Emergency communication processing method, device and equipment

Abstract

The invention provides an emergency communication processing method, device and equipment, and relates to the technical field of communication. The method comprises: sending an attach request message to a mobility management entity (MME) network element, the attach request message being used for indicating that only an emergency call service is requested and the attach request message is not in a limited service state; and receiving an attach feedback message from the MME network element, where the attach feedback message is used to indicate that an emergency call service is not supported, or to indicate attach acceptance. According to the invention, the MME network element determines whether the emergency call service is supported or not and feeds back to the terminal in time, so that the terminal is prevented from knowing whether the MME network element supports the NB-IoT emergency call or not only after completing normal initial attachment at first, and the processing energy consumption of the terminal is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an emergency communication processing method, apparatus, and device. Background Art

[0002] Currently, narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) networks cannot provide voice services (including emergency calls). To further fill the gap in voice services in remote areas and improve emergency communication capabilities in disaster scenarios, providing voice services to NB-IoT terminals via high-orbit satellite connections to the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network is a current research focus.

[0003] In the existing standards, if the NB-IoT terminal is not in a restricted service state and wants to obtain emergency call services, it must first perform a normal initial attachment process. If the attachment is successful, the attachment acceptance non-access stratum (NAS message) returned by the Mobility Management Entity (MME) network element will include an emergency service support indication. If the MME network element supports emergency services, the NB-IoT terminal will then initiate an emergency service packet data network (PDN) connection. Only after the connection is successfully established can the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call related processes be continued.

[0004] However, NB-IoT terminals generally have limited energy. If the above method is adopted, it will cause unnecessary waste of processing resources and generate high energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides an emergency communication processing method, an emergency communication processing apparatus, a terminal device, and a network device, so as to at least to some extent solve the problem of high energy consumption and high processing resource consumption during emergency communication.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for processing emergency communications, the method comprising:

[0007] Sending an attach request message to a mobility management entity (MME) network element, wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only an emergency call service is requested and the service is not restricted;

[0008] An attach feedback message is received from the MME network element, wherein the attach feedback message is used to indicate that an emergency call service is not supported, or is used to indicate that an attach is accepted.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal requests provision of an emergency call service.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the attach request message further includes a PDN connection request carried by an EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the attach request message further includes a PDN connection request carried by an EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency or normal.

[0012] In a possible implementation, if the NB-IoT terminal supports attachment without establishing a PDN connection, the attachment request message only includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests provision of an emergency call service.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method for processing emergency communications is provided, the method comprising:

[0014] Receiving an attach request message sent by a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal; wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only emergency call services are obtained and the terminal is not in a restricted service state;

[0015] An attachment feedback message is sent to the NB-IoT terminal, wherein the attachment feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or to indicate attachment acceptance.

[0016] In a possible implementation, if the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of an emergency call service and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency and normal, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports the emergency call service, the method further includes:

[0017] Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process;

[0018] Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal;

[0019] Interact with the serving gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish emergency call and normal call PDN connections, send an attachment acceptance message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attachment completion message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

[0020] In a possible implementation, if the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of an emergency call service and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports the emergency call service, the method further includes:

[0021] Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process;

[0022] Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal;

[0023] Interact with the serving gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish an emergency call PDN connection, send an attach accept message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attach complete message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

[0024] In a possible implementation, if the NB-IoT terminal supports attachment without establishing a PDN connection, the attachment request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of an emergency call service, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports the emergency call service, the method further includes:

[0025] Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process;

[0026] Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal;

[0027] Send an attach accept message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attach complete message sent by the NB-IoT terminal, so that the NB-IoT terminal independently initiates a PDN connection establishment request for an emergency call.

[0028] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an emergency communication processing device, the device comprising:

[0029] A sending unit, configured to send an attach request message to a mobility management entity MME network element, wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only an emergency call service is requested and the service is not restricted;

[0030] The receiving unit is configured to receive an attach feedback message from the MME network element, wherein the attach feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or is used to indicate that the attach is accepted.

[0031] In a possible implementation, the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal requests provision of an emergency call service.

[0032] In a possible implementation, the attach request message further includes a PDN connection request carried by an EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency or normal.

[0033] In a possible implementation, the attach request message further includes a PDN connection request carried by an EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency.

