Communication method and device

Abstract

The invention discloses a communication method and device. The method comprises: a gateway device receiving a first request from a terminal, the first request being used for requesting to provide a service of M network slices for the terminal, M being a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; after determining the first allowed NSSAI, the gateway device may send the first allowed NSSAI to the terminal. The first allowed NSSAI comprises identifiers of N network slices in the M network slices, network slices allowed by different core network devices to provide services for the terminal exist in the N network slices, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M. Through the method, the gateway equipment can support network slicing. Moreover, when the network slices which are allowed by different core network devices to provide services for the terminal exist in the N network slices, the gateway device can quickly determine the first allowed NSSAI containing the identifiers of the N network slices, so that the services of the N network slices can be provided for the terminal in time.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the development of mobile communication technology, various new services and application scenarios continue to emerge. These services have very different requirements for network functions, connectivity and security. If a single network is used to carry these services, it will be difficult to meet the requirements of high bandwidth, low latency, high reliability and so on. If a new network is built for each service separately, the cost will be greatly increased. This requires that the communication network can meet different business needs while having characteristics such as flexibility and scalability. To this end, the fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system proposes to provide users with customized network services through end-to-end network slicing. Network slicing can be regarded as a logical subnet, and each network slice is isolated from each other, so that targeted services can be provided to users.

[0003] At present, for communication systems including gateway devices, how to support network slicing needs further study. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a communication method and apparatus, which enables a communication system including a gateway device to support network slicing.

[0005] In a first aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a communication method, which can be executed by a gateway device or by a chip or circuit configured in the gateway device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is based on an example of execution by a gateway device.

[0006] The method includes: after receiving a first request from a terminal, the gateway device may determine first allowed network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) and send the first allowed NSSAI to the terminal. The first request is used to request to provide services of M network slices for the terminal, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; the first allowed NSSAI includes identifiers of N network slices among the M network slices, and there are network slices in the N network slices that different core network devices allow to provide services for the terminal, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M.

[0007] Through this method, after the terminal requests the gateway device to provide services of M network slices for the terminal, the gateway device can determine the first allowed NSSAI, which includes the identifiers of N network slices among the M network slices. In this way, the gateway device can support network slicing.

[0008] Moreover, in the method, among the N network slices, there are network slices that are allowed to be provided to the terminal by different core network devices (for example, different access and mobility management functions (AMF)). Currently, after the terminal accesses the access network device, the access network device can only communicate with one AMF, and cannot quickly obtain the first allowed NSSAI containing the identifiers of the N network slices. In the method, since the gateway device can communicate with multiple core network devices (for example, multiple AMFs), when the gateway device supports termination mode 2, the gateway device can quickly determine the first allowed NSSAI containing the identifiers of the N network slices, thereby improving the success rate and efficiency of the terminal requesting the network slice service, ensuring the continuity of the network slice service, and improving the resource utilization of the core network device.

[0009] In one possible design, the gateway device may request first information from at least one core network device, where the first information is used to determine a first allowed NSSAI. After receiving at least one first information, the gateway device may determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the at least one first information.

[0010] Through this design, the gateway device can request the first information from each core network device in at least one core network device respectively, so as to quickly obtain at least one first information, and then quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI.

[0011] In one possible design, the first information includes at least one of the following:

[0012] 1. The first subscription information of the terminal, where the first subscription information indicates the network slice to which the terminal has subscribed. With this design, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the first subscription information of the terminal. Moreover, in this method, at least one core network device only needs to send the first subscription information to the gateway device, and at least one core network device does not need to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving computing resources of at least one core network device and reducing power consumption of at least one core network device.

[0013] 2. Information for indicating whether the terminal has signed a contract for P network slices out of M network slices, where P is a positive integer less than or equal to M. Through this design, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the information for indicating whether the terminal has signed a contract for P network slices out of M network slices. Moreover, in this method, at least one core network device only needs to send information for indicating whether the terminal has signed a contract for P network slices out of M network slices to the gateway device, thereby reducing signaling overhead, and eliminating the need for at least one core network device to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving computing resources of at least one core network device and reducing power consumption of at least one core network device.

[0014] 3. At least one second allowed NSSAI, at least one second allowed NSSAI includes the identifiers of Q network slices out of M network slices, Q is a positive integer less than or equal to M, and Q network slices are network slices that one core network device out of at least one core network device allows to provide services to the terminal. Through this design, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on at least one second allowed NSSAI, and can reduce the amount of calculation used by the gateway device to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving the computing resources of the gateway device and reducing the power consumption of the gateway device.

[0015] In one possible design, the gateway device may send a first message to the first core network device, where the first message is used to request the second information, and the second information is used to determine the first allowed NSSAI. After receiving the second information from the first core network device, the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI based on the second information. Through this design, the gateway device can obtain the second information from the first core network device, and the second information is related to the first core network device and the third core network device. In this way, there is no need for the terminal to establish a non-access stratum (NAS) connection with multiple core network devices. The gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the second information, thereby reducing the number of NAS connections established between the terminal and the core network device and reducing the power consumption of the terminal.

[0016] In one possible design, a gateway device may obtain a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device, and send third information to an access network device managed by the gateway device, where the third information is used to indicate a first network slice list, and the first network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by at least one core network device. With this design, the gateway device may integrate information of at least one core network device, thereby better supporting network slicing. In addition, in this design, the access network device managed by the gateway device may obtain the first network slice list, thereby knowing all network slices supported by at least one core network device, and further performing more comprehensive access management and / or mobility management for terminals that provide services using network slices.

[0017] In one possible design, the gateway device may obtain a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device, and send fourth information to the access network device managed by the gateway device, where the fourth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each core network device in the at least one core network device. Through this design, the gateway device can integrate the information of at least one core network device, so as to better support network slicing. In addition, in this design, the access network device managed by the gateway device can determine the list of network slices supported by each core network device, so as to perform more comprehensive access management and / or mobility management for terminals for services using network slicing, and / or determine at least one core network device.

[0018] In one possible design, the gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by each tracking area (TA) under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device, and sends fifth information to the second core network device, where the fifth information is used to indicate the second network slice list, and the second network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device. Through this design, the gateway device can integrate the information of at least one access network device, so as to better support network slicing. In addition, in this design, the second core network device can obtain the second network slice list, so as to know all network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device, and then perform more comprehensive mobility management for terminals that use services using network slices.

[0019] In one possible design, the gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device, and sends sixth information to the second core network device, where the sixth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device in at least one access network device. Through this design, the gateway device can integrate the information of at least one access network device, so as to better support network slicing. In addition, in this design, the second core network device can obtain the network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device, so as to perform more comprehensive mobility management for terminals that use services using network slicing, and can determine the second information based on the network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device.

[0020] In a second aspect, the embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by an access network device or by a chip or circuit configured in the access network device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is taken as an example of execution by an access network device.

[0021] The method includes: an access network device sends a first request from a terminal to a gateway device that manages the access network device. The first request is used to request that M network slices be provided to the terminal, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. Then, the access network device may receive a first allowed NSSAI from the gateway device, where the first allowed NSSAI includes N network slices among the M network slices, where there are network slices among the N network slices that are allowed by different core network devices to provide services to the terminal, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M.

[0022] In one possible design, an access network device receives third information from a gateway device, where the third information is used to indicate a first network slice list, where the first network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by at least one core network device.

[0023] In one possible design, the access network device receives fourth information from the gateway device, and the fourth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each core network device in at least one core network device.

[0024] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a core network device or by a chip or circuit configured in the core network device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following is an example of execution by a first core network device.

[0025] The method includes: after receiving a first message from a gateway device, the first core network device sends second information to the gateway device. The first message is used to request the second information, and the second information is used to determine a first allowed NSSAI, the first allowed NSSAI includes N network slices, the N network slices belong to M network slices requested to provide services to the terminal, and there are network slices in the N network slices that different core network devices allow to provide services to the terminal, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M;

[0026] In one possible design, in response to the first message, the first core network device requests the seventh information from the third core network device; after receiving the seventh information, the first core network device determines the second information based on the seventh information.

[0027] In one possible design, the first core network device receives fifth information from the gateway device, where the fifth information is used to indicate a second network slice list, where the second network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by each tracking area TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device.

[0028] In one possible design, the first core network device receives sixth information from the gateway device, and the sixth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device in at least one access network device managed by the gateway device.

[0029] The technical effects that can be achieved in the second or third aspect mentioned above can refer to the description of the technical effects that can be achieved in the first aspect mentioned above, and the repetitions will not be discussed here.

[0030] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a gateway device or by a chip or circuit configured in the gateway device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is based on an example of execution by a gateway device.

[0031] The method includes: a gateway device receives a second request from a terminal, the second request is used to request to provide a service of a first network slice for the terminal. In a case where a first access network device providing services for the terminal does not support the first network slice, the gateway device sends eighth information to the first access network device, the eighth information is used to instruct to redirect or switch the terminal from the first access network device to a second access network device, the second access network device supports the first network slice, and the first access network device and the second access network device are access network devices managed by the gateway device.

[0032] Through this method, when the first access network device providing services to the terminal does not support the first network slice, if the gateway device receives a second request to provide the first network slice service to the terminal, the gateway device can promptly send the eighth information to redirect or switch the terminal from the first access network device to the second access network device, thereby avoiding or reducing the rejection due to the cell accessed by the terminal not supporting the requested network slice, so that the terminal can obtain the service of the first network slice in a timely manner.

[0033] In one possible design, the gateway device determines the second access network device.

[0034] In one possible design, the second request includes an identifier of the first network slice. The gateway device determines that one of the at least one access network devices that supports the first network slice is the second access network device based on the list of network slices supported by at least one access network device managed by the gateway device and the identifier of the first network slice. With this design, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the second access network device, thereby avoiding or reducing rejections due to the cell accessed by the terminal not supporting the requested network slice, so that the terminal can obtain the service of the first network slice in a timely manner.

[0035] In one possible design, the gateway device sends a second request to the first core network device. After receiving the indication information of the second access network device from the first core network device, the gateway device determines the second access network device according to the indication information of the second access network device. With this design, the gateway device can know the second core network device regardless of whether the gateway device has the NAS function.

[0036] In one possible design, the gateway device determines that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and determines that one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice.

[0037] In one possible design, the second request includes an identifier of the first network slice. The gateway device determines that the first access network device does not support the first network slice based on the list of network slices supported by the first access network device and the identifier of the first network slice; and determines that one or more core network devices support the first network slice based on the list of network slices supported by one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device and the identifier of the first network slice. Through this design, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and determine that one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice. Then, the gateway device can instruct the terminal to be redirected or switched from the first access network device to the second access network device, thereby avoiding or reducing the rejection due to the cell accessed by the terminal not supporting the requested network slice, so that the terminal can obtain the service of the first network slice in a timely manner.

[0038] In one possible design, the gateway device sends a second request to the first core network device. Then, the gateway device receives first indication information from the first core network device, and the first indication information is used to indicate that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice. Through this design, regardless of whether the gateway device has a NAS function, the gateway device can be informed that: the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice.

[0039] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a core network device or by a chip or circuit configured in the core network device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following is an example of execution by a first core network device.

[0040] The method includes: a first core network device receives a second request from a gateway device, and the second request is used to request to provide a first network slice service for the terminal. In the case where the first access network device providing services to the terminal does not support the first network slice, the first core network device sends at least one of the following to the gateway device: indication information of the second access network device, or first indication information. Among them, the second access network device supports the first network slice, and the second access network device is the target access network device of the terminal; the first indication information is used to indicate that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice, and the first access network device and the second access network device are access network devices managed by the gateway device.

[0041] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a gateway device or by a chip or circuit configured in the gateway device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is based on an example of execution by a gateway device.

[0042] The method includes: a gateway device receives a switching request from a first access network device, the switching request is used to request to switch a terminal from the first access network device to a second access network device, the first access network device is an access network device managed by the gateway device. The gateway device sends a third request to the second access network device according to whether there is a connection between the gateway device and the second access network device, the third request is used to request to switch the terminal from the first access network device to the second access network device.

[0043] Through this method, regardless of whether there is a connection between the gateway device and the second access network device, the gateway device can send a third request to the second access network device to switch the terminal to the second access network device, thereby realizing the terminal switching process.

[0044] In one possible design, when there is a connection between the gateway device and the second access network device, the gateway device directly sends the third request to the second access network device. With this design, the gateway device can quickly send the third request to the second access network device, thereby quickly switching the terminal device to the second access network device.

[0045] In one possible design, when there is no connection between the gateway device and the second access network device, the gateway device sends a third request to the second access network device through the core network device. With this design, the gateway device can send the third request to the second access network device through the core network device. In this way, even if there is no connection between the gateway device and the second access network device, the gateway device can send the third request to the second access network device so as to switch the terminal to the second access network device.

[0046] In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a gateway device or by a chip or circuit configured in the gateway device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is based on an example of execution by a gateway device.

[0047] The method includes: a gateway device acquires first configuration information, the first configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of U data bearers of the first device, and U is a positive integer. The gateway device sends second configuration information to the second device, the second configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of V data bearers of the gateway device, and V is a positive integer. Then, the gateway device can receive data of a second network slice from the second device through the V data bearers; and send data of the second network slice to the first device through the U data bearers.

[0048] Through this method, the gateway device can transmit data of the second network slice between the first device and the second device, thereby avoiding or reducing the inability to transmit data of the second network slice between the first device and the second device when the Internet Protocol (IP) between the first device and the second device is unreachable, thereby improving the experience of terminal users and improving the reliability and stability of data transmission of the second network slice between the first device and the second device when the uplink and downlink transmission is unreliable.

[0049] Optionally, the first device is a user plane function network element, and the second device is an access network device; or, the first device is an access network device, and the second device is a user plane function network element. When the first device is an access network device and the second device is a user plane function network element, since the gateway device can communicate with multiple user plane functions (UPFs), if multiple UPFs jointly provide downlink services for the second network slice, the gateway device can transmit the data of the second network slice between multiple UPFs and the access network device through this method, thereby improving the data transmission efficiency on the core network side, and avoiding or reducing the transmission layer configuration of multiple UPFs sent by the gateway device to the access network device, thereby reducing the signaling overhead between the gateway device and the access network device.

[0050] In one possible design, when the first device is an access network device and the second device is a user plane function network element, U is less than or equal to V. With this design, the gateway device can transmit data of the second network slice between multiple UPFs and the access network device, thereby improving the data transmission efficiency on the core network side, and avoiding or reducing the gateway device sending multiple UPF transport layer configurations to the access network device, thereby reducing the signaling overhead between the gateway device and the access network device.

[0051] In one possible design, when the first device is a user plane function network element and the second device is an access network device, U is greater than or equal to V. With this design, the gateway device can transmit data of the second network slice between multiple UPFs and the access network device, thereby improving the data transmission efficiency on the core network side, and avoiding or reducing the gateway device sending multiple UPF transport layer configurations to the access network device, thereby reducing the signaling overhead between the gateway device and the access network device.

[0052] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a gateway device or by a chip or circuit configured in the gateway device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is based on an example of execution by a gateway device.

[0053] The method includes: a gateway device receives ninth information from a first core network device, the ninth information being used to indicate that a resource providing a service of a third network slice for a terminal is overloaded, or a network element providing a service of the third network slice for a terminal fails. Then, the gateway device determines that a fourth core network device provides the service of the third network slice for the terminal.

[0054] Through this method, when the resources providing the third network slice service to the terminal are overloaded, or the network element providing the third network slice service to the terminal fails, the gateway device can determine that the fourth core network device provides the third network slice service to the terminal. In this way, the terminal can still obtain the third network slice service, thereby avoiding or reducing the interruption of the third network slice service provided to the terminal.

[0055] In one possible design, the gateway device sends the context of the terminal to the fourth core network device, and the context is used to trigger the registration of the third network slice in the fourth core network device. Through this design, the fourth core network device can register the third network slice for the terminal, thereby providing the service of the third network slice for the terminal.

[0056] In one possible design, the gateway device sends the context of the terminal to the fourth core network device. The gateway device receives the third configuration information from the fourth core network device, and the third configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of the data bearer of the first user plane functional network element. Through this design, the fourth core network device can indicate the transport layer configuration of the data bearer of the first user plane functional network element to the gateway device, so that the data of the third network slice can be transmitted through the data bearer, avoiding or reducing the impact on the data transmission of the third network slice.

[0057] In one possible design, the gateway device sends a tenth message to the terminal, and the tenth message is used to trigger the establishment of a NAS connection between the terminal and the fourth core network device. Through this design, the gateway device can trigger the establishment of a NAS connection between the terminal and the fourth core network device. In this way, the fourth core network device can provide the terminal with the service of the third network slice through the NAS connection.

[0058] In one possible design, after receiving the third configuration information from the first core network device, the gateway device sends the third configuration information to the access network device to which the terminal is connected. The third configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of the data bearer of the first user plane functional network element in the fourth core network device. Through this design, the gateway device can indicate the transport layer configuration of the data bearer of the first user plane functional network element to the terminal, so that the data of the third network slice can be transmitted through the data bearer, avoiding or reducing the impact on the data transmission of the third network slice.

[0059] In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a gateway device or by a chip or circuit configured in the gateway device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is based on an example of execution by a gateway device.

[0060] The method includes: a gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device, and sends third information to an access network device managed by the gateway device, where the third information is used to indicate a first network slice list, and the first network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by at least one core network device.

[0061] In a tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a gateway device or by a chip or circuit configured in the gateway device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is based on an example of execution by a gateway device.

[0062] The method includes: a gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device, and sends fourth information to an access network device managed by the gateway device, where the fourth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each core network device in at least one core network device.

[0063] In an eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a gateway device or by a chip or circuit configured in the gateway device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is based on an example of execution by a gateway device.

[0064] The method includes: the gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device; and sends fifth information to the second core network device, the fifth information is used to indicate the second network slice list, and the second network slice list includes the identifiers of all network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device.

[0065] In a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which can be executed by a gateway device or by a chip or circuit configured in the gateway device, and the present application does not limit this. For ease of description, the following description is based on an example of execution by a gateway device.

[0066] The method includes: the gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device; and sends sixth information to the second core network device, the sixth information being used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device in at least one access network device.

[0067] In a thirteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, comprising a unit for executing each step in any of the above aspects.

[0068] In a fourteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, comprising a processor, wherein the processor is used to execute the methods described in the above aspects.

[0069] Optionally, the device may further include a memory for storing instructions and data. The memory is coupled to the processor, and when the processor executes the instructions stored in the memory, the methods described in the above aspects may be implemented.

[0070] Optionally, the device also includes an interface circuit, which is used to receive signals from other communication devices and transmit them to the processor or send signals from the processor to other communication devices. The processor implements the methods described in the above aspects through logic circuits or executing code instructions.

[0071] In the fifteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, comprising: a gateway device for executing the method provided in the first aspect, an access network device for executing the method provided in the second aspect, and a core network device for indicating the method provided in the third aspect; or, a gateway device for executing the method provided in the fourth aspect, and a core network device for indicating the method provided in the fifth aspect; or, a gateway device for indicating the method of any one of the sixth to thirteenth aspects, and at least one of the following devices: an access network device, a core network device, or a terminal.

[0072] In the sixteenth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which computer-readable instructions are stored. When a computer reads and executes the computer-readable instructions, the computer executes a method in any possible design of any one of the first to third aspects above.

[0073] In the seventeenth aspect, the present application provides a computer program product, comprising: a computer program code, which, when read and executed by a computer, enables the computer to execute a method in any possible design of any one of the first to third aspects above.

[0074] In an eighteenth aspect, the present application provides a chip, wherein the chip is used to read a computer program stored in a memory to execute a method in any possible design of any one of the first to third aspects above.

