Communication method and device, storage medium and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a communication method and device, a storage medium and electronic equipment, and relates to the technical field of communication. The method is applied to a target AMF, and comprises: receiving a UE context information creation request sent by a source AMF, the UE context information creation request being generated by the source AMF according to a switching request sent by a source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request comprises a target base station identifier corresponding to a target base station when the UE is changed from a source base station to the target base station; in response to determining that the target list contains the target base station identifier, generating a UE context information creation response; the target list is used for storing the base station identifiers of the base stations supporting the simplified function capability; and sending a UE context information creation response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response, and sends the base station switching instruction to the source base station, the base station switching instruction being used for instructing the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station. And the UE can be ensured to be switched or reselected to the base station supporting the RedCap capability.

Description

Background Art

[0002] RedCap (Reduced Capability) technology is mainly a requirement for the wireless air interface. The 5G mobile core network will transmit the access type of RedCap to identify the UE (User Equipment) using RedCap access, which will be used for different policies and billing purposes than ordinary 5G users.

[0003] The current standard assumes that the entire network will enable support for RedCap at the same time. Therefore, it only defines the scenario where the target NG-RAN (Next Generation Radio Access Network, generally refers to a network without a base station) can support RedCap capabilities when RedCap UE undergoes mobility management.

[0004] However, upgrading wireless base stations to support RedCap is not completed all at once. There must be base station coverage areas that support RedCap and those that do not. Therefore, it is necessary to solve how to ensure that the UE can switch or reselect to a target base station that supports RedCap.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background technology section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to ordinary technicians in the field. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present disclosure provides a communication method and apparatus, a storage medium and an electronic device, which at least to some extent overcome the problem of how to ensure that the UE can switch or reselect to a target base station supporting the RedCap capability due to the related art.

[0007] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part by the practice of the present disclosure.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a communication method is provided, which is applied to a target access and mobility management function AMF, including:

[0009] Receive a user equipment UE context information creation request sent by a source AMF, where the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to a handover request sent by a source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station;

[0010] In response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request; the target list is used to store base station identifiers of base stations supporting simplified functional capabilities;

[0011] Send the UE context information creation response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response, and sends it to the source base station, wherein the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0012] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0013] Obtain configuration information corresponding to at least one base station that is communicatively connected to the target AMF;

[0014] If the configuration information indicates that the at least one base station supports the reduced functional capability, the base station identifier of the at least one base station is stored in the target list.

[0015] In some embodiments, the at least one base station is a newly built base station; the configuration information includes: a communication establishment request;

[0016] Obtaining configuration information corresponding to at least one base station that is communicatively connected to the target AMF, including:

[0017] Receiving a communication establishment request sent by the newly-built base station for communication connection with the target AMF; the communication establishment request includes a base station identifier of the newly-built base station and support capability information of the newly-built base station;

[0018] Wherein, if the configuration information indicates that the at least one base station supports the simplified functional capability, storing the base station identifier of the at least one base station in the target list includes:

[0019] If the support capability information of the newly-built base station includes supporting the simplified functional capability, the base station identifier of the newly-built base station is stored in the target list, and a communication establishment response is generated and sent to the newly-built base station.

[0020] In some embodiments, the at least one base station is an upgraded base station, and the upgraded base station supports the simplified functional capability after being upgraded; the configuration information includes: wireless access network configuration update;

[0021] Obtaining configuration information corresponding to at least one base station that is communicatively connected to the target AMF, including:

[0022] Receiving a radio access network configuration update sent by the upgraded base station in communication connection with the target AMF; the radio access network configuration update includes a base station identifier of the upgraded base station and information on the upgraded base station's ability to support the simplified function;

[0023] Wherein, if the configuration information indicates that the at least one base station supports the simplified functional capability, storing the base station identifier of the at least one base station in the target list includes:

[0024] According to the information of the upgraded base station supporting the simplified functional capability, the base station identifier of the upgraded base station is stored in the target list, and a radio access network configuration update confirmation is generated and sent to the upgraded base station.

[0025] In some embodiments, the UE context information creation request includes: a target base station identifier;

[0026] In response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request, including:

[0027] Matching the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request with the base station identifiers in the target list;

[0028] If the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request successfully matches the base station identifier in the target list, the target base station corresponding to the target base station identifier is determined as the changed base station, and a corresponding UE context information creation response is generated; the changed base station is the next base station after the UE disconnects the communication connection with the source base station and then establishes a communication connection; the source base station changes the UE from the source base station to the target base station, including the source base station switching or reselecting the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0029] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0030] If the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request fails to match the base station identifier in the target list, generating a corresponding UE context information creation failure response;

[0031] Send the UE context information creation failure response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a switching preparation failure instruction according to the UE context information creation failure response, and sends it to the source base station; the switching preparation failure instruction is used to instruct the source base station to maintain a communication connection with the UE.

[0032] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0033] receiving a registration request sent by the UE; the registration request including a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station;

[0034] Send a UE context transfer to the source AMF according to the registration request, so that the source AMF obtains the UE context information according to the UE context transfer and encapsulates it into a UE context transfer response;

[0035] Receiving the UE context transfer response sent by the source AMF;

[0036] In response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a registration update response;

[0037] The registration update response is sent to the UE, so that the UE reselects from the source base station to the target base station.

[0038] In some embodiments, in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a registration update response includes:

[0039] Matching the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response with the base station identifiers in the target list;

[0040] If the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response successfully matches the base station identifier in the target list, the target base station corresponding to the target base station identifier is determined as the reselected base station, and a corresponding registration update response is generated; the reselected base station is the next base station for the UE to establish a communication connection with the source base station after the communication connection is disconnected.

[0041] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0042] If the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response fails to match the base station identifier in the target list, generating a corresponding registration rejection response;

[0043] The registration rejection response is sent to the UE, so that the UE maintains a communication connection with the source base station according to the registration rejection response.