[0034] In a possible implementation, if the NB-IoT terminal supports attachment without establishing a PDN connection, the attachment request message only includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests provision of an emergency call service.

[0035] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an emergency communication processing device, the device comprising:

[0036] A receiving unit, configured to receive an attach request message sent by a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal; wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only emergency call services are obtained and the terminal is not in a restricted service state;

[0037] A sending unit is used to send an attachment feedback message to the NB-IoT terminal, wherein the attachment feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or to indicate attachment acceptance.

[0038] In a possible implementation, if the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of an emergency call service and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency and normal, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports the emergency call service, the apparatus further includes a processing unit, configured to:

[0039] Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process;

[0040] Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal;

[0041] Interact with the serving gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish emergency call and normal call PDN connections, send an attachment acceptance message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attachment completion message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

[0042] In a possible implementation, if the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of an emergency call service and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports the emergency call service, the apparatus further includes a processing unit, configured to:

[0043] Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process;

[0044] Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal;

[0045] Interact with the serving gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish an emergency call PDN connection, and receive the attachment completion message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

[0046] In a possible implementation, if the NB-IoT terminal supports attachment without establishing a PDN connection, the attachment request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests provision of an emergency call service, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports the emergency call service, the apparatus further includes a processing unit for:

[0047] Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process;

[0048] Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal;

[0049] Send an attach accept message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attach complete message sent by the NB-IoT terminal, so that the NB-IoT terminal independently initiates a PDN connection establishment request for an emergency call.

[0050] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a terminal device is provided, comprising a transceiver, a memory, and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store programs, and the processor is used to call the programs in the memory and control the transceiver to receive or send signals so that the terminal device executes the method according to any one of the first aspects.

[0051] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a network device is provided, comprising a transceiver, a memory, and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store a program, and the processor is used to call the program in the memory and control the transceiver to receive or send a signal so that the network device executes the method according to any one of the second aspects.

[0052] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, comprising a program, wherein the program enables a computer to execute the method according to any one of the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0053] The technical solution disclosed in this disclosure has the following beneficial effects:

[0054] In the disclosed embodiment, after the NB-IoT terminal sends an attachment request message, if the MME network element determines that it does not support emergency calls, it will send a rejection reply to the NB-IoT terminal, and carry a reason value indicating that NB-IoT emergency calls are not supported. This avoids the situation where the NB-IoT terminal has to complete a normal initial attachment before knowing whether the MME network element supports NB-IoT emergency calls. That is, it reduces the process of the NB-IoT terminal completing a normal initial attachment first, and reduces the processing resources and energy consumption of the NB-IoT terminal. If the MME network element determines that it supports emergency calls, it sends an attachment reception message to the NB-IoT terminal to complete the purpose of obtaining emergency call services.

[0055] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be described in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the description, or will be understood by practicing the present disclosure. The purposes and other advantages of the present disclosure can be realized and obtained by the structures particularly pointed out in the written description, claims, and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the drawings introduced below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0057] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the system architecture of a communication system in this exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0058] Figure 2 A flowchart showing an emergency communication processing method in this exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0059] Figure 3 A flowchart showing another emergency communication processing method in this exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0060] Figure 4 An interactive schematic diagram illustrating an emergency communication processing method in this exemplary embodiment.

[0061] Figure 5 An interactive schematic diagram illustrating another emergency communication processing method in this exemplary embodiment.

[0062] Figure 6 An interactive schematic diagram illustrating yet another emergency communication processing method in this exemplary embodiment.

[0063] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of an emergency communication processing device in this exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0064] Figure 8 A schematic structural diagram of another emergency communication processing device in this exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0065] Figure 9 A schematic structural diagram of a terminal device in this exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0066] Figure 10 A schematic structural diagram of a network device in this exemplary embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments in the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be arbitrarily combined with each other. In addition, although the logical order is shown in the flow chart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be performed in an order different from that here.

[0068] The terms "comprises" and "comprising" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive protection. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or elements is not limited to the listed steps or elements, but may optionally include steps or elements not listed, or may optionally include other steps or elements inherent to the process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0069] In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: the existence of A alone, the existence of A and B at the same time, and the existence of B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, c can be single or plural.

