Service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things and related equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a service switching method based on a narrowband Internet of Things, and relates to the technical field of communication. The method is applied to a mobility management entity, and comprises the following steps: in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, sending a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, the voice service bearer establishment request being used for requesting the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context of a target voice service bearer, and the data service bearer removal request being used for removing the air interface context of the target voice service bearer; the data service bearer dismantling request is used for requesting the base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to dismantle the air interface context of the data service bearer; and indicating the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish a target voice service bearer in response to receiving a data service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal. According to the invention, the problem of voice call failure caused by DRB resource exhaustion can be solved, and the service success rate is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things and related equipment. Background Art

[0002] Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is an IoT communication technology designed for low-power, low-speed data transmission. Compared to traditional IoT communication technologies, NB-IoT is particularly suitable for application scenarios that require wide coverage, low energy consumption, low cost, and small data volumes. After accessing the Internet of Things-Non Terrestrial Networks (IoT-NTN) satellite, users of NB-IoT satellite mobile terminals generally express the desire to use narrowband data and voice services. However, since current NB-IoT terminals only support two Data Radio Bearers (DRBs), when an NB-IoT terminal uses both data and voice services simultaneously, at least three bearers must be established between the terminal and the network.

[0003] In related technologies, the original design of NB-IoT terminals was to support small data transmission with low power consumption and low cost, and only supports two data radio bearers (DRBs). In the traditional IoT-NTN (non-terrestrial network) scenario, the terminal uses the default bearer to achieve data communication, while VoLTE (voice over LTE) requires the establishment of an additional dedicated bearer. When the terminal is jointly attached, the default bearer (data + VoLTE signaling) already occupies two DRBs. If a voice service (caller / called) is initiated, a third bearer (dedicated to VoLTE) is required, but the voice service fails to be established due to insufficient DRB resources.

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

[0005] The present disclosure provides a service switching method and related equipment based on narrowband Internet of Things, which completes the switching from data service to voice service, ensures the smooth development of voice service, and improves user experience.

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

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a narrowband Internet of Things (IoT)-based service switching method is provided, which is applied to a mobility management entity. The method includes: in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, sending a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the voice service bearer establishment request is used to request the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context of a target voice service bearer, and the data service bearer removal request is used to request an access network device to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to remove the air interface context of the data service bearer; and in response to receiving a data service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, instructing the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish a target voice service bearer.

[0008] In some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving a target voice service subscription request sent by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the target voice service subscription request is used to register the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal with a mobility management entity and activate the mobility management entity's support for the target voice service.

[0009] In some embodiments, the sending of a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal includes: obtaining the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to receiving the voice service bearer establishment request sent by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; when the narrowband Internet of Things terminal has subscribed to the voice service, providing the voice service to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to send a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; and when the narrowband Internet of Things terminal has not subscribed to the voice service, refusing to provide the voice service to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal.

[0010] In some embodiments, obtaining the voice service contract information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal includes: sending a request for obtaining the voice service contract information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to a home user server; receiving the voice service contract information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal sent by the home user server, wherein the contract information includes a list of target network types allowed for switching, service priority parameters, and switching trigger condition thresholds.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method further includes: storing the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in the mobility management entity.

[0012] In some embodiments, the method further includes: monitoring whether there is a target voice service on a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is a narrowband Internet of Things terminal that receives target voice service data; when there is a voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, triggering a resource reservation request to an external network of the core network through an access network device and a core network in sequence, so that the external network returns a resource reservation response to the core network, wherein the resource reservation response is used to enable the core network to send a voice service bearer establishment request to the access network device.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method is also provided, which is applied to a mobility management entity. The method includes: in response to a narrowband Internet of Things terminal ending a voice service, sending a target voice service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the voice service bearer removal request is used to request the removal of the air interface context of the target voice service bearer on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; in response to receiving a target voice service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, sending a data service bearer establishment request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the data service bearer establishment request is used to request a base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish the air interface context of the data service bearer.

[0014] In some embodiments, the method further includes: monitoring whether there is a target voice service on a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is a narrowband Internet of Things terminal that receives target voice service data; when there is a voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, triggering a resource release request to an external network of the core network through an access network device and a core network in sequence, so that the external network returns a resource release response to the core network, wherein the resource release response is used to enable the core network to send a voice service bearer establishment request to the access network device.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching device is provided, which is applied to a mobility management entity. The device includes:

[0016] a first sending module, configured to, in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, send a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the voice service bearer establishment request is used to request the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context of a target voice service bearer, and the data service bearer removal request is used to request the access network device to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to remove the air interface context of the data service bearer;

[0017] The second sending module is configured to, in response to receiving a data service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, instruct the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish a target voice service bearer.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching device is provided, which is applied to a mobility management entity. The device includes:

[0019] A third sending module is configured to send a target voice service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal terminating the voice service, wherein the voice service bearer removal request is used to request the removal of the air interface context of the target voice service bearer on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal;

[0020] The fourth sending module is configured to send a data service bearer establishment request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to receiving a target voice service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, where the data service bearer establishment request is used to request the base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context for the data service bearer.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is also provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to execute any one of the above-mentioned narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching methods by executing the executable instructions.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things described above is implemented.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is further provided, including: a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implements any of the above-mentioned narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching methods.

[0024] A narrowband Internet of Things (NIoT)-based service switching method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a mobility management entity, the method comprising: in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, sending a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the voice service bearer establishment request is used to request the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context of a target voice service bearer, and the data service bearer removal request is used to request the base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to remove the air interface context of the data service bearer; in response to receiving a data service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, instructing the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish a target voice service bearer. The present disclosure first removes the data service bearer, and under the constraint of the limited design of the NB-IoT terminal (only supporting 2DRBs), by dynamically adjusting the bearer priority (voice takes precedence over data), releases DRB resources, and then establishes a voice bearer, thereby avoiding the problem of insufficient resources, solving the problem of voice call failure caused by exhaustion of DRB resources, and improving the service success rate.

