Communication method and device

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus, in the method, a terminal device sends a request message to a session management network element, the request message being a session establishment message or a session modification message, the request message comprising first indication information, the first indication information being used for determining whether the terminal device supports an identification data unit set PDU set; and under the condition that the terminal equipment supports identification of the PDU set, receiving first information from the access network equipment, the first information being used for instructing the terminal equipment to perform PDU set quality of service (QoS) processing. By adopting the method, the session management network element can learn whether the terminal equipment supports the identification of the PDU set or not, and can decide whether to carry out QoS processing on the PDU set or not according to whether the terminal equipment supports the identification of the PDU set or not.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a communication method and device. Background Art

[0002] Currently, for media services, such as the currently emerging augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and cloud gaming, end-to-end latency has extremely stringent requirements, and the corresponding data processing granularity of the upper-layer media services during encoding and transmission may no longer be the granularity of data packets. In order to represent the basic data units of the above media service layer, the standard calls it a protocol data unit set (PDU Set). The end-to-end latency here can be understood as the latency from the application server to the client (for example, user equipment).

[0003] In addition, the standard also introduces quality of service (QoS) processing at the granularity of PDU sets. In order to implement QoS processing at the granularity of PDU sets, it is first necessary to be able to identify PDU sets. Among them, identifying PDU sets can be understood as identifying which data packets (or PDU data packets) belong to the same PDU set, as well as relevant information of the PDU set, such as the size of the PDU set and the importance of the PDU set. Specifically, for the uplink direction, the PDU set identification in the uplink direction is performed in the terminal device; for the downlink direction, the PDU set identification in the downlink direction is performed in the user plane network element. Therefore, how to enable the core network to perceive the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device (or user plane network element), so as to activate or deactivate the QoS processing at the granularity of the PDU set according to the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device (or user plane network element), is an issue worthy of attention. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and apparatus for realizing the core network's ability to perceive the PDU set identification capability of a terminal device (or user plane network element).

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a terminal device side, such as a terminal device or a communication module in a terminal device, or a circuit or chip responsible for a communication function in a terminal device (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system on chip (SoC) chip or a system in package (SIP) chip containing a modem core). Taking the application of this method to a terminal device as an example, in this method, the terminal device sends a request message to a session management network element, the request message is a session establishment message or a session modification message, the request message includes first indication information, the first indication information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identification of a data unit set PDU set; if the terminal device supports identification of a PDU set, first information is received from an access network device, the first information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform PDU set quality of service QoS processing.

[0006] By adopting the above method, the terminal device sends the first indication information to the session management network element, so that the session management network element can learn whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, and can decide whether to perform QoS processing on the PDU sets according to whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets. This can avoid the situation where the session management network element configures the terminal device to perform QoS processing on the PDU sets through the access network device when the terminal device does not support the identification of PDU sets, resulting in the session management network element having to reconfigure the terminal device to perform QoS processing on the PDU data packets through the access network device, thereby avoiding additional signaling interactions.

[0007] In one possible design, the first indication information is used to indicate the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device; or, the first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying the PDU set.

[0008] By adopting the above design, it is possible to notify the session management network element of the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device through the first indication information, thereby ensuring that the session management network element can directly determine whether to instruct the access network device to perform QoS processing at the PDU set granularity according to the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device, thereby avoiding subsequent additional signaling interactions. Alternatively, by adopting the above design, it is possible to notify the session management network element of the protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the terminal device through the first indication information.

[0009] In one possible design, the protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the terminal device is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header. Exemplarily, the terminal device supports the RTP protocol and / or the RTP extension header.

[0010] By adopting the above design, it is possible to notify the session management network element which protocols or protocol extension headers are supported by the terminal device through the first indication information.

[0011] In the second aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to the terminal device side, such as the terminal device or the communication module in the terminal device, or the circuit or chip responsible for the communication function in the terminal device. Taking the application of this method to the terminal device as an example, in this method, the terminal device determines whether it supports the identification of the PDU set; sends first indication information to the session management network element, the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports the identification of the PDU set; if the terminal device does not support the identification of the PDU set, receives configuration information from the access network device, the configuration information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform PDU data packet QoS processing.

[0012] Using the above method, the terminal device sends a first indication message to the session management network element, so that the session management network element can learn whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, and if the terminal device does not support the identification of PDU sets, the session management network element can reconfigure the access network device so that the access network device reconfigures the terminal device to achieve deactivation of PDU set QoS processing.

[0013] In one possible design, when determining whether to support identification of a PDU set, it is determined whether to support identification of a PDU set in a first service flow, where the first service flow is a service flow of the terminal device; and the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identification of a PDU set in the first service flow. The above design can be used to determine whether to support identification of a PDU set at a service flow granularity.

[0014] In a possible design, the first indication information is carried by a session modification message. The above design can be used to carry the first indication information by an existing message.

[0015] In one possible design, the terminal device sends the first indication information to the session management network element through the access network device. Specifically, the terminal device sends an RRC message to the access network device, the RRC message carries the first indication information, and the access network device sends an N2 PDU session response message to the session management network element, the N2 PDU session response message carries the first indication information. The above design can be used to carry the first indication information through an existing message.

[0016] In one possible design, when the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the session modification message is used to modify or release the QoS flow to which the first service flow belongs.

[0017] With the above design, when the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the terminal device can actively initiate a PDU session modification process.

[0018] In one possible design, when determining whether to support identification of a PDU set in a first service flow, protocol description information is received, wherein the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow; the protocol description information is carried by a session establishment acceptance message or a session modification acceptance message; and based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, it is determined whether the terminal device supports identification of a PDU set in the first service flow.

[0019] With the above design, the terminal device can determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow according to the protocol description information. That is, according to the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow indicated by the protocol description information, determine whether it supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0020] In one possible design, when determining whether to support identification of a PDU set in a first service flow, it is determined whether the terminal device supports identification of a PDU set in the first service flow according to an uplink data packet in the first service flow. That is, according to an uplink data packet in the first service flow, it is determined whether the PDU set in the first service flow can be identified according to information carried in the uplink data packet.

[0021] By adopting the above design, the terminal device can determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the uplink data packet in the first service flow.

[0022] In one possible design, first information is received from an access network device, and the first information is used by the terminal device to perform PDU set QoS processing on the first service flow; if the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the first service flow is subjected to PDU set QoS processing based on the first information. With the above design, after receiving the first information, the terminal device will determine its own PDU set identification capability.

[0023] In one possible design, when determining whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the uplink data packet in the first service flow, the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow is determined based on the uplink data packet; and whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow is determined based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow. With the above design, the terminal device can first determine the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow based on the content in the uplink data packet in the first service flow, and then the terminal device can determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow.

[0024] In one possible design, when determining whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, if the terminal device supports the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; if the terminal device does not support the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0025] Using the above design, the terminal device can determine whether the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow is a protocol and / or protocol extension header supported by the terminal device. If the terminal device supports the protocol and / or protocol extension header, the terminal device can support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. Otherwise, the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0026] In a third aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a session management network element or a module in a session management network element (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.). Taking the application of this method to a session management network element as an example, in this method, the session management network element receives a request message, the request message is a session establishment message or a session modification message, the request message includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to determine whether a terminal device supports identification of a PDU set; if the terminal device supports identification of a PDU set, a first configuration is sent to an access network device, wherein the first configuration is used to instruct the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform PDU set QoS processing.

[0027] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can learn whether the terminal device supports the identification of the PDU set, and can decide whether to perform QoS processing on the PDU set according to whether the terminal device supports the identification of the PDU set.

[0028] In a possible design, the first indication information is used to indicate the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device. With the above design, it is possible to notify the session management network element of the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device through the first indication information.

[0029] In one possible design, the first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set; the method also includes: obtaining protocol description information, the protocol description information being used to indicate a protocol and / or protocol extension header used by a first service flow, the first service flow being a service flow of the terminal device; and determining whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow based on the first indication information and the protocol description information.

[0030] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol description information and the protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying the PDU set.

[0031] In one possible design, the protocol information for identifying a PDU set supported by the terminal device is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header; when determining whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow based on the first indication information and the protocol description information, if the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol used by the first service flow, and the at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and the at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol and a protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and the at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow and the at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow. With the above design, the terminal device can determine whether it supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow.

[0032] In one possible design, the first configuration includes the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow. With the above design, the session management network element can notify the access network device of the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow through the first configuration.

[0033] In one possible design, when the terminal device does not support identification of PDU sets, a second configuration is sent to the access network device, and the second configuration does not include the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow. With the above design, the session management network element does not notify the access network device of the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow, that is, the terminal device is not triggered to perform QoS processing on the PDU set.

[0034] In one possible design, when the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set, second indication information is sent to the application function network element, and the second indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set. Specifically, the session management network element directly sends the second indication information to the application function network element, or the session management network element sends the second indication information to the application function network element through the policy control network element and / or the capability exposure network element.

[0035] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can notify the application function network element that QoS processing is not currently performed on the PDU set because the current terminal device does not support PDU set identification.

[0036] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a session management network element or a module (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.) in a session management network element. Taking the application of this method to a session management network element as an example, in this method, the session management network element receives first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate whether a terminal device supports identification of a PDU set; if the terminal device does not support identification of a PDU set, a first configuration is sent to an access network device, and the first configuration instructs the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform PDU data packet QoS processing.