[0070] The following describes exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are schematic diagrams of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Some of the block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings may be functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities can be implemented in software, or in hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in networks, processors or microcontrollers. The embodiments can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the examples set forth herein. The features, structures or characteristics described in the present disclosure can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. In the description below, many specific details are provided to provide a full description of the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more specific details may be omitted when implementing the technical solutions of the present disclosure, or that other methods, components, devices, steps, etc. may be used to replace one or more specific details.

[0071] See also Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 Figure 1 is an example of the system architecture of a communication system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A user equipment (UE) establishes a connection with the satellite network via wireless signals. Leveraging the satellite network's coverage, it transmits communication requests via the satellite network to a gateway, which then forwards them to the terrestrial network to obtain emergency services.

[0072] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the UE may also be referred to as a terminal or an NB-IoT terminal or a terminal device. The NB-IoT terminal is a wireless communication terminal device based on narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology, which is specially designed for low-power, wide-coverage, and large-connection Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios, and supports remote data interaction with the core network through a cellular network.

[0073] In the disclosed embodiments, network element deployment has significant flexibility, and there is no specific limitation on the network element being deployed on satellites. For example, the base station (eNodeB), as a key network element of the wireless access network, can be deployed on a satellite network, relying on the wide-area coverage characteristics of the satellite to achieve signal coverage in remote areas; it can also be deployed on the ground, using the stability of the ground infrastructure to ensure communication quality. The Mobility Management Entity (MME) network element is responsible for handling user mobility management, session management and other functions. It can also be deployed on a satellite network according to actual needs to support mobility management within the satellite network, or deployed in a ground network to achieve efficient user management with the help of the powerful processing capabilities of the ground. This flexible network element deployment method can better adapt to different application scenarios and network requirements, improve the reliability and adaptability of the entire communication system, and ensure the smooth development of emergency services.

[0074] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to various communication systems, such as the fourth generation (4G) mobile communication system, the long term evolution (LTE) system, the fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system, and the new radio (NR) system. The technical solutions provided by the present disclosure can also be applied to future communication systems, such as the sixth generation (6G) mobile communication system, satellite communication systems, and the like.

[0075] As mentioned above, NB-IoT terminals generally have limited energy. If the above method is adopted, it will cause unnecessary waste of processing resources. This is mainly reflected in the following two aspects:

[0076] (1) If an NB-IoT terminal wants to initiate an emergency call and is not in a restricted service state, the NB-IoT terminal must first complete a normal initial attachment before it can determine whether the MME network element supports NB-IoT emergency calls. If the MME network element does not support it, the NB-IoT terminal needs to select another network to re-access the emergency call service, resulting in an inability to obtain services in a timely manner. Multiple unnecessary accesses will waste processing resources and energy consumption of the terminal and network.

[0077] (2) Even if the MME network element supports NB-IoT emergency calls, during the initial attachment process, the NB-IoT terminal first establishes a normal PDN connection and then initiates the emergency PDN connection establishment process after completing the attachment. The aforementioned process increases the delay in the terminal obtaining emergency services and the terminal energy consumption.

[0078] In view of this, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides an emergency communication processing method. After the NB-IoT terminal sends an attachment request message, if the MME network element determines that it does not support emergency calls, it will send a rejection reply to the NB-IoT terminal, and carry a reason value to indicate that NB-IoT emergency calls are not supported, thereby avoiding the situation where the NB-IoT terminal has to complete the normal initial attachment first before knowing whether the MME network element supports NB-IoT emergency calls. That is, it reduces the process of the NB-IoT terminal completing the normal initial attachment first, and reduces the processing resources and energy consumption of the NB-IoT terminal. If the MME network element determines that it supports emergency calls, it sends an attachment reception message to the NB-IoT terminal to complete the purpose of obtaining emergency call services.

[0079] See also Figure 2 , Figure 2 A flowchart of an emergency communication processing method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 The method shown can be performed by an NB-IoT terminal. The NB-IoT terminal can be, for example, Figure 1 The terminal device 110 is shown.

[0080] Step 201: The NB-IoT terminal sends an attach request message to the mobility management entity MME network element, where the attach request message is used to indicate that only the emergency call service is requested and the terminal is not in a restricted service state;

[0081] Optionally, the attach request message (Attach Request) includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of emergency call services and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS Session Management container (ESM container), and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency and normal. Among them, the emergency request indicator is, for example, an Emergency Request Indicator, indicating that the purpose of the attach request is emergency services. That is, the Attach Request carries the Emergency Request Indicator.

