Interface protocol negotiation method, communication system and related device

Abstract

This disclosure provides an interface protocol negotiation method, a communication system, and related equipment, relating to the field of communication technology. The method includes: sending an interface connection establishment request message to a user plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message requesting the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with a control plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message carrying interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element; and receiving an interface connection establishment response message returned by the user plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message, the interface connection establishment response message including whether it confirms the use of the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. By introducing a protocol negotiation mechanism between the control plane network element and the user plane network element, the problems of fixed protocols, poor network adaptability, and low resource utilization in traditional network communication are solved, achieving flexible network configuration, efficient transmission, and scenario adaptability, thereby improving the overall network performance and user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an interface protocol negotiation method, a communication system and related equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In existing network communication technologies, the interface connection between control plane network elements and user plane network elements is usually established based on a fixed protocol stack. This fixed protocol stack configuration limits the flexibility and scalability of the network, especially when facing diverse network services and application scenarios, making it difficult to meet the specific requirements of different services for interface protocols. For example, some applications may require more efficient transport protocols, while other applications may have higher security requirements.

[0003] Therefore, in this context, there is an urgent need for a new interface protocol negotiation method to adapt to the needs of different business and application scenarios and improve the flexibility and efficiency of the network.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides an interface protocol negotiation method, a communication system, and related equipment, which at least to some extent overcomes the problem of inflexible interface connection protocols in related technologies.

[0006] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this disclosure.

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an interface protocol negotiation method is provided, applied to a control plane network element, comprising: sending an interface connection establishment request message to a user plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message being used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message carrying interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element; and receiving an interface connection establishment response message returned by the user plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message, the interface connection establishment response message including whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0008] In some embodiments, the control plane network element is one or more of the following: Session Management Function (SMF) network element, Policy Control Function (PCF) network element, Network Data Analysis Function (NWDAF) network element, and Network Open Function (NEF) network element.

[0009] In some embodiments, the aforementioned user plane network element is a user plane function (UPF) network element.

[0010] In some embodiments, the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element may include one or more of the following: application layer protocols, network layer protocols, transport layer protocols, and network element information requesting the establishment of an interface connection.

[0011] In some embodiments, the interface connection establishment request message is a message created based on the Data Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP). The interface connection establishment request message also includes one or more of the following information elements: node identifier, recovery timestamp, user plane functional characteristics, control plane functional characteristics, and session management function set identifier.

[0012] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an interface protocol negotiation method is also provided, applied to a user plane network element, comprising: receiving an interface connection establishment request message sent by a control plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message being used to request the user plane network element and the control plane network element to establish an interface connection, the interface connection establishment request message carrying interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element; and returning an interface connection establishment response message to the control plane network element according to the interface connection establishment request message, the interface connection establishment response message including whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0013] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a control plane network element is also provided, comprising: a request message sending module, configured to send an interface connection establishment request message to a user plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message being used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message carrying interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element; and a response message receiving module, configured to receive an interface connection establishment response message returned by the user plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message, the interface connection establishment response message including whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0014] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a user plane network element is also provided, comprising: a request message receiving module, configured to receive an interface connection establishment request message sent by a control plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message being used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message carrying interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element; and a response message sending module, configured to return an interface connection establishment response message to the control plane network element according to the interface connection establishment request message, the interface connection establishment response message including whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0015] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a communication system is also provided, comprising: a control plane network element and a user plane network element; wherein, the control plane network element is configured to send an interface connection establishment request message to the user plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message being used to request the user plane network element and the control plane network element to establish an interface connection, the interface connection establishment request message carrying interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element; the user plane network element is configured to return an interface connection establishment response message to the control plane network element according to the interface connection establishment request message, the interface connection establishment response message including whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0016] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is also provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to perform the interface protocol negotiation method described in any of the preceding claims by executing the executable instructions.

[0017] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, on which a computer program is stored, which, when executed by a processor, implements the interface protocol negotiation method described in any of the preceding claims.

