Network access configuration method and device, network equipment, medium and program product

Abstract

The invention provides a data network access configuration method and device, network equipment, a medium and a program product, and relates to the technical field of wireless communication. The data network access configuration method comprises the steps that a mapping table is configured in an SMF instance, and the mapping table describes the mapping relation between a satellite identifier and at least one data network access identifier (DNAI). According to the technical scheme, the mapping relation between the satellite identifier capable of providing the service satellite and one or more data network access identifiers DNAIs is configured on the SMF, so that the SMF knows the relation between the DNAIs and the satellite identifier based on the mapping relation, the SMF is enhanced, the SMF can select a proper data network access point for a user service, and the user experience is improved. Therefore, the SMF is helped to manage and control the on-satellite MEC service more effectively, and specific satellite communication requirements are optimized and met.

Description

Background Art

[0002] Currently, 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) Rel-18 (Release18) has proposed an architecture that uses satellites as the backhaul between the (R)AN (Radio Access Network) and the 5G core network, and supports the deployment of the UPF (User Plane Function) on satellites to provide MEC (Mobile Edge Computing) services.

[0003] The 3GPP Network Architecture Working Group (SA2) has completed the architecture enhancement of the 5G system to support on-satellite MEC. However, in the Management and Orchestration and Charging Working Group (SA5), the method for the network management system to obtain information such as how the SMF (Session Management Function) acquires the satellite-based deployment situation of the DN (Data Network) has not been clearly defined, which poses challenges for the SMF to select a suitable data network access point for the user's service.

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

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a data network access configuration method, a configuration device, a network device, a storage medium, and a computer program product, which at least overcome to a certain extent the problem that the SMF faces challenges in selecting a suitable data network access point for the user's service in the related art.

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

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a data network access configuration method, including: configuring a mapping table in an SMF instance, where the mapping table describes the mapping relationship between a satellite identifier and at least one data network access identifier DNAI.

[0008] In one embodiment, it further includes: The Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) determines the satellite identifier for serving the terminal. After receiving the satellite identifier sent by the AMF, the Session Management Function (SMF) determines the Data Network Access Identifier (DNAI) based on at least one of the mapping relationship, the Data Network Name (DNN), and the Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI), and the satellite identifier received from the AMF, and selects an available User Plane Function (UPF) deployed on the satellite.

[0009] In one embodiment, selecting an available User Plane Function (UPF) deployed on the satellite includes: Selecting the available UPF deployed on the satellite as the PDU Session Anchor (PSA) UPF; or selecting and inserting the available UPF deployed on the satellite as the Uplink Classifier (UL CL) UPF, or as the Branch Point (BP) UPF, or as the Local PDU Session Anchor (local PSA) UPF.

[0010] In one embodiment, configuring a mapping table in the SMF instance includes: Configuring the mapping table in the SMF Function Information Object Class (IOC) of the SMF instance.

[0011] In one embodiment, it further includes: Configuring the mapping table in the DNNSmfInfoItem data type in the SMF Function IOC, which represents the set of parameters supported by the SMF instance for a given Data Network Name (DNN).

[0012] In one embodiment, it further includes: Configuring the constraint condition of the mapping table in the DNNSmfInfoItem data type as that the SMF instance supports selecting a UPF deployed on the satellite.

[0013] In one embodiment, the satellite identifier includes at least one of a geostationary satellite identifier, a medium Earth orbit satellite identifier, and a low Earth orbit satellite identifier.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a data network access configuration device is provided, including: a configuration module for configuring a mapping table in an SMF instance, where the mapping table describes the mapping relationship between a satellite identifier and at least one Data Network Access Identifier (DNAI).

[0015] According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a network device is provided, including: a processor; and a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; the processor is configured to execute the data network access configuration method in the first aspect above by executing the executable instructions.

[0016] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the data network access configuration method above is implemented.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the above data network access configuration method is implemented.