[0075] The technical effects that can be achieved in any of the above-mentioned aspects 9 to 18 can refer to the description of the technical effects that can be achieved in any possible design in any of the above-mentioned aspects 1 to 8, and the repetitions will not be discussed here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0076] Figure 1 An architecture diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0077] Figure 2 An architecture diagram of another communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0078] Figure 3 A flowchart of a first communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0079] Figure 4 A flowchart of a second communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0080] Figure 5 A flowchart of a third communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0081] Figure 6 A flowchart of a fourth communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0082] Figure 7 A flowchart of a fifth communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0083] Figure 8 A flowchart of a sixth communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0084] Fig. 9 A flowchart of a seventh communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0085] Fig.10 A flowchart of an eighth communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0086] Fig.11 A flowchart of a ninth communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0087] Fig.12 A structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0088] Fig.13 A structural diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0089] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0090] The following introduces the architecture of the communication system to which the method provided in this application is applied.

[0091] Figure 1 The following is an architecture diagram of a communication system applicable to the embodiment of the present application, wherein a 5G network architecture based on a service-oriented architecture is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the communication system may include three parts, namely, a terminal part, an operator network part and a data network (DN). The functions of some network elements are described below.

[0092] A terminal is a device with wireless transceiver function. A terminal may also be referred to as a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals 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, automatic driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wear, smart transportation, smart city, etc. A terminal may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a computer with wireless transceiver function, a wearable device, a vehicle, an airplane, a ship, a robot, a robotic arm, a smart home device, etc. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific technology and specific device form adopted by the terminal.

[0093] The terminal can establish a connection with the operator network through the interface provided by the operator network (such as N1, etc.), and use the data and / or voice services provided by the operator network. The terminal can also access the DN through the operator network, use the operator services deployed on the DN, and / or services provided by a third party. Among them, the above-mentioned third party may be a service provider other than the operator network and the terminal, and can provide data and / or voice services to the terminal. Among them, the specific form of the above-mentioned third party can be determined according to the actual application scenario, and is not limited here.

[0094] The operator network may be a network deployed by an operator, and may include access network equipment and core network equipment. In a possible implementation method, the operator network also includes an application function (AF) network element. Alternatively, the AF network element may not belong to the operator network, but to a third party.

[0095] Access network equipment, sometimes also called radio access network (RAN) node, RAN entity or access network (AN) node, etc., constitutes a part of the communication system to help terminals achieve wireless access.

[0096] In a possible scenario, the access network device may be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next generation NodeB (gNB), a home base station (e.g., a home evolved NodeB (HeNB), or a home next generation NodeB (HgNB)), a next generation base station in a 6th generation (6G) mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access point (AP) in a wireless fidelity (Wifi) system. The access network device may be a macro base station, a micro base station or an indoor station, a relay node or a host node, or a wireless controller in a cloud RAN (CRAN) scenario. Optionally, the access network device may also be a server, a wearable device, a vehicle or an onboard device. For example, the access network device in the V2X technology may be a road side unit (RSU). All or part of the functions of the access network device in this application may also be implemented by software functions running on hardware, or by virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (such as a cloud platform). The access network device in this application may also be a logical node, logical module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the access network device.

[0097] In another possible scenario, multiple access network devices collaborate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, and different access network devices respectively implement part of the functions of the base station. For example, the access network device can be a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU). The CU and DU can be set separately, or can also be included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in a radio frequency device or a radio frequency unit, such as a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU) or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0098] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in an open radio access network (open RAN, O-RAN) system, CU may also be called an open CU (open CU, O-CU), DU may also be called an open DU (open DU, O-DU), and CU-CP may also be called an open CU-CP.

[0099] (open CU-CP, O-CU-CP), CU-UP can also be called open CU-UP (open CU-UP, O-CU-UP), and RU can also be called open RU (open RU, O-RU). Any unit in the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU and RU in this application can be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0100] The terminal and access network equipment can be fixed or movable. For example, the terminal and access network equipment can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; can also be deployed on the water surface; can also be deployed on airplanes, balloons and artificial satellites. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the application scenarios of the terminal and access network equipment.

[0101] The core network device may include at least one of the following network elements: a mobility management network element, a user plane function network element, a session management network element (e.g., a session management function (SMF) network element), a data management network element (e.g., a unified data management (UDM) network element), a policy control network element (e.g., a policy control function (PCF) network element), a network slice selection network element (e.g., a network slice selection function (NSSF) network element), a network slice selection authentication and authorization network element (e.g., a network slice selection authentication and authorization function (NSSAAF) network element) or a network slice admission control network element (e.g., a network slice admission control function (NSACF) network element), etc. Some of the network elements are described below.

[0102] In this application, the mobility management network element is a control plane network element provided by the operator network, which is responsible for the access control and mobility management of the terminal accessing the operator network, such as mobile state management, allocation of user temporary identity, authentication and authorization of users, etc. In 5G, the mobility management network element can be an AMF network element. In future communications such as the 6th generation (6G), the mobility management network element can still be an AMF network element, or have other names, which are not limited in this application.

[0103] In this application, the user plane function network element is a gateway provided by the operator, which is the gateway for the operator network to communicate with the DN. The functions of the user plane function network element include data packet routing and transmission, packet detection, service usage reporting, quality of service (QoS) processing, legal monitoring, uplink packet detection, downlink data packet storage, etc. In 5G, the user plane function network element can be a UPF network element. In future communications such as 6G, the user plane function network element can still be a UPF network element, or a network element with other names but with all or part of the functions of the user plane function network element, and this application does not limit it.

[0104] In the embodiments of the present application, the communication device for realizing the function of the access network device, terminal or core network device may be the access network device, terminal or core network device itself, or may be a device capable of supporting the access network device, terminal or core network device to realize the function, such as a chip system, which may be installed in the access network device, terminal or core network device. In the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application, the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application is described by taking the device for realizing the function of the access network device as the access network device, the device for realizing the function of the terminal as the terminal, and the device for realizing the function of the core network device as the core network device as an example.

[0105] DN is a network outside the operator network. The operator network can access multiple DNs. Multiple services can be deployed on DN, which can provide data and / or voice services to terminals. For example, DN is the private network of a smart factory. The sensors installed in the workshop of the smart factory can be terminals. The control server of the sensors is deployed in DN, and the control server can provide services for the sensors. The sensors can communicate with the control server, obtain instructions from the control server, and transmit the collected sensor data to the control server according to the instructions. For another example, DN is the internal office network of a company. The mobile phones or computers of the company's employees can be terminals. The employees' mobile phones or computers can access information, data resources, etc. on the company's internal office network.

[0106] Figure 2The architecture diagram of another communication system applicable to the embodiment of the present application is shown. The communication system may include: an access network device, a gateway device and a core network device. Exemplarily, the access network device may include a home base station (for example, Figure 2 The gateway device may include a home base station gateway (eg, Figure 2 The core network device may include a mobility management network element and a user plane function network element. Optionally, the access network device also includes a macro base station (for example, Figure 2 gNB in ​​the network).

[0107] For details about home base stations and macro base stations, please refer to Figure 1 For details about the access network equipment, please refer to Figure 1 The description of the core network equipment in the description will not be repeated.

[0108] The home base station gateway can manage the home base station. In some possible ways, the home base station gateway can manage the transmission of control plane signaling between the home base station and the core network device (for example, AMF). For example, there is an N2 interface (also called NG interface) between the home base station gateway and the home base station and AMF, and the home base station gateway can transmit control plane signaling (for example, next generation application protocol (NGAP) signaling) between the home base station and the AMF through the N2 interface. In some other possible ways, the home base station gateway can manage the transmission of data plane information between the home base station and the core network device (for example, UPF). For example, there is an N3 interface between the home base station gateway and the home base station and UPF, and the home base station gateway can transmit data plane information between the home base station and UPF through the N3 interface.

[0109] In the embodiment of the present application, the communication device for implementing the function of the gateway device may be the gateway device itself, or may be a device capable of supporting the gateway device to implement the function, such as a chip system, which may be installed in the gateway device. In the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application, the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is described by taking the device for implementing the function of the gateway device as an example, that is, the gateway device.

[0110] Figure 1 N1, N2, N3, N4 and N6, and Figure 2 N2, N3 and Xn are interfaces. The meanings of these interfaces can be found in the definitions in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard protocol, and are not limited here.

[0111] It should be noted that Figure 1 and Figure 2 The communication system shown does not constitute a limitation on the communication system to which the embodiments of the present application can be applied. Therefore, the communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to communication systems of various standards, such as: long term evolution (LTE) communication system, 5G communication system, 6G communication system and future communication system, V2X, long term evolution-vehicle network (LTE-vehicle, LTE-V), vehicle to vehicle (vehicle to vehicle, V2V), vehicle network, MTC, Internet of things (Internet of things, IoT), long term evolution-machine to machine (LTE-machine to machine, LTE-M), machine to machine (machine to machine, M2M), Internet of things, etc. In addition, the communication system provided in the present application can be used for terrestrial network (TN) and / or non-terrestrial network (NTN) without limitation. In addition, it should be noted that the embodiments of the present application do not limit the names of the network elements in the communication system. For example, in communication systems of different standards, each network element may have other names; for example, when multiple network elements are integrated into the same physical device, the physical device may also have other names.

[0112] To facilitate understanding of the present application, the terms used in the present application are explained below.

[0113] 1) TA is a concept established for terminal location management. Both the terminal and the core network equipment can know the terminal's TA. TA is a cell-level configuration. Multiple cells can be configured with the same TA, and a cell can only belong to one TA. Each TA can be indicated by a tracking area code (TAC) or a tracking area identity (TAI).

[0114] 2) Network slicing, also known as slices. The physical network can be abstractly divided into multiple network slices. Each network slice constitutes an end-to-end logical subnet. Different network slices are logically isolated. Each network slice can flexibly provide one or more network services according to demand, and will not affect other network slices.

[0115] Different logical subnets can be identified and distinguished by single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI). Each S-NSSAI may include at least one of the following: network slice / service type (SST), network slice differentiator (SD). Among them, SST can indicate the specific characteristics and service types of the network slice; SD, as a supplement to SST, can further distinguish multiple network slice instances that meet the same SST, and SD is optional.

[0116] In the present application, S-NSSAI can be used to indicate a network slice. For example, the identifier of a network slice may be the S-NSSAI of the network slice. NSSAI may include one or more S-NSSAIs. That is, NSSAI includes the identifiers of one or more network slices and may indicate one or more network slices.

[0117] In one implementation, the type of NSSAI may include at least one of the following (1) to (4):

[0118] (1) Requested NSSAI: may include the S-NSSAI of the network slice requested by the terminal. For example, if the requested NSSAI includes the S-NSSAI of network slice #1 and network slice #2, the network slices requested by the terminal are network slice #1 and network slice #2. In one implementation, the requested NSSAI may be carried in a registration request.

[0119] (2) Allowed NSSAI: may include the S-NSSAI of the network slices allowed by the network side in the network slice requested by the terminal. In one implementation, the allowed NSSAI may be indicated by the allowed NSSAI information element in the registration accept.

[0120] (3) Rejected NSSAI: may include the S-NSSAI of the network slices rejected by the network side in the network slices requested by the terminal device. The rejected NSSAI may include the network slices rejected for use in all areas in the registration area (RA). For example, if the rejected NSSAI includes the identifier of network slice #1, and the RA includes the TA identified by TAC#1, then the network slice rejected for use in the TA identified by TAC#1 is network slice #1.

[0121] (4) Target NSSAI: The NSSAI provided by the serving public land mobile network (PLMN) to the access network device. The access network device may attempt to guide the terminal to a cell that supports the network slice identified by the S-NSSAI in the target NSSAI.

[0122] 3) Session: A connection between a terminal, access network equipment, user plane function network element and DN established by a session management network element in a mobile communication system for a terminal, and used to transmit user plane data between the terminal and the DN. For example, a session is a packet data unit (PDU) session.

[0123] 4) The termination method of the terminal's radio resource control (RRC) connection and NAS signaling.

[0124] In the present application, the termination methods of the RRC connection and NAS signaling may include termination method 1 and termination method 2.

[0125] Termination method 1: The RRC connection of the terminal can be terminated at the access network device, so that the access network device can parse the RRC signaling from the terminal. The control plane signaling related to the terminal (such as NGAP signaling) can be relayed to the corresponding core network device or the corresponding access network device through the gateway device; that is, the NAS signaling of the terminal is terminated at the AMF, so that the AMF can parse the NAS signaling from the terminal. In some possible methods, the gateway device can also assign a terminal identifier to the terminal, such as a UE NGAP identity (UE NGAP identity, UE NGAPID). In some examples, the terminal identifier assigned by the gateway device can be relayed to the other end together with the terminal identifier (for example, UE NGAP ID) assigned to the terminal by the core network device or the access network device.

[0126] Termination mode 2: The RRC connection of the terminal can be terminated at the gateway device, so that the gateway device can parse the RRC signaling from the terminal. The control plane signaling related to the terminal (such as NGAP signaling) can be terminated at the gateway device; that is, the NAS signaling of the terminal can be terminated at the gateway device, so that the gateway device can parse the NAS signaling from the terminal. In some possible ways, the gateway device can assign a terminal identifier to the terminal, such as a UE NGAP ID. In some examples, there can be a correspondence between the terminal identifier reallocated by the gateway device for the terminal and the terminal identifier (for example, UE NGAPID) allocated by the core network device and / or the access network device to the terminal. The gateway device can save the correspondence. In this way, the gateway device can communicate with the core network device and / or the access network device through the reallocated terminal identifier. For example, the gateway device forwards the control plane signaling related to the terminal from the core network device and / or the access network device based on the above correspondence, or the gateway device forwards the control plane signaling related to the terminal from the core network device and / or the access network device as a container (for example, NGAP-Container) based on the above correspondence.

[0127] In the following text of this application, "sending information to a device (such as a terminal)" can be understood as the destination of the information being the device, and can include directly or indirectly sending information to the device. "Receiving information from a device (such as a terminal)" or "receiving information from a device (such as a terminal)" can be understood as the source of the information being the device, and can include directly or indirectly receiving information from the device. The information may be processed as necessary between the source and destination of the information, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be understood similarly and will not be repeated here.

[0128] In the embodiments of the present application, "when...", "under the circumstances...", and "if...", "then" may represent the same meaning and may be replaced with each other.

[0129] At present, the access network equipment provides network slicing services to the terminal by interacting with the terminal and the core network equipment. For example, when the terminal initially accesses the network, it can send an RRC Setup Complete message to the access network device, and the RRC Setup Complete message includes the requested NSSAI, thereby initiating a registration request for the network slice indicated by the requested NSSAI. After the access network device transparently transmits the requested NSSAI to the core network device, the core network device can determine whether the network side (including the RAN side and the core network side) can provide the terminal with the network slice service indicated by the requested NSSAI based on the contract information of the terminal. If the network side can support some or all of the network slices indicated by the requested NSSAI, the core network device can send a registration acceptance message to the terminal, and the registration acceptance message includes the allowed NSSAI, and the allowed NSSAI includes the S-NSSAI of one or more network slices in the part or all of the network slices. Optionally, the core network device can send the registration acceptance message to the terminal through the access network device.

[0130] In addition, currently, access network devices can manage the mobility of terminals based on network slices. For example, when the terminal needs to switch, the source access network device (for example, Source gNB or SgNB) can send the identifier of the established PDU session and the identifier of its associated network slice to the target access network device (TargetgNB or TgNB). Then, the target access network device can decide whether to accept the admission of the PDU session based on its own support for network slices. For example, if the target access network device does not support the network slice associated with the PDU session, the target access network device rejects the admission of the PDU session.

[0131] When the communication system includes a gateway device, how the gateway device supports network slicing needs further study. For example, how the gateway device determines the core network device that provides network slicing services to the terminal based on the requested NSSAI; how the gateway device transmits data plane information between the access network device and the core network device for the network slicing service; and how the gateway device manages the mobility of the terminal based on the network slicing.

[0132] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method. Figure 3 The flow chart of the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. 1 , wherein the access network device is, for example, a home base station; the gateway device may be an access network gateway device, for example, a home base station gateway; and the core network device is, for example, an AMF. Figure 3 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0133] S301: The terminal sends a first request to a gateway device; correspondingly, the gateway device receives the first request from the terminal.

[0134] Among them, the first request can be used to request that services of M network slices be provided to the terminal, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. Exemplarily, the first request may include a requested NSSAI, and the requested NSSAI includes identifiers of M network slices, so that services of M network slices can be requested to be provided to the terminal. For example, the requested NSSAI in the first request includes S-NSSAIs of network slices 1 to 4. The first request is used to request that services of network slices 1 to 4 be provided to the terminal.

[0135] In some implementations, the terminal may send the first request to the gateway device through the access network device managed by the gateway. Specifically, after the terminal sends the first request to the access network device, the access network device forwards the first request from the terminal to the gateway device. For example, the first request is a registration request.

[0136] (registration request) message. When a terminal accesses a cell in an access network device, it can transparently transmit a registration request to the access network device through an RRC establishment completion message. The registration request is used to request that M network slices be provided to the terminal. Then, the access network device can forward the registration request to the gateway device.

[0137] S302: The gateway device determines a first allowed NSSAI.

[0138] Among them, the first allowed NSSAI includes the identifiers of N network slices out of M network slices, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M. Among the N network slices, there are network slices that different core network devices allow to provide services to the terminal. The different core network devices may include at least two core network devices. The following is an explanation using the example that the different core network devices include two core network devices. For example, the N network slices include network slice 1 and network slice 2, network slice 1 is a network slice that core network device 1 allows to provide services to the terminal, network slice 2 is a network slice that core network device 2 allows to provide services to the terminal, and core network device 1 and core network device 2 are different. Optionally, the different core network devices may be different AMFs.

[0139] The first allowed NSSAI is illustrated below.

[0140] For example, the M network slices are network slice 1 to network slice 4, that is, the first request is used to request the provision of services of network slice 1 to network slice 4 for the terminal. The AMFs connected to the gateway device include AMF1 and AMF2. Network slice 1 is a network slice that AMF 1 allows to provide services to the terminal, and network slice 2 is a network slice that AMF 2 allows to provide services to the terminal. The N network slices are network slice 1 and network slice 2. The first allowed NSSAI includes the S-NSSAI of network slice 1 and network slice 2.

[0141] For another example, the M network slices are network slice 1 to network slice 4. The AMF to which the gateway device is connected includes AMF1 and AMF2. Network slice 1, network slice 3, and network slice 4 are network slices that AMF 1 allows to provide services to the terminal, and network slice 2 is a network slice that AMF 2 allows to provide services to the terminal. The N network slices are network slice 1 to network slice 4. The first allowed NSSAI includes S-NSSAI of network slice 1 to network slice 4.

[0142] The specific content of the gateway device determining the first allowed NSSAI will be described in detail in the following method a1 and method a2, which will not be expanded here.

[0143] S303: The gateway device sends a first allowed NSSAI to the terminal; correspondingly, the terminal receives the first allowed NSSAI from the gateway device.

[0144] In some possible ways, the gateway device may send the first allowed NSSAI to the terminal through the access network device. Specifically, after the gateway device sends the first allowed NSSAI to the access network device, the access network device forwards the first allowed NSSAI to the terminal. The first allowed NSSAI may be carried in a traditional message (for example, a registration accept message carried in an initial context setup request message) or in a new message, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0145] pass Figure 3 In the method shown, after the terminal requests the gateway device to provide services of M network slices for the terminal, the gateway device can determine the first allowed NSSAI, which includes the identifiers of N network slices among the M network slices. In this way, the gateway device can support network slicing.

[0146] Furthermore, in the method, different core network devices (e.g., different AMFs) in the N network slices allow the terminal to provide services for the network slices. Currently, after the terminal accesses the access network device, the access network device can only communicate with one AMF, and cannot quickly obtain the first allowed NSSAI containing the identifiers of the N network slices. Figure 3 In the method shown, since the gateway device can communicate with multiple core network devices (for example, multiple AMFs), when the gateway device supports termination mode 2, the gateway device can quickly determine the first allowed NSSAI containing the identifiers of the N network slices, thereby improving the success rate and efficiency of the terminal requesting network slice services, ensuring the continuity of network slice services, and improving the resource utilization of core network devices.

[0147] As mentioned above, the gateway device may determine the first allowed NSSAI, and there may be multiple ways to determine it, for example, way a1 or way a2.

[0148] Method a1:

[0149] Method a1 may include steps A1 to A3:

[0150] Step A1: The gateway device requests first information from at least one core network device (eg, at least one AMF), wherein the first information is used to determine a first allowed NSSAI.