[0044] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a communication method is also provided, which is applied to a source access and mobility management function AMF, including:

[0045] Send a user equipment UE context information creation request to the target AMF, the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to the handover request sent by the source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station;

[0046] receiving a UE context information creation response sent by the target AMF; the UE context information creation response is generated by the target AMF in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier; the target list is used to store base station identifiers of base stations supporting simplified functional capabilities;

[0047] A base station switching instruction is generated according to the UE context information creation response and sent to the source base station; the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0048] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is also provided, which is applied to a target access and mobility management function AMF, including:

[0049] A UE context information creation request receiving module, configured to receive a user equipment UE context information creation request sent by a source AMF, wherein the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to a handover request sent by a source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station;

[0050] A UE context information creation response generation module, configured to generate a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier; the target list is used to store base station identifiers of base stations supporting simplified functional capabilities;

[0051] The UE context information creation response sending module is used to send the UE context information creation response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response and sends it to the source base station. The base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0052] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is also provided, which is applied to a source access and mobility management function AMF, including:

[0053] A UE context information creation request sending module, configured to send a user equipment UE context information creation request to a target AMF, wherein the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to a handover request sent by the source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station;

[0054] A UE context information creation response receiving module, configured to receive a UE context information creation response sent by the target AMF; the UE context information creation response is generated by the target AMF in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier; the target list is used to store base station identifiers of base stations supporting simplified functional capabilities;

[0055] The base station switching instruction generation and sending module is used to generate a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response and send it to the source base station; the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0056] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is also provided, which includes: a processor; and a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to execute any one of the communication methods described above by executing the executable instructions.

[0057] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the communication method described above is implemented.

[0058] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer program implements any one of the above communication methods.

[0059] The communication method and apparatus, storage medium and electronic device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, when applied to the target access and mobility management function AMF, include: receiving a user equipment UE context information creation request sent by the source AMF, the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to the switching request sent by the source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes the target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station; in response to determining that the target list contains the target base station identifier, generating a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request; the target list is used to store the base station identifiers of base stations that support simplified functional capabilities; sending the UE context information creation response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response, and sends it to the source base station, the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station. The disclosed embodiment stores the base station identification of the base station supporting simplified functional capabilities in the AMF, which is saved by the 5GC, so that the base station dynamically reports to the 5GC that it supports simplified functional capabilities. When a UE base station changes, the source base station sends a handover request to the source AMF, and the source AMF generates a UE context information creation request based on the handover request and sends it to the target AMF. The target AMF determines whether the target list contains the target base station identification. If the target list contains the target base station identification, it means that the target base station supports simplified functional capabilities, generates a UE context information creation response and sends it to the source AMF; the source AMF generates a base station handover instruction based on the UE context information creation response and sends it to the source base station. The source base station changes the UE from the source base station to the target base station based on the base station handover instruction, thereby realizing the change process of the UE from the source base station to the target base station, ensuring that the UE can change to a base station supporting simplified functional capabilities when changing base stations. The 5GC dynamically manages the simplified functional capabilities of the base station, and maintains simplified functional capability access and service continuity when the UE base station changes. It solves the problem of accuracy in selecting target base stations that support simplified functional capabilities, reduces a large amount of switching or reselection signaling, avoids network policy and billing updates when UE moves back and forth between areas that support simplified functional capabilities and areas that do not support simplified functional capabilities, and solves the problem of core network control of simplified functional capability UEs to select target base stations that support simplified functional capabilities when base stations are changed when simplified functional capabilities have not been upgraded across the entire network.

[0060] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, and together with the specification are used to explain the principles of the present disclosure. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and for ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without creative work.

[0062] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the system structure of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0064] Figure 3 An interactive diagram showing a newly built base station reporting supporting simplified functional capabilities in a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0065] Figure 4 An interactive diagram showing an upgraded base station reporting supporting simplified functional capabilities in a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] Figure 5 A base station change completion interaction diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0067] Figure 6 A base station change interruption interaction diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0068] Figure 7 A UE reselection completion interaction diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0069] Figure 8 A UE reselection interruption interaction diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0070] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a communication method in another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0071] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of a communication device in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0072] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of a communication device in another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0073] Fig.12 A structural block diagram of a computer device showing a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0074] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure will be more comprehensive and complete and to fully convey the concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0075] In addition, the accompanying drawings are only schematic illustrations of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or similar parts, and their repeated description will be omitted. Some of the block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities can be implemented in software form, or implemented in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or implemented in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0076] For ease of understanding, before introducing the embodiments of the present disclosure, several terms involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure are first explained as follows:

[0077] RedCap (Reduced Capability) is a new technology introduced in the 5G standard to provide optimized support for Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Type Communication (MTC) devices. These devices typically have lower data transmission requirements, longer battery life requirements, and cost sensitivity. RedCap achieves these goals by simplifying the functions of user equipment (UE), thereby reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining good compatibility and performance with existing 5G networks.

[0078] Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) is a key component in the 5G Core Network (5GC) and is responsible for handling all access and mobility related tasks. AMF ensures that user equipment (UE) can connect to the network securely and can switch smoothly between different base stations and between different types of access networks (such as 4G LTE and 5G NR). AMF is one of the network functions responsible for the control plane in the 5G core network. It is located between the Radio Access Network (RAN) and the User Plane Function (UPF) as the termination point for the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling. AMF communicates with gNB (5G base station) through the NG interface and collaborates with other 5G core network components to provide a seamless service experience.

[0079] The specific implementation of the embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0080] Figure 1 FIG. 1 shows an exemplary application system architecture diagram to which the communication method in the embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied. Figure 1 As shown, the system architecture includes a terminal device 101 , a network 102 and a network side device 103 .

[0081] The network 102 is a medium for providing a communication link between the terminal device 101 and the network-side device 103 , and may be a wired network or a wireless network.

[0082] Optionally, the wireless network or wired network described above uses standard communication technology and / or protocol. The network is usually the Internet, but it can also be any network, including but not limited to a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a mobile, wired or wireless network, a dedicated network or any combination of a virtual private network). In some embodiments, the data exchanged through the network is represented by technologies and / or formats including Hyper Text Mark-up Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), etc. In addition, conventional encryption technologies such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Virtual Private Network (VPN), Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) can also be used to encrypt all or some links. In other embodiments, customized and / or dedicated data communication technologies can also be used to replace or supplement the above data communication technologies.

