User plane protocol negotiation method, user plane protocol negotiation system and related equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a user plane protocol negotiation method, a user plane protocol negotiation system and related equipment, and relates to the technical field of communication. The method comprises: sending a protocol negotiation request message to a core network element, the protocol negotiation request message being used for requesting negotiation of a user plane protocol used between an access network device and the core network element, the protocol negotiation request message at least carrying a network address of the access network device; receiving a protocol negotiation response message returned by the network element of the core network according to the network address, wherein the protocol negotiation response message carries a user plane protocol recommended by the network element of the core network; and determining a user plane protocol used between the access network equipment and the core network element according to the protocol negotiation response message. Through the dynamic negotiation method, the access network equipment and the core network element, flexible configuration of protocols can be realized, the network performance is optimized, the resource utilization rate is improved, the compatibility and flexibility of the network are enhanced, and diversified requirements of different users and applications are better met.

Description

Background Art

[0002] In existing communication networks, the user plane protocols between access network devices and core network elements are usually pre-configured, or fixed based on network standards. However, with the rapid development of network technology and the diversification of user needs, this static protocol configuration method will not be able to meet the performance requirements of all application scenarios.

[0003] In order to solve the above technical problems, a method is needed to dynamically negotiate the user plane protocol so that the access network equipment and the core network element can flexibly select the most appropriate protocol according to the network environment and application requirements.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background technology section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to ordinary technicians in the field. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a user plane protocol negotiation method, system and related equipment, which at least to a certain extent overcome the problem of inflexible user plane protocol configuration in related technologies.

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

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a user plane protocol negotiation method is provided, which is applied to an access network device, including: sending a protocol negotiation request message to a core network network element, the protocol negotiation request message being used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element, the protocol negotiation request message carrying at least: a network address of the access network device; receiving a protocol negotiation response message returned by the core network element based on the network address, the protocol negotiation response message carrying a user plane protocol recommended by the core network element; and determining, based on the protocol negotiation response message, the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element.

[0008] In some embodiments, the user plane protocol includes: an application layer protocol and / or a transport layer protocol.

[0009] In some embodiments, the protocol negotiation request message also carries one or more of the following: access types supported by the access network device, a list of application layer protocols supported by the access network device, and a list of transport layer protocols supported by the access network device.

[0010] In some embodiments, the protocol negotiation response message also carries one or more of the following: the network address of the core network element, the list of application layer protocols supported by the core network element, the list of transport layer protocols supported by the core network element, and the protocol selection scheme recommended by the core network element.

[0011] In some embodiments, the access network device is an enhanced access network eAN network element, and the core network network element is an enhanced user plane function eUPF network element.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a user plane protocol negotiation method is also provided, which is applied to a core network network element, including: receiving a protocol negotiation request message sent by an access network device, the protocol negotiation request message being used to request negotiation of the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element, the protocol negotiation request message carrying at least: a network address of the access network device; returning a protocol negotiation response message to the access network device according to the network address, the protocol negotiation response message carrying the user plane protocol recommended by the core network network element, so that the access network device determines the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element according to the protocol negotiation response message.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an access network device is also provided, including: a request message sending module, used to send a protocol negotiation request message to a core network network element, the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device; a response message receiving module, used to receive a protocol negotiation response message returned by the core network element according to the network address, the protocol negotiation response message carries the user plane protocol recommended by the core network element; a protocol determination module, used to determine the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element according to the protocol negotiation response message.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a core network device is also provided, including: a request message receiving module, used to receive a protocol negotiation request message sent by an access network device, the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device, the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device; a response message returning module, used to return a protocol negotiation response message to the access network device according to the network address, the protocol negotiation response message carries the user plane protocol recommended by the core network device, so that the access network device determines the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device according to the protocol negotiation response message.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a user plane protocol negotiation system is also provided, including: an access network device and a core network device; wherein the access network device is used to send a protocol negotiation request message to the core network device, the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device; receiving a protocol negotiation response message, and determining the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device according to the protocol negotiation response message; the core network device is used to receive the protocol negotiation request message sent by the access network device, and return a protocol negotiation response message to the access network device according to the network address, and the protocol negotiation response message carries the user plane protocol recommended by the core network device.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is also provided, which includes: a processor; and a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to execute any one of the user plane protocol negotiation methods described above by executing the executable instructions.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the user plane protocol negotiation method described in any one of the above is implemented.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is further provided, including a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the user plane protocol negotiation method of any one of the above is implemented.