[0082] Optionally, the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator and a PDN connection request carried by an ESM container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency. That is, the Attach Request carries an ESM container, including a PDN Connectivity Request, and the Request Type is set to Emergency.

[0083] Optionally, if the NB-IoT terminal supports attach without establishing a PDN connection, the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator. That is, if the UE supports attach without PDN connectivity, the UE sends an Attach Request carrying an Emergency Request Indicator to the MME network element, the attached type carried is not Emergency, and does not carry a PDN Connectivity Request.

[0084] Step 202: The NB-IoT terminal receives an attachment feedback message from the MME network element, where the attachment feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or to indicate that the attachment is accepted.

[0085] It can be seen that in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the NB-IoT terminal can directly determine whether the MME network element supports emergency call services based on the attachment feedback message sent by the MME network element. When it does not support it, it can choose other networks to re-access to obtain emergency services without completing the normal initial attachment process, thereby reducing unnecessary access and reducing energy consumption of the terminal and MME network element.

[0086] See also Figure 3 , Figure 3 A flowchart of an emergency communication processing method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 The method shown may be executed by a network device, which may be, for example, an MME network element.

[0087] Step 301: The MME network element may receive an attach request message sent by a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal. The attach request message indicates that only emergency call services are to be obtained and that the terminal is not in a restricted service state.

[0088] Step 302: The MME network element may send an attachment feedback message to the NB-IoT terminal, where the attachment feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or to indicate that the attachment is accepted.

[0089] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, if the NB-IoT terminal wants to request an emergency call service and is not in a restricted service state, the attachment request sent by the NB-IoT terminal to the MME network element contains indication information (indicating that only emergency call service is wanted). If the MME network element does not support emergency services, the UE's attachment request is directly rejected and a reason value is carried.

[0090] Optionally, if the attachment request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of emergency call services and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency and normal, and the MME network element supports emergency call services, the MME network element can obtain authentication information from the home subscriber server (HomeSubscriber Server, HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process; send a location update request to the HSS, and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal; interact with the serving gateway (Serving Gateway, S-GW or Serving GW) and the packet data network gateway (PacketData Network Gateway, P-GW or PDN GW) to establish emergency call and normal call PDN connections, and send an attachment acceptance message to the NB-IoT terminal and receive an attachment completion message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

[0091] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, if the NB-IoT terminal wants to request an emergency call service and is not in a restricted service state, the attachment request sent by the NB-IoT terminal to the MME network element includes an Emergency Request Indicator, indicating that the purpose of the attachment request is for emergency services. If the MME network element does not support emergency services, the attachment request of the NB-IoT terminal is directly rejected and a reason value is carried. If the MME network element supports emergency services, the MME network element can interact with the service gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish a normal call PDN connection and an emergency call PDN connection, that is, there is no need to know whether the MME network element supports emergency call services after completing the attachment, which reduces the energy consumption of the NB-IoT terminal in obtaining emergency call services.

[0092] Optionally, if the attachment request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of emergency call services and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency, and the MME network element supports emergency call services, the MME network element obtains authentication information from the home user server HSS and interacts with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process; sends a location update request to the HSS, and receives a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal; interacts with the service gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish an emergency call PDN connection, and sends an attachment acceptance message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receives an attachment completion message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

[0093] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, if the NB-IoT terminal wants to request an emergency call service and is not in a restricted service state, if the NB-IoT terminal carries a PDN connection establishment request through ESM in the attachment request, indicating that the PDN connection is established for emergency services, then the MME network element can interact with the service gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish an emergency call PDN connection, that is, there is no need to establish an ordinary PDN connection first, and then initiate the emergency PDN connection establishment process after completing the attachment, which greatly reduces the delay and terminal energy consumption of the NB-IoT terminal in obtaining emergency call services.

[0094] Optionally, if the NB-IoT terminal supports attachment without establishing a PDN connection, the attachment request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of emergency call service, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports emergency call service, then the MME network element can obtain authentication information from the home user server HSS, and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process; send a location update request to the HSS, and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal; send an attachment acceptance message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attachment completion message sent by the NB-IoT terminal, so that the NB-IoT terminal can initiate a PDN connection establishment request for emergency calls separately.

