A terminal information reporting method and device, and a computer storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a terminal information reporting method and device, and a computer storage medium, the method comprises the following steps: a terminal encapsulates UE related information into a first container; the terminal sends the first container to a core network access and mobility management entity (AMF) through a non-access layer (NAS) message, so that the first container is sent to a policy control function entity (PCF) through the AMF.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application filed on January 19, 2018, with application number 2018800656125 (international application number PCT / CN2018 / 073468) and entitled "A method and apparatus for terminal reporting information, and a computer storage medium". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular to a method and apparatus for terminal reporting information, and a computer storage medium. Background Technology

[0003] With the advent of big data technology, it is crucial to adjust terminal strategies based on real-time terminal conditions. Currently, terminals cannot report data related to wireless communication, such as their current location or data usage; they can only report application-related data to OTT (Over-The-Top) servers.

[0004] How the terminal reports wireless communication-related data to the core network is a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for terminal information reporting, as well as a computer storage medium.

[0006] The method for terminal reporting information provided in this embodiment of the invention includes:

[0007] The terminal encapsulates UE-related information into a first container;

[0008] The terminal sends the first container to the Core Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) via a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, so that the AMF can send the first container to the Policy Control Function (PCF).

[0009] In this embodiment of the invention, the terminal sends the first container to the AMF via a NAS message, so that the AMF can send the first container to the PCF, including:

[0010] The terminal sends the first container to the AMF via a first NAS message, so that the AMF can detect the content in the first NAS message. When the first NAS message includes the first container, the terminal sends the first container to the PCF.

[0011] In this embodiment of the invention, the terminal sends the first container to the AMF via a NAS message, so that the AMF can send the first container to the PCF, including:

[0012] The terminal sends the first container to the AMF via a second NAS message, so that the AMF can send the first container to the PCF; wherein, the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit UE-related information to the AMF.

[0013] In this embodiment of the invention, a first type of message is added to the ProtocolDiscriminator in the NAS message structure. The first type of message is used to carry UE-related information in the first container.

[0014] In this embodiment of the invention, the UE-related information includes at least one of the following:

[0015] UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) information, WLAN Selection Policy (WLANSP) information, and UE status information.

[0016] The method for terminal reporting information provided in this embodiment of the invention includes:

[0017] AMF receives a first container sent by the NAS message receiving terminal, wherein the first container encapsulates UE-related information of the terminal;

[0018] The AMF sends the first container to the PCF.

[0019] In this embodiment of the invention, the AMF sends a first container via a NAS message receiving terminal, and the AMF sends the first container to the PCF, including:

[0020] The AMF receives the first container sent by the terminal via a first NAS message;

[0021] The AMF detects the content in the first NAS message, and when the first NAS message includes the first container, it sends the first container to the PCF.

[0022] In this embodiment of the invention, the AMF sends a first container via a NAS message receiving terminal, and the AMF sends the first container to the PCF, including:

[0023] The AMF receives the first container sent by the terminal via a second NAS message; wherein the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit UE-related information to the AMF;

[0024] The AMF sends the first container to the PCF.

[0025] In this embodiment of the invention, a first type of message is added to the Protocol Discriminator in the NAS message structure. The first type of message is used to carry UE-related information in the first container.

[0026] In this embodiment of the invention, the UE-related information includes at least one of the following:

[0027] URSP information, WLANSP information, UE status information.

[0028] The device for terminal reporting information provided in this embodiment of the invention includes:

[0029] An encapsulation unit is used to encapsulate UE-related information into a first container;

[0030] A sending unit is configured to send the first container to the AMF via a NAS message, so that the first container can be sent to the PCF via the AMF.

[0031] In this embodiment of the invention, the sending unit is configured to send the first container to the AMF via a first NAS message, so that the AMF can detect the content in the first NAS message, and when the first NAS message includes the first container, send the first container to the PCF.

[0032] In this embodiment of the invention, the sending unit is configured to send the first container to the AMF via a second NAS message, so that the first container is sent to the PCF via the AMF; wherein, the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit UE-related information to the AMF.