[0083] Optionally, the terminal device in the embodiment of the present disclosure may also be referred to as UE (User Equipment). In a specific implementation, the terminal device may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer (Tablet Personal Computer), a laptop computer (Laptop Computer), a personal digital assistant (Personal Digital Assistant, PDA), a mobile Internet device (Mobile Internet Device, MID), a wearable device (Wearable Device) or a vehicle-mounted device, etc. It should be noted that the specific type of the terminal device is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0084] The network side device may be a base station, a relay or an access point, etc. The base station may be a base station of 5G or later versions (e.g., 5G NR NB), or a base station in other communication systems (e.g., an eNB base station). It should be noted that the specific type of the network side device is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0085] Those skilled in the art will know that Figure 1 The number of terminals, networks, and network-side devices in the example is only illustrative, and any number of terminals, networks, and network-side devices may be provided according to actual needs. The embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to this.

[0086] Under the above system architecture, a communication method is provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, and the method can be executed by any electronic device with computing and processing capabilities.

[0087] In some embodiments, the communication method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be executed by a terminal device of the above-mentioned system architecture; in other embodiments, the communication method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be executed by a server in the above-mentioned system architecture; in other embodiments, the communication method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented by a terminal device and a server in the above-mentioned system architecture through interaction.

[0088] As 5G continues to empower vertical industries, 5G features such as large bandwidth, high reliability, and low latency, as well as support for slicing, service-oriented architecture, control-media separation, and MEC, provide new opportunities for the development of 5G IoT. In the 5G R17 standard, 3GPP proposed lightweight NR (New Radio), or Reduced Capability (RedCap) technology, for medium- and high-speed IoT applications with bandwidth, power consumption, and module costs between eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband) and NB-IOT (Narrowband Internet of Things) / LTE-M (LTE-Machine Type Communication). The bandwidth provided is lower than the existing eMBB but higher than 4G, while supporting 5G native capabilities, which can more flexibly meet the needs of different industries and better serve customers.

[0089] The upgrade of wireless base stations to support the simplified functional capability RedCap is not completed all at once. There must be base station coverage areas that support RedCap and those that do not.

[0090] Base station changes include handover or reselection. These two mechanisms are used for cell changes in connected mode and idle mode, respectively, to ensure that the user equipment (UE) can smoothly transition between different base stations and maintain service continuity and quality. Among them, handover is the process of changing base stations that occurs when the UE is in a connected state, aiming to keep ongoing services uninterrupted. Handover involves coordination between multiple network entities such as the source base station (Source gNB), the target base station (Target gNB), and the AMF. Among them, reselection is the process of changing base stations that occurs when the UE is in an idle state. Reselection ensures that the UE can select the best resident cell between different cells to optimize the received signal quality and coverage.

[0091] When the UE is in an area covered by both base stations that support RedCap and those that do not support RedCap, when the UE base station is switched in the relevant technology, if the target base station supports simplified functional capabilities, the response message of the target base station will carry the simplified functional capability identifier (RedCap indicator) to the AMF when the UE switches or reselects, and the AMF continues all subsequent processes with the simplified functional capability access type; otherwise, the target base station does not give the simplified functional capability identifier to the AMF, and the AMF continues all subsequent processes with the NR access type. If the UE moves back and forth between the area that supports simplified functional capabilities and the area that does not support simplified functional capabilities, the 5GC will change the session policy and charging policy of the UE back and forth according to the access type, which will not only send the NR QoS profile (QoS profile (QoS, Quality of Service)) to the UE, causing excessive consumption of UE performance, but also generate too many message interactions in the network, wasting resources.

[0092] Therefore, when the UE base station is changed, it is necessary to ensure that the UE is accurately changed to a base station that supports RedCap.

[0093] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 As shown, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, when applied to the target access and mobility management function AMF, includes the following steps:

[0094] Step S202: receiving a user equipment UE context information creation request sent by the source AMF, where the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to a handover request sent by the source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station;

[0095] Step S204: in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request; the target list is used to store the base station identifiers of the base stations supporting the simplified functional capability;

[0096] Step S206: Send a UE context information creation response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response and sends it to the source base station. The base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0097] The disclosed embodiment stores the base station identification of the base station supporting simplified functional capabilities in the AMF, which is saved by the 5GC, so that the base station dynamically reports to the 5GC that it supports simplified functional capabilities. When a UE base station changes, the source base station sends a handover request to the source AMF, and the source AMF generates a UE context information creation request based on the handover request and sends it to the target AMF. The target AMF determines whether the target list contains the target base station identification. If the target list contains the target base station identification, it means that the target base station supports simplified functional capabilities, generates a UE context information creation response and sends it to the source AMF; the source AMF generates a base station handover instruction based on the UE context information creation response and sends it to the source base station. The source base station changes the UE from the source base station to the target base station based on the base station handover instruction, thereby realizing the change process of the UE from the source base station to the target base station, ensuring that the UE can change to a base station supporting simplified functional capabilities when changing base stations. The 5GC dynamically manages the simplified functional capabilities of the base station, and maintains simplified functional capability access and service continuity when the UE base station changes. It solves the problem of accuracy in selecting target base stations that support simplified functional capabilities, reduces a large amount of switching or reselection signaling, avoids network policy and billing updates when UE moves back and forth between areas that support simplified functional capabilities and areas that do not support simplified functional capabilities, and solves the problem of core network control of simplified functional capability UEs to select target base stations that support simplified functional capabilities when base stations are changed when simplified functional capabilities have not been upgraded across the entire network.

[0098] In the embodiment, it also includes: obtaining configuration information corresponding to at least one base station that is connected to the target AMF communication; if the configuration information indicates that at least one base station supports simplified functional capabilities, the base station identifier of the at least one base station is stored in the target list.

[0099] The existing base station change process including switching or reselection is triggered by the wireless side. The core network is not responsible for the selection of the target base station, and the base station (NG-RAN) will not notify the core network that it has the ability to support simplified functions. In this embodiment, the target AMF obtains the configuration information of the base station and analyzes and determines the configuration information. If the configuration information indicates that the base station supports simplified functions, the base station identifier of the base station is stored in the target list. In this way, the target AMF can dynamically manage base stations that support simplified functions. When the target AMF changes the base station, it can query the matching target list to determine whether the target base station is a base station that supports simplified functions when the UE changes the base station, and determine whether the process is interrupted, thereby reducing a large number of subsequent switching or reselection messages.

[0100] There are two situations in which a base station reports support for simplified functional capabilities. One situation is that when a new base station is built, the support for simplified functional capabilities will be reported to AMF. The other situation is that when an existing base station is upgraded, the upgraded base station reports support for simplified functional capabilities to AMF.