[0018] In the data network access configuration solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, by configuring the mapping relationship between the satellite identifier capable of providing services to the satellite and one or more data network access identifiers (DNAIs) on the SMF, the SMF can understand the relationship between the DNAI and the satellite identifier based on the mapping relationship, realizing the enhancement of the SMF, enabling the SMF to select a suitable data network access point for user services, that is, the user plane routing. Furthermore, it helps the SMF maintain and execute the QoS (Quality of Service) parameters of the on-board MEC, so as to more effectively manage and control the on-board MEC services, optimize and meet specific satellite communication requirements.

[0019] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and form a part of the specification, showing embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, and are used together with the specification to explain the principles of the present disclosure. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a data network access configuration system in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 2 A flowchart showing a data network access configuration method in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing an SMF instance in a data network access configuration solution in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 4 A flowchart showing another data network access configuration method in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing a data network access configuration device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 6 A structural block diagram showing a computer device in an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the example embodiments can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0028] In addition, the accompanying drawings are only schematic illustrations of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and thus repeated descriptions thereof will be omitted. Some of the block diagrams shown in the drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities may be implemented in software, or in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0029] In a network management system, NRM (Network Resource Mode) related to the radio access network, the core network, and network slices are respectively defined to manage the semantics and behaviors of the attributes and relationships of the specified IOC (Information Object Class). For example, in the core network NRM, the SMF Function IOC is defined, and the relevant information of a specific SMF instance is expressed through the SMFInfo attribute. In the present disclosure, by configuring the SMF instance, the mapping relationship between the satellite identifier and one or more data network access identifiers DNAI is configured, so that the SMF can select a suitable network slice for the user's service based on the obtained satellite identifier.

[0030] In addition, on-board MEC reduces the necessity of transmitting data to the terrestrial network and weakens the dependence on the gateway station, which not only shortens the latency but also improves the satellite link utilization efficiency. Obtaining specific satellite information helps the SMF maintain and execute the QoS (Quality of Service) parameters of on-board MEC, ensuring that the SMF understands the relationship between DNAI and the satellite identifier, so as to more effectively manage and control the satellite-based MEC service, optimize and meet specific satellite communication requirements.

[0031] As Figure 1As shown in the figure, the base station connected to the terminal UE can be switched from the ground wireless 5G base station gNB to a satellite serving as a high-altitude base station for communication. The satellite serves as a high-altitude gNB for data transmission and sends the satellite identifier to the AMF (Access and Mobility management Function). The AMF can forward the satellite identifier to the SMF, enabling the SMF to select a data network DN access based on the satellite identifier and the deployed UPF on the satellite.

[0032] Next, each step of the data network access configuration method in this exemplary embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0033] Figure 2 The figure shows a flowchart of a data network access configuration method in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] As Figure 2 shown, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a data network access configuration method is applied to a Session Management Function (SMF) and includes:

[0035] Step S202, configure a mapping table in the SMF instance, where the mapping table describes the mapping relationship between the satellite identifier and at least one Data Network Access Identifier (DNAI).

[0036] Among them, the SMF instance refers to a specific SMF functional entity deployed in a mobile network environment. By configuring a mapping table in the SMF instance, the relationship between the satellite identifier and the Data Network Access Identifier (DNAI) is described. The SMF is responsible for session management and control, and the DNAI is used to uniquely identify a user's data network access in the 5G network. The satellite identifier is used as the key for the mapping, and a mapping table including the mapping relationship is configured in the SMF instance of the SMF.

[0037] The SMF instance includes relevant data and parameters of the Session Management Function (SMF) instance, which is an important component in the 5G core network.

[0038] Among them, the serving satellite identifier represents the serving satellite that is recognized as providing services to the terminal device. A mapping table can be used to store the satellite identifier and the DNAI (Data Network Access Identifier) with a mapping relationship.

[0039] By configuring the mapping table, a correspondence between satellite identifiers and DNAIs is established. When a satellite corresponding to a satellite identifier is used as a base station and needs to access the data network, the SMF can select the DNAI that has a mapping relationship with the satellite identifier according to the information in the mapping table, so as to realize the management of data network access for satellite users.

[0040] In addition, by configuring the mapping relationship between DNAI and satellite identifiers into a specific SMF instance, it is also convenient for other network elements, such as the NRF (Network Repository Function), to use this instance to assist other network functions, especially for the AMF to select an appropriate SMF instance.

