Method, device, computer readable medium and electronic device for switching mbs service

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a method and apparatus for switching MBS services, a computer readable medium and an electronic device. The method for switching MBS services comprises: obtaining capability information of other base stations for MBS services, the capability information comprising whether the MBS services are supported; if it is necessary to switch MBS services of a user equipment to a target base station, determining whether the target base station supports the MBS services according to the capability information of the other base stations for the MBS services; and if it is determined that the target base station supports the MBS services, initiating a MBS service switching request to the target base station, the MBS service switching request being used to indicate that the MBS services of the user equipment are switched to the target base station. The technical solution of the embodiments of the present application can realize the switching processing of the MBS services.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of application number 2020110614518, filed on September 30, 2020, entitled "Method, apparatus, computer-readable medium and electronic device for switching MBS services". Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the fields of computer and communication technology, and more specifically, to a method, apparatus, computer-readable medium, and electronic device for switching MBS services. Background Technology

[0003] In order to support public safety services and broadcast and multicast service requirements in scenarios such as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in 5G networks, MBS (Multicast and Broadcast Service) has been proposed. MBS has also become one of the key technologies for 5G technology and network evolution. Unlike 4G networks, 5G MBS is based on a more cloud-based and service-oriented architecture, and traditional handover mechanisms need to be redesigned for MBS solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiments of this application provide a method, apparatus, computer-readable medium, and electronic device for switching MBS services, thereby enabling MBS service switching processing at least to a certain extent.

[0005] Other features and advantages of this application will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this application.

[0006] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a method for switching MBS services is provided, comprising: obtaining capability information of other base stations for MBS services, the capability information including whether they support MBS services; if it is necessary to switch the MBS services of a user equipment to a target base station, determining whether the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of the other base stations for MBS services; if it is determined that the target base station supports MBS services, initiating an MBS service switching request to the target base station, the MBS service switching request being used to instruct the user equipment to switch its MBS services to the target base station.

[0007] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a method for switching MBS services is provided, comprising: processing MBS services based on a serving base station; reporting acquired capability information of other base stations for MBS services to the serving base station, the capability information including whether they support MBS services; if the serving base station switches the MBS service to a target base station that supports MBS services based on an MBS service switching request, then processing the MBS service based on the target base station, wherein the MBS service switching request is sent by the serving base station to the target base station after determining that the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of the target base station.

[0008] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a handover apparatus for MBS services is provided, comprising: a first acquisition unit configured to acquire capability information of other base stations for MBS services, the capability information including whether MBS services are supported; a determination unit configured to determine whether the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of other base stations if it is necessary to switch the MBS services of a user equipment to the target base station; and a first processing unit configured to initiate an MBS service handover request to the target base station if it is determined that the target base station supports MBS services, the MBS service handover request being used to instruct the user equipment to switch its MBS services to the target base station.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the first acquisition unit acquires the capability information of other base stations for MBS services through at least one of the following methods:

[0010] Receive the capability information of other base stations for the MBS service reported by the user equipment;

[0011] The capability information of the other base stations for the MBS service is obtained through the communication links established with the other base stations.

[0012] Obtain the capability information of the other base stations for the MBS service configured by the operation and maintenance management entity.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the capability information further includes at least one of the following: whether the N3 interface supports shared tunnel transmission or dedicated tunnel transmission, and whether the air interface supports point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, if the capability information further includes whether the N3 interface supports a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism, then the MBS service handover request is also used to indicate the tunnel transmission method adopted by the target base station on the N3 interface.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, if the capability information further includes whether the air interface supports point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast, then the MBS service handover request is also used to indicate the broadcast method adopted by the target base station on the air interface.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, if the capability information of the other base stations for MBS services does not include the capability information of the target base station, the MBS service handover device further includes: a sending unit configured to send a notification message to the user equipment, the notification message being used to notify the user equipment to report the capability information of the target base station for MBS services; and a first receiving unit configured to receive the capability information of the target base station for MBS services reported by the user equipment, and determine whether the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of the target base station for MBS services.

[0017] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the MBS service switching device further includes: a second receiving unit configured to receive a cell measurement report reported by the user equipment, and determine whether to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station based on the cell measurement report.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the MBS service switching device further includes: a third receiving unit configured to receive signaling messages sent by the core network equipment, and determine whether to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station according to the signaling messages.

[0019] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the first processing unit is further configured to: receive indication information from the core network device regarding whether to forward data for the MBS service before or during the MBS service handover; and send the indication information to the target base station.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the first processing unit is further configured to: if it receives a policy adjustment instruction for the MBS service sent by the core network device, adjust the configuration message for the MBS service based on the policy adjustment instruction, wherein the policy adjustment instruction includes at least one of the following: adjusting the tunnel transmission mode used on the N3 interface, and adjusting the broadcast mode used on the air interface.

[0021] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a handover apparatus for MBS services is provided, comprising: a second processing unit configured to process MBS services based on a serving base station; a reporting unit configured to report acquired capability information of other base stations for MBS services to the serving base station, the capability information including whether they support MBS services; and a third processing unit configured to process the MBS services based on the target base station if the serving base station switches the MBS services to a target base station that supports MBS services based on an MBS service handover request, wherein the MBS service handover request is sent by the serving base station to the target base station after determining that the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of the target base station.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the switching device further includes: a second acquisition unit configured to acquire the target base station's capability information for the MBS service when receiving a notification message sent by the serving base station, wherein the notification message is used to notify the user equipment to report the target base station's capability information for the MBS service; the reporting unit is further configured to report the target base station's capability information for the MBS service to the serving base station, so that the serving base station can determine whether the target base station supports the MBS service.

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the reporting unit is further configured to: receive system information broadcast by the other base stations, wherein the system information indicates the capability information of the other base stations for the MBS service in an implicit or explicit manner; and obtain the capability information of the other base stations for the MBS service based on the system information.