[0095] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, if the NB-IoT terminal wants to request an emergency call service and is not in a restricted service state, if the NB-IoT terminal does not carry a PDN connection establishment request in the attachment request, the NB-IoT terminal initiates an emergency PDN connection establishment separately after completing the attachment, which provides another implementation plan for obtaining emergency call services and avoids the situation where the NB-IoT terminal has to complete the normal initial attachment before knowing whether the MME network element supports the NB-IoT emergency call service, thereby reducing unnecessary access of NB-IoT terminals and reducing the energy consumption of the terminals.

[0096] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, in order to better introduce the emergency communication processing method provided by the present disclosure, several specific embodiments are introduced below.

[0097] Example 1

[0098] See also Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 An interactive diagram of an emergency communication processing method provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0099] Step 401: The UE sends an attach request message to the MME network element. The attach request message carries an emergency request indicator and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container. The request type of the PDN connection request is emergency or normal.

[0100] As can be seen, if the UE requests emergency services and is not in the restricted service state, the UE sends an AttachRequest to the MME network element with an attach type other than Emergency, such as EPS attach. The UE then carries an Emergency Request Indicator in the AttachRequest, indicating that the purpose of the attach request is for emergency services, as well as an ESM container containing a PDN Connectivity Request with the Request Type set to Emergency and Normal.

[0101] Step 402: The MME determines whether the network supports emergency calls. If not, execute step 403a; if supported, execute steps 403b-410.

[0102] In this embodiment, the MME network element may determine whether the network supports emergency calls according to the emergency request indicator.

[0103] Step 403a: The MME network element sends an attach reject message to the UE. The attach reject message carries a cause value indicating that emergency calls are not supported.

[0104] Step 403b: The MME network element obtains the authentication vector and other information from the HSS, and interacts with the UE to complete the authentication and security process.

[0105] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, HSS is a server in the Evolved Packet System (EPS) used to store user contract information. Its main function is to manage user contract data (such as service rights, package information, etc.) and mobile user location information.

[0106] Step 404: The MME network element and the HSS complete the location update process and obtain the UE's subscription data.

[0107] In the disclosed embodiment, if the MME network element has changed since the last detachment, or the MME network element does not have a valid subscription context for the UE, the MME network element needs to complete a location update process with the HSS to obtain the UE's subscription data.

[0108] Step 405: The MME network element sends a request to establish a normal call and an emergency call PDN to the SGW, so that the SGW sends a request to establish a PDN to the PGW.

[0109] It can be seen that the MME network element sends a Create Session Request message (i.e., a request to establish a normal call and an emergency call PDN) to the SGW, and carries the Emergency APN.

[0110] Step 406: The MME network element receives the PDN establishment feedback sent by the SGW; the PDN establishment feedback is sent by the PGW to the SGW according to the PDN establishment request.

[0111] It can be seen that the MME network element receives the Create Session Response message (ie, PDN establishment feedback) sent by the SGW.

[0112] Step 407: The MME network element sends an attach accept message to the UE, and receives an attach complete message sent by the UE.

[0113] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the UE is allocated an IP address, and the base station, SGW, and PGW interact with the user plane address.

[0114] In the disclosed embodiment, if the NB-IoT terminal wants to request an emergency call service and is not in a restricted service state, the attachment request sent by the NB-IoT terminal to the MME network element includes an Emergency Request Indicator, indicating that the purpose of the attachment request is for emergency services. If the MME network element does not support emergency services, the UE's attachment request is directly rejected and a reason value is carried. If the MME network element supports emergency services, the MME network element can interact with the service gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish a normal PDN connection and an emergency call PDN connection, that is, there is no need to know whether the MME network element supports emergency call services after completing the attachment, which reduces the energy consumption of the NB-IoT terminal in obtaining emergency call services.

[0115] Example 2

[0116] See also Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 An interactive diagram of another emergency communication processing method provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0117] Step 501: The UE sends an attach request message to the MME network element. The attach request message includes an emergency request indicator and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency.