[0041] On-satellite MEC (Mobile Edge Computing) means deploying the UPF on the satellite to provide MEC services.

[0042] In this embodiment, by configuring the mapping relationship between the satellite identifiers of service-providing satellites and one or more Data Network Access Identifiers (DNAIs) on the SMF, the SMF can understand the relationship between DNAI and satellite identifiers based on the mapping relationship, realizing the enhancement of the SMF, enabling the SMF to select an appropriate data network access point for user services, that is, the user plane routing, and further helping the SMF to maintain and execute the QoS (Quality of Service) parameters of on-satellite MEC, so as to more effectively manage and control on-satellite MEC services, optimize and meet specific satellite communication requirements.

[0043] The association method between DNAI and satellite information is applied to the SMF in the form of a mapping table. Taking a geostationary satellite as an example, Table 1 shows a mapping table storing mapping relationships based on a geostationary satellite.

[0044] Table 1

[0045]

[0046] In one embodiment, it further includes: the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) determines the satellite identifier for serving the terminal. After receiving the satellite identifier sent by the AMF, the SMF determines the DNAI based on at least one of the mapping relationship, the Data Network Name (DNN), and the Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI), and the satellite identifier received from the AMF, and selects an available User Plane Function (UPF) deployed on the satellite.

[0047] Among them, based on the configured mapping table, when the SMF receives the satellite identifier sent by the AMF, such as the GEO satellite ID, it determines the matching DNAI based on the mapping relationship described in the mapping table.

[0048] During or after the establishment of a user PDU session, the SMF checks the UE's requests and the subscribed data of the UE in the UDM. The subscribed data related to the SMF in the UDM includes DNN and S-NSSAI granularity.

[0049] A network slice refers to dividing a physical network into multiple virtual logical networks. Each virtual network corresponds to a different application scenario, that is, to a different data network, to support access to different data networks based on the DNN.

[0050] Furthermore, since one DNN corresponds to one or more DNAIs, and one S-NSSAI corresponds to one or more DNNs, based on the above corresponding relationships, the accurate DNAI is further determined by combining the DNN, or S-NSSAI, or DNN and S-NSSAI obtained by the SMF.

[0051] As a user plane network element in the 5GC network, the UPF can be the on-board UPF of a satellite, enabling the satellite to provide edge computing services. As a connection point between the mobile network and the data network (DN, Data Network), the UPF connects to the data network through the N6 interface and interacts with the SMF through the N4 interface.

[0052] In addition, taking the geostationary satellite GEO as an example, the constraint condition for the existence of the mapping table can be: if the DNAI supported by the SMF is associated with the UPF deployed on the satellite, then there is a mapping table dnaiGeoInstanceList.

[0053] Exemplarily, the AMF is a key component in the 5G network architecture, responsible for processing functions related to user access and mobility management. Exemplarily, the AMF tracks the location information of the terminal and notifies the SMF of the relationship between the terminal location and the local data network server. When the terminal switches from one satellite to another satellite as the gNB for the backhaul part, or from the ground to a satellite as the gNB for the backhaul part, as the node providing the NR user plane and control plane protocols to the UE, the AMF can update the SMF with the latest satellite identifier and send the satellite identifier to the SMF. When the SMF receives the satellite identifier, based on the configured mapping table, it determines the DNAI having a mapping relationship with the satellite identifier, so that the SMF can obtain information such as the UPF and DN deployed on the satellite to select an available UPF deployed on the satellite.

[0054] In this embodiment, based on the mapping relationship, the SMF can understand the UPF deployed on the satellite, so as to further issue routing policies in combination with the performance characteristics of the satellite, better support on-board MEC. Considering the limited satellite resources, the UPF deployed on the satellite may need to support multiple network slices, that is, multiple DNAIs. The configuration based on the mapping relationship enables different network slices to be effectively associated with the UPF deployed on the satellite. Based on the data interaction between the UPF and the data network, various service requirements are met, thereby providing effective support for improving the performance and resource management of on-board MEC and adapting to the diverse service requirements based on MEC. In addition, based on the configuration of the mapping table, the association between the satellite identifier and a specific data network and network slice can be determined. According to the determined mapping relationship, the satellite identifier is matched, and the associated functions and services are configured accordingly. According to the required network slice and quality of service requirements, the corresponding network resources and functional elements are configured to meet the needs of users.