[0025] Furthermore, the terminal does not need to wait for the data service to be naturally released or split. Instead, the mobility management entity actively coordinates the removal of the data bearer, shortening the delay in establishing the voice service, reducing the difficulty and power consumption of the terminal design, and extending the battery life. In addition, the bearer switching function is integrated into the mobility management entity to facilitate subsequent network upgrades and business expansion, provide value-added services to terminal users on demand, and improve network resource utilization.

[0026] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, and together with the specification, are used to explain the principles of the present disclosure. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and those skilled in the art can derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive effort.

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the system architecture of a narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the architecture of a narrowband Internet of Things terminal in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 3 A flowchart of a service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0031] Figure 4A flowchart of another narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0032] Figure 5 A flowchart of another narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0033] Figure 6 A signaling diagram of another narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0034] Figure 7 A flowchart of another narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0035] Figure 8 A signaling diagram of another narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0036] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a service switching device based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0037] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of another narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0038] Figure 11 A structural block diagram of an electronic device in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be embodied in many 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 concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0040] In addition, the accompanying drawings are merely schematic illustrations of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Identical reference numerals in the figures denote identical or similar parts, and thus repetitive descriptions thereof will be omitted. Some of the block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are functional entities that do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically separate entities. These functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0041] For ease of understanding, before introducing the embodiments of the present disclosure, several terms involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure are explained as follows:

[0042] The Internet of Things-Non Terrestrial Networks (IoT-NTN) refers to technologies that enable IoT devices to access networks via non-terrestrial communication infrastructure, such as satellites and high-altitude platforms. This technology expands IoT coverage and is particularly suitable for remote areas or areas like oceans where terrestrial networks are difficult to reach.

[0043] Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT): A low-power wide area network technology designed specifically for the Internet of Things. It uses narrowband spectrum resources and has the characteristics of wide coverage, multiple connections, low power consumption, and low cost. It is suitable for large-scale deployment of static or low-mobility IoT devices.

[0044] Data Radio Bearer (DRB): In mobile communication systems, a DRB is a logical channel that carries user data and is responsible for transmitting data between the terminal and the network. It supports different Quality of Service (QoS) requirements, ensuring efficient and reliable data transmission, and is a key component of the wireless communication protocol stack.

[0045] The specific implementation of the embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary application system architecture for a narrowband IoT-based service handover method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. This system architecture may include: a narrowband IoT terminal 101, an access network device 102, a serving gateway SGW 103, a packet data network gateway PGW 104, an external network 105, a mobility management entity MME 106, and a home subscriber server HSS 107. The network 102 is a medium for providing a communication link between the terminal device 101 and the network-side device 103, and may be a wired network or a wireless network.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the narrowband Internet of Things terminal 101 refers to a user device that supports the NB-IoT standard, and can be any low-power, wide-coverage Internet of Things device, such as a smart water meter, a smart electricity meter, an environmental monitoring sensor, etc. The access network device 102 can be a base station, a relay, or an access point, etc. The base station can be a base station of 5G or later versions (for example, 5G NRNB), or a base station in other communication systems (for example, an eNB base station, a satellite eNB base station), which is responsible for receiving and transmitting signals to achieve wireless communication with the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; it should be noted that the specific type of network-side equipment is not limited in the embodiment of the present disclosure; the service gateway SGW103 is a network node responsible for processing the routing and forwarding of user data packets, and also participates in mobility management; the packet data network gateway PGW104 is a user plane anchor point, responsible for routing user data packets to a suitable external data network; the external network 105 can include a packet data network and VoLTE. The packet data network can refer to an external data network such as the Internet, and VoLTE can refer to a data network via 4G. The LTE network provides high-definition voice services; the mobility management entity MME106 is responsible for mobility and session management, including tracking area updates, handover processes, and authentication functions; the home subscriber server HSS107 is responsible for storing and managing user subscription data (such as identity information, service permissions, location information, etc.), and providing user data query services to other nodes in the network (such as MME, SGSN, etc.) to support authentication, routing, and service authorization.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the narrowband Internet of Things terminal 101 communicates with the access network device 102 via the Uu interface, and the access network device 102 then interacts with the mobility management entity MME 106 and the serving gateway SGW 103 via the S1-mme and S1-u interfaces to complete the management of mobility and data transmission. The serving gateway SGW 103 is connected to the packet data network gateway PGW 104 via the S5 interface, and the packet data network gateway PGW 104 coordinates with the external network 105 via the SGi interface to obtain VoLTE services and packet data, thereby achieving high-quality voice calls. The mobility management entity MME 106 is connected to the home subscriber server HSS 107 via S6 to ensure that users can correctly authenticate and obtain personalized service configurations when accessing the network, while maintaining the network's real-time understanding of the user's location.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a narrowband Internet of Things terminal provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, combined with Figure 2As shown in the figure, in an NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) network, NB-IoT terminals only support two Data Radio Bearers (DRBs). From top to bottom, the topmost layer is the EPS Bearer (EPS Bearer ID), which represents the end-to-end quality of service guarantee and covers the entire path from the user device to the PDN gateway. Next is the E-UTRAN Radio Access Bearer (ERABID), a radio bearer established for a specific session in the E-UTRAN (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network) for transmitting user plane data. Furthermore, the NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) network also includes a Data Radio Bearer (DRBID), a logical channel established on the radio interface for a specific QoS flow to transmit user data. Meanwhile, on the S1 interface and S5 interface, there are the S1 bearer (S1 TEID) and the S5 bearer (S5 TEID), respectively. These bearer identifiers are used to identify and route data packets between different network nodes.