[0101] In the embodiment, at least one base station is a newly built base station; the configuration information includes: a communication establishment request;

[0102] Obtaining configuration information corresponding to at least one base station connected to the target AMF communication connection, including:

[0103] Receive a communication establishment request sent by a newly-built base station for communication connection with the target AMF; the communication establishment request includes a base station identifier of the newly-built base station and support capability information of the newly-built base station;

[0104] If the configuration information indicates that at least one base station supports the simplified functional capability, storing the base station identifier of the at least one base station in the target list includes:

[0105] If the support capability information of the newly-built base station includes the capability of supporting simplified functions, the base station identifier of the newly-built base station is stored in the target list, and a communication establishment response is generated and sent to the newly-built base station.

[0106] Figure 3 An interactive diagram showing a newly built base station reporting supporting simplified functional capabilities in a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3As shown, when the capability to support simplified functions is reported to AMF when a new base station is built, the new base station is enabled, and the new base station sends a communication establishment request (NG SETUP REQUEST) to the target AMF of the communication connection, and the communication establishment request includes the base station identifier of the new base station and the support capability information of the new base station; the target AMF receives the communication establishment request, analyzes and determines whether the support capability information of the new base station includes the capability to support simplified functions; if the support capability information of the new base station includes the capability to support simplified functions, the base station identifier of the new base station is stored in the target list, and a communication establishment response (NGSETUP RESPONSE) is generated; the target AMF sends the communication establishment response to the new base station, and completes the reporting of the new base station's capability to support simplified functions through the NG SETUP process.

[0107] In the embodiment, at least one base station is an upgraded base station, and the upgraded base station supports simplified functional capabilities after being upgraded; the configuration information includes: wireless access network configuration update;

[0108] Obtaining configuration information corresponding to at least one base station connected to the target AMF communication connection, including:

[0109] Receive a radio access network configuration update sent by the upgraded base station in communication connection with the target AMF; the radio access network configuration update includes a base station identifier of the upgraded base station and information on the ability of the upgraded base station to support simplified functions;

[0110] If the configuration information indicates that at least one base station supports the simplified functional capability, storing the base station identifier of the at least one base station in the target list includes:

[0111] According to the information of the simplified function support capability of the upgraded base station, the base station identifier of the upgraded base station is stored in the target list, and a radio access network configuration update confirmation is generated and sent to the upgraded base station.

[0112] Figure 4 An interactive diagram showing an upgraded base station reporting supporting simplified functional capabilities in a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown as follows: Figure 4As shown, when the simplified functional capability is reported to the AMF during the upgrade of the base station, when the upgraded base station is activated after the upgrade is completed, the upgraded base station sends a radio access network configuration update (RAN CONFIGURATION UPDATE) to the target AMF of the communication connection, and the radio access network configuration update includes the base station identifier of the upgraded base station and the information of the simplified functional capability of the upgraded base station; the target AMF receives the radio access network configuration update, and according to the information of the simplified functional capability of the upgraded base station, stores the base station identifier of the upgraded base station in the target list, and generates a radio access network configuration update confirmation (RAN CONFIGURATION UPDATE ACKNOWLEDGE); the target AMF sends the radio access network configuration update confirmation to the upgraded base station, and completes the reporting of the simplified functional capability of the upgraded base station through the RAN Configuration Update process.

[0113] In the embodiment, the UE context information creation request includes: a target base station identifier;

[0114] In response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request, including:

[0115] Matching the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request with the base station identifiers in the target list;

[0116] If the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request matches the base station identifier in the target list successfully, the target base station corresponding to the target base station identifier is determined as the changed base station, and a corresponding UE context information creation response is generated; the changed base station is the next base station to establish a communication connection after the UE disconnects the communication connection with the source base station; the source base station changes the UE from the source base station to the target base station, including the source base station switching or reselecting the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0117] Figure 5 A base station change completion interaction diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, such as Figure 5 As shown, the source base station can be represented as S-NG-RAN, the target base station can be represented as T-NG-RAN, the source AMF can be represented as S-AMF, the target AMF can be represented as T-AMF, and the base station change process includes:

[0118] The source base station sends a handover request (Handover Required) to the source AMF; the handover request includes the target base station identifier (Target ID).

[0119] The source AMF receives the switching request, generates a UE context information creation request (Namf_Communication_CreateUEContext Request) according to the switching request, and sends the UE context information creation request to the target AMF; the UE context information creation request includes the target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station; further, the UE context information creation request also includes: UE context information (UEContext), carrying "redCapInd" in the UE context information; wherein redCapInd is a simplified functional capability identifier, which is used to identify that the UE supports simplified functional capabilities. At the same time, redCapInd is also used in the UE context information to identify that the UE supporting simplified functional capabilities is preparing for switching.

[0120] The target AMF receives the UE context information creation request and determines whether the target base station is available; specifically, the target AMF matches the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request with the base station identifier in the target list; since the target list already stores the base station identifier of the base station that supports simplified functional capabilities, if the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request matches the base station identifier in the target list, the target base station has reported that it supports simplified functional capabilities, which indicates that the target base station supports simplified functional capabilities; the target AMF determines the target base station corresponding to the target base station identifier as the changed base station, generates a UE context information creation response (Namf_Communication_CreateUEContext Response) corresponding to the UE context information creation request, and the target AMF sends the UE context information creation response to the source AMF; wherein the changed base station refers to the next base station with which the UE establishes a communication connection after disconnecting the communication connection with the source base station, that is, the target base station is determined as the base station to be switched or reselected.

[0121] The source AMF receives the UE context information creation response, generates a base station switching instruction (Handover Preparation Success) according to the UE context information creation response, and the source AMF sends the base station switching instruction to the source base station.

[0122] The source base station receives the base station switching instruction, and according to the base station switching instruction, switches or reselects the UE in a communication connection state with the source base station to the target base station.

[0123] This embodiment implements the process of changing the UE from the source base station to the target base station, ensuring that the UE can change to a base station that supports simplified functional capabilities when changing base stations. It implements the simplified functional capabilities of the base station dynamically managed by 5GC, and maintains simplified functional capability access and business continuity when the UE base station changes. It solves the problem of accuracy in selecting a target base station that supports simplified functional capabilities.