[0019] In the user plane protocol negotiation method, system and related equipment provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the access network device sends a protocol negotiation request message to the core network network element, including its own network address information, requesting to negotiate the user plane protocol used by both parties. The core network network element returns a protocol negotiation response message based on the network address of the access network device, including a recommended user plane protocol suitable for the current network environment and application requirements. The access network device determines the user plane protocol ultimately used between it and the core network network element based on the received protocol negotiation response message. Through this dynamic negotiation method in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the access network device and the core network network element can achieve flexible configuration of the protocol, thereby optimizing network performance, improving resource utilization, and enhancing the compatibility and flexibility of the network to better meet the diverse needs of different users and applications.

[0020] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, and together with the specification are used to explain the principles of the present disclosure. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and for ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a user plane protocol negotiation system architecture in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 A flow chart of a user plane protocol negotiation method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 3 A flow chart of another user plane protocol negotiation method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a 5G user plane protocol stack in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a system supporting user plane protocol negotiation in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a protocol negotiation process in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an access network device in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a core network device in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Fig. 9 A structural block diagram of an electronic device in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure will be more comprehensive and complete and to fully convey the concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0032] In addition, the accompanying drawings are only schematic illustrations of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or similar parts, and their repeated description will be omitted. Some of the block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities can be implemented in software form, or implemented in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or implemented in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0033] Figure 1 FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a user plane protocol negotiation system architecture in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the user plane protocol negotiation system architecture may include an access network device 101 and a core network device 102 .

[0034] Among them, the access network device 101 is used to send a protocol negotiation request message to the core network device 102, and the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device. The protocol negotiation request message carries at least: the network address of the access network device; receiving a protocol negotiation response message, and determining the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device according to the protocol negotiation response message.

[0035] Specifically, an access network device may refer to any access device that connects a user terminal device (such as a mobile phone, computer, smart home device, etc.) to the network. It is the first layer of the network and is responsible for connecting the user device to the Internet or other networks. The main functions of an access network device include: The access network device connects the user device (such as a mobile phone, computer, smart home device, etc.) to the network so that the user device can access network resources. The access network device is responsible for transmitting the data generated by the user device to the network, and transmitting the data in the network to the user device. The access network device can control the access rights of the user device, such as identity authentication, traffic control, etc. The access network device can provide users with various network services, such as access authentication, billing, network address translation, etc.

[0036] The access network devices in the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to wireless access network devices, such as base stations (eNodeB, gNB), home base stations (HeNB), relay stations, etc., which are responsible for connecting user equipment to wireless networks; wired access network devices, such as modems (Modem), optical fiber access terminals (ONT), routers, etc., are responsible for connecting user equipment to wired networks. Other access network devices, such as satellite terminals, drones, etc., are responsible for connecting user equipment to other types of networks.

[0037] The core network device 102 is used to receive the protocol negotiation request message sent by the access network device 101, and return a protocol negotiation response message to the access network device according to the network address. The protocol negotiation response message carries the user plane protocol recommended by the core network device.

[0038] Specifically, the core network device 102 can be any core network device. The core network device is a key component for building a network infrastructure and is responsible for processing core functions in the network, such as data exchange, routing, network management, user access authentication, etc. It is the hub of the network, connecting the access network and the transmission network, connecting the user device to the Internet or other networks, and providing various network services. In the disclosed embodiment, the core network device can be a mobile core network device, such as a mobile switching center (MSC), a service gateway (SGW), a packet data gateway (PGW), a user plane function (UPF), etc., which is responsible for processing the voice, data, SMS and other services of mobile users; fixed core network devices, such as broadband access servers (BAS), broadband remote access servers (BRAS), IP / MPLS backbone network devices, etc., are responsible for processing the network connection and services of fixed users; other core network devices, such as content distribution networks (CDNs), data centers (DCs), etc., are responsible for storing and distributing network content, providing cloud computing services, etc.

[0039] In some embodiments, the core network device 102 and the access network device 101 may be connected via a network. The network is used as a medium for providing a communication link between the access network device 101 and the core network device 102, and may be a wired network or a wireless network.