[0151] Exemplarily, for each of the M network slices, the gateway device may respectively request first information from each of the at least one core network device. For example, the M network slices include network slice 1 and network slice 2. The at least one core network device includes a first core network device and a third core network device. The first core network device supports network slice 1, and the third core network device supports network slice 2. The gateway device requests first information 1 from the first core network device, and the gateway device requests first information 2 from the third core network device. The first information 1 and the first information 2 are used to determine a first allowed NSSAI.

[0152] Optionally, if at least two of the M network slices are supported by the same core network device, the gateway device requests the first information from the core network device once for the at least two network slices, thereby reducing signaling overhead and saving transmission resources. For example, the M network slices include network slices 3 to 4. The fifth core network device supports network slices 3 and 4. The gateway device requests the first information 3 from the fifth core network device, and the first information 3 is used to determine the first allowed NSSAI.

[0153] Step A2: The gateway device receives at least one first information.

[0154] Exemplarily, each of the at least one core network device may send a first message to the gateway device; accordingly, the gateway device may receive at least one first message. For example, the at least one core network device includes a first core network device and a third core network device. The first core network device may send first message 1 to the gateway device, and the third core network device may send first message 2 to the gateway device; accordingly, the gateway device may receive first message 1 and first message 2.

[0155] Step A3: The gateway device determines a first allowed NSSAI according to at least one first information.

[0156] Optionally, in method a1, the first information may include at least one of the following 1 to 3:

[0157] 1. The first contract information of the terminal, where the first contract information indicates the network slice to which the terminal has subscribed. Optionally, the first contract information may include an identifier of the network slice to which the terminal has subscribed. For example, the first contract information includes an identifier of network slice 1, indicating that the network slice to which the terminal has subscribed includes network slice 1. Exemplarily, in the first information fed back by each core network device in at least one core network device, the first contract information of the terminal is the contract information obtained by the core network device.

[0158] 2. Information used to indicate whether the terminal has signed a contract for P network slices out of M network slices (referred to as information #1), where P is a positive integer less than or equal to M: In some examples, information #1 may be a Boolean value indicating whether the terminal has signed a contract for P network slices out of M network slices. In other examples, information #1 may include an identifier of the network slice signed by the terminal. For example, if the first core network device determines that the terminal has signed a contract for P network slices out of M network slices, the information #1 fed back by the first core network device may include the identifiers of the P network slices. Exemplarily, in the first information fed back by each core network device in at least one core network device, information #1 is determined by the core network device.

[0159] 3. At least one second allowed NSSAI: The at least one second allowed NSSAI includes identifiers of Q network slices out of M network slices, where Q is a positive integer less than or equal to M, and the Q network slices are network slices that one core network device in at least one core network device allows to provide services to the terminal. Exemplarily, in the first information fed back by each core network device in at least one core network device, the second allowed NSSAI is the allowed NSSAI determined by the core network device for the terminal. For example, the first core network device determines that the second allowed NSSAI 1 includes the identifier of network slice 1, and the first information fed back by the first core network device may include the second allowed NSSAI 1.

[0160] Corresponding to different contents of the first information, steps A1 to A3 may have different modes, for example, mode b1, mode b2 or mode b3. The following takes the example that at least one core network device includes a first core network device and a third core network device, M network slices include network slice 1 and network slice 2, the first core network device supports network slice 1, and the third core network device supports network slice 2, and respectively describes mode b1, mode b2 and mode b3.

[0161] Method b1:

[0162] In mode b1, the first information includes the first subscription information of the terminal. Steps A1 to A3 in mode b1 are described below.

[0163] In step A1, the gateway device requests the first subscription information 1 of the terminal from the first core network device. The first subscription information 1 is the subscription information of the terminal obtained by the first core network device. Optionally, the gateway device may request the first subscription information 1 by sending a message a1 to the first core network device. The message a1 may include a first identifier of the terminal. The first identifier may uniquely identify the terminal in the core network. For example, the first identifier may be at least one of the following: a UE NGAP ID assigned to the terminal by a core network device (e.g., the first core network device), a 5G globally unique temporary identity (5G-GUTI), a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI), a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI), a permanent equipment identifier (PEI), etc. After receiving the message a1, the first core network device may obtain the first subscription information 1 of the terminal according to the first identifier. For example, the first core network device may obtain the first subscription information 1 from a unified data management (UDM) connected to the first core network device according to the first identifier.

[0164] In step A1, the gateway device may also request the first contract information 2 of the terminal from the third core network device, where the first contract information 2 is the contract information of the terminal obtained by the third core network device. For the specific content of the first contract information 2 requested by the gateway device to the third core network device, please refer to the description of the first contract information 1 requested by the gateway device to the first core network device, except that the first core network device is replaced by the third core network device, and the first contract information 1 is replaced by the first contract information 2, which will not be repeated here.

[0165] This application does not restrict the execution order of the gateway device requesting the first contract information 1 of the terminal from the first core network device, and the gateway device requesting the first contract information 2 of the terminal from the third core network device.

[0166] In step A2, the first core network device sends the first contract information 1 to the gateway device, and the third core network device sends the first contract information 2 to the gateway device; accordingly, the gateway device receives the first contract information 1 and the first contract information 2. The first contract information 1 and the first contract information 2 can be carried in a traditional message or in a new message. This application does not limit the execution order of the gateway device receiving the first contract information 1 and receiving the first contract information 2.

[0167] In step A3, the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI based on the first subscription information 1 and the first subscription information 2. In some implementations, the gateway device may determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the following information: the first subscription information 1, the first subscription information 2, the identifiers of M network slices, the list of network slices supported by the access network device, and the list of network slices supported by the core network device. Optionally, the first allowed NSSAI is obtained by taking the intersection of the requested NSSAI (including the identifiers of the M network slices), the network slices subscribed by the terminal, the list of network slices supported by the core network device, and the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located. Among them, the network slices subscribed by the terminal include: the network slices subscribed by the terminal indicated by the first subscription information 1, and the network slices subscribed by the terminal indicated by the first subscription information 2; the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located can be obtained based on the list of network slices supported by the access network device. Exemplarily, network slice a is any network slice among M network slices. If the first subscription information 1 or the first subscription information 2 includes the identifier of network slice a, and the list of network slices supported by the access network device includes the identifier of network slice a, then the first allowed NSSAI includes the identifier of network slice a. For example, the identifiers of the M network slices include the identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 2. If the first subscription information 1 includes the identifier of network slice 1, the first subscription information 2 includes the identifier of network slice 2, and the list of network slices supported by the access network device includes the identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 2, then the gateway device may determine that the first allowed NSSAI includes the identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 2.

[0168] In some possible ways, the gateway device may request the first subscription information from all core network devices connected to the gateway device to obtain at least one first subscription information. That is, the at least one core network device may be all core network devices connected to the gateway device. In this case, the first allowed NSSAI is obtained by taking the intersection of the requested NSSAI, the network slice subscribed by the terminal indicated by at least one first subscription information, the list of network slices supported by the core network device, and the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located.

[0169] In some other possible ways, before step A1, the gateway device may determine at least one core network device. There are multiple ways to determine, for example, way c1 or way c2.

[0170] Mode c1: After the access network device determines the at least one core network device, it sends indication information of the at least one core network device to the gateway device.

[0171] Method c1 may include steps B1 to B2:

[0172] Step B1: The access network device determines the at least one core network device.

[0173] In some possible ways, the access network device may be a service access network device for the terminal. After receiving the first request from the terminal, the access network device may obtain the identifiers of the M network slices in the first request, and determine the at least one core network device based on the identifiers of the M network slices and the list of network slices supported by at least one core network device. For example, the identifiers of the M network slices include identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 2. The list of network slices supported by AMF 1 includes identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 3, and the list of network slices supported by AMF 2 includes the identifier of network slice 2. The access network device may determine that at least one core network device includes AMF 1 and AMF 2.

[0174] Optionally, network slice a is any network slice among M network slices. If multiple core network devices support network slice a, the access network device may select a core network device from the multiple core network devices as the device in the at least one core network device. There may be multiple bases for the selection, which are illustrated below with examples.

[0175] In some examples, the access network device may randomly select a core network device from the multiple core network devices as a device in the at least one core network device. For example, the M network slices include network slice 1. AMF 1 and AMF 3 both support network slice 1. The access network device may randomly select an AMF from AMF 1 and AMF 3, for example, randomly select AMF 1. The at least one core network device may include: AMF 1.

[0176] In other examples, the access network device may select a service core network device of the terminal from the multiple core network devices as a device in the at least one core network device. For example, the M network slices include network slice 1. AMF 1 and AMF 3 both support network slice 1. AMF 1 is the service AMF of the terminal. The access network device may determine that the at least one core network device includes: AMF 1.

[0177] In some other examples, the access network device may select a core network device whose network slice resources are not congested from the multiple core network devices as a device in the at least one core network device. For example, if both AMF 1 and AMF 3 support network slice 1, but the access network device receives a congestion notification of network slice 1 sent by AMF 1, the access network device may determine that the at least one core network device includes: AMF 3.

[0178] In some other examples, the access network device may select a core network device that supports the largest number of network slices among the M network slices from the multiple core network devices as a device in the above-mentioned at least one core network device. For example, the M network slices include network slice 1 and network slice 2. AMF 1 supports network slice 1 and network slice 2, and AMF 2 supports network slice 2. AMF 1 supports 2 network slices among the M network slices, and AMF 2 supports 1 network slice among the M network slices. AMF 1 supports the largest number of network slices among the M network slices. The access network device determines that the at least one core network device includes AMF 1. Through this example, the number of at least one core network device can be reduced, thereby reducing the signaling overhead of the gateway device requesting the first information from the at least one core network device, saving transmission resources.

[0179] Step B2: The access network device sends indication information of at least one core network device to the gateway device; accordingly, the gateway device receives indication information of at least one core network device from the access network device. Then, the gateway device can determine at least one core network device according to the indication information of the at least one core network device.

[0180] The indication information of at least one core network device may include an identifier or an IP address of at least one core network device. For example, the indication information of at least one core network device includes identifiers of AMF 1 and AMF 2. The gateway device may determine that at least one core network device is AMF 1 and AMF 2. The identifier of AMF is, for example, a globally unique AMF identifier (globallyunique AMF ientifier, GUAMI), and therefore, the identifiers of AMF 1 and AMF 2 are, for example, the GUAMIs of AMF 1 and AMF 2.

[0181] The present application does not limit the execution order of the gateway device receiving the first request and the indication information of at least one core network device. The first request and the indication information of at least one core network device can be carried in the same message or in different messages.

[0182] Through the method c1, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine at least one core network device according to the indication information of at least one core network device from the access network device.

[0183] Method c2:

[0184] The gateway device determines the at least one core network device based on the identifiers of the M network slices and the list of network slices supported by the at least one core network device. For specific details, please refer to the description of the access network device in step B1: "Determine the at least one core network device based on the identifiers of the M network slices and the list of network slices supported by the at least one core network device", except that the access network device is replaced by the gateway device, which will not be repeated here.

[0185] Through method c2, the gateway device can determine at least one core network device by itself, without the need for the access network device to determine at least one core network device, thereby reducing the power consumption of the access network device and reducing the signaling overhead between the access network device and the gateway device.

[0186] Through this method b1, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI according to the first subscription information of the terminal. In addition, in this method, at least one core network device only needs to send the first subscription information to the gateway device, and at least one core network device does not need to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving the computing resources of at least one core network device and reducing the power consumption of at least one core network device.

[0187] Method b2:

[0188] In mode b2, the first information includes information #1, such as indication information 1 or indication information 2 described below. Steps A1 to A3 in mode b2 are described below.

[0189] In step A1, the gateway device requests the first core network device for indication information 1 of the terminal, where the indication information 1 is used to indicate whether the terminal has subscribed to network slice 1 among the M network slices. For example, the value of the indication information 1 is a first value (for example, 0 or 1), indicating that the terminal has subscribed to network slice 1; the value of the indication information 1 is a second value (for example, 1 or 0), indicating that the terminal has not subscribed to network slice 1.

[0190] Optionally, the gateway device may request indication information 1 by sending a message b1 to the first core network device. Message b1 includes the first identifier of the terminal and the identifier of the network slice 1, wherein the specific content of the first identifier can refer to method b1 and will not be repeated here. After receiving message b1, the first core network device may determine indication information 1 based on the first identifier and the identifier of the network slice 1. Exemplarily, the first core network device may obtain the first subscription information 1 of the terminal based on the first identifier, and the specific content obtained can refer to method b1 and will not be repeated here.

[0191] Then, the first core network device may determine the indication information 1 according to the first subscription information 1 and the identifier of the network slice 1. For example, if the first subscription information 1 includes the identifier of the network slice 1, the first core network device may determine that the indication information 1 is used to indicate that the terminal has subscribed to the network slice 1, thereby determining the indication information 1, for example, determining that the value of the indication information 1 is the first value.

[0192] In step A1, the gateway device may also request indication information 2 of the terminal from the third core network device, where indication information 2 is used to indicate whether the terminal has subscribed to network slice 2 of the M network slices. The specific content of indication information 2 that the gateway device requests from the third core network device for the terminal can refer to the description of indication information 1 that the gateway device requests from the first core network device for the terminal, except that the first core network device is replaced by the third core network device, indication information 1 is replaced by indication information 2, the first subscription information 1 is replaced by the first subscription information 2, and network slice 1 is replaced by network slice 2, which will not be repeated here.

[0193] The present application does not restrict the execution order of the gateway device requesting the first core network device for the indication information 1 of the terminal, and the gateway device requesting the third core network device for the indication information 2 of the terminal.

[0194] In step A2, the first core network device sends indication information 1 to the gateway device, and the third core network device sends indication information 2 to the gateway device; accordingly, the gateway device receives indication information 1 and indication information 2. Indication information 1 and indication information 2 may be carried in a traditional message or in a new message. This application does not limit the execution order of the gateway device receiving indication information 1 and receiving indication information 2.

[0195] In step A3, the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI according to indication information 1 and indication information 2. In some implementations, the gateway device may determine the first allowed NSSAI according to the following information: indication information 1, indication information 2, identifiers of M network slices, and a list of network slices supported by the access network device. Optionally, the first allowed NSSAI is obtained by taking the intersection of the requested NSSAI (including the identifiers of M network slices), the network slices subscribed by the terminal, the list of network slices supported by the core network device, and the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located. Among them, the network slices subscribed by the terminal include: the network slices subscribed by the terminal indicated by indication information 1, and the network slices subscribed by the terminal indicated by indication information 2; the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located can be obtained based on the list of network slices supported by the access network device. Exemplarily, network slice a is any network slice among the M network slices. If indication information 1 or indication information 2 indicates that the terminal has subscribed to network slice a, and the list of network slices supported by the access network device includes the identifier of network slice a, then the first allowed NSSAI includes the identifier of network slice a. For example, the identifiers of the M network slices include the identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 2. If indication information 1 indicates that the terminal has subscribed to network slice 1, indication information 2 indicates that the terminal has subscribed to network slice 2, and the list of network slices supported by the access network device includes the identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 2, the gateway device may determine that the first allowed NSSAI includes the identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 2.

[0196] In some possible ways, the gateway device may request information #1 from all core network devices connected to it. That is, at least one core network device may be all core network devices connected to the gateway device. In this case, the message sent by the gateway device to each core network device to request information #1 includes: the first identifier of the terminal and the identifiers of M network slices. For example, the message b1 sent by the gateway device to the first core network device includes the first identifier of the terminal and the identifiers of M network slices. Then, the first core network device can determine information #1 based on the first identifier of the terminal and the identifiers of M network slices.

[0197] In some other possible methods, before step A1, the gateway device may determine at least one core network device. The determination method may refer to the above method c1 or method c2, which will not be repeated here.

[0198] In this way, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the information indicating whether the terminal has subscribed to P network slices among the M network slices. In addition, in this method, at least one core network device only needs to send information indicating whether the terminal has subscribed to P network slices among the M network slices to the gateway device, thereby reducing signaling overhead, and eliminating the need for at least one core network device to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving computing resources of at least one core network device and reducing power consumption of at least one core network device.

[0199] Method b3:

[0200] In mode b3, the first information includes: at least one second allowed NSSAI. Steps A1 to A3 in mode b3 are described below.

[0201] In step A1, the gateway device requests the second allowed NSSAI 1 of the terminal from the first core network device, and the second allowed NSSAI 1 is the allowed NSSAI 1 determined by the first core network device for the terminal. Optionally, the gateway device can request the second allowed NSSAI 1 by sending a message c1 to the first core network device. Message c1 includes the first identifier of the terminal and the identifier of network slice 1. The specific content of the first identifier can refer to method b1, which will not be repeated here.

[0202] After receiving the message c1, the first core network device may determine the second allowed NSSAI 1. Exemplarily, the first core network device may obtain the first subscription information 1 of the terminal according to the first identifier. The specific content obtained may refer to method b1 and will not be repeated here. Then, the first core network device may determine the second allowed NSSAI 1 according to the first subscription information 1, the identifier of the network slice 1, the list of network slices supported by itself, and the list of network slices supported by the access network device. Optionally, the second allowed NSSAI 1 is obtained by taking the intersection of the requested network slice, the network slice subscribed by the terminal indicated by the first subscription information 1, the list of network slices supported by the core network device, and the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located. Among them, the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located can be obtained based on the list of network slices supported by the access network device. For example, if the first subscription information 1, the access network device, and the list of network slices supported by the first core network device all include network slice 1, the first core network device may determine that the second allowed NSSAI 1 includes the identifier of network slice 1.

[0203] In step A1, the gateway device may also request the second allowed NSSAI 2 of the terminal from the third core network device, where the second allowed NSSAI 2 is the allowed NSSAI determined by the third core network device for the terminal. The specific content of the gateway device requesting the second allowed NSSAI 2 of the terminal from the third core network device can refer to the gateway device requesting the second allowed NSSAI 1 of the terminal from the first core network device, except that the first core network device is replaced by the third core network device, the second allowed NSSAI 1 is replaced by the second allowed NSSAI 2, the first subscription information 1 is replaced by the first subscription information 2, and the network slice 1 is replaced by the network slice 2, which will not be repeated here.

[0204] The present application does not limit the execution order of the gateway device requesting the second allowed NSSAI 1 of the terminal from the first core network device, and the gateway device requesting the second allowed NSSAI 2 of the terminal from the third core network device.

[0205] In step A2, the first core network device sends the second allowed NSSAI 1 to the gateway device, and the third core network device sends the second allowed NSSAI 2 to the gateway device; accordingly, the gateway device receives the second allowed NSSAI 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2. The second allowed NSSAI 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2 may be carried in a traditional message or in a new message. The present application does not limit the execution order of the gateway device receiving the second allowed NSSAI 1 and receiving the second allowed NSSAI 2.

[0206] In step A3, the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI according to the second allowed NSSAI 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2. Exemplarily, the first allowed NSSAI includes: the identifier of the network slice in the second allowed NSSAI 1, and the identifier of the network slice in the second allowed NSSAI 2. For example, if the second allowed NSSAI 1 includes the identifier of the network slice 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2 includes the identifier of the network slice 2, the gateway device may determine that the first allowed NSSAI includes the identifiers of the network slice 1 and the network slice 2.

[0207] In some possible ways, the gateway device may request the second allowed NSSAI from all core network devices connected to the gateway device to obtain at least one second allowed NSSAI. That is, the at least one core network device may be all core network devices connected to the gateway device.

[0208] In this case, in step A1, the message sent by the gateway device to each core network device to request the second allowed NSSAI includes: the first identifier of the terminal and the identifiers of M network slices. For example, the message c1 sent by the gateway device to the first core network device includes the first identifier of the terminal and the identifiers of M network slices. Then, the first core network device can determine the second allowed NSSAI 1 based on the first identifier of the terminal and the identifiers of the M network slices. Optionally, the second allowed NSSAI 1 is obtained by taking the intersection of the requested NSSAI (including the identifiers of M network slices), the network slices subscribed by the terminal indicated by the first subscription information 1, the list of network slices supported by the core network device, and the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located. Among them, the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located can be obtained based on the list of network slices supported by the access network device.