[0037] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can learn whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, and if the terminal device does not support the identification of PDU sets, the session management network element can reconfigure the access network device so that the access network device reconfigures the terminal device to achieve deactivation of PDU set QoS processing.

[0038] In one possible design, the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. With the above design, the first indication information can indicate that the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set at the service flow granularity.

[0039] In a possible design, the first indication information is carried by a session modification message. The above design can be used to carry the first indication information by an existing message.

[0040] In one possible design, when the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the session modification message is used to modify or release the QoS flow in which the first service flow is located. With the above design, when the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the terminal device can actively initiate the PDU session modification process.

[0041] In one possible design, the session management network element sends a second indication information to the application function network element, and the second indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support the identification of the PDU set. Specifically, the session management network element directly sends the second indication information to the application function network element, or the session management network element sends the second indication information to the application function network element through the policy control network element and / or the capability exposure network element.

[0042] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can notify the application function network element that QoS processing is not currently performed on the PDU set because the current terminal device does not support PDU set identification.

[0043] In one possible design, before receiving the first indication information, protocol description information is sent, where the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and the protocol description information is carried by a session establishment acceptance message or a session modification acceptance message.

[0044] With the above design, the session management network element can notify the terminal device of the protocol description information through existing messages.

[0045] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a first access network device or a module in the first access network device (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.). Taking the application of the method to the first access network device as an example, in the method, the first access network device receives a first indication information, the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports the identification of the PDU set, and determines whether the first access network device supports the processing of the PDU set according to the first indication information and the PDU set processing capability of the first access network device; if the first access network device supports the processing of the PDU set, a second indication information is sent to the session management network element, and the second indication information is used to indicate that the first access network device supports the processing of the PDU set.

[0046] By adopting the above method, the first access network device can learn whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, and can determine whether the first access network device supports the processing of PDU sets in combination with whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets. That is, whether the first access network device supports the processing of PDU sets needs to consider the PDU set processing capability of the first access network device and the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device.

[0047] In a possible design, the second indication information is carried in an N2 PDU session response message. The above design can be used to carry the second indication information in an existing message.

[0048] In one possible design, when the first access network device does not support processing of the PDU set, a third indication information is sent to the session management network element, where the third indication information is used to indicate that the first access network device does not support processing of the PDU set. With the above design, the first access network device can notify the session management network element that the first access network device does not support processing of the PDU set.

[0049] In one possible design, when the first access network device does not support processing a PDU set, a session modification message is sent to a session management network element, where the session modification message is used to modify or release the QoS flow to which the first service flow belongs.

[0050] With the above design, the first access network device can actively initiate the PDU session modification process.

[0051] In one possible design, the session modification message also includes a cause value, and the cause value is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. With the above design, the session modification message can carry a cause value, and the cause value is that the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0052] In one possible design, the first access network device sends the first indication information to the second access network device. With the above design, the first access network device can notify the second access network device whether the terminal device supports the identification of the PDU set.

[0053] In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a user plane network element or a module in a user plane network element (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.). Taking the application of this method to a user plane network element as an example, in this method, the user plane network element receives a first message, and the first message is an N4 session establishment request message or an N4 session modification message, wherein the first message includes a first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate that the user plane network element marks a PDU set in a first service flow; determines whether to support identification of a PDU set in the first service flow; in the case that the user plane network element does not support identification of a PDU set in the first service flow, the user plane network element sends a second indication information to the session management network element, and the second indication information is used to indicate that the user plane network element does not support identification of a PDU set in the first service flow.

[0054] By adopting the above method, the user plane network element sends the second indication information to the session management network element, so that the session management network element can learn whether the user plane network element supports the identification of the PDU set.

[0055] In one possible design, when determining whether to support identification of a PDU set in a first service flow, whether to support identification of a PDU set in the first service flow is determined based on a downlink data packet in the first service flow. With the above design, the user plane network element can determine whether to identify a PDU set based on a downlink data packet in the first service flow.

[0056] In one possible design, the first message includes protocol description information, and the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow. When determining whether to support identification of the PDU set in the first service flow, whether to support identification of the PDU set in the first service flow is determined based on the protocol description information and the protocol information supported by the user plane network element for identifying the PDU set. With the above design, the user plane network element can determine whether to identify the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol description information and the protocol information supported by the user plane network element for identifying the PDU set.

[0057] In one possible design, the protocol information supported by the user plane network element for identifying the PDU set is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header. With the above design, the protocol information supported by the user plane network element for identifying the PDU set can indicate a write protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header.

[0058] In a possible design, the second indication information is carried through an N4 report or in an N4 session establishment or modification reply message. The above design can be used to carry the second indication information through an existing message.

[0059] In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a session management network element or a module in a session management network element (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.). Taking the application of this method to a session management network element as an example, in this method, the session management network element sends a first message to a user plane network element, and the first message is an N4 session establishment request message or an N4 session modification message, wherein the first message includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to instruct the user plane network element to mark a PDU set in a first service flow; and receive second indication information, and the second indication information is used to indicate that the user plane network element does not support identification of the PDU set in the first service flow. In the case where the user plane network element does not support identification of the PDU set in the first service flow, a first configuration is sent to an access network device, and the first configuration instructs the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform PDU data packet QoS processing.

[0060] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can learn whether the user plane network element supports the identification of PDU sets, and if the user plane network element does not support the identification of PDU sets, the session management network element can reconfigure the access network device so that the access network device reconfigures the terminal device to achieve deactivation of PDU set QoS processing.

[0061] In one possible design, when the user plane network element does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, fourth indication information is sent to the application function network element, and the fourth indication information is used to indicate that the user plane network element does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. Specifically, the session management network element directly sends the fourth indication information to the application function network element, or the session management network element sends the fourth indication information to the application function network element through the policy control network element and / or the capability exposure network element.

[0062] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can notify the application function network element that QoS processing is not currently performed on the PDU set because the current user plane network element does not support PDU set identification.

[0063] In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a terminal device side, such as a terminal device or a communication module in a terminal device, or a circuit or chip responsible for a communication function in a terminal device. Taking the application of the method to a terminal device as an example, in the method, the terminal device sends a first indication information to an application function network element, and the first indication information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set.

[0064] Using the above method, the terminal device interacts with the application function network element so that the application function network element determines whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, and then determines whether to initiate a PDU set QoS processing request based on whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets.

[0065] In one possible design, the first indication information is used to indicate the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device; or, the first indication information includes protocol information for identifying PDU sets supported by the terminal device. With the above design, it is possible to notify the application function network element of the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device, or the protocol information for identifying PDU sets supported by the terminal device, through the first indication information.

[0066] In one possible design, the protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the terminal device is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header. With the above design, it is possible to notify the application function network element which protocols or protocol extension headers are supported by the terminal device through the first indication information.

[0067] In a ninth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to an application function network element or a module in an application function network element (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.). Taking the application of this method to an application function network element as an example, in this method, the application function network element receives first indication information, and the first indication information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports the identification of a PDU set; when the terminal device supports the identification of a PDU set, the application function network element sends a first message to the policy control network element. The first message is used to request to perform PDU set QoS processing on the uplink data packets of the first service flow, and the first service flow is the service flow of the terminal device.

[0068] Using the above method, the terminal device interacts with the application function network element so that the application function network element determines whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, and then determines whether to initiate a PDU set QoS processing request based on whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets.

[0069] In the tenth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a session management network element or a module in a session management network element (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.). Taking the application of this method to a session management network element as an example, in this method, the session management network element determines the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located, wherein the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located is different from the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located, and the PDU set QoS parameters of the uplink service flow are the same as the PDU set QoS parameters of the downlink service flow; sends the QoS configuration of the uplink service flow and the QoS configuration of the downlink service flow to the access network device; receives first information and second information from the access network device, wherein the first information is used to indicate whether the access network device supports PDU set processing in the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located, and the second information is used to indicate whether the access network device supports PDU set processing in the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located.

[0070] By adopting the above method, when the PDU set QoS parameters of the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS parameters of the downlink service flow are the same, the session management network element determines that the QoS flow of the uplink service flow and the QoS flow of the downlink service flow are different. Therefore, the access network device can report whether PDU set QoS processing is supported for the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow respectively.

[0071] In a possible design, the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow belong to the same first service flow. It is understandable that the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow can belong to the same service flow or different service flows.

[0072] In one possible design, when the session management network element determines the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located, the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule are received, and the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located are determined according to the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule, wherein the first PCC rule is a PCC rule for the uplink service flow, and the second PCC rule is a PCC rule for the downlink service flow, wherein the first PCC rule includes a PDU set QoS parameter for the uplink service flow, and the second PCC rule includes a PDU set QoS parameter for the downlink service flow. Using the above method, the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located are determined according to the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule, respectively, and the two QoS flows are different.

[0073] In a possible design, when the session management network element determines the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located, the PCC rule is received, and the PCC rule includes the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow. If the first service flow meets the second preset condition, the session management network element determines the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located, wherein the first service flow meets the second preset condition means that the first service flow includes the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow, and the PDU set QoS parameters corresponding to the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS parameters corresponding to the downlink service flow are the same. Using the above method, it is determined according to the PCC rule that the first service flow meets the second preset condition, and then the QoS flow where the uplink service flow in the first service flow and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow in the first service flow are determined to be different QoS flows.

[0074] In an eleventh aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which can be applied to a policy control network element or a module in a policy control network element (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.). Taking the application of the method to a policy control network element as an example, in the method, the policy control network element determines a first PCC rule corresponding to an uplink service flow and a second PCC rule corresponding to a downlink service flow, wherein a PDU set QoS parameter in the first PCC rule is the same as a PDU set QoS parameter in the second PCC rule; and sends the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule to a session management network element.