[0040] Optionally, the wireless network or wired network described above uses standard communication technology and / or protocol. The network is usually the Internet, but it can also be any network, including but not limited to a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a mobile, wired or wireless network, a dedicated network or any combination of a virtual private network). In some embodiments, the data exchanged through the network is represented by technologies and / or formats including Hyper Text Mark-up Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), etc. In addition, conventional encryption technologies such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Virtual Private Network (VPN), Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) can also be used to encrypt all or some links. In other embodiments, customized and / or dedicated data communication technologies can also be used to replace or supplement the above data communication technologies.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in order to realize the protocol negotiation function, a dedicated protocol negotiation service API (Application Programming Interface) may be added between the core network device 102 and the access network device 101 in the above system.

[0042] Those skilled in the art will know that Figure 1 The number of access network devices and core network devices in the embodiment is only for illustration, and any number of access network devices and core network devices may be provided according to actual needs. The embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit this.

[0043] Under the above system architecture, a user plane protocol negotiation method is provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, and the method can be executed by any electronic device with computing and processing capabilities.

[0044] Figure 2 A flow chart of a user plane protocol negotiation method in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the user plane protocol negotiation method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to an access network device, and the method includes the following steps:

[0045] S202, sending a protocol negotiation request message to a core network element, the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device.

[0046] It should be noted that the protocol negotiation request message can be any message sent by an access network device to a core network element for requesting negotiation of the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element, that is, the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of the user plane protocol between the access network device and the core network element.

[0047] The user plane protocol refers to a protocol used for user data transmission in a communication network, and the user plane protocol is responsible for transmitting user data from a source end to a destination end. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the user plane protocol may include an application layer protocol and / or a transport layer protocol.

[0048] In some embodiments, the application layer protocol specifically includes the GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol) protocol and the SRv6 (Segment Routing with IPv6) protocol. The GTP protocol is used to transmit user data and control signaling in mobile communication networks. The GTP protocol is mainly used in the user plane of the communication network, for example: the GTP-U (GTP User Plane) protocol is responsible for transmitting user data between the base station (access network equipment) and the UPF (UserPlane Function) network element. SRv6 is an IPv6-based data transmission protocol that uses the segment routing extension in the IPv6 header to define the forwarding path of the data packet. The SRv6 protocol can provide flexible routing control, traffic engineering, network slicing and other functions.

[0049] In some embodiments, the transport layer protocol is responsible for establishing connections, transmitting data, and controlling data transmission between applications, and may specifically include the QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections) protocol, TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol). In user-plane protocol negotiation, the appropriate transport layer protocol can be selected according to different data transmission requirements. For example, for applications that need to ensure the reliability of data transmission, the TCP protocol can be selected, which provides reliable data transmission services and ensures the integrity of data transmission. For applications with higher real-time requirements, the UDP protocol can be selected, which provides fast data transmission services, but cannot guarantee the reliability of the data.

[0050] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the protocol negotiation request message may carry a variety of information, such as providing the core network element with information such as the network address, access type, application layer protocol capability, and transport layer protocol capability of the access network device, so that the core network element can understand the protocol support status of the access network device. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the protocol negotiation request message may carry at least the network address of the access network device, that is, the IP address or other network identifier of the access network device, for the core network element to identify the access network device.

[0051] In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, in addition to carrying the network address of the necessary access network device, the protocol negotiation request message may also carry one or more of the following:

[0052] Access types supported by access network devices: Access methods that access network devices can support, such as wireless access, fixed access, or satellite access.

[0053] List of application layer protocols supported by access network devices: a series of application layer protocols that access network devices can support, such as the GTP protocol and SRV6 protocol mentioned above.

[0054] List of transport layer protocols supported by access network devices: a series of transport layer protocols that access network devices can support, such as the TCP protocol, UDP protocol, QUIC protocol, etc. mentioned above.

[0055] When the protocol negotiation request message includes the above optional information, the core network element will better recommend the user plane protocol based on the information carried in the protocol negotiation request message.

[0056] S204, receiving a protocol negotiation response message returned by the core network element according to the network address, wherein the protocol negotiation response message carries a user plane protocol recommended by the core network element.

