information of the first service flow. The service flow information of the first service flow may come from the SMF network element, which is not shown in FIG4. It should be understood that if the UPF network element receives multiple service flows of the first application service from the AF network element, the UPF network element may map the multiple service flows to the QoS flows bound by the PCC rules corresponding to the multiple service flows, and the multiple service flows include the first service flow.

Optionally, the UPF network element may also map the service flow in the first application service that has a corresponding QoS requirement with the first service flow to the first QoS flow. For example, in addition to being bound to the first PCC rule, the first QoS flow is also bound to a PCC rule corresponding to the first application service and having the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule. In this case, in addition to being used to carry the first service, the first QoS flow can also be used to carry the service flow in the first application service that has a corresponding QoS requirement with the first service flow.

S409: The UPF network element uses the first QoS flow to carry the first service flow and sends the first service flow to the UE.

In S409, the specific implementation process of the UPF network element sending the first service flow to the UE through the first QoS flow may be: the UPF network element sends the first service flow to the RAN through the first QoS flow; after the RAN receives the first service flow, it sends the first service flow to the UE through the first QoS flow; the UE receives the first service flow.

The first QoS flow may also carry service flows with corresponding QoS requirements as the first service flow among multiple service flows of the first application service, but does not carry service flows that do not belong to the first application service.

At this point, the downlink transmission is completed.

Through the processes of Figures 3 and 4, it is possible to implement a QoS flow that carries one or more service flows of an application service, and does not carry service flows of other application services. For example, assume that the three service flows of application service 1 are respectively recorded as service flow 1, service flow 2, and service flow 3, wherein the QoS requirements of service flow 1 and service flow 3 are the same, that is, the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 1 and the PCC rule of service flow 3 have the same binding parameters. In one example, the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 1 and the PCC rule of service flow 3 are bound to the same QoS flow (such as recorded as QoS flow 1), and the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 2 is bound to QoS flow 2, so that QoS flow 1 can carry service flow 1 and service flow 3, and QoS flow 2 can carry service flow 2, as shown in Figure 5A. In another example, the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 1 is bound to QoS flow 1, the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 2 is bound to QoS flow 2, and the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 3 is bound to QoS flow 3, so that QoS flow 1 can carry service flow 1, QoS flow 2 can carry service flow 2, and QoS flow 3 can carry service flow 3, as shown in Figure 5B.

In FIG4 , the RAN may create a first QoS flow according to information 1 of the first QoS flow. In a possible implementation, the RAN may release the first QoS flow, for example, due to insufficient network resources or other reasons. The first service flow corresponding to the first QoS flow is one of multiple service flows of the first application service. In order to ensure the normal operation of the service flow of the first application service, the RAN may collaboratively manage the multiple service flows of the first application service, as shown in FIG6 .

Fig. 6 shows a schematic diagram of a process flow of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 6, the process may include the following contents.

S601: The SMF network element sends information 1 of the first QoS flow to the RAN; correspondingly, the RAN receives information 1 of the first QoS flow.

Among them, the first QoS flow is bound to the first PCC rule corresponding to the first service flow, and is used to carry the first service flow. The first service flow is one of multiple service flows of the first application service. In this embodiment, the information 1 of the first QoS flow includes third information. The third information can be used to indicate the association information between the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service. The multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service include the first QoS flow. It should be understood that the information 1 of the first QoS flow may not include the third information, such as the SMF network element sending the third information to the RAN. For the description of the third information, please refer to the relevant content of S306, which will not be repeated here.

Optionally, the RAN may determine the association relationship between the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service based on the third information, that is, the multiple QoS flows correspond to the same application service. Further, the RAN may also maintain or store the association relationship between the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service, that is, maintain or store the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service.

Exemplarily, the RAN may maintain at least one QoS flow corresponding to the same application service in a table format, such as each row in the table represents at least one QoS flow corresponding to the same application service, or each column in the table represents at least one QoS flow corresponding to the same application service. It should be understood that the specific implementation method of the RAN maintaining at least one QoS flow corresponding to the same application service in the embodiment of the present application is not limited to this. Table 1 takes the example that each row of the table represents at least one QoS flow corresponding to the same application service. As shown in Table 1, QoS flow 1, QoS flow 2 and QoS flow 3 correspond to the same application service; QoS flow 4 and QoS flow 5 correspond to the same application service; QoS flow 6 corresponds to an application service.

Table 1

S602: When the first QoS flow is created, the RAN creates at least one QoS flow according to the third information.

The at least one QoS flow is a QoS flow other than the first QoS flow among the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service. For example, the RAN may create the first QoS flow according to information 1 of the first QoS flow. In this case, the RAN may create at least one QoS flow according to the third information. For example, the RAN may determine the at least one QoS flow according to the association between the first QoS flow and the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service, and create the at least one QoS flow, so that resources can be allocated to multiple service flows of the first application service at the same time. Source or reserved resources to ensure that multiple service flows of the first application service can be sent or received synchronously.

S603: When the first QoS flow is released, the RAN releases at least one QoS flow according to the third information.

The at least one QoS flow is a QoS flow other than the first QoS flow among the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service. For example, the RAN releases the first QoS flow due to insufficient network resources or other reasons. In this case, the RAN can release the at least one QoS flow according to the third information. For example, the RAN can determine the at least one QoS flow and release the at least one QoS flow according to the association between the first QoS flow and the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service, so that the resources of the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service can be released, ensuring that the transmission of the multiple service flows of the first application service can be synchronously interrupted.

S604: RAN sends the seventh message to the SMF network element; correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the seventh message from RAN.

S604 is an optional step, which is represented by a dotted line in Figure 6. The seventh message can be used to indicate that multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service are released. The seventh message can be understood as one message, and can also be understood as multiple messages. For example, the seventh message is one message, and the one message can be used to indicate that all QoS flows corresponding to the first application service are released. For another example, the seventh message is multiple messages, one of which is used to indicate that one QoS flow among the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service is released, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the corresponding multiple QoS flows of the first application service.

In the process shown in Figure 6, RAN can collaboratively manage multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service based on the association relationship between the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service. Since the service flow carried by each QoS flow in the multiple QoS flows belongs to the first application service and does not carry service flows of other application services, the normal transmission of service flows of other application services will not be affected during the collaborative management process.

In the processes shown in Figures 3, 4, 5A, 5B, and 6, the service flows of different application services are mapped to different QoS flows, and one QoS flow carries one service flow or carries multiple service flows of the same application service, so that when multiple service flows of an application service are collaboratively managed at the granularity of QoS, the normal transmission of service flows of other application services will not be affected. In another possible implementation, the SMF network element can collaboratively manage multiple service flows of the first application service at the granularity of service flow, and the normal transmission of service flows of other application services will not be affected. This implementation is introduced below in conjunction with Figures 7 to 8.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 7, the flow chart may include the following contents.