[0118] That is, the UE sends an Attach Request to the MME network element, and the Attach Request carries an Emergency Request Indicator and an ESM container. The ESM container includes a PDN Connectivity Request, and the Request Type is set to Emergency.

[0119] Step 502: The MME determines whether the network supports emergency calls. If not, proceed to step 503a; if supported, proceed to steps 503b-507.

[0120] Step 503a: The MME network element sends an attach reject message to the UE. The attach reject message carries a cause value indicating that emergency calls are not supported.

[0121] Step 503: The MME network element obtains the authentication vector and other information from the HSS, and interacts with the UE to complete the authentication and security process.

[0122] Step 504: The MME network element and the HSS complete the location update process and obtain the UE's subscription data.

[0123] In the disclosed embodiment, if the MME network element has changed since the last detachment, or the MME network element does not have a valid subscription context for the UE, the MME network element needs to complete a location update process with the HSS to obtain the UE's subscription data.

[0124] Step 505: The MME network element sends an emergency call PDN establishment request to the SGW, so that the SGW sends an emergency call PDN establishment request to the PGW.

[0125] It can be seen that the MME network element sends a Create Session Request message (ie, a request to establish an emergency call PDN) to the SGW, and carries the Emergency Access Point Name (Emergency APN).

[0126] Step 506: The MME network element receives the PDN establishment feedback sent by the SGW; the PDN establishment feedback is sent by the PGW to the SGW according to the PDN establishment request.

[0127] It can be seen that the MME network element receives the Create Session Response message (ie, PDN establishment feedback) sent by the SGW.

[0128] Step 507: The MME network element sends an attach accept message to the UE, and receives an attach complete message sent by the UE.

[0129] In the disclosed embodiments, the UE is assigned an IP address, and the base station, SGW, and PGW interact with user plane addresses. Emergency call PDN connections are handled differently from other PDN connections. For example, the MME selects the PGW for emergency services, and the PGW does not enforce maximum access point name (APN) restrictions.

[0130] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, if the NB-IoT terminal wants to request an emergency call service and is not in a restricted service state, if the NB-IoT terminal carries a PDN connection establishment request through ESM in the attachment request, indicating that the PDN connection is established for emergency services, then the MME network element can interact with the service gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish an emergency call PDN connection, that is, there is no need to establish an ordinary PDN connection first, and then initiate the emergency PDN connection establishment process after completing the attachment, which greatly reduces the delay and terminal energy consumption of the NB-IoT terminal in obtaining emergency call services.

[0131] Example 3

[0132] See also Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 An interactive diagram of another emergency communication processing method provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0133] Step 601: The UE sends an attach request message to the MME network element, where the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator.

[0134] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, if the UE supports attach without PDN connectivity, the Attach Request sent by the UE to the MME network element may not carry the PDN Connectivity Request, that is, the Attach Request carries the Emergency Request Indicator.

[0135] Step 602: The MME determines whether the network supports emergency calls. If not, execute step 603a; if supported, execute steps 603b-606.

[0136] Step 603a: The MME network element sends an attach reject message to the UE. The attach reject message carries a cause value indicating that emergency calls are not supported.

[0137] Step 603b: The MME network element obtains the authentication vector and other information from the HSS, and interacts with the UE to complete the authentication and security process.

[0138] Step 604: The MME network element and the HSS complete the location update process and obtain the UE's subscription data.

[0139] In the disclosed embodiment, if the MME network element has changed since the last detachment, or the MME network element does not have a valid subscription context for the UE, the MME network element needs to complete a location update process with the HSS to obtain the UE's subscription data.

[0140] Step 605: Send an attach accept message to the UE, and receive an attach complete message sent by the UE.

[0141] Step 606: The UE independently initiates a PDN connection establishment request for emergency services.

[0142] The UE is assigned an IP address, and the user plane addresses for interaction between the base station, SGW, and PGW are also assigned. Emergency call PDN connections are handled differently from other PDN connections. For example, the MME must select the PGW for emergency services, and the PGW does not enforce maximum APN restrictions.

[0143] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, if the NB-IoT terminal wants to request an emergency call service and is not in a restricted service state, if the NB-IoT terminal does not carry a PDN connection establishment request in the attachment request, the NB-IoT terminal initiates an emergency PDN connection establishment separately after completing the attachment, which provides another implementation plan for obtaining emergency call services and avoids the situation where the NB-IoT terminal has to complete the normal initial attachment before knowing whether the MME network element supports the NB-IoT emergency call service, thereby reducing unnecessary access of NB-IoT terminals and reducing the energy consumption of the terminals.