[0075] By adopting the above method, when the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow are the same, the policy control network element determines the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule for the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow respectively, thereby realizing that the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located are different. Therefore, the access network device can report whether PDU set QoS processing is supported for the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow respectively.

[0076] In a possible design, when the policy control network element determines a first PCC rule corresponding to an uplink service flow and a second PCC rule corresponding to a downlink service flow, it receives description information and corresponding QoS requirements of the uplink service flow from an application function network element, as well as description information and corresponding QoS requirements of the downlink service flow, wherein the QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow is the same as the QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow; and when the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow is the same as the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow, the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule are determined.

[0077] By adopting the above method, when the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow are the same, two PCC rules are determined due to the different directions of the two service flows, namely the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule.

[0078] In one possible design, the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow belong to the same first service flow; when the policy control network element determines the first PCC rule corresponding to the uplink service flow and the second PCC rule corresponding to the downlink service flow, the description information and the corresponding QoS requirement of the first service flow are received from the application function network element. If the first service flow meets the first preset condition, the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule are determined. The first service flow meets the first preset condition if the first service flow includes the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow, and the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow is the same as the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow.

[0079] Using the above method, for an uplink service flow and a downlink service flow belonging to the same service, if the PDU set QoS requirements of the two are the same, since the directions of the two service flows are different, two PCC rules are determined, namely a first PCC rule and a second PCC rule.

[0080] In the twelfth aspect, the present application provides a communication device, which may be a first device, or a module or unit (for example, a chip, or a chip system, or a circuit) in the first device that corresponds one-to-one to the method / operation / step / action described in any of the above aspects, or may be capable of being used in combination with the first device.

[0081] In a thirteenth aspect, the present application provides a communication device comprising at least one processing element, wherein at least one storage element is used to store programs and data, and the at least one processing element is used to read and execute the programs and data stored in the storage element, so that any method described in any of the above aspects of the present application is implemented.

[0082] In one possible design, the communication device also includes the at least one storage element.

[0083] In a fourteenth aspect, the present application further provides a computer program, which, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to execute any of the methods described in any of the above aspects.

[0084] In the fifteenth aspect, the present application provides a communication device, comprising: an interface circuit and at least one processor; the interface circuit is used to provide the at least one processor with input and / or output of programs or instructions; the at least one processor is used to execute the program or instructions so that the communication device can implement any method described in any of the above aspects.

[0085] In a possible manner, the communication device includes the at least one memory, and the at least one memory is used to store the program or instruction.

[0086] In a sixteenth aspect, the present application provides a computer storage medium storing a software program, which, when read and executed by one or more processors, can implement any of the methods described in any of the above aspects.

[0087] In a seventeenth aspect, the present application provides a computer program product comprising instructions, which, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to execute any of the methods described in any of the above aspects.

[0088] In an eighteenth aspect, the present application provides a chip system, comprising at least one chip and a memory, wherein the at least one chip is used to read and execute a program stored in the memory to implement any of the methods described in any of the above aspects.

[0089] Based on the implementations provided in the above aspects, the present application can also be further combined to provide more implementations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0090] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture in this application is shown;

[0091] Figure 2 One of the general flow charts of a communication method in the present application is shown;

[0092] Figure 3 A second overview flow chart of a communication method in the present application is shown;

[0093] Figure 4 The third flowchart of a communication method in the present application is shown;

[0094] Figure 5 A fourth flow chart of an overview of a communication method in the present application is shown;

[0095] Figure 6 A fifth flow chart of an overview of a communication method in the present application is shown;

[0096] Figure 7 FIG6 shows a flow chart of an overview of a communication method in the present application;

[0097] Figure 8 FIG7 shows an overview flow chart of a communication method in the present application;

[0098] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device in the present application is shown;

[0099] Fig.10 A schematic structural diagram of another communication device in the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0100] The specific implementation of the application is described below by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the application. However, the implementation of the application may also include combining these embodiments without departing from the scope of the application, such as adopting other embodiments and making structural changes. Therefore, the detailed description of the following embodiments should not be understood in a restrictive sense. The terms used in the embodiments of the application are only used to explain the specific embodiments of the application, and are not intended to limit the application.

[0101] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a 5G network architecture. Figure 1 The 5G network architecture shown may include access network equipment and core network equipment. Terminal equipment accesses the data network (DN) through the access network equipment and the core network equipment.

[0102] Among them, the core network equipment includes but is not limited to part or all of the following network elements: authentication server function (AUSF) network element, unified data management (UDM) network element, network storage function (NRF) network element, network exposure function (NEF) network element, application function (AF) network element, policy control function (PCF) network element, access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, session management function (SMF) network element, user plane function (UPF) network element, network data analysis function (NWDAF) network element, etc.

[0103] The following is a brief description of the functions of several core network devices:

[0104] The AMF network element is mainly responsible for managing user registration, reachability detection, SMF network element selection, and mobile state transition management.

[0105] The SMF network element is mainly responsible for controlling the establishment, modification and deletion of sessions, the selection of UPF network elements, etc.

[0106] The UPF network element is mainly responsible for data packet routing and forwarding, supports routing service flows to the data network through mobility anchor points and uplink classifiers, and supports multi-homing PDU sessions through branch points.

[0107] UDM network element is mainly responsible for storing user subscription data.

[0108] NEF network element is mainly responsible for securely opening the services and capabilities provided by 3GPP network functions.

[0109] The AF network element is mainly responsible for interacting with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) core network to provide services.

[0110] The PCF network element is responsible for session and service flow level billing, QoS bandwidth guarantee and mobility management, or terminal device policy decision-making.

[0111] AUSF network element is mainly responsible for providing authentication services.

[0112] NWDAF network element is mainly responsible for providing network data collection and analysis functions based on technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence.

[0113] DN is a network outside the operator network. The operator network can access multiple DNs. Various services can be deployed on the DN to provide data and / or voice services to the UE.

[0114] It is understandable that the above network element is an example of an implementation method, and the present application does not exclude the existence of network elements or devices with the above network element functions in future wireless communication systems with other names or other forms. In addition, the above network elements or functions can be network elements in hardware devices, software functions running on dedicated hardware, or virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (for example, a cloud platform). As a possible implementation method, the above network elements or functions can be implemented by one device, or by multiple devices, or can be a functional module within a device, and the embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit this.

[0115] The terminal device can be a user equipment (UE), a mobile station, a mobile terminal device, etc. The terminal device can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IOT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearable, smart transportation, smart city, etc. The terminal device can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a computer with wireless transceiver function, a wearable device, a vehicle, an urban air vehicle (such as a drone, a helicopter, etc.), a ship, a robot, a robotic arm, a smart home device, etc.

[0116] The access network equipment may be a radio access network (RAN) equipment or a wired access network equipment. Among them, the radio access network equipment may be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system, etc.; it may also be a module or unit that completes part of the functions of a base station, for example, it may be a centralized unit (CU) or a distributed unit (DU). Here, the CU completes the functions of the radio resource control protocol and the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) of the base station, and may also complete the functions of the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP); the DU completes the functions of the radio link control layer and the medium access control (MAC) layer of the base station, and may also complete the functions of part of the physical layer or all of the physical layer. For the specific description of each of the above-mentioned protocol layers, please refer to the relevant technical specifications of 3GPP. The wireless access network device may be a macro base station, a micro base station or an indoor station, a relay node or a donor node, etc. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific technology and specific device form used by the wireless access network device.

[0117] The following is a brief introduction to the technical concepts involved in this application:

[0118] 1. PDU collection

[0119] It can also be called a data packet set. Each PDU set includes one or more data packets, which can also be called a PDU data packet. For example, when encoding at the media service layer, it can be processed with media frames, fragments, etc. as the basic granularity, that is, media frames, fragments, etc. can be encoded independently, and the receiving end will also use the same media frames, fragments, etc. as the basic granularity for decoding and display processing. Among them, a media frame and fragment often contains one or more data packets (such as Internet Protocol (IP) data packets). In order to represent the basic data unit of the above-mentioned media service layer, it is called a PDU set in the standard. In addition, the PDU set can be called a media frame, or a media fragment, or a media service data packet set, etc.

[0120] The PDU set is the basic unit that the upper service layer can independently process. Generally speaking, when a data packet in the PDU set is lost or damaged, the entire PDU set may be difficult to decode and display correctly. Specifically, it depends on the specific implementation of the application layer, for example:

[0121] Scenario 1: A data packet in a PDU set is lost or damaged, and the PDU set is difficult to decode and display correctly;

[0122] Scenario 2: In one implementation, in order to improve the reliability of transmission, the sender of the service layer / application layer performs forward error correction (FEC) on the PDU set before sending the PDU set. That is, by adding additional redundant data packets, the service experience is not damaged due to packet loss during transmission. Therefore, the loss of some data packets in the PDU set will not affect the correct decoding and display of the PDU set;

[0123] Scenario 3: In some implementations, even if some packets in a PDU set are lost during transmission, the receiving end can recover, decode, and display the packets received before the first lost packet in the PDU set.