Among them, S701, S702, S703 are substantially the same as S301, S302, S303 in FIG3 , except that:

S704: The SMF network element maintains or stores the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service. FIG7 takes the SMF network element maintaining the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service as an example.

Exemplarily, the SMF network element may determine the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service, and maintain or store the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service. For example, the SMF network element may receive multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service from the PCF network element, determine that multiple service flows corresponding to the multiple PCC rules belong to the same application service based on each of the multiple PCC rules including the first information, and maintain or store the association relationship that the multiple service flows belong to the same application service.

Exemplarily, the SMF network element may maintain the service flows of the same application service in a table format, such as each row in the table represents at least one service flow of the same application service, or each column in the table represents at least one service flow of the same application service. It should be understood that the specific implementation method of the SMF network element maintaining the service flows of the same application service in the embodiment of the present application is not limited to this. Table 2 takes the example that each row of the table represents at least one service flow of the same application service. As shown in Table 2, service flow 1, service flow 2 and service flow 3 belong to the same application service; service flow 4 and service flow 5 belong to the same application service; service flow 6 belongs to an application service.

Table 2

Optionally, the SMF network element may also maintain the association relationship between multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. Optionally, the SMF network element may also maintain the association relationship between multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service. For the specific implementation process, please refer to the relevant content shown in the aforementioned S304a, which will not be repeated here.

S705: The SMF network element binds the first PCC rule to the second QoS flow.

In this embodiment, the SMF network element can bind the first PCC rule to the second QoS flow in the following two ways.

Method 1: The SMF network element binds the first PCC rule to the second QoS flow, and the second QoS flow is not bound to the PCC rules corresponding to other application services. For the specific implementation method, please refer to the contents shown in S304a, S304b and S305 in Figure 3, which will not be repeated here. In this case, the second QoS flow may be the first QoS flow in the above embodiment, that is, the second QoS flow in FIG7 may be replaced by the first QoS flow. For example, the second QoS flow may be QoS flow 1 or QoS flow 2 as shown in FIG5A, or QoS flow 1 or QoS flow 2 as shown in FIG5B.

Method 2: The SMF network element binds the first PCC rule to the second QoS flow, and the PCC rules corresponding to other service flows can be bound to the second QoS flow. The other service flow and the first service flow can belong to the same application service, or they can belong to different application services. The other service flow has the same QoS requirement as the first service flow, that is, the PCC rule corresponding to the other service flow has the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule. For example, in addition to being bound to the first PCC rule, the second QoS flow can also be bound to a PCC rule that does not include the first information and has the same binding parameters as the first PCC rule. In this case, in addition to carrying the first service flow, the second QoS flow can also carry service flows that do not belong to the first application service. For example, the second QoS flow can be QoS flow 1 or QoS flow 2 shown in Figure 2.

S706: The SMF network element sends information 1 of the second QoS flow to the RAN; correspondingly, the RAN receives information 1 of the second QoS flow.

S707: RAN releases the second QoS flow. For example, RAN releases the second QoS flow due to insufficient network resources or other reasons.

S708: RAN sends the fifth message to the SMF network element; correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the fifth message from RAN.

The fifth message may be used to indicate or notify that the second QoS flow is released. For example, the fifth message may include the QFI of the second QoS flow.

S709: The SMF network element determines a service flow that has not been released among multiple service flows of the first application service.

For example, the SMF network element determines the unreleased service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service based on the association relationship between the service flow of the first application service corresponding to the first QoS flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service. The unreleased service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service are service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service except for the service flow of the first application service carried by the first QoS flow. Among them, the first QoS flow can carry a service flow of the first application service (i.e., the first service flow); or carry multiple service flows of the first application service, and the multiple service flows include the first service flow. Optionally, the second QoS flow can also carry service flows of other application services.

S710: The SMF network element releases the unreleased service flows among multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one QoS flow.

The at least one QoS flow is a QoS flow other than the second QoS flow among the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service.

As an example, assuming that the second QoS flow is QoS flow 1 shown in Figure 2, the first application service is application service 1 shown in Figure 2, and the first service flow is service flow 1 shown in Figure 2, the RAN releases QoS flow 1, and service flows 1, 2, and 4 carried by the QoS flow 1 terminate transmission, and send a notification message that QoS flow 1 is released to the SMF network element; the SMF network element responds to the notification message, determines that the service flow among the multiple service flows of the application service 1 that has not been released is service flow 3 based on the association relationship between the multiple service flows of the locally maintained application service 1, and releases service flow 3 from QoS flow 2, as shown in Figure 8.

In the embodiment of the present application, releasing a service flow from a QoS flow can be understood as releasing or deleting network resources of the service flow.

As another example, assuming that the second QoS flow is QoS flow 1 shown in FIG. 5A, the first application service is application service 1 shown in FIG. 5A, and the first service flow is service flow 1 shown in FIG. 5A, the RAN releases QoS flow 1, service flow 1 and service flow 3 carried by the QoS flow 1 terminate transmission, and sends a notification message of QoS flow 1 being released to the SMF network element; the SMF network element responds to the notification message, and determines that the service flow of the multiple service flows of the application service 1 that has not been released is service flow 2 based on the association relationship between the multiple service flows of the locally maintained application service 1, and releases service flow 2 from QoS flow 2. Since the QoS flow 2 carries a service flow, the SMF network element releases service flow 2 from QoS flow 2, which can also be understood as the SMF network element releasing QoS flow 2.

As another example, assuming that the second QoS flow is QoS flow 1 shown in Figure 5B, the first application service is application service 1 shown in Figure 5B, and the first service flow is service flow 1 shown in Figure 5B, the RAN releases QoS flow 1, the service flow 1 carried by the QoS flow 1 terminates transmission, and sends a notification message that QoS flow 1 is released to the SMF network element; the SMF network element responds to the notification message, determines that the service flows of the multiple service flows of the application service 1 that have not been released are service flow 2 and service flow 3 based on the association relationship between the multiple service flows of the locally maintained application service 1, and releases service flow 2 from QoS flow 2 and releases service flow 3 from QoS flow 3.

S711: The SMF network element sends a second message to the PCF network element; correspondingly, the PCF network element receives the second message from the SMF network element.

The second message may be used to request deactivation of multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. The second message may be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the second message is one message, and the one message may be used to request deactivation of all PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the second message is multiple messages, one of which is used to request deactivation of one PCC rule among multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. Optionally, the SMF network element may deactivate multiple PCC rules of the first application service.