[0018] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is also provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the interface protocol negotiation method of any of the above.

[0019] The interface protocol negotiation method, communication system, and related equipment provided in the embodiments of this disclosure achieve dynamic protocol negotiation between the control plane and user plane by having the control plane network element send an interface connection establishment request message carrying recommended protocol information to the user plane network element and receive its response to confirm whether to adopt the recommended interface protocol. This improves the flexibility and adaptability of network configuration. By introducing a protocol negotiation mechanism between the control plane network element and the user plane network element, the problems of fixed protocols, poor network adaptability, and low resource utilization in traditional network communication are solved, achieving flexible network configuration, efficient transmission, and scenario adaptability, thereby improving the overall network performance and user experience.

[0020] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates an exemplary application communication system architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of an interface protocol negotiation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of yet another interface protocol negotiation method in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an N4 interface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates an interface protocol negotiation system architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of an N4 interface protocol negotiation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates an example of an N4 interface protocol negotiation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 8 This diagram illustrates another example of an N4 interface protocol negotiation method in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0030] Figure 9 This diagram illustrates a control plane network element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 10 This diagram illustrates a user plane network element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 11 A structural block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be more comprehensive and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0034] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of this disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted. Some block diagrams shown in the drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary application communication system architecture to which the interface protocol negotiation method of the embodiments of this disclosure can be applied is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the communication system architecture may include a control plane network element 101 and a user plane network element 102.

[0036] The control plane network element 101 is used to send an interface connection establishment request message to the user plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element and the control plane network element to establish an interface connection. The interface connection establishment request message carries the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0037] Control plane elements are components responsible for handling signaling and routing decisions in network communication. In communication networks, the control plane and user plane are separate, each performing different functions. Some control plane elements handle signaling information related to establishing, maintaining, and terminating communication sessions. Some control plane elements are responsible for network configuration, performance monitoring, fault management, and other network management tasks. Some control plane elements determine the transmission paths of data packets within the network. Some control plane elements are responsible for allocating network resources, such as bandwidth and frequency.

[0038] User plane network element 102 is used to return an interface connection establishment response message to the control plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message. The interface connection establishment response message contains information on whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element.

[0039] User plane network elements are components responsible for handling user data transmission in network communication. In communication networks, the user plane and control plane are separate, with each plane performing different functions. Some user plane network elements are responsible for transmitting user-generated service data, such as voice, video, and data packets. Some user plane network elements handle media streams directly related to user communication, such as encoding / decoding and media format conversion. Some user plane network elements forward user data in the network, ensuring that data is delivered from source to destination.

[0040] User plane network elements are primarily responsible for actual data transmission in the network and are directly related to the user's perceived quality of service. Because user plane network elements do not participate in signaling and routing decisions, they are typically able to process large amounts of data with high efficiency, thus supporting various data-intensive applications and services. With the development of network technology, the separation of the user plane and control plane allows the network to be better expanded and optimized to adapt to the ever-increasing data transmission demands.

[0041] Those skilled in the art will know that Figure 1 The number of control plane network elements and user plane network elements shown is merely illustrative; any number of control plane network elements and user plane network elements can be used according to actual needs. This disclosure does not limit this.

[0042] Under the above system architecture, this disclosure provides an interface protocol negotiation method, which can be executed by any electronic device with computing capabilities.

[0043] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of an interface protocol negotiation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the interface protocol negotiation method provided in this embodiment is applied to control plane network elements and includes the following steps:

[0044] S202, send an interface connection establishment request message to the user plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message carries the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0045] It should be noted that control plane network elements can be any type of network element responsible for network control functions, and user plane network elements can be any type of network element responsible for user plane functions. An interface connection establishment request message can be any message used to request the establishment of an interface connection between a user plane network element and a control plane network element. An interface connection refers to a communication path established between two or more network elements in a network. Interfaces allow network elements to exchange information through the interface connection. Interface connections can be hardware interfaces, such as Ethernet ports or serial ports, or software interfaces, such as virtual interfaces or logical tunnels. The main purpose of interface connections is to transmit data and control information between various network elements.