[0124] In the embodiment, it also includes:

[0125] If the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request fails to match the base station identifier in the target list, a corresponding UE context information creation failure response is generated;

[0126] Send a UE context information creation failure response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a switching preparation failure instruction according to the UE context information creation failure response, and sends it to the source base station; the switching preparation failure instruction is used to instruct the source base station to maintain a communication connection with the UE.

[0127] Figure 6 A base station change interruption interaction diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6 As shown, the base station change interruption process includes:

[0128] The source base station sends a handover request (Handover Required) to the source AMF; the handover request includes the target base station identifier (Target ID).

[0129] The source AMF receives the switching request, generates a UE context information creation request (Namf_Communication_CreateUEContext Request) according to the switching request, and sends the UE context information creation request to the target AMF; the UE context information creation request includes the target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station; further, the UE context information creation request also includes: UE context information (UEContext), carrying "redCapInd" in the UE context information; wherein redCapInd is a simplified functional capability identifier, which is used to identify that the UE supports simplified functional capabilities. At the same time, redCapInd is also used in the UE context information to identify that the UE supporting simplified functional capabilities is preparing for switching.

[0130] The target AMF receives the UE context information creation request and determines whether the target base station is available; specifically, the target AMF matches the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request with the base station identifier in the target list; since the target list already stores the base station identifiers of base stations that support simplified functional capabilities, if the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request fails to match the base station identifier in the target list, it means that the target base station has not reported its support for simplified functional capabilities, and the target base station identifier of the target base station is not stored in the target list, then the target base station does not support simplified functional capabilities. The target AMF generates a corresponding UE context information creation failure response; the target AMF sends the UE context information creation failure response to the source AMF. The UE context information creation failure response includes a failure cause (cause), and the failure cause value is UE whose target base station does not support simplified functional capabilities (Target not support RedCap UE).

[0131] The source AMF receives a UE context information creation failure response, and the source AMF generates a handover preparation failure instruction (Handover Preparation Failure) according to the UE context information creation failure response, and the source AMF sends the handover preparation failure instruction to the source base station.

[0132] The source base station receives the switching preparation failure instruction, and according to the switching preparation failure instruction, continues to maintain the communication connection with the UE in the communication connection state with the source base station, that is, the UE does not switch or reselect, and the UE continues to maintain the communication connection with the current source base station.

[0133] This embodiment compares the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request with the base station identifier in the target list. If the target base station identifier is not in the target list, the match will fail, so the terminal UE will be switched or reselected, and the UE will continue to maintain the communication connection with the current source base station and continue to search for a base station that supports simplified functional capabilities.

[0134] In the embodiment, it also includes:

[0135] receiving a registration request sent by the UE; the registration request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station;

[0136] According to the registration request, a UE context transfer is sent to the source AMF, so that the source AMF obtains the UE context information according to the UE context transfer and encapsulates it into the UE context transfer response;

[0137] Receive the UE context transfer response sent by the source AMF;

[0138] In response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a registration update response;

[0139] A registration update response is sent to the UE, so that the UE reselects from the source base station to the target base station.

[0140] In the embodiment, when the UE is in an idle mode, reselection is initiated. When the UE initiates reselection, the main process includes:

[0141] The UE sends a registration request (Initial UE Message (Registration Request)) to the target AMF.

[0142] The target AMF receives the registration request, generates a UE context transfer (Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer) based on the registration request, and sends the UE context transfer to the source AMF.

[0143] The source AMF receives the UE context transfer, obtains the UE context information (UEcontext) according to the UE context transfer, encapsulates the UE context information into the UE context transfer response (Namf_Communication_UEContextTransferResponse), and sends the UE context transfer response to the target AMF.

[0144] The target AMF receives the UE context transfer response, determines whether the target base station is available, and generates a registration update response (Registration Accept) if it is determined that the target list contains the target base station identifier; the target AMF sends the registration update response to the UE.

[0145] The UE receives the registration update response, and according to the registration update response, the UE disconnects the communication connection with the original base station, and reselects the target base station to establish a communication connection with the target base station.

[0146] In an embodiment, in response to determining that the target list includes a target base station identifier, generating a registration update response includes:

[0147] Matching the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response with the base station identifier in the target list;

[0148] If the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response matches the base station identifier in the target list, the target base station corresponding to the target base station identifier is determined as the reselected base station, and a corresponding registration update response is generated; the reselected base station is the next base station to establish a communication connection after the UE disconnects the communication connection with the source base station.

[0149] Figure 7 A UE reselection completion interaction diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, such as Figure 7 As shown, the UE reselection process includes:

[0150] The UE sends a registration request to the target AMF.

[0151] The target AMF receives the registration request, generates a UE context transfer (Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer) based on the registration request, and sends the UE context transfer to the source AMF.

[0152] The source AMF receives the UE context transfer, obtains the UE context information (UEcontext) according to the UE context transfer, encapsulates the UE context information into the UE context transfer response (Namf_Communication_UEContextTransferResponse), and sends the UE context transfer response to the target AMF.

[0153] The target AMF receives the UE context transfer response and determines whether the target base station is available; specifically, the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response is matched with the base station identifier in the target list. Since the base station identifier of the base station supporting simplified functional capabilities is already stored in the target list, the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response successfully matches the base station identifier in the target list, and the target base station has reported that it supports simplified functional capabilities, indicating that the target base station supports simplified functional capabilities; the target AMF determines the target base station corresponding to the target base station identifier as the reselected base station and generates a corresponding registration update response (Registration Accept); the target AMF sends the registration update response to the UE. Among them, the reselected base station is the next base station to which the UE establishes a communication connection after disconnecting the communication connection with the source base station, that is, the target base station is determined as the reselected base station.

[0154] The UE receives the registration update response, and according to the registration update response, the UE disconnects the communication connection with the original base station, and reselects the target base station to establish a communication connection with the target base station.

[0155] In the embodiment, it also includes: if the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response fails to match the base station identifier in the target list, a corresponding registration rejection response is generated; and the registration rejection response is sent to the UE so that the UE maintains a communication connection with the source base station based on the registration rejection response.

[0156] Figure 8 A UE reselection interruption interaction diagram of a communication method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, such as Figure 8 As shown, the process of UE reselection interruption includes:

[0157] The UE sends a registration request to the target AMF.

[0158] The target AMF receives the registration request, generates a UE context transfer (Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer) based on the registration request, and sends the UE context transfer to the source AMF.