[0033] In this embodiment of the invention, a first type of message is added to the Protocol Discriminator in the NAS message structure. The first type of message is used to carry UE-related information in the first container.

[0034] In this embodiment of the invention, the UE-related information includes at least one of the following:

[0035] URSP information, WLANSP information, UE status information.

[0036] The device for terminal reporting information provided in this embodiment of the invention includes:

[0037] A receiving unit is used to receive a first container sent by a terminal via a NAS message, wherein the first container encapsulates UE-related information of the terminal;

[0038] A sending unit is used to send the first container to the PCF.

[0039] In this embodiment of the invention, the receiving unit is configured to receive a first container sent by the terminal via a first NAS message;

[0040] The device further includes: a detection unit, used to detect the content in the first NAS message;

[0041] When the first NAS message includes the first container, the sending unit sends the first container to the PCF.

[0042] In this embodiment of the invention, the receiving unit is configured to receive a first container sent by the terminal via a second NAS message; wherein the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit UE-related information to the AMF;

[0043] The sending unit is used to send the first container to the PCF.

[0044] In this embodiment of the invention, a first type of message is added to the Protocol Discriminator in the NAS message structure. The first type of message is used to carry UE-related information in the first container.

[0045] In this embodiment of the invention, the UE-related information includes at least one of the following:

[0046] URSP information, WLANSP information, UE status information.

[0047] The computer storage medium provided in this embodiment of the invention stores computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the aforementioned method for terminal reporting information.

[0048] In the technical solution of this embodiment of the invention, the terminal encapsulates UE-related information into a first container; the terminal sends the first container to the AMF via a NAS message, so that the AMF can send the first container to the PCF. By adopting the technical solution of this embodiment of the invention, the terminal can report UE-related information to the PCF of the core network through the control plane, thereby enhancing the core network's management of the terminal. Attached Figure Description

[0049] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0050] Figure 1 This is a system architecture diagram of a 5G network according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the terminal information reporting method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0052] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the terminal information reporting method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0053] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the message passing path according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of the terminal information reporting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0055] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of the terminal information reporting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0056] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of NAS messages according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0058] To gain a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments of the present invention, the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for reference and illustration only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 1 This is a system architecture diagram of a 5G network according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the equipment involved in a 5G network system includes:

[0060] The system includes: User Equipment (UE), Radio Access Network (RAN), User Plane Function (UPF), Data Network (DN), Core Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Policy Control Function (PCF), Application Function (AF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), and Unified Data Management (UDM).

[0061] The above Figure 1 The example given is merely a network architecture instance for implementing an embodiment of the present invention, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above. Figure 1 The network structure described above.

[0062] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the terminal information reporting method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The terminal reporting information method in this embodiment is applied to the terminal side, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the method for the terminal to report information includes the following steps:

[0063] Step 201: The terminal encapsulates the UE-related information into the first container.

[0064] In this embodiment of the invention, the terminal can be any device capable of communicating with a network, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, or desktop computer.

[0065] In this embodiment of the invention, the UE-related information can be any information related to the state of the terminal, including at least one of the following: URSP information, WLANSP information, and UE state information (such as the current battery level of the UE, the location information of the UE, the moving speed of the UE, etc.).

[0066] In this embodiment of the invention, a new container is designed, called the first container, into which the terminal encapsulates the UE-related information reported to the PCF into the first container.

[0067] Step 202: The terminal sends the first container to the AMF via a NAS message, so that the AMF can send the first container to the PCF.

[0068] In this embodiment of the invention, the terminal sends the first container to the AMF via a NAS message, which can be achieved in the following two ways:

[0069] Method 1: The terminal sends the first container to the AMF via the first NAS message, so that the AMF can detect the content in the first NAS message. When the first NAS message includes the first container, the terminal sends the first container to the PCF.