[0057] It should be noted that the protocol negotiation request message indicates that the access network device wishes to negotiate the user plane protocol with the core network element, and requests the core network element to recommend a suitable protocol. Therefore, it is necessary only to provide the network address of the access network device. The core network element knows that the access network device wants to negotiate the user plane protocol based on the protocol negotiation request message, and returns the user plane protocol recommended by itself to it based on the network address of the access network device. It should also be noted that the user plane protocol recommended by the core network element can be any user plane protocol supported by the core network element, or it can be the user plane protocol determined to be used by the core network element. That is, the core network element may recommend one or more of the user plane protocols in the list it supports. In some cases, the core network element may recommend the user plane protocol it has determined to use, which may be because the network policy requires all access network devices to use a unified protocol, or because the protocol has been optimized for specific network conditions.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the protocol negotiation response message returned by the core network network element to the access network device may carry, in addition to the user plane protocol recommended by the core network network element, one or more of the following: the network address of the core network network element, a list of application layer protocols supported by the core network network element, a list of transport layer protocols supported by the core network network element, and a protocol selection scheme recommended by the core network network element.

[0059] The network address of a core network element is the unique identifier of the core network element in the network, and is used by access network devices to confirm and locate the core network element. The list of application layer protocols supported by the core network element is a list of application layer protocols that the core network element can support and process, including GTP, SRV6, etc. The list of transport layer protocols supported by the core network element is a list of transport layer protocols that the core network element can support and process, including TCP, UDP, QUIC, etc. The protocol selection scheme recommended by the core network element is one or more protocol combinations recommended by the core network element to achieve the best communication effect. By carrying this additional information, the core network element can provide more comprehensive support and guidance to the access network equipment, helping the access network equipment to more accurately select and use user plane protocols, thereby improving the efficiency and quality of network communications.

[0060] S206: Determine the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element according to the protocol negotiation response message.

[0061] After receiving the protocol negotiation request message, the core network element will generate a protocol negotiation response message based on the information provided by the access network device and its own network policy and resource situation. The protocol negotiation response message carries the user plane protocol recommended by itself. After the access network device receives the protocol negotiation response message from the core network element, in some embodiments, the access network device considers the user plane protocol recommended by the core network element, and the access network device will check whether it supports the protocol recommended by the core network element. If supported, these suggestions may be adopted. In some other embodiments, the access network device may set a priority based on the user plane protocol recommended by the core network and its own needs to select the final user plane protocol. In some other embodiments, the access network device will also consider the performance characteristics (such as delay, throughput) and compatibility of the user plane protocol to ensure that the selected user plane protocol can meet the current business needs.

[0062] After the above considerations, the access network equipment will make a final decision and determine the user plane protocol to be used between the access network equipment and the core network elements. Through this process, the access network equipment and the core network elements can reach an agreement on the user plane protocol, thereby ensuring efficient and secure data transmission.

[0063] In the disclosed embodiments, flexible and efficient protocol negotiation can be achieved between the access network equipment and the core network elements to meet different network environments and business requirements, which not only improves the efficiency of data transmission, but also enhances the security of the network, providing users with a better communication experience.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the user plane protocol negotiation method is applicable to eAN (Enhanced Access Node) network elements and eUPF (Enhanced User Plane Function) network elements. The embodiments of the present disclosure are particularly applicable to these two types of network devices, which play a key role in 5G networks.

[0065] eAN network elements are access network devices with enhanced functions in 5G networks. They usually have stronger processing power, higher data transmission rate, and more flexible network slicing capabilities. eAN network elements are responsible for connecting user terminal devices and core networks, providing wireless access services, and handling user-related data transmission and control functions.

[0066] eUPF network elements are user plane function network elements with enhanced functions in 5G networks. They are responsible for processing user data plane functions such as data routing and forwarding, flow control, congestion control, etc. eUPF network elements play an important role in 5G networks. They are responsible for the reliability, efficiency and security of data transmission, ensuring that user data can be transmitted quickly and stably.

[0067] The disclosed embodiments are specifically aimed at user plane protocol negotiation between eAN network elements and eUPF network elements, so that the network can better utilize the enhanced functions of these devices to achieve more efficient and reliable data transmission. By implementing the user plane protocol negotiation method between the eAN network elements and the eUPF network elements, the eAN network elements and the eUPF network elements can select the most appropriate user plane protocol according to their respective enhanced functions and network environment, thereby improving network performance and user experience. The disclosed embodiments are applicable to 5G networks and will continue to play an important role in the development of future 6G networks.

[0068] Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a user plane protocol negotiation method, which is applied to a core network element, such as Figure 3 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0069] S302, receiving a protocol negotiation request message sent by an access network device, where the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and a core network element, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device;

[0070] S304, returning a protocol negotiation response message to the access network device according to the network address, the protocol negotiation response message carrying the user plane protocol recommended by the core network element, so that the access network device determines the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element according to the protocol negotiation response message.