[0159] The source AMF receives the UE context transfer, obtains the UE context information (UEcontext) according to the UE context transfer, encapsulates the UE context information into the UE context transfer response (Namf_Communication_UEContextTransferResponse), and sends the UE context transfer response to the target AMF.

[0160] The target AMF receives the UE context transfer response and determines whether the target base station is available; specifically, the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response is matched with the base station identifier in the target list. Since the base station identifier of the base station that supports simplified functional capabilities is already stored in the target list, the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response fails to match the base station identifier in the target list, indicating that the target base station has not reported its support for simplified functional capabilities. The target base station identifier of the target base station is not stored in the target list, and the target base station does not support simplified functional capabilities. Target AMF; The target AMF generates a corresponding registration rejection response (Registration Reject); The target AMF sends the registration rejection response to the UE. The registration rejection response includes a failure cause (cause), and the failure cause value is that the target base station does not support UE with simplified functional capabilities (Target not support RedCap UE).

[0161] The UE receives the registration rejection response, and the UE continues to maintain the communication connection with the original base station according to the registration rejection response.

[0162] The embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a specific example of a communication method, in which a cell of a base station 1 in a 5G coverage area has two neighboring areas belonging to base stations 2 and 3, wherein base stations 1 and 2 have been upgraded to support RedCap, and after the upgrade is completed, the RedCap capability is notified to the 5GC AMF through the RANConfiguration Update process. The AMF saves base stations 1 and 2 in a RedCap list, wherein the RedCap list is an implementation of a target list.

[0163] The RedCap UE successfully registers under base station 1, and the AMF marks the RedCap identifier in the UE context and establishes a session to start the service. As the UE moves to the edge of the base station 1 cell, base station 1 detects that the switching threshold is reached and first selects the cell of base station 3 to initiate a switching request. The switching request is sent to the AMF of base station 3. The AMF of base station 3 determines that there is a RedCap identifier in the context of the UE, so it searches whether the target base station 3 is included in the RedCap list. The search result fails, indicating that the target base station 3 cell does not support RedCap. Therefore, the switching preparation failure is returned to base station 1, and the failure reason value is "Target not support RedCap UE". Base station 1 receives the failure response, reselects the neighboring cell of base station 2, and initiates the switching request to base station 2 AMF again. This time, base station 2 AMF determines that the target cell can support RedCap, so it continues the subsequent switching process to complete the switching of RedCap UE from base station 1 cell to base station 2 cell.

[0164] The disclosed embodiment proposes that NG-RAN reports the support of RedCap capability to 5GC through signaling, and 5GC saves it, so that when UE switches or reselects the target NG-RAN, 5GC can judge whether the target NG-RAN can support RedCap based on this information, and control the switching or reselection process to continue or interrupt, so as to ensure the accuracy of RedCap UE switching or reselection. NG-RAN reports the support of RedCap capability to 5GC AMF through signaling, and AMF saves this information. When the UE switches / reselects N2 within 5G, or switches / reselects from 4G to 5G, the target AMF determines whether the process continues based on the RedCap identifier in the UE context and the RedCap capability of the target NG-RAN. If the target NG-RAN does not support the RedCap capability, the switching / reselection request is rejected, and the reason value of "the target RAN does not support RedCap" is carried to the source side. The source side can re-measure and select the target NG-RAN based on the reason value, and initiate the switching / reselection request again.

[0165] During the process of 5GC network controlling the switching or reselection of RedCap UE, 5GC AMF dynamically manages the list of RANs that support RedCap capabilities through signaling (this process has nothing to do with UE and is an interactive process of network element capabilities), and assists in determining the selection of the target RAN during UE switching or reselection to ensure the accuracy of switching or reselection (this process is related to UE and is triggered after the UE moves). The specific process is as follows: The base station reports the RedCap capability to AMF through NG SETUP (new base station) or RAN Configuration Update (existing base station upgrade), and AMF saves the capability information. When the RedCap UE switches or reselects, the target AMF determines whether the switching or reselection process for the target RAN can continue or be interrupted based on the RedCap RAN list and the RedCap identifier in the UE context obtained from the source AMF. If continued, follow the existing process; if interrupted, return a failure response and carry the reason value of "the target RAN does not support RedCap".

[0166] The existing solution requires additional configuration for all base stations, and the configuration needs to be modified as the wireless network area is upgraded, which results in high maintenance costs. The base station dynamically reports the RedCap capability to the 5GC, and the 5GC network element controls the switching or reselection process, which only requires the base station and AMF software to implement. It not only solves the accuracy of the RedCap target RAN selection in the existing network, but also reduces a large amount of switching or reselection signaling, avoiding the update of network policies and billing when the UE moves back and forth between the RedCap area and the non-RedCap area. Through base station and AMF dynamic signaling control, the AMF's judgment on the RedCap RAN is enhanced during the switching or reselection process, ensuring the selection of the RedCap target RAN and reducing a large amount of switching or reselection signaling. When the RedCap is not upgraded across the entire network, the core network controls the RedCap UE to try to select the target RAN that supports the RedCap capability when switching or reselecting.

[0167] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a communication method in another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Fig. 9 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a communication method, which is applied to a source access and mobility management function AMF, including:

[0168] Step S902: Send a user equipment UE context information creation request to the target AMF, where the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to the handover request sent by the source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station;

[0169] Step S902: receiving a UE context information creation response sent by the target AMF; the UE context information creation response is generated by the target AMF in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier; the target list is used to store the base station identifiers of the base stations supporting the simplified functional capability;

[0170] Step S902: Generate a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response and send it to the source base station; the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0171] It should be noted that the acquisition, storage, use, and processing of data in the technical solution disclosed in this disclosure are in compliance with the relevant provisions of national laws and regulations, and various types of data such as personal identity data, operation data, behavioral data, etc. related to individuals, customers, and groups obtained in the embodiments of this disclosure have all been authorized.