[0050] In some embodiments, the mobility management entity MME106 can add NB-loT terminal user bearer switching control management. Bearer switching control management refers to the process of dynamically adjusting the data transmission path (bearer) when the terminal moves or the network changes to ensure business continuity. In this way, the MME can enhance the bearer switching control capability of the NB-IoT terminal. Since NB-IoT terminals are sensitive to power consumption and have low mobility, traditional switching mechanisms may not be optimized enough. By enhancing management (such as more accurate switching decisions and reducing unnecessary switching), the MME can improve the efficiency of the NB-IoT network and the terminal endurance.

[0051] In some embodiments, the home subscriber server HSS107 can be configured to add specific subscription information, which includes satellite narrowband VoLTE voice services. Specifically, before using the VoLTE voice service, satellite NB-IoT terminal users must complete the satellite narrowband VoLTE voice service subscription process in advance. When the satellite NB-IoT terminal accesses the network, the terminal device will send the RAT-Type parameter to the satellite core network. Depending on the type of satellite orbit being accessed, the RAT-Type parameter will be mapped to the corresponding access technology identifier: for low-orbit IoT satellites, it is mapped to EUTRAN-NB-IoT (LEO), for medium-orbit IoT satellites, it is mapped to EUTRAN-NB-IoT (MEO), and so on.

[0052] In some embodiments, the mobility management entity (MME) 106 first obtains user subscription data from the home subscriber server (HSS) 107 and stores it locally. The MME then executes the following judgment logic: If the user is confirmed to have subscribed to the satellite narrowband VoLTE voice service and the RAT-Type is NB-IoT, the user will be included in the switching management module between the dedicated VoLTE voice bearer and the default data bearer. Conversely, if the user has not subscribed to the service, the system will not provide the corresponding bearer switching management function for the user.

[0053] It should be noted that the application system architecture proposed in the present disclosure is not only applicable to terrestrial communication networks, but can also be effectively applied to satellite communication scenarios. Specifically, each network element in the system - including narrowband Internet of Things terminal 101, access network equipment 102, service gateway SGW103, packet data network gateway PGW104, external network 105, mobility management entity MME106 and home user server HSS107 - can be implemented as corresponding entities in the satellite communication network, namely satellite narrowband Internet of Things terminal, satellite access network equipment, satellite service gateway SGW, satellite packet data network gateway PGW, satellite external network, satellite mobility management entity MME and satellite home user server HSS. In addition, it should be understood that this architectural design has good scalability and is also applicable to other non-terrestrial communication systems or integrated space-ground hybrid networking scenarios, and the present disclosure does not make specific limitations on this.

[0054] In some embodiments, when the application system architecture proposed in this disclosure is implemented in a satellite communication scenario, due to the inherent wide-area coverage of satellite communications, it can effectively address IoT access needs in remote areas, oceans, and aviation scenarios that are difficult for terrestrial networks to cover, significantly improving the availability and continuity of network services. When combined with narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology, this architecture enables low-power operation of terminal devices in satellite communication environments, and through optimized signaling interaction and data processing mechanisms, improves data transmission efficiency and reduces system overhead.

[0055] Those skilled in the art will know that Figure 1 The number of terminals, networks, and network-side devices in the figure is merely illustrative, and any number of terminals, networks, and network-side devices may be provided according to actual needs. This disclosure does not limit this.

[0056] Figure 3 A flow chart of a service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure includes the following steps:

[0057] S302: In response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, a data service bearer removal request is sent to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the voice service bearer establishment request is used to request the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context of a target voice service bearer, and the data service bearer removal request is used to request the base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to remove the air interface context of the data service bearer.

[0058] In this embodiment, a narrowband Internet of Things terminal refers to a device that supports narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology, can perform data and voice communications, and can establish and dismantle service bearers on demand. A voice service bearer establishment request refers to a message sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, the purpose of which is to allow the network to establish an air interface context for the target voice service. The air interface context contains various parameters and configuration information required for communication. Once established, the terminal can perform voice communication. A data service bearer dismantling request refers to an instruction sent to a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, requesting the base station to notify the terminal to dismantle the air interface context of the data service. After dismantling, the terminal can no longer perform the data service communication to free up resources for use by other services. Access network equipment refers to equipment responsible for sending and receiving wireless signals and communicating with the terminal, and executes the instruction in S302 to notify the terminal to dismantle the data service bearer.

[0059] S302: In response to receiving a data service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, instruct the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish a target voice service bearer.

[0060] In this embodiment, the NB-IoT terminal first returns a data service bearer teardown response, indicating that it has completed the bearer teardown operation for the current data service. Upon receiving this response, the Mobility Management Entity instructs the NB-IoT terminal to establish the target voice service bearer. This is because in IoT application scenarios, service requirements may change. When data services are no longer required, a voice service bearer may need to be established to meet new voice communication needs. The Mobility Management Entity plays a command and dispatch role, making decisions and issuing instructions based on information fed back by the terminals. The NB-IoT terminal must then follow the Mobility Management Entity's instructions to execute the corresponding operations and complete the bearer switch from data services to voice services to adapt to different service needs.

[0061] In this embodiment, by adding a bearer switching control function to the MME, under the condition that the NB-IoT terminal of the Internet of Things only supports 2 DRBs, two types of communication services, data and voice, are provided to the NB-IoT terminal that has subscribed to the satellite NB-VoLTE voice service. By dynamically adjusting the bearer priority (voice takes precedence over data), releasing DRB resources, and then establishing a voice bearer, the problem of insufficient resources is avoided, the problem of voice call failure caused by the exhaustion of DRB resources is solved, and the service success rate is improved. Furthermore, the terminal does not need to wait for the data service to be naturally released or the bearer is split. Instead, the mobility management entity actively coordinates the removal of the data bearer, shortens the voice service establishment delay, reduces the terminal design difficulty and power consumption, and extends the battery life. In addition, the bearer switching function is integrated into the mobility management entity to facilitate subsequent network upgrades and business expansion, provide value-added services to terminal users on demand, and improve network resource utilization.