Taking the first application service corresponding to three service flows, which are respectively recorded as service flow 1, service flow 2 and service flow 3 as an example, the SMF network element can carry indication information 1, indication information 2 and indication information 3 in one message and send it to the PCF network element. The indication information 2 is used to request the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 1, and the indication information 3 is used to request the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 3. Alternatively, the SMF network element releases service flow 1, and sends a message to the PCF network element for requesting the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 1; the SMF network element releases service flow 2, and sends a message to the PCF network element for requesting the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 2; the SMF network element releases service flow 3, and sends a message to the PCF network element for requesting the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 3.

In the embodiment of the present application, deactivating a PCC rule may be understood as releasing the PCC rule, or as releasing resources corresponding to the PCC rule, or as deleting the PCC rule.

S712: The PCF network element deactivates multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service according to the second message.

If the second message is a plurality of messages, in S712, the PCF network element may respond to the plurality of messages and deactivate the plurality of PCC rules corresponding to the first application service one by one.

It should be noted that the PCC rule corresponding to the first application service in Figure 7 may be bound to the PCC rule of other application services, or may not be bound to the PCC rule of other application services. In the case that the PCC rule corresponding to the first application service is not bound to the PCC rule of other application services, the second QoS flow in Figure 7 can be replaced with the first QoS flow. Correspondingly, in S708, the RAN may send a first message to the SMF network element, and the first message is used to indicate that the first QoS flow is released. Since the PCC rule corresponding to the first application service is not bound to the PCC rule of other application services, in S710, the SMF network element releases the unreleased service flow from multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one QoS flow, which can be replaced by the SMF network element releasing the at least one QoS flow.

In the process shown in FIG7 , the SMF network element maintains the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service, and determines the service flows that have not been released in the multiple service flows of the first application service based on the association relationship. In another possible implementation, the PCF network element maintains the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service, and determines the service flows that have not been released in the multiple service flows of the first application service based on the association relationship, as shown in FIG9 .

Fig. 9 shows a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. In this embodiment, the association relationship between multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service is maintained by a PCF network element.

Among them, S901, S902, S904, S905, S906 to S908 are substantially the same as S701, S702, S703, S705, S706 to S708 in FIG. 7 , except that:

S903: The PCF network element maintains or stores the association relationship between multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. FIG9 takes the case where the PCF network element maintains the association relationship between multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service as an example. For example, the PCF network element may determine the association relationship between multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service based on the first information, and maintain or store the association relationship between multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. Optionally, the PCF network element may also maintain or store the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service.

S909: The SMF network element sends the sixth message to the PCF network element; correspondingly, the PCF network element receives the sixth message from the SMF network element.

The sixth message can be used to request deactivation of the PCC rules bound to the second QoS flow. For example, after receiving the sixth message from the RAN, the SMF network element sends the sixth message to the PCF network element in response to the second QoS flow being released, to request deactivation of the PCC rules bound to the second QoS flow. The PCC rules bound to the second QoS flow include the first PCC rules. Optionally, the PCC rules bound to the second QoS flow may also include PCC rules corresponding to other service flows, and the other service flows and the first service flow may belong to the same application service flow, or may belong to different application services. Among them, the sixth message may include identification information of the PCC rules bound to the second QoS flow.

S910: The PCF network element determines multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service.

For example, the PCF network element may determine multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service according to the correspondence between the PCC rule bound to the second QoS flow and including the first information and multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service.

For another example, if the PCF network element maintains or stores the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service, the PCF network element may determine the service flows that have not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service, and determine the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, based on the association relationship between the service flows corresponding to the PCC rules bound to the second QoS flow and including the first information and the multiple service flows corresponding to the first application service. For example, the PCF network element determines the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service based on the multiple service flows of the first application service, and the multiple service flows of the first application service include the service flows corresponding to the PCC rules bound to the second QoS flow and including the first information and the service flows that have not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service determined. For another example, the PCF network element may determine the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service based on the PCC rules bound to the second QoS flow and including the first information and the fourth information.

S911: The PCF network element deactivates multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service.

Exemplarily, the PCF network element may deactivate multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service one by one, but the embodiment of the present application does not Limited to this.

S912: The PCF network element sends the fourth message to the SMF network element; correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the fourth message from the PCF network element.

The fourth message may be used to indicate the deactivation of multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message may be used to request the release of unreleased service flows among multiple service flows of the first application service. FIG9 takes the fourth message indicating the deactivation of multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service as an example. The fourth message may be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the fourth message is one message, and the one message may be used to indicate the deactivation of all PCC rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the fourth message is multiple messages, one of which is used to indicate the deactivation of one PCC rule among multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service.

Taking the example that the first application service corresponds to three service flows, which are respectively recorded as service flow 1, service flow 2 and service flow 3, the PCF network element can carry indication information 4, indication information 5 and indication information 6 in one message and send it to the SMF network element, where indication information 4 is used to indicate the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 1, indication information 5 is used to indicate the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 2, and indication information 6 is used to indicate the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 3. Alternatively, the PCF network element deactivates the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 1, and sends a message to the SMF network element to indicate the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 1; the PCF network element deactivates the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 2, and sends a message to the SMF network element to indicate the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 2; the PCF network element deactivates the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 3, and sends a message to the SMF network element to indicate the deactivation of the PCC rule corresponding to service flow 3.

S913: The SMF network element releases the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one QoS flow according to the fourth message.

The at least one QoS flow is a QoS flow other than the second QoS flow among the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service. For example, after receiving the fourth message, the SMF network element releases the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one QoS flow in response to the fourth message. For example, the SMF network element determines the multiple service flows of the first application service according to the fourth message, and releases the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one QoS flow according to the service flow of the first application service corresponding to the first QoS flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service. For example, the SMF network element may determine the multiple QoS flows corresponding to the first application service and determine the at least one QoS flow according to the fourth message. Optionally, the SMF network element may deactivate multiple PCC rules corresponding to the first application service, which is not shown in FIG. 9 .

It should be noted that the PCC rule corresponding to the first application service in FIG9 may be bound to the PCC rule of other application services, or may not be bound to the PCC rule of other application services. In the case where the PCC rule corresponding to the first application service is not bound to the PCC rule of other application services, the second QoS flow in FIG9 may be replaced with the first QoS flow. Accordingly, in S909, the SMF network element may send a third message to the PCF network element, and the third message is used to request to deactivate the PCC rule bound to the first QoS flow.

In the embodiments shown in Figures 7 to 9, the SMF network element can realize the coordinated management of multiple service flows of an application service based on the service flow. Since the SMF network element releases based on the service flow, compared to releasing the entire QoS flow, it can avoid affecting the normal transmission of service flows of other application services carried by the same QoS flow.