[0070] Here, the first NAS message is a normal NAS message, refer to... Figure 4 The terminal can send the first container and other information, such as context information, to the AMF via a regular NAS message. Upon receiving the first NAS message, the AMF inspects its content and processes or forwards it accordingly. If the first NAS message includes the first container, the AMF sends the first container to the PCF via the direct connection interface N15. Furthermore, the content of the first container (i.e., the UE-related information) is not visible to the AMF; that is, the AMF does not need to parse the content of the first container.

[0071] Method 2: The terminal sends the first container to the AMF via a second NAS message, so that the AMF can send the first container to the PCF; wherein, the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit the UE-related information to the AMF.

[0072] Here, the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit UE-related information to the AMF, as referred to... Figure 4 After receiving the second NAS message, the AMF can skip inspecting its content and directly perform control plane protocol conversion before sending it to the PCF. Furthermore, the content in the first container (i.e., the UE-related information) is not visible to the AMF; that is, the AMF does not need to parse the content in the first container.

[0073] In one implementation, such as Figure 7 As shown, a new first type of message is added to the Protocol Discriminator in the NAS message structure. This message type can be called: Policy Data Transfer. The first type of message is used to carry UE-related information in the first container.

[0074] In this embodiment of the invention, the terminal can send UE-related information encapsulated in a first container to the AMF via a regular first NAS message or a proprietary second NAS message. If the AMF receives a first NAS message, it needs to inspect the content of the first NAS message to determine whether it is a message to be sent to the PCF. If so, the AMF forwards the first container in the first NAS message to the PCF. If the AMF receives a second NAS message, it does not need to inspect the content of the second NAS message to directly determine that it is a message to be sent to the PCF, and after performing control plane protocol conversion, forwards the first container to the PCF.

[0075] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the terminal information reporting method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 The terminal reporting information method in this embodiment is applied to the network side, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the method for the terminal to report information includes the following steps:

[0076] Step 301: The AMF receives a first container sent by the NAS message receiving terminal, wherein the first container encapsulates UE-related information of the terminal.

[0077] In this embodiment of the invention, the terminal can be any device capable of communicating with a network, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, or desktop computer.

[0078] In this embodiment of the invention, the UE-related information can be any information related to the state of the terminal, including at least one of the following: URSP information, WLANSP information, and UE state information (such as the current battery level of the UE, the location information of the UE, the moving speed of the UE, etc.).

[0079] In this embodiment of the invention, a new container is designed, called the first container, into which the terminal encapsulates the UE-related information reported to the PCF into the first container.

[0080] Step 302: The AMF sends the first container to the PCF.

[0081] In this embodiment of the invention, the AMF sends a first container through the NAS message receiving terminal, and the AMF sends the first container to the PCF. This can be achieved in the following two ways:

[0082] Method 1: The AMF receives the first container sent by the terminal through the first NAS message; the AMF detects the content in the first NAS message, and when the first NAS message includes the first container, it sends the first container to the PCF.

[0083] Here, the first NAS message is a normal NAS message, refer to... Figure 4 The terminal can send the first container and other information, such as context information, to the AMF via a regular NAS message. Upon receiving the first NAS message, the AMF inspects its content and processes or forwards it accordingly. If the first NAS message includes the first container, the AMF sends the first container to the PCF via the direct connection interface N15. Furthermore, the content of the first container (i.e., the UE-related information) is not visible to the AMF; that is, the AMF does not need to parse the content of the first container.

[0084] Method 2: The AMF receives the first container sent by the terminal through a second NAS message; wherein the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit UE-related information to the AMF; the AMF sends the first container to the PCF.

[0085] Here, the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit UE-related information to the AMF, as referred to... Figure 4 After receiving the second NAS message, the AMF can skip inspecting its content and directly perform control plane protocol conversion before sending it to the PCF. Furthermore, the content in the first container (i.e., the UE-related information) is not visible to the AMF; that is, the AMF does not need to parse the content in the first container.

[0086] In one implementation, such as Figure 7 As shown, a new first type of message is added to the Protocol Discriminator in the NAS message structure. This message type can be called: Policy Data Transfer. The first type of message is used to carry UE-related information in the first container.