[0062] Figure 4 A flow chart of a service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure includes the following steps:

[0063] S402: Receive a target voice service subscription request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, where the target voice service subscription request is used to register the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal with a mobility management entity and activate support for the target voice service by the mobility management entity.

[0064] In this embodiment, satellite NB-IoT terminal users must subscribe to satellite narrowband VoLTE voice services before using the VoLTE voice service. When a satellite NB-IoT terminal user attaches to a satellite, the terminal reports the RAT-Type to the satellite core network. Depending on the satellite orbit being accessed, the RAT-Type is mapped to EUTRAN-NB-IoT (LEO) for low-orbit IoT satellites and EUTRAN-NB-IoT (MEO) for medium-orbit IoT satellites.

[0065] Figure 5 A flow chart of a service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown as follows: Figure 5 As shown, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, sending a data service bearer teardown request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal includes the following steps:

[0066] S502: In response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, obtain voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal.

[0067] S504: When the narrowband Internet of Things terminal subscribes to the voice service, the voice service is provided to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, so as to send a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal.

[0068] S506: When the narrowband Internet of Things terminal has not signed up for the voice service, refuse to provide the voice service to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal.

[0069] Figure 6 A flow chart of a service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the steps of obtaining the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure include:

[0070] S602: Send a request for obtaining the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to the home subscriber server.

[0071] In this embodiment, the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) is the core database in the communications network, responsible for storing and managing user subscription data (such as identity information, permissions, and service configurations). It serves as the "central archive" for user data and provides user information query services to other network elements (such as the MME and PCRF), ensuring that users are correctly identified and authorized when accessing the network.

[0072] S604: Receive voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal sent by the home subscriber server, where the subscription information includes a list of target network types allowed for handover, service priority parameters, and handover trigger condition thresholds.

[0073] In some embodiments, the method further includes storing the voice service subscription information of the narrowband IoT terminal in a mobility management entity. Storing the subscription information in the mobility management entity (MME) facilitates real-time query and dynamic adjustment of terminal policies.

[0074] In this embodiment, the mobility management entity first requests user subscription data from the HSS and stores it locally. If the mobility management entity determines that the user has subscribed to the satellite narrowband VoLTE voice service and the RAT-Type is NB-IoT, the user is included in the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer and data default bearer switching management module. If the user has not subscribed to the satellite narrowband VoLTE voice service, the bearer switching management function is not provided for the user.

[0075] In some embodiments, the method also includes: monitoring whether there is a target voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is a narrowband Internet of Things terminal that receives target voice service data; when there is a voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, triggering a resource reservation request to the external network of the core network through the access network device and the core network in sequence, so that the external network returns a resource reservation response to the core network, wherein the resource reservation response is used to enable the core network to send a voice service bearer establishment request to the access network device.

[0076] Figure 6 A signaling flow chart of a service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0077] S601: The NB-IoT terminal acts as the active / called party, and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) session is established between the NB-IoT terminal and the SBC network element.

[0078] In this embodiment, an NB-IoT terminal establishes a SIP session with an SBC over the cellular network. If the terminal is the caller, it initiates a call request via SIP; if the terminal is the called party, it receives the SIP call request. The SBC handles signaling, routing, and security, ensuring smooth communication between the terminal and the network or other terminals.

[0079] S602: The SBC triggers an AAR resource reservation request to the PCRF network element.

[0080] In this embodiment, when the network establishes a VoLTE voice session for the NB-IoT terminal, when the NB-IoT terminal performs media negotiation with the call peer through the SBC, the SBC triggers an Rx AAR resource reservation request to the PCRF network element.

[0081] S603: The PCRF network element sends a policy update request to the EPC network element to notify the creation of a target voice service bearer.

[0082] In this embodiment, the PCRF network element makes a policy decision based on the resource reservation information, and sends a policy update request notification to the EPC network, informing it to create a VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1).

[0083] S604: The EPC network element sends a VoLTE dedicated bearer context establishment request.

[0084] In this embodiment, the process of creating a dedicated VoLTE voice bearer (QCI=1) is initiated between network elements such as the EPC network PGW, SGW, and MME. The MME receives the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1) establishment request from the SGW, determines that the NB-IoT terminal user has signed up for the satellite NB-VoLTE voice service and the wireless access type RAT-Type is the NB-IoT access type, and adds a new bearer switching control function for the NB-IoT terminal user. First, the default data bearer (QCI=9) is actively removed, and then the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1) is created after receiving the removal completion response.

[0085] S605: The MME determines that the user has subscribed to the narrowband voice service and has established two bearers.

[0086] In this embodiment, the MME instructs the SGW to initiate the data default bearer (QCI=9) removal process based on the terminal user's wireless access type RATType being NB-IoT, the user subscribing to the satellite narrowband VoLTE voice service, and the user's current bearer number having reached 2.

[0087] S606: The MME sends a data default bearer context removal request to the EPC network element.

[0088] In this embodiment, the MME instructs the eNB to notify the NB-IoT terminal to remove the air interface context of the default data bearer (QCI=9) through RRC Connection Reconfiguration.

[0089] S607: The EPC network element removes the default data bearer context.

[0090] S608: The EPC network element confirms to the MME that the default data bearer context has been removed.