[0124] It should be noted that if a data packet fails to be transmitted, it can be considered that the delay required for the data packet transmission exceeds the data packet delay budget (PDB) of the data packet when the data packet is transmitted between the access network device and the terminal device. For example, if the radio link control (RLC) layer does not have time to send the data packet to the MAC layer for transmission, and the data packet is still in the RLC layer buffer after the PDB, it is considered that the data packet has exceeded the PDB and has not been scheduled for transmission, that is, the data packet is considered lost;

[0125] Or there is a feedback mechanism between the access network device and the terminal, that is, the access network device can determine whether the data packet is successful based on the feedback from the terminal device. Specifically, it can be understood that when the data packet is sent to the MAC layer for transmission, the MAC layer will determine whether the data packet is successfully sent based on the feedback of the hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ). The MAC layer needs to save the mapping relationship between the data packet and the MAC layer transmission data block (wherein, the upper layer data packet may be split and reassembled when the MAC layer is transmitted to ensure that it is suitable for channel transmission), and provide feedback to the RLC layer or PDCP layer to ensure that the access network device can perceive the packet loss of each data packet when scheduling transmission. The specific implementation depends on the product implementation of the access network device.

[0126] 2. PDU data packet QoS processing

[0127] PDU packet QoS processing, also known as PDU packet granularity QoS processing, is a conventional QoS processing form in which the network guarantees QoS for each packet.

[0128] The QoS mechanism can provide service guarantees at the granularity of data packets. For example, QoS parameters can include packet error rate (PER) and packet delay budget (PDB). Data packets of the same service will be mapped to a QoS flow for transmission, while different QoS flows have different QoS parameters. Data packets carried by the same QoS flow will be processed and transmitted packet by packet according to the corresponding QoS parameters. In other words, all data packets in a QoS flow will be treated equally and without distinction during transmission.

[0129] 3. PDU aggregate QoS processing

[0130] PDU aggregate QoS processing is also called PDU aggregate granularity QoS processing.

[0131] The current standard proposes a QoS processing mechanism at the PDU set granularity, that is, it will give the QoS requirements at the PDU set granularity, such as the loss rate of the PDU set and the delay requirements of the PDU set. Specifically, the standard introduces QoS parameters at the PDU set granularity, for example, including the PDU set delay budget (PSDB) at the PDU set granularity, the PDU set error rate (PSER) at the PDU set granularity, and the PDU set integrated handling information (PSIHI).

[0132] The 5G system (5GS) schedules, processes and transmits all data packets in the PDU set as a whole by identifying the relationship between different data packets and PDU sets, thereby ensuring the user's service experience. In order to determine which PDU data packets in the QoS flow belong to the same PDU set, the 5G core (5GC) will add PDU set information to the GPRS tunneling protocol user plane (GTP-U) layer of the downlink data packet so that the access network equipment can identify the PDU set. The PDU set information includes the PDU set sequence number, the indication information of the last PDU data packet in the PDU set, the PDU set importance, the PDU set size and the sequence number of each PDU data packet in the PDU set.

[0133] Exemplarily, the SMF network element can receive policy and charging control (PCC) rules from the PCF network element. The PCC rules include PDU set QoS parameters. For the downlink direction, the SMF network element can configure the UPF network element to identify and mark the downlink PDU set. The UPF network element adds the PDU set information to the GTP-U header of the downlink data packet and sends it to the access network device to ensure that the access network device can perform QoS processing at the granularity of the PDU set based on the PDU set information in the downlink data packet and the PDU set QoS parameters from the SMF network element. That is, the PDU set identification in the downlink direction is performed in the UPF network element, and the QoS processing at the granularity of the PDU set in the downlink direction is performed on the access network device side. As for the uplink direction, the access network equipment can configure the terminal equipment according to the PDU set QoS parameters from the SMF network element, that is, the PDU set identification and QoS processing of the PDU set in the uplink direction are performed in the terminal equipment, among which the QoS processing of the PDU set granularity in the uplink direction depends on the configuration of the terminal equipment by the access network equipment according to the PDU set QoS parameters from the SMF network element.

[0134] In addition, the SMF network element can determine whether the access network device supports PDU set granularity QoS processing, or whether the current PDU set granularity QoS processing is successful through the PDU set processing support indication information fed back by the access network device.

[0135] Exemplarily, during the session establishment / modification process, after the SMF network element sends the PDU aggregate QoS parameters to the access network device, if the access network device supports PDU aggregate granularity QoS processing, it will send a support indication to the SMF network element. If not, the access network device may not reply to the SMF network element. Accordingly, the SMF network element determines whether the access network device supports PDU aggregate granularity QoS processing, and activates or deactivates the PDU aggregate identification and marking on the UPF network element side accordingly. Similarly, during the mobility switching process, if the target access network device supports PDU aggregate granularity QoS processing, the target access network device sends a support indication to the SMF network element. When the source access network device does not support PDU aggregate granularity QoS processing and the target access network device supports PDU aggregate granularity QoS processing, the SMF network element can configure the PDU aggregate QoS parameters for the target access network device and activate the PDU aggregate identification and marking on the UPF network element side.

[0136] In addition, after the RRC connection is established, the terminal device can provide its own PDU set processing capability to the access network device, which specifically includes packet loss processing at the PDU set granularity and packet loss capability based on the importance of the PDU set. The access network device can obtain the PDU set processing capability of the terminal device after the RRC connection is established to determine whether the terminal device can support QoS processing at the PDU set granularity.

[0137] The terminal device can also report its own PDU set identification capability to the access network device through user assistance information (UE assistance information, UAI). The access network device will comprehensively consider the PDU set processing capability and PDU set identification capability of the terminal device to decide whether to perform QoS processing at the uplink PDU set granularity. Among them, the PDU set identification capability is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, or the PDU set identification capability is used to indicate that the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets. The following only uses the example of the PDU set identification capability being used to indicate whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets.

[0138] 4. Protocol description

[0139] Protocol description information can be used to identify PDU sets.

[0140] Exemplarily, the SMF network element may receive PCC rules from the PCF network element, and optionally, the PCC rules may also include protocol description information. Optionally, the SMF network element provides the protocol description information to the terminal device. The protocol description information may be from the local configuration of the PCF network element or from a third-party application, such as an AF network element.

[0141] Among them, whether the terminal device or user plane network element supports the identification of PDU sets, or the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device or user plane network element, depends on the perception of the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the service flow, and self-realization. Currently, after the service flow is started, the terminal device or user plane network element can determine the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the service flow, and then determine whether it can identify the PDU set in the service flow.

[0142] Based on this, how to enable the core network to perceive the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device (or user plane network element), and enable the core network to activate or deactivate the QoS processing at the PDU set granularity according to the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device (or user plane network element), thereby avoiding the subsequent session management network element from making session modifications and adjustments based on the feedback from the terminal device or the user plane network element, is a problem worthy of attention. The communication method and apparatus are further introduced below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It can be understood that in the following embodiments, the terminal device, access network device, core network element (for example, session management network element, user plane network element, application network element, etc.) are used as examples of the execution subjects of the interaction indication. However, the present application does not limit the execution subjects of the interaction indication. For example, the steps performed by the access network device in the present application may also be implemented by a module in the access network device (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.), or a logical node, a logical module or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the access network device; the steps performed by the terminal device in the present application may also be implemented by a communication / processing module in the terminal device or a circuit or chip responsible for the communication / processing function in the terminal; the steps performed by the core network network element in the present application may also be implemented by a module in the core network network element (such as a circuit, a chip or a chip system, etc.).

[0143] Several possible communication methods are provided in the embodiments of the present application. Figures 2 to 7 shown.

[0144] like Figure 2 As shown, the present application provides a communication method, which includes the following steps:

[0145] Step 200: The terminal device sends a request message to the session management network element. Correspondingly, the session management network element receives the request message.

[0146] The request message may be a session establishment message or a session modification message. Exemplarily, the terminal device sends a request message to the access and mobility management network element through the access network device, and the access and mobility management network element sends a request message to the session management network element.

[0147] Exemplarily, the request message includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set.

[0148] The following describes how the first indication information and the session management network element determine whether the terminal device supports identification of the PDU set in combination with Example 1 and Example 2:

[0149] Example 1, the first indication information is used to indicate the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device. Among them, the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device indicates whether the terminal device supports or does not support the identification of PDU sets, or the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device indicates whether the terminal device supports or does not support the identification of PDU sets. Therefore, the first indication information is used to indicate the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device, and it can also be replaced by the first indication information can indicate whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, or the first indication information can indicate whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets.

[0150] Furthermore, the session management network element can directly determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set based on the first indication information.

[0151] Example 2: The first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set. The protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header. For example, the protocol here may include but is not limited to a real-time protocol (RTP) protocol, and the protocol extension header here may include but is not limited to a specific RTP extension header.

[0152] It can be understood that if the above-mentioned at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header is regarded as a set, the terminal device supports the identification of the service flow in which the PDU set is located and uses the protocol or protocol extension header in the set, or the terminal device supports the identification of the PDU set in the service flow that uses the protocol or protocol extension header in the set.

[0153] Further, the session management network element may obtain protocol description information, and the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow. Exemplarily, the session management network element may receive a PCC rule from a policy control network element, and the PCC rule includes protocol description information. The session management network element may determine whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow based on the first indication information and the protocol description information. Among them, whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set can also be replaced by whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow, and the first service flow is the service flow of the terminal device.

[0154] Exemplarily, when determining whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in a first service flow according to the first indication information and the protocol description information, if the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol and a protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow. Except for the above situation, the terminal device does not support identifying a PDU set in the first service flow.