[0071] The principle of solving the problem in the embodiment of the present disclosure is similar to that of the above method embodiment, so the specific implementation of the method can refer to the above method implementation, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, taking gNB (eAN) as an access network device and eUPF as a core network element as an example, it is specifically explained how to implement the user plane protocol negotiation method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0073] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a 5G user plane protocol stack in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4 As shown, the N3 interface is the interface between 5G-AN and UPF, supporting the GTP protocol; the N9 interface is the interface between UPFs, supporting the GTP protocol; and the N6 interface is the interface between UPF and DN data network. Figure 4It can be seen that the 5G interface protocol stack is solidified, and the GTP protocol is used between the user plane (such as between gNB and UPF, and between UPFs). These solidified protocol stacks can no longer meet the information and data transmission in the future 6G mobile network. The 6G network is more intelligent, the data interaction in the network is more frequent, and the data types of interaction are more complex. The future 6G network supports multiple integrated access methods, including wireless, fixed, satellite and other access methods. The data channel between the access network and the core network will also be more flexible and diverse. The requirements for the data transmission protocol stack are also more flexible and diverse, and the interface needs to support a flexible and negotiable protocol stack.

[0074] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a system supporting user plane protocol negotiation in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5 As shown in the figure, a protocol negotiation service API is added in eAN and eUPF to implement the protocol negotiation function of the entities at both ends of the interface. The protocol stack between the interfaces is determined through the negotiation process, thereby supporting flexible protocol stack functions.

[0075] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a protocol negotiation process between an eAN and an eUPF in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, including:

[0076] S602, the access network initiates an interface protocol negotiation request message, which carries the network element IP address, network element access type (wireless, fixed or satellite), application layer protocol capability (such as eGTP enhanced GTP protocol, or eSRV6 enhanced SRv6 protocol), and L3 transport protocol (such as QUIC, TCP or UDP)

[0077] S604, the enhanced user plane function returns an interface protocol negotiation response message, carrying supported application layer protocols and L3 transmission protocols;

[0078] S606: The access network returns an interface protocol negotiation acceptance message.

[0079] In some embodiments, the protocol negotiation request message may specifically include the content shown in Table 1.

[0080] Table 1

[0081]

[0082] In some embodiments, the message format of "Node IP" in Table 1 above is as shown in Table 1-1 below.

[0083] Table 1-1

[0084]

[0085] In some embodiments, the message format of "Access Type" in Table 1 above is as shown in Table 1-2 below.

[0086] Table 1-2

[0087]

[0088] In some embodiments, the message format of the "Application Protocol Type" in Table 1 above is as shown in Tables 1-3 below.

[0089] Table 1-3

[0090]

[0091] In some embodiments, the message format of the "L3 Protocol Type" in Table 1 above is as shown in Tables 1-4 below.

[0092] Table 1-4

[0093]

[0094] In some embodiments, the protocol negotiation response message may specifically include the content shown in Table 2.

[0095] Table 2

[0096]

[0097] In some embodiments, the message format of "Node IP" in Table 2 above is as shown in Table 2-1 below.

[0098] Table 2-1

[0099]

[0100] In some embodiments, the message format of the "Recommend Application Protocol Type" in Table 2 above is as shown in Table 2-2 below.

[0101] Table 2-2

[0102]

[0103] In some embodiments, the message format of the "Recommend L3 Protocol Type" in Table 2 above is shown in Table 2-3 below.

[0104] Table 2-3

[0105]

[0106] In some embodiments, the protocol negotiation response message may specifically include the content shown in Table 3.

[0107] Table 3

[0108]

[0109]

[0110] In some embodiments, the message format of the "Result Code" in Table 3 above is as shown in Table 3-1 below.

[0111] Table 3-1

[0112]

[0113] The disclosed embodiments support future mobile network protocol stacks. Based on different contents to be transmitted, the application layer and transport layer protocols used can be negotiated, and editable and flexible protocol stack combinations are supported.

[0114] Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a ... device, as described in the following embodiments. Since the principle of solving the problem in the device embodiment is similar to that in the above method embodiment, the implementation of the device embodiment can refer to the implementation of the above method embodiment, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0115] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an access network device in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7 As shown, the access network equipment includes:

[0116] The request message sending module 701 is used to send a protocol negotiation request message to the core network element. The protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element. The protocol negotiation request message carries at least: the network address of the access network device;

[0117] A response message receiving module 702 is used to receive a protocol negotiation response message returned by the core network element according to the network address, wherein the protocol negotiation response message carries a user plane protocol recommended by the core network element;

[0118] The protocol determination module 703 is used to determine the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element according to the protocol negotiation response message.