In the above embodiments provided by the present application, the methods provided by the embodiments of the present application are introduced from the perspective of the interaction between the SMF network element, the PCF network element and the RAN. In order to implement the various functions in the methods provided by the above embodiments of the present application, the SMF network element, the PCF network element or the RAN may include a hardware structure and/or a software module, and implement the above functions in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a hardware structure plus a software module.

The following describes the communication device used to implement the above method in the embodiment of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the above contents can be used in subsequent embodiments, and repeated contents will not be repeated.

FIG10 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 1000. The communication device 1000 can implement the functions or steps implemented by the SMF network element, PCF network element or RAN in the above-mentioned various method embodiments. The communication device may include a processing unit 1001 and a transceiver unit 1002. Optionally, the communication device 1000 may also include a storage unit 1003 (indicated by a dotted line in FIG10), and the storage unit 1003 may be used to store instructions (codes or programs) and/or data. The processing unit 1001 and the transceiver unit 1002 may be coupled to the storage unit 1003. For example, the processing unit 1001 may read the instructions (codes or programs) and/or data in the storage unit 1003 to implement the corresponding method. The above-mentioned units may be independently arranged or partially or fully integrated. For example, the transceiver unit 1002 may include a sending unit and a receiving unit.

As an example, the communication device 1000 can implement the functions or steps implemented by the SMF network element in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

The transceiver unit 1002 is used to receive a first policy and charging control rule from a policy control function network element, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate one or more policy and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. but.

The processing unit 1001 is configured to bind a first policy and charging control rule to a first quality of service flow, where the first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information.

The transceiver unit 1002 is further configured to send information about the first quality of service flow to the first network element.

Alternatively, the transceiver unit 1002 is used to receive a first policy and charging control rule from a policy control function network element, where the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

The processing unit 1001 is configured to bind a first policy and charging control rule to a first quality of service flow; and determine that the first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information.

In a possible implementation manner, the processing unit 1001 is further configured to determine that the first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information.

In one possible implementation, the processing unit 1001 is further used to create the first quality of service flow before binding the first policy and billing control rule to the first quality of service flow; or, the first information is used to associate multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the processing unit 1001 is further used to determine the first quality of service flow that has been created based on the policy and billing control rule that has the same binding parameters as the first policy and billing control rule and includes the first information before binding the first policy and billing control rule to the first quality of service flow.

In a possible implementation, the processing unit 1001 is further configured to determine the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service according to the first information. Optionally, the storage unit 1003 is configured to maintain or store the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service.

In one possible implementation, multiple measurement and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are bound to multiple service quality flows, and the first network element is an access network network element; the transceiver unit 1002 is also used to receive a first message from the access network network element, and the first message is used to indicate that the first service quality flow is released; and the processing unit 1001 is also used to release the unreleased service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow, wherein the at least one service quality flow is a service quality flow other than the first service quality flow in the multiple service quality flows.

In a possible implementation, the processing unit 1001 may release the unreleased service flow from the multiple service flows of the first application service from the at least one quality of service flow in the following manner:

Determine the association relationship between multiple business flows of the first application service, determine the unreleased business flows among the multiple business flows of the first application service based on the association relationship between the business flow corresponding to the first service quality flow and the multiple business flows of the first application service, and release the unreleased business flows among the multiple business flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow based on the unreleased business flows among the multiple business flows of the first application service.

Optionally, the control transceiver unit 1002 sends a second message to the policy control function network element, where the second message is used to request deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

Alternatively, the control transceiver unit 1002 sends a third message to the policy control function network element, the third message is used to request to deactivate the policy and charging control rules bound to the first service quality flow; receive a fourth message from the policy control function network element, the fourth message is used to indicate to deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message is used to request to release the unreleased service flows in the multiple service flows of the first application service; determine the multiple service flows of the first application service according to the fourth message; and, from at least one service The fourth message may be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the fourth message is one message, and the one message may be used to indicate the deactivation of all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the fourth message is multiple messages, one of which is used to indicate the deactivation of one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

In one possible implementation, multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are bound to multiple service quality flows, and the information of the first service quality flow may include third information; or, the transceiver unit 1002 is also used to send third information to the first network element; wherein the third information is used to indicate the association of multiple service quality flows corresponding to the first application service.

As another example, the communication device 1000 can implement the functions or steps implemented by the PCF network element in the above-mentioned various method embodiments.

Among them, the transceiver unit 1002 is used to receive a request message from an application function network element, the request message is used to request to provide quality service for the first service flow, wherein the request message includes fourth information, the first information is used to associate multiple service flows of the first application service, and the first service flow is one of the multiple service flows of the first application service.

The processing unit 1001 is used to generate a first policy and charging control rule according to a request message, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate one or more policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

The transceiver unit 1002 is further configured to send the first policy and charging control rule to the session management function network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the processing unit 1001 is further configured to determine the first information according to the fourth information.

In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 is also used to receive a third message from a session management function network element, where the third message is used to request deactivation of the policy and charging control rules bound to the first quality of service flow; the processing unit 1001 is also used to determine multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service based on the policy and charging control rules bound to the first quality of service flow including the first information and fourth information; and, deactivate the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 is further used to send a fourth message to the session management function network element, where the fourth message is used to indicate the deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message is used to request the release of unreleased service flows among multiple service flows of the first application service. The fourth message can be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the fourth message is one message, and the one message can be used to indicate the deactivation of all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the fourth message is multiple messages, one of which is used to indicate the deactivation of one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 is further used to receive a second message from the session management function network element, and the second message is used to request to deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service; the processing unit 1001 is further used to deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service according to the second message. The second message can be understood as one message or multiple messages. For example, the second message is one message, and the one message can be used to request to deactivate all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. Policy and charging control rules. For another example, the second message is a plurality of messages, one of which is used to request deactivation of one of the plurality of policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the plurality of messages correspond one-to-one to the plurality of policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

As another example, the communication device 1000 may implement the functions or steps implemented by the RAN in the above-mentioned various method embodiments.

The transceiver unit 1002 is used to receive information about a first quality of service flow from a session management function network element, where the information about the first quality of service flow includes third information, and the third information is used to associate multiple quality of service flows corresponding to the first application service.

Processing unit 1001 is used to create at least one quality of service flow according to the third information when the first quality of service flow is created; or to release at least one quality of service flow according to the third information when the first quality of service flow is released; wherein the at least one quality of service flow is a quality of service flow among the multiple quality of service flows corresponding to the first application service except the first quality of service flow.

In a possible implementation manner, the processing unit 1001 is further configured to determine the at least one quality of service flow according to the first quality of service flow and the third information.

As another example, the communication device 1000 can implement the functions or steps implemented by the SMF network element in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

The transceiver unit 1002 is used to receive a fifth message from an access network element, where the fifth message is used to indicate that the second quality of service flow is released.