[0046] An interface protocol is a set of rules used between two or more network elements to exchange information in network communication. These rules define the format, sequence, error detection and correction methods, and the exchange of control information. The interface protocol defines the format and structure of data and control information, the meaning of each piece of data and control information, and the order and timing of information exchange.

[0047] In this embodiment, the interface connection establishment request message carries interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is sent by the control plane network element to the user plane network element to establish a communication interface between them. In addition to basic connection establishment information, the interface connection establishment request message also includes interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. This recommended interface protocol information refers to the protocol type and parameters recommended by the control plane network element to the user plane network element for establishing the interface connection when sending the interface connection establishment request message. Through the recommended protocol information, the control plane network element can negotiate the protocol type and parameters used when establishing the interface connection with the user plane network element, ensuring that both parties use the same protocol for communication. The control plane network element can recommend the most suitable protocol type and parameters according to network scenarios and requirements to improve network performance and efficiency. By negotiating the protocol, different protocol types and parameters can be flexibly selected to meet different network application scenarios.

[0048] S204, Receive the interface connection establishment response message returned by the user plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message. The interface connection establishment response message contains information on whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element.

[0049] It should be noted that the interface connection establishment response message is a network control message used to respond to the interface connection establishment request message. After receiving the interface connection establishment request message, the user plane network element can determine whether to accept the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element based on its own situation and network environment. Specifically, the user plane network element first receives the interface connection establishment request message sent by the control plane network element, parses the message content, and extracts the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. The user plane network element analyzes the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element, including the application layer protocol type, transport layer protocol type, protocol version, encryption method, authentication method, etc., to determine whether this protocol information meets its own capabilities and requirements. The user plane network element also needs to consider the current network environment, such as network bandwidth, latency, reliability, etc., to determine whether it is suitable to use the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element. Based on the analysis results, the user plane network element decides whether to accept the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. If accepted, it prepares to use the protocol to establish an interface connection; if not accepted, it can reject the connection request or send negotiation information to the control plane network element, proposing other protocol suggestions. The user plane network element sends the decision result to the control plane network element, for example, by establishing a response message through an interface connection, informing the control plane network element whether it accepts the recommended interface protocol information and whether further negotiation is required.

[0050] In traditional network communication, interface protocols are often fixed, lacking flexibility and unable to adapt to the communication needs of different scenarios. This disclosure solves the problem of protocol fixity by sending an interface connection establishment request message carrying recommended interface protocol information, allowing the protocol to be selected and negotiated according to actual needs. With the development of network technology, especially the transition to 5G and 6G networks, the network environment has become more complex, requiring interface protocols to adapt to different network scenarios and needs. This disclosure improves the network's adaptability to various scenarios through a negotiation mechanism. Fixed protocols may lead to inefficient use of network resources because not all scenarios require the same protocol characteristics. This disclosure improves the utilization rate of network resources by flexibly selecting protocols.

[0051] This disclosure, through a negotiation mechanism, allows control plane network elements and user plane network elements to select the most suitable interface protocol based on actual needs, thereby improving network flexibility and scalability. By selecting the most suitable protocol, data transmission efficiency can be optimized, latency reduced, and bandwidth utilization improved, thus enhancing overall network performance. Control plane network elements, by recommending interface protocols, can better control network connections and data transmission, achieving more granular network management. Optimizing protocol selection can improve the user's network experience, such as reducing game latency and improving video call quality.

[0052] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the control plane network element described above may be one or more of the following: SMF (Session Management Function SMF Node), PCF (Policy Control Function PCF Node), NWDAF (Network Data Analytics Function NWDAF Node), and NEF (Network Exposure Function NEF Node).

