A data traffic egress method based on UPF edge deployment

Abstract

The present application belongs to the field of communication technology, and in particular, is a data traffic export method based on UPF edge deployment. The UE initiates a request to the core network to establish a data service PDU session. The SMF selects the edge UPF according to the UE's current location, the requested DNN or the local configuration; the UPF establishes the uplink data forwarding identifier of this PDU, that is, the uplink N3 port IP and TEID; the GNB establishes the downlink data forwarding identifier of this PDU, that is, the downlink N3 port IP and TEID; the core network sends a PDU session establishment success message to the UE, and allocates a data transmission IP identifier to the UE, indicating that the user plane channel of this PDU session is successfully established, and uplink and downlink data transmission can be carried out between the user and the data network. It enables the service traffic generated by users who access base stations deployed with edge UPF to be sent directly from the independent UPF to the data gateway via the base station without passing through the core network. The user will not incur service traffic consumption, while ensuring the user's normal service.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of communication technologies, and particularly relates to a data traffic egress method based on edge deployment of UPF. Background Art

[0002] As a user plane network element in the 5GC network, UPF mainly supports routing and forwarding of UE service data, data and service identification, action and policy execution, etc.

[0003] Since UPF needs to interact with the Session Management Function (SMF) through the N4 interface, it is directly controlled and managed by the SMF and depends on various policies issued by the SMF to execute the processing of service flows. In actual deployment, UPF needs to meet the differentiated requirements for latency, bandwidth, reliability, etc. in different service scenarios. Therefore, in a low-latency scenario, UPF that processes data between the data network and the mobile network can be deployed at the edge of the mobile network node for direct data forwarding processing, which can reduce transmission latency, relieve the data processing pressure on the core network, thereby improving the network data processing efficiency, and the data traffic generated by users accessing the mobile network is not included in the traffic billing. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve the problems raised in the above background art, this application provides a data traffic egress method based on edge deployment of UPF. That is, a UPF network element is deployed at the edge of the base station. After a user plane channel is created when the terminal accesses, when the terminal generates uplink and downlink data services with the data gateway, it is directly forwarded through this UPF, thereby saving transmission latency and not being included in the traffic billing.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is

[0006] A data traffic egress method based on UPF edge deployment. A UPF for processing data services is deployed at the edge of the base station and connected to the core network. For the mobile user access network process and the process of creating a PDU Session for data services, the UPF connected to the core network assigns a user plane IP context and the TEID of the NG-U channel to the users accessing this base station. The UPF saves the user plane IP of the UE that has accessed the base station and the up / downlink data channel information of the associated TEID. The specific steps are as follows: The UE sends a request to establish a PDU session for data services to the core network. The SMF selects the edge UPF according to the current location of the UE, the requested DNN, or local configuration. The UPF establishes an uplink PDU data forwarding identifier, that is, the uplink N3 interface IP and TEID. The gNB establishes the downlink PDU data forwarding identifier, that is, the downlink N3 interface IP and TEID. The core network sends a PDU session establishment success message to the UE and assigns a data transmission IP identifier to the UE, indicating that the user plane channel of this PDU session is successfully established, and the user can perform up / downlink data transmission with the data network.

[0007] Preferably,

[0008] The up / downlink data flow processing process is as follows:

[0009] In the uplink transmission, the UE accesses the 5G base station device. The base station judges the user information and the uplink data flow identifier, decodes the user service data, and directly transmits the service data to the independent UPF through the uplink UPF user plane IP and TEID. The UPF decodes the UE transmission IP identifier, that is, the uplink data flow identifier, and sends it to the data network Internet through the data gateway device.