[0091] In this embodiment, after the SGW interacts with other EPC network elements (PGW, PCRF network element, etc.) to complete the removal of the default data bearer (QCI=9), it returns a removal response of the default data bearer (QCI=9) to the MME.

[0092] S609: The MME sends a data default bearer context removal request to the eNB.

[0093] S610 , the eNB proactively notifies the eNB of a data default bearer air interface context removal request (QCI=9) through the RRC Connection Reconfiguration terminal.

[0094] S611, the NB-IoT terminal confirms through RRC Connection Reconfiguration complete that the data default bearer air interface context has been removed (QCI=9).

[0095] S612: The eNB confirms to the MME that the default data bearer context has been removed.

[0096] In this embodiment, the NB IoT terminal releases the data default bearer (QCI=9) DRB resources, and interacts with the eNB to complete the data default bearer (QCI=9) air interface context removal. The eNB then returns a data default bearer (QCI=9) removal response to the MME.

[0097] S613, the MME sends a VoLTE dedicated bearer context establishment request (QCI=1) to the eNB.

[0098] In this embodiment, after the MME confirms that the data default bearers (QCI=9) of the SGW and eNB have been removed, it continues to execute the process of creating a VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1), and instructs the eNB to notify the NB-IoT terminal to establish a VoLTE voice dedicated radio bearer air interface context through an RRC ConnectionReconfiguration message.

[0099] S614, the eNB notifies the UE to establish a VoLTE voice dedicated bearer air interface context (QCI=1) through RRC Connection Reconfiguration.

[0100] S615, the NB-IoT terminal notifies the eNB through RRC Connection Reconfiguration that the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer air interface context has been activated (QCI=1).

[0101] S616, the eNB confirms to the MME that the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer air interface context has been established (QCI=1).

[0102] In this embodiment, after receiving the response message from the NB-IoT terminal, the eNB confirms to the MME that the context connection of the local VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1) has been established.

[0103] S617, the MME confirms to the EPC network element that the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer context has been established (QCI=1).

[0104] In this embodiment, the MME confirms to the SGW that the local VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1) context connection has been established, and the SGW, PGW and other network elements successively complete the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1) context activation confirmation.

[0105] S618, the EPC network element sends a policy update request to the PCRF network element, notifying the SBC that the VoLTE dedicated voice bearer (QCI=1) has been established.

[0106] In this embodiment, the PGW returns a policy update response to the PCRF network element.

[0107] S619 , the PCRF network element responds to the SBC that the AAA resource reservation is completed.

[0108] In this embodiment, the PCRF network element sends an Rx RAR notification resource establishment completion message to the SBC.

[0109] S620: The SBC forwards the voice media stream for the UE through the VoLTE dedicated bearer.

[0110] In this embodiment, the SBC forwards the voice media stream for the NB-IoT terminal through the VOLTE voice dedicated bearer, providing voice calls for the NB-IoT terminal and the call partner.

[0111] In this embodiment, when a subscribed NB-IoT terminal user (calling or called) is in a VoLTE voice service call session establishment scenario, the MME, upon receiving a VoLTE voice dedicated bearer establishment request from the SGW, first verifies whether the NB-IoT terminal user has subscribed to the satellite narrowband VoLTE voice service. If confirmed to be subscribed, the MME instructs the eNB to notify the NB-IoT terminal to remove the air interface context of the default data bearer. After the satellite eNB returns a data default bearer removal completion message to the MME, the MME further instructs the eNB to establish a VoLTE voice dedicated bearer air interface context for the NB-IoT terminal.

[0112] At this point, the dedicated VoLTE voice bearer (QCI = 1) radio bearer activation process has been successfully completed between the NB-IoT terminal and the eNB base station. Simultaneously, the dedicated VoLTE voice bearer (QCI = 1) S1 / S5 interface bearer activation has also been completed between the satellite MME and the satellite SGW, PGW, and SBC. Through this process, the NB-IoT terminal user can use the established dedicated VoLTE voice bearer to establish a voice service media stream connection with the callee, achieving high-quality VoLTE voice call service.

[0113] Figure 7A flow chart of a service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown as follows: Figure 7 As shown, the service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure includes the following steps:

[0114] S702: In response to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal terminating the voice service, a target voice service bearer removal request is sent to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, where the target voice service bearer removal request is used to request removal of the air interface context of the target voice service bearer on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal.

[0115] In this embodiment, after the narrowband Internet of Things terminal ends the voice service, the mobility management entity will proactively send a target voice service bearer removal request to the terminal. Specifically, the mobility management entity, as the management party, proactively initiates the operation when it detects that the terminal's voice service has ended; the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is the recipient. The purpose of the bearer removal request is to request the removal of the air interface context of the target voice service bearer on the terminal. The air interface context can be understood as the various parameters and status information required to maintain voice service communication on the wireless interface. Removing it means releasing related resources so that these resources can be used by other services or terminals, which helps to improve the resource utilization and operational efficiency of the narrowband Internet of Things system.

[0116] S704: In response to receiving a target voice service bearer teardown response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, a data service bearer establishment request is sent to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal. The data service bearer establishment request is used to request the base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context for the data service bearer.

[0117] In this embodiment, the MME first receives a target voice service bearer teardown response from the NB-IoT terminal, indicating that the target voice service has been removed. The MME then proactively sends a data service bearer establishment request to the receiving NB-IoT terminal, requesting the base station to assist in establishing a new data service bearer.

[0118] In this embodiment, after the voice service ends, the data service is quickly switched back to avoid resource waste and improve the flexibility and efficiency of the NB-IoT terminal.

[0119] In some embodiments, the narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure also includes: monitoring whether there is a target voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is a narrowband Internet of Things terminal that receives target voice service data; when there is a voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, triggering a resource release request to the external network of the core network through the access network device and the core network in sequence, so that the external network returns a resource release response to the core network, wherein the resource release response is used to enable the core network to send a voice service bearer establishment request to the access network device.