[0053] The SMF (Service Provider Function) element is responsible for session establishment, management, and termination, as well as the enforcement of session-related policies. The PCF (Content Provider Function) element is responsible for policy definition and enforcement, including network access control and Quality of Service (QoS) policies. The NWDAF (Network Data Access Function) element is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and processing network data to support network management and optimization. The NEF (Network Open Function) element is responsible for providing open network service interfaces to support the integration and development of network services and applications.

[0054] This disclosure ensures adaptability to the needs of different types of control plane network elements, each with its specific functional and protocol requirements. For example, an SMF network element may need to select different transport protocols based on session type, while a PCF network element may need to select an appropriate protocol based on policy control requirements. Through this disclosure, control plane network elements can more flexibly select and negotiate interface protocols to meet their respective functional requirements, thereby improving the overall performance and efficiency of the network. This approach is applicable not only to 5G networks but also to future 6G networks, as well as various emerging network technologies and services.

[0055] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned user plane network element is a UPF (User Plane Function UPFNode) network element. In 5G and 6G networks, the UPF network element is responsible for processing and forwarding user data packets, and is a key network element for user data transmission. The UPF network element directly interacts with user equipment (such as smartphones, tablets, etc.), and is responsible for transmitting user data from the source to the destination. By using the User Plane Function UPF network element as the object of interface protocol negotiation, the embodiments of this disclosure can ensure the establishment of an efficient and reliable connection between the user plane network element and the control plane network element to meet the needs of user data transmission. For example, in a 5G network, the N4 interface connection between the UPF network element and the SMF network element requires interface protocol negotiation to ensure that both parties use the same protocol for communication, so as to guarantee the transmission quality and efficiency of user data. This design enables the method to adapt to the needs of the User Plane Function UPF network element, improving network performance and user experience.

[0056] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element includes one or more of the following: application layer protocol, network layer protocol, transport layer protocol, and network element information requesting the establishment of an interface connection.

[0057] Application layer protocols define the format and structure of data exchanged between control plane network elements and user plane network elements, used for communication between applications. Network layer protocols are responsible for transmitting data packets between different networks, such as the IP protocol. Transport layer protocols are responsible for providing reliable and transparent data transmission services between two endpoints in a network, such as TCP and UDP protocols. The network element information requesting the establishment of an interface connection includes the identification information of the control plane network element, such as its IP address, port number, and control plane network element type. This information is sent together in the interface connection establishment request message for the user plane network element to negotiate and make decisions regarding the protocol. The user plane network element uses this information to determine whether to accept the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element and, if necessary, to conduct further negotiation or reject the connection request. In this way, control plane network elements and user plane network elements can select the most suitable protocol according to actual needs, thereby achieving efficient and reliable communication.

[0058] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the interface connection establishment request message is a message created based on PFCP (Policy and Charging Control Function Protocol). PFCP is a protocol used in 5G and 6G networks for data forwarding control between control plane network elements and user plane network elements. When creating the interface connection establishment request message, the message may also include one or more of the following information elements:

[0059] Node Identifier: Used to uniquely identify the control plane network element or user plane network element that sends the request.

[0060] Recovery Time stamp: Used to indicate the last update time of data contained in a message or the time when the event occurred.

[0061] User Plane Function Features: Describes the functions and capabilities of user plane network elements, such as supported protocol versions and transmission capabilities.

[0062] Control Plane Function Features: Describes the functions and capabilities of control plane network elements, such as supported protocol versions and transmission capabilities.

[0063] Session Management Function Set Identifier: Used to identify a set of functions related to session management, which may include session management-related parameters and policies.

[0064] The aforementioned information elements are sent together in the interface connection establishment request message to provide sufficient information to the user plane network elements for effective protocol negotiation and decision-making. In this way, control plane network elements and user plane network elements can select the most suitable protocol according to actual needs, thereby achieving efficient and reliable communication.

[0065] Based on the same inventive concept Figure 3 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of an interface protocol negotiation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the interface protocol negotiation method provided in this embodiment is applied to control plane network elements and includes the following steps:

[0066] S302, Receive an interface connection establishment request message sent by the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element and the control plane network element to establish an interface connection. The interface connection establishment request message carries the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0067] S304. Based on the interface connection establishment request message, return an interface connection establishment response message to the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment response message contains information on whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element.