[0209] In some other possible methods, before step A1, the gateway device may determine at least one core network device. The determination method may refer to the above method c1 or method c2, which will not be repeated here.

[0210] In this way, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on at least one second allowed NSSAI, and can reduce the amount of calculation used by the gateway device to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving the computing resources of the gateway device and reducing the power consumption of the gateway device.

[0211] It should be understood that methods b1 to b3 can be used alone or in combination. That is, the identifier of the network slice in the first allowed NSSAI can be obtained according to one or more of methods b1 to b3. For example, the first allowed NSSAI includes the identifiers of network slice b and network slice c, and the identifiers of network slice b and network slice c can both be obtained by method b1, or the identifier of network slice b is obtained by method b1, and the identifier of network slice c is obtained by method b2.

[0212] Through method a1, the gateway device can request the first information from each core network device in at least one core network device respectively, so as to quickly obtain at least one first information, and then quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI.

[0213] Method a2:

[0214] Method a2 includes steps C1 to C5:

[0215] Step C1: The gateway device sends a first message to the first core network device; correspondingly, the first core network device receives the first message from the gateway device. The first message can be used to request second information, and the second information is used to determine the first allowed NSSAI.

[0216] Exemplarily, each of the at least one core network device may support some of the M network slices. For the M network slices, the gateway device may send a first message to a first core network device in the at least one core network device to request second information for determining a first allowed NSSAI. For example, the at least one core network device includes a first core network device and a third core network device, the M network slices include network slice 1 and network slice 2, the first core network device supports network slice 1, and the third core network device supports network slice 2. The gateway device may send a first message to the first core network device.

[0217] Step C2: The first core network device requests the third core network device for the seventh information.

[0218] Optionally, the seventh information may include at least one of the following (1) to (3):

[0219] (1) First contract information 2 of the terminal: The first contract information 2 may indicate the contract information of the terminal acquired by the third core network device. The specific content of the first contract information 2 may refer to method b1, and will not be repeated here.

[0220] (2) Indication information 2 used to indicate whether the terminal has subscribed to network slice 2. The specific content of indication information 2 can be referred to method b2 and will not be repeated here.

[0221] (3) The second allowed NSSAI 2 is the NSSAI 2 determined by the third core network device for the terminal. The specific content of the second allowed NSSAI 2 can refer to mode b3, which will not be repeated here.

[0222] Step C3: The third core network device sends the seventh information to the first core network device. Correspondingly, the first core network device receives the seventh information from the third core network device. The seventh information can be carried in a traditional message or in a new message.

[0223] Among them, steps C2 to C3 may be optional.

[0224] Step C4: the first core network device sends the second information to the gateway device; correspondingly, the gateway device receives the second information from the first core network device.

[0225] Optionally, the second information may be determined based on the seventh information, and the specific content of the determination will be described in the following methods d1 to d4, which will not be expanded here. The second information may be carried in a traditional message or in a new message.

[0226] Step C5: The gateway device determines a first allowed NSSAI according to the second information.

[0227] Optionally, in method a2, the second information may include at least one first information, and the specific content of the at least one first information may refer to the description of at least one information in method a1; and / or, the second information is used to indicate the first allowed NSSAI, for example, the second information includes the first allowed NSSAI.

[0228] Corresponding to the different contents of the second information and the seventh information, steps C1 to C5 may have different modes, for example, mode d1, mode d2, mode d3 or mode d4. Below, taking at least one core network device including a first core network device and a third core network device, M network slices including network slice 1 and network slice 2, the first core network device supporting network slice 1, and the third core network device supporting network slice 2 as an example, mode d1, mode d2, mode d3 or mode d4 are respectively described.

[0229] Method d1:

[0230] In mode d1, the second information includes the first contract information 1 of the terminal and the first contract information 2 of the terminal; the seventh information includes the first contract information 2. The specific contents of the first contract information 1 and the first contract information 2 can be referred to mode b1, which will not be repeated here. Steps C1 to C5 in mode d1 are described below.

[0231] In step C1, the gateway device sends a first message to the first core network device, and the first message is used to request the second information including the first contract information 1 and the first contract information 2. Optionally, the first message includes the first identifier of the terminal, and the specific content of the first identifier can refer to method a1, which will not be repeated here. In this way, the first core network device can obtain the first contract information 1 of the terminal according to the first identifier, and the specific content obtained can refer to method b1, which will not be repeated here.

[0232] In step C2, the first core network device can request the first subscription information 2 by sending a message d1 to the third core network device, and the message d1 includes the first identifier. In this way, the third core network device can obtain the first subscription information 2 of the terminal according to the first identifier. The specific content obtained can refer to method b1, which will not be repeated here.

[0233] Optionally, before step C2, the first core network device may determine the third core network device. In some possible ways, after determining at least one core network device including the third core network device, the gateway device may send indication information of the third core network device to the first core network device. The indication information of the third core network device is, for example, the identifier or IP address of the third core network device. The first core network device may determine the third core network device according to the indication information of the third core network device. Among them, the specific content of the gateway device determining at least one core network device can refer to the description of the gateway device determining at least one core network device in mode b1, which will not be repeated here. Among them, the indication information of the third core network device may be included in message d1 or in other messages. In some other possible ways, the first core network device may determine the third core network device according to the identifier of network slice 2 and the list of network slices supported by the third core network device. For example, if the list of network slices supported by a core network device includes the identifier of network slice 2, the first core network device may determine the core network device as the third core network device.

[0234] In step C3, the third core network device may send the first contract information 2 to the first core network device. The first contract information 2 may be carried in a traditional message or in a new message.

[0235] In step C4, the first core network device sends the second information including the first contract information 1 and the first contract information 2 to the gateway device; accordingly, the gateway device receives the second information. The second information can be carried in a traditional message or in a new message. The first contract information 1 and the first contract information 2 can be carried in the same message or in different messages.

[0236] In step C5, the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI based on the first contract information 1 and the first contract information 2 in the second information. The determination method can refer to the description of step A3 in method b1 and will not be repeated here.

[0237] In this way, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI according to the first subscription information of the terminal. In addition, in this method, at least one core network device only needs to send the first subscription information to the gateway device, and at least one core network device does not need to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving computing resources of at least one core network device and reducing power consumption of at least one core network device.

[0238] Method d2:

[0239] In mode d2, the second information includes indication information 1 and indication information 2; the seventh information includes indication information 2. The specific contents of indication information 1 and indication information 2 can be referred to mode b2, and will not be repeated here. Steps C1 to C5 in mode d2 are described below.

[0240] In step C1, the gateway device sends a first message to the first core network device, and the first message is used to request the second information including indication information 1 and indication information 2. Optionally, the first message includes the first identifier of the terminal, the identifier of network slice 1, and the identifier of network slice 2, wherein the specific content of the first identifier can refer to method b1, which is not repeated here. In this way, the first core network device can determine indication information 1 according to the first identifier and the identifier of network slice 1, and the determination method can refer to method b2, which is not repeated here.

[0241] In step C2, the first core network device may request indication information 2 by sending a message e1 to the third core network device, where the message e1 includes the first identifier and the identifier of the network slice 2. In this way, the third core network device may determine indication information 2 according to the first identifier and the identifier of the network slice 2, and the determination method may refer to method b2, which will not be described in detail here.

[0242] Optionally, before step C2, the first core network device may determine the third core network device. The determination method may refer to method d1 and will not be repeated here.

[0243] In step C3, the third core network device sends indication information 2 to the first core network device. The indication information 2 may be carried in a traditional message or in a new message.

[0244] In step C4, the first core network device sends the second information including indication information 1 and indication information 2 to the gateway device; accordingly, the gateway device receives the second information. The second information can be carried in a traditional message or in a new message. Indication information 1 and indication information 2 can be carried in the same message or in different messages.

[0245] In step C5, the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI according to indication information 1 and indication information 2 in the second information. The determination method can refer to the description of step A3 in method b2, which will not be repeated here.

[0246] In this way, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on at least one indication information (e.g., indication information 1 and indication information 2). Moreover, in this method, at least one core network device only needs to send the second information including at least one indication information to the gateway device, thereby reducing the signaling overhead, and at least one core network device does not need to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving the computing resources of at least one core network device and reducing the power consumption of at least one core network device.

[0247] Method d3:

[0248] In mode d3, the second information includes: the second allowed NSSAI 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2; the seventh information includes the second allowed NSSAI 2. The specific contents of the second allowed NSSAI 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2 can be referred to mode b3, which will not be repeated here. Steps C1 to C5 in mode d3 are described below.

[0249] In step C1, the gateway device sends a first message to the first core network device, and the first message is used to request second information including a second allowed NSSAI1 and a second allowed NSSAI 2. Optionally, the first message includes a first identifier of the terminal, an identifier of network slice 1, and an identifier of network slice 2. Among them, the specific content of the first identifier can refer to method b1, which is not repeated here. After receiving the first message, the first core network device can determine the second allowed NSSAI 1 based on the first identifier and the identifier of network slice 1. The determination method can refer to method b3, which is not repeated here.

[0250] In step C2, the first core network device may request the second allowed NSSAI 2 by sending a message f1 to the third core network device, where the message f1 includes the first identifier and the identifier of the network slice 2. In this way, the third core network device may determine the second allowed NSSAI 2 according to the first identifier and the identifier of the network slice 2, and the determination method may refer to method b3, which will not be repeated here.

[0251] Optionally, before step C2, the first core network device may determine the third core network device. The determination method may refer to method d1 and will not be repeated here.

[0252] In step C3, the third core network device sends the second allowed NSSAI 2 to the first core network device. The second allowed NSSAI 2 may be carried in a traditional message or in a new message.

[0253] In step C4, the first core network device sends a second message including a second allowed NSSAI 1 and a second allowed NSSAI 2 to the gateway device; accordingly, the gateway device receives the second message. The second message may be carried in a traditional message or in a new message. The second allowed NSSAI 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2 may be carried in the same message or in different messages.

[0254] In step C5, the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI according to the second allowed NSSAI 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2 in the second information. The determination method may refer to method b3 and will not be described in detail here.

[0255] In this way, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on at least one second allowed NSSAI, and can reduce the amount of calculation used by the gateway device to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving the computing resources of the gateway device and reducing the power consumption of the gateway device.

[0256] Method d4:

[0257] In mode d4, the second information is used to indicate the first allowed NSSAI. Steps C1 to C5 in mode d4 are described below.

[0258] In step C1, the gateway device sends a first message to the first core network device, and the first message is used to request second information indicating a first allowed NSSAI. Optionally, the first message includes a first identifier of the terminal, an identifier of network slice 1, and an identifier of network slice 2. The specific content of the first identifier can be referred to method b1, which will not be repeated here.

[0259] Corresponding to different contents of the seventh information, steps C2 to C5 in method d4 may be performed in different ways, for example, method e1, method e2 or method e3.

[0260] Method e1:

[0261] In the method e1, the seventh information includes the first contract information 2. The steps C2 to C5 in the method e1 are described below.

[0262] Steps C2 to C3 in method e1 may refer to steps C2 to C3 in method d1 and will not be described in detail here.

[0263] In step C4, before sending the second information, the first core network device may determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the first contract information 1 and the first contract information 2, thereby determining the second information. The first core network device determines the specific content of the first allowed NSSAI, which can refer to the description of "the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI based on the first contract information 1 and the first contract information 2" in method b1, except that the gateway device is replaced by the first core network device; the first core network device determines the specific content of the first contract information 1, which can also refer to method b1, and will not be repeated here.

[0264] In step C5, the gateway device may determine the first allowed NSSAI indicated by the second information according to the second information. For example, the second information includes the first allowed NSSAI, and the gateway device may obtain the first allowed NSSAI in the second information.

[0265] In this way, the first core network device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI according to the first subscription information of the terminal. In addition, in this method, the first core network device can indicate the first allowed NSSAI to the gateway device through the second information, thereby reducing the amount of calculation used by the gateway device to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving the computing resources of the gateway device and reducing the power consumption of the gateway device.

[0266] Method e2:

[0267] In mode e2, the seventh information includes indication information 2. Steps C2 to C5 in mode e2 are described below.

[0268] Steps C2 to C3 in method e2 can refer to steps C2 to C3 in method d2 and will not be repeated here.

[0269] In step C4, before sending the second information, the first core network device may determine the first allowed NSSAI according to indication information 1 and indication information 2, thereby determining the second information. The first core network device determines the specific content of the first allowed NSSAI, which can refer to the description of "the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI according to indication information 1 and indication information 2" in method b2, except that the gateway device is replaced by the first core network device; the first core network device determines the specific content of indication information 1, which can also refer to method b2, and will not be repeated here.

[0270] In step C5, the gateway device may determine the first allowed NSSAI indicated by the second information according to the second information. For details, refer to step C5 in method e1.

[0271] In this way, the first core network device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on at least one indication information (for example, indication information 1 and indication information 2). In addition, in this method, the first core network device can indicate the first allowed NSSAI to the gateway device through the second information, thereby reducing the amount of calculation used by the gateway device to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving the computing resources of the gateway device and reducing the power consumption of the gateway device.

[0272] Method e3:

[0273] In mode e3, the seventh information includes the second allowed NSSAI 2. Steps C3 to C5 in mode e3 are described below.

[0274] Steps C2 to C3 in method e3 can refer to steps C2 to C3 in method d3 and will not be repeated here.

[0275] In step C4, before sending the second information, the first core network device may determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the second allowed NSSAI 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2, thereby determining the second information. The first core network device determines the specific content of the first allowed NSSAI, which can refer to the description of "the gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI based on the second allowed NSSAI 1 and the second allowed NSSAI 2" in method b3, except that the gateway device is replaced by the first core network device; the first core network device determines the specific content of the second allowed NSSAI1, which can also refer to method b3, and will not be repeated here.

[0276] In this way, the first core network device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on at least one second allowed NSSAI. In addition, in this method, the first core network device can indicate the first allowed NSSAI to the gateway device through the second information, thereby reducing the amount of calculation used by the gateway device to determine the first allowed NSSAI, thereby saving the computing resources of the gateway device and reducing the power consumption of the gateway device.

[0277] Through mode a2, the gateway device can obtain the second information from the first core network device, and the second information is related to the first core network device and the third core network device. In this way, there is no need for the terminal to establish a NAS connection with multiple core network devices, and the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the second information, thereby reducing the number of NAS connections established between the terminal and the core network device and reducing the power consumption of the terminal.

[0278] In some implementations, in method a2, the gateway device may determine the first core network device.

[0279] In some possible ways, after determining at least one core network device, the gateway device may select a core network device from the at least one core network device as the first core network device. The way in which the gateway device determines at least one core network device may refer to way c1 or way c2, which will not be described here. The following example illustrates the way in which the gateway device selects the first core network device.

[0280] In some examples, the gateway device may randomly select a core network device from at least one core network device as the first core network device. For example, the at least one core network device includes AMF 1 and AMF 2. The gateway device may randomly select an AMF from AMF 1 and AMF 2 as the first core network device.

[0281] In some other examples, the gateway device may select a core network device that is connected to the gateway device from at least one core network device as the first core network device. For example, the at least one core network device includes AMF 1 and AMF 2. There is a connection between AMF 1 and the gateway device; there is no direct connection between AMF 2 and the gateway device. The gateway device may select AMF 1 as the first core network device.

[0282] In some other possible modes, the gateway device may use the first core network device in at least one core network device determined in mode c1 or mode c2 as the first core network device. Optionally, in this case, in mode c1, the access network device may only determine the first core network device, without determining the core network devices other than the first core network device in at least one core network device, and send indication information of the first core network device to the gateway device; in mode c2, the gateway device may determine the first core network device, without determining the core network devices other than the first core network device in at least one core network device.

[0283] In some possible ways, the gateway device may also integrate the information of at least one core network device. There may be multiple ways of integration, for example, way f1 or way f2.

[0284] Method f1:

[0285] Method f1 may include steps D1 to D2:

[0286] Step D1: The gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device.

[0287] Exemplarily, the gateway device may obtain a list of network slices supported by each core network device in at least one core network device. For example, the at least one core network device includes AMF 1 and AMF 2. The gateway device may obtain a list of network slices supported by AMF 1 from AMF 1, and obtain a list of network slices supported by AMF 2 from AMF 2.

[0288] In some examples, the gateway device may actively request each core network device in at least one core network device for a list of network slices supported by each core network device. For example, after receiving a first request or receiving a next generation (NG) setup request message from an access network device, the gateway device may request each core network device in at least one core network device for a list of network slices supported by each core network device.

[0289] In other examples, when the gateway device establishes an NG interface with each core network device or updates the AMF configuration, it can obtain a list of network slices supported by the core network device from the core network device.

[0290] In some other examples, each core network device in at least one core network device may periodically send a list of network slices supported by each core network device to a gateway device. The sending period may be pre-configured or determined by each core network device or gateway device, and this application does not limit this.

[0291] Step D2: The gateway device sends the third information to the access network device managed by the gateway device.

[0292] Among them, the third information is used to indicate the first network slice list, and the first network slice list includes the identifiers of all network slices supported by at least one core network device. Exemplarily, the third information includes the first network slice list. For example, at least one core network device includes AMF1 and AMF 2, the network slice list supported by AMF 1 includes the identifier of network slice 1, and the network slice list supported by AMF 2 includes the identifier of network slice 2. The first network slice list includes the identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 2.

[0293] In this way, the gateway device can integrate the information of at least one core network device, so as to better support network slicing. In addition, in this way, the access network device managed by the gateway device can obtain the first network slice list, so as to know all the network slices supported by at least one core network device, and then perform more comprehensive access management and / or mobility management for terminals using services of network slices.

[0294] Method f2:

[0295] Method f2 may include steps E1 to E2:

[0296] Step E1: The gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device.

[0297] The specific content of step E1 can refer to step D1 and will not be repeated here.

[0298] Step E2: The gateway device sends fourth information to the access network device managed by the gateway device.

[0299] Among them, the fourth information is used to indicate the list of network slices supported by each core network device in at least one core network device. For example, at least one core network device includes AMF 1 and AMF 2, the network slice list 1 supported by AMF 1 includes the identifier of network slice 1, and the network slice list 2 supported by AMF 2 includes the identifier of network slice 2. The fourth information includes: information a1 and information a2, information a1 includes indication information of AMF 1 (for example, the identifier or IP address of AMF 1) and the network slice list 1 supported by AMF 1, and information a2 includes: indication information of AMF2 (for example, the identifier or IP address of AMF 2) and the network slice list 2 supported by AMF 2. In this way, the access network device can determine the network slice list supported by each core network device according to the fourth information.

[0300] In this way, the gateway device can integrate the information of at least one core network device, so as to better support network slicing. In addition, in this way, the access network device managed by the gateway device can determine the list of network slices supported by each core network device, so as to perform more comprehensive access management and / or mobility management for terminals using services of network slices, and / or determine at least one core network device through mode c1.

[0301] It should be understood that mode f1 or mode f2 can be used with Figure 3 The methods shown can be combined or used alone as an embodiment.

[0302] In some possible ways, the gateway device may also integrate the information of at least one access network device that it manages. There may be multiple ways of integration, such as way g1 or way g2.

[0303] Method g1:

[0304] Method g1 may include steps G1 to G2:

[0305] Step G1: The gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device.

[0306] Exemplarily, the gateway device may obtain a list of network slices supported by each TA under each core network device in at least one access network device. For example, at least one access network device includes AN device 1 and AN device 2. The gateway device may obtain a list of network slices supported by each TA under AN device 1 from AN device 1, and obtain a list of network slices supported by each TA under AN device 2 from AN device 2.

[0307] In some examples, the gateway device may actively request each access network device in at least one access network device for a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device. For example, after receiving the first request or receiving an NG establishment request message from the access network device, the gateway device may request each access network device in at least one access network device for a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device.

[0308] In other examples, when the gateway device establishes an NG interface with each access network device or the access network device configuration is updated, a list of network slices supported by each TA under the access network device can be obtained from the access network device.