[0120] Figure 8 A signaling flow chart of a service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown as follows: Figure 8 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0121] S801: The IoT UE is the calling / called party, the voice call session ends, and the SBC receives a SIP BYE message.

[0122] S802, the SBC triggers a STR resource release request to the PCRF network element.

[0123] In this embodiment, when the VoLTE voice call ends and the SBC receives a call session SIP BYE message, the SBC triggers an Rx STR resource release request to the PCRF.

[0124] S803 , the PCRF network element sends a policy update request to the EPC network element to pre-tear down the VoLTE dedicated voice bearer (QCI=1).

[0125] In this embodiment, the PCRF makes a policy decision based on the resource release information, and sends a policy update request notification to the EPC network to notify the removal of the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1).

[0126] S804, the EPC network element sends a VoLTE dedicated bearer context deletion request (QCI=1) to the MME.

[0127] In this embodiment, a process of removing a VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1) is initiated between network elements such as the PGW, SGW, and MME in the EPC network element.

[0128] S805 , the MME sends a VoLTE dedicated bearer context deletion request (QCI=1) to the eNB.

[0129] In this embodiment, when a VoLTE call ends or is abnormal, the MME proactively sends a deletion request to the eNB, requesting the release of the dedicated bearer resources with QCI=1.

[0130] S806: The eNB notifies the NB IoT UE to remove the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer air interface context (QCI=1) through RRC Connection Reconfiguration.

[0131] S807: The NB loT UE confirms to the eNB through RRC Connection Reconfiguration complete that the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer air interface context has been removed (QCI=1).

[0132] In this embodiment, when the NB-IoT terminal receives the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer air interface context removal notification, the NB-IoT terminal releases the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1) DRB resources and sends a VoLTE voice dedicated bearer air interface context removal response back to the eNB.

[0133] S808: The eNB confirms to the MME that the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer context has been removed (QCI=1).

[0134] In this embodiment, the eNB base station receives the bearer air interface context removal response and returns a VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1) removal response to the MME.

[0135] S809, the MME confirms to the EPC network element that the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer context has been removed (QCI=1).

[0136] S810, the EPC network element sends a policy update response to the PCRF network element, notifying the SBC that the VoLTE dedicated voice bearer (QCI=1) has been removed.

[0137] In this embodiment, after the SGW and PGW network elements in the EPC network element complete the removal of the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer context, the PGW returns a policy update response to the PCRF, notifying that the removal of the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1) is completed.

[0138] S811, the PCRF network element responds to the SBC that the STA resource release is complete.

[0139] S812: The MME determines that only one bearer is established for the current user.

[0140] S813, the MME sends a data default bearer context establishment request (QCI=9) to the eNB.

[0141] In this embodiment, the MME receives a teardown response for the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer (QCI=1), determines that the terminal user currently has only one bearer established, and is a subscriber of the NB-VoLTE voice service, and instructs the eNB to notify the NB-IoT terminal to create a data default bearer (QCI=9) air interface context through an RRC ConnectionReconfiguration message.

[0142] S814, the eNB proactively notifies the eNB through the RRC Connection Reconfiguration terminal to establish a data default bearer air interface context request (QCI=9).

[0143] S815, the NB IoT UE notifies the eNB through RRC Connection Reconfiguration complete that the default data bearer air interface context has been activated (QCI = 9).

[0144] In this embodiment, after the NB-IoT terminal completes the creation of the data default bearer (QCI=9) DRB, it returns a data default bearer (QCI=9) context establishment response to the eNB.

[0145] S816, the MME sends a data default bearer context establishment request (QCI=9) to the EPC network element.

[0146] In this embodiment, the MME initiates a data default bearer (QCI=9) context establishment process to the SGW network in the EPC network element.

[0147] S817 , the eNB confirms to the MME that the default data bearer context has been established (QCI=9).

[0148] S818: EPC establishes a default data bearer context.

[0149] In this embodiment, the SGW and PGW network elements in the EPC network element successively complete the establishment of the data default bearer (QCI=9) context.

[0150] S819, the EPC network element confirms to the MME that the data default bearer context has been established (QCI=9).

[0151] In this embodiment, NB-IoT terminals can use data services through the default data bearer. In this disclosed solution, the air interface context establishment process (S813-S815) between the MME and the eNB and the core network bearer establishment process (S816-S819) between the MME and the EPC can be executed in parallel, thereby reducing the end-to-end bearer establishment delay, optimizing signaling interaction efficiency, and improving overall system performance. This parallel processing mechanism can effectively shorten the transition time from the release of the VoLTE voice bearer to the availability of the default data bearer for the NB-IoT terminal.

[0152] In this embodiment, when the contracted NB-IoT terminal user (caller or called party) is in the VoLTE voice service call session end scenario, the MME receives the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer removal request sent by the SGW, and then instructs the eNB to notify the NB-IoT terminal to remove the VoLTE voice dedicated bearer air interface context, and after the eNB completes the removal to the MME, it instructs the eNB to notify the NB-IoT terminal to create a new data default bearer air interface context. At this time, the data default bearer (QCI=9) radio bearer activation is completed between the NB-IoT terminal and the eNB base station, and the data default bearer (QCI=9) S1 / S5 bearer activation is completed synchronously between the MME and the SGW and PGW, and the NBIOT terminal user resumes using the data default bearer to provide data services.

[0153] Through the above embodiment, the switching control function of removing and establishing the voice dedicated bearer and data default bearer for NB-IoT terminal users is added to the MME, and the bearer removal / new creation request in the VoLTE voice call session establishment and session termination scenarios can be identified, and the bearer switching is automatically initiated.