[0024] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the handover device further includes: a negotiation unit configured to communicate and negotiate with the application function entity corresponding to the MBS service to determine the handover strategy information of the MBS service. The handover strategy information is configured by the application function entity to the serving base station through core network equipment before or during the handover of the MBS service.

[0025] The handover strategy information includes at least one of the following: whether data forwarding is performed between the base stations before and after the handover; whether the base station after the handover uses a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism on the N3 interface when processing the MBS service; and whether the base station after the handover uses point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast on the N3 interface when processing the MBS service.

[0026] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the reporting unit is configured to report the acquired capability information of all base stations for the MBS service to the serving base station.

[0027] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the reporting unit is configured to: report the acquired capability information of a designated base station for the MBS service to the serving base station, wherein the designated base station includes at least one of the following: a base station with a signal strength greater than or equal to a set value, or a base station that supports the MBS service.

[0028] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a computer-readable medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the MBS service switching method as described in the above embodiments.

[0029] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, an electronic device is provided, including: one or more processors; and a storage device for storing one or more programs, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement the MBS service switching method as described in the above embodiments.

[0030] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a computer program product or computer program is provided, which includes computer instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of a computer device reads the computer instructions from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the computer instructions, causing the computer device to perform the MBS service switching method provided in the various optional embodiments described above.

[0031] In some embodiments of this application, the technical solutions provided involve obtaining the capability information of other base stations for MBS services. When it is necessary to switch the MBS service of a user equipment to the target base station, the system determines whether the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of other base stations. If it is determined that the target base station supports MBS services, an MBS service handover request is initiated to the target base station to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station. This allows the system to determine whether the target base station supports MBS services based on the base station's capability information, thereby avoiding the interruption of MBS services and the waste of signaling resources caused by blindly initiating handover requests to base stations that do not support MBS services. This achieves support for MBS service handover in the 5G system. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the data transmission flow of a unicast communication system and a multicast communication system.

[0033] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario where the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application can be applied;

[0034] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for switching MBS services according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0035] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a method for switching MBS services according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0036] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the MBS service switching process according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0037] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an enhanced ANR mechanism according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0038] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating the switching process of MBS services according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0039] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating a method for switching MBS services according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0040] Figure 9 A block diagram of an MBS service switching apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0041] Figure 10 A block diagram of an MBS service switching apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0042] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of a computer system suitable for implementing the electronic device of the present application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0043] It should be noted that "multiple" in this article refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0044] 2G (second-generation mobile communication technology), 3G (third-generation mobile communication technology), and 4G (fourth-generation mobile communication technology) wireless communication systems support MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service), which is divided into Broadcast and Multicast services. However, only 2G and 3G systems support multicast services; 4G systems do not support it in the standard. Furthermore, all three systems (2G, 3G, and 4G) support broadcast services.

[0045] Besides broadcast and multicast services, communication between network nodes also includes unicast. Unicast is the most common one-to-one communication method. Its advantage is that the sender can transmit different content to different receivers. However, if the sender needs to transmit the same content to multiple receivers, it needs to transmit multiple copies of the same data end-to-end, which is inefficient. Specifically... Figure 1 As shown, when a unicast source sends data to multiple receivers in a unicast manner, it needs to transmit multiple copies of the same data in an end-to-end manner. Figure 1 Different line types represent different data flows.

[0046] Multicast, also known as "multi-transmission," is a method where the sender transmits the same content to multiple receivers. Online video conferencing and online video-on-demand are particularly well-suited for multicast because unicast would involve multiple transmissions for each receiver, resulting in extremely low efficiency. While broadcasting, which sends data to all recipients indiscriminately, can transmit all data at once, it fails to differentiate between specific recipients. Therefore, multicast allows for both sending the same data to multiple receivers and sending data only to specific recipients. Specifically... Figure 1 As shown, a multicast source can send the same data to multiple receivers at once.

[0047] Broadcasting also transmits the same content to multiple recipients, but it doesn't select recipients during transmission. Therefore, it may transmit data to unnecessary devices, wasting network resources. Furthermore, some recipients may not be interested in the broadcast content, and thus have to discard the received data packets, further wasting terminal resources.

[0048] The fundamental difference between broadcast and multicast services lies in the fact that all UEs (User Equipment) in a system can participate in broadcast services without a subscription, while UEs participating in multicast services must be subscribed to and authenticated. It's also important to note that there are many types of multicast and broadcast services. For multicast services, the UE joins the corresponding service's multicast group via an IP multicast address. Broadcast services, on the other hand, are distinguished by different areas, meaning there is only one broadcast service in a given area, and this broadcast service can transmit different services at different times.

[0049] Existing technologies have proposed supporting MBS services in 5G systems, but the handover mechanism for MBS services has not been fully designed, which affects the support of user equipment for MBS services during mobility. Therefore, embodiments of this application propose a handover processing scheme for MBS services. Specifically, in Figure 2In an exemplary system architecture supporting MBS services, base station 1 and base station 2 are adjacent base stations, and they can be connected via the Xn interface. Of course, connection between base station 1 and base station 2 via the Xn interface is not mandatory; in other embodiments of this application, base station 1 and base station 2 may not be connected.

[0050] Continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, base station 1 and base station 2 can be connected to the AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) via the N2 interface, and can be connected to the UPF (User Plane Function) via the N3 interface. Figure 2 In the system architecture shown, the SMF (Session Management Function) is responsible for MBS-related session management functions, the PCF (Policy Control Function) is responsible for MBS-related policy generation, the AF (Application Function) can be deployed integrated with the MBS service content server or separately, and the UDM (Unified Data Management) is used to provide functions such as user subscription data access and location registration. Other network elements, such as OAM (Operation Administration and Maintenance) and NEF (Network Exposure Function), are not shown in this system architecture, but these elements may be needed in practical applications.