[0119] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a core network device in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 8 As shown, the core network equipment includes:

[0120] The request message receiving module 801 is used to receive a protocol negotiation request message sent by an access network device. The protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device. The protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device;

[0121] The response message returning module 802 is used to return a protocol negotiation response message to the access network device according to the network address. The protocol negotiation response message carries the user plane protocol recommended by the core network device, so that the access network device determines the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device according to the protocol negotiation response message.

[0122] It should be noted that the examples and application scenarios implemented by the above modules and corresponding steps are the same, but are not limited to the contents disclosed in the above method embodiments. It should be noted that the above modules as part of the device can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer executable instructions.

[0123] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented as systems, methods or program products. Therefore, various aspects of the present disclosure may be specifically implemented in the following forms, namely: complete hardware implementation, complete software implementation (including firmware, microcode, etc.), or a combination of hardware and software, which may be collectively referred to herein as "circuits", "modules" or "systems".

[0124] Refer to the following Fig. 9 The electronic device 900 according to this embodiment of the present disclosure is described. Fig. 9 The electronic device 900 shown is merely an example and should not bring any limitation to the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0125] like Fig. 9 As shown, the electronic device 900 is in the form of a general computing device. The components of the electronic device 900 may include but are not limited to: at least one processing unit 910, at least one storage unit 920, and a bus 930 connecting different system components (including the storage unit 920 and the processing unit 910).

[0126] Among them, the storage unit stores a program code, and the program code can be executed by the processing unit 910, so that the processing unit 910 executes the steps described in the above "Exemplary Method" section of this specification according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the processing unit 910 can execute the following steps of the above method embodiment: sending a protocol negotiation request message to a core network network element, the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network network element, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: the network address of the access network device; receiving a protocol negotiation response message returned by the core network network element according to the network address, the protocol negotiation response message carries the user plane protocol recommended by the core network network element; according to the protocol negotiation response message, determining the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element.

[0127] The storage unit 920 may include a readable medium in the form of a volatile storage unit, such as a random access storage unit (RAM) 9201 and / or a cache storage unit 9202 , and may further include a read-only storage unit (ROM) 9203 .

[0128] The storage unit 920 may also include a program / utility 9204 having a set (at least one) of program modules 9205, such program modules 9205 including but not limited to: an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data, each of which or some combination may include an implementation of a network environment.

[0129] Bus 930 may represent one or more of several types of bus structures, including a memory unit bus or memory unit controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, a processing unit, or a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures.

[0130] The electronic device 900 may also communicate with one or more external devices 940 (e.g., keyboards, pointing devices, Bluetooth devices, etc.), may also communicate with one or more devices that enable a user to interact with the electronic device 900, and / or may communicate with any device that enables the electronic device 900 to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., routers, modems, etc.). Such communication may be performed via an input / output (I / O) interface 950. Furthermore, the electronic device 900 may also communicate with one or more networks (e.g., local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and / or public networks, such as the Internet) via a network adapter 960. As shown, the network adapter 960 communicates with other modules of the electronic device 900 via a bus 930. It should be understood that, although not shown in the figure, other hardware and / or software modules may be used in conjunction with the electronic device 900, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems, etc.

[0131] Through the description of the above implementation, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the example implementation described here can be implemented by software, or by software combined with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solution according to the implementation of the present disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (which can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to enable a computing device (which can be a personal computer, a server, a terminal device, or a network device, etc.) to execute the method according to the implementation of the present disclosure.

[0132] In particular, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the process described above with reference to the flowchart may be implemented as a computer program product, which includes: a computer program, which implements the method in the above embodiment when executed by a processor.

[0133] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A program product capable of implementing the above method of the present disclosure is stored thereon. In some possible implementations, various aspects of the present disclosure may also be implemented in the form of a program product, which includes a program code, and when the program product is run on a terminal device, the program code is used to cause the terminal device to execute the steps according to various exemplary implementations of the present disclosure described in the above “Exemplary Method” section of this specification.