[0309] In some other examples, each access network device in at least one access network device may periodically send a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device to the gateway device. The sending period may be pre-configured or determined by each access network device or gateway device, and this application does not limit this.

[0310] Step G2: The gateway device sends fifth information to the second core network device, wherein the second core network device and the first core network device mentioned above may be the same core network device or different core network devices.

[0311] Among them, the fifth information is used to indicate the second network slice list, and the second network slice list includes the identifiers of all network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device. For example, at least one access network device includes AN device 1 and AN device 2. TA1 under AN device 1 supports network slice 1, TA2 under AN device 1 supports network slice 2, and TA1 under AN device 2 supports network slice 1. The second network slice list includes the identifiers of network slice 1 and network slice 2.

[0312] In this way, the gateway device can integrate the information of at least one access network device, so as to better support network slicing. In addition, in this way, the second core network device can obtain the second network slice list, so as to know all the network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device, and then perform more comprehensive mobility management for terminals using services of network slices.

[0313] Method g2:

[0314] Method g2 may include steps H1 to H2:

[0315] Step H1: The gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device.

[0316] The specific content of step H1 can refer to step G1 and will not be repeated here.

[0317] Step H2: The gateway device sends sixth information to the second core network device, wherein the second core network device and the first core network device mentioned above may be the same core network device or different core network devices.

[0318] Among them, the sixth information is used to indicate the list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device in at least one access network device. For example, at least one access network device includes AN device 1 and AN device 2. TA1 under AN device 1 supports network slice 1, TA2 under AN device 1 supports network slice 2, and TA1 under AN device 2 supports network slice 1. The sixth information includes: information a3 and information a4, information a3 includes: TAI of TA1 and the identifier of network slice 1; information a4 includes TAI of TA2 and the identifier of network slice 2. In this way, according to the sixth information, the second core network device can determine the network slices supported by each TA.

[0319] In this way, the gateway device can integrate the information of at least one access network device, so as to better support network slicing. In addition, in this way, the second core network device can learn the network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device, so as to perform more comprehensive mobility management for terminals for services using network slices, and can determine the second information mentioned above according to the network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device.

[0320] It should be understood that mode g1 or mode g2 can be used with Figure 3 The methods shown can be combined or used alone as an embodiment.

[0321] An embodiment of the present application provides another communication method. Figure 4 The flow chart of the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. 1 , wherein the access network device is, for example, a home base station; the gateway device may be an access network gateway device, for example, a home base station gateway; and the core network device is, for example, an AMF. Figure 4 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0322] S401: The terminal sends a second request to the gateway device; correspondingly, the gateway device receives the second request from the terminal.

[0323] The second request is used to request that the service of the first network slice be provided to the terminal. Exemplarily, the second request may include a requested NSSAI, and the requested NSSAI includes an identifier of the first network slice, so that the service of the first network slice may be requested to be provided to the terminal.

[0324] In some implementations, the terminal may send a second request to the gateway device through the first access network device. Specifically, after the terminal sends the second request to the first access network device, the first access network device forwards the second request from the terminal to the gateway device. For example, the second request is a registration request. The terminal accesses a cell in the first access network device and may transparently transmit a registration request to the first access network device through an RRC establishment completion message, where the registration request is used to request that the first network slice service be provided to the terminal. Then, the first access network device may forward the registration request to the gateway device.

[0325] S402: When the first access network device providing services to the terminal does not support the first network slice, the gateway device sends the eighth information to the first access network device; correspondingly, the first access network device receives the eighth information from the gateway device.

[0326] Among them, the eighth information is used to indicate that the terminal is redirected or switched from the first access network device to the second access network device, and the second access network device supports the first network slice. The first access network device and the second access network device may be access network devices managed by a gateway device. Exemplarily, the eighth information may include indication information of the second access network device (for example, an identifier or IP address of the second access network device). The eighth information may be carried in a traditional message or in a new message.

[0327] Optionally, when the eighth information is used to indicate redirecting the terminal from the first access network device to the second access network device, the eighth information may include a target NSSAI and its corresponding radio access technology (RAT) / frequency selection priority (RFSP) index (RFSP index), and the target NSSAI may include an identifier of the first network slice.

[0328] Figure 4 The method shown is described by taking the first network slice as an example. It should be understood that Figure 4 The method shown may also be applicable to multiple network slices, in which case the first network slice may be replaced by multiple network slices.

[0329] pass Figure 4 According to the method shown, when the first access network device that provides services to the terminal does not support the first network slice, if the gateway device receives a second request to provide the service of the first network slice to the terminal, the gateway device can promptly send the eighth information to redirect or switch the terminal from the first access network device to the second access network device, thereby avoiding or reducing the rejection due to the cell accessed by the terminal not supporting the requested network slice, so that the terminal can obtain the service of the first network slice in a timely manner.

[0330] Some possible ways are Figure 4 The method also includes step I1:

[0331] Step I1: The gateway device determines the second access network device.

[0332] In some possible ways, the gateway device may determine the second access network device by itself. Exemplarily, the second request includes an identifier of the first network slice. The gateway device may determine an access network device that supports the first network slice in at least one access network device as the second access network device based on a list of network slices supported by at least one access network device managed by the gateway device and the identifier of the first network slice. For example, if the list of network slices supported by AN device 1 managed by the gateway device includes the identifier of network slice 1, and the list of network slices supported by AN device 2 managed by the gateway device includes the identifier of the first network slice, the gateway device determines that AN device 2 is the second access network device. In this way, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine the second access network device, thereby avoiding or reducing the rejection due to the cell accessed by the terminal not supporting the requested network slice, so that the terminal can obtain the service of the first network slice in a timely manner.

[0333] In some other possible ways, after determining the second access network device, the first core network device may send indication information of the second access network device (for example, the identifier or IP address of the second access network device) to the gateway device. Then, the gateway device determines the second access network device based on the indication information of the second access network device. Among them, the first core network device may be a service AMF that has established a NAS connection with the terminal. The following describes the determination of the second access network device by the first core network device. Exemplarily, the first core network device may determine the second access network device after receiving a second request from the gateway device, wherein the second request includes the identifier of the first network slice. The specific content of the first core network device determining the second access network device can refer to the description of the gateway device determining the second access network device, which will not be repeated here. In this way, regardless of whether the gateway device has a NAS function, the gateway device can be aware of the second core network device.

[0334] Some possible ways are Figure 4 The method shown also includes step J1:

[0335] Step J1: The gateway device determines that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and determines that one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice.

[0336] In some possible ways, the gateway device may determine by itself that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and determine that one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice. Exemplarily, the second request includes an identifier of the first network slice. The gateway device may determine that the first access network device does not support the first network slice based on the list of network slices supported by the first access network device and the identifier of the first network slice. For example, if the list of network slices supported by the first access network device includes the identifier of network slice 1, the identifier of the first network slice is the identifier of network slice 2, and network slice 1 and network slice 2 are different, the gateway device determines that the first access network device does not support the first network slice. The gateway device may determine that the one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice based on the list of network slices supported by the one or more core network devices and the identifier of the first network slice. For example, if one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device include AMF 1 and AMF 2, the list of network slices supported by AMF 1 includes the identifier of network slice 1, the list of network slices supported by AMF 2 includes the identifier of network slice 2, and the identifier of the first network slice is the identifier of network slice 2, then the gateway device determines that one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice.

[0337] In some other possible ways, after determining that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and determining that one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice, the first core network device may send the first indication information to the gateway device. The first indication information is used to indicate that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and the one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice. For example, when the value of the first indication information is the third value (for example, 0 or 1), the first indication information indicates that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and the one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice. The gateway device determines according to the first indication information that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and the one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice. In this way, the gateway device can quickly and accurately determine that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and determine that the one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice. Then, the gateway device can instruct to redirect or switch the terminal from the first access network device to the second access network device, thereby avoiding or reducing the rejection due to the cell accessed by the terminal not supporting the requested network slice, so that the terminal can obtain the service of the first network slice in time.

[0338] The following describes how the first core network device determines that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and determines that one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice. Exemplarily, after receiving the second request from the gateway device, the first core network device may determine that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and determines that one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice. The determination method may refer to the description of the gateway device determining that the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and determining that one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice, except that the gateway device is replaced by the first core network device, which will not be repeated here.

[0339] In this way, regardless of whether the gateway device has the NAS function, the gateway device can be informed that: the first access network device does not support the first network slice, and one or more core network devices connected to the gateway device support the first network slice.

[0340] Optionally, step J1 may be performed before step I1.

[0341] An embodiment of the present application provides yet another communication method. Figure 5 The flow chart of the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. 1 , wherein the access network device is, for example, a home base station; the gateway device may be an access network gateway device, for example, a home base station gateway; and the core network device is, for example, an AMF. Figure 5 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0342] S501: The first access network device sends a switching request to the gateway device; correspondingly, the gateway device receives the switching request from the first access network device.

[0343] The first access network device is an access network device managed by a gateway device. The switching request is used to request to switch the terminal from the first access network device to the second access network device. The switching request includes indication information of the second access network device, which is used to indicate an identifier of the second access network device.

[0344] S502: The gateway device sends a third request to the second access network device according to whether there is a connection between the gateway device and the second access network device; accordingly, the second access network device receives the third request. The third request can be used to request to switch the terminal from the first access network device to the second access network device.

[0345] In some possible ways, there is a connection between the gateway device and the second access network device. The gateway device can directly send the third request to the second access network device. For example, the gateway device can send the third request to the second access network device through the connection between the gateway device and the second access network device, and the third request is a handover request. In this way, the gateway device can quickly send the third request to the second access network device, so that the terminal device can be quickly switched to the second access network device.

[0346] In some other possible ways, there is no connection between the gateway device and the second access network device. The gateway device may send a third request to the second access network device through the core network device. For example, the gateway device may send a third request to the core network device, and then the core network device forwards the third request to the second access network device. Among them, the third request may be carried in a handover required message sent by the gateway device to the core network device, and in a handover request message sent by the core network device to the second access network device. In this way, the gateway device may send a third request to the second access network device through the core network device. In this way, even if there is no connection between the gateway device and the second access network device, the gateway device may send a third request to the second access network device in order to switch the terminal to the second access network device.

[0347] pass Figure 5 In the method shown, regardless of whether there is a connection between the gateway device and the second access network device, the gateway device can send a third request to the second access network device to switch the terminal to the second access network device, thereby realizing the terminal switching process.

[0348] An embodiment of the present application provides yet another communication method. Figure 6 A flow chart corresponding to the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application. The first device is a user plane function network element, and the second device is an access network device; or the first device is an access network device, and the second device is a user plane function network element. The access network device is, for example, a home base station; the gateway device may be an access network gateway device, such as a home base station gateway; the core network device is, for example, an AMF and a UPF. Figure 6 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0349] S601: The gateway device obtains first configuration information.

[0350] The first configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of U data bearers of the first device, where U is a positive integer. Exemplarily, the first configuration information may include at least one of the following: the transport network layer (TNL) address of the general packet radio service (GPRS) user plane tunneling protocol (GTP-U) tunnel of the U data bearers of the first device, the tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID), the user datagram protocol (UDP) port number, and the IP address of the first device. The first configuration information may be carried in a traditional message (e.g., a PDU session resource setup request or a PDU session resource setup response), or in a new message.

[0351] S602: The gateway device sends second configuration information to the second apparatus.

[0352] The second configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of the V data bearers of the gateway device, where V is a positive integer. Exemplarily, the second configuration information may include at least one of the following: the TNL address, TEID, UDP port number of the GTP-U tunnel of the V data bearers of the gateway device, and the IP address of the gateway device. The second configuration information may be carried in a traditional message or in a new message.

[0353] Optionally, there is a correspondence between the U data bearers and the V data bearers. The correspondence between the U data bearers and the V data bearers may be determined by the gateway device, or may be indicated to the gateway device by other devices (for example, a device that manages the gateway device), or may be pre-configured.

[0354] In some examples, U is 1 and V is 1, that is, the gateway device splits an N3 tunnel between the first device and the second device into two N3 tunnels, namely, the N3 tunnel between the first device and the gateway device, and the N3 tunnel between the gateway device and the second device. This example can be used when the IP between the first device and the second device is unreachable.

[0355] In other examples, U is 1 and V is greater than 1, that is, multiple N3 tunnels between the gateway device and the second device correspond to one N3 tunnel between the first device and the gateway device. This example can be applied to at least one of the following scenarios: downlink transmission is unreliable; UPF capabilities are limited, and multiple UPFs collaborate to provide services to the terminal. For example, the first device is an access network device, and the second device is a UPF. If UPF#1 and UPF#2 can both provide data services for network slice #2 to the terminal, the gateway device can correspond the V N3 tunnels belonging to the terminal and associated with network slice #2 to the 1 N3 tunnel associated with network slice #2.

[0356] In some other examples, U is greater than 1 and V is 1, that is, multiple N3 tunnels between the gateway device and the first device correspond to one N3 tunnel between the second device and the gateway device. This example can be applied to at least one of the following scenarios: uplink transmission is unreliable; UPF capabilities are limited, and multiple UPFs collaborate to provide services to the terminal. For example, if the first device is a UPF and the second device is an access network device, if UPF#1 and UPF#2 can both provide data services for network slice #2 to the terminal, the gateway device can correspond one N3 tunnel belonging to the terminal and associated with network slice #2 to U N3 tunnels associated with network slice #2.

[0357] In some other examples, U is greater than 1, and V is greater than 1, that is, multiple N3 tunnels between the gateway device and the first apparatus correspond to multiple N3 tunnels between the second apparatus and the gateway device.

[0358] S603: The gateway device receives data of the second network slice from the second device through V data bearers; and sends data of the second network slice to the first device through U data bearers.

[0359] In some possible manners, the first device is a user plane function network element (eg, UPF), and the second device is an access network device, such as an access network device managed by a gateway device. S601 to S603 in this manner are described below.

[0360] In S601, the gateway device may obtain first configuration information from a core network device (e.g., AMF). For example, after the terminal initiates a request to the network side for establishing a PDU session associated with the second network slice, the service core network device of the terminal may send the first configuration information to the gateway device. After receiving the first configuration information, the gateway device may establish U data bearers. The U data bearers may be unidirectional data bearers from the gateway device to the UPF, or bidirectional data bearers between the gateway device and the UPF. The U data bearers may be used to transmit data of the second network slice.

[0361] In S602, the gateway device configures the transport layer configuration of the V data bearers, obtains the second configuration information, and sends the second configuration information to the access network device. Optionally, after obtaining the first configuration information, the gateway device may configure the transport layer configuration of the V data bearers, obtain the second configuration information, and send the second configuration information to the access network device.

[0362] Optionally, after receiving the second configuration information, the access network device may establish V data bearers. The V data bearers may be unidirectional data bearers from the access network device to the gateway device, or may be bidirectional data bearers between the access network device and the gateway device. The V data bearers may be used to transmit data of the second network slice.

[0363] In S603, the gateway device receives data of the second network slice from the access network device through V data bearers; and sends the data of the second network slice to the UPF through U data bearers.

[0364] Optionally, when the first device is a user plane functional network element and the second device is an access network device, U is greater than or equal to V.

[0365] In some other possible manners, the first device is an access network device, such as an access network device managed by a gateway device, and the second device is a user plane function network element (eg, UPF). S601 to S603 in this manner are described below.

[0366] In S601, the gateway device may obtain first configuration information from the access network device. For example, the access network device may send the first configuration information to the gateway device in a PDU session resource establishment response message. After receiving the first configuration information, the gateway device may establish U data bearers. The U data bearers may be unidirectional data bearers from the gateway device to the access network device, or may be bidirectional data bearers between the gateway device and the access network device. The U data bearers may be used to transmit data of the second network slice.

[0367] In S602, the gateway device configures the transport layer configuration of the V data bearers, obtains the second configuration information, and sends the second configuration information to the UPF. Optionally, after obtaining the first configuration information, the gateway device may configure the transport layer configuration of the V data bearers, obtain the second configuration information, and send the second configuration information to the UPF.

[0368] Optionally, after receiving the second configuration information, the UPF may establish V data bearers. The V data bearers may be unidirectional data bearers from the UPF to the gateway device, or bidirectional data bearers between the UPF and the gateway device. The V data bearers may be used to transmit data of the second network slice.

[0369] In S603, the gateway device receives data of the second network slice from the UPF through V data bearers; and sends data of the second network slice to the access network device through U data bearers.

[0370] Optionally, when the first device is an access network device and the second device is a user plane functional network element, U is less than or equal to V.

[0371] In some implementations, U data bearers are bidirectional data bearers between the first device and the gateway device, and V data bearers are bidirectional data bearers between the second device and the gateway device. In this case, S603 can be replaced by: the gateway device receives data of the second network slice from the second device through V data bearers; and sends data of the second network slice to the first device through U data bearers. And / or, the gateway device receives data of the second network slice from the first device through U data bearers; and sends data of the second network slice to the second device through V data bearers.

[0372] pass Figure 6 According to the method shown, the gateway device can transmit the data of the second network slice between the first device and the second device, thereby avoiding or reducing the inability to transmit the data of the second network slice between the first device and the second device when the IP between the first device and the second device is unreachable, thereby improving the experience of the terminal users, and improving the reliability and stability of the data transmission of the second network slice between the first device and the second device when the uplink and downlink transmission is unreliable.

[0373] In addition, when the first device is an access network device and the second device is a user plane function network element, since the gateway device can communicate with multiple UPFs, if multiple UPFs jointly provide downlink services for the second network slice, the gateway device can communicate with multiple UPFs through Figure 6 The method shown transmits the data of the second network slice between multiple UPFs and access network devices, thereby improving the data transmission efficiency on the core network side, and can avoid or reduce the gateway device sending multiple UPF transport layer configurations to the access network device, thereby reducing the signaling overhead between the gateway device and the access network device.

[0374] An embodiment of the present application provides yet another communication method. Figure 7 The flow chart of the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. 1 , wherein the access network device is, for example, a home base station; the gateway device may be an access network gateway device, for example, a home base station gateway; and the core network device is, for example, an AMF and a UPF. Figure 7 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0375] S701: The first core network device sends ninth information to the gateway device; correspondingly, the gateway device receives the ninth information from the first core network device.

[0376] Optionally, the first core network device may be a core network device that currently provides a service of a third network slice for the terminal, including a first mobility management function network element and a second user plane function network element. When resources in the first mobility management function network element and / or the second user plane function network element that provide services of the third network slice for the terminal are overloaded, or when the first mobility management function network element and / or the second user plane function network element fails, the first mobility management function network element may send ninth information to the gateway device.

[0377] Among them, the ninth information can be used to indicate that the resources providing the service of the third network slice to the terminal are overloaded or fail. For example, the value of the ninth information is the fourth value (for example, 0 or 1), indicating that the resources providing the service of the third network slice to the terminal are overloaded, or the network element (for example, the first mobility management function network element and / or the second user plane function network element) providing the service of the third network slice to the terminal fails. For another example, the ninth information includes the indication information of the first mobility management function network element (for example, the identifier or IP address of the first mobility management function network element), indicating that the resources providing the service of the third network slice to the terminal in the first mobility management function network element are overloaded, or the first mobility management function network element fails. For another example, the ninth information includes the indication information of the second user plane function network element (for example, the identifier or IP address of the second user plane function network element), indicating that the resources providing the service of the third network slice to the terminal in the second user plane function network element are overloaded, or the second user plane function network element fails. For another example, the ninth information includes indication information of the first mobility management function network element and indication information of the second user plane function network element, indicating that resources in the first mobility management function network element and the second user plane function network element that provide services of the third network slice for the terminal are both overloaded, or the first mobility management function network element and the second user plane function network element both fail. For another example, the ninth information directly indicates that resources in the first core network device for the service of the third network slice are overloaded, or the first core network device fails.

[0378] The ninth information may be carried in a traditional message (eg, overload start) or in a new message.

[0379] S702: The gateway device determines that the fourth core network device provides the third network slice service for the terminal, wherein the fourth core network device supports the third network slice.

[0380] Exemplarily, the fourth core network device may include a second mobility management function network element and a first user plane function network element.