[0051] In one embodiment of this application, the serving base station of user equipment 201 is base station 1, and MBS services are processed based on base station 1. Base station 1 can obtain the capability information of base station 2 for MBS services, such as whether base station 2 supports MBS services, whether base station 2 supports shared tunnel transmission or dedicated tunnel transmission on the N3 interface, and whether base station 2 supports point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast on the air interface. Optionally, base station 1 can obtain this information from base station 2 through the Xn interface, or through user equipment (e.g., ...). Figure 2 This information can be obtained from reports from user equipment 201 (shown in the figure) or other user equipment (not shown), or it can be obtained based on the configuration of OAM.

[0052] During its movement, User Equipment 201 performs cell measurements and reports the cell measurement report to Base Station 1. If Base Station 1 determines that the movement of User Equipment 201 necessitates switching the MBS service of User Equipment 201 (which may be the service processed by the MBS transmission group to which User Equipment 201 has joined) to Base Station 2, it will first determine whether Base Station 2 supports MBS services based on Base Station 2's capability information. If Base Station 2 supports MBS services, Base Station 1 can initiate an MBS service handover request to Base Station 2 to switch the MBS service of User Equipment 201 to Base Station 2, so that User Equipment 201 can continue to process MBS services based on Base Station 2.

[0053] In one embodiment of this application, user equipment 201 and AF can also communicate and negotiate to determine whether data forwarding treatment is required based on the MBS service of user equipment 201. They can also determine whether base station 2 uses shared tunnel transmission or dedicated tunnel transmission on the N3 interface, and point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast on the air interface after the handover. Then, the AF configures the determined policy information to base station 1 through AMF or SMF, and base station 1 adds this policy information to the MBS service handover related processing according to the capability information of base station 2.

[0054] In one embodiment of this application, if data forwarding is not required (e.g., the MBS service is a live video streaming service), the handover process can be performed directly according to the handover strategy. If data forwarding is required (e.g., the MBS service is a software download or upgrade task), data forwarding is necessary between base station 1 and base station 2 to ensure the data integrity of the MBS service. Furthermore, for specific real-time multimedia services, when performing MBS service handover, the primary factor affecting user experience is receiving real-time data on the new base station as soon as possible; data forwarding and recovery before or during the handover are not critical. In this case, eliminating data forwarding can save network resources and speed up the handover process.

[0055] The implementation details of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application are described in detail below:

[0056] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a handover method for MBS services according to an embodiment of this application is shown. This handover method can be performed by a base station, which can be a serving base station for providing services to user equipment. (Refer to...) Figure 3 As shown, the MBS service switching method includes at least steps S310 to S330, which are detailed below:

[0057] In step S310, the capability information of other base stations for MBS services is obtained, including whether they support MBS services.

[0058] In one embodiment of this application, other base stations may be neighboring base stations located at the location of the serving base station of the user equipment.

[0059] In one embodiment of this application, the serving base station obtains the capability information of other base stations for MBS services by receiving the capability information of other base stations for MBS services reported by the user equipment. Optionally, the user equipment can obtain the capability information of the neighboring base station for MBS services by receiving system information broadcast by the current serving base station's neighboring base station.

[0060] In one embodiment of this application, the serving base station obtains the capability information of other base stations for MBS services through a communication link established with other base stations. That is, the serving base station can establish a communication link with neighboring base stations via the Xn interface, thereby obtaining the capability information of other base stations for MBS services.

[0061] In one embodiment of this application, the serving base station may obtain the capability information of other base stations for MBS services from the operation and maintenance management entity. For example, the operation and maintenance management entity may pre-configure the capability information of other base stations for MBS services to the serving base station.

[0062] It should be noted that the serving base station can obtain the capability information of other base stations for MBS services through one or more of the above methods.

[0063] In one embodiment of this application, the aforementioned capability information may include, in addition to whether MBS services are supported, any of the following: whether shared tunnel transmission or dedicated tunnel transmission is supported on the N3 interface, and whether point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast is supported on the air interface. This capability information can be used as policy information for selecting a target base station during MBS service handover. For example, if the target base station supports shared tunnel transmission on the N3 interface, then after the MBS service is handed over to the target base station, shared tunnel transmission can be used on the target base station's N3 interface.

[0064] In step S320, if it is necessary to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station, it is determined whether the target base station supports the MBS service based on the capability information of other base stations for the MBS service.

[0065] In one embodiment of this application, a cell measurement report reported by a user equipment (UE) can be received, and then a decision can be made based on the cell measurement report to determine whether to switch the UE's MBS service to the target base station. This embodiment's technical solution is based on UE movement triggering the handover. For example, if the serving base station determines, based on the cell measurement report reported by the UE, that the UE is measuring an increasingly stronger signal strength at a neighboring base station, it can determine that the UE is about to move into the coverage area of ​​that base station, thereby triggering the handover.

[0066] In one embodiment of this application, a signaling message sent by a core network device can be received, and the user equipment's MBS service can be switched to a target base station based on the signaling message. For example, the core network device can determine whether it is necessary to switch the user equipment's MBS service from the serving base station to another base station based on information such as the load status of the serving base station and the session parameters corresponding to the service flow. If a switch is required, a signaling message is sent to the serving base station. Optionally, the core network device in this embodiment can be an AMF or an SMF.

[0067] In one embodiment of this application, if the capability information of other base stations for MBS services obtained by the serving base station does not include the capability information of the target base station, the serving base station can send a notification message to the user equipment. This notification message is used to notify the user equipment to report the capability information of the target base station for MBS services. Then, the user equipment can obtain the capability information of the target base station for MBS services, for example, by receiving system information broadcast by the target base station. The user equipment then reports the obtained capability information of the target base station for MBS services to the serving base station, so that the serving base station can determine whether the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of the target base station for MBS services.

[0068] Continue to refer to Figure 3 As shown, in step S330, if it is determined that the target base station supports MBS service, an MBS service handover request is initiated to the target base station. The MBS service handover request is used to instruct the user equipment to switch the MBS service to the target base station.