[0068] The principle of solving the problem in this embodiment is similar to that in the above-described method embodiments. Therefore, the specific implementation of this method can be found in the above-described method embodiments, and repeated details will not be described again.

[0069] In some embodiments of this disclosure, taking the N4 interface as an example, the specific implementation of the interface protocol negotiation method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure is explained.

[0070] The N4 interface is a type of interface used in 5G networks to connect control plane network elements and user plane network elements. In the 5G network architecture, control plane network elements include SMF and PCF, while user plane network elements include UPF. The N4 interface is primarily used to facilitate communication between control plane and user plane network elements, including the transmission of session management and policy control information. The N4 interface is a crucial bridge for communication between the control plane and user plane in 5G networks, enabling control plane network elements to effectively manage and control the behavior of user plane network elements, thereby achieving flexible network configuration and efficient operation. Through the N4 interface, control plane network elements can dynamically adjust the forwarding path and processing method of user data to meet the needs of different service scenarios and optimize the utilization of network resources. Figure 4This illustration shows a schematic diagram of an N4 interface between control plane network elements and user plane network elements according to an embodiment of this disclosure. L1 and L2 are the physical layer protocol and data link layer protocol in a 5G network, respectively. IP (Internet Protocol) is responsible for addressing and routing data packets between networks. In the N4 interface, the IP layer is used to carry PFCP messages and other communications between the control plane and user plane. UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a connectionless transport layer protocol that provides a simple way to send and receive data packets. In the N4 interface, UDP is used to carry PFCP messages. PFCP (PacketForwarding Control Protocol) is a protocol used for communication between control plane functions (CP) and user plane functions (UP) in 4G and 5G networks. In 5G networks, PFCP operates on top of the N4 interface, responsible for interaction between the control plane and user plane, including session management, packet routing, and forwarding rule configuration.

[0071] Figure 5 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of an interface protocol negotiation system architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 This invention discloses a flowchart of an N4 interface protocol negotiation method according to an embodiment of the present invention, which includes the following steps:

[0072] S602, control plane nodes such as SMF / PCF / NWDAF / NEF initiate an N4 interface connection establishment request message to user plane node UPF, carrying the suggested L7 or L3 / 4 protocol stack type;

[0073] S604, the user plane node UPF replies with an N4 interface connection establishment response message to indicate whether it accepts or does not accept the corresponding protocol.

[0074] The N4 interface connection establishment request message is a message created based on the PFCP protocol, and the specific contents of the N4 interface connection establishment request message may include those shown in Table 1.

[0075] Table 1

[0076]

[0077] In some embodiments, the message format of "Application Layer Protocol" in Table 1 above is shown in Table 1-1 below.

[0078] Table 1-1

[0079]

[0080] In some embodiments, the message format of "L3 / 4 Protocol Type" in Table 1 above is shown in Table 1-2 below.

[0081] Table 1-2

[0082]

[0083] In some embodiments, the message format of “Network Function Type” in Table 1 above is shown in Tables 1-3 below.

[0084] Table 1-3

[0085]

[0086] In some embodiments of this disclosure, NEF network elements and UPF network elements are used as examples, such as... Figure 7 As shown, in a UPF edge computing deployment scenario, NEF is deployed locally for local network capability exposure and third-party management. A service-oriented interface can be created between the localized NEF and UPF through a flexible N4 interface protocol stack negotiation mechanism, facilitating flexible local business deployment.

[0087] In some embodiments of this disclosure, taking NWDAF network elements and UPF network elements as examples, such as... Figure 8 As shown, NWDAF, as an intelligent data center, can directly collect user data statistics, data characteristics, network element status monitoring, and other related data by establishing an N4 interface connection with UPF. These data are generally complex in structure and large in volume. An N4 interface can be created between UPF and NWDAF through an FTP connection to enable efficient and fast data transmission.