[0172] Based on the same inventive concept, the present disclosure also provides a communication device in the following embodiments. Since the principle of solving the problem in the device embodiment is similar to that in the above method embodiment, the implementation of the device embodiment can refer to the implementation of the above method embodiment, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0173] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of a communication device in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Fig.10 As shown, the device is applied to the target access and mobility management function AMF, and includes:

[0174] A UE context information creation request receiving module 1001 is used to receive a user equipment UE context information creation request sent by a source AMF, where the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to a handover request sent by a source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station;

[0175] A UE context information creation response generation module 1002 is used to generate a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier; the target list is used to store the base station identifiers of the base stations supporting the simplified functional capability;

[0176] The UE context information creation response sending module 1003 is used to send the UE context information creation response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response and sends it to the source base station, and the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0177] It should be noted here that the UE context information creation request receiving module 1001, the UE context information creation response generating module 1002 and the UE context information creation response sending module 1003 correspond to S202 to S206 in the method embodiment, and the examples and application scenarios implemented by the above modules and the corresponding steps are the same, but are not limited to the contents disclosed in the above method embodiment. It should be noted that the above modules as part of the device can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer executable instructions.

[0178] Based on the same inventive concept, the present disclosure also provides a communication device in the following embodiments. Since the principle of solving the problem in the device embodiment is similar to that in the above method embodiment, the implementation of the device embodiment can refer to the implementation of the above method embodiment, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0179] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of a communication device in another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Fig.11 As shown, it is applied to the source access and mobility management function AMF, and the device includes:

[0180] The UE context information creation request sending module 1101 is used to send a user equipment UE context information creation request to a target AMF, where the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to a handover request sent by the source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station;

[0181] The UE context information creation response receiving module 1102 is used to receive the UE context information creation response sent by the target AMF; the UE context information creation response is generated by the target AMF in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier; the target list is used to store the base station identifiers of the base stations supporting the simplified functional capability;

[0182] The base station switching instruction generation and sending module 1103 is used to generate a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response and send it to the source base station; the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0183] It should be noted here that the UE context information creation request sending module 1101, the UE context information creation response receiving module 1102 and the base station switching instruction generation sending module 1103 correspond to S902 to S906 in the method embodiment, and the examples and application scenarios implemented by the above modules and corresponding steps are the same, but are not limited to the contents disclosed in the above method embodiment. It should be noted that the above modules as part of the device can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer executable instructions.

[0184] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented as systems, methods or program products. Therefore, various aspects of the present disclosure may be specifically implemented in the following forms, namely: complete hardware implementation, complete software implementation (including firmware, microcode, etc.), or a combination of hardware and software, which may be collectively referred to herein as "circuits", "modules" or "systems".

[0185] Refer to the following Fig.12 1200 according to this embodiment of the present disclosure is described. Fig.12 The electronic device 1200 shown is merely an example and should not bring any limitation to the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0186] like Fig.12 As shown, the electronic device 1200 is in the form of a general computing device. The components of the electronic device 1200 may include but are not limited to: at least one processing unit 1210, at least one storage unit 1220, and a bus 1230 connecting different system components (including the storage unit 1220 and the processing unit 1210).

[0187] The storage unit stores a program code, and the program code can be executed by the processing unit 1210, so that the processing unit 1210 performs the steps described in the above "Exemplary Method" section of this specification according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the processing unit 1210 can perform the following steps of the above method embodiment: applied to the target access and mobility management function AMF, including: receiving a user equipment UE context information creation request sent by the source AMF, the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to the switching request sent by the source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes the target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station; in response to determining that the target list contains the target base station identifier, generating a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request; the target list is used to store the base station identifiers of base stations that support simplified functional capabilities; sending the UE context information creation response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response, and sends it to the source base station, the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

[0188] The storage unit 1220 may include a readable medium in the form of a volatile storage unit, such as a random access storage unit (RAM) 12201 and / or a cache storage unit 12202 , and may further include a read-only storage unit (ROM) 12203 .

[0189] The storage unit 1220 may also include a program / utility 12204 having a set (at least one) of program modules 12205, such program modules 12205 including but not limited to: an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data, each of which or some combination may include an implementation of a network environment.

[0190] Bus 1230 may represent one or more of several types of bus structures, including a memory unit bus or memory unit controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, a processing unit, or a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures.

[0191] The electronic device 1200 may also communicate with one or more external devices 1240 (e.g., keyboards, pointing devices, Bluetooth devices, etc.), may also communicate with one or more devices that enable a user to interact with the electronic device 1200, and / or communicate with any device that enables the electronic device 1200 to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., routers, modems, etc.). Such communication may be performed via an input / output (I / O) interface 1250. Furthermore, the electronic device 1200 may also communicate with one or more networks (e.g., local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and / or public networks, such as the Internet) via a network adapter 1260. As shown, the network adapter 1260 communicates with other modules of the electronic device 1200 via a bus 1230. It should be understood that, although not shown in the figure, other hardware and / or software modules may be used in conjunction with the electronic device 1200, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems.

[0192] Through the description of the above implementation, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the example implementation described here can be implemented by software, or by software combined with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solution according to the implementation of the present disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (which can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to enable a computing device (which can be a personal computer, a server, a terminal device, or a network device, etc.) to execute the method according to the implementation of the present disclosure.

[0193] In particular, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the process described above with reference to the flowchart may be implemented as a computer program product, which includes: a computer program, which implements the above communication method when executed by a processor.

[0194] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A program product capable of implementing the above method of the present disclosure is stored thereon. In some possible implementations, various aspects of the present disclosure may also be implemented in the form of a program product, which includes a program code, and when the program product is run on a terminal device, the program code is used to cause the terminal device to execute the steps according to various exemplary implementations of the present disclosure described in the above “Exemplary Method” section of this specification.

[0195] More specific examples of computer-readable storage media in the present disclosure may include, but are not limited to, an electrical connection having one or more conductors, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0196] In the present disclosure, a computer readable storage medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, wherein a readable program code is carried. Such propagated data signals may take a variety of forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination of the above. A readable signal medium may also be any readable medium other than a readable storage medium, which may send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0197] Alternatively, the program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, optical cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0198] In a specific implementation, the program code for performing the operations of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar programming languages. The program code may be executed entirely on the user computing device, partially on the user device, as a separate software package, partially on the user computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In the case of a remote computing device, the remote computing device may be connected to the user computing device through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computing device (e.g., using an Internet service provider to connect through the Internet).

[0199] It should be noted that, although several modules or units of the device for action execution are mentioned in the above detailed description, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in one module or unit. On the contrary, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided into multiple modules or units to be embodied.

[0200] In addition, although the steps of the method in the present disclosure are described in a specific order in the drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in this specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired results. Additionally or alternatively, some steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or one step may be decomposed into multiple steps, etc.