[0069] In one embodiment of this application, if it is determined whether the target base station supports a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism on the N3 interface, the serving base station can also indicate the tunnel transmission method adopted by the target base station on the N3 interface, i.e., whether it adopts a shared tunnel transmission method or a dedicated tunnel transmission method, through an MBS service handover request.

[0070] In one embodiment of this application, if it is determined whether the target base station supports point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast on the air interface, the serving base station can also indicate the broadcast method adopted by the target base station on the air interface, i.e., whether it adopts point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast, through an MBS service switching request.

[0071] In one embodiment of this application, if the serving base station receives an indication from the core network device regarding whether to forward data for the MBS service, the serving base station can send the indication to the target base station to indicate whether data forwarding is required. Optionally, the serving base station can add the indication to the MBS service handover request and send it to the target base station. Furthermore, the serving base station can receive the indication from the core network device before or during the MBS service handover.

[0072] Specifically, before MBS service handover, this indication information can be configured as a parameter in the UE context to the core network elements and base station. After MBS service handover occurs, this indication information will be transferred along with the context to the target base station, i.e., the new serving base station.

[0073] In one embodiment of this application, if the serving base station receives a policy adjustment instruction for MBS services sent by the core network equipment, the serving base station can adjust the configuration message for MBS services based on the policy adjustment instruction. The policy adjustment instruction includes at least one of the following: adjusting the tunnel transmission mode used on the N3 interface, and adjusting the broadcast mode used on the air interface. For example, if the serving base station uses a shared tunnel transmission mode for MBS services on the N3 interface, then if the core network equipment needs to adjust the tunnel transmission mode used by the serving base station on the N3 interface, such as changing the shared tunnel transmission mode to a dedicated tunnel transmission mode, it can send a policy adjustment instruction to the serving base station.

[0074] Figure 3 This application describes the MBS service handover method from the perspective of the base station. The following is a combination of... Figure 4 The MBS service switching method of this application embodiment is described in detail from the perspective of the user equipment:

[0075] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a method for switching MBS services according to an embodiment of this application is shown. This MBS service switching method can be performed by a user equipment. (Refer to...) Figure 4 As shown, the MBS service switching method includes at least steps S410 to S430, which are detailed below:

[0076] In step S410, MBS services are processed based on the serving base station.

[0077] In one embodiment of this application, the process of a user equipment processing MBS services based on a serving base station may involve joining an MBS group to receive MBS service data sent by the serving base station. This MBS service data may include, for example, multimedia data (such as live video stream data, news data, etc.), software download package data, software update package data, etc.

[0078] In step S420, the capability information of other base stations for MBS services obtained is reported to the serving base station. This capability information includes whether MBS services are supported.

[0079] In one embodiment of this application, each base station can implicitly or explicitly indicate its capability information for MBS services through system information, and then the user equipment can obtain the capability information of each base station for MBS services by receiving the system information broadcast by each base station.

[0080] In one embodiment of this application, the user equipment can report the acquired capability information of all base stations for MBS services to the serving base station.

[0081] In one embodiment of this application, a user equipment (UE) can report the capability information of a designated base station for MBS services to the serving base station. The designated base station includes at least one of the following: a base station with a signal strength greater than or equal to a set value, or a base station supporting MBS services. That is, in this embodiment, the UE can first filter based on the base station information, and then report the selected capability information of the designated base station for MBS services to the serving base station.

[0082] Continue to refer to Figure 4 As shown, in step S430, if the serving base station switches the MBS service to the target base station that supports the MBS service based on the MBS service switching request, then the MBS service is processed based on the target base station. The MBS service switching request is sent by the serving base station to the target base station after determining that the target base station supports the MBS service based on the capability information of the target base station.

[0083] In one embodiment of this application, the serving base station can determine whether the target base station supports the MBS service based on the capability information of each base station for the MBS service obtained from the information. If the capability information of each base station for the MBS service obtained by the serving base station does not include the capability information of the target base station for the MBS service, the serving base station can send a notification message to the user equipment. The notification message is used to notify the user equipment to report the capability information of the target base station for the MBS service. After receiving the notification message, the user equipment obtains the capability information of the target base station for the MBS service and then reports the capability information of the target base station for the MBS service to the serving base station so that the serving base station can determine whether the target base station supports the MBS service.

[0084] In one embodiment of this application, the user equipment (AF) can also negotiate with the application function entity corresponding to the MBS service to determine the handover strategy information for the MBS service. The AF then configures this handover strategy information to the serving base station via the core network equipment before or during the MBS service handover. For example, the AF can directly send the handover strategy information to the PCF, or the AF can send the handover strategy information to the PCF via the NEF, and then the PCF can send the handover strategy information to the AMF and / or SMF, and configure it to the serving base station via the AMF or SMF. Optionally, the handover strategy information may include at least one of the following: whether data forwarding is performed between the base stations before and after the handover; whether the base station after the handover uses a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism on the N3 interface when processing the MBS service; and whether the base station after the handover uses point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast on the N3 interface when processing the MBS service.

[0085] It should be noted that whether data forwarding is performed between base stations before and after the handover can be determined based on the type of MBS service of the user equipment. For example, if the MBS service type is video live streaming or real-time interactive service, which has low requirements for packet loss, then data forwarding may not be performed; while if the MBS service type is software package download / update service, map update service, or route planning update service, which has high requirements for packet loss, then data forwarding may be performed to ensure the data integrity of the MBS service.

[0086] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application have been described above from the perspectives of base stations and user equipment. Specifically, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application mainly propose a wireless network handover mechanism for 5G MBS services. This is achieved by introducing new MBS-related characteristic parameters to the interface between the 5G air interface and the base station, and the interface between the base station and the core network, enabling proactive determination of whether potential target cells support 5G MBS services during the handover process. Furthermore, in some embodiments, communication negotiation between the UE and AF can be introduced during the handover process to select a reasonable handover mechanism based on service requirements such as packet loss characteristics, thereby achieving effective support for MBS service handover in the 5G network.