The processing unit 1001 is used to release the unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow, wherein the at least one service quality flow is a service quality flow other than the second service quality flow in the multiple service quality flows corresponding to the first application service.

In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 is also used to receive a first policy and charging control rule from a policy control function network element before receiving a fifth message from an access network network element, the first policy and charging control rule including first information, and the first information is used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to a first application service; the processing unit 1001 is also used to bind the first policy and charging control rule to a second quality of service flow; the transceiver unit 1002 is also used to send information about the second quality of service flow to the first network element.

In a possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 is further configured to determine the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service according to the first information. Optionally, the storage unit 1003 is configured to maintain or store the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service.

In one possible implementation, the processing unit 1001 is also used to determine the association relationship between multiple business flows of the first application service, and determine the business flows that have not been released among the multiple business flows of the first application service based on the association relationship between the business flow corresponding to the first service quality flow and the multiple business flows of the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 is also used to send a second message to the policy control function network element, and the second message is used to request to deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. The second message can be understood as one message, and can also be understood as multiple messages. For example, the second message is one message, and the one message can be used to request to deactivate all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the second message is multiple messages, one of which is used to request to deactivate one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 is also used to send a sixth message to the policy control function network element, the sixth message is used to request to deactivate the policy and charging control rules bound to the second service quality flow; and, receive a fourth message from the policy control function network element, the fourth message is used to indicate the deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message can be used to request the release of unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service. The fourth message can be understood as one message, and can also be understood as multiple messages. For example, the fourth message is one message, and the one message can be used to indicate the deactivation of all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the fourth message is multiple messages, one of which is used to indicate the deactivation of one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

Optionally, the processing unit 1001 is further configured to determine the service flow of the first application service according to the fourth message, and The service flow corresponding to the service quality flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service are used to determine the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service.

As another example, the communication device 1000 can implement the functions or steps implemented by the PCF network element in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

Among them, the transceiver unit 1002 is used to receive a sixth message from the session management function network element, and the sixth message is used to request to deactivate the policy and charging control rules bound to the second service quality flow, and the first service flow corresponding to the second service quality flow is one of the multiple service flows of the first application service.

The processing unit 1001 is configured to determine a plurality of policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service; and deactivate the plurality of policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

In one possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 is also used to receive a request message from an application function network element, where the request message is used to request to provide quality service for a first service flow, wherein the request message includes fourth information, and the fourth information is used to associate multiple service flows of the first application service; the processing unit 1001 is also used to generate a first policy and billing control rule based on the request message, wherein the first policy and billing control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service; the transceiver unit 1002 is also used to send the first policy and billing control rule to the session management function network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the processing unit 1001 is further configured to determine the first information according to fourth information.

In a possible implementation, the processing unit 1001 is further configured to determine the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service. Optionally, the storage unit 1003 is configured to maintain or store the association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service.

In a possible implementation, the processing unit 1001 may determine multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service in the following manner: determine multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service according to the fourth information and the PCC rules bound to the second service quality flow.

In a possible implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 is further used to send a fourth message to the session management function network element, and the fourth message is used to indicate the deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message can be used to request the release of unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service. The fourth message is used to indicate the deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, or the fourth message can be used to request the release of unreleased service flows in multiple service flows of the first application service. The fourth message can be understood as one message or as multiple messages. For example, the fourth message is one message, and the one message can be used to indicate the deactivation of all policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service. For another example, the fourth message is multiple messages, one of which is used to indicate the deactivation of one of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, and the multiple messages correspond one-to-one to the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.

A more detailed description of the processing unit 1001, the transceiver unit 1002 and the storage unit 1003 can be directly obtained by referring to the relevant description in the method embodiments shown in any one of Figures 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9, and will not be repeated here.

As shown in FIG. 11 , a communication device 1100 provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown, wherein the communication device 1100 may be an SMF network element, capable of implementing the functions of the SMF network element in the method provided in an embodiment of the present application, or the communication device 1100 may be a PCF network element, capable of implementing the functions of the PCF network element in the method provided in an embodiment of the present application, or the communication device 1100 may be a RAN, capable of implementing the functions of the RAN in the method provided in an embodiment of the present application; or the communication device 1100 may also be a device capable of supporting the SMF network element to implement the corresponding functions in the method provided in an embodiment of the present application, or a device capable of supporting the PCF network element to implement the corresponding functions in the method provided in an embodiment of the present application, or a device capable of supporting the RAN to implement the corresponding functions in the method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 1100 may be a chip system. In an embodiment of the present application, the chip system may be composed of a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

The communication device 1100 includes at least one processor 1120, which is used to implement or support the communication device 1100 to implement the functions of the SMF network element, PCF network element or RAN in the method provided in the embodiment of the present application. Please refer to the detailed description in the method example for details, which will not be repeated here.

Optionally, the communication device 1100 may further include at least one memory 1130 for storing program instructions and/or data. The memory 1130 is coupled to the processor 1120. The coupling in the embodiment of the present application is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units or modules, which may be electrical, mechanical or other forms, for information exchange between devices, units or modules. The processor 1120 may be coupled to the memory 1130. Collaborative operation. The processor 1120 may execute program instructions and/or data stored in the memory 1130 so that the communication device 1100 implements the corresponding method. At least one of the at least one memory may be included in the processor. The memory 1130 may be an independent existence, such as an off-chip memory, connected to the processor 1120 via a communication bus (represented by a thick line 1140 in FIG. 11). The memory 1130 may also be integrated with the processor 1120.

Optionally, the communication device 1100 may further include a communication interface 1110, which is used to communicate with other devices through a transmission medium, so that the device in the communication device 1100 can communicate with other devices. Exemplarily, when the communication device is an SMF network element, the other device is a PCF network element or a RAN, etc. The processor 1120 can use the communication interface 1110 to send and receive data. The communication interface 1110 can specifically be a transceiver.

In hardware implementation, the transceiver unit 1002 may be a transceiver, which is integrated into the communication device 1100 to form a communication interface 1110 .

The specific connection medium between the communication interface 1110, the processor 1120 and the memory 1130 is not limited in the embodiment of the present application. In FIG. 11, the memory 1130, the processor 1120 and the communication interface 1110 are connected through the communication bus 1140, and the connection mode between other components is only for schematic illustration and is not limited thereto. The communication bus 1140 can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, only one thick line is used in FIG. 11, but it does not mean that there is only one communication bus or one type of communication bus.

In the embodiment of the present application, the processor 1120 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component, and may implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiment of the present application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc. The steps of the method disclosed in the embodiment of the present application may be directly embodied as being executed by a hardware processor, or may be executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor.