[0381] In some examples, the ninth information indicates that the resources in the first mobility management function network element in the first core network device that provide the terminal with the service of the third network slice are overloaded, or the first mobility management function network element fails. The gateway device may determine, after receiving the ninth information, that the fourth core network device provides the terminal with the control plane service of the third network slice. The fourth core network device is different from the first core network device, and the fourth core network device supports the third network slice. Exemplarily, the gateway device may determine that the fourth core network device provides the terminal with the service of the third network slice according to the identifier of the third network slice and the list of network slices supported by the fourth core network device. For example, if the list of network slices supported by the fourth core network device contains the identifier of the third network slice, the gateway device may determine that the second mobility management function network element in the fourth core network device provides the terminal with the control plane service of the third network slice. Optionally, the data service of the terminal for the third network slice may also be provided by the first user plane function network element in the fourth core network device, or still provided by the second user plane function network element in the first core network device.

[0382] In some other examples, the ninth information indicates that the resources in the second user plane function network element in the first core network device that provide the service of the third network slice to the terminal are overloaded, or the second user plane function network element fails. The gateway device may determine that the fourth core network device provides the data plane service of the third network slice to the terminal after receiving the ninth information. The fourth core network device is different from the first core network device, and the fourth core network device supports the third network slice. Exemplarily, the gateway device may determine that the fourth core network device provides the service of the third network slice to the terminal based on the identifier of the third network slice and the list of network slices supported by the fourth core network device. For example, if the list of network slices supported by the fourth core network device contains the identifier of the third network slice, the gateway device may determine that the first user plane function network element in the fourth core network device provides the data plane service of the third network slice to the terminal. Optionally, the control plane service of the terminal for the third network slice may also be provided by the second mobility management function network element, or still provided by the first mobility management function network element in the first core network device.

[0383] In some other examples, the ninth information indicates that the resources of the third network slice in the first mobility management function network element in the first core network device and the second user plane function network element are overloaded, or the first mobility management function network element and the second user plane function network element fail. Then, the gateway device may determine that the first user plane function network element and the second mobility management function network element in the fourth network device provide the service of the third network slice for the terminal.

[0384] pass Figure 7In the method shown, when the resources providing the service of the third network slice to the terminal are overloaded, or the network element providing the service of the third network slice to the terminal fails, the gateway device can determine that the fourth core network device provides the service of the third network slice to the terminal. In this way, the terminal can still obtain the service of the third network slice, thereby avoiding or reducing the interruption of the service of the third network slice provided to the terminal.

[0385] Some possible ways are Figure 7 The method shown also includes step K1:

[0386] Step K1: the gateway device sends the context of the terminal to the fourth core network device; correspondingly, the fourth core network device receives the context of the terminal from the gateway device.

[0387] The context can be used to trigger the registration of the third network slice in the fourth core network device; that is, after receiving the context, the fourth core network device can register the third network slice for the terminal. The context can be carried in a traditional message or in a new message.

[0388] Exemplarily, the gateway device may send the context of the terminal to the second mobility management function network element in the fourth core network device. After receiving the context, the second mobility management function network element may register the third network slice for the terminal.

[0389] Through this method, the fourth core network device can register the third network slice for the terminal, thereby providing the service of the third network slice for the terminal.

[0390] Some possible ways are Figure 7 The method shown also includes step L1:

[0391] Step L1: The fourth core network device sends third configuration information to the gateway device; correspondingly, the gateway device receives the third configuration information from the fourth core network device.

[0392] Among them, the third configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of the data bearer of the first user plane functional network element in the fourth core network device. For example, the third configuration information includes the TNL address and / or TEID of the GTP-U tunnel of the data bearer of the first user plane functional network element connected to the second mobility management functional network element. The third configuration information can be carried in a traditional message (for example, a PDU session resource establishment request or a PDU session resource modification request (PDU session resource modify request)) or in a new message.

[0393] In some examples, the fourth core network device may send the third configuration information to the gateway device through the connection between the fourth core network device (e.g., the second mobility management function network element therein) and the gateway device. In other examples, the fourth core network device (e.g., the second mobility management function network element therein) may send the third configuration information to the gateway device through the first core network device (e.g., the first mobility management function network element therein). For example, after the fourth core network device sends the third configuration information to the first core network device, the first core network device (e.g., the first mobility management function network element therein) sends the third configuration information to the gateway device.

[0394] In some implementations, after receiving the third configuration information, the gateway device may send the third configuration information to the access network device. Then, the access network device may establish data bearer 1 according to the third configuration information. The data bearer 1 may be a unidirectional data bearer from the access network device to the first user plane function network element, or a bidirectional data bearer between the access network device and the first user plane function network element. Then, the access network device and the first user plane function network element may transmit data of the third network slice through the data bearer 1.

[0395] In some other implementations, after receiving the third configuration information, the gateway device may send fourth configuration information to the access network device, and the fourth configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of the data bearer of the gateway device, and the data bearer of the gateway device indicated by the fourth configuration information may be one or more data bearers. Among them, the specific content of the fourth configuration information can refer to the second configuration information in S602, except that the second configuration information is replaced by the fourth configuration information, and the V data bearers of the gateway device are replaced by the data bearers of the gateway device. Optionally, in this implementation, after receiving the third configuration information, the gateway device may establish data bearer 2, which may be a unidirectional data bearer from the gateway device to the first user plane function network element, or a bidirectional data bearer between the gateway device and the first user plane function network element. After receiving the fourth configuration information, the access network device may establish data bearer 3, which may be a unidirectional data bearer from the access network device to the gateway device, or a bidirectional data bearer between the access network device and the gateway device. In this way, the gateway device can transmit data of the third network slice between the access network device and the first user plane function network element through data bearer 2 and data bearer 3.

[0396] Optionally, the third configuration information may be triggered by the context of the terminal. That is, after acquiring the context, the fourth core network device may send the third configuration information to the gateway device. The following describes the manner in which the fourth core network device acquires the context of the terminal.

[0397] In some possible ways, the context of the terminal may be acquired by the second mobility management function network element in the fourth core network device from the first mobility management network element in the first core network device.

[0398] In some other possible ways, before step L1, Figure 7 The method shown also includes step L2:

[0399] Step L2: the gateway device sends the context of the terminal to the fourth core network device; correspondingly, the fourth core network device receives the context of the terminal from the gateway device.

[0400] The specific content of step L2 can refer to step K1 and will not be repeated here.

[0401] Through this method, the fourth core network device can indicate the transport layer configuration of the data bearer of the first user plane functional network element to the gateway device, so that the data of the third network slice can be transmitted through the data bearer, avoiding or reducing the impact on the data transmission of the third network slice.

[0402] Some possible ways are Figure 7 The method shown also includes step M1:

[0403] Step M1: the gateway device sends the tenth information to the terminal; correspondingly, the terminal receives the tenth information from the gateway device.

[0404] Among them, the tenth information is used to trigger the establishment of a NAS connection between the terminal and the fourth core network device (for example, the second mobility management function network element therein). Optionally, the tenth information is used to trigger the establishment of a PDU session between the terminal and the fourth core network device (for example, the second mobility management function network element therein), thereby triggering the establishment of a NAS connection between the terminal and the fourth core network device (for example, the second mobility management function network element therein). For example, the value of the tenth information is the fifth value (for example, 0 or 1), indicating that a NAS connection should be established between the terminal and the fourth core network device (for example, the second mobility management function network element therein). After receiving the tenth information, the terminal can establish a NAS connection between the terminal and the fourth core network device (for example, the second mobility management function network element therein).

[0405] Through this method, the gateway device sends the tenth information to the terminal to establish a NAS connection between the terminal and the fourth core network device (for example, the second mobility management function network element therein). In this way, the fourth core network device (for example, the second mobility management function network element therein) can provide the terminal with the service of the third network slice through the NAS connection.

[0406] It should be understood that step K1, step L1 and step M1 can be used alone or in combination with each other. Figure 7 The method shown may include step K1 and step L1. For example, Figure 7 The method shown may include step L1 and step M1.

[0407] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, which shows Figure 3 or Figure 7 Possible implementations of the method shown. In the method, the gateway device can select a service core network device for the terminal. The following takes the first access network device as AMF#1, the third access network device as AMF#2, the gateway device as HgNB GW, and the access network device as HgNB as an example to specifically illustrate the process of the method. The method includes the following steps.

[0408] S801: HgNB sends NG establishment request message #a1 to HgNB GW.

[0409] Among them, the NG establishment request message #a1 can be used to request the establishment of an NG connection between the HgNB and the HgNB GW. Optionally, the NG establishment request message #a1 may include information of the HgNB, and the information of the HgNB may include at least one of the following: TAC and PLMN supported by the HgNB, and a list of network slices (slice list) supported by the HgNB. Exemplarily, the network slice list is, for example: {identifier of network slice #1, identifier of network slice #2, identifier of network slice #3}.

[0410] S802: HgNB GW establishes NG connections with AMF#1 and AMF#2 respectively.

[0411] Exemplarily, HgNB GW may request to establish an NG connection with AMF#1 by sending an NG setup request message #a2 to AMF#1. Then, AMF#1 may send an NG setup response message #a2 to HgNB GW, and the NG setup response message #a2 may include information of AMF#1. The information of AMF#1 may include at least one of the following: a served GUAMI list of AMF#1, a relative AMF capacity of AMF#1, and a PLMN support list of AMF#1, wherein the PLMN support list includes a list of PLMNs and network slices supported by AMF#1. Among them, the list of network slices supported by AMF#1 is, for example, {the identifier of network slice#1, the identifier of network slice#2}.

[0412] HgNB GW may request to establish an NG connection with AMF#2 by sending an NG establishment request message #a3 to AMF#2. Then, AMF#2 may send an NG establishment response message #a3 to HgNB GW, and the NG establishment response message #a3 may include information of AMF#2. The information of AMF#2 may include at least one of the following: a GUAMI list of services of AMF#2, a relative AMF capacity of AMF#2, and a PLMN support list supported by AMF#2. Among them, the list of network slices supported by AMF#2 is, for example, {the identifier of network slice#2, the identifier of network slice#3}.

[0413] Optionally, if the HgNB GW obtains information of multiple HgNBs, the HgNB GW may integrate the information of the multiple HgNBs to obtain integrated information 1, and send the integrated information 1 to AMF#1 and AMF#2 respectively. The following takes the case where multiple HgNBs include HgNB#1 and HgNB#2 as an example to illustrate the integrated information 1.

[0414] In some examples, the integrated information 1 may be HgNB set information (HgNB set information). Table 1 shows an example of HgNB set information.

[0415] Table 1

[0416] HgNB collection information >Node ID of HgNB#1 >TAC#1 >PLMN#1 >Network Slice List #1 >Node ID of HgNB#2 >TAC#2 >PLMN#1 >Network Slice List #2

[0417] In some other examples, the integrated information 1 may include information in each HgNB information. For example, the information of HgNB#1 includes: TAC#1, PLMN#1 and network slice list #1, and network slice list #1 includes the identifier of network slice #1; the information of HgNB#2 includes: TAC#2, PLMN#1 and network slice list #2, and network slice list #2 includes the identifier of network slice #2. Table 2 shows an example of integrated information #1.

[0418] Table 2

[0419] Integration Information #1 >RAN node identity (determined by HgNB GW) >TAC#1,TAC#2 >PLMN#1 >Network slice list #3: {ID of network slice #1, ID of network slice #2}

[0420] S803: HgNB GW sends an NG establishment response message #a1 to HgNB.

[0421] In some possible ways, the NG setup response message #a1 may include information of AMF#1 and information of AMF#2. In some examples, the HgNB GW may forward the information of AMF#1 and information of AMF#2 directly to the HgNB. The information of AMF#1 and the information of AMF#2 may be carried in multiple messages (e.g., multiple NGAP signalings, which are, for example, multiple NG setup response messages #a1). In other examples, the HgNB GW may integrate the information of AMF#1 and the information of AMF#2 into AMF set information (AMF setinformation) and send the AMF set information to the HgNB through one message (e.g., one NGAP signaling, which is, for example, one NG setup response message #a1). Table 3 shows an example of AMF set information.

[0422] Table 3

[0423]

[0424] In some other possible ways, the NG establishment response message #a1 may include integrated information #2, which may be the integrated information of AMF#1 information and AMF#2 information; that is, the HgNB GW integrates the information of multiple AMFs and sends it to the HgNB. Exemplarily, the HgNB GW may merge each type of information in the information of multiple AMFs to obtain integrated information #2. Among them, the type of information in the AMF information may include at least one of the following: a GUAMI list of services, a relative AMF capacity, a supported TAC, a PLMN, or a network slice list. For example, if AMF#1 supports PLMN#1 and the corresponding supported network slice list is {the identifier of network slice#1, the identifier of network slice#2}, AMF#2 supports PLMN#1 and the corresponding supported network slice list is {the identifier of network slice#2, the identifier of network slice#3}, then in the integrated information #2, the network slice list supported by PLMN#1 is {the identifier of network slice#1, the identifier of network slice#2, the identifier of network slice#3}. Table 4 shows a possible example of integrated information #2.

[0425] Table 4

[0426]

[0427] Optionally, in S801 to S803, the NG connection between the HgNB and the HgNB GW, and the NG connection between the HgNB GW and the AMF may be terminated at the HgNB GW.

[0428] In some implementations, Figure 8 The method shown can be applied to the following scenarios 1 to 3. In different scenarios, Figure 8 The steps after S803 in the method shown are different, which are described below respectively.

[0429] Scenario 1: The terminal requests the service of network slice #1, that is, the requested NSSAI includes the identifier of network slice #1.

[0430] In scenario 1, after S803, Figure 8 The illustrated method may include implementation a1 and implementation a2.

[0431] Implementation method a1:

[0432] In implementation mode a1, the termination mode of the NAS signaling of the terminal may be the termination mode 1 above, that is, the HgNB GW relays the signaling related to the terminal. Implementation mode a1 includes steps S804a to S807a:

[0433] S804a: The terminal sends a registration request #a1 to the HgNB GW, in which the requested NSSAI includes the identifier of the network slice #1.

[0434] The specific content of S804a can refer to S301, except that the first request is replaced by registration request #a1, and M network slices are replaced by network slice #1. The repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0435] In some possible ways, when the terminal sends a registration request #a1 to the HgNB GW through the HgNB, the HgNB may perform the following operation 1 or operation 2:

[0436] Operation 1: After receiving the registration request #a1 from the terminal, the HgNB sends NGAP signaling (e.g., initial UE message) containing the registration request #a1 and the requested NSSAI to the HgNB GW. Among them, the registration request #a1 may be included in the NAS message in the NGAP signaling, and the requested NSSAI may be directly included in the NGAP signaling. In this way, the gateway device can obtain the requested NSSAI in the NGAP signaling, and determine AMF#1 based on the identifier of the network slice in the requested NSSAI and the information of the AMF. The determination method can refer to the method c2 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0437] Operation 2: After receiving the registration request #a1 from the terminal, the HgNB can determine AMF#1 based on the information of the AMF and the identifier of the network slice in the requested NSSAI. The determination method can refer to method c1 and will not be repeated here. Then, the HgNB can send NGAP signaling (for example, an initial UE message) containing the registration request #a1 and indication information of AMF#1 (for example, the identifier or IP address of AMF#1) to the HgNB GW. Among them, the registration request #a1 may be included in the NAS message in the NGAP signaling, and the indication information of AMF#1 may be directly included in the NGAP signaling. In this way, the gateway device can determine AMF#1 based on the indication information of AMF#1.

[0438] S805a: HgNB GW sends the content of registration request #a1 to AMF#1.

[0439] Exemplarily, in S804a, the registration request #a1 is included in the initial UE message, and the HgNB GW may send the content in the initial UE message to AMF #1. For example, the HgNB GW may relay the initial UE message to AMF #1.

[0440] S806a: AMF#1 sends the third allowed NSSAI to HgNB GW, and the third allowed NSSAI includes the identifier of network slice #1.

[0441] Among them, the way in which AMF#1 determines the third allowed NSSAI can refer to the way in which the first core network device determines the second allowed NSSAI in method b3, except that the second allowed NSSAI is replaced by the third allowed NSSAI, which will not be repeated here.

[0442] Optionally, the third allowed NSSAI may be carried in NGAP signaling (eg, initial context setup request).

[0443] In some implementations, AMF#1 may also send a first identifier of the terminal to the HgNB, where the first identifier may be the UE NGAP ID assigned by AMF#1 to the terminal. The first identifier and the third allowed NSSAI may be carried in the same message or in different messages.

[0444] S807a: HgNB GW sends the third allowed NSSAI to the terminal.

[0445] The specific content of S807a can refer to S303, except that the third allowed NSSAI is replaced by the first allowed NSSAI, and the repeated parts are not repeated here.

[0446] In some examples, in S806a, the third allowed NSSAI bearer is in the initial context establishment request, and the HgNBGW may send the content in the initial context establishment request to the terminal. For example, the HgNB GW sends or relays the initial context establishment request to the HgNB. Then, the HgNB sends the content in the initial context establishment request to the terminal.

[0447] Optionally, the HgNB GW also sends a first identifier of the terminal and a second identifier of the terminal to the terminal. The second identifier may be a UE NGAP ID assigned by the HgNB GW to the terminal. The first identifier, the second identifier, and the third allowed NSSAI may be carried in the same message or in different messages.

[0448] In some possible ways, in implementation a1, the terminal may establish a PDU session #a1 associated with network slice #1 with AMF#1, thereby establishing a NAS connection between the terminal and AMF#1. Exemplarily, in S804a, the terminal requests to establish a PDU session #a1 associated with network slice #1. If the UP data of the PDU session #a1 is provided by UPF#1, then in S806a, AMF#1 may also send configuration information #a1 to the HgNB GW, and the configuration information #a1 indicates the transport layer configuration of the data bearer for transmitting uplink UP data of UPF#1. The specific content of the configuration information #a1 can refer to the first configuration information in S601, except that the first device is replaced by UPF#1. Optionally, the configuration information #a1 may be carried in NGAP signaling (for example, an initial context establishment request or a PDU session resource establishment request). Then, the HgNB GW may send the configuration information #a1 to the terminal so that the terminal can establish the PDU session #a1 accordingly.

[0449] In some possible ways, implementation mode a1 may be applicable to a scenario where the termination mode of the NAS signaling of the terminal is termination mode 2. In this case, in S804a, the HgNB may also perform any one of operations 1 to 3. The specific contents of operations 1 and 2 have been described in S804a above and will not be repeated here.

[0450] Operation 3: After receiving the registration request #a1 from the terminal, the HgNB sends NGAP signaling (for example, an initial UE message) containing the registration request #a1 to the HgNB GW. Among them, the registration request #a1 may be included in the NAS message in the NGAP signaling. At the same time, the NGAP signaling may also carry the requested NSSAI corresponding to the registration request. The requested NSSAI may be carried directly in the NGAP signaling, or included in the RRC container (RRC-Container) and carried in the NGAP signaling. In this way, the gateway device can obtain the requested NSSAI in the NAS message, NGAP message or RRC message, and determine AMF#1 based on the identifier of the network slice in the requested NSSAI and the information of the AMF. The determination method can refer to the method c2 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0451] Optionally, in S806a, AMF#1 may also send indication information #a1 to HgNB GW, where the indication information #a1 is used to indicate that the NAS connection of the terminal may be terminated at HgNB GW. In S807a, HgNB GW may send the indication information #a1 to the terminal. Then, the terminal may establish a NAS connection with HgNB GW and / or AMF#1.

[0452] Implementation method a2:

[0453] In implementation mode a2, the termination mode of the NAS signaling of the terminal is the termination mode 2 described above. Implementation mode a2 includes steps S804b to S807b:

[0454] S804b: The terminal sends a registration request #a1 to the HgNB GW, in which the requested NSSAI includes the identifier of the network slice #1.

[0455] The specific content of S804b can be referred to S804a, which will not be repeated here.

[0456] S805b: HgNB GW sends message #a1 to AMF#1, where message #a1 is used to request the first information 1.

[0457] S806b: AMF#1 sends the first information 1 to HgNB GW.