[0087] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, the handover process of the UE's MBS service essentially involves switching the 5G data radio bearer over the air interface and the tunnel of the base station N3 interface, thereby ensuring the continuous transmission of service data from the AF to the UE. Figure 5 The embodiment shown switches the air interface between the UE and base station 1 to the air interface between the UE and base station 2, and switches the N3 interface between base station 1 and UPF to the N3 interface between base station 2 and UPF.

[0088] In one embodiment of this application, the handover of MBS services can be assisted by enhancing the ANR (Automatic Neighbor Relation) mechanism. Specifically, the base station can learn the capability information of other base stations for 5G MBS services through UE reporting and / or inter-base station communication and / or OAM configuration. This capability information includes: whether the base station supports MBS services; whether the base station supports shared tunnel transmission mechanism or dedicated tunnel mechanism on the N3 interface; and whether the base station supports point-to-multipoint broadcast or point-to-point broadcast on the air interface.

[0089] like Figure 6 As shown, the enhanced ANR mechanism in the embodiments of this application may include some or all of the mechanisms in 601, 602, and 603. Among them, Figure 6 The 601 shown is the ANR data that the UE measures and obtains from the neighboring base station's capability information for MBS services, then reports to the serving base station, and the serving base station adds / updates the maintained ANR data. Figure 6 The 602 shown is the ANR data that each base station obtains from the OAM / network-side equipment to obtain the capability information of neighboring base stations for MBS services, and that each base station adds / updates and maintains. The network-side equipment can be the core network equipment. Figure 6 The 603 shown is the ANR data that base stations obtain from each other the capability information of their neighboring base stations for MBS services through communication, and that is added / updated and maintained by each base station.

[0090] To support the above scheme, user equipment and base stations need to support the corresponding protocols. Specifically, the base station can implicitly or explicitly broadcast the aforementioned capability information for MBS services through system information; the user equipment can inform the serving base station of the capability information of neighboring base stations for MBS services through the UE reporting mechanism to assist the serving base station in making decisions.

[0091] The enhanced ANR mechanism in the above embodiments of this application enables the serving base station to have advance knowledge of whether the target base station supports 5GMBS and what MBS transmission methods are supported on the air interface and N3 interface, and thus configure corresponding handover strategy information.

[0092] In one embodiment of this application, during the handover process, the UE and AF can communicate and negotiate to select a reasonable handover strategy based on the packet loss characteristics requirements of the MBS service and the tolerable handover time, thereby achieving effective support for MBS service handover in the 5G network. Specifically, since the data forwarding processing requirements differ depending on the type of MBS service, in order to save network resources, for 5G MBS services that do not require data forwarding, after confirmation between the UE and AF, the AF can notify the 5G core network equipment that data forwarding for this MBS service is not required, thus simplifying the data forwarding processing between the source base station and the target base station. Optionally, the core networks corresponding to the source base station and the target base station can be the same.

[0093] In one embodiment of this application, the AF can configure a policy on whether data forwarding is required for each MBS service. For example, the AF can configure the corresponding policy to the AMF, SMF, and UE through the PCF, and can update the configured policy. Furthermore, the specific configuration process can occur before or during the MBS service handover.

[0094] Figure 7 The present application illustrates a switching process for MBS services according to an embodiment of the present application, specifically including the following steps:

[0095] Step S701: Obtain information about the target base station through the enhanced ANR mechanism.

[0096] In step S702, the UE and AF negotiate to determine whether the MBS service requires data forwarding. If yes, proceed to step S704; otherwise, proceed to step S703.

[0097] In one embodiment of this application, for example, if the MBS service belongs to video live streaming service, real-time interactive service, or other services with low requirements for packet loss, then data forwarding processing may not be performed; however, if the MBS service belongs to software package download / update service, map update service, route planning update service, or other services with high requirements for packet loss, then data forwarding processing may be performed to ensure the data integrity of the MBS service.

[0098] Step S703: Perform the MBS handover process without data forwarding.

[0099] Step S704: Perform the MBS handover process with data forwarding.

[0100] It should be noted that, regardless of whether the MBS handover process involves data forwarding or not, the core network equipment or the source base station can determine the handover strategy based on the tunnel transmission methods (shared tunnel transmission method, dedicated tunnel transmission method, etc.) supported by the target base station on the N3 interface and the broadcast methods (point-to-point method, point-to-multipoint method, etc.) supported on the air interface. For example, what MBS transmission methods are supported on the air interface and N3 interface respectively after the handover.

[0101] In one embodiment of this application, the MBS service handover process can be triggered by the mobility of the user equipment or by non-mobility reasons such as network-side equipment. Handover triggered by non-mobility reasons such as network-side equipment includes: network load balancing strategies, changes in session parameters corresponding to service flows, etc. The technical solutions of the above embodiments of this application are applicable to both of the above situations. The following is a detailed explanation... Figure 8 Taking user device mobility triggering as an example, the main steps include:

[0102] In step S801, the UE establishes an MBS session with the source base station to handle MBS services. Before the handover occurs, ANR mechanisms can be used between base stations, between OAM and base stations, and between the UE and base stations to enable base stations to obtain information about the capabilities of neighboring base stations for MBS services, including but not limited to: whether the base station supports MBS services; whether the base station supports shared tunnel transmission mechanism or dedicated tunnel mechanism on the N3 interface; and whether the base station supports point-to-multipoint broadcast or point-to-point broadcast on the air interface.

[0103] In step S802, the source base station obtains the ANR execution result, that is, the source base station learns whether the target base station supports MBS service, whether it supports dedicated tunnel transmission mode or shared tunnel transmission mode on the N3 interface, and whether it supports PTP (Point To Point) or PTMP (Point-to-Multipoint) on the air interface.