[0088] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a control plane network element and a user plane network element, as described in the following embodiments. Since the principle by which these embodiments solve the problem is similar to that of the above method embodiments, the implementation of this device embodiment can refer to the implementation of the above method embodiments, and repeated details will not be elaborated further.

[0089] Figure 9 This diagram illustrates a control plane network element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 9 As shown, it includes:

[0090] The request message sending module 901 is used to send an interface connection establishment request message to the user plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element and the control plane network element to establish an interface connection. The interface connection establishment request message carries the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0091] The response message receiving module 902 is used to receive the interface connection establishment response message returned by the user plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message. The interface connection establishment response message contains information on whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element.

[0092] Figure 10 This illustration shows a user plane network element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 10 As shown, it includes:

[0093] The request message receiving module 1001 is used to receive the interface connection establishment request message sent by the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element and the control plane network element to establish an interface connection. The interface connection establishment request message carries the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0094] The response message sending module 1002 is used to return an interface connection establishment response message to the control plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message. The interface connection establishment response message contains information on whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element.

[0095] It should be noted that the examples and application scenarios implemented by the above modules and corresponding steps are the same, but are not limited to the content disclosed in the above method embodiments. It should also be noted that the above modules, as part of an apparatus, can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions.

[0096] Those skilled in the art will understand that various aspects of this disclosure can be implemented as a system, method, or program product. Therefore, various aspects of this disclosure can be specifically implemented in the following forms: a completely hardware implementation, a completely software implementation (including firmware, microcode, etc.), or a combination of hardware and software aspects, collectively referred to herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system."

[0097] The following reference Figure 11 To describe an electronic device 1100 according to such an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 The electronic device 1100 shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0098] like Figure 11 As shown, the electronic device 1100 is manifested in the form of a general-purpose computing device. The components of the electronic device 1100 may include, but are not limited to: at least one processing unit 1110, at least one storage unit 1120, and a bus 1130 connecting different system components (including storage unit 1120 and processing unit 1110).

[0099] The storage unit stores program code that can be executed by the processing unit 1110, causing the processing unit 1110 to perform the steps described in the "Exemplary Methods" section of this specification according to various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. For example, the processing unit 1110 can perform the following steps of the above method embodiment: sending an interface connection establishment request message to a user plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message being used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element, the interface connection establishment request message carrying interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element; receiving an interface connection establishment response message returned by the user plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message, the interface connection establishment response message including whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element.

[0100] Storage unit 1120 may include readable media in the form of volatile storage units, such as random access memory (RAM) 11201 and / or cache memory 11202, and may further include read-only memory (ROM) 11203.

[0101] Storage unit 1120 may also include a program / utility 11204 having a set (at least one) program module 11205, such program module 11205 including but not limited to: operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules and program data, each or some combination of these examples may include an implementation of a network environment.

[0102] Bus 1130 can represent one or more of several types of bus structures, including a memory cell bus or memory cell controller, a peripheral bus, a graphics acceleration port, a processing unit, or a local bus using any of the various bus structures.

[0103] Electronic device 1100 can also communicate with one or more external devices 1140 (e.g., keyboard, pointing device, Bluetooth device, etc.), and with one or more devices that enable a user to interact with electronic device 1100, and / or with any device that enables electronic device 1100 to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., router, modem, etc.). This communication can be performed via input / output (I / O) interface 1150. Furthermore, electronic device 1100 can also communicate with one or more networks (e.g., local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), and / or public networks, such as the Internet) via network adapter 1160. As shown, network adapter 1160 communicates with other modules of electronic device 1100 via bus 1130. It should be understood that, although not shown in the figures, other hardware and / or software modules can be used in conjunction with electronic device 1100, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems.