In the embodiment of the present application, the memory 1130 may be a non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), etc., or a volatile memory (volatile memory), such as a random-access memory (RAM). The memory is any other medium that can be used to carry or store the desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory in the embodiment of the present application may also be a circuit or any other device that can realize a storage function, for storing program instructions and/or data.

An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication system. Specifically, the communication system includes at least one of an SMF network element, a PCF network element or a RAN.

An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, including instructions, which, when executed on a computer, enable the computer to execute the methods in the above embodiments.

An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product, including instructions, which, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to execute the methods in the above embodiments.

The embodiment of the present application provides a chip system, which includes a processor and may also include a memory, for implementing the functions of the SMF network element, PCF network element or RAN in the above method. The chip system may be composed of a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

It should be understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, the size of the serial numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. For example, the division of the units is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physically separate. The unit may not be a physical unit, that is, it may be located in one place, or it may be distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of 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 separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

If the functions are implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application can be essentially or partly embodied in the form of a software product that contributes to the prior art. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the methods described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage media include: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), disk or optical disk, and other media that can store program codes.

The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the embodiments of the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

A communication method, characterized in that it is applied to a session management function network element, the method comprising:

Receiving a first policy and charging control rule from a policy control function network element, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, wherein the first information is used to associate one or more policy and charging control rules corresponding to a first application service;

Binding the first policy and charging control rule to the first quality of service flow, wherein the first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information;

Sending information about the first quality of service flow to a first network element.
The method according to claim 1 is characterized in that each of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service includes the first information.
The method according to claim 1 or 2 is characterized in that the application service corresponding to the policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the method further comprises:

Determine that the first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that before binding the first policy and charging control rule with the first quality of service flow, the method further comprises:

The first quality of service flow is created according to the first policy and charging control rule.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first information is used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

Before binding the first policy and charging control rule with the first quality of service flow, the method further includes:

Determine the first quality of service flow that has been created according to a policy and charging control rule that has the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule and includes the first information.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first policy and charging control rule further includes second information;

The second information is used to indicate that the first policy and charging control rule is bound to a service quality flow, and the service quality flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that includes the first information and has the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule; or,

The second information is used to indicate that the first policy and charging control rule and a policy and charging control rule including the first information and having the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule are bound to the same quality of service flow.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are bound to multiple quality of service flows, the first network element is an access network element, and the method further comprises:

receiving a first message from the access network element, where the first message is used to indicate that the first quality of service flow is released;

The service flows that have not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service are released from at least one quality of service flow, wherein the at least one quality of service flow is a quality of service flow among the multiple quality of service flows except the first quality of service flow.
The method according to claim 8, characterized in that before releasing the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service from the at least one quality of service flow, the method further comprises:

Determining an association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service;

According to the association relationship between the service flow corresponding to the first quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the method further comprises:

A second message is sent to the policy control function network element, where the second message is used to request deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the method further comprises:

Sending a third message to the policy control function network element, where the third message is used to request deactivation of the policy and charging control rule bound to the first quality of service flow;

A fourth message is received from the policy control function network element, where the fourth message is used to instruct deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, in releasing the first application from at least one quality of service flow Before a service flow that is not released among multiple service flows of the service, the method further includes:

Determining, according to the fourth message, a plurality of service flows of the first application service;

According to the service flow corresponding to the first quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are bound to multiple quality of service flows;

The information of the first quality of service flow includes third information; or,

sending third information to the first network element;

The third information is used to associate the multiple quality of service flows.
A communication method, characterized in that it is applied to a policy control function network element, the method comprising:

receiving a request message from an application function network element, the request message being used to request providing quality of service for a first service flow, wherein the request message includes fourth information, the fourth information being used to associate multiple service flows of a first application service, the first service flow being one of the multiple service flows of the first application service;

Generate a first policy and charging control rule according to the request message, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate one or more policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

The first policy and charging control rule are sent to a session management function network element.
The method according to claim 14 is characterized in that the policy and charging control rules including the first information are not bound to the policy and charging control rules not including the first information.
The method according to claim 14 or 15 is characterized in that each of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service includes the first information.
The method according to any one of claims 14 to 16 is characterized in that the application service corresponding to the policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service.
The method according to any one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that the method further comprises:

The first information is determined according to the fourth information.
The method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that the first policy and charging control rule further includes second information;

The second information is used to indicate that the first policy and charging control rule is bound to a service quality flow, and the service quality flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule having the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule and including the first information; or

The second information is used to indicate that the policy and charging control rule having the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule and including the first information is bound to the same quality of service flow as the first policy and charging control rule.
The method according to any one of claims 14 to 19, characterized in that the method further comprises:

receiving a third message from the session management function network element, wherein the third message is used to request deactivation of the policy and charging control rule bound to the first quality of service flow;

Determine, according to the first quality of service flow binding including the policy and charging control rules of the first information and the fourth information, a plurality of policy and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

Deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The method according to claim 20, characterized in that the method further comprises:

A fourth message is sent to the session management function network element, where the fourth message is used to instruct deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The method according to any one of claims 14 to 19, characterized in that the method further comprises:

receiving a second message from the session management function network element, where the second message is used to request deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

The multiple policies and charging control rules are deactivated according to the second message.
A communication method, characterized in that it is applied to an access network element, the method comprising:

receiving information of a first quality of service flow from a session management function network element, wherein the information of the first quality of service flow includes third information, and the third information is used to associate multiple quality of service flows corresponding to the first application service;

When the first quality of service flow is created, at least one quality of service flow is created according to the third information; or When the quality of service flow is released, at least one quality of service flow is released according to the third information; wherein the at least one quality of service flow is a quality of service flow among the multiple quality of service flows except the first quality of service flow.
The method according to claim 23, characterized in that the method further comprises:

The at least one quality of service flow is determined according to the third information and the first quality of service flow.
A communication method, characterized in that it is applied to a session management function network element, the method comprising:

receiving a fifth message from an access network element, wherein the fifth message is used to indicate that the second quality of service flow is released;

Release the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow, wherein the at least one service quality flow is a service quality flow among the multiple service quality flows corresponding to the first application service except the second service quality flow.
The method according to claim 25, characterized in that the method further comprises:

Before receiving the fifth message from the access network element, receiving a first policy and charging control rule from a policy control function network element, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

Binding the first policy and charging control rule to the second quality of service flow;

Send information about the second quality of service flow to the first network element.
The method according to claim 26 is characterized in that each of the multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service includes the first information.
The method according to claim 26 or 27 is characterized in that the application service corresponding to the policy and charging control rules that do not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service.
The method according to any one of claims 26 to 28, characterized in that the method further comprises:

According to the first information, an association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
The method according to any one of claims 26 to 29, characterized in that the method further comprises:

Determining an association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service;

According to the association relationship between the service flow corresponding to the second quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
The method according to any one of claims 26 to 30, characterized in that the method further comprises:

A second message is sent to the policy control function network element, where the second message is used to request deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The method according to any one of claims 26 to 31, characterized in that the method further comprises:

Sending a sixth message to the policy control function network element, where the sixth message is used to request deactivation of the policy and charging control rule bound to the second quality of service flow;

A fourth message is received from the policy control function network element, where the fourth message is used to instruct deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The method according to claim 32, characterized in that the method further comprises:

Determining a service flow of the first application service according to the fourth message;

According to the service flow corresponding to the second quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
A communication method, characterized in that it is applied to a policy control function network element, the method comprising:

receiving a sixth message from a session management function network element, the sixth message being used to request deactivation of a policy and charging control rule bound to a second quality of service flow, wherein a first service flow corresponding to the second quality of service flow is one of multiple service flows of a first application service;

Determining multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

Deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The method according to claim 34, characterized in that the method further comprises:

receiving a request message from an application function network element, the request message being used to request providing quality of service for the first service flow, wherein the request message includes fourth information, and the fourth information is used to associate multiple service flows of the first application service;

Generate a first policy and charging control rule according to the request message, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

Sending a first policy and charging control rule to the session management function network element.
The method according to claim 35 is characterized in that each of the multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service includes the first information.
The method according to claim 35 or 36 is characterized in that the application service corresponding to the policy and billing control rules that do not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service.
The method according to any one of claims 35 to 37, characterized in that the method further comprises:

The first information is determined according to the fourth information.
The method according to any one of claims 35 to 38, characterized in that the method further comprises:

Determine an association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service.
The method according to any one of claims 35 to 39, characterized in that the determining of the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service comprises:

According to the fourth information and the policy and charging control rules bound to the second quality of service flow, multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are determined.
The method according to any one of claims 35 to 40, characterized in that the method further comprises:

A fourth message is sent to the session management function network element, where the fourth message is used to instruct deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
A communication device, characterized in that the device comprises a processing unit and a transceiver unit, wherein:

The transceiver unit is used to receive a first policy and charging control rule from a policy control function network element, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, wherein the first information is used to associate one or more policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

The processing unit is configured to bind the first policy and charging control rule to the first quality of service flow, wherein the first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information;

The transceiver unit is further configured to send information about the first quality of service flow to the first network element.
The device according to claim 42 is characterized in that each of the multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service includes the first information.
The device according to claim 42 or 43 is characterized in that the application service corresponding to the policy and billing control rule that does not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service.
The device according to any one of claims 42 to 44, characterized in that the processing unit is further used for:

Determine that the first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information.
The apparatus according to any one of claims 42 to 45, characterized in that before binding the first policy and charging control rule with the first quality of service flow, the processing unit is further used to:

The first quality of service flow is created according to the first policy and charging control rule.
The device according to any one of claims 42 to 45, characterized in that the first information is used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

Before binding the first policy and charging control rule with the first quality of service flow, the processing unit is further configured to:

Determine the first quality of service flow that has been created according to a policy and charging control rule that has the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule and includes the first information.
The device according to any one of claims 42 to 47, characterized in that the first policy and charging control rule further includes second information;

The second information is used to indicate that the first policy and charging control rule is bound to a service quality flow, and the service quality flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that includes the first information and has the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule; or,

The second information is used to indicate that the first policy and charging control rule and a policy and charging control rule including the first information and having the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule are bound to the same quality of service flow.
The device according to any one of claims 42 to 48, characterized in that the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are bound to multiple quality of service flows, and the first network element is an access network element;

The transceiver unit is further used to receive a first message from the access network element, where the first message is used to indicate that the first quality of service flow is released;

The processing unit is further configured to release the unreleased service flows of the first application service from at least one quality of service flow. The at least one quality of service flow is a quality of service flow other than the first quality of service flow among the plurality of quality of service flows.
The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein before releasing the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service from the at least one quality of service flow, the processing unit is further configured to:

Determining an association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service;

According to the association relationship between the service flow corresponding to the first quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
The device according to claim 49 or 50, characterized in that the transceiver unit is further used for:

A second message is sent to the policy control function network element, where the second message is used to request deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The device according to claim 49, characterized in that the transceiver unit is further used for:

Sending a third message to the policy control function network element, where the third message is used to request deactivation of the policy and charging control rule bound to the first quality of service flow;

A fourth message is received from the policy control function network element, where the fourth message is used to instruct deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The apparatus according to claim 52, characterized in that before releasing the unreleased service flows among the multiple service flows of the first application service from the at least one quality of service flow, the processing unit is further used to:

Determining, according to the fourth message, a plurality of service flows of the first application service;

According to the service flow corresponding to the first quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
The device according to any one of claims 42 to 53, characterized in that the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are bound to multiple quality of service flows;

The information of the first quality of service flow includes third information; or,

The transceiver unit is further configured to send third information to the first network element;

The third information is used to associate the multiple quality of service flows.
A communication device, characterized in that the device comprises a processing unit and a transceiver unit, wherein:

The transceiver unit is configured to receive a request message from an application function network element, the request message being used to request providing quality of service for a first service flow, wherein the request message includes fourth information, the fourth information being used to associate multiple service flows of a first application service, the first service flow being one of the multiple service flows of the first application service;

The processing unit is used to generate a first policy and charging control rule according to the request message, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate one or more policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

The transceiver unit is further used to send the first policy and charging control rule to the session management function network element.
The device according to claim 55 is characterized in that the policy and billing control rules including the first information are not bound to the policy and billing control rules not including the first information.
The device according to claim 55 or 56 is characterized in that each of the multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service includes the first information.
The device according to any one of claims 55 to 57 is characterized in that the application service corresponding to the policy and charging control rules that do not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service.
The device according to any one of claims 55 to 58, characterized in that the processing unit is further used for:

The first information is determined according to the fourth information.
The device according to any one of claims 55 to 59, characterized in that the first policy and charging control rule further includes second information;

The second information is used to indicate that the first policy and charging control rule is bound to a service quality flow, and the service quality flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule having the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule and including the first information; or

The second information is used to indicate that the policy and charging control rule having the same binding parameters as the first policy and charging control rule and including the first information is bound to the same quality of service flow as the first policy and charging control rule.
The device according to any one of claims 55 to 60, characterized in that

The transceiver unit is further used to receive a third message from the session management function network element, where the third message is used to request to deactivate the policy and charging control rule bound to the first quality of service flow;