[0010] In the downlink transmission, the independent UPF receives the traffic data transmitted by the data gateway, and according to the UE transmission IP identifier, sends the received data to the 5G base station through the downlink user plane IP and TEID. The 5G base station decodes the user information and the downlink data flow identifier, and sends the data to the UE user through the air interface.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application compared with the prior art are:

[0012] 1) It can enable the service traffic generated by users accessing the base station with an edge UPF deployed to be directly sent from the base station to the data gateway by an independent UPF without passing through the core network. Users will not incur service traffic consumption, and at the same time, the normal services of users are guaranteed. Description of the Drawings

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the accompanying drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0014] Figure 1 is the networking architecture diagram for creating a data channel provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0015] Figure 2 is the schematic diagram of the PDU session establishment process provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0016] Figure 3 is the networking architecture diagram of the data service forwarding channel provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0017] Figure 4 is the voice and data service transmission path diagram provided by the embodiments of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0018] In the following description, specific details such as specific system architectures and technologies are presented for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, so as to thoroughly understand the embodiments of the present application. However, those skilled in the art should clearly understand that the present application can also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other cases, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, devices, circuits, and methods are omitted to avoid unnecessary details from interfering with the description of the present application.

[0019] A data traffic egress method based on UPF edge deployment. A UPF for processing data services is deployed at the edge of the base station and is connected to the core network. In the mobile user access network process and the process of creating a PDU Session for data services, the UPF connected to the core network assigns a user plane IP context and the TEID of the NG-U channel to the users accessed by this base station. It is characterized in that the UPF stores the user plane IP of the UE that has accessed the base station and the up / downlink data channel information of the associated TEID. The specific steps are as follows

[0020] The UE initiates a request to establish a data service PDU session to the core network. The SMF selects an edge UPF according to the current location of the UE, the requested DNN, or local configuration; the UPF establishes an uplink PDU data forwarding identifier, that is, the uplink N3 interface IP and TEID; the gNB establishes a downlink PDU data forwarding identifier for this PDU, that is, the downlink N3 interface IP and TEID; the core network sends a PDU session establishment success message to the UE and assigns a data transmission IP identifier to the UE, indicating that the user plane channel of this PDU session is successfully established, and the user can perform up / downlink data transmission with the data network.

[0021] The uplink and downlink data flow processing procedures are as follows:

[0022] In uplink transmission, the UE accesses the 5G base station device. The base station determines the user information and uplink data flow identifier, decrypts the user service data, and directly transmits the service data to the independent UPF through the uplink UPF user plane IP and TEID. The UPF decrypts the UE transmission IP identifier, i.e., the uplink data flow identifier, and sends it to the data network Internet through the data gateway device;

[0023] In downlink transmission, the independent UPF receives the traffic data transmitted by the data gateway, and according to the UE transmission IP identifier, sends the received data to the 5G base station through the downlink user plane IP and TEID. The 5G base station decrypts the user information and downlink data flow identifier, and sends the data to the UE user through the air interface.

[0024] The UPF based on data services is deployed at the edge of the base station node. The networking architecture includes the networking architecture for creating a data channel for control plane mobile user access and a user plane data service forwarding channel. A data gateway module is added to the data service forwarding networking structure device.

[0025] I. The networking architecture for creating a data channel for control plane mobile user access is as follows Figure 1 as shown.

[0026] A UPF for processing data services is deployed at the edge of the base station and is connected to the core network. For the mobile user access process, during the process of creating a PDU Session for data services, the UPF connected to the core network assigns a user plane IP context and a TEID for the NG-U channel to the users accessing this base station.

[0027] That is, the UPF stores the user plane IP of the UE accessing the base station and the uplink and downlink data channel information of the associated TEID.

[0028] The specific data service PDU session establishment process is shown as Figure 2 follows:

[0029] Step1, The UE sends a request to the core network to establish a data service PDU session. The SMF selects the edge UPF according to the current location of the UE, the requested DNN or local configuration.

[0030] Step2 - 3, The UPF establishes the uplink data forwarding identifier for this PDU, i.e., the uplink N3 interface IP and TEID.

[0031] Step4 - 7, The gNB establishes the downlink data forwarding identifier for this PDU, i.e., the downlink N3 interface IP and TEID.

[0032] Step 8, The core network sends a PDU session establishment success message to the UE and assigns a data transmission IP identifier to this UE, indicating that the user plane channel of this PDU session is successfully established, and the UE can perform uplink and downlink data transmission with the data network.

[0033] II. The networking architecture of the user plane data service forwarding channel is as follows Figure 3 as shown.