[0155] For example, assuming that the first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set, the protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set indicates the RTP protocol and a specific RTP extension header, and the protocol description information indicates that the first service flow uses the RTP protocol, the session management network element can determine that the protocol indicated by the protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set is the same as the protocol used by the first service flow, and then determine that the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. In addition, when the protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set indicates multiple protocols, and the protocol used by the first service flow is one of the multiple protocols, then determine that the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. Similarly, when the protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set indicates multiple protocol extension headers, and the protocol extension header used by the first service flow is one of the multiple protocol extension headers, then determine that the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0156] For another example, assume that the first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying the PDU set, the protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying the PDU set indicates protocol 1 and protocol 2, the protocol description information indicates that the first service flow uses protocol 3, and the session management network element determines that the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0157] For another example, assuming that the first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying the PDU set, the protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying the PDU set indicates the RTP protocol, and the protocol description information indicates that the first service flow uses a specific RTP extension header, the session management network element can determine that the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0158] In addition, the request message may also include third indication information, and the third indication information is used to indicate the PDU set processing capability of the terminal device.

[0159] In combination with the above example 1 or example 2, the session management network element may determine whether the terminal device supports identification of the PDU set. If the terminal device supports identification of the PDU set, the session management network element performs step 210A. If the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set, the session management network element performs step 210B. It can be understood that the following steps 210A and 220A, and steps 210B and 220B are two parallel solutions.

[0160] Step 210A: When the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set, the session management network element sends a first configuration to the access network device. Correspondingly, the access network device receives the first configuration from the session management network element.

[0161] Among them, the first configuration is used to instruct the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform PDU set QoS processing.

[0162] Exemplarily, the first configuration includes PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow, such as PSDB, PSER, PSIHI, etc.

[0163] The PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow are also the PDU set QoS parameters of the QoS flow to which the first service flow belongs.

[0164] Step 220A: The access network device sends the first information to the terminal device. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the first information from the access network device.

[0165] The first information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform QoS processing on the PDU set.

[0166] Exemplarily, the access network device may determine the first information according to the first configuration. For example, the access network device may determine the first information according to the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow, for example, the first information may include air interface scheduling configuration parameters, such as enabling PDU set integrity processing, or enabling PDU set importance processing, etc.

[0167] Among them, PDU set integrity processing can also be called integrity transmission of PDU sets. If a data packet in a PDU set is discarded, the entire PDU set can be discarded, or the data packets after the data packet in the PDU set where the packet loss occurs can be discarded or no longer transmitted, thereby reducing the waste of air interface transmission resources. PDU set importance processing can also be called PDU set differentiated processing or differentiated transmission of PDU sets. Different QoS processing is performed according to the importance differences between PDU sets. For example, when the air interface is congested, the PDU set with lower importance is discarded according to the importance of the PDU set, thereby reducing air interface congestion.

[0168] Optionally, in step 210B, when the terminal device does not support identification of a PDU set, the session management network element sends a second configuration to the access network device, and correspondingly, the access network device receives the second configuration from the session management network element.

[0169] The second configuration does not include the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow. For example, the second configuration only includes the PDU data packet QoS parameters of the first service flow, specifically, the second configuration includes PER, PDB, etc. for the PDU data packet.

[0170] In addition, in a possible implementation, when the terminal device does not support the identification of PDU sets, the session management network element may also send a second indication message to the application function network element, and the second indication message is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support the identification of PDU sets, that is, QoS processing is not currently performed on the PDU sets because the current terminal device does not support PDU set identification. Specifically, the session management network element may send the second indication message to the policy control network element, which in turn notifies the application function network element; or, the session management network element may send the second indication message to the policy control network element, which in turn notifies the application function network element through the network open function network element. After the application function network element perceives that the current terminal device cannot support the identification of PDU sets, it may adjust the uplink encoding configuration accordingly, or stop adding RTP extension header information for service PDU set identification.

[0171] Step 220B: The access network device sends the second information to the terminal device. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the second information from the access network device.

[0172] Exemplarily, the second information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform QoS processing on the PDU data packet.

[0173] Exemplarily, the access network device determines the second information according to the second configuration. For example, the second information may include a delay timer for sending an uplink data packet, that is, how long the uplink data packet needs to be transmitted. If the uplink data packet fails to be transmitted within the delay timer, the transmission of the uplink data packet is abandoned.

[0174] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can learn whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, and can decide whether to perform PDU set QoS processing according to whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets.

[0175] like Figure 3 As shown, the present application provides a communication method, which includes the following steps:

[0176] Step 300: The terminal device determines whether it supports identifying a PDU set.

[0177] In a possible implementation, the terminal device determines whether to support identification of a PDU set, which can be understood as the terminal device determining whether to support identification of a PDU set in a first service flow, where the first service flow is a service flow of the terminal device.

[0178] The following describes how a terminal device determines whether it supports identification of a PDU set in combination with two possible implementations.

[0179] The first possible implementation is:

[0180] The terminal device receives protocol description information, and the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow. Exemplarily, the protocol description information can be carried by a session establishment acceptance message or a session modification acceptance message. For example, the session management network element can receive PCC rules from the policy control network element, and the PCC rules include protocol description information. Then, the session management network element can send a session establishment acceptance message or a session modification acceptance message to the terminal device, and the session establishment acceptance message or the session modification acceptance message carries the protocol description information. Furthermore, a service flow filtering template, such as the IP quintuple or triplet of the service, is also sent to the terminal device side together with the protocol description information, which is used to detect and determine the first service flow. That is, it is determined that the data packet is a data packet in the first service flow of the terminal device.

[0181] Furthermore, the terminal device may determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow according to the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow. That is, after receiving the protocol description information, the terminal device may trigger a judgment on whether it supports identifying the PDU set and report the first indication information to the session management network element.

[0182] The second possible implementation is:

[0183] The terminal device receives first information from the access network device, and the first information is used by the terminal device to perform PDU aggregate QoS processing on the first service flow. Exemplarily, the access network device receives the PDU aggregate QoS parameter of the first service flow from the session management network element, and the access network device determines the first information according to the PDU aggregate QoS parameter of the first service flow. The specific content of the first information can be referred to above Figure 2 Relevant description in the illustrated embodiment. Exemplarily, in the case where the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in a first service flow, the terminal device performs PDU set QoS processing on the first service flow based on the first information.

[0184] Furthermore, when the terminal device initiates the transmission of the first service flow, the terminal device can determine whether the terminal device supports the identification of the PDU set in the first service flow according to the uplink data packet in the first service flow. That is, when the terminal device initiates the transmission of the first service flow, the terminal device can be triggered to determine whether it supports the identification of the PDU set and report the first indication information to the session management network element.

[0185] Exemplarily, a first application (e.g., a video playback application) in a terminal device initiates the transmission of a data packet of a service flow of the first application, and an uplink data packet in the service flow of the first application is transmitted from the application layer to a modem chip (or baseband chip) in the terminal device. The modem chip determines whether the terminal device supports the identification of a PDU set in the first service flow based on the uplink data packet in the service flow of the first application.

[0186] Exemplarily, when the terminal device determines whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow based on an uplink data packet in the first service flow, the terminal device can determine the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow based on the uplink data packet in the first service flow, and then determine whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow.

[0187] Among them, in combination with the above-mentioned first possible implementation method and the second possible implementation method, when determining whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first business flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first business flow, if the terminal device supports the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first business flow, then the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first business flow; if the terminal device does not support the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first business flow, then the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first business flow.

[0188] Alternatively, when determining whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow according to the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow is determined according to the protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the terminal device and the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, wherein the protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the terminal device is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header, and if the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. Except for the above situation, the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. The protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying the PDU set can be referred to above. Figure 2 Relevant content in the illustrated embodiment.

[0189] Therefore, through the above-mentioned first possible implementation method and the second possible implementation method, the terminal device can determine whether it supports identifying the PDU set.

[0190] Step 310: The terminal device sends first indication information to the session management network element. Correspondingly, the session management network element receives the first indication information.

[0191] The first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set. In addition, the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set. It can be understood that the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0192] Exemplarily, the first indication information is carried by a session modification message. In one possible implementation, when the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the session modification message is used to modify or release the QoS flow in which the first service flow is located. The above method can be used to reuse existing messages and save signaling overhead. Specifically, it can be understood that the terminal device initiates the PDU session modification process and carries the first indication information in the PDU session modification request message.

[0193] Optionally, when the terminal device supports identifying PDU sets, the session management network element may not reply to the terminal device or the access network device.

[0194] Optionally, in step 320, when the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set, the session management network element sends the first configuration to the access network device. Correspondingly, the access network device receives the first configuration from the session management network element.

[0195] The first configuration instructs the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform QoS processing on the PDU data packet. Exemplarily, the session management network element may update the QoS configuration to deactivate the PDU aggregate QoS processing, such as deleting the PDU aggregate QoS parameters of the first service flow in the original QoS configuration.

[0196] Step 330: The access network device sends configuration information to the terminal device. Correspondingly, the terminal device receives the configuration information from the access network device. The configuration information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform QoS processing on the PDU data packet.

[0197] In a possible implementation, when the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set, the session management network element may further send a second indication message to the application function network element, where the second indication message is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set.

[0198] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can learn whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, and if the terminal device does not support the identification of PDU sets, the session management network element can reconfigure the access network device so that the access network device reconfigures the terminal device to achieve deactivation of PDU set QoS processing.

[0199] like Figure 4 As shown, the present application provides a communication method, which includes the following steps:

[0200] Step 400: The terminal device determines whether it supports identifying a PDU set.