[0055] In one embodiment, selecting an available user plane function (UPF) deployed on the satellite includes: selecting an available UPF deployed on the satellite as the session anchor point (PSA) UPF; or selecting and inserting an available UPF deployed on the satellite as the uplink classifier (UL CL) UPF, or as the bifurcation point (BP) UPF, or as the local session anchor point (local PSA) UPF.

[0056] Among them, the UPF serves as the connection anchor point between the 5G network and multi-access edge computing (MEC). All core network data must be forwarded by the UPF before flowing to the external network. When a user needs to access MEC applications, the edge UPF is selected or inserted, and edge resources are provided to the user on demand.

[0057] During or after the establishment of the user PDU session, the SMF can insert or delete one or more UL CLs in the data path of the PDU session. The UL CL supports forwarding the uplink traffic flow to different PDU session anchor UPFs based on the traffic detection and traffic forwarding rules provided by the SMF, and shunting it to the MEC platform.

[0058] Exemplarily, during the establishment process or modification process of the protocol data unit (PDU) session, select the UPF deployed on the serving satellite as the PDU session anchor point (PSA) UPF based on the serving satellite identifier; or when selecting and inserting the uplink classifier (UL CL) UPF or the branch node (BP) UPF, select the UPF deployed on the serving satellite based on the serving satellite identifier.

[0059] The SMF selects the ULCL / BP and the local PSA on the satellite providing gNB services, thereby selecting the UPF.

[0060] In this embodiment, according to the identification information of the serving satellite, during the PDU session establishment process or the PDU session modification process, the UPF deployed on the corresponding serving satellite is selected as the PDU session anchor point, the uplink classifier, or the branch node. Selecting the UPF deployed on the serving satellite as the PDU session anchor point can reduce latency, improve bandwidth and network capacity, thereby enhancing the user's quality of service and experience.

[0061] In addition, based on the serving satellite identification for UPF selection and insertion, personalized deployment and customized services for different serving satellites can be achieved. The UPF can be flexibly configured according to specific requirements to provide more personalized network services. Selecting to deploy the UPF on the serving satellite as the branch node or the uplink classifier can achieve the proximity processing of data flows and optimize the routing selection, reducing the remote transmission latency of data flows and network congestion.

[0062] In one embodiment, a mapping table is configured in the SMF instance, including: configuring the mapping table in the SMFFunction information object class IOC of the SMF instance.

[0063] In this embodiment, in the Network Resource Model (NRM) of the manageable aspects of the 5G network, the SMFFunction IOC (Information Object Class) is defined. By configuring the mapping table in the SMFFunction IOC, based on the hierarchical correspondence relationship of SMF-S-NSSAI-DNN-DNAI, the mapping table is configured. Taking the geostationary orbit (GEO) satellite as an example, the configured mapping table is dnaiGeoInstanceList.

[0064] In one embodiment, it further includes: configuring the mapping table in the DNNSmfInfoItem data type in the SMFFunction IOC, which represents the parameter set supported by the SMF instance for a given data network name DNN.

[0065] The SMF instance includes DNNSmfInfoItem, and the mapping table is configured and managed in the DNNSmfInfoItem. The DNNSmfInfoItem is associated with the DNNSmfInfoIList in the SnssaiSmfInfoItem.

[0066] Among them, DNNSmfInfoItem is a specific InfoItem in the SMF instance, which is used to manage the mapping relationship between the satellite identifier and the data network access identifier DNAI.

[0067] In this embodiment, a DNNSmfInfoItem is created in the SMF instance to manage the mapping table between multiple data network access identifiers DNAI and the satellite identifier. The mapping table can use the key-value pair method, where the key is DNAI and the value is the satellite identifier. Fill each DNAI and the corresponding satellite identifier into the mapping table. Different DNAIs can be mapped to the corresponding satellite identifiers according to the functions that the satellite can provide to meet different network access requirements and provide high-quality network services.

[0068] Among them, the attribute names of the DNNSmfInfoItem data type include dnn, dnaiList, and the mapping table dnaiGeoInstanceList.