[0104] In step S803, before the handover occurs, the UE and AF communicate to determine the handover strategy information, such as whether data forwarding is required during the handover process, whether a shared tunnel transmission mode or a dedicated tunnel transmission mode is used on the N3 interface after the handover, and whether a point-to-multipoint broadcast mode or a point-to-point broadcast mode is used on the air interface after the handover.

[0105] In step S804, the UE moves and discovers neighboring base stations through a measurement mechanism.

[0106] In step S805, the UE reports a measurement report to the serving base station, which may include the target base station's PCI (Physical Cell Identifier).

[0107] In one embodiment of this application, if the serving base station has already learned the capability information of all neighboring base stations for MBS services through the ANR mechanism, it can determine whether the neighboring base stations support MBS based on the PCI reported by the UE. If the serving base station has not yet learned the capability information of all neighboring base stations for MBS services through the ANR mechanism, it can activate the ANR mechanism, for example, by notifying the UE to obtain the information from the system information broadcast of the neighboring base stations or through other means, and then report it to the serving base station.

[0108] In one embodiment of this application, the UE may report some or all of the cell information to the serving base station, or perform filtering (such as sorting based on the signal strength of neighboring base stations or filtering based on whether neighboring base stations support MBS services) before reporting to the serving base station.

[0109] Step S806: The source base station determines the MBS support status of the target base station based on the ANR information.

[0110] In step S807, if the source base station determines that the target base station supports MBS service, the source base station initiates an MBS service handover request. The MBS service handover request may carry MBS handover indication information, including whether to perform data forwarding, whether to use shared tunnel transmission mode or dedicated tunnel transmission mode on the N3 interface after handover, and whether to use point-to-multipoint broadcast or point-to-point broadcast mode on the air interface after handover.

[0111] In one embodiment of this application, the MBS handover indication information carried in the MBS service handover request may be determined by the source base station, or it may be indicated to the source base station by the AMF.

[0112] In step S808, the target base station determines the handover strategy configuration information, including whether to perform data forwarding, whether to use shared tunnel transmission mode or dedicated tunnel transmission mode on the N3 interface after handover, and whether to use point-to-multipoint broadcast mode or point-to-point broadcast mode on the air interface after handover.

[0113] It should be noted that if the MBS service handover request sent by the source base station does not carry the policy configuration information, the target base station can actively generate the corresponding configuration information and adjust it subsequently based on the policy information sent by the core network entity.

[0114] In step S809, the target base station sends a handover response to the source base station.

[0115] The technical solutions of the above embodiments of this application introduce new MBS-related characteristic parameters to the interface between the 5G air interface and the base station, as well as the interface between the base station and the core network, to achieve the ability to proactively determine whether a potential target cell supports 5G MBS services during the handover process. Simultaneously, in some embodiments, communication negotiation between the UE and AF can be introduced during the handover process to select a reasonable handover mechanism based on the service's requirements for packet loss characteristics, avoiding indiscriminate data forwarding that leads to resource waste, and achieving effective support for MBS service handover in the 5G network.

[0116] The following describes an apparatus embodiment of this application, which can be used to execute the MBS service switching method in the above embodiments of this application. For details not disclosed in the apparatus embodiments of this application, please refer to the embodiments of the MBS service switching method described above.

[0117] Figure 9 A block diagram of an MBS service handover device according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The MBS service handover device can be located in a base station, which can be a serving base station for providing services to user equipment.

[0118] Reference Figure 9 As shown, an MBS service switching device 900 according to an embodiment of this application includes: a first acquisition unit 902, a determination unit 904, and a first processing unit 906.

[0119] The first acquisition unit 902 is configured to acquire capability information of other base stations for MBS services, including whether they support MBS services; the determination unit 904 is configured to determine whether the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of other base stations if it is necessary to switch the MBS services of a user equipment to the target base station; the first processing unit 906 is configured to initiate an MBS service switching request to the target base station if it is determined that the target base station supports MBS services, the MBS service switching request being used to instruct the user equipment to switch its MBS services to the target base station.

[0120] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the first acquisition unit 902 acquires the capability information of other base stations for MBS services through at least one of the following methods:

[0121] Receive the capability information of other base stations for the MBS service reported by the user equipment;

[0122] The capability information of the other base stations for the MBS service is obtained through the communication links established with the other base stations.

[0123] Obtain the capability information of the other base stations for the MBS service configured by the operation and maintenance management entity.

[0124] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the capability information further includes at least one of the following: whether the N3 interface supports shared tunnel transmission or dedicated tunnel transmission, and whether the air interface supports point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast.

[0125] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, if the capability information further includes whether the N3 interface supports a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism, then the MBS service handover request is also used to indicate the tunnel transmission method adopted by the target base station on the N3 interface.

[0126] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, if the capability information further includes whether the air interface supports point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast, then the MBS service handover request is also used to indicate the broadcast method adopted by the target base station on the air interface.

[0127] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, if the capability information of other base stations for MBS services does not include the capability information of the target base station, then the MBS service switching device 900 further includes: a sending unit configured to send a notification message to the user equipment, the notification message being used to notify the user equipment to report the capability information of the target base station for MBS services; and a first receiving unit configured to receive the capability information of the target base station for MBS services reported by the user equipment, and determine whether the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of the target base station for MBS services.

[0128] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the MBS service switching device 900 further includes: a second receiving unit configured to receive a cell measurement report reported by the user equipment, and determine whether to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station based on the cell measurement report.

[0129] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the MBS service switching device 900 further includes: a third receiving unit, configured to receive signaling messages sent by the core network equipment, and determine whether to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station according to the signaling messages.

[0130] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the first processing unit 906 is further configured to: receive indication information from the core network device regarding whether to forward data for the MBS service before or during the MBS service handover; and send the indication information to the target base station.

[0131] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the first processing unit 906 is further configured to: if it receives a policy adjustment instruction for the MBS service sent by the core network device, adjust the configuration message for the MBS service based on the policy adjustment instruction, wherein the policy adjustment instruction includes at least one of the following: adjusting the tunnel transmission mode used on the N3 interface, and adjusting the broadcast mode used on the air interface.