[0034] In the user plane data service forwarding networking, an independent UPF is deployed at the edge of the base station, and a data gateway processing module device is added between the mobile network and the data network. The data gateway module processes the policies and controls for the UPF to access the Internet.

[0035] After the data service session is created in the UE network access process, the UPF deployed at the edge of the base station no longer has information interaction with the core network and is only responsible for the routing, identification, and forwarding of the UE user data packets between the mobile network and the data network.

[0036] To enable the UE to access the external network, the independent UPF data processing is not controlled by the SMF policy execution and management of the N4 interface, reducing the core network transmission delay and avoiding traffic reporting to the SMF, which incurs traffic consumption costs.

[0037] The processing flow of the uplink and downlink data streams is described as follows:

[0038] Uplink: The UE accesses the 5G base station device. The base station judges the user information and the uplink data stream identifier, decodes the user service data, and directly transmits the service data to the independent UPF through the uplink UPF user plane IP and TEID. The UPF decodes the UE transmission IP identifier, which is the uplink data stream identifier, and sends it to the data network Internet through the data gateway device.

[0039] Downlink: The independent UPF receives the traffic data transmitted by the data gateway, and according to the UE transmission IP identifier, sends the received data to the 5G base station through the downlink user plane IP and TEID. The 5G base station decodes the user information and the downlink data stream identifier, and sends the data to the UE user through the air interface.

[0040] For voice-related services, the base station still connects to the IMS through the UPF deployed in the core network to ensure the normal voice service of the UE, as Figure 4 shown.

[0041] It enables the traffic generated by the users accessing the base station with the edge UPF deployed to be directly sent from the base station to the independent UPF through the data gateway without passing through the core network, so that the users will not incur traffic consumption costs and at the same time ensure the normal services of the users.

[0042] For example, in the case of a femtocell type, free traffic charges are subscribed in the core network. When the femtocells form a femtocell pool in the core network, an independent UPF is deployed at the edge node of the base station. Thus, for users accessing the femtocell, the deployed UPF is selected to forward data services, and the generated traffic does not pass through the core network, so that users do not incur traffic consumption for services, while ensuring the normal services of users.

[0043] Those of ordinary skill in the art can realize that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in combination with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are executed in a hardware or software manner depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional technicians can use different methods for each specific application to implement the described functions, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of this application.

[0044] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, rather than to limit them; although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements for some of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of each embodiment of this application, and should all be included in the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A data traffic egress method based on UPF edge deployment, which deploys a UPF for processing data services at the edge of the base station and is connected to the core network. In the mobile user network access process and the PDU Session session creation process for data services, the UPF connected to the core network assigns a user plane IP context and the TEID of the NG-U channel to the users accessed by this base station, and is characterized in that, The UPF stores the user plane IP of the UE connected to the base station and the uplink and downlink data channel information associated with the TEID. The specific steps are as follows The UE initiates a request to establish a data service PDU session with the core network. The SMF selects an edge UPF based on the current location of the UE, the requested DNN, or local configuration. The UPF establishes a PDU uplink data forwarding identifier, namely the uplink N3 interface IP and TEID. The gNB establishes this PDU downlink data forwarding identifier, namely the downlink N3 interface IP and TEID. The core network sends a PDU session establishment success message to the UE and assigns a data transmission IP identifier to the UE, indicating that the user plane channel of this PDU session is successfully established, and the UE can perform uplink and downlink data transmission with the data network The processing flow of the uplink and downlink data streams is as follows In uplink transmission, the UE accesses the 5G base station device. The base station judges the user information and the uplink data stream identifier, decrypts the user service data, and directly transmits the service data to the stand-alone UPF through the uplink UPF user plane IP and TEID. The UPF decrypts the UE transmission IP identifier, that is, the uplink data stream identifier, and sends it to the data network Internet through the data gateway device In downlink transmission, the stand-alone UPF receives the traffic data transmitted by the data gateway, and according to the UE transmission IP identifier, sends the received data to the 5G base station through the downlink user plane IP and TEID. The 5G base station decrypts the user information and the downlink data stream identifier, and sends the data to the UE user through the air interface

Images