[0201] Through the description of the above implementation, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the example implementation described here can be implemented by software, or by software combined with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solution according to the implementation of the present disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (which can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to enable a computing device (which can be a personal computer, a server, a mobile terminal, or a network device, etc.) to execute the method according to the implementation of the present disclosure.

[0202] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present disclosure after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. The present disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present disclosure, which follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art that are not disclosed in the present disclosure. The description and examples are intended to be exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: Applied to the target access and mobility management function AMF, including: Receive a user equipment UE context information creation request sent by a source AMF, where the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to a handover request sent by a source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station; In response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request; the target list is used to store base station identifiers of base stations supporting simplified functional capabilities; Send the UE context information creation response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response, and sends it to the source base station, wherein the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: Obtain configuration information corresponding to at least one base station that is communicatively connected to the target AMF; If the configuration information indicates that the at least one base station supports the reduced functional capability, the base station identifier of the at least one base station is stored in the target list.

3. The communication method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The at least one base station is a newly built base station; the configuration information includes: a communication establishment request; Obtaining configuration information corresponding to at least one base station that is communicatively connected to the target AMF, including: Receiving a communication establishment request sent by the newly-built base station for communication connection with the target AMF; the communication establishment request includes a base station identifier of the newly-built base station and support capability information of the newly-built base station; Wherein, if the configuration information indicates that the at least one base station supports the simplified functional capability, storing the base station identifier of the at least one base station in the target list includes: If the support capability information of the newly-built base station includes supporting the simplified functional capability, the base station identifier of the newly-built base station is stored in the target list, and a communication establishment response is generated and sent to the newly-built base station.

4. The communication method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The at least one base station is an upgraded base station, and the upgraded base station supports the simplified functional capability after being upgraded; The configuration information includes: wireless access network configuration update; Obtaining configuration information corresponding to at least one base station that is communicatively connected to the target AMF, including: Receiving a radio access network configuration update sent by the upgraded base station in communication connection with the target AMF; the radio access network configuration update includes a base station identifier of the upgraded base station and information on the upgraded base station's ability to support the simplified function; Wherein, if the configuration information indicates that the at least one base station supports the simplified functional capability, storing the base station identifier of the at least one base station in the target list includes: According to the information of the upgraded base station supporting the simplified functional capability, the base station identifier of the upgraded base station is stored in the target list, and a radio access network configuration update confirmation is generated and sent to the upgraded base station.

5. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The UE context information creation request includes: a target base station identifier; In response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request, including: Matching the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request with the base station identifiers in the target list; If the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request successfully matches the base station identifier in the target list, the target base station corresponding to the target base station identifier is determined as the changed base station, and a corresponding UE context information creation response is generated; the changed base station is the next base station after the UE disconnects the communication connection with the source base station and then establishes a communication connection; the source base station changes the UE from the source base station to the target base station, including the source base station switching or reselecting the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

6. The communication method according to claim 5, characterized in that: Also includes: If the target base station identifier in the UE context information creation request fails to match the base station identifier in the target list, generating a corresponding UE context information creation failure response; Send the UE context information creation failure response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a switching preparation failure instruction according to the UE context information creation failure response, and sends it to the source base station; the switching preparation failure instruction is used to instruct the source base station to maintain a communication connection with the UE.

7. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: receiving a registration request sent by the UE; the registration request including a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station; Send a UE context transfer to the source AMF according to the registration request, so that the source AMF obtains the UE context information according to the UE context transfer and encapsulates it into a UE context transfer response; Receiving the UE context transfer response sent by the source AMF; In response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a registration update response; The registration update response is sent to the UE, so that the UE reselects from the source base station to the target base station.

8. The communication method according to claim 7, characterized in that: In response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier, generating a registration update response, including: Matching the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response with the base station identifiers in the target list; If the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response successfully matches the base station identifier in the target list, the target base station corresponding to the target base station identifier is determined as the reselected base station, and a corresponding registration update response is generated; the reselected base station is the next base station for the UE to establish a communication connection with the source base station after the communication connection is disconnected.

9. The communication method according to claim 8, characterized in that: Also includes: If the target base station identifier of the UE context information in the UE context transfer response fails to match the base station identifier in the target list, generating a corresponding registration rejection response; The registration rejection response is sent to the UE, so that the UE maintains a communication connection with the source base station according to the registration rejection response.

10. A communication method, characterized in that: Applicable to source access and mobility management function AMF, including: Send a user equipment UE context information creation request to the target AMF, the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to the handover request sent by the source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station; receiving a UE context information creation response sent by the target AMF; the UE context information creation response is generated by the target AMF in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier; the target list is used to store base station identifiers of base stations supporting simplified functional capabilities; A base station switching instruction is generated according to the UE context information creation response and sent to the source base station; the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

11. A communication device, characterized in that: Applied to the target access and mobility management function AMF, including: A UE context information creation request receiving module, configured to receive a user equipment UE context information creation request sent by a source AMF, wherein the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to a handover request sent by a source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station; A UE context information creation response generation module, configured to generate a UE context information creation response corresponding to the UE context information creation request in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier; the target list is used to store base station identifiers of base stations supporting simplified functional capabilities; The UE context information creation response sending module is used to send the UE context information creation response to the source AMF, so that the source AMF generates a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response and sends it to the source base station. The base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

12. A communication device, characterized in that: Applicable to source access and mobility management function AMF, including: A UE context information creation request sending module, configured to send a user equipment UE context information creation request to a target AMF, wherein the UE context information creation request is generated by the source AMF according to a handover request sent by the source base station to the source AMF; the UE context information creation request includes a target base station identifier corresponding to the target base station when the UE changes from the source base station to the target base station; A UE context information creation response receiving module, configured to receive a UE context information creation response sent by the target AMF; the UE context information creation response is generated by the target AMF in response to determining that the target list includes the target base station identifier; the target list is used to store base station identifiers of base stations supporting simplified functional capabilities; The base station switching instruction generation and sending module is used to generate a base station switching instruction according to the UE context information creation response and send it to the source base station; the base station switching instruction is used to instruct the source base station to change the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

13. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: processor; as well as A memory, configured to store executable instructions of the processor; The processor is configured to execute the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or claim 10 by executing the executable instructions.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or claim 10 is implemented.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer program, characterized in that When the computer program is executed by a processor, the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or claim 10 is implemented.

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