[0132] Figure 10 A block diagram of an MBS service switching device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. The MBS service switching device can be installed in a user equipment.

[0133] Reference Figure 10 As shown, an MBS service switching device 1000 according to an embodiment of this application includes: a second processing unit 1002, a reporting unit 1004 and a third processing unit 1006.

[0134] The second processing unit 1002 is configured to process MBS services based on the serving base station; the reporting unit 1004 is configured to report the acquired capability information of other base stations for MBS services to the serving base station, the capability information including whether they support MBS services; the third processing unit 1006 is configured to process the MBS services based on the target base station if the serving base station switches the MBS services to a target base station that supports MBS services based on an MBS service switching request, wherein the MBS service switching request is sent by the serving base station to the target base station after determining that the target base station supports MBS services based on the capability information of the target base station.

[0135] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the switching device 1000 further includes: a second acquisition unit, configured to acquire the target base station's capability information for the MBS service when receiving a notification message sent by the serving base station, wherein the notification message is used to notify the user equipment to report the target base station's capability information for the MBS service; the reporting unit 1004 is further configured to report the target base station's capability information for the MBS service to the serving base station, so that the serving base station can determine whether the target base station supports the MBS service.

[0136] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the reporting unit 1004 is further configured to: receive system information broadcast by the other base station, wherein the system information indicates the capability information of the other base station for the MBS service in an implicit or explicit manner; and obtain the capability information of the other base station for the MBS service based on the system information.

[0137] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the switching device 1000 further includes: a negotiation unit configured to communicate and negotiate with the application function entity corresponding to the MBS service to determine the switching strategy information of the MBS service. The switching strategy information is configured by the application function entity to the serving base station through core network equipment before or during the switching of the MBS service.

[0138] The handover strategy information includes at least one of the following: whether data forwarding is performed between the base stations before and after the handover; whether the base station after the handover uses a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism on the N3 interface when processing the MBS service; and whether the base station after the handover uses point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast on the N3 interface when processing the MBS service.

[0139] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the reporting unit 1004 is configured to report the acquired capability information of all base stations for the MBS service to the serving base station.

[0140] In some embodiments of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the reporting unit 1004 is configured to: report the acquired capability information of a designated base station for the MBS service to the serving base station, wherein the designated base station includes at least one of the following: a base station with a signal strength greater than or equal to a set value, or a base station that supports the MBS service.

[0141] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of a computer system suitable for implementing the electronic device of the present application is shown.

[0142] It should be noted that, Figure 11 The computer system 1100 of the electronic device shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.

[0143] like Figure 11As shown, the computer system 1100 includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 1101, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on programs stored in Read-Only Memory (ROM) 1102 or programs loaded from storage portion 1108 into Random Access Memory (RAM) 1103, such as performing the methods described in the above embodiments. Various programs and data required for system operation are also stored in RAM 1103. The CPU 1101, ROM 1102, and RAM 1103 are interconnected via bus 1104. An Input / Output (I / O) interface 1105 is also connected to bus 1104.

[0144] The following components are connected to I / O interface 1105: an input section 1106 including a keyboard, mouse, etc.; an output section 1107 including a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), etc., and speakers, etc.; a storage section 1108 including a hard disk, etc.; and a communication section 1109 including a network interface card such as a LAN (Local Area Network) card, modem, etc. The communication section 1109 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A drive 1110 is also connected to I / O interface 1105 as needed. Removable media 1111, such as a disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, semiconductor memory, etc., are installed on drive 1110 as needed so that computer programs read from them can be installed into storage section 1108 as needed.

[0145] Specifically, according to embodiments of this application, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of this application include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program including a computer program for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via communication section 1109, and / or installed from removable medium 1111. When the computer program is executed by central processing unit (CPU) 1101, it performs various functions defined in the system of this application.

[0146] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium shown in the embodiments of this application can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination of the two. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example,—but not limited to—an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, optical fiber, portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this application, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. In this application, a computer-readable signal medium can include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying a computer-readable computer program. The transmitted data signal can take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable signal medium can also be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, which can send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer program contained on the computer-readable medium can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0147] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. Each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which contains one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0148] The units described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in software or hardware, and the described units can also be located in a processor. The names of these units do not necessarily limit the specific unit itself.

[0149] In another aspect, this application also provides a computer-readable medium, which may be included in the electronic device described in the above embodiments; or it may exist independently and not assembled into the electronic device. The computer-readable medium carries one or more programs, which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0150] It should be noted that although several modules or units for the device used to perform actions have been mentioned in the detailed description above, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the embodiments of this application, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in one module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided and embodied by multiple modules or units.

[0151] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of this application can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to cause a computing device (such as a personal computer, server, touch terminal, or network device, etc.) to execute the method according to the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A method for switching multicast broadcast service (MBS), characterized in that, include: The serving base station of the user equipment obtains capability information of neighboring base stations for MBS services. The capability information includes whether the neighboring base station supports MBS services and whether the neighboring base station supports a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism on the N3 interface. The neighboring base station is connected to the user plane function entity through the N3 interface. If it is necessary to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station among the adjacent base stations, and it is determined that the target base station supports the MBS service based on the capability information of the target base station for the MBS service, then an MBS service switching request is initiated to the target base station. The MBS service switching request is used to instruct the user equipment to switch the MBS service to the target base station, and to instruct the target base station to use the tunnel transmission mode on the N3 interface.

2. The handoff method of an MBS service according to claim 1, wherein, Obtain information on the capabilities of neighboring base stations for MBS services, including at least one of the following: Receive the capability information of the neighboring base stations for the MBS service reported by the user equipment; The capability information of the adjacent base stations for the MBS service is obtained through the communication link established with the adjacent base stations; Obtain the capability information of the adjacent base stations for the MBS service configured by the operation and maintenance management entity.