[0144] Based on an embodiment of the present disclosure, see Figure 7 , provides an emergency communication processing device 700, the device comprising:

[0145] A sending unit 701 is configured to send an attach request message to a mobility management entity MME network element, wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only an emergency call service is requested and the service is not restricted;

[0146] The receiving unit 702 is configured to receive an attach feedback message from the MME network element, wherein the attach feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or is used to indicate that the attach is accepted.

[0147] In a possible implementation, the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal requests provision of an emergency call service.

[0148] In a possible implementation, the attach request message further includes a PDN connection request carried by an EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency or normal.

[0149] In a possible implementation, the attach request message further includes a PDN connection request carried by an EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency.

[0150] In a possible implementation, if the NB-IoT terminal supports attachment without establishing a PDN connection, the attachment request message only includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests provision of an emergency call service.

[0151] Based on an embodiment of the present disclosure, see Figure 8 , provides an emergency communication processing device 800, the device comprising:

[0152] The receiving unit 801 is configured to receive an attach request message sent by a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal; wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only emergency call services are obtained and the terminal is not in a restricted service state;

[0153] The sending unit 802 is used to send an attachment feedback message to the NB-IoT terminal, wherein the attachment feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or to indicate that the attachment is accepted.

[0154] In a possible implementation, if the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of an emergency call service and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency and normal, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports the emergency call service, the apparatus further includes a processing unit, configured to:

[0155] Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process;

[0156] Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal;

[0157] Interact with the serving gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish emergency call and normal call PDN connections, send an attachment acceptance message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attachment completion message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

[0158] In a possible implementation, if the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal requests the provision of an emergency call service and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports the emergency call service, the apparatus further includes a processing unit, configured to:

[0159] Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process;

[0160] Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal;

[0161] Interact with the serving gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish an emergency call PDN connection, send an attach accept message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attach complete message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

[0162] In a possible implementation, if the NB-IoT terminal supports attachment without establishing a PDN connection, and the mobility management entity MME network element supports emergency call service, the apparatus further includes a processing unit for:

[0163] Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process;

[0164] Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal;

[0165] Send an attach accept message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attach complete message sent by the NB-IoT terminal, so that the NB-IoT terminal independently initiates a PDN connection establishment request for an emergency call.

[0166] The specific details of each part of the above-mentioned device have been described in detail in the implementation method part. The undisclosed details can be found in the implementation method part, so they will not be repeated here.

[0167] It should be noted that although several modules or units of the device for action execution are mentioned in the above detailed description, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be concretized in one module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided into multiple modules or units to be concretized.

[0168] Based on an embodiment of the present disclosure, see Figure 9 The terminal device may include a transceiver 903, a memory 902 and a processor 901, wherein the memory 902 is used to store programs, and the processor 901 is used to call the programs in the memory 902 and control the transceiver 903 to receive or send signals, so that the terminal device performs the method steps of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, such as performing Figure 2 Steps in .

[0169] Based on an embodiment of the present disclosure, see Figure 10 The network device may include a transceiver 1003, a memory 1002 and a processor 1001, wherein the memory 1002 is used to store a program, and the processor 1001 is used to call the program in the memory 1002 and control the transceiver 1003 to receive or send a signal, so that the network device performs the method steps of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, such as performing Figure 3 Steps in .

[0170] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer program product includes a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the emergency communication processing method described above is implemented.

[0171] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer program product may be a tangible product containing a computer program, such as a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. The readable storage medium may be a storage medium based on electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or other signals, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory (Flash), mechanical hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), and the like. Exemplarily, the computer program product may be implemented as a non-volatile storage medium storing a computer program, such as a read-only memory, a NAND flash memory (NandFlash), and the like.

[0172] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer program product may be an intangible product containing a computer program. For example, the computer program product may be implemented as a virtual digital product, such as an executable file, an installation package, or other digital file storing the computer program.