[0104] From 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 disclosure 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, terminal device, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0105] In particular, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the process described above with reference to the flowchart can be implemented as a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0106] In exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A program product capable of implementing the methods described above is stored thereon. In some possible implementations, various aspects of this disclosure may also be implemented as a program product including program code, which, when run on a terminal device, causes the terminal device to perform the steps described in the "Exemplary Methods" section of this specification according to various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0107] More specific examples of computer-readable storage media in this disclosure may include, but are not limited to: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0108] In this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. A readable signal medium may also be any readable medium other than a readable storage medium, capable of transmitting, propagating, or transmitting a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0109] Optionally, the program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0110] In practical implementation, program code for performing the operations of this disclosure can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar languages. The program code can execute entirely on the user's computing device, partially on the user's device, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In cases involving remote computing devices, the remote computing device can be connected to the user's computing device via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or it can be connected to an external computing device (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0111] 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 embodiments of this disclosure, 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.

[0112] Furthermore, although the steps of the method in this disclosure are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in that specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired result. Additional or alternative steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or a step may be broken down into multiple steps.

[0113] From 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 disclosure 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, mobile terminal, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0114] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of interface protocol negotiation, characterized by, Applied to control plane network elements, including: A connection establishment request message is sent to the user plane network element. The connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element. The connection establishment request message carries the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. The interface is an N4 interface. The connection establishment request message is a message created based on the data forwarding control protocol PFCP. The system receives an interface connection establishment response message returned by the user plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message. The interface connection establishment response message includes information on whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element.

2. The interface protocol negotiation method of claim 1, wherein, The control plane network element is one or more of the following: Session Management Function (SMF) network element, Policy Control Function (PCF) network element, Network Data Analysis Function (NWDAF) network element, and Network Open Function (NEF) network element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The user plane network element is a user plane function UPF network element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element includes one or more of the following: application layer protocol, network layer protocol, transport layer protocol, and network element information requesting the establishment of an interface connection.

5. The interface protocol negotiation method of claim 4, wherein, The interface connection establishment request message also includes one or more of the following information elements: node identifier, recovery timestamp, user plane functional characteristics, control plane functional characteristics, and session management function set identifier.

6. A method of interface protocol negotiation, characterized by, Applied to user plane network elements, including: The system receives an interface connection establishment request message sent by a control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message carries interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. The interface is an N4 interface, and the interface connection establishment request message is a message created based on the Data Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP). The interface connection establishment response message is returned to the control plane network element according to the interface connection establishment request message. The interface connection establishment response message includes whether the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element is confirmed to be used.

7. A control plane network element, characterized by include: The request message sending module is used to send an interface connection establishment request message to the user plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message carries the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. The interface is an N4 interface, and the interface connection establishment request message is a message created based on the data forwarding control protocol PFCP. The response message receiving module is used to receive the interface connection establishment response message returned by the user plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message. The interface connection establishment response message includes information on whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element.

8. A user plane network element, characterized by, include: The request message receiving module is used to receive an interface connection establishment request message sent by the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message carries the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. The interface is an N4 interface, and the interface connection establishment request message is a message created based on the data forwarding control protocol PFCP. The response message sending module is used to return an interface connection establishment response message to the control plane network element according to the interface connection establishment request message. The interface connection establishment response message includes information on whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element.

9. A communication system, characterized by include: Control plane network elements and user plane network elements; The control plane network element is used to send an interface connection establishment request message to the user plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message is used to request the user plane network element to establish an interface connection with the control plane network element. The interface connection establishment request message carries the interface protocol information recommended by the control plane network element. The interface is an N4 interface, and the interface connection establishment request message is a message created based on the data forwarding control protocol PFCP. The user plane network element is configured to return an interface connection establishment response message to the control plane network element based on the interface connection establishment request message. The interface connection establishment response message includes information on whether to confirm the use of the interface protocol recommended by the control plane network element.

10. An electronic device, comprising: include: processor; as well as Memory for storing the executable instructions of the processor; The processor is configured to execute the interface protocol negotiation method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 by executing the executable instructions.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the interface protocol negotiation method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

12. A computer program product, comprising: A computer program or instruction, characterized in that, when executed by a processor, the computer program or instruction implements the interface protocol negotiation method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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