[0087] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of the terminal information reporting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The device for reporting terminal information is applied to the terminal side, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the device for reporting information by the terminal includes:

[0088] Encapsulation unit 501 is used to encapsulate UE-related information into a first container;

[0089] Sending unit 502 is used to send the first container to AMF via NAS message, so that the first container can be sent to PCF via AMF.

[0090] In one embodiment, the sending unit 502 is configured to send the first container to the AMF via a first NAS message, so that the AMF can detect the content in the first NAS message, and when the first NAS message includes the first container, send the first container to the PCF.

[0091] In one embodiment, the sending unit 502 is configured to send the first container to the AMF via a second NAS message, so that the first container is sent to the PCF via the AMF; wherein the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit UE-related information to the AMF.

[0092] In one embodiment, a first type of message is added to the Protocol Discriminator in the NAS message structure. The first type of message is used to carry UE-related information in the first container.

[0093] In one embodiment, the UE-related information includes at least one of the following:

[0094] URSP information, WLANSP information, UE status information.

[0095] Those skilled in the art should understand that Figure 5 The functions of each unit in the device for reporting terminal information shown can be understood by referring to the relevant description of the terminal information reporting method described above. Figure 5 The functions of each unit in the terminal reporting device shown can be implemented by a program running on a processor or by specific logic circuits.

[0096] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of the terminal information reporting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 The device for reporting information from the terminal is applied to the network side, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the device for reporting information by the terminal includes:

[0097] The receiving unit 601 is used to receive a first container sent by the terminal via NAS message, wherein the first container encapsulates UE-related information of the terminal;

[0098] The sending unit 602 is used to send the first container to the PCF.

[0099] In one embodiment, the receiving unit 601 is configured to receive a first container sent by the terminal via a first NAS message;

[0100] The device further includes: a detection unit 603, used to detect the content in the first NAS message;

[0101] When the first NAS message includes the first container, the sending unit 602 sends the first container to the PCF.

[0102] In one embodiment, the receiving unit 601 is configured to receive a first container sent by the terminal via a second NAS message; wherein the second NAS message is a proprietary NAS message used by the terminal to transmit UE-related information to the AMF;

[0103] The sending unit 602 is used to send the first container to the PCF.

[0104] In one embodiment, a first type of message is added to the Protocol Discriminator in the NAS message structure. The first type of message is used to carry UE-related information in the first container.

[0105] In one embodiment, the UE-related information includes at least one of the following:

[0106] URSP information, WLANSP information, UE status information.

[0107] Those skilled in the art should understand that Figure 6 The functions of each unit in the device for reporting terminal information shown can be understood by referring to the relevant description of the terminal information reporting method described above. Figure 6 The functions of each unit in the terminal reporting device shown can be implemented by a program running on a processor or by specific logic circuits.

[0108] If the terminal information reporting device described in the embodiments of the present invention is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiments of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), magnetic disks, or optical disks. Thus, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to any specific hardware and software combination.

[0109] Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the terminal reporting information method described above in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0110] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural composition of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This computer device can be a terminal or a network device. Figure 8 As shown, the computer device 100 may include one or more (only one is shown in the figure) processors 1002 (processors 1002 may include, but are not limited to, microprocessors (MCUs, Micro Controller Units) or programmable logic devices (FPGAs, Field Programmable Gate Arrays), memory 1004 for storing data, and transmission device 1006 for communication functions. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 8 The structure shown is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the structure of the aforementioned electronic device. For example, computer device 100 may also include... Figure 8 The more or fewer components shown, or having the same Figure 8 The different configurations shown.