[0134] More specific examples of computer-readable storage media in the present disclosure may include, but are not limited to, an electrical connection having one or more conductors, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0135] In the present disclosure, a computer readable storage medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, wherein a readable program code is carried. Such propagated data signals may take a variety of forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination of the above. A readable signal medium may also be any readable medium other than a readable storage medium, which may send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0136] Alternatively, the program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, optical cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0137] In a specific implementation, the program code for performing the operations of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar programming languages. The program code may be executed entirely on the user computing device, partially on the user device, as a separate software package, partially on the user computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In the case of a remote computing device, the remote computing device may be connected to the user computing device through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computing device (e.g., using an Internet service provider to connect through the Internet).

[0138] It should be noted that, although several modules or units of the device for action execution are mentioned in the above detailed description, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in one module or unit. On the contrary, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided into multiple modules or units to be embodied.

[0139] In addition, although the steps of the method in the present disclosure are described in a specific order in the drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in this specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired results. Additionally or alternatively, some steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or one step may be decomposed into multiple steps, etc.

[0140] Through the description of the above implementation, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the example implementation described here can be implemented by software, or by software combined with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solution according to the implementation of the present disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (which can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to enable a computing device (which can be a personal computer, a server, a mobile terminal, or a network device, etc.) to execute the method according to the implementation of the present disclosure.

[0141] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present disclosure after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. The present disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present disclosure, which follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art that are not disclosed in the present disclosure. The description and examples are intended to be exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A user plane protocol negotiation method, characterized in that: Applied to access network equipment, including: Sending a protocol negotiation request message to a core network element, wherein the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device; receiving a protocol negotiation response message returned by the core network element according to the network address, wherein the protocol negotiation response message carries a user plane protocol recommended by the core network element; A user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element is determined according to the protocol negotiation response message.

2. The user plane protocol negotiation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The user plane protocol includes: an application layer protocol and / or a transport layer protocol.

3. The user plane protocol negotiation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protocol negotiation request message also carries one or more of the following: the access type supported by the access network device, the application layer protocol list supported by the access network device, and the transport layer protocol list supported by the access network device.

4. The user plane protocol negotiation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protocol negotiation response message also carries one or more of the following: the network address of the core network element, the list of application layer protocols supported by the core network element, the list of transport layer protocols supported by the core network element, and the protocol selection scheme recommended by the core network element.

5. The user plane protocol negotiation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The access network device is an enhanced access network eAN network element, and the core network network element is an enhanced user plane function eUPF network element.

6. A user plane protocol negotiation method, characterized in that: Applied to core network elements, including: receiving a protocol negotiation request message sent by an access network device, wherein the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device; A protocol negotiation response message is returned to the access network device according to the network address, wherein the protocol negotiation response message carries the user plane protocol recommended by the core network network element, so that the access network device determines the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element according to the protocol negotiation response message.

7. An access network device, characterized in that: include: A request message sending module, used to send a protocol negotiation request message to a core network element, wherein the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device; a response message receiving module, configured to receive a protocol negotiation response message returned by the core network element according to the network address, wherein the protocol negotiation response message carries a user plane protocol recommended by the core network element; A protocol determination module is used to determine the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network element according to the protocol negotiation response message.

8. A core network device, characterized in that: include: A request message receiving module, used to receive a protocol negotiation request message sent by an access network device, wherein the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device; A response message returning module is used to return a protocol negotiation response message to the access network device according to the network address, wherein the protocol negotiation response message carries the user plane protocol recommended by the core network device, so that the access network device determines the user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device according to the protocol negotiation response message.

9. A user plane protocol negotiation system, characterized in that: include: Access network equipment and core network equipment; The access network device is used to send a protocol negotiation request message to the core network device, wherein the protocol negotiation request message is used to request negotiation of a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device, and the protocol negotiation request message carries at least: a network address of the access network device; receiving a protocol negotiation response message, and determining a user plane protocol used between the access network device and the core network device according to the protocol negotiation response message; The core network device is used to receive a protocol negotiation request message sent by an access network device, and return a protocol negotiation response message to the access network device according to the network address, wherein the protocol negotiation response message carries a user plane protocol recommended by the core network device.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: processor; as well as A memory, configured to store executable instructions of the processor; The processor is configured to execute the user plane protocol negotiation method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 by executing the executable instructions.

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

12. A computer program product comprising: A computer program or instruction, characterized in that when the computer program or instruction is executed by a processor, the user plane protocol negotiation method described in any one of claims 1 to 6 is implemented.

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