3. The handoff method of an MBS service according to claim 1, wherein, The capability information also includes: Does the air interface support point-to-point broadcasting or point-to-multipoint broadcasting? 4. The MBS service switching method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The MBS service handover request is also used to indicate the broadcast method adopted by the target base station on the air interface.

5. The handoff method of an MBS service of claim 1, wherein, If the capability information of the adjacent base station for MBS service does not include the capability information of the target base station, then the MBS service handover method further includes: Send a notification message to the user equipment, the notification message being used to notify the user equipment to report the target base station's capability information for MBS services; The system receives the target base station's capability information for the MBS service reported by the user equipment, and determines whether the target base station supports the MBS service based on the target base station's capability information for the MBS service.

6. The handoff method of an MBS service of claim 1, wherein, Before switching the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station, the MBS service switching method further includes: Receive the cell measurement report reported by the user equipment, and determine whether to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station based on the cell measurement report; or The system receives signaling messages from the core network equipment and determines whether to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station based on the signaling messages.

7. The handoff method of an MBS service of claim 1, wherein, The MBS service switching method also includes: Before or during the MBS service handover, receive indication information from the core network equipment regarding whether to forward data for the MBS service; The instruction information is sent to the target base station.

8. The handover method of an MBS service according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The MBS service switching method also includes: If a policy adjustment instruction for the MBS service is received from a core network device, the configuration message for the MBS service is adjusted based on the policy adjustment instruction. The policy adjustment instruction includes at least one of the following: adjusting the tunnel transmission mode used on the N3 interface and adjusting the broadcast mode used on the air interface.

9. A handoff method of an MBS service, the method comprising the steps of: include: MBS services are processed based on the serving base station; The acquired capability information of neighboring base stations for MBS services is reported to the serving base station. The capability information includes whether the neighboring base station supports MBS services and whether the neighboring base station supports a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism on the N3 interface. The neighboring base station is connected to the user plane function entity through the N3 interface. If the serving base station switches the MBS service to the target base station that supports the MBS service based on the MBS service switching request, then the MBS service is processed based on the target base station. The MBS service switching request is sent by the serving base station to the target base station after determining that the target base station supports the MBS service based on the capability information of the target base station, and is used to indicate the tunnel transmission mode adopted by the target base station on the N3 interface.

10. The handoff method of an MBS service according to claim 9, wherein, Before processing the MBS service based on the target base station, the handover method further includes: If a notification message is received from the serving base station, the capability information of the target base station for the MBS service is obtained. The notification message is used to notify the user equipment to report the capability information of the target base station for the MBS service. The target base station reports its capability information for the MBS service to the serving base station, so that the serving base station can determine whether the target base station supports the MBS service.

11. The handoff method of an MBS service according to claim 9, wherein, Before reporting the acquired capability information of neighboring base stations for MBS services to the serving base station, the handover method further includes: The system information broadcast by the neighboring base station is received, and the system information indicates the capability information of the neighboring base station for the MBS service in an implicit or explicit manner. The system information is used to obtain the capability information of the adjacent base stations for the MBS service.

12. The MBS service switching method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The handover method further includes: negotiating with the application function entity corresponding to the MBS service to determine the handover strategy information for the MBS service. The handover strategy information is configured by the application function entity to the serving base station through core network equipment before or during the handover of the MBS service. The handover strategy information includes at least one of the following: whether data forwarding is performed between the base stations before and after the handover; whether the base station after the handover uses a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism on the N3 interface when processing the MBS service; and whether the base station after the handover uses point-to-point broadcast or point-to-multipoint broadcast on the N3 interface when processing the MBS service.

13. The MBS service switching method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that, The acquired capability information of neighboring base stations for MBS services is reported to the serving base station, including: The acquired capability information of all base stations for the MBS service is reported to the serving base station; or The acquired capability information of the designated base station for the MBS service is reported to the serving base station. The designated base station includes at least one of the following: a base station with a signal strength greater than or equal to a set value, or a base station that supports the MBS service.

14. A switching device for MBS services, characterized in that, include: The first acquisition unit is configured to acquire capability information of adjacent base stations for MBS services. The capability information includes whether the adjacent base station supports MBS services and whether the adjacent base station supports a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism on the N3 interface. The adjacent base station is connected to the user plane function entity through the N3 interface. The first processing unit is configured to initiate an MBS service handover request to the target base station if it is necessary to switch the MBS service of the user equipment to the target base station among the adjacent base stations, and if it is determined that the target base station supports the MBS service based on the capability information of the target base station for the MBS service. The MBS service handover request is used to instruct the user equipment to switch the MBS service to the target base station, and to instruct the target base station to use the tunnel transmission mode on the N3 interface.

15. A switching device for MBS services, characterized in that, include: The second processing unit is configured to process MBS services based on the serving base station; The reporting unit is configured to report the acquired capability information of neighboring base stations for MBS services to the serving base station. The capability information includes whether the neighboring base station supports MBS services and whether the neighboring base station supports a shared tunnel transmission mechanism or a dedicated tunnel transmission mechanism on the N3 interface. The neighboring base station is connected to the user plane function entity through the N3 interface. The third processing unit is configured to process the MBS service based on the target base station if the serving base station switches the MBS service to the target base station that supports the MBS service based on the MBS service switching request. The MBS service switching request is sent by the serving base station to the target base station after determining that the target base station supports the MBS service based on the capability information of the target base station, and is used to indicate the tunnel transmission mode adopted by the target base station on the N3 interface.

16. A computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the MBS service switching method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8; or implements the MBS service switching method as described in any one of claims 9 to 13.

17. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: One or more processors; A storage device for storing one or more programs, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement the MBS service switching method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8; or to implement the MBS service switching method as described in any one of claims 9 to 13.

18. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The processor of the computer device reads from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the computer program, causing the computer device to perform the MBS service switching method according to any one of claims 1 to 8; or to perform the MBS service switching method according to any one of claims 9 to 13.

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