[0111] The memory 1004 can be used to store software programs and modules of application software, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the methods in this embodiment of the invention. The processor 1002 executes various functional applications and data processing by running the software programs and modules stored in the memory 1004, thereby implementing the above-described methods. The memory 1004 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or other non-volatile solid-state memory. In some instances, the memory 1004 may further include memory remotely located relative to the processor 1002, and these remote memories can be connected to the computer device 100 via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0112] The transmission device 1006 is used to receive or send data via a network. Specific examples of the network described above may include a wireless network provided by the communication provider of the computer device 100. In one example, the transmission device 1006 includes a network adapter (NIC, Network Interface Controller), which can connect to other network devices via a base station to communicate with the Internet. In another example, the transmission device 1006 may be a radio frequency (RF) module, used for wireless communication with the Internet.

[0113] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined arbitrarily without conflict.

[0114] In the several embodiments provided by this invention, it should be understood that the disclosed methods and smart devices can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as: multiple units or components can be combined, or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling, direct coupling, or communication connection between the various components shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0115] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0116] In addition, in the various embodiments of the present invention, each functional unit can be integrated into a second processing unit, or each unit can be a separate unit, or two or more units can be integrated into a unit; the integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional units.

[0117] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for a terminal to report information, the method comprising: encapsulating, by the terminal, UE-related information into a first container, wherein the UE-related information comprises UE state information; sending, by the terminal, the first container to an access and mobility management function (AMF) via a non-access stratum (NAS) message, so as to send the first container to a policy control function (PCF) via the AMF, wherein the NAS message comprises a dedicated NAS message for the terminal to transmit the UE-related information to the AMF; and sending, by the terminal, the first container to the AMF via the NAS message, so as to send the first container to the PCF via the AMF, comprises: sending, by the terminal, the first container to the AMF via the dedicated NAS message, so as to send the first container to the PCF via the AMF without detecting the content in the dedicated NAS message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, adding a first type of message in a protocol discriminator in the NAS message structure, wherein the first type of message is used to carry the UE-related information in the first container. 3.A method for a terminal to report information, the method comprising: receiving, by an AMF, a first container sent by a terminal via a NAS message, wherein the first container encapsulates UE-related information of the terminal, and the UE-related information comprises UE state information; sending, by the AMF, the first container to a PCF, wherein the NAS message comprises a dedicated NAS message for the terminal to transmit the UE-related information of the terminal to the AMF; and receiving, by the AMF, the first container sent by the terminal via the NAS message, and sending, by the AMF, the first container to the PCF, comprises: receiving, by the AMF, the first container sent by the terminal via the dedicated NAS message, and sending, by the AMF, the first container to the PCF without detecting the content in the dedicated NAS message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, adding a first type of message in a protocol discriminator in the NAS message structure, wherein the first type of message is used to carry the UE-related information in the first container. 5.An apparatus for a terminal to report information, the apparatus comprising: an encapsulating unit configured to encapsulate UE-related information into a first container, wherein the UE-related information comprises UE state information; a sending unit configured to send the first container to an access and mobility management function (AMF) via a non-access stratum (NAS) message, so as to send the first container to a policy control function (PCF) via the AMF, wherein the NAS message comprises a dedicated NAS message for the terminal to transmit the UE-related information to the AMF; and the sending unit is configured to send the first container to the AMF via the dedicated NAS message, so as to send the first container to the PCF via the AMF without detecting the content in the dedicated NAS message.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, A first type message is added in the Protocol Discriminator in the NAS message structure, and the first type message is used to carry the UE related information in the first container.

7. An apparatus for reporting information by a terminal, the apparatus comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive a first container sent by a terminal through a NAS message, wherein the first container encapsulates UE related information of the terminal, and the UE related information comprises UE state information; a sending unit configured to send the first container to a PCF; and a detecting unit, wherein the NAS message comprises a specific NAS message used for the terminal to transmit UE related information to an AMF, and the receiving unit is configured to receive the first container sent by the terminal through the specific NAS message without detecting the content in the specific NAS message, and the sending unit is configured to send the first container to the PCF.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, A first type message is added in the Protocol Discriminator in the NAS message structure, and the first type message is used to carry the UE related information in the first container.

9. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored therein, which, when executed by a processor, implement the method steps of claim 1 or 2, or the method steps of claim 3 or 4.

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