[0201] For details, please refer to the above step 300, which will not be repeated here.

[0202] Step 410: The terminal device sends first indication information to the first access network device. Correspondingly, the first access network device receives the first indication information.

[0203] Among them, the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set. In addition, the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set, which can be understood as the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first business flow, wherein the first business flow is the business flow of the terminal device. Exemplarily, the terminal device can initiate the transmission of uplink data packets of the first business flow, and can also receive downlink data packets of the first business flow. The first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first business flow, that is, the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying which uplink data packets in the first business flow belong to a PDU set, and related information of the PDU set, such as the size of the PDU set and the importance of the PDU set.

[0204] Exemplarily, the first indication information may be carried by a radio resource control (RRC) message.

[0205] Step 420: The first access network device determines whether the first access network device supports processing the PDU set according to the first indication information and the PDU set processing capability of the first access network device.

[0206] Exemplarily, in the case where the first indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device supports identification of PDU sets, the first access network device may determine that the first access network device supports processing of PDU sets based on the PDU set processing capability of the first access network device. If the PDU set processing capability of the first access network device is that the first access network device supports processing of PDU sets, then the first access network device supports processing of PDU sets; if the PDU set processing capability of the first access network device is that the first access network device does not support processing of PDU sets, then the first access network device does not support processing of PDU sets. In the case where the first indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support identification of PDU sets, the first access network device determines that the first access network device does not support processing of PDU sets.

[0207] Step 430: When the first access network device supports processing the PDU set, the first access network device sends second indication information to the session management network element, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the first access network device supports processing the PDU set.

[0208] Exemplarily, the second indication information may be a PDU set processing support indication.

[0209] Optionally, when the first access network device does not support processing of the PDU set, the first access network device may also send third indication information to the session management network element, where the third indication information is used to indicate that the first access network device does not support processing of the PDU set. In addition, the first access network device may not send the third indication information.

[0210] In addition, in a possible implementation, if the first access network device receives the PDU set QoS parameters of the QoS flow where the first service flow is located from the session management network element during the previous PDU session establishment or modification process, then if the first access network device does not support processing of the PDU set, the first access network device sends a session modification message to the session management network element, and the session modification message is used to modify or release the QoS flow where the first service flow is located. That is, the first access network device initiates the PDU session modification process. The session modification message may also include a cause value, which is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0211] Further, in the case where the first access network device does not support processing of the PDU set, the session management network element sends a first configuration to the access network device. The first configuration instructs the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform PDU data packet QoS processing. Exemplarily, the session management network element can update the QoS configuration to deactivate the PDU set QoS processing, for example, deleting the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow in the original QoS configuration. Then the access network device can determine the configuration information according to the first configuration, and the access network device sends the configuration information to the terminal device. The configuration information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform PDU data packet QoS processing.

[0212] By adopting the above method, the first access network device can learn whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set, and can determine whether the first access network device supports processing the PDU set based on whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set. In the case that the first access network device does not support processing the PDU set, the first access network device can request to modify or release the QoS flow where the first service flow is located through a session modification message.

[0213] In addition, during the process of mobility switching of the terminal device, the first access network device may send a first indication message to the second access network device, and then the second access network device may determine whether the second access network device supports processing the PDU set based on the first indication message and the PDU set processing capability of the second access network device. How the second access network device determines whether the second access network device supports processing the PDU set can refer to the above step 420. In the case where the second access network device supports processing the PDU set, the second access network device may send a fourth indication message to the session management network element, and the fourth indication message is used to indicate that the second access network device supports processing the PDU set. Further, when the first access network device does not support processing the PDU set and the second access network device supports processing the PDU set, the session management network element may activate or enable PDU set QoS processing based on the fourth indication message. For example, the session management network element may send the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow to the second access network device.

[0214] like Figure 5 As shown, the present application provides a communication method, which includes the following steps:

[0215] Step 500: The session management network element sends a first message to the user plane network element, where the first message is an N4 session establishment request message or an N4 session modification message.

[0216] The first message includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to instruct the user plane network element to mark the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0217] Step 510: The user plane network element determines whether it supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow.

[0218] In a possible implementation manner, the user plane network element determines whether to support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow according to the downlink data packet in the first service flow.

[0219] Among them, the user plane network element determines whether it supports identifying the PDU set in the first business flow based on the downlink data packets in the first business flow, and can also be replaced by the user plane network element determining whether it supports marking the PDU set in the first business flow based on the downlink data packets in the first business flow.

[0220] Exemplarily, when the user plane network element determines whether it supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the downlink data packets in the first service flow, the user plane network element can determine the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow based on the downlink data packets in the first service flow, and then determine whether the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow.

[0221] Exemplarily, when determining whether the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, if the user plane network element supports the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; if the user plane network element does not support the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the user plane network element does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. Alternatively, when determining whether the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, whether the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow is determined based on the protocol information supported by the user plane network element for identifying the PDU set and the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, wherein the protocol information supported by the user plane network element for identifying the PDU set is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header.

[0222] Optionally, the first message may further include protocol description information, where the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol and / or a protocol extension header used by the first service flow.

[0223] In another possible implementation, if the first message includes protocol description information, the user plane network element determines whether it can support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the user plane network element and the protocol description information (the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow). The protocol information supported by the user plane network element for identifying the PDU set is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header.

[0224] Exemplarily, in combination with the above two possible implementations, when determining whether the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow according to the protocol information supported by the user plane network element for identifying the PDU set and the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, if the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, then the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. Except for the above situation, the user plane network element does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0225] For example, if the user plane network element supports identifying at least one protocol for a PDU set including the protocol used by the first service flow, or the user plane network element supports identifying at least one protocol extension header for a PDU set including the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; otherwise, the user plane network element does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0226] For example, assuming that the user plane network element supports the protocol information for PDU set identification used to indicate the RTP protocol and a specific RTP extension header, and the protocol description information is used to indicate that the first service flow uses the RTP protocol, the user plane network element can determine that the protocol indicated by the protocol information supporting the PDU set is the same as the protocol used by the first service flow, and then determine that the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0227] Step 520: When the user plane network element does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the user plane network element sends second indication information to the session management network element, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the user plane network element does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. Correspondingly, the session management network element receives the second indication information. The second indication information can be carried in an N4 report or in an N4 session establishment or modification reply message.

[0228] In a possible implementation, when the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the user plane network element may send third indication information to the session management network element, where the third indication information is used to indicate that the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. Alternatively, when the user plane network element supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the user plane network element may not notify the session management network element, and only when it does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the user plane network element notifies the session management network element.

[0229] Step 530: When the user plane network element does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the session management network element sends a first configuration to the access network device. Correspondingly, the access network device receives the first configuration from the session management network element.

[0230] The first configuration instructs the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform PDU packet QoS processing. Exemplarily, the session management network element can update the QoS configuration to deactivate PDU aggregate QoS processing, such as deleting the PDU aggregate QoS parameters of the first service flow in the original QoS configuration.

[0231] In one possible implementation, when the user plane network element does not support identification of the PDU set in the first service flow, the session management network element may also send a fourth indication message to the application function network element, and the fourth indication message is used to indicate that the user plane network element does not support identification of the PDU set in the first service flow, that is, QoS processing is not currently performed on the PDU set because the current user plane network element does not support PDU set identification. Specifically, the session management network element may send the fourth indication message to the policy control network element, which in turn notifies the application function network element; or, the session management network element may send the fourth indication message to the policy control network element, which in turn notifies the application function network element through the network open function network element. After the application function network element perceives that the current terminal device cannot support the identification of the PDU set, it may adjust the uplink encoding configuration accordingly, or stop adding the RTP extension header information used to identify the service PDU set.

[0232] By adopting the above method, the session management network element can learn whether the user plane network element supports the identification of PDU sets, and if the user plane network element does not support the identification of PDU sets, the session management network element can reconfigure the access network device so that the access network device reconfigures the terminal device to achieve deactivation of PDU set QoS processing.

[0233] like Figure 6 As shown, the present application provides a communication method, which includes the following steps:

[0234] Step 600: The application layer in the terminal device determines first indication information.

[0235] In a possible implementation, the application layer in the terminal device may obtain the protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the terminal device from the modem chip, wherein the protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the terminal device is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header. For example, the terminal device may obtain the protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the terminal device from the modem chip through an attention (AT) instruction.

[0236] In another possible implementation, the application layer in the terminal device can obtain the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device from the modem chip. The PDU set identification capability indicates whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets. For example, the terminal device can obtain the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device from the modem chip through an AT command.

[0237] Step 610: The terminal device sends first indication information to the application function network element through interaction at the application layer, where the first indication information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identification of PDU sets.

[0238] Example 1: The first indication information is used to indicate the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device, wherein the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device indicates whether the terminal device supports or does not support the identification of the PDU set.

[0239] Furthermore, the application function network element can directly determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set based on the first indication information.

[0240] Example 2: The first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set. The protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header.

[0241] In one possible implementation, the application function network element may determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying the PDU set and the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow. Exemplarily, if the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, and at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. In addition to the above situation, it is determined that the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow. Among them, the protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying the PDU set can refer to the above Figure 2 Relevant content in the illustrated embodiment.

[0242] Step 620: In the case that the terminal device supports identification of the PDU set, the application function network element sends a first message to the policy control network element. Correspondingly, the policy control network element receives the first message from the application function network element.

[0243] The first message is used to request to perform PDU set QoS processing on the uplink data packets of the first service flow.