[0154] Based on the same inventive concept, the present disclosure also provides a narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching device, as described in the following embodiments. Since the principles of the device embodiment to solve the problem are similar to those of the above-mentioned method embodiment, the implementation of the device embodiment can refer to the implementation of the above-mentioned method embodiment, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0155] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a service switching device based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 9 As shown, the device includes: a first sending module 91 and a second sending module 92; the first sending module 91 is used to send a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the voice service bearer establishment request is used to request the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context of the target voice service bearer, and the data service bearer removal request is used to request the access network device to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to remove the air interface context of the data service bearer; the second sending module 92 is used to instruct the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish the target voice service bearer in response to receiving a data service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal.

[0156] In some embodiments, the device also includes a first sending module, which is used to: receive a target voice service subscription request sent by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the target voice service subscription request is used to register the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal with the mobility management entity and activate the mobility management entity's support for the target voice service.

[0157] In some embodiments, the first sending module 91 is specifically configured to: in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, obtain the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; when the narrowband Internet of Things terminal has subscribed to the voice service, provide the voice service to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal and send a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; when the narrowband Internet of Things terminal has not subscribed to the voice service, refuse to provide the voice service to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal.

[0158] In some embodiments, the first sending module 91 is specifically configured to: send a request for obtaining the voice service contract information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to the home user server; and receive the voice service contract information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal sent by the home user server, wherein the contract information includes a list of target network types allowed for switching, a service priority parameter, and a switching trigger condition threshold.

[0159] In some embodiments, the storage module is used to store the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in the mobility management entity.

[0160] In some embodiments, the device also includes a first monitoring module, which is used to: monitor whether there is a target voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is a narrowband Internet of Things terminal that receives target voice service data; when there is a voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, trigger a resource reservation request to the external network of the core network through the access network device and the core network in sequence, so that the external network returns a resource reservation response to the core network, wherein the resource reservation response is used to enable the core network to send a voice service bearer establishment request to the access network device.

[0161] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a service switching device based on narrowband Internet of Things in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 10 As shown, the device includes: a third sending module 93 and a fourth sending module 94; the third sending module 93 is used to send a target voice service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal ending the voice service, wherein the voice service bearer removal request is used to request the removal of the air interface context of the target voice service bearer on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; the fourth sending module 94 is used to send a data service bearer establishment request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to receiving the target voice service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the data service bearer establishment request is used to request the base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish the air interface context of the data service bearer.

[0162] In some embodiments, the device also includes a second monitoring module: monitoring whether there is a target voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is a narrowband Internet of Things terminal that receives target voice service data; when there is a voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, triggering a resource release request to the external network of the core network through the access network device and the core network in sequence, so that the external network returns a resource release response to the core network, wherein the resource release response is used to enable the core network to send a voice service bearer establishment request to the access network device.

[0163] It should be noted that the examples and application scenarios implemented by the modules in the above-mentioned apparatus embodiment are the same as those implemented by the corresponding steps in the method embodiment, but are not limited to the contents disclosed in the above-mentioned method embodiment. It should be noted that the above-mentioned modules, as part of the apparatus, can be executed in a computer system, such as a set of computer-executable instructions.

[0164] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various aspects of the present disclosure may be 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, which may be collectively referred to herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system."

[0165] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an electronic device, comprising: a processor; and a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to execute any of the aforementioned narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching methods by executing the executable instructions. Since the principles for solving the problems in this electronic device embodiment are similar to those in the aforementioned method embodiment, the implementation of this electronic device embodiment can refer to the implementation of the aforementioned method embodiment, and any repetitive details will not be repeated.

[0166] Refer to the following Figure 11 1100 according to this embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 11 The electronic device 1100 shown is merely an example and should not limit the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0167] like Figure 11 As shown, electronic device 1100 is implemented as a general-purpose computing device. Components of electronic device 1100 may include, but are not limited to, the aforementioned at least one processing unit 1110, the aforementioned at least one storage unit 1120, and a bus 1130 connecting various system components (including storage unit 1120 and processing unit 1110).

[0168] The storage unit stores a program code, and the program code can be executed by the processing unit 1110, so that the processing unit 1110 performs the steps of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure described in the "Exemplary Method" section of this specification. For example, the processing unit 1110 can perform the following steps of the above-mentioned method embodiment: in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, sending a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the voice service bearer establishment request is used to request the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context for the target voice service bearer, and the data service bearer removal request is used to request the base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to remove the air interface context of the data service bearer; in response to receiving a data service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, instructing the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish the target voice service bearer.

[0169] The storage unit 1120 may include a readable medium in the form of a volatile storage unit, such as a random access memory unit (RAM) 11201 and / or a cache memory unit 11202 , and may further include a read-only memory unit (ROM) 11203 .

[0170] The storage unit 1120 may also include a program / utility 11204 having a set (at least one) of program modules 11205, such program modules 11205 including but not limited to: an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data, each of which or some combination may include an implementation of a network environment.

[0171] The bus 1130 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 architectures.

[0172] Electronic device 1100 may also communicate with one or more external devices 1140 (e.g., a keyboard, pointing device, Bluetooth device, etc.), one or more devices that enable a user to interact with electronic device 1100, and / or any device that enables electronic device 1100 to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., a router, modem, etc.). Such communication may occur via input / output (I / O) interface 1150. Furthermore, electronic device 1100 may also communicate with one or more networks (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and / or a public network such as the Internet) via network adapter 1160. As shown, network adapter 1160 communicates with other modules of electronic device 1100 via bus 1130. It should be understood that, although not shown in the figure, other hardware and / or software modules may be used in conjunction with electronic device 1100, including but not limited to microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems.