[0069] For a given DNN, the data type of the DNNSmf information item represents the set of supported parameters configured by the SMF for this DNN. The characteristics of the DNNSmf information item are shown in Table 2, where "T" represents "true" and "F" represents "false".

[0070] Table 2

[0071]

[0072] The characteristic constraints for the characteristics of the DNNSmf information item are shown in Table 3.

[0073] Table 3

[0074]

[0075] In one embodiment, it further includes: configuring the constraint condition of the mapping table in the DNNSmfInfoItem data type as that the SMF instance supports selecting the UPF deployed on the satellite.

[0076] Exemplarily, the SMF instance supports selecting the UPF deployed on the satellite for edge computing based on the UPF.

[0077] In this embodiment, by configuring the constraints in the mapping table, it is ensured that the SMF instance can select the UPF deployed on the satellite for edge computing. Exemplarily, the SMF instance needs to configure the mapping table to determine the specific UPF deployed on the satellite. As a core component in the mobile network, the UPF is responsible for functions such as packet forwarding and processing. The mapping table can select the corresponding UPF for edge computing according to the correspondence between the UPF deployed on the satellite and the data network name. The SMF instance can provide personalized support and optimized network experience according to the relationship between the UPF deployed on the satellite and the data network name to meet specific requirements and performance requirements.

[0078] As Figure 3 shown, in the network resource model NRM of the SMF instance, that is, the SMFFunction information, there is an smfInfo attribute under the feature name. Under the feature name of the smfInfo attribute, there is an sNssaiSmfInfoList attribute. The data type of this attribute is sNssaiSmfInfoItem. Under the feature name of the sNssaiSmfInfoItem data type, there are an sNSSAI attribute and a DnnSmfInfoList attribute. The data type of the DnnSmfInfoList attribute is DnnSmfInfoItem. The mapping table is configured as an attribute of DnnSmfInfoItem, that is, a mapping table of new DNAI and satellite identification is added. The mapping table is configured and managed in DnnSmfInfoItem. In addition, the attributes of DnnSmfInfoItem, that is, the feature names, also include DNN and DNAIList.

[0079] In addition, using the data type of DNNSmfInfoItem can also be used as one of the features for specifying the IOC.

[0080] Table 4 defines the attributes of the IOC classes involved in the present disclosure.

[0081] Table 4

[0082]

[0083] In one embodiment, the satellite identification includes at least one of a geostationary satellite identification, a medium Earth orbit satellite identification, and a low Earth orbit satellite identification.

[0084] Among them, a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite is 300 KM to 2000 KM away from the ground.

[0085] A medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite is 2000 KM to 35786 KM away from the ground.

[0086] High-orbit (MEO: high elliptical orbit) satellites are located in the geostationary orbit 35,786 km above the ground.

[0087] In response to the obtained service satellite identifier for the terminal, based on the mapping relationship between the configured satellite identifier and at least one data network access identifier (DNAI), determine the DNAI that matches the satellite identifier, so that the user plane function (UPF) deployed on the service satellite accesses the data network corresponding to the DNAI.

[0088] In addition, the satellite identifier can also be associated in the extended field of the DNAI.

[0089] Exemplarily, DN represents the network providing the target service, DNN is the name symbol of DN, and DNAI is used to distinguish different DN instances. By DNAI, it indicates which DN instance the data stream needs to go to. Therefore, those skilled in the art can understand that the DNN application servers corresponding to different DNAIs are respectively deployed on satellites and on the ground. That is to say, different DNAIs are used to distinguish whether the DNN application server is deployed on the satellite or on the ground. The satellite identifier and DNAI with a mapping relationship indicate that the satellite corresponding to the satellite identifier supports the DNN server corresponding to the DNAI.

[0090] As Figure 4 shown, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the data network access configuration method includes:

[0091] Step S402, the AMF, in response to receiving the protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment request initiated by the UE based on the service satellite handover, and the establishment request includes the service satellite identifier.

[0092] Step S404, the AMF sends a session management PDU context establishment request to the SMF.