[0244] Exemplarily, the first message includes description information of the first service flow and the corresponding PDU set QoS requirement, wherein the description information of the first service flow is used to describe the first service flow. The description information of the first service flow may be information such as an IP quintuple, a triplet, and an application identifier. The PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the first service flow is used to determine the PDU set QoS parameters required for the first service flow, and the PDU set QoS parameters may include PSDB, PSER, and the like.

[0245] For example, the application function network element may send the first message to the policy control network element through the network open function network element, or the application function network element may directly send the first message to the policy control network element.

[0246] Using the above method, the terminal device interacts with the application function network element so that the application function network element determines whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets, and then determines whether to initiate a PDU set QoS processing request based on whether the terminal device supports the identification of PDU sets.

[0247] like Figure 7As shown, the present application provides a communication method, which includes the following steps:

[0248] Step 700: The terminal device sends a PDU session establishment or modification message to the session management network element.

[0249] This step is optional. Exemplarily, the terminal device sends a PDU session establishment or modification message to the session management network element through the access and mobility management network element.

[0250] Step 710: The application function network element sends a first message to the policy control network element.

[0251] In one possible scenario, the first message includes description information of the first service flow and the corresponding PDU set QoS requirement. For details, please refer to the above step 620. Among them, the first service flow includes an uplink service flow and a downlink service flow, and the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow is the same as the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow. In this scenario, the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow belong to the same service. For the convenience of description below, this scenario is recorded as scenario 1.

[0252] In another possible scenario, the first message includes description information and corresponding QoS requirements of the uplink service flow, and description information and corresponding QoS requirements of the downlink service flow. Among them, the PDU set QoS requirements corresponding to the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS requirements corresponding to the downlink service flow are the same. In this scenario, the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow may belong to different services. For the convenience of description below, this scenario is recorded as scenario 2.

[0253] Step 720: The policy control network element determines a first PCC rule and a second PCC rule.

[0254] The first PCC rule is a PCC rule for an uplink service flow, and the second PCC rule is a PCC rule for a downlink service flow. The first PCC rule includes a PDU set QoS parameter for an uplink service flow, and the second PCC rule includes a PDU set QoS parameter for a downlink service flow. The PDU set QoS parameter for an uplink service flow is the same as the PDU set QoS parameter for a downlink service flow.

[0255] For the above scenario 1, if the first service flow meets the first preset condition, the policy control network element determines the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule.

[0256] Among them, the first service flow meets the first preset condition, which can be understood as the first service flow includes an uplink service flow and a downlink service flow, and the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow is the same as the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow. Exemplarily, the policy control network element can determine whether the first service flow meets the first preset condition based on the first message.

[0257] For the above scenario 2, when the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow are the same, the policy control network element determines the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule.

[0258] Exemplarily, the policy control network element may determine, based on the first message, whether the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow are the same.

[0259] Step 730: The policy control network element sends the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule to the session management network element.

[0260] Step 740: The session management network element determines the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located according to the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule. The QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located is different from the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located.

[0261] Exemplarily, the session management network element determines the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located according to the first PCC rule, and determines the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located according to the second PCC rule.

[0262] Step 750: The session management network element sends the QoS configuration of the uplink service flow and the QoS configuration of the downlink service flow to the access network device.

[0263] The QoS configuration of the uplink service flow includes the PDU set QoS parameters of the uplink service flow. The QoS configuration of the downlink service flow includes the PDU set QoS parameters of the downlink service flow. The PDU set QoS parameters of the uplink service flow can be understood as the PDU set QoS parameters of the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located. The PDU set QoS parameters of the downlink service flow can be understood as the PDU set QoS parameters of the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located.

[0264] Step 760: The access network device determines the first information according to the PDU set QoS parameters of the uplink service flow in the QoS configuration of the uplink service flow, and determines the second information according to the PDU set QoS parameters of the downlink service flow in the QoS configuration of the downlink service flow.

[0265] The first information is used to indicate whether the access network device supports PDU set processing in the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located. The second information is used to indicate whether the access network device supports PDU set processing in the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located. The first information can be a first PDU set processing support indication, and the second information can be a second PDU set processing support indication.

[0266] Step 770: The access network device sends the first information and the second information to the session management network element.

[0267] Step 780: The session management network element determines whether to activate or deactivate the PDU aggregate QoS processing of the uplink service flow according to the first information, and determines whether to activate or deactivate the PDU aggregate QoS processing of the downlink service flow according to the second information.

[0268] For example, when the access network device does not support the PDU set processing in the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located, the access network device sends a session modification message to the session management network element, and the session modification message is used to modify or release the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located. Similarly, when the access network device does not support the PDU set processing in the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located, the access network device sends a session modification message to the session management network element, and the session modification message is used to modify or release the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located.

[0269] By adopting the above method, when the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS requirement corresponding to the downlink service flow are the same, the policy control network element determines the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule for the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow respectively, thereby realizing that the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located are different. Therefore, the access network device can report whether PDU set QoS processing is supported for the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow respectively.

[0270] like Figure 8 As shown, the present application provides a communication method, which includes the following steps:

[0271] Step 800: The terminal device sends a PDU session establishment or modification message to the session management network element.

[0272] This step is optional. Exemplarily, the terminal device sends a PDU session establishment or modification message to the session management network element through the access and mobility management network element.

[0273] Step 810: The application function network element sends a first message to the policy control network element.

[0274] For details, please refer to the above step 710.

[0275] Step 820: The policy control network element determines a PCC rule according to the first message.

[0276] For the above scenario 1, the PCC rule includes a PDU set QoS parameter of the first service flow, and the PDU set QoS parameter of the first service flow is determined according to the first message. The first service flow includes an uplink service flow and a downlink service flow, and the PDU set QoS parameter corresponding to the uplink service flow is the same as the PDU set QoS parameter corresponding to the downlink service flow.

[0277] For the above scenario 2, the PCC rule includes the PDU set QoS parameters of the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS parameters of the downlink service flow, wherein the PDU set QoS parameters of the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS parameters of the downlink service flow are the same.

[0278] Step 830: The policy control network element sends the PCC rules to the session management network element.

[0279] Step 840: The session management network element determines the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located. The QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located is different from the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located.

[0280] For the above scenario 1, if the first service flow meets the second preset condition, the session management network element determines different QoS flows for the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow, that is, determines the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located.

[0281] Among them, the first service flow meets the second preset condition, which can be understood as the first service flow includes an uplink service flow and a downlink service flow, and the PDU set QoS parameter corresponding to the uplink service flow is the same as the PDU set QoS parameter corresponding to the downlink service flow. Exemplarily, the session management network element can determine whether the first service flow meets the second preset condition according to the PCC rule.

[0282] For the above scenario 2, when the PDU set QoS parameters of the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS parameters of the downlink service flow are the same, the session management network element determines different QoS flows for the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow, that is, determines the QoS flow where the uplink service flow is located and the QoS flow where the downlink service flow is located.

[0283] Exemplarily, the session management network element may determine, according to the PCC rule, whether the PDU set QoS parameter of the uplink service flow is the same as the PDU set QoS parameter of the downlink service flow.

[0284] Steps 850 to 880 may refer to the above-mentioned steps 750 to 780 and will not be repeated here.

[0285] By adopting the above method, when the PDU set QoS parameters of the uplink service flow and the PDU set QoS parameters of the downlink service flow are the same, the session management network element determines that the QoS flow of the uplink service flow and the QoS flow of the downlink service flow are different. Therefore, the access network device can report whether PDU set QoS processing is supported for the uplink service flow and the downlink service flow respectively.

[0286] It is understandable that, in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, each communication device includes a hardware structure and / or software module corresponding to each function. Those skilled in the art should easily realize that, in combination with the units and method steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed in this application, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0287] Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The following is a schematic diagram of the structure of possible communication devices provided by the embodiments of the present application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of each communication device in the above method embodiments, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects possessed by the above method embodiments.

[0288] like Fig. 9 As shown, the communication device 900 includes a processing unit 910 and a transceiver unit 920 .

[0289] When the communication device 900 is used to implement the functions of the terminal in the above method embodiment:

[0290] The processing unit 910 calls the transceiver unit 920 to execute: sending a request message to the session management network element, the request message is a session establishment message or a session modification message, the request message includes first indication information, the first indication information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identification of data unit sets PDU sets; when the terminal device supports identification of PDU sets, receiving first information from the access network device, the first information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform PDU set quality of service QoS processing.

[0291] When the communication device 900 is used to implement the functions of the terminal in the above method embodiment:

[0292] A processing unit 910 is configured to determine whether identification of a PDU set is supported;

[0293] The transceiver unit 920 is used to send a first indication message to the session management network element, wherein the first indication message is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports the identification of the PDU set; when the terminal device does not support the identification of the PDU set, receive configuration information from the access network device, wherein the configuration information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform QoS processing of the PDU data packet.

[0294] In one possible design, the processing unit 910 is used to determine whether it supports identifying a PDU set in a first service flow, where the first service flow is a service flow of the terminal device; and the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow.

[0295] In one possible design, the transceiver unit 920 is used to receive protocol description information, where the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol and / or a protocol extension header used by the first service flow; the protocol description information is carried by a session establishment accept message or a session modification accept message;

[0296] The processing unit 910 is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow.

[0297] In one possible design, the processing unit 910 is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the uplink data packet in the first service flow.