[0458] In some possible methods, the first information 1 includes: the first subscription information 1 of the terminal. The specific content of the first subscription information 1 can refer to method b1 and will not be repeated here. In this case, the specific content of S805b to S806b can refer to method b1. Then, the HgNB GW can determine the third allowed NSSAI based on the first subscription information 1. Optionally, the HgNB GW can determine the third allowed NSSAI based on the following information: the first subscription information 1, the identifier of network slice #1, the list of network slices supported by AMF #1, and the list of network slices supported by HgNB. Exemplarily, the third allowed NSSAI is obtained by taking the intersection of the requested NSSAI (including the identifier of network slice #1), the network slice subscribed by the terminal, the list of network slices supported by AMF #1, and the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located. Among them, the network slice subscribed by the terminal includes: the network slice subscribed by the terminal indicated by the first subscription information 1, and the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located is determined based on the list of network slices supported by HgNB. For example, if the first subscription information 1 includes the identifier of network slice #1, the network slice list supported by AMF #1 and the network slice list supported by HgNB both include the identifier of network slice #1, then the HgNB GW can determine that the third allowed NSSAI includes the identifier of network slice #1.

[0459] In some other possible methods, the first information 1 includes indication information 1, and the indication information 1 is used to indicate whether the terminal has subscribed to network slice #1. The specific content of the indication information 1 can refer to method b2, which will not be repeated here. In this case, the specific content of S805b to S806b can refer to method b2. Then, the HgNB GW can determine the third allowed NSSAI according to the indication information 1. Optionally, the HgNB GW can determine the third allowed NSSAI based on the following information: indication information 1, the identifier of network slice #1, the list of network slices supported by AMF #1, and the list of network slices supported by HgNB. Exemplarily, the third allowed NSSAI is obtained by taking the intersection of the requested NSSAI (including the identifier of network slice #1), the network slice subscribed by the terminal, the list of network slices supported by AMF #1, and the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located. Among them, the network slice subscribed by the terminal includes: the network slice subscribed by the terminal indicated by the indication information 1, and the list of network slices supported by the TA where the terminal is located is determined based on the list of network slices supported by HgNB. For example, if indication information 1 indicates that the terminal has subscribed to network slice #1, the network slice list supported by AMF #1 and the network slice list supported by HgNB both include the identifier of network slice #1, then HgNBGW can determine that the third allowed NSSAI includes the identifier of network slice #1.

[0460] In some possible ways, in S805b and S806b, HgNB GW and AMF#1 may communicate through NGAP signaling (for example, one or more of an initial UE message, an initial context establishment request message, a PDU session resource establishment request message, etc.). The NGAP signaling transmitted between HgNBGW and AMF#1 may include a terminal identifier assigned by HgNB GW to the terminal. The specific content of the identifier can be referred to the term explanation part, which will not be repeated here.

[0461] In other possible ways, in S805b and S806b, HgNB GW and AMF#1 can reuse the interface between AMFs for communication.

[0462] S807b: HgNB GW sends the third allowed NSSAI to the terminal.

[0463] For the specific content of S807b, please refer to S807a, and the repeated parts will not be repeated here.

[0464] Optionally, the third allowed NSSAI can be carried in a NAS message. In this way, when the HgNB GW sends the third allowed NSSAI to the terminal through the HgNB, the NAS message can be transparently transmitted to the terminal via the HgNB. In this case, the NAS connection of the terminal terminates at the HgNB GW. For the HgNB, the HgNB GW can be regarded as an AMF, and the NGAP signaling sent by the HgNB GW to the HgNB may not include the identifier assigned by AMF#1 to the terminal (for example, UE NGAP ID).

[0465] In some implementations, the HgNB GW may send indication information #a2 to the terminal, which is used to indicate that the NAS connection of the terminal can be terminated at the AMF. Then, the terminal can establish a NAS connection with the HgNB GW and / or AMF#1. It should be understood that the indication information #a2 and the third allowed NSSAI can be carried in the same message or in different messages.

[0466] In some possible ways, when the termination mode of the NAS signaling of the terminal is termination mode 2, the terminal can establish a PDU session associated with network slice #1 with AMF#1 and / or HgNBGW, thereby establishing a NAS connection between the terminal and AMF#1 and / or HgNB GW. Among them, the way in which the terminal and AMF#1 establish a PDU session associated with network slice #1 can refer to implementation mode a1, which will not be repeated here. The way in which the terminal and HgNB GW establish a PDU session #a2 associated with network slice #1 can refer to S601 and S602. The gateway device establishes U data bearers according to the first configuration information, and the terminal establishes V data bearers according to the second configuration information, thereby establishing a PDU session #a2.

[0467] Scenario 1 is described by taking the case where a terminal requests a service of one network slice as an example. It should be understood that the method in Scenario 1 may also be applicable to the case where a terminal requests services of multiple network slices, and the multiple network slices may be supported by one AMF (e.g., AMF#1).

[0468] Scenario 2: The terminal requests services of network slice #1 and network slice #3, that is, the requested NSSAI includes the identifiers of network slice #1 and network slice 3.

[0469] Among some possible methods, in scenario 2, after S803, Figure 8 The illustrated method may include S804c to S810c.

[0470] S804c: The terminal sends a registration request #a2 to the HgNB GW, in which the requested NSSAI includes the identifiers of network slice #1 and network slice 3.

[0471] Among them, the specific content of S804c can refer to S301, except that the first request is replaced by registration request #a2, and the M network slices are replaced by network slice #1 and network slice #3. The repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0472] Optionally, when the terminal sends a registration request #a2 to the HgNB GW through the HgNB, the HgNB may perform any one of the following operations 1 to 3. The specific contents of operations 1 to 3 may be referred to S804a and will not be repeated here.

[0473] After S804c, Figure 8 The method shown also includes implementation b1 or implementation b2.

[0474] Implementation method b1: HgNB GW communicates with AMF#1 and AMF#2 respectively.

[0475] Implementation b1 includes S805c to S806c:

[0476] S805c: HgNB GW requests the first information 1 from AMF#1 and receives the first information 1 from AMF#1.

[0477] S806c: HgNB GW requests the first information 2 from AMF#2 and receives the first information 2 from AMF#2.

[0478] The specific contents of S805c and S806c can refer to steps A1 to A2 in method a1, except that network slice 1 is replaced by network slice #1, and network slice 2 is replaced by network slice #3. The repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0479] This application does not limit the execution order of S805c and S806c.

[0480] Optionally, after receiving the first information 1 and the first information 2, the HgNB GW may determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the first information 1 and the first information 2. The determination method may refer to step A3 in method a1, except that at least one first information is replaced with the first information 1 and the first information 2, which will not be repeated here.

[0481] In some implementations, in implementation b1, the core network device may not determine a rejected NSSAI for the terminal, that is, it does not reject the network slice requested by the terminal. For example, in S805c, if the HgNB GW sends the identifiers of network slice #1 and network slice #3 to AMF#1, and AMF#1 recognizes that the terminal is accessed via the HgNB GW, then even if AMF#1 does not support network slice #3, AMF#1 will not reject the network slice #3 requested by the terminal.

[0482] Implementation method b2: HgNB GW communicates with AMF#2 through AMF#1.

[0483] Embodiment b2 includes S807c to S809c:

[0484] S807c: HgNB GW sends a first message to AMF#1, where the first message is used to request second information, and the second information is used to determine the first allowed NSSAI.

[0485] The specific content of S807c can refer to step C1, except that network slice 1 is replaced with network slice #1, and network slice 2 is replaced with network slice #3. No further details will be given here.

[0486] S808c: AMF#1 obtains the seventh information. Specifically, AMF#1 requests the seventh information from AMF#2, and AMF#2 sends the seventh information to AMF#1.

[0487] The specific content of S808c can be referred to steps C2 to C3, which will not be repeated here.

[0488] S809c: AMF#1 sends the second information to HgNB GW.

[0489] The specific content of S809c can be referred to step C4, which will not be repeated here.

[0490] Optionally, after receiving the second information, the HgNB GW may determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the second information. The determination method may refer to step C5 and will not be repeated here.

[0491] After S806c or S809c, Figure 8The method shown also includes:

[0492] S810c: HgNB GW sends the first allowed NSSAI to the terminal.

[0493] The specific content of S810c can be referred to step C5, which will not be repeated here.

[0494] In some possible ways, in S804c, the terminal may request to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #1 and network slice #3, thereby establishing a NAS connection from the terminal to the network side (for example, one or more of AMF#1, AMF#2 or HgNB GW). Optionally, if the UP data of the PDU session associated with network slice #1 is provided by UPF#1, AMF#1 may also send configuration information #a1 to HgNBGW. Among them, configuration information #a1 indicates the transport layer configuration of the data bearer for transmitting uplink UP data of UPF#1. The specific content of configuration information #a1 can be referred to S806a, which will not be repeated here. If the UP data of the PDU session associated with network slice #3 is provided by UPF#2, AMF#2 may send configuration information #a2 to HgNB GW, and configuration information #a2 indicates the transport layer configuration of the data bearer for transmitting uplink UP data of UPF#2. The specific content of configuration information #a2 can refer to configuration information #a1, except that UPF #1 is replaced by UPF #2, which will not be repeated here. In some examples, AMF #2 can send configuration information #a2 directly to HgNB GW, and in other examples, AMF #2 can send configuration information #a2 to HgNB GW through AMF #1.

[0495] Optionally, after receiving configuration information #a1 and configuration information #a2, the HgNB GW may instruct the HgNB to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #1 and a PDU session associated with network slice #3. Exemplarily, the HgNB GW may instruct the HgNB to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #1 and a PDU session associated with network slice #3 through a PDU session resource establishment request. Optionally, the NAS connection of the two PDU sessions may be terminated at the HgNB GW or a core network device. For example, the NAS connection of the PDU session associated with network slice #1 may be terminated at the HgNB GW or AMF #1; the NAS connection of the PDU session associated with network slice #3 may be terminated at the HgNBGW or AMF #2. The UP of the two PDU sessions may be terminated at the user plane function network element. For example, the UP of the PDU session associated with network slice #1 may be terminated at UPF #1; the UP of the PDU session associated with network slice #3 may be terminated at UPF #2.

[0496] In other possible methods, in scenario two, the termination method of the NAS signaling of the terminal is the termination method 1 mentioned above. The HgNB GW relays the signaling related to the UE to the AMF. The HgNB GW can select only one AMF to provide services for the terminal. The way in which the HgNB GW selects the AMF can refer to the way in which the HgNB determines the first core network device in method a2, which will not be repeated here. The following is an example in which the HgNB GW selects AMF#1 to provide services for the terminal. After selecting AMF#1, the HgNB GW can provide the first allowed NSSAI to the terminal through implementation method a1. Since the list of network slices supported by AMF#1 is {identifier of network slice#1, identifier of network slice#2}, the first allowed NSSAI may include network slice#1, and network slice#3 may be included in the rejected NSSAI.

[0497] Scenario 2 is explained by taking the example of a terminal requesting services from two network slices. It should be understood that the method in Scenario 2 can also be applied to the case where a terminal requests services from more than two network slices, and there are network slices in the more than two network slices that different AMFs allow to provide services to the terminal.

[0498] Scenario 3: The terminal requests the service of network slice #2, that is, the requested NSSAI includes the identifier of network slice #2. The resources of AMF #1 and / or UPF #1 that provide the service of network slice #2 are overloaded, or AMF #1 and / or UPF #1 fails.

[0499] In scenario three, after S803, Figure 8 The illustrated method may include S804d to S806d.

[0500] S804d: The terminal establishes a PDU session associated with network slice #2 with the network side.

[0501] Optionally, after the terminal accesses the cell in the HgNB, it can initiate a request to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #2, thereby establishing a PDU session associated with network slice #2.

[0502] In some possible ways, the termination mode of the NAS signaling of the terminal is the above-mentioned termination mode 1 or termination mode 2. The terminal can establish a NAS connection associated with network slice #2 with AMF#1, thereby establishing a PDU session associated with network slice #2. For specific content, please refer to the description of "the terminal can establish a PDU session #a1 associated with network slice #1 with AMF#1" in scenario 1, which will not be repeated here.

[0503] In other possible methods, the termination method of the NAS signaling of the terminal is the termination method 2 mentioned above. The terminal can establish a NAS connection associated with network slice #2 with the HgNB GW, thereby establishing a PDU session associated with network slice #2. For details, please refer to the description of "the terminal and the HgNB GW establish a PDU session #a2 associated with network slice #1" in scenario 1, which will not be repeated here. Optionally, in this method, UPF #1 can provide the terminal with UP service of network slice #2.

[0504] S805d: AMF#1 sends ninth information to HgNB GW, and the ninth information can be used to indicate that the resources providing network slice #2 services to the terminal are overloaded, or that the network element (for example, AMF#1 and / or UPF#1) providing network slice #2 services to the terminal fails.

[0505] The specific content of S805d can refer to S701, except that the third network slice is replaced by network slice #2, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0506] S806d: HgNB GW determines AMF#2 as the target AMF. The target AMF is the AMF that continues to provide network slice #2 services to the terminal.

[0507] Exemplarily, the HgNB GW can determine that AMF#2 can support network slice #2 based on the information of each AMF obtained in S802, thereby determining AMF#2 as the target AMF.

[0508] Optionally, if multiple AMFs support network slice #2, HgNB GW can also select a target AMF from multiple AMFs based on the load of each AMF in the multiple AMFs. Exemplarily, HgNB GW determines the AMF with the lowest load among the multiple AMFs as the target AMF. For example, if AMF #2 and AMF #3 both support network slice #2, and the load of AMF #2 is lower than that of AMF #3, HgNB GW can determine AMF #2 as the target AMF.

[0509] Optionally, after determining the target AMF, the terminal and the network side can establish a PDU session #3 associated with network slice #2. There are multiple ways to establish it, for example, method i1 or method i2.

[0510] Method i1:

[0511] In mode i1, the termination mode of the NAS signaling of the terminal is the above termination mode 1 or termination mode 2. Mode i1 includes steps O1 to O3:

[0512] Step O1: HgNB GW sends the context of the terminal to AMF#2. For details, please refer to step K1 and will not be repeated here.

[0513] Step O2: AMF#2 registers network slice #2 for the terminal and sends third configuration information to the HgNB GW, where the third configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of the uplink UP data bearer of UPF#2.

[0514] The specific content of step O2 can refer to step L1 and step K1, which will not be repeated here.

[0515] Step O3: The terminal and the network side establish PDU session #a3 associated with network slice #2.

[0516] Among them, the NAS connection between the terminal and AMF#2 can be triggered by the HgNB GW through a message in the PDU session management process. The message in the PDU session management process is, for example, a PDU session resource establishment request or a PDU session resource modification request.

[0517] The specific content of step O3 can be referred to S804d, except that AMF#1 is replaced by AMF#2, which will not be repeated here.

[0518] Method i2:

[0519] In mode i2, the termination mode of the NAS signaling of the terminal is the termination mode 2 above, and the NAS connection of the terminal is terminated at the HgNB GW. Mode i2 includes steps P1 to P3:

[0520] Step P1: HgNB GW sends the context of the terminal to AMF#2.

[0521] Step P2: AMF#2 registers network slice #2 for the terminal and sends third configuration information to the HgNB GW, where the third configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of the uplink UP data bearer of UPF#2.

[0522] The specific contents of steps P1 to P2 can refer to steps O1 to O2 and will not be repeated here.

[0523] Step P3: HgNB GW sends third configuration information or fourth configuration information to HgNB, wherein the fourth configuration information is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of the data bearer of the gateway device.

[0524] The specific content of step P3 can refer to step L1 and will not be repeated here.

[0525] Exemplarily, the HgNB GW may send the third configuration information or the fourth configuration information to the HgNB via a PDU session resource modification request.

[0526] pass Figure 8According to the method shown, the gateway device can support network slicing and can determine the corresponding AMF according to the requested NSSAI. In addition, in this method, the HgNB GW can integrate the information of the HgNB and / or AMF, that is, it can aggregate the HgNB and / or N2 interface capabilities. In addition, through this method, the HgNB GW can communicate with multiple AMFs, thereby improving the success rate and efficiency of the terminal requesting network slicing services, ensuring the continuity of network slicing services, and improving the resource utilization of core network equipment.

[0527] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, which shows Figure 4 Possible implementations of the method shown. Taking the first access network device as HgNB#1, the second access network device as HgNB#2, the gateway device as HgNB GW, and the core network device as AMF as an example, the process of the method is specifically described. The method includes the following steps.

[0528] S901: The terminal sends request #b1 to HgNB GW.

[0529] Among them, the request #b1 is a request related to network slice #3. For example, the request #b1 is a registration request for requesting to provide the service of network slice #3 for the terminal. For another example, the request #b1 is used to request to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #3.

[0530] The specific content of S901 can refer to S401, except that the second request is replaced by request #b1, which will not be repeated here.

[0531] S902: HgNB GW determines that HgNB#1 does not support network slice #3, and determines that one or more AMFs connected to HgNB GW support network slice #3.

[0532] The specific content of S902 can be referred to step J1, which will not be repeated here.

[0533] S903: HgNB GW sends eighth information to HgNB#1. The eighth information is used to instruct to redirect or switch the terminal from HgNB#1 to HgNB#2.

[0534] The specific content of S903 can be found in S402 and will not be repeated here.

[0535] Optionally, before S903, HgNB GW may determine HgNB#2. The determination method may refer to step I1 and will not be repeated here.

[0536] Fig. 9 The technical effect of the method shown can be referred to Figure 4The description of the technical effect of the method shown will not be repeated here.

[0537] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, which shows Figure 5 Possible implementations of the method shown. In this method, for the switching process of a terminal in a connected state, the gateway device may send switching-related signaling to the target access network device. The following takes the first access network device as HgNB#1, the second access network device as HgNB#2, the gateway device as HgNB GW, and the core network device as AMF as an example to specifically describe the process of the method. The method comprises the following steps.

[0538] S1001: The terminal establishes a PDU session of network slice #4 with the network side.

[0539] The specific content of S1001 can be referred to S804d, except that network slice #2 is replaced by network slice #4, which will not be repeated here.

[0540] S1002: HgNB#1 sends a handover request #a1 to HgNB GW. The handover request #a1 is used to request handover of the terminal from HgNB#1 to HgNB#2.

[0541] Among them, HgNB#1 may be the current service access network device of the terminal. The specific content of S1002 may refer to S501, except that the handover request is replaced by the handover requirement #a1, which will not be repeated here.

[0542] After S1002, Fig.10 The method shown may include embodiment c1 or embodiment c2.

[0543] Implementation method c1:

[0544] Implementation c1 includes S1003a to S1006a:

[0545] S1003a: HgNB GW determines that there is a connection between HgNB#2 and HgNB GW.

[0546] When there is a connection between HgNB#2 and HgNB GW, HgNB GW can serve as the termination point of the terminal's NAS connection. HgNB GW can manage the terminal's mobility based on the support of HgNB and AMF for network slicing, for example, manage the terminal's handover process.

[0547] Optionally, when there is a connection between HgNB#2 and HgNB GW, if the terminal is switched from HgNB#1 to HgNB#2 based on the Xn interface, the method may not include a path switching process, that is, there is no need to trigger the path switching process.

[0548] S1004a: HgNB GW sends a handover request #a1 to HgNB#2, where the handover request #a1 is used to request handover of the terminal from HgNB#1 to HgNB#2.

[0549] S1005a: HgNB#2 sends a switching response #a1 to the HgNB GW, where the switching response #a1 is used to indicate that it agrees to switch the terminal from HgNB#1 to HgNB#2.

[0550] S1006a: HgNB GW sends a handover command #a1 to HgNB#1. The handover command #a1 is used to instruct to handover the terminal from HgNB#1 to HgNB#2.

[0551] Implementation method c2:

[0552] Implementation c2 includes S1003b to S1007b:

[0553] S1003b: HgNB GW determines that there is no connection between HgNB#2 and HgNB GW.

[0554] S1003b is an optional step.

[0555] S1004b: HgNB GW sends a switching request #a1 to the serving AMF of the terminal.