[0093] Step S406, the SMF, based on the mapping relationship between the configured satellite identifier and at least one data network access identifier (DNAI), and at least one of DNN and S-NSSAI, determines the DNAI that matches the received service satellite identifier.

[0094] Step S408, the SMF, based on the DNAI, sends a session establishment request to the UPF that supports the network slice corresponding to the DNAI.

[0095] Step S410, the UPF, in response to the received session establishment request, cooperates with the SMF and the AMF to establish a PDU session and accesses the data network corresponding to the DNAI.

[0096] It should be noted that the above-mentioned drawings are only schematic illustrations of the processes included in the method according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, rather than for restrictive purposes. It is easy to understand that the processes shown in the above-mentioned drawings do not indicate or limit the chronological order of these processes. Additionally, it is also easy to understand that these processes can be executed synchronously or asynchronously in, for example, multiple modules.

[0097] The following will be described with reference to Figure 5 the data network access configuration device 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 The illustrated data network access configuration device 500 is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0098] The data network access configuration device 500 is presented in the form of a hardware module. The components of the data network access configuration device 500 may include, but are not limited to: a configuration module for configuring a mapping table in an SMF instance, where the mapping table describes the mapping relationship between satellite identifiers and at least one data network access identifier DNAI.

[0099] Those skilled in the art can understand that various aspects of the present invention can be implemented as a system, a method, or a program product. Therefore, various aspects of the present invention can be specifically implemented in the following forms, namely: a complete hardware implementation, a complete software implementation (including firmware, microcode, etc.), or an implementation combining hardware and software aspects, which can be collectively referred to herein as "circuit", "module", or "system".

[0100] The following will be described with reference to Figure 6 the electronic device 600 according to this embodiment of the present invention. It can be a network device or a terminal. Figure 6 The illustrated electronic device 600 is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0101] As Figure 6 shown, the electronic device 600 is presented in the form of a general-purpose computing device. The components of the electronic device 600 may include, but are not limited to: the above-mentioned at least one processing unit 610, the above-mentioned at least one storage unit 620, and a bus 630 connecting different system components (including the storage unit 620 and the processing unit 610).

[0102] Among them, the storage unit stores program code, and the program code can be executed by the processing unit 610, so that the processing unit 610 executes the steps according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention described in the above "Exemplary Method" section of this specification. For example, the processing unit 610 can execute the solution as Figure 2 described.

[0103] The storage unit 620 may include a readable medium in the form of a volatile storage unit, such as a random access storage unit (RAM) 6201 and / or a cache storage unit 6202, and may further include a read-only storage unit (ROM) 6203.

[0104] The storage unit 620 may also include a program / utilities 6204 having a set (at least one) of program modules 6205. Such program modules 6205 include, but are not limited to: an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data. Each or some combination of these examples may include an implementation of a network environment.

[0105] The bus 630 may represent one or more of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, a processing unit, or a local bus using any of a variety of bus structures.

[0106] The electronic device 600 may also communicate with one or more external devices 670 (such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a Bluetooth device, etc.), and may also communicate with one or more devices that enable a user to interact with the electronic device 600, and / or communicate with any device that enables the electronic device 600 to communicate with one or more other computing devices (such as a router, a modem, etc.). Such communication may be carried out through an input / output (I / O) interface 650. Also, the electronic device 600 may communicate with one or more networks (such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and / or a public network, such as the Internet) through a network adapter 660. As shown in the figure, the network adapter 660 communicates with other modules of the electronic device 600 through the bus 630. It should be understood that, although not shown in the figure, other hardware and / or software modules may be used in conjunction with the electronic device 600, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems, etc.

[0107] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can easily understand that the example embodiments described herein can be implemented by software, or can be implemented by the way of software in combination with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solution according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (which may be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to enable a computing device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a terminal device, or a network device, etc.) to execute the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0108] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, there is also provided a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a program product capable of implementing the above-described method of this specification. In some possible implementation manners, various aspects of the present invention can also be implemented in the form of a program product, which includes program code. When the program product runs on an electronic device, the program code is used to cause the electronic device to execute the steps according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention described in the above "Exemplary Method" section of this specification.