[0298] In one possible design, the transceiver unit 920 is used to receive first information from an access network device, where the first information is used by the terminal device to perform PDU set QoS processing on the first service flow;

[0299] The processing unit 910 is used to perform PDU set QoS processing on the first service flow based on the first information when the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0300] In one possible design, the processing unit 910 is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow.

[0301] In one possible design, the processing unit 910 is used to support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow if the terminal device supports the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow; if the terminal device does not support the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

[0302] When the communication device 900 is used to implement the function of the session management network element in the above method embodiment:

[0303] The processing unit 910 calls the transceiver unit 920 to execute: receiving a request message, wherein the request message is a session establishment message or a session modification message, and the request message includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identification of PDU sets; when the terminal device supports identification of PDU sets, sending a first configuration to the access network device, wherein the first configuration is used to instruct the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform PDU set QoS processing.

[0304] In one possible design, the first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set;

[0305] The transceiver unit 920 is used to obtain protocol description information, where the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol and / or a protocol extension header used by a first service flow, where the first service flow is a service flow of the terminal device;

[0306] The processing unit 910 is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the first indication information and the protocol description information.

[0307] In one possible design, the processing unit 910 is used to support, by the terminal device, identifying a set of PDUs in the first service flow if the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol used by a first service flow, and the at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and the at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying a set of PDUs in the first service flow; if the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol and a protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and the at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, and the at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying a set of PDUs in the first service flow.

[0308] In one possible design, the transceiver unit 920 is used to send a second configuration to the access network device when the terminal device does not support identifying PDU sets, and the second configuration does not include the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow.

[0309] In one possible design, the transceiver unit 920 is used to send second indication information to the application function network element when the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set, and the second indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set.

[0310] When the communication device 900 is used to implement the function of the session management network element in the above method embodiment:

[0311] The processing unit 910 calls the transceiver unit 920 to execute: receiving a first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identification of a PDU set; and in a case where the terminal device does not support identification of a PDU set, sending a first configuration to the access network device, wherein the first configuration instructs the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform QoS processing of PDU data packets.

[0312] In one possible design, the transceiver unit 920 is used to send protocol description information before receiving the first indication information, where the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and the protocol description information is carried by a session establishment acceptance message or a session modification acceptance message.

[0313] A more detailed description of the processing unit 910 and the transceiver unit 920 can be directly obtained by referring to the relevant description in the above method embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0314] like Fig.10 As shown, the communication device 1000 includes a processor 1010 and an interface circuit 1020. The processor 1010 and the interface circuit 1020 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 1020 can be a transceiver or an input-output interface. Optionally, the communication device 1000 may also include a memory 1030 for storing instructions executed by the processor 1010 or storing input data required by the processor 1010 to execute instructions or storing data generated after the processor 1010 executes instructions.

[0315] When the communication device 1000 is used to implement the above method embodiment, the processor 1010 is used to implement the function of the above processing unit 910, and the interface circuit 1020 is used to implement the function of the above transceiver unit 920.

[0316] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of the present application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components or any combination thereof. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0317] In the present application, another example of a device is provided, the notification device includes at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one processor is coupled to the at least one memory, the at least one memory is used to store instructions, when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the communication device executes the method in the above embodiment. Take the communication device including a processor and a memory as an example, Fig.10 As shown, the communication device 1000 includes a processor 1010 and a memory 1030. The processor 1010 and the memory 1030 are coupled, and the memory 1030 stores instructions. When the instructions stored in the memory 1030 are executed by the processor 1010, the communication device 1000 executes the methods executed by each communication device in the above embodiments.

[0318] The method steps in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions that can be executed by a processor. The software instructions can be composed of corresponding software modules, and the software modules can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, register, hard disk, mobile hard disk, CD-ROM or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and the storage medium can be located in an ASIC. In addition, the ASIC can be located in the above-mentioned terminal or access network device. The processor and the storage medium can also be present in the terminal or access network device as discrete components.

[0319] In the above embodiments, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented by software, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instruction is loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiment of the present application is executed in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user device or other programmable device. The computer program or instruction may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium, for example, the computer program or instruction may be transmitted from one website site, computer, server or data center to another website site, computer, server or data center by wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server, data center, etc. that integrates one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a tape; it may also be an optical medium, for example, a digital video disc; it may also be a semiconductor medium, for example, a solid-state hard disk. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or nonvolatile storage medium, or may include both volatile and nonvolatile types of storage media.

[0320] In the various embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified or provided for in any logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between the different embodiments are consistent and may be referenced to each other, and the technical features in the different embodiments may be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0321] In the present application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In the text description of the present application, the character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship; in the formula of the present application, the character " / " indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in a "division" relationship. "Including at least one of A, B and C" can mean: including A; including B; including C; including A and B; including A and C; including B and C; including A, B and C.

[0322] It is understood that the various numbers involved in the embodiments of the present application are only for the convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of the embodiments of the present application. The size of the sequence number of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution, and the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: The method includes: Sending a request message to a session management network element, where the request message is a session establishment message or a session modification message, and the request message includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identification of data unit sets (PDU sets); In a case where the terminal device supports identifying PDU sets, first information is received from an access network device, where the first information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform PDU set quality of service QoS processing.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The first indication information is used to indicate the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device; or, The first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header.

4. A communication method, characterized in that: The method includes: Determine whether identification of PDU sets is supported; Sending first indication information to a session management network element, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set; In a case where the terminal device does not support identification of PDU sets, configuration information is received from an access network device, where the configuration information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform QoS processing on PDU data packets.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that Determines whether the identification PDU set is supported, including: Determining whether to support identifying a PDU set in a first service flow, where the first service flow is a service flow of the terminal device; The first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The first indication information is carried by a session modification message.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that In the case where the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the session modification message is used to modify or release the QoS flow to which the first service flow belongs.

8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that Determining whether to support identifying a PDU set in a first service flow includes: receiving protocol description information, where the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol and / or a protocol extension header used by the first service flow; the protocol description information is carried by a session establishment accept message or a session modification accept message; Determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow.

9. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that Determining whether to support identifying a PDU set in a first service flow includes: Determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the uplink data packet in the first service flow.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that Also includes: receiving first information from an access network device, where the first information is used by the terminal device to perform PDU aggregate QoS processing on the first service flow; In a case where the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the first service flow is subjected to PDU set QoS processing based on the first information.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that Determining whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow according to an uplink data packet in the first service flow includes: Determining a protocol and / or a protocol extension header used by the first service flow according to the uplink data packet; Determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow.

12. The method according to claim 8 or 11, characterized in that Determining whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow according to a protocol and / or a protocol extension header used by the first service flow includes: If the terminal device supports the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow; If the terminal device does not support the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

13. A communication method, characterized in that: The method includes: receiving a request message, where the request message is a session establishment message or a session modification message, and the request message includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to determine whether the terminal device supports identification of a PDU set; In a case where the terminal device supports identification of PDU sets, a first configuration is sent to an access network device, wherein the first configuration is used to instruct the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform PDU set QoS processing.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The first indication information is used to indicate the PDU set identification capability of the terminal device.

15. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The first indication information includes protocol information supported by the terminal device for identifying a PDU set; The method further comprises: Acquire protocol description information, where the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol and / or a protocol extension header used by a first service flow, where the first service flow is a service flow of the terminal device; Determine whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow based on the first indication information and the protocol description information.

16. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The protocol information for identifying the PDU set supported by the terminal device is used to indicate at least one protocol and / or at least one protocol extension header; Determining whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow according to the first indication information and the protocol description information includes: If the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol used by a first service flow, and the at least one protocol includes a protocol used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow; If the protocol description information is used to indicate a protocol extension header used by a first service flow, and the at least one protocol extension header includes a protocol extension header used by the first service flow, the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set in the first service flow; If the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and the at least one protocol includes the protocol used by the first service flow, and the at least one protocol extension header includes the protocol extension header used by the first service flow, then the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

17. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that: The first configuration includes a PDU set QoS parameter of the first service flow.

18. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that: The method further comprises: In the case that the terminal device does not support identification of PDU sets, a second configuration is sent to the access network device, where the second configuration does not include the PDU set QoS parameters of the first service flow.

19. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 18, characterized in that: The method further comprises: In the case that the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set, second indication information is sent to the application function network element, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set.

20. A communication method, characterized in that: The method includes: Receiving first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying a PDU set; In the case that the terminal device does not support identification of PDU sets, a first configuration is sent to the access network device, wherein the first configuration instructs the access network device to configure the terminal device to perform QoS processing of the PDU data packets.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein: The first indication information is used to indicate whether the terminal device supports identifying the PDU set in the first service flow.

22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that The first indication information is carried by a session modification message.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein: In the case where the terminal device does not support identifying the PDU set in the first service flow, the session modification message is used to modify or release the QoS flow to which the first service flow belongs.

24. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 23, characterized in that The method further comprises: Before receiving the first indication information, protocol description information is sent, where the protocol description information is used to indicate the protocol and / or protocol extension header used by the first service flow, and the protocol description information is carried by a session establishment accept message or a session modification accept message.

25. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 24, characterized in that The method further comprises: In the case that the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set, second indication information is sent to the application function network element, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device does not support identification of the PDU set.

26. A communication device, characterized in that: The method comprises a unit or a module for executing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 25.

27. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device comprises at least one processor; the at least one processor is configured to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 25.

28. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium includes a program or an instruction, and when the program or the instruction is executed, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 25 is performed.

29. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product comprises a program or instructions, which, when executed, causes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 25 to be performed.

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