[0173] The code of the computer program can be written in one or more programming languages. Programming languages ​​include C, Java, C++, etc. The program code can be executed entirely on the user computing device, partially on the user computing device, or as a separate software package, partially on the user computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In the case of a remote computing device, the remote computing device can be connected to the user computing device via any type of network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), etc., or can be connected to an external computing device (e.g., via an Internet connection provided by a carrier).

[0174] Computer programs can be carried or transmitted via electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or other signals. Electronic devices can convert signals carrying computer programs into digital signals, thereby running the computer programs. When a computer program is run on an electronic device, its code is used to cause the electronic device to execute (more specifically, to cause the processor of the electronic device to execute) the method steps of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, such as the following: Figure 2 The method steps in Figure 3 The method steps in .

[0175] As can be seen from the above, the technical solutions of the present disclosure can be implemented as methods, devices, systems, computer program products, storage media, electronic devices, etc. Those skilled in the art will understand that various aspects of the present disclosure can be specifically implemented in the following forms, namely: a complete hardware implementation, a complete software implementation (including firmware, microcode, etc.), or an implementation that combines hardware and software aspects, such as "circuit", "module" or "system".

[0176] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific method steps or structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope thereof. Those skilled in the art will easily think of other embodiments based on the specific embodiments provided by the present disclosure. Therefore, the specific embodiments provided by the present disclosure are merely exemplary, and the scope and spirit of the present disclosure are indicated by the claims, which should cover any variations, uses or adaptive changes of the present disclosure, which follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include common knowledge or customary technical means in the field of the present technology that are not disclosed in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for processing emergency communications, characterized in that: The method comprises: Sending an attach request message to a mobility management entity (MME) network element, wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only an emergency call service is requested and the service is not restricted; An attach feedback message is received from the MME network element, wherein the attach feedback message is used to indicate that an emergency call service is not supported, or is used to indicate that an attach is accepted.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for instructing the narrowband Internet of Things NB-IoT terminal to request provision of an emergency call service.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The attach request message further includes a PDN connection request carried by an EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency.

4. An emergency communication processing method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Receiving an attach request message sent by a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal; wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only emergency call services are obtained and the terminal is not in a restricted service state; An attachment feedback message is sent to the NB-IoT terminal, wherein the attachment feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or to indicate attachment acceptance.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that If the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal requests provision of an emergency call service and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency and normal, and the mobility management entity (MME) network element supports the emergency call service, the method further includes: Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process; Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal; Interact with the serving gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish emergency call and normal call PDN connections, send an attachment acceptance message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attachment completion message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that If the attach request message includes an emergency request indicator for indicating that the narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal requests provision of an emergency call service and a PDN connection request carried by the EPS session management container, and the request type of the PDN connection request is emergency, and the mobility management entity (MME) network element supports the emergency call service, the method further includes: Obtain authentication information from the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and interact with the NB-IoT terminal to complete the authentication and security process; Send a location update request to the HSS and receive a location update confirmation message sent by the HSS to obtain the subscription data of the NB-IoT terminal; Interact with the serving gateway and the packet data network gateway to establish an emergency call PDN connection, send an attach accept message to the NB-IoT terminal, and receive an attach complete message sent by the NB-IoT terminal.

7. An emergency communication processing device, characterized in that: The device comprises: A sending unit, configured to send an attach request message to a mobility management entity MME network element, wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only an emergency call service is requested and the service is not restricted; The receiving unit is configured to receive an attach feedback message from the MME network element, wherein the attach feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or is used to indicate that the attach is accepted.

8. An emergency communication processing device, characterized in that: The device comprises: A receiving unit, configured to receive an attach request message sent by a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) terminal; wherein the attach request message is used to indicate that only emergency call services are obtained and the terminal is not in a restricted service state; A sending unit is used to send an attachment feedback message to the NB-IoT terminal, wherein the attachment feedback message is used to indicate that the emergency call service is not supported, or to indicate attachment acceptance.

9. A terminal device, characterized in that: The terminal device comprises a transceiver, a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store a program, and the processor is used to call the program in the memory and control the transceiver to receive or send a signal so that the terminal device executes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

10. A network device, characterized in that: The network device comprises a transceiver, a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store a program, and the processor is used to call the program in the memory and control the transceiver to receive or send a signal, so that the network device executes the method according to any one of claims 4 to 6.

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