[0109] The program product for implementing the above method according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) and includes program code, and can run on an electronic device, such as a personal computer. However, the program product of the present invention is not limited thereto. In this document, the readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that contains or stores a program that can be used by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0110] The program product may adopt any combination of one or more readable media. The readable media may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. The readable storage medium may, for example, but not be limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination of the above. More specific examples (non-exhaustive list) of the readable storage medium include: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the above.

[0111] The computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in a baseband or as part of a carrier wave, which carries the readable program code. Such a propagated data signal may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination of the above. The readable signal medium may also be any readable medium other than the readable storage medium, which can send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0112] The program code contained on the readable medium can be transmitted by any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, optical cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the above.

[0113] The program code for performing the operations of the present invention can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages such as Java, C++, etc., and also including conventional procedural programming languages such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computing device, partially on the user's device, executed as a stand-alone software package, partially on the user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In cases involving a remote computing device, the remote computing device can be connected to the user's computing device through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or it can be connected to an external computing device (e.g., by connecting through the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0114] It should be noted that although several modules or units of a device for action execution are mentioned in the above detailed description, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the features and functions of two or more of the above-described modules or units can be embodied in one module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided and embodied by multiple modules or units.

[0115] In addition, although the various steps of the method in the present disclosure are described in a specific order in the drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in that specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired result. Additionally or alternatively, certain steps can be omitted, multiple steps can be combined into one step for execution, and / or one step can be decomposed into multiple steps for execution, etc.

[0116] From the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can easily understand that the example embodiments described herein can be implemented by software, or by a combination of software and necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (which can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to enable a computing device (which can be a personal computer, a server, a mobile terminal, or a network device, etc.) to execute the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0117] Those skilled in the art will readily conceive of other embodiments of the present disclosure after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure that follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include known common general knowledge or conventional technical means in the technical field not disclosed in the present disclosure. The specification and examples are only regarded as exemplary, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are pointed out by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for configuring data network access, characterized in that, Applied to the Session Management Function SMF, including: Configure a mapping table in the SMF instance, where the mapping table describes the mapping relationship between satellite identifiers and at least one Data Network Access Identifier DNAI.

2. The data network access configuration method according to claim 1, wherein Also included are: The Access and Mobility Management Function AMF determines the satellite identifier for serving the terminal. After receiving the satellite identifier sent by the AMF, the SMF determines the DNAI based on at least one of the mapping relationship, Data Network Name DNN, and Slice Selection Assistance Information S-NSSAI, and the satellite identifier received from the AMF, and selects an available User Plane Function UPF deployed on the satellite.

3. The data network access configuration method according to claim 2, wherein Selecting an available User Plane Function UPF deployed on the satellite includes: Selecting the available UPF deployed on the satellite as the Session Anchor PSA UPF; or Selecting and inserting the available UPF deployed on the satellite as the Uplink Classifier UL CL UPF, or as the Branch Point BP UPF, or as the Local Session Anchor localPSA UPF.

4. The data network access configuration method according to claim 1, wherein Configuring a mapping table in the SMF instance includes: Configuring the mapping table in the SMFFunction Information Object Class IOC.

5. The data network access configuration method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also included are: Configuring the mapping table in the DNNSmfInfoItem data type in the SMFFunctionIOC, which represents the set of parameters supported by the SMF instance for a given Data Network Name DNN.

6. The data network access configuration method according to claim 5, wherein Also included are: Configuring the constraint condition of the mapping table in the DNNSmfInfoItem data type as that the SMF instance supports selecting a UPF deployed on the satellite.

7. The data network access configuration method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The satellite identifier includes at least one of a geostationary satellite identifier, a medium earth orbit satellite identifier, and a low earth orbit satellite identifier.

8. A data network access configuration device, characterized in that Applied to the Session Management Function SMF, including: A configuration module for configuring a mapping table in the SMF instance, where the mapping table describes the mapping relationship between satellite identifiers and at least one Data Network Access Identifier DNAI.

9. A network device, characterized in that, Including: A processor; And A memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; Wherein, the processor is configured to execute the data network access configuration method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 by executing the executable instructions.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the data network access configuration method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

11. A computer program product, having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the data network access configuration method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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