The processing unit is also used to determine multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service based on the policies and charging control rules including the first information bound to the first quality of service flow and the fourth information; and to deactivate the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The device according to claim 61, characterized in that the transceiver unit is further used for:

A fourth message is sent to the session management function network element, where the fourth message is used to instruct deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The device according to any one of claims 55 to 60, characterized in that

The transceiver unit is further used to receive a second message from the session management function network element, where the second message is used to request to deactivate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

The processing unit is further configured to deactivate the plurality of policies and charging control rules according to the second message.
A communication device, characterized in that the device comprises a processing unit and a transceiver unit, wherein:

The transceiver unit is used to receive information about a first quality of service flow from a session management function network element, where the information about the first quality of service flow includes third information, and the third information is used to associate multiple quality of service flows corresponding to the first application service;

The processing unit is configured to create at least one quality of service flow according to the third information when the first quality of service flow is created; or to release at least one quality of service flow according to the third information when the first quality of service flow is released; wherein the at least one quality of service flow is a quality of service flow among the multiple quality of service flows other than the first quality of service flow.
The device according to claim 64, characterized in that the processing unit is further used for:

The at least one quality of service flow is determined according to the third information and the first quality of service flow.
A communication device, characterized in that the device comprises a processing unit and a transceiver unit, wherein:

The transceiver unit is used to receive a fifth message from an access network element, where the fifth message is used to indicate that the second quality of service flow is released;

The processing unit is used to release the unreleased service flows among multiple service flows of the first application service from at least one service quality flow, wherein the at least one service quality flow is a service quality flow among the multiple service quality flows corresponding to the first application service except the second service quality flow.
The device according to claim 66, characterized in that

Before receiving the fifth message from the access network element, the transceiver unit is further used to receive a first policy and charging control rule from the policy control function network element, where the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

The processing unit is further configured to bind the first policy and charging control rule to the second quality of service flow;

The transceiver unit is further configured to send information about the second quality of service flow to the first network element.
The device according to claim 67 is characterized in that each of the multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service includes the first information.
The device according to claim 67 or 68 is characterized in that the application service corresponding to the policy and billing control rules that do not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service.
The device according to any one of claims 67 to 69, characterized in that the processing unit is further used for:

According to the first information, an association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
The device according to any one of claims 67 to 70, characterized in that the processing unit is further used for:

Determining an association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service;

According to the association relationship between the service flow corresponding to the second quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
The device according to any one of claims 67 to 71, characterized in that the transceiver unit is further used for:

A second message is sent to the policy control function network element, where the second message is used to request deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The device according to any one of claims 67 to 72, characterized in that the transceiver unit is further used for:

Sending a sixth message to the policy control function network element, wherein the sixth message is used to request deactivation of the second quality of service flow binding Policy and charging control rules;

A fourth message is received from the policy control function network element, where the fourth message is used to instruct deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The device according to claim 73, characterized in that the processing unit is further used for:

Determining a service flow of the first application service according to the fourth message;

According to the service flow corresponding to the second quality of service flow and the multiple service flows of the first application service, the service flow that has not been released among the multiple service flows of the first application service is determined.
A communication device, characterized in that the device comprises a processing unit and a transceiver unit, wherein:

The transceiver unit is used to receive a sixth message from a session management function network element, wherein the sixth message is used to request to deactivate a policy and charging control rule bound to a second quality of service flow, wherein a first service flow corresponding to the second quality of service flow is one of multiple service flows of a first application service;

The processing unit is used to determine multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service; and deactivate the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
The device according to claim 75, characterized in that

The transceiver unit is further used to receive a request message from an application function network element, the request message is used to request to provide quality of service for the first service flow, wherein the request message includes fourth information, and the fourth information is used to associate multiple service flows of the first application service;

The processing unit is further used to generate a first policy and charging control rule according to the request message, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, and the first information is used to associate multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

The transceiver unit is further configured to send a first policy and charging control rule to the session management function network element.
The device according to claim 76 is characterized in that each of the multiple policies and billing control rules corresponding to the first application service includes the first information.
The device according to claim 76 or 77 is characterized in that the application service corresponding to the policy and billing control rules that do not include the first information is a different application service from the first application service.
The device according to any one of claims 76 to 78, characterized in that the processing unit is further used for:

The first information is determined according to the fourth information.
The device according to any one of claims 76 to 79, characterized in that the device also includes:

Determine an association relationship between multiple service flows of the first application service.
The device according to any one of claims 76 to 80, characterized in that, when determining the multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service, the processing unit is specifically used to:

According to the fourth information and the policy and charging control rules bound to the second quality of service flow, multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service are determined.
The device according to any one of claims 76 to 81, characterized in that the transceiver unit is also used for:

A fourth message is sent to the session management function network element, where the fourth message is used to instruct deactivation of multiple policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service.
A communication device, characterized in that it comprises one or more processors and a memory, wherein the one or more processors are coupled to the memory;

The memory is used to store computer programs;

The one or more processors are used to execute the computer program stored in the memory so that the communication device performs the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, or performs the method as described in any one of claims 14 to 22, or performs the method as described in claim 23 or 24, or performs the method as described in any one of claims 25 to 33, or performs the method as described in any one of claims 34 to 41.
A chip, characterized in that the chip is coupled to a memory and is used to read and execute program instructions stored in the memory to execute the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, or the method as described in any one of claims 14 to 22, or the method as described in claim 23 or 24, or the method as described in any one of claims 25 to 33, or the method as described in any one of claims 34 to 41.
A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that it includes a program or an instruction, and when the program or the instruction is run on a computer, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is executed, or the method according to any one of claims 14 to 22 is executed. Either perform the method according to claim 23 or 24, or perform the method according to any one of claims 25 to 33, or perform the method according to any one of claims 34 to 41.
A communication system, characterized in that it includes a communication device as described in any one of claims 42 to 54, a communication device as described in any one of claims 55 to 63, and a communication device as described in claim 64 or 65; or includes a communication device as described in any one of claims 66 to 74 and a communication device as described in any one of claims 75 to 82.
A computer program product, characterized in that it comprises a program or instructions, and when the program or instructions are run on a computer, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is executed, or the method according to any one of claims 14 to 22 is executed, or the method according to claim 23 or 24 is executed, or the method according to any one of claims 25 to 33 is executed, or the method according to any one of claims 34 to 41 is executed.
A communication method, characterized in that it is applied to a session management function network element, the method comprising:

The control function network element sends a first policy and charging control rule, wherein the first policy and charging control rule includes first information, wherein the first information is used to associate one or more policies and charging control rules corresponding to the first application service;

The session management function network element binds the first policy and charging control rule to the first quality of service flow, wherein the first quality of service flow is not bound to a policy and charging control rule that does not include the first information;

Sending information about the first quality of service flow to a first network element.