[0173] Through the description of the above embodiments, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the example embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software 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 can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, and includes several instructions to enable a computing device (which can be a personal computer, a server, a terminal device, or a network side, etc.) to execute the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0174] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements any of the aforementioned narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching methods. Because the principles underlying the problems solved by this computer-readable storage medium embodiment are similar to those of the aforementioned method embodiment, the implementation of this computer-readable storage medium embodiment can be referenced to the implementation of the aforementioned method embodiment, and any repetitive details will not be repeated.

[0175] More specific examples of computer-readable storage media in the present disclosure may include, but are not limited to, an electrical connection having one or more conductors, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0176] In the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, which carries readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. A readable signal medium may also be any readable medium other than a readable storage medium that can transmit, propagate, or transfer a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0177] Alternatively, the program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, optical cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0178] In a specific implementation, the program code for performing the operations of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, C++, and the like, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar programming languages. The program code may be executed entirely on the user computing device, partially on the user device, as a standalone software package, partially on the user computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In the case of a remote computing device, the remote computing device may be connected to the user computing device via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computing device (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0179] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a computer program product, including a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implements the narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method according to any one of the aforementioned method embodiments. Because the principles for solving the problems in this computer program product embodiment are similar to those in the aforementioned method embodiments, the implementation of this computer program product embodiment can be referenced to the implementation of the aforementioned method embodiments, and any repetitive details will not be repeated.

[0180] It should be noted that although several modules or units of the device for action execution are mentioned in the detailed description above, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be 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.

[0181] Furthermore, although the steps of the method of the present disclosure are described in a particular order in the accompanying drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in this particular order, or that all steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired results. Additionally or alternatively, some steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or one step may be decomposed into multiple steps.

[0182] Through the description of the above embodiments, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the example embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software 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 can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, and includes several instructions to enable a computing device (which can be a personal computer, a server, a mobile terminal, or a network side, etc.) to execute the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0183] Other embodiments of the present disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure that follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure being indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things, characterized in that: Applied to a mobility management entity, the method includes: In response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, sending a data service bearer teardown request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the voice service bearer establishment request is used to request the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context of a target voice service bearer, and the data service bearer teardown request is used to request the access network device to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to tear down the air interface context of the data service bearer; In response to receiving a data service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, instruct the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish a target voice service bearer.

2. The service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Receive a target voice service subscription request sent by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the target voice service subscription request is used to register the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal with a mobility management entity and activate the mobility management entity's support for the target voice service.

3. The service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sending a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal includes: In response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, obtaining voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; When the narrowband Internet of Things terminal subscribes to the voice service, providing the voice service for the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, and sending a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; When the narrowband Internet of Things terminal has not subscribed to the voice service, refusing to provide the voice service to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal.

4. The service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things according to claim 2, characterized in that: The obtaining of the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal includes: Sending a request for obtaining the voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to the home subscriber server; Receive voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal sent by the home user server, where the subscription information includes a list of target network types allowed for switching, a service priority parameter, and a switching trigger condition threshold.

5. The service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things according to claim 2, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The voice service subscription information of the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is stored in the mobility management entity.

6. The service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Monitoring whether a target voice service exists on a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is a narrowband Internet of Things terminal that receives target voice service data; In the case where there is a voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, a resource reservation request is triggered to the external network of the core network through the access network device and the core network in sequence, so that the external network returns a resource reservation response to the core network, wherein the resource reservation response is used to enable the core network to send a voice service bearer establishment request to the access network device.

7. A service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things, characterized in that: Applied to a mobility management entity, the method includes: In response to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal terminating the voice service, sending a target voice service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the target voice service bearer removal request is used to request removal of the air interface context of the target voice service bearer on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; In response to receiving a target voice service bearer teardown response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, a data service bearer establishment request is sent to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, where the data service bearer establishment request is used to request the base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context for the data service bearer.

8. The service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things according to claim 7, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Monitoring whether a target voice service exists on a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the narrowband Internet of Things terminal is a narrowband Internet of Things terminal that receives target voice service data; In the case where there is a voice service on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, a resource release request is triggered to the external network of the core network through the access network device and the core network in sequence, so that the external network returns a resource release response to the core network, wherein the resource release response is used to enable the core network to send a voice service bearer establishment request to the access network device.

9. A service switching device based on narrowband Internet of Things, characterized in that: Applied to a mobility management entity, the device includes: a first sending module, configured to, in response to receiving a voice service bearer establishment request sent by a narrowband Internet of Things terminal, send a data service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, wherein the voice service bearer establishment request is used to request the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context of a target voice service bearer, and the data service bearer removal request is used to request the access network device to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to remove the air interface context of the data service bearer; The second sending module is configured to, in response to receiving a data service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, instruct the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish a target voice service bearer.

10. A service switching device based on narrowband Internet of Things, characterized in that: Applied to a mobility management entity, the device includes: A third sending module is configured to send a target voice service bearer removal request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal terminating the voice service, wherein the voice service bearer removal request is used to request the removal of the air interface context of the target voice service bearer on the narrowband Internet of Things terminal; The fourth sending module is configured to send a data service bearer establishment request to the narrowband Internet of Things terminal in response to receiving a target voice service bearer removal response returned by the narrowband Internet of Things terminal, where the data service bearer establishment request is used to request the base station to notify the narrowband Internet of Things terminal to establish an air interface context for the data service bearer.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: processor; as well as a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; The processor is configured to execute the narrowband Internet of Things-based service switching method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 by executing the executable instructions.

12. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is implemented.

13. A computer program product comprising: A computer program or instruction, characterized in that when the computer program or instruction is executed by a processor, it implements the service switching method based on narrowband Internet of Things according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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