[0556] S1005b: The serving AMF sends a handover request #a2 to HgNB#2. The handover request #a2 is used to request handover of the terminal from HgNB#1 to HgNB#2.

[0557] S1006b: HgNB#2 sends a handover response #a2 to the serving AMF. The handover response #a2 is used to indicate that it agrees to handover the terminal from HgNB#1 to HgNB#2.

[0558] S1007b: The serving AMF sends a switching command #a2 to the HgNB, where the switching command #a2 is used to instruct the terminal to switch from HgNB#1 to HgNB#2.

[0559] In some implementations, the serving AMF may send a handover command #a2 to the HgNB via the HgNB GW.

[0560] Optional, in Fig.10In the method shown, the HgNB GW can send the UE NGAP ID assigned by the serving AMF to the terminal and the UE NGAP ID assigned by the HgNB GW to the terminal to HgNB#2 through a switching request and / or a path switching request response.

[0561] Fig.10 The technical effect of the method shown can be referred to Figure 5 The description of the technical effect of the method shown will not be repeated here.

[0562] Fig.11 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, which shows Figure 6 Possible implementations of the method shown. The following takes the first access network device as HgNB, the gateway device as HgNB GW, and the core network device as AMF as an example to specifically illustrate the process of the method. The method includes the following steps.

[0563] S1101: The terminal initiates a request to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #5.

[0564] Exemplarily, the terminal may send a request to the HgNB GW to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #5. The sending method may refer to the method of sending registration request #a1 in S804b, which will not be repeated here. Then, the HgNB GW may send a request to AMF#1 to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #5. Among them, the HgNB GW may directly send a request to AMF#1 to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #5, or it may send a request to AMF#1 to establish a PDU session associated with network slice #5 through other AMFs.

[0565] S1102: AMF#1 sends configuration information #b1 to HgNB GW, where configuration information #b1 is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of W uplink UP data bearers associated with network slice #5 of UPF#1, where W is a positive integer.

[0566] The specific content of configuration information #b1 can refer to the first configuration information in S601, and the specific content of S1102 can refer to S601, except that the first device is replaced by UPF#1, and U data bearers are replaced by W uplink UP data bearers, which will not be repeated here. In this case, the uplink UP of the service on network slice #5 ends at UPF#1.

[0567] S1103: HgNB GW sends configuration information #b2 to HgNB, where configuration information #b2 is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of X uplink UP data bearers associated with network slice #5 of HgNB GW, where X is a positive integer.

[0568] The specific content of configuration information #b2 can refer to the second configuration information in S602, and the specific content of S1103 can refer to S602, except that the second device is replaced by HgNB, and V data bearers are replaced by X uplink UP data bearers, which will not be repeated here. In this case, the uplink UP of HgNB terminates at HgNB GW.

[0569] Optionally, the HgNB GW may save the configuration information #b1 and re-determine the configuration information #b2 for the HgNB. For details, refer to Figure 6 The description of obtaining the second configuration information in the method shown will not be repeated here.

[0570] S1104: The RRC reconfiguration is completed between the HgNB and the terminal, and the DRB corresponding to the PDU session of the associated network slice #5 is established.

[0571] S1105: HgNB sends configuration information #b3 to HgNB GW. Configuration information #b3 is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of Y downlink UP data bearers associated with network slice #5 of HgNB, where Y is a positive integer.

[0572] The specific content of configuration information #b3 can refer to the first configuration information in S601, and the specific content of S1105 can refer to S601, except that the first device is replaced by HgNB, and U data bearers are replaced by Y downlink UP data bearers, which will not be repeated here. In this case, the downlink UP of the service on network slice #5 ends at HgNB.

[0573] S1106: HgNB GW sends configuration information #b4 to AMF#1. Configuration information #b4 is used to indicate the transport layer configuration of Z downlink UP data bearers associated with network slice #5 of HgNB GW, where Z is a positive integer.

[0574] The specific content of configuration information #b4 can refer to the second configuration information in S602, and the specific content of S1106 can refer to S602, except that the second device is replaced by UPF#1, and the V data bearers are replaced by Z downlink UP data bearers, which will not be repeated here. In this case, the downlink UP of UPF#1 terminates at the HgNB GW.

[0575] Optionally, the HgNB GW may save configuration information #b3 and redefine configuration information #b4 for UPF #1. For details, refer to Figure 6 The description of obtaining the second configuration information in the method shown will not be repeated here.

[0576] Fig.11 The technical effect of the method shown can be referred to Figure 6The description of the technical effect of the method shown will not be repeated here.

[0577] Based on the same technical concept as the above method embodiment, the embodiment of the present application provides a corresponding communication device, which can be used to perform the functions of the relevant steps in the above method embodiment. The function can be implemented by hardware, can be implemented by software, or can be implemented by hardware executing the corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions. The communication device can be a gateway device, or can be a module in a gateway device (such as a circuit or a chip), or can be a logical node, a logical module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the gateway device; or the communication device can be an access network device or a module in an access network device (such as a circuit or a chip), or can be a logical node, a logical module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the access network device; or the communication device can be a core network device or a module in a core network device (such as a circuit or a chip), or can be a logical node, a logical module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the core network device.

[0578] In a possible implementation, the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application is as follows: Fig.12 As shown, it includes an interface unit 1201 and a processing unit 1202. The functions of each unit in the communication device 1200 are introduced below.

[0579] The interface unit 1201 is used to input and / or output information. Input information can be replaced by receiving information, and output information can be replaced by sending information. When outputting information, the interface unit 1201 can output information to other devices outside the communication device 1200, or it can output information to other units in the communication device 1200. In some embodiments, the interface unit 1201 can be implemented by at least one of a physical interface, a communication module, a communication interface, and an input and output interface. In other embodiments, the interface unit 1201 can be implemented by an interface circuit, for example, a mobile communication module. Among them, the mobile communication module may include one or more of at least one antenna, at least one filter, a switch, a power amplifier, a low noise amplifier (LNA), etc.

[0580] The processing unit 1202 may be used to support the communication device 1200 in executing the processing actions in the above method embodiment. The processing unit 1202 may be implemented by one or more processors. For example, the processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), or application-specific integrated circuits.

[0581] (Application Specific Integrated Circuit, ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array (Field Programmable Gate Array, FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components or any combination thereof. A general purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0582] In one embodiment, the communication device 1200 is applied to Figure 3 The gateway device in the embodiment of the present application is shown. The specific functions of the processing unit 1202 in this implementation are introduced below.

[0583] The processing unit 1202 is used to: receive a first request from the terminal through the interface unit 1201, the first request is used to request to provide services of M network slices for the terminal, M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; determine a first allowed NSSAI, the first allowed NSSAI includes identifiers of N network slices among the M network slices, there are network slices among the N network slices that are allowed by different core network devices to provide services for the terminal, N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M; send the first allowed NSSAI to the terminal through the interface unit 1201.

[0584] In some possible embodiments, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: request first information from at least one core network device, the first information being used to determine a first allowed NSSAI; receive at least one first information through the interface unit 1201; and the communication device 1200 determines the first allowed NSSAI based on at least one first information.

[0585] In other possible embodiments, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: send a first message to the first core network device through the interface unit 1201, the first message is used to request second information, and the second information is used to determine the first allowed NSSAI; receive second information from the first core network device through the interface unit 1201; and determine the first allowed NSSAI based on the second information.

[0586] In some implementations, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: obtain a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device; and send third information to an access network device managed by the communication device 1200 through the interface unit 1201, where the third information is used to indicate a first network slice list, and the first network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by at least one core network device.

[0587] In some other implementations, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: obtain a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device; and send fourth information to the access network device managed by the communication device 1200 through the interface unit 1201, where the fourth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each core network device in at least one core network device.

[0588] In some examples, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: obtain a list of network slices supported by each tracking area TA under at least one access network device managed by the communication device 1200; send fifth information to the second core network device through the interface unit 1201, and the fifth information is used to indicate the second network slice list, and the second network slice list includes the identifiers of all network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device.

[0589] In other examples, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: obtain a list of network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device managed by the communication device 1200; and send sixth information to the second core network device through the interface unit 1201, and the sixth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device in at least one access network device.

[0590] In another embodiment, the communication device 1200 is applied to Figure 3 The access network device in the embodiment of the present application is shown. The specific functions of the processing unit 1202 in this implementation manner are introduced below.

[0591] The processing unit 1202 is used to: send a first request from the terminal to the gateway device that manages the communication apparatus 1200 through the interface unit 1201, where the first request is used to request that M network slices be provided to the terminal, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; receive a first allowed NSSAI from the gateway device through the interface unit 1201, where the first allowed NSSAI includes N network slices out of the M network slices, where there are network slices among the N network slices that are allowed by different core network devices to provide services to the terminal, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M.

[0592] In some possible embodiments, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: receive third information from the gateway device through the interface unit 1201, the third information is used to indicate a first network slice list, and the first network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by at least one core network device.

[0593] In some other possible embodiments, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: receive fourth information from the gateway device through the interface unit 1201, and the fourth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each core network device in at least one core network device.

[0594] In yet another embodiment, the communication device 1200 is applied to Figure 3 The core network device in the embodiment of the present application is shown. The specific functions of the processing unit 1202 in this implementation manner are introduced below.

[0595] The processing unit 1202 is used to: receive a first message from a gateway device through the interface unit 1201, where the first message is used to request second information, and the second information is used to determine a first allowed NSSAI, where the first allowed NSSAI includes N network slices, where the N network slices belong to M network slices that request to provide services to the terminal, and where different core network devices in the N network slices allow network slices to provide services to the terminal, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M; and send the second information to the gateway device through the interface unit 1201.

[0596] In some possible embodiments, the processing unit 1202 is further used to: in response to the first message, request the seventh information from the third core network device through the interface unit 1201; and determine the second information based on the seventh information.

[0597] In some examples, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: receive fifth information from the gateway device through the interface unit 1201, the fifth information is used to indicate a second network slice list, and the second network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by each tracking area TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device.

[0598] In other examples, the processing unit 1202 is also used to: receive sixth information from the gateway device through the interface unit 1201, and the sixth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device in at least one access network device managed by the gateway device.

[0599] For a more detailed description of the processing unit 1202 and the interface unit 1201, please refer to Figure 3 The relevant description in the method embodiment shown is directly obtained and will not be repeated here.

[0600] It should be noted that the division of modules in the above embodiments of the present application is schematic and is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into a processing unit, or may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software functional unit.

[0601] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions to enable a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or a processor (processor) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), disk or optical disk and other media that can store program code.

[0602] In a possible implementation, the communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application refers to Fig.13 As shown, the communication device 1300 includes: a processor 1302. Optionally, the communication device 1300 also includes: an interface circuit 1301 and a memory 1303. The interface circuit 1301, the processor 1302 and the memory 1303 are coupled to each other.

[0603] Optionally, the interface circuit 1301, the processor 1302 and the memory 1303 are coupled to each other via a bus 1304. The bus 1304 may be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus. The bus may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Fig.13 Only one thick line is used in the diagram, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0604] The interface circuit 1301 is used to input and / or output information. The input information can be replaced by receiving information, and the output information can be replaced by sending information. When outputting information, the interface circuit 1301 can output information to other devices outside the communication device 1300, or can output information to other units in the communication device 1300. Exemplarily, the interface circuit 1301 can be implemented by at least one of a physical interface, a communication module, a communication interface, an input-output interface, and a mobile communication module. Among them, the mobile communication module may include one or more of at least one antenna, at least one filter, a switch, a power amplifier, an LNA, etc.

[0605] The processor 1302 may be used to support the communication device 1300 in executing the processing actions in the above method embodiment. When the communication device 1300 is used to implement the above method embodiment, the processor 1302 may also be used to implement the functions of the above processing unit 1202. The processor 1302 may be a CPU, or other general-purpose processors, DSPs, ASICs, FPGAs, or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or any conventional processor.

[0606] In one embodiment, the communication device 1300 is applied to Figure 3 The gateway device in the embodiment of the present application is shown. The specific functions of the processor 1302 in this implementation are introduced below.

[0607] The processor 1302 is used to: receive a first request from the terminal through the interface circuit 1301, the first request is used to request to provide services of M network slices for the terminal, M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; determine a first allowed NSSAI, the first allowed NSSAI includes identifiers of N network slices among the M network slices, there are network slices among the N network slices that are allowed by different core network devices to provide services for the terminal, N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M; send the first allowed NSSAI to the terminal through the interface circuit 1301.

[0608] In another embodiment, the communication device 1300 is applied to Figure 3 The access network device in the embodiment of the present application is shown. The specific functions of the processor 1302 in this implementation manner are introduced below.

[0609] The processor 1302 is used to: send a first request from the terminal to the gateway device that manages the communication apparatus 1300 through the interface circuit 1301, where the first request is used to request that M network slices be provided to the terminal, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; receive a first allowed NSSAI from the gateway device through the interface circuit 1301, where the first allowed NSSAI includes N network slices out of the M network slices, where there are network slices among the N network slices that are allowed by different core network devices to provide services to the terminal, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M.

[0610] In yet another embodiment, the communication device 1300 is applied to Figure 3 The core network device in the embodiment of the present application is shown. The specific functions of the processor 1302 in this implementation manner are introduced below.

[0611] The processor 1302 is used to: receive a first message from a gateway device through the interface circuit 1301, where the first message is used to request second information, and the second information is used to determine a first allowed NSSAI, where the first allowed NSSAI includes N network slices, where the N network slices belong to M network slices that request to provide services to the terminal, and where different core network devices in the N network slices allow network slices to provide services to the terminal, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M; and send the second information to the gateway device through the interface circuit 1301.

[0612] The specific functions of the processor 1302 may refer to the description of the communication method provided in the above embodiments and examples of the present application, and Fig.12 The specific functional description of the communication device 1200 in the embodiment of the present application is not repeated here.

[0613] The memory 1303 is used to store program instructions and / or data, etc. Specifically, the program instructions may include program codes, and the program codes include computer operation instructions. The memory 1303 may include RAM, and may also include non-volatile memory (non-volatile memory), such as at least one disk storage. The processor 1302 executes the program instructions stored in the memory 1303, and uses the data stored in the memory 1303 to implement the above functions, thereby realizing the communication method provided in the above embodiment of the present application. The memory 1303 can be integrated with the processor 1302, or it can be a memory outside the communication device.

[0614] It is understandable that this application Fig.13The memory 1303 in can be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or can include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory can be a ROM, a programmable read-only memory (programmable ROM, PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (erasable PROM, EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (electrically EPROM, EEPROM) or a flash memory. The volatile memory can be a RAM, which is used as an external cache. By way of example but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (static RAM, SRAM), dynamic random access memory (dynamic RAM, DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (synchronous DRAM, SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (doubledata rate SDRAM, DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (enhancedSDRAM, ESDRAM), synchronous connection dynamic random access memory (synchlink DRAM, SLDRAM) and direct memory bus random access memory (direct rambus RAM, DR RAM). It should be noted that memory of the systems and methods described herein is intended to comprise, without being limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0615] Based on the above embodiments, the embodiments of the present application further provide a computer program product including computer executable instructions. When the computer program product is run, the method provided in the above embodiments is executed.

[0616] Based on the above embodiments, the embodiments of the present application further provide a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a computer, the computer executes the method provided in the above embodiments.

[0617] The storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer. For example, but not limited to, a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store the desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer.

[0618] Based on the above embodiments, an embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, which is used to read a computer program stored in a memory to implement the method provided in the above embodiments.

[0619] Based on the above embodiments, the embodiments of the present application provide a chip system, which includes a processor for supporting a computer device to implement the functions involved in each device in the above embodiments. In a possible design, the chip system also includes a memory, which is used to store the necessary programs and data for the computer device. The chip system can be composed of a chip, or it can include a chip and other discrete devices.

[0620] 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.

[0621] The present application is described with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the methods, devices (systems), and computer program products according to the present application. It should be understood that each process and / or box in the flowchart and / or block diagram, as well as the combination of the processes and / or boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate instructions for implementing the processes in the flowchart and / or block diagram. Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in a block or multiple blocks.

[0622] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory capable of directing a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture comprising an instruction device, which implements the process Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A function specified in one or more boxes.

[0623] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device so that a series of operating steps are executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions for implementing the process. Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps for the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0624] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can 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 this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0625] 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.

[0626] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present application without departing from the scope of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: include: The gateway device receives a first request from a terminal, where the first request is used to request provision of M network slice services for the terminal, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; The gateway device determines first allowed network slice selection auxiliary information NSSAI, where the first allowed NSSAI includes identifiers of N network slices among the M network slices, and there are network slices among the N network slices that different core network devices allow to provide services for the terminal, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M; The gateway device sends the first allowed NSSAI to the terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The gateway device determines a first allowed NSSAI, including: The gateway device requests first information from at least one core network device, where the first information is used to determine a first allowed NSSAI; The gateway device receives at least one first information; The gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI according to the at least one first information.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The first information includes at least one of the following: first subscription information of the terminal, the first subscription information indicating a network slice subscribed by the terminal; Information used to indicate whether the terminal has subscribed to P network slices among the M network slices, where P is a positive integer less than or equal to M; At least one second allowed NSSAI, the at least one second allowed NSSAI comprising identifiers of Q network slices among the M network slices, where Q is a positive integer less than or equal to M, and the Q network slices are network slices that one core network device among the at least one core network device is allowed to provide services to the terminal.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The gateway device determines a first allowed NSSAI, including: The gateway device sends a first message to the first core network device, where the first message is used to request second information, and the second information is used to determine the first allowed NSSAI; The gateway device receives second information from the first core network device; The gateway device determines the first allowed NSSAI according to the second information.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Also includes: The gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device; The gateway device sends third information to the access network device managed by the gateway device, where the third information is used to indicate a first network slice list, where the first network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by the at least one core network device.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Also includes: The gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by at least one core network device; The gateway device sends fourth information to the access network device managed by the gateway device, and the fourth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each core network device in the at least one core network device.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Also includes: The gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by each tracking area TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device; The gateway device sends fifth information to the second core network device, where the fifth information is used to indicate a second network slice list, and the second network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by each TA under the at least one access network device.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that Also includes: The gateway device obtains a list of network slices supported by each TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device; The gateway device sends sixth information to the second core network device, and the sixth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device in the at least one access network device.

9. A communication method, characterized in that: include: The access network device sends a first request from the terminal to the gateway device that manages the access network device, where the first request is used to request that M network slice services be provided to the terminal, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; The access network device receives first allowed network slice selection auxiliary information NSSAI from the gateway device, where the first allowed NSSAI includes N network slices among the M network slices, where there are network slices among the N network slices that are allowed by different core network devices to provide services for the terminal, and N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that Also includes: The access network device receives third information from the gateway device, where the third information is used to indicate a first network slice list, where the first network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by the at least one core network device.

11. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that Also includes: The access network device receives fourth information from the gateway device, and the fourth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each core network device in at least one core network device.

12. A communication method, characterized in that: include: The first core network device receives a first message from a gateway device, where the first message is used to request second information, where the second information is used to determine first allowed network slice selection auxiliary information NSSAI, where the first allowed NSSAI includes N network slices, where the N network slices belong to M network slices requested to provide services for a terminal, where different core network devices in the N network slices allow network slices to provide services for the terminal, and where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M; The first core network device sends the second information to the gateway device.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that Also includes: In response to the first message, the first core network device requests seventh information from the third core network device; The first core network device determines the second information based on the seventh information.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that Also includes: The first core network device receives fifth information from the gateway device, and the fifth information is used to indicate a second network slice list, wherein the second network slice list includes identifiers of all network slices supported by each tracking area TA under at least one access network device managed by the gateway device.

15. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that Also includes: The first core network device receives sixth information from the gateway device, and the sixth information is used to indicate a list of network slices supported by each TA under each access network device in at least one access network device managed by the gateway device.

16. A communication device, characterized in that: It comprises a processor and an interface circuit, wherein the interface circuit is used to receive signals from other communication devices and transmit them to the processor or send signals from the processor to other communication devices, and the processor is used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 15 through a logic circuit or executing code instructions.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The storage medium stores a computer program or an instruction. When the computer program or the instruction is executed by the communication device, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 15 is implemented.

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